"Spun" by Catherine McKenzie~Novella Continues "Spin"

SUMMARY :

In this funny and touching novella, bestselling author Catherine McKenzie returns to the story of Amber Sheppard, It Girl and celebrity train wreck from McKenzie’s reader-favourite novel, Spin.

Life has been rough for starlet Amber since leaving rehab. She’s been two years sober, but no one seems to believe her -- not the gossip media, not casting agents, and most certainly not her spotlight-loving parents. With her friendships ruined by betrayal and her career at a standstill, Amber’s just trying to get her life back on track. It doesn’t help that her former love, movie star Connor Parks, keeps trying to draw Amber back in, not just to their relationship but to his hard-partying ways. One fateful night, Amber breaks down and agrees to join him on board his private jet as it readies for take-off -- a decision that will change her life forever and expose her to a whole new level of scrutiny and heartbreak.

ABOUT THE BOOK :

Published by:  HarperCollins
Pages:  150 
Genre:  Contemporary  (Novella)
Author:  Catherine McKenzie
Website:  http://www.catherinemckenzie.com
Twitter:  @CeMcKenzie1
Purchase:  Amazon


ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

 A graduate of McGill University in History and Law, Catherine practices law in Montreal, where she was born and raised. An avid skier and runner, Catherine’s novels, SPIN, ARRANGED and FORGOTTEN, are all international bestsellers. Her fourth novel, HIDDEN, will be released in June, 2013 in Canada and in Spring 2014 in the US. Her novels have been translated into French, German, Czech, Slovak and Polish. And if you want to know how she has time to do all that, the answer is: robots


THE BOOKISH DAME REVIEWS :

It's been a while since I read "Spin," but it wasn't difficult to remember the very brave and clearly drawn characters Catherine McKenzie drew in the novel.  So jumping into this small novella was easy and a whirlwind of a ride.  I do; however, recommend your reading "Spin" for the joy of it, if you haven't, although I don't think it's necessary to really get the impact of this one.

McKenzie whips us into a frenzy from the first pages of "Spun;" thus the title, I believe.  We are torn from one direction to the other as her protagonist Amber works to resettle herself as a starlet after rehab.  Not such an easy job with the confusion and expectations of so many who make demands of her and surround her.

Bringing back some of the old characters in new displaced roles was genius.  I loved seeing them in this new light.  Their individual struggles made them even more interesting, and caused the whole lot of them to blend a tighter web.  Beautiful characterization of people slightly on the warp. Comedic in a slightly tilted way.

At the end of the book I found myself deeply touched to tears.  I don't know why exactly except that I felt finally Amber had found her way to the "light."  She had kicked aside all the things and people who held her down, and was ready for a new life.  I thought she deserved it.

Quick and easy little novella.  I loved the way it wrapped up the "Spin" novel...

4 stars                     Deborah/TheBookishDame