What do readers think of With or Without You by Domenica Ruta? Write your own review.

Anyone who thinks her life is bad should read this book. I have no doubt the incidents described are true but I found myself getting angry as the author followed more and more in her mother's footsteps. Although I knew that the author's life would ultimately improve enough to write this book she spent very little time on her transformation. At some point I switched from thinking "poor Nikki" when she was young to being flat out disgusted with her as she reached high school and college. By the time she cleaned up her act I really didn't care. If you are a fan of The Glass Castle and similar dysfunction parent books you will like this memoir.

Dominica (Nikki) Ruta was a child in the 1980s. Her parents didn't marry, but she knew them both well since they lived in the relatively small community of Danvers, MA. The title of the book, "With or Without You" comes from the song by the group U2 which was popular at the time and a favorite of Nikki and her mother, Kathi. Kathi was a drug addict who managed to live on the fringe - at one time amassing $1million and just as quickly losing it. Nikki's childhood was anything but normal. Nonetheless, she got into a prep school on scholarships and then into Oberlin College. Nikki also had a severe drug and alcohol problem.

This is an interesting memoir, but memoirs written by ex-addicts are somewhat suspect in that one cannot be sure that there is a reliable narrator. When Nikki describes various incidences in her childhood and during her school years, it's hard to know how much she really was able to remember since she was frequently high on one form of drug or another as well as drinking excessively.

That being said, the book is does give a fascinating glimpse into the lives of Nikki and her mother.

I'm always so excited to receive a First Impressions book and try very hard to be a responsible reviewer and read the entire book. I just couldn't do it with WITH OR WITHOUT YOU. Ms. Ruta most definitely has talent, and her way with words kept me going longer than I would have -- but in the end, I just couldn't find myself caring. The story jumped around and was too disjointed to keep me absorbed. I'm happy to see that many people DID like this book, and wish the author well as she continues her writing career.

It took two full reads of this book for me. I kept thinking I missed something along the way - hence the re-read - only to realize that there was nothing new here. Tale is one we hear so often in writing today... "I am who I am because of the dysfunctional family I was born in to..."

Unfortunately this one left me cold, and NOT wanting more.

I really enjoyed this book in the beginning but I have to say it started to wear me down. While the author obviously has pulled herself out of some very difficult life experiences, I was exhausted with reading about the horrible childhood she experienced with her mother. By the time I finished the book I was waiting for a positive resolution and I felt like it never came. I can only assume that she has become successful by her biography on the back cover. I certainly hope she is still in recovery and can redeem her life so it is not as tragically wasted as her mother.

While I admire Domenica Ruta's way with words, this book did not hold my interest. Humorous at times, rather disgusting at others, ultimately it felt like just another story of a horrific childhood that went on way too long. At first the story seemed somewhat fascinating but it didn't go anywhere except to more of the same. At three quarters through the book, I fought hard to finish it. I kept waiting for the "aha" moment that taught a profound lesson but it never seemed to come. Yes, she finally found sobriety and that is terrific but it came too late in the book for me.

I started this book and gave it to page 70, but it really was not my cup of tea. I passed it on to a friend who loved it and read it in one weekend! I read to mostly escape, and this story was gritty, real and not for me!

I found Domenica Ruta to be an inspiring person, who was able to overcome a horrific childhood. The book was difficult to read because the events of her life were not told in chronological order or seemingly in any logical order. The author is definitely a talented writer, but this definitely impeded my ability to really engage in the storyline.