YOURS CRUELLY, ELVIRA by Cassandra Peterson

The woman behind the icon known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, the undisputed Queen of Halloween, reveals her full story filled with intimate bombshells-told by the bombshell herself.

Yours Cruelly, Elvira is an unforgettably wild memoir. Cassandra doesn't shy away from revealing exactly who she is and how she overcame seemingly insurmountable odds. Always original and sometimes outrageous, her story is loaded with twists, travails, revelry, and downright shocking experiences. It is the candid, often funny, and sometimes heart-breaking tale of a Midwest farm girl's long strange trip to become the world's sexiest, sassiest Halloween icon.

I've had my eye on this book for quite a while, so I want to thank Hachette Australia for sending me a beautiful hardback copy.

Wow. After reading the first sentence, I knew I was going to enjoy this incredible and very interesting ride because Cassandra's voice hooked me instantly. I love her storytelling style and how easily and naturally she introduced the concept of Elvira, before taking us back to her early childhood.

Cassandra's life is fascinating, so I'm glad she finally decided to pen this amazing book. She wasn't even out of her teens and she'd already crossed paths with Frank Zappa and Jimi Hendrix! 👀

It doesn't get cooler than that. Especially when you add becoming a Vegas Showgirl, meeting Elvis, and having the misfortune of crossing paths with Tom Jones to the mix. And that's without considering her long and adventurous career.

She's open and honest about everything she went through—the good and the bad—and certainly doesn't shy away from anything. No matter how funny or scary. But most of all, I found her to be genuine and down to earth. For someone who survived a life in the celebrity spotlight, she sure is cool, nice and reasonable.

Yep. All of this drips off every page of her memoir and I couldn't wait to get back to read more to find out what happened next. Or who she met before they were stars. Not to mention the established stars she encountered. As well as the many fascinating places she worked, the opportunities she found along the way, and the many relationships/friendships she made throughout.

There are several sad and/or low points in Cassandra's life that made me sad or angry, because the unfair treatment of women in any industry never fails to enrage me. But I love her tenacity and that no matter how hard things got, she managed to keep going. Pretty much refused to give up, and I admire the hell out of that.

Yours Cruelly, Elvira turned out to be even better than I imagined. Sometimes when you highly anticipate something it lets you down, but not this book. Cassandra is one amazing and super talented lady with a horror-loving heart that I enjoyed spending time with. 🖤

Actually, I enjoyed it so much that I read most of it out loud to my husband. It was a great way for both of us to experience this awesome book.

This is definitely a memoir worth reading!

Yours Cruelly, Elvira, June 2022, ISBN 9780306874352, Hachette Books