BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

The Half Wives
by Stacia Pelletier

The Half Wives (1/5/2017)

This is an interesting story but felt sluggish to me. And it is an odd story of a man with a legal wife and a mistress he loves dearly. That the story centers on the grave site of his deceased son seems odd but it is 1897. The child, Blue is charming and well developed Grief permeates this novel but it ends with hope, thankfully.
I would not recommend this book. The message of hope can be delivered much more successfully.

A Good Family
by Erik Fassnacht

So insightful (5/10/2015)

A Good Family, as you would suppose, is all about one particular family. It"s strong point, and a very strong point, is how each person in that family is presented, evolves. This book has all the ups and downs, ins and outs, of family life. Nerds, PTSD, fidelity and infidelity.........the whole ball of wax. I enjoyed reading it and think it a great discussion book.

Letters to the Lost
by Iona Grey

Not Just Another Love Story (3/8/2015)

When I saw the format, letters from WWII, I was wary but interested. I love WWII stories. And who doesn't like a good love story, but this was so much more. Letters to the Lost travels in time, 1943-2011. The many interesting characters are very well developed. They all have their own story. The landscape of WWII was done perfectly. I do not want to give plot away so I will just say that truly, I could not put the book down. Great story.

The Rebellion of Miss Lucy Ann Lobdell
by William Klaber

Rebellion (12/10/2014)

Very good books of a historical fiction bent open windows to certain times and places. The Rebellion of Miss Lucy Ann Lobdell lets us enter a time and place I had not before experienced. It was a fascinating read. Unbelievable courage displayed by so many characters. Amazing grace and compassion. If you enjoy traveling back in time and learning of that time, this book is for you. I think it is historical fiction as it should be.

That Summer
by Lauren Willig

Convergence (4/15/2014)

Lauren Willig's That Summer is a good read. Since I am an artist, it encouraged me to research the Pre-Raphaelite movement of the time period of the novel, 1848-1850. The novel goes between this time period and modern-day England. It travels between the two very gracefully and pulls it all together at the end with a genuine surprise or two. Willig's attention to detail from both time periods is excellent. Fans of historical fiction, artist or not, will enjoy the ride.

City of the Sun
by Juliana Maio

City of the Sun (1/2/2014)

It would be difficult for me to recommend this book generally. Who might enjoy it are people who love historical fiction about both WWII and the middle east. The city of the Sun is Cairo, the time is 1941. The players I found confusing. Many religious factions and many nations all have a stake in the world events occurring. It was difficult for me to keep them straight as the history of this part of the world is not familiar to me.
The mystery and romance part of the book was too predictable. For that reason I gave the book an average rating.

The Last Enchantments
by Charles Finch

Fell Short (11/15/2013)

I thought the book only average because it seems to be more of a remembrance of a time gone by than a compelling novel. The descriptions of Oxford are done so well that one can picture being there but the characters seem so self-absorbed. I could not find the heart of the book, only a glimpse of one year in a man's life. The question is, was he a different person at the end of the year? The Last Enchantments fell short for me.

Through the Evil Days: A Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mystery
by Julia Spencer-Fleming

Julia nails it..... (9/5/2013)

I have read each and every book in this series. In my humble opinion, this one is by far the best. It takes place in about a week in the freezing blizzards of the mid-west. It opens with a tense situation and Julia adds more tensions until she has several stories developing. She is masterful at this. Truly, this one is a page turner. She exposes the humanness of her of her characters, where they are so fragile, she allows them to fall and getup again. Forgiveness is another theme.
If you like mysteries that are so very well written, read this one by Julia Spencer-Fleming.
Louise Penny's latest is very, very good but Julia is just as good!
This book is for mystery lovers, plain and simple.

The Mouse-Proof Kitchen
by Saira Shah

Just a Little Messy (6/24/2013)

I would certainly recommend The Mouse Proof Kitchen. It is a story of life and how messy it can get, how human we are. It is also a story of profound love and all the challenges that love may face. And it is a story of families. Guarantees there are not! Set in a village in France, in a very old and "messy"farmhouse, it is a very moving account of the trials of having a less than perfect child. It is a story of deep friendships, secrets, forgiveness. Saira Shah, the author, is adept at strong emotion, the almost violent swings that occur. And there is humor......... I am so glad I read this book.

The Last Girl: A Maeve Kerrigan Novel
by Jane Casey

Too Much (5/1/2013)

I would not recommend this book. My title reflects my feelings.......too much. Too much bickering, too many disjointed happenings. When all is resolved, one wonders if the loose ends were even addressed much less resolved. The book is described as unpredictable and it is, but not in a positive way. For much of the book I was confused and wondering if that really was the intent. I just felt it could all have been much better.

Walk Me Home
by Catherine Ryan Hyde

A Journey of Discovery (4/8/2013)

This book was read in one weekend. I did not really expect to like it and the truth is I loved it. Walk Me Home is full of wonderful character development and they are lively and interesting people. They make you laugh and cry. We learn about Naive American reservations, we experience the bold and colorful Southwest. Love and forgiveness are recurring themes in the book. I am not talking about plot as I feel it should not be spoiled in any way. It unfolds and we are happy onlookers.

Bone River
by Megan Chance

Unfolding (11/20/2012)

Bone River is a very well constructed historical novel which I found fascinating. The author left me wanting to know more about life in the Pacific Northwest in the late 1800's. Life was very hard for Leonie Russell and her family. The unfolding of truth which is central to this book, even harder. What I feel is one of the strongest messages.......listen to your inner truth. Listen. The freedom will be worth it. To watch truth out over the length of the novel was a moving experience. I can also still feel the bite of the rain, the churning of the waves. It was a really good read.

Beneath the Shadows
by Sara Foster

Gothic for sure (5/10/2012)

Although the novel starts slowly, it develpes as one turns pages and ends up with more than one twist. Dark, spooky.......what better place than the moors of England. The snowy weather enhances each scene. The characters are well-developed as they spend the novel skirting the heroine. This is both a story of the love of a man and woman and the love between mother and child. The ending surprised me and I am sure it will you also. A light but good read. I would recommend it.

Paris in Love: A Memoir
by Eloisa James

What's missing? (3/9/2012)

I was so looking forward to a memoir about a year in Paris but this book fell short for me. I found the method of very short posts that Eloisa wrote in distracting and more often left me wanting for more. Sometimes it was appropriate but more often it felt disjointed. On the positive side, there were bright and beautiful insights to the people, the places and the food. I always just wanted more. Or perhaps, the thread that connected the whole work was what was absent. Absolutely delightful insights into parenting and a light sense of humor did keep the pages turning. People who love Paris, or just love to travel will enjoy the read if they can stick with the format.

A Good American: A Novel
by Alex George

Generations (12/23/2011)

Alex George told a very ambitious tale and he told it well. We are all immigrants and can relate to so many things that his fictional family, the Meisenheimers, experience. The book is full of love, and tolerance, justices and injustices. It also contains a surprise or two. The title, A Good American, gives us much to think on as the story unfolds. We must ask ourselves the question posed. A good read.

A Trick of the Light: Armand Gamache Series #7
by Louise Penny

On the mark again (7/10/2011)

For the latest Louise Penny, I resolved to read very slowly, to savour each word. I am so glad I did. The characters keep developing, the mystery solved, the tension set for the next book. It all unfolded beautifully and made me glad. The strongest part seems obvious. Louise Penny gives us such a serene setting and maintains a very high level of tension and suspense. Yeah! You will not be disappointed.

Original Sin: A Sally Sin Adventure
by Beth Mcmullen

Unbelieveable (2/10/2011)

I hung in there and read the whole book but for me it was just unbelievable. Lucy and Sally are way too far apart. She has a husband and child and is a spy? Each character could evolve into a great subject for a book but I just could not grasp that they worked together. So, sadly, instead of laughing, which I would have loved, I was puzzled.

The Girl in the Green Raincoat: A Novel
by Laura Lippman

Novellas can be difficult (11/1/2010)

This was my first Laura Lippman and I will read more. "The Girl in the Green Raincoat" develops very nicely with clearly drawn characters. They were my favorite part. Tess, the main character, was a stretch at times, especially at the unveiling of the "mystery". For me, that was the weak point in the book. In my opinion the clarity Ms Lippman demonstrated in developing the plot was lost at the end. It felt scrambled and I felt a little cheated. Did the length she choose for the book help or hurt? Hurt. Are her characters fun and really developed ... yes. So I think a 3 out of 5 is fair for this book.

Man in the Woods
by Scott Spencer

A Way With Words (7/12/2010)

Scott Spencer has a way with words. He includes some remarkable descriptive passages in this novel of one man's journey and the effects this journey has on the people in his life. It is like a tapestry with just a few flaws. I never understood the daughter, Ruby. And as well as we got to know Paul, I felt at the end, there was more to him than was shown. Interesting, to say the least. I am glad I read it. Perfect, no.

The Map of True Places
by Brunonia Barry

Amazing Journey (4/9/2010)

I read The Map of True Places in only a few days. It is an easy read with great descriptions of modern day Salem and a masterfully created sense of wonder and power concerning the sea. The story is maybe a little too complicated so the weaving of it does not always hold together. There are many players in Zee, the heroine's, life who all seem to have a piece of the puzzle for her. The ending was as I expected, but the journey was good. It is indeed a novel about courage. I thought I would learn more about Salem's witches but did not find that to be so. I will recommend it to my book club but will also relate that it is not a great book .... just a good read and what's not to like about a good read!

Reviews by Helen M. (Petaluma, CA)

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Reviews by Helen M. (Petaluma, CA)

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