Book Review - Michael Ausiello's Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies

Thank you to Atria Books for providing me with an advance copy of Michael Ausiello's memoir, Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT- In his memoir, Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies, entertainment journalist Michael Ausiello writes about his thirteen-year relationship with his husband Kit Cowan and Cowan's death after an eleven-month battle with a rare form of cancer.

LIKE- I finished Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies two nights ago and I'm still feeling shattered. I feel like I might cry while writing this review. I've been a fan of Ausiello's entertainment writing for many years, but I did not know anything about his personal life. Ausiello has written a true love letter to Kit, who died painfully and tragically in his early forties. I related deeply to Ausiello's emotions as a caregiver and his fears for Kit. I think this is what hit me the hardest. I still feel emotional over my own role as a caregiver for family members who have since passed.

The best aspect of Ausiello's memoir is his complete openness to share sensitive topics. He clearly loves and adores Kit, but he also doesn't refrain from sharing Kit's infidelity or the problems that they faced in their relationship. It's raw and honest. Ausiello shares intimate moments that made me feel like I knew both him and Kit personally. What's more, I really liked both of them. Ausiello has a warm way of bringing the reader into his life; a talent that not all memoirist have and that really makes his story a stand-out. This aspect of his writing is probably what left me feeling utterly crushed in the last quarter of the book, which involved Kit's decline and death. 

I love the title; that Kit is the hero in Ausiello's life. How perfect and touching. 

DISLIKE- Not a single thing. 

RECOMMEND- YES!!! Do you like memoirs? Do you like love stories? Are you prepared for an emotional rollercoaster? Ausiello has poured his heart out on paper and it's a very worthy read. Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies is one of the best memoirs that I've ever read. It's just beautiful.