Memoir – Equal Opportunity Reader

[REVIEW] Another Appalachia: Growing Up Queer and Indian In a Mountain Place, by Neema Avashia

The paperback of Anofher Appalachia rests against a potted plant. The cover depicts an Indian family sitting in front of a clapboard house.

(You can purchase this book ethically here.) 2 minutes read time In the 1970s, a handful of Indian scientists signed contracts for good jobs at West Virginian chemical plants. As people do, they settled down and had children, including Neema Avashia. Like many children of immigrants, Neema’s identity ia a bit fractal. For every all-AmericanContinue reading “[REVIEW] Another Appalachia: Growing Up Queer and Indian In a Mountain Place, by Neema Avashia”

[REVIEW] 107 Days, by Kamala Harris

The Kindle cover of Kamala Harris' memoir, displaying only the words "107 Days" in plain text, sits next to a wide bowl of Caesar salad and a glass of beer.

[Buy this book here] Read time: 5 minutes On July 21, 2024, Kamala Harris was informed that President Joe Biden was dropping out of the race, choosing not to seek re-election. With only 107 days until the vote, Harris accepted the support of the Democratic party and ran a frantic, flawed, and hopeful campaign oppositeContinue reading “[REVIEW] 107 Days, by Kamala Harris”

[REVIEW] When Stars Are Scattered, by Omar Mohammed and Victoria Jamieson

The cute cover of When Stars Are Scattered, depicting two cute Black boys observing the night sky, is held up against a dark sky by a Black woman's(my) hand.

(Buy this book here) Take a look at that book cover for a moment. It’s cute, right? Two little button-nosed Black boys taking in the night sky without a care in the world, right? Not quite. Omar and Hassan are Somalians living in a refugee camp in Kenya. Their parents are presumed dead and theirContinue reading “[REVIEW] When Stars Are Scattered, by Omar Mohammed and Victoria Jamieson”

[REVIEW] Gender Queer: A Memoir, by Maia Kobabe

The paperback book Gender Queer is held up in between two evergreen trees. A cluster of daffodil blossoms peek up over the top of the cover in the space between the trees. Big symbolism here. Photography 101 game proper

(Buy this book here.) I’m back after a bit of unexpected hiatus. It’s Pride Month, and while I read queer stories whenever I want and not just in certain months, I think now is a good time to talk about this book. (I do have a sensitivity issue/unpopular opinion about some things in these pages,Continue reading “[REVIEW] Gender Queer: A Memoir, by Maia Kobabe”

[REVIEW] Spare, by Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex

The Kindle cover of Prince Harry's Spare, depicting his face in closeup, lies on a wooden table in between a glass of white wine and a burger.

(Buy this book from my shop.) I’m not much of a royal watcher, despite having lived in Britain for some years in my late twenties and early thirties. The only members of the family I’ve ever paid any attention to are the late Princess Diana and her youngest son, and I really only started payingContinue reading “[REVIEW] Spare, by Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex”

[REVIEW] I’m Glad My Mom Died, by Jennette McCurdy

A Kindle displaying the weirdly cheerful cover of I'm Glad My Mom Died stands on front of a black, dead TV screen.

Buy this book here. (Content warning: child abuse) I feel like the best thing I can say about this book is that the title is a lie. While child star Jennette McCurdy describes the emotional, physical, sexual and financial abuse her overbearing stage mother perpetrated in painstakingly gory detail here, you never really get aContinue reading “[REVIEW] I’m Glad My Mom Died, by Jennette McCurdy”

[REVIEW] Making A Scene, by Constance Wu

The bright red book cover of Making A Scene by Constance Wu, who is depicted in black silhouette. The background is the interior of a non-descript, grimy subway car during a morning commute. A Black woman(Mel's) hand holds the book.

(Pre-order this book!) I’m not really into celebrity culture and I’m not sure I would have read this if Scribner Books hadn’t kindly sent me an ARC. But I’m SO glad they did. What I thought about Constance Wu before reading this: Um…she was good in Crazy Rich Asians I guess. She was the momContinue reading “[REVIEW] Making A Scene, by Constance Wu”

[REVIEW] The Chiffon Trenches, by Andre Leon Talley

(Buy this book here.) I was a very casual fan of the iconic fashion editor Andre Leon Talley. I remember seeing him on television shows in the 90s and early 2000s and being struck by his grandiosity. I also noticed him because even then I had a laser eye for #ownnormal fam living their biggest and bestContinue reading “[REVIEW] The Chiffon Trenches, by Andre Leon Talley”

[REVIEW] Too Much Soul, by Cindy Wilson

(Buy this book here.) It’s January 19th. I’ve read 6 books so far in 2022. I’ve reviewed one. This year has been MAD so far, y’all. How are you doing? Moving on to a review, I suggested this book as part of my January Equal Opportunity Reading Challenge and all I have to say is…canContinue reading “[REVIEW] Too Much Soul, by Cindy Wilson”

[REVIEW] Cheaper By The Dozen, by Frank B Gilbreth Jr. & Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

A Black woman's hand(my hand) holds a Kindle displaying the cover of Cheaper By The Dozen in front of a sleepy residential street lined with autumn trees

(Buy it on Bookshop here.) I rarely review “classic” books on here because a)I don’t read them all that often and b) I find it kind of tiresome that whenever I say I focus on diversity in my reading, people expect me to spend all my time making angry posts about old books written byContinue reading “[REVIEW] Cheaper By The Dozen, by Frank B Gilbreth Jr. & Ernestine Gilbreth Carey”