Customer Reviews

Mommywood

5 star:		(74)
4 star:		(34)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

90210 actress Tori Spelling won me over with her first memoir, sTORI Telling (it actually prompted me to check out her show So NoTORIious, which I found hilarious), and I was eager to read her followup, Mommywood, especially now that she's got two kids, son Liam and baby Stella. Mommywood is her term for being a mom in Hollywood, and details her experience giving birth to Stella while filming her reality show Tori & Dean, her anxiety about being the mom of a girl, and shares mostly amusing stories and occasional insights.

When Spelling dishes on other celebrities, most of the time, she's hilarious, such as when she got invited to a birthday party for Diddy's twin daughters. She can't figure out why she was invited since they don't really know each other, and hilariously has to look up his kids' gender online, only to mistakenly buy them clothes for one-year-olds, when they're turning two. There, she encounters Gwen Stefani. "We talked about babies and siblings for a few minutes, and then we had nothing else to talk about and said good-bye."

However, sometimes this celebrity namedropping goes awry. An encounter with Luke Perry at her stepson's birthday party is pretty boring. He gives her the cold shoulder presumably because he's mad about something she wrote about him in her first book. That story seems like a stretch and really has no drama or interest. Similarly, her rant against Chelsea Handler is interesting at first (Handler has railed on Spelling on her show, and they share a publisher, Simon Spotlight Entertainment), but goes on too long.

When Spelling truly shares, such as about her dealings with her stepson, Jack, and his mom, she makes this book about something real that stepfamilies do actually deal with, and does so in a sensitive way. She talks about how her relationship with her husband has changed, and that sometimes he misses the "old Tori," one who got drunk and stayed out late and was wilder, sharing that sometimes she does too, but mostly she's happy with their mellower lifestyle.. There's also plenty of funny stories about her son pooping in pools, and about being recognized both in her homey neighborhood and while on vacation.

The other major theme here, much as in sTORI Telling, is her mom, Candy Spelling, who also has a new memoir out now, Candyland. In her first book, she painted a sympathetic portrait of a neglected Daddy's girl whose mother could have given her everything she wanted, but was competitive and withholding. Here, though, Spelling is even more bitter, and the rants about her mother (who doesn't get thanked in the extensive acknowledgments) get draining after a while. Spelling's entire list of things she wishes to teach her daughter reads less like a heartfelt look at parenting a girl than a way to get back at her mom by complaining about all the things she did wrong.

Hilary Liftin did a great job making this a fast, fun read. Spelling proves that she can laugh at herself, and her kids (she jokes that "her gays" - her group of close gay friends - have dibs on when they can take her son Liam to a gay bar, then reveals that he's been to one for the premiere of her reality show). Spelling comes across as likeable, sometimes ridiculous (she leaves a stroller in a parking lot when she can't get it to close), and, for a celebrity memoir, honest. Of course, she acknowledges that being "Tori Spelling" is part of her shtick, her way of making a living, and at times her insistence that she "needs to work" doesn't really ring true, but despite those few quibbles, I recommend Mommywood to anyone who devours the tabloids, whether they do so proudly or sneak them as a guilty pleasure.

Got this on my kindle as soon as it came out and haven't put it down until now that I've finished it. The shot on the cover is great- very 1950's June Cleaver- okay, but on to the important stuff. It was a great read. I think there are going to be alot of people who bash this book because they don't like Tori but I don't know that much about her(well, didn't before reading this). I found her writing(or her co-writer's) to be relaxed and funny.

She is very honest. I loved how she wrote about seeing her baby on the ultrasound and was wondering if he was going to have an abnormally large nose then how she worried if she was being too superficial or not! Loved how she talked about her sex life after having kids and I can really relate to the morning rituals with the kids in bed and the changes pre to post kids(i.e. no more lounging in bed on weekends until all hours).

I am a mother of two and know it is difficult to be a mom- to be a mom with the press following your every move and being in the public eye with everyone having preconceived notions about you and your family... whew! Especially difficult! Still, I got the sense that the mommies of Mommywood don't have to deal with all the minutia that we regular old moms have to deal with.

I think this is a very interesting glimpse into the world of celebrity moms. I don't think every word Tori(or her co-writer) wrote was meant to be serious- definately some tongue-in-cheek moments. And sorry, the voyeuristic side of me loved reading this.

I think it comes down to this: if you are a fan of Tori Spelling, you will enjoy this glimpse into her personal life. If you aren't, don't byuy the book. If you have no opinion, it is a quick, easy read with some good laughs and touches on the issues that so many of us have: wanting what is best for our kids, no matter what our circumstances. I enjoyed it but I had no bias toward Tori to begin with so take it as you will...

Tori...I love her. You will want her to be your FRIEND...lol...she is just so stinkin' funny and down to earth. I read her first book. Then I read her mother's book...and now this one. Her mother is honestly missing something. But Tori, gets it. She makes her shortcomings known and her feud with her mother is obvious...but at least Tori owns her BS and admits her shortcomings. Her mother, clearly has no clue and is always the victim. I adore Tori Spellings and it wasn't that way until I read her books. I hope she will write another...and another. (yep, I'm a mother, by the way.)

From the opening pages of Tori Spelling's searing new memoir, "Mommywood," readers will realize that we are in for a rare tale of pathos and depth. In that first scene, Spelling recounts the devastation and fear she experienced when, at a 3-D ultrasound for her first child, she realized that his nose looked too big. Gigantic, even. She could not believe that this horrifying defect, which could well destroy Liam's Hollywood career before it even began, went unnoticed by her husband and doctor.

Spelling knew it was vital that baby Liam have a perfect nose, because she had made the noble decision to record his every smile, poopy diaper, temper tantrum, and birthday bash for all of America--no, the whole world--to see. On her reality show "Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood," which airs weekly on the Oxygen network, Spelling vents to fans about the tribulations of having two tiny children who are followed everywhere by the paparazzi she invited into their lives.

In the book, she reveals her fascinating quest to lose the baby weight from Liam even while getting pregnant with her daughter Stella. She courageously opens up about her sex life. She trashes her mother's catty trashing of her and discusses Mom's shopping and wanton materialism. She reveals how, after redecorating their home, she realized it was far too small and bought a mansion instead. She frets at length about the faux pas of arriving at a birthday party for celebrity twins with the wrong present because she had never actually met the children and didn't know their ages. She also wonders aloud why it is that Luke Perry, her old co-star on 90210, snubbed her at another child's birthday party, finally concluding that it may have something to do with what she said about Perry in her last memoir, "sTORI Telling." (Although it was only published a year ago, there obviously needed to be another memoir for 2009, because a lot has happened in Tori Spelling's life. It would have been a tragedy had we not been told, for example, what Halloween costumes she chose to dress the kids in for 2008.)

Here's hoping that if Tori writes another book (and, why shouldn't she? It's a guaranteed payday) she does not name her mother, even in passing. I will be so happy if I never hear her mention Candy Spelling on her reality show, either.

Tori is very likable, but she gets nasty when she talks about her mom in public. I can totally understand Tori discussing her upbringing in her first book, but now I'm so over it. This book (as I mentioned in my review for Candy's book) should have been called "I Hate My Mother (but why won't she call?)". Stop telling us that you TEXTED her or E-MAILED her, as if that's the only way to get in touch. You know where she lives. GO THERE. Call her. Have it out. Or don't. But stop dragging us into it. It makes me want to turn off the t.v. when I see Tori crying over her mom and it makes me want to throw her book away when she points out all of her mother's shortcomings (and that Nanny was her real mom). If you wanted this to be a positive book, then tell us all the things that Nanny did to teach you about being a good mother. We'll get it without you hitting us over the head with it. Mom sucks.

When she focuses on her husband and family and friends, I love Tori. I loved the scene in their show when Dean really let Tori have it saying "I told you so" when her mom no-showed at the b-day party. I loved that! Yea to Dean for trying to knock some sense into her. Tori, appreciate what you have and stop trying to make people like you who cannot see past their own reflection. Let it go. Cut the ties. I wouldn't want my kids anywhere near that woman. Be thankful that she isn't influencing them.

I loved SToriTelling. I loved its straighforward humor and brave honesty and glimps into celebrity which we hardly get to see after all the whitewashing that's done by publicists. So, seeing how I felt about the first, I could wait to get my hands on Mommywood. It was better than the first I thought. As a writer, I know the challenges of being honest without crossing bounderies and I felt Tori mananged it with aplomb not leaving a morsal of "the real" out, yet not being afraid to tell us things she'd rather not delve into any deeper (her relationship to her husband's ex for one) which I thought was incredibly respectable. The biggest laughs I got were the stories about what it's like to bring a kid, or two or three into your life and expect things to stay status quo. Having a baby changes you intrinsically and Tori isn't afraid to share the good, the bad, and the...well...kind of gross. As far as talking about her mother which some reviewers had a problem with, if you have experienced a rocky road with parents, you will find it a relief to hear you're not alone. It's not "bashing" that Tori does so well, it's sharing a disappointment in some of the ways she was raised. Every good mom I know goes through a period where they are forced to assess what was good and what was not good about their upbringing so they know what to work on with their own children. Tori is doing just that. I too know what's it's like to parent without parents and it's tough. You will not find many "celebrity" memoirs with this much spunk, humor, honesty and insight. I found it a pleasure to read every page.

Tori Spelling is back in her latest tell-all book with lots of tantalizing scoop about her glamorous Hollywood lifestyle. Unlike her first go-around which analyzed every detail of her torrid relationship with her mother Candy; this installment focuses more on her latest role as a new mother. With a husband plus two small children, Tori must learn how to keep her private life and the demands of stardom in balance.

Being part of the Spelling Dynasty made having a normal childhood virtually impossible. So, Tori and husband Dean set out on a mission to find the perfect location to raise their young family. Surprisingly, it's not with their fellow Hollywood Starlets. Instead, they move into an upper middleclass neighborhood complete with Fourth of July parties and nosey neighbors. Of course, despite their best intentions, the television cameras from their reality show plus the paparazzi lurking in their bushes do little to help them blend in with their new-found friends.

From the get-go, Tori knew firsthand that motherhood would be no easy job. From dirty diapers to Red Carpet temper tantrums, Tori has her work cut out for her. Not to mention, Dean just happens to be the apple of their son's eye. Who would have thought that jealousy over their own child would come into play? Luckily, the two learn to accept their son's fickle expressions of love and put their relationship back on track.

With the news of another child entering their love nest, the threesome embraces the addition of a precious baby girl. Of course, Tori laments over the possibility of her repeating her mother's errant ways. With the help of Dean, she welcomes the baby into the fold with hilarious zany adventures only befitting to the delightful Tori herself.

MOMMYWOOD is an insider's peek into the comical life of a straight-talking actress who put her riches aside to find the true meaning of life with the man of her dreams. From hilarious anecdotes to heartwarming stories of love, Tori Spelling tells it like it is in her delightful second memoir worth every last cent.

If you read & loved sTori Telling, like I did. You'll probably feel like you've already read this book. Yes, there is a bit of new stuff. But the majority of the book retells or refers to stories she told in the first book. I am a Tori fan, but felt this book was weak. I also felt she used this book to make too many personal digs on her mom, Dean's ex-wife, old friends etc. There are parts of the book that really didn't seem to belong in the book...only put in to get a rise out of certain people in her life. All in all, it's a quick "beach read," but if you read the first book, I wouldn't bother.

I thought Tori's latest book was entertaining, I finished it in a day.
I don't think it was as good as her last book, but I did enjoy hearing about her adventures in Mommywood. My heart goes out to Tori as all she wants is to live a normal life, in a normal neighborhood, but soon realizes her dream is impossible for a number of reasons.
I think this woman is extremely down to earth and I love her honesty throughout the book. I was impressed with what she shared and how she put herself out there. Whether you love her or hate her, you can't argue that she wasn't open and honest about her life. I think she's quite charming.

I bought this book for my daughter for Mother's Day (she is a new mom) and it is a great fun book. I wish I could get one with Tori's signature,that would really make for an extra special gift!!