Hello
You probably already know that when BookBrowse features a book we don't just review it, we also go "beyond the book" with an article that explores an aspect in greater detail; and we give you an excerpt so you can browse the book for yourself.
What you may not know is that our editorial team also suggests "read-alikes" for each book - titles that we think might appeal to you if you've already read and enjoyed the book in question, and are wondering what to read next.
Readalikes are tricky things to recommend as there are some factors that are very tangible such as the book's topic, but while some of us can't get enough of, say, civil war novels, many of us don't necessarily want to read the same theme or genre repeatedly. Instead, what draws us into a book are more intangible factors.
Thus, when picking readalikes we keep in mind books that share a similar setting or genre, but we also look for more difficult to define aspects such as the author's use of language and the book's overall style, for example, is it more character-driven or plot-driven?
You'll find an example of our readalikes below. Look out for them at the bottom of many of BookBrowse pages, and in our read-alikes section online where you can search over 3000 titles and 2000 authors. Thanks for reading!
Your Editor
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 1. First Impressions: Members Recommend Each month we give away books to U.S. resident members to read and review (or discuss). Members who choose to participate receive a free book about every three months. Here are their opinions on two recent releases.  The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin Publisher: Ballantine Books
Hardcover & ebook: Jan 2016
Historical Fiction, 368 pages
Number of reader reviews: 21
Readers' consensus: 4.1/5.0
Members Say
"A powerful story about love and betrayal. A look into the lives of the rich and famous who created the high society of New York City in the 50 and 60s. Grace and elegance abounded as did power and wealth. ... A book which is difficult to put down. It is a riveting story with fully developed characters. But most of all it is a story about an unusual love which can never be fulfilled." - Kathleen J. (Charlotte, NC)
"Melanie Benjamin has done an excellent job of characterization, especially Truman Capote and Babe Paley. Truman's collection of New York socialites, his "swans," these women of wealth and privilege appear to have it all. We are given a glimpse into their beautiful lives and the not so beautiful in their lives. When I should not care about these self-centered celebrities, I found myself sympathetic and wanting to know more about each of them. That's good writing!" - Carol S. (Pawleys Island, SC)
"I loved this novel and highly recommend it. I have read all of Melanie Benjamin's novels and with each one she just gets better and better. I will add my own caution here, clear your schedule, because once you start reading a novel by Melanie Benjamin you won't be able to put it down." - Mary S. (Springville, AL)
More info | Read all the reviews Buy at Amazon | B&N | Indie
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1. First Impressions: Members Recommend  The Forgetting Time by Sharon Guskin Publisher: Flatiron Books
Hardcover & ebook: Feb 2016
Novel, 368 pages
Number of reader reviews: 25
Readers' consensus: 4.4/5.0
Members Say
"The Forgetting Time was a very enjoyable read with well drawn, believable characters. I liked the unique subject matter - a child who is born carrying the soul of another child recently deceased - and I thought the author did a very good job of presenting different story-lines and then tying them all together. The real life case studies the author presented were also very interesting. ... Excellent debut novel. I would definitely read more from this author." - Ilyse B. (Howell, NJ)
"This would make an excellent book for a book group, as there is so much to discuss. Though the worldview is much different than my own, I thought it was fascinating to explore the topic of reincarnation." - Amber B. (East Sparta, OH)
"When I picked this book up, I didn't know what to expect, knew nothing about it. If I had, I probably would've passed, thinking it was too "new-age-y" for me. But, what a delightful surprise when I found myself absorbed in the story. Great story, clever writing, enlightening and highly recommended." - Judy K. (Conroe, TX)
"Thank you, BookBrowse, for an author I likely would not have found otherwise. It's that good!" - Laure R.
More info | Read all the reviews Buy at Amazon | B&N | Indie
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 3. Editor's Choice 
Mr. Splitfoot by Samantha Hunt
Hardcover & ebook Jan 2016, 336 pages. Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. BookBrowse Rating: 4/5, Critics' Consensus: 4.8/5 Buy at Amazon | B&N | Indie
Review: Part ghost story, part love story, part modern gothic horror, Mr. Splitfoot is an original, vivid and compelling work of literary fiction. Although at times the story becomes almost mired in its own beautifully described misery - for example when Cora says, "There's sacrifice, antagonism, rebellion, obsession, and adoration, but no properly complex word for what's between a mother and a daughter, roots so twisted, a relationship so deep, people suffocated it in kitsch and comfort words to pretend it's easy." - uncovering the truth of Ruth's history and accompanying Cora towards motherhood is ultimately a rewarding journey... continued Full access to our reviews & beyond the book articles are for members only. But there are always four free Editor's Choice reviews and beyond the book articles available. |
 4. Beyond the Book: The Golden Record
Every time we review a book we also explore a related topic. Here is a recent "beyond the book" article for Mr. Splitfoot by Samantha Hunt  In Mr. Splitfoot, Samantha Hunt's new novel of ghosts, cults and motherhood, two characters fall in love while listening to the Golden Record. Voyager spacecrafts 1 and 2 launched from Earth in 1977 and continue to travel further away from our planet, transmitting information back through the Deep Space Network. Theirs is an interstellar mission, extending NASA's space exploration of our solar to the outer limits of the sun's influence and possibly beyond. On board, is the ultimate message in a bottle: a phonographic 12-inch record made of gold-plated copper known as The Golden Record, compiled by a team of people led by the American scientist, astronomer and author Carl Sagan. The outside of the record is transcribed with a key to figuring out how to play the record. ... continued Read in full | More about this book |
 5. Readalikes 
A God in Ruins tells the dramatic story of the 20th Century through Ursula's beloved younger brother Teddy - would-be poet, heroic pilot, husband, father, and grandfather - as he navigates the perils and progress of a rapidly changing world.
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 6. Publishing Soon
Each month BookBrowse previews 80+ notable books. Here is a particularly interesting title from these upcoming books.  Youngblood by Matt GallagherPublisher: Atria Books Hardcover & ebook Feb 2, 2016 Novels, 352 pages Critics' Opinion: 5/5 Buy at Amazon | B&N | Indie
Jarhead meets Redeployment in a suspenseful and smart fiction debut that has been called "thrilling, tragic, and darkly funny" by National Book Award-winning author Phil Klay.
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 7. Quote "Happiness belongs to the self sufficient." - Aristotle
 The philosopher and scientist Aristotle is believed to have been born in the Northern Greek town of Stagiros in 384 BC. When he was 17 he joined Plato's circle at the Academy in Athens. He remained there for 20 years, first as a student and then as a teacher. After Plato died, he traveled widely including a period of time educating Alexander the Great. Later he began his own school in Athens known as the Lyceum.
Although he died more than 2300 years ago (in 322 BC) his philosophical and biological studies continue to have an impact on the modern world. He is considered one of the 'big three' philosophers of the period, along with Plato and Socrates. Aristotle was a student of Plato who had been a student of Socrates (anyone needing to remember this for a test, or simply to impress their friends, may find the mnemonic SPA useful).
More Quotes
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 8. Wordplay Solve our fiendish Wordplay puzzle, and be entered to win the book of your choice!
This week's Wordplay
Solve this clue: "I I A I Wind T B N G"
The answer to last Week's Wordplay: I W Were H B W R
"If wishes were horses beggars would ride"
Meaning: It is not enough to wish for something, you have to take action to make it happen
The first known reference to this saying is in Proverbs in Scots, collected and arranged by James Carmichaell: And wishes were horses pure [poor] men wald ryde. The date of this book is unclear but Carmichaell died in 1628 and it is believed the collection was published during his life.
Other variations on this expression can be found such as "if wishes were thrushes beggars would eat," in Remaines of a Greater Worke, Concerning Britaine published by William Camden. Camden lived from 1551-1623 so would have recorded this variation in the same general time frame as Carmichaell.
At least one other 17th century version exists, recorded in John Ray's A Collection of English Proverbs, 1670: "If wishes were buttercakes, beggers might bite."
Today you likely know this expression, as: If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. What you may not know is the full nursery rhyme as recorded by James Orchard Halliwell around 1840:
If wishes were horses
Beggars would ride:
If turnips were watches
I would wear one by my side.
And if if's and an's were pots and pans,
The tinker would never work!
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