'SIMPLY EXTRAORDINARY' New York Times

It's a wild narrative to lose your memory, but the crazy thing is that it doesn't hurt at all. A black hole doesn't sting, nor stab, nor leave a mark when it steals from you. Close your eyes and open them again. That is the feeling of a black hole.

For Sarah Hepola, alcohol was "the gasoline of adventure." She spent her nights at cocktail parties and dark bars, proudly staying until the last call. Drinking seemed like freedom, part of her legacy as an enlightened 21st-century woman.

But there was a price. She often lost her memory, waking up with a void where four hours should have been. The morning hours became detective work for her life. What did I say last night? How did I meet that guy?

Publicly, she covered her shame with self-deprecating jokes, and her career thrived, but as the black holes gathered, she could no longer avoid a sinking truth. The fuel she thought she needed had robbed her of her spirit.

An unflinchingly honest and tinged with humor memoir, BLACKOUT is the story of a woman discovering a new adventure – the sober life she never wanted. By shedding light on her black holes, she discovers the person she had buried, as well as the confidence, intimacy, and creativity she once believed came only from a bottle. Her narrative will resonate with anyone who has been forced to rebel or struggled in the face of necessary change. It's about letting go of the thing you hold most dear – but winning yourself back.

A genuine, vibrant, and ultimately uplifting memorial of addiction and recovery for anyone seeking their path.

Pages: 240, Year of Publication: 0308, Dimensions: 12.8x12.8cm