Skip to main content
Swap Used Books - Buy New Books at Great Prices!
PBS logo
 
 

Book Reviews

933,150 Book Reviews submitted!

Looking for a great book to read? There's no better way to find books than to read other's book reviews that provide insight into the book's plot as well as the author's wtiting style. By doing a little bit of research you can find a book that you're sure to enjoy. As you're reading the reviews please login and rate the reviews as you go. This helps us sort the helpful more detailed reviews from the not-so-detailed reviews such as this one: "Good Book :)".

Review a Book! Perhaps you just finished a book that you loved! ...or hated. Help out others by writing your own review! Just search for the book you would like to review and look for the "Review this Book" button under the 5 star rating.

Reviews 1 to 25 of 157
Show results per page.
Page:
The Orphan Collector
reviewed on + 3737 more book reviews


During the Spanish American flu epidemic during the fall of 19 1813 year-old German immigrant peel Lang lungs to be far from Philadelphia's overcrowded streets and slumps and from the anti-German sentiment that compelled her father to enlist in the US Army, hoping to prove his loyalty, but I even More urgent threat has arrived. Spanish flu is spreading throughout the city soon dead and dying are everywhere with no food at home PMOS venture out and search of supplies, leaving her infant brother home alone their twins Since her baby died days ago British Grove has been lost in grief in bitterness if the doctor hadn't been so busy attending the awards of immigrants. Perhaps they could've saved her son when burden sees peel leaving her tournament across the way she's bored by a shocking life altering decision that leaves her on a sisters Mission to transform the cities, orphan and immigrant children into what she feels are true Americans this woman is sick. She's mentally ill and it's no telling. What she may do?


The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau
bkwrm avatar reviewed on + 8 more book reviews


I really enjoyed this book - as I do all of Kristin Harmel's books. I was surprised reading the Author's Notes when she indicated that she wrote this book during a time when she had a writer's block. This book was written during her cancer treatments for breast cancer. For eight months she couldn't summon the words for the story. In retrospect she thinks it had something to do with the effect of the chemotherapy drugs and her fear during that particular time in her life. I must say, when reading this novel, I never felt anything was amiss or subpar. I very seldom pre-order books. I typically wait until I am able to get it through PBS, the library or other means. I pre-ordered this book as I am a true fan of Kristin's writing. I highly recommend this book you will not be disappointed.


Last Outlaws
Last Outlaws
Author: Tom Clavin
Genres: Biographies & Memoirs, History
Book Type: Paperback
hardtack avatar reviewed on + 2850 more book reviews


I love reading about the old West and the individuals who lived back then. Mostly I like reading the truth which Hollywood and TV screenwriters are apparently paid to ignore. But I admit my favorite TV shows---before abandoning TV over 40 years ago---all had a Western theme. Hopalong Cassidy and Cheyenne Bodie were my heroes.

This book was well researched. When the author mentions a man or woman's name or a town, he also adds information about them I found fascinating. I was surprised so many people, on both sides of the law, were related in some way, not always biologically but in some relationship. The Daltons were especially interesting. Some started out as lawmen and ended up as outlaws, mostly dead outlaws.

I want to share just one piece of trivia. The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral ended with three dead men and three wounded men. The September 1, 1893, gunfight at Ingalls, Oklahoma was bloodier, with six men killed or wounded, and the wounded died soon after. And a lot more on both sides died in the Dalton gang's disasterous robbery attempt on October 5, 1892, in Coffeyville, Kansas.

Ingalls was named after John Ingalls, a senator for Kansas. In a footnote the author let us know John Ingalls second cousin was Charles Ingalls whose daughter Laura Ingalls Wilder was the author of the "Little House on the Prairie" series.

Whether within the text, or in footnotes on the same page, the author keeps you interested in his story.


Gay Like Me: A Father Writes to His Son
reviewed on + 286 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1


I read this book in hopes of getting some insight into what gay men endured in the 50's and 60's when gays were still in the closet. My dear uncle was a high school English teacher during that time and eventually was fired for his alternative lifestyle.

Unfortunately this book didn't satisfy my curiosity because author Richie Jackson is too full of himself and his rich, privileged life to have suffered like gays of the past. DNF.


The Witch Hunter (Jessica Niemi, Bk 1)
bubbyhoratio avatar reviewed on + 8 more book reviews


Kept me interested the entire time. Lots of twists that kept me guessing. Could not figure out what would happen next. Really liked this book.


Spinning
Spinning
Author: Tillie Walden
Genre: LGBTQ+ Books
Book Type: Hardcover
roach808 avatar reviewed on + 232 more book reviews


I wasn't super excited for a weighty graphic memoir about competitive skating, but that's not really what this is about. Tillie's work is what brought me to this book, and that was enough to keep me engaged.


Forever Friends (Hope Springs, Bk 3)
reviewed on + 46 more book reviews


This is the third book in Hope Springs series following Hope Springs. In this novel, the author revisits the ladies of Hope Springs Community Church in North Carolina. 

Each chapter begins with Aunt Dot's laundry advice column written for The Pilot News. 

Then, followed by a recent account of the personal struggles each of the main characters are experiencing: Charlotte Stewart, Margaret Peele, Beatrice Witherspoon, Jessie Jenkins, and Lana Jenkins. 

It has been a year since Margaret was diagnosed with breast cancer, and she has successfully completed her chemotherapy, and thankfully, her cancer is in remission 

Jessie and James Senior are still thriving as a married couple and are getting ready to take a two week vacation to Africa in order to fulfill a lifelong dream of discovering their ancestors.

Pastor Charlotte is yet again struggling with her faith in God and is still seeking help from Marion Gordon, a therapist.  Additionally, Peggy DuVaughn's grandson, Lamont, is in jail for a robbery charge, and she asks the Pastor if she would visit him in prison. 

Beatrice and Dick are having trust issues in their marriage due to Dick dealing with family secrets involving his brother and sister-in-law. 

Lana Jenkins is married to Wallace, Jesse and James' son, and is unhappy with being a young mother and wife and thinking of leaving Wallace and Hope, her daughter. 

I enjoyed catching up with the ladies of Hope Spring, but I have to admit the narrative for each of the main characters felt long and tedious.

Nevertheless, I do hope the remaining books in this series improve. 


Lady Bird Johnson: A Life from Beginning to End (First Ladies of the United States)
jjares avatar reviewed on + 3552 more book reviews


This book about Lady Bird Johnson taught me a great deal about this first lady. I didn't know she was the first to hire a press secretary because she understood the importance of getting her message out. Although she lived in the shadow of her husband, she made a significant difference in the country through her programs to bring wildflowers to the interstates (for us all to enjoy them each year). I live in Texas, and her influence on the generation of wildflowers across the state is still felt.


A Meddlesome Match (The Vaughns)
jjares avatar reviewed on + 3552 more book reviews


It is with great relief that I find Ms. Nichols writing at a feverish pace. This one has been released, and another one is scheduled for release in September 2025. As I have often opined, an author must continually adapt to keep their readers; Ms. Nichols did that in spades.

Sadie Vaughn and Howard Gibson have been fast friends for more than two years. However, when Howard decides to marry another woman but is left at the altar, Sadie (who secretly loves Howard), hopes he will realize his mistake and choose her.

Walter Reed, a tutor with ambitions to open a school, is interested in Sadie. However, he is so shy that he has difficulty getting Sadie's attention. However, having two men interested in her is not Sadie's problem. The men's mothers are the problem. Each woman wants Sadie for a daughter-in-law. Unfortunately, they will go to great lengths to make sure their son is the winner of Sadie's heart.

Sadie misunderstands the mothers and thinks the mothers want her more than their sons. She is devastated.

Vaughns
1. Rivals and Roses (2024)
2. Marry in Haste (2025)
** 3. A Meddlesome Match (2025)
4. Love Thy Enemy (2025)


The Chaldeans: The History and Legacy of the People Who Ruled Babylon in the Iron Age
jjares avatar reviewed on + 3552 more book reviews


The Chaldeans were from West-Semitic speaking areas (the exact location from which they emerged is unknown), who settled in the marshy plains of Mesopotamia, known as Chaldea. The Bible mentions them, as well as other historical texts.

The Chaldeans established the Neo-Babylonian Empire in the late 7th century BC. It became a dominant power in the ancient Near East. We know of Nebuchadnezzar II, one of the most prominent Chaldean rulers, because he is credited with creating the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Unfortunately, this book is uninteresting to read. I forced myself to finish reading it.


Lucas (Gentlemen of War series)
Lucas (Gentlemen of War series)
Author: Leah Moyes
Genre: Romance
Book Type: Paperback
jjares avatar reviewed on + 3552 more book reviews


This author is new to me, and I am impressed with the author's writing skills. In this novel, Lucas Walsh, one of the "Gentlemen of War," comes back from the fighting with Napoleon to find his sister, Genevieve, helping her best friend avoid a horrible marriage. Lucas, because his older brother is busy with estate business elsewhere, assumes responsibility for his three younger sisters.

Lady Helena Webster's father has demanded that she marry Lord Foxton, whom she finds utterly repulsive. She does not understand the reason for his insistence, because her parents had always assured her that she could wait for a love match. When things come to a head (Lord Foxton tells Helena that they will be married soon), she runs to Genevieve's house and hides. It doesn't take long for Lucas to realize there is someone extra in the house. When he finds out the story, he assures Helena that she can stay.

This is a promising series with lots of twists and turns. I found it difficult to believe that Lucas could fall in love with Helena in such a short time, less than three weeks. Otherwise, the plot moved smoothly, and the characters were interesting. This is a nice setup for the remaining three stories.

Gentlemen of War
** 1. Lucas (2024)
2. Hunter (2024)
3. Zachary (2024)
4. Jaxon (2025)


HIGGINS AND THE GREAT BIG SCARE
reviewed on + 1180 more book reviews


A sweet early chapter book about a young girl, Henny, who helps her neighbors' dog, Higgins, overcome his fear. Henny also babysits neighborhood children.


A Death on Corfu (Minnie Harper, Bk 1)
VolunteerVal avatar reviewed on + 716 more book reviews


I was excited to revisit Corfu by reading A Death in Corfu by Emily Sullivan. I became familiar with the Greek island when I watched and loved the PBS Masterpiece drama The Durrells in Corfu, based on the nonfiction/memoirs of Gerald Durrell.

At first, I was shocked that this cozy historical mystery and the tv show had so many identical characters: British expat widowed mother, teen daughter, animal-collecting son mentored by a male neighbor, a cook who's a cranky older local woman who doesn't speak English, etc., etc. At one point, I wondered if the book was well-written fan fiction.

However, the novel forges its own path when Minnie Harper, the family matriarch, finds herself working as a typist for Stephen Dorian, a famous British mystery author staying at the villa next door. Then Minnie discovers the body of a young Greek woman who was murdered. The local officials don't seem to take that possibility very seriously, so Minnie and Stephen conduct their own investigation with a nail-biting conclusion.

Of the three novels I read in June that included Egyptian antiquities, I was most surprised that this one did. I liked the growth in Minnie and Stephen's connection - from strangers to employment to friends ... will it develop into more in future novels?

I enjoyed this for its plot, sense of place, and a reminder of a beloved tv show. I'll definitely check out the second book in the series.


Recipes for a Perfect Marriage
reviewed on + 231 more book reviews


It took me a while to get into the story. It is a great story about a granddaughter and her grandmother's life. How they determine what love is and finding it.


Forest Walking: Discovering the Trees and Woodlands of North America
reviewed on + 701 more book reviews


This is a charming book for adults and teens about what to look for and think about as you explore forests. While it contains a lot of interesting information and suggestions, since it covers all of North America, it also discusses a lot of kinds of trees you may not be familiar with.

I live in New England, so I know oaks, beeches, birches, hemlocks, pines, maples, larches and aspens. But I don't know cypresses, redwoods or tupelos. Ditto for the bugs and animals - they're different in different regions.

If you live in or near the forests of New England, I recommend instead Tom Wessel's books, especially "Reading the Forested Landscape: A Natural History of New England." That book was a revelation to me.


Seating Arrangements (Vintage Contemporaries)
reviewed on + 46 more book reviews


saw this book at my local used bookstore and was immediately attracted to it due to the beautiful blue cover. Unfortunately, one should not judge a book by its cover.

Anyway, this is the first time I have not been able to finish the first chapter of a book. The pace is very slow, and the writing is extremely tedious.

Thus, I can not recommend this book and will not be reading any additional books written by this author.


The Flight Attendant
cowanrn avatar reviewed on + 29 more book reviews


I found it very slow. I really disliked the main character which did not help


Out of the Blackout
MKSbooklady avatar reviewed on + 1042 more book reviews


The second half of this book dragged for me, pleasant enough for a quick read.


The World War II 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Figures of the Second World War
hardtack avatar reviewed on + 2850 more book reviews


Anytime you have a book listing the "100 Most.....," you know there are going to be problems. This is often because the authors make statements proving they didn't do enough research. And this book is a good example. In the first 100 pages of this book I identified over 20 problems and then stopped listing them. When you see this many mistakes, you wonder how many you missed. And you also wonder why the research wasn't as thorough as it should have been. I won't list all here, but I will point out some interesting ones.

The official name of the Medal of Honor is simply that. While often referred to as the Congressional Medal of Honor, fortunately Congress has no role in determining who receives that award.

Despite what is often believed, the costliest project of the war was not the atomic bomb, but the B-29 program.

The author has U.S. paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division "dropped" into Bastogne. Actually they were trucked in.

The author has a really weird explanation as to where the term "blitzkrieg" originated. In all my reading about World War II and the American Civil War, I have never seen this mentioned.

The author properly gives credit to the Poles for duplicating the German Enigma coding machine and breaking its code. But he makes up a story about how they did that which disagrees with every book I've ever read on this subject. Plus, this machine was originally developed for use in the commercial sector, not for the German military. And the author continues to repeat the myth the British allowed the city of Coventry to be bombed to avoid the Germans realizing the British had broken the Enigma code.

Hitler was not obligated to declare war on the U.S. after it was attacked by Japan. The Tripartite Act required him to do so only if Japan was attacked. But Hitler stupidly declared war on the U.S. I bet the British jumped for joy when he did that.

The author also repeats the myth the Japanese Army intended to invade Australia. Japanese documents captured after the war revealed this was never planned.

The author discusses the German jet fighter, but, like many other historians, neglects to mention the British Gloster Meteor jet fighter which saw combat from July 1944 on. The U.S. also had a jet fighter, the P-80 Shooting Star, but it arrived too late for active duty in Europe during the war.

When one of the crews of Doolittle's attack on Japan in 1942 landed in Russia, they were not interned until the end of the War as the author states. After several months, they were transferred to a Soviet base near Iraq, where they "escaped" and then rejoined U.S. forces in Iraq.

There are also some interesting typos. One example is calling members of the Japanese Navy "troops" instead of sailors.

In a photograph on page 254, the caption states Italian Count Ciano is sitting to the left of Hitler. When it fact he is to Hitler's right. Another photograph on page 132 identifies British General Montgomery as being on the left. Actually, he is on the right.

Normally, I wouldn't have read this book, but the author didn't select the most important people, or even the greatest, but instead chose the most influential figures. And that intrigued me. In his introduction, he admits his choices will be contested, but he will "defend to the death the choice of the top-ranking eight individuals." And he states people will be surprised as to whom he picked for #1. I was too. But I have to admit he had a good reason for doing so.

At the end of the book, which was published in 2002, the author also lists Honorable Mentions. But he also list a number of Dishonorable Mentions. One such person was Iva Toguri D'Aquino. Initially identified as a "Toyko Rose," post war investigators released her for lack of evidence. In fact, this American citizen risked her life providing food to captured U.S. prisoners. But in 1949, overeager journalists decided she was a good story. Arrested by the FBI on evidence which was later proven to be false, she spent six years of a ten-year term in prison. She was released when government officials reviewed her case. She received a full pardon in 1977. The Dishonorable Mention really belongs to the author for continuing to slander her.

If this book has any value, it is for someone new to World War II history. Hopefully, some of the stories in this book will grab their attention and they will then read more deeply into the history of those individuals. Readers of World War II history might also read it to review the author's perspective on the individuals he lists. And finally, I have to admit learning some things I didn't know before reading this book.


The Clothes On Their Backs: A Novel
reviewed on + 396 more book reviews


Strange read


A K-9 Christmas Reunion (K-9 Companions, Bk 25) (Love Inspired, No 1599) (Larger Print)
reviewed on + 3737 more book reviews


Struggling to manage his fatherâs dementia while raising two young sons widow or Nathan Crenshaw is desperate for help that is until his dadâs new service dog arrives with the unexpected gas trainer Gemma Spencer, the woman who broke his heart 15 years ago now Nathan must spend the holidays working alongside his first love and ignoring the rocky history, but when Jim steps up for his family after year tragedy, old feelings start to resurface with their future, uncertain, matchmaking relatives And a canine turn the new year into their second chance?


Elvira Vance and the Monster Mystery
BoysMom avatar reviewed on + 1008 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1


Elvira Vance and the Monster Mystery by Kacy Ritter

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Suspenseful and fun middle-grade adventure where young supernatural sleuths investigate the disappearance of some of their monster neighbors.

Elvira Vance and the Monster Mystery by Kacy Ritter is a fun and exciting paranormal middle-school novel about a team of young investigators looking into the disappearance of a number of monsters from their community right before the annual Marfa Monster Festival, the biggest event of the year. Half-siren Elvira Vance is the daughter of the owners of Vince Vance's Vintage Trailer Park Inn for Monsters and a budding detective. When some of her monster neighbors begin to go missing, she and her two best friends, Mari, a chupacabra, and Emilio, a human and photography enthusiast, jump at the chance to investigate, especially when the official detective, a human from the local town of Marfa, Texas, shows up to take over the case.

In the years since monsters of all kinds came out into the open, there had been an uneasy truce between them and the humans. However, the local mayor, Guff McCoy, had been doing his level best to stir up fear and hate in the human community. With tensions between the species about to boil over, and finders from both camps pointing at the other, Elvira, Mari, and Emilio know they must get to the bottom of the disappearances before things explode.

What a delightful children's/middle-grade story of monsters and mystery, unknowns and underdogs! Elvira is a confident character, certain that she and her team can crack the case before the adult human can, and they do uncover clues that Detective Ace Price has no way of obtaining. I enjoyed the trio's investigations and their questioning of a variety of mythical beings in the process. While Elvira, Mari, and Emilio frequently disobey their parents, they seem to generally believe they have no choice and accept their punishments, when caught, without complaining. However, they readily continue to break those same rules without ever fully explaining what they're involved in with their parents, and perhaps avoiding some of their problems. As they gather their clues and build their case, twists in the plot rule out a couple of major suspects. The eventual reveal is a surprise, and the action leading up to the resolution is shocking and exciting.

I recommend ELVIRA VANCE AND THE MONSTER MYSTERY to readers of middle-grade paranormal fiction, action, and adventure. However, not only will middle-grade readers enjoy the adventure, but the book will also work well as a read-aloud selection for younger children.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy through Toppling Stacks Tours.



Murder at Somerset House (A Wrexford & Sloane Mystery)
reviewed on + 162 more book reviews


I got this book from the publisher for an honest review. It came by way of goodreads giveaway.

Positives first. The book is well plotted and well written. The twists and timing are about right to hold you in the story. The main plot points were well researched and there were no glaring anachronism that I caught as far as technology or living conditions.

Negatives:
The characters are cardboard cut outs. Good people are always good. Bad people are always bad. No one has doubt, self-doubt or disagrees with the way the investigation is handled. Everyone's foibles contribute to the plot. There is a new kid in the house with a traumatic background and a little understandable dysfunction. The family and the kid both adjust with just a few murmured curses between the teens.

A big thing that is irritating is the anachronism of thought. Penrose makes the common mistake of assuming her own cultural narrative. She then forces her early 19th century characters into it. The men of the early 1800s weren't all ogres that locked their women in the house and went out and had adventures or did business. In the early 19th century both men and women believed that men and women had different kinds of brains, that an honorable man would protect and provide for his woman because she was smaller, and that a decent woman would honor her man. A woman's honor was in the children she produced. We may find these ideas odd and patronizing, but they were universally believed at the time. Generally, intelligent women invested themselves in the education of their children, managed a large household staff, planned for the care of everyone in the household including family, related dependents, and servants, helped with childbirth in the household including of servants, and kept her man together, well dressed and on time. She did not see these tasks as demeaning, but invested her whole self into them because everyone knew that the success of the family was largely due to the background activities of the mother. There were well read women in this period and lady mathematicians. In most cases this was an interest, but their vocation was at home. Both men and women were expected to think more of the needs of their spouse and children than of their own. A man who encouraged his wife to work was not seen as progressive, rather he was seen as negligent even abusive. It is true that the upper classes such as Earls could and often did have unconventional families, but they had them within the cultural narrative. If ones wife wanted to be a 21st century woman, a 19th century husband would believe he had failed in making her feel safe and loved and feel great guilt because of it.
#Kensingstonbooks #AndreaPenrose #Goodreadsgiveaways


79 Park Avenue
79 Park Avenue
Author: Harold Robbins
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Book Type: Paperback
reviewed on + 10 more book reviews


This book is very old. if the reader remembers the time period, it is very enjoyable. classic Harold Robbins.


Armies of Pestilence: The Impact of Disease on History
hardtack avatar reviewed on + 2850 more book reviews


As an entomologist who also loved history, I used to write and lecture about how insects affected history. This was mostly due to the diseases they vectored. As such, I was asked to write the section on "Insects and History" for the four-volume Encyclopedia of Entomology.

But I also became interested in diseases not vectored by insects, which also affected mankind's history, and did a lot of reading in that area too.

I already have a copy of this book in my library. If you are looking for a thrilling, novel-like story, this isn't the book for you. But if you are interested in how diseases affected history, this book is a good start.


Reviews 1 to 25 of 157
Show results per page.
Page: