What do you think?
Rate this book
Hell in Boots: Clawing My Way Through Nine Lives
An eye-opening memoir of family drama, stardom, despair, and resilience from the wildly popular wrestling superstar.
Saraya-Jade Bevis, formerly WWE’s Paige, is one of the biggest names in the wrestling world. She is the youngest two-time WWE Divas Champion and was inaugural NXT’s Women Champion. She ranked first in Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Female 50 and was named Diva of the Year by Rolling Stone in 2014. She was also the subject of the critically and commercially successful 2019 film Fighting with My Family, produced by Dwayne “The Rock� Johnson and starring Florence Pugh. But before ascending to wrestling superstardom, she was just Saraya.
Hell in Boots is Saraya’s real, uncensored, story. From her early days in her famous (and chaotic) wrestling family, to leaving home at fifteen, to forging her own path in professional wrestling, Saraya has been through hell and back. As she fought to make it in the incredibly competitive—and at times sexist—wrestling world, she faced incredible highs and devastating lows. Saraya recounts years of struggling with substance abuse, clawing back her pride after an ex’s sex tape leaked, adjusting to stardom in the WWE, healing from a nearly career-ending injury, a making triumphant return to wrestling as AEW Women’s World Champion. Through it all, Saraya tells her whole truth in a way she never has before.
Saraya-Jade Bevis, formerly WWE’s Paige, is one of the biggest names in the wrestling world. She is the youngest two-time WWE Divas Champion and was inaugural NXT’s Women Champion. She ranked first in Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Female 50 and was named Diva of the Year by Rolling Stone in 2014. She was also the subject of the critically and commercially successful 2019 film Fighting with My Family, produced by Dwayne “The Rock� Johnson and starring Florence Pugh. But before ascending to wrestling superstardom, she was just Saraya.
Hell in Boots is Saraya’s real, uncensored, story. From her early days in her famous (and chaotic) wrestling family, to leaving home at fifteen, to forging her own path in professional wrestling, Saraya has been through hell and back. As she fought to make it in the incredibly competitive—and at times sexist—wrestling world, she faced incredible highs and devastating lows. Saraya recounts years of struggling with substance abuse, clawing back her pride after an ex’s sex tape leaked, adjusting to stardom in the WWE, healing from a nearly career-ending injury, a making triumphant return to wrestling as AEW Women’s World Champion. Through it all, Saraya tells her whole truth in a way she never has before.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published March 25, 2025
149 people are currently reading
2944 people want to read
About the author
Saraya-Jade Bevis
1book16followersSaraya-Jade Bevis is a British professional wrestler, known for her time in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) under the ring name Paige. Saraya was the youngest and two-time WWE Divas Champion and inaugural NXT Women’s Champion. Her career was brought to the silver screen in 2019, when Dwayne “The Rock� Johnson produced Fighting with My Family. She made her wrestling debut in 2005 at the age of thirteen and announced her retirement in 2018 following a neck injury and made an unlikely comeback in 2022. Follow her on Instagram @Saraya.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
Read
April 21, 2025I don't rate biographies and memoirs.
It's Wrestlemania weekend so I've fallen down a rabbit hole of wrestling content. It was fascinating to read this so soon after to see the similarities and differences that led these two women into the same career, at the same time. Saraya has had a chaotic life, and it's reflected in her writing. It's not as well controlled or linear in it's storytelling as Becky's, but that's very much Saraya. She runs her mouth (although she is very reserved in certain aspects of her story, and holds back on a lot of experiences and on certain people) and she lives and breathes wrestling. She was always destined to be in a ring, in front of a crowd, and I found that just like on screen watching her in WWE I warmed to her immediately.
But I didn't love this the way I loved Becky's story, and I think it is because Saraya didn't seem to put as much of herself in her book. She went through such a hard time, from her childhood, with loneliness and feelings of inadequacy on joining WWE yet she changed the whole women's division. She is one of the reasons women are taken more seriously in the business, but I never really experienced the later years of Saraya's life through her eyes. I guess that there's a lot of hurt still there, a hell of a lot of trauma, and I get that it's probably really difficult to write about but I wanted to hear her side of the story.
Still a great read if you're interested in wrestling entertainment, and Saraya's early life in particular is fascinating.
It's Wrestlemania weekend so I've fallen down a rabbit hole of wrestling content. It was fascinating to read this so soon after to see the similarities and differences that led these two women into the same career, at the same time. Saraya has had a chaotic life, and it's reflected in her writing. It's not as well controlled or linear in it's storytelling as Becky's, but that's very much Saraya. She runs her mouth (although she is very reserved in certain aspects of her story, and holds back on a lot of experiences and on certain people) and she lives and breathes wrestling. She was always destined to be in a ring, in front of a crowd, and I found that just like on screen watching her in WWE I warmed to her immediately.
But I didn't love this the way I loved Becky's story, and I think it is because Saraya didn't seem to put as much of herself in her book. She went through such a hard time, from her childhood, with loneliness and feelings of inadequacy on joining WWE yet she changed the whole women's division. She is one of the reasons women are taken more seriously in the business, but I never really experienced the later years of Saraya's life through her eyes. I guess that there's a lot of hurt still there, a hell of a lot of trauma, and I get that it's probably really difficult to write about but I wanted to hear her side of the story.
Still a great read if you're interested in wrestling entertainment, and Saraya's early life in particular is fascinating.
March 23, 2025
Saraya’s life has been a rollercoaster ride, filled with ups and downs, twists and turns. So, I was hoping her book would be the next big wrestling memoir. Last year, we got Becky Lynch’s memoir, which was one of my favorite reads of 2024. But Saraya’s book is just okay, not great. One of the biggest issues is that for someone who is so outspoken, she holds back when it comes to talking about certain trainers or wrestlers. For example, she mentions a female wrestler who was mean to her, but she never names her. She also talks about two trainers who were universally hated, but she never reveals their names. Who were these trainers?
While she’s open about her struggles, she doesn’t go into much detail about them. She doesn’t explain what caused them or what she learned from them. In fact, I don’t think she learned anything, and she seems to be her own worst enemy. Her relationship with Ronnie is a mess, and they’re no longer together. It’s not fair to judge someone’s life, but when they write a memoir, it’s challenging to be indifferent or have no opinions. When you read a memoir about someone you’ve watched, you either like them more, less, or feel indifferent. With Saraya’s memoir, I’m rooting for her to succeed and get her life on track, but I felt indifferent about her by the end of it.
Overall, the book feels like a bunch of random blog posts thrown together into a book. The writing is not great, the editing is terrible, and it feels all over the place. There were some parts I liked, but I wish she had really committed to this book and opened up about her life, career, and struggles. Instead, it feels rushed, lacking detail, and rather underwhelming. This should have been a great book, but I didn’t feel like she had the commitment to write a really great one.
While she’s open about her struggles, she doesn’t go into much detail about them. She doesn’t explain what caused them or what she learned from them. In fact, I don’t think she learned anything, and she seems to be her own worst enemy. Her relationship with Ronnie is a mess, and they’re no longer together. It’s not fair to judge someone’s life, but when they write a memoir, it’s challenging to be indifferent or have no opinions. When you read a memoir about someone you’ve watched, you either like them more, less, or feel indifferent. With Saraya’s memoir, I’m rooting for her to succeed and get her life on track, but I felt indifferent about her by the end of it.
Overall, the book feels like a bunch of random blog posts thrown together into a book. The writing is not great, the editing is terrible, and it feels all over the place. There were some parts I liked, but I wish she had really committed to this book and opened up about her life, career, and struggles. Instead, it feels rushed, lacking detail, and rather underwhelming. This should have been a great book, but I didn’t feel like she had the commitment to write a really great one.
April 27, 2025
Must Read for Paige/Saraya fans
I absolutely loved this memoir! If you’re a wrestling fan then you are more than likely familiar with Saraya’s story thanks to the movie ‘Fighting With My Family�. This memoir covered a lot more personal stories and feelings. Thank you for being vulnerable and putting your experiences out there. 🖤
I absolutely loved this memoir! If you’re a wrestling fan then you are more than likely familiar with Saraya’s story thanks to the movie ‘Fighting With My Family�. This memoir covered a lot more personal stories and feelings. Thank you for being vulnerable and putting your experiences out there. 🖤
April 6, 2025
This was one hell of a story. Saraya has gone through so much in such a short amount of time really. Shes just a few years older than me.
The interesting part about reading this book (well I listened, because I love when the authors read their memoirs), was how she didn’t go into detail that much about her matches but more so about the behind the scenes and then her injuries and how her life was impacted in recovery. It’s assumed most readers knew about those matches and had watched them. But I imagine half the readers are Ronnie fans and may not have been fans of her initially or solely.
I also found it interesting how her and Ronnie had broken up before the book was published but she didn’t remove the parts with him in it, she loved him once you know, and I hope they are still actually friends. But whether they are or not, doesn’t really matter. She has a solid support group. But she removed him from acknowledgments which was kind of funny aha.
It was a fun read and Saraya has such a beautiful voice!
The interesting part about reading this book (well I listened, because I love when the authors read their memoirs), was how she didn’t go into detail that much about her matches but more so about the behind the scenes and then her injuries and how her life was impacted in recovery. It’s assumed most readers knew about those matches and had watched them. But I imagine half the readers are Ronnie fans and may not have been fans of her initially or solely.
I also found it interesting how her and Ronnie had broken up before the book was published but she didn’t remove the parts with him in it, she loved him once you know, and I hope they are still actually friends. But whether they are or not, doesn’t really matter. She has a solid support group. But she removed him from acknowledgments which was kind of funny aha.
It was a fun read and Saraya has such a beautiful voice!
June 18, 2025
4.5 stars
Saraya’s story is insanely inspirational and I believe that all the work that she has done in fighting for better equality for female wrestlers is commendable.
It was super inspiring and fascinating to hear how she came from such a messy and difficult upbringing to becoming the youngest WWE Diva champion and how she later navigated the difficulties of her career potentially ending due to her drug addiction and neck injury.
My only wish was that she opened up more. The memoir felt very factual and not very personal or emotional. It was extremely honest, however it felt very blunt when she was discussing her life experiences and it felt like she continues to be very disconnected from those experiences still to this day and maybe hasn’t processed her feelings about a lot of things.
Saraya’s story is insanely inspirational and I believe that all the work that she has done in fighting for better equality for female wrestlers is commendable.
It was super inspiring and fascinating to hear how she came from such a messy and difficult upbringing to becoming the youngest WWE Diva champion and how she later navigated the difficulties of her career potentially ending due to her drug addiction and neck injury.
My only wish was that she opened up more. The memoir felt very factual and not very personal or emotional. It was extremely honest, however it felt very blunt when she was discussing her life experiences and it felt like she continues to be very disconnected from those experiences still to this day and maybe hasn’t processed her feelings about a lot of things.
April 4, 2025
Raw, real, heartbreaking and occasionally hilarious. The best wrestling autobiography I've read.
April 27, 2025
An extremely intense read at times - Saraya has been through a lot. Fantastic wrestling memoir - gives a sense of what it took to get to WWE and AEW, gave details of key big moments in her career, and also really opened up about who the author is as a person and how she overcame struggles, many of which relate to being in the public eye at such a young age. I love memoirs like this and am so glad Saraya shared so much of herself through this one. This book felt brave, honest and real.
June 20, 2025
enjoyed it so much it really pulled me in and had me laughing and crying all at the same time
April 28, 2025
Honestly one of my favorite biographies & audio books. This brought back so many childhood and adolescent memories. I really felt connected to Paige and loved hearing her point of view. I recommend to any WWE fan 🖤
March 25, 2025
Thanks to Gallery Books for the gifted copy. All opinions below are my own.
I've been a wrestling fan since I was a kid. I fell away from it after my teens and got back into it when they started making the WWE Total Divas show. I fell in love with the Bellas and the strong women trying to fight for equal screen time. Paige (Saraya) was another character I really enjoyed, she exuded toughness and IDGAF energy. I was of course surprised to learn she had quite the lineage in the profession.
This book starts with the sex tape scandal that derailed her WWE career, so you know right away she is pulling no punches. The entire book is like a raw exposed nerve. She is open about her untraditional upbringing with parents who were perhaps more focused on their careers than their children. She talks about sexual abuse, drug use, alcoholism and that's all before the pressure of celebrity. She talks about her rise in WWE and some of the challenges of being a woman in the sport but more about how grateful she was. It didn't have any of the bitterness of Rousey's memoir which really irked me. She covers how the Rock produced the movie about her family, her neck injury and really any other detail you might want behind the scenes without taking away the magic of it.
I've been a wrestling fan since I was a kid. I fell away from it after my teens and got back into it when they started making the WWE Total Divas show. I fell in love with the Bellas and the strong women trying to fight for equal screen time. Paige (Saraya) was another character I really enjoyed, she exuded toughness and IDGAF energy. I was of course surprised to learn she had quite the lineage in the profession.
This book starts with the sex tape scandal that derailed her WWE career, so you know right away she is pulling no punches. The entire book is like a raw exposed nerve. She is open about her untraditional upbringing with parents who were perhaps more focused on their careers than their children. She talks about sexual abuse, drug use, alcoholism and that's all before the pressure of celebrity. She talks about her rise in WWE and some of the challenges of being a woman in the sport but more about how grateful she was. It didn't have any of the bitterness of Rousey's memoir which really irked me. She covers how the Rock produced the movie about her family, her neck injury and really any other detail you might want behind the scenes without taking away the magic of it.
May 14, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
While Saraya does open up about her past troubles, I found her holding back at certain points. Also, Saraya, I admire you always having your family’s back, but hold them accountable. They are responsible for a lot of your trauma.
Saraya-Jade Bevis (WWE’s Paige) takes us on a journey of her life, from childhood, through wrestling training, to success, to addiction, recovery & rediscovery.
Saraya has been through ALOT. But unfortunately for her, a lot of that trauma should be solely placed on her parents. They had their children surrounded by strangers, alcohol, and drugs constantly. Taught them violence was the way to approach confrontation. And a lot of those lessons lead Saraya to make poor choices in her adult life. I’m not saying it was all her parents fault (no one shoves coke up their nose except for the drug user). But as the reader/listener I wanted her to hold them accountable and realize while yes, we all make mistakes, her family holds a lot of responsibility here. Also, a lot of her stories about certain wrestlers and relationships were glazed over or not mentioned. I personally was looking for her to address her tumultuous relationship with former WWE superstar Alberto del Rio. We’ve heard a lot of negative things about their relationship including abuse. There was no mention of him whatsoever (SHE HAD HIS NAME TATTOOED ON HER!). For there to be no mention of him at all is bizarre. I expected more from Saraya.
While Saraya does open up about her past troubles, I found her holding back at certain points. Also, Saraya, I admire you always having your family’s back, but hold them accountable. They are responsible for a lot of your trauma.
Saraya-Jade Bevis (WWE’s Paige) takes us on a journey of her life, from childhood, through wrestling training, to success, to addiction, recovery & rediscovery.
Saraya has been through ALOT. But unfortunately for her, a lot of that trauma should be solely placed on her parents. They had their children surrounded by strangers, alcohol, and drugs constantly. Taught them violence was the way to approach confrontation. And a lot of those lessons lead Saraya to make poor choices in her adult life. I’m not saying it was all her parents fault (no one shoves coke up their nose except for the drug user). But as the reader/listener I wanted her to hold them accountable and realize while yes, we all make mistakes, her family holds a lot of responsibility here. Also, a lot of her stories about certain wrestlers and relationships were glazed over or not mentioned. I personally was looking for her to address her tumultuous relationship with former WWE superstar Alberto del Rio. We’ve heard a lot of negative things about their relationship including abuse. There was no mention of him whatsoever (SHE HAD HIS NAME TATTOOED ON HER!). For there to be no mention of him at all is bizarre. I expected more from Saraya.
April 17, 2025
Wow. That was one hell of a rollercoaster.
As always, I’m implored to compare this wrestling book to other wrestling books that I have read. This one, however, is a bit different from the rest. Many wrestling stories give you the “Well I had to work hard� “I went through some trouble� but honestly, you are not prepared for the level of which that applies to Saraya. If someone had to give up an arm and a leg for their pro-wrestling career, then, I guess in comparison Saraya gave up her entire soul.
The first half features a familiar British working-class coming-of-age story that is easily recognisable to my fellow compatriots. Tales of pub nights, bar fights and police lights that are so different to anything I’ve heard in another wrestling autobiography.
The second half retells Saraya’s journey through WWE, injury and eventually AEW. My only complaint here is that I wish there were a bit more detail and behind-the-scenes stories of her time at WWE and AEW! Sure, you get a good play-by-play of her main roster debut and return with Absolution, but that’s about it really. However, you will learn things that you could never had, if you had only watched the wrestling on TV. She’s been through it all, and to that, the title of the book fits.
As always, I’m implored to compare this wrestling book to other wrestling books that I have read. This one, however, is a bit different from the rest. Many wrestling stories give you the “Well I had to work hard� “I went through some trouble� but honestly, you are not prepared for the level of which that applies to Saraya. If someone had to give up an arm and a leg for their pro-wrestling career, then, I guess in comparison Saraya gave up her entire soul.
The first half features a familiar British working-class coming-of-age story that is easily recognisable to my fellow compatriots. Tales of pub nights, bar fights and police lights that are so different to anything I’ve heard in another wrestling autobiography.
The second half retells Saraya’s journey through WWE, injury and eventually AEW. My only complaint here is that I wish there were a bit more detail and behind-the-scenes stories of her time at WWE and AEW! Sure, you get a good play-by-play of her main roster debut and return with Absolution, but that’s about it really. However, you will learn things that you could never had, if you had only watched the wrestling on TV. She’s been through it all, and to that, the title of the book fits.
April 30, 2025
For my masters degree, I wrote an essay comparing the life stories of two female wrestlers - AJ Lee’s autobiography & Saraya’s biopic. I basically concluded that AJ’s was an authentic retelling of her own story, while Saraya’s was a Hollywood version of hers, but they were both important feminist texts within a male dominated field. I questioned whether Saraya would ever have the chance to tell her story authentically, in her own words. Im so glad she has been able to here.
This is a very raw and honest book, a bit of a difficult read at parts. Her and AJ’s stories are similar - battling generational trauma, childhood abuse, familial mental illness, conflicted parental relationships, etc. & spoiler alert, they both battled back despite their struggles to have successful wrestling careers, reaching far beyond their childhood dreams, and now have taken a step back from wrestling.
This book was written while Saraya was still with AEW & with her boyfriend which she isn’t now, so it’s literally just come out & in need of an update - a testament to her wild life. Shes only 31 and achieved so much. I know lots of people don’t like her, but I think she deserves some appreciation considering everything she has been through and what she has done for women’s wrestling.
This is a very raw and honest book, a bit of a difficult read at parts. Her and AJ’s stories are similar - battling generational trauma, childhood abuse, familial mental illness, conflicted parental relationships, etc. & spoiler alert, they both battled back despite their struggles to have successful wrestling careers, reaching far beyond their childhood dreams, and now have taken a step back from wrestling.
This book was written while Saraya was still with AEW & with her boyfriend which she isn’t now, so it’s literally just come out & in need of an update - a testament to her wild life. Shes only 31 and achieved so much. I know lots of people don’t like her, but I think she deserves some appreciation considering everything she has been through and what she has done for women’s wrestling.
April 17, 2025
As a life long pro wrestling fan, there was no other women’s wrestler quite like Saraya. From her debut in WWE as Paige, I knew she was going to be a huge star. All of a sudden too many things were happening around her and to her that changed her whole trajectory, but we only saw what the internet wanted us to see. I’m so happy Saraya finally got to share her story and to see the struggles she had truly been through. You never really know what’s going on behind the scenes unless someone pulls the curtain back and that is exactly what she does. Thank you Saraya for everything and I can’t wait to see wherever you go next on your journey.
March 26, 2025
Saraya, this book is fantastic!!! I started watching wrestling when my son Nick was about 7 and my son Luke was 2. That was 30 years ago for me. I remember when Paige arrived on WWE. And she quickly became one of my favorite divas!!!
I preordered the hardback and it’s apparently delayed in the mail. Thanks Barns and Noble. However I wasn’t waiting, I also got the audiobook and listened at work. Which may not have been the best place to listen to this. I can’t count how many times I teared up. And how many times I laughed, especially when the mice got out and infested the neighborhood lol
I absolutely love that the chapter titles are almost all song titles. I loved reliving in my mind shows I personally watched. Or moments that happened in Fighting with my family, a great movie. I’ve been lucky enough to see Saraya at a few AEW events as well. This book shares her personal experiences and her life. It shows how real she is. And I love that.
Lastly I’d like to say to Saraya, you are such a strong and amazing person. And never doubt yourself. You are such a beautiful woman inside and out. Thank you for sharing your story with us.
I preordered the hardback and it’s apparently delayed in the mail. Thanks Barns and Noble. However I wasn’t waiting, I also got the audiobook and listened at work. Which may not have been the best place to listen to this. I can’t count how many times I teared up. And how many times I laughed, especially when the mice got out and infested the neighborhood lol
I absolutely love that the chapter titles are almost all song titles. I loved reliving in my mind shows I personally watched. Or moments that happened in Fighting with my family, a great movie. I’ve been lucky enough to see Saraya at a few AEW events as well. This book shares her personal experiences and her life. It shows how real she is. And I love that.
Lastly I’d like to say to Saraya, you are such a strong and amazing person. And never doubt yourself. You are such a beautiful woman inside and out. Thank you for sharing your story with us.
April 4, 2025
When it comes to memoirs, I feel unsure how to rate it. Saraya read the audiobook, so it felt like listening to her story.
I was not familiar with her wrestling career or her in general, I really only followed her due to her previous relationship, but I gained a soft spot for her and had put this on hold, despite them having broken up before this came out.
I appreciate the courage to put yourself out there and be vulnerable, so I can't give this anything but 5 ⭐️
I was not familiar with her wrestling career or her in general, I really only followed her due to her previous relationship, but I gained a soft spot for her and had put this on hold, despite them having broken up before this came out.
I appreciate the courage to put yourself out there and be vulnerable, so I can't give this anything but 5 ⭐️
March 28, 2025
I can not tell you how good this book was I will forever scream thank you Paige I love you
April 5, 2025
I have always liked Saraya but damn the respect I have for her!
April 18, 2025
I listened to the audiobook version. Her story was very inspiring and informative about addiction. She is one of my favorite wrestlers and her story was relatable.
May 19, 2025
5 Stars ⭐️. I just love Saraya and her story.
April 7, 2025
Very real and raw - her story is incredible.
June 17, 2025
Hell in Boots: Clawing My Way Through Nine Lives is the memoir by professional wrestler Saraya-Jade Bevis, previously known as Paige.
Hell in Boots follows Saraya through her turbulent childhood which led to discovering her love for professional wrestling, her time as a rookie travelling from promotion to promotion trying to make a name for herself, her eventual NXT debut which leads to her becoming the NXT Women's Champion, her main roster debut which results in her becoming the youngest WWE Diva's Champion. This memoir deals with everything that happens in between these momentous milestones and tells the tale of everything that follows.
I grew up loving wrestling and the WWE in particular. The era I became a die-hard fan was the one when AJ Lee and Paige were dominating the women's division. Some of my most fond memories of watching WWE is when AJ and Paige would team up (referring to themselves as 'Freaks and Geeks') against The Bella Twins. I would often wear my 'Think Again' shirt to WWE Live events in Newcastle.
This memoir, whilst celebrating the highs of Saraya's career and life in general, is ultimately very sad. She reveals the struggles she has faced across her life so far, many of which are evidently very traumatic. It was interesting to hear her take on some of the controversies that I remember happening at the time, and now with the context of what was happening around her, you can't help but feel for her. I'm glad that she looks back on her time in WWE fondly, (there was a lot of uncertainty surrounding the end of her time as 'Paige') and I'm glad she found a newfound home in AEW, even though I have no interest in the programme.
I'm glad she is very open and honest about mistakes she made, but it is also interesting to see her controversial relationship with a certain pro wrestler has been completely omitted from this memoir. I started to distance myself from following Saraya's career as I couldn't in good earnest support her relationship with Ronnie. They are no longer together, which is great, but I hope she seriously reflects on some of the decisions she made whilst with him and learns from them.
The writing style of this is nothing to be desired, but is still an easy read. If you enjoy wrestling, or just want a new memoir to dive into, I would recommend Hell in Boots!
Hell in Boots follows Saraya through her turbulent childhood which led to discovering her love for professional wrestling, her time as a rookie travelling from promotion to promotion trying to make a name for herself, her eventual NXT debut which leads to her becoming the NXT Women's Champion, her main roster debut which results in her becoming the youngest WWE Diva's Champion. This memoir deals with everything that happens in between these momentous milestones and tells the tale of everything that follows.
I grew up loving wrestling and the WWE in particular. The era I became a die-hard fan was the one when AJ Lee and Paige were dominating the women's division. Some of my most fond memories of watching WWE is when AJ and Paige would team up (referring to themselves as 'Freaks and Geeks') against The Bella Twins. I would often wear my 'Think Again' shirt to WWE Live events in Newcastle.
This memoir, whilst celebrating the highs of Saraya's career and life in general, is ultimately very sad. She reveals the struggles she has faced across her life so far, many of which are evidently very traumatic. It was interesting to hear her take on some of the controversies that I remember happening at the time, and now with the context of what was happening around her, you can't help but feel for her. I'm glad that she looks back on her time in WWE fondly, (there was a lot of uncertainty surrounding the end of her time as 'Paige') and I'm glad she found a newfound home in AEW, even though I have no interest in the programme.
I'm glad she is very open and honest about mistakes she made, but it is also interesting to see her controversial relationship with a certain pro wrestler has been completely omitted from this memoir. I started to distance myself from following Saraya's career as I couldn't in good earnest support her relationship with Ronnie. They are no longer together, which is great, but I hope she seriously reflects on some of the decisions she made whilst with him and learns from them.
The writing style of this is nothing to be desired, but is still an easy read. If you enjoy wrestling, or just want a new memoir to dive into, I would recommend Hell in Boots!
May 28, 2025
I hate to give this one 3 stars. Really, I’m rating it 2.5, and it would’ve been a 5 if Saraya kept up the momentum she had in the first half of her book. Somehow toward the middle and end, every part of her life was summarized, and that’s great and all when it calls for it, but you cannot summarize difficult parts of your life and expect for everyone to “get it.� I sound like a jerk—maybe a tad bit cold and inconsiderate for saying that, but a memoir is meant to delve into those dark parts of your life that are hard to write about. We’re meant to see how those ugly things broke you, ruined you, and, ultimately, shaped you into the person you are today. If I’m being honest, this one read as if someone else was writing about Saraya’s life rather than Saraya herself. I would very much read a revised, uncensored version of Hell in Boots if Saraya ever decides to release it. If she could go in depth in the first half—the half that digs into her upbringing and childhood, she is more than capable of doing the same in her adulthood. Writing about adulthood in memoirs is tricky—I get it. You’re exposed. Naked. All the parts that make you look good are out there as much as the parts that make you look bad. No one is perfect, but because of the way Saraya held back in her memoir, it leads me to believe that maybe she wasn’t completely ready to let others read about those parts that explained her depression and addictions. And that’s ok, but if you’re not ready, maybe an incomplete work of your life experiences needed more time until it was released into the world. I truly sound like the worst here, but I was and still am rooting for Saraya.
May 22, 2025
As a wrestling fan who loved Paige/Saraya it was so cool to hear about her life, behind the scenes and the truth about what went on. There was some points i wish we got to hear more but what we did hear was great. However some parts were so infuriating to read, the parts where her parents made obviously stupid decisions and caused so much trauma to her and it was decisions everyone would know is wrong. Other than that it was nice to see such a traumatic story end on a high when it could've been so much worse.
April 11, 2025
This memoir felt like a diary entry in the best way possible. It was a raw storytelling of the life of Saraya, and I enjoyed every bit of it (maybe a little biased bc I’m a wrestling fan lol).
Coming from a family of wrestlers sounds like the coolest thing ever. And reading about the childhood chapters and her family dynamic was so interesting and super healing/ relatable at the same time.
I loved how this book didn’t shy away from tough topics such as addiction, depression, and the harsh cruel events of life (and people really). The details of emotion and the events that occurred were so real and raw, and It felt like I was reading a super honest reflection of her life.
The most inspiring part about it all was being able to hear Saraya’s redemption story. I can’t imagine how hard it to hit rock bottom and deal with a drug addiction and alcohol abuse all while having a microscope on you. Her redemption brought me a feeling of hope and that everything truly gets better.
I write this every time but my reviews really are a hot mess. I think Saraya’s mom is like the coolest ever. And it feels like I crime to read and hear about wrestling being “fake� or pre-determined (shhh).
Coming from a family of wrestlers sounds like the coolest thing ever. And reading about the childhood chapters and her family dynamic was so interesting and super healing/ relatable at the same time.
I loved how this book didn’t shy away from tough topics such as addiction, depression, and the harsh cruel events of life (and people really). The details of emotion and the events that occurred were so real and raw, and It felt like I was reading a super honest reflection of her life.
The most inspiring part about it all was being able to hear Saraya’s redemption story. I can’t imagine how hard it to hit rock bottom and deal with a drug addiction and alcohol abuse all while having a microscope on you. Her redemption brought me a feeling of hope and that everything truly gets better.
I write this every time but my reviews really are a hot mess. I think Saraya’s mom is like the coolest ever. And it feels like I crime to read and hear about wrestling being “fake� or pre-determined (shhh).
April 21, 2025
A personal and honest read from Saraya that gives a glimpse into her life beyond wrestling, though fans hoping for detailed behind-the-scenes stories may be left wanting more.
If you’re a fan of Saraya, you’ll probably enjoy this. She shares a lot of personal stories that give great insight into who she is, especially early on—her childhood and start in wrestling were the most interesting parts for me. The amount that she provides great detail or provides names varies based on the story. She talks honestly about her health issues, addiction, and injuries, and she does a good job showing how addiction can take over your life.
The book feels a little uneven—she reveals a lot in some areas, but then holds back in others. And honestly, she talks about Ronnie Radke way too much. If you’re looking for deep wrestling stories, there’s not a ton here that fans haven’t already heard, though she does touch on big moments like her Raw debut and wrestling at Wembley.
That said, I finished the book with a lot of respect for her and what she’s been through. Her impact on women’s wrestling is clear, and this book shows just how much she’s had to fight for it.
If you’re a fan of Saraya, you’ll probably enjoy this. She shares a lot of personal stories that give great insight into who she is, especially early on—her childhood and start in wrestling were the most interesting parts for me. The amount that she provides great detail or provides names varies based on the story. She talks honestly about her health issues, addiction, and injuries, and she does a good job showing how addiction can take over your life.
The book feels a little uneven—she reveals a lot in some areas, but then holds back in others. And honestly, she talks about Ronnie Radke way too much. If you’re looking for deep wrestling stories, there’s not a ton here that fans haven’t already heard, though she does touch on big moments like her Raw debut and wrestling at Wembley.
That said, I finished the book with a lot of respect for her and what she’s been through. Her impact on women’s wrestling is clear, and this book shows just how much she’s had to fight for it.
March 30, 2025
I have never followed wrestling so I must confess I only know who Saraya is bc of her previous relationship with Ronnie Radke. Even now that they've broken up, I still really enjoy following her & will enjoy doing so even more now that I've read this book & know her back story. What an intense life she has lived! I had always assumed she grew up fairly wealthy bc of her family being fellow wrestlers. How very wrong I was! She endured so much as a child/teen & then again as a young adult when she moved to the US to further her career. The ways she was abused by various men can be hard to read about but it's so inspiring to see how she overcame all of that, plus the drug & alcohol abuse that followed as a means of trying to cope. So many times she could have quit & let the darkness win but she never did. I look forward to seeing how her journey unfolds in the future.
Side note: her humor really comes through in the writing & made me appreciate her even more.
Side note: her humor really comes through in the writing & made me appreciate her even more.
April 8, 2025
Wer ein Fan von Paige/Saraya ist sollte das Buch auf jeden Fall lesen, für solche die mehr an dem Wrestling-Part interessiert sind, ist das Buch hingegen weniger was. Sie geht zwar durchaus auf FCW/NXT ein aber abgesehen davon berichtet sie kaum über ihre Zeit bei den Indies, ihre Zeit im WWE Main Roster oder bei AEW. Zumindest geht sie in diesen Abschnitten weniger detailliert auf die Ereignisse oder Personen ein. Vince McMahon zum Beispiel meidet sie nahezu, dabei hätte ich das bei ihrer Erfahrung mit Missbrauch beinahe erwartet.
Ein absolutes Plus ist die ungeschönte Ehrlichkeit und die Reflektiertheit mit der Saraya auch über ihre schweren Zeiten spricht. Man hat oftmals das Gefühl, dass sie direkt zu einem spricht. Das is teilweise chaotisch, macht aber die Ehrlichkeit des Buches aus.
Ein weiteres Plus ist die Länge. Es gibt genug Wrestling-Bücher, die über hunderte von Seiten haben. Sarayas Buch habe ich in gut sieben Stunden durchgelesen.
Ein absolutes Plus ist die ungeschönte Ehrlichkeit und die Reflektiertheit mit der Saraya auch über ihre schweren Zeiten spricht. Man hat oftmals das Gefühl, dass sie direkt zu einem spricht. Das is teilweise chaotisch, macht aber die Ehrlichkeit des Buches aus.
Ein weiteres Plus ist die Länge. Es gibt genug Wrestling-Bücher, die über hunderte von Seiten haben. Sarayas Buch habe ich in gut sieben Stunden durchgelesen.
March 27, 2025
This book details the ups and downs of Saraya's life so far (the caveat being that she is 32 years old). This book delves deep into the start of her wrestling career through her stardom in WWE and beyond. Saraya allows fans to get a glimpse of who she is outside the ring by discussing relationships, injuries, and everything in between
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It is engaging and candid. This book is perfect for any pro-wrestling fan who wants to hear Saraya's story without the fabrications of the tabloids or the internet. While I enjoyed the book as a whole, parts of it were sad and uncomfortable to read. I have always been and still am a fan of Saraya/Paige. I am glad she found her road to redemption.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It is engaging and candid. This book is perfect for any pro-wrestling fan who wants to hear Saraya's story without the fabrications of the tabloids or the internet. While I enjoyed the book as a whole, parts of it were sad and uncomfortable to read. I have always been and still am a fan of Saraya/Paige. I am glad she found her road to redemption.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2025
Another great memoir from another integral piece of women’s wrestling history. Saraya is completely honest and forthcoming about the ups and downs of her life in and out of the wrestling ring. Hers is an inspirational tale of how one can bounce back from the worst of injuries and personal strife and still find happiness and success. Because she is so incredibly honest and doesn’t hold back in what she does share, it is a little disappointing that there are certain chapters of her life that she opted not to include. Perhaps that portion of her life is even worse than rumored and the person she was with at that time is even more of a monster than we believed. Maybe we’ll get to hear that part of the story when he no longer has any relevance in the business or has passed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.