mhinnen's reviews
375 reviews

Death as a Fine Art by Sharon Linnéa

5.0

When the weather outside is frightful, embrace a spirit of hiraeth, settle in by the fire with a tray of gingerbread cookies and your favorite libation, and dive into the latest Bartender’s Guide to Murder.

In Death as a Fine Art, Avalon’s tranquility is threatened when her workplace becomes the set of a TV gingerbread bake-off, her boundary-pushing mom makes a surprise visit, a storm looms, and—oh yes—a man is shot and killed on the settee in the lobby. Despite her best efforts to avoid getting involved, Avalon is drawn into solving the murder, which appears linked to an art-related crime ring.

Avalon also is concerned with keeping her mom safe. Amid the chaos, the two navigate their complicated relationship, leaning into each other’s strengths to outsmart an unknown assassin. Their teamwork was a heartwarming highlight for me especially when the blizzard hits.

Once again, Linnea delivers vivid, diverse characters (though I missed Avalon’s friend, Hannah, who is out of town in this book). She enriches the story with layers of historical detail including spotlighting forgotten women artists. Avalon is a multidimensional young woman —conscientious, compassionate, independent, and undeniably badass while figuring out her life and growing as part of the Tranquility community.

And, of course, the cocktail recipes at the end of each chapter are a special treat. I especially loved the ones that incorporated cookie crumbs.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

4.0

I love how Fiona Davis centers iconic NYC landmarks in her historical novels—and that she always clarifies which parts are fabricated. This time, she takes us into The Met’s Egyptian exhibition during the museum's final preparations for its famous gala.

I recently read, "All the Beauty in the World," which is also about the Metropolitan Museum of Art. "The Stolen Queen" dovetails nicely adding an air of mystery and reflections on different eras. We meet Charlotte, a young American archaeologist who builds a life in 1936 Egypt, only for it to end in tragedy. During her time there, she makes an exciting discovery that shockingly resurfaces in 1978 NYC. In a field dominated by men, Charlotte treads carefully to avoid threatening male egos.  The story weaves between decades and across locations—NYC, Luxor, and Cairo—in an intriguing caper.

In 1978, 19-year-old,  Annie, a born-and-raised New Yorker, is searching for a mentor to guide her. She finds herself at The Met, assisting with the gala, where her path crosses with Charlotte’s. Together, they form a team that surpasses societal and personal expectations. Annie’s storyline was touching, though I felt her separate POV wasn’t entirely necessary.

 Davis raises compelling ethical questions about the repatriation of artifacts—who decides what’s displayed, and who has the right to access it, if anyone. I also loved the storyline around Charlotte’s research on the female Pharaoh Hathorkare.

I couldn’t put this down during the final third of the book, as decades (and even centuries!) of mysteries are solved layer by layer, with plenty of twists and turns. There were moments that I gasped and others that made me cry. 

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams

4.0

This is a delightful romance. Tia Williams' writing is funny, heartfelt, and oh can she produce some sultry smoldering passion scenes! I love Seven Days in June, and this has a similar vibe though I think the mystical edge made it a little less interesting to me. Still, I loved Ezra and Ricki and was rooting for them. 

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.