Book review: Lies My Mother Never Told Me

Lies My Mother Never Told Me, what an odd title. Why would anybody be concerned about not being lied to by their mother? These were my thoughts as I picked up Kaylie Jones’ memoir.

Then Kaylie tells me why. I was horrified, and my heart ached for the little girl she was.

Kaylie’s father, author of From Here To Eternity James Jones, told Kaylie that her mother never lied. Kaylie trusted and believed her dad. Unfortunately, this meant Kaylie grew up believing the vicious ‘truths’ her mother, Gloria, told her.

You have no sense of humor.
You’re a klutz.
You have ugly legs.
You’re a nut.

You’re a whore.

Lies My Mother Never Told Me chronicles Kaylie’s life growing up amongst the literary elite. It also chronicles her life growing up amongst alcoholics, her mother one of them.

I found the book a bit choppy at the beginning with fragmented pieces of childhood memory. But then again, isn’t that what we remember of our childhoods. Fragmented images and feelings?

Once Kaylie moves into her adult years, the story flows. It ain’t pretty, but it flows.

It’s not supposed to be pretty, and I am glad Kaylie did not white wash anything. Her relationship with her mother is painful and harsh. Lost and completely without a sense of self, Kaylie drifts through life and her own battles with alcoholism. Until she hits rock bottom and a friend asks”Are you ready?”

And she was.

Ready to become sober. Ready to commit to a career. Ready to commit to a husband and child.

Ready to leave the influence of her mother’s toxicity?

That was a long time coming. But in the end, it does indeed come, and Kaylie is able to truly know herself.

This book is an insightful look at how children of alcoholics are impacted right down to their core beliefs about themselves. But it is bigger than that. It is about the family dynamics surrounding addictions, and how members impact each other as they struggle to cope.

After all, James Jones could just as easily have said to his small daughter “Your mother tell lies.”

But he didn’t.

More information!

Make sure you come back on September 15th to win a copy of Lies My Mother Never Told Me.

Kaylie Jones is also author of Celeste Ascending, As Soon As It Rains, and A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries. She can be found at:

website: http://kayliejones.com/
Twitter: @kayliejones
Facebook: Kaylie Jones

This book review was sponsored by TLC Book Tour. To read more reviews of Lies My Mother Never Told Me, visit the tour schedule.

Have you subscribed to our newsletter?

Subscribe to our free newsletter and get articles, hints & tips, and discount codes delivered to your Inbox.

The very first edition is October 1st. Don’t miss out! Click here to subscribe!