Reviews by John W. (Saint Louis, MO)

If you'd like to be able to easily share your reviews with others, please join BookBrowse.
Order Reviews by:
The Sound of Gravel
The Sound of Gravel: A Memoir
by Ruth Wariner
Must Read But Not a Happy Ride (11/11/2015)
Perhaps one of the best books I've read in awhile as well as one of the saddest. It reminded me of Glass Castle -- the poverty and neglect that both women experienced as children. Glass Castle told the story of the failure of the foster care system in Florida to ensure the …more
Trust No One
Trust No One: A Thriller
by Paul Cleave
One of my pick's for best reads of 2015! (6/3/2015)
TRUST NO ONE is outstanding suspense thriller! The author takes you into the mind, fears, and darkness of the main character, Jerry, as his life unravels and he begins questioning everything and everyone in his life. What is fact and what is fiction – more importantly how …more
What Doesn't Kill Her
What Doesn't Kill Her: A Reeve LeClaire Series Novel
by Carla Norton
Amazing Triller - Must Read Book for Summer (5/6/2015)
I love a good thriller and Carla Norton wrote an amazing one - now can't wait to read her first one, "The Edge of Normal" or future ones.

The book is well written with just enough detail so that the story flows flawlessly. Reese, the main character is well developed and …more
The Well
The Well
by Catherine Chanter
The Well … a modern Garden of Eden???? (2/11/2015)
Dark and captivating… Once I started reading it was difficult to stop – finished in four evenings. What made the book so compelling for me? Chanter does an incredible job of making her characters and the patch of land called The Well come alive. Some of the characters you' …more
Whispering Shadows
Whispering Shadows
by Jan-Philipp Sendker
More than your Standard Crime Thriller (1/2/2015)
I read Sendker's first book, "The Art of Hearing Heartbeats," and loved it so I couldn't wait to read his follow-up. I found it hard to put down; read it within two days. Needless to say, I enjoyed the story. It's more than your standard mystery thriller - the author also …more
The Paris Winter
The Paris Winter
by Imogen Robertson
The Darker Side of Paris (7/16/2014)
The writing was good and when I closed my eyes I could imagine that I was someone observing Maud from a distance. It starts slow, but quickly improves to a very interesting ending. I enjoyed the descriptions of works of art at the beginning of several of the chapters. After …more
The Weight of Blood
The Weight of Blood
by Laura McHugh
There Are No Secrets in Small Towns (2/12/2014)
The Weight of Blood is a fitting title for this book that becomes more apparent as the story evolves. The book is written with each chapter sharing the viewpoint and situations from the perspective of a different character in the book. The author rises to the challenge of …more
The Cairo Affair
The Cairo Affair
by Olen Steinhauer
Good But Not Great Spy Thriller (12/18/2013)
When I started THE CAIRO AFFAIR the pace was so slow I almost stopped reading it. Since I have always been intrigued with Budapest, Cairo and spy thrillers, I continued reading. It gets better, but the pace remains slower than I prefer. The book shifts between the …more
To the Moon and Timbuktu
To the Moon and Timbuktu: A Trek through the Heart of Africa
by Nina Sovich
Story of A Journey: People, Places & Self-Discovery (6/12/2013)
To the Moon and Timbuktu is the story of a journey -- three in reality: people, places and self-discovery. I have traveled to various parts of eastern and western Africa and her descriptions of people and places made me feel as though I was back. She brought her characters …more
A Nearly Perfect Copy
A Nearly Perfect Copy
by Allison Amend
Is Cloning the Same as Art Forgery? (3/27/2013)
I loved the plot of "A Nearly Perfect Copy" and the writer's ability to keep the reader guessing what lay ahead for the two main characters. If you prefer books where you fall in love with one of the main characters, forget this book – Elm and Gabriel are not likeable. The …more
Golden Boy
Golden Boy
by Abigail Tarttelin
Future Contender for Top Read of 2013 (1/3/2013)
"Golden Boy" is one of the best novels I've read in years. When I read the plot summary I immediately thought of Jeffrey Eugenides' "Middlesex," but I discovered a much more intimate story told through the voices and perspective of the main characters. Max is a character …more
The House Girl
The House Girl
by Tara Conklin
Tale of Two Women (11/10/2012)
The House Girl tells two stories, one about Josephine, a slave on the Bell plantation in Virginia in 1852 and the second about Lina, a lawyer with a major law firm in NYC that has been asked to assist a client with a historical reparations claim for descendants of slaves. …more
The Voluntourist
The Voluntourist: A Six-Country Tale of Love, Loss, Fatherhood, Fate, and Singing Bon Jovi in Bethlehem
by Ken Budd
Doesn't Live Up to the Hype (4/13/2012)
My wife and I are extremely active volunteers in the non-profit sectors focused on helping under resourced segments of the population domestically and globally so after reading the description of the book I couldn't wait to read it. Unfortunately the content didn’t live up …more
Behind the Beautiful Forevers
Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity
by Katherine Boo
Remarkable (1/3/2012)
Katherine Boo's "Behind the Beautiful Forevers" is perhaps the best book that I have read this past year. It is not only well written, but extremely well researched and informative on slum life in India (although the setting is outside Mumbai, it could take place anywhere). …more
Arcadia
Arcadia: A Novel
by Lauren Groff
Good, but Not Great Effort (12/6/2011)
I loved Groff's first novel, Monsters of Templeton, so I was excited at the opportunity to reading an advanced copy of Arcadia. While I wasn’t totally disappointed it pales in comparison to her previous book. It doesn’t have a lot of action and is an introspective look at …more
The Orphan Master's Son
The Orphan Master's Son: A Novel
by Adam Johnson
Vivid view into life in North Korea (11/2/2011)
"The Orphan Master's Son" is an impressive novel about a man called Pak Jun Do's journey from childhood to manhood in a country, North Korea, where little is known about daily life. The story follows Pak Jun Do departure from the orphanage to life as a tunnel soldier, a …more
The Darkening Field
The Darkening Field: A Novel
by William Ryan
Stalinist Russia - political intrigue, but not a mystery (11/2/2011)
The best part of this novel is the vivid description of pre-World War II Stalinist Russia. If you are interested in Soviet culture, this book will appeal to you. Captain Korolev is a likeable character and truly loves his country, but understands the realities of living in …more
The Leftovers
The Leftovers: A Novel
by Tom Perrotta
Not Your Typical Post Apocalypse Read (7/17/2011)
When I read the hype for the book it all sounded great, the author's previous success and a different approach to post apocalypse -- what if you weren't taken to heaven after the Rapture? Unfortunately I felt the author took a canned approach to extreme responses to such an …more
The Daughter of Siena
The Daughter of Siena: A Novel
by Marina Fiorato
Life & Love in 18th Century Siena (5/5/2011)
If you like historical fiction, traveled to Tuscany and found yourself wondering what life in Siena or the other walled towns was like during the 18th century then you’ll love this novel. The plot centers around the famous horserace in Siena, the Palio. It is a great love …more
  • Page
  • 1
  • 2

BookBrowse Book Club

  • Book Jacket
    The River Knows Your Name
    by Kelly Mustian
    A haunting Southern novel about memory and love, from the author of The Girls in the Stilt House.
1
2
3
4
5
PrevNext

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    Happy Land
    by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

    From the New York Times bestselling author, a novel about a family's secret ties to a vanished American Kingdom.

    Read the Reviews
Who Said...

Music is the pleasure the human mind experiences from counting without being aware that it is counting

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

J of A T, M of N

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.