594 ratings | 82 reviews | avg rating:4.74

J.J.’s Year In Books

J.J.’s 2025 Year in Books

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J.J. Brown

Goodreads Author

Born

The United States

Website

http://www.jjbrownauthor.com

Genre

Fiction, Memoir, Horror

Influences

Lousie Erdrich, Maya Angelou, Edgar Allan Poe ...more

Member Since

June 2011

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/jjbrownauthor

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Jennifer J. Brown is an independent author, scientist and publisher with a passion for nature and family. Publications include science communications, health news, narrative nonfiction, and fiction including novels, short stories and poems as J.J.Brown. Genres include memoir, literary and contemporary noir fiction and suspense. When the Baby Is Not OK: Hopes & Genes, is her newest book publishing in February, 2025.

An incorrigible storyteller originally from the Catskill Mountain region of New York, Brown continued creative writing during a career as a molecular biologist, science writer and director, editor and public health advocate in Philadelphia, Miami and NYC.

Brown completed a PhD in Genetics from her research with Nobel Prize winner ...more

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J.J. Brown’s books

Average rating: 4.13 · 286 ratings · 95 reviews · 15 distinct works

	Death and the Dream 4.57 avg rating — 23 ratings — published 2011 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Comorbidity: Expressions of Love 4.37 avg rating — 19 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Vector a Modern Love Story 4.50 avg rating — 16 ratings — published 2011 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Brindle 24 4.47 avg rating — 15 ratings — published 2012 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Mosquito Song: Dreams in Old San Juan 3.61 avg rating — 18 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Doctor's Dreams 4.44 avg rating — 9 ratings — published 2014 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	American Dream 4.88 avg rating — 8 ratings — published 2012 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Natural Supernatural Love 4.50 avg rating — 8 ratings — published 2012 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Finest Mask it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 5 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Stream and Shale Coloring Storybook 4.60 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2013	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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J.J. Brown's Blog

Scary Stories for Halloween Reads

“We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.”― Stephen King Scary stories are a Halloween tradition, and this fall more than ever before I do need some make believe to cope with the wild changes in our world! Here are a few of my published books touching on macabre and psychological […]

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Published on October 27, 2025 11:08

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J.J.’s Recent Updates

J.J. Brown rated a book it was amazing Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Delightfully told story from the POV of a spirit who had recently died, then tells all, with an omniscient view. Witty and also deeply troubling as a metaphor, "saving fish from drowning" is likened by one character to invading another culture in ord ...more
Dec 29, 2025 06:09AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy Tan <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
J.J. Brown is now following Amy Tan Author of The Joy Luck Club
Dec 29, 2025 06:09AM · like
J.J. Brown rated a book it was amazing The Applicant by Nazli Koca (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Beautifully done storytelling, The Applicant made me open my eyes and heart to experiences of people leaving their home countries and surviving in surprising ways. Living in NYC, nearly everyone I know came from somewhere else earlier in their lives, ...more
Dec 19, 2025 07:40AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Applicant by Nazli Koca. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Applicant by Nazli Koca <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
J.J. Brown is now following Nazli Koca Author of The Applicant
Dec 19, 2025 07:40AM · like
J.J. Brown rated a book it was amazing What Storm, What Thunder by Myriam J. A. Chancy (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
A heartrending retelling of the historical earthquake in Haiti, from many points of views by a cast of relatable characters, this book is a masterpiece. Fiction, but close to fact and deeply moving.
Dec 18, 2025 12:28PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of What Storm, What Thunder by Myriam J. A. Chancy. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — What Storm, What Thunder by Myriam J. A. Chancy <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
J.J. Brown rated a book it was amazing The Extinction of Irena Rey by Jennifer Croft (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
A brilliant adventure that bares the dangers of idolizing any other person - in this novel, a famous author - is a fascinating read. Jennifer Croft's writing sparkles with wit and constant surprises. A mystery, a romp, a moral tale. So well done! ...more
Dec 16, 2025 06:46AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Extinction of Irena Rey by Jennifer Croft. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Extinction of Irena Rey by Jennifer Croft <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
J.J. Brown rated a book it was amazing Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life by Carl Zimmer (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Enlightening view into the dynamic changing world of bacteria ( E. coli) genes and their complex and clever lives. Even having studied biology and genetics myself, I was amazed at all the new info Carl Zimmer shares in this very readable book. It's a ...more
Dec 15, 2025 05:39AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Microcosm by Carl Zimmer. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Microcosm by Carl Zimmer <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
J.J. Brown rated a book it was amazing Capital City: Gentrification and the Real Estate State by Samuel Stein	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Remarkable, eye opening analysis of how land deals shape the history and present of the city I live in, New York City, and the US, politically. The writing is detailed and well referenced, and credible while at the same time showing seemingly impossi ...more
Nov 23, 2025 02:44PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Capital City by Samuel Stein. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Capital City by Samuel Stein <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
J.J. Brown and 867 other people liked Lexi Santa Maria's review of Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice: "May Virginia's disgusting monster of a father never know a day of peace. May Virginia's despicable mother never know a day not filled with pain. May Forest never know anything other than suffering and anguish. You're all horrible vermin and it's impo" Read more of this review »
Oct 22, 2025 03:22PM · see review
J.J. Brown and 237 other people liked Donna's review of Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice: "Unputdownable. Giuffre's courageous memoir provides a glimpse into the corrupt, evil world of Jeffrey Epstein and shows how deeply entrenched he was in various spheres of power around the world. It reads like Guiffre is in the room talking with us. G" Read more of this review »
Oct 22, 2025 03:22PM · see review

More of J.J.'s books…

Quotes by J.J. Brown (?)

“Mother took the pie out of the oven and it hissed fragrant apple, maple, cinnamon steam through the knife cuts in the top crust. She was making her world beautiful. She was making her world delicious. It could be done, and if anyone could do it, she could.”
― J.J. Brown, Death and the Dream

tags: apple-pie, baking, pie

8 likes

“He remembers a verse from the mystic poet, Rumi, Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.”
― J.J. Brown, American Dream

tags: rumi, rumi-poetry

7 likes

“So much for land ownership, Henry thinks; it's a modern myth. You can buy and sell rights to use the land; you can't actually own it. He tries to remember who said, the land doesn't belong to you, you belong to the land; the author was certainly Native American, but he can't pin down the source.”
― J.J. Brown, Brindle 24

tags: land, native-american-wisdom, ownership

5 likes

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Topics Mentioning This Author

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J.J.’s Quotes

“For those who have an intense urge for Spirit and wisdom, it sits
near them, waiting.”
― Patanjali, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

99 likes

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!”
― John Anster, The First Part Of Goethe's Faust

tags: inspirational, misattributed-goethe

2350 likes

“A person hears only what they understand.”
― Johann wolfgang von Goethe

729 likes

“To think is easy. To act is hard. But the hardest thing in the world is to act in accordance with your thinking.”
― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

989 likes

“Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength.”
― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

416 likes

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J.J.’s Groups

Goodreads Librarians Group — 306481 members — last activity 1 minute ago
Goodreads Librarians are volunteers who help ensure the accuracy of information about books and authors in the Goodreads' catalog. The Goodreads Libra ...more

Goodreads Authors/Readers — 55744 members — last activity 22 minutes ago
This group is dedicated to connecting readers with Goodreads authors. It is divided by genres, and includes folders for writing resources, book websit ...more

Philosophy — 5770 members — last activity Dec 26, 2025 10:46AM
What is Philosophy? Why is it important? How do you use it? This group looks at these questions and others: ethics, government, economics, skepticism, ...more

¡ POETRY ! — 22582 members — last activity Dec 24, 2025 01:37PM
No pretensions: just poetry. Stop by, recommend books, offer up poems (excerpted), tempt us, taunt us, tell us what to read and where to go (to read No pretensions: just poetry. Stop by, recommend books, offer up poems (excerpted), tempt us, taunt us, tell us what to read and where to go (to read it!) Goodreads honors wordsmiths: poets and poetry promoted and prompted here. ~~~ "Poetry is the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits." -- Carl Sandburg “God has a brown voice, as soft and full as beer.” —Anne Sexton On Clouds – “…what primitive tastes the ancients must have had if their poets were inspired by those absurd, untidy clumps of mist, idiotically jostling one another about…” —Yevgeny Zamyatin “If the poet wants to be a poet, the poet must force the poet to revise. If the poet doesn’t wish to revise, let the poet abandon poetry and take up stamp-collecting or real estate.” —Donald Hall “Poetry is a rich, full-bodied whistle, cracked ice crunching in pails, the night that numbs the leaf, the duel of two nightingales, the sweet pea that has run wild, Creation’s tears in shoulder blades.” —Boris Pasternak “Wanted: a needle swift enough to sew this poem into a blanket.” —Charles Simic “Language is a cracked kettle on which we beat out tunes for bears to dance to, while all the time we long to move the stars to pity.” —Gustave Flaubert “Poetry is not an expression of the party line. It’s that time of night, lying in bed, thinking what you really think, making the private world public, that’s what the poet does.” —Allen Ginsberg. ~~~~~ Amy King, Moderator Amy King is the recipient of the 2015 Winner of the WNBA Award (Women’s National Book Association). Her latest collection, The Missing Museum, is a winner of the 2015 Tarpaulin Sky Book Prize. She serves on the executive board of VIDA: Women in Literary Arts and is co-editing with Heidi Lynn Staples the anthology, Big Energy Poets of the Anthropocene: When Ecopoets Think Climate Change. She is also co-editing the anthology, Bettering American Poetry 2015, and is an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at SUNY Nassau Community College. ...more

THE JAMES MASON COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB — 6691 members — last activity 6 hours, 51 min ago
ALL GENRE COMMUNITY OF BOOK LOVERS-Perfect for those interested in good books of any genre, film and lively discussion!- from current fiction, thrille ...more

Literary Fiction — 13 members — last activity Mar 29, 2013 06:04AM
A group only for discussing literary fiction novels, old and new.

Abbeys Bookshop — 16 members — last activity May 16, 2012 06:00PM
Born in 1968, Abbey's at 131 York Street is one of Sydney's most loved independent bookstores - an Aladdin's cave for readers! ...more

Author Marketing - Resources, Exchanges, & Challenges — 1608 members — last activity 2 hours, 2 min ago
This group is for all authors who want to learn about marketing for the purpose of increasing book sales. This group will include: 1) Marketing Resou ...more

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J.J.’s Friend Comments

Comments (showing 1-8) post a comment »

date

newest »

message 8: by J.J.

Feb 18, 2012 02:44PM

Rachel wrote: "Hi, thanks for the invite, if you're ever looking for a reviewer or a book to read then stop by my website for all details www.rnhadley.webs.com"

Hi Rachel, your Book Review site is great - I'll be in touch there about book reviews for fiction. Thanks, J.J.

reply | flag

message 7: by Rachel

Feb 18, 2012 01:41PM

Hi, thanks for the invite, if you're ever looking for a reviewer or a book to read then stop by my website for all details www.rnhadley.webs.com

reply | flag

message 6: by J.J.

Feb 03, 2012 10:01AM

Charlotte wrote: "Thank you for your friendship on Goodreads, J.J. Am fascinated by the preview of your novel, 'Vector A Modern Love Story.' Interested in reading it and have entered to win one of your copies. Wish ..."

Hi Charlotte, I love the book give-away feature at Goodreads. I hope you enjoy Vector. - J.J.Brown

reply | flag

message 5: by J.J.

Feb 03, 2012 10:00AM

Katherine wrote: "Glad to meet you, J. J. You have fascinating influences and I'm interested in your blog! The gibbous moon caught me at once - Katherine"

Hi Katherine, I try to post in the online journal at least once a week. Thank you for sharing your comments. -J.J.Brown

reply | flag

message 4: by R.S.

Jan 16, 2012 10:34AM

Hello, J.J. Thanks for the friendship invite!

reply | flag

message 3: by Charlotte

Jan 15, 2012 04:03PM

Thank you for your friendship on Goodreads, J.J. Am fascinated by the preview of your novel, 'Vector A Modern Love Story.' Interested in reading it and have entered to win one of your copies. Wish you much success.

~Charlotte

reply | flag

message 2: by Jill

Jan 15, 2012 03:39PM

Thanks, J.J. for your friendship on Goodreads.

reply | flag

message 1: by Katherine

Jan 15, 2012 03:34PM

Glad to meet you, J. J. You have fascinating influences and I'm interested in your blog! The gibbous moon caught me at once - Katherine

reply | flag

J.J.’s Year In Books

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