I cannot stress enough how much I disliked this book. It's touted as a mix of Evelyn Hugo and Vanishing Half, but honestly I think there's no comparing this book to those two great ones. I really had to muscle my way through this book to finish it and considered DNFing several times even though I need to review it for NetGalley. All of the characters felt flat with little to no reader access to their emotions or mental state. The author would tell us how they're feeling or what they're thinking without ever showing us any of it. Also the writing was jumping all over the place, making leaps that were really hard to follow, right from the beginning. I would get confused about people and places, there was no continuity in terms of where people were placed in space, and the dialogue would take incredible leaps that made me feel like I had missed something. I know some folks have enjoyed this book, but for the above reasons, it's definitely not for me.

3.5 stars. I love the premise of this but the storytelling was uneven. I was very interested in Kitty's timeline and less interested in the present one, though that picked up towards the end.

A slower burn historical fiction but I really enjoyed. Lots of characters to keep track of but if you stick with it, the payout is worth it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt for the ARC! This is a multi-layered novel that tackles the concept of passing as related to race and the many complex implications and reasons behind choosing to do so. The dual POV is incredibly interesting, with my favorite being the portions taking place in the past. I couldn’t help but be riveted by the life of our titular heroine.

I am stunned that this is a debut novel - the writing is incredible. The subject matter is eye opening, engaging, and critical reading material. I highly enjoyed this and recommend it whole heartedly.

I read this one the second I got approved for it because it gave Evelyn Hugo vibes from a diverse perspective but I think I was a little let down. I loved reading about the secret Black women's group that worked behind the scenes to fight discrimination and learned so much about the experience of Black women passing as white women and what that entails, but I think I just wanted more out of this book.

While I loved Kitty's story, I got a little lost in the present day POV. Maybe I missed something important at the beginning, but it felt like there were so many characters and I was getting them all mixed up.

Again, because Kitty's POV was SO interesting and beautiful to read, I have a hard time rating this. Maybe I would've liked it more if it was just about Kitty? Idk, but regardless I think that this was such an important read and one I really enjoyed!

3.5

I really enjoyed this book. I had been kind of iffy on the last few Reese's Book Club books but this one reeled me in.

Kitty Karr (real name Mary Magadalene) has passed away and she has passed on her secret to Elise. Unknown to Elise, Kitty was her grandmother and had lived her life passing as a white woman. It really explains the animosity her mother Sarah showed Kitty, who lived right next door to them.

Kitty (Mary) was the product of her mother's rape by her boss's son. Hazel was their maid. Kitty was born very fair and Hazel wanted her to have a bigger life than living in their world. This was during the Jim Crow south.

Hazel makes it to Hollywood and makes it to the big time even her husband not knowing. She also becomes a member of Blair House, a place for passing women to do good for the world of black people.

A lot of secrets and life goes on, I don't want to give away too much. I was totally interested in the story and also in Elise's story. Reese picked a good one this month.

Thanks to Netgalley and Henry Holt & Co for a copy for review.

I loved this novel told from two different characters perspectives with multiple time lines. It was very well told and kept me hooked throughout. Quick, easy read. A must summer/spring vacation/beach read!

I devoured this page turning debut by Crystal Paul Smith in one night. When reclusive former silver screen legend Kitty Karr passes, she sets the tabloids and news media alight with her choice of who receives her vast fortune. Her hidden diary reveals a sweeping web of secrets and lies that examines race, class, and gender in old Hollywood. Great for fans of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Please note that I was provided with a digital advance reader copy by NetGalley.

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this book in exchange for a review. I just couldn’t wait to get reading this selection! However I found it difficult to get into the book. It didn’t get much better for me. I do love the idea of it and the stunning cover but the back and forth and extra characters didn’t capture my attention.

Such a great book running through two timelines, tackling the intense subject of race involving family. Segregation, old Hollywood, Oscars so white, black lives matter, etc. I had no idea the amount of passing there has always been, but I heard recently about Johnny Cash's first wife being passing, and it makes so much sense that she was not the only one.

Thus was a good story very distracted by the bad writing and editing. Could have been a 4 or even 5 if that editor had done better job.

This may easily be my favorite book of the year. This book is so so so good, please put on the screen good. If "The Seven Husband's of Evelyn Hugo" and "The Vanshing Half" had a book baby, this would be it...but better you could imagine.

It took me a bit to get hooked but once I did I couldn't stop and my poor husband had to hear all about it, as if these were real people. The characters are so well done. This story has such depth and layers.

Job well done!!

This is a book that will leave you thinking about this story for a while. This story is told in a dual timeline. One from Hazel and Kitty Karr’s perspective and then from Elise St. James. This debut novel is fantastic and would be such a great book club book. I love the historical old Hollywood part of the book. If you are a fan of Evelyn Hugo you would love this book too. Many thanks to Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul is an engaging and moving read about the impact of racism on an American family. Fantastic novel.

This is a very well done novel. An impressive debut that covers a wide range of topics from racism, family, fame, motherhood and more. I did not want to put this book down. I felt Kitty’s storyline overall was very strong and engaging. This is truly the heartbeat of the novel.

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? is such an interesting novel that really makes you think. It shines a spotlight on a dark area of American history—one that many people are probably not so aware of. I think it will foster much discussion and learning.

Just as the book description said, this was a fascinating book about family, race, and gender. The story unfolds in two timelines, one present day featuring Elise and her family after Kitty's death, and one in the past, detailing Kitty's life and the choices she made to get to where she was. It was a rich, really interesting story. Lots of twists and turns, and lots of interconnectedness.

Thank you Henry Holt for the early review copy! I really liked this book once I got into the backstory, I have to admit this one took a little time for me to get into but the real story is Kitty Karr and her experiences in Hollywood and themes on race and bias and prejudice. Timely yes, discussion worthy definitely. I admit I was less engage with the present day story with Elise and her sisters, they are well developed characters but that part of the story was flat for me, the backstory was where the liveliness and depth was (for me).
Lean into the backstory, let that engage you as much as this captivating cover does.

This is a wonderfully told tale of what it means to be a light-skinned black and pass as being white. During difficult times of segregation in the deep south, this made the quality of life a whole lot better. This is a troublesome yet enlightening account. Dual time periods add to the mystery and tension. This will be popular with book clubs.

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr is a story about race relations in the U.S. in the mid-1900's. The Black St. John sisters inherit the estate of their neighbor, a white film star, Kitty Karr after she passes away. They don't understand why they are the ones to inherit a fortune, but luckily Kitty has left her journals to one of the sisters, Elise and the story of why is uncovered.

I learned a lot from this fiction novel and look forward to educating myself more about the topics brought up in this book. Without giving away the mystery of the story, I will just say that I highly recommend Did You Hear About Kitty Karr as a great historical fiction about race and racism in old Hollywood.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When I initially read the description for this book, I thought it was going to be about the wealth, glamour and power of Hollywood. This book was so much more. We have two POV’s, that of Elise and that of Kitty. I loved the historical aspects of this story; the Jim Crow south and the lengths it takes to get ahead. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Who is Kitty Karr? That's what this book is all about. How Kitty Lane Karr came to be and how she lived with the decisions she made. There is a dual time-line in this book about this multi-generational family, starting in the segregated South and ending in Hollywood, Ca. I was enthralled by the story of Mary-turned-Kitty and I learned quite a lot about African Americans who used to turn: who did it, why they did it, and how this decision was affecting the rest of their lives. The contemporary side of the story is following the St John family right after superstar Kitty Karr's death. I couldn't care less about that part of the story. This is why I dropped one star to the original 5-star rate I was going to give the book.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for offering me an e-ARC in exchange of my honest opinion.