BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

Accidents of Marriage
by Randy Susan Meyers

Accidents of Marriage (6/11/2014)

While this book had interesting developments and a few character insights, it did not truly draw me into the story like a great book will do. I did not feel as engaged with the characters as I would have liked to have been. I did enjoy the point of view of Maddy as she struggled to find herself again and make difficult choices. It was refreshing to hear from Maddy directly, how she was feeling as opposed to only hearing the voices of the people around her who are forced to deal with the changes in her. This book would be great for anyone looking to read about difficulties in marriage or how an accident can change everyone in profound ways.

I Am Livia
by Phyllis T. Smith

I am Livia (1/6/2014)

Most books have some faults that one can point out in a review and still credit the book as being enjoyable. However, in my opinion, there were no faults to critique in this novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it all. If you enjoy historical fiction, and especially early Roman life, then I Am Livia is a great book to pick up. I appreciated that the book is from a female perspective, in a male dominated society. This book espouses the many qualities that are timeless and the difficult choices we all must make. There is political intrigue, scandal, sex, love, honor, trust, forgiveness and the yearning for independence and equality that women of all times and ages have in common. Very well done!

To the Moon and Timbuktu: A Trek through the Heart of Africa
by Nina Sovich

Honest. (6/14/2013)

I thoroughly enjoyed reading To the Moon and Timbuktu by Nina Sovich. Reading about foreign cultures is always a great learning experience and this book did not disappoint. I was fascinated by the lives of the Africans that the author met and also by the modes of transportation used to navigate through towns and cities throughout the continent. It made the story much richer because she refused to take the easy way. She meets dangerous people, happy people, angry people, and she finds compassion and kinship with many of the women (and men) she comes into contact with. The honesty in which the author tells her story is truly refreshing and I found myself relating to some of her inner conflicts. This book is about a quest to get to Timbuktu, but also the quest within the author to find herself and her happy place in the society she lived. A truly relatable book for anybody who wishes for more than what they see out their windows every day.

The Jericho Deception
by Jeffrey Small

Hooked from the beginning. (3/6/2013)

I was intrigued by the plotline for the The Jericho Deception and the book did not disappoint. I was hooked from the beginning. Normally a book that toggles between characters in each chapter is confusing, but in this case, the layout built the suspension and increased the pace of the reading. It would be easy to imagine this book becoming an action packed movie along the lines of The DaVinci Code. An interesting, thoughtful storyline full of action and deeper insights into who we are, what we believe and how we are all linked together.

Golden Boy
by Abigail Tarttelin

Golden Boy (1/1/2013)

Golden Boy is a book with powerful subject matter and rich characters. The book jumps from one character to the next, so you really do get to know each one fully. However, I found the format a little jumpy and in some ways it does break up the flow of the storyline. I really did enjoy the book for the original plotline, but I felt that some of the internal dialogue of the characters was monotonous. My biggest complaint was the way it ended without addressing a major development late in the book! The author wrapped the story up in a bow when the reader expects a few more answers. The book would have benefited from a few more pages and a complete ending. Overall, an intriguing read lacking a complete finale.

Beneath the Shadows
by Sara Foster

Beneath the Shadows (5/9/2012)

Very readable and enjoyable book. I read it through in one day. It has an intriguing story line and enough suspense to keep the reader hooked. At times it does seem to veer towards a romance novel, but it does not linger there and overall it was interesting and easy to become immersed in the story and the characters' lives.

All Woman and Springtime: A Novel
by Brandon W. Jones

All Woman and Springtime (3/13/2012)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It is a fascinating glimpse into the lives of North Koreans and also naive trusting girls who are sold into the sex slave industry. The characters were believable and really pull you into the story. This book would be great for people interested in foreign cultures, as it opened my eyes to how people from the isolated country of North Korea live and think. I could not get enough of this book and the characters. My only complaint is that the book had to end!

Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected - A Memoir
by Kelle Hampton

Bloom (2/14/2012)

Bloom is a memoir about a very difficult time in a family's life. I was hoping to read about the day to day struggles of having a baby with Down's Syndrome, and there was some of that. However, the book was very sappy and melodramatic. I found myself rolling my eyes and wincing when the author used words with capital letters such as Pain, Change or Sadness. It was difficult to finish the book, but I'm glad I did because there was certainly a change in the author towards her daughter and it was very positive. Overall the book was average, but could have been great if it had not been overrun with so many exaggerated emotions instead of just telling the story of how a mother fell in love with her new daughter who was not quite what she had expected.

The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great
by Eva Stachniak

Wonderful blend of history and fiction. (12/30/2011)

The Winter Palace was a delight to read. The characters are well written, so that the reader finds themselves rooting for, or against them. The book is also a wonderful mix of history and fiction, and it is never boring. It would certainly appeal to readers of historical fictions, especially the history of Russia and it's fascinating leaders. As many readers will say, it was the kind of book I did not want to put down, yet also did not want it to end!

Ten Minutes from Home: A Memoir
by Beth Greenfield

Ten Minutes From Home (4/22/2010)

Ten Minutes from Home is a very enjoyable read even though the subject matter is tragic. It seems to be very honest and real, which a memoir should feel like. It gives an insightful glimpse into a family dealing with the unthinkable and the very different ways people deal with grief. I looked forward to reading it every chance I had and never once felt like it was an obligation.

Making Toast: A Family Story
by Roger Rosenblatt

Making Toast (11/10/2009)

It is easy to see how this book would appeal to people who have gone through the experience of losing a child, and the aftermath of living without that loved one. I expected to feel this family's grief and ache and I did, but it was not necessarily due to the words on the page. This book just did not have the depth I had hoped for, and seemed too choppy for me. There were funny moments and certainly sad moments, but none that made me laugh out loud or shed a tear.

Sweeping Up Glass
by Carolyn Wall

Outstanding! (8/10/2009)

I loved this book from beginning to end. The writing is smooth, the characters gritty and real and the embedded secrets are deep. When I started this book I was hooked, but I did not expect the last 100 pages to be so full of twists and turns and so action packed! Towards the end I was reading so quickly I had to force myself to slow down and absorb it all. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good story and who cheers for the underdogs.

Something Like Beautiful: One Single Mother's Story
by Asha Bandele

I had hoped for more. (12/10/2008)

For a rather short book, it took me awhile to finish it. Not because I was too busy, but because this book just did not engross me at all. The writing is too poetic and dramatic for me to lose myself in the story. I was painfully aware throughout most of the book that I was reading more because I felt I had to than because I wanted to. The writer rambles on in multiple tangents and monologues about wide and far reaching issues that many people could (and do) complain about.

On the plus side, I was able to relate to her in some ways and every time I found myself about to give up reading, the subject matter would get more interesting and I would press on. However, in the end, I had expected more.

Tethered: A Novel
by Amy Mackinnon

Well Done (8/11/2008)

I really enjoyed this book. Once I started reading, I did not want to put it down. It's part drama, suspense, a bit of action, and quite entertaining. It comes with a flawed, yet independent leading lady, a tortured and devoted cop and all the characters are layered so that your first impression may not be your last. This book would certainly appeal to anyone interested in crime stories, female leads or an easy read. A bit reminiscent of The Lovely Bones.

The Commoner: A Novel
by John Burnham Schwartz

Raw and Emotionally Charged (12/20/2007)

I am a big fan of Asian historical fiction, so I was very excited to read this book. I was not disappointed. I found this book to be raw and emotionally charged, with strong female characters who may or may not have sacrificed too much for the good of their country. I actually cried when Haruko loses her voice and I could feel her pain and depression screaming from the pages. As with most books I like, I wished it would never end. I could go on, but suffice to say, this book was an interesting read from start to finish.

Red Rover
by Deirdre McNamer

Book left me frustrated. (9/15/2007)

After reading the summary of the book, I was very intrigued by the subject matter. However, I found many thoughts or past actions by the characters to be unanswered and was left frustrated overall. Many issues were brought up but never explained or explored. Also, each chapter jumped to different characters, places and times, so it was initially a bit difficult to keep track of the story line.

Reviews by Angela S. (Hartland, MI)

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Reviews by Angela S. (Hartland, MI)

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