BookBrowse: Your Guide to Exceptional Books

Reviews by Portia A. (Monroe Township, NJ)

Power Reviewer

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House of Stone
by Novuyo Rosa Tshuma

Wow! (12/6/2018)

This is a book that will stay with me for a long time...the author’s use of language is as intriguing as the the tale she tells. There are parts of the story that will cause bad dreams, but history is messy. Read it if you are able, just don’t blame me for sad nights.

My Lovely Wife
by Samantha Downing

Hard to put down (9/30/2018)

Full of surprises, twists and turns, this is a page turner.
Do read it. I don't want to say more; it might give too much away.

A Ladder to the Sky: A Novel
by John Boyne

An excellent book (8/27/2018)

A ruthless would-be writer who is charming, handsome and determined to be famous. All he lacks is the talent to create a great book. That would not stop him.

The Travelling Cat Chronicles
by Hiro Arikawa, Philip Gabriel

A Simple Joy (4/21/2018)

I loved this book...a simple story that made me laugh and cry. A man and the stray cat who adopted each other. A must read for any animal person.

The Family Tabor
by Cherise Wolas

The heart of family (4/14/2018)

I found this story meaningful. Truth, lies and evasions mixed together to form a very human family. Mother, father, sisters and brother each have their own part. Read it, enjoy it and think about what you read. I believe you will be glad you did.

Other People's Houses
by Abbi Waxman

Good neighbors (11/22/2017)

I enjoyed this book as very real depiction of a close knit neighborhood when someone makes a foolish mistake. Most mothers may find it very accurate it the reaction of the children. Recommended.

Next Year in Havana
by Chanel Cleeton

Love and history intertwined (9/26/2017)

If you like romance, if you like history, this well written book combines both. The story of Cuba can break your heart. But you will not regret reading this book.

The Story of Arthur Truluv: A Novel
by Elizabeth Berg

A beautiful story (5/27/2017)

I loved this book for several reasons. The first is that Arthur Truluv is 85 and so am I..not that age should deter you at all. The second is the story, with happiness and sadness stirred together like one of Lucille's cakes. Then there is Maddie..but I could go on and on. Any way do read this beautiful tale of love and friendship.

Tell Me How This Ends Well
by David Samuel Levinson

More frightening than funny (2/25/2017)

Considering the uptick of anti semitism our country has experienced recently, I found this story to be upsetting rather than funny.
The story hinges on a plot to kill an abusive man, who no doubt deserved it, but interwoven in the plot was the effects of the hatred evinced toward the Jewish people.I hope the book isn't prescient.
The book is well written and worth reading.

The Typewriter's Tale
by Michiel Heyns

Fact and Fiction Mixed (12/18/2016)

The book is centered around the young woman who was employed by Henry James as his typewriter, (the transcriber, not the machine). In the story she is Frieda Wroth, in reality she was Theodora Bosanquet. Most of the characters who appear were real people and my experience was much enhanced by the use of Google to understand who they were.

The author has mixed fact with fiction to write a very good book.

Home Sweet Home
by April Smith

Highly recommended (12/1/2016)

Based on a true event, this book is the story of an attorney, his wife and family who are caught up in Cold War fanaticism. I am old enough to remember those days and to fear that I am seeing a resurgence of the rhetoric, now about Islam, that fueled the heartbreak and evilness that befell them. The story is beautifully told; both the bad and the good. Read it if you can...

Rise: How a House Built a Family
by Cara Brookins

At what cost (10/5/2016)

I had a hard time with this story. Here is a woman who made some really bad choices, and survived.She and her children were fearful of two of her ex husbands, with good cause, but she and they built a house although the children were just that-children.

Do I admire what she did? Not really. Yes, the work in building the house was immense, but being a good mother and raising good children could have been accomplished without the hammer, nails and exhaustion.

The Comet Seekers
by Helen Sedgwick

A Beautiful Story (8/6/2016)

Once I started reading I couldn't stop. The stories of a family spanning a millennium, all tied together by the passing of comets. There is love, there are ghosts real or imagined, there are regrets and there are choices. A very beautiful story.

The Book That Matters Most: A Novel
by Ann Hood

A book perfect for a book club (5/27/2016)

Any book that makes you think is worth reading.
What is your choice for the book that matters most to you? Why? What would you do if your world fell apart?
A story of friendships, sadness and sometimes harsh reality, but with a hope for better things. I recommend it.

Darling Days: A Memoir
by iO Tillett Wright

A Difficult Review (3/28/2016)

Darling Days was a difficult book to read... the words weren't hard but the story broke my heart. Yes, it was a different time in 1980s New York, but the the way the child grew up, the hit or miss parenting, the sexual ambiguity, the misguided home life, the drugs and mistreatment, the lack of so many things and yet she survives and ultimately forgives. An amazing story, sadly true. Read it if you can.

The Return of the Witch
by Paula Brackston

Out of my zone, but.. (12/23/2015)

I never read supernatural books..it's too easy to mess up the plot..I am a hard-headed realist..but I enjoyed reading this book. Why, I can't answer, except that it is well written and I liked the characters..do give it a try..

The Last Confession of Thomas Hawkins
by Antonia Hodgson

A most enjoyable read (12/18/2015)

Not every book has to be a masterpiece to be worth your time. This book, which follows up another, but can stand alone, was just the thing for a few pleasant and interesting hours. I love to read history and the author has added some reality to the tale based in 18th century London.

Every Anxious Wave
by Mo Daviau

Really different (10/13/2015)

I didn't think I would like this book..but I did. I am sure it isn't everyone's cup of tea, but the time travel, indie bands and asteroid came together to make a different kind of love story. If you want something off the beaten path, this is your book

Trust No One: A Thriller
by Paul Cleave

Did he or didn't he? (5/20/2015)

Jerry Grey has early onset Alzheimer's. And he is a writer of murder mysteries. He has started to believe he is a murderer, like the characters he wrote about. Is he, or is it the disease messing with his brain? Read this well written book and you will know.

Fishbowl: A Novel
by Bradley Somer

I love this book (4/27/2015)

This quirky book was a joy to read. Starting with a goldfish falling 27 floors and stories that followed his trajectory made for a delightful experience. Do read this book.

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