Audiobook Review: Sister Wife by Christine Brown Woolley
Sister Wife: A Memoir of Faith, Family, and Finding Freedom
Author: Christine Brown Woolley
Narrator: Christine Brown Woolley
Published: September 2, 2025
Audiobook: 8 hours 43 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: September 2-5, 2025
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
From TLC’s Sister Wives star Christine Brown Woolley, a groundbreaking and heartfelt memoir about living in a family like no other and finding the strength to leave Mormonism—and the only life she’s known—behind.
Christine Brown Woolley had always dreamed of having a picture-perfect family—beautiful children, an adoring husband, and of course, a sisterhood of wives to share him with. Raised in Utah by practicing polygamists, Christine knew her life was less than normal, but that didn’t stop her from loving the full house of her childhood any less.
Becoming Kody Brown’s third wife in 1994, Christine finally found the big, happy family she had hoped for. When TLC’s hit show Sister Wives premiered in 2010, Christine knew it was her chance to shine a light on the brighter side of polygamy—the helping hands, the lively discussions, and their unmatched devotion to each other. But the cameras also revealed a much darker truth.
Now, in this candid tell-all, Christine shares for the first time the journey that led her away from the Morman church and the bold path she is carving to live apart from all she has ever known. Moving, genuine, and insightful, this is a uniquely powerful tour de force of Christine’s journey toward and beyond her time in the spotlight as a sister wife.
Jessica’s Review:
I first watched some of Sister Wives years ago, and for some reason I decided to start it over and watch it in December of 2023. I am all caught up, and yes, I have a favorite former sister wife (Janelle all the way!) and a strong dislike for Kody. After finishing Christine’s memoir my opinion of Kody is this: He’s a total douche! Yes, this is Christine’s perspective of her life, but I mean, if you have seen the show, then you know: It’s like a ‘knife to the kidneys’!
I know that reality shows are not necessarily ‘real’, but there are some things mentioned in Woolley’s memoir that give a whole different perspective on the show. When I found out about the book, I knew I wanted to read or listen to it. Woolley narrates the memoir herself and it sounds just like how she speaks and it was like she was speaking to me.
Christine can be a bit ‘much’ at times on the show but she is who she is and you can take it or leave it. We find out the details about the falling out Christine had with Meri, and the closeness she gets with Janelle over time. She goes into the Mormon religion, polygamy, her background and her dislike for Warren Jeffs and the FLDS, which she was not a part of. She goes full throttle telling everything with no holding back. From her first kiss at the alter to the wedding night, to the lack of a sex life, to finally leaving Kody and the polygamist way of life. To starting over, and finding a love that she fully deserves with David Woolley. Christine has lived quite a life.
People are talking about the details of Christine and Kody’s sex life, and many other things that were believed from the show and confirmed with the memoir, but there were many other things that were not on the show: Yes, the sister wives did drink in Vegas. How early on Christine thought about leaving Kody, but never acted on it. And how much things changed early on once Robyn came into the picture. Things are definitely not how they appear on television! What I found shocking was Christine was at the beginnings of addiction to oxycodone, but realized it and was able to get off of it herself.
There was so much more I could say, but I will just say this: Read or listen to the memoir if you are a fan of the show! I really hope Meri and Janelle also write memoirs one day so we can hear their side of their lives!
Audiobook Review: Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I’d Known About Menopause
Dare I Say It: Everything I Wish I’d Known About Menopause
Author: Naomi Watts
Narrator: Naomi Watts
Published: January 21, 2025
Audiobook: 6 hours 50 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: July 6-10, 2025
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
At thirty-six, Naomi Watts had just completed filming King Kong and was trying to start a family when she was told that she was on the brink of menopause. It is estimated that seventy-five million women in the United States are currently dealing with menopause symptoms (dry itchy skin, raging hormones, night sweats), and yet the very word “menopause” continues to be associated with stigma and confusion. With so little information, many women feel unprepared, ashamed, and deeply alone when the time comes.
This is the book Naomi Watts wishes she had when she first started experiencing symptoms. Like sitting down over coffee and having an intimate chat with your girlfriend, Dare I Say It blends funny and poignant stories from Naomi and her friends with advice from doctors, hormone experts, and nutritionists to take the secrecy and shame out of menopause and aging. Answering questions such as: What’s hormone therapy and should I be on it? Will I ever sleep again? Will I get myself back? What happened to my libido? Do I need eighteen serums for my aging skin? Whose body is this anyway? Who am I now? Naomi Watts shares the most up-to-date research on how to manage menopause symptoms and tackle the physical and emotional challenges we encounter as we age.
Irreverent, bold, and reassuring, Dare I Say It is the companion every woman needs to embrace the best version of herself as she moves into what can be the most powerful and satisfying period of her life.
Jessica’s Review:
Women’s health can be a big mystery with many unknowns, but these unknowns are constantly being learned. It seems in very recent years as more ‘well known’ women are reaching a ‘certain age’ (IE: Menopause) they are letting their voices be heard. Menopause and perimenopause are becoming mainstream to talk about, and therefore women in the starting phases of this change of life (this listener included) can learn and know what to expect in the future with their health.
There is still so much to learn regarding perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause, but Naomi Watts is helping in this. She has written this book and given her experiences with menopause. It is informative and at times she made me laugh. There were portions of this book that didn’t apply to me (Watts desire for children and her fear she might not ever become a mother) while other parts I found very ‘teachworthy’. Such as: Did you know that menopause is just one day? It is the day from when you have not had a period for 12 consecutive months. Post-menopause begins after that and then is the rest of a woman’s life.
I would say it is not the ‘ultimate book’ on menopause information, but it is a good place to start. And Watts does give her own story throughout the book. At times it was like she was sitting here with you just talking to a friend. Dare I say It gives the listener (in my case) a history of the field of study and the experiences of past generations of women, as well as giving an insight into various health-related options and resources currently available.
One thing Watts does talk about is her company she founded called Stripes. It is a beauty and wellness brand focused on perimenopause and menopause. This is something to keep in mind as you read the book.
I loved that she mentioned Tamsen Fadal! I plan on reading Fadal’s book How to Menopause soon. Fadal also released a documentary titled The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause that I watched last year.
For me, Watts’ book gives a good introduction on what a woman can expect with perimenopause and menopause. I plan on learning more since I am now going through it.
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
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Audiobook Review: My Next Breath by Jeremy Renner
My Next Breath
Author: Jeremy Renner
Narrator: Jeremy Renner
Published: April 29, 2025
Audiobook: 6 hours 35 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: June 30- July 3, 2025
Jessica’s Rating: 5 stars
Book Description:
The gripping and inspiring story of acclaimed actor Jeremy Renner’s near-fatal accident, and what he learned about inner strength, endurance and hope as he overcame insurmountable odds to recover, one breath at a time.
Two-time Oscar nominee Jeremy Renner was the second most googled person in 2023… and not for his impressive filmography. His searing portrayals on film ranged from an Iraq-based army bomb technician in The Hurt Locker and a Boston bank robber in The Town to a crooked Camden mayor in American Hustle before he became heir to the Jason Bourne franchise (The Bourne Legacy). Amongst other iconic roles, he also captured hearts as fan-favorite comic book marksman Hawkeye in seven Marvel films.
Yet, his otherworldly success on-screen faded to the periphery when a fourteen-thousand-pound snowcat crushed him on New Year’s Day 2023. Somehow able to keep breathing for more than half an hour, he was subsequently rushed to the ICU, after which he would face multiple surgeries and months of painful rehabilitation.
In this debut memoir, Jeremy writes in blistering detail about his accident and the aftermath. This retelling is not merely a gruesome account of what happened to him; it’s a call to action and a forged companionship between reader and author as Jeremy recounts his recovery journey and reflects on the impact of his suffering. Ultimately, Jeremy’s memoir is a testament to the human spirit and its capacity to endure, evolve, and find purpose in the face of unimaginable adversity. His writing captures the essence of profound transformation, exploring the delicate interplay between vulnerability and strength, despair and hope, redemption and renewal.
Jessica’s Review:
This memoir starts with an essay that Jeremy Renner’s daughter Ava wrote for school. He also admits in his author’s note that he did not want to write this book as he did not want to relive and recount the accident. It seems like Renner should not be alive today, but thankfully he is and we can hear him tell his story of what happened on January 1, 2023; the day of the accident.
I listened to the audiobook that Renner also narrated. You can hear the emotion that occasionally comes through as he narrates, obviously remembering that experience. Renner gives the gritty details of the accident and his fight for survival. The actual 911 call is shared throughout the book. The listener gets to hear this call and amazingly how calm everyone seems to be, all while you can hear Renner moaning and struggling to breathe in the background.
The title of this memoir is very significant as Renner brings up breathing and breath throughout his memoir. The listener also hears how important the love of his family is to him. It was this love that helped him to get through everything that he did.
Renner also gives information on his background and recovery. His recovery was seemingly quick for the devastating damage that happened to his body. I also got a sense of the kind of person that Renner is, and he is one very stubborn person, but that also seemingly helped in his recovery. Renner is non-religious so there is no thanking God or finding God in this memoir. Renner also repeats himself a lot, is very descriptive with his injuries, and does drop the ’f-bomb’ throughout the novel.
My Next Breath may have been a book that Renner did not want to write, but I am glad he did. This is a powerful memoir that shows how much love and determination can help a person to fight for himself and heal.
After listening or reading this book, Google what a snowcat looks like and it will be even more apparent how Renner should not have survived, but is still hear for a reason. This is a powerful five-star memoir.
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK