Recent Reads: Spin (Book #12 of 2013)

A couple of days ago, I finished book #12 of my challenge. It took longer than I had intended, but I guess that’s to be expected when it’s nearly 400 pages, I’m not completely invested, and then I end up getting a stomach bug in the process.

Spin, written by Catherine McKenzie, was brought to my attention by Amazon recommendations. I did some research on Goodreads and it got higher than 3.5 in reviews (5 is the highest) so I figured I’d give it a go.

Our narrator is Katie, a 30 year old who works as a freelance writer and spends most of her time scrounging for food and drinks at university mixers. Because of this, a few of her friends think she’s 25. And she feels that way…she has yet to lock down a solid job and is stuck in a rut. Until a job opportunity at one of her favorite music magazines arrives. The day before her 30th birthday, she is called in for an interview the next day. She is over-the-moon, and decides to join her friend out for a few drinks to celebrate her birthday and the beginning of an exciting life. The only problem is…a few drinks is not where she stops. When she shows up at the interview the next morning, she is still drunk. She makes a terrible impression, excusing herself to go vomit. She’s hit rock bottom and missed out on her dream job…so she goes into a wine-drinking and couch-squatting tailspin. Suddenly, she’s given a second chance by offering to enter rehab for 30 days to snoop on Hollywood’s It Girl, Amber Sheppard and write a killer exposé at the end of it all. 
She goes and…well, I’d just be ruining the whole thing.

I was kind of excited about this book. I loved the idea of a woman stuck in an ambition-less life, going to rehab thinking she doesn’t need it but gaining something from it. I think this book had a lot of potential to explore some of the deeper issues Katie is dealing with. Instead, it sort of turns into the usual chick-lit with a romantic twist. I was bummed.

I don’t regret reading it, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend it. Instead of being satisfied, it left me wanting more.