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Five Things I Can't Live Without

Five Things I Can't Live Without

by Holly Shumas
Fiction - Drama
276 Pages
Reviewed on 08/28/2009
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    Book Review

Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

Five Things I Can’t Live Without is Chick Lit at its finest. Nora is the star of Holly Shuma’s debut novel.

Nora is one of those people that self sabotages her life. She spends a lot of time analyzing her own thoughts, actions and reactions. Without a lot of thought she quits her job ad movies in with her boyfriend. She begins ghostwriting for internet daters. The "dogs" seem to be pleased with her work and she’s on a roll. But not for long. It is rather ironic that she can write wonderful profiles for other people but not for herself. She is required as part of her job to write her own profile. One of the questions is "Name 5 things you can’t live without." Nora cannot come up with an answer.

Once again her world starts to fall apart. Family and friends question her quick move to her boyfriend’s home. Then there are the people she meets as she’s writing their profile.

All of this self analysis is a bit annoying at times. Remember the old adage "Cut off your nose to spite your face." That fits Nora perfectly.

This book is a fast easy read. The reader will laugh a lot at Nora’s expense. The plot is delightful. There is a bit of realism in the plot. Readers may be a bit frightened when you recognize yourself in Nora.

J. Rogers

This book was a quick read and at times very entertaining. However, the main character was a little too insecure and self-centered for me to really enjoy the book. It got distracting and I kept wanting to tell her to get a grip.

AtHISFeet

I am glad that I found this book. I was just at a bookstore looking for something to read but not so sure what and the title attracted me. I have never read chick lit before. Its really a great book - very fresh and relevant. The characters are really endearing and I can't help but see the Nora in me. If you like stories about coming of age or self discovery then this is a good pick for you.

Discerning Reader

The above reviews have amply described the content and story line of this great debut novel from author Holly Shumas.

To merely add to these reviews--this novel is a witty portrayal of a near 30 year old woman who has a refreshing and familiar way of observing herself in life. The writing is sharp, perceptive and very real. Although I am not a frequent reader of "chick reads," there is a great, easy freshness to this book (like a chick read, I suppose) but the writing skills and observational narrative are much smarter and interesting than a typical book in this genre.
**I recommend this novel as a good, laugh-out-loud book that has interesting characters and inevitably you'll see yourself, your sister or your best friend in the story line.**
Enjoy!

M. Cohn

.......another book from Holly Shumas
I purchased Five Thing I Can't Live Without and enjoyed all 276 pages and wished for more pages. It's a gem and an easy read.

Looking forward the authors next book It's Not What it Looks Like.

I'll be sharing this book with many!

E. Mailman

This is a totally charming book with lots of laugh out loud (or smirk out loud) moments!

Knitten' Furball

I really enjoyed this book and the main character's quest for "the answer." It was engrossing and a fast read. This is a good book for 20 somethings especially those transitioning into 30 somethings. Enjoy!

Lisa Harvey

Just as with the other books I have read published by 5-Spot, this book was a great blend of a fun, girly read, and serious and relevant insight into being a woman. Holly Shumas really delves into relationships in her books, and in a very two-sided manner. The slight neurosis of Nora was not unpleasant to read, I actually found it encouraging. Don't we all have our own special variety of slightly crazy? Even when I wanted to hit Nora over the head with a brick to get her to stop over analyzing everything and making stupid decisions, I couldn't dislike her. Some interesting conclusions were drawn in this book, especially as the writer, Holly Shumas, is a therapist. Basically, don't rely on other people to fix you, and live life in the moment.