This was a memoir that came highly recommended; BookTubers everywhere talking about it and hyping up how amazing it was going to be. "It's so beautifully written." "It's so moving." "It's such an insightful look into the lives of LGBTQIA+ couples." where just a few of the things I heard that really made me want to check it out. Plus, I love Memoirs and made a promise to myself that I would read more nonfiction this year after almost not reading any of it in 2022. So, that brings us to where we are.

I usually enjoy audiobooks when it comes to memoir's because I feel that hearing the Author *telling* their story is much more powerful and emotional to listen to. So, I followed suite and did the same with this one, too. 

***First and foremost; TRIGGER WARNING for abuse. This memoir is completely surrounding abuse that the author experienced at the hands of girlfriend.***

*Second; I don't typically give memoirs bad reviews because, it IS someone's story. A story that they're brave enough to write about and to me that shows a certain level of vulnerability that I don't think everyone is capable of. With that being said, my low rating/review does not reflect how I feel about the memoir itself and what the author endured; it's about *how* that story was told.*

I'm just going to come out be completely honest, reading this book made me feel dumb. I'm pretty well read, with a little bit of post-secondary education and tend to be pretty decent writer. However; the style in which this is told is just too literary for me. The entire memoir is written and based around the concept of a 'horror' state of 'In the Dream House', therefore; the author writes everything she experienced is this alternate reality sort  of way - "In the dream house..." is the start to almost every line or chapter in the book. There are also references to other horror books/shows/movies that the author takes examples of in attempts to tell her story. Because of this, the overall story that is trying to be conveyed is just repetitive, flat, and to me, boring. 

I also struggled because though through the use of context clues we are able to gather the Author has obviously since separated herself from this abusive relationship and possibly even is now married and happy; we don't really know 'how' she got there. In my opinion, if you're going to write your memoir like a story, then give us the whole story. Not just the bits and pieces you know you can sell and forget the rest. 

So, if you're a lover of metaphors and literary devices, this might be for you. Otherwise, my suggestion is to go into it with a grain of salt & take it for what it's worth. A story that needs to be told but maybe isn't told in the best way. 

And that's all I have to say!