Reviews by Florence K. (Northridge, CA)

If you'd like to be able to easily share your reviews with others, please join BookBrowse.
Order Reviews by:
Jade Dragon Mountain
Jade Dragon Mountain
by Elsa Hart
Jade Dragon Mountain (6/18/2015)
A tale of long ago and far away; a saga juxtaposing history and mystery -- this is the essence of JADE DRAGON MOUNTAIN. It's a sensuous book: I could indeed see, hear, feel, even taste the vivid descriptions and I am in awe of the tremendous amount of research and attention …more
Little Black Lies
Little Black Lies
by Sharon Bolton
Little Black Lies (5/11/2015)
A plot that keeps the reader unsure of what will happen next, a surprising ending, three young, flawed protagonists--these would seem to have the makings of a blockbuster of a book. It doesn't quite happen.

Thoroughly researched and well written, the milieu of the Falklands: …more
The Last Flight of Poxl West
The Last Flight of Poxl West
by Daniel Torday
The Last Flight of Poxl West (1/22/2015)
A luminous book, well worth reading! Poxl West is a complex, conflicted, troubled man, yet is a fascinating character. His interactions with his "nephew" are charming and lend a note of lightness to an otherwise serious story.
The book deals with love and loss, truth and …more
The Paris Winter
The Paris Winter
by Imogen Robertson
The Paris Winter (7/9/2014)
History, mystery, mayhem and murder! An insider look at the City of Light in 1909-1910 with its damaging flood makes a meaningful reading experience. Paris itself is as much a character as the human characters are.. The juxtaposition of bright, glittering salons, drab …more
The Devil in the Marshalsea
The Devil in the Marshalsea
by Antonia Hodgson
Devil in the Marshalsea (3/14/2014)
A winner! I read, I learned, I thought about this book for many days after I finished reading it. While poverty and cruelty are rampant in literature and in life, the horrific goings-on at Marshalsea Gaol hold a special fascination.
It helps to suspend disbelief that so much …more
Under the Wide and Starry Sky
Under the Wide and Starry Sky
by Nancy Horan
Under the Wide and Starry Sky (11/23/2013)
Such an odd couple! The unlikely romance and marriage of frail Louis (RLS) and feisty Fanny make for a read that could have been faster-paced. The travels and travails of the couple are well written and well-researched. I was much more interested in how the writings of …more
Songs of Willow Frost
Songs of Willow Frost
by Jamie Ford
Songs of Willow Frost (7/11/2013)
I read this book as part of the First Impressions group. Jamie Ford averted the sophomore jinx that besets so many writers. It is a good book but falls short of being a great one. The author does capture the deprivations of the Great Depression and the mood of the country …more
The Winter Palace
The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great
by Eva Stachniak
Winter Palace (1/9/2012)
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Winter Palace. The author's clever use of a young Polish commoner. Varvara, to be the eyes and ears of both Empress Elizabeth and her nephew's wife Catherine and to divulge what went on in royal Russian chambers was a fascinating way to describe …more
The Dressmaker
The Dressmaker: A Novel
by Kate Alcott
The Dressmaker (10/25/2011)
An interesting premise, a quick read, a slice of 100 year old history -- these elements should have made for an excellent book, but The Dressmaker misses the mark. The sections dealing with the Titanic tragedy and the Senate investigations are well done. The book is …more
The Things We Cherished
The Things We Cherished: A Novel
by Pam Jenoff
The Things We Cherished (5/16/2011)
Some history, some mystery, and some deftly woven twists and turns make for a quick read. The chapters zigzag between past and present with the quest for and possession of a very special timepiece as the crux of the book. I enjoyed reading about the events of the past; I …more
The Beauty of Humanity Movement
The Beauty of Humanity Movement: A Novel
by Camilla Gibb
The Beauty of Humanity Movement (1/3/2011)
A tautly written book about the long-lasting effects of the war in Vietnam on the Vietnamese people makes for very interesting reading. The three main characters are well developed, especially that of old man Hung. The bitter-sweet romances lighten the harsh realities in …more
The False Friend
The False Friend
by Myla Goldberg
The False Friend (8/11/2010)
Crisp dialogue and well-delineated characters make this book a fast and keep-your-interest read. The aftermath of a twenty-one year old fateful event makes for a buildup of suspense and an interest in knowing what actually happened. It will lead to spirited discussions by book clubs.
  • Page
  • 1
  • 2

BookBrowse Book Club

  • Book Jacket
    Real Americans
    by Rachel Khong
    From the author of Goodbye, Vitamin, a novel exploring family, identity, and the shaping of destiny.
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...

I am what the librarians have made me with a little assistance from a professor of Greek and a few poets

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.