Review: The List by Karin Tanabe

The List by Karin Tanabe 

Publisher: Washington Square Press 

Pages: 384 

Format: eARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon  

Goodreads:  Meet Adrienne Brown, a twenty-eight-year-old Wellesley College grad who recently left her glamorous job at Town & Country for a spot at theCapitolist. Known simply as the List to Beltway insiders, it’s the only media outlet in D.C. that’s actually on the rise. Taking the job means accepting a painful pay cut, giving up perks like free Louboutins, and moving back in with her parents, but Adrienne is certain that her new position will be the making of her career. And it is—but not at all in the way that she expects. The Capitolist runs at an insane pace: Adrienne’s up before five in the morning, writing ten stories a day (sometimes on her BlackBerry, often during her commute), and answering every email within three minutes. Just when it seems like the frenetic workload is going to break her, she stumbles upon a juicy political affair, involving a very public senator—and her most competitive colleague. Discovering that there’s much more to the relationship than meets the eye, Adrienne realizes she’s got the scoop of a lifetime. But should she go public with the story?


Kritters Thoughts:  Set in my backdoor of Washington, D.C., The List takes the reader behind the scenes of a news organization that does both print and online which makes the pace extremely intense.  Adrienne has left New York and a great, comfy job at Town & Country magazine to return to her hometown and work for this new type of media.  

Adrienne had to move back into her parents' home which is definitely a commute into D.C. and because she ends up so far away from D.C. she stumbles upon a huge news story that involves one of her co workers.  Following her investigation was so entertaining, I loved the lengths she went to find the story, but keep it mum from the rest of her co workers, friends and family.  Although I didn't love her sister that much, I did enjoy her role as a sounding board for Adrienne as she decides whether to go to print with the story.  I wish that her friend Elsa played more of a role beyond the first mentions in the beginning of the book.

I loved that I knew that this book was semi true as the author is a former writer for Politico, so there was always a hint of wondering what possibly really happened and what was definitely fiction.  I would definitely pass this book along to readers who love the behind the scenes action and are given the access to watch a huge new story unfold through the eyes of the writer investigating and trying to find the truth.

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Ebook 2013 Challenge: 8 out of 50

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Edelweiss.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.