REVIEW for We Can't Be Friends by

Thank you Sourcebooks Fire for sending me an electronic copy of this book.

TITLE:               We Can't Be Friends

AUTHOR:           Cyndy Etler

GENRE:               Non Fiction

RATING:                

This story sounded so interesting to me, so I was thrilled to receive a copy.

I rated this book a 4 because of the core story, NOT the writing.  If you can get past the stilted and somewhat look winded storytelling, you will absolutely enjoy this book.

The author's own life experience, once she is "clean and sober" is an amazingly interesting look at what it feels like to be in recovery from your dependency on drugs and or alcohol.  

Indeed recovery is not for the faint of heart and can be intimidating and confusing for adults, so it is no mystery that it can be even more so for a teenager.

Etler does an excellent job of describing her need for "more" in her life, her need to connect to other people, things and events that will not trigger her or set her off to use again.  The constant fear, the pain, the never/looping of questions in her head.  This is clearly portrayed and shouts out at the readers. 

While you are recovering, you have to do a lot of work on yourself and unfortunately, recovery and self help meetings do not necessarily help you or prepare you for the outside world and how to connect to people and still stay sober.  

Additionally, the outside world and the people do not know how to connect necessarily with someone in recovery.  

It is a very difficult road and scary, something that the author portrays very well.  We feel for her as she discovers who she is and where she fits in.

Wonderful story.  Awful writing.