The Fact of a Body by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich - Book Review

Happy Monday, everybody! 

It's time for a new #60secondbookreview and this week we'll be discussing "The Fact of a Body" by Alexandria Mazano - Lesnevich. This book is *amazing*, part true crime, and part memoir. 

The true crime parts of the book explore the murder of Jeremy Guillory by Ricky Langley. In 1992, Ricky, a convicted pedophile who had been released from prison, he lived near Jeremy, and one day Jeremy went to Ricky's house looking for a friend. Ricky invited him inside, where he murdered and assaulted him. The perspective the author takes in exploring the day of the murder and everything leading up to it was so insightful and well-researched. 

What really sets this book apart for me was the way the author weaves her own life into that story - you find out that Alexandria's family has a lot in common with both the murderer's family and the victim's family. "The Fact of A Body" is hard to discuss without spoilers, and in fact, this book is just hard for me to discuss, generally. It is a must in my mind as a true crime book, but it is also one I don't think I could ever personally recommend to someone. 

Alexandria's writing is terrifying, gritty, and raw and does not shy away from any of the facts of the discussed cases - while also bearing witness to an immense amount of human suffering, to the point that you can't imagine asking someone else to experience what you did, even though I gave this book 5 stars. 

Have you read "The Fact of A Body"? Comment down below and let me know your thoughts on this one! I'd also love to hear about your favorite true crime novel!

I'll Be Gone In The Dark by Michelle McNamara - Book Review

Wanna have nightmares and possible never feel safe in your own home ever again? " I'll Be Gone in the Dark" was a huge summer hit, which rarely happens, but once I read it - totally got why. It explores the crime sprees committed by the Golden State Killer. A man who thankfully, since the book was published, has been caught. But in the 1970's and 80's when he was active there were many families in the Sacramento Valley who were double checking their door locks and sleeping with the lights on. His crimes were notoriously brutal and he typically attacked couples who were in bed together. And the book is filled with facts from these crimes, but it is also a very personal story. It's about the victims of the crimes, it's about the investigative teams who have been obsessively trying to solve it from decades, and it is also about people like the author, off the clock sleuths who scour the internet late at night desperately trying to solve this crime. It's terrifying, and fascinating, and also inspiring. Have you read I'll Be Gone in the Dark? Let me know what you thought of it below!