What I'm Reading | March + April

Know My Name: A Memior | by Chanel Miller

5/5 stars

[Goodreads Excerpt: She was known to the world as Emily Doe when she stunned millions with a letter. Brock Turner had been sentenced to just six months in county jail after he was found sexually assaulting her on Stanford’s campus. Her victim impact statement was posted on BuzzFeed, where it instantly went viral–viewed by eleven million people within four days, it was translated globally and read on the floor of Congress; it inspired changes in California law and the recall of the judge in the case. Now she reclaims her identity to tell her story of trauma, transcendence, and the power of words. It was the perfect case, in many ways–there were eyewitnesses, Turner ran away, physical evidence was immediately secured. But her struggles with isolation and shame during the aftermath and the trial reveal the oppression victims face in even the best-case scenarios. Her story illuminates a culture biased to protect perpetrators, indicts a criminal justice system designed to fail the most vulnerable, and, ultimately, shines with the courage required to move through suffering and live a full and beautiful life.]

This is a very difficult read and gives an uncensored perspective on not only being a victim of sexual assault, but being the victim in a case so well known. This book gave me a whole new sense of compassion and understanding along with deep sadness and grief for the way our court systems work. Chanel Miller is an incredibly gifted writer and holds nothing back. You WILL feel uncomfortable reading this, but that's a good thing. 

Such a Fun Age | by Kiely Reid

4/5 stars

[Goodreads Excerpt: Alix Chamberlain is a woman who gets what she wants and has made a living showing other women how to do the same. A mother to two small girls, she started out as a blogger and has quickly built herself into a confidence-driven brand. So she is shocked when her babysitter, Emira Tucker, is confronted while watching the Chamberlains’ toddler one night. Seeing a young black woman out late with a white child, a security guard at their local high-end supermarket accuses Emira of kidnapping two-year-old Briar. A small crowd gathers, a bystander films everything, and Emira is furious and humiliated. Alix resolves to make it right. But Emira herself is aimless, broke, and wary of Alix’s desire to help. At twenty-five, she is about to lose her health insurance and has no idea what to do with her life. When the video of Emira unearths someone from Alix’s past, both women find themselves on a crash course that will upend everything they think they know about themselves, and each other.]

I listened to Reid's debut novel, also a Reese's bookclub pick, on audio and really enjoyed the narrator. So much that I finished this one in 2 days over the weekend! The writing is super easy-to-follow and is just simply a good story. I like the way it approaches certain racial + class issues in a way that's subtle and woven into the story. I only give it 4 stars instead of 5 because the ending didn't really sit right with me, however the story overall is a fun one. 

The Giver of Stars | by Jojo Moyes

5/5 stars

[Goodreads Excerpt: Alice Wright marries handsome American Bennett Van Cleve hoping to escape her stifling life in England. But small-town Kentucky quickly proves equally claustrophobic, especially living alongside her overbearing father-in-law. So when a call goes out for a team of women to deliver books as part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s new traveling library, Alice signs on enthusiastically. The leader, and soon Alice’s greatest ally, is Margery, a smart-talking, self-sufficient woman who’s never asked a man’s permission for anything. They will be joined by three other singular women who become known as the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky. What happens to them–and to the men they love–becomes an unforgettable drama of loyalty, justice, humanity and passion. These heroic women refuse to be cowed by men or by convention. And though they face all kinds of dangers in a landscape that is at times breathtakingly beautiful, at others brutal, they’re committed to their job: bringing books to people who have never had any, arming them with facts that will change their lives.]

I truly, truly adored this historical fiction novel. The characters are those that you miss once it's over and you find yourself wanting to open the pages again to talk to them. You hurt when they hurt and you laugh when they laugh. The characters in this novel are ones you want to root for and see make it through their struggles. This book tackles what it means to be a woman during this time period I really loved this one and will be recommending it strongly to everyone that wants a book rec from me this year! 

David and Goliath | by Malcolm Gladwell

3/5 stars

[Goodreads Excerpt: Malcolm Gladwell has explored the ways we understand and change our world. Now he looks at the complex and surprising ways the weak can defeat the strong, the small can match up against the giant, and how our goals (often culturally determined) can make a huge difference in our ultimate sense of success. Drawing upon examples from the world of business, sports, culture, cutting-edge psychology, and an array of unforgettable characters around the world, David and Goliath is in many ways the most practical and provocative book Malcolm Gladwell has ever written.]

I always appreciate Malcolm Gladwell's perspective and sporadically listen to his podcast, Revisionist History. I really liked his book Outliers, but this one was just - meh. I loved the idea behind it: underdogs, success from someone you least expect it, etc. The first half engaged me but by the end I just lost interest and felt like the writing was super repetitive. Gladwell is incredibly intelligent and I love listening to him audibly as a storyteller, but this one just didn't do it for me.