Life of the Party - Get Your Fix!

Blurb for Life of the Party:

Seventeen-year-old Mackenzie Taylor can't wait to be free; free from high school, the shadow of her perfect older sister, and her disapproving parents. The rebellious party girl has a perfect accomplice in best friend Riley, a boy from the wrong side of the tracks who scores them drugs, booze and under-age entry into the only club in town. But then everything changes. A traumatized Riley suddenly decides to give up the party life, and a wide-eyed Mackenzie meets Grey Lewis, a broodingly talented, gorgeous older man she falls instantly in love with. Though Riley warns her to stay away, the aspiring rock star's body and ample drug supply are too tempting for her to resist. Previously inseparable, Riley and Mackenzie go their separate ways.

When summer hits, Mackenzie has new friends, a new apartment and new drugs to mask the pain of Riley's absence. And of course, she has Grey. But despite the fierce, consuming passion they share, the mysterious bad-boy always leaves her guessing. Is Grey really a good guy? Or was Riley right about him all along? Mackenzie's in too deep to care. Unable to curb her mounting addictions, before long the lust-for-life teen totally loses control. She forgets Riley, forgets life, forgets everything but Grey and their next hit.

But luckily for Mackenzie...Riley has never forgotten about her.

My Review:

Life of the Party by Christine Anderson

I received this book for free from the GoodReads Nexus ARR (Authors Requesting Reviews) program in exchange for a free review.

Wow. I almost gave it 5♥'s, but there were times in the middle that dragged a little for me. I found myself actually rooting for Mac to finally hit her rock bottom (I was getting sick of her being the life of the party.) I nearly reached a point of just wanting to smack her and physically prevent her from her downward spiral; practically screaming, "just hurry up and get it over with." But then she reach that low point... once that happened I was an absolute mess. Bawling my eyes out, wanting to say, "No, not like this! Not like this!"

It's an emotional roller coaster that reveals the dark road of many forms of addiction. It really touched me and will stay with me for a long time. Light and fluffy, this is not. It's a long, dark path filled with (Not-so-much)Sex, Drugs, and Rock-N-Roll. I appreciated the 90's references and how they really struck a cord with how my life was in high school. I'm not sure if it was my past, or just the story itself that caused it to really strike a nerve within me. To give you an idea, it's almost like the book Beautiful Disaster meets the movie Trainspotting. And I have to admit I hate, nay loathe, that movie. This book was gut wrenching, pull your heart out, eyes spill with tears, and throat burn pilgrimage.

The characters seemed well rounded enough to suck me in and touch my heart. Grey... oh, Grey. Oh, to be young again- young and free to make the stupidest life choices. I can remember some of my own, teenage thoughts mirroring Mac's. You have to see that dark to appreciate the light at the end of the tunnel.

The ending... I can see it making or breaking the story for many readers. It was OK (for me)... but I really wish the epilogue had been about Mac's future. Specifics about the future. I know in life there are not guarantees, but in my books I'd really like to know after Mac's journey... that there was not just hope and faith, that she finally did reach and stick with her goals. I was left with an overall impression that she was, but would have loved to hear about it, rather than what the epilogue contained. That was also part of 4 rather than a 5 star rating. This is a slice of life that is more than worth the read but should not be taken casually.

Check out Christine Anderson's website!