My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The It Girl and Me: A Novel of Clara Bow by Laini Giles
Publication Date: March 25, 2017
Sepia Stories Publishing
eBook & Paperback; 341 Pages
Series: Forgotten Actresses, Book #2
Gere: Historical Fiction/Biographical
Daisy DeVoe has left her abusive husband, her father has been pinched for bootlegging, and she’s embarrassed by her rural Kentucky roots. But on the plus side, she’s climbing the ladder in the salon of Paramount Pictures, styling hair for actress Clara Bow.
Clara is a handful. The “It” Girl of the Jazz Age personifies the new woman of the 1920s onscreen, smoking, drinking bootleg hooch, and bursting with sex appeal. But her conduct off the set is even more scandalous. Hoping to impose a little order on Clara’s chaotic life, Paramount persuades Daisy to sign on as Clara’s personal secretary.
Thanks to Daisy, Clara’s bank account is soon flush with cash. And thanks to Clara, Daisy can finally shake off her embarrassing past and achieve respectability for herself and her family.
The trouble begins when Clara’s newest fiancé, cowboy star Rex Bell, wants to take over, and he and Daisy battle for control. Torn between her loyalty to Clara and her love for her family, Daisy has to make a difficult choice when she ends up in the county jail.
Here, Daisy sets the record straight, from her poverty-stricken childhood to her failed marriage; from a father in San Quentin to her rollercoaster time with Clara, leaving out none of the juicy details.
BOOK REVIEW
First I just want to say that I had no idea that Daisy DeVoe was a real person when I started to read this book. I was looking forward to reading a fictional tale about Clara Bow. It wasn't until around halfway through when I googled Clara Bow and realized that this is based on a true story (yes I totally missed that this is a biographical fiction I just saw the cover, Clara Bow and knew I had to read the book since I love books set in the 1920s). Anyway, The It Girl and Me is a fabulous book, from the very start until the end.
What really thrilled me about this book is how authentic it felt to read. From the phraseology to the way people behaved. This made the story so much better because it really felt like you were transported back to the 20s. To Hollywood and all the glam. But, it's now all roses and glam. It's actually a very tragic story in many ways. Both Daisy and Clara had to overcome much in life and their friendship was strong. However, Clara's desperate need for love and her love affairs damaged her career and her reputation. And, the consequences for Daisy are also grim.
To be honest, towards the end did I have a hard time feeling sorry for Clara. Sure there were times when she was annoying in the book, but she was also very charming. But, her actions towards the end, what she did to Daisy. Well, that wasn't very nice.
The It Girl and Me is a book you just must read if you like me love the 1920s. It's a fabulous book that gives a glimpse into Tinseltown. I particularly loved to read about the problems that arise when movies went from silent to sound. Clara's problem really made me think about Singin' in the Rain.
About the Author
Originally from the counterculture mecca of Austin, Texas, Laini discovered a love of reading early on, and when she was eight, decided to be Nancy Drew. This dream was dashed when she realized she was actually a big chicken, and that there were no guarantees of rescue from tarantulas, bad guys with guns, and other fiendish plot twists. She finished her first “mystery novel” (with custom illustrations) when she was nine.
She set the writing aside for a while when life got in the way, but was led back to it through her interest in genealogy and 18 months of enforced unemployment due to moving north for maple-flavored goodies and real beer. Reading old microfilm stirred new life into her interest in writing, and watching early silent films struck the match.
Like most other writers, most of her monthly budget is spent on coffee and books. She lives with her husband and their two gray cats in Edmonton, Alberta.
For more information, please visit Laini Giles’ website. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.
Blog Tour Schedule
Wednesday, November 1
Kick Off at Passages to the Past
Thursday, November 2
Feature at What Is That Book About
Friday, November 3
Feature at So Many Books, So Little Time
Monday, November 6
Review at Bookish
Tuesday, November 7
Feauture at WS Momma Readers Nook
Thursday, November 9
Review at Beth's Book Nook Blog
Friday, November 10
Review at A Bookaholic Swede
Monday, November 13
Review at Creating Herstory
Excerpt at Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots
Wednesday, November 15
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Friday, November 17
Excerpt at A Literary Vacation
Monday, November 20
Feature at Let Them Read Books
Wednesday, November 22
Feature at The Lit Bitch
Thursday, November 23
Review at Locks, Hooks and Books
Friday, November 24
Feature at CelticLady's Reviews
Saturday, November 25
Excerpt at T's Stuff
Tuesday, November 28
Review at View from the Birdhouse
Wednesday, November 29
Review at A Book Drunkard
Giveaway
During the Blog Tour we will be giving away 5 paperback copies of The It Girl and Me! To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below.Giveaway Rules
– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on November 29th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US & Canada only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
The It Girl and Me Direct Link: https://gleam.io/Ieh6N/the-it-girl-and-me
Thank you so much for your excellent review & for hosting Laini's Blog Tour! I am thrilled that you enjoyed it so much!
ReplyDeleteAmy
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