TITLE: Spin
AUTHOR: Catherine McKenzie
PUB DATE: February 7th, 2012 (US release date) January 9, 2010(Canadian release date)
PAGES: 419
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Katie Sandford has just gotten an interview at her favourite music magazine, The Line. It's the chance of a lifetime. So what does she do? Goes out to celebrate -- and shows up still drunk at the interview. No surprise, she doesn't get the job, but the folks at The Line think she might be perfect for another assignment for their sister gossip rag. All Katie has to do is follow It Girl Amber Sheppard into rehab. If she can get the inside scoop (and complete the 30-day program without getting kicked out), they'll reconsider her for the job at The Line.
Katie takes the job. But things get complicated when real friendships develop, a cute celebrity handler named Henry gets involved, and Katie begins to realize she may be in rehab for a reason. Katie has to make a decision -- is publishing the article worth everything she has to lose?
MY THOUGHTS:
Since this book is coming out next week in the US, I thought I would repost my review for it. I originally read and reviewed it almost two years ago for the Canadian release date.
I am so happy that I got to discover this awesome local author. I am wishing her much luck and success in the US with this book.
If you are a Canadian reader just a reminder that her book Forgotten will be released in May 2012. I am super excited to read it when it comes out.
The only way I can describe Katie in this book is a train wreak happening. She might not want to really admit it but she has a drinking problem and it causes alot of problems for her that she really isn't aware of or wants to admit to.
She finally gets the interview for her dream job to write for The Line. She has wanted to write for them for a long time but she manages to basically manages to screw that up by showing up to the interview late and drunk. Which of course is never a good thing.
Katie is afraid to face reality with herself and everyone around her. She is a party girl who has yet to really grow up and is going around lying about her age. She hangs around university kids so that she can feel like she fits in while her friends that her age are out making a real life for themselves and working.
A few days later Katie gets another call from another boss at The Line called Bob. He is offering Katie another job with the company but its for the gossip magazine and promises her that if she does good on this job then he will hire her to work at The Line. Her job will to go to rehab as a patient and spy on IT Girl, Amber Sheppard. She is the hottest thing in Hollywood. She agrees because she will do anything to work for The Line.
At first Katie goes with the flow and takes it as it is, not really taking in the rehab. She is there to do a job and doesn't feel she has a problem. As time goes by Katie begins to see it and admits she does have a problem. She finds herself friends with Amber and admits that she likes her.
Things are good while they both are in rehab until they are released and Bob informs Katie she has an article to write. Katie is stick if she doesn't submit this article she can be sued and if she does submit the article she looses her friendship with Amber. What is Katie to do? Will she risk it all?
I have to say that I really enjoyed reading the book. Luanne from http://luanne-abookwormsworld.blogspot.com/2010/01/spin-catherine-mckenzie.html describes this book like a bag of patoto chips and I have to agree. For it me it was like a accident waiting to happen and I had to keep reading to see what was going to happen next. It was addictive.
This is Catherine's debut novel and her second book is coming out in 2011.
This book was provided for review by Harper Collins Canada.