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Dream Junkies
Kitty Roman is a disenchanted New York immigrant who takes on the trip of her life when Desert Rose, an eccentric artist, asks her to fly with her to California to help her make a long awaited move on the man she loves. A novel about love, friendship, exile, estrangement, hope and deception, Dream Junkies presents an America where the chimerical chase painfully contrasts with the difficult realities of life. Kitty Roman and Desert Rose, the two main characters of the novel, take us on a fascinating journey through the heart of the American Dream, from New York, filled with intellectual and artistic elites, to glamorous Los Angeles with its movie moguls and bohemian art community. Funny, deeply human, full of surprises, outrageous social commentary, and unexpected stirrings of passion.
- GenresFiction
376 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
1 person is currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Alexandra Ares
11 books16 followersIn 2011 and 2012 Alexandra Ares came out with three novels and won 3 important indie awards, establishing herself as a highly original new American author. Like Ayn Rand in literature or Craig Ferguson in late night comedy, two of her idols, Romanian-born Alexandra Ares creates her own rules: it's the immigrant experience.
Alexandra Ares is a member of Pen American Center, Dramatist Guild of America and Union of Romanian Writers (USR). Novelist, playwright, screenwriter, television host, documentary maker and cultural critic with a Ph.D. in American Dramatic Literature, Ares is a fierce, original, creative spirit worth keeping an eye on. She was featured in Elle, Time Out, Cosmopolitan, and many radio and TV shows. She lives in Manhattan, NY.
But let's start with the beginning. Alexandra Ares was born in Bucharest, where her father was an eccentric comedy playwright and her mother a charismatic French teacher. When she first first saw her Dad speaking to himself and laughing while driving his car, most likely saying the lines of whatever comedy he was then writing, Alexandra knew that her father was "different".
After the fall of communism, her formerly drab life changed completely, as she was admitted on top of the list at the leading University of Drama and Film in Bucharest, the hardest to get into in the entire country. In her second year of college she started working for television, producing and directing her first documentary of 90 minutes at the tender age of 22, and her TV series about theater by the time she graduated from college. During that time she travelled extensively across Europe covering the arts.
However, she left that safe, charmed life, and changed her destiny completely for the second time, when she moved to New York after an experimental eye surgery in 1998. With black post surgical sunglasses, no friends and no money in her pocket, she took a series of odd jobs and experienced the hardships and adventures of being a first generation immigrant, which later inspired her writing.
Her debut novel was DREAM JUNKIES published for the first time in Romania in 2008, where it was an unexpected best seller, is Finalist of the Book of the Year Award in Romance category (ForeWord Reviews). Her second novel, MY LIFE ON CRAIGSLIST, is Finalist of the Best Books Award for Women Fiction in 2011, and THE OTHER GIRL, Winner of the Best Indie Novella Award in 2012.
Her heroes are vibrant, single, immigrant New York women and men, at different ages and stages of their lives in the city with a keen sense of humor, unusual points of view, who are daring, sensitive, and insightful, at crossroads of sorts, living interesting lives.
Before her launch as a novelist, Alexandra Ares was known as a quirky columnist of her own literary magazine, Manhattan Chronicles, where she published provocative, witty essays about relationships shifts at the dawn of the 21st century.
Alexandra thanks you for taking your time to check out her books on Goodreads. She appreciates critiques from people who read the entire book, and she thanks you for NOT reviewing her books after skimming only the first page.
Alexandra Ares is a member of Pen American Center, Dramatist Guild of America and Union of Romanian Writers (USR). Novelist, playwright, screenwriter, television host, documentary maker and cultural critic with a Ph.D. in American Dramatic Literature, Ares is a fierce, original, creative spirit worth keeping an eye on. She was featured in Elle, Time Out, Cosmopolitan, and many radio and TV shows. She lives in Manhattan, NY.
But let's start with the beginning. Alexandra Ares was born in Bucharest, where her father was an eccentric comedy playwright and her mother a charismatic French teacher. When she first first saw her Dad speaking to himself and laughing while driving his car, most likely saying the lines of whatever comedy he was then writing, Alexandra knew that her father was "different".
After the fall of communism, her formerly drab life changed completely, as she was admitted on top of the list at the leading University of Drama and Film in Bucharest, the hardest to get into in the entire country. In her second year of college she started working for television, producing and directing her first documentary of 90 minutes at the tender age of 22, and her TV series about theater by the time she graduated from college. During that time she travelled extensively across Europe covering the arts.
However, she left that safe, charmed life, and changed her destiny completely for the second time, when she moved to New York after an experimental eye surgery in 1998. With black post surgical sunglasses, no friends and no money in her pocket, she took a series of odd jobs and experienced the hardships and adventures of being a first generation immigrant, which later inspired her writing.
Her debut novel was DREAM JUNKIES published for the first time in Romania in 2008, where it was an unexpected best seller, is Finalist of the Book of the Year Award in Romance category (ForeWord Reviews). Her second novel, MY LIFE ON CRAIGSLIST, is Finalist of the Best Books Award for Women Fiction in 2011, and THE OTHER GIRL, Winner of the Best Indie Novella Award in 2012.
Her heroes are vibrant, single, immigrant New York women and men, at different ages and stages of their lives in the city with a keen sense of humor, unusual points of view, who are daring, sensitive, and insightful, at crossroads of sorts, living interesting lives.
Before her launch as a novelist, Alexandra Ares was known as a quirky columnist of her own literary magazine, Manhattan Chronicles, where she published provocative, witty essays about relationships shifts at the dawn of the 21st century.
Alexandra thanks you for taking your time to check out her books on Goodreads. She appreciates critiques from people who read the entire book, and she thanks you for NOT reviewing her books after skimming only the first page.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 9, 2013
This book is written from a different perspective, I found the author's writing style to be interesting. Kitty ends up going to California with a new friend and what follows is a comedy of errors. I found Kitty to be an intriguing character but Desert Rose was somewhat annoying. It didn't stop me from enjoying the book, however. The only problem I had was the use of hyphens when it wasn't necessary, it was a little distracting. Other than that I found it to be an intriguing read.
* I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
* I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2011
Kitty, an immigrant from Romania who has been in the States for quite awhile, is in search of the much storied American Dream. A chance meeting with an Iranian artist who calls herself Desert Rose confirms for Kitty that obtaining the American Dream may not be that out of reach. Desert Rose isn't so sure of that herself. They'll travel from NYC to LA in search of their different ideals of what the American Dream is supposed to be.
I really enjoyed this book. I think everyone who lives in this country, immigrant and native born, can appreciate the struggle of wanting to find your niche here in this country. We're told that if we go after what we want, we can have it. This is supposed to be the land of opportunity where if you have a desire, you have the freedom to go after it. It sounds simple enough,no? Unfortunately as Kitty and Desert Rose find out, it's not that easy to get, let alone figure out what exactly the American Dream is to each of us. It's more trial and error than we think it is. You really feel for their situation and they are definitely two characters that I found myself rooting for throughout the book. This book is part friendship story and part self soul searching story.
This book has a little of everything. It has funny parts. It has sad parts. It has parts that will make you think. It's hard to quantify the overall feeling of the book. As you may have counted, this will be the third book that I've reviewed by Alexandra Ares and one thing that is consistent among all three of the books is that they have great dialogue. It's really realistic and well written. The writing itself is good but it's the dialogue that really keeps the books going along. That is true for all of the books, especially for Dream Junkies.
Bottom line: This is a fun ride that looks at some big questions.
I really enjoyed this book. I think everyone who lives in this country, immigrant and native born, can appreciate the struggle of wanting to find your niche here in this country. We're told that if we go after what we want, we can have it. This is supposed to be the land of opportunity where if you have a desire, you have the freedom to go after it. It sounds simple enough,no? Unfortunately as Kitty and Desert Rose find out, it's not that easy to get, let alone figure out what exactly the American Dream is to each of us. It's more trial and error than we think it is. You really feel for their situation and they are definitely two characters that I found myself rooting for throughout the book. This book is part friendship story and part self soul searching story.
This book has a little of everything. It has funny parts. It has sad parts. It has parts that will make you think. It's hard to quantify the overall feeling of the book. As you may have counted, this will be the third book that I've reviewed by Alexandra Ares and one thing that is consistent among all three of the books is that they have great dialogue. It's really realistic and well written. The writing itself is good but it's the dialogue that really keeps the books going along. That is true for all of the books, especially for Dream Junkies.
Bottom line: This is a fun ride that looks at some big questions.
December 19, 2012
People who like COELHO and RUMI, will like DREAM JUNKIES
Like Coehlo's Alchemist which was based on Rumi's poem In Baghdad Dreaming of Cairo, in Cairo Dreaming of Baghdad, Alexandra Ares's first novel, Dream Junkies is based on another Rumi poem, Gamble Everything for Love, with a few nice touches reminding of the poem In Baghdad dreaming of Cairo; there are two chapters On the West Coast dreaming of the East Coast, and On the East Coast dreaming of the West Coast.
In this huge online book store that is Goodreads, full of much more than fifty shades of grey of fiction books, romantic books, bestselling books, Dream Junkies stands apart, because it has parts that will please different readers, and not only the smart single woman (or single women). It has romance, it has satire, it has comedy, it has a fun road trip adventure, and it's also a spiritual book. You'll love this novel either if you like Coehlo and Erika Jong like me, or Meg Cabbot, Janet Evanovich and Kinsella, or more serious literature and satire (Vonnegut). There's something in it for any type of reader, even the pickiest.
Like Coehlo's Alchemist which was based on Rumi's poem In Baghdad Dreaming of Cairo, in Cairo Dreaming of Baghdad, Alexandra Ares's first novel, Dream Junkies is based on another Rumi poem, Gamble Everything for Love, with a few nice touches reminding of the poem In Baghdad dreaming of Cairo; there are two chapters On the West Coast dreaming of the East Coast, and On the East Coast dreaming of the West Coast.
In this huge online book store that is Goodreads, full of much more than fifty shades of grey of fiction books, romantic books, bestselling books, Dream Junkies stands apart, because it has parts that will please different readers, and not only the smart single woman (or single women). It has romance, it has satire, it has comedy, it has a fun road trip adventure, and it's also a spiritual book. You'll love this novel either if you like Coehlo and Erika Jong like me, or Meg Cabbot, Janet Evanovich and Kinsella, or more serious literature and satire (Vonnegut). There's something in it for any type of reader, even the pickiest.
December 13, 2012
Mi-a placut foarte mult, deosebita si fascinanta. Are parti amuzante, de comedie, parti care te pun pe ganduri. Am inceput sa o citesc fara mari asteptari si am fost placut impresionata. Rareori imi place o carte suficient de mult incat sa o termin, desi e recomandata de critici, sau sa o recomand.
March 31, 2015
amazon.com/author/sergiupobereznic
This is the story of a Romanian immigrant, Kitty, who had been pursuing her dream in America, "The American Dream", as it is so often referred to. The belief that each individual can, through hard work and strength of mind, achieve anything the heart and mind desires.
But her dream has become a distant ghost. She has ended up in the rut of 'real' life, which seems to have left a bitter taste. She decides to leave it all and return to the place she knows best... Romania.
But before leaving she decides to have one final road trip, a impulsive fling into the vast American expanse and see what life has to offer before giving it all up. Her "Goodbye America Trip". And so the story begins, and it does so with a great opening line:
"Most times when I'm out on a date, I feel like an actress on stage giving a great performance in a second-rate theatre."
There are many human encounters on this trip that Kitty undertakes with both sad and comical consequences. The author manages to bring to light quite a few home truths about relationships during the journey by asking some big life focused questions.
This exposes the fact that many people are in love with the 'dream' and not 'reality'. The 'idea' of something can be extremely powerful.
She even manages to discuss politics without losing the reader in the process. No easy feat.
The author introduces weight and gravitas to this naturally meandering story by way of some lovely philosophical moments coupled with beautiful metaphors and analogies. Here is just one such moment that I enjoyed:
"The car left and started the one way ride into black empty space. They were like two different planets, a big blue one and a tiny golden one, from two solar systems, that came close to each other for the first time in a thousand years or so. Now, each planet was going back to its own orbit. Following a course that was going to take them farther and farther away from each other. "
And here are some thoughts on life and love:
"Any person has been both, a junky and the drug, at one point or another in their life."
I couldn't agree more.
Just one more:
"The betrayal of your soul is death."
Excellent, and to the point.
Along the length of the story there are also references to literary greats – that might go unnoticed to some – such as the bard himself, Shakespeare. Personally, I would like more of this and the interesting philosophical slant the author applies to her writing, because she does this so well. However, I do understand that her literature is geared towards a specific kind of genre and reader.
In this novel the reader could have easily encountered scenes of a sexual nature, but the author cleverly avoided the unnecessary, simply by alluding to the obvious. I am glad of this. A good move; there is nothing worse than cheap titillation getting in the way, unless it is actually necessary to move the story forward.
There is a fantastical aspect to the story, (truth is sometimes weirder than fiction) which in the case of this novel is for the purpose of escapism and it does exactly that. I am no expert on this type of genre, but I am glad that the effect is achieved with a little spiritual backing and some peppering of cerebral profundity.
What is the crux of this story?
For me, it is that we all want and need the same thing – to be Happy. And happiness is not wealth or material things. So what is happiness?
Happiness = Love.
What have I learned about Love?
I have learned that you must leave the past behind and take a chance in the moment. Be in the present. Allow randomness to work its magic. Be swept away.
It is better to experience love for a moment than not at all.
These are things we all know or are aware of, but it is good to be reminded.
Though Love comes in many guises and seems so difficult to attain, remember that it is also one of the most common happenings on our planet – always just around the corner.
Love is like the stars in the night sky– when one is born another one dies.
Which begs the question: Why is it so difficult to find Love? Is it our fault when we fail to find it? Do we try too hard. And do we possess the wrong motivation?
At one point in the novel the author said: "Working to live and not living to work."
It made me think. I realized that many people do the latter throughout their lives. This is such a waste of life, especially if you have a choice to do otherwise. This is not something I have ever done, but I find it sad that other people do.
I enjoyed the novel, but I didn't completely love it. This is not the author's fault, though. It's simply not my usual choice of literature, or genre, so I can't and won't complain. I only ever criticize negatively when the writing is poorly executed.
Fortuitously, it was written well, which made it a breeze to read. For this reason I believe the work deserves four stars.
So, if you want to read a book about gambling everything you know and trust for Love, then this is the book.
Sergiu Pobereznic (author)
amazon.com/author/sergiupobereznic
This is the story of a Romanian immigrant, Kitty, who had been pursuing her dream in America, "The American Dream", as it is so often referred to. The belief that each individual can, through hard work and strength of mind, achieve anything the heart and mind desires.
But her dream has become a distant ghost. She has ended up in the rut of 'real' life, which seems to have left a bitter taste. She decides to leave it all and return to the place she knows best... Romania.
But before leaving she decides to have one final road trip, a impulsive fling into the vast American expanse and see what life has to offer before giving it all up. Her "Goodbye America Trip". And so the story begins, and it does so with a great opening line:
"Most times when I'm out on a date, I feel like an actress on stage giving a great performance in a second-rate theatre."
There are many human encounters on this trip that Kitty undertakes with both sad and comical consequences. The author manages to bring to light quite a few home truths about relationships during the journey by asking some big life focused questions.
This exposes the fact that many people are in love with the 'dream' and not 'reality'. The 'idea' of something can be extremely powerful.
She even manages to discuss politics without losing the reader in the process. No easy feat.
The author introduces weight and gravitas to this naturally meandering story by way of some lovely philosophical moments coupled with beautiful metaphors and analogies. Here is just one such moment that I enjoyed:
"The car left and started the one way ride into black empty space. They were like two different planets, a big blue one and a tiny golden one, from two solar systems, that came close to each other for the first time in a thousand years or so. Now, each planet was going back to its own orbit. Following a course that was going to take them farther and farther away from each other. "
And here are some thoughts on life and love:
"Any person has been both, a junky and the drug, at one point or another in their life."
I couldn't agree more.
Just one more:
"The betrayal of your soul is death."
Excellent, and to the point.
Along the length of the story there are also references to literary greats – that might go unnoticed to some – such as the bard himself, Shakespeare. Personally, I would like more of this and the interesting philosophical slant the author applies to her writing, because she does this so well. However, I do understand that her literature is geared towards a specific kind of genre and reader.
In this novel the reader could have easily encountered scenes of a sexual nature, but the author cleverly avoided the unnecessary, simply by alluding to the obvious. I am glad of this. A good move; there is nothing worse than cheap titillation getting in the way, unless it is actually necessary to move the story forward.
There is a fantastical aspect to the story, (truth is sometimes weirder than fiction) which in the case of this novel is for the purpose of escapism and it does exactly that. I am no expert on this type of genre, but I am glad that the effect is achieved with a little spiritual backing and some peppering of cerebral profundity.
What is the crux of this story?
For me, it is that we all want and need the same thing – to be Happy. And happiness is not wealth or material things. So what is happiness?
Happiness = Love.
What have I learned about Love?
I have learned that you must leave the past behind and take a chance in the moment. Be in the present. Allow randomness to work its magic. Be swept away.
It is better to experience love for a moment than not at all.
These are things we all know or are aware of, but it is good to be reminded.
Though Love comes in many guises and seems so difficult to attain, remember that it is also one of the most common happenings on our planet – always just around the corner.
Love is like the stars in the night sky– when one is born another one dies.
Which begs the question: Why is it so difficult to find Love? Is it our fault when we fail to find it? Do we try too hard. And do we possess the wrong motivation?
At one point in the novel the author said: "Working to live and not living to work."
It made me think. I realized that many people do the latter throughout their lives. This is such a waste of life, especially if you have a choice to do otherwise. This is not something I have ever done, but I find it sad that other people do.
I enjoyed the novel, but I didn't completely love it. This is not the author's fault, though. It's simply not my usual choice of literature, or genre, so I can't and won't complain. I only ever criticize negatively when the writing is poorly executed.
Fortuitously, it was written well, which made it a breeze to read. For this reason I believe the work deserves four stars.
So, if you want to read a book about gambling everything you know and trust for Love, then this is the book.
Sergiu Pobereznic (author)
amazon.com/author/sergiupobereznic
February 2, 2012
First sentence: "Most times when I'm out on a date, I feel like an actress on stage giving a great performance in a second-rate theatre."
P. 99: "What if Kitty had been born in that village and lived Ana's life?"
Last sentence: "Heaven, it's good to be home."
Summary (Amazon):
Bucharest, 32 year-old Kitty finds the American dream different from what she'd imagined and her life in Manhattan lacking purpose. At the beginning of the year she quits her job as a crime reporter, dumps her boyfriend and packs to go home. She is fed up with the harshness of the news industry, the constant pressure to find a good murder, the superficiality of her Manhattan lifestyle, and her many loveless affairs. But all this changes when her 43-year-old-artist friend Desert Rose invites her to an art fair in Los Angeles, to keep her company while she sets out to seduce Charlie, the gallery owner who represents her. In La La Land, Kitty and Desert Rose will find more uncertainty and adventure than they ever bargained for, will worry every night about where they're going to sleep, get robbed, and meet interesting people, including a communist in Beverly Hills, a man who idealizes the communist dream the same way Kitty used to idealize the American dream. Inspired by her girlfriend's selfless love for Charlie, Kitty will fall madly in love for the first time in her life. But will this complicated tycoon clean up his act?
This book was a fun and relaxing read, although not the kind of story or genre that I normally read. I had won it (together with My Life on Craigslist and The Other Girl, both by Alexandra Ares) in a giveaway on A Bookish Affair! Although I did enjoy reading it, I thought the things that happen to Kitty and Desert Rose were a bit too far-fetched, and the love that Desert Rose felt for Charlie definitely irritated me, because he was so clearly uninterested. In fact, the whole Desert Rose character irritated me. Luckily, I got rather interested in (parts of) Kitty's story, although the end was a bit disappointing.
P. 99: "What if Kitty had been born in that village and lived Ana's life?"
Last sentence: "Heaven, it's good to be home."
Summary (Amazon):
Bucharest, 32 year-old Kitty finds the American dream different from what she'd imagined and her life in Manhattan lacking purpose. At the beginning of the year she quits her job as a crime reporter, dumps her boyfriend and packs to go home. She is fed up with the harshness of the news industry, the constant pressure to find a good murder, the superficiality of her Manhattan lifestyle, and her many loveless affairs. But all this changes when her 43-year-old-artist friend Desert Rose invites her to an art fair in Los Angeles, to keep her company while she sets out to seduce Charlie, the gallery owner who represents her. In La La Land, Kitty and Desert Rose will find more uncertainty and adventure than they ever bargained for, will worry every night about where they're going to sleep, get robbed, and meet interesting people, including a communist in Beverly Hills, a man who idealizes the communist dream the same way Kitty used to idealize the American dream. Inspired by her girlfriend's selfless love for Charlie, Kitty will fall madly in love for the first time in her life. But will this complicated tycoon clean up his act?
This book was a fun and relaxing read, although not the kind of story or genre that I normally read. I had won it (together with My Life on Craigslist and The Other Girl, both by Alexandra Ares) in a giveaway on A Bookish Affair! Although I did enjoy reading it, I thought the things that happen to Kitty and Desert Rose were a bit too far-fetched, and the love that Desert Rose felt for Charlie definitely irritated me, because he was so clearly uninterested. In fact, the whole Desert Rose character irritated me. Luckily, I got rather interested in (parts of) Kitty's story, although the end was a bit disappointing.
May 2, 2013
If I had realized this book was by the same author as "My life on Craigslist" I would have passed. While there were funny parts it was so fantastical it was ridiculous. I grew up in California so I loved the descriptions and enjoyed reading about my home town. However, the constant assistance by rich men was ludicrous. The rescues by rich handsome men can only be imagined by someone with an over sized ego that feels these things should have happened to her. The character Desert Rose was beyond annoying and when her name came up in the book I skipped entire chapters. The only, slight at best, redeeming quality was the author's perspective of her European view of the American lifestyle.
As another reviewer mentioned - the inappropriate use of "-" caused a reading continuity nightmare. I usually don't mind minor editing mistakes if I am enjoying a book - but it was irritating. I would take a pass.
As another reviewer mentioned - the inappropriate use of "-" caused a reading continuity nightmare. I usually don't mind minor editing mistakes if I am enjoying a book - but it was irritating. I would take a pass.
March 13, 2013
I rarely write reviews, but I found ths very original. It has literary romance, mystical poetry, road trip romp, comedy, lots of drama, tons of food for thought, and quite a few outrageous social pointers! One chapter is called a Communist in Beverly Hills, another on is titled A Mathematical Formula for Cheating, with advice from Mark Twain. Loved it. Quite a reading.
June 23, 2016
Couldn't get into this book. Didn't finish it.
Read
April 15, 2015This was one of the worst books I have ever read.The story is good, but it was bad written.
Didn't liked it at all.
Didn't liked it at all.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews