BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

Reviews by Cheryl W. (Crosby, MN)

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The Life I Left Behind
by Colette McBeth

Could not wait (12/5/2014)

I read this book half way through and could not wait. I had to go to the end of the book and get the answers then go back and read the last half of the book. Eve and Melody take turns telling the story (a unique approach).

Ruth's Journey: The Authorized Novel of Mammy from Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind
by Donald McCaig

Solange's journey (9/16/2014)

I was so excited to receive this book as one of my favorite books was Gone with the Wind. I was so confused when the book started out in France and then to Haiti. Mammie is not even the main character in the book. I found his style of writing difficult to read and I found myself scanning this book looking for something that I could connect with. This book was such a disappointment.

A Paris Apartment
by Michelle Gable

Misrepresentation (3/16/2014)

This book is being compared to The Paris Wife and Moulin Rouge. The only thing in common is the book setting in Paris. The story moved right along and was interesting. I read to the end because I did want to know the end of the story. Too much French but it will do well in the mass market.

Doing Harm
by Kelly Parsons

Unbelievable (11/14/2013)

This book was an easy read and the story moved right along. The whole mystery was so unbelievable. How a doctor who has so much known technology cannot figure out how it was done. Also that no review board would back him. The story was also very predictable. I did like that the murderer was revealed early and the rest of the book was how to catch the murderer.

The Scavenger's Daughters: Tales of the Scavenger's Daughters, Book One
by Kay Bratt

Enjoyable read (7/17/2013)

I enjoyed this story of a junk man and his wife. He saved many girl children after they were abandoned due to Mao's policy. All the children are named after flowers. There is such love in this family as they took all girls no matter their condition. I like that this is a series and look forward to reading more about this family.

The Daughters of Mars
by Thomas Keneally

Gallipoli (5/13/2013)

I knew nothing regarding this battle in WWI. This book tells the story of the nurses and patients entered into battle. They worked, survived and died under such adverse conditions. The Australians fought this battle with Britain and it was a failure for Churchill.

My only criticism is the end of the book. I had to read several times to find out who actually died as it was not clearly stated but in the beginning it does state one returns and one does not.

The Last Girl: A Maeve Kerrigan Novel
by Jane Casey

Mystery within a Mystery (4/10/2013)

This book was filled with twists and turns. I enjoyed the characters and the story moved along really well. Throughout the whole story I tried to figure out the killer. As each new character was introduced -they were the killer-no- they were not the killer. This book had great flow and left one twist hanging for a sequel.

Palisades Park
by Alan Brennert

Amused (2/20/2013)

I enjoyed this book and the characters were outstanding and well developed. Antoinette's (Toni) coming of age was fun and for her to know what she wanted and to go after it made the story delightful. I also learned a lot about Amusement Parks of the past.
Just a easy read.

The Edge of the Earth
by Christina Schwarz

Easy read (11/3/2012)

I sometimes enjoy this type of book. Just a book to read. Trudy passed through many trials. I loved the lighthouse and Big Sur descriptions but characters needed more development. Not a recommendation for me.

The Mark Inside: A Perfect Swindle, a Cunning Revenge, and a Small History of the Big Con
by Amy Reading

The Mark Inside (6/7/2012)

The book was very hard to read. If the "con" would of been the story that might of been interesting but many distracting other stories within the story. Too much unnecessary information. I thought it was going to be a "Sting" type book but it was not.

A Simple Murder
by Eleanor Kuhns

A Simple Murder = A Simple Book (4/1/2012)

This book held no appeal either as a crime book or history book. The characters were simple, the story simple and a no-brainer on who the murderer was. I would have enjoyed it more if the community was more defined not just surface relationships and plot.

The Sisters: A Novel
by Nancy Jensen

The Sisters (9/10/2011)

A great many issues and events are included in Nancy Jensen's The Sisters — sexual abuse, family loss and sibling betrayal, love lost, the lives of women throughout the 20th century, politics and war; even detailed pages and pages about photography and jewelry/armor-making (symbolic or not, it did not always work). The initial story of Mabel and Bertie's (and Bertie and Wallace's) separation was not convincing. There were myriad ways in which all three characters could have come back together early in the story. Overall it was an interesting read; however, the wait to find out if the two sisters would reconnect was lengthy and dissatisfying.

Sunset Park: A Novel
by Paul Auster

All over the place (11/20/2010)

I had such a hard time following where this story was going. I kept waiting for the story to tie together. Never happened and the book ended. I found nothing interesting about this book.

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