Jane M

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BookBrowse Reviewer Jane is a BookBrowse Reviewer and has written reviews featured in The BookBrowse Review.

Jane McCormack is an avid adventurer, whether it be hiking through the woods or traversing through the pages of a good book. She is the mother of two blue heelers, a horse, and a boy. Additionally, she also aspires to influence a hundred or so high schoolers to make friends with literature, pen their dreams, and be curious, on a yearly basis. In addition to teaching ELA at her local high school, she writes book reviews, and teaches riding. She can often be found reading in a grassy paddock, with Gus, her trusty steed, grazing beside her.

BookBrowse Editorial Reviews (10)

BookBrowse Editorial Review

Hungry Ghosts: A Novel
by Kevin Jared Hosein

(3/1/2023)

Hosein's characters warrant investment, as their hopes and fears strike a chord. Yet a looming cloud of violence and narcissism pervades the island, prompting the reader's urge to scream a warning to the imperiled characters or to hold their breath, hoping against the odds that somehow the goodness of humanity will prevail. Sadly, it rarely does. Hungry Ghosts is an intriguing read that forces us to confront the harsh realities of life and its varying juxtapositions of violence an

BookBrowse Editorial Review

We Deserve Monuments
by Jas Hammonds

(1/18/2023)

Hammonds' plot traverses the earmarks of coming of age with pitch-perfect range. Likable and credible characters navigate the tricky waters of adolescence, riding the crest of seemingly infinite dreams and possibilities until they crash into the sobering realization that possibilities are not certainties. We Deserve Monuments is a timely and refreshing coming-of-age novel addressing issues of Black and LGBTQ+ identity and examining how historical racism and bigotry reverberate through gen

BookBrowse Editorial Review

Four for the Road
by K. J. Reilly

(10/5/2022)

While Asher's rambling inner monologues parallel those of J.D. Salinger's famous character Holden Caulfield, Asher has an ace up his sleeve that eluded Holden: steadfast friends and wise allies. The peculiarities of the travelers provide comic relief, and their collective strength gives the reader a sense of comfort that Asher will ultimately "turn his wounds into wisdom." Will has a penchant for quoting philosophers, Sloane possesses a depth of compassion and Henry carries with him, quite liter

BookBrowse Editorial Review

Horse: A Novel
by Geraldine Brooks

(6/22/2022)

Geraldine Brooks creates a powerful backstory for 19th-century thoroughbred racehorse Lexington, weaving a rich tapestry of historical and current-day narratives that aptly reflect how the legacy of slavery still ripples through America. The historic underpinnings of the work are as spellbinding as the characters. Whether Brooks is chronicling the history of thoroughbred racing, exploring the impact of the Civil War on African American jockeys, or detailing the nuances of American equestrian art

BookBrowse Editorial Review

The Last House on the Street: A Novel
by Diane Chamberlain

(2/2/2022)

At times the symbolism feels obvious; we can assume bad things will happen at a place called Shadow Ridge. Additionally, there are more than a few serendipitous coincidences. However, Chamberlain uses the SCOPE program as a lens with which to view the reverberation of racism, which infiltrates the nation and families alike to this day, as well as the importance of advocacy. Ellie Hockley's willingness to put herself on the front line of what her friends and family consider to be not "her fight"

BookBrowse Editorial Review

The Other Passenger
by Louise Candlish

(8/18/2021)

Jamie's first-person narrative adopts a confessional air as he whispers the backstory of the four characters in the reader's ear in between police interrogations. Although he is a significantly flawed character, and potentially an unreliable narrator, you may find yourself invested in his fate. Candlish uses the timeless theme of envy to spur the characters forward. Whether it be yearning for youth or an insatiable desire for wealth, the "temptation to compare up," as the author puts it in the p

BookBrowse Editorial Review

What Comes After
by JoAnne Tompkins

(5/19/2021)

Although Tompkins' characters are believable and worthy of investment in themselves, it is her deft handling of trauma, grief and loss that truly resonates with the reader. Her keen ability to capture what it means to be vulnerable and what it feels like to be skinned by loss is laudable. At times, the plot's sequence of events seems too neatly coincidental; however, the portrayal of overriding hope for the characters' redemption and salvation makes this a forgivable flaw.

BookBrowse Editorial Review

Blue Sky Kingdom: An Epic Family Journey to the Heart of the Himalaya
by Bruce Kirkby

(11/18/2020)

Anyone who has heard the siren song of a life cloistered away from the discordant sounds of buzzing smart phones, pinging emails and vibrating text messages will feel envious as the author extols the virtues of "a rare feeling, with nothing calling." However, at times the plot plods along in tandem with the family journey. No doubt Kirkby is attempting to create balance in the telling of his experience by explaining how an archaic toilet (read: hole in the ground that often spits back what is de

BookBrowse Editorial Review

The Deepest South of All: True Stories from Natchez, Mississippi
by Richard Grant

(10/7/2020)

Grant weaves together Natchez's past and present, as well as lighter and heavier subject matter, rather seamlessly. His candid humor brings levity, while his attention to history provides important reflections on the area's past. Whether it be the intrigue of bizarre stories such as the "Goat Castle Murders" or the secrecy of the clandestine Black paramilitary group known as the Deacons of Defense, his writing will inspire in readers a desire to further explore the city of Natchez. In a pandemic

BookBrowse Editorial Review

Some Go Home
by Odie Lindsey

(8/5/2020)

At first blush, Some Go Home explores veteran Colleen Friar's acclimation back to her hometown of Pitchlynn, Mississippi following her deployment. Yet the novel also addresses the idea that home is an amalgamation of people and places, lineage and legacy. Some Go Home explores how a place can leave an indelible mark.

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