Spoonful

by Chris Mendius

Michael Lira, a decent guy with a wicked heroin habit, sees everyone getting ahead except for him and his friends, a bunch of junkies, artists and has-beens. It's the era of Clinton and the dot.com boom, and his world- the Wicker Park neighborhood of the late nineties- has become overrun with hipsters and yuppies moving in and taking over. He supports his lifestyle through petty crime and the occasional drug deal and feeds his spirit by slipping away for trysts with Lila, a free-spirited painter who strips to pay the rent. Although Michael has what he needs, it's not enough. He wants to make a real move. When he meets two frat boys from Northwestern University looking to score, Michael sees his chance and takes it. He swears off dope and builds a stake, hoping to parlay it into enough cash to start a new life as a solid citizen. With the help of Sal, his partner in crime, Michael manages to pull together a bundle of money. After getting the hard sell from a shady broker, he decides to roll the dice in the stock market. Everyone else is getting rich. Why can't he? In spite of his good intentions, Michael's best-laid plans fall apart. As his life spins out of his control, he struggles against the ever-present pull towards the downward spiral of his addiction. Told with humor, irony, and colorful prose, Spoonful illuminates this little known subculture in a way readers will find absorbing, entertaining and profoundly moving.

Genres: Fiction

322 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Chicago author Chris Mendius' novel Spoonful was released by Anything Goes Publishing LLC in February 2012. The novel was awarded the Kirkus Star of Remarkable Merit. This is Mendius' first published novel.

Reviews

[Guillermo Paxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Mendius’ SPOONFUL is a roller coaster ride with Michael Lira and his merry band of addicts at the helm. It is colorful, sordid, and very real. Even if the reader has no real connection with addiction, it is easy to empathize with them, feel their desperation and momentary spots of relief. It digs dip into the complicated relationships among the friends and their perspective girlfriends, and even the relationships between junkies and their dealers. Their preoccupations with the next high soon turn to total obsessions and of course the situations become more precarious as the addictions worsen. The characters are flawed, and their morals are ambiguous, yet each one is very likeable, to the point that even though I knew they were doing wrong, I really didn’t want to see them get caught or have any other inevitable endings of a junkie.
Mendius’ story is fluid and entertaining. It is intelligent and witty. I am an avid reader and I was thoroughly impressed. SPOONFUL is an American junkie’s tale of hope and despair and the everlasting pursuit of happiness. I hope to see more from Mendius soon.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoonful is an incredibly original and captivating book, but to compare genres, think: Trainspotting meets SLC Punk!

Michael Lira is a junky, and Spoonful is his story of the downward spiral that is his life. This book is a slice of life story that is incredibly realistic. Stories like this are so common that they play out every day every city across the US.

For people un-aquainted with the illegal drug scene, this book will be an eye-opener. For people who have been around hard drugs, this book will hit you like a flash from the past. For me it did the latter, and as horrid as the dopefiend lifestyle is, I quite nostalgic reading about the trials and tribulations of fictional characters who were battling the same battles I myself have battled so many times, so long ago.

Spoonful is a page turner with great character development, and you will be glad if you decide it read it.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This review is not an admission of having ever committed any illegal act or having ever used any illegal substance(s).

[Keri English · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great! Beautiful description of gentrification in Chicago and an original, well written close up of heroin culture. Don't miss this one!

[Jayne M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Lira is a crafty heroin addict with all sorts of sordid things going on. Not only does he manage not to work and always have enough cash for drugs, but his escapades along the way make for a great story.

Sal is Michael’s best friend and partner in crime. Michael and Sal frequent Chicago’s roughest areas to score drugs while their own Wicker Park is being gentrified before their glassy, red, eyes. The guys frequent a pawn shop owned by a tough Polish woman with various items: both stolen and their own, in order to support their habit. Ironically, their favorite hangout is a bar called Spoonful.

Sal’s cousin Dante is their other close friend who loves to party, drinks every day, but doesn’t partake in Michael and Sal’s heroin adventures. Dante dates Lila, an extremely talented artist who works as a stripper and sleeps with Michael in secret. The three guys, along with Lila, Sal’s sort-of girlfriend named Sherry, and a few peripheral characters are into one scheme after another just to survive.

Kenny, a crack-head who binges for days on end, is Michael and Sal’s other partner in what becomes an increasingly more dangerous list of crimes. All of these young characters experience life in harsh ways, live however they want to, and seem to come out on top. That is, until their bright ideas to get money start to dim and flicker out.

Michael hooks up with some college guys, and starts a rather large cocaine racket, which provides a big payout for a while. Then, Michael invests thousands of dollars with a stock scam that leaves him broke. What follows can only be described as painful to watch, but beautifully executed by the author. Downward spiral after downward spiral, life turns into one violent encounter after another, all followed by lots of drugs to forget them. By the end of this story, Michael loses everything and almost everyone in his life.

Chris Mendius has written an epic account of addictive behavior and what people do when there are simply no options left. Spoonful is a wonderful foray into Wicker Park’s gentrification and life below the radar. Michael Lira is a character that stays with you long after the last page is read. A brilliant read that makes one ponder life, love, friendship and nodding off, Spoonful is one book not to be missed.

Reviewed by Keri English for IndieReader

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoonful follows Michael and his best friend Sal. The two are roommates who share an addiction to heroin and aren't above the occasional illegal activity to score some cash to support the habit. When they are introduced to some local college kids who are looking for a drug hookup Michael decides to start dealing and begins to make pretty good money. A fight at a party results in Michael and Sal getting arrested where they decide to get clean and focus on improving their lives. A customer of Michael's is a stockbroker and convinces him to invest a portion of his profits, promising huge returns. He decides to take a chance and gives the guy some cash which immediately starts to grow. Things are really looking good for the two friends, but what goes up must come down....

The beginning of this book really reminded me a lot of the movie Requiem for a Dream. The similarities of some friends who begin to sell drugs and turn their lives around is the big comparable point. This book is really well written and sucked me into the dark world of drugs in Chicago. Mike and Sal both seem like pretty decent guys overall who would probably be pretty stand up if not for their need to score heroin. They are fiercely loyal to their friends and not afraid to risk bodily harm while standing up for each other. The book really took some unexpected turns in the second half and had me reading as quickly as possible in order to see what was going to happen. The end of the book really took me by surprise I really had no idea that what happened was coming.

This book isn't for everyone for sure. It features a lot of graphic drug usage and there is a fair amount of sex as well. It is however well worth a read for people who aren't overly offended by those kind of situations. Finishing the book really made me think about life in general and how easily life can be changed.

[ba · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written by a friend of a friend. This made me reluctant to read it, as this scenario often leads to disappointment on my part, and hurt feelings on the part of the author and the author's advocates. Add to the mix that the genre of druggie subculture book holds little fascination for me these days, and that it is Mr. Mendius' first novel, and I had a huge internal resistance to reading it. However, I overcame my fears, and quite enjoyed it.

The characters in the book are distinct people, with recognizable personalities that are consistant and drive their actions. This is often not the case with first novels. While the writing style is a bit terse for my tastes, I found myself caring about the characters, and enjoying the story. Since I had lived in neighborhood in which the novel is set during the timeframe in which it occurs, I also felt an affinity for the surroundings.

Although the subject matter is inherently tragic, the excruciating mundanity of the druggie existence also comes through. I think it's easy for this kind of book to turn into some Donald Goines/Iceberg Slim-type bullshit. This book did not fall into that trap.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was hooked by page two and couldn't put the book down. The characters were well- developed and I found myself caring about them. I just finished reading and am feeling conflicted about the ending! I am quite fond of the author's writing style; it reads very much like a screenplay... Hopeful for a film version someday...

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoonful: My review
Author: Chris Mendius


Sal and Mike prefer the easy way out to make a living in order to feed their drug habits and score. Sal is the brains of the operation and Michael goes along with his schemes. We meet these two as they decide to rob an unsuspecting woman on a business trip that Sal had dropped at the airport right before convincing Michael to join in this caper. Thinking he has it all worked out logistics and all they enter the condo unit thinking it is vacant and come smack dab and face to face with the girl’s boyfriend cheating on her with another woman? But, first they case the condo decide on what they want to lift and then the fun starts as Michael and Sal hear voices, find a hiding place and their exist is something out of Laurel and Hardy movie with Sal disappearing down the steps and poor Michael getting stuck dealing with the big brute that attacks him. Even more wild is Sal’s justification for the heist, his anger with the two people in the condo, how dare they be there and not coming out empty handed. Leaving somehow with a laptop computer as their score, they hi tail it to their nearest Pawn Shop to strike a deal with Stella the owner. Michael and Sal are junkies and get strung out after going back home using some of the money they got for the laptop and sharing their stash with their friends. But, there is much more as the two seem to justify their actions write or wrong and cannot understand why anyone would want to work for a living when they can just rob, steal and take whatever they want. Their primary hangout a bar called Spoonful as they catch up with Sal’s cousin Dante, his girlfriend Lila, Sherry and many more colorful characters who enjoy drinking, using drugs and partying. But, when Dante did not know was the Lila and Michael had something going on too. Then there was Nikki, who came into the party late. Lila was talented artist and Sherry Sal’s girlfriend. Fights break out, friendships tested, more justification for doing the wrong thing and Michael and the rest have no idea just how low down they are headed. So, when Michael takes a watch left to him by his father worth ten thousand dollars why pawns it and takes a loan? What will he do with the insurance money left to him? Comparing the smell of the drugs to money is a really sad comparison as they feel this is the way they can make their mark in the world. It is as if reality does not hold for them and the only way to deal with life is to find another place for them almost in another dimension. Heroin, Lila and Michael seem to be a new threesome if you can call it that. Then they get arrested spend the night in jail and hopefully a harsh or rude awakening will occur but there is so much more that remains to be seen because sometimes lessons seem to be learned but are not.

Added to the mix is the fact that when spending time with his mom on the Fourth of July he and his friends decided to upset the host by smoking. When asked nicely not to he ranted, raved and left. The reaction definitely immature and the attitude the same as he and his friends seem to be living in a world of tunnel vision where they do not see past what they think they want and what they think is right. The message here is not a very good one for teens or young adults to follow and hopefully a lesson will be learned before all is said and done. Then Michael decides to listen to someone and falls prey to inside trading and what happens next should not surprise anyone. Not listening to reason he gives financial planner money loses it all and finds out he was sited by the SEC. This stock scam was going to take him down, as all the money he received from his father would be gone. Would this teach him a lesson? The answer to get stoned, see Lila’s show and get stoned even more. His reaction was realistic as he confronts Paul the man who invested his money and claims he has no idea what happened and then goes straight for as the author states in the vernacular the Blow. Sad that these men have to live their lives escaping reality thinking that the only way to exist is on drugs. Then the death of a friend brings things into light but will that change things for Michael and Dante?

Continuing to rob people and ATM’S and not learning anything when a friend overdoses but is luckier than most. Kenny the supplier keeps it coming and Sal and Michael keep going the same way and never seem to change. An ending quite explosive and tragic that you will have to decide for yourself as innocent people die at the hand of those who find “Scoring” more valuable than working to score their own money. A robbery gone badly and the end result you will have to learn for yourself as lives are lost and one young man has to decide whether it was worth it or not and where life will take him next. Michael Lira cannot seem to find his place in the world without the aide of something to make him escape it. Alienating himself from his family and justifying his actions with one word, which I won’t include in this review but most kids say for lack of anything else to express their feelings. Sal, Michael, Lila, Dante, Kenny and so many others lost in a world filled with drugs, alcohol and taking not the easy way out the only way they know out in this book that will make you think a out life in a different way. Everyone got rich but Michael lost it all. A bloodbath at the end that just might bring him back to reality but will it? Read Spoonful and then read the last page and you decide where life will take Michael. Colorful characters who live their lives on the edge, graphically depicted scenes and friends that defend, honor and almost obey each other in a special oath or creed that they seem have to have taken and created for themselves.

Fran Lewis: reviewer

[Chuck Barksdale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nobody ever says, “When I grow up, I want to be a junkie.” Then again, nobody ever says, “When I grow up, I want to be an accounting clerk, or an insurance adjuster, or some middle manager with a potbelly and a bad case of acid reflux.” It just happens.


Spoonful opens with the above sentences and the first sentence is quoted on the cover of the book. No doubt a good quotation and one that accurately represents the life of the main character Michael Lira. Chris Mendius, in his first book, does make you care for and want to read about Michael in this first-person account as he struggles to have a life in the late 1990s with his friends Sal and Dante, who also are trying to deal with drug and alcohol addictions.

Michael and Sal live together in an apartment in Chicago but only work occasionally. Michael makes some money doing minor repairs in the apartment building they live in while Sal works infrequently driving a taxi. The small amount they make in those jobs is not enough so they often need to supplement their meager jobs with minor burglaries to get items they can pawn for extra money to satisfy their heroin addiction.

Early on, Michael and Sal decide that their life needs to improve so they force themselves over a couple of difficult days to end their addiction to heroin. Of course, that doesn’t stop them from continuing with less addictive marijuana and cocaine. Nonetheless, Michael’s life does improve especially as he is able to make a fair amount of money selling drugs to some local college kids and a few others including his former sleazy stock-broker brother-in-law Paul. Michael’s saves some money that he eventually gives to Paul as an investment.

Sal’s cousin Dante is also a good friend of Michael’s but he’s not as much into drugs as he is into alcohol. Dante’s girlfriend Lila is a stripper who is also an artist. She’s also secretly Michael’s lover as well. Lila is also drawn to drugs and finally gets Michael to give him heroin to help her be a better painter. Lila does get some good sales from her paintings that allow her to stop stripping and can only hope the success leads her off the drugs, although the addiction is strong.

Paul’s investments do very well for Michael which leads Michael to consider buying a house that he could use his home repair skills to fix up. Unfortunately, Paul’s methods to make money are questionable and he gets caught and he loses all of his and Michael’s money. This leads to a difficult decision for Michael as he must decide if this loss will make him return to heroin or be strong and avoid that temptation.

I’ve never taken any type of drug (including marijuana, really) and don’t know the Chicago area, but Chris Mendius (who apparently did take drugs in Chicago) certainly does an excellent job in allowing the reader to understand the attraction, addiction and dangers facing people who take drugs. Some people would definitely not want to read this book as the story is not an easy one to read. These people are sick and this realistic story does not provide much to feel good about, especially when the most likeable characters in the book are some of the drug dealers. Nonetheless, if you can get past that and want to read a well written book with flawed realistic characters, than you should definitely read this book.

Chris Mendius contacted me after seeing some of my reviews at Mostlyficiton.com and asked if I was interested in reading and reviewing this book. I was surprised but had reviewed some first-time and self-published authors and the story seemed similar to some of the darker books I sometimes read, so I agreed to read the book. Obviously, I think the book was well written and recommend it for anyone that prefers dark books with well developed characters. In early October, 2012, I attended a panel at Bouchercon 2012 in Cleveland that featured agents and what they are looking for in books and authors. Certainly Spoonful seems to be a book that many of them would want; I would certainly recommend it to them.

[William Dickerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The characters in Chris Mendius’s novel, “Spoonful,” are expertly drawn: they are three-dimensional flesh-and-blood portraits of people. That is what is so special about this novel, its humanization of the story’s central players, which, admittedly, is a feat that’s not normally highlighted. This seems a prerequisite to any bound book containing words, but it is unique when the characters are people that society often shuns: heroin addicts.

Mendius walks a tightrope between romanticizing his characters (and their drug use) and indicting them (and their drug use). It is easy to do either, but he skillfully does neither. He never once judges his characters, which is tastefully ironic given that these “types” of characters are exactly the types of people so often judged, and consequently demonized, by society at large. Michael, Sal, Lila and Dante, the book’s fascinating main characters, are as detailed as the book’s peripheral characters, like Teresa the den mother of a drug-dealing family in the hood, Stella the crusty pawnshop owner and Kenny the resident crack-head. These are real people. Again, it is very easy to veer down a side road of stereotypes, but Mendius keeps his hands firmly on the wheel. His characters are almost too real; at times you feel like these folks could be your neighbors (who knows, maybe they are?). For instance, Theresa’s son, Mookie, an aspiring high school football star, does his homework amidst the drug deals and loitering junkies (some of those junkies being extended family members).

The story takes place in Chicago in the 90’s – a time period I am wholly familiar with – and it captures that Generation-X feeling of apathy and directionless future with pinpoint accuracy. The book’s style is gritty realism. And I like that, I like that a lot. That doesn’t mean it is without humor or a sense of whimsy. On the contrary, it is very funny and loose. The drug use is also handled with class – some reviews have described the novel’s depiction of drug use as graphic, but I felt the opposite. It is described just enough, but not overly so. The drug use fades into the background as the characters – their personalities, their pathos, their behavior and interactions with other characters – take precedent. The addiction is quite simply part of the characters’ lives. It is that matter-of-fact, and I find Mendius’s handling of that part of their lives refreshing.

"Spoonful" succeeds as a novel. The story is unpredictable – it keeps you glued to the pages – but the outcome is also inevitable, and that’s extremely human. While you may or may not be a drug addict, or have dealt with addiction in the past, I believe that anyone can be the character Michael Lira. That’s how it feels: Mendius puts the reader right into his shoes and it’s the real deal.

[Susie · Rating 4 out of 5]

We reviewed this book discussion-style at our blog, InsatiableBooksluts.com. I gave the book 4/5 stars; Rob, my co-blogger, gave it 5/5. Here's an excerpt of our discussion:

"Rob: I liked the book quite a lot. It read more like a screenplay with all the dialogue.
Rob: reminded me of that film Gridlock’d.
Susie: I liked the writing a lot.
Rob: I liked his writing too. The book copy I had had one too many typos/mistakes; I hope the newer copies were combed over more carefully. Other than that, I felt his writing was clean and straightforward, and he drew characters very well, etched them in your mind so they stayed with you after.
Susie: The book itself I felt might have been a tad long. I noticed around 37% (reading on my Kindle) that the story seemed like it should have been waaaaaay further than 37%. But that’s one of the pitfalls of reading digitally.. you don’t get to feel the heft of the book before you pick it up. I just remember I felt like the action warranted the book being further along by that point.
Rob: I read it so fast I didn’t notice.

Susie: I did love the characters.
Rob: I loved the characters, too. I even loved the minor characters, with their cozy connection. The only two I could have done without were Dante and Shane. Dante was like a version of John Bonham … loud, obnoxious and always falling over his feet.
Susie: Dante grated on my nerves, but …. I didn’t mind him being IN the book. Every group like that needs a Dante.
Rob: True… the aggressive drunk to balance out the more affable junkies.
Susie: I also didn’t like Shane, but it was an extension of my being annoyed at Lila. Lila irked me.
Rob: Yeah? me too. She was always so damned defensive. You had to walk on eggshells with her. And Shane was a smug little snot.
[Ed: Now we enter into the true mark of a mutually-enjoyed book: we start gossiping about the characters like they're real people.]
Susie: I didn’t like Lila because she was so self-centered and playing everybody. She had Dante and Michael wrapped around her finger (or as much as someone like Dante could be wrapped around anybody’s finger); they would jump when she said “jump.” Then she brings Shane into the mix, just, you know, because she felt like it.
Rob: Yeah, then she gets all bent out of shape about [redacted] and gives Michael the [redacted] bullshit… please.
Susie: I wasn’t wild about the very end. :x
Rob: It’s hard to know where the hell [redacted] will end up…dead? or with [redacted]? neither seems good…
Susie: I hope he DOESN’T end up with [redacted]. Bitch."

See the rest of the discussion here.

[Gary Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the colorful cover to the brief epilogue mixing hope and despair in equal parts, I liked everything about Spoonful. Vivid characters? Check. Vivid verbs and active voice? Check. Tense, compelling situations? Check. Showing you things you haven’t seen before? Check. Believable? Check. Humor? Check. Pathos? Check. Tragedy? Check. Peppered with tons of movie and pop-culture references? Check. At one point, Sal refers to his friends as “droogies.” Clockwork Orange. Loved that! Colorful, textured, rich narrative? Check.

Hard to believe a narrative about junkies could be rich and colorful, but Chris has pulled it off.

To help me prove my point, I’m opening the book at random — ah, page 140. What’s there? Michael ending his workday in the plumbing section of Home Depot:

As I punched out, my boss, a pasty corporate drone named Scott, pulled me aside.
“You are aware of our installation services,” he said or asked, He had a funny way of talking where you never knew which.
“Yeah,” I said, once again recalling my fine training.
“Okay,” he said. “I’m just trying to make sure. Because, as you should know, there is no independent solicitation of business allowed here in the store or anywhere on the premises.”
I cursed that fucking bigmouth Hector as I felt a surge of anger and humiliation. Getting shot down in flames by a girl for being a working stiff with an apron and a name tag was bad enough. Getting reprimanded for it by this little pissant was the last straw.
“Fuck you, Scott,” I said.
“Pardon me?” he asked, his face flushed.
“You heard me, motherfucker.” I balled up my apron and tossed it on the floor in front of him.

Any page you open this book to will have a gem like that. Though this one is really a minor incident compared to the main action of the book, it is still such good writing, packed as it is with emotion, observation, and energy. The book is jammed full of such powerful prose.

Overall: Spoonful is a walk along the edge of the abyss, with a pro escort who knows just how and what to show you. Funny thing when I looked into those depths — for a second, I thought I saw myself.

[Laura Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally reviewed at the US Review of Books: http://www.theusreview.com/reviews/Sp...

"Before you know it, the birds are chirping and the garbage trucks are rolling. You're out hundreds of dollars and for what?"

Taking to heart the old bit about how no one ever wants to grow up and do drugs, this tale of Chicagoland vice brings an interesting twist to the classic junkie trope. Michael Lira does drugs out of boredom and dissatisfaction with the American dream, and sees nothing wrong with making money off his habit as well. Not your typical dealer, Michael comes from a good home in the suburbs, which gives him plenty of guilt at family functions. Surrounded by similarly disaffected pals like his best friend Sal and stripper girlfriend Lila, why shouldn't the good times roll on forever? But even as Michael begins to consider a respectable future and take steps to do the right thing with his dirty dollars, the life he is planning suddenly implodes. Both money and the smack disappear overnight, leaving Michael and his friends desperate. Jail, rehab or death seem to be the only options, with side orders of crime, dope sickness, and visits to the ER adding to the misery. Though the book's climax and cliffhanger ending leave readers wanting more, they also provide a fitting end for a book about the uncertainties of scoring. Will Michael leave his old life behind, or will he die in the gutters like just another junkie? The patterns of the lifestyle and all the behaviors that go with it aren't easy to shake, and just another spoonful is always on the horizon. This is a wild ride from a reformed addict.

RECOMMENDED

[Mish · Rating 2 out of 5]

The best thing I can say about this novel is that it isn't the worst book I've ever read (I would have given it 2 1/2 stars but there wasn't an option). It's somewhat engaging, contains some colourful and ironic prose, and the characters are reasonably well drawn. But when I'm reading, the last thing I want to get distracted by is poor grammar and typos. From the outset, it's clear that this is a self-published work: typos of this magnitude (extra words, missing words, words around the wrong way; missing quotation marks, full stops instead of commas, commas instead of full stops) would never get past an editor. Further to this, the author seems to have an aversion to the word 'of' (as in, 'He grabbed himself two glasses beer'). Another distraction is the dialogue-heavy prose, which makes it read more like a script than a novel. This, too, wouldn't be so much of a problem if the author had taken the time to find verbs other than 'said'. The book is replete with sloppy, unsophisticated prose that, had it been tightened, would have saved the author a good whack of pages. Finally, while the characters evoke a degree of sympathy, the narrative basically draws the reader into a highly detailed account of a very short period, and then stops abruptly without resolution. This likely results from the author's intention to create a degree of 'mystery' around the characters, but all it did for this reader was cause her to wonder, 'Why bother?'

[Naomi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read my full review @ http://bit.ly/Yay0ue

My opinion: I could never quite warm up to this novel. Although the writing in the book was wonderful, I just really didn't enjoy the storyline nor ANY of the characters. Although, the storyline was pretty dark, I did enjoy the dark, sarcastic humor that went along with Michael's world. I do have to admit that as a former addictions counselor, Mendius NAILED the scene. So, it is a relatively realistic read as to the "culture".

I think another issue that I had with this book is that the addictions world seems to be the "in topic" this year. I have read/reviewed roughly a dozen novels which surrounds this gritty world in this year alone. It is just my feeling that he didn't quite separate it from the multitudes of other books written on the same topic.

If you are offended by gratuitous language, sexual scenes or drug use, Spoonful IS NOT for you. As the culture itself, the book is laden with all 3 things.


Source: Publisher for Review

[Georgiann Hennelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Lira lived in Chicago,s Wicker Park neighborhood in the late nineties.He saw everyone else getting ahead in life except him and his friends a bunch of artists,junkies and has been's. Between his trysts with Lila a painter/stripper and slamming dope. Micheal has what he needs but its not enough. So when he meets two frat boys from Northwestern who are looking to score he see's his chance and decides to take it. With the help of his partner in crime Sal Micheal pulls together a bundle of money. After a shady broker gives him the hard sell. He puts it all in the stock market, everyone else is getting rich why can't he. One hot tip leads to another till it all erupts in a bloody confrontation that will change his life for good.

[Jason Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book by Mendius showcases a hard look at the inside of a drug addict's life and the ups and downs that can come with addictions. Good read that could one day be easily turned into a movie or short filmwork. Tough at first with the saturation of differnet characters that are introduced in different scenes or scenarios at the beginning, but Mendius slowly makes them all come together, from the bookies to the addicts and the middle men everywhere.
With this being his first published novel, I am curious if he will keep to the same genre with the same amount of in depth scenes he created for spoonful.

[A.J. Knauss · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this on a recent military training exercise and I was almost late to a meeting it was so hard to put down. He makes the subculture very real and the relationships believable. When the frayed safety net starts to really give way, you can see that things may not end well. But there are enough plot turns to keep going. And the author got me to care about some arguably unlikeable people. Great book. Not a read for the faint of heart. Hope he writes more. I am going to try to get through the rest of Kirkus' best of 2012 indie books!

[Underground Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Laden with sex, drugs and violence, Spoonful is a look into the life of a heroin addict. The main character, Michael, is a low-life with potential, and I started the book with high hopes for redemption. While Chris Mendius' writing did not captivate me, the dialogue was real and the scenes were almost too believable. At times funny and most of the time shocking, each chapter ended with a cliffhanger that goaded me to keep reading.

Read the rest of this review at Underground Book Reviews dot com.