BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

Mockingbird Summer: A Novel
by Lynda Rutledge

Didn't Grab Me (1/16/2024)

I started to read this book and it didn't grab me right away so I put it down. I then picked it up again and got half way through and it still didn't grab me. The subject matter has been told in other stories that I feel were better written. This one I was able to put down and not worry about the ending.

Wild and Distant Seas: A Novel
by Tara Karr Roberts

Evangeline (10/20/2023)

First, I want to say I liked this story. I found the writing to be very well done. The story made me want to keep turning the pages. I had to finish the book. There was no guessing the end and I like that in a story. To use a partial sentence from the book..."his tale was beautiful, somber and deep." This describes the story. I recommend reading WILD AND DISTANT SEAS.

The Continental Affair: A Novel
by Christine Mangan

Detached (7/1/2023)

I do not like saying this, but I did not like this story. I kept reading hoping it would get better. I didn't care for the way it presented the characters Henri and Louise and the back and forth and the before and after story line.

Mrs. Plansky's Revenge
by Spencer Quinn

COURAGEOUS/HUMOROUS (4/28/2023)

I enjoyed this little book. I am adding it to the summer reads at our library. I loved the fierceness of Mrs. Plansky, her look on life, how she handled all of her situations, family, love, even her tennis game. As I was reading this little novel, I kept thinking what a fun book to be made into a movie by Quentin Tarantino. I like dark humor and I think this would be a great "dark humor" film. But, just in case you don't care for Quentin Tarantino movies, don't worry the story of being taken advantage of at our age and how the story plays out is worth reading. I honestly, didn't put it down until I was done with the story. I would like another story about Mrs. Plansky and her adventures. Short, interesting, funny, dangerous.

Margot: A Novel
by Wendell Steavenson

Can't Always Get What You Want... (12/21/2022)

MARGOT...very interesting story. I am surprised Margot made it anywhere with the mother and father that raised her. Highly intelligent, Margot worked hard to get into Radcliffe College in the late 1960s, Margot makes it. However, there are lots of trials and tribulations along the way.
Getting into college you would hope that Margot would enjoy the freedom and the 1960s "revolution," however, Margot's life takes a different direction. You find yourself happy, angry, frustrated while reading the pages of this story. I will definitely recommend this book as I like to hear the comments of others.

Libertie
by Kaitlyn Greenidge

THE POINT (4/1/2022)

I have to give three stars to the writer of this novel. But I was very disappointed. We read this for book club and everyone had the same response, "what was the point." The cover is awesome. It definitely grabbed me. Even the beginning of the story kept me going, but as I continued to read I kept asking myself what is the point? Yes, mother and daughter relationship (flat) falling in love with the wrong man (flat). The ending??? What happened? I liked finding out about Dr. Susan Smith McKinney Steward (did my own research). I just found the story dull. The most interesting to me was the essay and interview.

Mrs. March: A Novel
by Virginia Feito

Terrible (8/27/2021)

I don't know if I'm allowed to say this...I think you needed to be "high" when reading this book. I couldn't finish it fast enough. Awful! I will understand if this can't be displayed.

Lady Sunshine
by Amy Mason Doan

MEMORIES (6/15/2021)

I so enjoyed this story. Lady Sunshine was very well written and the descriptions of the northern San Francisco were right on. The detail of the lives of the characters made me a part of the story (a hidden character). Music, love, laughter, anger, forgiveness but especially friendship and the process of growing up. The author did fabulous on writing.

Great Circle
by Maggie Shipstead

ADDITIVE (4/24/2021)

You can read the synopsis telling the story. I'm here to say it is an awesome story. Full of page turning adventure, read at your own risk characters, breath-taking country, This story is written so well. All 600 plus pages are amazing. Well done.

Of Women and Salt
by Gabriela Garcia

Disappointed (4/24/2021)

Very disappointed with the story. It didn't pull me in at all and I have read so many other novels about the subject that did pull me in. I share this book with a friend hoping she would give me a different outlook. Unfortunately, she didn't like it either. Too short, too quick, not enough detail describing the story.

Of Women and Salt
by Gabriela Garcia

The strength of woman (4/9/2021)

This was not a page turner for me. It was full of interesting material, but I have read others that pulled me into the story more. However, the author was able to write a good story and share her thoughts and words. I compliment that. I received a copy and have shared with my friends.

At the Edge of the Haight
by Katherine Seligman

A Walk in the Park (10/23/2020)

What made me pick this book was the word HAIGHT in the title. Reason, I did some growing up in the 1960s in the Bay area. Loved going to Golden Gate Park and visiting the Haight Ashbury district. My parents were very worried that I might run away. Little did they know that I had no intentions of running away. I was loved and taken very well care of by my family. But curiosity did get the best of me and I would go into the City often. AT THE EDGE OF THE HAIGHT was very well written. I fell right inside this book and walked the steps of Maddy and her friends. You can feel their feelings about living on the streets, sleeping in the park. How people reacted to their way of life. It is a fast read full of love, hope and friendship, but the story also tells you why these kids end up on the streets...abuse, hatred, drugs, no where to go...

With or Without You: A Novel
by Caroline Leavitt

WITHOUT (5/21/2020)

You can read a synopsis about WITH OR WITHOUT YOU. The storyline is not what pulled me into the novel. It was each individual character. Simon, Stella, and Libby's personalities are so very different and you just don't know until you turn the page how each individual is going to react to what is happening around them. That is what got me turning the pages. Even Simon's parents and Stella's mom you have to turn the page to figure out who these people are and what they are going to do. You couldn't guess (as sometimes you can) as to how they were going to handle what was facing them. It wasn't obvious. I wanted to find out the reactions of each character in each particular situation. How they individually responded to the coma, to changing the way each one was living their life. How they looked upon themselves being selfish, in love, life changes. That's what made me feel this was a good novel.

American Dirt: A Novel
by Jeanine Cummins

Grateful (3/6/2020)

I couldn't put this book down. I just felt awful for all the characters in the story trying to get to the United States. The research to write this story was done with extreme care. The story was very well written. What a horrible ordeal.

The Magnificent Esme Wells
by Adrienne Sharp

MEMORIES (2/28/2020)

This story brought up a lot of memories for me. The story of Vegas was a part of my growing up in the 1950's. It was always such a wonder, exciting place to go on vacation. The story really tells it like it was.

The Prisoner's Wife
by Maggie Brookes

PAGE TURNER (2/21/2020)

Based on a true story. A farm girl, Izzy and a British soldier, Bill, who is a prisoner of the Nazi's fall in love while Bill is working on Izzy's family farm. And together they escape. They marry on the run, however, that is just the beginning of this story. Izzy and Bill are captured and the Nazi's just assume they are both British soldiers. Now, this is where the story becomes a page turner. Izzy is surrounded by men. Will they keep her secret? Will they protect her? Will they survive? Will Izzy be shot as a spy. Maggie Brooks, the author, covers every detail imaginable in this story. She brought you along the journey from hell with the characters. It was as if you were reading a memoir.

Remembrance
by Rita Woods

INTERESTING (1/24/2020)

When I started Remembrance I wasn't sure I would like it. The beginning of the story was confusing to me. Not sure where the story was going and who was who. I even wrote down the characters names at the beginning. The historical part though at the beginning was interesting, so I decided to keep going and I'm so glad.The story told by many different characters gives you a look at how different each individual felt about life, slavery, love, voodoo and what happens in Remembrance. You will almost believe there was such a place as Remembrance and wished there had been.

The Starless Sea
by Erin Morgenstern

FAR BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH (1/15/2020)

I loved this book just as I loved THE NIGHT CIRCUS. Two different reads but Erin Morgenstern is a wonderful writer. THE STARLESS SEA is a book you need to read daily or until you finish it. There is so much going on in this story and it is easy to get lost...but that doesn't take anything away from the story. In fact, getting lost is part of the story's fascination. I was always asking myself could this be happening. The characters are creative, smart and have very little fear of the unknown. Their personalities help make up this wonderful tale. They change each other's lives with love, strength and mystery. I highly recommend this book.

Small Days and Nights: A Novel
by Tishani Doshi

IT WAS JUST OVER (11/13/2019)

After I have finished the last page of a book I'm reading and I close the book, I have thoughts and feelings about what I just finished. I think about the characters and their lives. I even go back to the beginning to get a sense or feel of what I have read, talk about it and recommend it. This story did not do that for me at all. When I finished the story I closed the book and went back a few days later and read the prologue. Still the story did not grab me. I felt the characters were shallow. Grace selfish, full of guilt and regret. The ending somewhat predictable. I also didn't care for the cover of the book.

The Seine: The River that Made Paris
by Elaine Sciolino

WHAT AN ADVENTURE (10/2/2019)

What an awesome book. THE SEINE is wonderfully written and so very interesting. Not only does it make you want to follow the Seine from beginning to end...the beautiful way the book is written makes you feel that you are literally following the river. The author also makes you feel like you are meeting the people that are introduced in this non-fiction book. The black and white photos are very descriptive. A great read with a glass of wine, cheese and bread.