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The Secret of Everything
by Barbara O'Neal

Secret of Everything (11/11/2009)

O'Neal's book, The Secret of Everything, opened more to my liking than it's ending. I thought at the beginning it would be such a good read. Her use of food for description was such a treat to the senses and her perspectives of things as though she were looking through a …more

Sweeping Up Glass
by Carolyn Wall

Sweeping Up Glass (8/10/2009)

The voice of Olivia Harker Cross draws the reader in the struggles of the depression as well as the horrors of prejudice and segregation. The plot line is certainly broad and wide in scope as life is. I felt that the conclusion was somewhat forced and rushed. Even so, the …more

Some of the Dead Are Still Breathing: Living in the Future
by Charles Bowden

Some of the Dead Are Still Breathing (2/16/2009)

While the author evoked some stunning images, the disconnectedness and lack of any cohesion prevented me from appreciating it. Rather than "streams of consciousness" I would describe most of the book as "streams of unconsciousness."

Personally, once I begin reading a book, I …more

Green Monster: A Sam Skarda Mystery
by Rick Shefchik

The Green Monster (7/7/2008)

I requested Green Monster, because I am always looking for books which will entice teenage boys to read - especially those interested in sports. This will fill that niche for baseball fans particularly.

It is not great literature, but I didn't anticipate that it would be. It …more

Madapple
by Christina Meldrum

Madapple (4/16/2008)

I purchase books for teenagers; therefore I was intrigued by Madapple.

Aslaug, isolated from society, still manifests traits of an adolescent. Her naivete hinders her ability to understand some situations, but frees her from limitations in seeking solutions as well.

Some …more

The Palace of Illusions
by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

The Palace of Illusions (3/7/2008)

Not having some knowledge of Indian myths was a detriment in reading The Palace of Illusions. As I began the book, I found terms with which I was not familiar. Hence, I had to work. However, as I continued reading, it became much more intriguing and rewarding.

The …more

BookBrowse Book Club

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.

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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.

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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.

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

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