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Some Girls: My Life in a Harem Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Jillian Lauren (Author), Tavia Gilbert (Narrator), Tantor Audio (Publisher)
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 1,163 ratings
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A jaw-dropping story of how a girl from the suburbs ends up in a prince's harem, and emerges from the secret Xanadu both richer and wiser.

At 18, Jillian Lauren was an NYU theater school dropout with a tip about an upcoming audition. The "casting director" told her that a rich businessman in Singapore would pay pretty American girls $20,000 if they stayed for two weeks to spice up his parties.

Soon, Jillian was on a plane to Borneo, where she would spend the next 18 months in the harem of Prince Jefri Bolkiah, youngest brother of the Sultan of Brunei, leaving behind her gritty East Village apartment for a palace with rugs laced with gold and trading her band of artist friends for a coterie of backstabbing beauties.

More than just a sexy read set in an exotic land, Some Girls is also the story of how a rebellious teen found herself - and the courage to meet her birth mother and eventually adopt a baby boy.

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  1. Listening Length
    8 hours and 33 minutes
  2. Author
    Jillian Lauren
  3. Narrator
    Tavia Gilbert
  4. Audible release date
    July 16, 2010
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Tantor Audio
  7. ASIN
    B003X4O5M4
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 8 hours and 33 minutes
Author Jillian Lauren
Narrator Tavia Gilbert
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date July 16, 2010
Publisher Tantor Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B003X4O5M4
Best Sellers Rank #199,845 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#381 in Cultural & Regional Biographies (Audible Books & Originals)
#1,962 in Biographies of Women
#11,332 in Women's Biographies

Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
1,163 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the writing style well-written, honest, and simple. They also describe the content as interesting, easy-going, enjoyable, and tawdry. However, some find the storyline boring, uninteresting, disjointed, and hard to follow.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

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ContentWriting styleHumorStoryline
104 customers mention "Content"97 positive7 negative

Customers find the book interesting, amazing, and fun. They also say it holds their attention the whole time, and the details about the harem life are fascinating. Readers describe the book as easy-going, enjoyable, and tawdry. They appreciate the author's unique and creative way of using words.

"This was a great read. I was expecting it to be a typical, trashy "tell all" about exploits as a prince's mistress, but it was SO much more...." Read more

"...While there is no closure, the book is a fast read, providing at least some measure of satisfaction to more reluctant readers." Read more

"Titillating, tawdry and touching -- what a vivid combination...." Read more

"...If you have never heard a harem story, read this one. It is very typical harem story...." Read more

55 customers mention "Writing style"43 positive12 negative

Customers find the writing style well-written, honest, and raw. They also say the book is well-put together, simple, and clear.

"...Jillian's book however is incredibly candid and self analytical (you can tell she's VERY intelligent), while still giving juicy details about life..." Read more

"...I find her writing easy to read. It is simple and clear...." Read more

"...Your humble honesty, so raw and real, about the jagged-edged struggles of finding yourself, making your own way against the harsh backdrop of regret..." Read more

"...and sophisticated, yet when I began reading, I found the writing style almost juvenile and simplistic--telling, not showing...." Read more

5 customers mention "Humor"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the humor in the book funny, witty, and smart.

"...Jillian Lauren's writing is funny and descriptive and she takes the reader right along with her to the other end of the earth..." Read more

"...The topic of the book was not so great, but the writing was great.I did something I've never done before...." Read more

"...This gal is a good writer. Witty,smart and funny...." Read more

"It is written quite well and while it is a book you can put down, it does leave you wanting to know what happens." Read more

30 customers mention "Storyline"0 positive30 negative

Customers find the storyline boring, unrealistic, and disjointed. They also say the book is choppy and hard to follow. Readers also mention that the book has too much about the author's life and not enough about the actual title.

"...It was somewhat choppy, with undeveloped characters (including her own) and timing that didn't quite make sense...." Read more

"...She did a great job selling her memoir, but the book itself was a disappointment. In retrospect, this is true to her form...." Read more

"...Too long, to much about her life, and not enough about the actual title of the book." Read more

"...; I'm giving it 3 stars because yes, I felt it was "okay" - unimpressive, but okay." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

Katie Leigh
5.0 out of 5 stars Candid Look Into the Not-So-Glamorous Life as a Royal Mistress- Deeper Than the Typical "Tell All". Very Detailed & Interesting!
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2016
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This was a great read. I was expecting it to be a typical, trashy "tell all" about exploits as a prince's mistress, but it was SO much more. I've read many books by former Playmates and celeb call girls which, while interesting, generally seem to be heavy on name dropping and victim mentality. Jillian's book however is incredibly candid and self analytical (you can tell she's VERY intelligent), while still giving juicy details about life behind the scenes as a royal sex worker we are all here for. She talks about her upbringing, adoption, quest to find out who she is, and what lead her to many of her decisions. You can definitely connect the dots, psychologically speaking, as to why she made many of the risky choices she did, while trying to find herself. She talks in depth about her time at the palace; from daily life, interaction and stories of the other girls in the harem (which included American playmates, beauty queens, famous international actresses and pop stars...all of whom were out to get each other in a race to become the Sultan's favorite), to details of her many encounters with the prince-- his personality, narcissistic tendencies, and what it's like to be one of the wealthiest men in the world. She doesn't glamorize what she did or life at the palace, and talks about despite the fact it seemed like a dream life from the outside, her days were spent locked inside a pre-internet world (even going to the mall was a rarity), monitored at all times (there were even cameras in the BATHROOM), and being passed from prince, to sultan, to royal friend or head of state. Jill is completely open about her "activities" and emotions, holding nothing back. I found this book to be well written and interesting from start to finish. It definitely goes deeper than your typical tell all, and I appreciated that. After reading I did some research into Jill's life now, and was so happy everything is going well for her- she's now an accomplished writer, mom of an ADORABLE little boy, adoption advocate, and married to a member of the band "Weezer".
27 people found this helpful
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Danny W. Pettry
4.0 out of 5 stars Easy-to-read. Interesting story.
Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2010
Verified Purchase
Read half of Jillian Lauren's memoir at this time.

I find her writing easy to read. It is simple and clear.

She is smart woman who was able to attend college while her peers were still in high school. In my own bias opinion, she is pretty, based on the picture of her on the back of the book.

Jillian drops out of college. She works as a stripper and later a call-girl. She is offered $20,000 to go to the small country of Brunei to party for a few weeks. This sounds dangerous, which adds excitement to her story. She realizes that she is part of a harem for the prince. There are groups of women from several countries there.

I'm at the middle-point in the book. I want to find out what happens. She gets out of the country alive because she has written this book.

I wonder what type of wisdom she has to share about her experience. The back of the book says she "emerges from the secret Xanadu both richer and wiser."

Glad I haven't read all of the book prior to writing this review so I don't give away the secrets and the ending.

Review by Danny Pettry
Author of: Discover Hidden Secret Wisdom.
 Discover Hidden Secret Wisdom: A Recreational Therapist's System on How You Can Become Great at Anything (Volume 1)
2 people found this helpful
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Michelle Pinsky
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Premise, Poor Execution
Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2010
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The back cover claims that the story held within the pages is about a suburban-born, adopted "good-girl" who comes to a path of self-discovery while living in a modern-day harem owned by the Prince of Brunei. To this extent, this description is true, but not entirely accurate.

Written in the style of most-modern day memoirs, Some Girls: My Life in a Harem, opens on the scene of the author's troubled childhood and ill relations with her father. After feeling she has failed as an actress and living with limited resources after being cut off from her finances due to her dropping out of college, she follows a lead from a friend after working with an "escort service" which in turn swallows her up into the life of a "harem girl", even though in no way is the harem officially reported.

Reading like a mid-day soap opera, the story continues as the author finds herself in the prince's favor, only later to escape back to the states into a world of abortions, drugs, and experimental theater. After finding her funds are running short once again, she returns to Brunei, only to realize she has fallen out of her position of power and replaced by the ever increasing flow of newcomers. However, the Lauren only describes this piece of history rather briefly, almost as if something important has been removed.

The book closes on the Lauren's realization of what is normal and how history yet repeats itself--as seen with the adoption of her Ethiopian son. However, the continuous "fallout" of her time in the prince's harem that the author alludes to throughout--embezzlement of funds, evening gossip news exposure, etc.--are hardly discussed, instead quickly cutting to the epilogue of the life she currently lives now.

I had originally picked this book up through a recommendation in Marie Claire as the author interview sounded savvy and sophisticated, yet when I began reading, I found the writing style almost juvenile and simplistic--telling, not showing. The author continuously portrays herself as a victim to her circumstances, alternating between blaming herself using a cliched woe-is-me-technique and her mental instabilities.

While the book preaches self-redemption and coming of age, I found very little of such in the author's experience. Lauren constantly puts herself down and emphasizes her worthlessness as a woman instead of embracing her femininity. Even at the book's completion, I was left with the sense that the author still has many unresolved issues to see through to the end, leaving a horribly bitter taste in my mouth. There is no closure.

The redeeming feature of this book shines deep in the narrative technique, using almost a rough, "bad-girl" leather and studs slang, which comes off as a refreshing change from most feminine narratives, if at times a little a crude and overused.

While this book was not for me, I do recommend it as a lazy summer day, throw-away read--though nothing more than that. While there is no closure, the book is a fast read, providing at least some measure of satisfaction to more reluctant readers.
8 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Prince
3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars
Reviewed in India on September 23, 2017
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Thanks
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Irene Ewing
5.0 out of 5 stars Very catchy read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 6, 2018
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Really fascinating read. A New Jersey teen ends up in the (boring, really) harem of a brother of the Sultan of Brunei. Well-written and bathetic in its way. I think many a woman will resonate.
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Michele
4.0 out of 5 stars interessante
Reviewed in Italy on February 5, 2018
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ho cercato molto questo testo in italiano ma ho dovuto ripiegare sul testo inglese comunque ne è valsa la pena... jillian viene scelta per stare con altre ragazze come lei in un superlussuoso hare.... del brunei quindi nn certo un posto qualunque . ma più passano i mesi più poco a poco emerge la rivalità tra tutte per essere le piuttosto desirate dal principe e quindi moltissimi colpi bassi. jillian vivrà nel lusso più sfrenato ma una volta tornata a casa matura e prende altre decisioni importanti per la sua vita.
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Carol F.
3.0 out of 5 stars Uncomfortable reading
Reviewed in Australia on July 18, 2021
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I bought this book after seeing a documentary series on Stan with the author. “Confronting a Serial Killer.” It was a fabulous series which I thoroughly enjoyed. After researching the author, I found the book and was really looking forward to reading about her life.
I have to say I was very disappointed in it......and found myself disliking the author and the life she led, which was weird as I liked her in the documentary, so I like the woman she has become. This book is not very well written, and that awful hedonistic life in Brunei - UGH!
One person found this helpful
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Joanna Bodrug
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on February 1, 2017
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I loved this book!!!! It was so interesting I would recommend it to anyone!!!
One person found this helpful
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