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
This book is fun, scary, emotional, upsetting, compelling... so many things all in once! I love this book. I didn't want to put it down - I read the eThis book is fun, scary, emotional, upsetting, compelling... so many things all in once! I love this book. I didn't want to put it down - I read the entire thing in one sitting. This book is a portrait of two toxic women, the intimacy of their friendship, and how it all unravels. I loved everything about it....more
This is a sweet and emotional novel that made me cry several times. While it started a bit slow, the build-up is worth it, and the ending is absolutelThis is a sweet and emotional novel that made me cry several times. While it started a bit slow, the build-up is worth it, and the ending is absolutely heart-wrenching. This story is ultimately filled with hope, despite the tragic plot....more
While this book isn't exactly highbrow, it's a genuinely enjoyable ride that will keep you guessing until the end! A legal thriller with several shockWhile this book isn't exactly highbrow, it's a genuinely enjoyable ride that will keep you guessing until the end! A legal thriller with several shocking twists; this is a unique set-up that pays off. Although it's part of a series, it works all by itself (I know this for a fact - I haven't read the other books). ...more
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