As I was reading this story I kept thinking of the classic movie The Enchanted Cottage (1945) but with a sort of updated magic that is at the same time ancient. A young reclusive woman who is consumed by a miniature mansion given to her as a child, a lost young man that discovers her blog and realizes he lives in the full size version of the miniature mansion. A love story is bound to happen. Well written, imaginative, with good character development. Though it felt like I was entering the story almost at the middle; we know the middle and the end, but how long ago did it actually begin? Where did the Lady begin?

If you know anything about the doll collecting or doll house crafting will appreciate The Miniscule Mansion of Myra Malone. But even if you don’t, its lush fantasy climbs will enchant as it weaves its spell over you.

Myra Malone lives an isolated life in the attic of her grandfather’s cabin. Ever since she was a small child, she’s been decorating her grandmother’s dollhouse – she was very close to Trixie, and the way Myra lost her has forever affected her adult life. Now thirty-four, she is an agoraphobe with very few close friends. One of them, Gwen, encourages Myra to share information about her dollhouse online, and Myra soon has a very popular blog. Her fans love her and have built a community around Myra’s posts about the dollhouse as well as the notion of creating dollhouses of their own – and even larger display pieces, even trying to transform their own homes into Myra’s creation. Myra does what she can to feed them content, but she is stuck within the walls of her Arizona mountaintop cabin, fascinated by the dollhouse, which plays music at odd times and whose furniture rearranges itself. Whole rooms can disappear and reappear out of the blue, and new ones can be added while Myra sleeps. But now she’s in dire straits – her childhood home is about to be auctioned off, and she and Gwen team up to use Myra’s fame to raise funds to save it.

Alex Rakes and his family have been building furniture in Virginia for generations now, and when he encounters a group of Myra’s fans looking to buy his custom furniture to replicate the dollhouse in their own homes, he’s shocked to discover that her miniature manse resembles his family’s ancestral mansion. He even sees his childhood bedroom done up in miniature in Myra’s house.

Determined to talk to Myra, Alex bids on one of the auction items and wins a lunch with her. They establish an online correspondence before he flies down to see her, and together, they investigate the mystery of Myra’s dollhouse. But what will they find, and what secrets does it hold?

The book’s mystery holds together, and both Alex and Myra are great central characters. Even the way the characters’ PTSD is written feels good and realistic (Alex has been through a lot, and his family has a complicated history of its own).

But as a fellow working-on-it agoraphobe, I must point out that Myra’s move from being shuttered away for years in her grandfather’s cabin due to a childhood trauma to leaving the cabin entirely to see and be with Alex, feels too abrupt. There needed to be more steps, more uncertainty. But their romance is well-done on the whole.

I loved pushy Gwen and the way the book accurately plays with both internet fame and the things miniaturists go through on a daily basis. I’m deliberately downplaying the fantasy plot and the mystery connected to the house proper, because to explain the magical mechanisms at work will ruin the book. But The Miniscule Mansion of Myra Malone is a fabulous experience that’s well worth having.

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Great debut novel.
Plot is so unique yet similar to The Miniaturist.

A seanless read. I never felt as though the reading became sluggish or dull.
However, being a literalist, I did find myself questioning at least two issues but not to the point that my opinion about the book changed.
There are likeable characthers that have hang ups to hurdle; friendships(new and old); dysfunctional family relationships; a slight touch of mystical/magical and a surprising yet totally predictable ending.

Great job Audrey Burges!

My goodness, this was the best book I've read in a long time! Myra is just a child when her step-grandmother dies in an accident, but still loves the Mansion that was left behind - don't call it a dollhouse, it isn't one. Myra blogs about it, decorates it, and uses it as a refuge from the life she's living. However, Alex lives in the full-sized version, and when he contacts Myra about it, that sets in motion a meet-up that was bound to happen.

The magical feel of the Mansion, the twists and turns in Alex and Myra's family stories, and the allure of the wisteria-covered home itself all worked so well to pull me into this reality! I adored this story.

No corrections in the ARC I read.

Part fantasy, part romance, and part mystery— and one hundred percent captivating. I loved reading about reclusive Mya and her fascinating miniature house, her backstory that showed us how she arrived in her current situation, and how her life ultimately entwines with that of Alex Rakes, a man who lives on the other side of the country and whose home looks exactly like Anya’s miniature house. I enjoyed this ride very much and look forward to what Burges writes next!

Very creative and unique premise. Willa is a wonderful character, and I loved how she carried on within Myra. REally enjoyed this story. Thank you for the ARC!

This is one of the most creative premises I've ever seen, and it is so well executed. Myra Malone was badly injured in a childhood car accident that took the life of her beloved step grandmother and left Myra with bad facial scars. She retreats to the attic of her childhood home where she works on the Minuscule Mansion -- don't call it a dollhouse! There are no dolls, just rooms of beautiful furniture and household items that Myra crafts herself. In doing so, she becomes a social media star, with hundreds of thousands of followers who love her design aesthetic and her stories. When the bank threatens to foreclose on her home, her best friend comes up with a scheme to monetize the Minuscule Mansion with a contest. One of the entrants, a man thousands of miles away who she has never met, is shocked to realize that the Mansion is an exact replica of his own home. This creative story features a surprising family history, a romance, and a touch of magic. The Mansion has magic powers of its own and seems to know what is best for everyone.

This book has such a meandering, labyrinthine approach to the telling. We are transported from the minuscule mansion's present to its history in such unexpected ways that it's easy to devour its story.

At first, I was enjoying the pleasant sway of familiarity as we meet Myra, the owner of the mansion, and Gwen, her driven best friend and business instigator. I appreciated Gwen's endeavors to make the mansion a viral sensation, knowing the love that the wider world has for the mystical and mysterious. I was lulled into thinking it would possibly be a slightly mysterious "feel good" novel for Myra's growth while reading about the tragic loss of Trixie, the mansion's previous owner. The first chapters rolled along in a gentle, easy introduction into this world, with brief mentions of the small magical things the mansion reveals.

At the introduction of Alex Rakes, heir to a furniture dynasty, I hit the first of the rapids in this river that started my uncontrolled dive through the pages. In them I found wonder and magic designed to make this a foray into fantasy novels for every taste. Myra's world grows in a way I never expected, given the scale of the mansion she maintains.

Beautifully written, wonderful imagery, and a treasure waiting to be found.

Such a heartfelt, unique and highly interesting reading with well crafted- unique storyline and adorable quirky and unconventional characters!

Myra Malone is living in a mansion in Arizona, curating her doll house and her best friend Gwen turns her abilities into popular business opportunity. Thanks to Gwen’s business oriented creative mind, Myra starts writing blogs about her dollhouse, sharing photos, collecting the small crafts people sending all over the world to decorate her secluded doll house with them but positioning that distinguished objects is a hard job, taking a lot of effort.

And now she needs more money not to get kicked out of her own house! Her mother Diana’s extra expanses and her reverse mortgage decision caused serious financial problems for them.

Myra haven’t left her house for a long time ( honestly last time she left the place she was only five and she was victim of car accident which resulted with her beloved step grandma’s death and scars and damages on her face and other parts of her body! Only thing helped her as an anchor was inheriting the doll house and taking care of them)

Gwen: straightforward, nonstop talking , hyperactive loyal friend of her finds a great solution to save her from her financial issues: she starts a fund raiser with the opportunity of seeing the Minuscule Mansion in person ( that’s what they called the magical dollhouse)

In the meantime, Alex Rakes who works with his father at their family’s furniture store is feeling doomed and trapped, living in Virginia at a house which is exact replica of Minuscule Mansion so when he finds out the website of Myra, he decides to connect with her, attending to the competition.

Finally after few correspondences later, two of them are ready to meet in person to solve the mystery about the real origins of Minuscule Mansion!

Overall: I loved both Myra and Alex’s characterizations and their cute love story! Gwen was lovely supporting character. The mystery’s unfolding and the story’s development are also intriguing. I absolutely enjoyed a lot!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

I really enjoyed this book. I had some quibbles with it - a couple of major ones - that may just be me being too literal minded for a book that could (should?) be considered fantasy. The premise is interesting - a reclusive young woman named Myra in Arizona has a dollhouse - a miniature mansion - that belonged to her step grandmother, Trixie Unbenknownst to her, the dollhouse is a replica of an actual mansion in Virginia, that may or may not be haunted, and that is inhabited by a young man who is destined for her.

Myra is a recluse because she was badly injured in a car accident on her 5th birthday and Trixie is killed. At first, she stays home because of her fragile health, but she eventually just stops leaving the house - she is home schooled, and does an online college degree. The few people in her life think this is odd, but not enough to actually try and, yanno, do anything about it.

SPOILER ALERT:



so, she's an agoraphobic recluse until ... she isn't. What changed? Why, LOVE. Of course! This bothered me quite a bit, on so many levels.

Also, I'm not sure why The Lady (owner of the mansion, in all the many incarnations it has had over the centuries) decided that it was time to pass down the mantle to another person instead of leaving for a generation and coming back as a distant relative. I'm not sure if Trixie was The Lady, and if so, why did this accident kill her? I would have thought that over the centuries she would have been vulnerable to death and disease, but I guess not.

I'm sure a lot of this is me being literal and nitpicky, and I really did enjoy the story. But I just couldn't quite suspend enough disbelief for the details.

I loved everything about this book. The prose was lovely, the word choice superb, the voice pulling us in even when there was no action really happening. My only complaint is that the end wrapped up way too nicely, and I had hoped for more - that it wouldn’t be so predictable and overly convenient. Loved it and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

What an intriguing tale. I was captivated from the opening, despite having no idea where the plot was headed. The characters were so real and interesting, as was, of course, the Miniscule Mansion! A magical tale to be sure!

The debut novel of Audrey Burges, The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone, offers a bit of fantasy, a bit of romance, and a bit of mystery. Myra Malone is a recluse who curates a gorgeous dollhouse (though she does NOT consider it a doll house as it is NOT for dolls), The miniature mansion has a mind of its own, with music playing randomly and furniture appearing and disappearing at odd times.

Myra's friend, Gwen, has encouraged Myra to share her Mansion online and has amassed a multitude of followers. When she finds herself in danger of losing her home, Myra is persuaded by Gwen to offer a fund raiser with the prize of seeing the Minuscule Mansion in person. Alex Rakes, on the other side of the country, hears people in his family's furniture store discussing the Minuscule Mansion's website and becomes curious. When he realizes it looks exactly his own home, he enters the contest in order to contact Myra, owner of the Miniscule Mansion. The two finally meet and try to solve the mystery of the 'matching' houses.

Recommended for those who enjoy fantasy, mystery, and. . . . miniature houses.

Beautiful book full of mystery, fated mates, and multigenerational connections. This novel will be perfect for people who enjoyed The Lost Apothecary.

This is a story about healing and finding your path and learning about yourself. It’s told through a very magical story with pleasant, realistic characters.

What I liked… It was refreshing to read about characters who had realistic flaws. One a recluse, one with family trauma, one with anger issues, wartime ptsd, what equates to postpartum depression, and so on.

The plot itself was very creative and immersive. Having the converging storylines finally click into place was fun to see happen.

What I didn’t love… the storylines switch time and character often in a way that broke up the flow for me. It felt like stuff was finally happening for one character/storyline and then it would switch. The pacing was thrown off by some of these switches.

Delightfully charming tale tinged with magic, romance and generations of family trauma. It's a oddball premise that lives up to and exceeds its potential.

Myra was a shy, socially awkward child. That being said, she is immediately comfortable with her new step-grandmother, Trixie. The two spend hours playing with Trixie’s mansion, a dollhouse of sorts (Myra is adamant it is not a dollhouse). The two decorate it, move furniture and create a world around this house. When Myra is 5 years old, Trixie is killed in a bad car accident. Myra is severely injured in that same accident. Shortly after, Myra’s grandfather Lou bequeaths Myra the mansion. The mansion seems to have some magical qualities, as furniture will appear out of nowhere. The mansion also seems to have a life force that is hard to explain but harder to deny. Fast forward years and Myra’s childhood home is in the process of being auctioned off. Myra, a reclusive writer of a blog that focuses on the minuscule mansion, and her friend Gwen (her publicist) decide to take advantage of Myra’s fans and auction off a variety of things—the chance to decorate a room in the mansion, lunch with Myra—and use the funds to save her home. Alex Rakes is a furniture seller who happens to live in a home that is eerily similar to The Mansion. He wants to meet Myra. Myra begins to slowly venture out of her comfort zone because she is intrigued by the man who is living in the life-size mansion that matches her minuscule one. Alex shares his family drama history with Myra and the two begin to truly connect. They are connected in ways that they do not even realize. The depth of their connection can be their downfall…or their salvation.

What a unique and enjoyable book this was!
It was so refreshing to read a book written around such a novel concept, and I adored this book as a whole.
Myra is a dollhouse hobbyist of sorts, somewhat famous, and Alex, as it turns out, lives in a life-size version of Myra’s dollhouse—unbeknownst to both of them!
The concept was fantastic; the writing, world-building, characterization, and setting were all absolutely amazing, and I enjoyed this book more than I can remember enjoying a book in some time. I recommend this book to ANYONE looking for a great read.
5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

A magical story that was a fun quick read. I have always wanted a dollhouse (don't call it a dollhouse). ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

SPOILERS. ALERT DONT READ THIS If you haven’t read the book.
I nominated the MMofMm for library reads because I loved the plot but the more I think about this book the more comments and questions I have. A wonderful premise, I love books about magical happenings with houses, but I felt this book only skimmed the surface of the plot. I have too many unanswered questions. We’re never told why someone has to watch the house and be its keeper, what’s the importance of this? Willa insinuates she’s lived many lifetimes, can change her appearance at will, so I was surprised she could die. But towards the end we hear from her again like she’s around making things happen. If she could do that why not be straight forward with Myra so she understands what’s going on and isn’t having to figure out all the tough things on her own. Sometimes as I was reading I felt like I stepped into the middle of the book. and missed much of what was going on. So confusing at times. There wasn’t a clear reason why the house did not like Rutherford from the beginning or a plausible reason why he hated his mom from birth. This could have been a great book but too many dangling parts bring it down for me to just okay, but it could have been so much more.