Full Disclaimer: I bought Things I Should Have Said by Jamie Lynn Spears even though I’m a staunch supporter of the #FreeBritney movement. What Britney Spears was subjected to during the conservatorship is absolutely horrendous, and the fact that Britney’s family didn’t step in to help her out of that situation boggles the mind. Of course, there are usually more than one side to a story, which is why I decided to play the devil’s advocate and see how Jamie Lynn Spears was going to explain her side of things. Here is my book review of Things I Should Have Said:
Things I Should Have Said by Jamie Lynn Spears
Once in a while, I may pick up a memoir to read. This doesn’t occur often, but usually I quite enjoy those “untold” stories by celebs. I’m well-aware that their tales could be complete fiction, written to sell books and make even more money. That’s fine. Like I said, it doesn’t happen often, so I don’t feel bad about spending my hard-earned cash on them.
In the case of Things I Should Have Said, however, I feel somewhat annoyed with myself for buying the book.
Not necessarily because I don’t believe her—there are parts that ring true, especially when she speaks about motherhood and the pressures she faced as a teen starlet and teen mom. I have no doubt in my mind that her parents were completely pissed when she got knocked up. I completely believe that her upbringing was a tumultuous time, that her father was (still is) a greedy bastard (my words, not hers), and her mother has no spine (again, my words, not Jamie Lynn’s).
What annoys me about this book is how, at times, Jamie Lynn used her truth to try and win sympathy from me, the reader. Don’t get me wrong, I feel for her. She faced some big hurdles and overcame them, but using those struggles to explain why she didn’t fight harder for her sister … Sorry, it just doesn’t work for me.
What Jamie Lynn Doesn’t Say
Perhaps it’s the timing of this book’s release that has me wondering how truthful the memoir is. I mean, sure, it could be a total coincidence that Things I Should Have Said released a few months after Britney Spears’ conservatorship ended and her saying she’ll expose everyone who wronged her. Then again, it could simply be damage control. *shrugs* I don’t know. What I do know is that the book reads like a rush job. There’s very little flow, choppy sentences, and frankly, as an editor, I rose my eyebrow a few times.
Now, I don’t want to bash the book, because Things I Should Have Said is, for all intent and purposes, Jamie Lynn’s truth. Who am I to tell her it’s not, you know? And I understand that maybe Jamie Lynn’s publisher wanted to cash in on the whole debacle (publishers can be sneaky that way), but things simply don’t add up.
Maybe I’m Just Biased?
I grew up listening to Britney Spears, watched her every move as most people my age did, was shocked when she had such a public breakdown … You name it, I was there. I’ve remained an avid fan of her music, though, and eventually realized the conservatorship was a legalized form of abuse.
I have no doubt that all of this influenced my opinion on Jamie Lynn’s memoir. So, I should mention that I’m probably not as unbiased as I usually am when reading and reviewing a book. In other words, I’m certain that other readers who are not Britney fans may have a completely different opinion about Things I Should Have Said. And that’s fine. I don’t mind opposing views. 🙂
In Conclusion
Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend Things I Should Have Said to die-hard Britney fans—it’s just going to get on your nerves. The writing isn’t good enough to carry the book, either. Basically, give this one a miss unless you want to make an informed decision on the “she said, she said” Instagram war between the Spears sisters.
About Jamie Lynn Spears
Source: Erica Gerard
Jamie Lynn Spears is an actress and musician who began her entertainment career at an early age. The Louisiana native made her way into acting with some national commercials before landing her first big debut on television, appearing on Nickelodeon’s All That and then starring as the title character on Zoey 101, for which she won the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award for Best Actress in 2006. When she became a mother at sixteen, her pregnancy made headlines. She returned to the entertainment business as a singer/songwriter who has collaborated with artists such as Jana Kramer and has won several awards (NSAI, BMI) as a songwriter for writing the platinum-selling song “I Got the Boy.”
She released the new version of the Zoey 101 theme song “Follow Me” with Chantel Jefferies ahead of the upcoming highly anticipated Zoey 101 reboot. She will also be back to play the beloved character Noreen for season 2 on Netflix’s Sweet Magnolias in 2022.
