Tips for Tuesday - Books: Where the Girls Were & Darkening Song; Movie: The Optimist

We may have been given complimentary copies and/or access for review purposes to any books, products, and/or any other visual or audio media mentioned below. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

Books: Where The Girls Were and Darkening Song

Today, we recommend Where the Girls Were by Kate Schatz. Baker, who has always been a good girl and an excellent student, has a bright future at Stanford waiting for her. When she finally decides to let loose a little, she begins sneaking around with a hippie named Wiley and finds herself pregnant, whereupon she is quickly shipped off to a home for unwed mothers.

Baker is a smart, fiesty, strong-willed, likable heroine. She has a nice sisterly bond with her cousin, May, although May is a bit flighty and not completely reliable. However, their bond is not nearly as touching as the bonds she forms with her fellow housemates, particularly her roommate Michelle. Each of the girls' stories is extremely moving and, most, if not all, are truly heartbreaking. 

At first, Baker's mother, Rose, seems a bit harsh. She seems more concerned with keeping up appearances than with her daughter. However, later revelations shed new light on her character and make it clear that she does indeed love her daughter and truly believes she has her daughter's best interest at heart. 

The book ends very abruptly with Baker on the brink of a big decision. Although the reader may think they know what will happen next, it is not explicitly stated, so they cannot be sure. Accordingly, those who prefer a definite sense of closure will be disappointed to be left hanging. 

Although the book is set in the late 1960s, it is surprisingly timely. It is true that in the ensuing years, women's lives improved vastly. They gained much more autonomy and control over their own lives. However, scarily, in too many places, that is no longer true. Rights that had previously been gained are now being viciously ripped away.  Thus, this book is a chilling reminder of what's at stake and how vigilant we have to be to preserve and protect the rights that we have gained. 

Today, we are recommending Darkening Song. Eva is just an intern at a record label when she discovers young singing phenom, Alora Storm-Jones, which changes the trajectory of both their lives. This book is another cautionary tale and a reminder to be careful what you wish for.

Alora seems like an entitled spoiled brat at first, but her backstory is heartbreaking, and what happens to her on her rise to the top is even worse. The more the story goes on, the more sympathetic and likable she becomes. Eva, on the other hand, becomes less likable as the story goes on. Although she has a traumatic background as well, she is more concerned with hanging on to her burgeoning career than with the people in her life and their needs, including Alora and the alleged love of her life, Ade. 

The story has some exciting twists and turns. There are surprising revelations, and characters who turn out not be what they first appear. In Alora's eyes, for instance, her absent father is a hero, and her mother is a villain. Neither of these things turns out to be true. 

Numerous sensitive topics are dealt with in the book, including anxiety, abuse, sexual abuse, and attempted suicide. Accordingly, if you are sensitive to a particular topic, you may want to check out the trigger warnings before you read it.

Movies: The Optimist 

The post below is a sponsored post on behalf of Review Wire Media for Trafalgar Releasing. Although we will be compensated for this post, any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

The Optimist will be released next Wednesday, March 11. Based on a true story, THE OPTIMIST follows Holocaust survivor Herbert Heller and the unlikely friendship that transforms two lives. At 15, Herbert escaped the Auschwitz-Birkenau death march, carrying the weight of silence for six decades. When he finally breaks that silence, he forms a life-saving bond with Abby, a troubled teenager confronting her own pain. Together, they discover hope, healing, and the transformative power of being truly seen. 

Directed by Finn Taylor and produced by Jeanine Thomas, THE OPTIMIST stars Stephen Lang and Elsie Fisher in an intimate, intergenerational story about trauma, memory, and healing. Lang delivers a career-defining performance opposite Fisher in a story developed over more than a decade by Thomas, who first met Heller before his passing in 2021. The film honors Heller’s legacy as an educator and survivor who shared his testimony with thousands of students nationwide.

The ensemble cast includes Luke David Blumm, Leah Pipes, Ben Geurens, Ursula Parker, Slavko Sobin, Stella Stocker, Oskar Hes, and Robin Weigert. Produced by Jeanine Thomas and Noah Lang, with executive producer Todd Slater, the film features cinematography by Antonio Riestra and Alexander Surkala and editing by Kaufmanova Olina and Rick LeCompte.

“Herbert’s story shows how one person can change countless lives,” said director Finn Taylor. Producer Jeanine Thomas added, “This film is the fulfillment of a promise to honor his truth.” Stephen Lang called the role “a profound privilege.”

The film will be released nationwide on March 11, 2026, through Trafalgar Releasing. 

We recommend The Optimist. It is a film that really touches the heart. Herbert Heller's optimism and desire to help others despite everything he went through is inspiring. His relationship with Abbey and the way they help heal each other is truly affecting. It is a reminder of how important and special relationships between different generations can be.

And that's our view. Where the Girls Were was published today. Darkening Song will be published next Tuesday, March 10. The Optimist will be released next Wednesday, March 11. 

Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday. 

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