BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

Reviews by Susan S. (Lakeville, MA)

The Face Thief: A Novel
by Eli Gottlieb

Difficult to get into (1/12/2012)

I had a very difficult time with this book. I couldn't get into it -- in fact, I started it three times. I had difficulty following the plot and I had to force myself to finish it. The reason why I was initially interested in reading The Face Thief was because of the …more

Across Many Mountains: A Tibetan Family's Epic Journey from Oppression to Freedom
by Yangzom Brauen

It had me at "Hello"! (8/7/2011)

This book is written by the granddaughter of two amazing Tibetan women. She writes about her grandmother, who is a Tibetan nun, and her mother who struggled through extreme poverty and hardship to survive and educate herself. I was mesmerized by the trek to freedom across …more

Minding Ben: A Novel
by Victoria Brown

I can't get this book out of my mind. (12/20/2010)

I stayed up late and woke up early to read this fascinating, true tale. I think I was done in less than two days. It was a bit tough to get into because of the Caribbean patois, but it was worth the effort. You can read the plot summary anywhere, so I won't bother …more

City of Tranquil Light: A Novel
by Bo Caldwell

An Inspiring Love Story (7/24/2010)

The book arrived on Thursday afternoon. 48 hours later, I finished it. It was inspired by the author's grandparents who spent 56 years as Mennonite missionaries in China. I was disappointed and surprised when I learned that it was, in fact, fiction because it is so well- …more

An Eagle Named Freedom: My True Story of a Remarkable Friendship
by Jeff Guidry

Animals lovers will enjoy this book (5/15/2010)

I am a sucker for any book about animals -- especially books about rescuing and rehabilitating sick and injured wildlife. The author explores the spiritual connection between humans and animals through his own experiences at a wildlife rescue sanctuary. I enjoyed the book a …more

Still Life: Adventures in Taxidermy
by Melissa Milgrom

I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. (1/1/2010)

The book is about taxidermy and I requested it to review out of morbid curiosity. My opinions of taxidermists have not been favorable, but this book changed my mind. I now believe that they are both scientists and artists. The book is well written, well organized and …more

Making Toast: A Family Story
by Roger Rosenblatt

This book is meant to be read more than once. (10/25/2009)

I started reading this book on Friday night and finished it on Sunday morning. I couldn't put it down. It is a short, sweet story of a family dealing with the sudden death of a young daughter who left behind three small children. The book is equally heartbreaking and …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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