BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

Delicate Condition
by Danielle Valentine

Who Can I Trust? (7/11/2023)

Ms. Valentine tells the story through the voice of Anna Victoria Alcott who, after several rounds of IVF is finally pregnant. This pregnancy takes over her mind as well as her body. Perhaps being an actress in the limelight has made her a bit paranoid, however it does make for a page turner.
The author uses a less than pristine medical system, a less than truthful husband, friends who may not be who they seem to be, and the supernatural to weave a captivating tale. Add in a healthy dose of feminism and it is a great read!

Panther Gap: A Novel
by James A. McLaughlin

wow (3/17/2023)

The legacies of the Ancestors, conspiracy theories, drug cartels, environmental concerns, hidden sums of money, prison gangs, spiritual visions and more contribute to a real thriller.

McLaughlin is a wonderful storyteller with excellent use of language to develop his settings and characters. His balance between the past and the present and the spiritual and the practical draws the reader in to explore some very interesting ideas.
I loved the book!

Homestead: A Novel
by Melinda Moustakis

HOMESTEAD (1/21/2023)

Set in the beautiful wilderness of the Alaskan Territory in the 50's HOMESTEAD draws the reader not only into the land, but also the lives of Marie and Lawrence. Ms. Moustakis sets the scene with her words as well as her writing style. The characters are well developed and it is easy to understand their motivation in homesteading as well as the problems they face personally and from the land.
It was a very interesting read for me as my husband's cousin and her husband had homesteaded in Alaska in the mid sixties, but they had the advantage of being a little older, in a solid marriage and skilled as artists and teachers. Even for them it was not always easy.
The author leads the reader to believe that Marie and Lawrence will work out their problems and be successful.
A good read!

The God of Endings: A Novel
by Jacqueline Holland

A pleasant surprise--The God of Endings (10/16/2022)

When I selected the book to review I was not aware of the subject matter and when I discovered it was "vampires", I thought I should probably just let the powers that be know the book was not for me and I did not wish to review it. However as I had finished my bookclub book for October and there was nothing on my nightstand, I started reading. One page led to another and so on. The book just pulled me in and I found I really enjoyed it. It was quite different from the traditional vampire books I had read. The characters were so well developed and the writing was beautiful. There were many ideas and questions about the state of our existence that made for a very interesting and thought provoking book.
I am so glad that I did not stop reading it.

Dirt Creek: A Novel
by Hayley Scrivenor

The Fault of Dirt Creek (3/12/2022)

Whenever a young girl goes missing there is a heightened sense of urgency. It shakes the foundations of community. Ms. Scrivenor does an excellent job of balancing this with scenic description and character development that keeps us wondering about the outcome.
Her use of a type of Greek Chorus identified as "We" helps clarify her thinking and makes Durton a character in the mystery.
I liked the book and the author presented some interesting ideas. While she tied up many of the characters' stories she left the reader wondering about Detective Sergeant Sarah Michaels' future. Perhaps we have not heard the last of her.

All the Water I've Seen Is Running: A Novel
by Elias Rodriques

Is it really geography? (6/24/2021)

ALL THE WATER I'VE SEEN IS RUNNING was a challenging read for me, however I received insight into another lifestyle.
Daniel was compelled to go home to process the death of a high school friend, but he carried a lot of baggage with him. Although he had followed his dream and escaped Palm Coast he was still an immigrant Jamaican of East Indian descent whose home life had not been stable. Since leaving he had accepted that he was gay and he carried guilt for not keeping in touch with his friends. Add to this racism, guns and a hefty dose of alcohol and the author provides insight into another level of society.
Not sure I would have chosen to read this book, but I feel every book has something to teach me and this book did not disappoint.

When Broadway Was Black: The Triumphant Story of the All-Black Musical that Changed the World (aka Footnotes)
by Caseen Gaines

Eubie Blake and who? (3/30/2021)

From 1921 to 2015 SHUFFLE ALONG made appearances on Broadway and yet I had not heard of the play. I have attended performances of Broadway musicals and played in the pit for many amateur performances, but had never questioned who the predecessors of the Gershwins, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Sondheim, etc. were. In his book, Mr. Gaines fills in the blanks with a large chunk of Black History related to the history of Broadway and it's performers.
I liked the book very much as the author made the entertainers real people. The history was there, but it was not just a history lesson.
As a fan of Broadway musicals, I found this book a revelation and highly recommend it.

Black Widows: A Novel
by Cate Quinn

Will the real Black Widow step forward! (12/31/2020)

When interviewed regarding the writing process for the book, Ms. Quinn said "It was like a book that couldn't wait to be written." For me as a reader, it was like a book that could not wait to be read. I really liked the book and found the author's use of the chapters to identify and speak in the wives' voices very important to an understanding of the characters and their roles in the story.
When a cast of deeply flawed characters come together the result may be surprising.
Kept me guessing until the end.

The Stone Girl: A Novel
by Dirk Wittenborn

Wrong place, wrong time. (3/30/2020)

Evie Quimby and her adoptive parents Flo and Buddy live in a log cabin in the Adirondacks. Evie and Buddy are outdoors people and this seems a wonderful place for her to grow up, however the author has other ideas.
Being in the wrong place at the wrong time leads to a page turning journey from a log cabin, to Valhalla (Lulu Mannheim's estate), to the Mohawk Club, to New York, to Paris and back again.
I loved the book and spent more than one night reading into the wee hours. It was a well-written page turner!

The In-Betweens: The Spiritualists, Mediums, and Legends of Camp Etna
by Mira Ptacin

Informative and thought provoking. (10/19/2019)

"But the truth to me is that we are God watching God." Mira gives us this thought provoking comment near the end of "The In-Betweens." Prior to that she presents a very readable history of the development of Spiritualism in America then takes us on a journey of her experiences at Camp Etna. I really enjoyed the book and her description of the service she attended was very true to my memories of the service I attended at the Spiritualist Camp at Wooley Park in Ashley, Ohio. Some things you never forget.
My one criticism of the book would be that the map of Camp Etna did not occur until Chapter 7 and it was much too small to be helpful in relating to the author's experiences.
A good read!

The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt: A Novel
by Andrea Bobotis

A Southern Tale (7/9/2019)

I very much enjoyed Miss Judith's story. Time moved at a relaxed pace for her, but it was certainly not a "kinder, gentler time". Bound, South Carolina provided not only a back drop for a cast of diverse and flawed characters, but was instrumental in their development.
I had expected a genteel southern story, but instead got a tale of ambition, greed, lies, racism and the destruction of a family.
Ms. Bobotis tells a story illustrating the survival of the fittest in a very readable manner.

Never Have I Ever
by Joshilyn Jackson

The price of secrets (4/17/2019)

The games people play and the secrets they keep make for an interesting tale. It starts innocently enough at a neighborhood book club meeting, but things quickly move beyond the discussion of a book into a mine filled territory that adversely affects the lives of it members.

The book was a real page turner and just as I thought I had it figured out, there was a new twist. Loved the book and think it would make a good book club choice.

My Lovely Wife
by Samantha Downing

Nature vs Nurture -- or does it matter (10/10/2018)

When "nature" and "nurture" run amok and the resulting adults meet and marry, what evil is created? Do we really know our neighbors and friends?
These are just a few concerns this book raises. I really enjoyed reading this book and found the author dealt with a difficult topic in a skilled manner.
The book is a page turner even to the last shocking sentence. Highly recommend it.

Our House
by Louise Candlish

Our House - A House of Cards (6/4/2018)

WOW! What a well crafted tale of fear and deception and their consequences. The house, while it seems perfect, is indeed constructed of cards and when it starts to
fall no one is safe. I found the comments at the ends of several of Fi's sections a bit distracting and soon found myself just skipping them.

Meet Me at the Museum
by Anne Youngson

Meet Me at the Museum -- or not (4/9/2018)

Having reached the age the author refers to as being "more behind us than ahead of us", I have a policy of giving a book a short period of time to engage me. If it fails to, I put it aside, however as I had a review to write, that was not possible. While the book was a slow starter, I soon found myself looking forward to each letter as much as Tina and Kristian. Their long distance relationship provide much food for thought and I enjoyed the book

Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions
by Mario Giordano

Auntie Poldi and Mt. Etna solve the crime (1/23/2018)

Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions provided a delightful escape from a frigid Ohio January. The warm climate, an interesting cast of characters and a murder that stymied the authorities, but not Auntie Poldi, made for a very enjoyable read.

As Bright as Heaven
by Susan Meissner

As Bright As Heaven (10/14/2017)

The book is set in Philadelphia in 1918 during the Spanish Flu epidemic. The author tells the story through the voices of Pauline Bright and her 3 daughters. By telling the story of a very difficult time from the perspective of the different ages, the author keeps the reader engaged and even hopeful. She peppers the story with insights that offer hope for humanity in the event of another pandemic. I enjoyed the book and was sad to see my involvement with the Bright family ending. Much of this was due to Ms. Meissner's writing. I would recommend the book and plan to have my gook club read it and I will also review it for another book club of which I am a member.

The Story of Arthur Truluv: A Novel
by Elizabeth Berg

The Story of Arthur Trulove (6/8/2017)

After reading the Story of Arthur Trulove and perusing the list of other books by the author, I was surprised I had not read any of her books. I definitely plan to in the future.
This book while being very readable addresses the issues that can either separate us or make us into a family.
Arthur Moses, a recent widower renamed Truelove by Maddie, a teen he meets in the cemetery, and Arthur's neighbor, Lucille find themselves drawn together in an unlikely situation. Elizabeth writes with humor and compassion about the lives of these characters. I enjoyed reading their stories.

The Fifth Petal: A Novel
by Brunonia Barry

The Fifth Petal (2/13/2017)

Having read Barry's two previous novels (The Lace Reader and The Map of True Places) I was anxious to read The Fifth Petal. I was not disappointed. The question is how does the "fifth petal" connect the 2014 death of a boy, the 1989 slayings of the young girls known as "the goddesses" and the Salem witch trials and hangings? Barry who is a masterful story teller leads the reader to the answer. Being a musician, I found her use of sound in the plot fascinating. For me, the book was a page turner. Probably her best yet.

Reviews by Amy E. (Delaware, OH)

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Reviews by Amy E. (Delaware, OH)

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