We asked the REFORMA SJSU iSchool Executive Board officers about their favorite books, recent reads, and what they plan on reading during winter break!
What We’re Reading
President Rosa Rodriguez
What book do you recommend to everyone?
Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza by Gloria Anzaldua Writings reflecting the author’s experience as a Chicana living in liminal space.
What is a book you recently read and recommend?
Bless me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya
The book is a coming of age story of a young boy and his friendship with an older woman who is a respected and feared curandera by the locals.
What’s next on your to be read list? or What book are you excited to read? (over winter break or the holidays)
A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabelle Allende
Vice President Essy Barroso-Ramirez
What book do you recommend to everyone?
Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. I love a great romance story.
What is a book you recently read and recommend?
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. It enchanted me and I love it.
What’s next on your to be read list? or What book are you excited to read? (over winter break or the holidays)
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I am in love with her writing.
Secretary/Treasurer Sophia LaMonica
What book do you recommend to everyone?
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for its refreshing perspective.
What is a book you recently read and recommend?
Wild Seed by Octavia Butler is a page-turner and a riveting love story, can hardly put it down — already looking forward to reading all of the Patternist series.
What’s next on your to be read list? or What book are you excited to read? (over winter break or the holidays)
The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy. I was immediately engrossed in the lives of Roy’s highly unusual cast of characters within the first few pages, but decided to save myself the reward of reading this book until the semester’s end.
Marketing & Social Media Liaison Alejandra Q Reyes
What book do you recommend to everyone?
Get Out of your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts by Jennie Allen. I really enjoy the the connections from mental health professionals, scientific research and Biblical quotes.
What is a book you recently read and recommend?
I recently read, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L Sanchez. This book was a reflection to part of my community and to myself. I was able to understand the character at a personal level that made the read easier and enjoyable.
What’s next on your to be read list? or What book are you excited to read over winter break or the holidays?
Thanks to a podcast about mentorship, Talent is Overrated: what really separates world-class performers from everybody else by Geoff Colvin is next on my list. It is a book that fits well in this particular season of my life.
Alumni Liaison Petry Saenz
What book do you recommend to everyone?
I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown
This memoir tells the story of Austin as she navigates her world as a Black Christian woman in American society. Brown explores the meaning of blackness in her life experience and digs deep into the significance of diversity in the workplace while partaking in organizational spaces. For readers interested in social/racial justice; Brown’s narrative shows readers the puzzle pieces that are still left to put together and pushes the question, “How can we combat institutional racism?”
What is a book you recently read and recommend?
Lobizona by Romina Garber
Although I am not a huge fantasy fan, I was intrigued by the cover which presented a curly-haired witchy-looking protagonist. This is a new [young adult] series about an undocumented teenage girl raised by a single mother. Her world is turned upside when she discovers her father’s family history and the real reason why her and her mother had to leave Argentina. I especially love the implementation of Argentinian folklore within the fictional tale. If you are a Harry Potter fan or have just longed for more latinx representation within the fantasy genre- this book is for you!
What’s next on your to be read list? or What book are you excited to read? (over winter break or the holidays)
Intimations by Zadie Smith
I’ve read some of Smith’s previous books and I absolutely love her style of writing. This new book is a collection of her essays written in 2020. I’m excited to see what prolific words this author has to offer to encapsulate the historical year we have been living.
Webmaster Alessandra Gonzalez
What book do you recommend to everyone?
In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado
It is a autobiography that breaks down the walls behind abuse in a queer relationship and does so in a eloquent way that keeps the reader engrossed from beginning to end.
What is a book you recently read and recommend?
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
It’s a fun, comical tale that takes you behind the doors of white suburbia housewives to see what they really are thinking and how they deal with a horror staple.
What’s next on your to be read list? or What book are you excited to read? (over winter break or the holidays)
Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
Kacen can do no wrong. They can write about any issue to any age group and do so in a way that is so digestible and leaves the reader wanting more.
Webmaster Renée A. Torres
What book do you recommend to everyone?
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: I absolutely loved Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Gods of Jade and Shadow! This is a fantasy book that reads like a myth or fairytale. At points it is dreamy and the writing is beautiful. Moreno-Garcia has a knack for writing about different historical times in Mexico and I really appreciated the details in the novel referencing 1920s Mexico. This is definitely a book that captured my imagination and I recommend it to everyone even if you’re not a fantasy reader.
What is a book you recently read and recommend?
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse: I recently read Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse during Thanksgiving break. I’m a huge fan of fantasy and I’m always looking for non-European inspired fantasy books. This novel is set in the Americas with native influences on the worldbuilding. It is epic with richly drawn characters and everyone has good and bad traits, nothing is black and white, which I love. Highly recommended!
What’s next on your to be read list? or What book are you excited to read? (over winter break or the holidays)
How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams: This Own Voices contemporary romance is high on my list of books to read during winter break! The heroine, Naya, is a math education professor who’s up for tenure and her department is facing budget cuts, clearly there’s no time for romance (or is there?). During a night on the town with friends Naya meets Jake and there might be something more between them, but there are always complications, aren’t there 😉
Faculty Advisor | Dr. Michele A. L. Villagran
What book do you recommend to everyone?
Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism by Safiya Umoja Noble. This text highlights how racism is developed and shared on the Internet and search engines that we may use regularly.
What is a book you recently read and recommend?
I recently re-read House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. A classic and a favorite of mine. It is an inspiring story about a young Latina who reinvents herself.
What’s next on your to be read list? or What book are you excited to read? (over winter break or the holidays)
Becoming by Michelle Obama
