mhinnen's reviews
372 reviews

The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley

3.75

Good escapism. High school mean girl grows up and the crows are circling. Told in the current time at the opening weekend of the "Manor" from different POVs, the "day after," and flashbacks through diary entries, The Midnight Feast is light reading with a steady pace. I didn't get bored but never felt like I couldn't put it down either (and the chapters are short enough for when I had just a few minutes to read). 

James by Percival Everett

adventurous challenging emotional funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

I've never read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn so I can't really compare the character of Jim in the two books. But I can say, that "James" stands on its own with splendid storytelling. I listened to the audiobook over several car rides and cringed at the use of N word throughout as well as the cruelty of racism that is so evident even as I laughed out loud and cheered at other points. This is a story of a man transcending the bounds of mental slavery, finding a way out of physical slavery, and using the inherent entrapments of systems of slavery against the perpetrators. What was perhaps an "adventure" for Huck Finn is a journey of escape and survival for James. The use of language and humor is brilliant. 

 In general, while the narration was really well done in the audiobook, I think this is the kind of book to sit down with and read in one or two sittings, going back and savoring turns of phrase and word choices. 

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

medium-paced

4.0

Unique story that combines stories within stories, history, a bit of mystical mystery and connecting past and present. Some of it felt a little complicated and hard to follow but I enjoyed each POV and appreciated the creative story lines and how they intersected. 

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

slow-paced

3.5

This was a well written and complex story. It took me way too long to read it though and I lost track of the characters and events. It never really pulled me in. Still, the writing is beautiful and I thought the last section brought it together for a satisfying ending. 

Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

medium-paced

3.25

Strong character development and storytelling from different points of view so the reader knows what’s happening in each character’s head and heart even though it’s not communicated to each other. I appreciated that the book deals with social anxiety and kidney donation (the author could have dropped in some facts about the racial inequality of kidney disease and treatment). The book was a good read to get me out of a slump. Easy enough to read on the train or when I was tired and the humor and storyline kept me coming back. That said it felt a little too drawn out and I started losing sympathy for the characters. Especially Briana’s emotional whiplash and Jacob’s behavior felt a bit obsessive and smothering to me at times. 

When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion by Julie Satow
Did not finish book.

It was okay. Didn’t grab me and I had to return it to the library before I finished it. I appreciate the focus on women in business. 

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I listened to the audiobook. Good descriptive story that was great for long car rides. Would you exchange your soul to escape a life that’s been assigned to you? Addie LaRue escapes her life by making a deal that allows her to live for centuries but no one remembers her nice she is out of sight . . . Until Henry. This book has a lot of words (for example every smell has like five descriptions) so choosing Julia Whalen as a narrator made all the difference. 

Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

"This is the story of our family, Baz once told her. And their mom, who’d overheard him, said, That’s true, Baz, but not only. Because our history is everyone’s history. Our history is American history."

When I was in college, I took a class on African American history and wrote a paper about the tradition and art of quilting - the familial stories that quilts told and passed on through generations. "Good Dirt" is a powerful novel about six generations of the Freeman family, all connected by a 20-gallon clay jar that serves as a vessel of their stories—stories that encompass enslavement, tragedy, affluence, and collective healing. 

At the heart of the novel is Ebby, who as a child witnessed the tragic death of her brother. In the present day, she finds herself left at the wedding altar, grappling with how to reclaim her life. Wilkerson expertly shifts between the perspectives of various characters, from those who were stolen and enslaved to those who escaped, and from Ebby's parents and grandparents to others connected to the family's history. The clay pot, known as "Old Mo," becomes a symbol of survival, made under forced labor but bearing a literal hidden message that resonates through time.

Wilkerson weaves these complex stories with skill and depth, creating a narrative that is both intricate and moving.

I was thrilled to receive an advanced copy of this book, which is set to be published in January. I highly recommend adding "Good Dirt" to your 2025 reading list.
#GoodDirt #NetGalley

Behind You Is the Sea by Susan Muaddi Darraj

3.0

With each chapter the reader gets to know different Palestinian families in Baltimore - work, love, family, joys, traditions, intergenerational struggles, and connections with their home country. It was hard for me to keep track of the different characters and their relationships with one another. It was also hard to keep track of how much time had passed when a character re-emerged. Each chapter featured a different story but didn't really follow it through and the stories of different characters never converge to form a full narrative. 

The Same Bright Stars by Ethan Joella

4.0

Perfect end-of-summer beach read. I bought and read this for a book group meeting with the author but wasn't able to finish it in time. I so wish I had made it work because I would love to meet the author of this incredibly sweet book. 

Jack is in his early 50s, never married, and running his family's restaurant in a small beach town. We get to know the lives and characters who are in and out of his life. None of his family is alive anymore and he is well-loved by the people in the community, his staff, and others who become like family to him. He's just a "good guy" who is looking forward to retiring even though he can't imagine what life will be like without the restaurant to absorb his every waking moment.  

Like all beach towns, there is a sense of resistance and resignation to the obscene corporate development that is changing the unique charming vibe for locals and tourists.  

The book follows a year in Jack's life, season by season. I'd love to read the next chapter of his story.