First off, a quick rundown of what Read This, Drink That is: It's a weekly Wednesday segment, where I pick a topical or popular novel and after reading, pair it with a beer that encompasses the overall feeling of the book, and my 'tasting notes' about the book.
It is rare I find a book that doesn't have me aimlessly checking my phone after every chapter. Let alone capture my interest in such a way that I start and finish a book over the course of eight hours on a Saturday. Jenny Mollen's debut memoir, I Like You Just The Way I Am does just that with effortless ease.
She crafts in the writ and humor that reminds you of Chelsea Handler, and has you laughing out loud just as much if not more. I received a copy of her book to review in part of the Books รก la Mode book club and purposely went into reading it blind so I wouldn't have any expectations
tasting notes
This reads as if you were reading texts from your best friend of years, and they were recanting their latest questionable escapes. Once you start, it's quite impossible to put down, she pulls you in from the first story about her romantically and alcoholically insatiable mother rigging her into Baja California escapades and living la vida San Diego lifestyle.
It's also comforting to realize, as you traverse within her stories, that someone out there is just as batshit as the rest of us women living in the time of our CSI-style Social Media investigations. She gets down and dirty about befriending her husband's (who is Jason Biggs) ex by stalking in her own special way. Jenny also shows the reader that we are all weirdly attached and spoil our own 'Teets', and that's a thing and it's not going away.
The latter part of the novel chronicles moments of debauchery, that could only occur within the confines of Los Angeles (and a couple weekends in Las Vegas), are as hi-jinks packed as you would expect. You'll understand all too well losing a member of your own wolf pack in Vegas. And yes, I unfortunately, only pictured Jason's sister, Veronica, as Snooki as a teacher, the entire time.
From a beach read, to a plane ride read, to a weekend vacation read, this fits the bill on all accounts, for those that enjoy uncensored humor about being a women and marrying an actor and having two egotistical, questionable, yet lovable parental units. The stories never take themselves to seriously and you'll find yourself laughing out loud at some of her signature lines, including ones about Emojis and pizza revelations.
beer pairing: Twisted Manzanita Ales - Chaotic Double IPA
Just like Jenny Mollen and her stories, Twisted Manzanita's Double IPA is strong and tells-it-like-is, with its super hoppy exterior from first taste. There's also a nice citrus sweetness rounding out the flavor, playing up Jenny's 'kill them with kindness' attitude, be it for the benefit of her own curiosity or not, she's still a sweetheart throughout. Lastly, her life is a bit Chaotic, like the namesake of the beer, but the beer isn't too brash and Jenny seems to balance everything in the end with great optimism as us girls all should.
