Race in the work place….
….mirrors the realities about micro-aggression, indoctrination, discrimination,
racism, white privilege, diversity, meanness, covert competitiveness: horrific unsettling aspects….

Satire-thriller-ambitious-debut-book-buzz-worthiness!!!

Not without flaws - but overall the psychological suspenseful office politics -story with its whip-smart dialogue- is both hilarious and disturbing-both enjoyable and important!
Zakiya Dalila Harris’s prose is indomitable - feisty- with trailblazing imagination.

I couldn’t agree more with this description:
“The Other Black Girl” is a psychological masterpiece, where microaggressions and gaslighting turn a company’s ‘civilized’ atmosphere into a slowly unraveling horror”

A couple of teaser excerpts:
“After months of giving everything to this job, she still felt as though she were doomed, stuck in assistant purgatory forever…..”
“She could see her future spreading out right there in front of her—blotchy and
precarious and filled with ‘WHILE YOU WERE OUT’ slips—and she hated how little control she felt like she had over any of it”.

“Nella felt humiliated. Her stomach took a trip to her toes as she contemplated her next move. But she didn’t have time to actually make one. Suddenly, Hazel was right up in her face, jabbing a finger nail into her clavicle. The strong, overpowering smell of her cocoa butter hair grease burned Nella’s nostrils. I know it was a pretty big gamble on my part, because you could have opened your mouth and blabbed about it to Shani. But we handled it”.
“And before you even ‘think’ about telling anyone, Hazel snarled, her smooth, buttery-nougat voice shape-shifting into something completely unrecognizable, nobody would believe you. Everyone would think you’re insane”.

Congrats to Zakiya Dalila Harris…
Phenomenal debut!

The topic of the book, being the "only" one of your race is a white dominated profession is intriguing. I did enjoy the story and the characters. The other-worldly elements came as a surprise, but were effective nonetheless. I would recommend this book to anyone who denies there is such a thing as white privilege.

Nella, the only black employee at Wagner Books, gets a partner in a new editorial assistant, Hazel, who asks Nella to show her the ropes. Hazel is pretty chummy and its you and me against the office with Nella at first, but she easily slips into being the office darling and edging Nella out of opportunities. It seems like Hazel's rise in popularity and status equals a similar fall for Nella. They go to a hair party together, and then Nella starts receiving threatening notes telling her she must leave Wagner Books. Who is leaving the notes? Is Hazel just mad for Nella's job, or is there more to her games and manipulations?

The Other Black Girl started out like an updated version of The Devil Wears Prada, with a social commentary on race and gender as a major theme. Then it turned thriller and page turner. The points of view vary between Nella and Diana, Shani and Kendra Rae to fill in the gaps for the reader. It was helpful, but I really had to pay attention.

This is a modern thriller well worth reading. I will be recommending it to library patrons frequently.

The Other Black Girl is Get Out if Get Out had an all-female cast and took place in the publishing industry. Are you intrigued yet?!

I heard about this book on a podcast almost a year ago, and I knew I had to read it. Big thanks to Atria for gifting me this copy because this book did not disappoint! I don’t want to give any spoilers, but this ultimately has a science fiction(ish) element that I was not expecting. Since I usually don’t like that type of thing, I got a bit worried when I realized it might be going in that direction. However, Harris did a great job keeping the story on track so that the ending was just wild enough to be satisfying but not unbelievable.

One thing I didn’t love is that the narrative is mostly told from one character’s perspective, but there are some chapters from the perspective from a few other characters. I kept wanting to know more about the other characters and their stories, particularly Shani. As a reader, I felt like it would’ve been better if the whole book was told only from one perspective or if the other character’s stories were fleshed out a little more.

I wasn’t able to put this one down! This is a perfect summer suspense novel for when you’re sick of domestic thrillers and romances, and you want something you can read quickly but will make you think. The premise of this book deserves all the stars. It’s so smart and so creative, and I won’t be forgetting this novel for awhile…

Read if you:
-liked the movie Get Out
-enjoy suspenseful pacing without a real thriller vibe
-are ok with a science fiction element (that is fairly rooted in reality)
-like a story with all-female characters

My rating: 4 stars

Thank you to Atria Books for gifting me this copy in exchange for an honest review. I will be posting this review on my Instagram: @clarissareadsitall

The Other Black Girl is a propulsive read touching on issues of racism, bullying in the workplace and the insularity of the publishing industry. Although I didn't know it was a "thriller" when I requested it I enjoyed every minute of it.

When I requested this book I hadn't realized that it is actually more of a thriller than I thought. I don't read thrillers. The comparisons to Get Out are pretty accurate. Like that movie, it is a smart, satirical examination of racism , this time in the work force, specifically the predominantly white publishing industry. I will 100% recommend this to fans of thrillers. Since I don't read thrillers I can't guarantee they will like it but it certainly sparks conversation.

The author does a great job interweaving the complexities of microaggressions that blacks face in white spaces.. However, the beginning part of this book will throw off a reader that is anticipating a rollercoaster thriller. I honestly had a hard time trying to stay focused at the beginning of the book. I think Harris was doing her best to make sure the background was told, but in my opinion it was drawn out a little too long. The heart of the action should have really began during the second chapter.

I enjoyed the suspense of the book nonetheless. I enjoyed Harris's use of language to embolden imagery that takes readers on the journey with Nella. And the end was absolutely shocking!

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
This was an amazing read, and I’m grateful to Atria Books for my digital review copy in exchange for an impartial review. This review was written voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

The Other Black Girl is primarily set in the workplace, and the reason for this is understood as the story unfolds. I read it all in one day, and I couldn’t put it down – it was such a great book with powerful themes. Nella is the only black girl working at Wagner Books, a publishing company. When Hazel, another black girl, starts at the company, Nella is over the roof.

Hazel is her new ally and friend in the office, and she feels like she’s found a confidante in Hazel. After taking Hazel’s advice on an issue and having it blow up in her face, she’s sure there’s a logical explanation. Suddenly, she’s receiving notes threatening her to leave Wagner or face the consequences. What could be happening?

This book was a rollercoaster, to say the least. I can’t say much about the plot and my thoughts about the characters without giving a lot away. I loved the writing. The plot was well paced. It was written in a nonlinear timeline, with various chapters taking place over different points in time, and told from different characters’ points of view.

The mysteries were well developed and I enjoyed the twists, turns, and big reveals.

At the heart of this book is a story about black women in the workplace, the struggles they face, the adversities stacked against them, and the lengths they will go to make it to the top. This book is compared to Get Out in the blurb and it wasn’t a reach at all.

This book is out on the first of June, so get your copies and read it! It’s super worth it!

I loved this book and read it in a single sitting. Dark and entertaining, the descriptions of Nella's workplace were chillingly accurate and tense. Fantastic debut.

This book is not what you expect when you read the blurb! It is a multi-genre book wrapped up in one. That might deter some readers, but it’s a good thing! This book takes a sinister turn towards the end and there is nothing like a good twist to keep you reading for more!
If you are into a slow burn read, this is a book for you. You get involved in office politics, racist microaggressions and a slight understanding of how a fictional publishing company run. I enjoyed this book and recommend it as a unique read that people should embrace.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Read if you: Want an eye-opening look at the inner workings of a publishing house as experienced by a young African-American woman.

Although I did feel that the different timelines did get confusing at times, I found this an intriguing and unique read.

Librarians/booksellers: This is getting a lot of buzz and will probably be on your savvy readers' radars.

Many thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

For fans of Alyssa Cole's When No One Is Watching, The Other Black Girl is a thriller dealing with racism in the workplace (specifically the publishing industry) and the idea that there can be only one Black person in the room. The story takes an unexpected turn close to the end that many will like but left me a little bit disappointed.

I was excited to read this book & I did enjoy it almost to the end. Sadly, I had to stop reading when I was 90% done because the story became too convoluted. Nella, Malaika, Owen & Vera were all great characters. But the flashbacks to Shani & Kendra were occasionally confusing and while I can understand the point, need, etc for the story it stopped making sense towards the end.

Publishing professionals everywhere NEED to read this book.

If you liked WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING, you need to read this book.

If you, like me, have seen this book EVERYWHERE, you need to read this book.

The plot of this book was equal parts expected (because we see it every day, unfortunately), and epically unexpected. I was turning the pages madly.

I rarely say this, but I would've liked to see a more drawn out ending, and to see a more definitive ending. That being said, it invites us to consider writing our own ending: both for the novel and for its very real counterpart.

This book will be big. I hope it spurs a reckoning.

A suspense story masquerading as an office worker tale. Hard to put down. Nella Rogers is the only Black girl at Wagner Publishing. The microaggressions occasionally turn macro, and she is thrilled when another Black girl joins the team But all is not what it seems. Recommend.

Oh. My. God.

I have been really disappointed with the thriller genre lately, but this book was exactly what I had been missing. It’s described as The Devil Wears Prada meets Get Out, which I can definitely see, but it’s also it’s own, new creation.

Synopsis (and this is going to be hard because there are so many twists and turns, and I don’t want to ruin anything): Nella Rogers works as an editorial assistant at Wagner Books. Not only is she the only Black editorial assistant, but she’s the only Black employee, which is why she’s so ecstatic when Hazel-May gets hired. As she embraces the idea of having someone else in the office who will understand the micro aggressions and blatant displays of racism she experiences everyday, she sees a new future for herself and other Black employees/editors in the publishing industry.

This vision is quickly shattered as things start to take a very different turn and anonymous notes begin to appear on her desk: LEAVE WAGNER. NOW.

And that’s ALL I’m saying about the plot, but believe me, there is SO MUCH MORE. And the ending?! It was not the ending I wanted, but it was definitely the ending I needed for this book to stick with me for quite a while.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good thriller, or a fictional work that touches on real societal issues. There has been a lot of talk recently about how white-dominated the publishing industry is(and many other industries, for that matter), and that takes center stage throughout this book.

I was asked for an honest opinion about this book by Netgalley and the publisher. If this is what the publishing world was like for the author of this book, I feel for her. It's bad enough when work places pit women against women, and it was even more so when a young black woman, Nell, is pitted against, Hazel, another young black woman. To be honest, when Nell realized what was going on, I wanted her to stand up to her boss and to everyone else , including Hazel. Women should be judged on merit, not the color of their skin. The elephant in the room--the publishing firm.
I give this book a 3 out of 5. I think everyone should read this book, maybe they will get it, because clearly I did not. I did read a bio on the author, and she had worked in the publishing industry, so i am guessing some of what she wrote about was factual.

Nella is the lone Black girl working at a NYC publishing house. Her goal is to become the next big Black editor, and she thinks when a second Black girl, Hazel, also starts work there she's got someone who will finally have her back. Reality is much different from her hopes and her life spirals badly out of her control. Shades of Get Out with a lot of social commentary, for readers who enjoyed When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole.

I really enjoyed this story. I work at a library that is in the process of examining everything about our library and am working on a social justice policy with a group of other staff. We JUST talked about how reading fiction can give you a better understanding of a race outside of your own more so many times than non-fiction and this did just that.

This story is so well told from the voice of the only black staff member in an accomplished publishing company in NYC. The twists and turns in the plot of a drama filled workplace where this staffer is dealing with threats from a mystery person keep the story moving at a quick clip. Microagressions, discrimination, marginalized groups are all addressed and in a way that turns the storyline a few times. You second guess actions of so many characters that you thought could *never* be the culprit, or could they?

Zakiya Dalila Harris’s The Other Black Girl is an exciting debut thick with suspense. Nella Rogers is a young editorial assistant at Wagner Books in New York City, a prestigious publishing house where she’s been working hard for the past few years and is also the only Black employee in the entire office. This all changes when Hazel joins the team. Initially, Nella perks up; she’s excited for her confident new Black colleague to join as a fellow editorial assistant. Nella had been trying with lackluster results for years to get Wagner to even recognize their lack of diversity let alone work towards remedying anything like microaggressions or stifled hiring practices. When Hazel sits beside her in her cubicle, Nella feels more motivated than she ever has at Wagner Books.
But soon this all begins to change – her boss stonewalls her for voicing her opinions on an overtly racist manuscript, everyone favors Hazel in a bizarre way for someone who just started at the company and the worst of all, Nella receives an anonymous note left at her desk reading, LEAVE WAGNER. NOW. Could it be Hazel icing her out? She doesn’t know, but her new colleague could be two-faced, and nothing sits right with Nella.
The Other Black Girl had cinematic qualities about it and there is certainly a heightened tension about the plot as Nella tries to figure out who is leaving her hostile notes and if there is a conspiracy at Wagner. Hazel seems all too perfect and as Nella digs deeper, eerie parallels to movies like Get Out and Us are apparent influences.
The novel has backstory that slides into the 1980s, which does get a little confusing, but becomes more apparent in the latter stages of the book. This is the weakest part of the plot. Harris’s storytelling is strongest when we are with Nella, keeping us on our toes, trying to figure out who is pushing her from Wagner, who could be spying on her and what is really up with the other Black girl in the office.