In Half His Age, Jennette McCurdy is twice as candid

Rather than building toward a clear moral thesis, the book accumulates fragments of shame, thrill, self-justification, and humiliation.

By Jacob Gardner and Alex Lalli March 29, 2026

Leisure

Oshi no Ko: Behind the curtain of stardom and society

Oshi no Ko presents a fictionalized yet reflective question about the entertainment industry while maintaining a unique and engaging story.

By Alexander Hwang January 22, 2025

Leisure

Julia Fox’s Down the Drain is refreshingly messy in lieu of artificial honesty

Fox flings each volatile event over her shoulder like a Birken bag, strutting off to the next flaming disaster with little hindsight.

By Alex Lalli August 6, 2024

Leisure

Fassbinder and Free Verse: A Conversation with Poet Drew Pisarra

Pisarra crafts a collection which commemorates the late director’s work while simultaneously continuing the conversation.

By Hailey Wharram August 3, 2024

Leisure

Your Utopia deftly interrogates what it means to be human

Chung creates methodical, setting-driven, surreal slices of life that force the reader to reconsider the world they’re living in.

By Eileen Miller March 20, 2024

Leisure

Prince Harry’s Spare re-rehashes the past

Spare concludes with another rehashing of the Sussexes’ departure from the royal family while offering little new insight or perspective.

By Maanasi Chintamani January 20, 2023

Leisure

Eight Perfect Murders Stops Just Short of Perfection

Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson follows Malcolm Kershaw, co-owner of a mystery bookshop in Boston known as Old Devils Bookstore. The story opens with a fictional disclaimer framing the... Read more

By Samantha Tritt March 31, 2020