This is the heart-wrenching true story of a girl named Cupcake and it begins when, aged eleven, she is orphaned and placed in the 'care' of sadistic foster parents. But there comes a point in her preteen years - maybe it's the night she first tries to run away and is exposed to drugs, alcohol, and sex all at once - when Cupcake's story shifts from a tear-jerking tragedy to a dark, deeply disturbing journey through hell. Cupcake learned to survive by turning tricks, downing hard liquor and ingesting every drug she could find while hitchhiking up and down the California coast. At just sixteen, she stumbled into the terrifying world of the gangsta, dealing drugs, hustling and only just surviving a drive-by shooting. But, ironically, it was Cupcake's rapid descent into the nightmare of crack cocaine addiction that finally saved her. After one four-day crack binge she woke up behind a dumpster. Half-dressed and half-dead, she finally realized she had to change her life or die on the streets - another trash-can addict, another sad statistic. Astonishingly, Cupcake turned her life around and this is her brutally frank, startlingly funny story. Unlike any memoir you will ever read, "A Piece of Cake" is a redemptive, gripping tale of a resilient spirit who took on the worst of contemporary urban life and survived it. It is also the most genuinely affecting rollercoaster ride through hell and back that you will ever take.

Sending this fantastic book out as a bookring for the enjoyment of my fellow bookcrossers in Australia.

All participants are asked to please try to finish the book within 2 weeks but if you need it a bit longer just let me know.

When you receive the book, please complete a journal entry to let us know that it has arrived and again when you finish the book with your thoughts about it.

When you have finished the book, contact the next person on the list for their address and post it off to them.

Participant List:

1. Shelly-Sparkles, Qld
2. jodie-jo-jo, NSW
3. id-rather-be-at, NSW
4. mummifiedx5 NSW
5. mummafour, SA
6. jj-lee, SA
7. playtheman , QLD
8. Sarahbear, Tas
9. BellaMack, Tas (last)
10. Back to Pat-the-Rat, WA

PM me to join!

The book has commenced its journey today 8th June 2007 to Shelly_Sparkles. Sent through Australia Post Receipts number 660527.

A brutally honest and extremely moving autobiography. It makes one wonder how anyone would survive the horrendous life of Cupcake Brown! An amazing person that turned their life around. Highly recommend this novel.

Book arrived safe and sound. There are a few more pages to this book than what I thought there would be for a biography from an 'unknown'. This book has gone to the top of my to be read pile and I will endevour to devour it contents over this weekend.
Thanks Pat-the-rat.

*HAPPY DAYS*

Memoirs are my favourite reads.

It took 'a real effort' for me to stay tuned to Cupcake's story. I feel that the book was long winded. Yes I am sad that she had the life that she lived, her story is not one that I would liked to have lived through. Her discription of withdrawal was hurrendous.

She is more likely a better lawyer than a writer. By page 147 I was perservering because this was a bookring. I thought that the story just kept going going going, yeah she was telling the story of her life but the same stories happened many times in her life - I suppose I didn't find her good at summarising.

I felt that book could have been better written in a way that one would know or get a glimmer of just where this story was going to end up. Yes the story is factual but to such a degree that I found the read non enjoyable.

I am happy for the author that she is well.
I have to disagree with Pat - the - rat. I would not recommend this book.

I am now contacting Michyj to get her address to pass this book to it's next reader. It will be interesting to see what other bookcrossing members write about this authors story.

Happy days
M

This came in the mail today with a few extras, I'm so excited

I spent much of last night and some of today reading this book. My opinion is somewhere in the middle of Pat's and Shelly's. I just simply liked it.

I have a RABCK to pass on to mummifiedx5 so I'll pass this book on then.

Received today from id-rather-be-at...thankyou!
I have just finished the book I was reading so I'll be starting this today :)

Thank you mummifiedx5 I got this today and will start on it tonight.

This book started out as a good read but then I felt it went on for to long. I did feel sorry for Cupcake and I couldn't believe how nasty her foster mother Diane was.I was also amazed at how good Cupcakes memory was with the amount of drugs and alcohol she took how could she have remembered all those details?



I pmed jj-lee a couple of times and did a ISO in the forum no luck!!


So this book was posted today 20-09-07 to playtheman!

Cupcake Brown's book arrived safely

I have given 9 stars. Well done Cupcake! When the book was finished I felt like cheering. What a triumph of persistence over fearful challenges!
I note on her web site that she charges US$5000 minimum to make a speech at functions and she is a Lawyer, a Public Prosecutor no less!
This book is on the way to Sarahbear.

Arrived while I was away the ABC 2007. I have 2 bookrings ahead of it but will get to it as soon as possible and then pass on to Sandra. Thanks for sharing Pat.

WOW 100% totally blown away by this amazing womans life story. You could go on pitying her to the cows came home but really she just deserves admiration and a healthy level of respect. What a woman! I checked out her website and loved going through her photos and putting faces to the names, especially of her Uncle, Daddy and V. I would definately recommend this book, I personally could't put it down once I started even though it quite a lengthy read. I enjoyed the last few pages where she ran over where everyone was at the time of publication. It was a shame though that her and Larry weren't able to build bridges but I guess that just goes to show you can pick your friends but not your family. I don't think I will ever forget this book and the education Cupcake Brown gave me in just 500 odd pages. Go Cupcake!

Passing on to Bellamack when I next see her which will probably be this week.

Have a few books before it but will read this asap, thanks for sharing Pat and passing it on sarah

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Need to clear space sadly so handing a couple of boxes of books to Sarahbear

Received as part of a massive collection from bellamack.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

RABCK to Leeny37

Received today as an extra with a bookray - thanks! :)