BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

The Forgetting Time
by Sharon Guskin

The Forgetting Time (12/5/2015)

This book lingers in your memory. It quickly pulls the reader into the story and remains engrossing through until the end. The characters are well written and developed, but more than that, one can't help but wonder about the possibilities the story presents. The dual stories of aphasia and former lives play off each other so well. There is so much to think about while reading this book! It would be an awesome book club selection!

The Art of Baking Blind
by Sarah Vaughan

Light fare (3/12/2015)

This book was an engaging, light read. The descriptions of the 'bakes' were well written and one could picture (and almost smell) the goodness. The parallels between the baking competition and Mrs. Eaden's story were well done. However, I did feel that the characters were not fully developed; some of the storylines felt rushed and choppy. As a consequence, I did not feel connected to the story. Overall, entertaining, but not memorable.

The House We Grew Up In
by Lisa Jewell

The House We Grew Up In (3/30/2014)

This was an intriguing book that kept me turning the pages. Although the time changes were difficult to adjust to at first, I found them to ultimately be an effective way to tell this story. For the most part, the author developed characters I cared about despite their flaws. The dysfunction of the hoarding habit and its effect on the whole family was very well addressed by the author. Great read! It will make a great book club book!

Soy Sauce for Beginners
by Kirstin Chen

Too ambitious (10/26/2013)

For a relatively short book, the author touched on many subjects; marriage, friendship, business, family and culture. To me, this became the problem in the book. None of the topics felt fully developed and therefore the book felt choppy. The main character was not particularly likeable for much of the book, so it was difficult to be invested in her story. The most interesting parts of the book dealt with the soy sauce industry itself.

Songs of Willow Frost
by Jamie Ford

Interesting historical fiction (7/30/2013)

I enjoyed this story that was told through two perspectives. One side telling of William and his harsh boyhood within a depression-era orphanage and one telling of Willow and her experiences as an female Asian-American within her immigrant culture in the 1920s. The story was engaging and I enjoyed the details given of life during both time periods. The author definitely brought the places and events to life. Willow and William were sympathetic characters and as a reader I was invested in what happened to them. A criticism would be that some of the secondary characters were a little stereotypical in their actions. Although I enjoyed reading the book, it was not a light, feel good book. I would recommend it for book clubs and for lovers of historical fiction as it touched on subjects good for discussion and had a lot of historical period detail.

Crime of Privilege
by Walter Walker

Crime of Privilege (4/18/2013)

This was a fast paced mystery and a good story. The characters were believable, though not always likable. There were definitely plot elements that brought the Kennedy family to mind and raised the issue of the inequality of the justice system when wealth and power are involved. The plot slowed down at the end, but overall an enjoyable book.

The Laws of Gravity
by Liz Rosenberg

Laws of Gravity (4/18/2013)

This is a thought-provoking book which examines family ties, medical ethics and the law. Good character development, although there were several areas which could have been more developed, particularly the years between Nicole and Ari's childhood and adulthood. I especially liked the use of the secondary story of the judge's family. I thought it added another layer to the theme of family. This book will make a great book club selection.

The Edge of the Earth
by Christina Schwarz

The Edge of the Earth (10/21/2012)

A well-written historical fiction novel with an interesting physical setting, "The Edge of the Earth", was an interesting read. The strong female characters and setting drew me into the book. I appreciated the character development of the protagonist, yet was slightly disappointed in the lack of description of some of the other characters. This book kept my attention throughout, and I found the resolution satisfying. This would make a great book club selection, with many topics for discussion.

Turn of Mind
by Alice LaPlante

Turn of Mind (5/9/2012)

Turn of Mind was an intriguing look into the horror of dementia. It was very interesting, though unsettling, to read about Jennifer's descent into a world where nothing is familiar. The author realistically portrayed the progression of the disease. The use of the narrative, journalistic style also contributed to the impact of the book. However, I did not feel a connection with any of the characters in the book. I found them all unlikeable and had an especially hard time feeling sympathy for the victim. With that said, it was,overall, a worthwhile read.

All the Flowers in Shanghai: A Novel
by Duncan Jepson

All the Flowers in Shanghai (10/18/2011)

This cultural novel was a disappointment to me. The novel was extremely narrow in its focus on Feng, the narrator of the story. Although it was set in China in the thirties, there was little detail in the novel about the setting, and I felt that omission was an error on the author’s part. Feng was a passive character that was not easily likeable. She was a kind, innocent child who only seemed to have things happen ‘to’ her. As she grew into adulthood when she did take action, it was mean spirited and bitter. There were times that the language of the novel changed from beautiful to crass and I found those changes distracting and disturbing. Overall, it was a dark book that offered little hope or meaning and left me feeling that it did not live up to its potential.

The Language of Flowers: A Novel
by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Beautiful Language (6/14/2011)

In this finely written story Vanessa Diffenbaugh did an excellent job in creating characters that I cared about. As the book went on I became very drawn into Victoria's story. The lovely concept of using a silent 'language of flowers' to communicate emotions was a novel approach and fit well with the story line. Because Victoria's history was so well written, it fit perfectly that she would use this language to express herself. Although I found most of the emotionally written story believable, I did struggle with Victoria's actions after the birth. However, the insight into the foster care system and the overall message of the book overcame that one setback for me. I would recommend this book to friends.

The Sweetness of Tears: A Novel
by Nafisa Haji

The Sweetness of Tears (3/5/2011)

Overall, this was a very interesting, beautifully written book. The story was compelling and the cultural perspective was very interesting. The reason for 4 stars instead of 5-- the frequent shifting of 'voice' was at times disruptive to the flow of the story. It was necessary to pause and re-think the family relationships too often. However, even with the flaws, it is a book that I was glad to have read and which I would recommend to friends.

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter: A Novel
by Tom Franklin

Quick Read (10/4/2010)

Nicely drawn story about the relationship between two boys that grow into men in the deep south. The mystery was somewhat predictable in its ending, but it was a quick, enjoyable read.

A Thread of Sky: A Novel
by Deanna Fei

A Thread of Sky (3/28/2010)

Secrets, both large and small, figured prominently in this well-written novel. The novel unfolded slowly, giving tidbits of each of the six women's lives in turn. The writing was honest and the characters were real. I was slightly disappointed that the story felt as though it could have been written in any setting, it was more about the women than China. Overall a worthwhile read.

The Bricklayer: A Novel
by Noah Boyd

Fast Paced Thriller (12/23/2009)

From the first page to the last, there was plenty of action and suspense. Very enjoyable, quick read. The author made the reader care about what happened to the characters and the characters themselves were very interesting. Will read more by this author.

Under This Unbroken Sky
by Shandi Mitchell

Under This Unbroken Sky (8/30/2009)

A harsh, bleak picture of life as an immigrant in 1930's Canada. A time when daily life was a struggle and just making a living took everything one had. I did not like the writing style of the book; the sentences were short and choppy. There was little character development. The characters did not seem to have any control over the events in the book, everything happened "to" them. The book succeeded in communicating the harshness of the time period and ultimately showed the resilience of the human spirit. However, I found it too dark and depressing for my tastes.

Reviews by Julie H. (Pine Grove, PA)

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Reviews by Julie H. (Pine Grove, PA)

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