Snake Hips is a wonderfully moving story of self-discovery. The cultural insertions read like “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”... Arab style! The honest portrayals of heartache and desire remind us of our innocence and vulnerability. And it’s all artfully woven in an unapologetic, yet hilariously funny way. This book is sure to appeal to readers everywhere.

If you thought only Italians Mafia types have a reputation for being murderers with a heart of gold, check out the Lebanese in Snake Hips! Each character comes to life in such a way that you wonder how the story could have been told without them. Only Soffee could make such unconventional and contradictory folks seem adorably commonplace.

Soffee has a knack for revealing the wounded side of life and herself. You feel her raw grief as she smashes the Tiffany stained glass window when packing to leave after being dumped. Her insecurity of not being young, thin, pretty, or cool enough echoes throughout the book. Her encounters with totally inappropriate suitors has you standing on the sidelines shouting, “Dump him, girlfriend!” But don’t let the sadness fool you! Oh no, Soffee’s got a super weapon on her side. She’s got- BELLY DANCE!

Once Soffee begins her journey of healing through belly dance, you can see her bruises mend and her passion and confidence grow. I found myself smiling at the acquisition of the long-lost Port Said album. I could feel the exhilaration of her Tilt-a-Whirl ride after her debut performance. By the time she does “dump him,”you know that she is going to be just fine.

Dancers will love this book because they can’t help but identify with the “scene.”Anyone with a sense of humor will find at least a chuckle or two staring them brazenly in the face (subtlety is not Soffee’s strong point!) that’s worth the price of the book and the time to read it. But I believe the appeal is bigger than either of those things. The human drama of torment, healing, identity, and self-acceptance is shown throughout Snake Hips. You don’t ever have to have danced a step to know what it feels like to wrestle with those issues. Soffee touched all those things with a honesty rarely revealed in a memoire by a person still living. For that, she gets my highest praise. Read it. You won’t regret it.