BookBrowse | Book Reviews and Recommendations

Reviews by Emily G. (Clear Lake, MN)

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The Hollow Ground: A Novel
by Natalie S. Harnett

Compelling narrator (4/20/2014)

I was intrigued by the setting of this novel--a city on top of a coal mine fire--but from the first few lines of The Hollow Ground, I was captivated by the young narrator's voice. She's a clever girl who is learning about the troubles in her family while trying to discover …more

Peking to Paris: Life and Love on a Short Drive Around Half the World
by Dina Bennett

Lively rally of a read (4/10/2013)

Peking to Paris is a lively romp across many countries as the author and her husband participate in a car race. Bennett is an engaging narrator, writing like the reader is a close girlfriend.

I felt like I was racing across the continent with the team, which is exactly what …more

In the Shadow of the Banyan: A Novel
by Vaddey Ratner

Stunning! (4/10/2013)

The best book I read in 2012!

This is one of those rare books that is so real, the characters so alive and personal, that I want to stop reading because it is so painful. It is one of those books so beautifully written, so exquisitely wrought that I can't possibly stop …more

The House Girl
by Tara Conklin

Skillful handling of complex stories (12/16/2012)

It took me a while to get drawn into this book. I was skeptical about the slavery reparations lawsuit that serves as a catalyst for Lina Sparrow's search and I feared another slave narrative.

However, about half way through the book, I realized I was in masterful hands. …more

The Innocents: A Novel
by Francesca Segal

An excellent revisioning of a timeless classic (5/11/2012)

I’ve been eager to read this book since I first heard about it and so was thrilled to receive a pre-publication copy from BookBrowse. Edith Wharton is one of my favorite writers. So, with a little fear about a rewriting and a lot of excitement, I dove into The Innocents.

…more

The House of Velvet and Glass: A Novel
by Katherine Howe

Visit 1915 (4/3/2012)

Howe does a good job of creating the atmosphere of 1915 and exploring issues that remain relevant today--wealth vs poverty, war, tragedy, pain, family. The characters are complex and interesting and the spiritualism aspect is explored and challenged in many ways. However, …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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