BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

The Flower Sisters
by Michelle Collins Anderson

Flower Sisters (4/21/2024)

I enjoyed Flower Sisters in that it explored a relatively unknown historical event ie the fire in the dancehall of this small town. Like others, I enjoyed the characters but some of the plot seemed unrealistic, particularly the "discovery" and story by Daisy about an event that affected so many people originally. I did like the character of Rose. I would read another book by this author to see if maybe these kinds of issues are avoided.

Leaving: A Novel
by Roxana Robinson

Leaving is Amazing (1/17/2024)

This book! I loved it. It has it all-affairs, marriage drama, adult children difficulties-many issues some of us have faced later on in life. Warren and Sarah meet by chance twenty-plus years after their college break-up and find that their attraction is still there..and events unfold. It will stay with you for a long time-at least, it has for me. Highly rated.

The Fields: A Novel
by Erin Young

Best debut novel I've read in a long time (12/2/2021)

The Fields is about a young recently promoted detective who works in the town she grew up in. When one of her childhood friends is found dead in a cornfield, she is determined to find out who and why. The story moves into a complex web of theories and possibilities and I found it to be riveting. It will be a bestseller if enough people see it and read it. I loved it!

Morningside Heights: A Novel
by Joshua Henkin

Morningside Heights (6/3/2021)

This novel dealt with several contemporary issues interwoven in the story of Pru, a young Midwesterner in New York, and Spence, her famous older professor husband. Spence begins showing confusion and forgetfulness and is diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Another theme is woven around Arlo, Spences son from another mother. The book does explore issues of parenting, caretaking, guilt, and hope. I liked it.

Black Widows: A Novel
by Cate Quinn

Black Widows (2/7/2021)

Black Widows revolves around three very different women who happen to be sister wives. Much of the intrigue of the book is figuring out how these women and their lifestyle...works. The short chapters from the viewpoint of each of them adds to the suspense. Highly recommended.

The Girl in White Gloves: A Novel of Grace Kelly
by Kerri Maher

Girl in White Gloves (1/3/2020)

Grace Kelly was famous a little before my time, so I knew next to nothing about her life other than she was a movie star who married a prince. This novel, based on fact, was a riveting glimpse into both her triumphs and her trials. The author did an outstanding job of shifting between time periods; the book unfolded well as a novel. I enjoyed it a great deal and will recommend it highly!

The Widow
by Fiona Barton

The Widow (1/22/2016)

I was interested in reading this book as it was compared to Gone Girl and other recent books with unreliable narrators. The first part of the book was great; the second half not so much. The reader has to pay attention to the times listed at the beginning of each chapter as the focus shifts from past to present and back again...the theme involving child abuse etc is a dark one, although no details are given. I did find the ending to be sort of a let-down; I kept thinking I was missing something. Overall an OK read.

All Is Not Forgotten
by Wendy Walker

All is Not Forgotten (11/2/2015)

I started this book intending to skim it - instead, I was riveted for the weekend. The shifts in perspective from character to character (indicated in italics) was a little hard to get used to, but it was very effective in allowing the reader to see various viewpoints. The voice of the narrator, the psychiatrist , was strong; in fact, I kept questioning his reliability. Overall, it all fits together as the book unfolded, however, although I do agree with others that the ending was a little out of left field. Very good and worth reading.

Make Your Home Among Strangers
by Jennine Capó Crucet

Make Your Home Among Strangers (6/4/2015)

This debut novel works on many levels. It centers around a young Cuban girl named Lizet who leaves Miami to attend an exclusive and expensive college in New York. Not only is her culture shock severe, she also has to deal with repercussions from her Miami family. The book does an excellent job of describing the first year of college for anyone who feels like they don't fit in right away also-the fears, the mistakes, the relationships. I enjoyed the book very much and look forward to seeing what this author writes next.

The Art of Baking Blind
by Sarah Vaughan

British story-Art of Baking Blind (3/28/2015)

The first thing of note in this book is how very British it is - different terms (courgette, pudding,etc)-even the various items in the baking contest are different from what Americans would describe. Still, the story of five contestants in a baking contest for the New Mrs. Eadon is interesting as the four women and one man (never quite explained how he was in the Mrs. contest) get to know each other and eventually reveal their own personal problems and challenges. I enjoyed it but there was nothing that new in the story.

Whispering Shadows
by Jan-Philipp Sendker

Whispering Shadows (2/9/2015)

Paul has chosen to live in Hong Kong as almost a hermit when he loses his young son. Through the request of an American woman whom he meets in a cafe, he becomes embroiled in the search for her missing son. This search develops into a level of secrecy and deception that changes Paul's life. This book is interesting primarily in that it does deal with a place and plot that was certainly foreign to me and would be to most people, coupled with suspense and good character development.

Safe with Me
by Amy Hatvany

Safe with Me (11/22/2013)

I just now finished Safe with Me by Amy Hatvany; I have not been able to put it down for the past day or so. She has told a story full of heartbreak in a realistic and empathetic way. Hannah, a stylist, and Olivia, a stay at home mom, are connected in ways that they would never guess; both have secrets that, once shared, give them hope. I highly recommend this book.

Bitter River: A Bell Elkins Novel
by Julia Keller

Second book just as good (8/6/2013)

The same setting as A Killing in the Hills, Bitter River has the same unique blend of mystery and character relationships. The descriptions are vivid although a little overdone sometimes. Bell, the county prosecutor, frequently must deal with crimes against people she has known most of her life. This novel focuses around the death of a promising young pregnant teen; still, the murder is not a focus of the story as much as the town.

One Minus One: Nancy Pearl's Book Lust Rediscoveries
by Ruth Doan MacDougall

One on One (4/29/2013)

Because I keep a list of books I have read since the 1970s, I realized that I had read this and other books by Ruth Doan MacDougall back then and loved them. And I still liked this one today. Yes it is a little dated, but that is one of the things I liked about it - the setting and time period. I found the character Emily to be sympathetic in her search for her own life after being displaced from the life she thought she would have. Her passivity is a little irritating, but as the book went on, she became more and more ready to stand up for herself. I have already ordered some other books (out of print) by this author.

The Roots of the Olive Tree: A Novel
by Courtney Miller Santo

One of the summer's best (8/23/2012)

I purposely saved my copy of The Roots of the Olive Tree for a vacation because I could tell it would be the kind of book that be perfect-and it was. I love family stories, particularly when they center around women as I have three sisters and three daughters. Much of the family story resonated with me but I also liked the setting and the background of the olives and all that goes into growing, processing and marketing them. I would definitely recommend this book to my book club.

Cloudland: A Crime Novel
by Joseph Olshan

Read it in one night (3/17/2012)

I did find Cloudland compelling as I read it in one evening; however, while it "had me at hello", I did not find the ending very satisfactory or well-done. I think the various characters and their stories were interesting and could have been better developed had the book not been so much a mystery as a literary novel. Still, the writing was good and I would read another book by this author.

A Good American: A Novel
by Alex George

Good American (1/19/2012)

During a rare snowstorm here in the Pacific Northwest, I decided to read The Good American - and read it straight through in one afternoon. I found the story to be leisurely but entertaining; I also enjoyed the small town setting. The characters
of Jette and Frederick were my favorites, with Rosa next in line-I wanted to know more about her. The only thing I did not like was the continual foreshadowing thrown in...I did not think the story needed it. I will probably select this for my book group to read, however - the central theme of what it means to be in a family is one that has many areas for discussion.

The Orphan Master's Son: A Novel
by Adam Johnson

Worth reading (11/18/2011)

This is not typically the type of book I would select; however, its unique setting, the original story line and the excellent writing made this a title that I am very glad I read. I would tell readers to be patient as they navigate through the characters and premise because it will be a book that you will love and remember.

Next to Love
by Ellen Feldman

Next to Love (7/25/2011)

Next to Love weaves the story of three women, childhood friends from a small town, who loved and then married men who were going off to fight in World War II. One of the aspects that I found fascinating was the way in which the author illustrated the fact that soldiers from this war experienced PTSD also, made even more difficult by the code that made it impossible to talk about or get help for. All three women dealt with their situations in different ways but stayed friends, sometimes in spite of great odds. I enjoyed the book very much; I found the ending to be a bit rushed - this book could easily have had a sequel with the storyline extending into the next generation.

Friendship Bread: A Novel
by Darien Gee

Sweet and endearing (3/31/2011)

I did like this book as it had great characters and a setting that drew me in. I had to overcome my bias against books written in the present tense, but once I did, it was a book worth reading. I did not give it a higher rating as I have read other books that seemed similar but I still would recommend it and will pass my copy on to others.

Reviews by Betsy R. (Gig Harbor, WA)

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Reviews by Betsy R. (Gig Harbor, WA)

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