A Piece of Cake: A Memoir

I know some people say the author is not honest and made up much of this story. I don't know and I don't care. It's a great story and very engaging, hard to put the down book. It's funny and raw and just a great read. And for all I know it's completely true. I'm not here to pass judgement on the author, just the book and the book is great. If you have never thought about people living in inner city poverty or growing up in the foster care system, it's a real eye opener. Even if all the things didn't happen to the author herself, they regularly happen to some kids and it's something we all should be more aware of. This book should be read in high school classes, as well as adults. It will give the kids an enjoyable, but real story that helps them better understand our society. It's also inspiring about how anyone can turn their life around, but it isn't easy and it takes help and we need more compassion for people who suffer from racism and poverty.

Amazing book! Good group read to have follow up questions and thoughts!

This book is a great read for anyone who likes memoirs. This book is as good as it gets. Cupcake's struggles through her life will make anyone feel for her. She has a way of telling her stories that just completely draws you in. As soon as I received the book, I picked it up to read a chapter and could NOT put it down! I read the whole thing straight. I put the book down for a moment to take my dog outside and my sister picked it up in that brief time period. When I returned to resume my reading, my sister was already on the fifth chapter and did NOT want to put it down either. She let me continue ONLY on the condition that as soon as I am done that I let her finish. Well, that was easy! I had it for her the next day :) Cupcake is an inspiration and her story makes you feel like if the fact that if she has overcome the obstacles that she had been challenged with, anyone can! The best part is that now she is an prominent lawyer as well as a motivational speaker. You can't get a better deal in my mind. A spell-binding memoir read that you can not stop reading that ends up with such a feel good ending that most tales like this cease to have. I think the title is very clever as well. Anyway, as you can tell I can not say enough good things about this book. After reading it, I wished I had bought it right when it came out when she was on tour for her book signing because she is someone that you makes you wish you had the chance to meet and just talk to even if only for a brief moment! 5 stars!

We read "A Piece of Cake" as the book for African American month. The memoir's of Cupcake Brown was shocking, heartbreaking, maddening, spiritual, and finally, uplifting! We as a book club (We Be Book'n Book Club) gave this writing a 4 1/2 to the author, Cupcake Brown. It is a novel that started with Cupcake as an 11 year old. She was the one who found her mother dead, and how I think it changed her life completely. From there the book takes you into how the court systems gave her to her biological father whom she did not even know (thinking that her step-father was her real father). It was her birth father who sent her to a foster home to split the money with the foster parent. This is where she suffered the abuse, along with many other foster children living in the house and her brother, whom she never really got along with. It tells of how she ran away numerous times to find a better life and fell into the life of drugs and prostitution at an early age of 11. Cupcake traveled up and down the California coast hitch hiking, drinking, and prostituting, until she came to live with a great-aunt and her cousins, which were in a gang. She learned and loved being in a gang was safe, because of the love and protection she received from them. Cupcake became emancipated and was able to get the money that her birth father and foster parent were getting. This allowed her to get her own place, and of course there were stipulations, which she used to her advantage. All this, while she was using various of the most addictive drugs, (the hardest drugs you can think of) drinking, and prostituting, slanging drugs, and stealing, so she could support her growing habbits. It takes you into detailed accounts of how she had fallen to rock bottom before she could come to grips with how her life was going to end. Only by the grace of God, and people that loved her unconditionally, was she able to pull herself up, and go into a 12 step program. This would lead to her becoming sober, going to school, and becoming the person she is today! A must read, but be forwarned that at times you might want to throw the book down, and other times you might cry, and say how could this happen to one person, but all in all, it is a book that you will not want to stop reading 'til you come to the end of Cupcake's story. Claudia from We Be Book'n Book Club

I am not even sure what compelled me to purchase this book (months ago) except that I like biographies, especially ones that are meant to inspire, but upon having an extraordinarily realistic dream a couple of weeks ago about Cupcake Brown being the keynote speaker for the Gordon Parks Celebration (we live in his town of birth and my husband telling me Cup was not involved in this, much to my disappointment), I figured God was telling me it was time to read this book. I really do not have adequate words for this book. It truly was so much more than what I was expecting. I have struggled lately with varying aspects of my life and my relationship with God, and I think this book has helped me put a lot of things in perspective and seek God as I once did. While Cup and I do not appear to have very much in common (I'm currently a middle-aged stay-at-home white mom of three children), I can completely relate to a lot of things she experienced as a child that lead her down a wild path in order to numb the pain, having endured several things most people cannot fathom in their day-to-day life. In addition to the abuse suffered, so much of Cup's book resonated with me, like: learning as an adult what my childhood dreams were and that it is never too late to achieve them, learning to love and forgive myself and those who have hurt me, working through anger issues, learning to trust God and not be ashamed of my past. Cupcake is truly proof that God means it for good. I am grateful Cupcake shared her real story; it's inspiring and reaching people years after it has been told. If you are someone who is struggling in life, a wounded soul, or just looking for something inspiring to read, I would definitely recommend this book. You will not be let down!

I applaud the author and her account of her life. She came from a very hard background but gradually made it out of sexual abuse, the foster-care system, living on the streets, and drug abuse. This book was written a number of years ago; I hope the author continues to do well today.

It’s rare that I give any book a 5 star review. But, this is an exceptional case! It’s an exceptional book!!! How could I not?!!! This is the story of a true hero that overcame nearly impossible odds to find meaning in value in her life. Understanding addiction isn’t for everyone. However, the author provides a very real and brutally honest account of the tragic circumstances that led to the path she chose. This novel is EXTREMELY relatable. It is an honest look not only into how government systems designed to protect us can fail us but what mechanisms we must resort to in order to cope when at our lowest. Props to Cupcake and her heroism and humility in sharing her struggles. I highly recommend this novel to everyone. No matter what your background or personal struggles are, you’re sure to gain something inspirational from this read. ❤️

I cant believe someone endured so much pain and came out on top!!! You go Cupcake! You deserve it! Thank you for sharing your story.

Es un libro que te deja cicatriz. Totalmente conmovedor y motivador, enseña que frente a cualquier adversidad hay una solucion

Me llego un día antes de lo esperado. Muy buen libro de la vida real.

Excellent book for growth. It was hard to read at times because of her black trauma. I had to finished to find out what happen in the end. It was worthwhile brilliant

Great insight on what some people has to grow through, eye opening story to grow empathy and understanding. No regrets on reading that book

Great book