This is a book that I won in a Goodreads First Reads contest.
The intro to this book describes it as either "a disjointed randomness from the mind of a possible cutter", or "a clever laugh-out-loud page turner that tugs at your heartstrings", then says it is neither, although there is a possibility that it is both in places.
After that the book takes you across the author's travels to Shanghai, Thailand, Florence, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Singapore and back to New York, with all the chapters being blogposts from her blog.
But the book isn't really about travel. In the blurb it says "it is about life" and I agree with that; the setting just happens to be somewhere abroad. The author herself says at one point "I felt like I was missing what I was truly here for - travel (ok, school, but let's be real - and the blog is not Black Girl, Will Go to School)."
So basically you have musings and some are funny (diarrhea episodes, and life as a dog) and most are hits rather than misses, with the blogs being observational in nature, and showing a passion for fashion, for TV and for shopping.
There are some pictures in here including some nice ones at the beginning of the sections for each country giving you a little flavour for the country.
There was a little self-indulgence in places with lots of comments for the benefit of family members, and the author it seems is only letting you enter into her life a little bit, for example she has just one picture of herself in the book, plus you only ever know her as nothing more than E.N. Smith (maybe she wants to be the next JK Rowling?).
The book concludes with some thoughts about how the author left her comfort zone and had a story to tell because of it. A lesson for everyone.
(This book is listed on Amazon UK FOR FREE HERE.)
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