Recovering From Reality

The evening I got this book, I stayed up all night and read it in one sitting. It was like I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Now I have followed Alexis and all of her families story since I was first introduced to them in 2010 when “Pretty Wild” aired. Immediately, I felt such a wave of love & compassion for these three girls on this show, and 10 years later that same love & compassion has only intensified. They say people in pain can recognize other people in pain- and I believe that was the case here.Recovering From Reality is a book that is so raw, real, and at times horrifying, you have to put the book down for a moment. To process just the thought of how this woman has triumphed all of the trauma’s life thrown into her path. To say I was moved by this book would be a HUGE understatement. I knew a lot of the topics and some of the details that the book would be discussing, but even knowing pieces of the puzzle beforehand, Alexis Haines’ story is NOT a story to be overlooked. At times, it’s like Alexis’ battle cry, offering out peace to all who’ve wronged her. Most importantly, herself.This is real deal recovery. This is a woman who has taken the blood, sweat and tears of the years she spent doing drugs & suppressing her traumas, AND THEN mixing that with the blood, sweat and tears of the following years she spent reliving the traumas of childhood sexual abuse, drug abuse, family abuse, neglect, harsh realizations and everything else in between, and she dealt with all of that in sobriety. That is strength. That is courage. That is inspiration. That is recovering from reality.Would 10/10 recommend for EVERYONE to read this book. No matter what circumstances life has thrown at you, THIS is a story that needs to be heard by absolutely EVERYONE.And so it is.

Alexis has been such a positive influence in my life she would never even know. Back in 2014-2015, I struggled constantly with blackout binge drinking, and it was her raw, vulnerable interviews/podcasts sharing her journey to sobriety that not only caught my attention back in 2013, but eventually inspired me to make radical but positive changes in my personal life that stick with me today. I've followed her over the years closely, and really love her Podcast. When I found out she was releasing this memoir, I knew I had to order it ASAP.The memoir doesn't disappoint. Even though I've listed to nearly all over her interviews, the book goes far more into detail about her upbringing and past, and I learned much more about her. Also, it's admittedly partly juicy due to all of the tales of Hollywood escapades and behind the scenes of Pretty Wild. That's not the important stuff, though. Her honesty and vulnerability is what makes the memoir so great. She's very no BS and straightforward in her writing, but that's balanced by her compassion and big heart for the struggles other go through. I think this book will be extremely helpful for those trying to navigate how to deal with their shame, self-loathing, addiction, or any kind of life problems.

It is so easy for one to cast judgement on others without knowing their story. Our society has become skilled at deciding a persons fate in a headline. At differing times we demonize and glamorize addiction, often without letting us see the true people behind the label. Unfortunately, so many of the stories have horrible endings - rarely do we get a chance to see victory. Alexis’ brings us into her life with an easy and honest prose that makes you feel you’re talking over a cup of coffee. I could feel her genuine kindness and authenticity shine through as I read. I found myself mourning the little girl she was, but yet grateful, for without her harrowing journey, we wouldn’t have Alexis. Our lives and stories only matter if we share them and hopefully they can help another along the way - Alexis has done this tenfold. I am in awe of the woman she has become and honored to trudge the road of happy destiny alongside her.

Like many people in 2010, I closely followed The Bling Ring and Pretty Wild. Throughout the years, I followed Alexis on social media and knew she got sober - and I was thrilled when she recently put herself back out there and started the Recovering from Reality podcast. I was originally expecting a memoir - which would have been phenomenal in itself, as she has lived more than most people will in several lifetimes - but this is so much more than that. You are captivated by all her personal stories but she makes sure to emphasize what she learned from them and uses them to help other people. She inspires the reader to re-evaluate every aspect of their life and make it the best it can be. She is the mentor and best friend everyone deserves. You will laugh, cry, and be motivated as hell. If you’re reading this and haven’t bought the book yet - run, don’t walk!!! And so it is.

To say this book is PHENOMENAL is nearly doing it injustice. It’s so much more than just a book. It’s life changing. You grow up thinking you’re alone in this life, like you can never find anyone that you’ve ever felt remotely connected to...& then this piece shows up in my life at the most perfect time.Every single emotion was felt while reading & I finished in one day, I just couldn’t put it down!To have someone put their whole heart out there like Alexis did in Recovering From Reality, & then pull the positive out of all the gut wrenching parts is a characteristic that is so few & far between. It’s amazing & I truly feel that this book has helped & will continue to help so many for generations to come.This was written by Jennifer Branham 🙂 in our family account under my husbands name.

This book was pretty wild. Pun intended. From watching Pretty Wild when the show was first airing to following the bling ring case many years ago, I knew Alexis had it bad but I just didn't know how TRULY hard she had in it her early years. Alexis was getting hit left and right from the time she was five years old. This book was a true eye opener of showing who the true Alexis is and how she persevered through all the trauma throughout her life. Excellent book.

I have become slightly obsessed with Alexis and her journey to recovery ever since hearing her on the Chatty Broads podcast. I had watched the movie, "The Bling Ring" when it came out, but this gives so much more insight into the situation than that movie ever even attempted. Not only does Alexis describe her past, present, and somewhat what she wants in her future, but she gives you the tools to acknowledge your trauma and tools to learn to cope. I am so thankful that Alexis wrote this book. I am a very slow reader, but I read this book so fast. Literally only in a couple of days (obviously with some breaks haha)!! I literally could not put it down. I could also read it a million times and still learn more about myself than any other "self-help" book I know of. Definitely worth the purchase!! So thankful I bought it. Going to go back and highlight important quotes and inspirational information... which will likely be most of the book. 20/10!! 💛

I enjoyed this read so much, such real and raw emotions throughout !! I love Alexis and her story is fascinating !! Pretty wild was an amazing show and this book delves deeper into alexis’ live and trauma!! I wish she would bring back the podcast as that was also so interesting ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I watched Alexis on Pretty Wild, I watched her infamous meltdown, I followed her story as she went to prison, and I'll admit, as a teenager I was one of the people who felt like she deserved it. I didn't know about her trauma, or her addiction, I just saw a shallow girl trying desperately to be famous. And I believed Nancy Jo.But her podcast and her book have completely changed my perception. Knowing her backstory, knowing what was truly going on and the insights into the reality of her reality TV show has demonstrated that Alexis is that great, amazing, talented, strong, healthy, woman that she told us she was in that infamous phone call.Recovering from Reality is for anyone struggling with trauma, anyone overcoming addiction and anyone who enjoys the "behind the scenes" of reality television.Alexis hit rock bottom very publicly, and her memoir is proof that you can go through hell and back again and still come out strong.

Loved the book. I love how honest Alexis is and how she has turned all her trauma and bad experiences into positives. A true inspiration and a great read!

A MUST-READ FOR REALITY TV LOVERS AND PERSONAL GROWTH WARRIORS. 5 stars is not enough!Whether you've seen her on TV or are a listener to her podcast, this book is the perfect blend of auto-biography and sharing knowledge. Through this book and her own life journey, Alexis bravely and candidly shares her story of trauma and reminds her readers that you can allow your past to guide you into the version of yourself that you were meant to become. This is raw story-telling of the other-side of "fame and fortune", a life of excess and loss, of pain and growth. If you want more information of her personal journey (and you haven't already) you must listen to her podcast!My only request, Alexis if you see this, is to create a workbook with exercises and tools that you learned to help you and allow it to help others "wake the eff up" too.