This memoir is extremely difficult but so important. It reminded me a lot of Chanel Miller's Know My Name and was that well-written, too. Amy Griffin has done such a courageous thing in writing this book, it is powerful, raw, and so emotional that I shed tears multiple times while reading it. This book is so hard to read but so important, too. I couldn't put it down.

This memoir is brutal and beautiful and a true testament to courage and strength. I read it in one sitting and will be thinking about it for a long time.

I usually shy away from memoirs because they often read like a series of life events rather than follow the arc of a story. But the structure of The Tell is brilliant.

This book really made me think about the stigma of doubt attached to abuse survivors. If someone is hit by a car, we accept that they might not remember the incident due to trauma. And if the memory returns, there's no questioning whether it happened. But when the trauma is abuse and the wounds are psychological, there's a tendency towards maybe the whole thing is made up.

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. And thank you to Amy Griffin for having the strength to vulnerably share your story.

This was a beautifully written memoir. It was a raw and inspiring story of how Amy dealt with her trauma.

I received a ARC for an honest review. This memoir from Amy Griffin is her story of a connecting her past and present and finding healing. She shares with us that she’s always been a runner. Always busy. A perfectionist. Not in tune with how she feels or able to connect with herself or others on a deeper level. She knows there’s something bothering her but couldn’t face her trauma. She begins to face it with support. She’s able to share with others and to find more healing.
I really liked this book. I don’t really like rating memoirs because it’s so personal and every person who writes a memoir deserves 5 stars just for sharing a part of themselves. No matter how it’s written.
I gave 4 stars because while it was great there were things I struggled with. I didn’t like that it took so long to get to the content of what the book was about. It felt like I was reading her story but not sure why until when she got into the reason closer to the middle of the book, but I think it may be intentional and others may appreciate that! There’s no finality with the end. It ends well but not with the full outcome that you hope for. But this is her journey and her truth so of course we just are getting a glimpse in to say it ends perfectly is not real life. Definitely worth a read imo

Amy Griffin lived the perfect life. Well-educated, she had a successful career, married a good man who loved her unconditionally and with whom she had four children. But deep inside was a void which, to begin with, not even she recognized.
The Tell is her courageous memoir about uncovering a dark secret in her past that she had completely buried. Even though it affected every aspect of her life, she had no memory of it ever having happened. Her book recounts recovering these memories, recognising how they affected her life, and addressing them.
This book will resonate with readers on so many levels.
Firstly, Amy addresses the way women are often programmed to ‘not take up too much space’. This was particularly true of the Texas in which she grew up and where she was expected to conform to society’s expectations of women.
Amy writes about the different ways she explored to recover her suppressed memories, including traditional and psychedelic therapy, which I found fascinating.
The Tell also speaks to abuse. How abusers use their power to groom and control their victims while protecting themselves. And how child abuse robs victims of their childhoods, freedom and fulfilled lives.
Then there’s the healing aspect. Amy tells us how she eventually achieved this. It was a long process as she mulled over whether she should exact revenge, follow the legal route, forgive, or simply accept.
A fascinating read, well-written and ultimately uplifting.

When the author let down her guard and share her vulnerabilities and insecurities through her writing, we are witnessing her struggle and her healing. It’s interesting how memories can get suppressed and become inaccessible. Thank you to the author for sharing her story with us.

I don't usually read Oprah picks, but this one just felt necessary. Written from the heart with such vulnerability. Amy has the support of her amazing husband to face the demons of her past. Once she was able to talk with her children and family, she realized life could move on.

This was an amazing, but very heartbreaking read [I am grateful for the TW at the beginning; after two books in a row that would have greatly benefited from a TW note, this was very refreshing] that is very detailed, all-encompassing, and while it *DOES* have a "happy" [in however you want to see that; a full life, with job, family and peace from trauma = some sort of happy, even if its not traditional] ending, it is not the ending one hopes for, nor is it ultimately what we typically refer to as "happy" [Yep, I fully acknowledge that this is V E R Y vague - I just do not want to give too much away; I am not THAT kind of reviewer], but it is still very good, and you are left with peace and much hope.

I admire Amy so much; it takes real bravery to come forward about abuse [and the road that takes you to remembering that abuse] and I am honored that she trusted "the WORLD' [even the dumb naysayers who many I question if they even actually READ this stunning book; WHO questions someone's abuse story just because they do not like the road she took to get there? ::EYEROLL::] with her story [she is an exccellent narrator as well, I need to add here. I really recommend listening to her tell her story] and that I go to read it. It has changed my perspective on several things and has made me realize that maybe, just maybe, even though it is terrifying, it is time for me to tell.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amy Griffin, and Random House Publishing Group - Random House/The Dial Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Amy Griffin’s The Tell is a compelling memoir about a challenging topic. I enjoyed the writing pace and descriptive details. The author’s vulnerability is empowering, and I believe many women will find strength in this story.

I couldn’t put this riveting memoir down. The storytelling seamlessly weaves back and forth in time as Griffin goes from girlhood to adulthood. I felt such compassion for her, but not in a pitying way. I admired her strength, her tenacity, and her drive to pursue her own mental health. This book is hard to read—abuse is never an easy topic to read about—but she wrote with such care and tenderness. It’s tightly edited and powerfully moving. There’s no doubt this book will help so many who have gone through similar situations.

A great story but also so sad. It’s interesting to me to read about how the brain responds to trauma. And how “the body keeps the score.” I loved this quote, “Remembering was so hard, but now I understood why we did it-why it was worth remembering at all.
It wasn't so we could wallow in the pain. It was so we could more fully touch the joy.”


Review posted to Goodreads on March 26,2025

The Tell was an excellent read, highly recommend it on audio too. I appreciated the writing and her grappling with her childhood trauma. It wasn't clear cut and I appreciated that.

What a powerful, courageous story. It sucked me right in from the beginning and I couldn’t put it down. Loved her writing style and the way she brought me along for her journey of self awareness and memories. I’m also thankful for the possibility that it may be giving others the courage to share their own “tell” in their own way so that they too may be able to embrace the future.

Thank you for sharing this book. I think it will resonate with so many women., and they will know that they aren’t alone.

Amy Griffin's The Tell is a profoundly moving memoir that will resonate long after the final page. With raw honesty and remarkable courage, Griffin navigates the resurfacing of childhood memories of sexual abuse, offering readers an intimate look at her journey toward understanding and healing. Though the subject matter is undeniably difficult, her storytelling is both compelling and necessary, making this an unforgettable and deeply impactful read.

“Sometimes we keep secrets to survive. Then a moment arrives when the usefulness of the secret expires. Keeping it becomes the thing that hurts us. We have to tell.”

From the outside, Amy Griffin’s life looks perfect, but she’s been keeping a secret. One she’s subconsciously kept from herself until she experiences an MDMA-assisted psychedelic therapy session.

It’s amazing what the mind does to protect ourselves. Griffin’s memoir was beautifully written, and so honest and raw! The flashbacks of her abuse in high school were hard to stomach. The structure of the story was super unique, which I loved - it was broken into 3 sections titled: Running, Remembering, Rebecoming. I related to many of her comments about perfectionism and I enjoyed learning more about using MDMA as a therapeutic tool.

While the synopsis of The Tell keeps the ‘secret’ intentionally vague, there’s a pretty clear warning at the start of the book. I’d recommend for those looking for an empowering story, but tread carefully.

The Tell is out in the world as of Tuesday, 3/11/25 and is also an Oprah’s Book Club pick! Thank you @randomhouse @amygriffin and @netgalley for the eARC!

This book was so good! I rarely read book excerpts in magazines but I happened to be reading Vogue on a plane so I started this one. The excerpt was so good that I couldn't wait to get the book which had just come out. Amy is a great write and I loved her honest descriptions of herself, her husband, her life and her family. She captured my attention in the first chapter and I could not wait to read the rest! I was not disappointed either. The rest of the book is so full of the details of what happened to her and how she went about remembering it all slowly through a controlled process, how she came to terms with and told her friends and family. Sadly he could not hold Mr. Mason responsible. However, I am hoping by now that he has read this book or someone has mentioned it to him. Maybe someone else will step forward some day. In the meantime, Amy has been living an amazing life! I am astonished at how successful she has been and also not surprised she could write such a sincere and candid autobiography. I have much admiration and respect for her courage & strength, and obviously I do not know her. Definitely do not miss this book! Thanks to NG and Random House for the ARC!!!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC: This is a well written if somewhat vague memoir about a highly successful woman who recovered her memories of childhood abuse after an MDMA guided session and her subsequent experiences after she understood her truth. The memoir is powerful but somewhat vague and repetitive. I couldn't understand the timeframe--when did she recover the memories and how many years afterwards did she document. Childhood abuse is highly prevalent, but Griffin is in a unique situation of privilege and while elements of her story will be universal, clearly some will not.

What an incredibly, brave story to tell! Amy Griffin has written such an exemplary memoir all about memory, identity, and healing. First, Amy Griffin is a terrific writer - I highlighted so many beautifully written sentences. She really captures her authentic feelings in the pages of this book. Griffin also is so honest, something I really respect in memoirs where it can be hard to hold up the mirror and truly reflect yourself. This book should be read by anyone interested in self-reflection or those looking to understand more about themselves. It pairs well with What Happened to You: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey.