- BookBrowse
- Posts
- Books That Give You Goosebumps
Books That Give You Goosebumps
Creative historical fiction, a twisty exploration of loss, and more ...
BookBrowse Highlights
Hello Readers!
This week, we bring you clever, inventive books full of twists and turns. Our current discussions include Evie Woods’ The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris, a WWII tale with a dash of fantastical mystery, and Real Americans by Rachel Khong, a multigenerational immigrant story that incorporates layers of science fiction and suspense.
In First Impressions, The Seven O’Clock Club by Amelia Ireland turns a plot about people seeking to heal from grief into an intriguing exploration of loss that goes in surprising directions.
You can also read our “beyond the book” article about how Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu transformed elements of H. Rider Haggard’s Victorian-era adventure story King Solomon’s Mines in her imaginative historical novel The Creation of Half-Broken People.
And get ready for next month with our list of 100+ May previews!
Thanks for reading,
The BookBrowse Team
Book Club Discussions
Discussions are open to all to view, so if you've read a book, click on "discuss." If you have not, we suggest you go to "about the book" to avoid spoilers.
The Mysterious Bakery on Rue de Paris by Evie Woods
From the Jacket For Edie Lane, a recipe for disaster doesn't require that many ingredients. Take an unhealthy amount of wishful thinking and a sprinkle of desperation and that's how Edie left everything behind in Ireland for her dream job at a bakery in Paris. Except the bakery isn't in Paris — and neither is Edie. From the Discussion “I would recommend this book to those who like historical fiction, particularly in the WWII era. Plus those who like a bit of supernatural mystery.” —Laurie_F |  |
"The book is a cozy and since I’m sick of snow and ice in April in Vermont and was feeling a bit down and mentally lazy, it hit the spot…I loved it.” —Katherine_P
See what people are saying in response to this question: Edie says, “Ever since I could remember, I’d been obsessed with the city of love.” What is it about Paris, in your opinion, that leads so many to think of it in those terms? Have you been to Paris? Would you like to go, if you had a chance?
Real Americans by Rachel Khong
From the Jacket Real Americans begins on the precipice of Y2K in New York City, when twenty-two-year-old Lily Chen, an unpaid intern at a slick media company, meets Matthew. Matthew is everything Lily is not: easygoing and effortlessly attractive, a native East Coaster, and, most notably, heir to a vast pharmaceutical empire. Lily couldn't be more different: flat-broke, raised in Tampa, the only child of scientists who fled Mao's Cultural Revolution. Despite all this, Lily and Matthew fall in love. |  |
From the Discussion
“An American saga rich with historical references and plenty of interesting plot twists…I thoroughly enjoyed the book.” —Mary_H1
“One of the best moments for me while reading occurred at the end of the first section, when I realized that the book that I thought I was reading and enjoying was going to be so much more!” —Laura_D
“I loved the author’s writing style and became immersed in the characters’ lives immediately.” —Melissa_Chaitin
First Impressions
Each month, we share books with BookBrowse members to read and review. Here are their opinions on one recently released title.
The Seven O’Clock Club by Amelia Ireland
“I didn't want to put this book down. The author does an excellent job of moving the reader through the grief processes of four very different people who somehow manage to share a common experience of loss and the healing acceptance of letting go and moving through their pain. I highly recommend this book for anyone experiencing loss and looking for a way to accept and live with it. I think this is a very good book for reading group discussions.” —Melanie B. (Desoto, TX) “You will be surprised by what you learn about each character and perhaps even a bit about yourself. I thoroughly enjoyed this exploration.” —Barbara J. (Tucker, GA) |  |
“There is a huge ‘U-turn’ or ‘wtf’ moment that gave me full – body – chills. Isn't that one of the best feelings ever — When a book can do this!?! As a matter of fact, I got full goosebumps five or six times reading the novel.” —Darcy C. (San Diego, CA)
For Members
This issue of The BookBrowse Review contains reviews and "beyond the book" articles for 14 titles, including The Pretender by Jo Harkin, Stag Dance by Torrey Peters, and The Creation of Half-Broken People by Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu. We also bring you our list of The Most Popular Book Club Books of 2024, previews, author interviews, and more. Not Yet a Member? Do you love to spend your reading hours immersed in captivating storytelling and intriguing ideas? Then a BookBrowse membership is for you! What you see on BookBrowse for free and in this newsletter is just a small part of what is available to members—for just $5.00/month! Join Today! |  |
Beyond the Book
The Influence of King Solomon's Mines on The Creation of Half-Broken People
King Solomon's Mines, a novel by H. Rider Haggard, is referenced throughout Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu's African gothic historical fiction work The Creation of Half-Broken People. Haggard wrote a few of his African characters with a modicum of sympathy, but the book reflects the common British imperialist mindset of the era, and is profoundly racist. This might make one wonder why Ndlovu used King Solomon's Mines as a starting point for a novel that speaks to racism in Africa. She has said in interviews that it was Haggard's depiction of the character Gagool that inspired her. … continued Review by Kim Kovacs |  |
May Previews
We know it can be tough to keep up with all the new books coming out every month, so we do the hard work for you. We've carefully selected 100+ of the most noteworthy books publishing in May and are continually updating our selections — check them out and get yourself on the library waitlist ahead of the crowd! BookBrowse members can see, sort, and download the full list of previews for all months. Non-subscribers can view books up to the current month and a limited selection of future months. |  |
If you don't already, you may also wish to subscribe to our Publishing This Week newsletter.
Become a Member
Being a member has truly expanded my reading world. While I have always been a reader, I have read books I wouldn’t have otherwise known about if not for BookBrowse. Thank you!
Reply