BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

At the Chinese Table: A Memoir with Recipes
by Carolyn Phillips

Interesting Book (8/7/2021)

This was a totally different book for me! Loved the historical parts and feel that Carolyn Phillips writes well and really understands the Chinese culture of food. Most of the recipes are too complicated/time-consuming for me but there are a few that I can't wait to try. (Almond cookies, creamy cabbage/pork to name a few).

With or Without You: A Novel
by Caroline Leavitt

Summer beach read (6/20/2020)

With or Without You was just an average read for me—however is is not a typical beach book because the story is unusual. Stella is married to Simon, who loves her but is a selfish former rock star. The marriage is failing but both are trying their best to hang on. After a drug mishap sends Stella into a comma everything changes. I have to say that I was not sympathetic to or engaged by any of the characters. Caroline Leavitt is a good writer so the story moves along but I am tired of stories about selfish men and the women who love them!

The Last Collection: A Novel of Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel
by Jeanne Mackin

Great vacation read (2/19/2019)

Loved The Last Collection by Jeanne Mackin—The story is told through the perspective of a young widow and artist who develops a relationship with Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel. If you love clothes you will love this book. The descriptions of the couture fashions are amazing. Some of the dresses are in museums now. The story is also good (and historically accurate) with the coming occupation of Paris adding tension. Well written and worth reading.

The Last Romantics
by Tara Conklin

Hard to put down (12/20/2018)

This was my first book by Tara Conklin and I'm really looking forward to the next one. A story of a family whose path is changed by tragedy and depression, the book drew me into the story right away. The four siblings are the main characters and very different from each other. Narrated by the youngest sister from the year 2079 we are given glimpses of the future but very little information about it. This keeps the focus on their lives and relationships which are complicated and interesting. A great book club choice!

A Ladder to the Sky: A Novel
by John Boyne

A Ladder to the sky (9/17/2018)

If you like a liter tale of unbridled ambition you'll love this book. Maurice Swift is the ultimate narcissist who (as the book progresses) turns into a sociopath. Maurice expects to become a great writer. Unfortunately he lacks imagination— so he steals other writers stories.

The book is written in 3 parts — most told by his victims. Since each part starts years after the last one you are forced to pay close attention to find out what happened during the missing time. This might confuse some readers but I liked the challenge and anticipation.

Enjoyed the book and would recommend to book clubs.

Meet Me at the Museum
by Anne Youngson

Meet me— a story of second chances (4/19/2018)

I originally decided to give this book a less positive review but after going back and re-reading a few of their letters I found myself pulled back into the story of how a relationship builds. I enjoyed the way this novel used correspondence to tell the story of two lonely people who wonder if their life choices were the right ones. I was a little disappointed in some of the plot choices that the author used to drive the story to its conclusion—but all in all it was a book worth reading.

Sometimes I Lie
by Alice Feeney

Psychological Thriller! (11/8/2017)

A psychological thriller in the style of "Gone Girl" or "The Dinner". The narrator of "Sometimes I Lie" is in a coma and the author uses her past and present to tell the story. I loved the use of Amber's deranged former ex and also her imaginary friend. Lots of plot twists and revelations — I went back through the story more than once for clarity. In the hands of Alice Feeney the psychological thriller is alive and well!

Stay with Me
by Ayobami Adebayo

Love and infertility in Nigeria (8/31/2017)

A good novel about a Nigerian couples struggle to love and live in a society that defines and judges a marriage on their ability to have children. The backdrop of the unstable political climate adds to the novel's tension. When I read a book like this it angers me that in so many places women are still not valued or encouraged to make an intellectual or spiritual contribution to society. Perhaps it explains why so many patriarchal countries are badly managed. I would enjoy a book club discussion on the question-- Why do patriarchal cultures value fertility so much?

A Piece of the World: A Novel
by Christina Baker Kline

a piece of the world (12/16/2016)

I enjoy stories about art and artists and thought it would be interesting to learn more about Andrew Wyeth and this particular painting. Especially since the painting itself is very disturbing. I do think that Baker-Klinr caught the essence of that piece of art in her book and the story was as interesting as "Orphan Train". I never did manage to develop a liking for Christina, her behavior toward her brother Al especially bothered me because I felt that his sacrifice was just as great as hers.

The Book That Matters Most: A Novel
by Ann Hood

Missed Opportunity (6/16/2016)

The idea of choosing "The Book That Matters Most" for a book club read was compelling -- and my favorite part of the book. I found Ava whiny in the beginning, and not very interesting! Her daughter Maggie's story was more engaging and kept me reading. The book was well written, but improbable, especially the ending. There were too many characters essential to the story who were not well defined.

Tuesday Nights in 1980
by Molly Prentiss

Tuesday Nights.... (1/24/2016)

Loved the book! A story about the crazy, changing art scene in New York in 1980, following the lives of an artist, a critic, and various "art groupies" for one year. There is just enough backstory to flesh out the characters -- including the story of the artist's sister and her son. The descriptive language alone makes the book worth reading. In fact the art was so beautifully described it made me ache to see the actual pictures. A book I will probably read again!

Home by Nightfall: A Charles Lenox Mystery
by Charles Finch

Home By Nightfall (9/23/2015)

The beauty of reading a mystery set in the late 1800's is the pace -- nothing happens quickly and you have time to read every word and ponder the revelations as they unfold.
This was the first book I've read in this series by Charles Finch and I enjoyed his use of the more formal language of that era. It was a good change of pace from the mystery set in "modern times" where technology sometimes becomes the "star". The heart-felt rumination of the detective (Charles Lenox) on many topics added depth for me. Loved this one regarding how he felt when his father died -- "but a parent --while one's parents were alive, if they were decent parents, one was always at least in some small part of one's self protected -- from life, from fear, from reality. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a mystery set in the English countryside of the 1800's.

Her Name Is Rose
by Christine Breen

Her Name is Rose (2/13/2015)

A sweet book about two talented women who are too dependent on others for their self esteem and happiness. The story develops as they impulsively make changes in their lives. The chance encounters that moved the story forward were a little unbelievable-- but overall I thought the writing was lovely. I do wish that Rose's birth father has played a larger part. Women who like sweet romantic books with happy endings will enjoy this book.

A Kim Jong-Il Production: The Extraordinary True Story of a Kidnapped Filmmaker, His Star Actress, and a Young Dictator's Rise to Power
by Paul Fischer

A Timely Story (12/18/2014)

Wow -- what an eye-opener this book was. I knew nothing about North Korea until recently. The current crisis with Sony Pictures illustrates the point this book makes -- and frankly I'm afraid to review it! I also wonder if it will be published!

Vanessa and Her Sister
by Priya Parmar

Vanessa & Her Sister (10/15/2014)

Absolutely loved this book -- other than reading Virginia Wolf in college I knew very little about Vanessa & Virginia and the impact they had through the Bloomsburg Group on art & literature in the early 20th century. The book is beautifully crafted using fictional entries from Vanessa's journal & letters to tell the story -- as well as letters and telegrams from other members of group. This style flowed so smoothly and was so realistic that I looked for footnotes at the end of the book, thinking that Priya Parmar was using the actual correspondence between the sisters. I highly recommend this book -- it will be a best seller!

The Paris Winter
by Imogen Robertson

Wonderful, quick read (7/7/2014)

Most of the time I enjoy historical fiction and this book was no exception. It was an interesting time in history because women were fighting to enter formerly "male" occupations, like art & medicine. I knew very little about how women artists were treated -- and of course the answer was "not well" like most occupations at that time. The book was a stark reminder of how far we have come -- and the sacrifices that were made to get us there.

The story was also engrosing with interesting, well drawn characters and lots of art-world details. The Paris Winter finished nicely with the heroines rewarded and "some" of the villians punished -- and that's all I need to enjoy historical fiction!

A Paris Apartment
by Michelle Gable

A Paris Apartment (3/17/2014)

Warning: Contains plot spoilers:

A Paris Apartment's first chapter seemed to promise an interesting story. The book moves from the present and back to 1898 describing the life of April -- the American Appraiser, and Marthe' the French Courtesan. Frankly Marthe' was not an appealing character and the language used in describing her life never seemed authentic. The relationship that Marthe' has with the painter Boldini -- which seems to be the basis of the book -- never gets interesting..... April's relationship with her husband is the same way -- and April's night with Luc wasn't sexy or meaningful -- she was drunk and slept with him, basically imitating her husband who had his own drunken one night stand. Connecting all the relationships of the past at the end still left me confused about why the family would leave the apartment full of treasures untouched for so many years.

A Dual Inheritance
by Joanna Hershon

A Dual Inheritance (3/20/2013)

First I would like to say that this was a good book, and fairly well-written. I always enjoy a book about relationships -- especially when they involve race & class in America. Frankly, I want to blame the author's editor for the books defects because the story was good and she writes with all the elements of a Franzen or Eugenides, but the book needed to be cut in some places and expanded in others. I think she somehow just missed the chance to write a Tom Wolff style classic!

The Aviator's Wife
by Melanie Benjamin

The Aviator's Wife (12/18/2012)

Where to begin -- The book was a very interesting look at the life of a "hero's" wife. It was a very sympathetic portrayal of Anne, and initially her worship of Charles seemed justified. Their celebrity made it impossible to live a normal life but after their son was kidnapped Charles became a very unlikeable person for me. Perhaps the country's worship of him was the reason that he was so focused on his own needs but his treatment of his children was horrifying. I was really happy when Anne finally started to follow her own path and find someone to support and put her first. I enjoyed the book -- Thought it was worth reading just for the historical perspective.

The Art Forger
by B. A. Shapiro

The Art Forger (10/9/2012)

Loved this book -- a well written look inside the art world from the artist perspective. The technical aspect of art forgery was facinating and was probably the best part of the story for me. Would recommend this book to anyone who loves art as well as a good mystery.

Reviews by Debra V. (Kenosha, WI)

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