3.5 Stars Rounded Up

Do What Godmother Says is a thriller/historical fiction in which there are two POVs, one present and one past. While it took me a few chapters to get into, I was intrigued to find out where this was going.
Shanice (present POV) comes across as a potentially unreliable character who is going through some tough life circumstances, and Estelle (historical POV) was a Harlem Renaissance painter who becomes discovered by a wealthy patron.

I wish there was more emphasis on the historical POV as I was most enthralled by that storyline, but even the present POV had an array of twists and heart racing points.

Characters were developed well, and my unanswered questions primarily got answered which I appreciate in a book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio ARC of Do What Godmother Says!

Shanice Pierce is a writer going through a tough time, losing her job and her boyfriend all at once. She inherits a painting from her grandmother that has been in the family for generations. To her surprise, she finds herself drawn to it in a way she can’t understand. As she searches for answers, she learns that the artist was a young woman whose mentor was known as “Godmother” and that both of them vanished without a trace.
I would say this a thriller with historical fiction elements but also has some commentary on race, class, wealth, mental health, and family. I enjoyed this book but i did find it a bit predictable but that didn't bother me too much. I enjoy Stratton's writing and will be sure to read her next book. Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!

Pros: intriguing storyline and both timelines were woven together quite neatly. I like the mystical elements and omens throughout. I think it was bit obvious who the friend was that had the portrait passed to them, but I loved the story building behind it

Cons: white man greed - I hated that the grandmother died!

4 stars/B+

Revised 6-15: Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook ARC for consideration. These are my opinions.
My personal rating: 4.5 stars. Spoiler-free review.

A mysterious painting connects a contemporary writer with a Harlem Renaissance artist. This suspenseful and emotionally generous novel took me through a high-impact transformation. Sutton depicts two courageous women and dangerous intrigue. She explores their circumstances and choices with sensitivity to emotional struggles–and a great deal of heart. The  cinematic narrative hooked me into the stories of both women .

The occult elements and Harlem Renaissance background attracted me to this novel and helped keep me enthralled. The narrator enhanced the book with a wonderful performance of the many different voices.

Although the pacing felt slow at times, I remained fascinated by the characters and the murder mystery. The events built to a satisfying ending. This book moved me and left me looking forward to more books by L. S. Stratton.

Highly recommended to readers who enjoy a strong story-within-a-story, historical fiction, Gothics, whodunnits, suspense, and / or heartfelt character-driven fiction with brave, creative women. This is a book that matters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
This was a phenomenal audiobook. I went into it open minded because I thought it was going to be on the more paranormal lines but it wasn’t at all.
Great storylines and unfolding of a mystery. Took me less than two days to finish this one. Great narration and a phenomenal gothic themed mystery.

People are way scarier than any fantastical creature or paranormal entity. This story proves that.
Shanice and Estelle both have battles to fight and obstacles to overcome to find a safe place for themselves and their work. I liked those challenges and I was glad to be right about a couple of the twists. I was also glad that there were a couple that surprised me. One of the ways that Shanice found out important information made me roll my eyes, but one convenient plot point with all of the complicated relationships and motives is pretty good. The strongest part was definitely the characters and the fight they had in them. That will stick with me for a long while.

I am an audiobook addict. I have one on when I'm doing artwork, laundry, chores. Sometimes if the audiobook doesn't hold me, my thoughts turn to other things. Not so with this one. The story itself will hold you but the narration played a big part in keeping my attention on the story.

Because of the book cover, I had a different expectations. In a way, I was ready to listen to yet another horror piece. After listening to or reading the number of audiobooks and books that I have, it's become easy to spot similarities in story lines. After all, how many times can plots be reinvented? However, Do What Godmother Says takes a bit of a detour and that may have contributed to my need to pay attention.

The narration is good although some accents threw me off a little. I'm not an expert on accents so maybe it's just me. I've actually abandoned audiobooks where the narration was done badly (for instance, the narrator takes on a breathy, Mae West persona or worse, the narrator sounds exactly like she did in several other audiobooks).

Overall, this audiobook did not disappoint. I'd gladly recommend it.

Do What Godmother Says is a creepy, gothic romp through time with a Harlem Renaissance era painting at its center. After a moderately slow build, I was absolutely hooked.

Historical fiction is always hit or miss for me, but with dual POVs / timelines and elements of horror, this one hit all the marks. We follow Shanice Pierce, a down-on-her-luck writer, as she inherits a painting and with it - a lot of bad luck.

I really enjoyed how twisty this one was, and look forward to reading more from this author. Check this one out if you like historical fiction, old paintings, investigative journalism, and Lovecraft Country!!

**Thank you to Union Square & Co for the free copy of this title and also to NetGalley for the ALC!!**

Thank you Dreamscape media & L.S Stratton for this audiobook!

This was the first book I've read by the author and it won't be my last. I loved the multiple timelines through different POVs. I found the plot creepy and the story itself had a Gothic vibe.

This was a great YA horror/thriller, the narrator was excellent, I found the book intriguing from start to finish and the ending wrapped everything up really well!

Thank you Netgalley for the gifted copy. This book was full of twists and turns like a rollercoaster. If you're looking for a thrill. This is the book for you

This had murder, mystery, creepy dreams, and more while we are on this ride with Shanice to find out what this painting found in her grandmothers house is really worth.

I thoroughly enjoyed the narrator, which kept me engaged from start to finish. I was hesitant requesting this because it was YA, but it did not disappoint. Give it try. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ALC.
4/5

Do What Godmother Says is a dual-timeline mystery with gothic elements and a potentially unreliable narrator. I liked it quite a lot, though it felt unbalanced at times.

Shanice's life is falling apart and her mental health isn't great either. But when she finds a mysterious painting of a woman at her grandmother's house, it leads her down a dangerous path as she uncovers the story of Estelle Johnson- the Harlem Renaissance artist who created the painting. And Estelle's connection with Maud- a wealthy white woman with interest in the occult who took advantage of young Black artists.

I picked this up because I love a gothic novel and I was really interested in the story of the Harlem Renaissance artist. Unfortunately, we spend the bulk of the novel in the modern perspective and wish the past timeline had been a little more fleshed out and evenly integrated into the story. That said, while some of the reveals didn't surprise me, I had a good time and would read more from the author. She effectively weaves some gothic elements in and gives great atmosphere. I would recommend it! The audio narration is well done. I received an audio copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own.

L..S Stratton is here to stay! This novel has a great concept, a painting that has been kept in the family for generations. At the beginning, I was hesitant because I thought it would be a curse object story. Shanice inherits her grandmothers painting that has been in the family’s possessions for nearly a century. When she gets this painting, suddenly it feels like somebody is out to get here. This story has a dual POV, in the past and present through the view of Shanice and Elise. I was able to get the arc for the audiobook, which was amazing. My only issue was that long pause between chapters which made me think the audio stopped working. Also, the main character reads YA, when she is a 29 year old adult. This author is a good writer, and her style reminds me of Tiffany D Jackson. I feel I would like this author to explore the YA world, because after this novel seems like she could succeed. If you like Ace of Spades and Tiffany D Jackson writing, you would enjoy this novel. It comes out today (June 11,2024)
This will be publish on GoodReads, Fable and Lemon8 on June 11,2024

This is my first book by L.S. Stratton, and I'm definitely going to read more from this author.

It's a refreshing change from my usual reads, so I greatly enjoyed it. The dual POVs were done beautifully, and the way everything came together in the end was satisfying.

The story follows Shanice, who receives a painting from her grandmother that has been in their family for a long time. But soon, things take a dangerous turn as someone becomes obsessed with the painting and will do anything to get it.

Shanice wonders about Estelle Johnson, the woman who painted the portrait, and if her own life is in danger.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC of this book.

I am so glad I picked this up!

This is a dual timeline plot that entangles the readers into a mystery of the life of an Artist and the current owner of her legendary painting. Ever since the painting came into the possession of Shanice, an ominous shadow has fallen upon her life. As she digs deeper into the life of this artist from the Harlem Renaissance period, she discovers dangerous truths that may terrorize her life.

The thrilling aspects of this book are aptly produced to make the reader question everything about the painting. It looks dangerous, but the more you observe, the more your perspective changes around the art. The way the story leveraged the Harlem Renaissance, strengthened its plot a notch higher. There were high-stakes, sideline love story, goofy stalker, exuberant lifestyles of the 1% club and a haunting past connecting the dots which made it a perfect reading companion on my travels.

This was such a great mystery thriller and an almost perfect rendering of the world of painting, made me fall in awe with the narrators too. Highly recommend the audiobook version.

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Adult
Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️

The narrator of this book was phenomenonal and I enjoyed it very much. It kept me entertained from start to finish and I throughly enjoyed the twist at the end. What an awesome story!

This thriller had me captivated from the start. I loved the two storylines between past and present. I love how the two stories collide. The ending was so satisfying! Great story and the narrators were fabulous. Thank you for this audiobook!

THIS BOOK IS CRAZY!!

An unwanted painting give by her grandmother, opens up a whole world of WHAT IN THE WORLD? in the life of Shanice Pierce. As she digs in to the history of the painting and its artist, Shanice uncovers a jaw-dropping tail of witchcraft, murder, and forced servitude.

The story doe shave a bit of a slow burn but when it gets going...HOLD ON! There were many points that I sat bug-eyed, mouth agape, or, fingers pressed against my temple in disbelief of the turn of events.

L.S. Stratton did a great job of setting the world and drawing us into it, you become just as invested as Shanice in solving this mystery.

I had the pleasure of acquiring the audio version... Aure Nash and York Whitaker did an amazing job of bringing this story to life!

3 Stars ~

Shanice Pierce had everything going for her in life, she had a boyfriend who was supporting her through an internship as an editor at a magazine, until one day her bad luck just hit, and it hit hard.
Shanice lost her job, the same day her boyfriend of 5 years left her.

Shanice spent her unemployed days helping her grandmother clean up her house with the prospect to sell, her grandmother gives her a painting. A painting that has a mysterious past and seems to be grabbing unwanted attention.

- Dual Timelines
- Gothic Horror
- Mysterious Painting with huge backstory to uncover about the artists life

Although I mostly enjoyed this read, I felt like the dialogue was very unnatural and it may have been a bit too long for what happened in the story.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.