I don't typically reach for memoirs, but I was drawn in by the cover and the title. By the time I finished reading the synopsis, I was hooked. I ended up reading this in one day because I just couldn't put it down.

Andrea Leeb is an economical writer and seems to know just how much detail to share and what to leave unsaid. Many of the descriptions of the intensely traumatizing and painful experiences she went through felt devoid of emotion, presented with almost clinical detachment. That was initially something I saw as a flaw in the book, but I came to see it as an evocative portrayal of one of Andrea's coping mechanisms. I felt her dissociation, how she distracted herself and numbed her pain to get through life and simply survive.

Sprinkled throughout the story are moments of lighthearted fun and even joy shared with her parents, highlighting the complexity of growing up in an abusive household. Andrea also shares her hesitations around seeking help to find healing from her trauma, and some of the negative experiences she had when she did seek help. These parts of her story are so important for fellow victims/survivors to read, to maybe see their own experiences reflected in others, to know they are not alone.

The book ends on a more uplifting, hopeful note, though refrains from painting the journey toward healing with an overly sunny brush. Overall, Such a Pretty Picture is a well-written, highly readable, and strikingly balanced examination of a heavy, disturbing topic.

A fantastic and important book on a subject that makes most readers uncomfortable, and rightly so. Everyone acknowledges that SA at any age is wrong, but it particularly comes with its own baggage when it involves minor children, and even more so when it's against one's own child.
Author Andrea Leeb writes about her childhood trauma, her experience with SA and the violence that so often accompanies it. She handles a very tough subject with a light hand, recognizing that the subject alone is a heavy one.
Highly recommended as she shows that there is hope for victims and that it is never their fault

An utterly gripping and emotionally devastating memoir—I couldn’t tear myself away. Andrea’s story unfolds through a thousand quiet traumas inflicted by family, peers, therapists, and romantic partners. As her support group poignantly reflected, if reading her journey is this difficult, living it must have been unimaginable.

These are the types of personal stories that I'm drawn to. I admire the bravery it takes to put your story into the world for all to read and judge. Leeb's book is hauntingly superb. The writing is excellent, making you feel like you're right there with her during her struggles. It will make you think and stay with you after you've finished it. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Wow this memoir was intense but I'm glad she got to share her story. I loved how honest she was and that the stories were told in a matter of fact way. I liked how it was organized linearly instead of jumping around it time so it was easy to follow.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a beautifully written memoir. Andrea shares her story of the brutal abuse and grooming she went through caused by her father that began when she was only 4 years old. Later on the abuse continues from other boys and men. While she shares all the tragedies she faced and how it affects her now as an adult, she also shares how she survived.

This book was devastating and made me cry multiple times while reading. It was heartbreaking to read about how she was failed by everyone around her. She does an excellent job of converting her story and making the reader understand the emotions she experienced. Her story is very important and deserves to be read.

Trigger warning: It deals with heavy topics such as mental health struggles, SA, self harm and abuse.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a heartbreaking memoir about molestation, abuse and how Andrea lived with this secret for so many years. My heart hurt so bad for her. She was so real and raw with her story. I’m glad after so many years of suffering Andrea can finally say she feels “free”.

This was a heartbreaking, powerful, and honest memoir. I read it in only a couple of sittings because it was impossible to put down. It was absolutely devastating and a very important story to tell. Andrea Leeb is so so so brave and I admire her for writing this. She had a great voice within the prose and conveyed her emotions so well. The epilogue was absolutely beautiful. I also really loved how she provided abuse hotlines at the end along with the note about donating 25% of all royalties to RAINN, it was such a nice and thoughtful touch. And while it didn’t hit me in the way I reserve 5 stars for, that’s a personal response, not a knock on the book itself. I feel so lucky to have read Andrea's story.

Thanks to NetGalley and She Writes Press for the ARC - this is my honest review 🩷

I always feel a little strange rating memoirs as I feel like I am just rating someone’s trauma. However, this was so easily a 5 star read for me.

Despite how devastating the events of Andrea Leeb’s life are, this was so beautifully and honestly written. Throughout every part of this book, it just felt so raw. In part 1, where she is describing the events of her childhood, it is written with such innocence that it almost is like a child had written those parts. It was wonderful to see how the older Andrea got throughout the story, the more brave she got in regards to her becoming such a strong and powerful women.


I am struggling to put into words how impactful this book was. I am so glad that she found the courage to be honest with herself and tell her story, as it is so important. Also extra extra loved the links to helplines for anyone who has been affected by SA.

Such a Pretty Picture is a raw, courageous memoir that navigates the devastating terrain of childhood sexual abuse and the long, winding road to healing. Andrea Leeb recounts her earliest traumas with poignant restraint, choosing words that carry weight without graphic excess—a choice that honors the pain without retraumatizing the reader. As a survivor myself, I appreciated this approach deeply.

The strength of the memoir lies in its emotional honesty and clarity. Leeb captures the silence, the shame, and the psychological toll of being hurt by someone meant to protect you. Her mother’s “hysterical blindness”—both literal and metaphorical—adds a haunting layer of generational complicity and denial.

However, once the story shifts to Andrea’s adult life, the pacing feels rushed. The latter chapters move quickly through years of her life, glossing over the critical and complex journey of post-trauma healing. Readers—especially fellow survivors—may find themselves wanting more: not just about surviving, but thriving.

Still, Such a Pretty Picture remains a moving testament to resilience, offering solace, validation, and the reminder that healing, though never linear, is possible.

This memoir is brutally honest and shows the ramifications of abuse through decades. What I appreciated from Andrea's story is the transparent nature of how this altered her adult life and relationships - not just pushing it all to the epilogue. There are moments where I wanted to believe that some of the actions of the surrounding adults was due to time period/lack of education, but without books like these, we will never be educated. While the content is dark, I feel that this book is necessary to many who want to work with children in a professional setting and want to really understand the realities some young people face.

This is a raw, courageous memoir, easy to read despite the difficult subject matter. The writing is engaging and the author shares her memories of abuse and trauma with sensitivity. Enough detail is given to make clear what occurred, but the emphasis is on recounting the effects of the abuse on the author and those in her life. Leeb very effectively illustrates the deep, far-reaching, and long-lasting effects of this type of trauma. I feel that other fellow survivors will find comfort in the strength she possesses, her ability to confront her trauma and primary abuser, and the joy and hope that she ends the memoir with. The only thing that could make this better would be more discussion of her adult life, particularly during and after her time in the in-patient program. Compared to the discussion of her childhood, the later portions of her story feel somewhat hurried.

I

Such a Pretty Picture by Andrea Leeb is a powerful, emotionally raw memoir that courageously sheds light on the hidden scars of childhood abuse and the arduous journey toward healing. From the very first pages, Leeb immerses readers into her world—one marked by betrayal, shame, and the quiet resilience needed to survive trauma no child should endure. The story begins with a disturbingly intimate account of her early experiences with her father, David, and the devastating impact it has on her life. Leeb’s writing is both honest and compassionate, capturing the complex layers of fear, confusion, and shame that she carries. The narrative doesn’t shy away from the brutal reality of abuse but emphasizes her strength in navigating a childhood overshadowed by secrets nobody should bear alone. What makes this book truly remarkable is Leeb’s portrayal of her ongoing journey—not just through her traumatic past but also in her pursuit of self-understanding and forgiveness. The depiction of her mother Marlene’s willful blindness adds a poignant layer of critique about complicity and denial within families, making Leeb’s eventual confrontation with her history all the more impactful. The storytelling in this memoir is lyrical yet unflinching, allowing readers to feel pain, fear, and hope deeply. The way she balances moments of despair with glimpses of grace and resilience offers a genuine and hopeful perspective that healing, while complicated and non-linear, is indeed possible. Leeb’s realization that healing is not about erasing the past but learning to live with it is both inspiring and necessary. This memoir is an essential read for anyone seeking honest insight into the survivor's experience. It’s a testament to the human spirit's capacity to endure and eventually find joy even after profound betrayal. Andrea Leeb’s brave debut is a must-read—raw, emotional, and ultimately empowering.

Such A Pretty Picture by Andrea Leeb is a heart wrenching and tragic personal account of her own story as a child who was betrayed and riden of her innocence by the ones who should have protected her the most. The layers of emotional and physical trauma that she went through haunt her into adulthood where she fights to understand, process, and find outlets to release the secrets bounding her to a life of uncertainty, mistrust, self hatred, and betrayal. It was the constant thread of hope that was depicted in each page that kept me enthralled to keep reading.

My heart ached and broke over and over again as I read this book. No child should go through something as dreadful as this yet it happens to many. The amount of courage and bravery it took for Leeb to not only put her dark secrets on paper but to write it and re live it is a true testament to her strength and growth.

This book was tragically raw and well written.

Trigger Warning: this book discusses sensitive content including SA, suicidal thoughts, and self harm.

Set to be published on 10/14/25

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read and review this book.

Such a Pretty Picture is a raw, unflinching memoir that explores the darkness behind a seemingly idyllic facade. It’s a deeply personal account of a childhood marked by emotional turmoil, family dysfunction, and trauma - and the long road toward understanding and healing. Leeb confronts difficult truths about her past with a kind of brutal honesty that’s both courageous and deeply moving.
Even though the book is quite graphic and by far not the easiest read, I believe memoirs that handle such heavy topics- childhood abuse, mental health, complicated family dynamics - are almost mandatory for us to engage with. Yes, the author did the bravest thing by writing and publishing her experiences, so somehow I feel like we, as readers and bystanders, are obligated to read them as long as they exist in the world. Isn’t this the least we can do?
The writing is unpretentious and emotionally sharp- it doesn’t aim to be lyrical or poetic, and that’s exactly why it lands so hard. The author doesn’t distance herself from the pain, and she doesn’t allow the reader to, either. It’s intimate, direct, and at times unbearably honest, making it a memoir that lingers long after the last page.
This isn’t a book you read for comfort - it’s one you read to bear witness.

Set to publishedOctober 14, 2025. Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

Wow. I finished this one in a single sitting - this was a tragic and dificult read, but also a powerful and important one.

I appreciated Andrea sharing her story in such a raw and authentic way - it highlights that trauma doesn't just impact us in the moment, but that it follows us and impacts future relationships and life moments. SO many people failed her, yet she somehow still managed to pick herself up to seek help, strength, and hope through everything, something that many of us are too fearful of doing. On top of that, it was beautifully written - "unputdownable" while also sharing the horrific truth behind the abuse she endured. An easy 5/5. Thank you so much for this ARC!

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this raw and heart-wrenching memoir by Andrea Leeb ARC.
I admire the courage it took for her to write and tell us her darkest and most personal moments. This book deals with heavy topics that may be triggering. It touches on sexual abuse, incest, and grooming by her father. The lack of emotional support in her life was appalling. I understand that it was a different time and such topics weren't considered so seriously yet it still shocks me how every adult in her life failed her. Andreas writing style is perfect, you feel connected to her experiences and pain. I highly recommend this memoir to anyone looking for something honest and impactful that will leave you wanting more and more.

Andrea Leeb’s debut memoir will wrench open a reader’s heart. SUCH A PRETTY PICUTRE delivers an unapologetic journey into the trauma of childhood sexual abuse. From the opening chapter, the innocent moment of a four-year-old’s bath at the hands of her father, sets the stage for a decade of shame and fear. The writer is led to believe that she is to blame for what her father does to her, and anything less than her silence will destroy the family. Her mother, aware of the abuse, turns a blind eye, and does nothing to protect her daughter.

SUCH A PRETTY PICTURE exposes exactly how abuse can hide in plain sight. Andrea writes with an emotional detachment, an unflinching look at her world, that draws the reader close to every painful moment. Her prose is spare, yet impactful. The reader cannot look away, as if the act of looking might somehow save the child.

Andrea’s triumphant success, finding her true self in the middle of confusion and shame, is a testament to the writer’s tenacity. Her struggles to recover balance and healing, gift the reader with a hopeful note, that resilience and recovery, no matter how messy and no-linear, can be attained.

An important and must-read book that will linger in the reader’s mind long after turning the last pages.

Such a Pretty Picture is one of the most beautifully written memoirs I've read this year. With raw honesty and lyrical prose, the author recounts her experiences with familial abuse, sexual assault, and suicidal ideation in a way that is both deeply affecting and profoundly authentic. The writing doesn't just tell you a story, it immerses you in it, evoking an emotional intensity that stays with you long after the final page. This memoir powerfully illuminates the long-lasting impact of sexual abuse on young women and children, showing how trauma echoes into adulthood. Despite the heaviness of the subject matter, the book is ultimately a testament to resilience and healing. I'm grateful the author had the courage to share her truth-- and to find, through that process, a measure of peace.

Such a Pretty Picture is not just a beautiful memoir; it's an important one.

I highly recommend this inspiring memoir! Andrea Leeb’s book is searingly honest, with profound insights helpful to anyone touched by abuse. Her memories of being sexually abused as a child, and the painful aftermath that follows, are candidly recalled. Confusion, emotional blunting and sometimes complete shut-down, result in a lack of trust in everyone, These are the tragic results of being groomed to keep secrets. She blamed herself because others told her it was her fault. How terrible not to be believed or appropriately supported as a young girl/woman! Outward appearances of a happy family life fooled those around her. Unaddressed family secrets grew for years. Lack of responsible parenting, and a cycle or threats and rewards offered by the perpetrator, kept her off-balance. Being labeled “emotionally disturbed” and having, at times, conflicted feelings about her abuser, added to her early shame. It is difficult to find the self-awareness of knowing what actually happened to you in such an environment, but she heroically does so. Now painfully honest about her emotions, she reveals how silence, especially while staying outwardly busy and successful, can keep a person stuck in corrosive shame and in lonely isolation. She followed her family paradigm about outward appearances in that way. Her memoir is redemptive. By speaking to wise, trauma-informed people, she finds a way out of self-blame. She comes to trust others by listening to those who empathize and understand her. She sees her perpetrators stay in denial, which baffles her at times, yet she ultimately accepts their limitations. She knows that people sometimes create a false reality to excuse their mistakes. This way, they evade facing the pain they have caused others. Abusers continue to punish those who speak truth. The author gains wisdom about her life when she finally speaks out. Her insight: emotionally numb feelings result when you bury memories you just wish would disappear. When not faced, they harm and haunt you. Through therapy and self-reflection, she finds acceptance and happiness within. She also attracts empathetic people who understand her. Because of her own suffering, she learns to feel deeply for others. No longer doomed to wear a scarlet letter, she breaks free and puts down the enormous burden that was never her’s to carry. That responsibility belongs to the perpetrator, even if that person is remains unrepentant. She carries on without apology to discover a new life of possibility.

I loved this memoir. It was raw, honest, and hard to put down. Although it is very triggering as it talks about incestual sexual abuse, you really were able to feel the emotion throughout the book and the pain that Andrea felt/feels.

What struck me the most was how Andrea managed to weave such trauma with a strong, distinct voice that never felt self-pitying, but instead deeply reflective and human. Her storytelling is vivid and unfiltered, pulling you into her world with such intensity that I often found myself needing to pause to take a breath.

Despite the heavy subject matter, a powerful undercurrent of resilience and hope prevails. Andrea’s journey toward healing—through therapy, self-awareness, and reclaiming her narrative—felt like a lifeline for anyone who has ever experienced deep emotional wounds. It’s a brave and necessary story that exposes the generational silence and denial often surrounding abuse, especially within families that appear “perfect” from the outside.

This memoir isn’t just a story of trauma—it’s a story of survival, truth, and breaking cycles.

A very emotional book that brought me to tears. It is a very well-written book about childhood trauma, specifically intrafamilial child sexual abuse. I read it in one night only because I had to know that Andrea received the help she needed to survive.
My heart goes out to the author. Any survivor of sexual abuse will find self-sabotage familiar. If only it were as easy to "forget about it and move on" as we are sometimes told.
This is a great book that readers of any genre would find interesting.
I was happy to accept the gift of an advanced reader copy of this book from She Writes Press and NetGalley.

Such a Pretty Picture: A Memoir by Andrea Leeb is well-written and well-presented. The author tells of her life, from age 4 to adulthood in a clear, factual way that will break your heart. The author is such a clear and compelling communicator- and yet, in all her years of being abused by her father, and her subsequent psychological problems, no one, NO ONE, listened to her. She bravely and courageously eventually found someone who WOULD listen and she began to heal. Truly a meaningful story.

I received an advance digital review copy from NetGalley and She Writes Press. This is my honest review.

Such a Pretty Picture by Andrea Leeb is a heartwrenching memoir about the pain, humiliation and secrets resulting from incest and emotional abuse. It is an extremely well written and poignant account of a lifetime of hurt, adversity, courage and strength.

A mother and father's primary goals in parenting their children are love and safety. Can a child become a functioning healthy adult when those needs are not met? When those demons are not confronted? This memoir exams those questions and the perseverence involved in overcoming the sins of a father.

It left me feeling heartache for Andrea the child, and pride for Andrea the adult.

This was a terrible, heart wrenching story, but an important one. So many people live lives buried in secrets fearing what might happen if they ask for help. Leeb also addresses what can happen if you ask the wrong people for help as well, such as when she tried to tell her therapists and they brushed off her concerns as overreactions.

This story was very fluid and coherent. Leeb wrote with a down to earth tone as if she were a friend telling her story. I commend her for her bravery and resonate with her words.

absolutely heartbreaking.....
I love memoirs so when this one came up on Netgalley I jumped at it not knowing what it was about. And then I started reading and put it down. I did not want to know about this. It's uncomfortable and horrible and a blaring reminder of all the evil in the world.
Which, ironically is the reason why stories like these need to be told and read and used to bring awareness so other victims can come forward and get the help they need. So I picked up my phone and kept reading.

This is hard material to read, especially the first quarter of the book. Andrea Leeb tells the story of her childhood and how at 4 years old she's given a bath by her father, something he's never done before as her mother is the one to do it but he starts touching her inappropriately and her mother walks in and screams, falling to the floor and becomes blind. Turns out it's a real condition that can happen from a traumatic experience, it's called hysterical blindness. This is all in the beginning of the book so it's not spoiling anything and you should know what you're getting into when you read this.

The mother goes away to the hospital and after a month her vision returns but she says nothing about the incident and any hint of it, her mother ignores. Her father continues to come to her room at night regularly and abuses her and threatens her not to say anything.

I cannot imagine what this is like nor do I want to but Andrea's detailing of her life living with that abuse for several years and the damage it does to her emotionally and how it all but ruins her mental stability is what I got out of it. It's amazing how resilient the human body is, but we are not meant to live life in our own little bubble. The story goes on from her abusive childhood and details her life as a teenager and what happens in her young adult life. It's truly not for the faint of heart but she survived and thank God for that. And I pray that others who find this story and haven't been able to get the help they need find the strength and the right person to talk to.

Wow, what a memoir. For readers of “I’m Glad My Mom Died” by Jenette McCurdy and “The Glass Castle” by Jeanette Walls, this gut-wrenching story follows Andrea starting at age four-and-a-half — the first time her father touched her. Her mother walked in, fainted, and woke up blind. Andrea’s childhood continues, rife with abuse and secrets. This abuse affects Andrea long into adulthood and, eventually forced to confront her past, she begins to heal.

This was such a painful but important read. It is also extremely well-written; you can see how the smart, precocious, avid-reader child turned into the adult who put pen to paper here. The author did an excellent job at reflecting while not attributing age-inappropriate thoughts to her younger self, which can be very difficult when writing a memoir about childhood abuse.

Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Thank you, Andrea, for your vulnerability and trusting the world with your story.

Reading this book is an absolutely crushing experience. Not because of the writing, it's excellent. Andrea's book is an amazing memoir, but because of the story itself. The way her parents failed her and brutalized her is bad enough. But what they did to her essentially groomed her to be a victim to every abusive male she encountered, from early teenager through adulthood.

The fact that she managed to overcome this through therapy is a testament to her strength and resilience. No child deserves a tenth of what she went through.

Everyone should read this book, not only because of its excellence, but because it might give them the tools to detect if this is happening to anyone in their circle and, hopefully, take action accordingly. Andrea deserved a savior that she never got.

Kudos to Andrea for surviving, first of all, and more importantly, for sharing all this, which must have been incredibly painful. May her parents be in the place they so richly deserve to be in for eternity.

Andrea Leeb did a phenomenal job in writing and sharing her life with us readers. This is such an emotional read, and I have to say I had to step away a few times because it was too hard to read. As a mother myself, I can not phathom not believing my child or worse, turn a blind eye!

She went through so many hardships in her life, and I felt devastated for her when no one believed her. So many people failed her! I felt upset with her father (a monster if you ask me) and her mother for not protecting her child. For putting a man before her children.

I am so happy Andrea was able to free herself from that prison and broke free of those chains. She is a very resilient woman, and I am so honored to have read about her life.

I hope she keeps thriving and living her best life 🫶🫶

This is absolutely a 5 🌟 🌟🌟🌟🌟 read for me!! If I could give it more, I would!!!

Thank you to NetGalley, and She Writes Press for this phenomenally written ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a deeply touching, raw, and emotional memoir. Although hard to read at times, it was also hard to put down. I don’t normally post trigger warnings in my reviews, but I feel that this book may be too triggering for some. The major triggers in this memoir are: incest, SA, self-harm, and betrayal.

This memoir is broken down into Three Parts. In Part One (1962-1969), at only 4 1/2 years old, Andrea’s father gives her a bath for the first time. Her mother walks in and catches her father doing something very bad. Andrea’s mother then faints, and wakes up blind. Her mother is admitted to a hospital for two weeks, and still cannot see due to “hysterical blindness”. However. Andrea’s mother (Marlene) thinks this happened because her husband was giving their daughter a cold bath… In the meantime, it is to be just Andrea and her father’s ‘secret’ as to what happened.

In Part Two (1969-1981), Andrea was going through her teenage years learning that she had no boundaries. She was taken advantage of by boys, and could not form a healthy, meaningful relationship with a boyfriend. As Andrea went away to college she was achieving everything she wanted academically, yet she was falling apart physically and emotionally. She began to have recurring flashbacks from her childhood and her times with her father (and the ‘secrets’ they shared together). Andrea sees a psychiatrist for the second time in her life, and he fails to believe her and makes her question her reality.

Part Three (1989-1992), an incident happens to Andrea on the subway in NY, which once again triggers her past. She finds a new female therapist, one she can finally open up to. She then goes to a 12 day recovery/grief program, where she is able to open up for the first time in her life. This was heartbreaking as no one had ever believed her in the past, and she was betrayed by the people who were supposed to protect her.

The Epilogue along with the rest of the book was just phenomenal. This is one memoir that I highly recommend reading. The author also indicates that 25% of all royalties will be donated to RAINN (The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network). Absolutely remarkable!!

Many thanks to NetGalley, She Writes Press, and the author for an advanced digital copy of this book, in which I had the pleasure of reading.
Publication date: October 14, 2025
Genre~ Biographies & Memoirs, Nonfiction (adult)

"A Vivid Memoir of Survival, Silence, and Self-Reclamation"

Andrea Leeb’s Such a Pretty Picture is a raw and affecting memoir that peels back the carefully curated surface of a life lived under the shadow of narcissistic abuse. With emotional honesty and a painter’s eye for detail, Leeb explores the trauma of growing up in a home where appearances mattered more than reality and the long, often painful road to reclaiming her own voice.
This isn’t just a story of surviving trauma; it’s one of untangling identity, embracing vulnerability, and ultimately healing. Leeb’s writing is vivid and intimate, and while the subject matter can be heavy, her resilience shines throughout.
I gave it 4 stars for its powerful storytelling and emotional depth. Some parts were difficult to read not due to the writing, but because of the painful truths they expose. A moving and worthwhile read for anyone exploring the impacts of narcissistic family dynamics.
Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for the ARC.
#SuchaPrettyPicture #NetGalley #Memoir #TraumaHealing #SheWritesPress

Such a Pretty Picture by Andrea Leeb

This powerful memoir is one survivor’s story of experiencing sexual abuse at the hands of her father. Both gripping and heartbreaking, her story begins with her father touching her during a bath when she was four years old. When her mother walks in and sees what is happening, her mother starts to suffer from a case of hysterical blindness lasting several months. As her mother recovers and pretends she didn’t see what she saw, Andrea continues to suffer more abuse at the hands of her father. As an adult, she first begins to verbalize what happened to her to her therapist and enters a program for those who suffered trauma and begins the steps to heal.

This was a book I could not put down. I read it one day. I felt a full range of emotions reading this book, both saddened and angry for what she had to endure. I’m not usually one who reads memoirs as I tend to find them dry and boring. But this book and Andrea’s story stuck with me. Easy to read but hard to look away. There were several times during the reading I wanted to crawl into the story and help her while also wanting to shake the adults in her life to get them to realize what was happening to her. I’m really glad she was able to get help as an adult and heal from such a painful childhood.