As La Vista Turns by Kris RipperMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
*I received this book from NetGalley and Riptide Publishing in return for a fair review.*
This book stars Suzanne ‘Zane’ Jaffe who is thirty-five, works in real estate, is a lesbian, and – throughout the course of this series – more exactly for the past 12/13 months, she has been attempting to become pregnant through artificial means. While that has been going on, around month 3 or 5, Zane started ‘dating’ another woman named Dred (Mildred) who has a kid of her own (baby James). Pretend dating – to get her friends, mostly Jaq, to stop talking about Zane hooking up with someone. Or, at least it was supposed to be pretend dating.
And so – that’s what this book is about. Zane, who has appeared in the previous five books as a side character, is now front and center and having a point of view of her own (the only point of view in the book). Trying to get pregnant. While that other plot line that has bounced along in the series, that serial killer guy . . . (view spoiler). So plot lines – Zane 1) is trying to get pregnant; 2) is planning a party at Club Fred’s; 3) is pretend dating Dred; 4) is working through the concept of trying to become pregnant for the past year; 5) is working through the concept that maybe she doesn’t want to just be ‘pretending’ with Dred.
Meanwhile . . . I haven’t actually said much that wasn’t in the book description.
Everyone that has appeared in the series, at least the main characters, show up in this end-book. Emerson and Obie from book one play prominent roles – they kind of have to since they live in the same house that Dred lives in (with Baby James) – there’s a story there, apparently ‘Aunt Florence’ mostly raised Obie and Dred (so those two grew up together). Jaq and Hannah from book two – more Jaq, also play important roles, since Jaq, Zane, and Carlos (who doesn’t get a book of his own) ‘grew up together’ (not exactly sure what that means fully, though I know they went to school together, though Carlos is somewhere around being at least three months older than the other two – as a ‘hint’ – Carlos is the one who self proclaims himself to be a ‘dwarf’). Ed and Alisha, from book 3, have less of an ‘in’ into this story group, but are known by Zane and so appear here in the book. I’m not sure what Zane’s connection, exactly, is with Keith/Cam/and Josh (those three being the mains of book 4), but they play a large role in this book since Zane keeps bouncing over to their community center for ‘reasons’ – some of which correspond to Zane’s need to throw a party.
Before I go too far - it should be noted: This book really is one that is better read after the other books in the series. There’s a ton of information to already know – some of which is revealed/rementioned in the book, but . . . to a lesser extent than might have occurred if the other books in the series hadn’t existed. Just a warning. Mind you, I did only complete books two and three, and still came to the conclusion that I did regarding book five (this book here) – a conclusion to be mentioned later.
Of less importance, and more of just something I noted along the way - I've known about this book, and its cover, from the beginning - since I started reading the first word in this series (or, at the very least, around the same time I read book two – The Butch and the Beautiful). So I've pictured Zane as the woman on the cover of this book whenever she popped up in the series. Well, it appears that - yes she has purple hair; she also has some portion of her head 'shaved' - unless I misread 'my half-shaved purple' - unlike the woman on the cover of the book.
Right, so, the story itself – I was bouncing along nicely with the story, watching it unfold – Zane’s all angsty about getting pregnant, and feeling like maybe she shouldn’t have suggested that ‘pretend’ dating idea to Dred, because now she wants to actually date her; while also throwing together plans to hold a party – maybe at Club Freds. You know, the plot was unfolding. Then the main character started doing a few stupid things – things that she knew were stupid, took the time to think about them, and then did them anyway. And . . . it annoyed me. That was around 62% into the book. You know what happened after that? The unexpected. I spent a good portion of the last 38% of the book giggling and outright laughing and or being happy with the book (there's a hilarious scene wherein Zane is 'impregnating' herself, while Dred watches. . . and 'helps'; I knew that scene was going to occur because there were 'mentions' before it happened - frankly I kind of expected to be grossed out, instead I found it hilarious). Odd, that. *shrugs*
But what I’ve already noted is what the book is about – an end book the series, ‘stuff’ has occurred, the ‘camera’ has focused on certain characters in this La Vista place in California – zeroing in on a few queers here and there – starting with the gay guy with MS (specifically mentioning Emerson, since this is a one camera ‘comedy’ type situation, as in one point of view – more later), then the ‘stereotypical’ Butch-Femme match-up of book 2 (of which, the couple joked in this book here, book 5, that they’d be the ones to talk to the old guard queers, because of their Butch-Femme situation), then both a transgender story and a twist on the idea of what it means to be queer – with the third book focusing on a MF couple (one of whom is transgender (and ‘ethnic’), other one thought of themselves as being a lesbian before joining up with this man). Fourth book pulled in a ‘poly’ gay relationship.
So, what did book five pull in? At the outset it pulled in a woman who was willing to pretend to date another woman to ‘hold off’ on pressure from friends to ‘find someone’ to ‘help’ with this pregnancy hunt (more help hold hand, and the like, not help as in impregnate). Said woman, Zane, never planned to end up in an actual real relationship – it’s not in her plans, not on her list. No, she wants to get pregnant. And have a family that way. She’s not aromantic, or asexual though, no she’s a lesbian with a strong need to have a certain freedom that comes from being able to come home to your place, and bounce around naked – because no one else is there. Her ‘pretend’ girlfriend is a self-described pansexual woman, who has a kid of her own, and is and/or gives the impression of being chubby. That being Dred, who is also, as noted somewhere above, connected to an older woman named Aunt Florance who raised her and Obie (the story behind that might have been mentioned at some point, but if so, I missed it). Dred, or Mildred, is the individual who allows me to put the book on my ‘person of color’ shelf, being as she’s half-white/half-black.
Dred’s actual occupation is not one that I was able to pin down. As far as I could figure out, Dred has varying income – as in one month she might pull in 200 dollars, another month could see 500 or more; and somehow or another that income comes from photographing people getting married. I believe she’s a photographer who owns her own company. I could be wrong about that. It’s not easy to tell completely, since everything about her comes through Zane’s eyes since Dred doesn’t have a point of view of her own.
One interesting aspect of bouncing around among a group of people who know of each other – some closely, some more of a passing acquaintance, is the neat part of watching the POV pull in some side characters – and see them slightly differently than others have in the past (like Donald that old Asian dude who is a legend; or Fredi; or any of the main characters seen through someone else’s eyes).
Overall I enjoyed the book – it wasn’t as angsty as I thought it might end up being, though there were moments wherein I thought it might end up being. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a bunch of angst involved – about pregnancy, relationships, etc. Just . . . not an overwhelming amount.
I liked both main characters, and the individuals who they bumped into, though a reader really gets to know Zane more than anyone else. One of those unfortunate aspects of a one person point of view. Still, I got to know Dred and Zane well enough to like them together.
Last note: This book will be published February 27 2017.
Rating: 4.97
January 19 2017
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