The Operator by Gretchen Berg

Review:

This was a delightful look at small town American in the early 1950's which seems to be an era that has been somewhat lost in literature lately.  We read scores of books about the War years, but then, when America was recovering and supposed to be 'building the American Dream,' we don't hear as much.  The housewives of the 50's are a culture unto themselves, and Berg does a great job of getting into the details of what being a woman in this time was like.  

The main character, Vivian, was a bit of a rebel in some ways, but a traditionalist in others.  Her spunky personality made for a love/hate relationship with her for me as the reader.  The true win of this novel is the way small town happenings are brought to life, and how we are reminded that even the most trivial of matters to us now -- what hat to buy, who sits next to who at a lunch, driving alone on the highway -- were a BIG deal to these women and their families.  

Questions:

1.  Did you think about how much work it took to find out about Edward's past?  Compare investigative techniques in today's world versus Vivian's.

2.  Did you like Vivian?  Why or why not?

3.  What will happen to Betty after the story closes?  Will she get her 'just desserts?" 

CROWNSTAR Rating:

.5

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The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

One Day in December by Josie Silver

Review:

Whoa. Let’s start there. I don’t know what I was anticipating from this book, but it sure left me gobsmacked from the first bitten off earlobe...if you are expecting Twilight meets Vampire Diaries meets True Blood, you would be wrong. This is a true Vampire story with all the blood and guts and rats and evilness formerly associated with said creatures before the romantic vampires of Twilight became the norm.  It was GOOD. Half the time I felt like I was reading a women’s fiction novel about housewives in the late 1980’s, and then I’d be hit full on with biting rats, oh the rats...if you are a Vampire lover, def worth a read! All I can say is GO PATRICIA!

Questions:

1. How did you feel about the way the husbands treated the wives? Was domesticity really like it’s described in this decade?

2. Which of the book club ladies was your favorite. Why?

3. Did the male author do a good job of developing his female main character? Why or why not?

CROWNSTAR Rating:

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American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

Review:

I went into this book knowing that there was a TON of public backlash right around the time of publication.  After reading this book, I was fortunate enough to be invited to a private Zoom meeting with the author, Jeanine, and a group of women who know her from different walks of life.   It was an AMAZING experience and I can tell you that this is a woman who is WORTH keeping track of in the literary, as well as humanitarian, world.  For the record, ANYONE who says she 'shouldn't have written this book since she didn't personally experience Mexican migration,' is SORELY mistaken because she has done the research, and she has brought a serious situation in our country to light.  And if we can't expect our FICTION authors to be allowed to write what they feel/believe, while also adhering to the truth via research, then we really don't respect the institution of writing.

That said, the books was excellent.  I don't have much experience or knowledge with what Mexican immigrants must go through in order to come into this country, but after reading American Dirt, my eyes have been opened.  There is so much pain and loss right along side with love and hope in these strong, courageous people.  I can only hope that I would show as much bravery and faith as Lydia does on her journey.  
Questions:

1.  Did Javier love Lydia?  If so, did she love him back?

2.  Would you travel on La Bestia if you had your son with you?  Alone? 

3.  Will any of the children be able to psychologically recover from their experiences?  

CROWNSTAR Rating:

.5

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The Wives by Tarryn Fisher

Review:

What a strange book!  I went into it fully expecting a Big Love-esque story, only to be totally surprised when the tale went in a totally different direction.  So as not to spoil, I won't say what that direction is, but I will say that the author ended up trying too hard to 'wow' us, and by the end there were just TOO many unclear points left for me to feel satisfied as a reader.  I did, however, find a lot of really interesting, and provocative, questions about what it means to be an independent woman in this world.  It also made for a good book club discussion, so I rated it half a point higher than I would have if just reading on my own!

Questions:

1.  The main character says it’s in women’s nature to want to know more about other women. Do you think that’s true? That we want to feel more secure about ourselves by finding the worst in others?

2.  “We busy ourselves trying not to be lonely, trying to find purpose in careers, and lovers, and children, but at any moment, those things we work so hard to possess could be taken from us. I feel better knowing I’m not alone...”. Thinking about this time we are in right now (COVID19 and quarantine and all)—a lot of things have changed. Some things have been taken away. We are finding new identities. How and where do you think we as women should/can find our true identity?

3.  How much of what Thursday told us about Seth and their marriage was true?  Did he manipulate her knowing her vulnerabilities?  

CROWNSTAR Rating:

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Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano

Review:

Every now and then I read a book that touches me deep in my heart and soul.  Dear Edward is one of those books.  The idea of a what a life is worth and what it means to live on in memory is explored down to its foundations in this extraordinary story of survival.  Questions about overcoming tragedy and living a life worth something, not just to one person but to many people, will leave you thinking about your own purpose long after the last page is turned.

Questions:

1.  Would you have written a 'Dear Edward' letter if you lost someone in the crash?  Why or why not?

2.  Will the co-piolot's wife ever live without guilt again after she finds out about her husband's mistake?  How would you feel if you were her?

3.  Who is your favorite passenger?  Why?

CROWNSTAR Rating:

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The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

Review:

What an interesting backdrop for a story -- the Dutch House itself is the largest and most looming character of the novel -- the people that cycle through it merely supporters in a fairy tale-esque dance.  The deeply-rooted theme of mothers and children is the undercurrent of the entire 50-year drama, and how you, as a reader, relate to each character will be very much based on how you feel about mothers.  Secondary to that is forgiveness.  The writer begs the question -- can you truly forgive and leave the past behind you?  A phenomenal book club read!

Questions:

1.  Consider this line from Danny - "We overlay the present onto the past. We look back through the lens of what we know now, so we're not seeing it as the people we were, we're seeing it as the people we are, and that means the past has been radically altered."  Is this true?  Why or why not?

2.  Discuss Andrea.  What kind of a person was she?  What kind of a mother?  Wife?  Did she get what she deserved in the end?

3.  Was Danny's lack of attention to the personal lives of those he claimed to love most a symptom of having grown up as a rich child where people only functioned to serve; or a symptom of a left-behind child who grew up emotionally unavailable to all but his sister? 

CROWNSTAR Rating:

.5


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The Glass Ocean by Beatriz Williams, Karen White, & Lauren Willig

Review:

Fans of Titanic, this is a MUST-read!  The opulence of the upper class in the early 1900's, and the sorrowful tale of a big ship on the brink of total devastation come together with the added twist of international spies and subterfuge.  Meanwhile, the interwoven love story is both romantic and heartbreaking.  The story, and the characters, come alive in these pages!

Questions:

1.  Three authors penned this book together.  Do you feel that you can tell where one author's story stopped, and another jumped in?  If so, did it make the characters more realistic to have actual different voices behind them?

2.  Did Caroline make the right choice at the end?  Why or why not?

3.  Did Sarah write the RIGHT book after all her research?  Why or why not?

CROWNSTAR Rating:

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Dry by Neal & Jarrod Shusterman

Review:

Characters were well-written, story was totally engaging and kept me turning pages quickly...and the reason that it goes from a 4 to a 5 for me is two-fold — (1) I thought about the story for a long time once it was over; and (2) I passed the book along to my brother because I think he’ll love it.  It will make for a fantastic book club discussion!

Questions:

1.  Are we living in a time when it would be prudent to build our own form of a Bug-out? Why or why not?

2.  Why do you think Jackie listed Alyssa as an emergency contact when she said she’d “be happy to never see” any of the group again?

3.  Henry was a very business savvy individual. What did you think about his not telling the group that the last box did not have water in it but pamphlets instead? What would you have done on Henry's position? What about if you were one of the group when they found out?

CROWNSTAR Rating:

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Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reed

Review:

The interview style, switching back and forth between main characters, could have been very unsettling.  Luckily, it was the opposite!  The book read like a Rolling Stones feature interview, and I think that if it had been written any other way, the overall story would not have been so effective.  Reid beautifully captures the rock-n-roll era -- the recording of tracks, the decision in which order to place them, the album cover artwork -- so flawlessly that you feel as if you are PART of Daisy's band.  The underlying themes of addiction and true love are superbly handled as well.

Questions:

1.  Is Camilla really stupid or really smart in her handling of being Billy's wife?  Why?

2.  Can you have more than one soulmate?  Does Billy?  Explain.

3.  Karen's choice is controversial, especially for the times.  She asks Graham if he would be willing to give up his dream in order to be a parent.  And, if not, why should she?  Discuss.

CROWNSTAR Rating:

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The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy by Rachel Joyce

Review:

The companion (written after) to The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, this story is infinitely better than that of it's counterpart.  Queenie is a character to feel conflicted over -- you know why she does what she does, but you wonder at her motives, and wish she made different choices.  The theme of addiction and parenting a child with addiction is poignantly interspersed.  Definitely a good book club discussion generator.  For a book club twist, read BOTH books and talk about the different points of view!

Questions:

1.  At what point does Queenie cross over from trying to help David into enabling him?  And is what she's doing noble or desperate in regards to trying to help Harold with his son?

2.  Who is your favorite secondary character in Queenie's hospice home?

3.  "Sometimes you can love something not because you instinctively connect with it but because another person does, and keeping their things in your heart takes you back to them."  Discuss.

CROWNSTAR Rating:

.5

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One Day in December by Josie Silver

Review:

I liked her style of writing, and I like how it spanned 10 years so we got to see the characters grow and change. My biggest issues is that I find the Lu/Oscar story too desperate and unbelievable, and I didn’t love Jack.  Female characters in this book rocked. Male...not so much.

Questions:

1.  If Laurie has so perfectly, and so many times, described “bus boy” to Sarah, why didn’t Sarah notice that Jack could be him? Is it reasonable to think she might have given it a thought based on how invested she was with Laurie on finding him for that whole year?

2.  This book asks to think about “true love” versus “love” in relationships. Is it possible to feel like your heart belongs to someone, and still be in love with someone else?


3.  What do you think would have happened between Sarah and Jack if Sarah hadn’t met Luke?

CROWNSTAR Rating:

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