BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

Reviews by Margaret M. (Chicago, IL)

Her
by Harriet Lane

the mystery of nina and emma (5/7/2014)

Suspense creating a mystery starts on the first page and continues until the last page! The book is easy to read and hard to put down!

The opening chapter is a bit confusing and in general the narrative contains too many adjectives.

It is also hard to believe that Emma is does not understand what is happening and that Nina takes 23 years to extract he revenge.

I enjoyed the book but believe it would appeal to women rather than men.

The Headmaster's Wife
by Thomas Christopher Greene

the headmasters wife (12/7/2013)

This is a quick well-written read. the plot keeps your attention and does not reveal the conclusion until the end. There are twists and turns in the story.

I am the wife of a headmaster and so of course was immediately drawn to the title. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and think it would interest men as well as women. A good read!

The Scavenger's Daughters: Tales of the Scavenger's Daughters, Book One
by Kay Bratt

The scavengers daughters (7/17/2013)

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The subject matter is unusual. The references to the cultural revolution were informative. The relationships of the daughters to each other and the scavenger were well delineated.

The conclusion was a bit fairytale and disappointing. However the book is easy to read and keeps ones interest.

A Dual Inheritance
by Joanna Hershon

Dual Inheritance (3/19/2013)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It is well written and very interesting. It keeps ones interest and also raises many questions about love, family loyalty moral decisions and the power of money.

The characters are well drawn and believable. The themes and plot are universal and would appeal to both men and women.

All You Could Ask For
by Mike Greenberg

All you Could ask for (12/8/2012)

I loved this book.. It carries a thoughtful message using interesting literary style and plot..it appealed to me as I too have struggled with their common issue. All thee women are described with humor, insightfulness and credibility!

He treats a scary female illness with humor and dignity. It remarkable that a man can describe female characters with such clarity and skill.

The Forgetting Tree: A Novel
by Tatjana Soli

Forgetting tree (8/9/2012)

It is an excellent read even though it is 400 pages. The saga of several generations keeps the readers interest. It well written and exciting.

This book would appeal to anyone interested in the genre of sagas and the love of land.

I give it 5 stars!

The Good Father: A Novel
by Noah Hawley

The good father (12/21/2011)

The Good Father is an excellent read. The plot is great! It keeps your interest to the extent that it is hard to put down.

The characters are well drawn and believable.if you are a parent or not you can easily identify with the family.

All the Flowers in Shanghai: A Novel
by Duncan Jepson

The flowers of shanghai (10/21/2011)

This is a fun read that keeps your interest. I became Interested in Xiao Feng and her life. I felt I knew her!
This is a fun and informative story. It is a fast read.
The story includes mysteries and cultural information about the Chinese family before and after the revolution and at the same time is an interesting and captivating, particularly to women.

A Box of Darkness: The Story of a Marriage
by Sally Ryder Brady

A Box of Darkness (1/6/2011)

A Box of Darkness is a good read. The writing style flows and keeps the reader involved. It is a story of a long marriage struggling with homosexuality. The plot if realistic and describes the emotional difficulties in a marriage troubled by unfaithfulness. It is also a family story and one that is quite believable. I recommend it.

The Swimming Pool
by Holly LeCraw

The Swimming Pool (3/9/2010)

The Swimming Pool is very enjoyable and keeps your interest throughout the whole book. The plot takes some interesting twists and at times compels you to keep reading!

The Things That Keep Us Here: A Novel
by Carla Buckley

the things that keep us here (11/2/2009)

Timing is everything! I could not or did want to finish this book. it was too close to home and scary with the H1N1 pandemic we are now facing. I made a gallant effort but found myself sleepless over it.

the plot is captivating but character delineation is weak. The writing style is very plain and reminiscent of simplistic easy to read books.

Perhaps someone with more fortitude might really enjoy the subject matter but I did not at this particular time.

South of Broad
by Pat Conroy

South of Broad, instant best seller (9/23/2009)

South of Broad is an instant best seller and here is why:

The story immediately draws in the reader. The writing is excellent with many spots of humor as well as suspense. The plot takes place in Charleston, S.C. depicting three generations of friends. character development is well done and believable. the reader finds the story line delightful, funny and at times sad. the plot keeps ones interest up to the very end.

Only criticism is that it is a bit wordy at times.

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