BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

Reviews by PhyllisE

The Dressmakers of London
by Julia Kelly

Loved this novel of sisters, fashion, and forgiveness (3/8/2025)

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

Loved this London-based World War II novel of sisters, fashion, and forgiveness. This page-turning historical fiction alternated between the two sisters’ points …more

Three Days in June: A Novel
by Anne Tyler

Entertaining & observant novel of everyday people (2/27/2025)

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

I have read most of Anne Tyler’s 30 books - she’s one of my must-read authors. So I was excited to have the opportunity to read an early copy of this short (156 page) …more

The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History
by Karen Valby

An inspiring, moving and remarkable story (2/19/2025)

Thanks to NetGalley & Pantheon Books for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

I wasn’t sure how much I was going to enjoy this book when I first started reading, as the writing style was somewhat awkward. But the more I read, the more I …more

Good Dirt: A Novel
by Charmaine Wilkerson

Page-turning historical fiction (2/1/2025)

Thanks to NetGalley & Penguin/Random House for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

This was a story of family, loss, grief, hope, and healing from Charmaine Wilkerson, the author of one of my favorite novels, Black Cake. Her second book …more

The Martha's Vineyard Beach and Book Club: A Novel
by Martha Hall Kelly

Loved this from the first page! (12/31/2024)

Thanks to Random House Ballentine and NetGalley for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

Loved this from the first page! I couldn’t decide whether to read it fast or slow – I wanted to find out what would happen next, yet I didn’t want it to …more

Let's Call Her Barbie
by Renée Rosen

Riveting, engrossing, unputdownable! (12/26/2024)

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

This was an unputdownable, well-researched historical fiction that blurred the lines between fact and fiction in a fascinating multi-layered story. It tells how the …more Barbie doll was created, how Ruth Handler originated the vision of Barbie and was the motivator behind the cultural phenomenon. It’s also the story of the Mattel Corporation, from its 1945 origins as a two-person toy developer to a multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment company. And it's Ruth’s personal story, as well as the story of Jack Ryan, engineer and Barbie co-developer. And fictional designer Stevie Klein also plays a major role in rounding out the various themes of the book.

My sister and I had one of the earliest Barbies, and reading about her development was fascinating – the behind-the scenes inspiration, the mechanical manufacturing as well as the marketing, the clothes and accessories – this was riveting. As Barbie’s success grew, so did the Mattel company, and the story of the company’s development, with its ups and downs, was also engrossing.

Alongside the business aspects, author Rosen told the personal stories of Ruth, Jack and Stevie. Sometimes they were working together, sometimes in competition, but always with Mattel and Barbie’s success as motivating factors.

I found myself rooting for Ruth throughout the novel. She was a nontraditional woman of the time. I didn’t know her motivation for creating Barbie was to set a new example for young girls, to “show them a different road they can walk down, one where marriage and children could be a stop along the way rather than a foregone conclusion, and definitely not the end of their journey.”

A feminist theme runs throughout the novel as Rosen repeats Ruth’s desire for Barbie “to connect with all those little girls out there. She wanted Barbie to be their role model and show them what it meant to be feminine and strong. That if they want to get married and have children, that’s fine, but they can still have a life of their own. Barbie was supposed to deliver a new, fresh message for the next generation to grow into.”

Whether or not you had a Barbie or saw the recent movie, this is an important book that tells the story of a strong woman who is determined to follow her vision of providing more career and lifestyle options for girls and young women. I highly recommend this one! (less)

The Stolen Queen: A Novel
by Fiona Davis

Page-turning mystery (12/6/2024)

Thanks to Edelweiss and Dutton for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

Fiona Davis is an auto-read for me, so I was excited to have the opportunity to read an advance copy. Like so many of her books, this one is historical fiction and starts …more

The Author's Guide to Murder: A Novel
by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig, Karen White

Entertaining parody of novelists solving a murder in Scotland (11/10/2024)

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

This was so entertaining! It was funny, punny, with lots of romance novel jokes, and a murder mystery too. Gags about stiletto heels (and pantaboots), plaid, a …more

The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern: A Novel
by Lynda Cohen Loigman

A second-chance story of misunderstandings and magic (10/24/2024)

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

The title was charming. The premise was intriguing. And the novel was an appealing page-turner, although a bit predictable. But sometimes that’s the kind of …more

What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust: A Flavia de Luce Novel
by Alan Bradley

Flavia is always entertaining (9/21/2024)

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

I’m always up for a Flavia de Luce novel – I’ve read nine so far and have found them entertaining and different enough from any other cozy mystery …more to keep me turning the pages. And by the way, each book’s title is a quote taken from an assortment of British poems.

The first novel in the series, "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie," introduces us to Flavia, a precocious 11-year-old chemist and poison expert. Now in book #11, she is probably 14 years old and an orphan with a very adult British attitude. Living in 1950s England in an ancient country house called Buckshaw, Flavia nonchalantly deals with post-war rationing, dead bodies, poisons, spies, kidnapping, and murder.

What makes this series unique is Flavia’s nearly adult perspective and her appealing voice. As the narrator, she shares what she’s thinking as well as observing. Her snide comments are amusing and entertaining.

For instance, she explains her interest in chemistry: “I was only truly myself when I was alone among the glass flasks and retorts in that dear chemical lab in the otherwise abandoned east wing of Buckshaw – great-uncle Tarquin died 25 years ago, he left behind a laboratory that caused the chemists of Oxford and Cambridge to weep with envy. He had also left behind a treasure trove of his notebooks and journals which, despite being placed under strict embargo by some obscure and shadowy government department, had remained at Buckshaw, where I had been devouring them for years.”

In this novel Flavia is determined to solve the murder of a neighbor, Major Greyleigh, who apparently died from eating poison mushrooms cooked by Flavia’s housekeeper Mrs. Mullett. Ignoring warnings from the local inspector to leave the investigation to the professionals, Flavia hopes to clear Mrs. Mullett’s name as she gathers clues, interviews various suspicious people, consults with devoted servant Dogger, all while traversing the area on her trusty bicycle Gladys.

Unfortunately, this book didn’t live up to the earlier novels in the series for me. Parts of the story were confusing and hard to follow, with a major plot twist that came out of nowhere and was never satisfactorily explained. If you’ve been reading these all along, then by all means crack this one open and see if you enjoy it as well as the others. If this is the first you’re hearing of Flavia, go back and start with number one. I guarantee it will be delightful and charming. (less)

What's Eating Jackie Oh?
by Patricia Park

Loved this coming-of-age story of food and family (5/13/2024)

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House Children's, Crown Books for Young Readers for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this page-turning coming-of-age YA (young adult) novel about a Korean high schooler’s journey as she …more discovers her identity both on and off the plate.

Jackie Oh turns to cooking as therapy – to relieve the stress her parents have heaped on her to go to an ivy league college, especially since she’s not naturally a high achiever in school. And her older brother is in prison which is sad for everyone. Author Patricia Park says” From repurposing leftovers at her grandparents’ Manhattan deli to competing on the TV cooking show Burn Off!, food feels like a problem Jackie can actually solve in a world that makes zero sense.”

I loved the relationship Jackie has with her grandparents. Their conversations are both humorous and heartwarming. She watches the cooking show Burn Off! with her grandparents and describes how they bonded: “It was a show I didn’t have to translate into English, and they didn’t have to translate into Korean. Food is like the universal language.”

Throughout the novel Jackie is learning about herself and often fighting stereotypes: gender, ethnicity, family, etc. “Every day,” says Jackie, “I walk around feeling like I’m carrying an invisible backpack full of stress bricks. On top of my actual backpack loaded with textbooks, notebooks, and my laptop. I just feel all this pressure weighing down on me, all the time.”

The story is told in Jackie’s first person, so we learn about her and what makes her happy: “Recipe-making is my mental happy place.” She also admits, “I’m obsessed with leftovers – each time you cook something, you have to think of how you’ll transform its afterlife.” And “In the kitchen, I’m in my zone. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why I love cooking so much. Being in the kitchen helps me shut out all the scary nonsense from the outside world. Cooking is my therapy.”

Patricia Park says, “This novel was inspired by two things: My love of cooking with leftovers, and the fears and frustrations those in my community have faced over anti-AAPI hate. I’ve spoken with many students across the country like Jackie, who don’t understand why they and their family are being targeted. Who, like Jackie, cannot make sense of this moment and are done being “model minorities.” To my fellow Asians in America, who are tired of being pushed around (literally, metaphorically) – I also dedicate this book to you.”

I enjoyed this book, which is both realistic and humorous. The ending surprised me (no spoilers) and I think it would be a great book to read in a group and discuss together. Plus, there are recipes! (less)

Mockingbird Summer: A Novel
by Lynda Rutledge

A heartwarming historical coming-of-age story (2/13/2024)

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

I loved this! Deserves more than 5 stars! A heartwarming, historical, coming-of-age story that takes place during a time of massive cultural upheaval, …more

Glory Be: A Glory Broussard Mystery
by Danielle Arceneaux

Engaging and witty murder mystery (1/10/2024)

Thanks to Book Club Cookbook & Pegasus Crime for an advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

I couldn’t resist this gorgeous book cover teamed with the title, plus it’s a mystery! This debut went beyond my expectations. In addition to being an …more

The Wishing Game: A Novel
by Meg Shaffer

Heartwarming magical story of found family (11/29/2023)

Thanks to Random House & NetGalley for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

This book checks all the boxes – heartwarming story, loveable and realistic characters, clever premise, magical realism/fantasy, a book about books, a bit of …more

The Favor: A Novel
by Adele Griffin

Fashion, friendship, and a surprise twist ending (6/18/2023)

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark Publishers & NetGalley for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

This book checked some of my favorite boxes – fashion, friendship, and an ending with a surprise twist.

The novel begins with the definition of …more

The Secret Book of Flora Lea: A Novel
by Patti Callahan Henry

I highly recommend this unforgetable novel (5/29/2023)

Thanks to Atria Books & NetGalley for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

This book was everything I expected from Patti Callahan Henry. It’s a beautifully written, engrossing and unique story, with likeable characters, and even a bit …more

Jacqueline in Paris: A Novel
by Ann Mah

Evocative, sensitive, and rich in historic detail (10/14/2022)

This was such a good book! It reads like a well-written memoir even though it’s historical fiction. And while it has been arduously researched from an enormous amount of available resources, it flows smoothly and made me feel like I was right there with the young Jacqueline …more Bouvier (to be later Kennedy Onassis). That impression is helped by the fact that it’s written from Jacqueline’s point of view, about her college year abroad in postwar Paris.

Although it primarily takes place during 1949-1950, there are so many references to the recently ended World War II that the novel provides a dramatic portrayal of that period’s heartache and recovery. Soon after 20-year-old Jacqueline arrives for her junior year of study, she observes that “five years after the Liberation, the city was still struggling to recover from the dark days – central heating and hot water were rare, everyone still so thin, wearing threadbare clothes.”

Jacqueline shares impressions of all that she experiences during her stay, but the war is never far from anyone’s thoughts. “The war had touched everyone in France, each person I met hiding their sorrow behind a fine veneer. I had imagined this a joyful time of hope and rebirth, yet I was discovering a nation still raw with anguish.”

In addition to the wartime past, Jacqueline is also exposed to the current political climate of spies and subterfuge. She learns not all are who they seem and not everyone is to be trusted. This element of intrigue provided additional substance to the novel.

But there are also parties to go to, champagne to sip, country house weekends as well as classes to attend, and papers to write. Due to her parents’ social connections, Jacqueline is introduced to several members of the upper crust and tells of her time at operas, museums, dinners, and events.

Based on the lives of several real people, the novel explores the life of Jacqueline Bouvier before she became American royalty. As the publisher writes, “Evocative, sensitive, and rich in historic detail, Jacqueline in Paris portrays the origin story of an American icon. Ann Mah brilliantly imagines the intellectual and aesthetic awakening of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, and illuminates how France would prove to be her one true love, and one of the greatest influences on her life.” I highly recommend this one!

Thanks to Mariner Books & NetGalley for a digital advance reader copy. All comments and opinions are my own. (less)

Maybe It's Me: On Being the Wrong Kind of Woman
by Eileen Pollack

Entertaining autobiographical essays (5/29/2022)

Thanks to LibraryThing and Delphinium Books for an advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

If you like David Sedaris, you’ll like Eileen Pollack. And because she lives in New York City and has a sarcastic and observant wit, she reminds me of Fran …more

In Five Years
by Rebecca Serle

A story of best girlfriend friendship, not a romance (5/26/2022)

Thanks to Atria Paperback/Simon and Schuster Publishers for a gifted copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

This 3.5 star book had a lot of buzz when it first came out in 2020. I received a gifted copy from the publisher in 2021 but just recently read it in May 2022. I …more

French Braid: A novel
by Anne Tyler

Brilliantly written family portrait (3/25/2022)

Thanks to NetGalley & Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

I couldn't wait for this latest title of Anne Tyler's. I've read and enjoyed almost all of her books, and this one was just as wonderful as …more the others. As usual, it's about a family - starting in 1959 when the Garretts take a family vacation and continuing to the present. Parents, children, grandchildren. There are many characters, but I didn't have trouble keeping track of them as the names and personalities were distinct and memorable. Once more, Tyler writes expertly of family relationships - children and their parents, and those children grow up to become parents themselves and then grandparents. For instance, it was sweet to read about David as a grandfather, and remember when he had been first a child with his toys and songs, then a college student bringing home a girlfriend, and then also as a parent. When his son Nicholas and young grandson Benny return home during the pandemic, I marveled along with David at how Benny was so similar to the young David.

But don't expect this to be an overwrought, epic, multi-generational saga. This 256-page novel features only the significant conversations, actions, and thoughts of the various characters. Yet when I finished reading it I felt that I knew exactly what Tyler was trying to convey, as Greta explains, "So this is how it works...this is what families do for each other - hide a few uncomfortable truths, allow a few self-deceptions. Little kindnesses...and little cruelties."

No one can write about family dynamics like Tyler. How people really interact with each other. What they think, what they say, and actually do. As one character notes, "Oh, the lengths this family would go to so as not to spoil the picture of how things were supposed to be!"

Some people complain that Tyler's books don't have a plot, but they're missing the point of her brilliant writing. "French Braid," like her other novels, is a family portrait containing insightful observations, portraying their relationships with each other, the love and the irritations, the miscommunications and misunderstandings. And it's Tyler's observations, descriptions, and what she chooses to focus on that make this another amazing book that I highly recommend. (less)

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Reviews by PhyllisE

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