Black Coffee discussion

Here is where we'll discuss Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Smith Paul .


Synopsis: When 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.

A celebrity in her own right, Elise St. John would rather focus on sorting out Kitty’s affairs than deal with the press. But what she discovers in one of Kitty’s journals rocks her world harder than any other brewing scandal could—and between a cheating fiancé and the fallout from a controversial social media post, there are plenty.

The truth behind Kitty's ascent to stardom from her beginnings in the segregated South threatens to expose a web of unexpected family ties, debts owed, and debatable crimes that could, with one pull, unravel the all-American fabric of the St. John sisters and those closest to them.

As Elise digs deeper into Kitty's past, she must also turn the lens upon herself, confronting the gifts and burdens of her own choices and the power that the secrets of the dead hold over the living. Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? is a sprawling page-turner set against the backdrop of the Hollywood machine, an insightful and nuanced look at the inheritances of family, race, and gender—and the choices some women make to break free of them.

Will you be joining us?

I just went to borrow Kitty from the Libby and it’s saying I’ll get it in about 7 weeks.

Is this book new or very popular? I can’t believe how many people are waiting, I’m number 157 in the queue. 🤦🏾‍♀️

This is the first time I’ve had to wait this long for one of our selections 😩😒

Well, I went to Libby and was told 11 weeks. I didn’t even bother to put it on hold. By the time I get it, we will have read a bunch of other books. I guess I will have to buy it and cross my fingers. I do have Mama Ruby, so I will start that one first.

Shaylah wrote: "I just went to borrow Kitty from the Libby and it’s saying I’ll get it in about 7 weeks.

Is this book new or very popular? I can’t believe how many people are waiting, I’m number 157 in the queue..."

It's 'fairly' new, book was published May 2, 2023...

I'll probably order the hardcover via Amazon, since the paperback isn't available 'til May 14, 2024...

I will get the audio.

I tried to get the audio and the wait time was 8wks. Luckily, the ebook was avail. Our Library is terrible with books by african- american authors. And, many haven't been returned. I truly take advantage of the 'Suggest a Purchase.' Please, see if your library will purchase more copies.

I like to read while I craft or clean or cook, etc. if I have to read text, it would take for ev er

Excited to start this one! I got it as a book of the month selection this summer.

Lulu, are you going to read it first?

My book just arrived today. I will be joining. Need I say, I will be the last to finish? 😂

P.S. I ordered the hardcover from Amazon and it was actually cheaper than the paperback?! It wasn’t available for my kindle app.

Maybe I will get the hardcover from Amazon too. I listened to a sample on audible and the narrator sounded boring. To be fair, I believe there is more than one narrator, but I didn’t have an option to listen to everyone.

Angel wrote: "P.S. I ordered the hardcover from Amazon and it was actually cheaper than the paperback?! It wasn’t available for my kindle app."

Crazy how some paperbacks cost more than hardcovers...
I'm with you: the hardcover will be my choice for this reading, since as I mentioned the paperback's not available til May, 2024 (BOO!)

I'll try to join in for this one. Long line for the library.

I'm joining in also because I'm enjoying the book..

Yes it’s a very long wait for the book. All three libraries I use says it’ll be about 7 weeks before I get the ebook

You use three libraries also? Me too! We so much alike 😎

I will be starting this soon…well when you ladies get started. I read mama Ruby earlier. lol.

I have a feeling I will be finished with Mama Ruby soon. I started it yesterday and flew through a third of it, lol.

I use three libraries as well and have not been able to find the book. It looks like the kindle is on sale for prime day.

Yes, it’s &5.99 for the kindle version: https://a.co/d/b80kMqJ

Not sure how you all feel about it, but I did find a “copy” on line if anyone is interested.

It doesn’t come on kindle only hardcover and paperback. I looked. And audio.

Thanks Lulu for that link. I got it! I think 🤷🏽‍♀️. On my way to the theatre now, I’ll check later.

Dosha (Bluestocking7) wrote: "It doesn’t come on kindle only hardcover and paperback. I looked. And audio."
Lulu posted the link for the kindle edition. It’s on sale.

Thanks again Lulu for that special link, I am all set. Smooches

Yes lulu hooked it up!!! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Thanks Lulu

Kindle unlimited is free for three months. This book isn’t on there, but the Mama Ruby books are. I just typed in kindle unlimited in the Amazon search bar, and the offer popped up.

That’s weird. Maybe about two days ago I searched mama Ruby on kindle unlimited and it wasn’t on there. I’m going to check again

Shaylah wrote: "That’s weird. Maybe about two days ago I searched mama Ruby on kindle unlimited and it wasn’t on there. I’m going to check again"

That is weird. I recently read an article about a dispute between kindle unlimited and several authors and publishers. Many books were removed because of a contract violation. I wonder if these books were part of that. Or maybe it’s because the length of time on unlimited expired and just wasn’t renewed by the author. I think books are on there for 90 days at a time unless renewed.

Just a side note: I highly recommend buying used copies of our books or buying from small bookstores. Buying from the big A is convenient but comes at price - where we buy does make a difference yall.

Now that you mention it, I should go back to asking for used books. Does everyone know about paperbackswap.com? Paperback swap dot com. I used to use them all the time, back when I had time to hold an actual book in my hands. It took me a while to set up my library but once I did, it was all gravy. You put your books on your page. That’s it. When I wanted a book I would just put the title of the requested book in the search area and see if anyone had it to give away. If so, they would mail it to me. All I had to do was go to the website and mark the book as received. If someone goes browsing in my page and sees something they like, they let me know and I mail it to them. Yes I pay the postage but it is okay because I get points every time I mail a book.

I use Bookshop quite a bit, unless I can’t find the title then I resort to Amazon. Amazon is easy but yes, I do like to shop small and local if possible. Half-priced books is also a good place to buy used books.

Angel wrote: "I use Bookshop quite a bit, unless I can’t find the title then I resort to Amazon. Amazon is easy but yes, I do like to shop small and local if possible. Half-priced books is also a good place to b..."

Thanks, Angel! 😊
Just created a Bookshop account today... Haven't ventured into a local bookstore in years.. The ones that I would frequent in Downtown, have long since closed down... Then, I'd go to Barnes & Noble, or Borders (closed their doors in 2011)... So Amazon became the Only book buying option for me...

Bookshop's concept of helping the small, local bookstore owners is a positive in my book. Look forward to buying & helping...

I am reading the kindle version of Did you Hear about Kitty Karr and am enjoying it very much. Not sure whether I would enjoy the audio, so I am going to try to read some every night and hopefully get some reading time in during the day.

I finished Mama Ruby’s crazy ass. Good Lord!

My friends, my reading has screeched to a halt, I have been trying to read in between my shifts but end up falling asleep, I will be designating Thursday as my reading day this week and hope to make some progress. I haven’t even really gotten into Kitty Karr yet.

Designating a day to reading sounds like wonderful. I might try that for Sundays. Great idea Angel. I only started Kitty Karr last week and I already know I will need all of November to finish it.

Angel wrote: "My friends, my reading has screeched to a halt, I have been trying to read in between my shifts but end up falling asleep, I will be designating Thursday as my reading day this week and hope to mak..."

I haven’t started it yet, and I’m just curious. Is it because the plot moves slowly.

For me, it is not the plot. The book starts out interestingly. It is going slowly because I am reading the text. I cannot multitask when reading the text, I zoom through audio books, sometimes having to rewind but getting the entire story while doing other things. Reading the text is slow reading for me, but highly beneficial and thoroughly enjoyable and peaceful.

Dosha if you got the kindle version Alexa will read it to you, but it’s quite robotic.

Nah, that’s okay. But thanks. I am toying with going whispersync and then I’ll have both audible and text.

I am doing a lot of good reading with Kitty Karr. I had to go to the RMV for a REAL ID. I got a whole lot of reading done while waiting for my number to be called.

I am 25% through Kitty Karr. Is anyone else reading this one yet? Very interesting so far. The dual narrative is working well at the beginning of chapters.

@Dosha, I started it when it first arrived, but I don’t think I need to tell you I haven’t gotten very far. Right now I am focusing on finishing Just As I am and Demon Copperhead. Plus I am reading Mama Ruby and just started another book that is non fiction called Dear Jacob, about the Jacob Wetterling murder in my home state of MInnesota.

I haven’t started it yet. The audiobook just became available to me today. I’m going to start it tomorrow

@Angel, I really should pick Demon Copperhead back up. It is a hardcover laying on the night stand next to my side of the bed.

I am rather proud of my progress with Kitty Karr.

I loved Mama Ruby and I look forward to the last book - Lost Daughters.

I just finished listening to Tom Lake, which was narrated by Merryl Streep. Believe me, it was captivating! I went through it in less than a week. Digital lbrary books make you hurry along before they disappear, lol but this one was one of those you don’t want to stop listening to. Ann Patchett did a great job of writing it too, btw, but that added flavor of listening just put it right over the top.

@Dosha- I’m reading Demon Copperhead on my kindle app so I find that I can read that at work or if I don’t have a book with me or when I am in bed with the lights off, just get a few pages in before drifting off to sleep. That book is heartbreaking. I am surprised how I am moving along today with Mama Ruby. I’ve read 5 chapters today. It’s nice that the chapters are short. But this one seems to move along faster than The Upper Room. I feel a lot more empathetic toward Ruby Jean right now. I’m up to chapter 20. I will start reading Kitty Karr in earnest, soon.

I pre ordered Lost Daughters when I ordered The Upper Room and Mama Ruby. It should be coming in November.

I loved Mama Ruby. I learned a lot about why Ruby Jean turned out the way she did.