As someone who has volunteered at a couple different residential recovery houses, I was captivated by this memoir about addiction and healing. Mama Love had me at the opening sentence: “Reading was my first addiction.” (No one asks her the second addiction … that’s the one that got her in jail.)

Ms. Love lost everything and her love of language and words helped her live.

Engaging, plot twisty, gritty, great.

4 stars