Book Review: Down The Rabbit Hole

What kobo.com says:

The shocking, never-before-told story of the bizarre world inside the legendary Playboy Mansion—and, finally, the secret truth about the man who holds the key—from one of the few people who truly knows: Hef’s former #1 girlfriend and star of The Girls Next Door

A spontaneous decision at age twenty-one transformed small-town Oregon girl Holly Sue Cullen into Holly Madison, Hugh Hefner’s #1 girlfriend. But like Alice’s journey into Wonderland, after Holly plunged down the rabbit hole, what seemed like a fairytale life inside the Playboy Mansion—including A-list celebrity parties and her own #1-rated television show for four years—quickly devolved into an oppressive routine of strict rules, manipulation, and battles with ambitious, backstabbing bunnies. Life inside the notorious Mansion wasn’t a dream at all—and quickly became her nightmare. After losing her identity, her sense of self-worth, and her hope for the future, Holly found herself sitting alone in a bathtub contemplating suicide.

But instead of ending her life, Holly chose to take charge of it.

In this shockingly candid and surprisingly moving memoir, this thoughtful and introspective woman opens up about life inside the Mansion, the drugs, the sex, the abuse, the infamous parties, and her real behind-the-scenes life with Bridget, Kendra, and, of course, Mr. Playboy himself.

With great courage, Holly shares the details of her subsequent troubled relationship, landing her own successful television series, and the hard work of healing, including her turn on Dancing with the Stars. A cautionary tale and a celebration of personal empowerment, Down the Rabbit Hole reminds us of the importance of fighting for our dreams—and finding the life we deserve.

What I say:

I couldn’t put the book down due to the sad, endless stories of what can only be summed up as manipulative, low self-esteem, and sad life of a Playboy Bunny and what it was like to be Hugh Hefner’s #1 Girlfriend. I read this book the way you can’t tear your eyes away from a horrible reality tv show. I had watched the train wreck of her life on the screen in the early 2000s and have now delved into the secrets of her life in print. If anything her book is a cautionary tale to star-eyed girls that the glitz and the glam of fame is never all that it’s cracked up to be. I’m glad she was able to grow into her own person outside of the mansion and share her lessons. But you can only wonder why she decided to write this book now?

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