Book Review- Scott Johnston's Campusland

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with debut author Scott Johnston’s novel, Campusland, in exchange for an honest review.

Devon University is a “not-quite Ivy League” east-coast institution that has provided a quality education for generations. Through fond memories and rich traditions, Devon has built a strong group of wealthy alumni, who are happy to support their alma matter, as long as it continues to reflect the values they treasure.

However, there is a problem. The world is changing and life at Devon is beginning to reflect the most extreme state of these changes.

Campusland is a satire and it is laugh-out-loud hilarious. Johnston pokes at several issues, however important they may be, that have spiraled out of control due to a lack of common sense. For example, when Freshman student Lulu Harris takes a spill and is injured on campus, no one will believe her when she tells them the truth: she was not sexually assaulted. Instead of believing the truth, the situation escalates to the point that Lulu feels that she has to name an accuser and decides to point the finger at her professor, Eph Russell.

Lulu is complicated. She is a NYC party girl, who is stuck at a college far from the city and is feeling her status slip away. She has failed at making friends and can’t seem to catch a break. Lulu had a bit of a crush on Eph and his rejection stung, however she did not initially intend on blaming him or anyone else. She tried to tell the truth, but no one would believe her word. When she names Eph as her attacker, she realizes that she has an opportunity to promote her social status through a social cause. In a calculated move, Lulu starts a nightly ritual of crawling through campus. Lulu’s crawl is silent and she never speaks of her “assault,” however other people assume that she is making a statement and speaking on behalf of all sexual assault victims. Lulu becomes a sensation and she doesn’t correct any of the assumptions.

Currently, with so many powerful men being accused of sexual assault, there is such outcry at women not being believed when they are attacked, this shows the same problem in a reverse situation. Lulu was never attacked, but no one will believe her. She is only believed, when she becomes the victim that people want her to be. Her voice has actually been silenced by the very people who pretend to support her. It’s sick.

Eph, the true victim, is a white male from the South and he is helpless as his career go down the drain. Not only is he accused by Lulu, but prior to the Lulu situation, his course syllabus comes under attack by students accusing him of racism for teaching “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” and for not including more writers of color. Eph has counter argument to their accusations, but the momentum of this group, including many students who are not enrolled in his class, grows. Eph keeps expecting that his luck will change and that surely having truth on his side will prevail. However, not even the clearest proof of his innocence will stop those who want him gone. By virtue of his historical power of being a white male, he is not allowed to be the victim and the people who have the power to help him, see it as a loss, if they accept the truth of his innocence.

At Devon, having power is more important than morals or truth. Fairness is a sham.

Campusland reflects a world where common sense is missing and extremism rules. This is a story world where people are very divided and there is no room for civil debate. It is uncomfortable and reflects our current world with a “You’re either with us or against us” attitude.

I loved Campusland. Johnston’s novel is a hilarious page-turner that is a keen observation of our society. I can’t wait to read Johnston’s next book.

England 2018: Hilton Double Tree West End and Virginia Woolf

In late spring of 2018, I had the good fortune to accompany my husband on his business trip to England. This included nearly a week in London, where I attempted to see as much as possible before my feet fell off! On one the days, I logged nearly 20,000 steps. Even though my feet were swollen and it felt like I was walking on glass, I was happy. London is one of my favorite cities and it never fails to utterly delight me.

Prior to London, I spent a week staying with my mother-in-law, while my husband traveled throughout Europe, so for the London portion of the trip, I had to take a bus from the town of Newbury to Paddington Station. It only takes about an hour, but it is just far enough that it is not a given that we visit London, every time we travel to England. London is a treat. A big treat!

At Paddington Station, I found a few nods to the famous bear of the same name.

in a kiosk at Paddington Station, I purchased an Oyster Card, which is reloadable and serves as a public transportation pass for London. Since we often visit England, I opted for the Oyster Card, rather than a London City Pass. The city pass is great if you have a limited number of days in London and won’t likely return in the near future. I’ve visited England so many times since I’ve been with my husband, that it is really beginning to feel like a second home.

Another tip for using the tube is to download the London Tube App. My niece Pippa, a local, told me about the app and it was a lifesaver. You just need to type in where you are and where you want to go, and the app will set the route for you. it makes navigating the tube- Easy-peasy!

The only taxi that I took all week was from Paddington Station to our hotel, The Hilton Double Tree West End. I planned to walk and use public transportation while touring, but with all of my suitcases, it would have been a nightmare to get from Paddington to the Double Tree.

We spend a lot of time in Hilton hotels and the Double Tree West End is nearly identical to my experiences of Double Trees stateside. They even served the customary warm walnut chocolate chip cookie. Our room was comfortable and clean with a view of the main road below.

Location is the biggest plus about this property. It’s in a safe neighborhood, with tons of restaurants and shops just feet away. I often returned to the hotel late at night, alone, and never felt in danger. The Holborn Tube Station is just a five minute walk, making it easy to connect to all of the London attractions.

My phone plan didn’t penalize me for using my phone abroad and I essentially had the same access to data as if I had been using my phone in the states. However, this is not the case with everyone and speaking from personal experience from when we had an eight-hundred dollar phone bill (gulp!) from using our phone data in the UK ( previous phone carrier), I’ve often simply not used my phone. The Hilton Double Tree West End solves that issue, by offering a free-to-use phone for tourists. Such a great idea!

My husband was already hard at work and I basically didn’t see him for a majority of our time in London. I dumped off the luggage and headed out to explore.

I discovered an adorable street bizarrely named Lambs Conduit, that was filled with boutiques and cafes. I felt very much in England while admiring a clothing store with an Alice in Wonderland themed window display.

I went to a cafe called Tutti’s for lunch and sat by a large glass window, where I people watched and ate quiche with a Greek salad.

While enjoying my lunch, I researched the area and discovered that I was very close to Tavistock Square and Gordon Square Garden. Which, my bibliophile readers will appreciate is the area where celebrated author Virginia Woolf and The Bloomsbury Group lived. Belly full, I set off on a literary adventure.

Even if this was not an area famous for its literary past, it would still have been a very lovely place to visit. The garden, the size of a city block, is a gorgeous green space in the city and many Londoners were out enjoying a sunny day. As I looked for the Virginia Woolf bust, I admired colorful spring flowers and a serene Buddha statue.

And nearby…

London is full of blue circular markers that identify the homes of historic famous or important people. Sometimes the names are unfamiliar, yet intriguing.

and others are very familiar.

Switching gears, but also nearby, is a showroom for my favorite furniture designer: Timothy Oulton. To say that my husband and I love Timothy Oulton would be an understatement. We have filled our home and wiped out our bank account in the pursuit of collecting his gorgeous pieces. I headed over to Heal’s, a designer home furnishings store, to check-out their Oulton offerings.

I always love Timothy Oulton showrooms, but as an overall impression, Heal’s, which sells many designers, its a fabulous place. I explored it all and ended up parched. It was time for afternoon tea, which having married a Brit, I’ve grown to require.

The Ambrose Cafe, located inside Heal’s was filled with designers sipping tea as they worked on projects or took meetings with clients. The vibe was definitely artsy! I had a pot of Earl Grey and a slice of cake.

The best part of the experience was when a very happy designer popped a few bottles of champagne and insisted that everyone in the room have a glass. I’m not sure what he was celebrating, but we all toasted him and enjoyed a splash of bubbly.

My 2018 London trip was off to a smashing start!

Book Review - Madeleine Henry's Breathe In, Cash Out

Thank you to Atria Books for providing me with a copy of Madeleine Henry’s novel, Breathe In, Cash Out, in exchange for an honest review.

Recent Princeton grad, Allegra Cobb has landed a job as an analyst at the prestigious New York City investment firm, Anderson Shaw. She is on the fast track to success, yet her life feels empty. Her true passion is yoga and if she can just endure her insane work schedule until her annual bonus, she plans to quit banking and follow her dreams. However, staying sane while pulling all-nighters becomes more difficult when she meets Skylar. Skylar is a beautiful and magnetic yoga instructor with an popular social media following. Skylar brings Allegra into her circle, trying to convince her to leave her job early. In the beginning, Allegra is enchanted by Skylar, but she soon realizes that Skylar is not what she seems.

The themes of Breathe In, Cash Out will strike a chord with most readers. Like Allegra, a majority of the people I know, including myself, have put dreams on the back burner to pursue money or a more “sensible” career. Allegra was raised by a single father, who also pushed her to chase the dream of working in banking. Allegra is an overachiever, but the goal of getting an Ivy League education and working for this specific firm, was in big part because of her father’s pressure. It is a pressure not just to succeed, but to succeed in a specific way. Although my mom was nothing like Allegra’s father, I could definitely relate to Allegra’s desire to please her father and not disappoint. It’s a winning moment when Allegra decides that she must follow her own life path, even if it means disappointing her father or giving up what society would consider to be a dream job. We have one life and we must live it on our terms.

Breathe In, Cash Out also plays with the theme of trust. Allegra exists in a cut-throat world and trust is difficult. Allegra learns hard lessons when she puts trust in people who are only looking out for themselves and she devalues those around her who have her back. I liked the relationship between Allegra and her co-worker, Tripp. True to his frat-boy sounding name, Tripp seems like the last person that Allegra should trust. He’s charming and never seems to take life seriously. However, appearances can be deceptive. On the theme of appearances being deceptive, Breathe In, Cash Out explores the idea of being social media famous and how that does not necessarily equate joy or success. When we live in a culture that puts a heavy emphasis on perception, it is easy to lose perspective.

Based on the themes and premise, I was very excited to read Breathe In, Cash Out, but my expectations fell short. It was akin to having trouble starting a car. I would begin to invest in a storyline and then the pacing would stall.

For example, the story opens with Allegra having a one-night stand with someone who she later learns is her superior at work. This should have set up a ton of conflict and tension, but it doesn't. She quickly realizes that he is married and that he is treating the whole evening with her, as if it never happened. He is not a nice person or a good boss. Fairly quickly, Allegra realizes what is happening and to her, it is written off as a mistake. The potentially explosive scenario fizzles.

Skylar, who turns out to be the primary antagonist, is another example. There is a truly creepy situation with Skylar at the end of the novel, which I anticipated would lead to an even bigger scene or revelation. However, it is a false alarm. The storyline ends abruptly, which is unfortunate, as it was the most memorable scene in the story. It gave me the chills.

Breathe In, Cash Out was far too involved in the world of Allegra’s job with loads of technical terms and presentations, but skimpy on the character development. I could relate to Allegra’s conflict and passions, but I could not relate to her.

Henry had a great story idea, but Breathe In, Cash Out missed the mark. I cannot recommend it.