I bought Cutting Teeth because I went to a book reading and the author read a passage that made the whole room laugh out loud. I'd never heard of Julia Fierro before that night, but now I know I'll be buying every future novel she publishes.

A novel about several Brooklyn-living parents who head to a beach house in Long Island with their young children for a long weekend. The story revolves around the dynamics between the playgroup friends and those between parents and their children. I do not have children, but I'm glad the writing isn't flowery and cheesy regarding them. I imagine parenthood to be difficult, and I liked getting into the heads of these characters. They're not likable; but maybe I wouldn't be likable either if you could all read my thoughts. Especially if I had to devote part of my life to raising children! These characters in their chapters feel stripped and naked to the reader, but most of them understand that their thoughts are for themselves and they posture to the others as best they can. That's a real person's brain, right?

And they weren't all unlikable. Fierro builds these characters with good back stories and though we're only with them for a weekend, I came to know them and their motivations. I was happy and laughed, and I was sad and cried a bit. Perhaps no more than in Leigh's and Tenzin's observations of Chase. I could go on about each character and how I understood their plight - maybe not by relating but by empathy - but that would take too much time. I especially liked the ending which had my mind racing at a mile a minute, and made me want to re-read the book to build on certain theories I believed in. I finished this book last night, but I'm still wondering where those characters are now.

Highly recommend. Great beach reading for those looking for summer books!