BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

Night Watch: A Novel
by Jayne Anne Phillips

Unique telling of the civil war (11/22/2024)

What a unique way to tell a story about the civil war. It is during the time of the civil war but more about the women who were left behind and their hardships. Men who could not deal with their women or wanted to get rid of them would take them to the Insane Asylum. This is the story of Eliza who was abused by a man who was not her husband. Her husband never came back from the war and her daughter, ConaLee. Dearbhla, the lady who lived in the hills near them and a sort of witch doctor.
Dr. Story, the doctor at the asylum and Mrs. Bowman. Their lives are so intertwined. It is such a touching story and great well developed characters. It will stay with me for a long time.

Harlem Rhapsody
by Victoria Christopher Murray

Harlem Renaissance (8/22/2024)

I really enjoyed this book. I did not know this part of history, the publishing world, the struggle to be black along with being a woman. This is based on the life Jesse Redmon Fauset. She becomes the literary editor of the black magazine The Crisis. Jesse is determined to make the magazine the best there is by finding young black talent and soon every black writer in America wants to be published in her magazine. She is having an affair with her editor, the founder of the magazine. She doesn't want marriage or children. My only criticism was the author used so many words I had to look up as I was not familiar with them. It disrupted the flow of the story.

Only the Beautiful
by Susan Meissner

Tragic Humanity (4/27/2024)

This book is heart wrenching, Rosie cannot catch a break, losing her parents, brother, taken in by someone who despises her and uses her as a maid. She becomes pregnant and taking to a home for the mentally handicapped. This book address so many areas including sterilization, eugenics plus what happens when you are different.

The Women: A Novel
by Kristin Hannah

This book will resonate for a long time. (2/20/2024)

I grew up during the Vietnam war. I learned so much from this book that I did not know. I shed a few tears and throughly enjoyed this book. Great writing and characters-it will stay with me for a long time.

The Divorcees
by Rowan Beaird

The Divorce Ranch (11/11/2023)

The theme of this book was interesting. In the 50's women went to "divorce ranches" to obtain residency for a quick divorce in Nevada. The first half of the book was introducing all the women seeking a divorce. The middle of the book was tedious as they always went to Reno to the casinos. They all drank too much. They rode horses all afternoon and some used the pool. The last half of the book actually told the story and revealed all the women's outcomes. Truly slugged my way through this book.

Zorrie
by Laird Hunt

How much pain can this woman endure? (11/1/2023)

Zorrie is a heart wrenching book of pain, losses and friendship. She lost her parents and goes to live with an aunt who gives her nothing. She worked at the watch factory where she was exposed to radium which had an impact on her life. She married only to lose him to the war. It goes on and on. While this did not discourage me from reading the story I just kept wondering what else can befall this woman?

Saving Emma: A Novel
by Allen Eskens

Boady returns (9/24/2023)

Best book I have read this year and also one of my favorite authors. Story was so engrossing I couldn't stop reading as I had to know what was happening. Boady Sanden is a recurring character in his books. This book has it all, mystery, murder, criminal justice, law scenario and great relationships. I will recommend to all.

The Roaring Days of Zora Lily: A Novel
by Noelle Salazar

A favorite for 2023 (8/30/2023)

The story starts in 2023 when Sylvia, a Smithsonian curator discovers a label under a famous designers dresses from 1920's. Her question is, "Who the hell is Zora Lily?" Sylvia does her research and this the beautifully written story of Zora Lily's life. My best book of 2023!

The Vanishing Half: A Novel
by Brit Bennett

Twins-one black world, one white world (5/27/2023)

I found this story ho-hum. This is a story about twins who take different paths in life. They live in a town called Mallard. Only light colored blacks are welcome. Their choices make them estranged for most of their lives. I didn't like the ending as it seemed like a set up for a sequel. It abruptly ended.

King of the Armadillos
by Wendy Chin-Tanner

King of the Armadillos (5/12/2023)

Victor is the protagonist of this story. He is a Chinese immigrant who arrived here with his father and brother. They settle in New York where his father's business is. His mother was left behind in China to take care of parents. Victor was diagnosed with Hanson's Disease (leprosy). The family decides he will go to Carville in Louisiana for treatment. Here he makes friends and discovers music as therapy for his hands. Great coming of age story plus the history of Carville. I learned so much while enjoying this story of tragedy and hope.

River Sing Me Home
by Eleanor Shearer

Soulful journey for Rachel (2/16/2023)

This is a story of a slave in Barbados called Rachel. Great Britain has declared slaves free but plantations owner decided the would be apprentices for another 6 years. Rachel has had her children taken from her and she runs on a mission to finds them all. Her journey takes her from Barbados to the Cayman Islands to Trinidad. Such perseverance, joy, sorrow and written in a lovely style.

The Love of My Life: A Novel
by Rosie Walsh

Not a great thriller (2/15/2023)

This book is supposedly a thriller. It was pretty boring as a thriller. An obit writer has to write his wife's obit when she has cancer. While doing research he discovers all that he believed about is wife is untrue even down to her name. The story is lovely and I enjoyed but no way would I call it a "thriller".

These Granite Islands
by Sarah Stonich

Set in Minnesota by Minnesota author (2/10/2023)

I enjoyed this story even though it dragged in parts. The main character is reliving her life from the summer of 1936 after a stroke. Her son Thomas is by her side. Her husband bought an island and took their boys for the summer. She is a milliner and meets Cathryn a woman from Chicago staying in Cypress, Mn for the summer. Isobel questions her marriage, her choices and the loss of her children. Although set in Minnesota, it could be anywhere with this Minnesota author.

The Bandit Queens: A Novel
by Parini Shroff

Reality in rural India (2/2/2023)

The Bandit Queens tells of the oppression of women in rural India. One husband disappears and rumors become murder. Other women ask her how she did it. She states she did not kill her husband. Geeta and the other women are part of a cooperative so they can make money and get loans. The story was sad yet uplifting as they find their independence. The only drawback was the overuse of Indian words. I found it distracting as I always had to pause and figure out what was being said.

This Other Eden: A Novel
by Paul Harding

Shameful (1/22/2023)

This is such a sad story when someone else decides what is best for others. I was so saddened. There is a great cast of characters who are living with poverty but surviving the best they can. A mainlander decided he would educate the children and decided the island could be evacuated and make it a tourist destination. We have done this to indigenous people and animals while trying to destroy our earth.

Lessons in Chemistry: A Novel
by Bonnie Garmus

She did it her way (11/22/2022)

This book was such a fun read. Set in the 60's when women were to stay home and raise babies. Elizabeth did everything her way despite being under the thumb of men who made all the rules. She meets Calvin who accepts her for who she is, a chemist. I kept thinking of all the 60's sitcoms and the stereotype roles. I cheered for Elizabeth the whole way.

Beautiful Little Fools: A Novel
by Jillian Cantor

Gatsby perspective from the women in his life (11/7/2022)

Jill Cantor tells the story of Jay Gatsby's relationship from the eyes of Daisy, Jordan and Catherine. I found this book a fun read especially if you have seen the movie or read the book, The Great Gatsby.

Honor
by Thrity Umrigar

Listening to this book added so much (10/31/2022)

I throughly enjoyed this book. Listening to it, read by an Indian woman added so much. Conflict between Hindi and Muslim people was so prevalent. I was in shock at the atrocities done by men against women. A highly recommended book by me.

Our Missing Hearts: A Novel
by Celeste Ng

Is this where we are headed? (10/24/2022)

This book hit too close to home with the current political situations.
Great characters and I loved Bird. This story made me nervous because some of this is happening today and do we see it?

The Last Russian Doll
by Kristen Loesch

The Last Russian doll (10/17/2022)

In a faraway kingdom, in a long-ago land...this is story of generations of women interlocked in Russian history. It starts with the overthrow of the Romanov family by the Bolsheviks in 1917 and continues to 1993. Rosie who lives in London takes a position as an assistant and goes to Russia to discover her history. I throughly enjoyed this book and the Russian history interwoven with this story. I had trouble at first understanding the multiple names given to the characters at different times in their lives. I would highly recommend.