This is the first time i’ve ever given a book 1 star. I usually say you shouldn’t rate a book you haven’t finished but after 275 pages of this book i’ll give it one star. This is a true story of abuse that shelly knotek inflicted on her children and those around her. While i feel and hurt so badly for the three children, nikki, sammi, and tori, their cousin shane, and the people who lost their lives, especially kathy because she endured so much abuse to try to protect the children from their abuser, there are still so many things that bothered me.

Shellys husband dave.
The writing of this book makes this man seem like a big victim when in reality he is just as, if not more in some situations, accountable for the abuse and deaths caused at his and his wife’s hands. It’s absolutely disgusting how many excuses for his actions are subtly written into the story.

The writing itself.
I enjoyed the writing at first but you will very soon find out how boring and repetitive it is. For almost 300 pages i read it was the same material. It actually desensitizes the abuse that the girls went through and almost feels like their abuse is being milked for content for the book.

After some research, I’m so glad that the girls are doing better. Although they will live will the trauma that their disgusting mother and imbecile father inflicted, it makes me happy that their bond hasn’t been shattered and they grow and strengthen together.

But this books is not good and anyone who is interested in this story should skip out on this and watch and read the articles and videos that have been posted on this. A lot of them actually show true sympathy for the children and other victims and put emphasis on the abusers and the long lasting trauma they will cause.