Rating: 
Summary: Never Mind Hype-Highly Entertaining
Review: No matter what impression you happen to be under (and I was under them all, I think, at one point or another) as to the identity and/or authenticity of writer and diary, the bottom line is that this book, the back story of the mansion Rose Red, is both an enlightening companion to the TV miniseries and a highly enjoyable read in its own right. I'd recommend just forgetting about everything you've heard and get down to page-flipping!
Rating: 
Summary: who really wrote it
Review: From the Stephen King web site Look under The Answers (Now it can be told--the actual author of The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer is suspense novelist (and Rock Bottom Remainder bass guitarist) Ridley Pearson. Ridley did a great job--I couldn't have done better myself. Here's hoping you will continue to support Ridley's work by buying a copy of "The Art of Deception.")
Great book.
Rating:
Summary: Rose Red
Review: I think Rose Red by Ellen Rimbauer and Stephen King is an awesome book. What makes this book so great is that it is a true story of the events happening in the house owned by Ellen Rimbauer. It is set in the haunted house of Rose Red, that grows by eating people who disturb it. A group of brave people go on an expedition to uncover the mystery of the haunted house. It is a hardcore action packed horror. Anyone who enjoys being scared out of their mind will enjoy Red Rose. I give this book five stars!
Rating:
Summary: Equal parts entertaining and disturbing
Review: This was an unusal book, but I liked it. It was based on the miniseries "Rose Red" by Stephen King. It told the story of Ellen Rimbauer and her husband. Why it was entertaining: It appeared to be historically accurate in its descriptions of the early last century. It was fast-paced it was just plain good writing. Why it was disturbing: Mr. Rimbauer was not the least bit faithful to his wife, and after a time Ellen herself got involved sexually with her best friend and confidant. There's was a dysfunctional union where Ellen would invoke the dark side against her husband. Also, the bedroom descriptions were a little much for the brain!
Rating: 
Summary: not a very good gimmick
Review: This book is another gimmick from Stephen King, but unlike his other, more successful gimmicks, this one he didn't write himself. You pretty much have to watch the mini series Rose Red in order to really enjoy this book. It's written in a diary form, and is presented as the real thing (edited by fictional characters created by King). It's not really that poorly written, it's just not that great. Nor does it add to the experience of watching King's mini series. I'd say pass on it, even for the hardcore King fans.
Rating:
Summary: Disgusted in Detroit
Review: I thought it was a fascinating book and I couldn't set it down until I was finished. I didn't eat or sleep for seven days(I'm a slow reader who struggles with dyslexia and bouts of irritable bowel syndrome). It sounds as if it was all an elaborate scheme to sell the book and make some dough. I loved it until I found out it was fiction. I feel so foolish I don't trust myself to even leave the house anymore for fear that someone might convince me that standing in front of a speeding semi-truck is a valid option and quite possibly beneficial to my health.
I've also given up reading. Thanks alot Stephen King!
Rating:
Summary: 5 stars for being that rare gift: a book you can't put down!
Review: This is such a luscious book. I would describe it as
elegant, erotic gothic horror. Ellen's voice is so dignified
literate and refined that it lends a sense of authenticity to a work that could have been a typical hokey ghost story. I
got the audio version. It's great! ... I think this is a book any woman would love. I am three
quarters of the way through and wish it would never end!
I look forward to seeing the movie if it ever comes out on video or gets shown on TV again - but I feel very satisfied with the book. I don't think a movie could do it justice because the haunted house looms in the imagination, as do the startlingly original characters.
Rating: 
Summary: boring
Review: what a disappointment this book turned out to be .I had purchased this book thinking that it sounded interesting ( not knowing of the telemovie or of Kings involvment)but as with a lot of new releases the back page is more interesting than the novel.If one was to take out all the unnecessary sexual references there is little left to read.However, this is supposed to be a diary and the personal touches are needed,but I don`t know many people who include dialogue in their personal diaries! The idea was great but the author failed miserably in trying to sustain any form of suspense or horror.
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent, As Well As A Must Read
Review: Consequently, because of circumstances beyond my control, I was unable to view the mini series "Rose Red" in its entirety when it was aired on ABC last year. I viewed approximately 20 minutes of part 2 the second or third time the series was aired. This may sound a little weird, but fortunately I'm glad this turned out the way it did because if it hadn't, I wouldn't have found out until a later date that there was a companion to the movie, the book "The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: My Life at Rose Red." Of course, being an avid Stephen King fan for some years now, when I wasn't able view the mini series entirely, I immediately resorted to searching for his book. After some extensive research, I found out not only was there not a book published for the movie "Rose Red", but Stephen King was not even remotely planning to write a book in the near, or distant future for the movie. I found the companion to the movie. "The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: My life at Rose Red" is written by Ridley Pearson. He is a great author and has interested me so much that I am planning to seek out some of his other books and read them. Anyway, along with the Spotlight Reviews that were written by other costomers who have read the book and provided insight, helped me make the decision whether or not to purchase the book. Needless to say, the reviews were very, very helpful. One review went as far as to suggest that the companion should be read before the movie was viewed. Nonetheless, I based my decision off of this helpful review and purchased the companion before renting the movie. The way I looked at it is that it wouldn't have hurt anything by taking this advice because I was planning to do both anyway. I just need to decide the particular order was I going to follow. Overall, I was very pleased with the book "The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: My Life at Rose Red" because it provided great background information, as well as laid the base for the details of the movie. Even though Stephen King brought the backgrounds of the characters and house to the forefront in the movie, like the master story teller he is, there is still invaluable information about things that he does not touch on as well in this book. Perhaps due to time constaints he was not able to do so. One of the main examples of some details that are given in the book and not expressed in the movie are namely about John Rimbauer, his practices and the type of character he truely possessed. Ellen Rimbauer's character details are expressed in the book as well, and as I mentioned earlier, perhaps due to time constraints, aren't expressed very deeply in the movie. I believe the movie does very well in portraying her character after the affects of her husbands years of abuse, but doesn't show how she was the years preceeding her mental and emotional instability. I was really glad I read the book before viewing the movie. I would suggest to anyone who has not viewed the movie, and would like to do so, to read the companion "The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: My Life at Rose Red" before hand. It will be well worth it!
Rating:
Summary: I was fooled!
Review: I bought this book for my sister-in-law for Christmas. Before I mailed it off, I decided to read it. I read it in three nights and was terrified! My husband said the book said fiction on the jacket, but I assured him it was all true! After finding out, I was both dissapointed and relieved to know it wasn't true. I don't think it would have been as engaging or captivating if I had known before I started that it was fiction. Surely, I wouldn't have been scared.
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