Song of the Spirits: In the Land of the Long White Cloud saga
by Sarah Lark
Good Sequel (9/11/2013)
When I found out I was receiving this book, I quickly read the first one. While Song of the Spirits could stand alone, it was good to know the family history. Lifting the hefty book out of the package and checking how many pages there were was a bit intimidating, but it's a pretty quick read with lots of interesting information about England and New Zealand, the lengthy travel experiences, settling in new territories, unease between natives and settlers, how importing animals changes the environment, etc. Very descriptive - at times I could almost visualize the people and landscape. A bit on the romance side and there is violence towards women, but overall a good vacation read. Recommend having a pencil handy to make note all of the characters!
Golden Boy
by Abigail Tarttelin
Golden Boy (2/2/2013)
I found this book to be a fast and easy read. The storyline was different and held my interest, but I thought the characters could have been a bit more developed, especially the parents. There wasn't much layering to their relationships with each other and their children, making their interactions feel superficial to me, but perhaps that was the author's intention. The book does make you think about a topic that is not commonly discussed.
The Edge of the Earth
by Christina Schwarz
What Was She Thinking? (11/27/2012)
Throughout most of the book I kept asking myself what was Trudy thinking when she chose to marry Oskar? A 'love is blind' situation with a bit of parental/societal defiance thrown in and she is launched into a life she is not prepared for with an unreliable and almost untrustworthy partner. However, Trudy manages to take her circumstances and turn them into something almost grand as she becomes aware of the flora and fauna in her remote surroundings on the California coast. She starts a business, gains independence and finds a place in the world that connects her to who she was before meeting Oskar. Overall I enjoyed the book, but did feel it was a bit disjointed.
The Mark Inside: A Perfect Swindle, a Cunning Revenge, and a Small History of the Big Con
by Amy Reading
Fool Me Once... (7/8/2012)
This book provides an enlightening overview of the history of confidence men and their plots and schemes to fleece people out of their savings. The author did a lot of research for this book and it shows through the explanations of the history of the con-game and the psychology of how it works which I found very interesting. Overall, this book is different, well paced, well written and I learned something. Good read.
The Voluntourist: A Six-Country Tale of Love, Loss, Fatherhood, Fate, and Singing Bon Jovi in Bethlehem
by Ken Budd
Wanderer (5/9/2012)
I enjoyed most of the book - the author has a good sense of humor and can tell a story. I also believe he had good intentions with his 'voluntourism' activities. He does wander a bit more than necessary in telling some of the stories though. I also struggled with some of the more personal aspects that seem rather self-centered on the author's part. He's sad and decides to take off volunteering and doesn't really seem to consider the impact on his existing relationships. However, having recently lost my father, I could relate to the feeling of wanting to make a difference somehow.
A Partial History of Lost Causes: A Novel
by Jennifer duBois
Struggled (1/3/2012)
I struggled between a 3 or 4 rating, but finally chose a 3. This is a well written story with a lot of detail about politics, places, people and how circumstances impact life. However, it read a bit slow and the overall tone was rather melancholy which made it difficult for me to engage with any of the characters or care about what happened to them. I am normally a fast reader, but it took awhile to finish this book.
The Darkening Field: A Novel
by William Ryan
Action & Intrigue (11/11/2011)
The characters were interesting and the plot has lots of twists and turns adding to the suspense. The author has a descriptive writing style that helps envision people and places throughout the book such as the extreme cold and the barren landscape of the steppes. He also does a good job with the dialogue - exposing the intrigue of an environment where you can't say what you really mean and must express yourself carefully to survive. I did feel the wrap-up was a bit long. Overall a good read - I will look for his first book to catch up on the adventures of Alexei Korolev.
The Orphan Master's Son: A Novel
by Adam Johnson
Bizarre but Captivating (10/22/2011)
I was completely engrossed in the story from the opening pages and remained captivated until the end. Very descriptive passages of life in a country where everyone lives in fear, there is no such thing as truth and survival means finding a place deep within yourself to escape what is really happening around you. Torture, murder, starvation, lies, propaganda and disappearances are accepted as normal and for the most part ignored because to call attention to any of those things or question them might mean you disappear as well. The main character led a completely bizarre life - from orphan to impostor - with many adventures in between. The other character that resonated was the prison camp photographer and what becomes of her photographs. There are a few 'over the top' areas, but they aren't too much of a distraction. I read the final paragraph several times. Highly recommend.
Low Town: A Novel
by Daniel Polansky
Descriptive / Characters Need More Development (6/28/2011)
First thought - Interesting concept that lacked overall cohesiveness. The locations and people were described very well. However, there is an underlying storyline that is alluded to but left unexplored, leaving a lot of 'why' questions and the feeling that the storyline / characters could have been more fully developed to really draw the reader in. Also thought it was a bit slow to get started although it picked up towards the middle.
The Tudor Secret: The Elizabeth I Spymaster Chronicles
by C. W. Gortner
Fun, Not Deep (3/17/2011)
Offers a slightly different perspective - young man raised as a servant is sent to court and is immediately involved in intrigues of all sorts and has to quickly figure out where his loyalties lie and where to place his trust. Lots of action kept my interest. There is more surface than depth to the characters and plot, but overall I enjoyed the book. Nice phrasing and writing style, would probably read other books by this author.
The Philosophical Breakfast Club: Four Remarkable Friends Who Transformed Science and Changed the World
by Laura J. Snyder
Well Researched, A Bit Dry (2/2/2011)
This book is well-researched and it's obvious the author was interested in her subjects and has a great vocabulary. The book provides a look at four influential men and covers brief information about their upbringing, places in society and their families. The heart of their story begins when they meet in college and discover they have 'like minds' then follows them as they formulate and promote the idea of what the 'art of science' and being a 'scientist' means. (The idea for the word 'scientist' stuck with me and is probably what I'll remember about this book.) They were brave, adventurous, ambitious men who were full of ideas and willing to take risks in the name of progress. While I'm glad I read this because I learned about early science/scientists and four people that I didn't know much about, this was not an easy read by any means - you really have to stay focused and follow the details in order to remain connected the storyline.
Ever By My Side: A Memoir in Eight
Acts Pets
by Dr. Nick Trout
Easy Read / Slightly Uneven (1/18/2011)
This book was very easy to read. The style is light and informative without getting too technical with any of the veterinary details. I enjoyed the stories about his parents and their family dogs and the author does a great job explaining cat behavior for someone who professes to prefer dogs. There were some uneven sections where the storyline/flow doesn't work too well and endings to a few of the stories seem a bit abrupt, almost needing a few more details. Overall, a very enjoyable light read.
Raising Wrecker: A Novel
by Summer Wood
Good (11/18/2010)
I liked this book, but found it a bit disjointed, meaning I sometimes had to jump around a bit to pull the storyline together. The characters are interesting and it definitely brings forth the concept that family doesn't always mean being related to each other by birth, but can be what people form when the care for each other and make a life together. Secrets and moving beyond what's happened in the past to create their future are also strong elements. Enjoyed.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
by Rebecca Skloot
Wow! (9/23/2010)
This book is an excellent read. The author does a wonderful job of balancing respect for the people involved with explanations of the science and medicine involved. Highly recommend.
Your Republic Is Calling You
by Young-ha Kim
One Day, Dual Paths (8/9/2010)
This story revolves around activities in a single day. It was interesting, kept my attention and the characters are, for the most part, well-developed. The main characters all have multiple paths they follow and choose show to each other and their country is also split in two politically. A well done, tightly focused effort that balances political and moral issues while providing insight into what it might mean to be a forgotten spy suddenly remembered and the power of political duty to country over personal choice.
The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors: A Novel
by Michele Young-Stone
Easy to Read (5/27/2010)
There were a lot of coincidences between the characters, places and times in this story that were almost too coincidental for belief. I chose to go with the flow of the story and not over-think the coincidences and ended up really liking the book. I liked the way the story was told with 'facts' about lightning / lightning strikes combined with various stages of the characters lives. The characters are all flawed in one way or another and there wasn't a whole lot of depth to some of them but you want to know what happens to them. Enjoyed the ending wrap-up.
Losing My Cool: How a Father's Love and 15,000 Books Beat Hip-hop Culture
by Thomas Chatterton Williams
Thoughtful Voice (4/14/2010)
I like the author's voice throughout the book. He chronicles growing up and trying to find your place in the world very well. He is thoughtful in how he examines his life and the lives of his friends and his views about getting caught up in a culture and believing you are something you really are not are thought-provoking. The author acknowledges his father (and to a lesser degree his mother) and provides a showcase for the power and influence a key person with love, strength, patience and perseverance can have over a child's life. The description of his father's library and his love of books and knowledge was in itself a powerful message. This book is a good read.
Still Life: Adventures in Taxidermy
by Melissa Milgrom
Interesting and Weird (1/11/2010)
I have to admit I struggled through reading this book and I'm known as the one who will read anything. Although, it was interesting and contained a lot of information I didn't know, it was not something I would normally pick up to read and it was, at times, a little gruesome. However, that's one of the things I enjoy about BookBrowse - you never know what's going to arrive in the mail. If you're looking for something really 'different' - try this book - you'll expand your knowledge of a little known practice. The book is part history about taxidermy, part information about people who practice the art and part stories about people who covet examples of taxidermy for a wide variety of reasons. Who knew that there are exhibitions and auctions, serious competition in specific categories, how to declare your specimens when traveling and that there are so many ways and reasons to preserve and display animals? The author did a lot of research and writes clearly about the subject. She actually even takes what she learns and creates her own specimen.
The Secret of Everything
by Barbara O'Neal
Would Recommend (11/22/2009)
Overall I enjoyed reading this. I liked the writing style and found the characters to be mostly believable. I liked the author's use of words and phrases in describing sights and sounds, places and people. There are a few uneven patches regarding flow within the storyline - these parts didn't have quite enough detail or connection to make them fit well into the rest of the story and seemed either under-developed or not necessary. However, those parts don't take much away from the overall book. I would recommend this to readers looking for a not quite mystery, not quite romance, but a light blend of both. Weird deja-vu moment today ... drove past a house with windowsills painted similarly to those described in the book.
The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel
by Maureen Lindley
Not sure what the book wanted to be... (8/11/2009)
This book tries to be many things and falls flat on most of them. The main character is not very likable and while likable isn't a requirement, there isn't much to take away from reading this other than people can be cruel and use/abuse others to their own advantage. Certainly would spark discussion in a book group if the sexual content doesn't offend.
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