Book Review- Betty Gilpin's All the Women in My Brain and Other Concerns

Thank you to Libro FM for the audio version of Betty Gilpin’s memoir, All the Women in My Brain and Other Concerns.

Actress Betty Gilpin was raised in New York by two parents, both in the entertainment industry. She recalls a colorful childhood in a warm household where delivering a good story was currency. Gilpin grew up watching her parents perform in Broadway shows and to her, being in a theatre, surrounded by theatre people was just normal life. Transitioning into adulthood, Gilpin struggled to find her place, but eventually found success in film and television. It took her awhile, but she also found romantic love and tells quite the beautiful love story.

I’m a fan of Betty Gilpin and enjoyed learning more about her. She narrates the audio book and very entertaining in her narrative. As you might gather from the title, Gilpin struggles with all of the competing voices in her brain. This is not to imply that she has a mental disorder, but that like most women, she struggles with different roles and expectations. It’s relatable.

One of Gilpin’s best roles is as Crystal in The Hunt. I had no idea that there had been so much controversy swirling around this film, controversy that lead to death threats and the film nearly being canceled. Gilpin describes her excitement over this project, including a fair bit of creative license given to her by the director. It was impossible to not feel deflated for her with the troubles that plagued The Hunt, including opening just prior to the pandemic shutdowns. That said, it is a fantastic film and I loved hearing Gilpin’s enthusiasm for her work.

The most touching part of the memoir involves Gilpin’s growth with love and relationships, including her bond with her dog, Babe. Animal lovers will need to have tissue handy.

Gilpin is just all-around fabulous and I really enjoyed All the Women in My Brain and Other Concerns.

Book Review- Gillian McAllister's Wrong Place Wrong Time

Jen witnesses her eighteen-year-old son murder a stranger outside of their house. Shocked and terrified, Jen and her husband must return to their home, while their son is arrested. The next morning, Jen wakes up and realizes that she has returned to the previous day, the morning before the murder. Each time she goes to bed, Jen jumps to a different day in the past, sometimes years in the past, each day holding a piece of the puzzle to solve the murder. Jen works to crack the case, but struggles as each time she travels further into the past, she must decide who she can trust with the news of both her time travel abilities and the impending murder.

I like a good mystery and I was excited when my neighborhood bookclub selected Gillian McAllister’s Wrong Place Wrong Time. I had been eyeing this book and was intrigued by the premise. I liked the intensity of the opening chapter, which starts with the murder. I was compelled to keep reading and finished half the book in a single sitting. The story has some solid surprises and I was kept guessing until the last forth of the book, when I anticipated the twist- still a very good twist!

The overall concept is strong and unique. The time travel component adds a level of intrigue. How Jen is able to time travel is never explained, however, I like the idea that whatever entity is making this possible, is taking her to the points in time that are key to solving the mystery. It’s a clever idea. It also gives Jen the problem of figuring out who she can trust with this information and who might think she is crazy. The flip-side to this time travel element is it started to feel tedious during the second half of the book. I think the framing of the chapters starting with a time jump bogged down the pacing. I also found the epilogue to be unnecessary and wish the book had ended with Jen.

On a whole, I enjoyed Wrong Place Wrong Time. I don’t believe that I have read McAllister’s other books, but I will seek them out and look forward to her future works. Her character development is fantastic and I liked her twists.

Book Review- Taylor Jenkins Reid's Carrie Soto is Back

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s latest novel, Carrie Soto is Back.

Retired tennis champion Carrie Soto decides to play another season when a younger player surpasses Carrie’s Grand Slam record. In her mid-thirties and having not played professionally in years, Carrie fears that she will not only lose her Grand Slam record, but also face ridicule for trying. Carrie must fight to get back into physical and mental shape, primarily battling her own pride. Carrie must not only be better than the other players, but exceed the player she was in her youth. The public loves a good comeback story, but Carrie was also a polarizing figure, a ruthless player dubbed “The Battle- Axe,” who never develop a warmth within the tennis community.

On her side, she has her father, Javier, who is both a demanding coach and loving parent. To aid in her training, Carrie practices with fellow player and former love interest, Bowe Huntly. Like Carrie, Bowe is an older tennis player who is struggling to remain on the circuit. Unlike Carrie, Bowe is a charismatic and likable player who has the love of the audience and commentators. As they improve their skills on the court, their early tension gives way to friendship and eventually romance.

I throughly enjoyed Carrie Soto is Back. I’ve read all of Reid’s recent books and this is my new favorite. Carrie Soto is a bad-ass who fights for what she wants and knows her value. She’s tough. She also very cold and private. She’s extremely guarded, making her a difficult person for many people to like. However, as this is a novel and we can dive into Carrie’s perspective, we get to see why she is so difficult. Carrie lost her mom at a young age, devastating their family and leaving Javier to focus on raising his daughter. Javier is a former tennis star and it is his great passion, one that he wanted to pass along to his daughter, who loves tennis, but also desperately wants to please her dad. As Carrie shows skill and promise towards a future in tennis, her world grows smaller, everything is about tennis and winning. Carrie does not develop normal social skills and doesn’t have a typical childhood.

Carrie’s comeback story is one of transformation. When she retires from tennis in her early thirties, she does not know who she is or how to move forward. Plunging back into tennis allows her to regain her bearings, but she also knows that it is not going to last forever, she is getting older and tennis is a young person’s sport. This last hurrah gives her time think about life beyond tennis and what that might mean for her. It’s a fantastic set up for a very satisfying character arc. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter if Carrie regains her titles or fails, it only matters that Carrie can move on. I loved this story arc. The framing of the tennis matches keeps the story exciting, but the core is about personal growth.

The connection between Javier and Carrie is beautiful and emotional. I felt this was the true heart of the story, as we get to see how Carrie’s views of her relationship with Javier change with time and perspective. She is so consumed with tennis that she does not see that her father is always proud of her. When Carrie can resolve some of the conflicts she has had with her father and her childhood, she is allowed a sense of peace. It’s lovely.

I also liked the theme of not allowing age to stop you from chasing dreams. Both Carrie and Bowe are counted-out as potential tournament threats and they know that they might not be as quick as younger players, but they also know that they have muscle memory and skills that they can use to be competitive. The themes with Carrie and Bowe are two-fold: don’t let age stop you, but also know that your whole life is not defined by a single accomplishment. There is so much more to every person. This really resonated with me.

Carrie Soto is Back is a fabulous read! You do not need to know much about tennis to enjoy it, as it is well explained. Also, you do not need to have read Reid’s previous books, although Carrie does make an appearance in her previous novel, Malibu Rising. Reid always drops in mentions of characters from her other works, more as an Easter egg for fans. It’s a fun touch.