In Admissions, Kendra James explores race, friendship, ambition, and the absurdities and rhythm of daily life during her time at a New England boarding school. Kendra James was the first Black legacy to graduate from The Taft School, an elite boarding school in Connecticut. When she later works as an admissions officer specializing in diversity recruitment for independent prep schools, she finds herself examining her high school educational experience with a more critical eye, forcing herself to delve more deeply into aspects of her years at Taft that she largely glossed over at the time--and ultimately debating whether or not she should be advising families to pursue the same precarious path she herself followed. Digging into the past often seems a difficult undertaking, and as she looks back, Kendra James explains that her main goals when she attended Taft were not bringing to light racial injustice and leading a charge toward change, but typically teenage: to escape into role-playing video games and write fan fiction, to bond with a few classmates through watching favorite movies, and, primarily, to secure a spot in a college of her choice, then to (as is the goal for many high schoolers, for various reasons) get out of high school and get on with the rest of her life. James notes repeatedly that she felt largely unseen and unknown during her boarding school years. When she attends various Taft alumni events in the years following her graduation, they cement this same feeling. Her appearance in a Taft publication that lists her incorrect graduation year (and reunion year) grates on her as more evidence of this. The majority of page time is focused on aspects of James's boarding-school life, including its rhythms and peculiarities. James received financial aid to attend Taft, then $35,000 a year, and she then attended Oberlin for college, which, by her and her parents' design, was an admissions door likely opened more widely because of her Taft pedigree. But the book is not in large part about financial or class privilege. At times James laments the absence of frank discussions about race that she might have had with her parents, and she criticizes the lack of information she received from them on the topic. She wishes she could have learned more from them before entering Taft about the many ways she might have expected race to affect her life--especially considering the vastly white, elite circles her parents had either dipped their toes into or immersed themselves in: for example, Taft, Smith, Brown, and her father's banking job. The author notes that when she was a high schooler, in that place and time in our society, she didn't have an understanding of the power of daily microaggressions nor of blatant racism--nor did she have the language and perspective she now has to talk about such things--in order to sift through the many disturbing race-based incidents in her young life. James's evaluation of events of these years--including the racism she experienced at school; diverse, acute instances of disturbing behavior, whether race-based and class- and gender-based; and the social segregation of social groups by race--feels hesitantly explored at times as she attempts to dig into her raw teenage feelings while acknowledging her youthful lack of understanding and her early, unformed grasp of the myriad social, racial, and class issues shaping her experience. Regarding a situation in which the strict rule-follower James was accused of wrongdoing while at Taft, the author acknowledges that for years she largely glossed over not only the event, but the racial issues bubbling beneath the incident and her resulting emotional trauma, pushing all of this down until her reckoning with it in young adulthood. Late in the book, James shares select portions of a disturbing article a white student wrote for the school paper while James also attended Taft, in which the article's author largely blames the school's racial divides on the students of color themselves and mentions her discomfort about the existence of programs and events that put people of color at their center. James expresses anger and frustration at Taft's ineffective response--and at the many missed opportunities she sees before and after that event for the school to have shaped an effective approach to true inclusion. In Admissions, James offer a book that is partly a social critique, partly a recounting of the absurdities she experienced, and partly simply her unique story of living away from home and often feeling lonely and alone in her experience. I received a prepublication digital edition of this book courtesy of Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley. Do you have any Bossy thoughts about this book? Kendra James was a founding editor at Shondaland, where she worked for two years. She has written articles for various publications and is the author of a romance novel, When Hearts Collide.

When mother and daughter head out for a weeklong visit of east coast colleges with a touring company,

What if you woke up from a coma and felt differently about almost everything, including the person you're struggling music career would someday take off, but it didn't look as though his dreams would ever come and just as he's letting his hopes soar that this might finally be his big break, Stella falls into a coma What does commitment mean when the essence of a person within the relationship changes?

hands, Annabelle must determine what she's made of and what she's willing to do to protect those in her community The book's themes have (deservedly) drawn comparisons to some of those in To Kill a Mockingbird (and

In City of Girls, Gilbert writes about a young woman's coming of age in 1940s New York City and traces

Solomon offers a sweet, romantic young adult story with emotions that feel authentic; the book showcases competition of regaining glory would be to win the elaborate seniors' game of Howl, a challenging scavenger hunt competition I was immediately invested enough in Rowan's general competitiveness with Neil that I was disappointed romantic story that celebrates many of the essential teenage touchstones: academic achievement and competition

together the beloved nightly show (there are around 8,000 episodes), hopeful contestants' sometimes wildly competitive actively trying to separate this immersive, love-filled fictional world of Rowling's with the hurtful comments straddling the kid/adult cookbook genres, ready to take on more slightly advanced techniques and more complex large percentage of dessert and sweet recipes, something we don't personally need more of--are The Complete for Young Chefs: 100+ Recipes That You'll Love to Cook and Eat from America's Test Kitchen, and The Complete

Or maybe it will whet your appetite for the beautiful books that might be coming your way? is a decade-by-decade look at Seinfeld's favorite notes from his career in stand-up comedy, featuring If that's your giftee's cup of tea, this book offers small doses of Lewis' comfort and wisdom that can Milk Street puts recipes and flavor combinations through an exhaustive testing process, so you know you Lewis's book) and/or books related to a specific interest of my giftee's (cooking, comedy, science).

adrift after her mother's death, and she disappears into the constant attention her ornithology research commands On certain days she finds her own way to the community center where she and other young adults with challenges Wilson's story stars combustible children and the low-key, unambitious misfit who sticks with them, making it’s a romance, but it’s really a story about loyalty and devoted friendship without easy or saw-it-coming

#comingofage, #heartwarming, #faith, #nordic, #fourstarbookreview

Word of the Day, and follows highly structured routines—on certain days she finds her own way to the community She uses Old Norse words in her speech and thoughts; she frequently mentions bravery, combat, wisdom, becomes caught up in sketchy business of her brother’s, Zelda finds that her situation is a lot more complicated than sorting out her love life with Marxy from the community center, playing matchmaker with Gert and #comingofage, #siblings, #uniquePOV, #Vikings, #heartwarming, #fourstarbookreview

The book explores the complicated implications of perception as reality when it comes to race and its Blacktop Wasteland is a fantastic blend of realistic complications, mistakes, adjustments, and spunk. #comingofage, #heartwarming, #faith, #nordic, #fourstarbookreview What have been your favorite books What should I add to my completely unmanageable master Greedy Reading List of books to read?

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Add to the complicated situation that Bridget's mother is said by the untrustworthy rowboat operators Her formidable, fearsome presence looms from afar, and Ig dreads the possibility that she might come outrageous interruptions to his status quo, and the building power of change, leading to the eventual complete

Beekeeper's Apprentice; and I'm reading Sara Nović's memoir which explores her experiences in the deaf community She just has to convince her to come with her...and get her centuries-abandoned, moss-covered ship in could hear, she learned American Sign Language, met other deaf people, learned about the vibrant deaf community hearing and an adopted child who is deaf, she mothers them within her own context and within the deaf community

I appreciate an unflinching reflection of our nation's complex history--which includes the atrocities plotline concerns Lurie, a man who has adventures and challenges with his surprising, loyal, exotic companion She grapples with the stories she's been told as compared to the reality she experiences as she makes missteps, her soaring hopes and deep connection to the stark mountains, and a sometimes-scathing social commentary Her wonder-filled fascination with the flora, fauna, and characters she encounters in the west combined

In this perfect summer read, Harrison explores 1950s life for three women facing complicated personal Their lives intersect in their small community, and they reluctantly become vulnerable with each other

various reasons abandon social acceptability as they aim to find fulfillment, solve a mystery, discover compatibility Cash commits her protagonists to unsympathetic behavior and uses their out-of-bounds acts and words to

outlandish events, together lead to Fred's being accidentally folded into the life of a nearby retirement community Fred enjoys the shelter, three meals a day, and especially the company and new friendships, and he knows revelation about Bernard's past very much affects Fred's present, and Fred's situation becomes far more complicated

And with the oddities of time on the island, would she be giving up her predictable yet comfortable future When she is unable to do so, she doubts whether she should have come at all. Yet when it comes to Clay and Ellie, his fondness for his wife is clarified as having been simply companionship I felt repeatedly surprised that Ellie didn't miss more creature comforts; she mentions only a few aspects Ellie makes some seemingly flippant comments about the hypothetical rejection of everyday life, and it's

of outlandish events lead to Fred's being accidentally folded into the life of a nearby retirement community

work and motherhood, the crushing societal judgment of unwed mothers, the widespread destruction and complicated book that some version of a happy ending would be delivered after the heartache and loss, and that did come

They cannot keep straight faces, they discuss incriminating facts where others might hear them, compound far more damning; and one is related to the ultimate punishment for the snowballing crimes the family commits

hers) who married the world-famous conjoined twins from Siam, Chang and Eng, and builds a suitably complicated As with all relationships, things get complicated; here, the stakes are higher and the ability to create She is skilled at building a story within a specific place and time, and the details made this story come Ellie turns to Homa, a local girl, for companionship, and their deep, volatile friendship endures; as I love how Blake shapes a story in which privileged education comes up against gritty, real-world life

chose thirteen pivotal places across our nation to illustrate key points in our history, explore our complicated parks, well-known places and under-the-radar spots, Gage inspects each of their places in our nation's complicated This is far from a comprehensive history, nor is it intended to be. Gage asserts that our nation's history is complicated and fraught, and that this layered story of our

every bit of Chakraborty's first novel about willful, sometimes grumpy pirate Amina al-Sirafi and her complicated Add in complications like the solemn promise she made to her daughter before departure to return home Along with signature Chakraborty-imagined complicated magical elements; Amina's spiciness, passion, and

escapism; some small moments didn't resonate with me and the pacing didn't always flow, but the retirement community One unexpected element she immediately comes up against is Elias Buckley, her long-lost ex-husband (they didn't always feel like it flowed, and I didn't buy into many of the small moments that make a story come The retirement-community setting and Vera's eventual role in it were two of my favorite elements. And I enjoyed that everyone involved recognized that coming to a relationship with the current amount

place she can think of to shelter: her non-nurturing former scream-queen grandmother's wild retirement community

, claustrophobic woods, childlike wonder, growing paranoia, sudden danger, haunting beasts, and the comfort seems to be magical realism with dark undertones, Mike's growing paranoia, and reassuring familial comforts As with all relationships, things get complicated; here, the stakes are higher and the ability to create Eddie and 24-year-old Bella become friends after she comes in to donate items from a loved one who has Her coping mechanisms, which we come to understand, are wrapped in shocking truths.

next-door neighbor and nemesis dies and Elsie's the one who discovers the body, details of her past come Her coping mechanisms, which we come to understand, are wrapped in shocking truths.

I was cringing as I listened to various agonies, which compounded as the story progressed.

When River pulls back from quitting piano altogether and becomes set on winning a famous competition

neighbor and nemesis turns up dead, and Elsie's the one who discovers the body, details of her past come

01 Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout Strout is truly a marvel in the way she crafts full, complicated also the author of many other books, including The Invisible Hour. 05 Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come to deliberately put herself into extremely uncomfortable social situations for a year, and she fully commits She regrets her one-year plan almost instantly but feels compelled to continue her terrifying exercises For my full review of this book, please see Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come. 6 Dear Edward by Ann

, claustrophobic woods, childlike wonder, growing paranoia, sudden danger, haunting beasts, and the comfort People, tracks a year of a family's life as they strike out for a rural existence and leave many of the comforts seems to be magical realism with dark undertones, Mike's growing paranoia, and reassuring familial comforts darkness exist alongside the widespread, convoluted, intriguing, outlandish hopes of many within the community

They become friends after she comes in to donate items from a loved one who has died.

He feels unshakably compelled to travel west to find out if the mammoth animals he's heard described but his ill-fated journey is full of misplaced hope, then mistakes and regret, but over all of it, a compulsion It's compelling, and Bess's faith in her faulted father is heart-wrenching. This was a slow build and a beautiful story, satisfying and often sweet, complete with young love. mining magnate of a father; the layers of smart dialogue; the undercurrent of fear beneath the soothing comfort

detesting himself and refusing joy and fulfillment, but going through his life largely in order to fulfill commitments

Years later, they are completely estranged.

threw the rock through the window, who are the definitive killers), but Bloom leaves these somewhat or completely I received an audiobook version of this title courtesy of Libro.fm and Highbridge Company, and I received the heartbreakingly beautiful In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss, I'll Be Right Here, Away, Lucky Us, Come

Mason Country People tracks a year of a family's life as they strike out for rural life and leave the comforts the heartbreakingly beautiful In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss, I'll Be Right Here, Away, Lucky Us, Come I received an audiobook version of this title courtesy of Libro.fm and Highbridge Company, and I received

(Lives of Guinevere #1) by Paula Lafferty A medieval setting, time travel, a quest, and intriguing complications wrapped some of my favorite elements in funny banter, poignant (non-swooning) romance, and enough plot complexity Then a strange man comes to town, telling Vera an unbelievable story of her true origins and her destiny sister Leda and Daphne's husband Jonathan, but most often alone, Eddie and Daphne revisit old memories, compare living as well as explorations of the meaning of existence, religion, spirituality, reconciliation, commitment

about travel, adventures, mishaps, shortcomings, true friendship, love, families, loss, aging, and the complicated always, Sedaris delivers enough edge to keep me feeling slightly, delightedly nervous about what's to come

Their unhappiness is compounded by the complete lack of correspondence from Seb.

The childhood best friends at the heart of the novel grow apart, then reunite in complicated circumstances must move to a poor section of town, where Ellie's mom stews with resentment at her loss of status and comfort Ellie turns to Homa, a local girl, for companionship, and their deep, volatile friendship endures; as But Kamali offers a messy, heartwarming, heartbreaking story in which against all odds the women come

Years later, they are completely estranged. about travel, adventures, mishaps, shortcomings, true friendship, love, families, loss, aging, and the complicated

The tone of the novel felt difficult for me to settle into, but I appreciated the realistically complicated I didn't feel fully privy to the women's inner lives or their families' complicated dynamics; I felt

appearances as April's family reels from her father's troubling health diagnosis and a host of secrets coming

sister Leda and Daphne's husband Jonathan, but most often alone, Eddie and Daphne revisit old memories, compare

must move to a poor section of town, where Ellie's mom stews with resentment at her loss of status and comfort Ellie turns to a new local girl for companionship, and their deep, volatile friendship shapes the novel