My take on: Spin

What happens when you mix Girl, Interrupted with a little bit of TMZ? I think you get Spin by Catherine McKenzie. What would you do to get your dream job? Would you lie? Cheat? Steal? Compromise your morals? I personally might tell a lie or two if it meant getting my dream job. Then I would say 10,000 prayers, hoping I wouldn't get caught. But I wouldn't do anything criminal or morally wrong. The main character in Spin, Kate Sandford, chooses to compromise her morals. Job or no job, Kate gets more than she bargained for.

Kate has a chance at her dream job, writing for a music magazine. But Kate seems to be making more of a career out of lying and being in denial, rather than as a writer. She has a close-knit group of friends, some of whom believe Kate is actually 25 instead of 30. Hmmm? Starting a friendship off with a lie can't be good. But I guess I can understand making yourself younger because who wants to be lonely. The biggest thing Kate is in denial about is her alcohol consumption. Just one more drink. Just one more drink. Kate doesn't know her limit. Blackouts are normal to Kate. When she gets an interview for a job at the Line, a hot music magazine, Kate is thrilled. So thrilled she gets rip-roaring drunk the night before the interview. But, it was her also her birthday. That makes it Ok right? It's normal to get drunk the night before a job interview? No, no, no, no.

Of course she bombs the interview, but days later a job opportunity presents itself. Amber Sheppard, the "it" girl of the moment, is in rehab. All the gossip rags want the inside scoop. A sister magazine of the Line wants to send Kate to rehab and get all juicy details. If she does, the editors at the Line will give Kate another chance. If this hasn't been done already, it will be soon. Think of all the gossip rags and websites tripping over themselves right now trying to find out where Demi Moore is or the vultures who want inside details on Whitney Houston's funeral. We really aren't that far away from a "reporter" stooping to this level.

Kate agrees to the assignment, but struggles internally with it. Rehab is actually a good idea, but Kate doesn't believe she has a problem. She is just there to do a job not work on her problems. Once she meets Amber, Kate begins to see her as a friend. Kate begins to care. Was this supposed to happen? Morally, how can she betray a friend simply to get a job? Kate begins to see that she isn't all that different from everyone else in rehab. There is even a little bit of romance along the way for Kate, which I thought was a bit of a stretch. Shouldn't she be working on a relationship with herself before exploring a romantic one with a man?

The story is engaging, and actually quite timely given how much social media is on the rise. But I thought  the ending was wrapped up a little too neatly. I don't want to give away too much, but Kate didn't seem to lose a lot in the end. Perhaps I watch too much Intervention!! But it is a book worth checking out.

Rating: Give it a try


Note: I received a copy from the publisher (HarperCollins) in exchange for an honest review.