emilynied's reviews
302 reviews

The View from Somewhere: Undoing the Myth of Journalistic Objectivity by Lewis Raven Wallace

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.5

Another read for my journalism ethics class -- and another excerpt from my class assignment:

“Has The New York Times done it yet?” is a question long asked by working journalists, their editors and publishers, one that has trickling effects in our current news ecosystem. “The View from Somewhere,” written by journalist Lewis Raven Wallace, however, challenges the standards of journalistic “objectivity,” revealing that the newsroom standard may not be as valuable as it appears. 

The Times, with over 11 million subscribers, is often seen as a major agenda-setting news outlet in the United States, built on decades of powerful reporting, concrete investigations and innovative storytelling. In its role setting the agenda, The Times and other leading media outlets often exclude oppressed communities, a central theme to Wallace’s debut book.

“Objectivity is the ideology of the status quo,” said Ramona Martinez, former NPR producer and current producer for “The View From Somewhere” podcast. 

This status quo, as Wallace suggests, can often feel like a “refuge,” relieving its users of obligations to individuals and communities. Wallace frames the issue around the homogeneity of most newsrooms. White, cisgender men are the only ones who can remain “objective.”

“Performing ‘objectivity’ also often means sidelining women, trans people, and people of color who call for real social change in newsrooms–the fear of being deemed “activist” for standing up for ourselves is very real,”(297) he writes. 

Wallace structures the book through movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo, describing not only the movements as a whole and narrativizing the way “objectivity” has shaped the news and the consumers view of the news. 

What the Eyes Don't See: A Story of Crisis, Resistance, and Hope in an American City by Mona Hanna-Attisha

informative reflective slow-paced

3.75

After consuming a lot of media (news articles, documentaries, tv shows, studies) about the Flint water crisis, this book included a lot of the behind the scenes information and perspectives that felt lacking in those resources. It makes sense, given the author is Mona Hanna-Attisha, the doctor that published essentially the first study proving that blood lead levels increased after the government chose to switch the public water source without also supplying the correct corrosion control. I thought the accounts of specific conversations/feelings were what stuck out to me in this book, and I also appreciated Attisha's reflection both in the beginning and end of the book. 

Addicted for Now by Krista Ritchie, Becca Ritchie

emotional inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Compared to the previous two, this book sort of marks a shift in the series, one with more mature and serious main characters -- I also think that due to the character development that had occurred thus far, we start to see Lily and Lo's like actual personalities (without the influence of their addictions) -- and it's really lovely to see. 

It also sets up the rest of the characters and the rest of the series -- so much so that the transition to Rose and Connor's POVs feels really exciting and anticipated. 

Newsroom Confidential: Lessons (and Worries) from an Ink-Stained Life by Margaret Sullivan

informative reflective slow-paced

3.75

I read this for my journalism ethics class - and it was quite interesting. I knew little about the role of public editors prior to this book, so I really enjoyed Sullivan's anecdotes from her time at The New York Times.

An excerpt from my class assignment, because I'm sure everyone wants to read this:

Renowned journalist Margaret Sullivan didn’t serve as a beat reporter or deputy editor at The New York Times; rather, she worked as the Times fifth ever public editor. The role exists within the newsroom, but rather than contributing to traditional reporting, Sullivan, the first woman to hold the position, acted on behalf of readers to supervise the Times’ journalism ethics.  

From critiquing long-form investigations into New York City’s nails salons or stories on the Hillary Clinton email controversy, Sullivan sharply and wittily runs through accounts questioning the practices of one of the most notable publications in the country. She doesn’t shy away from naming reporters and editors, many of whom questioned her actions and opinions.  

Her career is not defined by Pulitzer Prizes nor months long investigations; rather, it is defined by her critiques of the news industry she inhabits and works within...

Addicted to You by Krista Ritchie, Becca Ritchie

dark emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This is like my fifth time reading this book and I think I love it more and more every time. I can understand that this book may not be your favorite after your first read, but after experiencing ten books and thousands of pages with these characters, it feels very nostalgic to return to their "youth" or whatever. I also think it's a lot easier to see the immense and complex character development from Lily and Lo (plus their relationship). Love love love this series and these characters. 

These Twisted Bonds by Lexi Ryan

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

This book and duology just really fell flat for me. The plot felt reliant on overused and underdeveloped tropes and the characters were just not really that interesting. The ending was also very rushed and attempted to tie up too many plot points in too little pages. Not my favorite. 

Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This book did a really fantastic job of building off the first as far as plot, relationships and character development. The writing remained up to par with the first and I think the expanding plot points made the world feel a lot more real. I continued to fall in love with all of the characters and that ending!! I love the risk that Gong took and the epilogue was beautiful - well done. 

These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The first 100 pages of this book were meh but then I finished the rest of the book in like a day, so the pace really picked up for me. To be honest, this book didn't have many plot points that I haven't read already in other fantasy books so it wasn't like groundbreaking or anything but I still thought it was fast-paced and pretty enjoyable to read!

Say You Swear by Meagan Brandy

emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.75

I'm so sorry this book was just...not great 😭 in what world does this have a 4.3 rating?! Who allowed that? First of all, why was it marketed as a college romance when 200 pages are them in high school? There's a reason I don't read HS romances and it's because they're all immature teenagers who make dumb decisions. Bingo!

200 pages of this book felt like a prologue and then there was 350 MORE pages.. dear god why was this book so long too. Ari was fine, except I felt like I was rereading the same scenes with the same emotions and scenarios over and over again.. and why does every review talk about Noah Riley like he's gods gift to romance? The man had the personality of a saltine cracker.

This was kinda painful for me and ultimately was just not my favorite, but hey, if you enjoyed it, good for you!

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

challenging dark emotional inspiring medium-paced

5.0

This is a truly remarkable story and novel. The book chronicles Jeannette Walls' life through the lens' of the places she's lived whilst dealing with her off the grid parents who didn't want the responsibility of raising a family. The structure of the book was super interesting, as each chapter presents a small moment in her life (almost like vignettes?) - but each story felt so intentionally chosen, and even though the reader only gets ~300 pages of her life, I feel like I knew her story so well. It really was a fantastic storytelling technique.

I still think about this novel all the time. While I don't want to totally psychoanalyze this story as these are real people with real lives, it was so interesting to me how each sibling ended up on a different path - and I'll be left thinking about Maureen probably forever...