Severance Author: Ling MaGenre: FictionTrigger warnings: PandemicRead if: You want something to reflect current times. Synopsis: This novel follows Candace Chen, a millennial, independent New Yorker who works in publishing. We jump back and forth in Candace's life between pre-and post- pandemic apocalypse. We see the events leading up to her decision to leave New York …
Continue reading Review: Severance (plus a comparison to Covid-19)
Such a Fun Age Author: Kiley ReidGenre: FictionTrigger warnings: Racism, white-savior complex. Read if: You want a page-turner that comments on contemporary racism and class relationships. Synopsis: This novel opens when a 25-year-old black babysitter, Emira, is accused of kidnapping the 3-year-old child she babysits. The remainder of the novel explores the aftermath of this event …
$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America Author: Kathryn Edin, Luke ShaeferGenre: NonfictionTrigger warnings: Sexual assault, Sexual assault towards a minor, Abusive relationships, Adverse childhood experiences (ACE).Read if: you are unsure about what it is like to live in extreme poverty in the United States. Synopsis: $2.00 a Day was written in 2015 after …
Continue reading Review: $2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America
Happy leap day! For the last day of this slightly longer month, I've decided to compile a list of articles that were published this month (or late January). With so many events taking the spotlight in 2020, here are some stories and trends you may have missed. This article on why donating your clothes might …
SHOUT Author: Laurie Halse AndersonGenre: Memoir, PoetryTrigger warnings: Rape, sexual assault, suicidal ideation, drug abuse, PTSDRead if: you've ever been silenced. Synopsis: Best known for her bestselling fictional novel, Speak, Halse-Anderson tells her own story of survival in moving free-verse poetry. She recounts her childhood, her assault, her pain, and her journey afterward. Much like …
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard For White People to Talk About Racism Author: Robin DiAngeloGenre: Non-fictionRead if: you've ever asked yourself "what's the big deal about race?" Synopsis: Sociologist Robin DiAngelo writes an introduction to how white people fit into race and racism. A white woman herself, she uses this perspective to talk about …
The Bear and the Nightingale Author: Katherine ArdenGenre: Fantasy, Historical FictionTrigger Warnings: Heavy religious dialogue. Read If: You are fascinated by mythology and folklore Synopsis: Set in medieval Russia, we watch little Vasilisa (Vasya) grow up in a rural village thriving with little spirits and guardians. The people of the village are very loyal to …
