Do What Godmother Says by L.S. Stratton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
When Shanice Pierce inherits an old painting from her grandmother, she thinks it is just a peculiar piece, painted by a family friend. But recently out of a job and having been dumped by her boyfriend, she decides to do some research on the artist, a Harlem Renaissance painter name Estelle Johnson. What she finds leads her down a rabbit hole so deep, she finds herself dealing with cults, murder, and putting her very life at risk.
This book is told along two timelines: Shanice's in the present day, and Essie's in the past.
I absolutely loved this book. I have to get that out of the way. I was completely blown away from the moment I started this book with both storylines, that I was absolutely enthralled. Both Shanice and Essie are really intriguing characters, a bit naive and impulsive, but just trying to make their way in the world, when everything seems to work against them. They're worth rooting for.
The ending was really intense - I mean, you knew "who" the bad guy was, but not "why" - and that part was just "WHOA." Especially the very end. Wow, make sure you read until the last page, people!
There's also some side storylines that are interesting that I enjoyed watching play out as well, but I won't spoil it. I'll just say this author is incredibly talented at making you think about things like race and class and how they play out in society.
My only quibble was with Shanice's constant reference to her "disorder." She says she was diagnosed with general anxiety disorder and has all these problems with it. She refers to it as "the beast," and at points blames almost everything on it. But I would argue it sounds more like she has PTSD from the accident she survived that took her mother. I won't say more, but GAD doesn't really play out the way she describes. PTSD does. But that's neither here nor there.
Anyway, I loved this book and highly recommend it. It's incredible and rich with intrigue, mystery and thrills.
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