BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

The Personal Librarian
by Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray

Okay (2/10/2021)

This book for me was just OK. I didn't feel a connection with the characters and for me, that is very important. Because of this, I gave the book three stars. The plot wasn't bad, I just couldn't connect with the protagonist.

Black Widows: A Novel
by Cate Quinn

On fire! (1/7/2021)

I found this book to be an incredible page turner. The reason I gave it a four star, rather than a five star, however was that I didn't like the ending. However, besides that, I was completely enthralled by the book. I had a very difficult time putting it down. The pacing was excellent and the writing very good. I'm anxiously awaiting the author's next title!

The Stone Girl: A Novel
by Dirk Wittenborn

An Excellent Book! (4/16/2020)

I honestly couldn't put this book down. I was fascinated with Evie Quimbey, from the Adirondacks. She was one of the most unique protagonists I've ever come across. She was quite a courageous and strong heroine. I've never read a book like this one and it will be memorable for days to come.

The Prisoner's Wife
by Maggie Brookes

Haunting and Mesmerizing (2/10/2020)

This book was engrossing. I could not put it down. It transported you into the era of WWII. The writing was masterful. I would read anything by this author. A definite page turner.

Small Days and Nights: A Novel
by Tishani Doshi

Slowburn (11/5/2019)

This book was a welcome distraction from the other books I've been reading as of late. I have to admit however, I like it when a book grabs me from the first page. This book was not that. However, I did enjoy the plot and the characters. Although this was a slowburn, I'd definitely recommend it. It was a unique, special book and I'll be looking for more from this author in the future.

Mother Knows Best: A Novel of Suspense
by Kira Peikoff

Creepy, Twisty, and Thrilling! (10/22/2019)

A debut psychological thriller!

This book was amazing! I don't want to reveal too much about the plot because I feel like less is more in this case. I really enjoy books with in depth character development and this novel definitely had interesting characters. There was also an unreliable narrator, which I always love.

I can't emphasize enough how surprised I was by this book! There were many twists, as well. I'm a huge fan of a well-executed twist. Kira Peikoff is an author to watch! I am anxiously awaiting her next book!

Red Letter Days
by Sarah-Jane Stratford

Red Letter Days (10/2/2019)

An ominous portrait of what life was like during WWII. While there were some slow spots, the majority of the book had my attention. I very much enjoy historical fiction and this did not disappoint. The formatting was excellent and there was no confusion. If you are enjoy reading about WWII, this book is for you.

The Shadow King: A Novel
by Maaza Mengiste

Historical (7/19/2019)

An interesting and compelling read. The writing was very good in some sections and faltered in others. I think the characters needed a bit more development, however, all in all this was a decent book.

Never Have I Ever
by Joshilyn Jackson

An Average Thriller (4/9/2019)

While I've seen good press for this novel, I wasn't as impressed. This did have interesting characters, but what I yearn for in a thriller, was missing. I enjoy a plot-driven thriller, and that was absent. However, I did like the writing. There was also a pretty good plot twist. If you like thrillers, give this one a try. Was it fantastic? No, but it is worth a read.

The Last Romantics
by Tara Conklin

The Last Romantics (11/29/2018)

While this book definitely had its moments, I couldn't help but wonder when it would be over. I definitely appreciated some of the dysfunction that took place among the characters, but overall I didn't feel there was much plot going on. That's not to say that I can't appreciate a good character-driven novel, because I can. I just don't think I was invested in either the plot or the characters. The writing, however, I really felt was strong. I do think I'd give Tara Conklin another chance. Her writing was poetic and mellifluous.

The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls
by Anissa Gray

Ferocious and Riveting! (10/10/2018)

This book was excellent. If you like a book more character-driven than plot-driven, this book is for you. The character development was expertly written. The characters were extremely relatable and I was invested to see what would happen next. I think this is going to be an instant hit!

Vox
by Christina Dalcher

Vox (5/19/2018)

I found this book strange to say the least.. not necessarily in a bad way. The book is a warning of what can happen in a society that discriminates and is prejudiced against the female gender. This is an important novel.. although, it just wasn't for me. On a positive note, the writing was very advanced for a debut novel.

A Place for Us
by Fatima Farheen Mirza

A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza (3/4/2018)

Wow! I have always had an affinity for books that are about people with different ethnic backgrounds than myself. I think it is so interesting to be able to learn about a culture, while also reading and being engaged in a story. This book did just that. This family saga had dysfunction and conflict. It was most certainly a page-turner and was hard to put-down. I also found it hard to believe that this was the author's debut. This book had a polished and authentic tone. I would definitely recommend it and will be interested in reading this author's sophomore novel.

The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After
by Elizabeth Weil, Clemantine Wamariya

The Girl Who Smiled Beads (1/29/2018)

An excellent meditation on how war affects family. This was an interesting portrayal of how war affects an entire community. I can't imagine how it must be to live in a village ravaged by war, but Wamariya really did an outstanding job illustrating that. This book had strong character development and was a page turner. I will definitely be looking forward to her sophomore novel.

Other People's Houses
by Abbi Waxman

Other People's Houses (11/28/2017)

Boy, when I started reading this, I knew almost immediately I was in for a treat. Reading the summary of the book, I knew immediately this was going to be a winner. However, after reading the first few pages, I was hooked. This book was a real page-turner for me. I could not put it down. I knew I had other responsibilities, e.g., the laundry, dishes..but I put it all on hold. I felt like that can wait..the book however, cannot.

I am really excited to see what Ms. Waxman has in store for us in the future. I would definitely read anything that she is serving up.

The character development was expertly crafted. The writing was effortless. If not for a few, minor...really minor...things, I would have given this 5 stars. As it stands, this book for me gets a 4.5.

The French Girl
by Lexie Elliott

The French Girl by Lexie Elliott (9/3/2017)

This was a fairly decent book. I can't say that it overwhelmed me, but it certainly wasn't underwhelming either. It was thrilling and had some very good twists in it. I would definitely read another book from this author.I would recommend this to readers who have enjoyed books by Paula Hawkins or Gillian Flynn.

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