It Girl by Allison Pataki

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Evelyn knows what it means to be hungry. Having experienced the death of her beloved father and her family’s subsequent plummet into poverty despite her mother’s best efforts, much has fallen onto Evelyn’s shoulders at a very young age. Even scrounging in the back of a local restaurant for scraps of food for her and her younger brother is nothing she is not familiar with. At the age of 13, she is brought into Wanamaker’s Department Store to work alongside her mother in order to make ends meet, in spite of her ardent wish to continue in school like her peers. It is here she is discovered by an artist, who sees in Evelyn something she could never have imagined for herself.

This novel is based loosely on the life of Evelyn Nesbit, thought of as the first supermodel, Broadway actress and Hollywood starlet who is known to have come from very humble beginnings. And while much of the story of this fictional Evelyn’s aligns with that of the real one, there is also an inner strength that is developed in the fictional character that we can only guess at with the real one. This Evelyn, our heroine, is used and misused by artists, by various older men, and even by her own mother. She is so young and innocent that she is taken advantage of by so many it is painful to witness. But at some point, she becomes so justifiably outraged, that she develops a plan of escape that is quite brilliant. We are rooting for her all the way.

We also see how so many of the female characters whom one would have hoped would have been supportive of her truly abandon her. Because of her beauty, many are jealous, and many perceive her as being either entitled or spoiled or even evil because of what she’s had to do to survive. Even those she’d thought of as her good friends quickly turn on her when she can no longer advance their status. Even her own mother abandons her when she feels she has made mistakes that might cost them the financial gains they’ve made, turning a blind eye to what her own daughter actually needs. It is disappointingly realistic. Fortunately, however, she does have a few true friends, ones who deeply care for her and worry about her welfare. These are the true heroes.

This is an engaging story, mirroring the life of a female legend. Certainly a worthwhile read!

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

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Natalie has created a perfect life – or at least this is what is projected on her viral Instagram presence. She is living off the fruit of the land, on a farm in Idaho with her beautiful husband and their many beautiful children, the two of them just living the simple all-American, Christian life. What is off-camera, is her large staff, those who are actually raising her children, homeschooling them, working the farm, and doing the work she is only pictured doing. One shocking day, Natalie wakes up and finds herself on a homestead that appears to be her home. It looks like her farm, but it is without any of the comforts she’s grown accustomed to – more like the farm that would have been present in the 19th century. Even the children are different. Where did her life go? As we hear from the Natalie in current times vs the one who finds herself back in time, we slowly learn how she came to be the person she is. And it’s not pretty…

This is an incredibly creative, sardonic commentary on social media – its influencers and bots and the falsehoods we come to believe. I am inclined to say that this is an extreme example, but I’m not even sure that is true. Natalie embodies the ultimate influencer: she has researched what folks become addicted to and finds her way to employ and monetize it. But she does this at the expense of losing her real life: she misses important moments with her children (except for those that are filmed), she misses moments for herself, and she misses finding a partner in life she actually loves and respects. Her whole life is a show, a photo op, a performance – but none of it is real. And the ones who suffer for it are everyone around her, but particularly her children.

I love the irony created when her husband, Caleb, becomes entrenched in absurd conspiracy theories on his social media sites. Natalie believes he is an idiot for believing any of it even while she is creating content that is similarly misleading. And all of it, Natalie’s and Caleb’s, is in the name of celebrating White, Christian values and preparing for the “big civil war” that is inevitable – even while this hate and this venom eats away at both of them from the inside.

I think this novel is thought-provoking, clever, and innovative – and has a powerful, cautionary message. I can see why it has become so popular and is on so many recommended lists.

Whistler by Ann Patchett

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Daphne and her husband, Jonathan, are visiting the Met Museum in Manhattan, when Jonathan comments that an older man has his eye on Daphne. This is apparently not unusual, as Daphne tends to attract older men – her husband being one such man – but it feels different somehow, as this man is actually following them. When Jonathan confronts him, Daphne suddenly realizes that this is her estranged ex-step-father, Eddie, whom she adored but hasn’t seen since she was nine years old. They join for a spontaneous lunch in the Met restaurant, and a reunion of sorts begins. As Daphne gets reacquainted with her ex-step-father, she reexamines her past with him, learns why her mother divorced him, and begins to make up for these many years of lost time together.

Perhaps I’ve been reading too much suspense lately, but I felt that this story was something of a let-down. While it is a very sweet narrative with characters we come to care about, the plot never builds to any major crescendo, nor are there any unexpected twists. And while Eddie’s character, for example, is admirable and clever, he is almost too admirable, too clever. The characters are almost one-dimensional. There is a backstory that comes out slowly during the course of the book, but it never reaches a level of intrigue and it is almost predictable.

Still, the story did hold my attention and I cannot say I regret reading it. It just did not live up to what I’ve come to expect from Ann Patchett, to be honest.

Maybe her next book?

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

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Alicia Berenson has been found with her murdered husband, Gabriel, a gun with her fingerprints, and her wrists slashed and bloodied. Since that moment, she has not uttered a single word: not in protestation when she was carried off to be interrogated, not in her own defense during her trial, and not since she’s been committed to a psychiatric facility six years ago. Although Theo Faber, a forensic psychologist, has been employed by another institution, he is so captivated by Alicia’s well-publicized story that he feels compelled to transfer to hers and attempt to help her himself. While Theo seems to make unusual progress with Alicia, he also finds his personal life begins to encroach upon this professional pursuit.

I listened to this audio book and I have to say it was engrossing, suspenseful, and at times, shocking. Just when I thought I might guess where the plot was heading, I found how wrong I could be. And just when I thought I had come to know the characters, I found I knew nothing at all. It was so well plotted, so well-depicted that it kept the suspense until the very last chapter.

I love that we come to know the “silent” character, Alicia, through her writing, in a diary she keeps hidden in order to tell her story. We learn of her unique artistic talents, those who have sought to take advantage of her, and those she fears without others believing her. She’s left unsupported by everyone who has claimed to love her.

This is a clever, twisty novel that compels you to keep reading (or listening) long past your bedtime! Great for summer, but great, really for any time of year…

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins

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Jules is shocked. Called back to her hometown because of her sister, Nel’s death by drowning, she immediately becomes enveloped in her own haunted memories. Even seeing her niece, Lena, now a teenager who is resentful of Jules’ estrangement from Nel, isn’t fully bringing her back to herself. But when she discovers a haunting pattern of women falling (being pushed?) over the cliff into what has been named the “Drowning Pool,” and sees that Lena may be a potential target, she is shaken into action. But who can she trust to help?

This is a totally suspenseful novel that will keep you biting your nails and turning pages late into the night. Full of twists and turns, the plot becomes thicker and thicker with each chapter, and even as we read the story from the varied perspectives of the many characters here, we still are kept guessing until the very final paragraph. As the story unfolds, we also learn, bit by bit, where the sisters fell out, what misunderstanding from a tragic act of violence has separated them over all these years. It is horrible and heartbreaking.

There are a few characters here who delve into the mystical, which is usually not my thing. I did love this one particular character, Nickie, however. She is older, thought of as a fraud, and constantly being ignored. But of course, she is the one who holds the town’s secrets and is truly the one not to miss. We know that older women are often dismissed, and here is an example of why that could not only be foolish, but dangerous.

This is a fantastic beach read – just in time for summer!

The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

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Birdie: It’s early 1930’s, and the Great Depression has hit Mississippi quite hard. Birdie considers herself lucky that she has a job, tedious and underpaid as it is. She has pretty much resigned herself to her single life, living at home with her Mama even as her younger sister has already flown the coup and gotten herself married, informing the family only after the fact. When circumstances become financially dire for Birdie and her Mama, she is encouraged to visit her now wealthier sister to ask for a loan. When she finds her sister and sees the reality of her life there, Birdie finds life can be challenging in ways she’d never dreamed of.

Meg: Being eleven years old at an orphanage during the Depression is hard, but never as hard as when the head of the establishment, the “esteemed” Garnett Pittman, just seems to have it out for you. Having been deserted by her mother two years prior, she continues to have dreams about her mother returning, which her best friend insists she must let go. But since she’s been exiled to a dreary, windowless room to herself all day, leaving only for meals and sleep, she can hardly be expected not to fantasize about her Mama. What else does she have to do? It is only when a new volunteer comes to work on the books for the orphanage and shows her a bit of kindness that she imagines she may have a future other than what Garnett has planned for her.

This is an incredibly beautiful story about women, their limited choices, and the lengths to which people will go for those they love. Written by the author of The Help, this novel is animated by the vernacular, the color, the beauty and the darkness of the South in the 1930’s. I listened to this on audiobook and found it utterly absorbing and entertaining, enjoying the lovely accents, rich characters and wonderfully snarky dialogue. As each of the histories of the main characters are gradually revealed, there is also a sense of horror at the evil inclinations of some and the victimization of many. Women at the time were particularly vulnerable, and those few with power did not always use that power for good.

But we root for these two characters – and many others – as we come to know their kindness, their sensitivity, and their complexity. And as the plot thickens, and takes unexpected curves, we find we worry for their safety and keep turning pages (or listening attentively) just to ensure we learn their fates. There is a great deal of suspense, of caring and of sadness – as there is in real life.

It’s been awhile since I’ve designated a book a “MUST READ,” but The Calamity Club absolutely is one! Whether you read or listen, I guarantee you will be taken in and love it!

Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

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Ronnie can’t believe his luck. After waiting for Lindsay for hours in the town square, she’s finally come to join him. Even better, she has asked him to join her in a bit of a prank. You see, Lula Dean, nobody’s favorite, self-righteous snoop in the town, has set up a little box of “free” library books in front of her home. While she had led a crusade against “dangerous” books being available in the schools and the library of their small, Georgian town, she has decided to establish a more “appropriate library” for the townspeople to use. Unbeknownst to Lula, however, Lindsay has what she feels might be a creative solution to the problem of Lula’s book banning. However, she has no idea what she might have unleashed on the town from this little prank…

What starts off as vignettes about the various characters who borrow the books Lula has left out in her library evolves into a more connected, linear story about a Southern town afflicted by its sordid past. The town has celebrated, with a huge statue in its town square, its deep roots in the enslavement of Black folks and in the extremist groups fostered there. Some of the characters here feel threatened by any sort of change, any progression toward inclusiveness; on the other hand, there are many who seek to move on from their history, to do better. The message here is clear: those who read, open their minds, and learn about others, become more empathetic to the plight of those who have been marginalized for whatever reason.

This is a clever novel, with amusing characters as well as a surprisingly complex plot. My only complaint is that the ending is, once again, a bit too neat. Perhaps it is the hope of the author that by reading this book, one will open their minds and learn that doing so will lead to happy endings. A sweet message if perhaps a bit naive. (I may just be cynical, given our world right now, though.)

The Cuban Heiress by Chanel Cleeton

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Upon boarding the ship, the SS Morro Castle, Catherine must act as if this is just another luxury cruise to Cuba that she is taking, something she’s completely used to; that is, if she’s to continue to convince her fiance, Raymond, that she is the heiress she has implied she is. Meanwhile, Elena is determined to hide out as much as possible on this same cruise, if she is to accomplish the revenge plot that she’s been scheming for months now. As the cruise progresses and the two women become more immersed in their ruses, we gradually learn how their stories are intertwined and how the success of one is heavily dependent upon the other.

Another gripping story of historical fiction from this author, Chanel Cleeton! We are treated to her creation of beautiful women characters who are both vulnerable and strong, irate and determined. They have both been wronged and are yet resilient and ready to move forward. They are also enmeshed in a plot that is complicated and intriguing, with unforeseen adversity that rushes up suddenly and overtakes them by storm.

My only complaint is one you’ve heard before from me: that the story is wrapped up too tightly into a pretty bow and delivers a happily-ever-after that is just too perfect. This is not how life generally works, and it is not how I like to see a novel end. But that may just be me…

Otherwise, this is an engaging work of historical significance, from both the Cuban history perspective as well as the story of the ship itself.

Funny Story by Emily Henry

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Daphne feels like such a fool. Only days before, her life had seemed like it was on a seamless track: engaged to Peter, she had moved into his beautiful home, became a part of his life, even ingratiated herself with his family and his friends. She was happy – or so she thought. But it has been blown to pieces now, with his sudden proclamation that he is, in fact, in love with his supposed “best friend” Petra (who is also engaged – to Miles). Still in shock, she barely even registers that Peter and Petra are going away for a week together to give her a chance to move out. But where is she to go??? Fortunately, Miles offers Daphne extra room in his apartment – a situation that will, of course, be temporary. In fact, living in the town Peter and Petra were still inhabiting is going to be temporary. She just has to get through her one major work project – and then she can leave. But will she?

This is a sweet, albeit predictable, romcom that will engage and entertain you. Emily Henry has a gift for creating charming characters with unexpectedly complicated backstories and clever, witty banter. There is a warmth that radiates off the pages and even the more troublesome characters have a vulnerability that shines through. And while you may guess the ending, there is a circuitous route that leads there, keeping you engaged and entertained just ever so much longer.

If you’re looking for a light, summer read – or listen! – here’s your next book! It’s cute, warm, and with just enough humor to keep you smiling throughout the pages.

Summer Longing by Jamie Brenner

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All Ruth wants to do as she arrives in Provincetown is to settle into her new, albeit temporary, home. She has just sold her lucrative cosmetics business and is searching for her forever home in this place where her happiest memories were borne; a place to gather her thoughts to focus on her next phase of life. She also sees this as an opportunity to reflect on her past and to potentially rectify her errors. As she approaches the lovely rental home where she will spend the summer, she is immediately met with frustration. Where are the keys to her home that were supposed to be in the mailbox? And, more dramatically, who is this baby who’s been abandoned at her front door? This is most definitely more than she bargained for, but yet it may be just what she needs to heal.

This is a delightful summer/beach read, taking place in one of the summeriest, beachiest spots I know. While Ruth is struggling to reconcile her workaholic past, one that has overshadowed her relationship with both her ex-husband and her daughter, she is also met with a warm cast of characters who are reconciling struggles of their own. She meets Elise and Fern, a couple who have been tortured by infertility that is threatening their very marriage. She meets the warm Barros family, a close-knit, traditional Portuguese family who embrace Ruth and quickly include her as one of their own. And she is fortunate enough to befriend Amelia, who is a virtual mother to all: kind and wise, guiding all around her with patience. And this, all while trying to repair the damage she feels she’s caused to her relationship with her daughter. I challenge you not to love each of these characters.

It also doesn’t hurt that it does take place in one of my favorite places. References to Commercial Street, the Red Inn, and Herring Cove bring back warm memories for me. Provincetown is a place where one can be whoever they are – truly anything goes! And it’s dazzling.

A lovely read. Warm, cozy, and yes, a bit corny – but isn’t that what summers are for???