Minnie's Fiction Addiction
Because one more chapter is never enough
Category: Book Review
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👀 First impressions:We Are the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates, published in 1996, is a novel that traces the rise and fall of a seemingly perfect American family. The Mulvaneys live an enviable life on their idyllic farm until a traumatic event shatters their stability, sending each member of the family down a path of estrangement and…
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👀 First impressions:Mythos by Stephen Fry, published in 2017, is Fry’s ambitious retelling of the ancient Greek myths. From the birth of the cosmos to the rise of the Olympian gods, Fry guides readers through the strange, violent, and beautiful stories that have shaped Western literature and culture. As a longtime Stephen Fry fan, I was immediately…
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👀 First impressions:The Art Thief by Michael Finkel is a gripping piece of narrative non-fiction that feels stranger, and more thrilling, than any crime novel. Published in 2023, the book follows Stéphane Breitwieser, a French man who, between 1995 and 2001, stole more than 200 works of art from museums and galleries across Europe. Unlike most thieves,…
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👀 First impressions:East of Eden is widely considered John Steinbeck’s magnum opus, a sweeping family saga that spans generations in California’s Salinas Valley. Written late in his career, Steinbeck famously described this book as the culmination of everything he had ever written, a work into which he poured his heart, history, and philosophy. It’s a novel…
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👀 First impressions:From the moment I picked up Razorblade Tears, I knew it would be gritty and raw, but I wasn’t prepared for just how much it would grab me by the throat and not let go. S.A. Cosby tells the story of Ike Randolph and Buddy Lee, two ex-cons and estranged fathers who join forces after…
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👀 First impressions:Ward D promises a dark and claustrophobic thriller, set in a psychiatric ward over the course of one night. The premise immediately caught my attention, an unsettling locked-in setting, a sense of mystery, and the possibility of exploring the hidden corners of the human mind. Unfortunately, while the pacing was quick and the tension occasionally…
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👀 First impressions:The Help by Kathryn Stockett is set in 1960s Jackson, Mississippi, a time and place where the Civil Rights Movement was reshaping America, but deep racial divides remained entrenched. The story follows three women: Aibileen, a wise and compassionate maid; Minny, a strong-willed but often outspoken maid; and Skeeter, a young white woman who dreams…
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👀 First impressions:When I picked up Beautiful Ugly, I expected Alice Feeney’s signature brand of twist-heavy psychological suspense, and in many ways, it delivered. The premise is instantly intriguing: Grady Green, a once-successful thriller author, is still haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his wife, Abby. A year later, plagued by grief and creative paralysis, he retreats…
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👀 First impressions:Weyward by Emilia Hart is a multi-generational tale spanning centuries, weaving together the lives of three women bound by blood, magic, and defiance against patriarchal control. Set in 2019, 1942, and 1619, the narrative alternates between present-day Kate escaping an abusive relationship, wartime Violet yearning for freedom, and 17th-century Altha accused of witchcraft. The premise…
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👀 First impressions:Kate Quinn’s The Briar Club whisks readers to post-war Washington, D.C., where a boarding house full of women hides far more than laundry lines and polite tea parties. As the Cold War looms and political paranoia seeps through the city, each resident of the Briar Club carries secrets, some dangerous, some heartbreaking, and some that could…
Minnie's Fiction Addiction 