Claudia and Mean Janine

Title: The Babysitters Club Vol. 4: Claudia and Mean Janine

Author: Raina Telgemeier & Ann M. Martin

Publisher:  Harry N. Abrams

 
ISBN:  9781419774379

 

Thoughts:  Definitely one of the more heart-tugging BSC stories, but great uplifting ending for all.

 

Rating: 4/5

The Science of Racism

Title: The Science of Racism: Everything You Need to Know but Probably Don't - Yet

Author: Keon West

Publisher:  Harry N. Abrams

 
ISBN:  9781419774379

 

Thoughts:  Well-presented scientific approach to systemic racism.

 

Rating: 4/5

Algorithms of Oppression

 Title: Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism

Author: Safiya Umoja Noble

Publisher:  NYU Press

 
ISBN:  9781479837243

 

Thoughts:  Noble brings up a lot of valid points about Google to think about, but I feel there were controls and other forces not accounted for in her experiments and research.

 

Rating: 2/5

James

Title: James

Author: Percival Everett

Publisher:  Random House Audio

 
ISBN:  n/a

 

Thoughts:  Excellent retelling of The Adventures of Huck Finn told from Jim's point of view, 

 

Rating: 5/5

The Lost Apothecary

Title: The Lost Apothecary

Author: Sarah Penner

Publisher:  Park Row

 
ISBN:  9780778311010

 

Thoughts:  Excellent dual timeline story about poison and poisonous relationships with a touch of magical realism.

 

Rating: 5/5

The Morningside

Title: The Morningside

Author: Tea Obreht

Publisher:  Random House Audio

 
ISBN:  9780593823972

 

Thoughts:  This dystopian fantasy took a while to really get started, but once it did, it kept going right until the end.

 

Rating: 3/5

Y/N

Title: Y/N

Author: Esther Yi

Publisher: Astra House

 
ISBN:  9781662601538

 

Thoughts:  This is a strange tale of obsession, and I felt like I was missing the point of the Y/N referenced in the title.

 

Rating: 2/5

Title: Murder at the Mena House

Author: Erica Ruth Neubauer

Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation

 
ISBN:  9781496725851

 

Thoughts:  Fun historical cozy mystery, but there were a couple of loose ends that seemed forgotten.

 

Rating: 3/5

Black Cloud Rising

Title: Black Cloud Rising

Author: David Wright Falade

Publisher: Grove Press

 
ISBN:  9780802159199

 

Thoughts:  This novel felt very historically accurate, but war novels rarely keep my attention.

 

Rating: 3/5

Invisible Women

Title: Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men

Author: Caroline Criado Perez

Publisher: Abrams Press

 
ISBN:  9781419729072

 

Thoughts:  Highly interesting and intelligent book that will open your eyes to all of the missing data regarding females.

 

Rating: 5/5

Bully Market

Title: Bully Market: My Story of Money and Misogyny at Goldman Sachs

Author: Jamie Fiore Higgins

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

 
ISBN:  9781668001028

 

Thoughts:  Fiore Higgins's story reads like fiction, but it is unfortunately all true.

 

Rating: 4/5

Neither Out Far Nor In Deep

 Title: Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord

Author: Leah T. Williams

Publisher: Audible Audio

 
ISBN:  n/a

 

Thoughts:  Uplifting YA about how you may need to look somewhere far to find yourself.

 

Rating: 4/5

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord

 Title: Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Lord

Author: Celeste Connally

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

 
ISBN:  n/a

 

Thoughts:  This mystery took just a tad too long to really get going, but it does get good, and ends with a great set up for the next in the series.

 

Rating: 3/5

The Other Black Girl

Title: The Other Black Girl

Author: Zakiya Dalila Harris

Publisher: Atria Books

 
ISBN:  9781982160135

 

Thoughts:  The rising action started off too slow and thus the climax felt rush, but still a great novel with engaging, fully-formed characters.

 

Rating: 3/5