While not my favorite read so far, Tracy Chevalier’s Girl with a Pearl Earring is at least moderately enjoyable. More importantly, though it is set in the 1660s in Europe, this novel highlights the illusion of social mobility we cling to and our obsession with appearances. We like to think as a society that we have moved on from the prejudices of Griet’s days, but reading Girl with a Pearl Earring, some of what she faces feels all too familiar. Read the full review here.
Love Like The Sea
I read this novel for my Black Women as Writers course and immediately fell in love. Their Eyes Were Watching God is simultaneously poetic and harshly realistic as Janie grows and learns of the nature of relationships and what it means to love another. I recommend it for everyone, but especially those who catch themselves wondering about that elusive “true love” or those trying to learn how to love themselves. Read the full review here.

