Things I Should Have Said

Definitely a cash grab from someone who lost their golden ticket. Really unfortunate the author chose to tell so many lies, and at the expense of her sister. She has claimed this book was her story and not about Britney, but her sister is mentioned too many times for me to believe there is any honesty in this book. Zero stars if I could.

some interesting stories. My issue with her book is the lack of focus; she constantly retells us what she has already told over and over. she needed a good cowriter to help her streamline her story, its chaotic, and jumps all over the place. I have no issue with her talking about her sister in the book, it's her sister, and how do you write about your life and not talk about your family. I thought her stories about her sister are mostly flattering, telling what a good sister she was and how she cared for her growing up.

I have been looking forward to reading this and forming my own opinion while avoiding many gossip columns. (still haven't read the gossip pages about this book as i wanted to jump right in to give an honest unbiased review.) The book is written very well, the language used and the way the author goes through her timeline of events is well thought-out. Personally Maddie’s Miracle brought me to tears. I remember when the story came out about this and thinking “wow I haven’t heard of Jamie Lynn Spears or her family in a while” it brought me to tears to hear the heroic story that this family went through. The Authors view about her love life with her ex and current husband runs deep and is so beautiful to explore in this book. How Jamie Lynn came about her faith is also very moving. If you are looking for a story of how Britney came to be – you wont get that, however reading it from the little sister who is nine years younger than Britney you wont be getting the real truth but instead the little girl’s perspective who probably wasn’t privy to all the information concerning her sister’s mental health or her parent’s conservatorship over her older sister. You can tell where the author remembers her truth because she is sure to remind you serval times. The issue I have is mostly in the last few chapters. The author often writes things such as “I can only speak for myself” and in the next few paragraphs goes onto explain “silence goes against living authentically”. The author describes rifts between herself and her parents yet silently watches her sister suffer after becoming and adult and after finding her voice, still never stands up for her sister or to her parents and silently takes the abuse from her parents herself. Overall great book and great life story to read I just wish the author didn’t hide behind the “this is my truth” statements she makes throughout the book and take responsibility for the things she did say and the things she is still not saying between the lines of these pages. I understand as the public we are always on a need to know basis however when you open yourself up and write an “authentic book” I do expect it to actually be authentic.