Book Review: "Rough Pages" by Lev AC Rosen

This series, which began with Lavender House, is so excellent. The three books in the series are historical crime novels and mysteries, but they go so much deeper than that.⁣

⁣ In 1950s San Francisco, Andy is a gay former policeman who works as a PI ever since the discovery of his sexuality led to his being fired. Andy works out of and lives at The Ruby, a queer nightclub. Given that office location, most of his cases involve a queer person who has been wronged in some way.⁣

⁣ He is asked to look into the disappearance of Howard, the co-owner of a bookstore. The store has a secret book service that publishes and mails queer books to its customers, even though mailing them is illegal and dangerous. Howard said he was just about to publish a big bestseller, but then he disappeared, and so did the books.⁣

⁣ While Andy is concerned about the books and Howard being missing, he’s gravely concerned that the list of customers could have fallen into the wrong hands. That could mean blackmail, or worse, with his closest friends (including Elsie, his boss) being at risk.⁣

⁣ As Andy investigates, he crosses paths with his ex-boss, a determined reporter, even the Mob. Can he solve all of the mysteries before harm comes to him or those he cares about?⁣

⁣ This is such a great book, and although you should read the whole series from the beginning, you could read this one first. It’s amazingly ironic to be reading a book about the government’s desire to control what people read and publish on the eve of an election that could determine whether that control could exist again. I hope Rosen will continue this series, because I can’t get enough!⁣

Book Review: "The Very Long, Very Strange Life of Isaac Dahl" by Bart Yates

Isaac is 96 years old, a historian and journalist, who is writing his memoir. But how do you summarize a life? He decides to focus on 12 different days throughout his life, days which truly had an impact.

Isaac’s story begins in Utah in 1926, when eight-year-old Isaac and his twin sister Agnes are trapped in an avalanche. From that point on, the book focuses on a specific day every eight years. Sometimes the circumstances are dramatic, like when Isaac is aboard a warship during WWII, and sometimes they’re simpler and more joyous.

While some people appear in one vignette only to never be heard from again, the core characters are Isaac, Agnes, and Isaac’s best friend, Bo. Aggie is the fiery, opinionated one, who cares fiercely for her brother, and Bo is truly affable and loyal to both Dahl siblings.

“…few things on earth are more frightening than the possibility of love.”

I enjoyed how the story was told but at times it felt very Forrest Gump-like, with Isaac popping up at different points in history. And while I’ve always been a fan of Bart Yates’ writing, some of the events chronicled seemed very overdone, like the Dust Bowl and the Civil Rights Movement.

This was our book club pick for October. Some people were conflicted, some really found the book moving. I fell somewhere in the middle, although there were places that made me feel real emotion.

Book Review: "The Bell in the Fog" by Lev AC Rosen

“There are endless possibilities for murder if you’re queer. Most people don’t really think it’s a crime to kill a criminal—and all of us are criminals to the rest of the world.”

It’s 1952 in San Francisco. Andy was in the Navy and then became a police officer—until his homosexuality was discovered, and he was fired. Now he works as a private detective, living and working above The Ruby, a queer bar.

One day, a blast from the past arrives at his office. It’s James, with whom Andy shared a relationship (as well as other men) while they were in the Navy. But one day James disappeared, and Andy thought his sexuality had been discovered, and perhaps that meant Andy might get court-martialed.

James, who is still in the Navy, and is being considered for a major promotion, is being blackmailed with photos of him in compromising positions. If these photos get out, they will ruin him, so James hires Andy to find out who’s behind it. While Andy would like to send James packing, old feelings run deep, and he could use some money.

Tracking down the blackmailer forces Andy to confront his days in the Navy. He meets another old friend, and the forced reminiscences fill him with nostalgia, anger, and grief. How can he find out the truth when the police would all too happily let queer people kill each other?

This is the second book in a series that started with the fantastic Lavender House, but this can be read as a standalone. The characters are so compelling and the glimpses of what life was like for queer people back then are fascinating and at times, sad. Can’t wait for the third book, Rough Pages, to publish on 10/1!

Book Review: "The Most" by Jessica Anthony

It’s a Sunday in November of 1957. Winter should be on its way but for some reason it is unseasonably hot. Kathleen decides she doesn’t feel like going to church with her husband Virgil and two sons, and stays in bed while he gets the boys fed and dressed.

While the rest of her family is at church, Kathleen cleans up after her husband and puts the house back in order. Then she finds her old red bathing suit in a closet and she decides to get into the pool. That is where Virgil finds her when they get home from church.

Virgil is planning to go golfing with his boss and colleagues from the insurance company where he works. For some reason, however, Kathleen doesn’t plan to get out of the pool. The boys watch her from their apartment balcony, so Virgil goes to the golf course.

Much to his surprise, Kathleen is still in the pool in the early evening. Over the course of the day, both of them make discoveries about their marriage that had been obvious all along, stemming from a few phone calls.

The entire book takes place in an eight-hour period, although there are lots of flashbacks to Kathleen and Virgil’s earlier lives, as well as chronicling their relationship from its start to the day the book takes place. It’s a fascinating, well-written, and character-driven book. However, I didn’t find either Kathleen or Virgil to be particularly likable.

Book Review: "The God of the Woods" by Liz Moore

Yep, this one sure did live up to the hype. I waited a few weeks to read The God of the Woods to let all of the praise die down a little bit, so perhaps I wouldn’t be let down. And I definitely wasn’t!

In the summer of 1975, Barbara Van Laar goes missing from her summer camp in upstate New York. Barbara’s parents own the camp, but have nothing to do with it; they leave the camp’s operations to a family they’ve known for generations.

While the disappearance of the camp owners’ daughter is a big deal, what makes things worse is that Barbara’s older brother Bear disappeared 14 years ago in the same woods, and his body was never found. Could tragedy have struck twice?

We get a front seat for the investigation of Barbara’s disappearance through the eyes of a young female investigator. We also learn about the history of the Van Laar family and all that transpired when Bear disappeared years before. The book is narrated by many people, and shifts back and forth in time between the 1950s and 1975.

Liz Moore is a storytelling genius. This book of nearly 500 pages takes a little bit to gain momentum, but there are so many secrets and connections that are revealed, little by little. I honestly was surprised by how some of the book wrapped up, but focused more on the rich character development than the mysteries themselves.

I’ve read all of Moore’s books, and this is definitely my favorite. It’s an emotional story of family, friendship, secrets, and loyalty, but it’s also a penetrating look at how the wealthy can get away with so much and not face consequences.

Book Review: "We Could Be So Good" by Cat Sebastian

I don’t know if it’s clinically possible, but I feel like this book made my heart grow two sizes larger.

Nick Russo is a talented reporter for the New York Chronicle in the late 1950s. He’s always wanted to be a reporter, and has worked his way up from a rough childhood. But that’s not his only struggle—he’s a closeted gay man at a time when being discovered could lead to his losing his job, going to jail, and even death.

“But he’s twenty-five and he’s already so tired. He’s so careful, all the time, about everything, from not letting himself look too long at other men to being almost paranoid about who he picks up.”

When Andy Fleming, the son of the publisher, starts working at the paper, it’s clear to everyone that he’s biding his time. Of course, Nick is immediately attracted to Andy, despite all the reasons why he shouldn’t be. Although Andy turns out to be a good reporter (even if he’s being groomed to take over as publisher), he’s also a bit of an absent-minded klutz, and Nick can’t help but want to take care of him.

Little by little, their friendship deepens, although Nick knows it’s just a matter of time before Andy finds a woman to settle down with. But somehow, they both seem to fall for each other, although how can they hope for a happy ever after?

This was such a fantastic book, full of self-discovery, romance, tension, and a good dash of history. I couldn’t get enough of these characters!!

Book Review: "Go As A River" by Shelley Read

This is a moving and beautifully evocative story of a young woman who follows her heart.

It’s 1948. Ever since her mother, aunt, and cousin died in an accident, Victoria has become the woman of the house. She cooks all the meals for her father, brother, and uncle, not to mention the workers on her family’s Colorado peach farm. It’s a house full of tension, as all three of her family members have issues of their own.

One day she meets Wilson Moon, a young Native American man who has left his tribal land to pursue his own path. For the first time in her life, Victoria knows what it feels like to want someone and be wanted. But their time together is fleeting, because her town doesn’t like the idea of someone who is different having free will to do what he wants.

When tragedy strikes, she leaves home and escapes into the mountains, where she ekes out a solitary life for herself despite the challenges posed by the elements and her own limitations. But when she returns home, so much has changed. She soon learns of the government’s plan to flood her town, so she is determined to save all she can, especially her family’s peach orchard.

This is based on the true story of the destruction of Iola, Colorado. It’s an emotional story of love, betrayal, fear, isolation, friendship, and resilience. Victoria is a truly memorable character whose bravery and ingenuity in the face of adversity was moving and inspirational.

Book Review: "Lavender House" by Lev AC Rosen

Lavender House was a satisfying mystery that delivers so much more. It was fantastic!

California. 1952. Andy was a police detective in San Francisco until he was caught in a raid at a gay bar. Fired, disgraced, and shunned, he is nearing the end of the rope.

Then he is approached by a woman who asks him to investigate the murder of her wife. Her wife was Irene Lamontaine, the head of the famous Lamontaine soap empire, and she was killed at Lavender House, their secluded estate. It turns out that the house is home to a number of gay people, living their lives freely, even if it’s only within the walls of the house.

Andy agrees to investigate the murder and takes residence at Lavender House. He never imagined that he’d see people like him so openly embracing love and having the type of relationships that wouldn’t be possible in the outside world. It forces him to come to terms with his own life and sexuality, as well as reconcile his being a police detective with the way his colleagues treated gay people.

“Just because we know what we are, and we know what the world is, doesn’t mean we can change anything about either of them.”

The mystery in this book is fairly standard but the book worked for me on so many levels. I loved many of the characters and would love to see a sequel someday. (Rosen has certainly set things up for that.) This was a fascinating, emotional look at the struggles queer people faced back then.

Book Review: "The Heist" by C.W. Gortner and M.J. Rose

With The Heist, this fun, glamorous caper series set in the late 1950s comes to a close.⁣

⁣ I’ve really enjoyed this series of novellas, which started with The Steal and The Bait. In this book, Ania Thorne has been hiding as she plots her next move to try and take down the notorious jewel thief, the Leopard. And she’s figured the perfect bait—she’ll design special jewelry for the Oscar-nominated actress of a major film.⁣

⁣ Jerome Curtis has been living a bleak existence in London, mourning the end of his relationship and the fact he threw away his career for the woman who abandoned him. A friend offers him a security job at her father’s movie studio, but unbeknownst to him, this job will put him right in the middle of Ania’s plan to trap the Leopard, who has gotten the jump on both of them before.⁣

⁣ This is really a series you should read in order, but since each book is less than 200 pages, it’s not that huge of a commitment. I love the glamour of old Hollywood that runs throughout the series, as well as the relationships and characters.⁣

⁣ Thanks so much to Get Red PR Books and Blue Box Press for the complimentary copy of the book. Here's hoping that C.W. Gortner and M.J. Rose team up again, or at the very least give us another installment in this series! ⁣

Book Review: "The Lincoln Highway" by Amor Towles

The Lincoln Highway is an ambitious story about fresh starts, righting wrongs, adventure, and big dreams.

Amor Towles’ A Gentleman in Moscow was one of my absolute favorite books when it was published a number of years ago, so I had very high hopes for his new book. And while I loved the story at its core, I felt it was so overstuffed with characters and meandered into so many side threads that it didn’t keep my attention the way I hoped it would.

In 1954, 18-year-old Emmett is being driven back to his Nebraska farm by the warden of the juvenile facility where he has spent the last 15 months. His father recently died and the farm has been foreclosed by the bank, so Emmett plans to pick up his 8-year-old brother Billy and go find a fresh start elsewhere.

What he doesn’t count on is that two of his friends from the work farm, Duchess and Woolly, have stowed away in the trunk of the warden’s car and have no intention of going back there. And they both have a different destination in mind than Emmett does.

The group agrees that Emmett will drop Duchess and Woolly off at the bus station as he and Billy start their journey. But a quick detour throws everything off-course, and sets everyone on a path to meet in New York, with adventures, danger, a little violence, and score-settling along the way.

The plot unfolds over 10 days and is narrated by a number of different characters. At times the story felt a little like This Tender Land, which I loved, but sometimes I found it so frustrating. But I know others loved this, so maybe you will, too!

Book Review: "The Bait" by C.W. Gortner and M.J. Rose

Happy to get my hands on another fun, twisty story of greed and revenge among the rich and famous with The Bait!

This follow-up to The Steal (which you should read first) takes place in late 1958, one year later. Ania Throne, head of her family’s jewelry empire, is still angry about the sizable theft which occurred in Cannes. She’s determined to teach the perpetrator—believed to be the notorious jewelry thief the Leopard—a lesson.

Ania plans a heist of her own during the Venetian Carnival, hoping to flush out the Leopard. And while her lover, former insurance investigator Jerome Curtis, is in on the heist, he’s struggling to understand exactly where he fits in her glamorous world. But when things go awry with the scheme, they both realize that they’re playing a more complicated and dangerous game than they thought.

As a stranger to the circles in which Ania moves, Jerome is quickly eyed with suspicion for the crime. He’s going to need all of his wits about him to save himself—but is Ania on his side or off on her own?

I love the feel of these books and these characters fascinate me. I’m always up for a good heist story, the time period is right in my wheelhouse, and C.W. Gortner and M.J. Rose really make the setting so evocative.

This ends with a serious cliffhanger, but luckily the third book, The Heist, comes out in August! (See my review for The Steal here.)

Book Review: "The Steal" by C.W. Gortner and M.J. Rose

The Steal has a little bit of everything: a jewel heist and a glamorous setting, plus secrets, emotion, and family drama. Sound good to you? It sure did to me!

Cannes, 1957. The famed film festival is about to take place on this gorgeous island, and an A-list of glamorous celebrities are there. So is jewelry designer Ania Thorne, representing her family's jewelry company with a new multimillion-dollar collection, which will adorn the bodies of the world’s most beautiful actresses.

But shortly after Ania's arrival in Cannes, her entire collection is stolen in a brazen heist by the notorious jewel thief known as "The Leopard."

Jerome Curtis is an investigator for the company that insures Thorne & Company’s jewels. He’s let The Leopard get the best of him before (with tragic results) and he’s determined that won’t happen again. But this world-weary detective isn’t prepared for the depths to which The Leopard will stoop to get what he wants.

Ania knows the future of her company is at stake, and isn’t sure if she should trust Jerome. And when she learns just what might be behind the heist, she has to decide whether she can take the thief on herself or if she should let Jerome in. This is further complicated by an attraction that can’t go anywhere.

When you read certain books, do you find yourself picturing the movie adaptation in your head? That definitely happened while reading The Steal. I really enjoyed everything about it and tried to picture whom I’d cast in the lead roles. This book has everything—action, suspense, drama, steam, glamour—it’s made for a movie!

Can’t wait to get my hands on the second book, The Bait!

Book Review: "Last Night at the Telegraph Club" by Malinda Lo

Last Night at the Telegraph Club is a well-told story about a young woman’s awakening amidst turmoil around her.

In 1954, 17-year-old Lily Hu dreams of a job in science like her aunt, who works on a computer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. But that’s not what good girls do—her mother expects that she’ll meet a nice man and raise children.

Lily wants more than going to dances and flirting with boys like her best friend Shirley. She can’t figure out what’s missing—until she sees a romance novel about two women, and everything seems to click into place, including her fascination with male impersonators.

She draws closer with her classmate, Kathleen, who takes her to the Telegraph Club, a lesbian club in downtown San Francisco. But to live her truth means risking it all—the disapproval of family and friends, and potential criminal action, as homosexuality isn’t legal in 1954.

This is an emotional, well-written and well-researched story, which touches on post-World War II treatment of Asians and the growing fear of Communism. The flush of first love and realizing who you are was captured so accurately.

Book Review: "The Broken Girls" by Simone St. James

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James is part ghost story, part murder mystery, and all a bit creepy!

Idlewild Hall used to be a boarding school in Vermont where “certain” girls were sent—the ones whose parents didn’t want them around, the troubled or mischievous or emotionally wounded ones. Rumor is the school is haunted by a ghost named Mary Hand—many have seen her or heard her through the years.

In 1950, a group of friends is trying to survive life at Idlewild. Then one night, one of them disappears—while the rest try to make sense of what happened even though no one else wants them to.

In 2014, freelance journalist Fiona Sheridan is still mourning the murder of her sister Deb 20 years earlier. Deb’s body was found dumped on the deserted ruins of Idlewild Hall, and her boyfriend was convicted of her murder, but Fiona was never convinced of his guilt.

When she learns that someone will be renovating Idlewild Hall, Fiona wants to cover the story, even though those closest to her think she needs to give up her obsession. But secrets are uncovered, some long-hidden and some more recent, which may point to a startling truth.

Having read and loved St. James’ newest book, The Sun Down Motel, I was looking forward to this one. It certainly didn’t disappoint. Once again, she did such a great job of meshing mystery with paranormal elements.

I was really hooked on this book for the first three-quarters of it. As it reached its conclusion, there were a few too many coincidences to take in, but ultimately I wasn’t disappointed. This was a compelling and slightly creepy read!

Book Review: "The Vanishing Half" by Brit Bennett

The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett's second novel, is powerful and incredibly relevant given the moment our society is in right now.

“You can escape a town, but you cannot escape blood. Somehow, the Vignes twins believed themselves capable of both.”

Stella and Desiree Vignes grew up in Mallard, Louisiana, a town whose population is composed of immensely light-skinned African-American people. They're actually descendants of the founder, but their lives were traumatized by their witnessing a horrible event in their childhood. Both sisters wanted something more out of life than cleaning people’s houses—Stella dreamed of college and Desiree dreamed of excitement. The two fled to New Orleans one night to pursue a new life.

But years later, Desiree returns to Mallard with her daughter, Jude, in tow, while Stella has chosen to live a very different life, and a lie at that.

The book tells Desiree and Stella’s stories as well as the stories of their daughters, Jude and Kennedy. It’s a powerful meditation on how intertwined family remains even when apart, and how decisions can ripple through the generations. It's also a look at sexual identity, self-acceptance, and the way home can be both a comfort and a curse.

More than that, this is a book about race and the unconscious biases that exist among people in the same groups. It’s such a timely conversation but it’s never heavy-handed. Not all of the characters are likable, but they're all fascinating in their own way.

Brit Bennett once again proves, as she did with her debut novel The Mothers, that she is a born storyteller. This is a book that will be talked about for some time.

Book Review: "The Astonishing Life of August March" by Aaron Jackson

Aaron Jackson's The Astonishing Life of August March is utterly charming and delightful.

August March took his first breaths in a New York City theater prior to World War II. Born to an actress during the intermission of her play, she abandoned him amidst her soiled costumes. He was found by an elderly laundress, who becomes his de-facto mother, but knowing that she wasn't truly the maternal type, she nurtures him when she's at work, but leaves him to spend his nights in the theater.

August is a wild but intelligent child, one who speaks in Shakespearean monologues and is prone to dramatic declarations because he grows up watching every theatrical production. At one point he even befriends an English actor who played King Lear. He knows what makes a good production and what makes a disastrous one, and he's more than happy to share his opinions.

But August knows nothing of the outside world and doesn’t know how to interact with people, and when his time in the theater comes to an end in the days after WWII, he must make his way in the world. His life is a continued adventure, from pickpocket to prep school student, drunkard to high-stakes con artist. But while he may have companions, he always feels alone.

Yet despite the adventures, the highs and lows he experiences through his life, August longs for some sense of normalcy, for people to care for him. He thinks he may have found that with Penny, but is it for real or is she going for the ultimate con herself?

I thought this was such a fun, enjoyable book, and the characters are truly memorable. This was a special story which would make a fun movie, because August was so fascinating.

The Astonishing Life of August March is one of those books that sticks with you. I definitely wished it were longer.

Book Review: "The Italian Party" by Christina Lynch

On its surface, Christina Lynch's The Italian Party is like a fancy dessert—it's lovely to look at, but you aren't sure if there will be any substance beneath the decorative frills. But when you dig in, you realize there's more to it than meets the eye.

Newlyweds Scottie and Michael leave America to move to Siena, Italy, where Michael will be selling Ford tractors to Italian farmers, to get them to start absorbing American culture. It's the 1950s, not long after World War II, and there are signs that Italy is ripe for the influence of Communism, something that America fears.

Scottie and Michael don't really know each other that well—they married fairly quickly, and each made assumptions about the other. Scottie left her studies at Vassar (she wasn't much of a student anyway, and feels good about getting her "MRS." degree), and doesn't want Michael to know that before marrying him she was mostly interested in celebrity gossip, fashion, and horses. Meanwhile, Michael is all too happy to flee his parents' unhappy marriage and the memories of an older brother who died in the war, a brother who wasn't very nice to him anyway.

Neither is really sure how to make a marriage work, and both have major secrets they're hiding from the other. Michael is ostensibly "working" in Rome quite a bit, or he's at his office trying to sell tractors to reluctant Italians, which leaves her home alone, without much knowledge of Italian or anyone to talk with. It leaves her vulnerable to the attentions of other men, so in an effort to help her cope, Michael encourages a teenage boy from the community, Robertino, to teach her Italian.

When Robertino disappears, Scottie is determined to find out what happened to him, and she becomes a thorn in the side of those supposedly investigating his case. The deeper she digs, the more secrets she uncovers—about her husband, his job, their marriage, and their purpose for being in Italy. While these secrets throw her completely off-guard and make her wonder what she should do, they also ignite a passion within her, a passion to make things right in a city she has come to love.

"Italy was not carefree and sexy like they made it seem in Roman Holiday. It was dense and mysterious and dangerous and confusing."

Novels taking place in Italy, like Jess Walter's Beautiful Ruins or Delia Ephron's Siracusa, tend to charm me, because their setting often seems so magical and glamorous. That charm worked for me with The Italian Party as well. I thought Lynch did a good job juxtaposing the frivolous and serious, interjecting elements of history with the story of a relationship built on secrets and lies.

At times my attention wavered a bit, when the characters stopped to lecture each other a bit about history and politics, but for the most part, I really enjoyed this. Lynch definitely kept me guessing—even though many elements seem familiar, the way she put them together made the story compelling. Her characters are flawed yet fascinating, and she did a terrific job with imagery and details. Oh, and if you read this with an empty stomach, man, you'll be hungry!!

I was intrigued by this book when I saw a number of my Goodreads friends reading it, and even though their opinions were mixed, I really wanted to read it. I enjoyed it—it's not perfect, but it's a compelling, well-written read, with lots of twists and turns.

Ciao, bella!!

Book Review: "White Houses" by Amy Bloom

Fifty-five years after her death, and more than 70 years after she left the White House following her husband's death, Eleanor Roosevelt remains one of the most intriguing women in history. She certainly was a role model for trailblazing women not interested in being confined to the boxes in which society wants to contain them, but rather working to bring about change wherever it is needed.

While much is known about her public persona, her personal life has always remained more of an enigma. More and more, it is understood that her marriage to FDR was more one of convenience than romance, and while his affairs were the stuff of gossip, hers, with women, were kept more secret.

Perhaps Eleanor's most notable relationship was with Lorena "Hick" Hickok, once the most prominent female reporter in the U.S. Hick and Eleanor met in 1932 when Hick was covering FDR's campaign for president. Instantly smitten although the two come from vastly different worlds—the patrician Eleanor was both enchanted and horrified by Hick's rough-and-tumble exterior—after spending some time together their friendship deepens into intimacy.

Hick moves into the White House and becomes known as Eleanor's "first friend." Their relationship is as talked about within White House circles as FDR's are, but the president seems content if his wife is, and he gives Hick a job within the administration. And while it is clear both women love each other, Eleanor is conflicted about her feelings for Hick, her role as First Lady, and whether she should continue to enjoy her relationship, or whether she isn't a suitable match, and if she should set Hick free.

Amy Bloom's White Houses is a fictionalized account of the decades-long relationship between two women who have seen so much, yet still find wonder in each other, even at a time where such relationships could mean ruin. It's a story about how the power of love isn't always enough to see you through, but the strength of a friendship can power a relationship. It's also a story of a woman who grew up poorer than poor finds herself in the midst of a life she couldn't even begin to dream of, yet she can't have everything she wants.

"I wasn't in love with Eleanor. We had agreed that 'in love' had burned out after four years for us, the way it does for most of us, in two months or two years and, I guess, never for some lucky people. Instead of a trail of fire roaring through, those people get small candles steadily lighting the way home until death do they part, and only the young are stupid enough to think that those two old people, him gimping, her squinting, are not in love. I got by. I lived amputated, which sounds worse than it felt. I learned to do all kinds of large and small tasks, with part of me missing, and I feel pretty sure that the people who watched me in the world thought that I was entirely able-bodied."

White Houses follows the two women through three decades of their relationship, and flashes back to Hick's hardscrabble childhood and young adulthood, where she learned how to fend for herself. Although it moves a little slowly at times, it's a poignant love story and a look at history that I found fascinating, moving, and thought-provoking. Hick is brash and confident, yet she has a tender, vulnerable side that Eleanor often brings out in her, while Eleanor had two faces—the public woman bent on saving the world, and the private woman who just wanted to be loved but didn't know if she was worthy.

I have been a big fan of Amy Bloom's for a number of years and find her writing absolutely dazzling. This book is beautifully written, and while I didn't completely warm to Bloom's last few historical novels, preferring her more modern fiction, I really enjoyed this one. Her words conveyed the emotional conflict, the longing, and the protectiveness both women felt, and brought so much depth to this story.

NetGalley and Random House provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!

Book Review: "Lovecraft Country" by Matt Ruff

Yeah, Tina, that's how I felt after reading this book. This was one crazy, creative, confusing ride!!

In 1954, the U.S. was still deep in the throes of segregation and blatant racism. When Korean War veteran Atticus Turner finds out his estranged father Montrose has gone missing, accompanying a young, confident-looking white man to a small town in New England, Atticus knows he must find him and see what trouble he has gotten himself into. Accompanied by his Uncle George, publisher of The Safe Negro Travel Guide, and his childhood friend Letitia, the trio experience more than their share of racist and dangerous encounters along the way, as they travel in and out of less open-minded communities.

"White people in his experience were far more transparent. The most hateful rarely bothered to conceal their hostility, and when for some reason they did try to hide their feelings, they generally exhibited all the guile of five-year-olds, who cannot imagine that the world sees them other than as they wish to be seen."

When they arrive in the small town of Ardham, Massachusetts, and the sprawling manor home of Samuel Braithwhite (who happens to be the ancestor of those who owned Atticus' grandmother), they are somewhat shocked to find Montrose kept prisoner in the cellar of an Ardham building. Braithwhite and his son Caleb are part of a secret order called the Order of the Ancient Dawn, and the group has very interesting plans for a ritual to regain their power—a ritual that involves Atticus. And while Atticus may have a trump card to play, using it may unleash years of danger upon his family and friends.

What follows are interconnected chapters involving Atticus, George, George's wife Hippolyta and his son Horace, as well as Letitia and her sister, Ruby. The chapters involve all sorts of magic, occult, ghosts, racism, space and time travel, social commentary, and threats of violence, as one who was once in power tries to establish his dominance again. These are wild stories for which you'll need to seriously suspend your disbelief, but Matt Ruff tries to provide pointed commentary on how racism can destroy the fabric of our country and cause people to do things they know they shouldn't.

Lovecraft Country pays homage to the horror novelist (and racist) H.P. Lovecraft. It's well-written and creative, but it just gets too unhinged after a while. The narrative in each section seems disjointed and the pacing at times moves slower than I would have liked. But when the book starts barreling toward its conclusion, it makes you feel a little breathless, as you wonder how Ruff will tie everything up.

Matt Ruff's first novel, Fool on the Hill, a fantasy totally unlike this book, is one of my favorite books of all time. His subsequent books definitely challenge your perceptions of reality and are tremendously thought-provoking. I know that this was the objective here, too, but it just didn't quite click for me. But if a combination of social commentary, allegory, and the occult sounds irresistible to you, definitely pick this up, because combined with Ruff's storytelling talent, it may be a home run for you.

Movie Review: "Fences"

I remember when there was so much buzz generated around the thought of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino finally acting in a scene together in Heat. What would it be like for two lions of the cinema to finally appear together—would the film implode from all of the energy and talent? (Although they both appeared in The Godfather Part II they had no scenes together.) As you might imagine, it was a pretty electrifying scene, even though it wasn't performed at full throttle like both often do.

I didn't get the chance to see Denzel Washington and Viola Davis appear in the stage version of Fences in 2010, but that was another pairing I assumed would be electrifying, given the incredible power they bring to every role, plus the raw emotion of August Wilson's play. And while I thought the movie ran a tiny bit too long (I don't remember if it followed the play completely), not only did Washington and Davis, as well as their supporting cast, not disappoint, but they dazzled.

Fences takes place in 1950s Pittsburgh and focuses on Troy Maxson (Washington), a sanitation worker who once had dreams of playing professional baseball, but by the time black players were admitted into the major leagues, he was deemed too old. This perceived unfairness has always stuck in his craw, and causes him to look at his son Cory's dreams of playing football with a jaundiced eye.

Troy's bitterness doesn't stop him from wanting a bigger piece of the pie, and he wants the chance to be a driver like white men get. He also wants to be able to provide a little more for his family, although that doesn't stop him from complaining that his long-suffering wife, Rose (Davis), takes all of his money, and belittling his ne'er-do-well musician son Lyons when he asks to borrow money occasionally.

Troy is a larger-than-life presence in Rose and Cory's life—he talks big, he drinks big, and likes to shoot the bull with his best friend Bono (Stephen McKinley Henderson, reprising his Tony-nominated role) about once-impressive athletic skills, manhood, everything. But while boastful, Troy is surprisingly caring about his brother Gabriel (Mykelti Williamson), who sustained a brain injury during WWII, and now roams the streets shouting that he is working on God's behalf, ridding the world of hell-hounds, and getting ready for when he has to blow his horn to let St. Peter know it's time to open the gates of heaven.

A great deal of the play is characterized by emotional outbursts and confrontations among the characters, none more powerful than between Troy and Cory, as the father tries to remind the son who is boss and who is not ready to be a man, and Troy and Rose, about responsibility, loyalty, their treatment of their son, and rehashing old hurts and resentments. Washington directed this film with finesse; although movie versions of plays often feel too open once they're taken out of the four walls of the theater, this film feels comfortable in its space but knows its limits.

As you might imagine, the performances in this film are top-notch. Davis, who eschews even the slightest vanity when she cries onscreen, is utterly mesmerizing, she is both heartbreaking and strong, emotional and stoic. While I am unhappy with the decision to list her as a possible nominee for Best Supporting Actress rather than Best Actress, when she is in at least 90 percent of the movie and she won the Tony for Best Leading Actress, there is no denying she not only will get an Oscar nomination but finally win the award she so richly deserves. (And then she'll be three-fourths of the way toward winning the EGOT—better get your CD working Viola!)

Washington's role is a lot of bluster and anger, and his character isn't particularly sympathetic at times, but his performance is tremendously complex. I saw the play in its original run on Broadway when James Earl Jones played Troy, and while you couldn't deny his presence on stage (especially with that voice), Washington takes the role to another dimension. He is so fascinating to watch onscreen, and his character serves as the film's anchor, so much so that when he isn't on camera, the film feels slightly off-center. I certainly expect him to receive another Oscar nomination for his performance.

There isn't a weak link in the supporting performances—Williamson makes your heart break, while Henderson's quiet presence is the perfect foil to Washington's volume, but Henderson doesn't get lost in the shuffle. Both Jovan Adepo and Russell Hornsby, who play Cory and Lyons respectively, have emotional moments where they stand toe-to-toe (and skill-to-skill) with Washington and Davis.

In the end, this is a bleak movie, but it is tremendously well-acted and directed. While all the anger and resentment and heartbreak may be hard to watch, the performances are so mesmerizing, you can't tear yourself away.