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Spelling It Like It Is
THE REALITY BEHIND REALITY TV; HOLLYWOOD'S FAVORITE MOM-STAR TELLS IT LIKE IT IS
Tori Spelling is the first to admit that the reality behind her popular television show, Tori & Dean, isn't always real. Not even Star Magazine could invent the true chaos that happens behind the scenes. Luckily, Tori is famously honest and self-deprecatingly funny when it comes to her personal life. She's always Spelling It Like It Is.
Life is never boring at Tori's house, but since her New York Times bestselling memoirs sTORI Telling, Mommywood, and Uncharted terriTORI, things have been especially unpredictable: Finding out she was pregnant with her third baby after nearly vomiting live on the Home Shopping Network; trying to hide her fourth pregnancy so soon after giving birth (as her stylist said, who would be that crazy?); being rescued from a paparazzo by a mom lynch mob; stalking her celebrity neighbor; and allowing cameras to film every personal detail of her life from the most challenging time in her marriage to the only time in six years when she really felt as though those cameras invaded her privacy.
Tori shares these stories and many more with the usual humor, candor, and down-to-earth charm that her fans love. She also writes openly about her biggest challenges: the terrifying health problems surrounding her high-risk pregnancy with youngest son Finn, her guilt over missing baby Hattie's early months because she was in the hospital on bed rest, her struggles (and failures) to live within her means after growing up in opulence, discovering how much she has in common with her late mega-producer father, Aaron Spelling, and falling in love with Dean all over again (hint: it didn't happen at their vow renewal ceremony).
After years of intimately revealing her everyday antics onscreen, Tori's life is still full of surprises. Slowing down long enough to enjoy them? Now that's another sTORI.
Tori Spelling is the first to admit that the reality behind her popular television show, Tori & Dean, isn't always real. Not even Star Magazine could invent the true chaos that happens behind the scenes. Luckily, Tori is famously honest and self-deprecatingly funny when it comes to her personal life. She's always Spelling It Like It Is.
Life is never boring at Tori's house, but since her New York Times bestselling memoirs sTORI Telling, Mommywood, and Uncharted terriTORI, things have been especially unpredictable: Finding out she was pregnant with her third baby after nearly vomiting live on the Home Shopping Network; trying to hide her fourth pregnancy so soon after giving birth (as her stylist said, who would be that crazy?); being rescued from a paparazzo by a mom lynch mob; stalking her celebrity neighbor; and allowing cameras to film every personal detail of her life from the most challenging time in her marriage to the only time in six years when she really felt as though those cameras invaded her privacy.
Tori shares these stories and many more with the usual humor, candor, and down-to-earth charm that her fans love. She also writes openly about her biggest challenges: the terrifying health problems surrounding her high-risk pregnancy with youngest son Finn, her guilt over missing baby Hattie's early months because she was in the hospital on bed rest, her struggles (and failures) to live within her means after growing up in opulence, discovering how much she has in common with her late mega-producer father, Aaron Spelling, and falling in love with Dean all over again (hint: it didn't happen at their vow renewal ceremony).
After years of intimately revealing her everyday antics onscreen, Tori's life is still full of surprises. Slowing down long enough to enjoy them? Now that's another sTORI.
304 pages, Paperback
First published September 17, 2013
46 people are currently reading
1617 people want to read
About the author
Tori Spelling
11 books339 followersVictoria Davey "Tori" Spelling is an American actress. She is known for being Aaron Spelling's daughter and for her role as Donna Martin in the 1990s teen soap opera Beverly Hills, 90210.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 254 reviews
November 3, 2013
I have read all of her memoirs and this is the first one that really, really annoyed me. She obviously lives a different life than most people but the way she goes on and on about how her kids will die without a pool, they need to be in private school, and on and on. Ugh! Give me a break!!! She fails to realize that all the things she says her kids "need" are wants and most children lead happy, wonderful childhoods without them. She claims to be in a tough financial situation but them employs nannies, a personal assistant, etc.
I have four kids myself (and actually had all four in under four years) and I manage to do all the homey things she likes to without help. It's tough at times, sure, but that's the way it is with kids!
I have four kids myself (and actually had all four in under four years) and I manage to do all the homey things she likes to without help. It's tough at times, sure, but that's the way it is with kids!
March 23, 2015
I don't love her, I don't hate her, and I sympathized with her when I started reading about the complications she had with her fourth pregnancy and the subsequent repercussions on her health for getting yet another c-section.
But, what is this woman thinking? She grew up as a little princess, I get it, she's Aaron Spelling's daughter, but she says she's struggling with financial problems, and still, she changes houses like diapers and losing money. Her kids will DIE without a pool. She wants to be a country girl, but she goes on vacation and changes hotels because they don't have room service. I know it may not be easy to adapt after a life full of luxuries, but she has 4 kids and she needs to!
But, what is this woman thinking? She grew up as a little princess, I get it, she's Aaron Spelling's daughter, but she says she's struggling with financial problems, and still, she changes houses like diapers and losing money. Her kids will DIE without a pool. She wants to be a country girl, but she goes on vacation and changes hotels because they don't have room service. I know it may not be easy to adapt after a life full of luxuries, but she has 4 kids and she needs to!
February 10, 2014
This is one of those quick read books that's mindless, but entertaining. Tori Spelling is a really likable and relatable celebrity, and her personality and voice came through in this memoir. She isn't the best writer, but who is reading this book for her writing skills? Let's be real, guys. Spelling shows a lot of honesty and self-awareness; she struggles with being raised in opulence and then growing up to be someone who simply cannot afford that kind of lifestyle. That seems silly to normal people (when she's rich by normal standards), but consider that many of us work hard our entire lives to attain at least the level of success and financial security of our parents. Not so silly that she'd feel that same impulse on a larger scale. She's totally ridiculous about so many things, but she knows it and owns it. She makes no excuses for her mistakes, and I appreciate that from anyone.
November 26, 2013
1.5 stars
First of all I acknowledge how ridiculous I feel for even venturing into the task of reading this. But I did occasionally watch Tori & Dean while it was on TV and subsequently read the other books so why not? It was quick and my brain did not need to think much during it, call it a brain vacation. However, while there were aspects that reminded me of the Tori I have come to know--funny, quirky, neurotic etc., there was also far too much pretentiousness showing up in this one. I for one do not understand why her children will "die" without a pool, especially in the weather of California. Plus her repeated comments about mentioning this or that in hopes of gaining something from it (like a free vacation) was petty, although I acknowledge it is a pretty common trait in people. I also was a bit taken aback by her comments on a few other stars--it came off quite bitter.
Overall there were moments of humor and moments that were reminiscent of the show, but there were far too many pretentious or crude moments for me not to have to roll my eyes and find the book a bit tedious. (But her nasty pregnancy with Finn further solidified my lack of desire to reproduce. OUCH.) Also, who says sobriquet? That doesn't sound natural or like what Tori would say but what do I know? All I know is that some chapters felt written by someone else, perhaps they were.
First of all I acknowledge how ridiculous I feel for even venturing into the task of reading this. But I did occasionally watch Tori & Dean while it was on TV and subsequently read the other books so why not? It was quick and my brain did not need to think much during it, call it a brain vacation. However, while there were aspects that reminded me of the Tori I have come to know--funny, quirky, neurotic etc., there was also far too much pretentiousness showing up in this one. I for one do not understand why her children will "die" without a pool, especially in the weather of California. Plus her repeated comments about mentioning this or that in hopes of gaining something from it (like a free vacation) was petty, although I acknowledge it is a pretty common trait in people. I also was a bit taken aback by her comments on a few other stars--it came off quite bitter.
Overall there were moments of humor and moments that were reminiscent of the show, but there were far too many pretentious or crude moments for me not to have to roll my eyes and find the book a bit tedious. (But her nasty pregnancy with Finn further solidified my lack of desire to reproduce. OUCH.) Also, who says sobriquet? That doesn't sound natural or like what Tori would say but what do I know? All I know is that some chapters felt written by someone else, perhaps they were.
December 14, 2013
This is like a big gossip magazine (think US Weekly). I sympathized with her for her pregnancy complications and especially the infection and wound-opening that followed her 4th c-section. Other than that, I found the rest of the book to be rants about why she likes to move, how she doesn't have money, and she is a "country girl" at heart. Her version of country, mind you, has nothing to do with the actual chores one must do to run a farm. She has invented her own warped view of what being country is...think overalls, gingham shirt, and straw hat meets designer labels, nannies, room service, and Malibu.
December 30, 2013
I love Tori but she's running out of stories. And truly, I don't understand how she works all the time and still never has any money? I would not read this if you don't want gruesome specifics of her last 2 pregnancies.
January 2, 2016
Okay, on a trip, taking planes, long periods of sitting and no brain capacity, etc. etc. I read this on Scribd. It was there! I didn't pay extra for it! (I also have _To the Lighthouse_ on that thing, I could have read that. I didn't.)
I never really got into Beverly Hills 90210 so I have no business trifling with Donna Martin now, but here I am. Don't say you're not at least a little curious about that Spelling family. Her father had $500 million and he left her $800,000! Same for her brother, named Randy! It all went to their mother, named Candy! Don't tell me you're not considering it now.
This isn't Spelling's first book, and I assume she covered all that family background in her earlier ones, so don't read this one for the inside scoop on the Spelling fortune. Read this one to squint sideways at her real estate decisions (moved three times in a little over a year, shedding a million dollars in the process), her menagerie (owned a full-sized hog, a goat, multiple dogs, cats, chickens, etc., all living in the house), her brood (mislaid post-birth birth control pills, shocked to be pregnant again two months after baby number three), and her insane lifestyle (runs money-pit vintage furniture store, holds lavish parties for children under five years old, has endorsement deals for perhaps a dozen different brands mentioned here, husband does not appear to work.)
Spelling is a mess, but she's an oddly self-aware and charming mess, which I think is the vibe she and her editors must be going for. She doesn't do one single thing the way I would, and at times I cringed and read through my fingers (she blithely claims she's "black on the inside" because she had an African-American nanny as a child, and grew up watching Sanford and Son). But I came away sort of...I don't know, liking her?
She's sort of fascinatingly inept and at the same time scrappy--she has no real skills or goods to offer apart from herself, which means her reputation and her likeability as a madcap former millionairess. She doesn't seem to know how to get around in the world one bit, but unlike Paris Hilton, who seems smug and despicable, Spelling seems...clueless and funny and desperate and, well, at least she's trying. When Hilton doesn't know that Chicken of the Sea is tunafish, we hate her. When Spelling can't figure out how to get rid of her overgrown pet pig until she remembers her celebrity Rolodex and calls up Dylan McDermott's hobby-farming wife for help, we sort of, I don't know, smile and shrug. Maybe it's because she points out on her own that the pig is upgrading celebrities. She's not wrong.
Good luck with those sponsorships, Tori. I enjoyed our time over the Atlantic. And I hope someday Dean gets a job.
I never really got into Beverly Hills 90210 so I have no business trifling with Donna Martin now, but here I am. Don't say you're not at least a little curious about that Spelling family. Her father had $500 million and he left her $800,000! Same for her brother, named Randy! It all went to their mother, named Candy! Don't tell me you're not considering it now.
This isn't Spelling's first book, and I assume she covered all that family background in her earlier ones, so don't read this one for the inside scoop on the Spelling fortune. Read this one to squint sideways at her real estate decisions (moved three times in a little over a year, shedding a million dollars in the process), her menagerie (owned a full-sized hog, a goat, multiple dogs, cats, chickens, etc., all living in the house), her brood (mislaid post-birth birth control pills, shocked to be pregnant again two months after baby number three), and her insane lifestyle (runs money-pit vintage furniture store, holds lavish parties for children under five years old, has endorsement deals for perhaps a dozen different brands mentioned here, husband does not appear to work.)
Spelling is a mess, but she's an oddly self-aware and charming mess, which I think is the vibe she and her editors must be going for. She doesn't do one single thing the way I would, and at times I cringed and read through my fingers (she blithely claims she's "black on the inside" because she had an African-American nanny as a child, and grew up watching Sanford and Son). But I came away sort of...I don't know, liking her?
She's sort of fascinatingly inept and at the same time scrappy--she has no real skills or goods to offer apart from herself, which means her reputation and her likeability as a madcap former millionairess. She doesn't seem to know how to get around in the world one bit, but unlike Paris Hilton, who seems smug and despicable, Spelling seems...clueless and funny and desperate and, well, at least she's trying. When Hilton doesn't know that Chicken of the Sea is tunafish, we hate her. When Spelling can't figure out how to get rid of her overgrown pet pig until she remembers her celebrity Rolodex and calls up Dylan McDermott's hobby-farming wife for help, we sort of, I don't know, smile and shrug. Maybe it's because she points out on her own that the pig is upgrading celebrities. She's not wrong.
Good luck with those sponsorships, Tori. I enjoyed our time over the Atlantic. And I hope someday Dean gets a job.
October 17, 2016
Tori Spelling is the kind of celebrity whose well-known life story is regularly documented in the tabloids. She has contributed to this notoriety by producing and starring in reality shows that peek behind closed doors, and while some of what is revealed is embellished and semi-scripted, there are some well-known indisputable facts.
Stories Tori tells on herself in her various memoirs give us a little bit more to chew on. Spelling It Like It Is begins with one of those funny events that seem to come often in Tori’s life. Almost throwing up at a public event, and suddenly realizing why. Yes, she was pregnant again, a third time.
Before this story is over, there will be still another (unexpected) pregnancy, less than a year after the third one…and that event became a life-threatening story that would keep Tori hospitalized for months…and then afterwards, there would be more complications.
Many believe that Tori is a “poor little rich girl,” since her daddy was Aaron Spelling. But hang on…she inherited a paltry amount of his billions after his death, and there were tales of her mother’s wealthy, mega-rich life in her palace while Tori struggled.
But…only partially true. Yes, her inheritance was insubstantial by her standards, but Tori has made lots of money over the years. She admits in this book that her poor financial choices have contributed to their current money issues (as of the publication of this tome). Moving house frequently, always in quest of the perfect home, but never quite giving up the tendency to “live large,” Tori shares that even when she is trying to downsize, she manages to spend compulsively.
One kernel of truth emerges, however. Tori is a hard worker, and some of her difficulties seem to motivate her to work even more. As this story ends, the family had moved once again, from a large rental behind gates to a smaller home in a less expensive neighborhood. Losing money on one of her house sales led to renting as a way of finding a home.
What will happen to Tori next? This book was published three years ago, and since then, the celebrity mill continues to spew out stories. Another reality show happened after these pages ended…Will there be another? An intriguing and engaging story that kept me reading, I gave this one 4.5 stars.
Stories Tori tells on herself in her various memoirs give us a little bit more to chew on. Spelling It Like It Is begins with one of those funny events that seem to come often in Tori’s life. Almost throwing up at a public event, and suddenly realizing why. Yes, she was pregnant again, a third time.
Before this story is over, there will be still another (unexpected) pregnancy, less than a year after the third one…and that event became a life-threatening story that would keep Tori hospitalized for months…and then afterwards, there would be more complications.
Many believe that Tori is a “poor little rich girl,” since her daddy was Aaron Spelling. But hang on…she inherited a paltry amount of his billions after his death, and there were tales of her mother’s wealthy, mega-rich life in her palace while Tori struggled.
But…only partially true. Yes, her inheritance was insubstantial by her standards, but Tori has made lots of money over the years. She admits in this book that her poor financial choices have contributed to their current money issues (as of the publication of this tome). Moving house frequently, always in quest of the perfect home, but never quite giving up the tendency to “live large,” Tori shares that even when she is trying to downsize, she manages to spend compulsively.
One kernel of truth emerges, however. Tori is a hard worker, and some of her difficulties seem to motivate her to work even more. As this story ends, the family had moved once again, from a large rental behind gates to a smaller home in a less expensive neighborhood. Losing money on one of her house sales led to renting as a way of finding a home.
What will happen to Tori next? This book was published three years ago, and since then, the celebrity mill continues to spew out stories. Another reality show happened after these pages ended…Will there be another? An intriguing and engaging story that kept me reading, I gave this one 4.5 stars.
September 8, 2016
Let me first start by saying I love Tori Spelling. Always have, always will. I've watched her show, read all of her books, of course watched her on 90210 and follow her on Facebook and in the news. And I love Dean and the kids to death (Liam cracks me up).
Now that that is out of the way...in this book, I thought she was extra crazy. She's like the real life version of the Shopaholic series. By the end of the book all I could think was, someone needs to tell her to chill out and stop moving! And stop spending money you don't have! I know you used to be rich, but you aren't now so stop changing hotels mid-vacation because the one you're in doesn't have room service. She's a regular person now (financially) and it's time she started living like one.
The other thing that bothered me a little about the book more style-wise was Tori's crass language. Maybe I'm being too much of a prude, but like I said, I've read all of her other books and I don't remember noticing her language as much. I was a little disturbed that she lets her kids use certain words for their body parts (I'm not a fan of anyone using those words and that her children do kind of freaks me out) and that she takes pictures of her bowel movements (and then goes on to share that tidbit with the rest of us. I'm okay if you do it, just keep it in the family). Maybe she's just too real for me. But, I wish she would be real without using the "s" word so many times. Maybe that's just me...
I did really enjoy getting to read about the "reality" behind the reality show. I'll miss Tori and Dean a lot and it's fun to go behind the scenes of the show, and to also see someone speak so candidly about what parts are real and what parts are reenactments, etc.
Overall, a good read, especially for Tori fans.
Now that that is out of the way...in this book, I thought she was extra crazy. She's like the real life version of the Shopaholic series. By the end of the book all I could think was, someone needs to tell her to chill out and stop moving! And stop spending money you don't have! I know you used to be rich, but you aren't now so stop changing hotels mid-vacation because the one you're in doesn't have room service. She's a regular person now (financially) and it's time she started living like one.
The other thing that bothered me a little about the book more style-wise was Tori's crass language. Maybe I'm being too much of a prude, but like I said, I've read all of her other books and I don't remember noticing her language as much. I was a little disturbed that she lets her kids use certain words for their body parts (I'm not a fan of anyone using those words and that her children do kind of freaks me out) and that she takes pictures of her bowel movements (and then goes on to share that tidbit with the rest of us. I'm okay if you do it, just keep it in the family). Maybe she's just too real for me. But, I wish she would be real without using the "s" word so many times. Maybe that's just me...
I did really enjoy getting to read about the "reality" behind the reality show. I'll miss Tori and Dean a lot and it's fun to go behind the scenes of the show, and to also see someone speak so candidly about what parts are real and what parts are reenactments, etc.
Overall, a good read, especially for Tori fans.
November 30, 2014
Picked this up from the library as light, campy summer reading. I grew up during the original 90210 era, so it attracted me. But otherwise, I didn’t know much about Tori Spelling.
Disclaimer: I tend to read, rather than watch tv, so I’ve never seen her adult tv series. Plus, my husband and I purposely disconnected our cable about 7 years ago to force ourselves to read and get out in the community more. Best decision ever! I still watch broadcast tv, hulu and tv series on DVDs – so I am by no means a tv puritan.
My review: I easily read the first hundred pages last night. This morning I looked at it and thought – meh. I had a pile of other interesting books to read and didn’t really want to pick this one back up. Tori’s personality is a bit too apparent in her writing. After picking up this book, I have a worse view of the author. I really disliked the way she presented herself.
She obviously considers herself an accomplished business woman and mommy -- a type-A achiever with an oh-so-busy and oh-so-interesting life. Does she really think I want to know about her relationship with her own poop and pooping? Although she constantly tries to explain how normal she is, it was definitely holly-weird to me. It was like watching Joel McHale’s The Soup. Interesting for a few minutes, but then you want to get back to real life.
Tori presents herself like a spoiled kid who is always trying to get everyone’s attention. She debases herself in order to get attention and doesn’t seem to recognize natural boundaries. She also came off as whiny, complaining about parties and first world problems. Not someone I’d want in my life or even my literary reading.
I think reading this made me dumber.
Disclaimer: I tend to read, rather than watch tv, so I’ve never seen her adult tv series. Plus, my husband and I purposely disconnected our cable about 7 years ago to force ourselves to read and get out in the community more. Best decision ever! I still watch broadcast tv, hulu and tv series on DVDs – so I am by no means a tv puritan.
My review: I easily read the first hundred pages last night. This morning I looked at it and thought – meh. I had a pile of other interesting books to read and didn’t really want to pick this one back up. Tori’s personality is a bit too apparent in her writing. After picking up this book, I have a worse view of the author. I really disliked the way she presented herself.
She obviously considers herself an accomplished business woman and mommy -- a type-A achiever with an oh-so-busy and oh-so-interesting life. Does she really think I want to know about her relationship with her own poop and pooping? Although she constantly tries to explain how normal she is, it was definitely holly-weird to me. It was like watching Joel McHale’s The Soup. Interesting for a few minutes, but then you want to get back to real life.
Tori presents herself like a spoiled kid who is always trying to get everyone’s attention. She debases herself in order to get attention and doesn’t seem to recognize natural boundaries. She also came off as whiny, complaining about parties and first world problems. Not someone I’d want in my life or even my literary reading.
I think reading this made me dumber.
March 21, 2016
I'm not a Tori Spelling fan -- I don't dislike her, per se, but I don't know much about her. I can't remember why I bought this audiobook, either -- a sale, maybe? But I recently listened to it and had mixed feelings.
Re: the narration, I thought parts of it were okay, but to me it frequently sounded like Tori was whining or that she was really insincere. Some author/narrators manage to really make you care about their story, or at least about them, but I don't think she really succeeded there. It wasn't terrible, but not great.
Re: the story, I enjoyed hearing some of the behind-the-scenes details from when she and Dean filmed their reality show and I found her pregnancy story very compelling. That said, it's hard to really connect with someone who thinks their kids won't survive without an in-ground pool; who moves houses based on whims, regardless of the financial consequences; and who complains about their financial situation despite being able to hire nannies, assistants, publicists, and housekeepers. Every time Tori told us something that made her seem like a real person, she would balance it out with something completely absurd. Maybe that's just who she is and for fans of hers, it would all be fine. I found many of her stories annoying.
This book (and the audio version) was a mixed bag and I'm not even really sure how to rate it. I decided on 3 stars because it's right in the middle, but in terms of GR's rating system, it might deserve a little less.
Re: the narration, I thought parts of it were okay, but to me it frequently sounded like Tori was whining or that she was really insincere. Some author/narrators manage to really make you care about their story, or at least about them, but I don't think she really succeeded there. It wasn't terrible, but not great.
Re: the story, I enjoyed hearing some of the behind-the-scenes details from when she and Dean filmed their reality show and I found her pregnancy story very compelling. That said, it's hard to really connect with someone who thinks their kids won't survive without an in-ground pool; who moves houses based on whims, regardless of the financial consequences; and who complains about their financial situation despite being able to hire nannies, assistants, publicists, and housekeepers. Every time Tori told us something that made her seem like a real person, she would balance it out with something completely absurd. Maybe that's just who she is and for fans of hers, it would all be fine. I found many of her stories annoying.
This book (and the audio version) was a mixed bag and I'm not even really sure how to rate it. I decided on 3 stars because it's right in the middle, but in terms of GR's rating system, it might deserve a little less.
April 3, 2014
I'll admit it. Tori Spelling books are my guilty pleasure. Usually they are a funny, self-deprecating look into the life of a celebrity but this one was different.
Perhaps it was the fact that most of the book involved her life-threatening 4th pregnancy...not real chuckle inducing material there. But I don't think it was that - it was more the anger and frustration I felt about the ridiculous and unnecessary financial decisions that Tori and Dean make that throw their whole family into distress.
I get that you grew up super rich and it's all you've ever known but come on...buying and selling homes on a whim (and at a huge loss) is ridiculous. For that matter buying a 2 bedroom home when you have 4 kids and 3 adults that have to live there - that's just stupid. The whining about how her kids will "die" without a $50,000 pool, how Liam's 6th birthday was a failure because she had to scale it back to what I considered still 5 times more extravagant than any party I've thrown my children and the ski vacation...oh God, don't get me started on the ski vacation.
There's no question Tori is incredibly hardworking and business savvy (about ideas and branding) and she has no problem telling a story in all it's hilarity or grossness. She can reveal her foibles honestly and openly but I can't help but think that she would be better served by working on those issues that seem to leave her on a cliff of financial ruin instead of just running to the next crazy, illogical idea.
February 15, 2014
I read this book shortly before the latest Tori/Dean scandal broke.
The scandal, therefore, didn't come as any great surprise.
I'd have to say that any marriage in which the wife thinks viewing her bowel movements on a daily basis is one of her husband's spousal duties (you should forgive the pun) is doomed to failure.
Of course, for all I know, all celebrities do this. I mean,maybe that's how you get to be a celebrity in the absence of any recognizable talents: You're so full of yourself that when you're not full of yourself (so to speak), you gotta get someone to verify the fact.
Anyway, Tori is basically fluffy and harmless. If she were a dog, she'd be an shih tzu. And her As Told To isn't half-bad, so I gave this book a "3."
The scandal, therefore, didn't come as any great surprise.
I'd have to say that any marriage in which the wife thinks viewing her bowel movements on a daily basis is one of her husband's spousal duties (you should forgive the pun) is doomed to failure.
Of course, for all I know, all celebrities do this. I mean,maybe that's how you get to be a celebrity in the absence of any recognizable talents: You're so full of yourself that when you're not full of yourself (so to speak), you gotta get someone to verify the fact.
Anyway, Tori is basically fluffy and harmless. If she were a dog, she'd be an shih tzu. And her As Told To isn't half-bad, so I gave this book a "3."
December 8, 2017
Whether you are a Tori Spelling fan or not, this is a great memoir. The book fills in where her reality show left off in an honest and entertaining way. I couldn't put it down once I started it, at times moved to tears, and then bursting into laughter. I love how Tori shows the importance of visualizing what you want, rather than focusing on your worst fears, and the importance of having spiritual mentors in our lives, as Tori does in Patsy, and her Reiki healer. The book has all the elements of a transformational story -- the series of difficult events that create growth and help us embrace our authentic self when everything else has been stripped away.
December 26, 2013
I don't know what it is about Tori Spelling, but I love reading her books! We have nothing in common, I can't relate to barely anything in her life, I know we wouldn't be good friend, but yet.......I really like her! Her honestly shines through in her stories and gives a glimpse into a fantasy world for most of us. If she keeps writing books I will keep reading them.
September 27, 2014
In about two weeks, I read all four of her books (the ones that talk about her life). I have to confess that I was hooked on her reality show for a few years. I'd wanted to read her books but was too embarrassed to check them out of the library, so thank goodness for e-books.
Now, having read all of the books, I feel like I was reading the story of a narcissistic personality. I'm torn between feeling sorry for her and wanting to tell her to grow up already. In her quest to "have a normal life" she's bought houses she can't afford only to become disillusioned within a very short time and moving on to another poor choice. I feel sorry for her kids, constantly uprooted. I'm appalled that she allowed her oldest son to have a potty mouth, with the result that he shocks adults with his comments. Her birthday parties for her children seem less about them than about her being able to show off her taste in decorating. Her kids are used as models for her clothing line. They've grown up thinking that having cameramen follow them around 24/7 is normal. Her attempt at being a room mother at one of their schools seemed to be more about promoting herself, an opportunity to show people that she can bake cupcakes and decorate tastefully for holidays-she's not interested in the real duties of a room mother.
On vacations, if the accommodations aren't up to her standards, instead of making do, she'll pack up everybody and move to another hotel or location. She's unashamed to admit that she looks for freebies and big discounts at hotels and resorts, but that always has a trade-off of a personal appearance (a lot of times she seems to become ill and can't fulfill her obligations).
It seems that most if not all of her multiple hospitalizations result from her stressed-out lifestyle. While making allowances for her upbringing, why didn't she have the sense to learn to manage money and live on a budget? It's hard to feel sympathy for her money woes when she blithely admits to being a shopaholic and will drop hundreds of dollars (sometimes thousands) on stuff she doesn't really need or her kids don't need-but gee whiz, this outfit looks so cute on them! She's eager to tell us that one Christmas she spent all of $39.99 on Stella's dress. I bet that was the cheapest piece of clothing that kid ever had.
Ranking high on my list of eye-rolling is her devotion to psychics and a reiki healer, and any other charlatan that will tell her what she wants to hear.
Top of my aggravation list is her persistence in qualifying certain of her friends as gay- "my gay friend", "the 'guncles'", "my gay husband", "my gayband (combining gay and husband)". Or was it "gusband"? Whatever. WTH? If her best friend was a paraplegic, would she call him "my crippled friend"? Yeah, Tori, we get it-your friend is gay. He knows he's gay. Doesn't mind the world knowing it, seeing as he's been on your reality show countless times. Do you really have to keep calling him "my gay friend"?
As I read the books, in chronological order, I came to think that her husband Dean is a saint for putting up with her and her craziness. He's probably the only truly "normal" person in their kids' lives. Thank God the kids have someone who isn't living in a fantasy world. It's my opinion that Tori is constantly thinking about how she and her family appear to the world, measuring everyday occurrences to gauge their worth on a reality show, even going to the lengths of re-creating some scenes for the show, which isn't surprising. It also looks like she plunges headfirst into ventures, carried away by the admiration of her own good ideas (that usually turn out to be bad). She should have kept on with a psychotherapist instead of relying on voodoo priestesses and psychics.
I have no interest in watching her and Dean cry while they talk about his infidelity. I have no interest in watching any more reality shows featuring her and her family. I probably won't read her next book. There's such a thing as TMI, and she takes it to lengths few people are comfortable with. Her constant quest for enough money to maintain the lifestyle she wants is, in a word, sad.
Now, having read all of the books, I feel like I was reading the story of a narcissistic personality. I'm torn between feeling sorry for her and wanting to tell her to grow up already. In her quest to "have a normal life" she's bought houses she can't afford only to become disillusioned within a very short time and moving on to another poor choice. I feel sorry for her kids, constantly uprooted. I'm appalled that she allowed her oldest son to have a potty mouth, with the result that he shocks adults with his comments. Her birthday parties for her children seem less about them than about her being able to show off her taste in decorating. Her kids are used as models for her clothing line. They've grown up thinking that having cameramen follow them around 24/7 is normal. Her attempt at being a room mother at one of their schools seemed to be more about promoting herself, an opportunity to show people that she can bake cupcakes and decorate tastefully for holidays-she's not interested in the real duties of a room mother.
On vacations, if the accommodations aren't up to her standards, instead of making do, she'll pack up everybody and move to another hotel or location. She's unashamed to admit that she looks for freebies and big discounts at hotels and resorts, but that always has a trade-off of a personal appearance (a lot of times she seems to become ill and can't fulfill her obligations).
It seems that most if not all of her multiple hospitalizations result from her stressed-out lifestyle. While making allowances for her upbringing, why didn't she have the sense to learn to manage money and live on a budget? It's hard to feel sympathy for her money woes when she blithely admits to being a shopaholic and will drop hundreds of dollars (sometimes thousands) on stuff she doesn't really need or her kids don't need-but gee whiz, this outfit looks so cute on them! She's eager to tell us that one Christmas she spent all of $39.99 on Stella's dress. I bet that was the cheapest piece of clothing that kid ever had.
Ranking high on my list of eye-rolling is her devotion to psychics and a reiki healer, and any other charlatan that will tell her what she wants to hear.
Top of my aggravation list is her persistence in qualifying certain of her friends as gay- "my gay friend", "the 'guncles'", "my gay husband", "my gayband (combining gay and husband)". Or was it "gusband"? Whatever. WTH? If her best friend was a paraplegic, would she call him "my crippled friend"? Yeah, Tori, we get it-your friend is gay. He knows he's gay. Doesn't mind the world knowing it, seeing as he's been on your reality show countless times. Do you really have to keep calling him "my gay friend"?
As I read the books, in chronological order, I came to think that her husband Dean is a saint for putting up with her and her craziness. He's probably the only truly "normal" person in their kids' lives. Thank God the kids have someone who isn't living in a fantasy world. It's my opinion that Tori is constantly thinking about how she and her family appear to the world, measuring everyday occurrences to gauge their worth on a reality show, even going to the lengths of re-creating some scenes for the show, which isn't surprising. It also looks like she plunges headfirst into ventures, carried away by the admiration of her own good ideas (that usually turn out to be bad). She should have kept on with a psychotherapist instead of relying on voodoo priestesses and psychics.
I have no interest in watching her and Dean cry while they talk about his infidelity. I have no interest in watching any more reality shows featuring her and her family. I probably won't read her next book. There's such a thing as TMI, and she takes it to lengths few people are comfortable with. Her constant quest for enough money to maintain the lifestyle she wants is, in a word, sad.
November 1, 2013
Yes. I did it again. Tori Spelling is my reality T.V. in a book. For some reason when I pick up the book I can't seem to put it down.
Tori goes over her last year she spent moving, having a baby, getting pregnant with another and having to be placed on strict bedrest. The trials she went through can break down the most normal person, but to have to do it as a celebrity and keeping it under wraps had to be exhausting.
As a mother (of only 1 baby!) there was a lot more in this book I felt were more relatable than the other books. Also- our babies are only 3 days apart in age. I'd like to think that if we were to meet we would be the best of friends. Tori- if you're reading, you can come hang out with me on my "mini-farm" in my "mini" house anytime :) We'll craft, have coffee and go play with the baby goats. I'm sure we'll hit it right off.
I guess when you've been in the public eye for so long and you're trying to raise 4 kids under 6 as normal as possible you become a little bitter, your expectations aren't met and you just come to realize that life doesn't always go the way you want. I liked the fact that Tori expressed the fact through the whole book that she and Dean are completely normal and that they really are trying their hardest to raise their kids as normal as they can. When she described their Malibu house I thought to myself "that's how much square footage we have!" and then proceeding to read about the houses' failures and fixes made me feel even a little bit closer to Tori.
It's comforting to read about a celebrity that wants to live the life you live. That the life I have is worth wanting :) That they're actually jealous that you can live in a 1,500 sqft house on an acre with farm pets, dogs and a garden. And I didn't have to pay a fortune for it.
So if you want to know the details of Finn's gestation and birth and the seriousness of Placenta Previa- dive in. Join Tori on a crazy ride of moving from house to house, delivering one baby- finding out you're having another and meeting those dream celebrities who really aren't at all what we dreamed of them. And read about how precious that husband of hers is. What a good husband and father! When's his book coming out?!
Tori goes over her last year she spent moving, having a baby, getting pregnant with another and having to be placed on strict bedrest. The trials she went through can break down the most normal person, but to have to do it as a celebrity and keeping it under wraps had to be exhausting.
As a mother (of only 1 baby!) there was a lot more in this book I felt were more relatable than the other books. Also- our babies are only 3 days apart in age. I'd like to think that if we were to meet we would be the best of friends. Tori- if you're reading, you can come hang out with me on my "mini-farm" in my "mini" house anytime :) We'll craft, have coffee and go play with the baby goats. I'm sure we'll hit it right off.
I guess when you've been in the public eye for so long and you're trying to raise 4 kids under 6 as normal as possible you become a little bitter, your expectations aren't met and you just come to realize that life doesn't always go the way you want. I liked the fact that Tori expressed the fact through the whole book that she and Dean are completely normal and that they really are trying their hardest to raise their kids as normal as they can. When she described their Malibu house I thought to myself "that's how much square footage we have!" and then proceeding to read about the houses' failures and fixes made me feel even a little bit closer to Tori.
It's comforting to read about a celebrity that wants to live the life you live. That the life I have is worth wanting :) That they're actually jealous that you can live in a 1,500 sqft house on an acre with farm pets, dogs and a garden. And I didn't have to pay a fortune for it.
So if you want to know the details of Finn's gestation and birth and the seriousness of Placenta Previa- dive in. Join Tori on a crazy ride of moving from house to house, delivering one baby- finding out you're having another and meeting those dream celebrities who really aren't at all what we dreamed of them. And read about how precious that husband of hers is. What a good husband and father! When's his book coming out?!
April 21, 2016
In need of some fluff after a recent heavy topic book, I chose this celebrity memoir. I read her other books years ago and remembered enjoying them. This book was ok. By the end I was ready for it to be done. It is mostly about the difficulties in her pregnancies, especially her 4th and (hopefully) final pregnancy. What struck me so much throughout this book is how she COMPLETELY lacks boundaries. I was super disturbed about the story where she was hanging out topless in front of her 5y/o son. "Dean and I don't believe in hiding our bodies." Can you believe in it just a little bit? I mean is Daddy Dean sitting around with his junk out in front of Hattie and Stella? I sincerely hope not. Tori demonstrates remarkably low insight into a lot of her choices though does redeem herself a little at the end by admitting she has a problem with spending. I don't anticipate she will change much but hey it's a start. Also, I'm grossed out by Dean that he couldn't keep his pants on long enough while Tori was recovering from pregnancy # 3 to let her heal properly (from a C-section!) before immediately getting her pregnant again. No wonder he cheated on his first wife to be with her. Yeah, I'm judgy. But honestly a woman's body needs to heal. I think he's a creep.
November 4, 2013
Just terrible. Where the first book was kind of fun in revealing a snarky side of a Tori Spelling most had assumed to be too clueless for snark, this one was just gratuitously mean, taking unnecessary swipes against people who had committed seemingly minor transgressions. I'm sure it has been pointed out that perhaps the reason Spelling keeps being snubbed by other B-list celebs is because she keeps writing about them in her books.
The other books were funny and cute and interesting for the glimpse they provided into the world of celebrity. This was just gross. Gross in the way it would be gross to publicly talk about the nature of your excrement and your obsession with it. No one does that right? Wrong. For real. In the book. Over and over.
Also, "dubious"? I don't think so. Ghost writer Lady, please at least use words that it sounds like Tori would choose. I'm not suggesting that she is ignorant of the word "dubious" or its meaning but I don't think she would ever voluntarily use it. See how I used, "I don't think so"? More like that.
The other books were funny and cute and interesting for the glimpse they provided into the world of celebrity. This was just gross. Gross in the way it would be gross to publicly talk about the nature of your excrement and your obsession with it. No one does that right? Wrong. For real. In the book. Over and over.
Also, "dubious"? I don't think so. Ghost writer Lady, please at least use words that it sounds like Tori would choose. I'm not suggesting that she is ignorant of the word "dubious" or its meaning but I don't think she would ever voluntarily use it. See how I used, "I don't think so"? More like that.
January 8, 2014
Hmmm, If one cannot live on best sellers proceeds, than something is wrong here. Continually telling the readers how poor she is, but spending money like there is no tomorrow, having nannies, personal assistants, buying over priced homes to live where the ultra rich live does not convince me she is very concerned about finances. Having said this, I understand she grew up as a very rich and spoiled girl, and there is no way she can begin to understand how most people live. Her husband although being a good father and husband should be out looking for work as well. That was never addressed. Tori does however come across as a very likeable person. Her experiences of being around other famous people are much like the experiences of most. They are all spoiled and rich as well. They only bow to ones who are more powerful than they. Its the way the world works. I do believe Tori knows her ultra rich mom will bail her out financially if need be. Tori does come across as likeable and hard working but with no common sense. I wish her and her wonderful family well.
January 6, 2014
I don't quite know what it is about her writing, but I absolutely love reading Tori's books! I've never been a huge fan of hers, but I am a huge fan of her books. (I realize how little sense that makes.) They're quick, fun, honest reads. In this book, especially, she reveals quite a lot about who she is and how she struggles with the way she was brought up and the way she needs to live now, which is a lot more modest. It's refreshing to see a celebrity being so real and open with her books.
June 22, 2014
This is the second Tori Spelling memoir I've read, and I enjoyed it just as much as the first (although I'm reading them all out of order). She's a fascinating person to me, and I see so much of myself in her that it's spooky. She's so honest with her flaws and issues, and I love that, eating it up with a spoon!!! Can't get enough of her!! When is her new show on Australian television??!!!
March 8, 2014
this was my least favorite of Tori's books.
August 29, 2014
I have discovered that these books are perfect before bed reads. Not demanding at all and easy to pick-up -- I don't like to think too much before I fall asleep and this fits the bill.
October 28, 2014
Tori's books are so enjoyable and easy to read! I just love her...the people who dislike Tori are the same people who can look at a puppy without smiling - jerks! Read this book (and her others)!
July 3, 2016
Terrible.
February 22, 2018
And here we are again - one last Tori Spelling memoir (at least until she writes another one, right?). This one was different than the others for me - yes, she touched on life as a celebrity and being a mom, but the majority of this book focused on Tori's complications with her fourth pregnancy and other health scares. And, admittedly, it struck a chord. I think many people think pregnancy is a ride in the park (at least until the last few weeks) - which for some, simply isn't true. Pregnancy has risks - lots of them - and shouldn't be taken lightly. Human life is growing inside of you for gosh sake! Tori went through A LOT and I have an incredible amount of respect for her (and for sharing her struggles), celebrity or not. If nothing else, this final memoir reminded me that at the end of the day, we are all doing the best we can and have our own challenges to overcome. Tori inspired me to remember each moment because they go so quickly - she missed out on a lot when she was in the hospital (for several months) and I appreciate her resilient spirit and showing that you can be back on the mountain in no time with the right attitude.
June 17, 2020
So I read most of Tori's books. I don't buy them, I get them thru a swap book club so I don't worry about having to pay full price to read these kind of books. She gets whinier as each book comes out. More kids, more responsibilties... More work... Can't handle it.. Gotta have nannies to help manage everything. Never happy about anything... Very high strung about everything, micro manages everything and complains about everything, high expectations and never happy on results. Some reason she never got any of her dad's inheritance, so she has to be a reality star to keep working to pay for her lifestyle she's used to growing up on. Dean seems like a good father and caters to all of Tori's needs its almost exhausting reading about it all. Tori seems like a nice person but she never seems like a happy person deep down inside. A person who impulse buying houses because she pictures herself wanting to look & feel a certain way, and then they never make her feel the way she wanted and buys another one.. There's a fault in everything. I don't think that girl will ever be truly happy.. No matter what she says in her books..
September 16, 2020
Tori needs to grow up
At least in this book she seems to realize she creates a lot of her own problems . But. At the end of the book she’s saying the family is complete at last (with the 4 kids and her step son) but she’s had another baby since. I do realize when one grows up super rich as she did she honestly doesn’t understand middle class life style but her husband doesn’t seem to be much if any help. I remember years ago watching their show on Liam’s first birthday and Dean wanted to cook hamburgers on the grill but she insisted on throwing the kind of extravaganza her parents threw for her. Apparently she’s still doing that — I realize that’s all she knows how to do but apparently at some point her husband understood “normal” life but he never seemed to reign her in. Plus she seems to earn the money they do have.what exactly does Dean do? She doesn’t even mention him much until she decides she loves him more than ever . Why? It’s an okay book but her first two were much better.
At least in this book she seems to realize she creates a lot of her own problems . But. At the end of the book she’s saying the family is complete at last (with the 4 kids and her step son) but she’s had another baby since. I do realize when one grows up super rich as she did she honestly doesn’t understand middle class life style but her husband doesn’t seem to be much if any help. I remember years ago watching their show on Liam’s first birthday and Dean wanted to cook hamburgers on the grill but she insisted on throwing the kind of extravaganza her parents threw for her. Apparently she’s still doing that — I realize that’s all she knows how to do but apparently at some point her husband understood “normal” life but he never seemed to reign her in. Plus she seems to earn the money they do have.what exactly does Dean do? She doesn’t even mention him much until she decides she loves him more than ever . Why? It’s an okay book but her first two were much better.
May 16, 2021
If you like Tori Spelling or ever watched her reality show Tori and Dean, then you will like this book. I read her other books years ago when I was a young mom and I really liked them so I decided to read this book. It is full of funny stories about being a mom and her life in general. She is very honest about about the fun and sometimes embarrassing moments she’s had as a mother. She’s also honest about her marriage and financially situation. That is what I like about her. There is some foul language. I enjoyed this book, but it didn’t change my life or anything. It’s an easy, light read.
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