brooke_review's reviews
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In this current age of social media, it is easy to project a perfectly curated image of your life to the world.  Such is the case for award-winning journalist Lily Atwood, who despite maintaining her #PerfectLily image, is in truth hiding some terribly dark secrets … one being that her sister disappeared away at college some 20 years ago, and has never been heard from since, presumed dead.

Another of Lily’s dark secrets is that the leads for her groundbreaking stories come from an anonymous source - a man who is feeding her tips on where the action is happening, prompting Lily to investigate.  Things take an unsettling turn, however, when Lily’s source starts revealing details about Lily’s own life.  Could her mysterious source have the clues to what happened to Lily’s sister so long ago?

Hank Phillippi Ryan’s Her Perfect Life is a finely crafted, multi-layered tale of suspense.  Ryan has woven a smart tale of sisterly devotion full of twists and turns.  Readers beware - it’s difficult to tell just who you can trust in this compelling page turner.

I have discovered through reading Laura Lippman’s more recent books that she is fast becoming a favorite author of mine.  I love her observant style of writing and how she so uncannily and casually uncovers truths about people and society.  Her novel Dream Girl almost reads more like a novella, throwing the reader into the midst of a situation and letting them discover what may.  

In this case, the reader is introduced to Gerry Andersen, a best-selling author who finds himself laid up in a hospital bed in his home in Baltimore after an accident.  The story is told in both the present and past, with the reader learning more and more about Gerry’s unsavory, predator-esque personality, while also revealing how Gerry has come to find himself in his current situation.  Readers will soon discover that not all is as it seems because Gerry is receiving phone calls, letters, and visions about a character in his most popular book - his “dream girl,” Aubrey.  Just who is Aubrey, and what does she want?  It’s a race against the clock to find out …

The ratings for Dream Girl are a mixed bag, and.I generally feel the same, although I find myself viewing the novel more favorably than many.  However, I am sticking with 3 stars because when compared with other 4 star novels that I have read and reviewed lately, I find that Dream Girl doesn’t quite hit as high of a mark.  Dream Girl’s storyline is certainly intriguing; its characters despicable; its twists and turns outlandish.  It just feels a bit all over the place in its storytelling, and I had to suspend disbelief several times throughout the novel to continue forward.  In all, it is a worthy read if you are a fan of Laura Lippman, but if you have not read any of her other books, give one of those a try before this one.

As for the audiobook version of this novel, Jason Culp’s narration is believable and spot-on.  I felt like I was listening to Gerry Andersen himself.  Culp does a fine job of fleshing out Andersen in all of his idiosyncrasies and machinations.

The Phoenix Crown is not my typical fare, and I have never read a book by authors Kate Quinn and Janie Chang, although I have heard wonderful things about Quinn from those who enjoy her style of historical fiction.  So why have I picked up this novel that is so out of my usual league?  The 52 Book Club chose it for a read-along, and I was excited to explore this novel along with a group.

Unfortunately, it says a lot when I find the Authors’ Note at the end of the book to be more interesting than the novel itself.  I learned so much more from those few pages - including that Alice Greenwood was an actual person (would have loved to have known this while I was reading) - than I did from the entirety of The Phoenix Crown.  With The Phoenix Crown, I was expecting a historical “National Treasure-esque” novel set against the backdrop of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, but what I actually got was something quite different.

For being a historical fiction novel, this book could practically take place in modern times - the attitudes of the characters and their manner of speaking was not in line with what I would expect from society in the early 1900s, more than 100 years ago.  The fact that this novel features a mixed race sapphic relationship that anyone barely blinks an eye at did not feel authentic to me.  Furthermore, the novel is powered by the women of the story, who all move freely around the world primarily without the constraints of men.  I feel like the diminished, singular role of women in society would have been felt more prominently throughout this book if the airs and attitudes of the time had been more pronounced.  

The San Francisco earthquake and the titular phoenix crown itself both play minor roles in this novel, after being touted as major plot points,  The book spends much of its pages discussing the careers and relationships of the main characters, without really establishing a meaningful historical setting.  Furthermore, I did not care for any of the characters and found them to be wholly uninspired.  

Nonetheless, I am giving this book 3 stars because although it was clearly not the book for me and failed to meet what I expected of it, there is a satisfying story here for those who can put aside what they thought this novel would be and accept it for what it is.  

Rufi Thorpe obviously needs to be added to my favorite authors list because after reading her two latest novels - The Knockout Queen and Margo’s Got Money Troubles - and loving both of them, it is apparent she can do no wrong by me.  Perhaps what I love most about Rufi’s books is that she writes stories that I have never heard before.  As someone who works in a literary profession and who reads well over 100 books a year, you start to notice that some plotlines are just recycled over and over again with little variation.  Not with Rufi Thorpe’s books though!  Her novels are refreshingly unique and substantive, while also being wholly compelling.

Her newest novel, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, has already been optioned for a TV series before it has even been published, so that tells you that Rufi has something special here.  And she indeed does, although potential readers should be warned that the content of this book may be deemed unsavory by some as it dives into the seedy corners of the internet by way of Only Fans.  

The book follows college dropout Margo as she navigates life as a teenaged single mom, pregnant by none other than her professor.  Margo is having a hard time supporting and caring for herself and her new son Bodhi, so on a whim, she turns to Only Fans to make some quick cash.  The only problem is creating content that actually pays is no cake walk, and Margo is fast running out of ideas.  In the meantime, she is surprised when her ex-professional wrestler father Jinx decides to move in with her to help out with Bodhi.  Jinx was rarely around when Margo was growing up, but she takes comfort that he is in her life now, providing her fatherly advice and support.  But who would have thought that his advice would extend to her Only Fans account?  While Jinx doesn’t necessarily approve of the way Margo is making money, he still has some ideas for how she can grow her following … and they are all rooted in pro wrestling philosophy.  

When Margo puts some of Jinx’s theories to the test, she finds that her dad actually knows what he is talking about, and she soon finds herself going viral.  But as they say, more money, more problems.  More subscribers means more eyes on her account and body, which means there’s a greater chance Margo will be recognized and outed.  Is Margo willing to risk it all to make a quick dollar?  

Margo’s Got Money Troubles is a book for the modern age with more and more women turning to Only Fans to make ends meet.  Both a piece of thought-provoking social commentary and a hilarious coming-of-age-the-hard-way novel, Margo’s Got Money Troubles is an authentically engaging read.  Rufi Thorpe has a gift for writing intriguing characters and inserting them into even more intriguing plots.  You’ll find yourself rooting for Margo and her crew, while at the same time holding your breath when you realize the mess she has gotten herself into.  

A quirky, unconventional standout, Margo’s Got Money Troubles is recommended to readers who love offbeat books and films.  

Henry VIII is arguably the best known monarch in British history, having had six wives over the course of his reign and sending two to their deaths.  Illustrious author and historian Alison Weir has paid tribute to each of Henry’s wives in her Six Tudor Queens series, and now sets her sights on the man himself - the formidable Henry VIII.

If you are familiar with King Henry’s story, or if you have read Weir’s books on his six wives, there is really not much new to explore here, beyond experiencing Henry’s tumultuous life from his own point of view.  Weir covers a lot of ground, starting with Henry’s life as a teenage heir, set on doing things differently from his miserly father once he is king.  We learn that Henry actually was quite in love with his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, but later set his sights elsewhere when she couldn’t provide him with his much-needed male heir.  From there, we cycle through each of Henry’s unfortunate wives, while Weir also mixes in a great deal of politics and court intrigue.

Much of Henry’s story revolves around his efforts to produce a son to succeed him, which he considered to be his duty and necessary to securing the stability of England’s future.  Weir examines Henry’s life through a somewhat sympathetic lens, gracing Henry with compassion and nuance as he makes decisions about his wives and the state of his kingdom.  She does not paint him as the tyrant as he is often portrayed, rather viewing him as a man making the hard decisions for his country, and one who held genuine love and affection for the many women who were thrust into his life in the efforts to secure a male heir.

To know Henry is to both love and despise Henry, as evidenced here by Weir.  This novel is a great starting place for those with little knowledge of the infamous King, and comes recommended to readers who would rather explore Henry’s life through a richly detailed narrative account rather than picking up a book of nonfiction. 

The struggles of a young Estee Lauder as she attempts to make her big break in the cutthroat beauty business are reimagined through the eyes of her fictional best friend Gloria Downing in Renee Rosen's new novel, Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl.

When shampoo girl Gloria meets skincare peddler Estee in a New York salon, she has no idea that she is standing face-to-face with a woman who will one day build a beauty empire.  Having grown up among the East Coast elite, Gloria is attempting to reinvent herself after her father is sent to prison for running a massive Ponzi scheme.  Hiding out from her former social circle, Gloria accepts Estee's easily given friendship, and the two quickly become bosom companions.

Gloria sees her new friend Estee through the trials and triumphs as she pounds the pavement with her skincare arsenal, struggling to get the big department stores to see her as more than just a lowly woman hawking her wares.  As Estee makes waves in the beauty industry, doing things no other brand dares - free make-up testing, anyone? - Gloria too steps out of her comfort zone, eventually landing a job at Saks Fifth Avenue, which may just be the foot in the door Estee needs to get her hands on her big break.     

Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl is a richly detailed Estee Lauder-adjacent novel that combines a satisfying mix of truth and fiction.  While the story of Gloria is a figment of Rosen's imagination, much of the details of Estee's life are true, including her breaking into the beauty industry through Saks.  I knew nothing about Estee Lauder, aside from her name, before reading this novel, and feel that I got an incredible sense of the woman who "would not take no for an answer" through this book.

I quite enjoyed learning about how Estee revolutionized the beauty industry, turning it on its head and giving women what they actually wanted, as well as how Estee was able to maintain a facade of her background and upbringing for years in order to be more accepted.  This novel paints a vivid picture of the New York beauty scene in the 1930s and 40s, and comes highly recommended to fans of biographical fiction.

If you were to learn of Ella Fitzgerald’s upbringing without being told that she would grow up to be one of the greatest singers of all time, you would not believe it.  Diane Richards brings Ella’s incredible origin story vibrantly to life in her debut novel, Ella.  

Richly reimagining the teenage years of Ella Fitzgerald after she loses her mother in an accident at the age of 15, Ella brings light to the struggles that the future star faced as she attempted to support and mother both herself and her young sister amidst the hustle and bustle of the Harlem heyday.  When Ella turns to unsavory means to bring in money - numbers running and looking out at a brothel - she finds herself on the wrong side of the law, landing herself in a training school for girls, where she faces horrors far worse than any she met on the streets.  The novel concludes with Ella returning to Harlem, where she finds success - and her place - upon the stage.

Richards’ Ella is a story of both tragedy and triumph.  The obstacles Ella faced in her young life were vast, and to many, would be insurmountable.  But Ella wanted more for herself than what she was handed, and found a way to rise above time and time again.  This absorbing coming-of-age novel is fascinating in its portrayal of a teenaged Ella.  It paints such a stark portrait of Ella’s life pre-stardom to the one we would come to know, that it is utterly unbelievable that she ended up living a rags to riches story.  

Who would have thought she would end up one of the greatest jazz singers of all time?  Why, she did, and that’s why Richards’ novel is so inspiring.  It shows how, when the entire world gave up on her, Ella never gave up on herself. 

Hattie McDaniel, best known for her role as Mammy in the epic film of the Old South, Gone with the Wind, was the first Black woman to ever win an Academy Award.  Selected as Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of the controversial Mammy, Hattie broke barriers, but I was surprised to learn through ReShonda Tate's new novel, The Queen of Sugar Hill, that Hattie herself faced extreme judgment and prejudice for her decision to play stereotypical "colored' characters.

Primarily focused on Hattie's work in Old Hollywood as a black actress, The Queen of Sugar Hill is an exhaustive, heartbreaking account of Hattie's storied life.  Knowing Hattie only as Mammy before reading this novel, I was shocked to learn that Hattie faced extreme backlash from the Black community for the role, as well as racism and pigeonholing from Whites.  Perhaps Hattie's oft-proclaimed defense - that she would rather "play a maid than be a maid" - speaks volumes and is a testament to a time when Black actors were relegated to bit parts that often portrayed them in a negative light.  Tate's novel pays tribute to the groundwork that Black performers, such as Hattie, laid in paving the path for those who would follow in their wake.  Hattie's life as an award-winning actress was by no means golden, but was instead, coated in grit and determination.

On the sidelines of this eye-opening novel is Hattie's numerous relationships and marriages, which were unfortunately, by today's standards, nothing less than toxic.  Not finding love and acceptance within Hollywood, Hattie hoped to discover it in her relationships, but that was not the case.  Hattie was no stranger to cheaters, swindlers, abusers, and cons.  Despite Hattie giving it as good as she got, she sadly found herself falling for the wrong sort of man time and time again.  Through her extensive research, Tate demonstrates how Hattie faced so much strife and heartache in both her professional and personal lives, and you can't help but feel your heart breaking for her time and time again as you pore over this richly detailed novel.

I am incredibly appreciative of the thought-provoking The Queen of Sugar Hill for bringing light to the numerous struggles that Black performers, such as Hattie, faced in the early days of Hollywood, and for teaching me so much about an incredible woman about whom I knew little.  This book is highly recommended to fans of biographical fiction, and those you are intrigued by the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Paulette Kennedy’s The Devil and Mrs. Davenport is 1950’s domestic noir at its finest.  Finely crafted and utterly compelling, The Devil and Mrs. Davenport manages to be a heart-racing page turner and delicious slow burner, all at the same time.  

Set during a time when women were given few liberties within their own lives, The Devil and Mrs. Davenport tells the story of Loretta, a housewife and mother who begins experiencing psychic visions after an illness.  Naturally, Loretta’s newly acquired skills pose a problem to Loretta’s strait-laced, controlling husband, Pete, who holds a theologian position at the local university.  To him, this gift can only come from the Devil, and he is determined to rid it from Loretta at all costs.  

When Loretta secretly begins working with a local psychologist to further explore her nascent sixth sense, she finds she may hold the clues to the recent death of a local girl, but she worries that Pete may take her children from her if he discovers she is dancing with the “Devil.”.  With Pete determined to keep Loretta under his thumb and bent to his will, Loretta finds herself suffocating under the limitations of her life, desperate to find a way out.

I am typically not a fan of novels that contain supernatural elements, but they work so well in The Devil and Mrs. Davenport that I did not mind their presence here at all.  This novel is first and foremost a tribute to the women of the 1950s who were often relegated to the roles of housewife and mother, and of which many found themselves trapped in abusive relationships with no escape due to the laws and conventions of the times.  This novel expertly demonstrates how women were expected to stay in their lane and not make waves … but what happens when a woman, such as Loretta, is experiencing something larger than herself?  What does it take for a woman to be taken seriously and viewed as a person in her own right beyond her role in the home?  All of that and more is explored in the dazzling The Devil and Mrs. Davenport.

With an intriguing storyline, complex characters, and thought-provoking consequences, The Devil and Mrs. Davenport will appeal to those who enjoy suspenseful and atmospheric historical fiction novels.

To Princess Diana, she and Charles, Prince of Wales, were embarking on a fairytale love story when they were engaged in 1981.  Diana was a mere 19 years old, over a decade younger than her betrothed, and had a head full of fanciful romance - she expected her marriage to be much like those that she read about in her beloved Barbara Cartland novels.  

However, anyone who is familiar with the history of the ill-fated couple knows that there marriage was never meant to be, and it certainly was not written in the stars.  At over 30 years old, it was time for Prince Charles to settle down, but the love of his life, the scandalous Camilla Parker-Bowles, was deemed totally unsuitable.  With the prospects slim, there were few aristocratic girls fit for the role - the future Queen of England needed to be young and healthy enough to birth both an heir and a spare, as well as have a past without scandal.  The young and naive Diana Spencer was perfect for the role … seemingly practically the only girl who would do.  She was “the one.”

Such is how the tragic relationship of Diana and Charles began, which is detailed in Wendy Holden’s novel The Princess.  Told through varying points of view from those who were close to and had interactions with the Princess of Wales, The Princess brings light to Diana’s life as a teenage girl in boarding school, and later how she was decidedly plucked out of a passel of aristocratic girls as being the one for Charles.  Holden goes into Diana and Charles few encounters spent together before they were engaged, spotlights their glaring dissimilarities, and shows how the loneliness that Diana felt throughout much of what should have been a rather grand adult life was just taking off - when she and Charles were engaged.  Rather, Diana spent much of her time disconnected from her future husband and everyone else of her former life.

Wendy Holden’s The Princess is a richly detailed, eye-opening look into Diana’s coming of age years.  The Royal Family’s search for a suitable mate for Charles, and the fact that Diana was literally selected for the job with no regard for love was the most fascinating part of this story to me.  It certainly made me feel for the young Diana, whose hopes for love and romance were dashed as soon as she said “I Do.”

Although I found some early parts of this book to be a bit laborious, I was totally invested by the end.  Recommended to fans of the Royal Family, and those who enjoy following their various dramas and scandals.