Reviews

Craigslist Confessional: A Collection of Secrets from Anonymous Strangers by Helena Dea Bala

kellyb24's review

4.0

Well-written collection of short personal stories told anonymously, gathered together and grouped by theme. These brief glimpses into people’s lives illustrate the diversity of experience in our country and how you never know what’s going on behind the scenes when people present as “doing well” and “normal”. It also reveals many aspects of our broken system, and lithe lack of support our country provides people in need.

leslielu67's review

3.0

Interesting premise - anonymous confessions to a stranger. Warning: there are a lot of messed up people out there, from no-fault to faulty.

kristensreading's review

1.0

DNF 34%

I put this book down at 34% about halfway through the regret section. This section, and if I had to guess, the ones coming after it, read too much like trauma porn for me. I understand the point of the book is for people to anonymously tell their stories, but it felt like too much at times... too voyeuristic.

trwith01's review

1.0

This book was heavy and hard to read. I liked the stories themselves but it felt just... a little too private for the author to make a profit from.

graceehobbss's review

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

3.0

i was expecting this book to be more a collection of people’s scandals or things they have done or seen that they would never tell anyone. instead it was utterly depressing and honestly made me feel pessimistic about life. at least steve’s story was worth it

leonormsousa's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective fast-paced

3.5

This book came at the right and wrong time of my life simultaneously. Right time cause I really needed a good audiobook with short and unconnected chapters to get me back into audiobooks. Wrong time cause I've been feeling so apathetic towards most of the content I've been consuming and so I feel like the book didn't hit it for me. It was still a good experience though but nothing transcendent for sure.

deniser821's review

5.0

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. Craigslist Confessional is a book of stories from anonymous people confessing their greatest secrets. It was both fascinating and heartbreaking to read. It is amazing how people have the urge for confession to alleviate the weight of the secret they carry. Thus book is also a reminder of the adage to be kind because everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about.

breannennaerb_'s review against another edition

3.0

Ouch.

fabledspark's review

dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

supshel13's review

4.0

The stories, Loss- selma and Regret- shep, absolutely destroyed me. Great idea for a book. Was utterly heartbreaking but grotesque at times. Truly made you feel every emotion imaginable.