Book Review: Beautiful Invention by Margaret Porter

9/14/2018

In her latest novel, Beautiful Invention, Margaret Porter illuminates the life of famous actress Hedy Lamarr. Beautiful Invention opens with the filming of Ecstasy when Hedy Lamarr, then Hedy Kiesler, was only ? years old. Although well-received by European film critics, the nudity in Ecstasy would later prove problematic to Hedy’s ambition to pursue a career in Hollywood. During her stage performance as the lead in Sissi, Hedy meets munitions manufacturer Fritz Mandl, who she later marries. Austria in the late 30s was fraught with political tension and fear of Anschluss as Hitler was gaining strength in Germany. Hedy was in the midst of many informal political encounters through her husband’s business. An unhappy marriage and Hedy’s disagreement with Mandl’s political manoeuvres eventually drives Hedy to leave her marriage and return to acting. This decision leads her to sign with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and travel to the USA.

Beautiful Invention is a tender and poignant depiction of Hedy Lamarr’s life. Porter successfully divides her focus between Hedy’s acting career and the complex politics of the times. While best known and characterised by her beauty and acting skill, Lamar was an intelligent, well-educated woman with engineering knowledge. The method of wireless transmission invented by Hedy and her partner, George Anthiel, as part of the war effort formed the basis for familiar technology such as Bluetooth, GPS, and Wi-Fi. Porter details the uncertainty of Hedy’s career immediately after her arrival in the USA and peers behind the façade of glamour gilding both the mundaneness and the debauchery of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Many well-known names appear in the narrative. I was surprised to learn of Hedy’s acquaintance with Howard Hughes and enjoyed reading about what happened behind the scenes on movie sets and parties.

Reviewed for Reader's Favorite

0 Comments

New Release: Better Than Now by CG Coppola

8/17/2018

0 Comments

With the talent show behind them, Autumn and Alex can finally begin their relationship. It took a school assignment, but they’ve managed to move beyond their awkward past to become one of the most popular—and gossiped-about—couples in school. Dating was supposed to be the easy part, but now that they’ve been plunged into the spotlight, Autumn isn’t sure she can keep up.

Things at home aren’t any better. Being grounded already sucks, but when her mom outright refuses the idea of Alex, things only get worse. It isn’t until a family secret is exposed that Autumn understands the depth of her mom’s disapproval, and the role it plays in her future with Alex.

With all the attention at school and her lack of support at home, Autumn fears for her relationship. She knows that for everything to work out, something drastic will have to change, and when it does, she’s faced with a choice that determines the rest of her life.

Buy Better Than Now on Amazon

Buy Book One, Better Than This on Amazon

Excerpt

He flips on the switch and light illuminates a study. There’s a desk and chair on one wall and a bookshelf on the adjacent one. A tall fake plant sits in the corner across from us.

Shutting the door, Alex passes me and falls into the comfy black computer chair. He lets out a loud exhale. “Just wanted a minute of quiet.”

“No guestroom?”

He smirks. Threading his fingers, he rests his hands behind his head and leans back. “Didn’t want to seem presumptuous.”

“I appreciate it.”

“For real—you having a good time?”

I walk around the small space, checking out the fake plant and the hanging photograph of an open field above it. “It’s been…interesting.”
He winces. “That bad?”

I shrug and move to examine the desk. I could go more in-depth over Jessa’s comments, but I don’t want to focus on that. I want to focus on us. “I’m having a pretty good time now.”

“This is the best part of the show. One-on-one time with the band.”

“Well tell Corey, Jordan, and Sean thanks, but no thanks. I’ll spend it all with you.”

Alex takes a breath and lets it out again. “So…how terrible was she?”

“Who?”

He gives me that look that says I should know. Oh. Right. Jessa. “I thought you weren’t worried about her?”

“I’m not. I just want to know how much shit I need to give her next time I see her.”

“Well,” I steeple my fingers, playing over our short but intense exchange, “let’s say she definitely lives up to being a terrible ex-girlfriend. So, bravo on the cliché.”

“She’s just getting under your skin—whatever she’s saying.”

“I know.”

“If she says something again, just tell her to fuck off.” He leans back some more, getting comfortable now. “And you can tell her I told her to fuck off too.”

I pace a moment, deciding whether or not I should say it. It’s really best to keep her out of our time, but he’s asking. And part of me wants to know his reaction to some of the things she said. “She likes bringing up you two together.”

Alex pales. “I can see where this is going.”

“She wanted me to know a lot of details about—”

“Don’t even—” he jumps up, shaking his head, “—go there. It’s all she’s got. She’s going to mess with you as much as she can and that’s her way of doing it. Hey,” Alex holds my face, forcing me to look at him. “Fuck her, right?”

“Fuck her.”

“It’s only you and me that matters—right?”

When he says this, I feel it. I really feel it, that that’s what it is between us—it’s just us. Screw everyone else. It’s just us that matters.

“Me and you.”

“Right.” He presses his forehead against mine.

Everything in my being is telling me to be as close to him as possible.

So, I kiss him.

No hesitation. No doubts. He’s mine, and I want to express what I’m feeling for him this very minute. I press my body against his, putting everything into the embrace. Loving him as much as I can with my mouth. Then I feel his hands drop to my hips. He squeezes me, holding me to him, and we kiss and kiss and kiss.

God, I want to tell him.

But I don’t have time to speak. Alex pulls me in close, his mouth open to mine, his tongue exploring. I’m trembling, everything on fire when I feel his hands slip under my bottom. My heart races, my body fluttering as he lifts me and places me on the desk, his mouth still in contact with mine. I’ve never been so turned on by anything. Not until he wedges himself between my legs. Hands on my jacket, he brushes it down over my shoulders--

Someone knocks on the door.

I want to beg him not to stop, but Alex pulls away before I can try anything. Tugging the black material up my arms, he removes himself and straightens his hoodie. I jump down from the desk and he opens the door.

It’s Kyle, the boy with the dyed red hair from earlier. He glances at me, then looks back at Alex. “Sean’s looking for you.”

“Is he?”

“I guess people are asking if it’s an intermission or not. They don’t want to get too fucked up if you’ll be playing again.”

Alex looks at me, and I bite my lip. I know what I’d prefer, but it’s completely his choice. He turns to Kyle. “Tell them to get fucked up.”

About the Author

C.G.Coppola is the author of the Fantasy Adventure series, Arizal Wars. In addition to short stories that explore magic and the paranormal, she writes books that involve a lot of kissing, kickass heroines, and fighting alongside best friends. When not writing, C.G.Coppola can be found watching Netflix, playing with her dog, Appa, or trying not to mess up a recipe she found on Pintrest.
Follow me (but let’s not get stalkery. Too weird, guys.)

Facebook
Patreon

BookandMainBites
@writercgcoppola

0 Comments

Cover Reveal: The Silver Queen by Josie Jaffrey

Book Review: Beautiful Invention by Margaret Porter

New Release: Better Than Now by CG Coppola

Excerpt

About the Author

Archives

Categories

Author