I really enjoyed this book! It’s been a minute since I’ve read YA, and it was a nice change of pace after some of the heavier novels I’ve been readingI really enjoyed this book! It’s been a minute since I’ve read YA, and it was a nice change of pace after some of the heavier novels I’ve been reading. The characters are so endearing - Ellery, Ezra, and Malcolm will all find a way into your heart. The first half of the book is paced incredibly well, and will give you a number of suspects to question. I will say I thought the book lost some steam in the second half, and I’m not entirely sure how I felt about the reveal of the culprit, but overall, I still really recommend this book!...more
Isobel Johnson teaches American Literature at an affluent high school in the suburbs of Minnesota and aims to ensure that students leave her classroomIsobel Johnson teaches American Literature at an affluent high school in the suburbs of Minnesota and aims to ensure that students leave her classroom with new perspectives on the world around them, despite the issues any helicopter parents may have with her teaching style. Julia Abbott is one of these overexcited parents who will do whatever it takes to ensure that nothing stands in the way of her children getting what they want - even though what they really want is for her to back off. As parents begin to push back against Isobel's social justice curriculum and Julia makes a huge mistake that goes viral on social media, each of the women's personal lives begin to unravel. What follows is an account - through the perspectives of the women and those around them - of what it takes to put yourself back together when everything seems like it's falling apart.
I sincerely enjoyed this book! When I say I read it in one sitting, I mean I started it at 10:00 PM and closed it at 4:30 AM. It's a fun, campy contemporary drama that also really gets to the heart of each of the struggles that these women are facing. The teenagers were extremely lovable - Andrew, especially, was a favorite of mine. This was a great read to pick up just a few weeks after I read Adequate Yearly Progress by Roxanna Elden, which deals with issues faced by teachers at an underfunded school. A few issues I had with this book - I felt as though the teenagers, while sweet, weren't wholly fleshed out enough. They didn't feel totally real to me, even as much as I liked them. Additionally, there were a few times where I felt West's writing got a bit repetitive - not plot-wise, but in terms of phrasing and language. Overall, this book was super fun, and I recommend it to anybody who wants something engrossing but not too heavy!...more
In an upper middle-class neighborhood in North Carolina, Valerie is preparing for her incredibly gifted biracial son, Xavier, to head off to college iIn an upper middle-class neighborhood in North Carolina, Valerie is preparing for her incredibly gifted biracial son, Xavier, to head off to college in a few short months. Valerie, who is a professor of forestry and ecology, spends many of her days tending to her garden and admiring the beautiful old oak tree in the family’s yard. Everything is as it should be until a new family - the Whitmans - move into the house behind them, knocking down all of the trees on the lot to build themselves a McMansion. The Whitmans are determined to provide what they believe is the best they can for their teenage daughter, Juniper, and younger daughter, Lily. These two families quickly come to conflict - first, over the damage that’s been done to Valerie’s oak tree, but before long, over the puppy love shared between the two teenagers.
This is a new all-time favorite for me. I cried through the last 50 pages and absolutely sobbed through the last 5. I can’t remember the last time I loved a book so much! The book beautifully tackled the big concepts of class and race, while also painting intimate portraits of love, both familial and romantic. All of the characters are well-written, but the way Fowler gets in the heads of Xavier and Juniper is really the beating heart of this book. Written in the first person plural, Fowler does a great job of capturing the varying perspectives of the extremely tight-knit community. I loved this book and wish I could read it for the first time all over again!...more
Alix Chamberlain would trust her babysitter Emira Tucker with her daughter’s life. That’s why Alix is shocked when a security guard, upon seeing a blaAlix Chamberlain would trust her babysitter Emira Tucker with her daughter’s life. That’s why Alix is shocked when a security guard, upon seeing a black woman taking care of the white toddler at a supermarket one night, stops and accuses Emira of kidnapping two-year-old Briar. What ensues is a series of events that will completely upend the lives of both women and unearth grudges that were long-buried.
This book is WONDERFUL. I didn’t want to put it down. Reid’s novel explores thoroughly the intersections of class and race, and will send you on a seemingly never-ending emotional rollercoaster. It is at once a searing takedown of the white savior complex and a portrait of pure love between child and caretaker. The pace slowed down a bit in the middle, and some of the action that occurred at the end may have benefitted from being placed earlier in the novel, but in the end, I still enjoyed every minute of it....more
Suzette and Alex are the picture of domestic bliss, with just one problem - their daughter, Hanna. Seven-year-old Hanna is a well-behaved angel when ASuzette and Alex are the picture of domestic bliss, with just one problem - their daughter, Hanna. Seven-year-old Hanna is a well-behaved angel when Alex is around, but leaves Suzette questioning her own safety. In the story of a family with a child that makes Wednesday Addams look like a saint, Suzette and Alex are forced to grapple with their trust in each other, and question exactly how far the love of a parent can - and should - reach.
This book absolutely terrified me. I love horror, and this story genuinely made me afraid to go to sleep. If you like horror/suspense/thrillers - this is the book for you! The plot is incredibly unique and will keep you guessing until the end. Stage’s story will fill you with fear and you will continue questioning your perception until the last page. You will get lost in the story trying to figure out how this family can possibly move forward. The adults in this novel are extremely frustrating - you can’t help but feel as though most of this could be solved with even a modicum of communication. Reminiscent of The Bad Seed, this is not a book for the faint-hearted. In my opinion, parts of the narration that didn’t ring completely true, and there was something I felt lacking from the conclusion. Overall, I sincerely enjoyed this book, even if I was a bit let down by the ending. This has been on my “to be read” list for a while, and I’m glad I finally picked it up!...more
"Adequate Yearly Progress" details a year at an urban, under-funded high school in a large city in a large city in Texas told from varying perspective"Adequate Yearly Progress" details a year at an urban, under-funded high school in a large city in a large city in Texas told from varying perspectives of teachers in different subjects and an administrator. A standardized testing focused superintendent takes over, and each of the main characters copes with this change the best they can.
This book is a fun and relaxing read if you're looking for something that is entertaining but not too serious. It accurately portrays different attitudes towards teaching and the wide array of ideologies present in a diverse group of teachers. I appreciated that the main characters were not infallible - there are many moments that will make you cringe, whether you're an educator or not. There were a flew plot threads I would've liked to see be followed up on a bit more (the History teacher's blog, for one), but overall, this book is a smart, funny, quick, and easy read!...more
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