BookSirens ARC | True Crime Stories You Won't Believe Volume 2

I received a free digital ARC from the author via BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I previously read the author's first book in this series, the review of which you can find HERE. I like this author because he remains respectful of the victims, no many how many years, decades, even a century or two that they have been gone. Sometimes A lot of the time with true crime, the murderers are intentionally or unintentionally glorified, and the victim is lost in the chaos (Meredith Kercher, anyone?)

One thing I really appreciate about this author is that he strictly in the business of providing the facts. He does not use any filler or attempt to tell us what anyone involved "might" have been thinking. I think that is especially important when it comes to true crime because in many cases, we will simply never know - especially those cases that happened so long and all involved are long since gone from here.

As with the author's first volume, there was a good variety here of stories both new to me and ones I was familiar with. I appreciate his ability to convey the story efficiently by giving enough information for me to decide if it is something I want to find more information about. Some of the crimes relayed have full books dedicated solely to them, so it is nice to have a good jumping-off point if I do choose to seek out more information.

I appreciate that the author takes time to research his subjects, including seeking out primary sources from the time period. Even when those Victorians are ridiculously sensational (and they are ALWAYS sensational), there are still good bits of information to be gleaned from their reports.

I am looking forward to volume three!

BookSirens ARC | True Crime Stories You Won't Believe

I received a free digital ARC from the publisher via BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Books like this can be very sensationalistic (thanks, Victorians) so I was pretty cautious going in, given the title. I have read books similar to this before that make it a huge gross spectical and the victims get lost in the chaos. I was pleasantly surprised to find that was not the case here. The author did a remarkable job conveying the facts of the case and the outcome, while preserving the dignity of the victim(s).

I would not say that I am a true crime junkie, because I think that is weird. People get so caught up the clues and the crimes, trying to solve the murder themselves that the victims are sometimes forgotten as once being living, breathing people who never asked for such excruciating and oftentimes humiliating publicity. It's weird and not okay. Yet the genre of true crime has grown so massive, so mainstream, that it is hard to avoid.

Also, I tend to prefer my true crime stories to come from the Victorian era or earlier and I am not sure why - the Victorians themselves were absolutely bonkers about murder, but the crimes themselves are usually intriguing. It's almost like murderers in the era wanted to make sure to get the maximum amount of shock value that they knew would encite hysterics.

Unless you read a lot of books about the same era, a lot of the cases will be new to you. I was familiar with a few of them, such as Joseph Vacher, a serial killer from the 19th century also known as the French Ripper. I read a book about him not too long ago, The Killer of Little Shepherds: A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science. Great read. I'll review it eventually. Probably.

There are 32 in all, and there was a bit more detail for each than I had been expecting from a book like this. Each chapter runs six pages or so, but the author packs quite a bit into each. Nothing too in-depth, but enough of a clear picture for the reader to decide if they want to do further reading on that specific case. I always think it is a great sign when an author can get me to do so, because when you read as much as I do, there's a certain point where there's nothing new left to learn about a topic for the time being (ex: the Tudors and Plantagenets. I know these families inside and out it feels like, so I do not typically read generla histories on them anymore and gravitate toward biographies of specific historical figures from the periods).

The cover notes that this is volume one, and I am planning on reading any subsequent volumes if they remain of this quality. Though many stories are quite obscure, I think that is part of what makes this work. Though Ed Gein is given a chapter, for the most part they are stories that many are not familiar with. I also appreciated that even in instances where I knew about the case, and knew of some of the yuckier details being available, the author did not choose to go that route. He gave details without being grusome or sensationalizing anything.

There are also a wide variety of stories here, from various countries and time periods, crossing the socio-economic spectrum. I also appreciate the fact that he did not glorify the killers.

Highly recommend for true crime fans, and recommended for those looking for something different from their usual fare. 

BookSirens ARC | The Girl I Never Knew

I received a free digital ARC via BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.

Rating ⭐⭐1/2

The author's book details her investigation into the unsolved murder of 19 year old Melissa Witt in 1994. Witt disappeared from a bowling alley where she had gone to meet her mom for a burger, and despite blood on the scene and signs of a struggle, no firm leads went anywhere. A month and a half later Witt's body was found deep within Ozark National Forest. Humphrey has dedicated nearly seven years of her life tracking down leads, witnesses, suspects.

The case itself is interesting and important; all victims deserve justice. But the author and I were not clicking. I don't think this was the author's intention, because she seems very sincere in her quest to solve the case, but sometimes the book became too much about her and what she was thinking and feeling. I understand that perhaps she included so much of herself to show how it was impacting her and how she dedicated is, but it is SUCH a fine line to walk when it comes to true crime - authors are always in danger of inserting themselves into the case even when they do not intend to. Like I said, I don't think that was the author's intent, but that's how it came across. It made me so uncomfortable.

Another thing that I truly hate with the fiery passions of one thousand suns is re-created conversations in non-fiction books. I have tossed many a book aside when that happens and it always seems to be such a fixture in true crime books. There is no way someone remembers every single conversation about every single instance the case was discussed unless the conversation was recorded and thus trascribed. I absolutely abhor it, and it drives me bonkers. Unfortunately, it happened a lot here.

There was also a bit of filler relating to other cases. There are times when the author mentions various suspects and gives the reader background on them and why they make sense as a suspect. But sometimes various people are introduced who have literally nothing to do with the case, were not a suspect in any way, and did not belong here. Not often, but should not have been included at all.

There are some positives here, and I truly do hope that Melissa Witt's killer will be brought to justice. Her friends and family deserve to know what happened and I do think it is important work being done by those who investigate these crimes when it seems like the police are not terribly interested anymore, or more often, do not have the man-power to dedicate the time necessary to cold cases.

The writing itself is fairly clear and concise - there are several suspects and pieces of evidence to keep track of, but it was never confusing. The author truly does have good intentions I believe, and explains how she came to learn of Witt and her murder. Based on the information provided by the author, I do believe she is on the right track and that she has spoken to the murderer in her quest to solve the case. I feel pretty certain that Humphrey also recognizes this, and the safety of her and her family is a concern. I don't know that there is some big conspiracy, but I am pretty sure even nearly three decades later, the man who killed Witt is not keen about that information going public.

Unfortunately there is no conclusion, because the case has yet to be solved. Her mother passed away in 2011, never knowing who murdered her baby. But we can hope that one day those left behind will finally have answers.

BookSirens ARC | Satin Pumps: The Moonlit Murder that Mesmerized the Nation

I received a free digital ARC via BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.

Rating ⭐⭐

I am late on my review of this one, because I am not quite sure how I feel about it still. The story is part true crime, part memoir. The author is indirectly related to the case, only because the murderer was his family doctor for many years. Honestly, I feel like that part bogged down the story to me. It was important for the author to disclose the fact that he knew Dr. Finch, but I don't really feel like anything beyond that was necessary. It kind of slowed down and already-slow story.

I am by no means a true crime queen, but I have read my fair share and this case was new to me, so I was surprised to learn that it was supposedly so captivating to the nation. This is a terrible thing to say, but the murder itself was so boring that I don't see how that was possible. The synopsis makes everything sound so enthralling...

"Did the handsome, wealthy doctor and his beautiful young paramour plan to kill his glamorous socialite wife? Or did the gun accidentally discharge as he claimed?"

also...

"Set against midcentury CinemaScope glamour of Hollywood, Las Vegas and Palm Springs..."

...except we get no sense of any of them as real people, just these kind of true crime caricatures. Even Barbara, the actual victim, is practically relegated to the sidelines in her own story. As for setting, there's hardly a sense of these places, either. The story could literally happen anywhere and it would not change the excitement level or the way in which the story was written.

The book moves along pretty slowly and took me a bit to get into. The personal memoir parts were distracting and in the end I feel they were not necessary. I think the story could have been tighter and more interesting had it been solely about the crime and its aftermath. The research put into telling Barbara's story is evident, and is certainly a positive I can comment on as something the author did well. I would have appreciated if the memoir-type items would have been left to the intro or conclusion.

I can't say that I would recommend this one for someone who is a huge crime buff and is used to a fast paced story. It might be a good place to start for someone who has never read true crime before, as it is not terribly graphic or messy.

BookSirens ARC | Fallible: A Memoir of a Young Physician's Struggle with Mental Illness

I received a free digital copy via BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐

I appreciate the author's experiences and his willingness to share his struggles of what most would consider deeply personal. Unfortunately the stigma surrounding mental illnesses is still in full effect so this makes it difficult for so many to speak up when they need help. Books like this are important, because it helps others going through these same struggles feel less alone. However, sometimes these books can also end up overwhelming their intentions when they involve many threads and do not all seem to connect in a complete way for the reader.

The author does not shy away from the realities of life as a med student and resident, while dealing with anxiety and depression, while also being a young husband and eventually father. It was frustrating to read about these older physicians often taking out their own anger or issues on residents, or just power-tripping for no reason. That mental strain alone would cause plenty of mental health issues on their own.

I have to say, straight-up, referring to his anxiety and depression as a "gargoyle" really got old quickly. Perhaps we can more quickly get rid of the stigma of mental illness if we simply refer to it as what it is, instead of trying to characterize it differently.

There is a lot going on here and while memoirs can often be kind of scattered at times, this one felt scattered due to the many complex issues all at play at once. The author talks about his religious life as a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints, and we see how that faith kind of ebbs and flows as he gets through med school and goes onto his residency. I am curious about whether or not his faith had anything to do with his reaction or outlook regarding therapy. I do not know a lot about the LDS church and what their stance is on psychiatry, but I wondered if that played a part, as it always seemed to be a negative experience for him - in the brief glimpses we got of that aspect of his dealing with his anxiety and depression. In fact, I would have liked to known more about that avenue, because the discussion of therapy sometimes seemed like an afterthought. There was the issue of meds and them working or not, but nothing in-depth.

This book takes many routes at once, and they don't always converge with one another. At certain points in the book it was definitely about Jones and his struggles with internally dealing with everything. Other times it was about how literally everything outside of him was only making his battles worse.

I guess the picture is disjointed, but when dealing with mental illnesses, that is often the reality, so it does make sense in that regard. Despite my issues with the text I still think this is a valuable contribution to the books and memoirs specifically that deal with such topics.

BookSirens ARC: Sometimes When I'm Sad

 

I received a free digital ARC via BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book is absolutely stunning, incredibly beautiful, and exactly what our little ones need when they know/feel something is 'wrong', but they don't have the words yet to explain it.

I really hate when people say, "Don't worry, kids are resilient." While this is most often true, they shouldn't HAVE to be. Kids should not have to overcome trauma and bounce back from horrible events and circumstances. But they do, and far too often. So, unfortunately, we need books like this to help them cope.

Mental illness is very real, even among our youngest in our population. This book will do wonders in the right hands, letting children know their feelings are valid, whatever those feelings may be. Kids need strategies to deal with big emotions in a time when adults are needing the same things. If we can't cope, and overcome, we can not grow and move forward.

The book provides wonderful tools for adults as well, in how to help our children, to understand the difference between being sad and depression, and what we can do to make sure our children know we are here for them. Adults are given an overview of signs to look for when it might be something more than sadness. I feel like this is a must-have for any adults who work with children, especially psychologists, school counselors, and teachers. I will definitely be buying a copy for Eleanor, so she always knows that she can rest in whatever emotion she is feeling, feel it all the way through to the end, and then put it away once it has been dealt with properly.

What I really love about the book is exactly just what I envision and hope for for Eleanor. Sadness is a common, complex emotion. Telling kids to just smile and be happy is just about the worst thing one can do. Children internalize that, wonder what is wrong with them because they don't feel happy even when it looks like everyone else is, and those feelings of insecurity grow.

Sadness is completely embraced here, and given its space to just be. We need to learn how to also just sit and be with that sadness, or any other emotion. It is a hard skill to teach children, but is so critical for their emotional and mental health.

In the story, a young boy is dealing with some feelings and he doesn't yet know how to express those feelings in constructive ways. He hides often hides, or throws his toys. Treats and gifts do not help him deal with the emotions he is feeling. He then meets a counselor who gives the child different ways to help manage his sadness/depression and cope with this big, overwhelming feelings. He uses these throughout the remainder of the story. He says at the end that he still cries sometimes, but not for long because now he knows ways to help himself feel better. He is shown creative ways to create outlets for himself, and these are simple things that can be used by everyone, not just children - confiding in someone we know cares deeply for us, knowing they will not judge us or dismiss our feelings, is so so important for children especially.

BookSirens ARC | The "Supreme Gentleman" Killer: The True Story of an Incel Mass Murderer

I received a free digital copy via BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.

Rating ⭐⭐

Ugh. This fuck-weasel doesn't even deserve this attention so I am going to keep this short and not-so-sweet.

I remember when these horrific events occurred. I saw his 'manifesto' videos and the entire time I watched it I could not help but think this pathetic little boy thinks he is big and bad, with his awkward and poorly timed laughs, 'educating' us on why this Day of Retribution was coming.

How about you just fuck all the way off, okay Elliot Rodger?

I mean, I get that he can't, on account of the being dead and all, but GOOD GOD! It was so easy to see in the first minute of the video why he had no friends and girls would not be interested - he is CREEPY AF.

I am not giving the book two stars merely because the subject is absolute garbage, but I struggled to get through it at times due to the repetition of certain facts that were CONSTANT.

I get it, dude was a budding psychopath who had no friends, and played a shit-ton of World of Warcraft. He thought he was owed something, and he wasn't, so he ranted and whined like a little bitch, then took the cowardly way out by killing himself before justice could be served.

But these things were obvious from the start and did not need to be repeated SO. MANY. TIMES.

At times I did feel like parts of the book were more filler, because honestly there is not a lot to be said about a fuckboy who thinks he deserves to have sex with all the beautiful women that he wants to, but can't figure out why they're not interested? So many times it was mentioned how he was out in public, sitting at a table or whatever, waiting for young women to approach him. Why would they do that? Why would he think he wouldn't have to make any effort? I mean, seriously.

A major issue here is that even if you did take out what I or other readers might consider filler, the short book becomes even shorter. I believe it is between 150-175 pages, though not sure of the exact number. There is simply not enough material, in my opinion.

The author states early on that basically no one wants to talk about Rodger. That would be another indication that perhaps there is not going to be enough material for a full-length book. Even interviews with those who knew him would have helped broaden the picture. All we really have of Rodger is his rambling manifestos about how boo-hoo women don't like him. I think interviews with survivors would have also been incredibly powerful and add another aspect to the story that seems to be missing.

it is clear from the start that Elliot Rodger has severe mental health issues. He would possibly have benefitted from consistent and intensive therapy, but he was such a good liar at a fairly early age, that we are talking intensive therapy+very young. Something was broken in his brain, and honestly maybe it was not fixable. But this kid never stood a chance because he was all but left to wallow in his misery. His family simply saw him as an extremely shy and awkward kid, but there was so much going on just below the surface that they either couldn't not see, or chose not to see.

Aside from having no perspective of others to give a more fair view of the situation as a whole, we instead only have Rodger's word to go on. Are we supposed to trust that he is reliable in relaying all the ways he has been wronged, when it is obvious how messed up he is? Was his life really so terrible and difficult? How would we really know? We already know he had an incredibly skewed sense of reality, what with all the entitlement oozing from his pores.

Overall the book was okay for me, but not great. I get there might not be nearly enough source material, but that would be an indication that maybe he could be part of a case study as a part of incel "culture" (eyeroll), instead of one volume dedicated to this one person who chose to murder in cold blood because he could not get laid.