October

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent by Isabel Wilkerson

THIS is the book of 2020 for me, seriously. I have read a lot of books about social justice these last few months, but no other book has everything like this one does. It provides the basis, the foundation, the history, the explanation, the justification, the reasoning, for all those other books. Every television show and movie I have watched since has been seen through a new pair of spectacles. This is the most eye-opening book I think I have ever read. It is not an easy read; it is long, dense, and required lots of highlighter and note-taking by me. At times it hurt my heart, but it also inspired me. If you want to learn, read this book. If you are open to a new way of looking at race/caste in America, read this book. If you are a teacher, read and then use this book in your classroom. Please read this book because..."Caste is a disease, and none of us is immune...A world without caste would set everyone free."

Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell

Lisa Jewell, a popular British thriller writer, has never let me down, and I think this is one of her best yet. The drama involves two families: one is the stereotypical mom (Cate), dad (Roan), and two kids, where Roan is a child psychotherapist, amongst other things and Cate has rather a lot of 'trust' issues; the other is Saffyre, orphaned and raised by her uncle, and a former patient of Roan's. The glue that pulls these two together, as well as the plot line, is the character of Owen, an odd, socially-challenged, 'off' guy who lives across the street from Roan and Cate. When Saffyre disappears, Owen is the first guy the cops look to, wondering how this 'weirdo' is involved. The rabbit hole of possibilities are endless, and Jewell does a masterful job of taking us down every dead end path, as well as roads open to possibility. This one is impossible to put down; if you're looking for a thriller that works, this is it:)

The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline

If you read Orphan Train or A Piece of the World, you know Kline tell an engrossing tale; I loved those books, but her new one, The Exiles, has charged to the front of the line as my very favorite. I opened this book one evening, and finished it the next afternoon, living in 19th century Tasmania. Kline develops such rich characters (the naive vicar's daughter sentenced to 14 years transport, the young pickpocket whose life is devoid of safety, the pregnant street walker, the aboriginal child adopted by the governor, the convict ship doctor, the sailor with no moral compass), yet she doesn't abuse any stereotypes; her characters are complex, authentic, intriguing. As the story unfolds in the London jail, moves to the long ship's journey across oceans, and ultimately to Van Diemen's island and the life of the convicts, it was hard for my brain to leave this story, giving me a huuuuge book hangover. If you like historical fiction based in solid research and enhanced by beautiful writing, you will love this book.

Shit, Actually: The Definitive, 100% Objective Guide to Modern Cinema by Lindy West

Do you love movies? Do you like sass? Do you need a good laugh these days? If you answer "YES" to any of these, I highly recommend this audio. Lindy West narrates it herself, as she skewers, raves, and picks apart some of our favorite all-time movies, rating them against her personal favorite, The Fugitive. Admittedly, I liked it best when I was familiar with the movie, even when she pokes at a movie I love (ahem, The Notebook), but overall, I was thoroughly entertained and highly amused by this one.

Dear Child by Romy Hausmann

It has been a looooong time since I was scared to read a book at nighttime, but this book did just that. A story ripped from the headlines, a young woman is 'found' after having gone missing twelve years ago, allegedly kept in captivity along with her two children. But this dark psychological thriller has much more in store for its readers, with a grief-twisted father, a deeply disturbed child, and the victim herself telling the story. Don't even try guessing where this story leads as the rabbit hole is long and twisted, and made me want to lock all my doors as I read the final fifty pages. This debut novel has changed my negative perspective on thrillers; Hausmann does far more than look for a quick twist - she uses brilliant mind games with her readers to keep us obsessively turning pages. I will be on the lookout for her next translated novel.

When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole

Yikes, this book...how to describe it? Maybe a mix of farce, horror, and thriller, with a dose of social justice thrown in. The plot revolves around two characters: Sydney, a long-time Brooklyn resident whose neighborhood is historically Black as is Sydney, whose mother has cancer, who works in the block garden and sees some shady stuff going on; and Theo, her white neighbor with a rocky past, who is unemployed, whose romantic relationship has hit the skids, and wants to help Sydney research for a historical walking tour of their 'hood. Can I just say...this synopsis does not do this story justice? I could NOT stop listening to this audio - the narrators are fantastic, the racism displayed is raw and enraging, the creepiness is legit, and the ending was beyond cathartic (perhaps not realistic, but hey, I wasn't looking for plausible - I was looking for vengeance). 

Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Starting her career as a slam poet, Acevedo's debut novel is just simply stunning. Written in verse, this book, especially the audio, flows and ebbs and embeds itself into one's heart. The main character, Xiomara (hence the title, Poet X), is raised in a conservative Domincan family, forced to go to church and confirmation classes when really, she just wants to see the boy she likes and attend the after-school poetry club. This is the story of being a teen, of wanting one's freedom, of being different, of standing up for oneself, in finding liberation from a parent as well as connection. I might have shed a few tears over this one, and the ending is just...magical. This would be a fantastic book to use in a classroom, and/or to broaden one's own knowledge of different cultures and neighborhoods.

The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand

I know lots of people love this author, and I do find her family dramas compelling, but if you're looking for a good mystery, this is not it, in my opinion. She uses and abuses stereotypes in an epic manner: rich white male lead whose ignorance of his privilege is monumental, nerdy smart girl who is shamed for her brain not celebrated, obligatory hot yet disloyal best friend, ice queen mother and creepy father whose privilege protects them all the way to the final page, and bestie who is murder victim and described as a 'sex kitten' when really, she was horribly sexually harassed yet that was never explicitly addressed. Ugh. If you need a good mystery, go dive into Louise Penny's series.