Book Review: 'Molly's Game' by Molly Bloom

✰✰✰✰½ Molly Bloom spent her life competing, first with her brothers, then on the ski slopes. She was used to living fast and working hard. Eventually, she moved to L.A. and was groomed to be the perfect personal assistant. Whatever was required, she could figure out how to get it. So when her boss decided to host a poker game at his club, The Viper Room, Molly was intrigued. She knew nothing about playing poker, but when she got thousands in tips, she was hooked.

As the game grew, everyone who was anyone wanted an invite, and as the game’s gatekeeper, Molly soon had access to the contact information of Hollywood’s rich and famous. She quickly learned to cater to Hollywood royalty, athletes, and billionaires, and in turn lived the high life. It was a world of privilege, secrets, glamour, and danger.

Follow Molly on her adventures as she reaches new highs and lows. No matter how many times, Molly loses the game, she always comes back with a bigger game and higher stakes until she meets her downfall, a brush with the Russian mob. Will she be able to rebuild her life? Or will she lose everything to a game? Check out this nonfiction book that reads more like fiction to find out for yourself.

The Bottom Line: This is a fast paced read that lets readers escape their current lives and enter (albeit vicariously) the world of (very) high-stakes, underground poker. With unabashed honesty, the author shares the highs and lows of a world most of us will never see. This story of ambition, power, and escape is highly recommended for just about anyone who enjoys stories of the underdog coming out on top. 

P.S. Molly sprinkled handy tidbits of poker wisdom throughout the book. Enjoy!

Book Club Notes: This was the surprise hit of the summer for our book club. We really enjoyed both the book and the movie. On a scale of 1 – 5, with 5 being the highest, the book rated an average of 4.5 stars, and the movie came in with an average of 4.2 stars. If you are looking for an escape from your everyday life, but can’t get away, pick up a copy of Molly’s Game for an entertaining read. Then watch the movie, it picks up where the book left off. You'll find yourself rooting for Molly even when the chips are down.

Details: Molly’s Game: The True Story of the 26-Year-Old Woman Behind the Most Exclusive, High-Stakes Underground Poker Game in the World by Molly Bloom. Paperback published by First Dey Street in 2015. 262 p. ISBN: 978-0-06-283858-2