Book Review: The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss

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The Escape Game  by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss  opens on the set of a reality television show called "The Escape Room" where one of the season four contestants, Alicia Angelos, is found in a coffin on set ... dead. Fast forward to season five where Sierra Angelos, the murder victim's younger sister and suspected killer, has been brought back to the show and paired up with Beck, Adi, and Carter. Sierra wants to find justice for her sister, but when Sierra and her teammates start uncovering clues about the true killer, they must figure out how to survive the game. A huge thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for approving my request and providing me with a digital copy of The Escape Game  for free in exchange for my honest review. I was immediately drawn to the title and cover of the young adult novel. Throw in the plot being about an escape room, and I was completely sold on the story before even reading it. The story is told from the perspective of fou...
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Book Review: Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson

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Book Club Pick Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson is a non-fiction book taking a look at the history of the United States of America, specifically racism as a caste system and compares it to other caste systems like those in India and Nazi Germany. Using specific examples from history, Wilkerson takes a hard look at how we got to where we are now.

Wilkerson's Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents is a powerful and eye-opening book that everyone should read, and it deserves a place in high school curricula. The depth of historical research included is truly remarkable. While I recognized some of the events and facts, many were completely new to me. What surprised me most was realizing how much of this critical history is often glossed over in traditional school lessons.

One shocking example of history being glossed over is the practice of photographing public hangings. Photographers would capture the moment so that each person or family could have their photo taken with the person being executed hanging from the tree. These images were then turned into postcards and sent to friends and family.

The amount of historical detail in this book is truly jaw-dropping, and I am amazed that much of it was never taught in school. This is essential information that belongs in textbooks, as it helps people become more aware, understand systemic oppression, and ideally, learn from the past to prevent history from repeating itself.

Wilkerson also explores immigration throughout U.S. history and how it intersects with the caste system. While some of this reinforced what I already knew, it is such an important part of our history, showing how race, immigration, and social hierarchies are intertwined,a critical context for understanding the caste system presented in Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.

Isabel Wilkerson did a phenomenal job with Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. This book is a must-read, and I believe it should be required reading for all high school students. I gave it five out of five stars.

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