mhinnen's reviews
377 reviews

Just a Regular Boy by Catherine Ryan Hyde

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Catherine Ryan Hyde has a gift for writing about quirky little boys with big hearts. Imagine being a child, taken off the grid by your father, and told that society has destroyed itself. With that context, what would it be like to re enter society three years later in the midst of a pandemic and when school shootings are so frequent they have become normal? 

Just a regular boy is about Remy - a child who others perceive as a wolf boy - except for by Anne who is yearning for a child to rescue. It’s a compelling story about trauma and relationships and how we adapt to the realities of a cruel world. The story explores Anne’s savior complex and the joys and challenges of fostering and adoption. It also exemplifies how easily US society tends to write off “difficult” people without considering what the underlying causes are. 

Hyde offers us a glimpse of the best of human nature and models some ideal ways we can respond to one another with compassion and healing. 

It’s a good story and I read it during a vacation day. 

#JustaRegularBoy #NetGalley

Someone Else's Shoes by Jojo Moyes

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted medium-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

4.0

I have loved many of Jojo Moyes books over the years and so I was excited to receive an ARC of her newest novel “Someone Else’s Shoes.”

The lives of two middle aged women whose worlds seemingly couldn’t  be more different collide over a pair of shoes. Sam’s life feels like it’s in a downward spiral but she finds new confidence when she accidentally ends up with a pair of expensive high heels. Meanwhile Nisha’s carefully curated over privileged life falls apart leaving her only with a bathrobe and Sams old sneakers. 

This is a book that examines the value of women friendships, family priorities, and standing up for your worth in a world that often overlooks women of a certain age. As the pieces fall into place, with some fun twists and turns I found myself smiling as chickens come home to roost. The story was well crafted, witty, and light hearted if a bit contrived. Overall  it kept me entertained and I appreciated the character development. 

Would love to see this developed into a movie or limited series.

 #SomeoneElsesShoes #NetGalley

Earth's the Right Place for Love: A Novel by Elizabeth Berg

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Elizabeth Berg knows how to write a sweet story. If you already read The Story of Arthur Trulov, you already have a sense of who Arthur Moses is and who was the love of his life. In "Earth’s the Right Place for Love" we meet Arthur at a pivotal time in his life. Through a series of whimsical interactions with adults in the neighborhood and his older brother Frank, as well as his love for Nola who seemingly has assigned him to the "friend zone," Arthur learns life lessons that resonated with me. Throughout the book there are "morals" dropped into different chapters.

A big issue for me was that Arthur's father is abusive at the beginning of the book but then gets his act together when he finds a job. We learn a bit about his backstory and why he is the way he is. We hear a "lesson" from Arthur's mom about marriage and why she stays with him. This storyline is so damaging . . . abusers do not just stop hurting people. Past trauma does not just heal itself by willpower.

I was also very disturbed by the teacher's sexual relationship which was framed as a "love affair." WTH?

Overall a sweet and tender read that has tragedy and other challenges woven into it. Short and light enough for a beach read or a plane ride (or just a chapter or two before bed). But oh my word abuse is still abuse even in a small town of "nice" people. 

#EarthstheRightPlaceforLove #NetGalley.

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I have read all of TJR's books since Daisy Jones and this is the first of her older books I've read. She is such a good writer and the way she writes about love and grief is riveting. Emma's sense of being with both Sam and Jesse had me rooting for each of them. Seeing Emma's growth after Jesse "dies" shows the complexity of the human spirit. 

The writing style was intentionally inconsistent (similar to 7 husbands where the tense shifts and she moves to 3rd person at one point) but it didn't feel necessary in this book. 

Though this would be a good beach read, the cover is misleading since there is actually nothing "beachy" about the book except for the few pages set in California. 

When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole

adventurous challenging dark informative mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

What happens to the people in a neighborhood who are pushed out through gentrification? What is the history and what are the stories of the Black people who used to live in what are now predominantly white neighborhoods? And how do corporations exploit every loophole and push every boundary to make as much money as possible? 

"When no one is Watching"  is told by Sidney, a young Black woman who has come back to her childhood home in Brooklyn and through Theo, her new white neighbor. Told in the form of a thriller mystery, we get to know the people in the community that Sidney grew up in that blow up the stereotypes of the newcomers. And we see how the newcomers don't care to see the humanity in the neighbors who are already there but will perpetuate stereotypes and whatever other means necessary to get into an up-and-coming neighborhood until it reflects their own socio-economic and racial expectations. 

As Sidney and Theo piece together patterns of the past with the startling changes happening today, urban legends and folk tales begin to expose a terrifying truth. But we shouldn't be surprised since it has all happened before and is stamped from the beginning of this nation. 

Taking on a seemingly over-the-top look at how the racist history of NYC is reflected in today's callous development projects, big pharma, private prisons, hospital, and banking industries impacts real people, "When No One is Watching" is a stark reminder of the costs to real people and communities when profit comes before people. It's a stark reminder of the debt that is owed by those of us who benefit from white privilege. 

The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Who gets to tell another person's story? At what point is a plot available to any writer? Where does inspiration turn into theft? 

Could not put this down! Bought the audio book and set it to 1.3x but I still couldn't get through it fast enough and supplemented with an ebook. So compelling. Great mystery and thriller.  A plot within a plot whose lines begin to blur. Really smart book with lots of twists . . . some I saw coming others made my jaw drop. 

The motivations and actions of two of the characters weren't quite clear to me and seemed a bit over the top (had echoes of the Tell-Tale Heart). And some of the story lines got a little confusing so I'm glad I didn't have to only rely on the audio version to look back and check some points. But totally worth the ride. 

The Measure by Nikki Erlick

challenging inspiring reflective 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? Yes

3.5

Isn’t it something how whenever there is a communal crisis, the response is predictable- even from culture to culture?

This is the case in “the measure” a book that has a compelling premise.  When every adult receives a box that has a string indicating the length of their life, we see how it impacts the lives of eight individuals in the US. From issues of discrimination and other justice issues, compassionate solidarity, life changes and choices the realities play out in a variety of ways. 

As much as I loved the premise, some of it felt superficial and lacked a depth to really grapple with the underlying power structures of society. I felt drawn to the characters but never felt a full connection with them. I would recommend the book since I think it generates interesting conversations. I even used it in a sermon illustration. 

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Perfect vacation book. Though I kept wanting to be in Italy. Good exploration of mother daughter relationships and taking time to figure out who you are. Creative idea to have Katy meet her mother when her mother was younger. But geesh their relationship felt codependent. And the ending felt rushed. I could T understand why Katy kept her phone in the safe the whole time. 

That said, if nothing else, now I really want to go to Italy for the food, romance, beauty 

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

It’s rare that I enjoy romcom books. But this was clever and well done. The back and forth in time was a little confusing and I think a straight chronological order would have worked just as well. I can imagine this as a limited series. This book would be a perfect vacation read. 

Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

this was a great suspense thriller. I was a little skeptical of the moving backwards in time tactic but it worked beautifully. I listened to the audiobook on long car rides and it really captured my attention waiting to see what new morsel of information would be revealed one day back and then another and another . . . 
well done!