*I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

Cat is a privileged white girl that gets addicted to adhd medication that she gets from her father who is a pharmacist. She ends up being able to get prescriptions from numerous pharmacists that she manipulates.

Not my typical book, and wasn’t really interested.

A very voice-driven book, so if you like the idea of reading a teenagers diary this novel might be for you.

So when I picked this book it was because I liked the cover and I didn't realize it was a biography. I struggled really had to get through this book. While it was a fast paced book it was just a struggle to get through it. I don't know if it was the story plot or what but I struggled hard with this book.

I honestly have no idea why I requested this book in the first place. It's a celebrity memoir about addiction. And I thought this was something I would like because...? No one? Ah, well, I did listen to the audiobook of this, and if nothing else, it was extremely intriguing, and (ironically) addicting. It's narrated by the author, which makes it that much stranger. Alas, I'd like to forget this book ever happened to me.

This book was hard to put down. It was structured in a way that compelled me to learn more about the author’s story, and ultimately made me realize that it was a non-fiction book when there was no real happy ending. As someone who has not suffered through the same mental health issues or addictions as the author, it was fascinating to delve into the mindset of someone who has. I could empathize with the impulse to behave in the ways she did, while remaining cognizant of the immense privilege she had which allowed her lifestyle.

Cat Marnell is a very good writer, and even though there are points where she comes off rather spoiled and bratty, she's still likable despite her faults.

Cat Marnell gives an honest look at what it's really like to hate yourself, and the emotional aftermath of pretending not to care about life when you really do, and appearing to be successful when you're really not.

This book was seriously concerning to me. The author seemed to have more enjoyment from her disease than anyone I have ever seen after rehab. I have strong concerns that she may be back in the high life before too long. I thought the book essentially glorified drug abuse and avoiding reality. I would not recommend this book to anyone.

This was one of the most addictive addiction novels I have ever read. This book paints a picture of just what it is like to an addict in your 20's. From a perspective that isn't told very often. An upper class classically pretty white female. From the moment you pick the book up, you are on a whirlwind tour of the upper edges of publishing. This was a can't put down read!!

Oh Cat, Cat, Cat. Where do I even begin?

Let's start with this. Cat Marnell is a great writer. Her articles on xojane were the only ones I didn't hate read. I really enjoyed her brash honesty and humor.

How to Murder Your Life is Cat's long awaited memoir of her party girl NYC days. Sadly, they start way before NYC. Family issues, boarding school, drugs, sex...it's all there. It all leads to exactly where you would expect....to New York City.

Cat's life was in a downward spiral from the moment she arrived. The frankness that she speaks about her drug usage is shocking at time. She's eager to do anything and everything. At the same time, she's working jobs that a million girls would kill for. Rehab, mental hospitals, evictions.

It's a quick, engrossing read. There's humor and heart and honesty. You leave the book, hoping that Cat is better, that she's clean and doing the right things, and most of all, you leave the book wanting to be her friend.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for this review.

Simon & Schuster, seriously?

I wrote a feature for Daily Mail US, here it is
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4022728/Cat-Marnell-XoJane-tells-drug-addition-Murder-Life-Memoir.html

How can I even begin to describe this brilliant, painfully honest memoir? Yes, Cat Marnell's voice oozes with wit, humor, and charm, but she also lays her soul bare for the reader. There is no mincing of words, no handling subject matter with kid gloves. In spite of her addiction, her financial irresponsibility, her unwillingness to be accountable for her own actions, Cat Marnell was easy for me to understand, to empathize with, and to even like.

I would not advise readers to go into this book with the expectation of some epic narrative from rock bottom to redemption. This is an account of a real person battling with real addictions, and Cat's decision to live with her addiction (as opposed to adhering to a life of abstinence), whether you agree with it or not, is fascinating. Cat comes from a life of privilege and was fortunate enough to hold several prominent positions in the world of media and publishing, yet suffers an eating disorder and substance use disorder. 'How To Murder Your Life' presents an image of an addict that defies he common stereotype of who an addict is and what they look like. For this reason alone, this book is a solid read.

There were so many poignant moments in this book that I found myself able to relate to, and I applaud Cat for her handling of this complicated and oft-stigmatized subject matter.

Holy shit, I have been waiting for this book for years. And, let me tell you, it did not disappoint. If you were around on a certain part of the Internet circa 2011/12 then you're probably familiar with Cat Marnell; if not, then you should go and read some of her xoJane pieces from around that time and then you'll get what all of the fuss is about. She was the beauty editor who wrote about how to disguise your night-before-drug-binge on the way to work; she specialised in beauty advice with an edge, which went (and still goes) against so much about what the beauty industry stands for. She's also a phenomenal writer. Soon after she announced that she was writing a book, she mostly disappeared off the Internet, leaving us all (me) on a cliffhanger until now...

This is an honest, raw, emotional and hilarious memoir, and I think it's one of the best I've ever read. Cat charts her life through drug addiction with a candidacy that will make you cringe and cry, and occasionally cackle with laughter. She's certainly not lost the skills that kept her on top at xoJane, despite her destructive drug problems, and this book is peppered with witty lines that I kind of want to steal for my own. From troubled teenager at boarding school with her Dad writing her prescriptions for ADHD medication, to beauty editor at large barely holding on by a thread, I could barely put this book down.

Her descent to rock bottom is a glamorous one, peppered by celebrity name-dropping, stints at high-flying magazines, and is therefore probably not a great portrayal of the 'realism' of addiction for many, less privileged people. At times, it is frustrating how Cat managed to sustain something that 'a million girls would kill for' whilst self-destructing at such a magnitude, but she is equally candid about her emotional distress, loneliness and even about just how self-absorbed and boring drug addiction can be. If you're interested in the world of beauty, journalism or blogging then I think you'll probably be hooked on this book; Cat Marnell was a pioneer of the 'blog-style' articles in journalism that are now a mainstay of the industry and her writing will feel familiar to so many who have grown up online. For me, it's a five star read, for sure.

Cat Marnell doesn't hold much back, so I won't either. How to Murder Your Life is a trashy memoir of drug use and abuse, doctor shopping, partying, clubbing, having sex with strangers, binge eating and purging, working in fashion magazines, going to rehab, and starting all over. Cat has spun her life out of control in more ways than I can count. But, baby, the girl can write!

I had such a hard time putting this book down. It's compelling and smart and sucks you in. Cat doesn't mince words or spare your feelings. She tells you exactly how it was for her, even when it was sad, even when it was gross, even when there were mice tormenting her with their every move.

I admit to wanting to read this when I found out about her magazine background. Cat Marnell worked for a host of Conde Nast titles, including Vogue and Lucky. She rose from the closet to Beauty Editor and talks us through it step by step. I loved this about this memoir. But there is so much more to Cat's story, and she tells all the rest of it too.

This is not a heart-warming memoir about recovery from drug abuse or a morality tale about how to live your best life. This is not for the faint of heart. Spoiler: Cat still does drugs (she has ADHD and has trouble functioning without her meds; she knows that they can lead to a bad relapse and keeps that in mind moving forward). There are abusive men. There are abortions. There is stealing and lying and rampant drug abuse and so many wrong things.

You might be wondering why to read this book. It's so readable and yet so painful. But Cat is someone who has found her voice. She is courageous and honest and ambitious, and she has a powerful story to tell. I'm not going to put out a blanket recommendation for everyone to read this book. But if it's for you (and you'll know if it is), then pick it up immediately and don't put it down until you get to the end. Even through the Marco chapters.



Galleys for How To Murder Your Life were provided by the publisher through NetGalley.com.

I heard once that an addict stops maturing at whatever age she starts abusing drugs and/or alcohol. Cat began abusing drugs and alcohol as a teenager, so that might be part of the reason she writes like a teenager. It could also be that she worked for beauty magazines her whole life, but whatever it is, she uses a TON of exclamation points and italics for emphasis and a vocabulary that makes me think I’ve accidently flipped the station to some teen-centric show on CW. It’s an irritating writing style, especially because she’s writing this in her early to mid thirties.

Also, for some reason I got the impression that this was supposed to be funny, and it’s not. At all. It’s entertaining to read about a spoiled kid who goes to interesting parties because of her job, but that’s it. Her being spoiled is how she was able to abuse drugs for so long and work as an intern in New York City for several years—she didn’t have to pay her rent. Then, when her parents finally cut her off, her pay doubled and she was able to survive until drugs and bulimia completely ruled her life—and then she just ran off to hang out with grandma.

When I started this book, I wasn't sure I would finish it. The beginning is disjointed, disturbing, and filled with exclamation points. I kind of felt like I was reading what an overly friendly and terribly drunk girl at a bar was babbling to me. It took me awhile to adapt to her style. I also have virtually no personal experience with drugs. She was naming pills I've never even heard of. What saved the story is that I did end up finding it interesting. Beauty products are another love of mine, and it was interesting to hear about her experiences in the magazine industry. Now, this is the story of a privileged white girl who becomes an addict. She admits that she's always been privileged over and over, so at least she owns up to it. For those of us that grew up without these advantages, it can be frustrating... but her life was never perfect. We did have one thing in common: the ADD drugs she was prescribed, I was prescribed around the same age. I did not like them. Cat did. Her stories and actions also get repetitive, but she admits that as well. It's the life of an addict. She's full of fantastic and impressive drive and ambition, especially at first. That does not go well with her addiction.

I wasn't familiar with Cat Marnell at all, so I was going in blind. Book includes a lot of party stories, drugs, assault, tantrums, name dropping, promiscuity, and just plain craziness. It's a hard pill to swallow. (Get it?) By the end I was interested in finding out where she goes from here. She started as a young girl with many advantages... around the age of 22, she's not actually sure if she has health insurance and is pleased when she does, because it makes getting pills much easier. Previously they were provided by her doctor father or her parent's money.

All in all, a very different kind of book for me. I'm glad I read it, even though sometimes it made me uncomfortable and I often got frustrated with her. It was still interesting. I think it could have done with a bit more editing and shortened, but I did get more into it as I read.

I was given an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Simon & Schuster, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

This is an important book. Even though you can find plenty of glamour shots of Cat Marnell online, her memoir doesn't glamorize addiction or the beauty magazine industry. It shows the depressing and disgusting underbelly of drug use and addiction and the ways in which it ruins the life of even one as privileged as Cat Marnell. Her writing is raw and vividly descriptive, injected with humor to keep it from dipping too far into Requiem for a Dream depressing territory.

NO MA'AM. I am 40% in to this book and I cannot bear to finish it. How To Murder Your Life is a story of massive drug consumption, binge eating/purging and the author attempting to hold down a job in the fashion industry while cycling through her destructive behavior. I was hoping for an insider look at the fashion/beauty industry as well as her story of how she overcame her demons and struggles with addiction. Unfortunately, all I got was a run down of what pill Cat’s taking, how many pills she’s taking, which doctor she is currently conning into writing her new scripts and how much she wants a boyfriend. Throw in a few paragraphs on sorting beauty closets at fashion magazines and occasionally being in the same room with Anna Wintour and you have the book. Or at least the 10 chapters that I made it through.

The amount of drugs that this young, teeny tiny girl puts in to her body on a daily basis is astounding. That she is even alive is somewhat miraculous. Cat comes across as shallow and vapid and the whole story did nothing for me. I did not empathize with her at all, in fact I was fairly disgusted. I think it was extremely sad that she seemed bent on throwing everything away time and time again and that she ruined every good opportunity that she was presented with. 1 Sad Sad Star. Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I struggle with my rating for this book because I thought the writing was very well composed. The author had a way in which she brought the reader into the story so that I could understand her experiences. However, I have never read a book in which drug abuse was glamorized in this way. Not once did I feel as if Cat wanted to stop using. I am mad that her father, a licensed psychiatrist, kept sending prescriptions and pills to her without really questioning the amount of use. I am in denial that all of the employers avoiding confronting the obvious until it was too late.

This is not a book for everyone. I saw a question posed on Goodreads that asked what grade level of student this would be appropriate for. My answer: None. Students can be very vulnerable and can take this book as an encouragement to abuse drugs. There are no visible feelings of regret from Cat.

You have to read the Afterword to see how she is currently doing but there is still no mention of wanted to remain sober. I am baffled at this memoir and then again, I enjoyed the writing. This reminds me a bit of the James Frey/ Oprah debacle with his book, A Million Little Pieces. Is this really an accurate memoir?