BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

House of Stone
by Novuyo Rosa Tshuma

House of Stone (11/28/2018)

The story line is a mystery wrapped in the history and culture of Zimbabwe. Throughout the book I found myself researching many of the words, people and history of this country. This was a good read and it was also a learning experience. The characters are well drawn and it is often darkly funny and sad.

The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls
by Anissa Gray

Ravenously Hungry Girls (10/29/2018)

This is the story of what should have been a happy family but poor choices, economic problems and too many family secrets tear this family apart. The story is well written with characters that are very real with their many and various flaws. It is a story that could play out in almost any family.

A Ladder to the Sky: A Novel
by John Boyne

An unlikable man (9/7/2018)

This is the story of Maurice Swift, a totally reprehensible man. I often find it difficult to read about someone I find unlikable. In this instance I could not wait to see what he did next.

The use of a few real people helped to keep the timeline on track and added some extra interest for me. An interesting and enjoyable read.

Happiness: The Crooked Little Road to Semi-Ever After
by Heather Harpham

Many kinds of happinesd (6/14/2017)

When two polar opposites fall in love it is a recipe for confusion if not disaster. Somehow these people muddle through and I, much to my surprise, fell in love with them. How can you not care about people who are willing to put a small sick child ahead of everything. Made me feel good about people in general.

Home Sweet Home
by April Smith

Home sweet home (12/8/2016)

I wasn't sure where this story was going in the beginning. As the story progressed I was amazed at how similar this was to the politics of today. I realize that this is based on a true story and, perhaps, it is true that history repeats itself if we are not vigilant. This book was well written and not being familiar with the true story it kept you wondering what else could happen to this family.

The Life of the World to Come
by Dan Cluchey

A different read (4/2/2016)

Leo is the main character and the narrator of his story. This is a love story, a tale of friendships and thought provoking parts on capital punishment and religion. Seems like a lot but the story flows so well and even tells a realistic story. An enjoyable read.

The Return of the Witch
by Paula Brackston

The return of the witch (1/5/2016)

Shortly after starting this book I realized I would understand and enjoy it more if I read the previous book first. I did and it definitely helped me with the story line.
This is a fantasy in an historical setting. I enjoyed both books for their fast moving plots and not always predictable conclusions.

Hunters in the Dark
by Lawrence Osborne

Hunters In The Dark (11/14/2015)

I must admit it took a while to become engrossed in this book. The story is based in Southeast Asia, a part of the world I am not overly familiar with. At first the almost overly descriptive writing was wearing thin on me, but I became so interested in the story that I realized all of the description is a necessary part of the story

The Well
by Catherine Chanter

The Well (2/22/2015)

This is a debut novel that is not only well written but tells a story that is different and interesting. We tend to think that things like a drought can not affect those of us lucky enough to live in modern, intelligent societies. The story that is told has several different layers about the affects of nature and mankind turning against us and putting faith in the wrong things. A very good read.

Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis: The Untold Story
by Barbara Leaming

Jackie O (10/30/2014)

So much of what is in this book has been told before and what is new I am not so sure we need to know. I came away with more sympathy for Mrs. Onassis and her surviving family because in the 60s and 70s none of us had heard to PTSD or would have connected it to anyone other than a soldier. Do we really need to know that Jackie consumed a lot of vodka after 11/22 and who among us wouldn't have turned to something for some self medication. In the end she got what she had always wanted in life, control.

Mating for Life
by Marissa Stapley

Lovely Read (3/27/2014)

Reading this book was sheer pleasure. The characters are well defined and I didn't find myself constantly trying to remember who was who. The sisters are so different and yet they have a common bond that I felt they got from their mother. As in real life, not all of their stories were wrapped with a big bow, but they were realistic and made sense for them. Not just a beach read.

Safe with Me
by Amy Hatvany

Safe With Me (11/15/2013)

Although this was a bit of a tear jerker, I really did enjoy it. As a mother I think it was possible to relate to most of the storyline. It's a quick read, but not a light one.

Lookaway, Lookaway
by Wilton Barnhardt

Love those Southern Families (6/12/2013)

Once again we have the story of a totally dysfunctional Southern family. The story is set in North Carolina which happens to be where I live and, yes, I think I know some of the characters in the story. Each character had their own set of flaws and some of them were surprising. This is a great beach read.

Have Mother, Will Travel: A Mother and Daughter Discover Themselves, Each Other, and the World
by Claire & Mia Fontaine

mother, daughter and all that can happen (6/4/2012)

As the mother of two daughters with whom I often travel, I could relate to a large part of this book. I will be traveling to China this fall with one of my daughters and this book has me thinking ahead of what could happen and what I hope doesn't happen. The two authors do a good job of expressing themselves in their individual segments. They have a real sense of what each other is experiencing and yet they are constantly learning so much about each other.

Niceville: A Novel
by Carsten Stroud

Not too nice in Niceville (5/7/2012)

Although I am usually not a fan of the supernatural or things that go bump in the night, Niceville proved to be very entertaining. The variety of characters and subplots kept it from getting too "out there". I live in the south and the people here do seem to treasure their family legends and eccentrics. All in all, a very enjoyable read.

The Voluntourist: A Six-Country Tale of Love, Loss, Fatherhood, Fate, and Singing Bon Jovi in Bethlehem
by Ken Budd

Working towards a life that matters (4/11/2012)

I have to love a book that makes me laugh out loud and also moves me to tears. When you add to the mix kids, lack of kids and giving a great quantity of passion and compassion, you have a book that really can teach us to have a life that matters to ourselves and to others.

The Sometimes Daughter
by Sherri Wood Emmons

A 70's Story (3/13/2012)

The story starts out in an interesting way, but became a bit predictable. The story is narrated by a child who seems to just want a normal family and to feel safe and loved. While one parent devotes their life to the child the other parent is unbelievably selfish and childish. There are some interesting characters throughout the book and they help explain a lot of why some of the characters had certain behaviors. An enjoyable read.

Arcadia: A Novel
by Lauren Groff

Arcadia (12/21/2011)

This is the first book by Lauren Groff that I have read and I will make of point of reading her other works. The story of a 70's commune rang very true to me. She has an assortment of characters and her follow through with all of their stories was well done for the most part. The story is told with vivid, almost poetic descriptions and kept my interest throughout.

All the Flowers in Shanghai: A Novel
by Duncan Jepson

All the Flowers in Shanghai (10/30/2011)

This reminded me of The Secret Fan in many ways, the Chinese sense of duty to family and the unworthiness of women. Feng, the main character, makes some poor choices that are meant for revenge but only cause pain to herself. She has some people in her life that prove to be truly good people and, perhaps, are more patient with Feng than she deserves. A good story that is not tied up too neatly at the end.

Reviews by Lynn W. (Calabash, NC)

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Reviews by Lynn W. (Calabash, NC)

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