 Much of "The Trouble With Hating You" takes place in an Indian temple. Photo credit: Sonika Agarwal on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla There’s a movie called “Indian Sweets and Spices” that’s been getting a fair amount of buzz lately. I personally don’t love the film—the plot sometimes comes out of left field, and the dialogue feels a little stilted. This book is like that movie, but twenty times worse.
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 Audrey finds herself (both literally and figuratively) in Montreal, Canada. Photo credit: Michael Descharles on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla I traveled to New Jersey last week, which was pretty exciting! A little break from the usual read book/write review/hang out in my room situation that’s been going on for the last few months. Ever since I left Starbucks, I spend most of my time doing work on the computer, so it was nice to step away and actually meet people in person. Review: In Kim Fu’s “Today I Am a Boy,” Audrey*, the child of Chinese immigrants, knows she’s a girl from a young age. Yet because of cultural pressures and her family’s norms, she cannot express her gender identity. Through the duration of this book, which takes us through Audrey’s childhood to middle age, she discovers her full self.
 Sanford B. Dole, whose cousin owned the Dole pineapple plantation, played a key role in the annexation of Hawaii. Photo credit: Fiona Smallwood on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla I talked to someone from Hawaii last week, and she mentioned that the state relies heavily on the mainland for supplies. Because Hawaii imports almost everything its people eat, if the rest of the U.S. stopped exporting (due to shipping problems, for example), Hawaii would run out of food in two weeks(!). Because of this, the state is trying to become more self-reliant by bringing back some of the old ways of food production—such as fish ponds or taro plants—that got eliminated during the annexation of Hawaii by America.
 What would an apocalypse look like in a robot-filled world? Chiang answers this question in his short story, "Exhalation." Photo credit: Brett Jordan on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla I feel bad writing this, but I didn’t know who Ted Chiang was before I read this book. He’s famous! (Well, writer-famous.) We had a whole sci-fi unit in high school, but his name was never mentioned. It’s not that we didn’t read BIPOC sci-fi authors—‘cause we did!—but I just wish there was more discussion about contributions to this genre by people of color. If all the sci-fi books you’ve read and movies you’ve watched growing up are “white guys fight each other in space” situations, I think it takes more than reading two authors of color in class to feel that you’re represented.
 In the "Crookman hospitals" of "Black No More," Black babies have their skin color changed immediately after their births. Photo credit: Solen Feyissa on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla I’ve been absolutely consumed with CC logistics (outreach for future mentorships, organizing a panel discussion for this mentorship, shipping books, making brochures, answering the emails that keep cropping up in my inbox, etc. etc.). And also my college has started sending me emails like “thanks for taking a gap year! Here are all the forms you need to fill out so you can join us on campus in the fall.” :( :( :( All I’m trying to say is… I’m feeling a wee bit stressed, and I didn’t really want to add another thing to my plate by reviewing this book for you all. But I did it anyways!
 "Palace Walk" showcases the Islamic religion in Egypt during World War One. Photo credit: Omar Elsharawy on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla “Palace Walk” was mentioned in “Conditional Citizens” (BIPOC Book #22) as an acclaimed portrayal of Muslim life. So imagine my excitement when I noticed that the book was on this list! And then imagine my excitement when I learned this book was over a thousand pages. The length of this book means it's not for the faint of heart. I actually managed to get through it just fine (although I will admit it dragged a little), but if you despise reading about domestic life, you might want to pick up another novel.
 In this novel, Margot Sanchez spends her summer working at her family's grocery store. Photo credit: Raul Gonzalez Escobar on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla I’ve seen this book described as “‘Pretty in Pink’ meets the Bronx.” I don’t really see it. (One party scene that mimics Andie and Blane’s first date aside.) This book doesn’t start like “Pretty in Pink,” it doesn’t end like “Pretty in Pink,” and there is NO pink prom dress makeover. False advertising :( Also, I felt a lot of secondhand embarrassment for Margot... which led me to read some chapters (including the aforementioned party scene) backwards to make sure she ended up okay. This decision might have impacted my understanding of the book.
 The title of Mailhot's memoir comes from a story about the first medicine man, O'dimin, or Heart Berry Boy, who healed using strawberries. Photo credit: Justus Menke. By Anya Shukla MORE THAN HALFWAY DONE WITH THE BIPOC BOOK LIST! YIPPEE YAY YAY! I did not realize how long this challenge would take… or how excruciatingly slowly I read when I have to take notes/write a review afterward. Thankfully, we are now at the other side of the 52-book peak. (Of course, all the survival books I’ve read say that the descent is the hardest part. So.) Looking back at the books I’ve reviewed so far, I’ve realized that I’m exceedingly nice: I’ve given many books 5 stars. What’s the point of a grading system if I’m just passing everyone?
 Bibi chooses her new name because it represents "an animal striped black-and-white like a prisoner of war; an animal that rejects all binaries, that represents ink on paper" (pg. 101). Photo credit: Stephane YAICH on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla All I have to say is that this was the first book on this list that I actually did not want to finish. Yet I powered through it. And here we are. Review: The main character of Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi’s “Call Me Zebra,” Bibi Hosseini grows up immersed in a familial literary tradition. She spends much of her childhood memorizing books, ingesting knowledge the way other kids her age might consume dessert. When she and her family must flee from Iran during the Iran-Iraq War, literature is what keeps her going—even after her mother’s death.
 While Audre Lorde first gained fame for her poetry, "Sister Outsider" is arguably her most well-known work. Photo credit: Álvaro Serrano on Unsplash. By Anya Shukla A social-justice-theory-loving friend of mine recommended “Sister Outsider” to me, and I was instantly on my guard. If there’s one thing I hate, it’s entering a super-dense theoretical rabbit hole of a book and never coming out again. (See: “Between the World and Me” by Ta Nehisi-Coates. Or actually don’t, because it was so difficult for me to get through.) I don’t think I’ve ever been more scared to read something. Luckily, “Sister Outsider” wasn’t dense at all, but SO accessible. So BRILLIANT. I honestly feel different after reading it—enlightened, almost? What a great book.
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