Jess's Reviews

Set in Northern Ireland at the height of the Troubles, Milkman confronts the absurdity of political strife and arbitrary borders, never ignoring the extreme violence and heartbreak that can arise from such divisions. Burns’ voice is dryly humorous, even as her narrator struggles with a stalker, harassment, and a war-torn home. - Jess

Zadie Smith understands people the way Dostoevsky understood people: the ways in which where they come from and who they come from influence where and how they end up. Reading this book is like joining another family, and though every member is flawed - to say the least - each character feels like a real person. A nearly perfect book. - Jess

It takes a certain kind of person - animal-lover, star-gazer, adventure seeker - to thrive while living at 9,000 feet. Pam Houston’s full heart and indomitable spirit are on full display in this memoir, which contains all the meditative and hopeful vignettes fans of Houston have come to expect. A great choice for fans of Cheryl Strayed and Terry Tempest Williams! - Jess

If you’ve heard Beyonce’s song “Flawless,” you’ve already been exposed to a sampling of this incredible treatise. Adichie explains feminism in a straightforward way that makes it easy for everyone to claim it. Set this one out in a prominent place in your home and use it as a litmus test for anyone you’re newly dating. If they nod along to it while they’re reading, they’re a keeper! - Jess

Another charming, inventive, and bizarre short story from a master of the form, Fox 8 will pinch your heart and make you cackle with laughter. With gorgeous illustrations by Chelsea Cardinal, this is an Aesop’s fable for the modern era. As with all of George Saunders’s other work, Fox 8 will leave you feeling like you’ve ridden a roller coaster through the entire range of human emotions—and isn’t that what literature is for? - Jessica

The trick of this book is that it stars a character so unlovable, so driven by greed and self-image, that you can’t help but loathe him… and yet! Somehow, you’ll find yourself falling for Barry, a hedge fund manager whose obsession with his past begins to unravel his present. Lake Success is set at the height of American turmoil—pre-election, 2016 ­—and it reveals the beating heart of our country with unflinching satire. - Jessica

Full of poems for the bold feminist princess you never knew you were, Fierce Fairytales is the perfect collection for fans of Rupi Kuar and Amanda Lovelace. Nikita Gill turns fairytale tropes on their head and invites new readings of their protagonists, turning helpless maidens into warriors with agency. The women in these poems don’t wait for the prince to come and rescue them - they’ll do it themselves, thank you very much! - Jessica

If “Don’t Let the Bastards Grind You Down” is your battle cry, read this book. A Handmaid’s Tale for 2018, Red Clocks follows five women as they navigate private burdens and desires regarding pregnancy, fertility, and motherhood. Set in a world that’s like ours but with even more misogynistic laws, Red Clocks is a book for anyone who worries for the future of this country. - Jessica

Set at the moment of the Brexit vote, this book captures the fractured emotions of a post-election world while intelligently playing with reality and language. It’s full of tenderness and darkness, regrets and new opportunities for hope. I get excited whenever Ali Smith produces a new work because her writing reminds me of what a privilege it is to be alive. - Jessica

Believe the hype! This novel is a scorcher. Set around a powwow at the Oakland Coliseum, the book follows a large cast of characters as they navigate through their individual experiences as “urban Indians.” With prose that will pound at your heart, Orange draws us into the world of each character, and ultimately forces us to confront the darker truths of colonialism’s legacy. - Jessica