"English As A Second Language"

Megan Crane was in the right frame of mind when she wrote this book. It was hilarious!

Alex Brennan was a character I was able to relate to. Bright but not wise, she was a clueless college grad who didn't know what to do with her English degree other than push papers at a lawfirm. On a dare set by her ex-boyfriend, she found herself getting her Masters in Fairfax Court, England where she befriends Toby, Cristina and Jason who eventually become the people she'd depend upon as the year progresses on.

Although the story felt like 'Reality Bites' (excessive smoking and drinking), there was a sense of belonging a reader can pick up once you've met the characters. Alex, in herself, is trippy. She is unaware of her propensity to ward off people in her life; which was bitterly pointed out to her after a confrontation with fellow American, Suzanne, and a talk with her dad.

There were a lot of snippets that I nodded an "amen" to her own brash outlook in life and the moments of friendship she weaved with her international set of friends. I know that I felt a longing to just call my friends around the world just to tell them I love them.

Take it for what it's worth: a chick lit. There's a ton of foul ups (and not hijinx, thank god!) and teeth gnashing moments reminiscent of college days, deadlines and club outings. There's nothing profound about it except for the little bits of insight one gains after constant failure or acceptance of failure to get closure.

If at any point in your life, you've woken up in a clutch situation of not knowing what you want, where you're headed or if you would ever belong, read this book.

I know it made me giggle a lot since I, in more ways than one, was once Brennan.