Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

My Pretty Baby: Seeking Truth and Finding Healing by Wendy B. Correa is a powerful and intimate memoir chronicling a woman’s decades-long journey to heal from profound childhood trauma. Wendy navigates life after the death of her father and contends with a violent, alcoholic stepfather, growing up in an emotionally fractured household. Her escape leads her down a spiritual and transformative path through diverse traditions like Buddhism, yoga, Native American vision quests, and recovery programs, seeking solace and self-discovery. Alongside a career in the music industry that brings surreal encounters with icons like Joni Mitchell and Hunter S. Thompson, Wendy’s journey unfolds in vivid detail. Her move to Aspen marks a turning point of healing and connection, but only after her mother’s death does she uncover the family secret that reframes everything. This deeply personal narrative explores what it means to belong, to forgive, and to finally come home to oneself.

Author Wendy B. Correa has a very open way of writing that feels instantly warm, and this candid storytelling and emotional honesty make this memoir both heart-wrenching and profoundly hopeful. It’s such a truthful portrayal of someone who is trying anything and everything to help process their trauma. Wendy’s story shows a genuine progression through every failure and discovery in a beautifully written account of spiritual resilience that anyone who has experienced grief will be able to relate to. The flow of ideas is naturally placed so that the memoir feels like a stream of consciousness. Correa comes back to the core tenets of the narrative, like the power of chosen family and the long road to inner peace, as well as the transformative power of art and spirituality that features heavily in her life. This is a raw yet redemptive portrait of trauma and healing. Overall, I highly recommend My Pretty Baby to readers who enjoy honest and well-penned memoirs and for those seeking solace after trauma and grief.