Rating: 
Summary: Fooled?
Review: I was initially fooled because I did not know about the mini-series, etc... I bought this book as a summer read because I thought that it might be interesting to read a 'historically based' novel. However, it is pretty much all about sex, including a lengthy 'omission' by the editor that the reader must imagine his/herself. Overall, it was written in an overdramatic and truly unbelievable style. 'Psychic visions' of terrible disasters are far less persuasive when the author(s) come from the future. I scare easily and wasn't scared at all. One of the few books I own that I'd be willing to sell in a minute.
Rating:
Summary: Dreadful, regardless of authorship
Review: We can waste time talking about who really wrote this book, but, frankly, I would remain pseudonymous too if I had written this book. This is a dreadfully tedious novel which contends at its core that it's all about sex, sex, sex. If there are unexplained psychic phenomena, then they must spring from sexual repression. If the main character gains power and confidence, it must be because of good sex. If a house goes bad -- well, must be bad sex. The story moves at a glacial pace, the characters are wooden, and the terrifying cases of disappearance are, well, dull. My advice is to skip this unless you enjoy combing through layers of pseudo-Victorian language to uncover precisely nothing of value.
Rating: 
Summary: Incrediable+awesome.
Review: A great book,everytime you get more and more amazed, you wont't like stop reading. It's amazing. And the most incredible thing is that all of it it's true.Read it Its great.
Rating:
Summary: Exceptionally, unusual
Review: Well, excuse me all you negative reviewers. If this was really one of King's works, it is one of the best I have read in many a year. I saw the tv movie, Rose Red, first and wondered about the history of this nice little movie. Then I saw the book on The Best Seller List for several weeks and thought it must be something I had to read. Took me another several weeks to get it from my LIbrary and I loved it. I wish it was real. KIng was getting really far out for my taste and this appealed to me. Keep it up, Mr. KIng. Not all your stuff is that good but do another one of this or similar to The Shining. Anne
Rating: 
Summary: A Fun Read
Review: Reagardless of the fact there is no real "Joyce Reardon, Ph. D" or "Rimbauer family" the book was quite entertaining! (the true identity of the author is Ridley Pearson...his next novel "The Art of Deception" appropriately titled) The publishers, Hyperion Books, did a great job of promoting the fictional diary as to go so far as creating a false university website: beaumontuniversity.net to encourage the belief of a nonexsistent mansion called Rose Red. The only resemblence of reality Rose Red shares with anything is a mansion in Tacoma (rather than Seattle) where the mini-series was filmed called Thornewood Castle. Although it too is said to be haunted, it's nothing as evil as the fictional Rose Red. True ghost story buffs would probably be more interested in Thornewood Castle opposed to the Rose Red story. (visit thornewoodcastle.com) As for the diary, it was a fun, entertaining read. I am suprised by how much sexual content was included after reading the author's decision of editing "inappropriate" entries of the diary. The missing excerpts online hardly scratch the surface of what's included in the book, then again, it's all fiction. Don't be fooled into believing any of it!
Rating:
Summary: Horrible. What a disappointment
Review: After getting over the anger and disappointment that this was not an actual diary, but a work of fiction (dispite the fact it was being sold in the non-fiction section of the store) I decided to give it a try, figuring that if Stephen King is involved somehow (and even possibly the original writer) it must be good. What a HUGE mistake. The book was terrible. The plot doesn't flow or grab your attention in any way. The characters (especially Ellen herself) are pathetic and underdeveloped. The actual ghost story of the book isn't even good. It was a complete waste of money and time.
Rating:
Summary: enjoyable, but a little...off...
Review: I won't go into the historical inaccuracies I found in this book (suffice it to say that true ladies back in the 1900s and 1910s didn't wear makeup, let alone 'lipstick'), though they were disappointing. I also thought 'Ellen''s tone a bit over-quaint to be realistic or believable. Her 'Oops! Maybe it was a mistake to pray to the Devil!' attitude is laughable in light of her strange plight. One has to wonder about her mental stability, and the brain-state of society parents that would marry their daughter off to something as disgusting as John Rimbauer. Excuse the Titanic reference, but in the spirit of unbelievable, historically stereotypical bad marriages, at least Rose deWitt Bukater's mother had a reason to palm her daughter off onto the horrible Cal - she was broke! And Rose had the good sense to actually sense real tragedy of her plight. Now Ellen, in comparison to the vapid Rose, is a *complete* moron. How in the world could such a fussy, overprotected child - one that refuses to even write satan's name in a private diary - simply decide one evening that she'd like to wield the power of hell to make a man (she knows is a creep) propose? Then, Ellen can't decide if she hates her husband, or loves him...whether she wants to kill him, or bear fifty more of his children. And when she does decide that he's not worth his salt, she devolves into the customary 'oh, well i guess i'm bisexual then, and must find love with my best pal.' A stupid, simple-minded, and derivative plot device. If this character had an ounce of sense, she would have run home to her parents the moment people started disappearing.
Rating: 
Summary: A Big Flop
Review: Well, I watched the movie on TV (the end was very dissapointing) and figured maybe the book would make up for it but I was very wrong. While some of the parts were somewhat interesting to read the rest was simply words to fill up additional pages. If there would have been more to the diary along with more detail I might have gotten into it eventually. Oh well, life goes on.
Rating:
Summary: What Fun!
Review: Yes- it appears that something is not only a foot at the Rose Red Estate ..but also in regards as to who may have been the actual scribe of this somewhat bizarre diary.
- But so what!
It is quite fun to dive into this "prequel" to Steven King's Rose Red. Once you've read the book (or if you want a taste of it in advance) - you must watch the Diary's bio-flick.
This book is the subject of a crafty & fun documentary feature on the Rose Red DVD. It explores the characters behind the book - who apparently inspired Mr King to bring this creepy tale of sex, intrique and one really whacked out house - to the screen.
Controversy? yes!! - I love it...bring it on Dr. Reardon...I want you to "discover " a few hundred more pages.
Rating: 
Summary: Just Enjoy The Book
Review: I discovered this novel without knowing it was associated with a Steven King Mini-Series or a vast 2 year hunt for the author. It was an amazing read! The story pulls you in and you find yourself wondering "Is there a Joyce Reardon?" The story is an account by a turn of the century socialite who marries a much older and more wordly man. Her story of personal discovery is as interesting as any of the gostly happenings. The story is engrossing and thought proviking. The author maintains the perspective of Ellen all the way through and never reveals the reason behind the haunting of Rose Red. The reader joins Ellen in her confusion and in the end - Mad Ellen seems not so mad after all. I reccomend this book to anyone looking for an engrossing summer-time read. Just keep the lights on as you will find yourself looking at your own home and wondering "Do you have a name?"
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