WOW! The things that Gypsy Rose went through were absolutely nuts! The mind games and physical things that this girl went through! Read by the author and was great!

4 stars!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy!

My Time to Stand by Gypsy Rose Blanchard is a raw and deeply personal memoir that sheds light on her harrowing experiences under the control of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. Through vivid and emotional storytelling, Gypsy reveals the years of abuse, manipulation, and medical deception she endured, as well as the choices that ultimately led to her mother’s tragic death and her own incarceration.
Gypsy is vulnerable, offering readers a firsthand look at the struggles of surviving abuse and reclaiming her identity. Her reflections on her past are heartbreaking.

However, the narrative feels uneven at times. Some sections are vividly detailed and gripping, while others feel rushed or lacking in depth. Readers unfamiliar with the widely publicized case may find certain parts underexplained, leaving them wanting more context or insight into her thoughts and experiences.

Despite its imperfections, My Time to Stand is a compelling and thought-provoking memoir that highlights themes of abuse, survival, and justice. It’s a courageous and important story, offering readers a chance to better understand Gypsy’s life and the strength it took to reclaim her voice.

Definitely interesting to hear this story from Gypsy Rose's point of view. Her voice was a bit off-putting, but, I mean, it IS her voice, and she has a right to tell her story. I recommend this book!

I really didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did. I really wasn’t sure I would like it narrated by Gypsy but she did a great job and I appreciated her willingness to share so much about such a tough time in her life.

Okay I really hate giving lower ratings to memoirs because it feels like I’m judging their life. To be clear, my star rating of this is not based on that. What Gypsy-Rose endured is horrific, and I admire her courage for sharing her story. That being said, this book needed some heavy editing. It’s all over the place. There is something to be said for a non-linear narrative, but it has to be done precisely and this fell short. It’s still worth a listen because, again, her story is heartbreaking and powerful, but I think her editors did her a disservice by not arranging this into a cohesive story.

Thank you to RB Media and Netgalley for this ARC. My Time to Stand is out now.

3.5/5 stars

What a read! As someone who had heard about Gypsy-Rose Blanchard and her struggles in the media over the years, I wasn't overly familiar with her story. I heard snippets from headlines, but never watched documentaries. It was so interesting hearing about Gypsy from Gypsy herself. I found the narrative really interesting, and loved the question and answer period at the end. I hope the best for her moving forward.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gypsy-Rose is her mother's daughter.

I have always been fascinated by the Dee Dee Blanchard case but this book is a one-sided, sensationalized story of what can only be described as "faction".

I have no doubts that there is a strong thread of truth among the lies but her story is so inconsistent that she goes as far as to contradict herself at some points.

I think both Gypsy and her mother were mentally ill individuals who committed horrible acts. IMO the book goes into unnecessary grotesque details for the sake of shock value.

I listened to this on audiobook and I would not recommend.

Publication date: 10th December 2024

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

There are accusations of My Time to Stand being salacious, explicit and pornographic that are fully untrue. In this memoir, there are descriptions of intense moments and her feelings during them, but in my opinion they are heavily sanitized. If you are even a little familiar with her story before reading, nothing should be so surprising or disturbing that would take a reader with any sense by surprise. I honestly applaud Blanchard and her team for writing such an even-keeled memoir that doesn't harp on supposed drama or exploitation of the story.

My Time to Stand is one of those stories that you kind of already know, right? We've read the news coverage of Dee Dee Blanchard's murder, watched shows and videos all covering every little detail of this tragic family's story. But we never heard from Gypsy-Rose until now. Having to completely start her life in jail and learn independence behind bars with the whole world watching is so commendable. It is clear through her writing, assisted by journalist and documentarian Melissa G. Moore and editor Michele Matrisciani, that Gypsy-Rose's time in prison has been spent bettering herself and soul searching. She comes across as smart, reflective, and most of all- incredibly human. After listening to her for 6 1/3 hours, we feel like friends :)

Her insights into not only her own actions/reactions but her mothers come from a place of compassion and acceptance. This book is not "I'm Glad My Mom Died", it is "my actions led to my mother's murder, I miss her, and where do I go from here". It's remarkable to see how thoughtful and smart she is despite everything in life that has been thrown against her. She takes new mistakes in stride, able to acknowledge when she's messed up because she's learning to be a person! I definitely followed her while she was blowing up in her "social media era", and I'm glad to see she has taken a step back to focus on herself and her family. Gypsy-Rose is a controversial figure for sure, but she's admirable in just this book alone, being able to tell HER story and not make concessions.

It's also notable, that Gypsy-Rose herself narrates the audiobook- which is especially potent considering the last surgery her mother planned for her would be to "fix" her voice. Rock it girl, you sound great. The editing could have been better but in some places that made her more human.


thank you to NetGalley and BenBella for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. And to Miss. Blanchard, congrats on your beautiful baby girl, I hope nothing but the best and peace for your future !

I found this to be fascinating. I didn’t know much about her, the story and such other than a few things. The trauma that she went thru and things she did was wow. I don’t like giving stars or rating autobiographies because someone’s story is that, their story, their life and like she says many times in this book “things as she remembers it”. I do think it was interesting and not a light read, but a fast read.

I have always been a bit interested with the subject media, so seeing that Gypsy-Rose Blanchard published a memoir, I wanted to read it. I think this is a great memoir. It's not sensationalized, in comparison with a lot of media around both the case and the author and it goes over things thoroughly. I really appreciate it's not just going over the case and the bunch of years leading up to it, but instead gives us a larger breadth of context to see how point A went to point B and so on. I also appreciate that we learned about after the event too, and in general the memoir did wonderfully at humanizing the person behind it. This isn't because she doesn't own up to anything, it is the opposite. It's because she fully acknowledges what part she had to play while explaining reasons why. I thought it was well written, it flowed well, there wasn't any weird clunky bits, and I liked the chapter titles (it's a small thing but was a nice add!).
I was also surprised on how much I liked her as a narrator! I am very nervous with audiobook narrators because some voices don't jive with me. But I think her voice, the way she added emphasis onto certain phrases, how it felt human and not scripted? I thought it worked great for this. I also appreciated the audiobook extra explaining why she wrote the book.
In general this is one of the memoirs I would recommend, not just for how sensationalized this story in the media is, but because it's a well written memoir and gives us a lot of context onto who Blanchard is as a person, why her past led her to the event itself, and how she rebuilt her life after being prosecuted. I will also be picking this up for myself (possibly the audiobook if I can get my hands on a CD of it).

I have been fascinated by this story for a looooooong time. This was the first time I had heard about so many of the different mental illnesses present between all of the people involved in this. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing Gypsy-Rose’s side of things and I think she did it in a very respectful way. I was worried that perhaps the narrative would go in a different direction and I was very pleasantly surprised.

I didn't really learn anything new from this book so apparently I watched too many specials on her story....LOL. But overall, I think it was told well.

This is a tough one for me to review because I was torn on the topic of Gypsy-Rose Blanchard life and her mother's death. I feel like it did two things for me; it helped me understand what Gypsy may have been feeling her entire life (even though I do not condone any of the choices she made about the murder) and I felt twisted because of the harshness of Dee Dee's brutal murder. At least this time I got to hear the story as told by Gypsy.

My Time to Stand is a detailed memoir about what led up to the tragic murder of Dee Dee Blanchard and how Gypsy-Rose's lowest point forced her to take an inner look at herself and how to take advantage of the second chance she was given when she was released from prison. While I could have done without some of the overly shared and graphic content, I think Gypsy-Rose laid out her truth the best way she knew how.

This was a tough one to get through. It was not long but I took long breaks from it because it was a bummer. A lot of the information was not new necessarily for those already familiar with the case, but there was both just a *lot* of sexualization and also a lot of glossing over when it came to the author’s culpability in the crime. I do feel really sympathetic for the abuse that she had endured as a result of her mother’s mental illness, but it also seems like her codefendant is autistic and has a borderline IQ, so he was not playing with a full deck either, and he is locked up for life.

Others have said that more time may be needed for G-R to process, heal, and then she really could have written a book that would have been amazing. After some reflection of my own… I don’t disagree. I am sure it was helpful for her to write this while in prison, but… sometimes time, distance, and therapy are what is needed, and probably more of that would do a lot of good here.

My Time to Stand by Gypsy Rose Blanchard offers a unique and personal perspective on a story that has captivated the public’s attention for years. As a memoir, it provides insight into Gypsy’s life before and after the tragic events surrounding her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard. The book is a courageous attempt at sharing her truth and seeking redemption, and for that, it’s commendable.

Gypsy’s voice comes through as raw and honest, giving readers a glimpse into her struggles with abuse, manipulation, and her path to freedom. There’s no denying that her story is heartbreaking, and it’s clear she has faced unimaginable challenges. The emotional weight of her experience is evident, and parts of the memoir are incredibly moving, offering a deeper understanding of the psychological abuse she endured.

However, while the subject matter is undeniably compelling, the execution of the memoir falls short in some areas. The pacing can feel uneven, and at times, the narrative lacks the depth and structure needed to fully engage the reader. There are moments when the story feels disjointed, and certain parts of her journey are glossed over too quickly, leaving readers with unanswered questions about her healing process and the complexities of her emotions.

Overall, My Time to Stand is a worthwhile read for those interested in understanding Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s side of the story. It’s a powerful account of survival and resilience, though it could have benefited from a more polished narrative and deeper exploration of the emotional aftermath. A solid 3-star read—moving and thought-provoking, but not without its flaws. I was given an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Reviewing My Time to Stand is a tough task. As memoirs go, it’s relatively well-written, especially considering Gypsy’s limited formal education. However, it’s impossible to ignore that she played a key role in her mother’s murder, which casts a shadow over the entire book and leaves a rather unsettling impression.

To start, this book really needed clear trigger warnings. While I expected some intense descriptions, I wasn’t prepared for the level of sexual content included in the memoir. In my opinion, these details were unnecessary and could have been omitted.

Listening to the audiobook left me with mixed feelings. On one hand, Gypsy endured unimaginable abuse at the hands of her mother. While I don’t condone her actions, I can see how she reached the desperate conclusion of “it’s me or her.” That said, Dee Dee’s actions, as horrific as they were, stemmed from an untreated mental illness that also deserved intervention and care.

I only listened to this book because I received a free advanced copy through NetGalley. I wouldn’t have paid for it, and honestly, I wouldn’t recommend others do either. If you’re curious, I’d suggest borrowing it from the library. Allowing Gypsy to profit from the crime feels wrong, given the circumstances.

I was surprised by how well done the writing was. The story is very sad, it is so tragic what this woman has gone through. The abuse she writes about is horrible, graphic, and made me feel ill. The last chapter made me cry. Everyone has their own feelings about Gypsy-Rose's story, but having the opportunity to hear about it from her point of view was intense and informative. Glad I read it!

It was an okay read. a look into a life that has been shaped by a true crime.
I found the narrator voice to be flat.

This one is a hard one to review as it has to do with a real life crime. It is interesting to hear Gypsy Roses perspective but other than that there’s not much I can say on this one. Fans of true crime will enjoy this quick listen.

Like others I have been captivated by Gypsy’s story over the years. I was excited to get the opportunity to read her memoir especially in audiobook form. I thought it was well done.