Book Review- Faith Salie's Approval Junkie: Adventures in Caring Too Much

Thank you to Crown Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy of Faith Salie's Approval Junkie: Adventures in Caring Too Much, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT- Comedian and journalist Faith Salie, writes vignettes from her life revolving around the theme of perfectionism and approval. Salie admits to being an "approval junkie", constantly seeking the approval of others, which leads to her inability to say no and her ceaseless quest for perfection. 

LIKE- When I worked at Universal Studios, I used to listen to podcasts while working on the weekly schedules. I remember Salie from NPR'S Wait...Wait...Don't Tell Me, and I was excited to see that she had written a book.

As much as I hate to admit it, I'm a bit of an "Approval Junkie" and I could relate to the theme. Luckily, I'm nowhere as extreme as Salie. I cringe to think of her obsessive exercising and anorexia, both of which she addresses with humor and poignancy. 

Salie is witty and I laughed out loud many times while reading Approval Junkie. One of my favorite chapters involved Salie's attempts to pick out the perfect outfit for a court date to finalize her divorce. I almost wished that I could redo my divorce to have a crack at finding the "perfect outfit". 

Salie's career has included many unique opportunities, many of which she writes about in Approval Junkie. 

DISLIKE- This isn't so much a dislike, as I didn't relate: many of the chapters deal with Salie's desire to have children and her late-life pregnancies. Although these chapters were interesting and related to the overall theme, I felt more distance from them than I did the earlier chapters.

I did find plenty of humor in a chapter where she explains that her husband's dog (which he brought to their marriage), was not to be considered her child's sibling. Salie tolerates the family dog, but she is not an animal lover. As someone who gravitates towards animals, rather than children, I'm on the other side of the spectrum, but I can appreciate her frustration. It's a funny tirade. 

RECOMMEND- Yes, if you're a fan of Salie or looking for a humorous memoir from the perspective of a working mother. Salie's voice and perspective make Approval Junkie a worthwhile read. 

Book Review- Curtis Sittenfeld's Eligible

Thank You to Random House for providing me with an advanced copy of Curtis Sittenfeld's latest novel, Eligible, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT - Eligible is Curtis Sittenfeld's modern retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Set in present day Cincinnati, Eligible follows our heroine, Liz Bennet, a late-thirties magazine writer, who has rushed home from her life in New York, to help her parents while her father  recovers from heart surgery. Liz's older sister, Jane, a yoga teacher has also returned home to help. The three younger Bennet sisters have never left the nest. Middle sister Mary, is a life long student and possible closet lesbian. The two youngest sisters, Lydia and Kitty, spend their days at a cros-fit studio, avoiding obtaining jobs. Liz's parents are in denial over their lack of income to keep their dilapidated mansion afloat. Is Liz the only Bennet facing reality?

None of the Bennet sisters are married, but Mrs. Bennet sees an opportunity when Chip Bingley, an eligible bachelor, comes to town. Bingley is a wealthy, handsome, well-connected doctor, who happens to be the star of the latest season of "Eligible", a dating reality show. Also in town, is Bingley's friend and fellow doctor, Fitzwilliam Darcy. Darcy is mysterious and aloof, attracting Liz, much to her dismay.

LIKE- Disclaimer, I'm a huge fan of Curtis Sittenfeld. She is one of my top-five favorite contemporary authors. I was beyond thrilled when Random House approved me for an advanced copy. I started reading with sky-high expectations.

I'm happy and relieved to report, that Sittenfeld did not disappoint with Eligible. Start to finish, Eligible is a fun ride and an excellent update to Pride and Prejudice. I can't imagine that many people will read Eligible without having read Pride and Prejudice ( although you can, it stands on its own), but a huge part of the fun is seeing the clever ways that Sittenfeld has updated Austen's classic story. It's brilliant.

The simple switch of raising the ages of the girls is a smart modernization. I'm the same age as the protagonist and I can relate to Liz's issues and frustrations. I see the way her parents act echoed in my own family and friend's parents. Much of this story is about the generation divide. Although Pride and Prejudice holds a special place in my heart, Eligible keeps the spirit of Austen's story, but makes it more relatable for a modern audience.

I got a kick out of the bachelor-esque reality show. The way it is woven into the plot provides plenty of laughs. Sittenfeld's Darcy is just as swoon-worthy as the original, maybe even more so. 

DISLIKE- Nothing. I realize that some people will probably look at Eligible and groan, "stop messing with Austen"...but seriously, as someone who buys just about anything Austen, Eligible is in another league. There are no zombies and Sittenfeld is an accomplished writer. This isn't a gimmick.

RECOMMEND- YES!!!!!  Eligible is another home run for Sittenfeld. If you're unfamiliar with Sittenfeld, I highly recommend that you stop what you're doing and get your hands on one of her novels. If you're an Austen fan, this is a must. 

Book Review- Benjamin Warner's Thirst

Thank You to Bloomsbury USA for providing me with an advanced copy of Benjamin Warner's novel, Thirst, in exchange for an honest review. 

PLOT - What would you do if suddenly all of the water disappeared? Driving home from work on a summer evening, Eddie Chapman, becomes stuck for hours in a mega traffic jam. With no help or end in sight, Eddie joins others in abandoning their cars and getting home on foot. A former track runner, Eddie jogs miles to his home and on the way, makes a unsettling discovery; the local riverbed is dry and has turned to ash. His wife, Laura, makes it home hours later. They find that the taps in their home run dry and that the electricity has stop working. The worst realization is that they are not sufficiently prepared for a disaster. Without water or emergency help, the neighbors quickly turn to looting and distrust. How long can Eddie and Laura survive?

LIKE- The premise is intriguing. Living in Southern California, where we are experiencing record droughts, this story took on another layer of intensity. It definitely made me paranoid about my own disaster readiness and I'll admit to going out and buying extra bottled water after finishing Thirst. I also drank many glasses of water while reading. Warner's story is one that hit me on a visceral level. 

The premise also drives the stakes and intensity of the story. Humans simply cannot survive long without water, so the characters are almost immediately desperate and feeling ill effects. This all seems very realistically rendered and makes for stomach-in-knots read. I like how the desperation very quickly reveals the true nature of the characters. This is a primal story. It will immediately make you think about how you would react in the same situation.

I liked the micro-world of the story. The majority of Thirst takes place in their home or in their neighborhood, a place where they should feel safest. However, this safe place quickly rots and every decision that they make is life and death. 

DISLIKE- It's minor, but I would have liked clarity regarding the time frame of the story. It would have been great to have the story broken into chapters with headings noting the time since the disaster. i.e.- 20 hours After

The beginning of the story was jarring, jumping right into the action of Eddie running home. There were other areas where the pacing also felt rushed. The situation is already so intense, that I felt like I needed more room to breathe.

RECOMMEND- Yes, especially if you're a fan of disaster stories. In tone, Thirst reminded me of one of my favorite novels, Cormac McCarthy's The Road. If you're lagging on your disaster preparedness, read Thirst as a cautionary tale. Bleak and terrifying.