I went into this book expecting it to be more focused on the girls’ friendship than it ended up being. While it gave the story structure and grounding, I learned so much than I expected to about the Japanese occupation, the use of Jeju as a military stepping stone, and the devastating fall-out of the dividing of Korea by foreign powers. Lisa See is a masterful researcher and her recounting of the atrocities faced by the residents of the island were heart-wrenching.

I was particularly intrigued by Young-sook’s other relationships (besides Mi-ja), such as with her husband, mother-in-law, and diving collective. To be honest, I thought her depth of commitment to them was better developed than her bond with Mi-ja. That said, the relational tension and pain is painted powerfully, and by the book’s end, I felt achy with the heaviness of their lives. In that way, the story was remarkably immersive. 

A compelling collection of essays from justice-involved individuals offering their proposals for changes within the criminal justice system. ⁣I was particularly touched by a few entries: Teresa Y. Hodge’s convincing call for digital inclusion efforts, C.T. Mexica’s description of his experience as a youth in the prison pipeline, Terah Lawyer’s passionate advocacy for homes for recently released individuals, Mika’il DeVeaux’s reflection on prison labor as slavery, Arthur Longworth’s devastating account of his experience as a ward of the state within the justice system, and DeAnna Hoskins hopeful nudging towards a more humane system. ⁣
⁣
The unifying theme I noticed across the essays was a woeful lack of support upon release that in many ways encourages recidivism. The experiences of the people highlighted in this collection really hammer home the inhumanity of our current justice system which functions as harsh, repetitive punishment instead of rehabilitation and accountability. ⁣
⁣
Interestingly, it was one of the essays (Sreedhar Potarazu’s coverage of illiteracy) that is the source of my only significant critique: if his numbers are correct, at least 70% of all incarcerated individuals cannot read above a fourth-grade level. I would have liked to see some inclusion of those voices in some way, as submitting a proposal for publication was likely a daunting prospect for this wide swath of the population. 

Following two stories, one of Rose the book restorer in present-day Connecticut and the other of Giovanni the artist in 1571 Venice, this historical fiction novel traces the path of a recovered diary and what it reveals about a romance amidst the War of Cyprus. ⁣
⁣
 Unfortunately, I cannot say I enjoyed this read. I found most of the storyline trite and some of the historical sections casuistic. I really struggle with the should-I-or-shouldn’t-I-cheat-on-my-spouse trope, and was underwhelmed by the characters DeRoux created to inhabit her Venetian storyline. I also did not think the insertions of battle scenes added anything to the story. ⁣
⁣
Overall, I’d call this one skippable. It wasn’t a bad book, but it wasn’t great either. ⁣

⁣Nearly unbelievable and quite engrossing, this book covers the covert operations of WWII’s impressive American spy Virginia Hall as she works to equip and liberate France from Nazi control through subversion and sabotage. Overcoming discrimination not only as a woman but also an amputee, Ms. Hall proved to be one of the most vital operatives of the SOE and OSS, arming rebel groups and gathering intel in Lyon and southern France. ⁣
⁣
Multiple times while reading this was I utterly floored that her story is not widely known, as at times it reads like a straight-up 007 adventure. At the halfway point, enough had already happened to fill two action-packed feature films. Virginia Hall’s story is absolutely worth reading, and admiring. Being a true story, the author had no control over the ending, but I was devastated that Virginia was ultimately stymied by the CIA in the postwar years due to her gender. What a waste of such an incredible mind.⁣

This moving, creative novel follows Nour and her family through the trials of seeking refuge in the Middle East and North Africa after their home in Syria is shelled. Flitting between contemporary fiction and fairy tale, Nour’s story is paralleled by the tale her father used to tell her about a girl named Rawiya and her traveling band of adventures as the explore the same lands, 800 years in the past.⁣
⁣
I enjoyed this book — it was emotionally engaging and covered a weighty subject without feeling hopeless. The characters are richly developed and deeply human. Following Nour’s journey is absolutely heartbreaking, especially hearing it told through her twelve-year-old yes. My only criticism of the book was that Nour’s maturity level seemed to vacillate pretty significantly; at times she was asking very basic questions I’d expect from someone much younger, while other times she had really deep and complex thoughts that felt incongruous with her age. ⁣

The companion/sequel to the beloved Beartown, this novel picks up just a few months after the end of the first installment. Set in a tiny northern town, Us Against You follows a season of hockey rivalry and it’s implications for the humans who are touched by it. But trust me, this is so much more than a book about a sports team.

Backman has an incredible ability to make you feel so many things while also making the story feel wildly ordinary. He is masterful at building tension and not reducing any character down into an un-dimensional plot tool. I will always come back to the idea that what makes these books so powerful is that they could be any small town with people reckoning with choices and struggling with priorities. 

While I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as the first (the beginning was a little hard to get into and some of the points of foreshadowing/suspense felt more heavy-handed than in Beartown), it is truly a fantastic novel. I remain in awe of Backman’s skill!

This story follows Clay Jannon as he starts a new job working as a night clerk at Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. The store is quirky and intriguing, ultimately piquing Clay’s curiosity and taking him down a rabbit hole to figure out what exactly is going on. ⁣
⁣
Delightful in a similar way to “Sourdough” by the same author, this book is fast paced and quite funny. Clay assembles a cast of unlikely characters to help him navigate the mystery, each charming and endearing in their own way. I think one of the strengths of this book is the rich descriptions of the stops along the adventure. I laughed out loud more than once and enjoyed the whole thing.

Ostensibly about the launch of Troop 6000 in NYC’s shelter system, this book chronicles the journey of Giselle Burgess, the mom-turned-Girl-Scout-leader who dreamed up the idea. Ultimately, this book is about how challenging life is as a homeless family in New York. The Girl Scouts provide the backdrop and an ultimate source of comfort/empowerment, but I found the cohesive thread to be the repeated injustices and indignities faced by Giselle and her family. So many of her set backs were due to the shelter system; in fact, I got the impression that her homelessness was exacerbated rather than helped by the hoops and bureaucracy presented by social services. At times it was hard to read because you just knew something else would go wrong right at momentum was building. ⁣
⁣
Giselle’s drive and resilience is beyond admirable and the story of Troop 6000 is worth reading. It gave me a new understanding of homelessness experience in my city and the importance of empowering our girls. ⁣