Did You Hear About Kitty Karr?: A Novel | 
pickIt took me a while to get into this story, but I am happy I stuck with it. I had a hard time placing myself in the scenes that seemed like one event placed after another. It was the historical timeline and characters that hooked me and got me to care about the present-day ones. This is still a pick.
pick7-31-24: My 26th finished book of 2024! What a powerful story. When Kitty Karr passes away she leaves her vast fortune to her next door neighbors 3 daughters. Making the oldest, Elise, the executor, she leaves her not only money but her secret life story. Told in present day with Elise and from Kitty‘s perspective from the past, we learn of her humble beginnings, and her rise to fame as a screen icon. It‘s the back story that will shock the world.
pickTruly enjoyed this story about Kitty and the unveiling of her past.
“We have an obligation. Things won‘t be better for any of us until they‘re better for all of us.”
“People can tell you they love you three times a day and still treat you any kind of way when it really comes down to it.”
I have known and experienced this quote.
Officially in my large print era. Also trying to do more reading on my Kindle and in print this year.
It‘s a big baking day. I made cinnamon buns and glazed them with the leftover Irish Cream syrup from a cake I made on Monday. A batch of cranberry white chocolate scones just came out of the oven, too.
I‘m now about 90% into the tagged book. It‘s a good story and I‘m enjoying it, but there‘s a strong tell-over-show slant to the writing and the contemporary storyline is much weaker than the historical one. #audiobaking
The weather is glorious and I'm going to start reading about Kitty Karr ☀️🍂
pickI enjoyed this #popsugar23 ~ a book about or set in Hollywood. Actress Kitty Karr passes away and unexpectedly leaves her fortune to another wealthy Hollywood family. The story goes between present day Elise tying up Kitty‘s estate and learning Kitty‘s secrets to Kitty‘s life growing up and how she made it in Hollywood. This one has Lessons in Chemistry and Evelyn Hugo vibes.
KarenUK, MissHel, OriginalCyn620, Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick, BookBelle84, Larkken, jenniferw88, AshleyHoss820, squirrelbrain, BarbaraBB, RaeLovesToReadpickFascinating read and topic, the end seemed a little abrupt but overall a fun pick for our book club!
pickThere‘s a pile of details in this book and I often thought some could easily have been left out in building this story. But as I neared the end, I realized, no. Those details and interactions are the complexity of ‘passing‘ in a society made infinitely simpler if your ancestors were all white.
pickAn all-around winner at #mummydaughterbookclub! Was this predictable? Yes. Was it more about the how than the what? Yes. Was the part with the FBI confusing and none of us understood the point? Yes.
pickWhen Kitty Karr Tate, a White icon of the silver screen, dies and bequeaths her multimillion-dollar estate to the St. John sisters, three young, wealthy Black women, it prompts questions. Lots of questions.
+ reminded me of Evelyn Hugo the way she unfolds her characters
- there are a lot of characters introduced and it was confusing at times
I‘m off today!! Yay! This one is so good so far - and it‘s a Reese‘s Book Club pick❤️
pick“Half of the work that is done in the world is to make things appear what they are not”.
Great themes and character development, plus civil rights research makes this a pick, but with some reservations. In its dual timelines, the 2017 characters/plot action is confusing. But the 1950s - 1960s part is great! At times, it was overambitious -author tried to include too much info/description and fraud-like actions of the Blair House group. ⬇️
Trying to get a few pages in between games. Go Rangers!
Between work schedules and previous plans and travels, we were only able to have our annual #MummyDaughterBookClub book choice unveiling this past weekend. This is the first year I‘m excited for every choice - usually there‘s one that I‘m not super keen on!
pickI don‘t understand all the hate for this book. I thought it was fun. It could‘ve been a little shorter, but that‘s my only gripe.
bailedThis one just isn‘t grabbing me, so I‘m out. I think this is me, though, not the book.
so-so⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kitty‘s journey from the Jim Crow South to glamorous Hollywood is intriguing and illuminates important topics. The story felt muddled with too many characters; I wish it would have been tightened up to create more emotional resonance. 🎧#reesesbookclub
pickIt took me a moment to get into this book since the historical story was far more interesting to me than the present-day ones but I was absolutely engulfed once we really got into it. Race, family, wealth, and fame intersect in this novel that reveals just how deep the roots of racism go.
I have the best view in Chicago and after weeks of working weekends, I don‘t feel one ounce of guilt about doing nothing but reading this entire book today. Happy memorial friends! #cheerswithabook
"Elise never went to sleep, and she wasn't the only one."
#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl
so-soThree Vanishing Half meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I loved the first 2/3rds of this book. The final third felt rushed with all the major conflict coming and resolving in a single scene. Much of the resolution was told, rather than shown for a lot of the numerous characters in this book. The plot might have been over complicated, creating no way to logically resolve it.
My picks! They already shipped! I usually don‘t read historical fiction but I do enjoy the theme of colorism and passing. I had “The Last Word” preordered on Audible but after seeing BOTM‘s clue I cancelled it right away. Excited for both!
