readerchey's review against another edition
4.0
I personally loved the writing style, and as someone who experienced a relationship entirely like her story, she puts it into perspective well. This is a story that should be shared.
haylisreading's review against another edition
3.0
First read of the year... and it’s almost February!
sjmacwrites's review against another edition
5.0
When people think Domestic Abuse, they immediately think physical. Mental and emotional sometimes don't come into consideration. This book shows that Domestic Abuse isn't always about the physical and that sometimes it's the mental and emotional abuses that take the longest to heal.
This book is a very easy read. I did it in a little over 3 hours. That being said, the book itself is a great retelling of the before, during and the aftermath of an abusive relationship.
I don't want to go into the writing style and critique it but if you're familiar with Brittani's vlogs on YouTube than you'll see a lot of her style of talking included in the book. Everything about this book is Brittani and that's why I liked it as much as I did. She didn't try and change how she would have told the story if she was face to face with you.
The beginning of the book is a little slow. It jumps a little as Brittani explains what lead her to start talking with Milos but as the story progresses you begin to see things unfolding and by the end, you're left dumbfounded. What happened to Brittani seems too far-fetched for a movie, yet it happened in her life.
After reading the book I can completely understand why she was as secretive about what happened and not only for legal reasons.
If you were looking for a book for your teenager to read to understand how abusive relationships can be, this would be an excellent one to point them to. Just be aware that Brittani does going into detail of the abuse she went through and there are sexual parts of the book.
This book is a very easy read. I did it in a little over 3 hours. That being said, the book itself is a great retelling of the before, during and the aftermath of an abusive relationship.
I don't want to go into the writing style and critique it but if you're familiar with Brittani's vlogs on YouTube than you'll see a lot of her style of talking included in the book. Everything about this book is Brittani and that's why I liked it as much as I did. She didn't try and change how she would have told the story if she was face to face with you.
The beginning of the book is a little slow. It jumps a little as Brittani explains what lead her to start talking with Milos but as the story progresses you begin to see things unfolding and by the end, you're left dumbfounded. What happened to Brittani seems too far-fetched for a movie, yet it happened in her life.
After reading the book I can completely understand why she was as secretive about what happened and not only for legal reasons.
If you were looking for a book for your teenager to read to understand how abusive relationships can be, this would be an excellent one to point them to. Just be aware that Brittani does going into detail of the abuse she went through and there are sexual parts of the book.
ilialovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
This was harrowing to read - a crazy downward spiral that you think could only happen in a movie - but then you're reminded that this actually happened.
maddyhavranek's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
3.0
prestonpre's review against another edition
I'm not going to rate this book, because I don't feel like it's appropriate for me to rate it. Brittani is not an author, that is very clear by both reviews that have been left, and any blurbs you may read from sections of this book. The writing is juvenile, conversational, informal, and raw. It feels unedited and unpolished, but I don't necessarily find that a detriment.
This book needs to be regarded less as an autobiographical novel and more of a letter. A letter written with narrative flair, to serve multi purpose as a warning, a confession, and confidance. This is a letter written in desperation by a broken woman who needed her story to be known. She needed to warn others and protect herself, and in one fell swoop she was able to accomplish this.
I think, above all, this is a letter from Brittani to Brittani. A reminder of strength and confidence, and a reminder to always trust herself. How many times in the beginning did she say she never trusted him? She makes it a joke with herself, like so many of us joke with ourselves about emotions that we feel may come out of nowhere, or feel baseless.
She shows us that she had weaknesses and flaws, which so many people are now picking apart as if the most important thing about her story was her conservative view on sex or the fact that she appreciated an attractive guy. She may contradict herself now and again, but show me a single human on the planet who doesn't hold some hypocritical beliefs. Go on, I'll wait.
I followed Brittani on Youtube back in the days when she did all those sketches with Shane Dawson, and I remembered her as being sweet and funny and genuine. No one deserves to have this kind of horror visited upon them, but she certainly also doesn't deserve criticism from people who are focusing on the wrong pieces of an autobiography about the worst thing that has ever happened in her life.
This book needs to be regarded less as an autobiographical novel and more of a letter. A letter written with narrative flair, to serve multi purpose as a warning, a confession, and confidance. This is a letter written in desperation by a broken woman who needed her story to be known. She needed to warn others and protect herself, and in one fell swoop she was able to accomplish this.
I think, above all, this is a letter from Brittani to Brittani. A reminder of strength and confidence, and a reminder to always trust herself. How many times in the beginning did she say she never trusted him? She makes it a joke with herself, like so many of us joke with ourselves about emotions that we feel may come out of nowhere, or feel baseless.
She shows us that she had weaknesses and flaws, which so many people are now picking apart as if the most important thing about her story was her conservative view on sex or the fact that she appreciated an attractive guy. She may contradict herself now and again, but show me a single human on the planet who doesn't hold some hypocritical beliefs. Go on, I'll wait.
I followed Brittani on Youtube back in the days when she did all those sketches with Shane Dawson, and I remembered her as being sweet and funny and genuine. No one deserves to have this kind of horror visited upon them, but she certainly also doesn't deserve criticism from people who are focusing on the wrong pieces of an autobiography about the worst thing that has ever happened in her life.
fawnsbooks's review against another edition
2.0
I used to follow Brittani on Youtube years ago, but stopped before the events in this book happened.
My low rating has nothing to do with what happened to her or the validity of her experiences and feelings.
As with most of the lower ratings, it's about how this is written. Any editing would have been welcome. Less judgement of other people. Reading how she looks at people, I am glad I no longer follow her online. I'm sorry the events she describes in the book happened and I hope she fully recovers and heals, but I also hopes she grows as a person.
My low rating has nothing to do with what happened to her or the validity of her experiences and feelings.
As with most of the lower ratings, it's about how this is written. Any editing would have been welcome. Less judgement of other people. Reading how she looks at people, I am glad I no longer follow her online. I'm sorry the events she describes in the book happened and I hope she fully recovers and heals, but I also hopes she grows as a person.
kaylakaotik's review against another edition
3.0
Rating based solely on the writing, not the actual content/story.
alloula's review against another edition
4.0
I got so choked up reading this. As the promo says, it's not a sucky love story, it's a story of survival. I feel for Brittani so much and I can't believe she had to go through this terrifying ordeal. She is such a strong person.
Brittani is not a professional author and it shows. But this isn't a fiction novel about abuse, this is her real story written in her own words. I felt as if she was talking to me the way she would in everyday speech. At times, the writing was cringeworthy and her conservative views (that I don't agree with) show through. However, it takes so much courage to put this into the world and I do think that it could help someone. The things that happen to her at the hand of her tormentor are literally insane, and definitely make a compelling story that warrants a book.
It is obvious how much she loves her son and I wish them both a happily ever after. They both deserve one.
Brittani is not a professional author and it shows. But this isn't a fiction novel about abuse, this is her real story written in her own words. I felt as if she was talking to me the way she would in everyday speech. At times, the writing was cringeworthy and her conservative views (that I don't agree with) show through. However, it takes so much courage to put this into the world and I do think that it could help someone. The things that happen to her at the hand of her tormentor are literally insane, and definitely make a compelling story that warrants a book.
It is obvious how much she loves her son and I wish them both a happily ever after. They both deserve one.
spacegandalf's review against another edition
4.0
First reaction: man, those last few pages were so well written. Shed a few tears for that. Will write a better review later.
5/2/2019
First off, I would like to say that I'm sorry if someone reading this has ever had to go through something like this. I feel for you and I hope you find peace.
Second off, I wanted to read this book probably for the same reason everybody else wanted to read it - curiosity. I followed Brittani for a long time, since she still had videos with Shane. So when Milos disappeared from her videos I assumed they broke up or something but I never could have imagined something so bad, so horrible.
Fortunately, I've never had to go through sexual or physical abuse of any kind, but I label myself an over empathetic person, so when I was reading this I was feeling her pain and her sorrow. I find it easy to put myself in other people's shoes. I've heard people saying that she should have seen the red flags but I think when you're super in love and you don't think straight, especially if that person is the First, it's hard to be rational, it's hard to see the real person behind all those feelings. So I don't blame her for getting into that relationship. There was this scene in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo where. This type of situation creates a loop and whenever people read about a case of domestic violence they say "s/he's a coward, s/he could have left him/her at any time!" but those people don't understand that it's hard and those people probably are already telling themselves those things. But if some more serious things are thrown at the abused, like, in this case the mafia, a child, house, car, it's even harder, I think. So I empathise with her, I understand where she's coming from.
My favourite quote from the whole book happens to be on the last few pages of it:
I shed a few tears reading this book.
My favourite moment in the book was
5/2/2019
First off, I would like to say that I'm sorry if someone reading this has ever had to go through something like this. I feel for you and I hope you find peace.
Second off, I wanted to read this book probably for the same reason everybody else wanted to read it - curiosity. I followed Brittani for a long time, since she still had videos with Shane. So when Milos disappeared from her videos I assumed they broke up or something but I never could have imagined something so bad, so horrible.
Fortunately, I've never had to go through sexual or physical abuse of any kind, but I label myself an over empathetic person, so when I was reading this I was feeling her pain and her sorrow. I find it easy to put myself in other people's shoes. I've heard people saying that she should have seen the red flags but I think when you're super in love and you don't think straight, especially if that person is the First, it's hard to be rational, it's hard to see the real person behind all those feelings. So I don't blame her for getting into that relationship. There was this scene in The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo where
Spoiler
her first husband, which she loved, hit her and afterwards said he was sorry and he wasn't gonna do that again, that emotional manipulation, until he did it againMy favourite quote from the whole book happens to be on the last few pages of it:
I am just lucky that I survived, when so many others in abusive situations often don't. If this is you, reading this right now, get out. Get help. Tell everyone around you. There is strenght in numbers, and power in the truth. Continued physical or erbal abuse is never valid or warranted. It is not okay, period.
The hardest step is the first.
I shed a few tears reading this book.
My favourite moment in the book was