BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

The September House
by Carissa Orlando

A fun horror story (6/25/2023)

Horror is not typically my genre. I'm a scaredy cat but I read this in giant pieces because it was so good. Scary-ish at times, though humor was mixed in. The motivations make sense for the characters and because of this, the characters are pretty well rounded, and reading that the author is a psychologist makes all the sense in the world.

Our Missing Hearts: A Novel
by Celeste Ng

Timely and Wonderful (10/2/2022)

A book that is timely and wonderfully written. The echoes of current societies in this dystopian America where people of certain ethnicities are forced to deal with state sanctioned racism. This book is in equal turns heart breaking and can offer a sense of hope too. I hope everyone that reads it loves it as much as I do.

The Latinist: A Novel
by Mark Prins

The Latinist (11/12/2021)

This book was extremely enjoyable. Epic poems, obsession, academia rolled into one amazing treat. There is enough romance, intrigue and mystery to please a reader of one of those specific genres while delighting them with the other aspects of the story too.The book made me want to learn Latin and start my own projects.

Mrs. March: A Novel
by Virginia Feito

Mrs. March (6/2/2021)

This is not the traditional summer thriller. This produced a creeping dread in me. Poor Mrs. March. Suspenseful and unsettling. I was never sure where it was going. It has shades of the classic horror stories and some new thrillers. It will not be for everyone, but for someone that can feel the emotions of characters easily it is really really for them.

Stories from Suffragette City
by M.J. Rose, Fiona Davis

Short story collection (12/2/2020)

I loved this collection. Each story was excellent and I enjoyed the glimpses of the suffragette movement from so many different author point of views. I enjoyed the little peaks of Grace too.

The Woman Before Wallis: A Novel of Windsors, Vanderbilts, and Royal Scandal
by Bryn Turnbull

Enjoyable (7/21/2020)

I enjoyed this immensely. I had never heard of Thelma Morgan, but I had heard of most of the other players. Both Gloria Vanderbilts and the case surrounding little Gloria; David and Wallis, but never that Thelma was there first and that David was so into married women.
This is perfect for anyone that loves royals, history and the feeling of celebrity tabloid stories.

The Secrets of Love Story Bridge
by Phaedra Patrick

A love story (1/2/2020)

This is a love story that has all of the tropes. A guy with a kid doesn't realize he loves the quirky teacher because he's paralyzed by guilt. It does have the added interest of having letter writing as a focus but it is a romance. The main character is a stick-in-the-mud and due to his guilt he tries to plan everything for his daughter to make sure everything works. For a romance reader it will work.

The Sun Down Motel
by Simone St. James

Another gem (11/15/2019)

This is my second Simone St. James book, and it is another gem. The two narratives made sense, and both drove the story forward. I cared about both "main" characters. This is one of my favorite books of the year.

More News Tomorrow: A Novel
by Susan Richards Shreve

Enjoyable (5/21/2019)

I found this enjoyable, but there were so many things that I wanted to know more about. Like Georgie's Home for the Incurables, and her family and her mother and father. I definitely wanted to know more about Clementine and Roosevelt. I felt like many of the characters were under used and underdeveloped, but this was a quick and compelling read. I often enjoy multiple time period books, and this was no exception. I wish there had been just a little bit more.

The Last Collection: A Novel of Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel
by Jeanne Mackin

Excellent (3/17/2019)

This is a wonderfully written little gem of a book. I enjoyed the historical backdrop written with more focus on Elsa Schiaparelli. She is often one of the forgotten designers of that era, and reading about her was a joy. It is a beautifully written book of Paris before the war. I'll be going back and reading some of the author's backlist.

Other People's Houses
by Abbi Waxman

Everyday life (12/26/2017)

This was an excellent story about the ordinary lives of a group of people, and the problems the crossover can cause. It actually was well done and interesting. It was truly an example of we never do know what happens in the homes of others.

The Weight of Ink
by Rachel Kadish

Fits those it was compared to (3/14/2017)

Often I've found that books get compared to another and they are nothing alike. The Weight of Ink was compared to AS Byatt's Possession and it was very similar. This will be one of my favorite books of the year I'm sure. It has a bit of everything, love, dual time periods, and mystery.

There are parts I wish had been trimmed, and a bit more concise, but I would recommend this to anyone that I know loves to read about history.

I'll See You in Paris
by Michelle Gable

For me but not (1/26/2016)

I felt like this book was for me in many ways, but not for me in a few as well. I loved the fact that the book had two alternating storylines, but because the far past one was not the focus point of the book I felt it lagged in places.
I enjoyed the characters, and their brand of humor.
Overall I'd recommend the book to my Historical fiction reading friends.

The Art of Baking Blind
by Sarah Vaughan

The Art of Baking Bling (3/21/2015)

I loved this book so much. The five contestants of the contest to become the new Mrs. Eaden have bits of their stories that are recognizable in the lives of most. This felt like in some ways a behind the scenes view of a reality show, and how they each change as they go through it as well. I loved the bits about Kathleen, and hope that the author has plans to go back to her at some point, and give us some of these mouth watering recipes.
I think book clubs will enjoy this, but it has a little bit of something for everyone.

The Rabbit Back Literature Society
by Pasi Ilmari Jaaskelainen

Interesting (11/27/2014)

This is a fantastical mystery of sorts. I enjoyed much of this story. The bits of folklore, and the setting especially. This is definitely a winter book for me due to the atmosphere. The characters were not overly likable. I'd recommend this to anyone that enjoys Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series.

Juliet's Nurse
by Lois Leveen

Another View (7/12/2014)

Lois Leveen gives the Nurse from Romeo and Juliet a name and her own story. It's difficult to write a story with characters so well known, and expanding on that story and making it work. Leveen also brings to life the Verona of the time in fantastic detail. All in all a fantastic read.

Girl on the Golden Coin: A Novel of Frances Stuart
by Marci Jefferson

A good effort (1/1/2014)

This was a a very good first effort for this author. I thoroughly enjoyed the Stuart setting, it seems that so many of the historical fiction novels focus on the history of the Tudors. A bit more fleshing out of the characters would have been appreciated, but she set out to write about the history of Frances Stuart and she did that well.

Where Monsters Dwell
by Jørgen Brekke

Exciting and enjoyable (11/2/2013)

This was a slow-building read thriller that is never boring or conventional. The story is full of troubled characters that span centuries. The main character is the Johannes Book, and as we learn about the characters we learn more about the book and its importance.

Bellman & Black
by Diane Setterfield

Beautifully written (8/31/2013)

This is a beautifully written book. It falls into the rare occasion I wish I was allowed to give half stars. The story was somewhat predictable to me, but I was sucked in because of the writing. The book did make me think, about death and the rituals we follow. I wish I had friends that had read this already to discuss it with.

The Imposter Bride
by Nancy Richler

Potential (12/27/2012)

I fel this book had potential, I flew through the first half of the book, and was enjoying it, but the second half felt like a slog. I normally love the changing of time periods as device, but I felt as though it fell flat in this book.
The book was enjoyable, but was not what I was expecting.

Reviews by Sarah B. (Streamwood, IL)

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Reviews by Sarah B. (Streamwood, IL)

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