My Pretty Baby: Seeking Truth and Finding Healing―A Memoir

by Wendy B. Correa

For fans of Educated and The Glass Castle, a former music industry insider’s journey of healing—from childhood trauma through spiritual practices and self-discovery to a place of peace—with some incredible celebrity encounters along the way.

A transformative memoir chronicling Wendy Correa’s journey to heal from childhood traumas, including the death of her father, emotionally distant siblings, and a violent, alcoholic stepfather, My Pretty Baby is a story of not belonging and, ultimately, of the healing that comes from building a chosen family.

After escaping her turbulent home life, Wendy’s path of self-discovery takes her through Buddhism, meditation, plant medicine, yoga, Native American spirituality, 12-Step programs, and psychotherapy. Along the way, she has extraordinary singing “Give Peace a Chance” on the Rose Bowl stage with rock ’n’ roll royalty, attending AA meetings with legendary musicians while working at A&M and Geffen Records, and meeting her musical hero, Joni Mitchell. Native American sweat lodge and vision quest ceremonies further strengthen her sobriety and mental well-being.

Her life takes a new turn when she moves to Aspen and becomes a radio DJ and assistant to gonzo writer Hunter S. Thompson. There, she meets her future husband and begins to build the family she always longed for—but despite her newfound peace, she is repeatedly drawn back into her family’s dysfunction. It’s only after her mother’s death that Wendy uncovers a painful family secret that finally answers her lifelong  What really happened to my family?

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction

336 pages, Paperback

Published November 4, 2025

About the author

Wendy B. Correa is a writer, yogi, hiker, as well as a licensed massage therapist. She has worked in the film, television, multimedia, and music industries in Los Angeles and later as a radio DJ in Aspen, Colorado. She holds bachelor’s degrees in psychology and theater arts and has contributed articles to Mothering magazine.

A wife and mother, she resides in Denver, Colorado, and loves traveling to magical destinations with her family. My Pretty Baby is her debut book.

Reviews

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

“My Pretty Baby” is one of the most impactful books I’ve read in a minute. Wendy’s vulnerability, beautiful writing, and raw honesty was breathtaking. It was such an honor to read her story and bear witness to the power of inner child healing, community, and love. There were so many nuggets of wisdom woven throughout this book (you will absolutely need a highlighter, journal, and flags) and incredible examples of the human experience - the good, the bad, and the ugly. This stunning memoir will stay with you well beyond the last page.

A huge thank you to Wendy Correa, Get Red PR, and She Writes Press for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book.

Disclaimer: I received a free review copy of this book from She Writes Press. All reviews and opinions are honest and my own.

[Jess Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Get Red PR, She Writes Press and the author for the advanced reader copy of this memoir.

This is one of the most well written memoirs I have ever read. Wendy's writing is well structured, compelling and thought provoking. She takes you on a journey through her family trauma/abuse and her resulting search for answers. She tries many different avenues in her self discovery process including yoga retreats, Buddishm, tribal ceremonies, 12 step programs and many philosophical studies. Her process of trial and error throughout her journey, ultimately resulting in an end to the generational trauma and healing was cathartic.

In addition to her healing story, Wendy also sprinkles in little snippets of her career in the music industry and time spent with famous artists.

I highly recommend this memoir.

[Armando Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a stepfather who met my now 21-year-old stepson when he was just two years old, and as an older dad to a spirited four-year-old, My Pretty Baby: Seeking Truth and Finding Healing by Wendy Correa resonated with me on a deeply emotional level. This memoir encouraged me to pause and truly reflect on the relationship I’ve built with my stepson, questioning whether I’ve done all I can to provide a loving, stable foundation for him to grow into the person he’s becoming.Wendy Correa’s story invited me to confront some of my own fears, especially the ever-present thought that, at 54, I may not be around for as long as I’d like to guide my youngest. Reading about the author’s grief and resilience after losing her father at a young age struck a powerful chord. It reminded me of the lasting mark a parent’s love, or absence, can leave on a child’s heart.This memoir isn’t just a story of healing; it’s a mirror for parents, showing us how vital our presence, affection, and honesty are in shaping our children’s emotional worlds. I now see this book as more than a memoir, it’s a teaching tool. It’s helped me find new ways to express love, build stronger bonds, and ensure my children always know, no matter what happens, how deeply I cherish them.

[Karla Rendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book completely moved me. My Pretty Bay is one of those rare stories that feels deeply personal yet universal a journey through pain, healing, and self-discovery that lingers long after the last page.

Wendy’s story is raw, honest, and beautifully told. From loss and trauma to finding peace through spirituality, music, and love, her path reminds us that healing isn’t linear but it’s always possible.

I couldn’t put it down. If you’re drawn to emotional memoirs that inspire hope and self-reflection, this one is a must-read.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written literary memoir. Wendy’s vulnerability and honesty shines through on every page. Wendy’s story will stay with mw for years to come.

[Sarah Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review: My Pretty Baby: Seeking Truth and Finding Healing―A Memoir by Wendy B. Correa
Rating: 4.5/5

Full Disclosure & Personal Impact
I began this memoir after dinner and found myself still reading at 3:17 AM—a testament to Correa’s gripping narrative alchemy that blends trauma, stardust, and spiritual grit. The bedside lamp stayed on well past reasonable hours as her story became my own sleepless reckoning with family ghosts.

Analysis & Thematic Depth
Wendy B. Correa’s My Pretty Baby is a raw, multilayered memoir that transcends the typical trauma-to-triumph narrative. While drawing comparisons to Educated and The Glass Castle, Correa distinguishes her story through its unique blend of music industry glamour and spiritual seeking. The memoir’s greatest strength lies in its unflinching exploration of not belonging—a theme that reverberates from her chaotic childhood (marked by parental loss and abuse) to her later quests for identity through Buddhism, plant medicine, and 12-Step programs.

However, the narrative occasionally struggles with tonal consistency. Chapters detailing celebrity encounters (e.g., singing with rock legends or assisting Hunter S. Thompson) sometimes overshadow deeper psychological work, leaving her spiritual transformations feeling underexplored. The late-revealed family secret, while impactful, arrives with rushed emotional processing that could benefit from more page space.

Reader Reactions & Emotional Impact
As someone drawn to memoirs of resilience, I found Correa’s descriptions of Native American sweat lodges and vision quests moving—their earthy authenticity contrasted sharply with the glittering but hollow music industry anecdotes. A passage where she describes hearing Joni Mitchell’s voice for the first time mirrored my own experiences of art as salvation, though I wished for more such introspective moments.

The memoir’s middle section, detailing her Aspen reinvention, evoked both admiration and frustration. Her hard-won peace felt fragile, and I often scribbled marginalia like - Why return to toxic family patterns?—a testament to Correa’s ability to provoke reader engagement even when her choices perplex.

Constructive Criticism
-Pacing: Celebrity anecdotes disrupt the emotional throughline; tighter thematic grouping would help.
-Spiritual Depth: Practices like plant medicine and psychotherapy deserve more nuanced reflection.
-Structural Clarity: The nonlinear timeline occasionally confuses causal relationships in her healing.

How I would describe the book:
- A memoir that sings like a Joni Mitchell ballad—raw, poetic, and hauntingly true
- For readers who loved Educated but crave more rock ‘n’ roll with their redemption
- Proof that healing isn’t a straight line—it’s a sweat lodge, a recording studio, and a mountain vista

Personal Remarks
Reading this ARC, having weathered many a family crisis, I was struck by Correa’s description of building a chosen family—a concept I have applied to my own life over the years. The advanced print edition’s cover became a tactile reminder that memoirs can be lifelines.

Gratitude
Thank you to She Writes Press/Simon & Schuster and Goodreads Giveaways for the beautiful print ARC. This is a memoir that lingers, imperfect but profoundly human.

Final Verdict
A 4.5/5—Correa’s vivid prose and hard-won wisdom outweigh structural flaws. While not every note lands perfectly, My Pretty Baby crescendos into a symphony of survival worth hearing.

[Patsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captivated me from the very beginning. Books like this make me remember why I love reading memoirs.

Reading about her childhood was sad but it helped to explain a lot of why she was the way she was. The trauma that she went through allowed her to become stronger and want to break the cycle.

Reading about the death of her father and how it affected her felt very close to home for me. I lost my mother as an adult but I think whether you're a child or an adult, losing a parent affects you. Then having what you hope will be a substitute parent come into your life only to know that it results in chaos and violence is so painful.

Wendy's writing was captivating and mesmerizing. The rawness in her writing and how she exposed herself in this book was such a joy to read even when reading about the most difficult aspects of her life. It evoked so many emotions.

Watching her realize that life could easily spiral out of control for her and seeing her really go down that road to starting over and recovery from her past trauma's was beautiful.

If you love me more then you definitely want to add this one to your must read list. I gave this five out of five stars.

[Amanda Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy pub day to Wendy B. Correa whose memoir called My Pretty Baby comes into the world today! I am a sucker for a good memoir and this one didn’t disappoint. This is a story full of childhood trauma that would have taken out most people, but regardless of all of the pain that Wendy dealt with, she always fought back and tried new and different coping mechanisms to help her heal. Wendy always came back to her nuclear family and wondered why they couldn’t all be closer. No matter how many times she was hurt by them, she always tried one more time to find the connection she yearned for. Her life shaped how she would conduct and treat her own family one day. It was nice to see someone break the stigma instead of getting caught up in the pattern of trauma. This book is heavily peppered with a lot of hard topics, so check your trigger warnings, but I highly recommend it!

[Living My Best Book Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping memoir about belonging, facing trauma, choosing your found family, and learning to heal. Wendy B. Correa's writing is the reason I enjoy reading memoirs. Her words were affecting, captivating me from the very beginning. She details her childhood trauma to show not to just show how ugly and scary life was, but to express her feelings and why she had the strength and courage to break the cycle.

Wendy grew up with a loving family and felt that perfect image shifted after the sudden/tragic passing of her father. That day changed her life because at a young age she began thinking about mortality, adding anxiety, pressure, and worry to her thought processes and she saw how it effected those closest to her, especially her mother. Her family life began to go downhill, noticing her mother not showing up when she planned and staying over at friends/families houses for longer than expected. When Wendy's mother began a new romantic relationhip with Paul, this is when things stepped into complicated territory.

Paul was supposed to be the 'father figure' she needed and could count on. And while they did have good times together, they were erased when Paul would get in his moods. The moods often led to physical and emotional violence, terror, and trauma. As Wendy started getting older, she learned how to navigate around him, trying her best not to incite his emotions. Her mother normally made excuses for him, making Wendy feel like she was less important and should find her own way to deal with things. And then when she was 18, she knew she had to escape.

On a journey of self-discovery, she found herself in the Hollywood lifestyle. She rubbed arms with some of the most elite and presitgious A-listers. While she felt happier at times, she also felt despondent. If she didn't find her place, she would quickly give in to the wild and troublesome lifestyle. This is when she made the decision to seek help. She would try anything including spiritual practices, meditation, psycotheraphy. Anything to finally belong. And I applaud Wendy because she had the courage to want to break the cycle she became so accustomed to.

Once she made time for her mental and spiritual health, she began to see through the clouded veil. She loved her mother but realized that most of her trauma came because her mother couldn't stand up for her or herself. And she knew that Paul had some demons of his own that he needed to tackle. But she never gave up hope on the possibility of change.

I loved getting to read about Wendy meeting her husband and them starting her family. I felt so happy to see her find her person and find her sense of belonging. And I believe he helped her in forgiving those closest to her like her mother, Paul, and even her siblings. While I can't pretend to have known her trauma, I do understand her heart and always seeking love from her family no matter what. I think that's something we all want; to be loved and accepted by our families. I think Wendy's ability to forgive and move on speaks volumes about her character. She expereicned so much heartbreak, heartache, and emotional trauma that she could have easily chose hate. But she learned how to set boundaries, accepet faults, and make decisions that were best for her and her found family.

Overall, My Pretty Baby is a must-read memoir. It will pull at readers emotions, make you feel, and ultimately learn that it's never too late to find our place in life.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story of finding healing from your childhood, forgiveness, and most of all, wanting to feel loved by your family. It’s a story that you may read and appreciate for the things Wendy experienced, or you may read it and relive some of those moments yourself. She has had an eventful life, but a lot of her experiences are probably shared by readers in one way or another. And she has spent her whole life trying to heal and find love.

“And I meditate on forgiveness. Not for them but for me. For my own well-being and mental health, for my own heart.”

Wendy’s story brought me to tears several times. I cried for some hard moments, but mostly I cried for the beautiful moments. Her writing is lovely, as if every phrase in the book is a piece of poetry. The way she described her feelings was raw and real, and you can tell how much she was affected by each event. The way she wove all of the timelines, people, memories, and spiritual practices from her life together felt flawless.

In the end of the book, she includes recommended reading and resources, which is really cool, as well as her playlist from when she worked as a radio DJ.

I listened to the audiobook, which I always love to do with a memoir because the author typically narrates it. It was wonderful listening to Wendy’s voice telling her own story because it made it feel that much more real. I reached a point in the book when I couldn’t put it down because I was so enraptured by the new developments in her story. It was a beautiful listen.

[Cleveland Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Pretty Baby by Wendy B. Correa stayed with me long after I finished it. As a psychotherapist who works with survivors of abuse—and as the author of my own memoir on resilience, Waiting for White Jesus—I was struck by the honesty and depth of Wendy’s storytelling. Her vivid recollection and emotional transparency pull you right into her journey. She doesn’t just revisit her pain; she transforms it into something meaningful and profoundly human.

What moved me most was how courageously she confronted her past—childhood trauma, family secrets, and the long, messy process of healing. I’ve spent years walking alongside survivors in Washington Heights who carry those same invisible burdens, and I recognized in Wendy’s story the same strength and grace I see in them every day. Her journey reminds us that healing isn’t about erasing the past but reclaiming power from it.

My Pretty Baby is raw, painful, and ultimately redemptive. It’s a book about facing truth without losing hope. Wendy’s message of self-reclamation and faith in the possibility of renewal deeply aligns with both my personal and professional path. I wholeheartedly recommend this memoir to anyone seeking to understand the long road from trauma to transformation.

— Cleveland G. Oakes Jr., MHC-LP, Author of Waiting for White Jesus

[Jennifer Koskinen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wendy Correa’s heart beats on every page of this book and at some point reached out to grab mine. From the staggering unfairness of a childhood disrupted to her jigsaw-puzzled journey of finding love, forgiveness and ultimately belonging, in writing this story she has captured the essence of what it means to be human… and of what it means to own your own story.

As I was moved to tears upon reaching the final, incredibly hopeful pages of this story, I was left thinking about the power of memoir. When someone invests the Herculean effort into writing through pain and trauma and humor and love — when they metabolize experience in the crafting of a story in order to understand, make peace, forgive and heal — they are giving the world the kind of priceless gift of honesty that can only delivered and understood in a book, communicated directly and uninterrupted from one mind and heart into another.

When this is done well, born of sweat, tears, vulnerability and risk, it becomes an incredibly generous gift of insight, wisdom, love, and the lived example that we can all aspire to better “suffer well” on the road to happiness.

By the conclusion of My Pretty Baby I felt overwhelming compassion and endless love for the child Wendy was, and the beautiful woman she has become.

[September Withers · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Pretty Baby is a powerful and deeply affecting memoir that blends vulnerability, resilience, and spiritual transformation with remarkable clarity. Wendy B. Correa recounts her painful childhood with honesty that grips you from the first page, yet what makes this story unforgettable is the way she threads healing into every chapter.

Her journey through Buddhism, meditation, plant medicine, Native American spirituality, and recovery work is written with such sincerity that it resonates long after reading. The celebrity encounters add texture and astonishing glimpses into a life lived on the edge of music history. But at its core, this book is about survival, chosen family, and reclaiming a sense of belonging.

A moving and courageous memoir that will speak to anyone seeking meaning after trauma.

[Lala Grau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book. Read this book because your soul craves depth. Read this book if you’re lost and need a map home. Read this book if you don’t know where home is. Read it because Wendy has power in her words. She’ll teach you to breathe through your life while narrating the beautiful, terrible parts of hers. Read this book because you want the trauma to end with you. Read this book because you want to feel connected to whatever Gods may be.

I am so grateful Wendy wrote her story. Maybe her words will heal the pieces of you that feel unworthy of being loved. Maybe she’ll teach you what it means to forgive.

Wow.

Just read it.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wendy’s childhood was filled with a fierce longing to understand herself and her family. She is a seeker of truth in a family of lies. Wendy simply wants to love and to be loved. Instead, she lives with a stepfather who has a violent and unpredictable temper. Wendy lives in hyper vigilance in an attempt to survive his outbursts. In spite of not growing up in a stable, healthy family, she forges her life and moves away to find herself. At every turn in her life, Wendy reaches for wisdom and truth that she can count on.
A deep quest to learn who she is and why her family is the way it is, “My Pretty Baby” exposes our deep need to belong and to be loved.

[Caroline Connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wendy Correa is a gifted writer telling a heart wrenching story of family strife, loss and resilience. Her description of growing up as a child in the 60s was riveting -- as a Baby Boomer I experienced the same grief at the assassination of JFK, the excitement of the Beatles, and the turmoil of the Vietnam war. Her quote from Brenè Brown was very apt, "When we own our stories, we get to write a brave new ending." That she did.

[Sarah May · Rating 5 out of 5]

From a dysfunctional childhood, to abuse, addiction, and trauma; Correa shares it all in this deeply personal and heartfelt memoir. Her longing for belonging and something deeper take her on an inner journey and spiritual awakening that is deeply resonant. Spanning from her childhood to young adulthood into becoming a wife and mother, we feel her loss and heartbreak, and champion her wins and victories. Redemptive and gratitude filled, this book is beautiful. Highly recommend!

[StarlitPaige · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words cannot describe how intimate and gut wrenching this is. I loved every second of it. I am biased about this book for reasons I will not disclose. But If you have a family with a lot of generational trauma and difficult dynamics, this is the BOOK for you! It’s so heartbreaking, and so hopeful. I cannot recommend this book enough.

[Deirdre Megan Byrd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always have a hard time rating nonfiction, specifically memoirs. Because how can I say that someone’s real life story isn’t good. This book is a tough read. Wendy shares about the deep trauma she has experienced throughout her life. Her journey of healing and it is truly a journey. So many tears as I read this book and could relate to so much. Definitely a must read but go in with caution.

[Jenn Todling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal story of heartbreak, loss and redemption told in a compelling narrative that makes for an easy read. I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir which shows the power of the human spirit!