Life From Scratch

It's always a little hairy when you read, eat, peruse or sample something a friend created. In my case, I never want them to feel any less than completely proud of themselves whether I like the object or not. I also certainly don't want to have to come up with adjectives that point out their creation's merits while not lying about my appreciation of it (or lack thereof.) The fact that it's someone you've only "met" online doesn't make things easier.

But I should have known. I should have known that there would be no worry about a book of Mel's. I always love her writing, not to mention the fact that she's brilliant. (Mel, you can pay me later.) No seriously, I loved this book. What starts out as a deceivingly simple read adds layers and layers until you're left with meditations on life decisions and depth of character. That's another reason I liked it so much. Give me a story with good characters and good character development, and I'll love you for it. The protagonist Rachel is lovely, warm, and flawed, and I found myself rooting for her. She's just so damn easy to relate to. At one point, Mel describes how an "average girl" feels, and just as in her blog posts, I found myself nodding my head as I read. I think most of us secretly (or not so secretly) think of ourselves as that "average girl." Furthermore, even the characters who would be considered the antagonists in this book are simply people. They may be people who are at odds with our heroine, but they are people all the same who move through life with their own set of flaws and merits, goals and motivations. They are not overly vilified; they are painted as who they are, and we are left to feel empathy for Rachel but not hatred for those causing her pain. That is gifted story telling.

Finally, the plot twists in the book are not formulaic. It's not, "Girl meets boy. Girl and boy fall madly in lust. Something happens to drive Girl and boy apart. Something happens to drive them back together again. The live happily ever after." It's more real than that. Yet at the same time, it's still a comfortable read. Speaking as someone who can't handle anything more sad or distressing than a Disney movie many times, that's high praise. I found myself thinking about the book when I wasn't reading it and eager to return to it. In fact, I read well into the night when I should have been sleeping I was so eager to finish. Those are both things I haven't done in months. Granted, I haven't been reading as much as usual, but it's still a blessing to find a book like that. It was so real and comfortable that I found myself hugging my Hub a little closer, thanking him a little more and thinking of us as I read it.

Thank you Mel for writing this. And thank you for saying you'll write a sequel. It's only a matter of time until you're on the NY Times list baby.

And there is my (completely unbiased I swear) report.

P.S. The cover is pretty too. I like pretty books.

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