Book Review - Cat Marnell's How to Murder Your Life

Thank You to Simon and Schuster for providing me with an advanced copy of Cat Marnell's memoir, How to Murder Your Life, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT- Cat Marnell has built a prestigious journalism career as a beauty editor under industry heavy-weights such as, Jean Godfrey June and Jane Pratt. Marnell's talent soon becomes overshadowed by her problems; anorexia and a crippling drug addiction.

LIKE - Cat Marnell's perfectly titled memoir, How to Murder Your Life, is like watching a train crash in slow motion. I quite honestly have never read a memoir, where the author was such a mess. Beginning as a teenager in boarding school, her drug addiction, alcoholism, and eating disorder have continued for over a decade. Marnell's addiction started with Adderall, quickly expanding to whatever she could get her hands on. As a result of her addiction, she gets involved with abusive men, putting herself in risky situations. It's a marvel that she has not died or become seriously injured. How to Murder Your Life is not a reflective memoir of someone who is now sober, Marnell admits that she relapsed while writing this book, and although she is trying to keep her sobriety, she confesses that she expects to slip up again.

You'd expect How to Murder Your Life, to be messy and incoherent, mirroring Marnell's lifestyle, but it isn't at all. Marnell is a talented writer and a hard worker, which is how she managed to keep jobs at prestigious magazines like, Lucky, for as long as she did. She admits that she has been given more chances and opportunities than she probably deserves, an attitude that manages to shine above her selfish behavior while in the thick of addiction. One of biggest take-aways is Marnell comes across as down-to-earth and likable. She truly loves her job at Conde Nast, she loves writing and editing. She cares about the people she has worked with, and has kind words for her previous employers. She feels guilty for screwing up. There is a great deal of appreciation for her life, which makes it even more difficult to watch her destroy it.

The bulimia and drug use are terrible, but I found the chapters with her "best friend" Marco, the most difficult to read. Marco is abusive and dangerous, yet Marnell keeps allowing him back into her life. I felt my heart race for the imminent danger, every time Marco appeared in the story. He's despicable.

Marnell has a distinctive voice, filled with humor and pop-culture references. How to Murder Your Life, reads as if Marnell is sitting in the room with you, throwing back shots, and tell you her story. She offers an insiders perspective into the magazine and fashion industries, something I found fascinating. Marnell is a colorful personality with a crazy life to share. I thought it was outrageous that she made a name for herself as a "Dirty Beauty" blogger, that her not-so-squeaky clean image was actually a way for her to fill a niche. Her themes made me think of fashion in the mid-90's, when the "Heroin Chic" was all of the rage. It's almost unbelievable how unhealthy lifestyles become fashionable, however, I had to admire Marnell for capitalizing on this trend. She has become a celebrity, perhaps to her own detriment.

DISLIKE- It was difficult reading all of this, knowing that Marnell doesn't feel stable in her recovery. I felt worried enough for her to look her up on social media. She has a big talent and I hope that she can keep herself safe. I had mixed emotions about reviewing this book and giving attention to Marnell's deeply troubled life, especially when she is still unstable.

RECOMMEND- Yes. How to Murder Your Life is sure to be one of the most talked about memoirs of 2017.

Book Review- Kayla Rae Whitaker's The Animators

Thank You to Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an advanced copy of Kayla Rae Whitaker's novel, The Animators, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT - Two young women, each escaping tumultuous childhoods, meet at a prestigious liberal arts college in upstate New York. They bond, not only over their talent in the visual arts and their love of obscure animation, but also their similar roots. Sharon Kisses is from rural Kentucky, raised among alcoholics and a neighbor with a life-altering secret. Mel Vaught hails from Florida, with a mother in prison. Mel and Sharon shift from classmates to business partners, moving into a studio apartment in New York City, which also serves as their art studio. The women build a cult following by creating highly acclaimed, gritty animated films based on their childhoods. As they scrape by on meager profits and grants, Mel's erratic behavior and substance abuse puts Sharon on the brink of dissolving their partnership, an idea that is shelved, when Sharon suffers a stroke and Mel is by her side.

LIKE- I'm absolutely sick with envy over Whitaker's brilliant writing. She's so talented that I don't even know where to begin. I guess I should start with Mel and Sharon, two beautifully complex and heartbreaking characters. As individuals, they are tragic, and their relationship is even more tragic.

Sharon, quiet and introverted, spends her life obsessing over men, some of whom are terrible for her, others don't even realize she exists. Vibrant and brash, Mel is a polarizing personality. Where Sharon sees herself as a mouse, Mel does not hide in shadows. While Sharon tries to mold herself into the person she thinks she needs to be to please a man, Mel is herself, in real life and in her art. The only place Mel is shy, is in her feelings for Sharon. Their relationship is fragile and the secrets that they keep from one another are a threat. Just as Sharon cannot speak of the men that she secretly obsesses over, Mel cannot reveal that she loves her best friend. They can share their dark family secrets with the world through their art, but they cannot speak of their most intimate, personal thoughts with each other.

Whitaker writes beautiful, sensory filled imagery. Mel and Sharon do not live in glamour, their world is dirty and dangerous. It's covered in a film of dust and cigarette smoke. They pour coffee into cups stained with leftovers. Greasy hair and body odor tinged tee-shirts are their uniforms. Whitaker masterfully sets the stage as The Animators transitions between New York, Florida, and Kentucky. Each setting is a unique landscape, filled with different perils for Mel and Sharon.

I never quite knew where The Animators was heading, or what additional themes would emerge. One of the more thought-provoking themes, is the one of who owns the right to share personal information in art. Should a person be allowed to expose another person's secrets? What if a person shared a part of their life, that irrevocably changed your own? Is it now yours? Are there themes that should not be exposed in art? What is the line between art and exploitation? I don't know the answers, and although Whitaker poses these themes, she leaves it subjective. Whitaker took me on a journey that left me shattered and one that I will keep close to my heart.

DISLIKE- Nothing. The Animators is brilliant.

RECOMMEND- YES!!!! The Animators is not only the best novel I've read in a long time, but I would go as far to say that it is one of the all-time best books I've ever read. I hope that there isn't a long wait for Whitaker's next novel.

Our Visit to Amazon Books

After nearly a week of cabin fever due to Portland's "Snowpocalypse," Dan and I decided to risk icy roads and drive to the Washington Square Mall. We are still fairly new to Portland and this was our first visit to the Washington Square Mall, which is fabulous. I was pleased to see many of my favorite stores, including an enormous Nordstrom. However, our specific purpose was to check out Amazon Books, the third in a growing chain of traditional "Brick and Mortar" bookstores that Amazon.com has opened.

I feel it's safe to say that most people in the book community, whether they are book lovers or industry professionals, would vehemently agree that "Print is Not Dead," and to that end, the idea of new bookstores opening is a happy sign. However, when I attended the 2016 AWP Conference, there was a lot of buzz regarding Amazon and worries over what their new bookstores would do to our beloved independent bookstores. Is there room for both to co-exist?

My initial impression of Amazon Books is that it's incredibly welcoming and inviting. The store was full of shoppers, but the aisles are easy to navigate and the products are spaciously displayed. Nothing is crammed or out of place. Amazon Books was impeccably organized.

Notice that all of the books face-forward? This is throughout the entire store, with every book. Recently, I had the pleasure of reading Jhumpa Lahiri's The Clothing of Books, in it, Lahiri writes about moving abroad, and since she has so few posessions in her new home, she faces her books forward, using the covers as art. It forced her to really think about book covers; what goes into making them, and how they represent what is between those covers. I thought of Lahiri as I browsed, really taking a look at all the beautiful covers and noting how certain authors have become so recognizable from the style of their covers, with a font or palette that is used from book to book.

Facing the books forward, also limits the space for inventory. Amazon Books is a carefully curated store, and the stock seems to be exclusively popular books and classics. The thing I love most about browsing in an independent bookstore, is the odd-ball discoveries, the books from small presses or ones that the owner of the store stocks out of love. I like the sense of risk in stocking books that are not well-known or already popular. This isn't to say that I don't read plenty of bestsellers, I do, however it's not as much fun to browse amongst bestsellers. The sections of a bookstore that I usually shop from are Fiction, Travel, and Non-Fiction/Memoir; in Amazon Books, I was familiar with a majority of the books stocked in these sections. I saw plenty that I wanted to buy, but I didn't have a single discovery. This made me realize that Amazon Books is not directly competing with the independent Bookstores that I treasure. If anything, they are more closely competing with Barnes and Noble, which may have more stock, but is not nearly as pleasant of a shopping experience. I've not visited a Barnes and Noble in Oregon, but the ones that I had near my home in California, were always messy and increasingly filled with non-book related items.

I appreciate that Amazon Books has sections dedicated to local authors and employee recommendations. Although it's primarily a place for bestsellers, it's not devoid of a personal touch.

What about the Kindle? I was a reluctant Kindle owner, when a first generation Kindle was gifted to me from my aunt and uncle in 2008. My aunt worshipped at the shrine of Oprah, and when Oprah featured the Kindle on her annual Oprah's Favorite Things, my aunt immediately called Amazon and got on a waitlist. When I opened my present on Christmas, I had no idea what I was holding. I had never heard of the Kindle. My aunt, by no means a technology expert, was chuffed to have presented me with not only the year's hottest gadget, but one that was book related. She spent the rest of her life gloating about being in "the know" about the Kindle, before her young-ish niece.

I say I was reluctant, because I didn't want to give up my physical books. I barely used that first generation Kindle. It took me years to realize that e-readers are awesome for travel, and easier to read in bed. I'm now on my fourth Kindle and I'm a fan. Amazon Books dedicates a small corner of their store to Kindles, and other Amazon technology, like Alexa ( Alexa has been another woman in our house for over a year, we love her). What's great about this, is it serves as a place to go with your Kindle questions or problems. Sometimes it's just nice to get help from a human standing in front of you, rather than dealing with customer service over the phone. In a clever move, Kindles are set up around the store, so that you can check one out, without feeling like an employee is hovering. This said, I found all of the staff to be friendly and helpful, without giving any type of sales pitch.

All of this sounds great, but what about prices? If you are a member of Amazon Prime, you will get the same price as Amazon.com. If you're not a Prime member, the price was as marked on the book, which I found a little high. Price checkers are scattered throughout the store. Like the stock market, the prices on Amazon.com are always shifting. The Amazon Prime price is where Amazon Books destroys other bookstores. Unless a book is on special offer, it's rare to see prices quite this low. Also, it seems that the Kindle prices are often higher than the print prices.

Check-out was a breeze. I used the same credit card that I normally use for my Amazon Prime purchases and my account was located immediately. An email receipt was sent, without me having to provide any additional information.

I purchased Paul Beatty's novel, The Sellout, and the book was automatically removed from my Amazon Wishlist.

I was impressed with Amazon Books. The store is inviting and a pleasant browsing experience. The prices cannot be beat, yet I'm relieved that they are currently not positioning themselves to compete with the things that I love about my indy bookstores. I feel like each has their own place and each can gain my business for different reasons. The world is a better place for having more bookstores.