This was a brilliant literary novel that takes a close look at how greed and money can change a life, but not always for the better. We learn a lot about how Caish's mind works, and watching them as the novel progressed and the things they were willing to do to maintain a certain way of life was a deep dive into the human psyche. Caish could quite literally be almost anyone, and it's easy to see how going from struggling to survive to having the world at your fingertips thanks to a large influx of cash could change someone, especially with the way things are in America today. A brilliant book, and the story it contains will stay with you after you finish reading, a haunting warning of how quickly things can change.

Malibu Motel is the true story of how one goes from winning the lotto to hitting rock bottom. The struggle is real from bank robbery to heroin addiction to finally serving time in a federal penitentiary.

What a story!

I was really confused throughout the entire time reading this book as to whether this was meant to be a true story or not. It was just so unbelievable and far-fetched that it didn't seem possible. However, upon finishing the book and re-reading the description, it appears that this is based on reality.

The book was an entertaining read if you can get your head around the fact that this is based on a real person's actual life. I was a bit confused at the end I must admit. However, it was entertaining and it kept me hooked, which I guess was its point. Worth a read if only to understand just how stupid some people are and how they can take a downward spiral there's no coming back from.

Malibu Motel
Cautionary tale about a lottery-winner’s fall from grace

I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher.



“Malibu Motel” by Chaunceton Bird is a novel styled as being based on the true story of a lottery-winner. The story follows Caish Calloway, living the high life in California happily spending their winnings on partying, property and cars and investing in ventures that go nowhere. When Caish hears about a particular opportunity, they are quick to invest and when the returns are good, Caish invests more. If it sounds too good to be true, it is, and Caish soon finds themselves with only a few million of their winnings left. Enough for most people to live on for the rest of their lives, Caish is in denial and refuses to abandon their life as a high-flier. Convinced that another win is just around the corner, Caish soon begins a slow slide into chaos, bringing many people down along with them.

This is a really interesting story about a unique but not impossible premise: how do you live your life after you win the lottery? Bird creates a character full of hubris who sees the win not as luck but as destiny and something that was earned through hard work and perseverance. However, Caish’s overconfidence and entitlement is ultimately their downfall and Bird explores how capitalism, materialism and even religion play a part in Caish’s undoing. One thing that Bird really excelled at was dramatic irony, and the audience can see Caish’s mistakes coming a mile a way. Bird also explores the mental gymnastics Caish performs to absolve themselves of any personal responsibility for their failings whatsoever. Anyone reading this will immediately be reminded of a Caish that they know. I really enjoyed that Bird added to the mystery and the universality of the story by withholding many of the personal attributes of his characters, in particular gender.

Without giving too much away, at the end of the book there are copies of official documents with identifiable information redacted. Initially I was a bit uncomfortable with them included, because I felt that it may have crossed the line into invading someone’s privacy by sharing such intimate information. However, I since read that Bird’s inspiration was actually another person which I think explains the strength of Caish’s characterisation. I think unfortunately in this case the thing that let the book down the most was the proof-reading.

Like a train wreck you can’t look away from, this is an immersive book about human folly that should absolutely be read while listening to this song.

Holy smokes. What a ride this one was! I finished the book last night and lemme just say ... I need a minute! I can’t believe this is based on a true story. Completely unreal, the story keeps topping itself as the pages turn. For real, y’all, you gotta read it!

Malibu Motel tells the story of California lottery winner Caish Calloway. The story doesn’t mention if he is male or female, but in my mind (and for the sake of this review), Caish is male. Not sure of the reason for the ambiguity - maybe an effort to protect his identity? I dunno.

However, the book starts with Caish flying high in his Malibu mansion, enjoying his millions, partaking in all the luxuries that money can buy. Sex, drugs, cars, designer clothes .. who could ever think any of it would ever end?

This story is completely immersive. It will legit blow your mind. I kept my husband fully informed of every twist and turn of this book and I’ve NEVER done that before. I HAD to discuss this with someone. A crazy, wild journey that will leave you speechless. One of my top 10 books of the year.

I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I recommend this one a billion percent!

Honestly, this guy was a little bit hard to take. Based on the true story of a multi-million dollar lottery winner, and the lifestyle he lived (and lost) is a representation of the value of money in today's world. It is difficult not to judge this fellow, but one would think a degree of self control should be present.

Thanks to NetGalley and John Hunt/Zero Books for providing me an ARC copy of this novel that I freely chose to review.
I’ve seen this book described as a cautionary tale (that it is), although it also reminded me of the morality plays of old (or even Hogarth’s series A Harlot’s Progress and A Rake’s Progress, their pictorial equivalent), where you have a character that does not learn from life’s lessons and at each step of the way makes the wrong decision, setting the course of his/her life into a downward spiral that the protagonists seem unwilling and/or unable to stop. This novel (although based or inspired on a real case it is a novel nonetheless) is set in modern times (although the time, like many other details are not specified), and therefore, the choice of vices is slightly different, but not by much. Yes, Caish, the protagonist, loves expensive cars (there were no cars in Hogarth’s time, but there would have been expensive houses, carriages,…), some of the drugs and illnesses the character falls for are relatively new, and the fact that the character keeps checking social media is also a novelty, but that’s a change in setting, rather than the spirit of the piece and its message.
As I have mentioned, the author keeps some details vague. Is Caish a man or a woman? (According to what I’ve read, the lottery winner the novel is based on is a male). Much is made, at the beginning of this long book (yes, it is quite long and much of the content feels repetitive, because the main character is self-obsessed and obsessed with money, possessions and social status, and the story is narrated in the first-person, so we get a lot of that) of the fact that people keep getting the name wrong (Cash, of course, but other combinations of sounds as well), although at some point Caish has other problems and things to worry about and stops correcting people’s pronunciation. I assumed, at first, the character was male (the way of talking, the hobbies and some of the behaviours seemed quite typical, at least of male characters in books), then at some point I became convinced the character was a woman, and finally, I thought that the author left it intentionally vague, perhaps to show that it could happen to anybody and everybody, and rather than making readers think that what happens is the fault of a particular character, we should conclude that huge amounts of money that come too easy to somebody can destroy them (in fact, Caish is not the only one in the book to suffer a similar fate).
Caish is self-centred, egotistical, vain, selfish, big-headed, rush, lacking in any kind of insight, has no self-control, no common-sense, and no redeeming features. We do get to know a bit some members of his/her family, but there is no depth to the character, and despite the way things go, Caish never learns anything. As I have mentioned, the story is told in the first-person, and being inside of the character’s head is not comfortable. There are hilarious moments (because the character’s behaviour is so extreme that it’s a bit like watching a person tripping over the same obstacle or slipping on the same banana skin over and over), there are turns of phrase that are very funny, and the way the character misconstrues everything and insists on talking about statistics and claiming to being an authority on all kinds of things s/he knows nothing about is hilarious (and yes, it does bring to mind some people in authority as well). If we stop and think, it is terribly sad as well, not so much what happens to the character (for somebody who loves the lottery so much, Caish should know that there are chances we shouldn’t take), but the destruction s/he spreads around, that of course, is never his/her fault, is appalling, and, worse still, s/he never has a kind thought for anybody else. If you are looking for a novel where you can empathise with the main character, this is not it. There is nothing likeable about Caish, other than some wit, but…
One of the things that bothered me as I read the novel was the fact that the character seemed quite articulate (if not well-informed or truly literate) when commenting on things, but the few times when Caish quoted her own conversations with others, s/he could hardly string a sentence together. In fact, most of the characters seem to speak in the same way, at least if we are to judge by the quoted conversations we read (it could be a problem of reporting the dialogue, evidently), no matter who they are, their different backgrounds or circumstances. Then, towards the end of the book, Caish comes upon a new scheme to make money — writing a memoir/life-story— and then we learn that s/he gets some assistance with editing. That could explain the different registers, although it undermines somewhat the whole of the story. Is the character truly as awful as s/he appears to be or is it an exaggeration introduced by the editor? Oh, well… If you read it, you can make your own mind up.
By the way, at the end of the book there are a number of documents included: what seems to be the results of the toxicology report and the medical reports following the discovery of a dead body at a motel. All the details fit in with the story and are realistic, down to blacking out the specific details, but I am not sure if they are real or not or whom they belong to.
I thought I’d share a few jewels from the book with you:
When I’m making money again, I think I’ll hire a butler. I have a small house staff, but they mostly just clean. What I need is somebody who can go get my Zippo when I leave it inside. Seems like the type of job for a butler. And if I’m buying a butler, I might as well buy a Batmobile too. No halfmeasures.
The standard of living around the world is higher now than ever before. Just check Facebook for proof of that.
Would I recommend this book? Well, you’ll know from the very beginning where the book is headed, and although there are some surprises in the way, these are mostly small details that don’t derail the story from its course. The novel depicts scenes of drug use (in plenty of detail, including how to go about getting scripts for painkillers, for example), sex (this not graphically or in any detail), homelessness, and a variety of crimes (including arson). There is always a fine line with these kinds of books between sharing enough of the behaviours to put people off and not making them too attractive or too easy to copy. Yes, I know it’s very easy to find information on all those subjects nowadays, but I thought I’d warn you. As I said, if you want to find a character to root for or to empathise with, this is not your book. There are also some issues of consistency that are, possibly, explained towards the end of the novel, but I am sure that the choices the author makes and the style chosen to tell the story will not work for everybody and might put some people off, so do check a sample before making a decision.
Personally, I laughed reading it (yes, I have a pretty dark sense of humour), I was appalled most of the time, and although I knew (more or less) how it would end, I couldn’t stop reading, but I’d recommend caution as some of the topics and the blasé attitude of the character towards them can be upsetting to readers personally affected by them. I’ll be curious to see what the author writes next. And, I will carry on not buying lottery tickets.

A long book about a deeply unpleasant human being, it's difficult to know who this book is aimed at, but it's certainly not me. While redemption arcs can be cliched, so I can understand not wanting to go that route, at the same time, there is absolutely nothing endearing about Caish Calloway, the protagonist, other than the fact that he starts off being rich, which is appealing to some. Beyond that, it's hard to see what the point is about reading a story of someone who doesn't learn a single thing and is utterly oblivious to any sense of personal responsibility or self awareness.

There was one moment about half way through the book which was a big shocker and had the potential to take the story off into a completely different direction, but after the Big Reveal (which is hard to talk about without spoilers, so I'll gloss over it, much as the author did. Suffice to say, you'll know it when you read it), it seemed to be forgotten about once the point was made that Caish is an utterly reprehensible human being with utterly nothing redeeming about him.

I'm not sure what the point was of all the forms at the end either. Maybe I missed some little detail in them, but pouring over dull red tape isn't my idea of fun and they aren't exactly easy to read on a Kindle screen anyway.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

The higher you climb the further you fall. A story of life lived to excess and the consequences of what happens on your way up the unsavoury people,places and events you encounter and how grim the decent is afterwards.

It took me a few chapters to get into this book, but then Malibu Motel turned into a fascinating story about Caish. He proved money does not guarantee happiness or friends. He went from poor to rich to rags. His character is one of self importance and expectations. Expectations that show his greed! The fact that it is based on a true story gave me a clearer picture of how con artists work and also how people fall into traps that can lead to their ‘destruction ‘. An excellent read, I recommend it.

If you're looking for a feel-good book, better look elsewhere. If you only enjoy books where you like and sympathize with the main character, this one isn't for you. I'm not sure which version of Caish I disliked most - the pompous, greedy and slimy millionaire or the delusional druggie.

The pacing of the book was good and the writing vivid. The characters seemed pretty realistic (maybe too much so!) and the descriptions of Caish's surroundings were excellent.

This is a pretty depressing book while also being a cautionary tale.

When I requested Malibu Motel, and indeed when I begun reading it, I had either forgotten or overlooked the fact that it was a true story - a fact which certainly adds to the reading of it.
I found this book hard to read at times, not because of the writing style which is clever and engaging, well-paced and smart, but because of the encroaching dread I felt at Caish's situation and the knowledge that things for him could only end up one way. I also found Caish as a narrator jarring - he is narcissistic, arrogant, and self-centred, his narrative full of decadent details and very show offy, however this makes sense as a juxtaposition with how his story inevitably ends. I did enjoy this book, although I didn't love it - I appreciated its worth and style but for me a dislikeable narrator is a hard leap to take and in this case I found it too difficult to empathise with Caish. I'd recommend it to others that like this narrative style and certainly would consider reading more by the author.

this wasn't a book I enjoyed, It wasn't what I read usually gave it a go but nope not for me. Some readers might enjoy it more then me,

An extraordinary, cautionary tale of how not to lead your life when you become wealthy overnight. Based on a true story which makes the story more compelling. This is a gripping read which should be read by all get rich quick entrepreneurs. Sad and entertaining at the same time - a real roller coaster of rags to riches and back.
Read it -you won't regret it.

Well written and interesting story! Based on a true story and at times fiction as I understand that some things were added.

What can happen if you ever win the lottery and make bad decisions...
You can have it all.... and lose it all...

It's dark, deep, enjoyable, interesting until the end. Different than what I usually read and it was good! You keep turning the pages to see what happens next. Not boring at all!

Thank you to NetGalley and John Hunt Publishing for the ARC of this book. This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Such a sad tale- a windfall becomes a downfall. We often fantasize what we'd do with millions, this guy had that (mis) fortune. The basis of his problem seems to be in his feeling that his winning was something he earned and that catapulted him into the big leagues of moneyed people and their distractions.

In fact, his hubris is his best friend and worst enemy as he retreats from reality into the world as he sees it. Its painful to watch his slide, no matter how clueless he may be. Despite attempts all around him, his sights seem to be determinedly on his destruction. It appears to me, as this is written in first person, there is some mental illness from the outset and the drugs and depravity worsened to it pathological and ultimately fatal conclusion.

The final chapter reminded me of Of Mice and Men and how sometimes kindness comes in utterly contradictory ways.
Feel sorry for so many in this book and it is probably far too true for others in similar situations- circumstances put someone in jeopardy and they simply can't make the best decisions for themselves and reject help when offered.

‘Malibu Motel’ by Chaunceton Bird’ published by John Hunt Publishing Ltd/Zero Books on Aug 30th

412 Kindle Thingies 😎

We often say ( well I do ) ‘I have never read a book like this before’ but this time I mean it ‘I have never read a book like this before’!!
Based, some say loosely but nonetheless based, on a true story this books charts the life of Caish Calloway after his multi million dollar win on the Californian Lottery, you do get a look back at his life before this at various times in the book but the book starts as he is in the flush of mega wealth....living in Malibu, countless ( well 16 ) luxury cars, all the drugs, sex and rock n roll he can buy and his own brand of entitled/narcissistic personality
Caish sets up a few unremarkable businesses but isent worried by the odd loss and then he falls in love, with the wrong person, who loses him 32 million!!!, I have to say though to my mind the signs were all there, blatantly there, that this guy was a fraudster but a combination of untouchability and first fever of love combined meant Caish didnt see those signs, or chose not to!
This loss causes an unstoppable chain of events which see him sliding further and further into ‘the mire’, the narrative of drug mainlining, HIV, illness and downright tunnel vision of what Caish wants as opposed to anything else may not suit some readers its fair to say, there is a lot of drug usage talk and you could feel its glamourised although the end result is anything but
Devoid of family and friends after an unsuccessful attenpt at moving back to Montana we find him living rough, then in a halfway house then in a shelter, where his despair battles with his false thoughts that he is still ‘better than these people’, the ending is dramatic and powerful
Caish is arrogant, I hated and loved him in equal measure throughout the book but everytime he ‘went too far’ a chink, just a chink of something came through to almost win me back....until the next page usually when he was off again!
A complex character bar none whose fragility was as evident as his pompousness, confusing and annoying!
Other various cast members were as vapid as him, his money grabbing Mum and 3 siblings repugnant and his hangers on lovely until they fell off!
Its a very wordy book and there is some repetition re cars and drugs but its told almost like a diary and so the writing is quick and easy and often shocking
The book starts and ends in Malibu, one town yet 2 places in that town as far away as you could possibly get
I will not forget Caish it would be impossible to do so
My marks for this book really are ‘in my opinion’ as I am fully aware some people would mark this book way different to me
But for me, this experience and thats what this book was/is rates a
9/10
5 Stars

Malibu Motel is a book based on a true story of a lottery winner who went from living with his mother to fast cars and even faster parties and wild nights with the means to pay for all of it. But for how long? And ultimately, at what cost? Caish Calloway narrates his sad story from rags to riches, and to rags again, and you don't need a psychology degree to figure out why it all happened.

The narration is very convincing, but I have to say, you might grow tired of the main character. He is quite full of himself, certain he is better than everyone else, because look at all his money! He is always sure every woman wants him, and you witness every little change in the story when he relates it to you or someone else - ways he changes it to fit his truth. Caish can get overwhelming, and it might be a little much for some readers. Some will be happy he got his just desserts because of how he treats everyone and looks down on them. But me, I was just sorry for him right from the start. Because its easy to see he was doomed - a person with no soft skills and a very limited, black and white view of the world could never make it in the real world, let alone the cut-throat world of the rich, where everyone seems to be out to take what isn't theirs. Caish was doomed and kept digging a deeper and deeper hole for himself. And that's why at times it was a hard book to read, but I still couldn't pry myself away.

That said, there is one thing about Malibu Motel which might not appeal to everyone. It is LONG. And I mean it's super long. I'd venture to say it even drags a bit. For me, it was still okay, but on the verge of too much, cause it was detailed in places where I felt like maybe it didn't call for it. It's told in a style where the main character almost painstakingly lays out the detail of everything he does. It puts you in the shoes of the main character very well and it shows you how clueless he is, but it can get repetitive and for some readers it might get tiresome.

The main character is a by-product of his upbringing, the values of his society. The things he says and believes are simplified truths of the capitalist society - money is everything, status is everything, and what you truly need is only the most immediate gratification of the senses - sex, power, status - nothing beyond that. Everyone is valued solely judging by these qualities, and it's no wonder Caish thinks that he's of a different breed than anyone else - more noble, better - only because he has more money. (Or, HAD more money at one point.) What's more, this story is also about how our current society seems to think that the rich are somehow exempt of disease or any sort of risks. Or even stupid decisions! Because that doesn't happen to the rich - or, at least, that's the idea Caish keeps operating on (and I'll be it's not just Caish who thinks that.) And he certainly wouldn't have it in his head if he wasn't raised with it.

Ultimately, in this society we view wealth as a fairytale - am unreachable one to most, so it's the stuff of myths and legends to most people. Malibu Motel is a story that explores what happens when someone from a different background is dropped into this fairytale. It really just goes to show you that we manufacture our own heaven or hell, and it may be through smaller means or larger means, but that is about the only difference. If a person blames everyone else around him for his situation, it's most likely he'll blame everyone else even in the case of an unexpected windfall, as Caish does. It's a truly sad story, and even more sad when you realize it was based on someone's actual life. But it's also a reminder to maybe not wish for that fairytale, because sometimes we don't know whether we actually need something we're asking for, and whether we're actually up for handling it.

Triggers: a lot. (Fulll triggers are listed on Goodreads because there are no spoiler tags here.) Basically this whole book is a trigger because it's about the fast, quick fix kind of life.

I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook through NetGalley in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.

Loosely based on actual events, this story delves into the mind of a post-lottery winner as he rides the roller coaster of life after instant unimaginable wealth.
Caish Calloway is the first-person protagonist, explaining his logic (or lack thereof), of his numerous spur-of-the-moment expensive decisions and exposing his extremely narcissistic image of himself. You want to dislike him but its so much fun watching him self-destruct as each new phase of his quickly diminishing way of life. Is it truly a blessing to win the lottery? Do we really want this “amazingly great luck” to befall us? Probably not after listening to Caish.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks so much to John Hunt Publishing and NetGalley for making it available.)

Most of my notes on this book are suggested edits; perhaps that's intentional as this cautionary tale about the dangers of lottery-winning,is supposedly written by a drug-addled narcissist. Caish Calloway is a proud Malibu millionaire who, much like the Kardashians, hilariously considers himself a self-made success. Poor Caish (pun) notably lacks grit, and veers from pompous grandiosity to stricken victimhood. I worry that the explicit instructions on how to smoke and how to mainline drugs may be a bit too much, and that the coverage of death and heedless destruction here is graphic and gratuitous. Clearly I'm not a member of Chaunceton Bird's intended audience.