Get our Best Book Club Books of 2025 eBook!

Reviews by Eileen B. (East Moriches, NY)

Order Reviews by:
The Original Daughter: A Novel
by Jemimah Wei
A Great Debut (3/24/2025)
"The Original Daughter" is a story that explores themes of friendship, sisterhood, competition, jealousy, and grief. The story is told from the perspective of Genevieve, who believed she was an only child until she discovered she had a younger half-sister named Arin. The novel follows the journey of the two sisters as they navigate their lives together. Although the story starts slowly, it gains momentum as the reader progresses. Writing character-driven stories can be challenging, and the author did a great job developing the characters in her debut novel.
I look forward to reading her next novel.
The Dream Hotel: A Novel
by Laila Lalami
A Great Book (1/4/2025)
I love Sci-Fi, and the idea of the government or a third party exploring our dreams and emotions isn't far-fetched. In the story, the protagonist, Sara, finds herself in a difficult situation after having the Dreamcatcher Device implanted to help manage the stress of motherhood.

The state begins monitoring her dreams and detains her following a trip, as they suspect she may pose a threat to her husband. The author has crafted a novel that engaged me from the very first page, although there were moments when I felt confused about one of the characters and the timeline.

However, as I continued reading, I was able to piece it together. The author effectively conveys the hardships, frustrations, and despair that Sara experiences while detained in a facility. Usually, I can figure out the ending, but this one surprised me. Great Job, Ms. Lalami
The Story Collector
by Evie Woods
A Magical Story (8/22/2024)
I truly enjoyed the book. The author included two different timelines in the story-line, with each chapter told from the perspective of a character. There was a connection between the past and present, and each woman had to overcome hardships. The book contained elements of fantasy, magic, romance, and historical fiction, all woven together into a wonderful novel. I especially loved the relationship between Martha and Henry as they searched for the lost manuscript and bookshop. All of the secondary characters added to the story especially Madame Bowden Martha's employer. She would show up numerous times to assist Martha with a difficult situation. I did not predict the ending and it was magical.
The Bog Wife
by Kay Chronister
Creepy and haunting (8/4/2024)
The book was set in the Appalachian area where folktales and superstitions are prevalent. I did find the storyline a bit confusing in the beginning until I was able to figure out all of the characters and their position in the family. I did have to reread some of the prose to keep track of the plot because it was a bit wordy at times. Overall, I did enjoy the book but I found it to be a bit creepy, weird, haunting, and unpredictable. This may have not been the genre for me but if you love the supernatural and the gothic this is the book for you.
The Most Dangerous Thing
by Laura Lippman
Interesting Book (8/23/2011)
The book started out slowly and was hard to follow in the beginning. This is the first book from the author that I have read so I have nothing to compare to. The book was told by different narrators and there were times that I was unsure of who was talking at the time. The way the author incorporates the past with the present enhanced the plot and the mystery around the "secret" kept me reading on. The characters were interesting and the ending was unpredictable.
The Daughter of Siena: A Novel
by Marina Fiorato
A Good Historical Novel (5/13/2011)
Although I enjoyed the book, I found the switching between characters voice was distracting and there were times that I felt that the characters were not developed fully. The author’s description of the Palio, the town and the life during that time period was informative, interesting and well researched. There were twists and turns that made it interesting. If you like historical novels with some romance than you will enjoy this book.
Jamrach's Menagerie: A Novel
by Carol Birch
A Great Suspense Novel (2/3/2011)
I really enjoyed this historical novel. It was a page turner and there were times that I was at the edge of my seat. There was suspense, terror and the characters felt real to me. The book was beautifully written and I felt that I was right there on the boat with the Jaffy and all of the other bizarre characters. I look forward to reading Ms. Birch's other books.
Ever By My Side: A Memoir in Eight Acts Pets
by Dr. Nick Trout
A GREAT MEMOIR (12/28/2010)
What a wonderful memoir. I felt that I was having a conversation with the author and there were parts that were very funny and I could relate to the situation. The author's relationship with his father was very different and powerful. There were parts that were very emotional and I did shed some tears. If you are an animal lover you will love this book. Maybe you will learn something from the people and the animals in the book.
Snowdrops: A Novel
by A.D. Miller
A GREAT DEBUT (11/24/2010)
As I was reading,I got a feel of how business deals are conducted in Russia and how corrupt it can be. This was a great debut novel that included evil, corruption, romance and deceit. In the beginning, I was trying to figure out what the title had to do with the story and as I read on, it all fell into place. There are some books that I can predict the ending and this was not one of those. The book was well written and the characters were very interesting as well as complicated. A must read.
A Lonely Death: An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery
by Charles Todd
A Hystorical Mystery (11/6/2010)
This is my first book I have read in the series. I felt that it was a little slow moving and some of the characters were flat. There were times that I did not known where Rutledge was as he was traveling around the country. I know that this is a stand alone novel but if I had read some of the other books in the series, I may have understood Rutledge better. When I found out who the killer was I was not impressed but I read on. I am not saying it is an awful novel but it does not suit my taste.
  • Page
  • 1

BookBrowse Book Club

  • Book Jacket
    The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris
    by Evie Woods
    From the million-copy bestselling author of The Lost Bookshop.
  • Book Jacket
    Real Americans
    by Rachel Khong
    From the author of Goodbye, Vitamin, a novel exploring family, identity, and the shaping of destiny.

Members Recommend

  • Book Jacket

    The Seven O'Clock Club
    by Amelia Ireland

    Four strangers join an experimental treatment to heal broken hearts in Amelia Ireland's heartfelt debut novel.

  • Book Jacket

    One Death at a Time
    by Abbi Waxman

    A cranky ex-actress and her Gen Z sobriety sponsor team up to solve a murder that could send her back to prison in this dazzling mystery.

  • Book Jacket

    Happy Land
    by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

    From the New York Times bestselling author, a novel about a family's secret ties to a vanished American Kingdom.

  • Book Jacket

    The Fairbanks Four
    by Brian Patrick O’Donoghue

    One murder, four guilty convictions, and a community determined to find justice.

Who Said...

A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say

Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!

Wordplay

Solve this clue:

A C on H S

and be entered to win..

Your guide toexceptional          books

BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.