Meili Cady, Smoke
This wild romp of a book reads like a fast-paced screenplay. Aspiring actress Cady moves to Hollywood from a small town and winds up working for Lisette Lee, a manipulative con artist who claims to be an heiress to the Samsung fortune, a Harvard graduate, and a well-known Asian pop star. Intoxicated by Lee's lavish lifestyle of private jets, designer clothes, and Hollywood parties, Cady winds up assisting in her million-dollar pot smuggling business.—Ryan Vollmer, Centerport, NY
I loved this fascinating though slightly flawed memoir about a friendship gone tragically wrong. I think anyone who has ever had a two-faced friend will relate to how quickly one can get sucked in by charisma, and how hard it is to believe that someone you love would do you so wrong. It's a wild, fun, adventurous ride until the whole thing goes up in, well, you know what. That said, I found it hard to believe Cady could not see through Lee's veneer. Couldn't she have done some Google detective work? She also does not take much responsibility for her own part. I think the best memoirists are a little more self-aware.—Gena Hymowech, Brooklyn, NY
This electrifying memoir falls somewhere between Orange Is the New Black and The Bling Ring. I was hanging on every word.—Maggie Malach, New York City
This book is fast-paced and a phenomenal story, but I found Cady's need to continuously establish her extreme naiveté annoying. It felt as if she was trying to use it as an excuse for having involved herself with such questionable individuals.—Melissa Jackson, Bloomington, IN
If there was ever a life that was worthy of a Lifetime movie, Cady's is certainly it. But while the tale is fascinating, Cady's gullibility throughout the ordeal of smuggling seven tons of marijuana in a plane from California to Ohio makes it hard to feel sorry about her eventual capture and arrest.—Nicole Mayefske, Minneapolis, MN
I was engrossed in the story of how Cady became involved in this criminal ring, but I never for a minute believed she didn't know what she was getting into. Anytime someone pays you thousands in cash in a white envelope there has to be a problem. The lies that Lisette were constantly telling her were so obvious, it was ridiculous.—Marian Calvert, Portland, OR
Marian Lindberg, The End of the Rainy Season
Enthralling, unbelievable, and at times heartbreaking, Lindberg's search for the truth behind a decades-old family tale that her step-grandfather was killed and eaten by cannibals in the Amazon is one that shouldn't be bypassed. After looking through legal documents that don't fully support the story she heard as a child, she finds herself in a years-long search to discover what really became of Walter. Along with a trip that takes her to Brazil, Lindberg also details the death of her parents, a life-altering disease, a solo pregnancy, the tragic death of an ex-love, and numerous life and career changes. It's a compelling and enjoyable read.—Nicole Mayefske, Minneapolis, MN
Lindberg became obsessed with her step-grandfather's life at a young age—her father's stories about him were vague, mysterious, and hard to resist. As an adult, she decides to trace the man's life and discern what really happened. I liked much about this book, but I think it tried to be too many things.—Melissa Jackson, Bloomington, IN
Although a memoir, Lindberg's book reads like a mystery. She is adept at uncovering details and piecing together a puzzle in an interesting, provocative way.—Seniye Groff, Portland, OR
A journalist and lawyer, Lindberg uses her meticulous research skills and thirst for adventure to uncover the truth about her step-grandfather, which turns out to be a lot more than she had bargained for: There's a mistress, the sinking of a luxurious ocean liner, unscrupulous business deals, and more.—Ryan Vollmer, Centerport, NY
While this memoir had all the makings of a page-turner, the narration lags.—Corinna Fabre, Seattle
Lindberg's prose is fast and gripping. Add a major medical emergency while traveling and you have a true tale that's as gripping as any Michael Crichton book.—Jessica Shaver, Sandy, OR
Lily Brooks-Dalton, Motorcycles I've Loved
At the end of a period of world travel and after the dissolution of a relationship, Lily Brooks-Dalton returns home feeling lost, then discovers the world of motorcycles and becomes obsessed. She details her first motorcycle purchases, trips she takes, and her adventures in maintenance. The detailed description can be boring if you are not an enthusiast, but the narratives concerning her motorcycle trips are impeccable.—Melissa Jackson, Bloomington, IN
In this memoir, each chapter cleverly alludes to a term from physics, and Brooks-Dalton connects her scientific explanation with a story about her life. Although some of them feature motorcycles, most of her stories center on her relationships with men—her brother, her ex-boyfriend, her father, her friend's father, her mechanic. You get the picture. I wish there had been more about motorcycles.—Joy Kinlaw Brady, Abbeville, SC
It appears that Lily Brooks-Dalton cannot stay still for long. This first-time author traveled the world for three and half years, lived in Australia with a boyfriend, road-tripped across the United States, and studied abroad in England, all before turning 30. When she finally takes a moment to stand still, she finds herself drawn to motorcycles. Her explorations of her fraught relationships with her religiously zealous older brother and her rage-filled father provide the real strength of the memoir, but I wanted to read more about her struggles, her constant urge to pack up and move on, and the insanely wonderful ride she takes with her father.—Nicole Mayefske, Minneapolis, MN
This appeared to be an intriguing idea for a memoir—writing about your life through the motorcycles you've owned. But while I enjoyed the passages in which Brooks-Dalton describes her troubled relationship with her cruel brother, the endless descriptions of her bike rides were often boring and I struggled to see their deeper meaning.—Gena Hymowech, Brooklyn, NY
What I wouldn't give to be a motorcycle-riding, adventure-loving, travel goddess like Brooks-Dalton. Although the narration often bordered on self-aggrandizing navel-gazing, and the story was weighed down by physics lessons, the book ultimately is a well-told coming-of-age story.—Corinna Fabre, Seattle
There's absolutely nothing that remarkable about this small-statured woman who just happens to love riding bikes. Leave it on the shelf!—Maria Vega, Portland, OR
Brooks-Dalton's loving descriptions of the mechanics of motorcycles are long-winded, but there's no denying her passion for her bike and the open road.—Ryan Vollmer, Centerport, NY
While the bikes and Brooks-Dalton's wanderlust are running threads, her tense relationship with her adored brother, who runs away to become an evangelical, is far more compelling. One might protest there is just not enough in her adventurous, yet largely conventional, young life to warrant a memoir. But her writing is lovely.—Monica Shah, Edison, NJ
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