REVIEW - Marsha (eARC/ebook)

 Marsha by Tourmaline (eARC/ebook)

OVERVIEW

What a powerful and beautiful tribute to the pioneering Marsha P. (Pay It No Mind) Johnson! She was an incredible Black trans woman who was one of the rioters at the Stonewall Inn in 1969 and a leader of the LGBTQIA+ movement, specifically for the trans community. 

I knew about Marsha, but now I know who she is inside and out! An amazing human who was taken from us too soon. As a straight, cis gender woman, I recommend everyone who wants to be more understanding and intersectional about the LGBTQIA+ community read this book.

This is not an easy or fun read, but it is an important book to read.

OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars.

 

Writing: 4.5 stars

The writing was strong, but it was overly long and detailed at times. Some editing would have made this biography even stronger. However, I understand this because this is the first definitive and heavily researched memoir of Marsha's life and impact. This book is needed for historical purposes for the LGBTQIA+ generations to come. 

Character development: 5.0 stars

The main character was Marsha P. Johnson. She was one of the most charismatic and intersectional leaders of the trans movement in New York City. The story is told from Marsha's childhood to identity discovery to death and legacy. 

There were so many secondary characters in Marsha's life that are too numerous to mention (and I got lost at times, but that doesn't detract from the storytelling). The most important friend, however, was Sylvia Riviera, co-leader of the trans movement and STAR (Street Transvestites Action Revolutionaries), with Marsha. 

The tertiary character is Christopher Street in New York City. 

Storyline:  5.0 stars

The storyline is informative, painful, and heartbreaking. Marsha's life was not easy from beginning to end as she struggled with her physical and mental health as well as her sexual identity. She worked as a sex worker and actress to make ends meet while advocating for the LGBTQIA+ community, specifically her trans "girlies".  

It was not an easy read, but it was an important story to understand the trans movement and to be intersectional. Unfortunately, there were difficult sections where Marsha was brutalized by "Johns", abused by the police, misdiagnosed by medical professionals, and denigrated by members of the LGBTQIA+ community and her family.  

The locations were: Elizabeth, New Jersey; New York City; Los Angeles    

Memorable/Informative:   5.0 stars

I knew about Stonewall, but didn't realize what a dump the bar actually was or the horrific police brutality. I now understand why this was the flashpoint in the LGBTQIA+ movement. 

The issue for me is that nothing has changed! Marsha (and Sylvia) accomplished so much, but the trans movement is the "step sister" of the LGBTQIA+ movement, and this is so wrong. If we want true intersectionalism, all in this community must be respected and included. 

Book cover: 5.0 stars

Stunningly gorgeous! Marsha in all of her glory!

 

Book title: 5.0 stars 

Perfect!  

 

HIGHLY recommend

NetGalley eARC/ebook

Marsha by Tourmaline

320 pages 

Tiny Reparations Books

FUTURE release date: 5/20/2025

 

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Tourmaline

Goodreads review

The Storygraph review

Tiny Reparations Books

NetGalley

TRIGGER WARNING: Racism, sexism, transphobia, dead-naming, homophobia, gun violence, sexism, biphobia, police violence, murder, suicide, terminal illness

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

My next audiobook is...

Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green (audiobook)

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

 

REVIEW - Fahrenheit-182 (audiobook)

 Fahrenheit-182 by Mark Hoppus (audiobook)

OVERVIEW

This audiobook had the good, the bad, and the ugly of Mark's life including lots of f-bombs and d-pick references.  Mark covers everything from his childhood to his parents' acrimonious divorce to his cancer diagnosis and recovery. 

I was hoping to love this audiobook, but I only liked it. I know that blink-182 is known for being the "naked guys", but the antics and language wore on me. I guess I am too old for their sh$t! 

FULL disclosure: my daughter is a huge blink-182 fan! We do listen to their music and were even at the Los Angeles concert when Kourtney told Travis she was pregnant. 

OVERALL REVIEW: 4.0 stars

Writing: 4.0 stars

The writing was good. Mark did have a ghostwriter, Dan Ozzi. 

Narration: 4.0 stars

The narration by Mark is well done. As it is Mark's life and story, he relives it through the narration. Appropriately funny and emotional. 

But again the f-bombs and d-pick references got old very quickly.

Character Arc: 4.0 stars

The character arc is Mark's life from childhood to the blink-182 reunion at Coachella 2023. The book is told chronologically in many concise chapters. 

Mark is from Ridgecrest, California (a high desert town in Kern County, California) where his father worked in naval weapons at the nearby base. His parents' acrimonious divorce led Mark to San Diego where he met Tom DeLonge and co-founded blink-182. 

The many tragedies in Mark's life including Travis Barker's airplane accident and his cancer diagnosis helped him seek therapy for his OCD, anxiety, and depression. As someone who suffers from anxiety and depression, I appreciate Mark's honesty about his mental health struggles and his cancer treatment journey. 

Memorable:  4.0 stars

Mark tells so many wild stories about his life including his antics with blink-182 are insanity personified. But, the stalker, Robert Smith, and Saddam Hussein stories are WILD! Again, the f-bombs and d-pick references got old very quickly.

However, the best stories are when Mark talks about his wife and son and when I could totally relate to him and his life. Additionally, his raw emotions when blink-182 broke up are heartbreaking.

Entertaining:   4.0 stars

There were many sad, funny, and introspective stories in the audiobook. It was something!

There were a lot of pop-punk band references and performers that I didn't know and some that I did know. But, it didn't matter. 

Book cover: 5.0 stars

Totally Mark.        

 

Book title: 5.0 stars 

Great pun!   

 

DEFINITE recommend

 

STATISTICS

Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow: audiobook

Fahrenheit-182 by Mark Hoppus

Little, Brown Audio

7 hours, 13 minutes

Release date of 4/5/2025

 

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Mark Hoppus

Goodreads review

The Storygraph review

Little, Brown Audio

Los Angeles Public Library

TRIGGER WARNINGS

Sexual references, strong cursing, divorce, cancer, addiction, alcoholism

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

My next eARC/ebook is...

Marsha by Tourmaline (eARC/ebook)

Happy reading,

Dorothea 💜

REVIEW - Where the Rivers Merge

 Where the Rivers Merge by Mary Alice Monroe (eARC/ebook)

OVERVIEW

This was my first book by Mary Alice Monroe. I absolutely adored this book which according to the Author's Notes is the first book in a two-part series. I could not be more thrilled and eagerly await the next book.

I have always loved the South Carolina low country's customs, heritage, and history. This book is set in that same low country where many of my ancestral lines originated. 

Also, this is my fiftieth book this year! What a wonderful one to pick for the halfway point in my reading goal for the year!

OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars.

 

Writing: 5.0 stars

The writing was beyond beautiful. Mary Alice is exceptional at capturing the nuanced dialogue of the two time periods in South Carolina. Her descriptions of the region's land, food, dress, and food are incredible. I could use my imagination to capture my five senses being tickled where the story is told. 

I also loved the charming and descriptive poetry at the beginning of the five parts of the book: Homecoming, Halcyon Days, The Charleston Years, The War Years, and The Wedding. Additionally, each chapter had flora, fauna, or other issues important to the low country. 

Character development: 5.0 stars

The character development was excellent! The main characters were: Rawlins, Sloane, Heyward, Lesesne, and Eliza Rivers. The Rivers family-owned, Mayfield,  plantation/rice farm in South Carolina is always in difficult times. 

Wilton (Mayfield's overseer) and Covey (Wilton's daughter) are secondary characters. Tripp and Hugh, family friends, play substantial roles in this novel. 

The tertiary character is Mayfield itself - the land and house. 

There were many characters as usual for historical fiction novels.  

Storyline:  5.0 stars

The dual storyline centers around Eliza from her childhood to marriage (1900-1926). The second storyline is in 1988 when she is retiring and telling her life story to her granddaughter and great-niece. Perfect!

The locations were: South Carolina low-country including Beaufort and Charleston,  and the ACE Basin (Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto Basin).    

Memorable/Informative:   5.0 stars

The issue of primogeniture rears its ugly head in the first timeline. If you were the second son or a daughter, you usually received little to nothing as an inheritance and had to marry for land, money, or social status. 

Book cover: 5.0 stars

Gorgeous!

 

Book title: 5.0 stars 

Perfect!  

 

HIGHLY recommend

Book Club Girl

NetGalley eARC/ebook

Where the Rivers Merge by Mary Alice Monroe

352 pages 

William Morrow

FUTURE release date: 5/13/2025

 

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Mary Alice Monroe

Goodreads Review

The Storygraph review

William Morrow

NetGalley

Book Club Girl

TRIGGER WARNING: Pregnancy, racism, gun violence, war, segregation

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

My next audiobook is...

 Fahrenheit-182 by Mark Hoppus (audiobook)

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

REVIEW - Source Code (audiobook)

 Source Code by Bill Gates (audiobook)

OVERVIEW

This audiobook was lovely for the first two-thirds of the book. Bill (AKA Trey by his family) shared about his supportive and loving family including generations of grandparents. He had an All-American upbringing with understanding parents who knew he was different and helped him become who he is today.

Then it dissolved into bits, bites, and chips, OH MY! Once the technical information about early personal computing started, it was boring.  

I really liked this audiobook and wanted to love it. But, it just missed the mark for me with all the technical jargon. 

OVERALL REVIEW: 4.5 stars

Writing: 5.0 stars

The writing by Bill was strong. He included anecdotes about his family, childhood, and friends that explained why Bill is Bill. 

Narration: 5.0 stars

The narration is by Wil Wheaton who is always incredible! This is a book that I recommend as an audiobook!

Bill did the forward, prologue, and epilogue. He does not have the best voice for narration or the smoothest delivery. It was a brilliant choice to have Wil Wheaton narrate and bring this audiobook to life!

Character Arc: 4.0 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed Bill discussing his childhood in Seattle. He and his sisters had the advantage of college-educated parents in the 1960s who were forward-thinking and progressive. Bill was able to explore his interests which eventually turned into Microsoft due to his privilege of being middle-class, white, and male. This memoir covers his grandparents/parents, childhood, high school and college years, and the nascent Microsoft in New Mexico before landing in Seattle. 

Once Bill began programming at Harvard, it was over my head. I didn't understand the programming, but I did appreciate his hard work, creativity, and intelligence. 

The programming part of the book is for "nerds" like my husband who knew the history discussed. Since it was so niche-driven, maybe it could have been "dumbed down" for programming illiterates like me. Just a thought. 

Memorable:  4.0 stars

The stories that Bill tells about his adventures with his sisters are hysterical. The tornado and rollerskating over the sprinkler were two of my favorites. 

Bill was very close to his Grandmother (Grammy) and his parents. He learned the importance of service, work ethic, curiosity, and generosity from all of them. This explains his long-term friendships, strong family ties, and the creation of his foundation. 

Entertaining:   4.0 stars

There were many sad, funny, and introspective stories in the audiobook. 

But again, I just pushed through the technical parts I didn't understand to enjoy this book. 

Book cover: 5.0 stars

Perfect.        

 

Book title: 5.0 stars 

On point!   

 

STRONG recommend

 

STATISTICS

Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow: audiobook

Source Code by Bill Gates

Random House Audio

11 hours, 41 minutes

Release date of 2/4/2025

 

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Bill Gates

Goodreads review

The Storygraph review

Random House Audio

Los Angeles Public Library

TRIGGER WARNINGS

Mild cursing, death, death of a child, death of a parent 

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

My next eARC/ebook is ...

 Where The Rivers Merge by Mary Alice Monroe (eARC/ebook)

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

REVIEW - The Girls of Good Fortune (eArc/eBook)

 

The Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris (eARC/ebook)

OVERVIEW

This is the second book I have read by Kristina McMorris. But, this book touched me deeply as it was about Chinese immigrants in 1800s Oregon.

My husband is an ABC (American-born Chinese) and our daughter is a hapa (half in Hawaiian). My father-in-law (and my daughter's "Ye Ye" (father's father)),  fought in WWII in the U.S. Army in Sicily. My husband and I would never have met without his sacrifice to come to an unknown land in search of a better life for his family. We are almost all immigrants to our beloved country even though mine came from Europe primarily in search of religious freedom and/or land many generations ago. My daughter is the culmination of her ancestors' wildest dreams on both sides! 

Kristina mentions the beautiful book, hapa.me, by Kip Fulbeck as an inspiration for this novel. My daughter and I attended a hapa author's panel at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo (Los Angeles) in 2018. The panel was moderated by Kip and included Jamie Ford, Amy Hill, and Velina Hasu Houston who generously answered a very personal question posed by my daughter. My daughter's picture was even included as part of the ongoing exhibit! 

So, yes, this novel is very personal to me and my family!

OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars.

 

Writing: 5.0 stars

The writing was just so beautiful. I was touched by the addition of Cantonese throughout the novel which added a lovely touch. 

Even though some of the language was horrific, it reflected the time and was racist and xenophobic. Sadly some of the language is still in use today. When will we learn from our mistakes?

Character development: 5.0 stars

The character development was excellent. The main character was Celia Hart Chung (hapa; daughter of a Chinese missionary family's caucasian daughter and a Cantonese father). Celia transforms from hiding her ancestry and "passing" as white to being a proud Chinese woman! Brava! 

The secondary characters were the Bettencourt family (Celia's initial employer), Marie (a Chinese brothel madam and Celia's employer), Lettie (Cecilia's sex worker friend), and Owen (kidnapping victim). 

The tertiary characters are Celia's parents, the city of Portland, and horrific historical events. There was also another character who will not be elaborated on to avoid spoilers.  

There were two types of throw-away characters: those with a storyline impact or those for added interest.      

Storyline:  5.0 stars

Celia works for the Portland mayor's family and then falls out of favor. She is then sent to work for a brothel madam as a housekeeper. Along the way, Celia discovers horrible things happening in Portland and the surrounding areas. She tries to correct these egregious wrongs but is "shanghaied" in the Portland tunnels with Owen. They are taken away on a ship bound for San Francisco. There is much more, but NO spoiler zone here!

The locations were: Portland, Oregon, and San Francisco, California.    

Memorable/Informative:   5.0 stars

This was a deep and dark historical fiction novel at times. It was difficult to read and horrifying to realize that so much of this happened only about 150 years ago in our country. But, if we only learn about hearts, flowers, and unicorns, we will not learn from our past! 

This novel was a necessary read as two Chinese massacres occurred in cities near where I now live (Pasadena and Los Angeles). Appalling! 

Book cover: 5.0 stars

Gorgeous!

 

Book title: 5.0 stars 

Perfect!  

 

HIGHLY recommend

NetGalley eARC/ebook

The Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris

400 pages 

Sourcebooks Landmark

FUTURE release date: 5/20/2025

 

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Kristina McMorris

Goodreads review

The Storygraph review

Sourcebooks Landmark

NetGalley

TRIGGER WARNING: Sexual content, pregnancy, adoption, xenophobia, racism, sex workers, murder, violence

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

My next audiobook is

 Source Code by Bill Gates (audiobook)

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜

REVIEW - Careless People (audiobook)

 

Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams (audiobook)

OVERVIEW

This audiobook was mind-blowing about Facebook (now META)! Yes, I realize this book is only from the author's viewpoint, but I believe her. #MeToo 

So much of what Sarah discusses all sorts of issues from work calls on her maternity leave, work travel while almost full-term pregnant, personal questions by male colleagues, and sexual harassment rings true. Ask any woman over thirty if she has experienced any of these issues and sexual harassment will be the top issue. Sexual harassment is alive and well in corporate America, sadly. I don't have the answers to address this, but having ethics in human resources is a start.

Yes, this book spills a lot of tea. Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg do not come out well at all. History will judge them for their actions/inactions. 

 

OVERALL REVIEW: 4.0 stars

Writing: 4.0 stars

The writing by Sarah was good, but not great literature. It was not meant to be that, but to get the true story of Facebook out there. 

She succeeded. I constantly had my jaw drop by the unbelievably ignorant and money-driven decisions at the expense of lives. Un-freaking-believable!

Narration: 4.0 stars

The narration is by Sarah, the author, which is my preference. My only issue was not understanding, at times, her New Zealand accent. 

Character Arc: 4.0 stars

Holy crap on a cracker. The author actively seeks to work at Facebook in global public policy as she sees the impact social media will have. But, she has no idea the quagmire she is stepping into. It is all about money, money, money; work, work, work. Yes, start-ups are like this. But, Facebook was established at this point. 

Sarah gives some background on her life experiences before Facebook and then starts sharing her chronological time working there until her firing. 

Memorable:  4.0 stars

The focus on "What Mark or Sheryl wants, Mark or Sheryl gets" at Facebook was ridiculous. They had many advisors who were experts in their fields, but they always seemed to know more. The issues with China, Myanmar, and the U.S. elections are troubling. 

Social media has become too powerful without any checks and balances. We need strong controls now, especially for young people ages 13-25. It is unbelievable that children and young adults are being exploited with targeted advertising. Disgusting!

I was one of those people who didn't buy into Sheryl Sandberg's "Lean In" manifesto. From what Sarah indicates, I had good instincts in this regard.

Some of the stories that Sarah shared made my blood boil! I only wish that she had left sooner before her health was affected.

 

Entertaining:   4.0 stars

At times, the stories that Sarah shared were funny! 

Book cover: 5.0 stars

Perfect.        

 

Book title: 5.0 stars 

On point!   

 

DEFINITE recommend

 

STATISTICS

Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) borrow: audiobook

Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams

Macmillan Audio

13 hours, 16 minutes

Release date of 3/10/2025

 

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

Sarah Wynn-Williams

My Goodreads review

My The Storygraph review

Macmillan Audio

Los Angeles Public Library

TRIGGER WARNINGS

Sexual harassment, pregnancy, medical content, blood, cursing

 

Happy reading, 

Dorothea 💜