Cover Image: Drinking Games

Drinking Games

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Member Reviews

⭐️⭐️/5

Yeah, I didn’t like this. I only finished it because by the time I realized I really didn’t like it and was avoiding picking it up, I was 50% in.

It was all over the place in regards to the writing and the timeline. One second she’s talking about college and then she goes back to high school, then jumps to when she meets her husband, back to her first year of college. It was confusing to follow and really should have been written in chronological order. At times it didn’t even feel like a book. Some people say that its essays she is writing, and that makes a lot more sense.

A lot of people have been saying how entitled Sarah is, and how that affects the story. I do think she was entitled, but I didn’t see it as a negative of the story. Everyone’s story is different regardless of economic status.

It was also pretty repetitive. Some things were mentioned two or three times. It almost felt like it was just a filler for the page. Some things she repeated even more than three times. Like we get it Sarah, you blacked out all the time and woke up next to a strange guy.

I will say, I do appreciate her honesty in regards to her mental health struggles and substance use. She doesn’t sugar coat anything and I think that’s so important when writing a memoir. You want to be true to your audience, but also to yourself.

I’m bummed I didn’t love this as much as I wanted to!

As always, thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy, even if I didn’t get it done before release day. All opinions are my own.

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Sarah Levy is one of many millennials rethinking her relationship with alcohol, this book is about her journey from blackouts to sober living. On top of her personal experiences and relationship with drinking, Levy weaves in some social commentary about our collective relationship with alcohol and how it can effect those predisposed to addiction.

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As a rule of thumb, I always give memoirs 5 stars. This is someone’s truth laid bare to all so who am I to judge their experience? Additionally, I am not a drinker. I’ve never struggle with my alcohol consumption (mostly because I’m allergic so … ). For me “Drinking Games” was an opportunity for me to listen to someone share their experience with alcoholism and how they overcame their addiction.

Levy shares the wild up and downs of her drinking. How socially it wasn’t such much of an issue — because our society sees drinking daily as nothing to be concerned with — but personally she was blackout messy, lacking not only self-control, but impulse control. She recounts moments that could have ended much worse than they did, including the times she would wake up in the hospital with no memory of what happened the evening before. Sarah was a single female in NYC and left me shocked by how often she put herself in some shady situations — that’s the mom in me being worried for someone else.

You don’t have to be on the road to recovery or in the depts of your addiction to connect to this story. I think anyone who has struggled with a balanced life can see themselves in this book. Our society is extreme in many ways, we like to indulge, and this book touches on why we are like that and how we can overcome the constant need for more.

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Five stars!!

I have to be honest that I took awhile to pick this up, thinking it might make me feel poorly about my own relationship with alcohol. It didn’t at all, other than open my eyes and make me more aware.

Sarah did an incredible job of sharing her story. It was beautifully written.

Gorgeous cover too!!

Thank you for this advanced copy to NetGally and the publisher!

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Drinking Games by Sarah Levy is a darkly comic memoir about the role of drinking in one's life. It's a thought-provoking exploration of how one woman comes to terms with how alcohol acts as a social lubricant and what that means for her. It's a book about how alcohol can play a role in relationships and about its role in US culture.

From a sociological lens, it brings up many insights and many questions.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

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Drinking Games is the story of a woman with a drinking problem that finds sobriety. I enjoyed reading about her recovery journey. The structure of this memoir was a bit distracting at times, but the message is worth hearing.

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I think books like this are very important however I couldn't get past some parts of this one. It felt like it could do with some trigger warnings and awareness of privilege. A lot of this was unfortunately not relatable and I was hopeful it would be based on my own personal experiences and those of friends and family. Overall, not for me.

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i enjoyed this book! it was a lighthearted way of showcasing struggling a with alcohol and the absurdity of social drinking.
i did feel like it was a bit clunky at times. but, since these struggles are such a personal experience, i enjoyed this point of view!
it was captivating and easy to read.

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I originally requested this book because I thought the author was Sarah Levy from Schitt's Creek. Once I actually read the blurb and realized it wasn't, I was still interested. While I had a kindle copy of this from NetGalley, I mostly listened to it on audiobook. I think listening to Sarah narrate her own story really added and extra bit to it that really just made the book that much more emotional.

It's hard to listen to the stories of Sarah waking up in emergency rooms because she blacked out and somehow ended up getting hurt - like seriously hurt. Getting hit by a cab, stitches. It's a lot. And I can only imagine how her friends felt when they witnessed these situations or had to repeatedly tell her what happened because she couldn't remember.

I enjoyed how Sarah tells us about what made becoming sober so special for her - her ability to finally be present with her loved ones. It felt like she was showing why sobriety can be the right choice, despite it being hard, rather than preaching that sobriety is the right answer. And she talks about how for some, moderation is the answer, but for her, no matter what she did, she couldn't moderate her drinking.

I really enjoyed this book despite its heavy topics - alcoholism, mental health, eating disorders, and brief mentions of sexual assault. Thanks to @sarahllevy, @netgalley, and @stmartinspress for the free copy in exchange for an honest review!

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This was a down to earth addiction recovery memoir. I loved the format being a series of essays - it did jump around a bit & wasn’t chronological which took a bit of getting used to, but once I did, I really enjoyed it! Levy really gets vulnerable and is so REAL about her struggles with alcohol, men, disordered eating, and low self esteem. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who is newly sober or even just toying with the idea of sobriety. A funny, heartfelt memoir that I really enjoyed!

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This was an interesting read. Not totally what I expected, but a good book nonetheless. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to review it!

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I applaud the author for seeking help, becoming sober and sharing her story. I found the details annoying and off-putting, specifically someone who has a 6-figure income. Why would anyone jeopradize that?

Her account also was not believable. Cannot recommend this.

Thanks to NetGalley, Sarah Levy and St Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Already Available.

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There is something for everyone in this series of essays chronicling Millenial There is something for everyone in this series of essays chronicling Millennial Sarah Levy's life experiences from heavy drinking party girl to sober. Levy also describes her other destructive tendencies: disordered eating, the desire for a perfect social media presence.

The essay format was both good and bad. It was easy to digest one story (essay) at a time. However, at times the timeline felt repetitious and disjointed.

While some may be able to relate to this book her apparent lack of awareness of her privilege. Trips to Europe, Harvard education and six figure salary may make this challenging for others to relate to. Overall her willingness to bare her soul for the story is highly commendable.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

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This book highlighted many important things to look out for as someone who may be struggling with addiction, alcohol or otherwise. I think Sarah was brace in putting her story out there and being honest with herself while also encouraging others to find the path that works for them is inspiring.

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I am having a really hard time giving feedback on this memoir. I finished it so many months ago and yet I still haven't written a review or provided feedback. I guess I just feel this landed oddly with me.

As a Millenial (Xenial?) who know longer drinks, I am proud of Sarah for the choice she made. My decision was more for medical reasons due to medication, but even I have made horrible decisions due to alcohol. While I could connect with the author on this level, other levels I could not. My parents were not just handing me money or paying my bills. My friends always had my back even if I passed out as a bar.

I do have a feeling that sobriety did eventually lead to the epiphany of realizing that life isn't just about her and allowed Sarah to turn her life around, bit at times she sounded so entitled while doing it. It almost seemed she was acting it out instead of actually accomplishing the sobriety.

I wish Sarah all the best and keep it up girl!!

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In a culture that is surrounded by glorified drinking, I think this book is really important. We do need to destigmatize alcoholism and not drinking for other reasons especially in younger people.

Most of this book is Sarah's experience with drinking and then not drinking and how she started to feel more comfortable in herself as a sober adult as time went on. I think I would have liked a little more substance with others experiences or maybe some science/social science on how alcohol effects us as humans.

Over all, I really enjoyed this book & I would recommend for most of my friends to read. If nothing else it forces you to think about your drinking habits.

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Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my gifted advance reader copies.

Sarah Levy has a complicated relationship with alcohol. Drinking Games chronicles her journey to sobriety in all of its imperfect glory.

We don’t talk about the negative effects of alcohol enough in our society. People need to know that addicts aren’t just men in AA, the homeless people you see on the street, and others who seemingly wear their addiction on their sleeve. Addicts can be high functioning, and depending on the setting (college, early adulthood in a big city), alcoholism often flies under the radar.

I found Levy to be insightful and relatable throughout this book. As someone who grapples with sobriety and the place alcohol does (or doesn’t) have in my life, I saw a lot of myself in Levy at all parts of her journey.

Even if you don’t feel like you have a drinking problem, this one is worth the read.

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Very powerful memoir about a young adult climbing out of alcohol abuse. Raw, real, and inspiring. The last chapters delve into manifestation which was also really interesting. Great read!

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Title: Drinking Games
Author: Sarah Levy
Release Date: January 3rd, 2023
Page Count: 277
Format: Netgalley
Start Date: December 26th, 2022
Finish Date: December 30th, 2022

Rating: 5 Stars

Review:

This book is a memoir about someone who struggled with drinking problems. The book is completely raw and open about her struggles and her triumphs. I really felt seen and heard in many parts of this book. I feel like many people will. The main focus is not on the drinking. It's on the insecurities and struggles we all face when we're trying to come to terms with who we are. We struggle with what we want to do for a living. We struggle with friends coming and going. We struggle with our mistakes and how to overcome them. I could go on. I'm just overwhelmed by this book. I'm so glad that I had the chance to read the book. I wound up preordering a copy of the audiobook. I plan to listen to it eventually. It's definitely worth the reread.

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Being an addictive personality drawn to obsessing over maintaining a perfect social media presence, while being a "fun" girl and making it all look seamless is a hard way to live, especially if you are drinking to the point of blackouts, then having to control the fallout afterwards.
The essay format worked - it kept the memoir from being chronologically boring.
And I loved her funny, in your face writing style!

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