Kristina McMorris Does It Again!

Kristina McMorris definitely knows how to write historical fiction! Ever since I read her Sold on a Monday, I have been a big fan. Her latest, The Girls of Good Fortune, focuses on Portland, OR in the late 1800s. The story centers on a young woman who is half-Chinese and works as a maid for a prominent family. Circumstances send her to live in a bordello where she is tasked with doing odd jobs. When she learns about the massacre of Chinese miners in the Wyoming Territory, and after also learning about the death of her Chinese father, she is committed to helping bring to justice to the men that committed the massacre.

There is a lot more to this book than just what I've mentioned above. I don't want to give anything away, but...there might be a love interest; maybe an escape from a very difficult situation; and possibly...nope, that's all I am willing to tell you. With all of the twists and turns and surprises, you need to read The Girls of Good Fortune to find out what happens. And get this - Kristina will be conducting a virtual tour of the Shanghai Tunnels, where much of the action takes place, on June 10, at 4:00pst. All you have to do is pre-order her book before the pub date of May 20. I can't wait to see it!

My First Mystery from Abbi Waxman - One Death at a Time

As the title indicates, One Death at a Time is my 1st Abbi Waxman mystery. It combines a whodunit with the movie industry. You can't beat that combo! Julia Mann is a veteran ex-actress who is accused of killing a man she found in her swimming pool (she's already been in jail once before for murder!). Now she needs to clear her name and ends up partnering with her sobriety sponsor from AA, who she really wants nothing to do with. Does it all make sense?

Abbi does a very good job of of holding our interest and making sure we really don't know whodunit! She brings in a lot of characters, who all play a part in determining who the killer really is (could it actually be Julia?). And, at the same time, we get a look at the inside workings of Hollywood. It's a fun read with a very intriguing protagonist. I think I might need to check out other Abbi Waxman books.

Another Great Mystery from Hannah Jayne - we did nothing wrong

Even though I am, let’s say, a few years older than the YA characters in Hannah Jayne’s mysteries, I still enjoy the heck out of them. It’s not about the age of the characters. It’s about: Is the book well-written?…and does the mystery keep you guessing?…and do you care about the protagonists? I’ve a big fat YES to all 3 of those questions!

A very quick synopsis: Lia and Diana are long-time best friends and very popular in high school. But there’s been a recent build-up where they are going in different directions. One very late school night, they are scheduled to meet up at a nearby park, which they have been doing for years. Only this time, Lia is late - you’ll have to read the book to find out why - and when she gets there, Diana is gone. Why isn’t she there? Is it Lia’s fault? You know what you have to do to get answers to these, and many other, questions.

The only very small giveaway I will give you is…nah, I changed my mind. All I will say is that the tension grows and grows. Once you start we did nothing wrong, you will not want to put it down. Get your copy stat!

Come Fly with Me, by Camille Di Maio - a MUST Read!

Do you remember back in February when I reviewed Becoming Madam Secretary? And I told you that it was my 3rd 4/4 of 2025? Well, I've got #4 for you. And this one is a doozy. Come Fly with Me, by Camille di Maio, tells the story of 2 women, with very different backgrounds, who become Pan Am stewardesses (the name used back then) in 1962. This is historical fiction at its best.  

I had so many emotional reactions while I read CFwM that I'm still feeling them. Here's just a sample:

"Oh, s__t!"

"Finally!"

"Oh, no!" (said twice)

Raised eyebrows

Quite a few tears

There are also quite a few very descriptive clauses that had a lot of impact on me. I will only quote 2:

If a handshake were a hug, this is what it would feel like.

It's not often that you're given a seat to someone's metamorphosis.

See what I mean? And there's a lot more where those came from.

This is just an absolutely terrific book from cover-to-cover. It is no accident (or surprise) that Amazon has a rating of 4.5/5 (I'm still old school and use a maximum 4 rating), and Goodreads is 4.35/5. And if I'm being honest, I would actually rate Come Fly with Me a 4/4+!

                                                                                                                                                                                                           

 

Looking for Jane, by Heather Marshall - Read It!

Looking for Jane, by Heather Marshall, is a very good and very interesting read.  It's listed as historical fiction for a very good reason. It goes as far back as 1960 and as far forward as 2017.  And it centers on abortion in Canada, both before it became legal and after.  It focuses on three women with very different stories and how they are connected.  It's a fascinating look at the abortion issue.  And even though it takes place in Canada, many Americans obviously can relate to what these fictional women went through.  Canada's abortion law went into effect in 1969.  And Roe v. Wade was 1973.  Of course Roe was overturned in 2022, leaving it up to each state to create its own set of laws.

It doesn't hurt that Heather picked such an interesting subject for her novel.  Anybody who reads Looking for Jane is going to feel what these women all went through.  But it doesn't hurt that the book is also very well written.  it captures your attention from page 1.  I mean, after all, 4.36/5 on Goodreads, with almost 60,000 ratings!  And get this...her 2nd book, The Secret History of Audrey James, which came out in June of last year, has a rating of 4.40/5 with over 2,000 ratings!  After reading LfJ, I know I'm going to get my hands on TSHoAJ. 

Well, I'm back with another book review.  This one is my 3rd 4/4 in 2025!  I am on a some kind of hot streak!  But let me get to it. Becoming Madam Secretary, by Stephanie Dray, is an amazing story. It's all about the first female cabinet member.  Frances Perkins was picked by FDR to be his Secretary of Labor when he officially became president in early 1933.  We learn that right at the beginning of the book.  Then Stephanie goes back to 1909 and gives us Frances' background.  We learn about her husband and his difficulties, her pregnancies, her path that led to her appointment.  And, later, we learn about everything she did as Labor Secretary.  We see how being a woman affected her job and her ability to get things done.  We learn a lot about FDR and Eleanor.  it could NOT have been more interesting.

This is not a short book.  it comes in at 500 pages.  But, boy, did I get through it quickly.  I picked it up every available minute.  And, like any good historical fiction, we find out in the author notes which characters were fictional and which were real.  I have to say that these author notes were particularly interesting.

So far I've only read one other book by Stephanie Dray.  It's called The Women of Chateau Lafayette.  And it was also a 4/4!  I need to get off my keister and read more...and I will!  In the meantime, please read Becoming Madam Secretary.  I can't wait for Stephanie to Zoom in to our book club in May!

 

Big Event at Beyond Text!

Beyond Text, the new bookstore in downtown Los Gatos, is having a big event the weekend of March 22 and 23. Each day, from 2-4, there will be 3 authors discussing how they became authors, answering audience questions, and signing books. Don't miss it! It's located at 318 N. Santa Cruz Avneue. And the phone number is (925) 660-9336.