Girls on Fire | by Robin Wasserman

Girls on Fire by Robin Wasserman
(Harper, 2016, 356 pages)

This was the final selection for the spring 2018 Between the Covers book club. Girls on Fire is set in a small town in Pennsylvania in the 1990s; this is at a time when grunge is coming on the scene and the idea that kids are practicing Satanism is scaring parents everywhere. When a local teen is found dead in the woods this only leads parents to worry more about their kids. Hannah exists on the periphery of this apparent suicide. She knew the guy, but they didn’t really run in the same circles. What his death does lead her to is a friendship with Lacey. Lacey is the new girl at school who seems to exist in her own world; not caring what anyone else thinks.

As Lacey and Hannah grow closer we learn more about what happened in the woods. We also see Hannah distance herself from the quiet “oatmeal” life she had been living. With Lacey it’s like she can be a new person and operate more freely in the world. But with this freedom comes rebellion and unexpected jealousy. Not everyone is happy that Lacey and Hannah have found each other and secrets end up being divulged in ways no one could have expected.

Girls on Fire was most definitely a compelling read. Wasserman keeps you guessing where the book is going to go up to the very end. I knew it was going to be a dark read but I was surprised at how much it got into my head. I needed a literary palate cleanser after finishing this one. Graphic novels and romance quickly found their way to my nightstand. That being said, in spite of the darkness I enjoyed Wasserman’s literary talents.

3/5 stars

Shrill | by Lindy West

Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West
(Hachette Books, 2016, 260 pages)

This is the second title up for discussion by the SCC Between the Covers book club. Prior to picking this up I was familiar with Lindy West thanks to her Op-Ed pieces in the New York Times as well as the work she did prior to that on Jezebel. I initially approached this book as a collection of essays but had to recalibrate when I came to the realization it was a memoir. That helped explain why it seemed like the book progressively got darker. Granted, I laughed throughout as I was reading, but there were some sections that were significantly more humorous than others.

West covers a lot of ground in this book. It’s more than just a memoir; it talks about body image, rape culture, relationships, loss, the world of comedy, online trolling… and she does it all in a way that makes the heaviness of the subject matter seem almost “bearable.” While I was reading I found myself comparing her work to some of Roxane Gay’s essays that touch on similar issues and it was interesting to think of how their tones come across differently.

I’m glad this was our March selection for book club and I’m glad it got me to read more of Lindy West’s work (specifically her writing in The Guardian). If you want to hear more I guess you should come to the book club discussion on 3/28! 😉

3.5/5 stars

The Mothers | by Brit Bennett

The Mothers by Brit Bennett
(Riverhead Books, 2016, 278 pages)

I decided to listen to the audio of this book and I am so glad I did. The talented narrator was able to use different voices to portray the different characters. She really brought the story to life. When I first started listening I was worried that it would be a story that would not hold my attention, but I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly it drew me in.

This novel touches on aspects of life that I think many people can relate; the longing for close friendships, a parents’ love, trying to find a place in this world, and even sometimes having to make decisions that could possibly have a lifelong effect on you and/or your loved ones. Bennett writes this story beautifully. She is a great new voice with a compelling debut novel. Definitely an author to keep an eye on.

4.5/5 stars

Shrill | by Lindy West

Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West
(Hachette Books, 2016, 260 pages)

Fierce feminist views. Rally call!

4/5 stars

The Hate U Give | by Angie Thomas

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
(Balzer + Bray, 2017, 444 pages)

Important, Powerful, Real-World Happenings

5/5 stars

Bad Feminist | by Roxane Gay

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
(Harper Perennial, 2014, 320 pages)

Memoir blended with educational resources.

4/5 stars

Things We Lost in the Fire | by Mariana Enriquez

Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enriquez
(Hogarth, 2017, 202 pages)

Unsettling, dark terror; no conclusions.

4/5 stars

Things We Lost in the Fire | by Mariana Enríquez

Things We Lost in the Fire by Mariana Enríquez; translated by Megan McDowell
(Hogarth Press, 2017, 208 pages)

This was one of our Between the Covers book club titles and it was dark. This isn’t my typical read and it was hard for me to get through. Whenever I picked it up I wanted to keep reading but since my most of my reading time happens right before bed I had to keep setting this aside so I wouldn’t go to bed with too many dark thoughts floating around.

Even though the stories are disturbing this was a beautifully written book. In spite of the subject matter I still wanted to keep reading to see where Enríquez was going to take me. The story that freaked me out the most was “The Neighbor’s Courtyard.” I had a hard time going to sleep after that. I don’t really know what else to say, this was a great collection of short stories from an author I’m glad I got to experience. Whether or not short stories are your thing, if you appreciate dark and haunting tales this hits those notes repeatedly. Now I need a good romance novel… 😉

4/5 stars

The Hate U Give | by Angie Thomas

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
(Balzer + Bray, 2017, 444 pages)

The Hate U Give was this semester’s first selection for our Between the Covers Book Club and the timing of it was… well, we’ll just say that it was a timely read. You might be familiar with the title because it has gotten a lot of praise and publicity. It’s a young adult novel that follows a young woman named Starr whose best friend was the victim of a police shooting. And she was the only witness.

The reader experiences what Starr is going through as she copes with the loss of her friend and tries to deal with the fact that it’s her word against forces so much larger than herself: the officer involved and the media seeking to spin the narrative. This was a book that forces you to reflect back on the many police shootings we’ve seen covered over the years. I found myself writing in the margins when a detail reminded me of Tamir Rice, Eric Garner, Michael Brown… it was unsettling but powerful.

This book lends itself to good discussions about hard topics a lot of people tend to shy away from. I’m still reflecting on the book and what an amazing job Thomas did with it. A great read, and don’t let the YA label keep you from picking it up.

4/5 stars

You’ll Grow Out of It | by Jessi Klein

You’ll Grow Out of It by Jessi Klein
(Grand Central Publishing, 2016, 291 pages)

Being a woman: easy. Right?

4/5 stars