If you’ve read Milennial Black by Williams, you’ll already know that her writing style and capacity for examining women in the workplace is second to none; she’s made a thoroughly researched book easy to absorb and understand. The Glass Cliff is no different.

Using research from across the globe and including as many intersections as possible (when included in the research which isn’t as often as we’d like), Williams explains what the glass cliff is, how it came about and how we overcome it.

Williams emulates what it feels like to be a woman in a majority male workforce perfectly - the frequent micro agressions, the emotional burden of accepting these and continuing anyway, it’s perfect. She says “Sometimes microaggressions make us feel, implicitly, that we don't belong in a space”.

She also hits the nail on the head when she suggests flexibility is perhaps more important to women as the chance to work from home means we don’t have to deal with the aforementioned microagressions. Working from home can mean “finding relief in not having to wear a mask of 'professionalism' that was made in someone else's image”. This rings so true for me, I often having to put on a mask, a persona, a facade at work.

Also, swipe for an example of Williams great footnotes 🚀

Honestly, my neck is sore from nodding along to this book. I feel 100% seen.

The Eternal Ones by Namina Forna

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adventurous emotional fast-paced

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

5.0

(Minor spoilers if you’ve not read the other two! I’ve tried to keep it as spoiler free as possible so hopefully there’s not too much if you plan to start the series..)

In this final book of the trilogy, Deka and her friends are finding what it means to help Deka fulfil her destiny, whether it’s one she chose or not.

Wow what an ending to this trilogy! I finished the first book back in June 2021 and I can honestly say that Deka has stayed with me this whole time.

If you’ve followed me for a while then you’ll know I absolutely adore this series. We have incredible young women fighting for what’s right in a patriarchal world set on keeping them quiet and under control. Friends have stuck by her side from beginning and their bonds only strengthen as we continue their journey.

The Eternal Ones is no different in this aspect. Deka faces more hardships and disappointments as she finishes her quest. She’s grown so much through the books but she’s still a young woman, she still is learning how to cope with all that’s thrown at her and honestly I love that about her. She’s still a bit messy and can’t believe how unfair it is sometimes, but she’s also fiercely loyal to her friends and refuses to give up.

This was a fitting end to a woman who will go down in fictional history in my eyes. I sobbed my way through the last 40 or so pages. I know I’m going to miss them all.

If you’re a YA fantasy fan I cannot recommend this series enough. Please do yourself a favour and pick it up this year.

Millennial Black: The Black Woman's Essential Field Guide to the Modern Workplace by Sophie Williams

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informative medium-paced

5.0

The Principle of Moments by Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson

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adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced