Sponsored Post: Like Family by Paolo Giordano

This books was kindly provided for review from Penguin.

A few years ago a book club I was in selected The Solitude of Prime Numbers by Paolo Giordano for out selection. We all enjoyed it so much that we attempted to go to his reading, but someone didn't take my advice that we should leave far earlier than we did seriously, and we ended up at a bar instead of a reading. But anyway, I digress. Giordano's first impression was a good one.

His newest release, Like Family, is a novella based on factual events, detailing the impact a nanny/housekeeper named Mrs. A had on a young family. The narrator is an academic, a physicist, and his wife, Nora, is an interior decorator. The two find themselves on the verge of parenthood, needing someone to help steer their domestic ship while Nora struggles with a difficult pregnancy and then as they adjust to parenthood. 

The family becomes quite dependent on Mrs. A as their young son gets older, especially as they obviously struggle to adapt to having an "average" child. Unfortunately, their elderly caregiver becomes incredibly ill with cancer and they are left to their own devices. The impending loss brings to the surface a myriad of emotions that cause the couple to look inward and towards the future. 

Gioradano's writing is smooth, simple, and beautiful. He is a man of few words, but the ones he does offer us are deliberate and meaningful. Like Family resonates in the days to come and the smallest things, especially if you have a child, a significant other, or an elderly caregiver in your midst, will remind you of the story. 

Sponsored Post- The Fox and the Star

I've really slowed down the amount of books I'm willing to take on for review, but when Penguin offered to send me The Fox and the Star, a beautifully illustrated book by Coralie Bickford-Smith, I happily accepted. 

This story tells the tale of a fox that looks for the guidance of a brightly shining star in the sky and must break out of his comfort zone to find it once it disappears.

What I loved most about this book was the complex simplicity, both of the story and the art. It's a story that adults and kids will appreciate; Sawyer even enjoyed looking at the pictures with me (although he did "meow" at the fox). Not to mention the book itself is simply a beautiful hardback. Those that are fans of mythology and folklore will undoubtedly appreciate Bickford-Smith's work as well. 

What Happens When I Attempt to Color

"It's really cathartic."

"It'll help you relax."

"It's nostalgic!"

Those are some of the comments I've heard people make about the whole "adult coloring fad" that gained steam a little while ago. I like catharsis! I like relaxing! I like to be reminded of my childhood!

So, when the publishers of Daria Song's beautiful coloring book, The Time Garden, reached out and offered me a copy I decided that I would try it. The fact that it was almost two months ago should have been the first red flag; when it arrived I flipped through it and then set it on the far end of the kitchen table, where it has stayed. 

Before I go any further, I have so much respect for those that make these sorts of coloring books. The artwork is intricate and in this particular one the story is simplistically sweet. My overall cynical attitude about life and experience are in absolutely no way a reflection of her work.

 

Today I finally decided to sit down for thirty minutes and give this a try. Sawyer was napping, my husband was out with a friend, and I didn't feel like really doing anything. Here's what happened:

Minutes 1-5: Stars are easy, I'll color stars. Maybe I'll do some sort of pattern? That makes it more complex and adult, right?

Minutes 6-8: This is boring. I need a new page. This one with the hearts looks fun.

Minutes 8-12: Hey! I have nothing occupying my brain right now! Let's think about bad things happening! Always my go-to form of masochism.

Minutes 12-15: Maybe I should watch Sons of Anarchy instead of working myself up into a bad mood. I started the first episode of season ten weeks ago and haven't finished it. *loads it on phone* Apparently by "started" I meant I only watched thirty seconds. Hey. What do you do with these coloring books when you're done, exactly? 

Minutes 15-20: Coloring... coloring... poor Jax... I hope they find his baby... he still looks really attractive drunk and crying... now he's in the shower... coloring... coloring... coloring....

Minute 21: My hand hurts really bad. Are those who color prone to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? My mom had that. She had surgery. Is it genetic? I'm I going to get it? Sometimes my hands hurt. Shit, do I have it already?

Minutes 21-24: Google symptoms, defying household rule of not going on WebMD. Results are inconclusive.

Minutes 24-28: Coloring... coloring... a little excited that there are metallic colored pencils hiding in the box... getting bored... I can't color and watch, I'm missing too much... coloring...

Minutes 28-29: My fingers are cramping... ow... almost done... that was nice of the guys that were going to shoot SOA to hold back when they realized they were just trying to find the baby... coloring

Minute 30: And we're done. Probably forever.

Conclusions:

1. Coloring actually causes me to become more of an anxious person that I already am.

2. I need to work on my hand/finger stamina.

3. I probably am not cut out for this sort of activity.

4. I was not reminded of my childhood. 

Thank you again to Watson-Guptill; I'm sorry I have mental issues and poor finger strength. 

Sponsored Post- In the Language of Miracles

This book was provided free-of-charge from Penguin. 

I don't accept many books for review anymore, since my time is limited and my shelves are over-flowing. But Rajia Hassib's novel about an American-Egyptian family that must cope with a tragic event sparked my interest. Plus I can be a sucker for a first time novelist.

Just to give a brief synopsis, Samir and Nagla's family is devastated after their older son, Hosaam, shoots his ex-girlfriend and long-time neighbor, Natalie, and then himself. Given their Egyptian background, the community is quick to start a loud, angry, violent backlash towards the family. They find themselves in the midst of the chaos once again a year later when a memorial is planned for the young girl. The family must accept their own dysfunction as they react to Samir's decision to speak out at the service, despite everyone's advice not to. 

There's a lot that I appreciated about this novel. Racial intolerance is at the forefront of our society constantly, whether people are lashing out at African Americans, Mexicans, or those from the Middle East. Drawing attention to the issue in an appropriate, compassionate manner, is always a good thing. I also liked the touches of science, both in Samir's career as a doctor and his son Khaled's passion for butterflies and hiking. The narrative structure, in terms of a countdown towards the memorial, with flashbacks to pivotal moments for the family, contributed towards's Hassib's perfect pacing and suspense. 

As a whole, though, I did find fault with a lot of the dialogue. It frequently felt forced and unnatural, which therefore made the relationships between the characters a bit flat. I also thought some of the references were a little awkward, like how Khaled regards Facebook (Facebook's main demographic these day isn't really with the high school crowd...) and how he listens to Matchbox 20 and Jay-Z (I personally like both, but the way they were both mentioned was odd). Like with any sort of pop-culture references these sorts of things tend to date themselves, which can work sometimes, but here did not. While I'm being nit-picky, I'll throw in the fact that the beginning of the book, a flashback to a time when Khaled was sick and his grandmother was trying to heal him did not hook me at all. I understand the set up in terms of establishing a conflict between American and Egyptian ways, as well as the family dyanmics, but I found it a bit hard to settle in at first.  

As a whole, I thought this was a decent book for an author's debut and I think her writing shows a lot of potential. I'd be interested in checking out her future projects.  

Everything I Never Told You- A Book that Broke My Heart

I'm not accepting many books to review these days (so many of my own to get through!), but Celeste Ng's Everything I Never Told You has been on my radar, so when I was offered a copy in promotion of the paperback launch from Penguin I agreed. And man, I'm glad I did. I haven't been this affected by a novel in quite some time. I know part of the emotional reaction that I had was in part because I have my own kid now, but also a result of Ng's fantastic prose.

From the beginning of the novel we are made aware that sixteen-year-old Lydia Lee is dead. Not long after we're made to know that she was found in a lake. The story is told in third-person from the perspectives of each family members: Marilyn, her white mother who desperately tried to live vicariously through the daughter she pushed too hard academically, James, her Chinese father who wanted his kids to fit in, since he had not, Nath, an older brother on his way to Harvard that was both jealous of Lydia but protective of her as well, and Hannah, the younger sister that quietly watched everyone and wanted things to be peaceful. The story weaves between the present and past, slowly giving the reader insight as to why Lydia may have ended up dead and how the family dynamics may have contributed.

This book rocked my world. There were times I had to step away from the heaviness and others where I couldn't stop reading because I was so incredibly desperate for just one iota of hope or happiness to find it's way into the Lee family. Ever since giving birth to my son last year I respond almost viscerally to anything dealing with a child's death, whether young or old. Like many, I have an overactive imagination that tends to lean the way of very pessimistic and dark. Lydia's death and other things that happened between characters nestled their way into my brain and I had to make sure to preface each read with a reminder to myself to focus on the story. 

In spite of this, or possibly because of this, I can confidently say this is one of the best books I've read this year. Ng's story and writing were such perfection that they were able to grab a hold of me and break through my cynical self for a response. I can be a tough audience. I cannot wait to reader her future endeavors. 

Nonfiction Nagging- Double Shot

I've unintentionally been reading a lot of nonfiction this month and have two more quick reviews.

The first is education-guru Kelly Gallagher's In the Best Interest of Students, a look at the new strengths and weaknesses of the new secondary

ELA Common Core Standards. Like I told my colleagues in an email I sent them recommending it, I generally loathe "teacher" books, but I can't say enough good things about this quick, helpful read. There are many misconceptions about the news standards, partially in thanks to those outside of education weighing in on a system they don't understand (including those stupid articles you see on Facebook that link to difficult math problems that of course show CCS is the devil). Gallagher breaks down the positives and the negatives, helping teachers understand how to take what they've been doing so that they're in compliance and so that the kids' needs are being met. I picked up a ton of great strategies that I hope to implement this year and next. And what I love about Gallagher is that his ideas can be adapted to fit any sort of level.

The second book I just finished is an ARC I received from Penguin. Leigh Ann Henion's Phenomenal is her story about a quest she embarked on to take in

different "phenomenal" experiences around the globe, hoping to sort of experience a rebirth of her own, after becoming a mother. Her book is divided into section that detail her adventures in Puerto Rico swimming in the bioluminescent waters, in Venezuela seeing the Catatumbo Lightening, in Sweden watching the Northern Lights and in Australia experiencing a total solar eclipse. I appreciated this written voyage- many of the places I had no idea existed. What did get old was her actual writing; her self-realization process often felt that it was being too explicitly spelled out in a spelled out poignant quotes from people she encountered and frequent moments of clarity while out of her element. In a word: forced. 

 

Review- I Am Radar by Reif Larsen

As a huge fan of Reif Larsen's first novel, The Selected Works of Spivet, I was extremely impatient to get my hands on his second book, I Am Radar. I had never solicited a publisher (Penguin) for a copy before, but thought I'd try. Ask and you shall receive! Thanks, guys.

I Am Radar is a long, complicated, tale that takes us around the globe, to different time periods, with different characters. At the heart of the book is Radar, a man that was born black to white parents. His mother was desperate to find out why and to remove the pigment from her young son's skin. Absolutely, ridiculously desperate. His father, a man passionate about radios, was more accepting of his little boy's differences. Charlene's quest led them across the globe to a Norway, where a group of performance artists claimed they could make Radar white again with radio frequency. 

And so it begins, this story about Radar's transformation, a group obsessed with puppetry and social commentary, and the ties that bring everyone together from New Jersey to Norway to Cambodia to Africa. 

The writing is quirky and wonderful. The characters are developed and complex. The story is fascinating and meanders, but within reason. The relationships and connections are deliberate and meaningful. The visuals are well-placed and do not distract. 

It's about race. It's about family. It's about identity. It's about trying to figure out if what you're doing matters to anyone else, and if that even matters to begin with. It's about art and science. It's about legacy and adventure. 

I really, really like this book, I do. There were times where I wondered if it was a touch too ambitious and occasionally I missed the simplicity of TS Spivet. But who wants an author to stay holed-up in his comfort zone? Not I. So I applaud the efforts and will anxiously await a third a book. 

Good Morning/Sponsored Post

It's not even six-o-clock in the morning on a Monday, yet here I am sitting on the couch, in the dark, blogging. It's a meeting day. I'm usually not a proponent of publicly biting the hand that feeds you, but I'm on a big, "important" committee for work that I'm really struggling with. We're redesigning the curriculum to correlate to Common Core (another blog post, for another time) and it's just really frustrating and stressful (while I'm there, anyway). It's a lot to do and I'm often not sure if I've been equipped properly to do so. I'm not always the best at working with others... but here I am. Anyway, the one good thing (besides an hour lunch instead of the normal thirty minutes) is that I don't have to be there until 8:30, as opposed to our normal seven am contract time. So, here I am blogging in my jammies with a cup of coffee while Sawyer gets to sleep in. Lucky bastard. 

Wow. So that was a little out of context. Anyway. 

I'm really just quickly stopping by to report on Tana French's The Secret Place, which Penguin was generous to send me a copy of. Unfortunately, I wasn't a huge fan. Always in search of a solid, well-written, high-interest mystery, I had my hopes up, since I know some of her other books did well. This one was quite lengthy, at almost 400 pages, but that was fine. The premise was quite interesting, being about a cold case at a all-girl's school being resurrected by two detectives. The execution- not so much. 

The biggest flaw, for me, was the pacing. The book seriously dragged. The narration was split between the past, in the time leading up to the murder, and the present, during the rekindled investigation. This should have sped things along nicely, but it did not. I think one of the main problems was that the present section took place during one day and was mainly interviews between the detectives and the girls. This of course could have been done well, but was not.

The characters lacked depth. The ending wasn't anything special. The setting, an old all-girls school, could have added to the story, but it merely existed. The writing was generally a step or two above your standard mystery, although I couldn't figure out if she was going over-the-top with the unrealistic teenage dialogue on purpose sometimes or not.

This book had a lot of potential, but for me missed the mark. 

Sponsored Post- The House at the End of Hope Street

I was recently sent a copy of The House at the End of Hope Street by Menna Van Praag from Penguin and must say, it probably wasn't for me. It wasn't horrible, we just didn't click and it had some flaws. The story follows Alba Ashby, a PhD prospect in the UK, who has just been through something devastating that we're not made privy to until much, much later (and when I found out what it was I was quite underwhelmed). She also happens to have a sort of sixth sense, being able to see auras and whatnot (I didn't know this going into this book; with the exception of magical realism and a few authors, I don't generally do supernatural books). Alba ends up at a mysterious house that no one can see unless they're allowed entrance, where she's permitted to stay for not quite a hundred days so she can learn more about herself and heal. Meanwhile, the other inhabitants are introduced and we start learning about their troubled pasts. 

As I already said, the supernatural and Alba's big secret were both ho-hum for me, but the problems ran deeper. I thought most of the characters lacked depth, the dialogue was a bit contrived, and the plot (and ending) quite predictable (and a little flat). The book, and author, wanted something greater and grander, it just wasn't achieved.

I did appreciate the fact that the book centered around literature and reading, the house having temporarily housed hundreds of female writers in the past, who still talk in their picture frames (Harry Potter style). Alba is an academic and adores libraries. And the cover, at least the one I have, is very cute. It was also a very quick read. 

Sponsored Post: The Longest Date- Life as a Wife

Disclaimer #1: The nice folks at Penguin sent me a review copy for an honest opinion.

Disclaimer #2: I don't typically read books like this, but the author, Cindy Chupack wrote for (I think) five years on Sex and the City and now works on Modern Family, both shows I adore. Plus the lady at Penguin assured me it would be a short read, which it was. 

The Longest Date- Life as a Wife by Cindy Chupack chronicles her first five years married, after forty years of being a single woman. The book is set up into quick little chapters that describe an event, period, or issue that has been some sort of marker, milestone, or metaphor for her time thus far in marriage (elaborate dinner parties help her relax more and work with her husband, getting a dog symbolizes her need to realize her home is no longer just hers, the straight-up heartache of miscarriage, and so on and so forth). 

The writing itself was witty and often humorous, Chupack sharing honest flaws in herself and marriage. Let's face it- I could hear a little Carrie Bradshaw in there, and I liked it. The end was a bit too sentimental for my liking, though, and I thought the tone strayed a bit from the one that she had maintained previously.

A large portion related to her and her husband's quest to have a baby- she was older and they tried pretty much everything from acupuncture to IVF to HGC shots (I'm very glad that I'm reading this book now and not twelve or eighteen months ago...). Eventually the couple to pursue alternate methods, chronicled by both Chupack and her husband. 

On one hand, I finished the book appreciating the message that marriage is hard and requires work, compromise, honesty, and love. But on the other, I wasn't sure if her story really warranted a book. Her story isn't that unique- thousands of women marry late in life and struggle to get pregnant. I wasn't particularly moved, inspired, or enlightened either. Somewhat entertained, yes, but never moved to laughter or tears.

I've been wracking my head trying to find the right audience for this book. Bridal showers or weddings? So they can start worrying about their fertility? Women who are in their mid-thirties tired of dating? So they can worry about never getting married and having kids? Women who are married and have kids? So they're forced to be thankful they were able to. Perhaps fans of the shows she's worked on? SJP was a fan, after all...

"Sponsored" Post- Necessary Errors

Reading books is like dating. Sometimes the book is really good and you click immediately; other times it's ridiculously horrible and you dread every second you spend with it. Other times it's no one's fault- there's just no connection. That's how I feel about Caleb Crain's Necessary Errors.

I requested the book with enthusiasm, based on positive blurbs from authors like Chad Harbach (there was another author in the Penguin's email that I don't remember, and strangely it's not on any of the materials they sent... interesting). Once I started reading it, there was just no connection to be found. It didn't make me feel, question, or think about anything other than when I would be finished reading it. It took me a few weeks to get through, and while I tried to blame the lengthy read on going back to work, I knew the truth was that Necessary Errors and I just weren't a good match (although the name and implications behind it are great). I can't complain about the writing, and I don't mind a character study- it just wasn't for me. 

So, what's it about? 

Jacob Putnam arrives in Prague after the 1989 as a gay English teacher from the US and must learn to immerse himself in a foreign country and juggle his social life. He must learn to combat loneliness, friends falling in love, and his future. Jacob also must deal with being a homosexual during a time and place where it wasn't exactly accepted. Basically, it's a 466 page book about his every day life in Prague- it was just too much for me (the descriptions of Prague were great, though).

Bottom line- I can't recommend it, but I can't not recommend it either; just like the dating world, while this book didn't make me very happy it might make some other reader a very luck man/woman. 

"Sponsored" Post- The Girl You Left Behind

I recently finished JoJo Moyes' The Girl You Left Behind and was unfortunately not terribly impressed. I read Me Before You several months ago and was pleasantly surprised by the genuine feeling and naturally simple writing style. Unfortunately, I didn't feel quite the same way about this novel.

The Girl You Left Behind starts off during WWI in France where a woman named Sophie is trying to run an inn/restaurant with her sister, despite the fact their husbands are gone to war and the Germans have invaded their small town. Eventually a German commander takes an interest in Sophie and the painting of herself that her husband had completed at the beginning of their relationship. Sophie promises him the painting, and herself (for a night, anyway), if he will help to free her husband. 

Fast forward ninety or so years to Liv, a grieving, broke widow who is completely lost. She ends up meeting, and falling for, a man named Paul, who works for a company who recovers stolen art work. Coincidentally, he realizes one day while at Liv's house that she owns the piece he is currently trying to recover, which of course means everything to Liv since her dead husband gave it to her. Drama ensues.

I will say that I enjoyed the first hundred or so pages, during Sophie's section of the novel. While the writing style isn't necessarily anything ground-breaking it was an interesting story and the characters had much more depth than later in the novel. Once Moyes zooms into the future things start falling apart. The characters are flat, the cliches are abundant, and the coincidences and timing border on ridiculous. 

I do think people looking for a quick, semi-entertaining read will be interested in this (what's the fall equivalent of beach read?). I think it lacks the appeal of Me Before You and may annoy those looking for substantial depth or high-quality writing, though. 

Disclaimer: This book was sent to me Viking/Penguin for free, but, as always, opinions are always my own. 

Sponsored Review- My Education (AKA: Hot Lesbian Sex)

Hot lesbian sex. Three words that if Penguin used in their marketing campaign Susan Choi's My Education would be an instant New York Times Bestseller (and will simultaneously lead a lot of pervy men to blog... sorry guys). 

But, then again, who really wants to be a NYT Bestseller? For crap's sake Nicholas Sparks and Danielle Steele are on that list. Besides, My Education is far, far better than the normal riffraff that finds it's way up there.

Back to the lesbians. 

Regina Gottlieb is a young graduate student that becomes a TA for a notorious professor on campus, Nicholas Brodeur. Rumors fly about his sexual liaisons with students and tumultuous marriage with his expecting wife, Martha. Regina looks past this and falls into the comfortable routine of attending her own classes, assisting a Chaucer class, and developing a friendship with her roommate Dutra (with the occasional benefit ifyaknowwhatImean). Months later, she is at a party at Brodeur's home when sparks fly between Regina and Martha (who has since delivered her son). A passionate affair commences, Martha leaving her baby with the nanny and eventually asking Nicholas for a separation.

From the start it is apparent that Regina is far more invested in the blossoming relationship than Martha is. The story becomes one of obsession- Regina's only purpose in life is to be the other half of Martha. She drops out of school and fails to maintain any other relationships, her only focus is on her lover, who refuses to acknowledge her presence in public or with her estranged husband.

Eventually their affair is violently and mortally rocked. Regina must cope with loneliness and heartache- she must now return focus to herself. The book fast-forwards over a decade in the future and the reader is able to see how Regina's life has panned out and how the people of her past are still a part of her present.

The writing in this book was both a strength and a weakness. Choi's prose is complex and deliberate. Her vocabulary is extensive and her descriptions thoughtful. Yet at times there was a hint of pretension that surpassed Regina's voice and blurred into that of the writer's.

The issue of sexuality in this novel was quite fascinating. Both women appear to be bisexual, given their pasts and futures. But their relationships and what it means transcends sexuality, with different implications for both women. Regina, as much as I wanted to find depth to her, really was just a young student trying to find herself. She was in a new town, didn't seem to have many friends, had an overbearing mother, and was unsure of herself- her becoming unhealthily attracted to an intelligent, attractive, older woman who was basically the opposite of her own mother (I'm still trying to decide if there are "mommy issues" at play here- perhaps feelings of abandonment? A desire to change and replace?), wasn't surprising. And Martha? She was unhappily married and confined to motherhood- she needed an out with actually having to go out. At first glance it may seem like an unlikely pairing, but with further review it really is not. Frankly, my favorite character actually ended up being Dutra- his laid back charisma and sharp intellect were far more interesting than these two tortured women.

The dynamics of age is also worth a glance. Regina is immature, partly due to the fact that she is only twenty-one, younger than her peers. She's not equipped to handle much of what is thrown at her throughout the course of her book, whether the object of her desire was female or male. Martha, who is in her early thirties, wants to be young, like Regina. She misses her obligation-free days and the scandalous affair she has began with one of her husband's young female students is a glimpse back to that time period. Essentially, she's going through a midlife crisis a bit too early. (And her name- Martha! The name of an eighty-year-old! Her character's persona was so much older than she actually was.)

Don't mistake my frustration as criticism, though. These sorts of accusations and questions are what make the book interesting and thought-provoking (hello, book clubs!). While it did take me twenty or so pages to get invested in the story, once I got into the meat of the book I enjoyed it. While it may not be for everyone, being a little racy and a bit wordy, I do recommend it to those who enjoy Chabon, Cunningham, or Messud.  

Disclosure: Penguin may have generously sent me this copy, but all opinions are my own.

"Sponsored" Post- Virgin Soul

Virgin Soul by Judy Juanita is about a young black woman trying to both simultaneously educate herself academically and socially. Geniece grows up in 1960s Oakland without her parents, feeling pressured to earn her degree and a steady gig. She studies hard through two years of community college so that she can transfer to CSU San Francisco. Meanwhile, she becomes entrenched in the Black Panther movement during an extremely volatile time in the Civil Rights Movement. Geniece must also handle her love life, and the serious implications it has by the end of the book. 

This typically would not be something I would normally choose for myself, although I am glad I had the opportunity to read about a portion of history I know little about. Reading from an African American woman's perspective during the radical sixties was also new for me- it was a voice that I can definitely appreciate. My one issue with the book was the last twenty or so pages- so many important events were packed in, as well as (what I thought) an unnecessary interaction between Geniece and some children she helps take care of (if it would have happened earlier in the book it would have worked better).

While I don't thin Virgin Soul is for everyone, those that are interested in the African American perspective of the sixties, or the Black Power movement, should probably give it a try. As someone from Northern California, I also got a kick out of reading places I've visited or spent time. 

"Sponsored" Post- Harley Loco

Harley Loco, by Rayya Elias, is a a memoir about a woman who has had one hell of a life. Elias grew up in affluent area in Syria and moved to the United States when she was young, her family eager to leave the growing political unrest. Once in America Elias must deal with the challenges being an immigrant brings- fitting in with others, learning English, and navigating Detroit during the race riots. She ends up find solace in punk music and drugs, becoming more entrenched in both as she grows older. As Elias grows older she also determines that she is a lesbian, a hard pill to swallow given her more conservative, old-school family. Elias spends her late teens and twenties working on her music and also making herself into a well-respected hair stylist. She ends up moving to New York, juggling her girlfriends, drug habit, music, and professional life. She continues through her twenties and thirties becoming more and more involved in the drama of relationships and settling into drug addiction. The rest of her book is about hitting bottom and how the only person that can help beat addiction is the addict herself.

To say I "enjoyed" this book feels wrong- it's heartbreaking and frustrating at times. You can't help but to like Elias and want her to stop making the horrible decisions she's making. She's obviously incredibly smart and very talented, but struggles so much with her inner demons. Her story is incredibly interesting, and you can't help but to appreciate the raw honesty of her writing.

Oh, and you'll learn a lot about drugs. I mean a lot. I could probably go out and shoot heroin now, if I wanted (I do not... I repeat, I do not). 

"Sponsored" Post- The Burning Air

I must preface this review with the fact that I don't generally read mysteries, mostly because most are driven primarily by plot, letting other factors I consider important go by the wayside. The nice people at Viking sent me a copy and I was optimistic- I want to like the genre. It's hard to find a literary mystery, and, unfortunately, I did not find one in Erin Kelly's The Burning Air. 

The story itself is interesting and entertaining, and in terms of the components a mystery needs it met the requirements. Sophie's family is getting together one weekend at a country estate to spread their mother's ashes. After leaving her baby home with her brother's new girlfriend one evening things go horribly bad. The narration is primarily split between Sophie and a man named Darcy, whose connection is revealed about half way through the book. The final two sections are narrated by Rowan, Sophie's father, and Kerry, the girlfriend. Like with any mystery, it's hard to summarize, since it's so easy to give away part of the surprise. Let's just say it's all about family secrets, vendettas, and inner demons (not literally). 

While the overall plot was fairly interesting, I wasn't impressed by the execution- the writing wasn't exceptional and the characters (especially the MacBrides) lacked substantial depth. The relationships between the characters were at times frustrating- for example, Sophie and her husband Will are experiencing difficulties as a result of his affair, which she had found out about through pictures being sent via the mail. Kelly refuses to elaborate- does Sophie question who sent the photos? Are they planning to stay married? Does Sophie know who the woman is? The lack of communication is infuriating and unrealistic, as are some of the developments that happen towards the end that I don't want to give away. 

If you enjoy standard mysteries that go for it- the pacing is fast, the general story is interesting. I can absolutely see this as a beach read this summer. If you are looking for something a bit more cerebral it may not be for you.