BookSparks Fall Reading Challenge: Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle

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Thank you Booksparks for sending me a copy of this book!

Happy Monday!

Booksparks sent me some extra credit reading and it didn't disappoint. I had heard of Glennon Doyle (Elizabeth Gilbert has talked about her on her podcast - Magic Lessons, her book is an Oprah's book club title) but I had yet to read anything by her. This week I'm talking about Glennon Doyle's bestselling memoir, in which she shares her own experiences with drug and alcohol abuse, infidelity, mothering, self acceptance and how she learned to love herself and become a love warrior for those around her.

Memoir Monday: Double Cup Love, Eddie Huang

Title: Double Cup Love, Eddie Huang

Print Length: 240 pages

Publisher: Spiegel & Grau

Sold by: Random House LLC

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

S Y N O P S I S

Eddie Huang's follow up to his wildly successful memoir, Fresh off the Boat fulfills the "what next" frequently asked of those who find themselves in a world of success. Picking up where Fresh off the Boat ends, we're met by Eddie and his brother Evan running a successful restaurant, enjoying themselves via never ending OKCupid match ups and parties. Things are going well - and then Eddie does the unimaginable, he falls in love. Between his thriving business, rising celebrity status and his imminent engagement to a woman who his mother would object to because she's not Asian - Eddie finds himself in the midst of an identity crisis that can only be solved by getting back in touch with his Chinese heritage.

Hilarious and off the cuff, Huang delivers an outstanding comedic follow up to his first book that follows him on his journey of self discovery.

M Y  T A K E

I found Eddie Huang's book, Double Cup Love, hysterical. Right off the bat he establishes himself as a loud, pseudo gangster with a big personality and an even bigger ego. Essentially, he's ridiculous but begs to be taken seriously. Typically this type of narration would irritate me. But for Huang - it works because it's his voice that really shines through this memoir and makes it entertaining. Huang's work is not for everyone through. While I generally found his crass and crude remarks and constant 90's slang humorous, this isn't everyone's cup of tea.

Part stream of consciousness, part reminiscence, his memoir at times is scatter brained and lacks focus of other works in this genre which makes it hard to follow. Coupled with his language it could be a turn off for many. Because of the structure and lack of literary technicality I didn't rate this novel higher than three stars. While it is entertaining - it's not literary gold. But the style works for the subject and person telling the story.

For fans of the hit ABC television series based off Huang's first book - I would advise you to proceed with caution - the books are not similar to the comedic family antics on the show. Huang's childhood, in fact, seemed to be much darker than depicted on television. For those who read his first book and enjoyed it - I'm willing to bet this is right up your alley


A B O U T  T H E  A U T H O R

Eddie Huang is the proprietor of Baohaus, a restaurant in New York City. He’s also the author of the New York Times bestselling memoir Fresh Off the Boat (now an ABC sitcom) and the host of Huang’s World on ViceTV.


An advanced copy of Double Cup Love was provided to me for an honest review by NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Double Cup Love is available for purchase on May 31, 2016.
Buy it on Amazon
Buy it at Barnes and Noble

Memoir Monday: When Breath Becomes Air, Paul Kalanithi

When Breath Becomes Air, Paul Kalanithi

Print Length: 258 pages

Publisher: Random House

Publication Date: January 12, 2016

Over the course of my life I have continually asked myself, "What's the point?"
Just this past weekend I was at a friend's bridal shower and the topic of religion was brought up. The women that were in the room found themselves bemoaning a certain church, the hardship of church relationships and family, rules and doctrines. To me, the problem seemed to stem from church politics and hierarchy, rules and years steeped in religious doctrine than the actual act of having a relationship with God. And so I asked these ladies, "What is the point?". And as always, that question is incredibly difficult to answer. But isn't this the question that plagues us all? So much of our lives are spent looking for "the point of it all" and maybe the point of life isn't really all that relevant? Possibly the point of life, religion, and the myriad of things that happen throughout the our lives aren't what really matter. And when confronted a life that will be constricted by the confines of limited time - what would you ask instead?

Paul Kalanithi was a brilliant scholar on track to finishing his training as a neurosurgeon when suddenly he was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. And within a matter of days his focus was shifted from saving lives to saving his own life, preparing his family for his very probable and imminent death and the future that they would have after he was gone. Because as a student of medicine - Paul knew that his demise was inevitable and rather than focusing on the "why" of his prognosis, he decided to ask the more philosophical question, "What makes a life worth living?" In his posthumous memoir, Paul Kalanithi, explores medicine, literature, family and death which gives the reader a very intimate look into the life, memories and thoughts of a brilliant man whose time left with his loved ones is limited.

Memoir Monday: Fast Girl by Suzy Favor Hamilton

Fast Girl by Suzy Favor Hamilton

This week's memoir is Fast Girl by Suzy Favor Hamilton. Those familiar with USTF will remember Suzy Hamilton as one of America's middle distance track athletes and participant in multiple Olympic games. What many may not know is that following her retirement from running, Suzy became the second most sought after female escort in Las Vegas. To me, this was mind boggling - I mean, how does an Olympic athlete go from living a very public life as a professional athlete to working as a high end call girl in Las Vegas? And why?!

Memoir Monday: Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem

My Life on the Road

It's Memoir Monday and continuing with works inspired and written by women (it is women's history month after all), this week's memoir was My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem. For those unfamiliar with Steinem, she is in my opinion one of the most influential women's rights advocates and activists in this country. Not only was she huge in the women's rights movement, she was part of the civil rights movement and I found her memoir riveting and more importantly - a must read for humanity. If you are a human being - you need to read this.

Memoir Monday: Hunger Makes Me A Hungry Girl by Carrie Brownstein

Hunger Makes Me A Modern Girl, Carrie Brownstein

Happy Monday!

Today is the beginning of a new series on The Book Gawker in which a memoir that I read the past week will be featured every Monday! Memoirs are some of my favorite books to read. They lend a sort of authenticity and relatability to people who we typically see from afar, their stories laid out for us to read or listen to in a such a way that we might understand the experiences that shaped their lives both privately and publicly.

It's Women's History Month, so I found it fitting that this week's memoir was, Hunger Makes Me A Modern Girl by Carrie Brownstein. Maybe (presently) best known for her work in the comedy series, Portlandia, Carrie Brownstein first made her name known as one third of the indie punk rock girl band trio, Sleater-Kinney. I found her memoir to be funny and insightful as she chronicled her days growing up in Redmond, Washington putting on talent shows with neighborhood children, to haunting record stores as a highschooler and eventually making her way into the indie punk rock scene after leaving college to pursue her career as a musician.