Reviews by Paula B. (Albuquerque, NM)

Order Reviews by:
Happy Land
Happy Land
by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Moving Past Slavery (12/6/2024)
I don't know that I have ever read a novel about the lives of former slaves in postwar Civil War life. The original or at least rarely used theme makes the book interestingI. It is a glimpse of some of the difficulties encountered by the newly freed slaves, but an almost …more
In the Garden of Monsters
In the Garden of Monsters: A Novel
by Crystal King
Enchanting Adult Fairy Tale (8/17/2024)
Elements of a mundane trip to the country mixed with creepy haunted places pulls you quickly into this revisitation to a Greek myth. The actual site of the Garden of Monsters is also enticing to travel planners. The detailed description of the country estate enhances the …more
The Funeral Cryer
The Funeral Cryer: A Novel
by Wenyan Lu
A Brief Glimpse of Life in Rural China (2/11/2024)
Funeral customs and beliefs vary significantly between cultures. A small glimpse of modern funeral customs in rural China is the redeeming part of this novel. The novel, at best, represents this one situation, but within the story, customs and beliefs are rather thoroughly …more
The House on Biscayne Bay
The House on Biscayne Bay
by Chanel Cleeton
Not my Cup of Tea (1/15/2024)
The book is easily readable, but not really my genre. I classify this as a cozy mystery, meaning there is no real danger, but some unexplained suspicious deaths. Yes, it is a murder mystery, but with little suspense. The setting is high end real estate in southern Florida. …more
Daughters of Shandong
Daughters of Shandong
by Eve J. Chung
Resilience Defines Survivors (11/11/2023)
This is a fictional autobiography of a woman born into a wealthy Confucian family, pre-World War II. The focus is the religious, cultural and economic structure of China in 1948 that was completely and often cruelly changed as Communism overwhelmed mainland Imperial China. …more
The Last Russian Doll
The Last Russian Doll
by Kristen Loesch
Great historical mystery about human connections (10/18/2022)
I really enjoyed the mystery of family intrigue and the historical setting of this book. This is an interesting book that includes mystery, human tragedy and intrigue. The characters are well represented by people that remind us of ourselves. The setting of the early 20th …more
Fencing with the King
Fencing with the King: A Novel
by Diana Abu-Jaber
The Past Makes the Future (12/10/2021)
This is such an entertaining book! I enjoyed it from the first page. It has a great mix of historical fiction with details from the distant past combined with current events and political intrigue. Our lives do not start with us, the past, sometimes the ancient past, …more
The Latinist
The Latinist: A Novel
by Mark Prins
A modern Greek myth (10/28/2021)
The Latinist is a refreshing twist on a novel of intrigue. The intersection of the unfamiliar world of academia and the application of academic learning to archaeology. In college I read some Ovid and learned Greek mythology like that of Daphne and Apollo. In this original …more
The Smallest Lights in the Universe
The Smallest Lights in the Universe: A Memoir
by Sara Seager
Balancing family with a dedication to science (7/21/2020)
This is the memoir of an extraordinary woman. The description bills it as a story about recovering from tragic early widowhood. It is so much more. It is a story of an astro-physicist in a quickly developing scientific area about which I knew almost nothing. Now I know a …more
With or Without You
With or Without You: A Novel
by Caroline Leavitt
Grown Up at Last (5/11/2020)
Oddly this book is about growing up, finally. All of the primary characters are in their 40s, so it clearly time, but not so clear to them. Each character illustrates some of the weaknesses of an affluent society where many individuals pursue life at their own pace without …more
Father of Lions
Father of Lions: One Man's Remarkable Quest to Save the Mosul Zoo
by Louise Callaghan
Desperate Desire (10/27/2019)
This story of human resilience, in the face of religious fanaticism, shows that survival in the worst circumstances is possible, if neither predictable nor perfect. The author impresses the grinding reality of war upon the reader, with a few positive results,but there is no …more
Beirut Hellfire Society
Beirut Hellfire Society
by Rawi Hage
War is hell and a rough read (5/30/2019)
Life in the midst of war is harsh and everything but war becomes irrelevant to daily life. This is the topic of Beirut Hellfire Society. The utter profanity of war, the desperation of the occupants of a city at war and the irrelevance of even the traditions of death are …more
The Kinship of Secrets
The Kinship of Secrets
by Eugenia Kim
Refreshing story of family and culture (10/20/2018)
This is an enjoyable read that added to my growing knowledge of how cultures are influenced by the country in which they exist. As an American living in the Southwest, I have had little connection to Confucian based cultures. Reading about the contrast that develops in a …more
The Family Tabor
The Family Tabor
by Cherise Wolas
A Rare Criminal Mystery Not Involving Murder (6/16/2018)
I enjoyed this book, a rare criminal mystery not involving murder, but something far more common. The family members each have interesting issues, which lead you through the story. However, the premise of a serious financial crime unremembered and the primary perpetrator …more
The Girl Who Smiled Beads
The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After
by Elizabeth Weil, Clemantine Wamariya
Experience the life of a child refugee (2/26/2018)
I enjoyed this very timely book. The fresh look at the devastation of war and the angst of survival from the perspective of a child brings us face to face with the reality of many children in our war torn world. This personal story makes real what we only glimpse on nightly …more
The Necklace
The Necklace
by Claire McMillan
The Necklace (6/22/2017)
This is a great beach read. It captures a snapshot of the lives of the wealthy around WW I, a time period that is fascinating. The ambiance of the story is so well created that I felt I was surrounded by the events and attitudes of 1917. The extreme wealth of one family and …more
The Weight of Ink
The Weight of Ink
by Rachel Kadish
Good story with mystery, and ancient transcripts to entertain. (2/13/2017)
The author succeeds in putting a human face on the fascinating cultural events of 17th century England and Europe. This entertaining story piqued my already active interest in ancient manuscripts, philosophy and the changing thought of this period of history. The story …more
  • Page
  • 1

BookBrowse Book Club

  • Book Jacket
    Becoming Madam Secretary
    by Stephanie Dray
    New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray returns with a captivating novel about an American heroine France Perkins—now in paperback!
1
2
3
4
PrevNext

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    Girl Falling
    by Hayley Scrivenor

    The USA Today bestselling author of Dirt Creek returns with a story of grief and truth.

    Read the Reviews
  • Book Jacket

    The Antidote
    by Karen Russell

    A gripping dust bowl epic about five characters whose fates become entangled after a storm ravages their small Nebraskan town.

    Read the Reviews
  • Book Jacket

    Jane and Dan at the End of the World
    by Colleen Oakley

    Date Night meets Bel Canto in this hilarious tale.

    Read the Reviews
1
2
3
PrevNext
Who Said...

The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it

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

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

T B S of T F

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.