BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

We'll Prescribe You a Cat
by Syou Ishida

We'll Prescribe You A Cat (6/15/2024)

As a cat lover, a book about cats, what's not to love?? Taking place in Kyoto Japan, several magical stories are told. Each story involves someone needing purpose and direction. Hence, a mysterious clinic found by those in need of it. The stories are magical, simply written but full of humor and warmth.. Having had cats all my adult life I loved the felines featured in the stories, all very relatable and precious. A very heartwarming book I heartily recommend to any animal lover, anyone with a cat or any special pet.

The Wren, the Wren: A Novel
by Anne Enright

The Wren, The Wren (8/13/2023)

Not being at all familiar with the work of Anne Enright I had no notion as to what to expect.
The story involves 3 generations of women all navigating through life with the scars of their upbringing.
Each of the women had their story told in alternating chapters of time and place. This was done very well. I liked Ms Enright's format and writing style but I found, however, that I could not connect to the characters. I did finish the book and I am glad I did.
It is always nice to discover an author one is not familiar with, and I will look into other books she has written.

The Little Italian Hotel: A Novel
by Phaedra Patrick

The Little Italian Hotel (5/16/2023)

I received an advanced copy of this book to read and review from BookBrowse. I had read Ms Patrick's previous book, The Messy Lives of Book People and enjoyed it very much. I enjoyed The Little Italian Hotel just as much.
The cast of characters was wonderful, each with their own stories that developed and surprised as the story went on. Main character, Ginny, has spent a large part of her life helping people with their problems via a radio advice program. Suddenly, she has unexpected problems of her own. How she tries to deal with her new situation and the people she interacts with is the heart of the story. The roller-coaster range of emotions she and the others went through felt very real and relatable.
The hotel and Venice were also vivid characters. Wonderful descriptions. The book and TV production of Hotel Portofino came to mind as I was reading.

The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise
by Colleen Oakley

The Mostly True Story (11/12/2022)

This book was a delight to read. The two main characters are years apart in age and very different in temperament. Thrown together by misfortune, they struggle to maintain a relationship. Both characters became more likable to me as the story went on and I learned more about them.
Humor abounds throughout the story amongst all the characters. There is also a great deal of warmth and sweetness to story.

Being an older reader myself, I like the idea of a strong older character.

There is a bit of a mystery involved, with twists and turns making it a very enjoyable read.

River Sing Me Home
by Eleanor Shearer

River Sing Me Home (9/18/2022)

River Sing Me Home is a beautifully written novel. Ms Shearer states in the Acknowledgements that the main character's story(Rachel) is inspired by a real person. It is the story of a mother who is a slave and her courageous, desperate, and heartbreaking attempt to find the children that were ripped from her by plantation owners. The events take place i the early 1800's. The story starts in Barbados and follows Rachel's journey to other parts of the Caribbean.
Ms Shearer's story telling paints a very vivid picture of the characters, the feelings, the settings, and history of the time period. This historical piece was not something I had read about in the past.
I would highly recommend this touching book.

One's Company: A Novel
by Ashley Hutson

One's Company (6/7/2022)

One's Company is a very interesting book. The premise is certainly unusual, replication of the television show Three's Company, set and characters. The main character's obsession, in the present, of the 70's sitcom is over the top. As the first person narrative goes on we discover more about the main characters motivations and her traumatic past. Though I found the story sad and depressing, it was so well written I continued to find out how it ended. I'm glad I did.

Peach Blossom Spring: A Novel
by Melissa Fu

Peach Blossom Spring (3/20/2022)

This was an incredible book. From the very beginning it held me in. The story is divided into sections by years, starting in 1938 and ending in 2005. Each section could have been its own novel. I was left wanting to know more about each time frame! The story revolves around a multi generational family starting in China in 1938. The central characters are forced to flee their home for a new life. This happens several times, always leaving them vulnerable. The novel deals with love , loss, inner strength, and the ability to move forward no matter what the challenge. The story at times is heartbreaking, but hopeful, indicative of the stark reality of refugees and migration. Given the events of the word today makes this story very relevant. Along with all the historical background it would be a great book for book clubs or an individual reader.

Housebreaking
by Colleen Hubbard

Housebreaking (11/13/2021)

Del is a 24 years old, soon to be 25, who can not get her life on track. After her mother's death at age 17, she left everything behind, including the house her mother owned in a small New England town. She lives with her father until his death, only a few years later. One day she receives a phone call from an estranged cousin about the property she left behind years ago. Although she has no desire to return this place and family members she wants no contact with, she does so to finalize her ties with said family and place. This starts an adventure of huge interactions and seemingly insurmountable events that at times are humorous and at times heartbreaking. Most of the people she is forced to interact with are irritating, frustrating, and annoying to her. But as time goes on she learns a lot about herself and these others as she goes about trying to prove a point.

The story has a wonderful set of wonderful characters, all with messy lives. The landscape also provides a backdrop that is central to story. I found the book very enjoyable and had to put down always wondering what could happen next and what could go wrong.

When Broadway Was Black: The Triumphant Story of the All-Black Musical that Changed the World (aka Footnotes)
by Caseen Gaines

Footnotes (5/11/2021)

I enjoyed this book very much. It is the story of the making of the all-Black Broadway show SHUFFLE ALONG in 1921. It details how Eubie Blake, Noble Sissle, Flournoy Miller, and Aubrey Lyles overcame racism and many other obstacles to be able to bring the show to the stage. The book then follows the lives and pursuits of these individuals, both here and abroad, through the decades of the 20's, 30's 40's and into the 50's. Mr Gaines, the author, did an incredible amount of research to write about the events and people we read about, as evidenced by the massive amount of footnotes and the bibliography. Anyone interested in theater, music or performance of any kind would enjoy this book. The book is rich in historical detail, including the racism, which many years later is still with us.

The Thirty Names of Night
by Zeyn Joukhadar

The Thirty Names of Night (9/6/2020)

I received a free e-edition through Bookbrowse and NetGalley. I very much enjoyed this book. It was not a quick or easy read, but very good. Going back and forth between time frames meant having to pay close attention to each segment. The writing itself was wonderful, thought provoking. Very poetic and imaginative, revolving around ornithology across the generations and how it tied them together. Intermingled within the story was fantasy and magic. The main characters were Syrian immigrants trying to find their place in the world. For the main character and several others also being in the LGBT community.

The Mountains Sing
by Nguyen Phan Que Mai

The Mountains Sing (2/8/2020)

Beautifully written, but heart wrenching saga of a Vietnamese family through several generations. The story touches on human's inhumanity to others, but also the enduring hope and resiliency of family and friends. Nguy?n Phan's story is about the history of the Vietnamese people and their struggles through very turbulent times. Nguy?n Phan's weaves the story through several people and periods of time and it flows beautifully. I highly recommend the book!

The French Girl
by Lexie Elliott

The French Girl (10/18/2017)

Written in first person narrative, we find the main character(narrator) dealing with events that happened 10 years ago. The story begins with the group at the center of the events having to reconnect. Some have remained friends through the years, others have not for various reasons. The question throughout the book is, has a crime been committed and if so, is someone from the group responsible? One of the characters is an apparition of the main character, which adds much to the story line. I liked the book from the start. The story kept the me the reader not quite sure who to trust. This book would be a good choice for book clubs especially if they enjoy mysteries with a bit of a twist.

Lady Cop Makes Trouble: Girl Waits with Gun #2
by Amy Stewart

Lady Cop Makes Trouble (5/29/2016)

I enjoyed Girl Waits With Gun and was excited to read Lady Cop. I was not disappointed. Ms Stewart weaves together a very interesting story based on historical events. In the continuation of Constance's story her character continues to develop, as well as those of the other characters. I especially find the author's notes interesting as she writes about some of the actual events that took place in the story. I look forward to the next installment. Great read!!

We That Are Left
by Clare Clark

We That Are Left (8/18/2015)

I would have given the book a 4.5 rating if that had been a choice. I enjoyed the book very much but a few times I felt it moved to slowly. The historical aspects of life before and after WW1 I found very interesting, not only the changes in society but also the science aspects that are being discussed and discovered. Anyone who is a Downton Abbey fan, which I am, would probably
enjoy this book. This book stayed on my mind long after I finished it.

The Book of Speculation
by Erika Swyler

Book of Speculation (5/19/2015)

I enjoyed this book very much. Ms Swyler did a wonderful job of moving the story between past and present times. The world of the traveling carnival in the 1700s was very vivid and interesting. The characters in both time periods were colorful and engaging. The book at the center of the story is as much a character as the people portrayed.

Whispering Shadows
by Jan-Philipp Sendker

Whispering Shadows (2/14/2015)

I enjoyed this book from the very beginning. The narratives of the sights, sounds, and history of Hong Kong, Lamma Island, Shenzhen,China and the surrounding areas were as important as the main characters and their individual stories. The food written about throughout the story was especially enticing! The main character, Paul,has struggled through life after a loss and finds himself involved with people and events that force him to open up to the world again. The novel is about loss, relationships, not just romantic ones, redemption and the solving of a crime. Very interesting and informative story.

All the Old Knives
by Olen Steinhauer

ALL THE OLD KNIVES (1/9/2015)

I enjoyed this book very much. I have read two other books by Olen Steinhauer and liked them very much. All the Old Knives takes place in one small setting with two main characters, but it has all the suspense and intrigue that Mr Steinhauer's other books generate. Although the premise of the two main characters getting together seems uneventful it is anything but as the story and the mystery unfolds. The story is told in both characters voices and thoughts as they relive a certain event. As the story goes back and forth between the two, the reader is unsure of their motives and the eventual outcome. A very good read.

The Paris Winter
by Imogen Robertson

The Paris Winter (8/13/2014)

I very much enjoyed the start of The Paris Winter. The story of Paris in the early 1900's and the art world was very descriptive. Strong characters, especially female, were introduced. Then I started to feel that the story was not going anywhere. I'm glad I continued with it because very soon the story line was able to draw me in again and I found it hard to put down.

The Cairo Affair
by Olen Steinhauer

The Cairo Affair (12/26/2013)

I had heard of Olin Steinhauer, but had never read any of his books. After reading The Cairo Affair I will be reading more of his works. The main characters stories are told in separate narratives as they relate to the events in the story and the other characters. The stories also go back and forth in time. This can be confusing at times. Just as one is engrossed in one characters story, it stops and we continues with another character's story. It did make me want to keep reading as each story line added to the intrigue and suspense. There are violent themes in the story which might not appeal to some.

The Disenchanted Widow
by Christina McKenna

The Disenchanted Widow (8/27/2013)

In the summer of 1981 a young widow is forced to flee Belfast with her son to start a new life. She finds herself in a small rural community with a mixture of interesting individuals, which she will have to interact with regardless of how she feels about them. The reader comes to know these characters as their stories are also unfolding as we read. The stories of these other characters become involved with her story, some of them being dangerous. The turbulence taking place in Belfast that summer reaches the small community. I enjoyed this book very much. The characters were unique. Her journey's twists and turns made for suspenseful reading.

Reviews by Mary B. (St Paul, MN)

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Reviews by Mary B. (St Paul, MN)

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