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Les Belles Images Book Review

Simone de Beauvoir
de Beauvoir plunges deep into the cosmopolitan identity crisis: How can I justify my comfortable life amid a world of pain? And should I still be grateful for my position in society even if it doesn't make me happy? This story will ring true for anyone who's experienced an aimless search for authenticity -- not that it will make you feel any better about it.

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Sourdough Book Review

Robin Sloan
Every character in this book is driven by their passion, living life with eyes wide open. Including the sentient sourdough starter that mysteriously comes into Lois' possession. Culminating in a brazen betrayal that's shocking and satisfying at the same time, I came away from this book with a renewed thirst for life.

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Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Book Review

Ransom Riggs
I gobbled this book up as fast as I could. It's a delightful indulgence, but ultimately a forgettable story. Pacing and plot feels just right, and the author creates a fantasy world embedded within a highly-specific WWII setting. Unfortunately, the good vs. evil story arc feels tired and derivative.

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Making Rent in Bed-Stuy Book Review

Brandon Harris
Disjointed stories hastily patched together. This book tries to squeeze a universe of experiences into a single narrative, and mostly fails. But it's worth reading for Harris' on-the-ground accounts of gentrification's creeping takeover in New York City and Cincinnati, during the decade from 2005-2015.

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