Restart by Gordon Korman

 I've been experimenting with the public library app, Libby. The first audio book I've been able to access on this app was this one. Although it's a YA title, I really enjoyed it! The characters were fun and some were predictable and over the top, but the growth of the main character was fun to observe. His jock-father, a junior high football star in his youth, was particularly over the top and not believable!

I enjoyed the humor and conversations that this author was able to share. It felt pretty real for thirteen-year-olds, though I wouldn't know that for sure! The story kept moving and took some interesting twists and turns, which was enjoyable. The different audio voices were effective in helping me keep the different characters straight. I especially enjoyed the kid who kept trying to make video for YouTube that would go viral. He was a hoot!

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

We were in Laramie in July, headed to California. My friend Leslie offered me this book as a worthy road trip companion. She thought I would enjoy it, and I did.

The premise is interesting. The main character, Alice, has an accident, and her memory of the past several years is wiped out. She goes back to her earlier, happier marriage "self." The story unfolds as she begins to understand, from people's reactions to her, how she had changed into a rather unhappy, selfish, and demanding person on the brink of divorce.

The reason I found the premise interesting is that it coincides with my belief that we, to a large extent, control the way others treat us. I know that sounds counter-intuitive, but I'm 62. I've lived long enough to experiment with this idea, and it's true. See C. Terry Warner for details! (My all-time favorite philosopher and author of Bonds that Make Us Free.) So, when Alice comes "to" as a loving wife instead of a demanding witch, it's not surprising her husband and family react differently. I wish it could have expanded on this idea more...and developed this idea more. It fell short in that, and didn't really go there.

Still, a fun summer read...and a good trip for the road.