Really fast read, I listened to the whole audiobook yesterday because it was really entertaining. Do I feel like I got to know Jinger or Jeremy a bit Really fast read, I listened to the whole audiobook yesterday because it was really entertaining. Do I feel like I got to know Jinger or Jeremy a bit better though? Ehhh, yes and no.
There were things Jinger opened up about that were previously unknown to me, but the biggest focus was on her relationship with Jeremy. Now, that was interesting by itself, but I was hoping for a bit more background info aside from that.
I did learn a lot about Jeremy though, and I do think he's a good match for Jinger. Somehow, the whole back and forth with Jim Bob didn't surprise me one bit, I'm glad it all worked out in the end.
Now, if you're expecting to read about Josh and how it affected the family, this is not the book for that. His actions are just glossed over like "one family member did something bad and we dealt with it together as a family end of story".
That did disappoint me, but at the same time, I can understand not wanting to talk about that in a book that's meant to be about your relationship with your husband.
Either way, I'm going to be reading Jinger's next book soon, I'm curious to see more about her faith journey....more
I've been following the Epstein case since 2017, and I will never forget how the general public dismissed claims by those who knew what was going on uI've been following the Epstein case since 2017, and I will never forget how the general public dismissed claims by those who knew what was going on until Epstein got arrested. Then it was crickets, and ignoring those same people who were saying this since the beginning.
Anyway, because I've been researching this case for so long, I knew what to expect from this book, and yet there were still scenes that surprised me. Or things I forgot about and got reminded of by listening to this (about Epstein's sexual preferences, what he wanted his young "masseuses" to do to him, I think I willingly blocked that out).
Relentless Pursuit covers the legal angle more than any other and I did enjoy it. The writing style was pretty simple and easy to understand for the average reader, which I appreciate.
And of course, this book made me mad all over again, for all those times Epstein got away with what he was doing because he was rich, he had connections, he was most likely intelligence like Robert Maxwell.
But if you want his full detailed life you'll have to look elsewhere. This wasn't a problem for me, but I've seen a few reviews saying it wasn't explained how he got all his money, what he did for a living etc. And to cover all of that this book would have to be much longer.
And also, this doesn't include a conclusion about Ghislaine Maxwell, but it couldn't have anyway because of when it was published. So be mindful of that when you pick it up.
I have even more thoughts about this, might add them here some other day.
P. S. Living for all the "Stanley Pottinger is also Intelligence" jokes & references.
Merged review:
I've been following the Epstein case since 2017, and I will never forget how the general public dismissed claims by those who knew what was going on until Epstein got arrested. Then it was crickets, and ignoring those same people who were saying this since the beginning.
Anyway, because I've been researching this case for so long, I knew what to expect from this book, and yet there were still scenes that surprised me. Or things I forgot about and got reminded of by listening to this (about Epstein's sexual preferences, what he wanted his young "masseuses" to do to him, I think I willingly blocked that out).
Relentless Pursuit covers the legal angle more than any other and I did enjoy it. The writing style was pretty simple and easy to understand for the average reader, which I appreciate.
And of course, this book made me mad all over again, for all those times Epstein got away with what he was doing because he was rich, he had connections, he was most likely intelligence like Robert Maxwell.
But if you want his full detailed life you'll have to look elsewhere. This wasn't a problem for me, but I've seen a few reviews saying it wasn't explained how he got all his money, what he did for a living etc. And to cover all of that this book would have to be much longer.
And also, this doesn't include a conclusion about Ghislaine Maxwell, but it couldn't have anyway because of when it was published. So be mindful of that when you pick it up.
I have even more thoughts about this, might add them here some other day.
P. S. Living for all the "Stanley Pottinger is also Intelligence" jokes & references....more
Never did I expect that I would cry so much because of a wrestling book, but here we are.
This was beautiful, and when I say that - I mean it. I can'tNever did I expect that I would cry so much because of a wrestling book, but here we are.
This was beautiful, and when I say that - I mean it. I can't find a single flaw because everything was on point.
The writing? Engaging. The chapter length? Not too long, not to short. The story? Truly inspiring.
As a wrestling fan I knew who the Young Bucks were, but I didn't know the full story. Now I do, and all I can say is wow.
Even if you're not into wrestling, you should still give this a try. It's written in a very accessible way so you shouldn't have any trouble connecting the dots. And it's a good time, trust me. I only wish it was even longer.
Merged review:
Never did I expect that I would cry so much because of a wrestling book, but here we are.
This was beautiful, and when I say that - I mean it. I can't find a single flaw because everything was on point.
The writing? Engaging. The chapter length? Not too long, not to short. The story? Truly inspiring.
As a wrestling fan I knew who the Young Bucks were, but I didn't know the full story. Now I do, and all I can say is wow.
Even if you're not into wrestling, you should still give this a try. It's written in a very accessible way so you shouldn't have any trouble connecting the dots. And it's a good time, trust me. I only wish it was even longer....more
Absolutely loved this memoir, there are hardly words to describe how wonderful it was. If you pick this up, you won't regret it, trust me. Especially Absolutely loved this memoir, there are hardly words to describe how wonderful it was. If you pick this up, you won't regret it, trust me. Especially if you're a part of the lgbtqia+ community, and, hell, even if you're not, this might show you a different kind of worldview. I also recommend the audiobook for maximum enjoyment.
Highkey one of the best memoirs ever, I'm not kidding....more
I recently finished The Witness Wore Red, so naturally I had to read this too. I'd read Cole's book too if it was available still. If anyone knows wheI recently finished The Witness Wore Red, so naturally I had to read this too. I'd read Cole's book too if it was available still. If anyone knows where I could find it I'd be very grateful.
Anyway yes, this is basically Rebecca's father "proving his daughter wrong" about her own childhood. But if you ask me, he's only proving her, and Elissa, right. I'm inclined to side with survivors of abuse over those who didn't protect them from said abuse, sorry!!
The book is often repetitive, I'm assuming to fill up page space, and the rebuttals aren't actually anything huge (like the dining table/eating together or the downstairs/upstairs and TV situations, do you think readers really care about that?), except in the case of Rebecca's CSA.
Mr Wall, please consider that there is a possibility you really weren't told about it and that it really did happen. You believe your daughter about Rulon and Warren, why is this any different just because it happened in your home?
Also saying how Rebecca wanted to marry Rulon because she'd have access to all these things, credit cards, private flights etc, how would she know about that until she was in the prophet's family?
I will say I do believe one thing here, and that's the story of how her parents met, and how her mother was assigned to her father's family. I can see it happening that way, and Mr Wall would probably know that better than his daughter, but the rest......more
Don't have much to say about this that I didn't already say in my review for their first book, but at least in this one they dropped the whole "I, JimDon't have much to say about this that I didn't already say in my review for their first book, but at least in this one they dropped the whole "I, Jim Bob" and "I, Michelle" thing, so it was less confusing. They repeated some stories from that other book too, but most of them were new, occasionally interesting.
I laughed when I got to that "romance books are to women what porn is to men" part and how they give girls/women unrealistic expectations...BYEEEEE. So ridiculous. Like not even "proper" historical romances Michelle? Really now?? What a sad world.
Anyway, another Duggar book done, a few more to go. ...more
I knew Rebecca Musser's book would be exceptional and it sure was! She talks about her life pre and post escape in great detail, giving us yet anotherI knew Rebecca Musser's book would be exceptional and it sure was! She talks about her life pre and post escape in great detail, giving us yet another perspective on the FLDS, from the innermost circle. I read her sister Elissa's book back in 2022, and both accounts match. I'd even suggest you read them one after the other if you can.
The book is hard to read/listen to at times, because Musser doesn't shy away from describing horrific abuse, and, because it's narrated in her own voice, the experience was much more personal.
We also get to hear more about the YFZ Ranch raid (rarely covered in other memoirs), and Rebecca's role in bringing Warren Jeffs down. I greatly admire her courage to keep fighting for all the girls and women who were (and still are) trapped in a society that only views them as cattle, despite how her (now ex) husband didn't seem to be a fan of the idea.
Her family suffered because of it, and she thought about giving up several times, but I'm glad she didn't. Warren Jeffs is behind bars where he belongs (second only to hell). I wish he and the other polygamous leaders got more time in prison though, it doesn't seem like enough for what they put their victims through.
I was also pleasantly surprised that Rebecca found God again after leaving. I completely understand when people who've left religious cults don't want anything to do with religion, but it makes me really happy when they do and when they find something that's right for them....more
I've been meaning to read Jinger and Jill's memoirs since they were announced, but me being me, I can't just start there, I gotta go back to the beginI've been meaning to read Jinger and Jill's memoirs since they were announced, but me being me, I can't just start there, I gotta go back to the beginning. Hence, this book.
I don't know how I would've felt about this had I read it more than a decade ago, when the Duggars were just a quirky family with a bit too many kids, but now, knowing what I do...it's creepy.
And not just because it's narrated by Michelle with her baby voice, but also the content inside, like they literally admit to hitting their kids during blanket training. I know back in the day people couldn't really research that, but that's a baby, you're supposed to nurture it, not hurt it???
Also, the audiobook was confusing for the most part, because Michelle and Jim Bob co-wrote this, and would interject constantly like "I (Michelle)" or "I (Jim Bob)" while the other was telling a story. It didn't help at all that she narrated, because my brain would think she was telling us something, and then something Jim Bob-ish would come out of her mouth and I'd realise it was him who took over the reigns mid paragraph.
I got a bit used to it by the last 2 chapters, but still wish they'd picked someone else to narrate (but I'm assuming they had to cut the costs, as with everything).
Now for the book itself, it's fascinating in a way, how they developed systems to keep the household from collapsing. Like the two washers and three dryers plus the closet near the laundry room thing. It's clear though, that nothing would be done if the kids weren't also forced to participate in keeping the house clean, cooking for everyone, taking care of their younger siblings etc. And I know the oldest girls were doing the majority of that labour.
The way they decided to not borrow money again, and God still provided them with the things they needed was really interesting, but it could get annoying how often they repeated that absolutely no money borrowing was to happen!!
The sections about Jim Bob & Michelle's past at the start felt very surface level to me, as if they didn't have much of a life worth telling about before their kids came along.
The ebook also has pictures, recipes, resources, and, of course, they're praising IBLP at the end. I can't even imagine how many fans of the show bought this book, read it, saw the IBLP advertisement and decided to give it a try.
Speaking of trying things, I can't say I'll try all the recipes, but a few seem in line with my tastes, so we'll see.
It's possible some of the tips they gave here are actually useful, but I'd still take them with a grain of salt, knowing where they came from.
Ok well, that's it for book one of six Duggar books currently out, I'm planning on getting through them this year, maybe even by the end of the summer. I can't really recommend this to anyone, unless if you're curious about the family....more
I liked that she read her own audiobook, it made it all feel more real. But I was expecting a bit more from this, like getting to know the author bettI liked that she read her own audiobook, it made it all feel more real. But I was expecting a bit more from this, like getting to know the author better. I haven't seen her show, so I did get introduced to her through this book, but it felt like she kept her readers at a distance, not letting them into her circle.
And she doesn't have to do that, it's her story and she can tell it however she wants, it's just that I don't feel like we got a lot of information in general. Some of it is due to the constant repetition, she'd repeat the same things multiple times in every chapter and it could get tiring.
At first I was a bit sad it's such a short book, but to be honest I'm not sure how much more repetition I could've taken, so it's probably better it was only 6 hours, even less when sped up.
I'd still like to read the rest of her story, if she ever feels like sharing. The parts we got here were interesting, and I'm so glad she managed to forge her own path after the divorce....more
I feel like reading this right after Escape was both good and not so good, because everything is still fresh in my mind, but Carolyn does rehash partsI feel like reading this right after Escape was both good and not so good, because everything is still fresh in my mind, but Carolyn does rehash parts of book one, so maybe I didn't need to jump into it immediately. Either way, I had a good time.
You don't need to read her first book to read this, and some of the lessons she gives might really be helpful if you want to leave an abusive situation/relationship. There's also updates about Betty and her other kids, Carolyn giving her opinions on things and helping out during the YFZ raid, and some interesting stories I haven't heard or thought about before (like the gym one).
Hopefully we'll get another book in the future when Carolyn has some more stories to tell, and I'm constantly praying that the FLDS doesn't end up like Jonestown, because that really seems to be the direction they're going in.
I'm a bit surprised at how many people complained about the writing in their reviews, other than the repetitiveness, I didn't notice anything in partiI'm a bit surprised at how many people complained about the writing in their reviews, other than the repetitiveness, I didn't notice anything in particular that annoyed me. Maybe it's because I listened to the audiobook that I didn't notice it, who knows.
Anyway, I've been looking forward to reading this memoir for years and finally said "okay, I'm doing it". I prefer to listen to books like this, but I'm definitely going to get a physical copy too at some point.
With every FLDS book I read, their world is put into perspective for me, and I feel like Carolyn really helped me to tie some more threads together, so I must thank her for it.
I didn't mind that the majority of the book, despite being titled Escape, is about her life inside the FLDS, but I do agree that we could've gotten more about her and her children's lives outside of it. Maybe that will be tackled in her other book though, it's my next listen so we'll see.
It was horrible what she went through, she was incredibly brave for finding the strength to leave, and with all her children too. I'm glad she had people who could help her along the way, and that she was able to get an education, because it certainly helped her to see through Warren's lies.
I'm happy I finally made the time for this book, hopefully in the future Betty will be mentioned in someone's story and they'll say she left for good, fingers crossed....more
I read Jaycee's first book two years ago and originally wasn't planning on reading this one, but it's always been at the back of my mind as "unfinisheI read Jaycee's first book two years ago and originally wasn't planning on reading this one, but it's always been at the back of my mind as "unfinished" so I decided to give it a try anyway.
It's exactly what it sounds like, her book of firsts. Some little things we take for granted were like a whole new world to her (and they would be when you've been kidnapped for 18/19 years), she describes it all with childlike wonder and I found it very endearing.
I also loved listening to her narration, she does sound young, but as someone who also sounds younger (especially on the phone) it didn't bother me. I'm glad I gave this a chance, it was a nice listen....more
I read My Story last year and have been meaning to read this as well, finally sat down to do it. I read Elizabeth's first book by myself, but decided I read My Story last year and have been meaning to read this as well, finally sat down to do it. I read Elizabeth's first book by myself, but decided to listen to the audio version for this one which is narrated by her (My Story might also be, not sure).
We get snippets here and there of Elizabeth's story, how she dealt with her trauma and the role horses played in it, but the majority of the book is focused on her conducting interviews with people who've also gone through something traumatic, and how their faith (occasionally different from Elizabeth's own) helped them along the way.
It was an insightful and interesting read, albeit not what I was expecting. I do get what she was trying to do here though, showing us that no matter how horrible things get, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, you just have to keep pushing and find what's right for you.
I actually really liked that she didn't say therapy is the only answer, because therapy never helped me. I'm not saying it can't help others, but just like Elizabeth, I also need something different to help me through hard times and there's no shame in that.
She mentioned a book here, one written by her uncle, and I do believe it's the same one I read after reading My Story. I had no idea that she didn't give him permission to write it, and that they didn't get along for years because of it.
I don't know if I would've been as strong as Elizabeth to forgive him for it, because if someone had done that to me...
Anyway, if you're interested in a condensed version of her story, or the stories of other trauma survivors, you can read this without having read her other book. I'd also recommend the Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography documentary, it only has two parts so you can watch them in one go....more
I MET JUAN PABLO ESCOBAR / SEBASTIÁN MARROQUÍN YESTERDAY (May 7th 2024)!!!!! He came to my city to do a lecture and had a book signing 2 days before iI MET JUAN PABLO ESCOBAR / SEBASTIÁN MARROQUÍN YESTERDAY (May 7th 2024)!!!!! He came to my city to do a lecture and had a book signing 2 days before it, so of course I had to go. Meeting him was so cool, I'll likely go to the lecture tomorrow too.
I managed to finish the book before the signing, it was interesting and I'd definitely read it again. I already knew most of the story from documentaries and the TV show, but I haven't really brushed up on it in years so it was good to go over it all again.
As I told the author, I really love the character of his mother. She's such a strong woman to be able to go through all of that, I'm not sure if I would've been able to if I was in her place. I'll have to read her book too.
Here we get to see what life was like for Juan/Sebastián growing up as the son of a famous drug lord, what Pablo was like in private, what life was like for his family after they killed him...they all lived such interesting and dangerous lives. I'm glad that they managed to find peace and thrive.
I'll probably write a bit more after the lecture, but yeah I recommend this book if you want to learn more about Pablo Escobar from a closer lense....more
I read this after Down the Drain, which didn't have any pictures, but this makes up for it. I'd still love to see more though, her life seems so interI read this after Down the Drain, which didn't have any pictures, but this makes up for it. I'd still love to see more though, her life seems so interesting....more
When I started this audiobook, I was instantly hooked. The case was one I'd never heard about, and every new revelation had me going "oh no, there's mWhen I started this audiobook, I was instantly hooked. The case was one I'd never heard about, and every new revelation had me going "oh no, there's more?". It just kept getting worse and worse...I admire Kim Mager for all she's done to bring this killer to justice.
It was so fascinating listening to the interviews, (which are actually a majority of the book) because the whole time I was thinking how I'm not sure if I would've been as calm as her, sitting across from someone like that, listening to the things he was saying.
Mager is an expert at her job, and not a bad writer either. I like that she gave enough attention to the victims, brought us closer to them by telling their stories, and always put them first. I only wish she could've continued interviewing Shawn Grate, because I'm certain there's more to uncover.
I recommend the audiobook, the narrator did an excellent job and kept my mind from wandering throughout. I'd definitely reread this one....more
I've never seen any of Dog's shows, but I sure will after this book! I'd heard about him, but he really came to my attention during the Gabby Petito cI've never seen any of Dog's shows, but I sure will after this book! I'd heard about him, but he really came to my attention during the Gabby Petito case, so when I saw this book was coming out I knew I had to read it. And now I'll have to read his other books too, because I want to know even more about him.
We're immediately hit with the sad, because the book begins with Dog's wife Beth's battle with cancer that she unfortunately lost. You can really tell how much he loved her and how much it affected him. I'm glad he and Francie (who also lost her husband) managed to find each other and find a new purpose together.
In Nine Lives and Counting we follow Dog's journey from childhood to adulthood, through a biker gang, prison, door to door salesmanship, bounty hunting and ministering, Dog's done it all.
The most compelling parts to me, were Dog's testimony and all the ways he glorified God in this book. He's one of the best examples of answered prayers. I love how precise God was, like the 60 dollars or the horse, ask and ye shall receive indeed.
I loved learning about his past too, I'd imagine even people who've seen the shows don't know all of that about him.
The majority of the book is from his PoV, but we had a surprising appearance by Francie who wrote about their meeting from hers. It was so sweet. I'd love to listen to her talk sometime.
And yes, this read is full of Bible quotes and stories, but if you ask me the more the merrier!! They fit in well with the theme of the book and I truly hope that people's lives will be changed by that prayer at the end.
Now if you'll excuse me, I saw Dog's first show is on Hoopla so, I'll catch y'all later....more
I finished this a couple of days ago and I still have zero thoughts about it. Zero. The one thing I liked is that the author narrates her own audiobooI finished this a couple of days ago and I still have zero thoughts about it. Zero. The one thing I liked is that the author narrates her own audiobook, and it's short so it's an easy listen. But did I connect with her? No. I really did try to like this, and it's rare that I feel nothing when reading/listening to a memoir, but hey, that happens too. You might like it though. ...more
I will now be using that line frequently, thank you Lady!! There are so many interesting (and unhinged) lines “My get-up-and-go done got up and went!”
I will now be using that line frequently, thank you Lady!! There are so many interesting (and unhinged) lines in this book, starting with the very intro which is guaranteed to make you go "what the heck did I just read?".
I normally would've listened to the audiobook version, but because of how crazy Dana's early childhood is, I know I would've kept pausing every few seconds going "what", so I'm really glad I read it myself instead. This way I could process the chaos that was happening much better.
So basically, the author grew up with two (very) mentally ill parents, her father (King) was a drug dealer and even trained her to follow in his footsteps from birth, and her mother (Lady) wanted Dana to grant her every whim and take care of her indefinitely while she lounged around doing nothing all day.
Dana had to raise herself, learn how to survive, and thrive which is no easy feat in general, let alone coming from a background like that. But she did manage to do it, and I'm so proud of her for it.
It was so fascinating reading about her life, I literally devoured her story and had to pace myself so that I wouldn't finish it too fast. She's an excellent storyteller, knowing exactly how to keep her readers engaged. I'd love to read more of her work in the future, in book form or not.
There's even some things we have in common (not the drug dealing father, thankfully), like getting carsick & trichotillomania. I was sitting there going "girl, me too!!!", I really don't remember the last time I've seen either of those things mentioned in a memoir, if ever.
Now for the slightly negative, Between Two Trailers had a time jump that felt a bit abrupt. We got to see her growing up in great detail, then suddenly she's an adult and that part of her life is told in flashes. I think the book would've benefited from another 50-100 pages added, to properly cover that period so that it wouldn't feel so jumpy.
There was one thing in particular I wanted to see more of, and that's Fred. Like the story of how exactly they met, a bit about their relationship and so on. Though I understand this is more about Dana's past/childhood and healing from it. And I also saw that she has a shorter book about their love story, so maybe it makes sense we didn't get more about it here.
I also wish my early copy had pictures, I'm pretty sure the final version will, so I'm jealous of all of you who get to experience that from the get go.
Though I did look through the author's socials after finishing the book, to see if I could put a face to the name, and her parents look EXACTLY how I imagined them, which just shows how talented of a writer Trent really is. I swear she described them perfectly, down to a T, I could see them (and the rest of the cast) so clearly.
All in all, I enjoyed this memoir and would recommend it to anyone who feels like reading an unbelievable story that actually happened, and one that's so engrossing it reads like fiction instead of nonfiction.
P. S. There might've been something to King's Vaseline theory, it sounds completely sensible to me!
*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*...more
I was hoping I'd love this, but honestly the author's voice was just annoying. And I don't mean the fact that she narrated her own audiobook (which I I was hoping I'd love this, but honestly the author's voice was just annoying. And I don't mean the fact that she narrated her own audiobook (which I liked), I mean her written voice. It kept getting on my nerves over and over again, and the repetitiveness didn't help.
Like, you're a sociopath, we get it girl, you DO NOT have to constantly remind us and everyone you talk with in the book that you are one.
Relating to that, some of the conversations in the book sounded very odd to me, in a people-don't-actually-talk-like-that way, but what do I know? Maybe the author knows people who talk EXACTLY like that.
I'm a bit on the fence about that whole thing too, because as someone with really good memory, you can count on me to remember things from decades ago, and here it seems Gagne is able to do the same thing, word for word.
I'm not saying I don't believe her, just that if it was me in her shoes, feeling (or not feeling) how she was feeling during certain moments, I would not have remembered those conversations without mistake, especially the longer ones with her therapist.
It's possible she didn't actually remember all of it, and wrote what she did remember and then filled in the blanks, but then the question is, did she fill them in correctly, or embellish? Only she truly knows that.
Now I do think that despite her not caring if people like her (and trust me, she's definitely unlikeable), she still painted herself in a slightly better light here. That was the impression I got while reading.
Despite that, I can say that I did partially enjoy this, some of the sections were really interesting (David most of all), and I don't regret reading it. As for if this book will be helpful to others on the ASPD spectrum, we'll have to wait and see....more
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