Thank you Hachette Audio for the ALC and Grand Central Publishing, HTP the Hive and Park Row Books, #partner for the physical copies in exchange for my honest reviews.
With June being audiobook month, it was the perfect time to pull out some nonfiction…& these 2 books were fantastic!!
I WANNA BE LOVED BY YOU: Marilyn Monroe A Life in 100 Takes by Andrew Wilson
Published: June 2, 2026, Grand Central Publishing / Hachette Audio
Summary:
Dreamer. Bombshell. Icon.
Featuring a wealth of unpublished material, Andrew Wilson’s biography of Marilyn Monroe presents the heroine in a startling new light.
Born Norma Jeane Mortenson, she had an uncertain and unforgiving upbringing with a mentally illmother, an absent father and cruel foster parents. She grew up in Los Angeles and would dream about Hollywood, believing that acting would be her one-way ticket to a different reality. Her dream was so powerful that she transformed herself into the ultimate goddess of the silver screen, and her image has been branded into the collective consciousness. Men lusted after her, and women wanted to be her. All her life, she just wanted to be happy – and loved.
Told through 100 captivating snapshots, we are thrown into the glamorous but dangerous world of old Hollywood. We see a young Marilyn navigating the highs and lows of the studio system as she attempts to free herself from the constraints of Twentieth Century-Fox and forge her own path. We also go behind the scenes of her marriages to teenage sweetheart Jim Dougherty, baseball star Joe DiMaggio and famous playwright Arthur Miller. We hear the voices of friends, lovers – and enemies.
Marilyn Monroe was more than just a goddess of the screen. She was highly intelligent and well-read, and formed long-term friendships with poets, philosophers, playwrights and political activists, such as with the avant-garde poet Edith Sitwell. After training with Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio, she worked hard to dismantle the common perception that she was nothing but a dumb blonde.
In the concluding chapters, Andrew Wilson unpicks what happened on the night Marilyn died after a suspected drug overdose – and investigates the rash of conspiracy theories that surround the star’s final moments. Were the Kennedys involved, or was she just let down by those closest to her?
I Wanna Be Loved By You is a revealing and nuanced portrait of the life, death and afterlife of an icon who still fascinates us today.
My thoughts:
So fascinating…this book uses snapshots to give us an intimate look at who Marilyn really was. I loved the anecdotes that the author used, some of which was taken from unpublished material. It was both eye-opening and at times heartbreaking. Did you know she wanted to become famous so ‘everyone would like her and she would be surrounded by love and affection’ ??
Audio thoughts:
The audio was fantastic! Kelly Burke does a great job.
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I CHOOSE ME: Chasing Joy, Finding Purpose and Embracing Reinvention by Jennie Garth
Published: April 14, 2026, Park Row Books / Harlequin Audio
Summary:
Jennie Garth is best known for playing the iconic role of Kelly Taylor in the hit television series “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Now in her 50s, she invites readers into the real story of growing up on screen, facing Hollywood’s impossible beauty standards, and losing—and finding—herself through heartbreak, loss, and the challenge of motherhood. She shares the raw truths of the moments that broke her open and shows the resilience it takes to walk through grief and begin again.
Jennie writes with warmth and candor about learning to quiet the voice that says “not enough,” rediscovering her strength after loss, and daring to take up space, speak her truth, and want more. She opens up about the unglamorous, deeply human moments and finally letting go of the need for perfection and other people’s approval.
Through personal stories, practical advice, and the wisdom earned through her own hard lessons, Jennie lights a path back to self-love and clarity. I Choose Me is for anyone who’s ever felt lost in their roles, struggling to give themselves permission to ask, “What do I want now?” It’s an invitation to honor your own journey, embrace self-care, and believe with compassion that choosing yourself is the bravest, kindest thing you can do.
My thoughts:
I was a big fan of 90210 back in the day, so of course this appealed to me…but little did I know how much it would resonate with me. As someone in her 50s, like Jennie, there were so many instances that I could relate to…and I appreciated her candor and honesty. I felt seen, I felt understood…and for that I’m thankful for this book!
Audio thoughts:
Jennie narrates this herself, and I loved that. You could feel her passion, her emotions, her pain as she was voicing this, which made it all the more intimate.
Have you read any of these books or do you plan to? Do you read nonfiction?
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