BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

Pony Confidential
by Christina Lynch

Pony's search for Penny (6/13/2024)

This fun story was told between alternating viewpoints between Penny and her childhood pony. They were separated after a mysterious incident in the woods involving a man's death. Penny is arrested years later for the murder of the man, Frank, when she was 12. I am not a horse person, but I loved the pony's point of view. The pony travels around the country looking for the only owner that he loved. Overall, I really liked the book. It kept me interested in their quests to find each other. The mystery of Frank's death kept me reading as well. Thank you to Berkley publishing and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this delightful ARC.

The House on Biscayne Bay
by Chanel Cleeton

Gothic Suspense (1/7/2024)

Thank you to Bookbrowse for this ARC from NetGalley. I love Chanel Cleeton's previous books and am excited to get to read and review her newest book. She creates an atmosphere of suspense and intrigue. This gothic historical mystery revolved around a mansion in South Florida and 2 couples that lived there. Robert had the mansion built for his wife, Anna in the 1920s. Another couple lived in the mansion in the 1940s. The story is told between the two women alternating chapters. Overall, I loved the gothic atmosphere and the development of the dual storylines as they unfolded the secrets and mysteries of Marbrisa, the Miami mansion.

Becoming Madam Secretary
by Stephanie Dray

First Woman Secretary of Labor (11/29/2023)

Frances Perkins was the first woman in a presidential cabinet and secretary of labor for Franklin D. Roosevelt. She made major accomplishments through the New Deal. I enjoyed reading about her personal and professional life. I was unfamiliar with her prior to reading this book. At times, the book was slow. I am impressed with her empathy and solutions to many of the problems that arose during the early 1900's through the Great Depression. I received an ARC copy from Bookbrowse and the publisher. Thank you! I am interested in reading more about Frances Perkins.

Mrs. Plansky's Revenge
by Spencer Quinn

A fun cozy mystery (5/7/2023)

I really enjoyed this book! Mrs. Plansky is recently widowed and gets a scam call for money in the middle of the night. She falls for it and is instantly broke. She sets out on a flight to Romania to get her money back and set things right after no help here in the US. Her adventure is a lot of fun. I am looking forward to more of her adventures.

The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise
by Colleen Oakley

An unexpected Road Trip (11/1/2022)

I loved this story about a fun odd pair! Louise is an older witty, crotchety lady. Tanner is a 21 year old college soccer player who is bitter about losing her scholarship due to an injury. Tanner gets kicked out of her parents’ home and becomes the caretaker for Louise.
After Louise gets a phone call from someone from her past, Louise wakes up Tanner in the middle of the night demanding that Tanner take her on an unexpected road trip.
They run into some difficulties along the way as they are running from the law. The mystery aspect kept the story going.

Some of It Was Real
by Nan Fischer

Discovering Past Family Truths (2/24/2022)

Sylvia, an rising star psychic medium and Thomas, a journalist trying to prove that psychics are a fraud, go on a week long journey to prove their different agendas. They both have issues in their pasts that they want to resolve. The story drew me in from the beginning. As the story goes on, their past mysteries are revealed. I really enjoyed the story and the characters drew me in. I highly recommend the book. Their pets, Moose and Chris, add another interesting layer to the story.

Thank you NetGalley and BookBrowse for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Blind Man's Bluff: A Memoir
by James Tate Hill

Navigating Life with Visual Impairment (8/13/2021)

I enjoyed this memoir about a young man who began to go blind as a teenager and his journey through his teenage to young adulthood years. He spent many years trying to hide his disability and eventually came to terms with it. The author does a great job describing how he tries to conceal his vision impairment and how he dealt with it. He seemed to have adapted fairly well to his daily routines. I liked his dating tips for those in denial. It was sad to me the way he often felt isolated due to his disability. He was fortunate to have several understanding friends. I'm glad he met Lori who was a great partner for him and helped him accept his vision impairment.

Piranesi
by Susanna Clarke

A labyrinth mystery (8/30/2020)

Piranesi is an interesting book that unfolds as you read along. Piranesi lives in a house/world consisting of labyrinths of halls with statues. The ocean water flows in through the halls. The Other is the only other person there. The Other warns him of a number 16 character who is looking for them and dangerous. Piranesi continues to find clues about his past and situation. I don't want to give more details or it will spoil the book for the reader. The book flows well. At first, it is confusing and hard to follow. The author does a great job unfolding the story. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy a story that includes mysteries to discover.

Migrations: A Novel
by Charlotte McConaghy

Last Migration of the Arctic Terns (4/11/2020)

I really enjoyed this book. The book is well written and has a great flow. It has a melancholy, mildly science fiction theme. Franny Stone is an interesting character with a wandering spirit and a hard life. She is in remote Greenland tracking the last Arctic terns and following them on their last migration. She finds a fishing ship, the Saghari , to take her on her journey. The book slowly unravels her dark difficult past as she's on her quest. She gets to know the crew members and their own issues. I like a book that has you trying to figure out a person's past and motivations. I would definitely recommend this book.

The Madwoman and the Roomba: My Year of Domestic Mayhem
by SandraTsing Loh

Reflections of a Mom (3/29/2020)

I enjoyed this book. Several of the essays were very funny and relatable. Although I have a very different background than the author, most of the essays were interesting and entertaining to read. The essays were arranged by seasons. Overall, the book was a quick read. My favorite essays were C Plus Tiger Mom, 101 Arguments Against Summer Fun, and Let's Commence. Some of the essays rambled; overall most made me laugh.

Small Days and Nights: A Novel
by Tishani Doshi

Family Ties (11/20/2019)

In this book, Grace returns home to India after a a failing marriage to bury her mother. While there, she learns of a sister with Downs' syndrome that her parents have kept hidden from her in an institution. I enjoyed reading about her struggles and adventures in moving back to India and taking care of her sister. The story changes setting and time periods in Grace's life as she processes the new discoveries concerning her long lost sister. Sometimes it was a little hard to follow when the author jumped around to different locations or times in Grace's life. I enjoyed reading about family relationships in other cultures. Also, it was interstellar to see the impact of her parents' decision to institutionalize Lucie and keep her hidden from Grace all of these years. The book was well written and kept my attention, especially the last half. I would recommend it to readers who like to read about family dynamics and how finding out past family secrets impacts someone. It would be an intersection book to discuss in a book club.

Nothing to See Here
by Kevin Wilson

Rich Privilege and Odd Twins (6/25/2019)

I really enjoyed this book about 2 friends from different backgrounds. The author does a great job developing the characters. Lillian and Madison quickly become friends in high school despite different backgrounds. Lillian has to leave school. Later, Madison wants Lillian to nanny for Madison's odd stepchildren that catch on fire with any distress. I enjoyed seeing how Lillian handles the kids and deals with their quirks. She develops a bond with them and can identify with them as they are seen as outcasts.The children help Lillian find her purpose and direction in life. Both need to be accepted in spite of their quirks. It's a fun book!

Never Have I Ever
by Joshilyn Jackson

Thriller with a twist (4/13/2019)

I have enjoyed several of Joshilyn Jackson’s books. This book is unlike the others that I have read. The book started out slow and I didn’t like Roux, one of the main characters. In the style of Gone Girl, the book is based on blackmail and deceit. I enjoyed trying to figure out the mystery and the plot picked up with the twist in the end. It has some triggers related to abuse. Overall, the book improved.

The Last Romantics
by Tara Conklin

Last Romantics Family Saga (12/22/2018)

The Last Romantics is a family tale of 4 siblings and their relationships throughout life. The siblings experience 2 traumatic events. They have to survive together on their own during "the pause" when their mother checks out of life for a few years. The author does a great job developing the characters and exploring their relationships with each other. I was drawn in to the story from the beginning. The book reminds me of Commonwealth, which I really enjoyed. I highly recommend this book.

Golden Child
by Claire Adam

Golden Child Review (10/24/2018)

Golden Child is about twin boys in Trinidad. They are treated very differently based on their intellect. Peter is known as the smart one who is given the advantages in life by his parents. Paul was born slow and his parents regard him as intellectually slow. Others don't believe he is as behind as his parents do. Paul goes missing and his parents, specifically his dad, Clyde, has to make some heart wrenching decisions. The story revolves around those decisions and the preceding events and outcome.
The author gives a good description of Trinidad and the difficulties of living there as well as the corruption that occurs there. The story also deals with the guilt associated with the results of Clyde's decision.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. The first part was a little slow. Then, part 2 backtracked to the boys early lives leading up to Paul's disappearance. Part 3 involves Clyde's decisions and the outcome. It was a sad story overall.

America for Beginners
by Leah Franqui

Interesting Road Trip (3/17/2018)

America for Beginners was an interesting, well written read. A wealthy Indian widow, a young male tour guide from a lower caste, and a struggling actress find themselves on a two week journey across America from New York City to Los Angeles. They each have different backgrounds and struggles. The author does a great job developing their back stories that explain how they got to this point. The book had me laughing at some parts and crying at others. Their different perspectives on their experiences were interesting. Despite their initial differences, they were able to eventually relate to each other. I felt empathy for all three characters. This book would be an enjoyable book club read. Readers of all ages and backgrounds would enjoy it as well.

Strangers in Budapest
by Jessica Keener

Interesting moving book (10/15/2017)

Strangers in Budapest draws the reader into the story right from the beginning. Annie and Will move to Budapest from the United States. There is an undertone of mystery and suspense throughout the book. The author does a great job of describing life as an expat in a bleak country. They encounter various characters that have a mysterious past. The themes of guilt and fate related to all of their past lives keep you intrigued. The ending was a little predictable. Overall, I enjoyed the book and read it fairly quickly.

Reviews by Catheryne Z. (Plano, TX)

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Reviews by Catheryne Z. (Plano, TX)

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