Crying Wolf *TRIGGER WARNING REGARDING SA*

After being brutally assaulted after a first date, Eden is confronted by an apprehensive world. ‘Are you sure you were raped?’ ‘Did they misunderstand you?’ ‘Maybe they thought you liked it.’ Already regarded with doubt, Eden’s polyamorous lifestyle exposes her to ridicule and disbelief from onlookers and herself, setting forth her path towards self-destruction and recovery.

This memoir really broke my heart. Boudreau's bravery to confront her trauma and publicise her story is a type of courage I can only be envious of. We learn that healing is not a linear process, that it really isn’t someone else’s job to fix us, but only ourselves. Whilst Boudreau’s story is not unique, akin to many other harrowing stories that women share every day, Boudreau highlights her unique position existing within a polyamorous relationship, and how that exposes her to a different type of victim blaming, from herself and other people.

Whilst not a particularly nice topic to read about, Boudreau’s writing is captivating in its candid, succinct style, driving you to read on. As a result of this style, it makes it an incredibly accessible text, one that demands to be read.

I hope this is not the last time I read her work.

This book was filled with an honesty that was heartbreaking and powerful all at the same time. I could really feel all of the emotions that our author expressed, and it made me very sad for her as a person in this horrible situation. This book was all about our main character and her horrible attack that she suffered at the hands of her date. I can’t even imagine having to go through something so terrible, but our author was able to write about it without turning it into something that (unfortunately) has been talked about a million times. The descriptions in this book were fantastic and I loved how most of it was written on what she was thinking at the time and how could she have changed it (not that she could) instead of being focused on the attack. This was very different than other books I’ve read similar to this because it seemed more personal like I was being told the story by a friend and not a complete stranger. I can’t imagine the strength it must have taken to write about this horrible experience and relive it all over again with her thoughts replaying in everyone’s head but that is exactly why this book was so good it put you in the victim’s shoes and allowed you to really feel the trauma that people have to live with after something like this happens to them. Another thing that was very different about this book was our main character Eden was married at the time of her attack. She and her husband had an open relationship and when people discovered what happened to her it was very sad to see them become judgemental instead of sympathetic. This book shows all of the pain that Eden went through during and even after her attack and after reading everything she went through I understand why sometimes the victims don’t come forward. The aftermath of something so horrible shouldn’t be just as bad as the attack itself yet unfortunately sometimes it is. This book was amazing and really lit a fire in me that made me very sad and very angry at the same time. This book will pull the reader in and make you want to protect her. I’m so glad that I was able to check this book out, don’t’ be turned off by its strong subject this is one that will get everyone talking.

It takes an incredibly brave, special writer to lay her soul bare. Eden Boudreau is that writer. In her raw, vulnerable, at times gut-wrenching, and always inspiring memoir, CRYING WOLF, Boudreau details her violent sexual assault and her painful journey toward healing. An openly bisexual, polyamorous woman, Boudreau anticipates every negative judgment and the blame others will place upon her because she is her own harshest critic. Yet, through deep soul-searching, therapy, and the power of the pen, she finds her path toward self-acceptance and gives a voice to those unable to share their own stories of violence and terror. CRYING WOLF is a tale of strength, sorrow, and authenticity, and a lesson to be ourselves, because we have only one life to live.

Title: Crying Wolf: A Memoir
Rate 5/5 🌟
Literature: Non-fiction

I have to say it has been a while since I haven't posted. As I read and decided to look for an opportunity, thank you NetGalley for giving me a chance to rate this book. I have to say is one of my best selections yet!

I have been waiting for a while for something to bring out my feelings in a solid writing. Something to relate with, and show vulnerability and understanding of some things. This book had it for me.

*This book contains sensitive topics.*

One of the best books I read this year! THANK YOU @edenboudreau
For writing this piece.

Wow! Five stars! This book captured my attention from the first page. The writing is so good. It’s descriptive and captivating. The story is heartbreaking but Eden is resilient and brave.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy for the purpose of this review. I really enjoyed it even if it was difficult to read at times due to the subject matter.

One woman's journey thru life. Interesting and insightful.
Thanks to author, publisher and netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free, it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.