BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

Scatterlings: A Novel
by Resoketswe Martha Manenzhe

The Outsider (10/27/2022)

Alisa always felt as though she did not fit in. A black woman from the Caribbean, adopted by white English parents, Alisa thought that South Africa would be her haven. However, after her marriage to a white man to whom she bore two children, the South African Immorality Act of 1927...basically making her marriage unlawful...was more than she could tolerate.

Manenzhe has beautifully, but poignantly, portrayed the depths of depression which can develop when one always feels outcast.

"Scatterlings" was a learning experience for me and this novel begs to be read and discussed.

Activities of Daily Living: A Novel
by Lisa Hsiao Chen

Spending One's Time (1/15/2022)

Ms. Chen has written of the strange, weird ways the nonfictional artist, Tehching Hsieh, employs 'time' in his various performance art pieces. Paralleling this part of the novel is the fictional story of Alice who spends much of her time visiting and caring for her dying father. The concept of 'time' and how it is portrayed by these individuals clearly fits the title "Activities of Daily Living".

After reading this book, a topic for discussion could be: On any given day, how does one choose to spend the time of that day and how much is that choice determined by surrounding circumstances?

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

Returning home (6/22/2021)

In the ten years since Daniel left the poverty and racism of his north Florida home, he has completed his college degree and is employed as a high school English teacher in NYC. He has not maintained any connection with his former high school friends. However, he is drawn back home when he learns that Aubrey, a special friend, has been killed in a traffic accident.

Upon his return to Florida Daniel immediately lapses into the jargon and the activities of his former comrades. He begins to realize that what he thought he left forever behind is, and always will be, a large part of his true self.

As Daniel reunites with his friends, and shares certain secrets with them, we also learn of his biracial ancestry and how this has affected his life as well.

I enjoyed this novel and was constantly reminded of the fact that, no matter where our life takes us, we are largely composed of our heritage and of our early environs.

The Northern Reach
by W.S. Winslow

A Town and Family in Maine (11/21/2020)

What a joy it is to look in on this Maine town, near the Northern Reach, and be introduced to one of its extended families. One can easily relate to the ups and downs, the happy times and the sad times, that each family member experiences. Winslow expertly creates a portrait of ordinary people in a way that reflects the foibles of life many of us know, sometimes endure, and often love.

Catherine House: A Novel
by Elisabeth Thomas

Catherine House (3/9/2020)

Hidden in the backwoods of Pennsylvania, Catherine House is home to a small selective college with strange rules and a mysterious aura. Students are chosen not just for their intelligence but also because they don't fit well in their environments. Everything is provided for them, free of charge, at Catherine House. They are allowed to indulge in partying, sex, alcohol as long as they are in good standing academically. They must remain for three years and have no contact with the outside world. The narrator and main character, Inez, slowly acclimates to life at Catherine House but she becomes aware of what she suspects is a dangerous and secret experiment happening in the always-locked lab.
Elisabeth Thomas has written a novel that keeps the reader in suspense from beginning to end.

Actress
by Anne Enright

Actress (11/11/2019)

To me, 'Actress' seemed like a love letter from a daughter to her mother, the actress Katherine O'Dell. Anne Enright so poignantly portrays the life of a successful, then struggling, actress. In the time period, one is reminded of the 'troubles' in Ireland, amid the pressure of choosing fame or family. "You could say not having a job is one of the most important parts of the job". A thoughtful, well-written novel which begs to be discussed.

Creatures
by Crissy Van Meter

Creatures (10/8/2019)

On Winter Island, off the coast of southern California, Evie carries on a love-hate relationship with her hard-drinking but caring father. "Raised like a boy,...with mostly no mother", Evie helps sell Winter Wonderland, the potent pot raised on the island by her father, to the tourists who come from the mainland to enjoy the island atmosphere. This enterprise seems to be their main source of income. Island life is richly portrayed through the lives of the 'creatures'...those who live on the island, those who visit the island, and the beings that live around them in the ocean. There are beautiful descriptions of ocean and island life, but there is also loneliness and sadness in Evie's lack of any true family experience.

Nothing to See Here
by Kevin Wilson

Strange Affliction (6/16/2019)

Bessie and Roland are ten-year-old twins with a rare affliction: they spontaneously combust when agitated. Their mother has died, they're living with grandparents who don't seem to love them, and their politically ambitious father, Jasper, wants them close to the family but not close enough to embarrass him. Jasper's wife, Madison, offers the job of caring for the twins to her former high school roommate, Lillian, who feels as unwanted and unloved as the twins. Thus begins a heartwarming, caring love between Lillian and the twins that none of them had ever before experienced. Kevin Wilson has given us a strange but endearing and memorable novel with some surprising twists and turns.

Ellie and the Harpmaker
by Hazel Prior

Ellie and the Harpmaker (4/4/2019)

What a charming novel! The beautiful, lyrical descriptions of the Exmoor landscapes..."...distant hills that melt into the sky, jags of coastline that climb, fall and reach out to the sea..."...form the backdrop of the friendship and love that unite the lonely, poetic Ellie and the naïve, innocent, talented harpmaker Dan. Hazel Prior has spun a heartwarming, delightful story brimming with love of nature and dreams fulfilled...not only for Ellie and Dan but also for Phineas the pheasant.

The Affairs of the Falcóns
by Melissa Rivero

Is life always better in a new land? (11/29/2018)

Ana and Lucho, together with their children, have left their home country of Peru and are desperately trying to make a better life for themselves in New York City. As illegal immigrants, they are forced to take menial jobs with meager pay. The daily hardships they face...keeping their children in a decent school, having sufficient money to pay their bills, continued dependence on friends and acquaintances for everything from shelter to basic living expenses, constant fear of being discovered and deported...are causing their relationships to one another and to others to unravel. Is it all worth it? Should they return to Peru? Would it be better if they had never left Peru in the first place?

This sad story is definitely one to ponder today when hundreds of Latinos have gathered at the gates of the United States begging for asylum. If their wishes are granted, will their dreams of a better life be realized?

Golden Child
by Claire Adam

Choices (10/21/2018)

The Deyalsingh family from Trinidad is blessed with the birth of male twins...one considered a genius and the other seemingly a bit 'slow'. As years progress, the hard-working patriarch of the family is faced with a choice that will change his loving family forever and will leave the reader unable to stop reading until the very last word of the very last page. There are so many ideas presented in 'The Golden Child' that beg to be shared and discussed. Among these are education, crime and family life in Trinidad.

Claire Adam has given us a well-written, riveting story that will remain with the reader for a long, long time!

The Travelling Cat Chronicles
by Hiro Arikawa, Philip Gabriel

Must-read for Cat Lovers (5/8/2018)

This delightful story made me laugh at times and then made me shed a few tears. Nana, the wise independent street cat, becomes attached to gentle Satoru who cares for him after he is injured by a car. Satoru tries to find a new home for Nana with various friends but Nana has his own agenda.

This novel not only honors the relationships between humans and their friends but also between humans and their pets. This is a heartwarming tale with several unforgettable characters, fine descriptive passages of the Japanese landscape, and a feisty, lovable feline. Read and enjoy!

French Exit
by Patrick deWitt

French Exit (1/27/2018)

Patrick DeWitt has invented three wonderfully eccentric characters in Frances Price, her son Malcolm, and their cat, Small Frank. Frances is a widow who has spent her way into bankruptcy. Malcolm, who lives with her, cannot make up his mind about anything, including whether or not he wants to marry his fiancée. Small Cat, as we discover, is a reincarnated relative. After selling their home and everything in it, they take all their cash and move to a friend's apartment in Paris. Next we are introduced to another crazy assortment of new characters. This work of black comedy made me laugh out loud several times! "French Exit" is a fun, unforgettable novel which I highly recommend.

Eternal Life
by Dara Horn

Eternal life (11/22/2017)

The idea of having an eternal earthly existence is a captivating premise. However the character of Rachel, the heroine of "Eternal Life", seems underdeveloped. Her various transformations through the ages are unsatisfying and somewhat shallow. This extends to the relationship with her many families, her supposed lover and their meetings through the years. I really tried to feel more attachment to and empathy for these characters and this story but I was left wanting more depth.

The Story of Arthur Truluv: A Novel
by Elizabeth Berg

The Story of Arthur Truluv (6/6/2017)

Nola, the wife of Arthur Moses, died seven months ago but Arthur still has lunch with her...at her grave site...every day. He talks to her and imagines the lives of others buried near her. Maddy Harris, a troubled teen, also spends her lunch hour at the cemetery. As time goes on Arthur, Maddy, and Arthur's neighbor, Lucille, become friends and help each other conquer loneliness and rejection. Reminiscent of the writing styles of Frederick Bachman and Fannie Flagg, this beautiful, heartwarming story of love, loss and recovery is a truly pleasurable reading experience.

The Stars Are Fire
by Anita Shreve

A romance Novel? (3/23/2017)

With "The Stars Are Fire", I felt like I was reading the kind of novel referred to as a 'romance'. For example, after experiencing the apparent loss of her husband in a tragic fire, the main character effortlessly falls in love with a stranger who is camping in her home and, when he must leave her, she imagines a possible love relationship with the doctor for whom she works. Finally, her husband, as if rising from the dead, returns as a damaged man, and destroys the pleasant life she had without him. A happy ending is then manufactured. The story seemed too contrived and full of questions for me. I have read other Anita Shreve novels and very much enjoyed them but was dissatisfied with this effort.

Shelter
by Jung Yun

Shelter (1/7/2016)

Kyung Cho is a Korean-American college professor with a young family and a lot of debt who has always tried to 'fit in'. He grew up with cold and abusive parents, Jin and Mae, who live in luxury near Kyung and have had little to do with the Cho family through the years. When his parents experience a horrible tragedy and must move in with the Chos, Kyung's life slowly begins to unravel. He is astounded and envious of the love with which his father, Jin, enfolds his son, Ethan...love that has always been withheld from Kyung. Kyung is unable to feel the love and sympathy that he knows he should feel toward his parents. He is also unable to accept the fact that his parents are sharing his home and his family as they have never cared to do in the past. Kyung's life begins spinning out of control.

This is a compelling and emotional story of love, loss, guilt and forgiveness. This is a book ripe for sharing and discussion.

Maud's Line
by Margaret Verble

Maud's Line (7/1/2015)

The amazing, hard-working, passionate heroine of this novel, Maud Nail, is truly an inspiration for modern eighteen-year-old girls. In addition to farming the land and caring for the animals on her small Indian allotment in 1920's Oklahoma, Maud spends her 'leisure time' reading classic literary works. I so enjoyed learning about her extended Indian family: their love, their habits, their caring closeness. This is a novel which could be discussed and shared by booklovers anywhere..

The Book of Speculation
by Erika Swyler

The Book of Speculation (4/7/2015)

Erika Swyler has penned a mystery filled with love, superstition, a family curse, genealogy, and tales of a traveling carnival. The story begins to unravel when Simon, a reference librarian, receives an eighteenth century journal that was kept by a carnival director. The mention in the journal of his grandmother leads to the discovery that his mother was only one of the carnival's "mermaids" who died by drowning...always on July 24. Simon feels he must somehow protect his sister from the same fate. The setting for the novel...Simon's house on the eastern shore which is in disrepair and about to be dashed into the ocean by the next storm, and a modern carnival for which his sister and her tattooed lover work...adds to the suspense. This is a fast-paced and enjoyable read for fans of this genre and there is much in it that would provide a good discussion for a Book Club.

Her Name Is Rose
by Christine Breen

Her Name Is Rose (2/4/2015)

This is a novel of love and searching: a widowed mother searching for her adopted daughter's birth parents; a talented daughter searching for musical satisfaction; a widowed music professor searching for the woman who inspires him; a man searching for the daughter he never knew he had. All done with and for love. In a writing style reminiscent of Anne Tyler or Anna Quindlan, Breen has developed a cast of characters to whom one can relate and for whom one can cheer on in their endeavors. This is a sweet, tender story...an easy, relaxing one to read and enjoy.

Reviews by Rose N. (Saginaw, MI)

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