Tag: wndb

K-Pop Confidential

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

Candace has always kept her appreciation for K-Pop music on the down low. It seems like way too much for the Korean-American girl to also be into K-Pop. But when she finds out that one of the biggest labels in K-Pop is holding open auditions for the next big girl group in her home state of New Jersey, she takes the jump and decides to audition. She never actually thought she’d make the cut… but then she’s chosen to head to the label’s headquarter’s in Seoul for a training program. Will she be able to rise above the strained social dynamics between her potential group mates, the prohibition on dating, and the intensity of the K-Pop stans to become the next big K-Pop star? 

What I loved most:

This is literally a book that I opened with the intention of reading the first chapter or two before moving on to productive activities in my life… and before I knew it, I was halfway through. I just could not put it down! Books about singers/actors/famous people in the entertainment industry are my non-guilty pleasure (#sorrynotsorry), and I loved following Candace’s journey from standard American high school student to trainee in this super hard core program. I’m also here for any books about identity formation, and watching Candace reconcile who the label wants her to be with who she is on the inside is such a beautiful journey. Other bonus: this is an #OwnVoices book, which I’m always pumped about.

Things to be aware of:

Candace (and the rest of the trainees) are placed on a crazy-strict diet by the label. There’s a lot of problematic body expectations that are placed on all of the trainees, which I do think are an accurate depiction of the way that the entertainment industry treats people. It could be triggering/hard to read for people who have struggled with an eating disorder. 

Read this book if you like:

Books that suck you in right away, K-pop (obvi), the entertainment industry, following your dreams, I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee, summer reads

Book details:

  • Author: Stephan Lee
  • Publisher: Point
  • Date of Publication: September 15, 2020
  • Age Recommendation: High school students and young adults
  • Look up K-Pop Confidential on Worldcat to find it at a library near you!

#JusticeforGeorge Book List

~ rachelbenzine ~ 1 Comment

My first draft of this blog post started with a narrative of my journey to recognizing my white privilege, realizing that racism is still actively working in our country, and trying to learn more about the experiences of people of color. But then I deleted all of it, because here’s what it comes down to: we have to do better, y’all.

We need to dismantle the racist systems that continue to oppress people of color, and we also need to change as individuals. I’m a huge proponent of the concept that small individual changes add up to make larger change. May our collective sadness/frustration/anger at the death of George Floyd and so many other Black people at the hands of police last beyond this moment. May we take it upon ourselves to do all that we can to change our country for the better.

I watched a powerful video yesterday of George Floyd’s brother urging people to educate themselves. When I started on this journey several years ago of trying to open my eyes to the racism that’s so prevalent in our country, I turned to books. I want to share with you a reading list of some of the best books I’ve read that have helped me become more educated on this topic.

After I finished making the list, I realized it was huge. So I’m going to divide this into a few sections: first, I’ll tell you my if-you’re-only-going-to-read-a-few-read-these-ones list. I’ll have a longer list at the bottom if you’re wanting to dig in and do some more extensive reading. If you have any good recommendations for books you loved that I should check out, leave me a comment! Let’s walk on this journey together.

The following are some of my favorites that have helped me learn more about racism, oppression, and the lives of people of color. These ones are all written for adults.

Adult Nonfiction

  • I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
  • The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
  • Motherhood So White by Nefertiti Austin
  • In the Country We Love: My Family Divided by Diane Guerrero
  • Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist by Eli Saslow

Adult Fiction

  • Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
  • Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

And now, for the full list:

Adult Nonfiction

  • The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
  • Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou
  • You Can’t Touch My Hair by Phoebe Robinson
  • Unashamed by Lecrae
  • In the Country We Love: My Family Divided by Diane Guerrero
  • Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
  • Motherhood So White by Nefertiti Austin
  • How Not to Get Shot by D. L. Hugely
  • Solito, Solita by Steven Mayers (editor)
  • Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist by Eli Saslow
  • I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
  • Free Cyntoia by Cyntoia Brown
  • Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall
  • We Are Not Here to be Bystanders by Linda Sarsour
  • A Knock at Midnight by Brittany K. Barnett
  • Love Thy Neighbor by Ayaz Virji
  • The Blood of Emmett Till by Timothy B. Tyson

Adult Fiction

  • Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
  • American Dirt by Jeanine Cummings
  • Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

YA & Children’s Nonfiction

  • Reaching for the Stars by Katherine Johnson
  • Free Lunch by Rex Ogle
  • Proud by Ibtihaj Muhammad
  • The Real Story Behind U.S. Treaties with Native Americans by Sarah Machajewski
  • Uprooted: The Japanese American Experience During World War II by Albert Marrin

YA & Children’s Fiction

  • The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
  • The Lines We Cross by Randa Abdel-Fattah
  • Devils Within by S. F. Henson
  • Tyler Johnson Was Here by Jay Coles
  • Internment by Samira Ahmed
  • You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P! by Alex Gino
  • The Inside Battle by Melanie Subrow

#justiceforgeorge #pleaseicantbreathe #blacklivesmatter

Such a Fun Age

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Review:

Y’all, I try not to post reviews super far in advance of when a book is going to come out for publication. But I recently read an ARC of Such a Fun Age, and it was so good that I have to tell you about it now. Emira Tucker is a twenty-five year old babysitter for the Chamberlain family. When Alix Chamberlain call Emira late on a Saturday night to watch her toddler while she deals with a family situation, Emira picks up Briar and brings her to the grocery store for Briar’s favorite activity of perusing the nut aisle. A security guard sees African-American Emira with Caucasian Briar, and accuses Emira of kidnapping Briar. And so we enter the story, following the dual narratives of Emira and Alix as they navigate the complexities of race and class and privilege. This novel sucked me in from the first page, and I could not put it down. As a heads up, there is a solid amount of language and sexual content in this book – but it was also one of my favorite adult reads in a long time. Look for it in January 2020!

Favorite Passage:

“But she’d never say good-bye to Emira, which made it seem that Emira would never be completely free from her. For the rest of her life and for zero dollars an hour, Emira would always be Briar’s sitter.”
— Twenty-six
[This passage was quoted from an ARC; as such, it may change before final publication.]

What I Loved Most:

How can I choose just one thing? Reid wrote Briar’s dialogue in a way that was so on-point for the little ones I have in my life, which I feel like many adult writers struggle to do. But I also loved seeing Emira pour herself out for this little girl, filling in the gaps to make sure Briar knew she was valued and valuable. And I also loved seeing the accurate portrayal of the economic realities of so many people in my millennial generation – seeing Emira be in this job that she loves that just doesn’t pay enough/offer insurance/seem to be a viable long-term career option. So basically, I loved all of it.

Read this book if you like:

Examining the intersection of race and class, millennials, books that you binge in long sittings because you can’t put them down

Book Details:

  • Author: Kiley Reid
  • Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
  • Date of Publication: January 7, 2020
  • Age Recommendation: Adult
  • Check out Such a Fun Age on Worldcat to find it at a library near you!