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bell4trixx's review
3.0
Graphic: Child death, Physical abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Cursing
Moderate: Sexual content, Blood, Excrement, Torture, and Medical content
If you are triggered by abuse not a good read. Good read if you’re in the mood for an in-depth true crime on an abusive family/motherrpow14's review
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Torture, Physical abuse, Confinement, Gaslighting, and Violence
Minor: Drug abuse
kahbarrow's review
2.75
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Medical content, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Murder, Homophobia, Blood, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Confinement, Bullying, Body shaming, Suicide, Fatphobia, Death, and Sexual content
oofie's review against another edition
4.25
Shelly is one of those people who patently proves that not all people are inherently good. She was a terror growing up, and it just got worse when she had children and partners of her own. She is a narcissist and sadist who delights both in wreaking havoc, despair, fear, and pain.
Shelly mentally, emotionally, and physically abused each of her husbands and three daughters. She gaslit them, made them think that it was their fault, and conscripted them into being co-conspirators. The poor people in her life and circle went through so much literal torture and abuse from living with her. This story is one of the most disturbing I've read due to all the above, and the insane amount of manipulation this woman did to those around her.
This book also hit a little close to home because my own brother is a narcissist. While not being anywhere near Shelly's level (thank god), it was a little shocking reading some of the things she did and realizing that those are things my own brother has and would do to me, my siblings, and my parents.
Furthermore, I appreciate this book because it goes into victims of abuse. Why didn't those around her just leave? Run away? Why didn't they fight back? When you're a victim of abuse, however, it's never that simple. It is a mindfuck, and no one is immune from it. It is incredible to see the strength Shelly's daughters had, however, in finally escaping from their mother and bringing them to justice. I just wish the courts would have meted out far more justice than they did.
The book is well written, was easy to understand, and fascinating to read. I hope that Shelly's victims can find some measure of peace and be estranged from her even when she's out of prison.
Graphic: Death, Torture, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Excrement, Domestic abuse, Murder, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, and Homophobia
n_binversie99's review
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Violence, Gaslighting, Murder, Torture, Toxic relationship, Excrement, Mental illness, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Suicide, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, and Vomit
Minor: Gun violence, Incest, and Animal cruelty
sydneylneel's review
3.5
Moderate: Drug abuse, Cursing, Violence, Suicide, Homophobia, Murder, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Ableism, Gore, Emotional abuse, Death, Torture, Sexual violence, Slavery, Child abuse, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, and Domestic abuse
alybarnett02's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Murder, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Suicide attempt, and Slavery
systemofanoun's review
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Torture, Slavery, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Murder, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Excrement, Animal cruelty, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Death, Cancer, Body shaming, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, and Animal death
ftd318's review
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Body shaming, Death, Cancer, Murder, Drug abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, and Vomit
wildroseoftexas's review against another edition
4.0
The author did an excellent job putting a horrific situation into a book. The book read like a novel and I often caught myself thinking there was no way this wasn’t fiction from a seasoned thriller author.
I took one star because the timeline jumps back and forth were sometimes hard to follow and I had to reread a page to make sure I was following correctly.
An important read to understand and be aware of signs of abuse and why victims, especially children, may struggle to ask for help or give light to the truth of what’s happening to them.
Many many many trigger warnings. And don’t Google the mom after you’re done reading unless you want to scream and rage over the injustice of it all.
Graphic: Confinement, Drug abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Death, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Child death, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Blood, Emotional abuse, and Physical abuse