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Nov 07, 2011

Stephanie rated it:

A Piece of Cake is one of those books that won't fade into the background long after it's been shelved for me. The story is so incredible, at times I felt like I was reading another Frey memoir that was somewhat embellished. Cupcake Brown is thrown into the foster care system at 11 and survives abuse, the streets, gangs, and drugs/alchohol to a point that puts her behind a dumster for several days at one point. If you don't like rough language- this one will be tough. However, I think it's so im More...

0 comments like (8 people liked it)

Aug 27, 2007

Demetria rated it:

A Piece of Cake is a prime example of a story that is much better than the writing. This memoir is the life story of Cupcake Brown, a woman who has overcome abuse, drug and alcohol addiction, prostitution, domestic violence and gang life to become a successful attorney and thanks to this book, a best-selling author. Brown's journey is nothing short of amazing. In fact, some have questioned the validity of her claims (in light of James Frey and others) because of the extreme situations detailed i More...

3 comments like (17 people liked it)

Nov 16, 2007

Danica rated it:

This is a great story, but even that can not make up for the horrible writing techniques. The author has had an amazing life and her story is truly amazing and leaves a feeling of hope for those who have friends or family involved in addiction. However, she tends to ramble and repeat her situations to the point that the story becomes boring and redundant. Also, you can tell she is attempting to write in the way that someone in that situation would actually speak, but at the same time, she never More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Sep 16, 2007

Adriane rated it:

This is a raw account of Cupcake Brown and her real life of drugs, sex and redemption and how yuou can turn it all around if you just believe in yourself. Not for the faint of heart or those who believe that life is all cupcakes and puppy dogs. I love the way she uncovered the raw truth of how the world, foster system and sometimes even your own flesh and blood can be real ugly. A definite favorite. Visit her website for more info, just Google her name.

4 comments like (7 people liked it)

Dec 17, 2009

Melissa rated it:

This book started out as a great read. I loved her stories of life in foster care and on the street. About halfway through the book it became redundant. Towards the end it picks up again and became more interesting. Part of the problem is her grammar. She tries to use street talk and then transform into more educated prose, but she doesn't do a very good job. The story of her amazing life is hidden behind poor writing.

1 comment like (8 people liked it)

Mar 17, 2009

Jenn rated it:

Before I started reading this book, I read several reviews of it. They varied--either people really like it or they didn't. I really liked it.

Of those who didn't they complained generally about one of two (or both) things:
1) The story was too unbelievable; therefore, it must be exaggerated or falsified in some way; and
2) The book is poorly written--has bad grammar and obvious transitions, for example--and probably should have been written by a ghost-writer.

I More...

7 comments like (17 people liked it)

Aug 03, 2008

Eva rated it:

This is one of the best books I've ever picked up. I don't think I've ever read a better book on the subject of drug and alcohol addiction and recovery. I knew there was a reason why I got this book without knowing much about it. Knowing enough about addiction and recovery to know that this is an honest account only made it that much better for me. After reading A Million Little Pieces and knowing it was a load of crap before the "truth" came out- reading a HONEST recollection of someo More...

9 comments like (7 people liked it)

Feb 16, 2009

Izetta Autumn rated it:

At a certain point in this memoir, I just had to question the unbelieveable events of Cupcake Brown's life. How could all of this happen? How could a person survive? It can't possible be true, can it?
But for Cupcake Brown, she's lived every moment of it.

There are two things that I truly appreciate about this memoir: it gives a very detailed view of addiction, particularly to crack cocaine and addiction generally, and it makes it clear that care and protection of children is a p More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

May 04, 2008

Anne rated it:

This is a memoir written by a woman practicing law at a big firm in San Francisco. But, before she broke into the corporate world, she had to overcome a horrible childhood. Her mother died when she was 11 and in an unbelievable example of how screwed up our child welfare system is, she ends up in a foster home. With a physically abusive foster mother only interested in checks from the government, Brown is then raped by the foster mother's nephew. Brown runs away repeatedly, turning tricks for mo More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Apr 17, 2008

Renee rated it:

Cupcake Brown (that's her real name) was 11 in 1976 when her mother died. Custody of Brown and her brother was given to a stranger—their birth father—who only wanted their social security checks. He then left them with an abusive foster mother who encouraged her nephew to rape Brown repeatedly. Brown got better and better at running away. A prostitute taught her to drink, smoke marijuana and charge for sex. Her next foster father traded her LSD and cocaine for oral sex. Eventually she went to li More...

2 comments like (3 people liked it)

Jan 09, 2008

Yvonne rated it:

The book spent to much time taking me through every bad experience in her life. I did not go through every drug/alcohol enduced binge. The book is 465pgs. And 365 of those she is high. Half way thorugh I just wanted her to hit rock bottom, wake up in a gutter somewhere then get it together. It kind of reminds me about "A Million Little Peices" After a while I just wanted it to end. The good news is that she does check her self in and goes to school to practice law. Yeah!!!!!!! Because More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Feb 18, 2008

Veronica rated it:

This book is good but very hard to read! It's about Cupcake Brown's life after she was thrown into the foster care system back when there was zero regard for the best interest regarding placements. Man, she has gone through so much shit and I'm only about a fourth through the book. I cannot read this book at night in bed because I was having dreams about it. When I met with my teenage client the other day, I was thinking about Cupcake's experiences. Nonetheless, it is super good to read fo More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Jan 28, 2008

Khelani rated it:

I rated this book a 1 star because at the time I was very upset that a woman named cupcake brown who smoked crack and did ampehetamines on her lunch break had mulitple jobs as a legal secretary. At the time, I was looking for a similar job, I had just completed my 2nd yr in law school and I couldn't even get a call back. It was disallusioning to say the least. I was appalled at the wonton abandon with which this woman (a barred attorney) spoke. I also didn't believe half of the stories, star More...

2 comments like (2 people liked it)

Aug 09, 2011

Chayla rated it:

I was hesitant to read this book in the beginning. I knew that once I started, I was in for a journey with the author. I am so glad that I read this book, simply amazing. There was a few times, I put the book down, thinking that I could not go on the journey with the author anymore. In particular, her description of things that "Pete" did to her, the abuse by Diane, the feelings of despair, etc. If you are in a stage in your life and you feel like you can't go on anymore, I would More...

0 comments like

Jul 10, 2011

Kiarra rated it:

Although the writting technique is terrible the story of this womans life captivated me. I don't want to spoil the story for anyone so I will say as little as possible. Cupcake Brown memior is a horrible life story that may seem "far-fetched" to those who wish to close their minds from the reality of the world, she does not hold back on details and makes the book hard to put down. Although there was light at the end of the tunnel, with Cupcake surviving her childhood and young adult ye More...

0 comments like

Jun 22, 2011

Vivian rated it:

This is a memoir about a girl who has been through everything and then some. After surviving abuse, drugs, gangs, prostitution, and other stuff, Cupcake goes on to talk about overcoming it all to become a successful lawyer.

The beginning is the toughest to read, because Cupcake talks about her childhood, including being thrown into a broken foster care system, and suffering physical, sexual, and mental abuse. I think the most messed up part is she had loving family who wanted to t More...

0 comments like

Apr 03, 2010

Rebecca rated it:

'A Piece of Cake' was extremely detailed, it was at times heart-wrenching, and many times, turned my stomach. I feel that Cupcake Brown really did suffer an extreme amount, came through an extreme amount, and accomplished amazing feats to get where she is today (you'll have to read the book to find out exactly where that is). Reading it, however, I didn't feel like it was very... realistic, even though it seemed to be an accurate portrayal of her life. It could just be her amazing ability to shr More...

1 comment like

Mar 11, 2010

Benny rated it:

The story of Cupcake Brown is a true story that’s emotionally uplifting and inspiring, which motivates the reader to reflect on their own lives. I remember that when I was reading this book for the first time, I was absolutely blown away by the honesty that Cupcake was writing with. When she said “This [prostitution:] ain’t so bad,” she wasn’t afraid of the world knowing about her past, and I felt very emotional because she was only nine and was so innocent and pure.
I lear More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 25, 2010

Tyinnia rated it:

Tyinnia Jenkins
January 25, 2010
Book Review
“A piece of cake”

The book “A piece of cake” is a interesting and also a harrowing and inspiring true story because it’s an autobiography that tells the story of an African American .It tells a story of how a young child over comes “the death of a parent, childhood abuse , rape , Drug addiction, miscarriage, alcoholism, hustling, gangbanging ,near-death injuries, prostitution, and homelessness.”
The family in addition More...

1 comment like

Nov 29, 2009

Savi rated it:

Most people will come across reviews of this memoir and immediately think, "This is about a junkie? I'm not one, I can't relate...". STOP. Buy this book! This is the story of Cupcake Brown and her struggle with addiction and most of all how she overcame it and reached her dream of becoming a lawyer. It's easy to think that a story of addiction may not pertain to you, especially if you never experienced drug addiction or alcoholism. I plead you to give it a chance because in this memoir More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 23, 2008

MC added it

When Cupcake Brown was born, her mother put the name Cupcake Brown on her birth certificate because she was so out of it she couldn't think of anything else to name her. And for the first 11 years of Cupcake Brown's life that was an endearing story the family told to tease her mother. When her mother dies and Cupcake finds out that her father is not biological, and that her biological father has custody, her life falls apart. You know how our lives fall apart sometimes and we talk about how m More...

0 comments like

Dec 17, 2009

Lauren rated it:

Very interesting memoir about a woman named Cupcake Brown. At a young age she was put into foster care and removed from the only family she knew. Her life was very troubled - drugs, alcohol, prostitution, abuse, gangs, and addiction. She does find redemption.

I found this book hard to read in parts but overall a very moving story of triumph. I finished this book overwhelmed by the quiet strength of others and the belief that you can do almost anything if you have the sense to ask for

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

May 23, 2011

Julia rated it:

First, I think this was a great story that needed to be told, but the way it was told made reading the book a frustrating experience rather than inspiring. After about the first 350 pages, I began to enjoy the book more, but since the book is just under 500 pages, I spent the majority of the book just wanting to get to the end to get to the recovery. I'm glad I read it all the way through and it does seem like a book with overall good reviews (It is a New York Times Bestseller), but I did have More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 23, 2010

Nora rated it:

“A Piece of Cake” by Cupcake Brown tells the true life story of Cupcake Brown. At the age of 11 Brown was left motherless and placed into the careless Foster care system by a remorseless father. As an escape from the abuse Cupcake turned to running away as the solution, but she would soon discover that living on your own was not as simple as it seemed. Running away introduced Brown to a lifetime of Alcohol, Drugs, prostitution and gangbanging, which almost cost her life. I assume the book is n More...

4 comments like

Mar 07, 2009

Kerri rated it:

One of the books chosen for The Reader's Den. I think its typical for this genre of memoir. Cupcake Brown obviously went through a lot in her life, but it just seemed repetitive and her voice was almost praising what her lifestyle was like.

5 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jul 18, 2010

Nardsbaby rated it:

HELP!

‘A Piece of Cake’ by Cupcake Brown tells the heartbreaking tale of 11-year-old La’Vette, whose life is instantly turned upside down after discovering her mother’s lifeless body. Unknowingly, La ‘Vette, whose birth name is Cupcake, and her older brother, Larry, aren’t their daddy's biological children, which leaves them in the custody of Mr. Burns, a man they’d never met. While not having to deal with Mr. Burns long, La’ Vette and Larry are forced into the foster care system.
More...

4 comments like

Mar 16, 2011

Redfox5 rated it:

Looking at the picture of Cupcake on the inside back cover does not give you any indication that this is a woman who's been to hell and back. Her story is one of the most shocking I've ever read. I just can't get my head around those things happening. She was a child who was failed by the people who were supposed to protect her. Soical services, the police and even her real father. She was used and abused. Drink and drugs made her feel better. Turning tricks helped her get the money she needed. More...

0 comments like

Apr 30, 2009

jamie rated it:

The most inspiring biography I've ever encountered. I cried, laughed, and felt the painful moments of her life as she struggled with drug/alcohol addiction and was often homeless because she ran away from her abusive foster family. There were many times when I felt so angry at the corruption of the foster care system and how often she was not believed when she showed her back welts from multiple whippings and yet she was still placed in the same abusive foster home time after time.

W More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Aug 11, 2011

Anya rated it:

So i borrowed this book from my friend. At first i did not pick it up right away. I was finishing up a few other books that i had wanted to reread so i read them, but finally after months, i remembered that i had this book waiting for me and i started it. once i did i could not put this book down. The way Cupcake describes everything makes you cringe. Now in the middle of the book, it does get kind of repetitive so i had to push myself to keep reading it even though i did not want too. After get More...

0 comments like

Jan 28, 2012

Erica rated it:

Amazing read.

Brown’s book is a voyage. I haven’t encountered this much madness since Sista Souljah’s “Coldest Winter Ever.” I’ve even ditched my car for an entire week, so I can use the hour train ride to read. It’s that serious. Every chapter will have you yearning to know how she combats her next issue.

Cupcake, or La’Vette (her alter ego), greets tribulations galore after the untimely death of her birth mother. Along the way she tries to poison a sadistic foster mothe More...

1 comment like