BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

Reviews by Julia H. (Excelsior, MN)

Before Ever After: A Novel
by Samantha Sotto

Before Ever After (6/20/2011)

I was completely captivated by Samantha Sotto's novel, Before Ever After. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but when I sat down to read it, it was difficult to tear myself away. I liked Shelley's character a lot, it's difficult to lose a spouse. The story moves back …more

Original Sin: A Sally Sin Adventure
by Beth Mcmullen

Orginal Sin (2/11/2011)

I really enjoyed reading Original Sin. Lucy Hamilton's seemingly banal life as a fairly new mom and housewife belies the fantastic memories of her past life as Sally Sin. The book flows between her paranoia over being a mom and leaving Theo at preschool to her days as a spy …more

Gone Tomorrow: A Jack Reacher Novel #13
by Lee Child

Gone Tomorrow (10/21/2010)

At long last, I have tried out Lee Child and a Jack Reacher novel! I wasn't disappointed in this very tall, loner of a hero or in Child's ability to keep me turning pages as fast as I could. The story pounds along as Reacher makes his way around Manhattan, followed by all …more

Death Echo (6/25/2010)

I enjoyed this book, my first by Lowell. The two main characters, Emma Cross, a member of St. Kilda’s (an org. made up of a lot of ex CIA types) and Mac Durand, a boat captain (and also a former military man) were good matches for the exciting scenes aboard a yacht in the …more

The Queen's Lover: A Novel
by Vanora Bennett

The Queen's Lover (2/17/2010)

I was a little taken aback at the size of Bennett's novel, but was soon captivated by the wonderful characters and story she developed. I was surprised at first how much of the action took place in France--expecting a pre-Tudor novel to be only set in England was naive, I …more

The Secret of Everything
by Barbara O'Neal

Present meets past (10/30/2009)

For the most part, I really enjoyed this debut novel. Tessa Harlow was a pretty good protagonist. The point of view shifts occasionally from Tessa to other townspeople, a gimmick I found a little difficult to get into in the beginning, but eventually, the story flowed very …more

The Year of the Flood
by Margaret Atwood

The years and years of the flood. (8/17/2009)

There is no doubt that this a sobering apocalyptic view of some unknown future time, but I think the title was a bit of a misnomer. There is way more than a year covered here and it took me a long time to get into the swing of the story. Both of our main characters, Toby …more

BookBrowse Book Club

Lies and Weddings
by Kevin Kwan

A forbidden affair erupts at a lavish Hawaiian wedding in this wild comedy from the author of Crazy Rich Asians.

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The Girls of Good Fortune
by Kristina McMorris

Brave the Shanghai tunnels in this tale of love, identity, and resilience passed through generations.

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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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