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mhinnen's reviews
377 reviews
By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult
challenging
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Melina is a struggling 21st century playwright in a male dominated industry. Emilia Bassano is a playwright in Elizabethan society where women do not have a voice. Both put their work under the cover of a man’s name in order to have it read and performed even if they do not get credit. Melina’s play is about her ancestor, Emilia Bassano, whose plays are written under the name of William Shakespeare.
As always, Jodi Picoult engages the complexity of inequity and inequality with deeply researched material. As someone who loves Broadway theatre, I appreciated Melina’s storyline about race and gender and unconscious bias on the part of critics. Since 2020, I have been delighted to see the shift in the production of more diverse shows even as the author points out, there is a long way to go.
That said, the heart of this novel was about Emilia’s story. What if, as much of the evidence suggests, according to Picoult, Shakespeare had a writer’s group who for a variety of reasons gave him their plays to be produced under his name? What if one of the first published woman poets, Emilia Bassano, is responsible for works like Romeo and Juliet but because of her gender and societal position, she had to keep her name a secret? I loved this thread of the book - both Emilia’s life and how it fit in with and inspired the plays she may have written.
As much as Melina’s story was important as a vehicle for telling Emilia’s story and for highlighting that these inequalities still exist, it made the book way too long. In the context of this dual timeline, the love interest for Melina was completely unnecessary as was her relationship with her father. These timelines could have been two novels. Or Melina’s playwright story could have book ended Emilia’s epic biography as imagined by Picoult. There also seemed to be some repetition that was unnecessary and some that seemed unintentional - repeated phrases just a few pages apart. The characters in Emilia’s narrative were referred to by different names which was confusing.
I loved the premise and Picoult weaves together a compelling historical novel. But I had a hard time getting through the 500 pages and keeping track of what was happening and who all of the characters were.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. #ByAnyOtherName #Netgalley
As always, Jodi Picoult engages the complexity of inequity and inequality with deeply researched material. As someone who loves Broadway theatre, I appreciated Melina’s storyline about race and gender and unconscious bias on the part of critics. Since 2020, I have been delighted to see the shift in the production of more diverse shows even as the author points out, there is a long way to go.
That said, the heart of this novel was about Emilia’s story. What if, as much of the evidence suggests, according to Picoult, Shakespeare had a writer’s group who for a variety of reasons gave him their plays to be produced under his name? What if one of the first published woman poets, Emilia Bassano, is responsible for works like Romeo and Juliet but because of her gender and societal position, she had to keep her name a secret? I loved this thread of the book - both Emilia’s life and how it fit in with and inspired the plays she may have written.
As much as Melina’s story was important as a vehicle for telling Emilia’s story and for highlighting that these inequalities still exist, it made the book way too long. In the context of this dual timeline, the love interest for Melina was completely unnecessary as was her relationship with her father. These timelines could have been two novels. Or Melina’s playwright story could have book ended Emilia’s epic biography as imagined by Picoult. There also seemed to be some repetition that was unnecessary and some that seemed unintentional - repeated phrases just a few pages apart. The characters in Emilia’s narrative were referred to by different names which was confusing.
I loved the premise and Picoult weaves together a compelling historical novel. But I had a hard time getting through the 500 pages and keeping track of what was happening and who all of the characters were.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. #ByAnyOtherName #Netgalley
Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby
Did not finish book.
Did not finish book.
It was funny, raw, and real. And I liked that since they are essays, I could easily pick it up when I was between novels to fill in time (more meaningful than doom scrolling but not too deep). It was very graphic and a bit over the top for me. This was a library book that expired before I finished it.
The Bird Hotel by Joyce Maynard
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Irene is on the edge of despair with no family or roots and finds herself on a bus that leads to a boat that drops her in a remote village at a hotel in a Central American country. As her life unfolds, we follow Irene's whimsical moments, stories of the hotel guests, and relationships with both indigenous and gringo local residents. Irene experiences healing, loss, disappointment, and betrayal in the decades that follow.
I was in Costa Rica when I read this and appreciated her observations about ex-pats who love the place so much that they move there and who sometimes assimilate and contribute but more often shift the culture with unintentional consequences (and eventually exploitation and opportunistic greed come calling). That said, it's important to note that the author is painting a story that comes from her own perceptions and tells the story of indigenous people through her own lens.
The Bird Hotel is told with beautiful storytelling and engaging character development. The descriptions of the village are enchanting. This was a heartfelt vacation book.
I was in Costa Rica when I read this and appreciated her observations about ex-pats who love the place so much that they move there and who sometimes assimilate and contribute but more often shift the culture with unintentional consequences (and eventually exploitation and opportunistic greed come calling). That said, it's important to note that the author is painting a story that comes from her own perceptions and tells the story of indigenous people through her own lens.
The Bird Hotel is told with beautiful storytelling and engaging character development. The descriptions of the village are enchanting. This was a heartfelt vacation book.
The Sicilian Inheritance by Jo Piazza
A dual timeline uncovers Serafina’s story while Sara in the present day is also facing unknown dangers and the past and present collide and Jo Piazza leads us through a masterful web. It don’t want to say more because there are so many twists and turns that had me cheering and crying.
#TheSicilianInheritance #NetGalley
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
“Astarte . . . is a way of life, a spirit, a story we pass down, a way of reminding ourselves that the only way for a woman to survive in this world is to help other women. The stories get passed down through some of the families, but they were lost for many generations.”
In The Sicilian Inheritance, we get to know Sara whose life is already falling apart when her beloved aunt dies. Before her death, Rosalia prepares a mission for Sara - to go back to their Sicilian roots and claim the land Rosalia had inherited and that will now be Sara’s. While there, Rosalia wants Sara to investigate the death of Rosalia’s mother, Sarafina, a hundred years previously.
Told from the POV of both Sara and Sarafina, we enter a world of organized crime, small town gossip, love affairs, and characters whose trustworthiness is questionable. I loved it! Sarafina’s reputation in the present time is one of a witchy promiscuous woman who died a heretic though her family in the US always remembered her as a saint who died of the flu.
A dual timeline uncovers Serafina’s story while Sara in the present day is also facing unknown dangers and the past and present collide and Jo Piazza leads us through a masterful web. It don’t want to say more because there are so many twists and turns that had me cheering and crying.
I recently read Did you Hear about Kitty Karr - A book that explores a network of African American women who support one another in undermining an unjust, racist, and misogynistic system. The Sicilian Inheritance had a similar thread and I am delighted to read novels that reveal the strength, creativity, and change that women working in community for a common goal can achieve though not without sacrifice. Their determination paved a way to a better life for women today and we in turn, have a responsibility to continue their legacy.
#TheSicilianInheritance #NetGalley
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Murder
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-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? Yes
4.25
Weirdly "First Lie Wins" is the third book I've read in the last month with the word "lie" in the title.
And this was by far the best. What a thrilling cat-and-mouse adventure! I started listening to this as an audiobook and by the end of chapter 7 (about 13%), my jaw literally dropped. I realized I would need to read this one to keep the pace it required and read it over a couple of days. Evie is super clever and from the start we know she will lie to get what she wants (First lie wins!). The twists and turns don't stop and we get glimpes into her back story as it all comes together and you start rooting for her. I can't say much more without spoilers but if you are looking for a fun domestic suspense thriller, check it out.
I really hope this is made into a limited (or even ongoing) series.
And this was by far the best. What a thrilling cat-and-mouse adventure! I started listening to this as an audiobook and by the end of chapter 7 (about 13%), my jaw literally dropped. I realized I would need to read this one to keep the pace it required and read it over a couple of days. Evie is super clever and from the start we know she will lie to get what she wants (First lie wins!). The twists and turns don't stop and we get glimpes into her back story as it all comes together and you start rooting for her. I can't say much more without spoilers but if you are looking for a fun domestic suspense thriller, check it out.
I really hope this is made into a limited (or even ongoing) series.
Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I love books that feature strong women . . . Especially when they represent a resistance that subverts the status quo. Did you hear about Kitty Karr fits that description. I really enjoyed this story that explores a network of Black women in Hollywood in the 1950s some of whom are passing as White. The life of Kitty Karr is told in a dual timeline with the 2017 story taking place shortly after Kitty’s death.
It had a Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo feeling to it with as the unexpected twists unfold. And throughout, I found myself wondering how I would respond in a similar situation. What is the ethical response when immoral systems of racism and misogyny try to limit and control. Did you hear about Kitty Karr delves into America’s shameful history of slavery and Jim Crow, the power and privilege of white men, and the importance and complications of women friendships.
I think that with a good editor, I would give this book 5 stars. Some of the sentences were hard to follow, the 2017 storyline felt a little messy, and there were so many characters who I couldn’t keep track of.
Overall though it was a powerful read and I look forward to seeing what Crystal Smith Paul writes next!
It had a Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo feeling to it with as the unexpected twists unfold. And throughout, I found myself wondering how I would respond in a similar situation. What is the ethical response when immoral systems of racism and misogyny try to limit and control. Did you hear about Kitty Karr delves into America’s shameful history of slavery and Jim Crow, the power and privilege of white men, and the importance and complications of women friendships.
I think that with a good editor, I would give this book 5 stars. Some of the sentences were hard to follow, the 2017 storyline felt a little messy, and there were so many characters who I couldn’t keep track of.
Overall though it was a powerful read and I look forward to seeing what Crystal Smith Paul writes next!
Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Domestic murder mystery comedy(?). This is the second of three books I’m reading with the word “lie” in the title. Lucy returns to the small town where 5 years earlier her best friend was murdered and she can’t remember what happened. A true crime podcaster starts to unravel the secrets of this community where everyone seems to be sleeping with everyone and violence and alcohol abuse muddy the truth. Meanwhile the voice in Lucy’s head keeps instructing her to kill.
This was a good vacation read that kept the pages turning.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
#ListenfortheLie #NetGalley
This was a good vacation read that kept the pages turning.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
#ListenfortheLie #NetGalley
Everyone Here Is Lying by Shari Lapena
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Well done creepy roller coaster. Lies upon lies until the biggest one is revealed. Good read for the plane or beach. Would make a good lifetime movie. And I still don’t understand what happened in the treehouse.
Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-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? Yes
3.5
I'm a big fan of the author's more recent books but realize after reading this and two other older books that I am not the audience. Young early 20s women looking for love just don't hold my interest anymore. That said, the style of this book - following two possible trajectories of one woman's life was masterfully done. The connections were clever and the ending was satisfying.
Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I love TJR and tried I give this first novel a read via audio book. I ended up setting the speed to 1.5x since I really didn’t love it. It’s a nice story but I just didn’t care about this 26 year old who lost her husband who she only had known for 6 months. I mean the grief is real. The writing is good. I related more with the mother in law. So I think I am not the audience for this book. And why don’t they have a photo of their wedding day?