BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

Reviews by Cathryn Conroy

Power Reviewer

If you'd like to be able to easily share your reviews with others, please join BookBrowse.

The Gathering
by Anne Enright

Extraordinary, Lyrical Writing, but a Dark and Desolate Story That Is Just So Very Sad (4/17/2023)

Oh, this book is dark. Very, very dark. It is about dying and grief—grief in the myriad ways that the deaths of those we love bruise the human psyche. Adding to the complexity of the story, the death in question is a suicide, which means the "why" will never be answered and …more

Between the World and Me
by Ta-Nehisi Coates

The Power of This Book: Empathy, Understanding, and a Sense of the Right Questions to Ask (4/17/2023)

The essential power of books is both simple and majestic: Knowledge can change lives. That is the power of this short book by Ta-Nehisi Coates that succinctly and poetically recounts America's racial history both nationally and in the author's own life. And it is absolutely …more

Fruit of the Drunken Tree
by Ingrid Rojas Contreras

An Emotionally Searing Book That Is Ferocious, Gritty, and Tender—And a Really Good Read (4/17/2023)

This is a book about a specific time and place and horror. This is a book about Colombia at the height of the terror-filled reign of drug lord Pablo Escobar. This is a book about a privileged, affluent little girl, as well as her impoverished teenage maid who is the sole …more

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek: A Novel
by Kim Michele Richardson

SO Good! A Gripping, Authentic Saga About Poverty, Prejudice, and the Resilience of the Human Soul (4/17/2023)

In the 1930s in the hardscrabble mountains and hollers of eastern Kentucky food was scarce and jobs were backbreaking, but thanks to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, there were books. Think of it as a bookmobile on a mule. Women (and a …more

So You Want to Talk About Race
by Ijeoma Oluo

Most of All, This Book is Practical. Use It to Positively Change How You Think and Act (4/17/2023)

If you're of a certain age, you'll remember the consciousness-raising sessions that were popularized by feminists in the late 1960s. This brilliantly written book by Ijeoma Oluo is like that—consciousness raising about racism. But it's a lot more than that, and herein lies …more

The Golden Hour
by Beatriz Williams

Once You Start Reading, You Won't Want to Stop! This Novel Left Me Spellbound (4/17/2023)

Oooh! Oooh! Oooh! What a book! It has it all: a historical thriller that doubles as a love story (actually two love stories), incredible writing, a colorful cast of characters, and a plot that is so compelling you had better order out because you won't want to stop reading …more to do something as mundane as make dinner for your family.

Written by Beatrix Williams, who I think is THE best living ChickLit writer, this is two seemingly disparate stories that eventually intertwine and then connect.

The first, which takes place in the early 1900s, is about Elfriede, an 18-year-old German beauty who marries a baron and suffers horribly from postpartum depression. She is summarily shipped off to a psychiatric facility in Switzerland to come to her senses. Instead, while there she meets the man who will be the love of her life.

Paralleling this is the story of Lulu, which takes place primarily in the Bahamas at the start of World War II. Lulu, who isn't all she appears to be on the surface, is sent to Nassau to write a monthly gossip column for a New York magazine—a column that is focused on the Duke and Duchess of Wales. Better known as Prince Edward and Wallis Simpson, the couple were essentially banished to the Caribbean after he abdicated the throne, and their friendship with Hitler became not only embarrassing, but also problematic to Great Britain.

While in Nassau, Lulu meets Benedict Thorpe, who is supposedly on the island as a botanist, but is really a spy, and the two fall madly in love at the most inopportune time. Add to this breathtaking plot twists of espionage and murder coupled with bravery, daring, and a kind of courage that borders on fearlessness, and the result is a captivating read.

The multilayered plot is not only juicy, but also intelligent and imaginative. Rich in historical detail, the book ingeniously alternates the two stories with each chapter ending in its own little cliffhanger. Truly, once you start reading it, you won't want to stop. This novel left me spellbound!

Tip: In the first pages of the book, reference is made to the 1890 short story "The Yellow Wallpaper," by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and it serves as a thematic anchor to Elfriede's life. I highly recommend reading this very short tale before you read "The Golden Hour." (less)

Valentine
by Elizabeth Wetmore

A Brilliant and Profound Novel About Love, Life, Family, and Faith (4/17/2023)

This is an exceptional book for and about women. It's about the tragedy of rape. It's about the will to survive. It's about what women will do for one another. It's a story that left me shaking and sad, but also feeling heartened and strong.

This is a book that is character …more

The Marrying of Chani Kaufman
by Eve Harris

A Brilliant and Profound Novel About Love, Life, Family, and Faith (4/17/2023)

This is an extraordinary novel about love, marriage, family, and faith, and while the title makes it sound like the ultimate ChickLit book, it's not. Written by Eve Harris, this is serious literature that was longlisted for the prestigious Man Booker Prize.

The plot is …more pretty much nonexistent. Chani, a 19-year-old Orthodox Jew, lives with her family in an Orthodox Jewish community in a London suburb. Her world is very insular. And it's time—really, past time—for her to marry. When Baruch, a 20-year-old man she has never met and whom her family does not know, shows an interest in her, the matchmaker goes to work. After four dates, they are engaged. This is not only their story, but also the story of Chaim and Rivka, the rabbi and his wife. Married more than two decades, their relationship is hardened and fracturing. Their son commits an abominable sin that will forever stain their family. Can they find redemption and hope again?

It is the stark contrast between the two stories—of falling in love and falling away from love—that makes this book so deep and rich.

Bold and vibrant characters are what make the novel sing. The life of an Orthodox Jew, even in 2008 when the book is set, revolves around daily attendance at synagogue, kosher meals, no touching of the opposite sex unless it's within a family, and a vast array of religious practices that determine everything from fashion to food. When young adults, who truly believe everything they have been taught all their lives, collide with a promiscuous and permissive culture, those beliefs and their strict way of life that are at the core of their being are fully tested. And it this conflict that makes the book so brilliant. While the ending was a real surprise (to me, at least), it was also perfect in its own way.

Bonus: While parts of this book are unspeakably sad, other parts are hilarious—especially Chani and Baruch's wedding night. Both have been so purposefully sheltered their entire lives that neither has any idea about the mechanics of sex or even kissing. It's funny, charming, and endearing.

Tip: Yiddish is liberally sprinkled throughout the text, making the glossary of Yiddish terms at the back of the book essential for all who are not versed in Yiddish. Even this Episcopalian learned enough Yiddish to read the second half of the book without consulting the glossary! And the Yiddish adds so much to the flavor of the book that it's worth the extra time to look up the words. (If you're reading this on a Kindle as I did, do bookmark the glossary.) (less)

The Good Daughters: A Novel
by Joyce Maynard

Imaginative and Well-Written Novel with a Plot Secret That Will Absolutely Captivate You (4/17/2023)

This book is not a page-turner. It is not filled with suspense. There is very little literary tension. Instead, there is an undercurrent—one that is so subtle at first that it's barely discernible but eventually grows in power — so much so that when the substance and the …more

Unexampled Courage: The Blinding of Sgt. Isaac Woodard and the Awakening of President Harry S. Truman and Judge J. Waties Waring
by Richard Gergel

The Incredible Story of Two Men Who Changed the Course of History for All Black Americans (4/17/2023)

Sometimes history really is shaped by a single man. Or, in this case, two men. Two very different men. They both hailed from South Carolina, although they lived in different worlds. But eventually it was because of them that the Supreme Court ruled that segregated public …more schools are unconstitutional—and neither of them had anything to do with the 1954 case of Brown vs. the Board of Education.

Written by Richard Gergel, a South Carolina attorney and U.S. District Court judge, this book is an imminently readable slice of history you probably never knew.

What happened first: In February 1946, just three hours after Sgt. Isaac Woodard was discharged from the Army following heroic service in World War II, he was traveling home in uniform on a Greyhound bus to Winnsboro, South Carolina when he had a minor dispute with the driver. The driver kicked him off the bus and into the arms of a Batesburg, South Carolina cop, who proceeded to beat Woodard with his blackjack, blinding him in both eyes. There were many violent acts against Blacks occurring all over the South at that time, but Woodard was unusual in that he lived through it. His case made the national news, thanks to Orson Welles's radio show. Public opinion demanded that the police officer, Lynwood Shull, be tried.

What happened next: President Harry S Truman was appalled by what happened, and his actions—based almost solely on hearing about Isaac Woodard—changed the course of American history by beginning the civil rights movement.

What happened after that: Enter Judge J. Waties Waring, a Charleston blueblood, who was asked to serve as the judge for Shull's trial. Not surprisingly, the all-white jury found Shull not guilty. Quite surprisingly, Judge Waring was deeply affected by Woodard's story, and it dramatically changed his views on race. And then the good judge proceeded to influence equally dramatic changes in the laws of our land. The personal attacks and violence he endured were horrifying, but the support he received from unexpected sources was truly gratifying.

If you ever think that one person cannot make that much of a difference, then read this book to find out how Judge Waring daringly risked everything he held dear in his life to make life better for Black Americans. It's quite a story!

Caution: The description of the beating of Isaac Woodard is quite graphic, as it had to be to fully explain what happened. (less)

The Jesus Cow
by Michael Perry

An Amusing Story and a Fun Read—Even Though the Plot Is Totally Predictable (4/17/2023)

In a modest barn in small-town, Wisconsin, a calf is born on Christmas Eve, and instead of the usual spots, it has the unmistakable image of Jesus Christ on its flank to which the farmer said, "Well, that's trouble." Indeed.

Harley Jackson is a quiet, unassuming man living …more

The Nickel Boys
by Colson Whitehead

Read It! Gripping Plot, Vibrant Characters and an Astonishing Ending That Will Take Your Breath Away (4/17/2023)

This book made me weep. This book made me angry. This book made me frustrated. This book broke my heart. This book is also a literary masterpiece with a formidable and vital story to tell.

Expertly written by Colson Whitehead, this is the story of Elwood Curtis, a black …more

The Dry Grass of August
by Anna Jean Mayhew

Unputdownable! A Riveting Snapshot in Time of August 1954 on the Cusp of the Civil Rights Movement (4/17/2023)

There is only one way to describe this book: Unputdownable. As in, once you start reading, you really will not be able to stop.

Written by Anna Jean Mayhew, this is a snapshot of August 1954 in the deep South, three months after the Supreme Court ruled to integrated public …more

All Adults Here
by Emma Straub

Breezy, Easy Read, But It's Like Eating Cake for Dinner—Fun and Sweet, But Ultimately Not Fulfilling (4/17/2023)

This is a book about family. And friends. And lovers. It's a book about the choices we make and the choices that are seemingly thrust upon us—for better or worse. It is a book about the human condition.

Written by Emma Straub, this is the story of the Strick family who live …more

Our Souls at Night
by Kent Haruf

A Treasure of a Book, a True Gem of the Literary World (4/17/2023)

This is a treasure, a true gem of the literary world. It's short, sweet, and absolutely beautiful.

Addie Moore has been widowed for many years. So has her neighbor, Louis Waters, whom Addie knows more as an acquaintance than a friend. One day, Addie does something that some …more

Ten Thousand Saints: A Novel
by Eleanor Henderson

A Depressing Tale That Is Deeply Sorrowful. If You Can Survive the Darkness, the End Is Worth It (4/17/2023)

Oh, this is a depressing book. Melancholy. Tragic. And bleak. The story will grab some dark place of your soul and not let go. Eventually, there is hope and redemption, but it is a deeply sorrowful read to get to that point.

That said, it really is an extraordinary book.

…more

If You Leave Me
by Crystal Hana Kim

Don't Judge a Book by Its Title: It Sounds Like ChickLit, But It's a Multilayered Historical Novel (4/17/2023)

You can't judge a book by its title. This book may sound like the ultimate ChickLit, but it's not.

Yes, at its core, it is a love story, but that love story is a tightly woven, multilayered historical novel beginning in 1951 during the Korean War and continuing through …more

Red at the Bone
by Jacqueline Woodson

This Novel Is Nearly Perfect! The Lyrical Prose Transforms a Simple Story into a Masterpiece (4/17/2023)

Oh, this book! And it's all because of the writing. Exquisite. Eloquent. Exceptional. This stunningly beautiful novel is very short, but I found myself taking longer to read it than the page count would indicate simply because I reread so many (many!) passages just to savor …more

A Fatal Grace: Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #2
by Louise Penny

A Literary Murder Mystery: Compelling Whodunit Plot That Is Perceptive and Smart (4/17/2023)

I am smitten with Louise Penny. And that's saying a lot because I am not enamored of murder mysteries. But her mysteries are another thing all together. Her books are expertly written with not only a compelling whodunit plot, but also extraordinary, entirely human …more

Squeezed: Why Our Families Can't Afford America
by Alissa Quart

This Book Is Shocking, Heartbreaking, and an Absolute Must-Read for Everyone (4/17/2023)

This book had me riveted. It's the rarest of nonfiction tomes in that I couldn't stop reading. Just a few more pages…just a few more pages.

That said, it is emotionally exhausting to read. Even if you yourself are not financially squeezed, chances are pretty good you know …more

BookBrowse Book Club

Lessons in Chemistry
by Bonnie Garmus

Praised by Parade and The New York Times Book Review, this debut features a 1960s scientist turned TV cooking star.

About Discuss
The Lilac People
by Milo Todd

For fans of All the Light We Cannot See, a poignant tale of a trans man’s survival in Nazi Germany and postwar Berlin.

About Discuss
Daughters of Shandong
by Eve J. Chung

Based on the author’s family story, comes an extraordinary novel about a mother and her daughters’ escape from Taiwan.

About Discuss

Members Recommend

Serial Killer Games
by Kate Posey

A morbidly funny and emotionally resonant novel about the ways life—and love—can sneak up on us (no matter how much pepper spray we carry).

Read the Reviews
Ginseng Roots
by Craig Thompson

A new graphic memoir from the author of Blankets and Habibi about class, childhood labor, and Wisconsin’s ginseng industry.

Read the Reviews
The Original Daughter
by Jemimah Wei

A dazzling debut by Jemimah Wei about ambition, sisterhood, and family bonds in turn-of-the-millennium Singapore.

Read the Reviews