BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko
by Scott Stambach

The invisible made visible (7/25/2016)

The best summary of this book is the last paragraph of the epilogue which I won't quote here. To be brief, The Invisible Life of Ivan Isaenko is a poignant story of life and love in the presence of death. Written much in the style of the Russian authors Ivan admires, and reminiscent of Gogol, Scott Stambach is the most promising new author I have read in a long time.

The Things We Keep
by Sally Hepworth

Do the things we keep outweigh the thing we lose? (10/6/2015)

Three women, one only a child, each suffer devastating losses. Anna suffers devastating early Alzheimer's, Eve the shocking suicide of her husband and all she possessed, and her young daughter, Clementine, the sudden loss of the father she adored.

How each of these moves ahead in life, forging new futures while learning to keep what was good in their former lives makes for a heart wrenching and at time amusing story.

The supporting cast - Anna's brother Jack, the residents of Rosalind House, Clementine's classmates - all add to the poignancy and humor in the story. The Things We Keep by Sally Hepworth is a wonderful find which I am going to highly recommend to my book club.

Still Life Las Vegas
by James Sie

Las Vegas Journey (6/8/2015)

James Sies's STILL LIFE LAS VEGAS is a stunning debut novel with characters, especially Walt, so skillfully developed that they will dwell in my memory for a long time. Sies moves deftly between characters and shifts in time to advance Walt's haunting journey to a truly poetic ending. The interspersed graphic chapters help develop poignant sections of the plot and could be taken from Walt's tablet. Not for all book clubs, but if your group is in to drinking deeply of a text, this book is for you.

Juliet's Nurse
by Lois Leveen

what Shakespeare didn't tell us (7/23/2014)

We all read Romeo and Juliet in high school and may have enjoyed one or more of the movie versions of the tale. But little is known about the nurse, the third most important person in the play. Lois Leveen corrects this omission in her novel Juliet's Nurse. Combining the history of the Plague in Verona and the few details Shakespeare has given us, Leveen fleshes out the life of the nurse and all the other major characters and invents believable characters which involve the reader's interest and emotions. I loved this book and read it all in two sittings.

The Devil in the Marshalsea
by Antonia Hodgson

a touch of Dickens (4/21/2014)

In her first historic mystery, The Devil in the Marshalsea, Antonia Hodgson has crafted a fascinating story in a finely drawn setting, filled with Dickensian style characters. I read far too late into the night, unable to put this book down. It fulfills its opening promise and thoroughly satisfies. The denouement surprises while giving the reader that ah ha, of course moment. Read it, you'll like it.

House of Bathory
by Linda Lafferty

Dracula Lives (1/9/2014)

Moving deftly between three locations, two time periods,and several viewpoint characters, Linda Lafferty spins a tale of present characters haunted by the horrors of the distant past. Combining history,Jungian psychology, and modern technology, she creates thoroughly believable characters and a plot with startling and suspenseful twists. I was a bit disappointed in the conclusion which seemed a bit rushed and predictable. But all in all, a good read.

A Man of His Own
by Susan Wilson

Be prepared to cry (8/22/2013)

Every dog should have a man of his own. Pax is one lucky dog. He has two. Very different, but each tugging equally at his heart, Pax must serve both the master who rescued him as a cold starving pup and the master he rescued from a lonely, loveless life. The bonds forged by war and suffering expand to include both men, dog, and woman as Pax illustrates the power of love to heal and endure. The ending of this novel is not only appropriate but magical. This is a book that touches the heart. While a love of dogs doesn't hurt, it may enhance the appeal of this enthralling novel by Susan Wilson.

Amy Falls Down
by Jincy Willett

Amy Rises Again (7/13/2013)

I first met Amy Gallup and her creator Jincy Willet a few years ago when I read Winner of the National Book Award. What a delight to encounter her again in Amy Falls Down. And what a delight this book is. It is hard to classify. It is literate, quirky, laugh out loud funny, and at the same time poignant. It is also just the inspiration I needed to get out my notebooks and develop some of my collected ideas in to stories again.

Walk Me Home
by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Poignant and Suspenseful (4/3/2013)

In her novel Walk Me Home Catherine Ryan Hyde has given us a poignant portrayal of two young girls, all alone in the world, walking from New Mexico to California in search of a home. The characters are skillfully drawn, the plot is suspenseful with flashbacks utilized to reveal the back story, and the descriptions of people and places are beautifully developed. When I received this book I thought it would take me about five days to read. Instead I read it in a day and a half and found it almost impossible to put down. It is a great novel for both adults and young adults. I already miss stubborn, opinionated Carly, and gentle wise little Jen.

Where You Can Find Me: A Novel
by Sheri Joseph

Wish I liked this better (3/13/2013)

I was somewhat disappointed in this novel. The characters were well developed if not completely believable. The action was fast paced but really fizzled out in the end. The author did a good job of establishing suspense, but the climax was disappointing in its blandness. I thought the subject matter could have led to a much different and better novel without becoming voyeuristic. Too many underdeveloped and unresolved threads for my taste.

And When She Was Good: A Novel
by Laura Lippman

indeed she is good! (7/4/2012)

Helen/Heloise is the perfect anti-heroine. Clinging to her own sense of integrity in her fight to shield her son from knowledge of her past and present, she remains painfully aware of the danger threatening both of them. The twist at the end is sudden and unpredictable, and the denouement cleverly foreshadowed in details laid down earlier in the book. AND WHEN SHE WAS GOOD continues to show the excellent writing which has won Laura Lippmann so many Honor's, and is sure to win her more.

No Mark Upon Her: A Novel
by Deborah Crombie

Rowing and Murder (1/5/2012)

Deborah Crombie has written another winner in No Mark Upon Her. She has created a wonderful cast of characters. Not only the major characters and the ones who are not regular in the series, but also the canine characters in this novel are finely drawn. And once again she spins a well-crafted, suspenseful mystery while taking us into the home life of Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James and their blended family of children. It is this aspect of Crombie's mysteries that I find so charming - the hominess and the police work. In addition, the reader is introduced to the world of competitive rowing, so intense that in this book it results in murder. I have been a great fan of Crombie, and I wait impatiently for the next in this series.

The Night Circus: A Novel
by Erin Morgenstern

Do I have to come back? (7/15/2011)

Wow! Just finished The Night Circus and want to return immediately. This is a first novel which reveals an extremely talented and imaginative author, along with a mystical, magical world of love, conflict, and courage. I will carry this story and these characters with me for some time, and intend to highly recommend it to my book club. Oh, and I'm going to rush out and get a marmalade kitten to teach.

Outlander
by Diana Gabaldon

Outlander addiction (3/8/2011)

When I saw the size of Outlander, I worried that I wouldn’t get it finished in time. I read this 800 page novel in two nights. Now I am reading the second novel in the series. I don’t know how I missed this when it first came out twenty years ago, but I am hooked now. History, adventure, time travel, romance, eroticism, etc., all the things promised by Diana Gabaldon on the cover are delivered in spades. The author spins a web of suspense and adventure and handles every thread in the web with a deft touch. Don’t miss this reissue.

Original Sin: A Sally Sin Adventure
by Beth Mcmullen

Housewife/mother/spy - Oh My! (2/11/2011)

Espionage with a side of Thomas the train and a big dollop of humor, Original Sin is a homerun first novel by Beth McMullen. Sally Sin is a delight and the most entertaining housewife/mother/spy I have ever encountered in the pages of a novel. And there are just enough loose notorious characters, mystery concerning Sally’s past, and concern for her future for a second Sally Sin adventure – Maybe a whole series I hope.

Minding Ben: A Novel
by Victoria Brown

spell binding (1/20/2011)

I fell in love with Grace in the first chapter of Victoria Brown’s debut novel Minding Ben. I was so hooked by this story that I read the entire book in one sitting – until 4:30 am.

Grace is both a strong heroine and a naïve teenager, taking loving care of the adorable Ben while struggling with the heartless little cruelties of his parents. She also is used by Sylvia, who first befriends her and then takes advantage of her innocence in a strange country.

If you liked The Help you will love Minding Ben.

The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul: A Novel
by Deborah Rodriguez

A special cup of "tea" (11/27/2010)

The sights, sounds, smells, and tensions of Kabul make the city become another character In A Cup of Friendship by Deborah Rodriguez. Not history but modern day Kabul with all the beauty that remains under the devastation of war. Behind tall walls, built to protect from the danger of the bombs being set off almost daily, five women meet in Sunny’s Kabul Coffee house to discuss and take action on the rights of women in Afganistan under the impending threat of the return of the Taliban. There they find friendship and love. There the men in their lives struggle with the conflict between tradition and love. This is an outstanding first novel and makes the reader want to share in a cup of Sunny’s special “tea.”

Bad Boy: An Inspector Banks Novel
by Peter Robinson

A new treasure discovered (7/3/2010)

After achieving a moment of epiphany one calm and contemplative evening in the Arizona desert, Yorkshire DCI Alan Banks returns to England where his new found balance is immediately tested. His home is marked a crime scene. A close colleague and former lover lies near death in the hospital. His daughter is either on the run with, or a hostage of, a drug dealing killer. And he encounters his primary enemy in the police force who seems determined to undermine his efforts to solve the crimes. Subtle, well drawn characters and depth of plot development are displayed in Bad Boy the latest DCI Brandt police procedural by Peter Robinson. This is the first book that I have read in this series, but I have now collected all that I could find and look forward to many evenings of enjoyment. If you do not yet know DCI Banks, I urge you to read this book and discover him.

The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors: A Novel
by Michele Young-Stone

stuck by lightning (5/24/2010)

From the last lightning strike to the electrifying climax, Michele Young-Stone’s debut novel The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors captures the reader and refuses to release its hold. Young-Stone deftly weaves two parallel stories, interspersing them with anecdotes and advice from The Handbook itself. Although aware that the two stories must intersect at some point, the climax surprises the reader and fulfills the promise of the beginning. This novel is an excellent read and a great choice for book clubs.

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

Riveting and chilling (11/12/2009)

The Things That Keep Us Here is a riveting story of a splintered family coping with surviving a pandemic of the avian flu while dealing with memories of the events that split them apart. In Ann, the author has created a sympathetic yet flawed character who we feel for while at times being irritated by her constant fears. I reached the point in this book where I could not put it down, and finished it, exhausted but thoroughly satisfied, at 3:30 in the morning. This is an amazing first novel, and I hope for many more by this author. Five thumbs up for Carla Buckley.