Customer Reviews

Unchartered TerriTori

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I love "Beverly Hills, 90210." I like Tori Spelling very much and enjoy her reality show. I also liked her two previous books, but for me, "Uncharted TerriTORI" just does not measure up. First of all, I don't think the book had a real theme like the previous ones did. It's supposed to be about Tori making herself sick by being such a workaholic, but I felt like all the chapters were a bit disjointed. Secondly, I watched Season 5 of "Tori and Dean," and I was disappointed that so many of the events covered on the show were also presented in this book. I already watched the episodes about the family's cross-country road trip and Mama Lola's visit to L.A.; I didn't need to read about them again, especially when the book didn't really offer any new information on these topics. Finally, I just don't think this book was as well-written as Tori's other memoirs. I get the feeling it was put together really quickly...it all felt a little rushed, which may account for some of the problems I've mentioned. I still love you, Tori, but if you choose to publish a fourth book, I hope you put a bit more effort into it.

It took me a while to hop on the Tori Spelling bandwagon. I was never a fan of hers during 90210 and didn't care to see her movies or give her a second thought, really. Then her reality show came out and two of my girlfriends (LibraryLove being one of them) talked about how much they loved her and how funny she was on her show with her family. So I sighed heavily and watched an episode of the show. I was surprised to find I actually liked her! Tori's wit and humor cracked me up and her sweet relationship with Dean was endearing and cute to watch.

So naturally I stayed on the bandwagon and read (and loved) both of her first two books, sTORI telling and Mommywood. I loved how candid she was and how much she shared. My mouth dropped while reading of her mothers' neuroses at her first wedding, and I couldn't imagine having a mother as neurotic as Candy Spelling.

While the show has fallen down my favorite list, I still wanted to read the newest Tori book. But I was so disappointed with this one. More than one chapter detailed events that have aired on the show (stale material, anyone?) and I felt like the book makes Tori Spelling look like a freak-show. I mean, really. The woman is afraid of EVERYTHING and quite frankly, that's exhausting to read about over and over. She (admittedly) lives her life in fear of anything and everything that could happen in a given day. I rolled my eyes more than once, thinking "Get a hold of yourself, woman."

Tori's obsession with other world mediums is out there. She consults psychics (even gifting visits with them for loved ones) and has voodoos performed in her home and on her person. Feeling she had an evil spirit within her, "Mama Lola...combined cornmeal, dried beans, vegetables, and chopped-up yams. She added gin and Florida water, a cologne from the nineteenth century that's still popular in South American and Caribbean cultures...chanted...slashed my clothing into strips." She goes on for an entire chapter about this experience and it leaves me (the reader) wondering why this wasn't a "private" event that she refrained from publishing?

Reading about her going to her mother's for a Christmas party convinced me she is JUST like her mother. Once portrayed to be a loony tune, Candy Spelling raised a daughter just like her. Communicating through Candy's assistant, Tori plans to attend a Christmas party at "The Manor", the obscene Spelling private residence. Reading about Tori getting ready for this was unreal. She went to Papyrus to get their fanciest gift wrap paper for the hostess gift she was giving her mother. When curling her hair, she writes, "How would my mother react? Would she think I was too old for long, loose curls? Would wearing it up be more lady-like?" While picking out her outfit, she writes "I started with red...but then I got nervous about wearing red because I didn't want my mother or anyone else to think I was trying to steal the show. I must have tried on a total of eight dresses." I mean, listen, I get that there are perfectionists out there, but this is exhausting. No wonder Tori winds up in the hospital, literally sick to her stomach with stress and migraines on more than one occasion. She drives herself crazy!

I am disappointed to post a negative review because I've been a fan for a while. But this book paints Tori Spelling as a self-obsessed, neurotic, spoiled and materialistic wack-a-doodle. Definitely not my favorite of her books. Though she was still funny in her writing, the craziness far outweighed the comedy. Maybe next time?

2.5/5 stars

Let's set a few reviewer comments straight. Sure Dean rips Tori's IV out but when she transfers hospitals, she finds out the first hospital misdiagnosed her on many accounts, botched a spinal tap and she did have H1N1 after being told she didn't. It wasn't just a diva move-she had suffered with nothing but a pat on the head for 5 days. I think Dean ripping her IV out was one of the most compassionate things he's ever done for her.

Sure the book rehashes the show, but it gives a lot of behind the scenes anecdotes, too.

I don't see this book as a book of complaints. I see Tori admitting her faults, seeking several sources to try and fix those faults, and in the end admitting she's got a long way to go.

Hey, maybe I am an optimist and choose to see her trying to come to terms with her past, micro-managed present, and future. She wears multiple hats and tries to wear them all well. Why should that bother me? It doesn't. I don't see the celebrity in this book-I see the Mom, wife, woman. And she is struggling in spite of herself. That honesty may get boring to some, but for me, I appreciate a celebrity publically stating she doesn't have it all together as a woman no matter what it looks like on camera.

I believe the Tori in this book is more authentic than what you see on Tori and Dean. But hey, read the book and you be the judge.

I'm going to (seemingly) go against most of the other reviews when I write that I enjoyed this book as much as the first two. Of course, the first book was set over a what--20 something year period and the second one was about just being married and then quickly having two kids. I really enjoy her books, as even though she does lead a completely different life than most of us, she works extremely hard and shows that it IS hard as a female to try to have that great balence between work and kids and husband. What you see in public is the perfect persona. What you read is that she is REAL--like us (okay, except that she had Aaron Spelling as a father!) with fears, faults and etc, which she is not afraid to admit or own up to. Family matters (ex-wife and step son), having 2 children and realizing that your life is now theirs)is hard enough. Having your life hung out for all to see, although for the most part, her choice,--this book is a "her side of the story" type of thing. She shows time and time again that she is human-- -for example, I flew for years, loving it, completely unafraid . .and later turned into a fearful flyer. Her description of what happens to her when she flies is perfect, as only another fearful flyer would know! Or when her son hit her, knocking off her hat and glasses . .hysterical to hear as only kids can embarass parents like that! Or when her husband told her that she had changed . .well yes .. after two kids and work and daily life.. it sometimes gets hard, and yes again, it does get in the way of sex at times. Sorry guys! We don't do it on purporse! Way to go Tori! Keep writing . .love you style!

I love Tori's 2 other books so i was expecting to love this one as well. She wasnt her same funny engaging self. She rambled on about the same stuff we already read in her last 2 books. I was disappointed but still a loyal Tori fan

I was very excited uncharted terriTORI. When I ordered, I read a few of the reviews and was disappointed at the negativity. Now, however, I agree with most of them. While this was a fast read, it was too much like her other books. The same stories retold, it seemed. I agree with another reader who said it seems as if Tori is complaining about being too rich, having too many companies, and having headaches. I'd like to see Tori work for a year like the rest of the world; with a real boss, real time clock to punch, and not going to the hospital every time she breaks a nail.

I enjoyed Tori's first two books. She (or her ghostwriter) did a nice job of constructing an admittedly neurotic but ultimately charming girl caught up in a whirlwind of the celebrity life. I never watched her reality show, but through the books she seemed to be a sweet, sad person. I didn't have much frame of reference - after all, I don't personally know any actresses born to incredibly wealthy moguls. Her books made her seem almost normal.

This one, however, shattered the illusion. In one anecdote, Tori is admitted to a hospital for chronic headaches. She's not getting the pain medicine she wants fast enough. So what does she do? Dean rips out her IV, carries her down to the ER, and calls out for help. I've worked in hospitals for over ten years. Who does that? Let me tell you, nobody does that. Crazy people approach that, but that behavior represents an INSANE amount of drama-seeking, narcissism, and entitlement. And I realize Dean was doing the carrying, but she writes about it like it's no big deal.

It colored the rest of the book for me. Tori was no longer relateable in any way, shape or form. I've lost interest. There's enough wackadoos out there, I dont need to read about one more. The girl who was trying to be normal in abnormal circumstances was interesting. Another actress lost in clouds of her own Very Special Needs is not.

I've read her other 2 books. Loved them. This book was not as engaging. The best chapter was the story about her mom. I felt this book was a mere transcropt of her reality show.

I enjoyed Tori Spelling's first book, Story Telling, but this one is a bit slow and some of the content is un-interesting. I am going to finish it but I am in no rush to find out what happens next.

I did find it interesting. I would have to say that her editor dropped the ball on this one. The book did not flow well and did feel like it was thrown together in a rush. That is my only complaint about it. I did love finding out a little more about Tori's life (at least what has happened in the past year since her last book). Especially the chapter about going to her mom's house for the Christmas party. It is very heartwarming to know that they have reconciled. Tori did include a lot of what we saw on the last season of her show BUT she added in many of the behind the scenes details that we did not see, so I did not find it repetitive at all. If you are a Tori Spelling fan I say definitely read this one but wait to get it from the library, a friend, or used bookstore.