BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

Smothermoss
by Alisa Alering

Smothermoss (6/4/2024)

I made three attempts to read this book, finally succeeding on my 3rd try. It seemed to have so much promise and potential but fell short of what I was expecting. I love books that have a touch of magic and evil and redemption, but this book just didn't deliver. It wasn't a bad book, but it could have been so much better, if focus was more on the sisters and less on trying to be descriptive and evocative. I do hope this author continues to write; I think she has some really good "stuff" to say.

The Mystery Writer: A Novel
by Sulari Gentill

The Mystery Writee (1/14/2024)

I went back and forth between a 3 or a 4-star review and in the end, decided on 4 stars. The reason? I LOVE the relationship between the brother and sister - Gus and Theo. It just made me happy. The mystery (mysteries) was good, and there was no gratuitous gore. I'm sort of over books that have that. Although the Conspiracy Theories were (kind of) integral to the plot, I'm pretty sick of those, too. We are living with that on the Nightly News these days. But, overall, this book is worth a read.

Wild and Distant Seas: A Novel
by Tara Karr Roberts

Wild and Distant Seas (11/7/2023)

What a concept! Take a literary classic, add some incredible women, and then, as a final flourish, stir in a dollop of magic. This book may very well become a classic in its own right. I could never plow through MOBY DICK, but I just may give it another go after this read.
Evangeline Hussey deserves to take her place among strong and unusual literary heroines, as do the other women in this book.
The book's sheer scope - of time and location and emotions - will leave the reader wanting to peel back the title page and crawl inside to experience these things for themselves.
Thank you, BookBrowse for making it available to me as an ARC.

Delicate Condition
by Danielle Valentine

Delicate Condition (8/1/2023)

A slow starter, but definitely worth sticking with it. A very evocative book - suddenly, I was 21 years old again, losing my first baby to a miscarriage. The grief and mental anguish were spot on. I was a big fan of "Rosemary's Baby," so when I saw this book being compared to it, I was a bit skeptical. However, it is by turns terrifying and tender and the emotional journey of pregnancy, "normal" or not, was so well described that I could remember it vividly. A scary book, yes, but ultimately extremely satisfying.

The Lost English Girl
by Julia Kelly

The Lost English Girl (2/16/2023)

I have read many books in the past few years about WWII, especially the women who were so instrumental in the war effort. This heroine, Viv, was not a spy or a Bletchley Park worker, but rather a young, confused mother who dearly loved her daughter and wanted to keep her safe, while still suffering from being abandoned by her husband. What a wrench it must have been for the families who evacuated their children in the hopes of keeping them from harm. And then to find that wasn't the case.

This was a very well-written book, and the characters were multi-dimensional and wonderfully portrayed. I recommend it highly and feel it would be a good one for Book Clubs.

The God of Endings: A Novel
by Jacqueline Holland

The God of Endings (10/23/2022)

I am trying to find a good synonym for the word "lush", because that word seems overused, but actually that is the best word I can find to describe the writing in this book. A vampire story, but terribly human as well, in that the author touches so deeply on the pain and grief of all beings. I, like others, am reminded of Anne Rice, but I felt that the heroine, Collette, was much more captivating, though never in a light-hearted manner, than any of Rice's troubled characters. Collette's capacity for love and acceptance of anguish and torment was beautifully portrayed. I won't forget this book easily.

Widowland: Widowland #1
by C. J. Carey

Widowland (5/12/2022)

I was more than disappointed in this book. I found it boring, banal and repetitive. The attempts at describing the dystopian culture in which England found itself after surrendering to Germany dragged on and on and I didn't learn much about what the author was trying to say. The protagonist didn't irritate me; I simply found her a non-starter. The book didn't frighten me, as it should have, given the subject matter. I really don't like to give a bad review. But I just could not get on board with Widowland.

Dirt Creek: A Novel
by Hayley Scrivenor

Dirt Creek (3/21/2022)

I hesitated to request this book because I am such a fan of Jane Harper and her Australian novels, and I didn't want to be disappointed. I needn't have worried, because while each author does a painstaking job of depicting the heat and dust and misery of part of Australia, the stories and the characters are strictly unique.
Dirt Creek is almost completely character driven. I've seldom been as mesmerized by almost each individual character as I was with this book.
The story, the hunt for a child murderer, is grim and realistic and heartbreaking on many levels. And the denouement left me thinking, "Oh...my."
It's not a comfortable read, but I will jump right into anything else Hayley Scrivenor publishes.

The Fields: A Novel
by Erin Young

The Fields (11/6/2021)

Just mention corn and I immediately know something bad is coming. (Thank you, Stephen King.)
The young protagonist, Sergeant Riley Fisher, is a likeable woman with a lot of baggage. When promoted to Head of Investigations, her first case is a murder of a childhood friend.
The characterizations are excellent, not just of Riley, but the others in the novel. Lots of twists and surprises, some of them very dark, are almost disorienting and keep the reader a little off-balance.
I enjoyed this book very much and am glad to know it is the first in a planned series.

Never Saw Me Coming: A Novel
by Vera Kurian

Never Saw Me Coming (6/6/2021)

I was really excited to read this book. The storyline, a group of students who also happen to be psychopaths, being given a free ride at a prestigious university in order to undergo a character study, was very intriguing.
Unfortunately, it never got off the ground for me. Chloe, the protagonist, was not likeable, or even unlikeable - I found her just blah. And the supporting characters were also not well-drawn - no depth to them, although the author tried. The book was never exciting; it was extremely slow and the only reason I finished it was because I was giving a review. Frankly, I didn't care "who-done-it" or what happened to any of the characters. I wanted to like it, but I just didn't.

Mrs. March: A Novel
by Virginia Feito

Mrs. March (5/12/2021)

A slow descent into madness is presented in the form of an entitled, privileged woman. This book is suspenseful, dark and unsettling. It is extremely well written. However, as much as I love this genre, I could never connect with the character or bring myself to care very much what happened to her.

The Fortunate Ones
by Ed Tarkington

The Fortunate Ones (11/20/2020)

Lots to think about here - class distinction, different perspectives of friendship, casual racism.

When Charlie Boykin, a young, content-with-what-he-has, boy is introduced to a new, privileged world through acceptance to an elite private school, he begins to dwell in a totally new, exciting echelon. Archer Creigh, an influential upperclassman, befriends him, and Charlie is seduced by the wealth and privilege he encounters. His perception is skewed, but as he becomes aware of the corruption surrounding Archer and his type, he begins to question his own morals and beliefs.

He Started It
by Samantha Downing

He Started It (3/11/2020)

If you are planning a family road trip anytime soon you may wish to reconsider...

This all-over-the-map, insane, scary, funny story of a family fulfilling their Grandfather's wish to recreate a long-ago road trip in order to claim their inheritance will turn you upside down.

Then, it grabs you and insists that you stick it out until the ending. And what an ending it is!

You think you have family problems? Hop in the car with Eddie, Beth and Portia and take it for a spin.

This was a fun, fast, shocking read!

Ellie and the Harpmaker
by Hazel Prior

Ellie and the Harpmaker (5/24/2019)

Hazel Prior has knocked it out of the park with her debut novel. Perhaps the title should be: Ellie and the HEARTmaker.

It is a story told with such love, empathy and compassion that still manages to make the characters completely authentic. I felt my own heart swell during the reading and know that this is a book I will revisit.

Normally, I shy away from anything that could be described as romantic or emotional, but for some reason, when I read the description in BookBrowse, I was intrigued and requested it. I am so glad I did.

Quite simply, I loved this book.

The Lost Man
by Jane Harper

The Lost Man (12/2/2018)

When I saw Jane Harper's third novel as a "First Impressions" choice, I was thrilled. Having just finished her 1st and 2nd novels, I knew I was in for a treat.
Ms. Harper has a talent for describing people and locations in such a way that one gets inside the heads of her flawed, and so very human, characters, and by the time I finished the book I actually felt dehydrated by the searing Australian heat.
Three brothers - the middle one dead - in circumstances that suggest suicide, but as family relations and secrets come to light, the suspicions and doubts begin to grow.

Our House
by Louise Candlish

Outstanding, Gripping Ending! (7/6/2018)

I haven't been this knocked out by an ending since Sharon Bolton's "LITTLE BLACK LIES". (I'm still not over that one,)

This book explores normal, trivial domestic life. But, is any of domestic life what it seems? Jump into this book if you aren't afraid of exploring our seemingly normal lives.

The Days When Birds Come Back
by Deborah Reed

The Days When Birds Come Back (12/10/2017)

A lovely, emotional book by he author of THINGS WE SET ON FIRE. Deborah Reed writes beautifully, taking one into the characters' lives, minds and more importantly, their hearts. June is dealing with many life crises and struggling with each when she returns to her childhood home where she lived with her grandparents. Jameson will renovate the house and is a man whose
life is also in turmoil. Their relationship is tentative, but will they find a way to come home again?

The French Girl
by Lexie Elliott

The French Girl (9/27/2017)

Wow! What a debut! I've been in the process of moving to NM from Texas, so I didn't get to this as quickly as I wanted to. But when I did start reading, I finished it in one sitting. It is well crafted and the characters are definitely 3-dimensional. The suspense and the feeling of dread builds wonderfully. I hope she writes more (and more!). So glad I requested this book.

The Essex Serpent
by Sarah Perry

The Essex Serpent (3/5/2017)

Extraordinary writing, fascinating characters, a sense of other-worldliness throughout. If Charles Dickens was still alive, he would give this book a big "Thumbs-Up". I did get bogged down and confused a couple of times, but on the whole, it was great.

Reviews by Sue P. (Albuquerque, NM)

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