Release: December 5, 2018
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Adelaide Books Publishers
Source: HFVirtual Book Tours
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, Indiebound,
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Queenie’s Place, set in rural North Carolina in the early seventies, is the story of an unusual sisterhood between a thirty-something white woman from California and a fifty-something black woman from the south. From the moment Doreen Donavan sees the “Welcome to Klan Country” sign outside Goldsboro, North Carolina is one culture shock after another. She thinks the women she meets on the military base, where she and her family now live, are the dullest, stuffiest, most stuck-up women she’s ever run across, and frankly, they don’t think much of her either. She’s hot, miserable, and bored.
One day, BAM, her car tire, goes flat, right in front of a roadhouse outside the town of Richland, near where MCB Camp Puller is located. Inside, Queenie is holding forth at the piano. The place is jumping. Besides the music, there’s dancing and the best barbecue in North Carolina. Doreen’s husband, Tom, arrives and must practically peel her out of place. Queenie doesn’t expect to see Doreen again, but Doreen comes back, and their unlikely friendship begins. Without warning, Queenie’s place is closed, the women accused of prostitution and bootlegging. A born crusader (she cut her teeth demonstrating against the Vietnam War—yes, even with her husband over there), Doreen quickly dons her armor and saddles up. Things don’t go quite as planned.
About the Author:
A longtime military spouse, TONI MORGAN, has lived in many US parts and for nearly four years in rural Japan. There she had the good fortune to work part-time in a Japanese pottery factory.
That rich experience led to the first in her WWII trilogy, ECHOES FROM A FALLING BRIDGE, which gives a unique view of life in rural Japan during the war. Also, Second in the trilogy is HARVEST THE WIND, partially set in a Japanese internment camp in Idaho’s Magic Valley. The third in the series is LOTUS BLOSSOM UNFURLING, which continues the saga after the war ends.
She also wrote PATRIMONY and TWO-HEARTED CROSSING, companion books set in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, during the Quebec Separatist Movement, and 20 years later, in northern Idaho.
Her novel QUEENIE’S PLACE is a 2019 National Book Award in Literature nominee. Also, Her short stories have appeared in various literary magazines and journals. Her short story “Tin Soldier” was included in MOORING AGAINST THE TIDE, a creative fiction, and poetry textbook published by Prentice Hall. Her most recent release is BETWEEN LOVE AND HATE, a collection of short stories. This includes Pushcart Prize nominee “The House on East Orange Street” and the aforementioned “Tin Soldier.”
Queenie’s Place Review:
Firstly, I must give kudos to the author for tackling a serious issue. The highlight of the story is racism, and the author depicted the scenes in a realistic manner. Although the author set the timeline to the 1970s, it is still an important topic to educate people on racism issues and how it segregates us as humanity. Moreover, descriptions of the KKK always unnerve me, and their scenes substantially impacted me.
Doreen and Queenie shine in their roles. While they both have contrasting personalities, they are strong and fierce on their own. Doreen is brave for taking a stand. I loved her determination to help Queenie and her place. Moreover, she doesn’t shy from going through all the channels, from community houses to the mayor and judge. Queenie, on the other hand, was also memorable. I loved how the author wrote her backstory with Bud and Clayton, and it gave the story so much depth. She is truly an inspiration, as she built a life for herself irrespective of all her hardships.
Surprisingly, even the side characters stood out. I loved Doreen’s relationship with Billy. Billy strays initially from his new friends’ influence but soon sticks by Doreen on her mission. It was interesting to read of his battles surrounding Tulafano in parallel to Doreen’s storyline.
There are also small moments unrelated to the plot, where you still feel for the characters. For instance, I felt for Tom whenever he went quiet with the mention of the Vietnam War. Similarly, Bud is the perfect antagonist, and you instantly hate his character.
Overall, “Queenie’s Place” is a quick yet powerful read, and I could not put it down. I highly recommend it if you are in the mood for a powerful historical novel.
Giveaway
Enter to win a set of signed paperback copies of Toni Morgan’s WWII Trilogy!
The giveaway is open to the US only and ends on April 2nd. You must be 18 or older to enter.
Book Tour Schedule
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on Queenie’s Place by Toni Morgan Blog Tour hosted by HFVirtual Book Tours. Check out my post, and make sure to enter the giveaway!
