Self Storage by Gayle Brandeis

"We weren't a very balanced meal-two desserts, a helping of carbohydrates, and some seaweed-but then, what family is?" Flan lives with her husband, Shake (or Shae) and young children Noodle and Nori in university housing in Riverside, California. She spends her time taking care of her kids and being the breadwinner--buying and reselling objects from storage units that people have abandoned. Her husband, meanwhile, is supposed to be writing his dissertation. Instead, he spends his days in front of the television watching soap operas. Flan struggles to find her place in the life she has chosen for herself. While the reader might not always agree with Flan's choices, the novel is filled with interesting characters (fellow resale friends, neighbors from around the globe) and touches of humor. Self Storage reminds me of the novels of Sara Lewis.