return to home  
Join   |  Gift   |  Member Login   |  Library Login
BookBrowse Mobile
Follow Us: 
   First Impressions: Book Reviews

Member Reviews of forthcoming books.

Book Jacket

 The Things That Keep Us Here
by Carla Buckley

Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication date: 02/09/2010.
Novels, 416 pp.

Number of reader reviews: 26
Readers' Consensus: 4.5
More information
Buy This Book
First Impressions: Page 3 of 4
Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Jane H. (Owensboro, KY)

The Things That Keep Us Here
This is a very timely little book about what could happen in the event of a flu pandemic. I have to tell you I was riveted to the pages until I finished. I was so "into it" that I found myself much more aware of people sneezing, coughing in public -- finding myself almost terrified when I was close to someone with cold symptoms.

The writing was a little simplistic and I found the ending to be a bit rushed ... thus the ranking of 4 rather than 5. It is a VERY readable book and would make for wonderful book club discussions. I think it will do well in the marketplace.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Anita P. (Honeoye Falls, NY)

Engaging Premise; Perfect for Book Clubs
What would happen if a deadly disease spread so quickly that is wreaked havoc on society as we know it?

That is the premise of this engaging novel. The protagonist, Ann, faces a myriad of moral dilemmas in this book that will have you asking yourself "what would I do?" It provides enough fodder for book club discussions that could last well into the night.

This book reads like a thriller at times, but with much better character development. If you enjoy Jodi Picoult (and I do!), the writing style is reminiscent of hers ... fast paced, engaging, with imperfect characters that you quickly grow to care about.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Marsha S. (Nags Head, NC)

The Things That Keep Us Here
Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. It is a gripping story of a woman who finds herself forced to ensure the survival of her family in a flu pandemic which is sweeping the country. The story certainly made me think hard about what I would do if faced with some of the same decisions that Ann was forced to make. Given the timely nature of the subject, I think any mature reader would find the story interesting and though-provoking.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Susan K. (dartmouth, MA)

The Things That Keep Us Here
A very timely topic, to say the least. I found myself wondering what I, myself would do if my family were in the same situation. The author increased the complexities of the story as it went along, making the book more "unputdownable" as it progressed; a good tactic. Yes, it will be a great book club read, but I think it would be an invaluable tool used in a high school lit class as well - so many topics could be gleaned for discussion.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Erica M. (Skokie, IL)

Things that Keep us Here
This was a well-imagined book about what the world would look like if a pandemic hit. It was a realistic view of the community, country and world view in a crisis situation. The description of a 13-year-old girl's behavior in such a crisis was excellent. My greatest problem with the book was that I never felt emotionally connected to the main characters in the story. I also wonder if the surprise at the end, alluded to throughout the book was necessary as anything other than as a device to keep one moving forward through the story. It never worked to explain the relationship between the characters, since the explanation was realized until the end.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Zonetta G. (Winter Springs, FL)

The Things that Keep Us Here
The author presents a thought provoking picture of a real potential threat to families in today's world. While I found the character development a little weak (one dimensional) the intensity picked up about two-thirds through the novel. All the situations presented happening to one family may or may not be realistic but offer a synopsis of scary possibilities to think about. Definitely a good recommendation for book clubs as it will certainly generate lively discussion.

Rated 4 of 5 of 5 by Shannon R. (Sunburst, MT)

Good for a first time author
This book was really intriguing. I really enjoyed learning about the "science" of the avian flu. It was really thought provoking about would I be ready for a pandemic and had to stay at home for an unknown amount of time. However, the ending could definitely be improved (edited to remove plot spoiler...). There was also inconsistencies that were not plausible.... All in all, it was a good first effort and I did enjoy it.

« prev   1 2 3 4   next »

Become a Member
Join Free Trial
Gift Certificate Gift Membership
Click Here
Editor's Choice
  •  May 21 
  •  May 20 
  •  May 18 
Helga's Diary
Helga Weiss

Helga's Diary Jacket

The remarkable diary of a young girl who survived the Holocaust—appearing in English for the first time.
Fever
Mary Beth Keane

Fever Jacket

A bold, mesmerizing novel about the woman known as "Typhoid Mary," the first known healthy carrier of typhoid fever in the burgeoning metropolis of early twentieth century New York.
The Woman Upstairs
Claire Messud

The Woman Upstairs Jacket

The riveting confession of a woman awakened, transformed, and betrayed by passion and desire for a world beyond her own.
Click Here
   Most Recent Blog Entries
Movies Based on Books: Summer 2013 (May - August)
Jewish Young Adult Books That Are Not About The Holocaust
Books to Give This Mother's Day
rss  RSS   rss  subscribe
Recent Reader Reviews
Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Fowler
Z, the novel about the life of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald is at points charming and; like another reviewer, I kept thinking of the movie, "Midnight... read more
Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver
Although heavy on the scientific details, which slowed down the story for me (OK, I admit, I was one of those liberal arts majors who skipped out on... read more
The House at the End of Hope Street by Menna van Praag
Loved this book. Magical, quirky, enchanting I could go on. All books do not have to be literary fiction, sometimes it is just so comforting to read... read more
RSS RSS feed More...  
Most Viewed This Week
1. The Help
Kathryn Stockett
2. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Rebecca Skloot
3. A Child Called It
Dave Pelzer
4. Half the Sky
Nicholas D. Kristof, Sheryl WuDunn
5. The Glass Castle
Jeannette Walls
More...
Book Club Recommendations
The Gods of Gotham
by Lyndsay Faye
Paperback (Mar/13)
Forgotten Country
by Catherine Chung
Paperback (Mar/13)
Philida
by André Brink
Paperback (Feb/13)
Gone Girl
by Gillian Flynn
Hardback (Jun/12)
More...
First Impressions
Members read and review books often months before they're published. See what they think in First Impressions!
Golden Boy
by Abigail Tarttelin
4.5 Stars            (May/13)
The Sisterhood
by Helen Bryan
Four Stars            (Apr/13)
The Last Girl
by Jane Casey
Four Stars            (May/13)
The Caretaker
by A .X. Ahmad
Four Stars            (May/13)
More...
  Latest BookBrowse News
British Parliament asks Amazon to clarify why it pays $9 million in income tax on $23 billion of UK sales. (May 20 2013)
Amazon will be called back to give further evidence to members of the British Parliament "to clarify how its activities in the U.K. justify its low corporate... Full Story
rss RSS feed More...
 
BookBrowse Poll
Q: Which of these Summer movies based on books would you like to see? (Info on each movie here)
The Great Gatsby
Epic
Man of Steel
World War Z
The Lone Ranger
The Wolverine
R.I.P.D.
Percy Jackson
Paranoia
The Mortal Instruments
Select Any That Apply
Search: Title or Author
Free Newsletters
The Light Between Oceans

Online Book Club
More about
The Comfort of Lies
Join the discussion!


Win This Book!
On Sal Mal Lane

"Piercingly intelligent and shatter-your-heart profound."

Enter To Win Now!
wordplay
Solve this clue:
"I I M B T Give T T R"
and be entered
to win....
frame top
New Author
Interviews
Menna van Praag
Erica Brown
Helga Weiss
Kate Morton
frame bottom
HOME Book Submissions | Advertising | Library Subscriptions | Reviewing for BookBrowse | Contact Us  
© BookBrowse LLC 1997-2013. All rights reserved. Information at BookBrowse.com is published with the permission of the copyright holder or their agent. It is forbidden to copy anything for publication elsewhere without written permission from the copyright holder.
privacy statement  |  terms of service  |  contact us