Ace of Spades, the debut novel by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, was one of my most anticipated books of June 2021, and I picked it up as soon as it came out. This YA thriller has been compared to Get Out—an excellent movie!—and combines themes of racism with a dark academia backdrop. Ace of Spades by Faridah... Continue Reading →
There's been a lot of buzz about a new book that just came out in early January, Black Buck, the the debut novel by Mateo Askaripour. I wasn't surprised to see it was a pick on Book of the Month, but I was excited to add it to my box. I'm not sure why I... Continue Reading →
Last summer, I was excited to learn of a new book by Isabel Wilkerson, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. I had launched into a focus on unlearning and relearning -- specifically in regards to racism, anti-racism, and the history of treatment of black people in America -- and this book promised profound insights. Ultimately,... Continue Reading →
I've been hearing great things about Such a Fun Age, the debut novel from Kiley Reid, since it came out nearly a year ago. So with that in mind, I was excited to choose it as my book club's December read. With themes of racism, white saviorism, and class struggles, it felt like a timely... Continue Reading →
A new book has been on my radar for the past few months: Transcendent Kingdom by Yaaa Gyasi. This upcoming release led me to want the author's first book, Homegoing, which was first published in 2016. While I thought about adding it to my bookshelves soon, fate stepped in to speed up the process: The... Continue Reading →
For many years, I've watched in horror at how Black people are mistreated in America, especially in encounters with police and incarceration. I'm appalled that these injustices continue, but I'm happy there is at least a silver lining now as support for Black Lives Matter has grown over the past few months. It's also encouraging... Continue Reading →
In light of the recent upsurge in support for Black Lives Matter and calls for racial justice, I've spent the past couple of months working to strengthen my own understand of racial issues, primarily in the US. Following a reading of How to Be an Antiracist last month, the past few weeks I delved into... Continue Reading →
Like so many people across the US, I've spent the past six weeks (and counting) feeling disheartened by the ongoing police violence against and murders of Black people and those of other minorities. Seeing the new surge of support for action to help #BlackLivesMatter has been inspiring. This growing movement is what finally spurred me... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 