After receiving LIFE AS I BLOW IT through Random House’s Early Bird Reads program, I didn’t know what to expect. Honestly, I don’t like ‘Chelsea Lately’ – I like Chelsea Handler’s books, but despise her show, her acting her standup. I took ARE YOU THERE, VODKA? with me on a flight to Japan and was angry when I finished it two hours later. It was that good. Sarah Colonna is a writer and executive producer on ‘Chelsea Lately’, so she had big shoes to fill on this one. Writing a book that amuses me as much as the shenanigans in Chelsea Handler’s books is a difficult task, but somehow, Colonna managed to rise to the occasion – and actually might have beat Handler in some aspects.Colonna’s debut is a mixture of sexcapades, drinking stories, and embarrassing adventures. I don’t identify with Colonna for a second, being an overeducated, prudish homebody who thinks that a fun night out is going to get Korean barbecue and be home by 9 for five episodes of ‘Arrested Development’ for the 50th time and some string cheese for dessert. Once I started this book, I couldn’t stop. From recollections of boyfriends past and her inability to settle down, I was laughing out loud having a great time. With a few exceptions of dull moments and random connecting threads, this book lives up to the expectations given to it as being a book connected to Chelsea Handler’s comedic writing mastery.If you are into comedic books with a more adult take (IE tales of drinking, drugs, and lots of sex), then LIFE AS I BLOW IT is probably a book for you. The stories are funny, ranging from heartfelt to just plain hilarious. And although I don’t identify with Colonna, I do identify with being a young person who isn’t ready to grow up, be serious, and figure out who I am. I tried that, didn’t really work out well, and I went back to acting like I’m permanently 15 years old pretty quickly.This story does have a few flaws as I mentioned, but on the whole, it is a laugh-out-loud, snorting-and-chuckling, pass-it-on-to-your-BFF type of book. If you can get past a strange narrative where chapter breaks seem random and stories that just go from one to another with no break, you will really enjoy this, especially if you love Chelsea Handler’s books. Check this one out and be sure to prepare for the laughs, but if you are a real prude and not just a closet freak like me, then you might want to skip this one – or sample it first.VERDICT: A hilarious romp about sex, lies, and growing up, LIFE AS I BLOW IT will appeal to fans of Chelsea Handler’s books – and then some.
