Need a cozy sweatshirt, bookish tote, or mug? Get one at the BookBrowse Merch Store!

Reviews by Valerie

If you'd like to be able to easily share your reviews with others, please join BookBrowse.
Order Reviews by:
After the Fall
After the Fall
by Kylie Ladd
Depressing Chick Literature (6/7/2010)
While this book is much more well written and has more depth than a "pop fiction" romance novel, it was still lacking something to take it significantly above that genre. I also found the irresistible attraction between the two philanderers hard to believe given the …more
My Abandonment
My Abandonment
by Peter Rock
Thought inspiring (3/20/2010)
Initially, this back captured my interest due to their survival in Forest Park, both because I've been there and because wilderness interests me. This story evolves into what seems to be a predictably sad tale, then crosses into something altogether different. I love books …more
Beautiful Assassin
Beautiful Assassin: A Novel
by Michael C. White
An okay read (3/9/2010)
This novel about a woman soldier's life during WWII is a fairly entertaining read. Until you near the end it is slow moving, not riveting, and I feel the characters could have been developed more. If you are interested in a historical novel around this period and like …more
Heresy
Heresy
by S.J. Parris
Good Historical Fiction (12/14/2009)
This book reminds me of other historical fiction/mystery novels and is a good representative of the genre. Plot is surprisingly good, and the tale moves along well.
Cleopatra's Daughter
Cleopatra's Daughter
by Michelle Moran
An Engaging Tale (9/1/2009)
Cleopatra's Daughter is an engaging tale of the life of Selene and her brother Alexander after the death of her mother, Cleopatra, and Marc Anthony. There are great insights into Roman life during this time, as well as informative history.
The Help
The Help
by Kathryn Stockett
Fantastic Book!! (7/16/2009)
This is the best book I have read this year, and I read a lot!! It has a perfect mix of humor and drama to keep me just waiting for my next chance to pick it up. And, it was fun imagining how people I know now would have fit into that time period and culture. Which side …more
The Secret Keeper
The Secret Keeper
by Paul Harris
Hmmmm.......I hate to say it but..... (3/23/2009)
Overall, I must say this is a pretty forgettable book. The storyline concept is good, but the writing does not flow, the main character is a bit lame, and all the characters lack depth. This book may appeal more to male readers....but there is no way I can recommend it. Sorry.
Something Like Beautiful
Something Like Beautiful: One Single Mother's Story
by Asha Bandele
A Gentle Essay (12/9/2008)
I must be fair and state that this is not the type of non-fiction I normally read. I like my books to be engrossing and insightful, as well as well-written. This book reads as an essay, beautifully written and touching, and gives many insights as to love and relationships …more
Stealing Athena
Stealing Athena
by Karen Essex
Great (6/7/2008)
For me, Stealing Athena's strongest point is the excellent female characters. These two women are strong, independent, intelligent, and struggling with the restraints placed on them by male dominated societies. On a broader scale, this is excellent historical fiction, done …more
Cheating at Canasta: Stories
Cheating at Canasta: Stories: Stories
by William Trevor
Portrait of Our Humanity (12/22/2007)
William Trevor's collections of short stories reveals the dark side present in all of us. Leaving the scene of an accident, lying, cheating on spouses are temptations many are faced with during their lifetime. Trevor portrays their humanity with empathy. This collection is …more
Before I Die
Before I Die
by Jenny Downham
Breaks the heart (12/22/2007)
This book squeezes your heart and knocks the air out of you. Intense, touching, and well written, it is not for the faint of heart. For anyone dealing with death or serious in any way, this book provides insight into what it may be like for the dying person. Compassionate …more
The Commoner
The Commoner: A Novel
by John Burnham Schwartz
The Commoner (12/22/2007)
I found this book engaging and well written. I also found it aroused emotions of frustration and anger at the helplessness of the female characters and their inability to affect their situations. If you read for entertainment, this may not be the best choice. If you would …more
The Heartless Stone
The Heartless Stone: A Journey Through The World of Diamonds, Deceit, and Desire
by Tom Zoellner
A new way to look at diamonds (6/7/2007)
This book is an engaging and enlightening read. I normally read fiction, so for a non-fiction book to hold my interest it has to be good. This is very good! It will change the way you look at diamonds forever.
Ptolemy's Gate
Ptolemy's Gate: The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 3
by Jonathan Stroud
Excellent tale (2/8/2007)
I am an adult, most of the time I even act like one, and I found this book series excellent. The final book of this trilogy is engrossing, and the leaves you wanting more.
  • Page
  • 1

BookBrowse Book Club

  • Book Jacket
    The Jackal's Mistress
    by Chris Bohjalian
    From the New York Times bestselling author of Hour of the Witch, a Civil War love story of a Confederate wife and a wounded Yankee.
1
2
PrevNext

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    Girl Falling
    by Hayley Scrivenor

    The USA Today bestselling author of Dirt Creek returns with a story of grief and truth.

    Read the Reviews
  • Book Jacket

    The Antidote
    by Karen Russell

    A gripping dust bowl epic about five characters whose fates become entangled after a storm ravages their small Nebraskan town.

    Read the Reviews
  • Book Jacket

    Fagin the Thief
    by Allison Epstein

    A thrilling reimagining of the world of Charles Dickens, as seen through the eyes of the infamous Jacob Fagin, London's most gifted pickpocket, liar, and rogue.

    Read the Reviews
  • Book Jacket

    The Dream Hotel
    by Laila Lalami

    A Read with Jenna pick. A riveting novel about one woman's fight for freedom, set in a near future where even dreams are under surveillance.

    Read the Reviews
  • Book Jacket

    Jane and Dan at the End of the World
    by Colleen Oakley

    Date Night meets Bel Canto in this hilarious tale.

    Read the Reviews
  • Book Jacket

    Raising Hare
    by Chloe Dalton

    A moving and fascinating meditation on freedom, trust, and loss through one woman's friendship with a wild hare.

    Read the Reviews
1
2
3
4
5
6
PrevNext
Who Said...

I like a thin book because it will steady a table...

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

B O a F F T

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.