Category: Uncategorized

Now Out: You Be You! (Branfman)

This is a reassuring, optimistic, factual and supportive book that talks about gender identity. Terms are clearly defined, children are encouraged to be who they are and all topics are clearly explained. This book will be especially welcome to families whose children may not identify with the old girl/boy dichotomy of times past. It will be a good resource for school library shelves.

Watch what Jane can do: Jane (Sanchez Vegara) #JaneGoodall #NetGalley

Jane Goodall recently met with Prince Harry in England to discuss issues of conservation.  She is someone quite inspirational.  Now, the youngest children can learn about her and her accomplishments in this board book.  Young listeners will find out how much Jane loved animals, observed, named and studied them and fought for their habitats.  This book will encourage young listeners to think about the natural world and its importance to all of us.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review.  It is part of a wonderful series.

Sit down, read and relax. Queen Bee (Frank) #QueenBee #NetGalley

Dorothea Benton Frank loves the Carolina Lowcountry. The setting is as much a part of her novels as any of the characters. She encourages readers, wherever they live, to fetch a glass of sweet tea, put their feet up and enjoy a summer read.

This novel is about Holly, her sister Leslie, their mother QB (Queen Bee) and all those with whom they interact. The people in their lives include two adorable boys who live next door and their widowed father, Archie; Leslie’s husband Charles who likes to dress in women’s clothes, the new love of QB’s life and… as you read, you will also find out who is Holly’s true love.

Holly is a beekeeper. As a result there are loads of fascinating facts about honeybees in the novel. They add to the quality of the story. Readers will enjoy watching Holly find her strengths and her voice even as she chats to her bees.

This novel is a most pleasant read and I recommend it.

A couple of my favorite quotes:

If I haven’t learned anything else this whole year, I learned that love comes in every color, shape and size.

That’s what it is to live in the Lowcountry. The colors are a little brighter. The air is a little sweeter.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review.

Other Reviews

“If I could only read one writer from now until the end of my life, it would be Dorothea Benton Frank. Her whip-smart, deliciously wicked novels provide an emotional rollercoaster ride that’s as thrilling the twentieth time as the first.” (Elin Hilderbrand, New York Times bestselling author of Summer of ‘69 and The Perfect Couple)

“Bestseller Frank (By Invitation Only) shows off her formidable storytelling chops and her gift for creating memorable characters…Full of Low Country flavor and brilliantly imagined characters, this laugh-out-loud-hilarious novel with a wistful edge will satisfy anyone who wants to see flawed people getting second chances.” (Publishers Weekly)

“Franks’ fanciful and frothy slice of Lowcountry life is a feel-good, read-in-one-sitting escape. Benton has been delighting readers with tales of her native Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, for 20 years, and her newest will rally fans and all seeking diverting women’s fiction.” (Booklist)

Now Out: The Chelsea Girls (Davis)

The Chelsea GirlsFiona Davis sets her novels in iconic New York City locations. She has told stories set at the Barbizon Hotel for Women, The Dakota, Grand Central Station and now at the Chelsea Hotel. In each of her three prior novels, the narrative took place during two eras; in this book, the author follows two characters in the same time period. They are actress Maxine and would be actress and playwright, Hazel.

The novel opens with Hazel joining a USO troop in Italy during WWII. These scenes were so evocative, both in terms of the war and the emotions raised for the performers. This beginning left me feeling very excited about the rest of the book except…for a while, I then found the narrative less engaging. However, round about chapter 18 there was a twist and I again became very involved in the story and the characters’ lives. It is worth sticking with the book in my opinion.

Much of this book centers on the activities of HUAC, the House Un-Amercian Activities Committee. Who is a Communist? Who is being targeted unfairly? Should we be rooting people out and encouraging them to turn on others? What are the consequences to everyone when a government sponsored witch hunt is going on? You will think about these issues as you read and may also find the subject relevant in our current political climate.

In addition to HUAC, the reader spends time at the Chelsea Hotel, the Tonys, on Broadway and more. There are actors, government workers, names dropped of famous and real Chelsea Hotel denizens and more. Most of all, readers will connect with Hazel and Maxine, their friendship and its challenges.

All in all, this was a good read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-galley. All opinions are my own.

Other reviews:

“Featuring vibrant, witty characters who not only weather but thrive in a dark period of American history, Davis’s tale of one friendship’s strength will stun and satisfy readers.”—Publishers Weekly

“This novel in three acts brings to vivid life the McCarthy era and its impact on the entertainment industry in a heartbreaking tale of the friendship of two brave women.”—Library Journal