I only know Kenan Thompson from SNL. While I did grow up watching some episodes of All That whenever it aired, I mainly only remembered Amanda Bynes. I only know Kenan Thompson from SNL. While I did grow up watching some episodes of All That whenever it aired, I mainly only remembered Amanda Bynes.
That said, this was a decent celebrity audiobook memoir (which I listened at x1.5 speed). It was interesting learning about Kenan's experience with being a child star, and how he managed to stay relatively normal while his child star counterparts struggled with substance abuse. He shares many behind-the-scenes from his time on All That, Kenan & Kel, SNL, and the ups and downs of being part of the industry.
The parts I enjoyed the most were the sections about parenting and when he talked about his daughters. He seems like a sweet, loving father who is extremely proud and supportive of his two daughters. ________________________________ If you like the following, then you might enjoy When I Was Your Age or vice-versa:
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3.5/5 (for the audiobook, which, unfortunately, was not narrated by Tina Turner)
As implied by the title, this memoir is about Tina Turner's love life 3.5/5 (for the audiobook, which, unfortunately, was not narrated by Tina Turner)
As implied by the title, this memoir is about Tina Turner's love life - from her abusive relationship with her first husband, Ike Turner, to her loving and happily-ever-after relationship and marriage to Erwin Bach.
Aside from growing up to Tina Turner's hit songs, I didn't really know much about her. I certainly didn't know she was in an abusive relationship with a husband who constantly beat her, and controlled her career and finances. It takes immense strength to leave an abusive relationship, which she talks about at length (and it is probably why she didn't narrate the audiobook, as it may have been too painful to revisit... or perhaps she didn't narrate the audiobook due to her declining health).
I love that Tina Turner was able to find love again with a caring partner and, as a fellow Swiss, I loved that she became a Swiss citizen!
This book made me wish I watched the Tina Turner musical (which was in Toronto just a few months ago! I missed it - nooo!) [image]
Audiobook Comments: I listened to the audiobook at x1.60 speed. I was disappointed that Tina Turner didn't narrate the audiobook (she narrated the foreword, but that's it). The narrator, Heather Alicia Simms, narrated the audiobook a bit too happily, even when narrating serious and sad moments, which bothered me. I think I would prefer reading the physical book rather than listening to the audiobook in this case, seeing as Tina Turner wasn't the narrator.
_________________________________ If you liked the following, then you might enjoy My Love Story: A Memoir or vice-versa:
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First of all, I am a fan of Nicole Maines and loved her portrayal of Dreamer (the first televised trans superhero) in Supergirl. I also love thFirst of all, I am a fan of Nicole Maines and loved her portrayal of Dreamer (the first televised trans superhero) in Supergirl. I also love the fact that she loved Dreamer so much, she advocated for there to be more stories about this superhero - to the point where she pitched the idea to DC Comics (which they loved, thank goodness), and she's been writing Dreamer comics ever since!
Bad Dream is a Dreamer origin story (and if I'm not mistaken, the first Dreamer origin comic). This origin story differs from the one in the SupergirlTV show, but the major elements remain unchanged. In this version, Nia Nal is a half human, half Naltorian trans teenager growing up in an alien sanctuary on Earth. Nia's sister, Maeve, much like the Supergirl version, is anxiously waiting to come into her dreaming powers and ability to see the future, and has spent her entire life studying dream interpretation in preparation for the powers that she will inherit (as the powers are only passed on from mother to daughter). [image] But when Nia realized that she had inherited the powers instead, she was overwhelmed by the new powers and the fear of being hated by Maeve. So Nia turns to the only solution she could think of - running away from home.
I enjoyed this comic. The falling out between Nia and Maeve wasn't as emotional and didn't hit me as hard as it did in Supergirl(view spoiler)[(this scene gutted me: [image] (hide spoiler)] but this new origin story worked, made sense, and opens up a lot of opportunities for future comics to expand on this story. I also loved that Nia was able to befriend a group of trans aliens and allies while in Metropolis (also, Taylor/Galaxy is so pretty and seems really cool ...more
I read the first few chapters of this book before putting it on pause and picking up Becoming Nicole (which I've reviewed here).
Note: You do4.5/5
I read the first few chapters of this book before putting it on pause and picking up Becoming Nicole (which I've reviewed here).
Note: You don't need to read Becoming Nicole before reading this memoir because there's a lot of overlap.
Whereas Becoming Nicole was mostly about Nicole Maines's parents learning how to raise a trans child and the behind-the-scenes details about the landmark case of Doe v. Regional School Unit 26 (in which Nicole was the anonymous plaintiff), this book covers most of that but instead, is told from Nicole's perspective with more personal details.
"...Becoming Nicole was never a book about me, really, or even my transition. It is about how my transition was an opportunity for my family and community to change and challenge the gendered expectations society places on people and our belief in gendered social norms."
If you've already read Becoming Nicole, you'll find that the first half of It Gets Better...Except When It Gets Worse pretty much paraphrases everything from the previous book but is told in a fresher, more entertaining and humorous way.
Going into this book, I knew it would be a fun read (despite the anger and frustration that often emanates from the pages - more on that later). I follow Nicole on social media and love her fun personality and the balance that she strikes between being a down-to-earth geek and a sassy Hollywood diva. She's a fantastic storyteller and I love her sense of humour and how she's able to inject some of that humour into this book despite the frequent angry rants about trans rights.
This brings me to my next point - the anger and frustration. I suppose a memoir written by a trans author wouldn't be complete without being packed with information and research about trans issues and a ranting session about internet trolls and bigots, politics, and all the anti-trans legislation that has been popping up across the USA. [image]
I would also like to applaud Nicole for getting personal when describing her range of emotions when it came to portraying Dreamer on Supergirl. Most of all, she did a great job expressing her disappointment at the fandom's critique of the show.
"I was so excited to come on this show and to get to be excited about these characters with all the other queer fans, and instead I'm just watching them say all this awful shit in the name of queer rights! ...When it comes to queer fandom, I really hope that folks learn that being gay does not excuse you from ever being in the wrong. You can absolutely still be the asshole."
Full disclaimer, I loved Nicole on Supergirl and fully agree with her that Dreamer's arc could have been explored in even more detail on the show! But portraying the first trans superhero on television comes with its challenges including dealing with feelings of 'imposter syndrome' and managing the expectation of fans and the queer community, which were all huge burdens to carry.
Getting to portray Dreamer was undeniably an honor, it was just one that I continually felt I didn't deserve to hold.
Nicole also gets personal and vulnerable when discussing her transition, getting the surgery, and revision surgery.
She also touches upon the infighting within the queer community (and even within the trans community), expresses her disappointment, and calls out on people's hypocrisy.
"...and she's like, 'A trans person can't be transphobic.' And I'm like, 'Woman, stop. At the very least you're being an asshole.'
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My only complaint is that I was hoping for more details about Nicole's relationship(s). She does provide some information about her relationship with her ex-boyfriend Nate, but I was really hoping for more. At the end of the day, I fully understand her desire to maintain her privacy. She probably only felt the need to mention Nate because they had a pretty public relationship.
Overall, this was a very self-aware, introspective and reflective memoir told in a fresh and humourous way while also emphasizing and explaining the importance of trans rights. I would have loved more personal details about her familial and romantic relationships (spill the tea, girl!) but at the end of the day, I'll probably still read (and love) anything that she writes.
I hope there will be an audiobook version narrated by the author because I'm almost 100% positive that it will be a really fun and engaging one to listen to.
*All quotes are taken from an Advanced Readers Copy and may change prior to the release of the final copy.*
**I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for review consideration, but all opinions are my own.**...more
September 17, 2024 - Pre-Review Happy Publishing Day!
I've been following JoJo on instagram (@iamjojo) and following her journey of writing, recordSeptember 17, 2024 - Pre-Review Happy Publishing Day!
I've been following JoJo on instagram (@iamjojo) and following her journey of writing, recording and promoting her memoir, and I can't wait to get my hands on the audiobook! [image]
June 25, 2024 - Pre-Review:
Another celebrity memoir to add to my TBR!!
JoJo was just a few years older than me when she became famous and I remember my friends and I being OBSESSED with her debut album (and Hilary Duff’s Metamorphosis album), which were the only songs we listened to and sang along to that year.
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To be honest, I haven’t really followed JoJo’s career much after her early teenage years so I’m intrigued to learn more....more
Disclaimer: I've never actually ever watched Drag Race so I'm unfamiliar with RuPaul's work and personality.
Although he has certainly lived an i2.5/5
Disclaimer: I've never actually ever watched Drag Race so I'm unfamiliar with RuPaul's work and personality.
Although he has certainly lived an interesting life, he somehow manages to make growing up in the 60's and 70's, his adolescent years of partying and taking drugs, his pursuit for fame, and his career in drag all seem fairly dull. He narrates his life in a very detached way and really glosses over important life events without digging deeper and sharing any emotional vulnerability. The dispassionate narration made it very difficult for me to connect with or feel inspired by his stories.
This memoir mostly consists of Whoopi reminiscing about her mother and brother who have both passed. She shares a lot of wonderful memories and t3.5/5
This memoir mostly consists of Whoopi reminiscing about her mother and brother who have both passed. She shares a lot of wonderful memories and the audiobook (which I listened to at x1.3 speed) is told in such a way that it feels like you're listening to a friend talking about their loved ones and their fondest memories.
It's a joy listening to Whoopi talk.
----------------------------------------- Other celebrity memoirs with similar vibes (light and entertaining, with very conversational narration):
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This book offered a very interesting glimpse into what life was like in the Playboy mansion and being married to a narcissistic man more than tri4.5/5
This book offered a very interesting glimpse into what life was like in the Playboy mansion and being married to a narcissistic man more than triple the author's age.
I wanted more details from this book but even the basic details about the Playmates’ role in the mansion (like the curfews and the ritual of begging for an allowance) was disturbingly fascinating. Honestly, if I didn't know what Playboy was, or if I had never heard of the Playboy mansion, I would've thought everything that the author described was something straight out of pornographic story written by an old man... which I think is exactly what Hugh Hefner (or Hef, as Crystal calls him) was trying to achieve - a place for all his young, blonde girlfriends to live and party and fawn over him in the hopes of gracing the pages of his magazine. It's clear that Hef used his fame, money, connections, and 'glamourous lifestyle' as a way of manipulating and maintaining control over his Playmates and young wife.
As much as I enjoyed this audiobook (which I listened to at x1.35 speed), I feel like the author skimmed over many personal details. She never quite acknowledges why she stayed at the mansion and married Hef (I'm sure there were certain aspects of the lifestyle that drew her in and kept her there) and that she most likely had Stockholm Syndrome. I wish the memoir explored the evolution of their relationship in more detail as I believe it to be more complex than she lets on (I mean, why did Hef marry Crystal and not any of his other girlfriends? Also, this is the longest relationship she's ever been in. Surely there are more details and analysis to be made about their time together!).
In many ways, it's rather fascinating how Hugh Hefner was able to maintain his lifestyle and treatment of women for so long (although Crystal Hefner did point out that the #MeToo movement came about after his death). I'm now curious about other Playboy Playmates' experiences. ________________________ If you liked the following memoirs, then you might enjoy Only Say Good Things or vice-versa:
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As a Chinese-Canadian millennial, this book made me feel seen.
When you grow up the way I did - torn between Asia and Am
May 10, 2024 ARC Review:
As a Chinese-Canadian millennial, this book made me feel seen.
When you grow up the way I did - torn between Asia and America, trying to shed what you are, trying to be what you're not - the world can make you feel worthless. You're not Asian enough. You're not American enough. You're not smart enough. You're not talented enough. If you're an Asian man, you're not attractive enough. And then, louder than all the rest: You don't belong here. You hear that one all the time. Everywhere.
Jon M. Chu is a well known director, particularly amongst the Asian American and YouTube community (circa 2008). Chu's journey to becoming a filmmaker, from growing up surrounded by emerging cutting edge tech in Silicon Valley to garnering Stephen Spielberg's attention right out of college was fascinating and reminded me a lot of Spielberg's movie, The Fabelmans.
But what made me really connect with Chu were his stories about his parents, his Chinese-American upbringing, his work ethic and passion for storytelling, and finding his community amongst other Asian Americans. Although Chu and I lived in different parts of the continent with very different career paths, I found his childhood stories and insights and struggles with being Asian in America extremely relatable.
I've been a long time fan of Chu's and reading this book made me realize that I had a lot in common with him (and I'm sure many other Asian Americans/Canadians will feel the same way). Our childhoods, family dynamics, exposure to Asian American YouTubers and dance crews, and perfectionism and work ethic, all felt so familiar. I loved that he gave a shoutout to OG Asian American YouTubers Ryan Higa, Wong Fu Productions, and Kina Grannis (I would also like to mention other favourites of mine, including KevJumba and Happy Slip) and shoutout to OG ABDC Asian dance crews like Jabbawockeez and Kaba Modern (he forgot about Quest Crew!)
Without a central organizing force, one video at a time, Asian Americans began shifting the way they were perceived by American society - and by one another. Watching those videos, reading the comments, gave me something I'd never had before: proof that other people could relate to my in-between identity. YouTube soothed my still-unresolved cultural identity crisis, the feeling that I didn't fit in with other Asians - or other Americans - that had dogged me since I was a kid. I began to understand that many, many other young Asian Americans were proud of their family heritage and eager to immerse in mainstream American culture. They - we - didn't pit one side of themselves against the other but yearned to reconcile the two.
In many ways, I think this sparked Chu's path to making sure that Asian-Americans were represented in mainstream media, which led to the worldwide blockbuster movie, Crazy Rich Asians.
It was time for the Asian Avengers to assemble.
I'll be honest - Crazy Rich Asians was one of those books where I thought the movie was way better. Learning some of the behind-the-scenes of how the movie came together really made me want to rewatch the movie.
There was a lot that I loved about this book but most of all, I loved that this book was very introspective and focused a lot on Chu's personal growth and his outlook on his career and Asian-American identity. Overall, this was a fantastic memoir that I urge other Asian-Americans/Chinese millennials to read.
My only complaints with this book is: 1) Chu mentions in passing his disappointment with how poorly Jem did but doesn't really go into any details (I would prefer more details, or no mention of it at all - his mentioning of it in passing has sparked my curiosity and now I want to know more about how he feels about it and lessons learned!) I suspect Chu still hasn't fully healed from his experience with Jem and doesn't want to dwell on it. 2) the ebook formatting includes random 'blurbs' sprinkled throughout the book which throws me off whenever they appear because they disrupt the flow of the book (I also kept mistaking the blurbs as chapter headings and the mark of a new chapter...)
*All quotes are taken from an Advanced Readers Copy and may change prior to the release of the final copy.*
**I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for review consideration, but all opinions are my own.**
------------------------------ If you like the following, then you might enjoy Viewfinder: A Memoir of Seeing and Being Seen or vice-versa:
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April 1, 2024 Pre-Review:
I'm so excited to have received an ARC of this book!!!
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I can count on one hand the number of Hollywood movie directors I can name, and Jon M. Chu is one of them (the others are Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan, Tim Burton, and James Cameron). I think the fact that he's a successful Chinese director who made it big in Hollywood has kept my interest - not to mention that I love his works.
I've been following Jon M. Chu's work since ~2008 (The Adam/Chu Dance Crew vs. M&M Cru YouTube Dance battle was EPIC - also, 2008 was the peak for creative YouTube content imo and this dance battle is proof of that), I loved Step-Up 2 and 3D (I had a huge crush on Adam Sevani) and I was obsessed with The League of Extraordinary Dancers. I also thought Crazy Rich Asians was one of the rare movies that ended up being way better than the book (thanks to Chu, no doubt). Not to mention that I am beyond excited for the movie adaptation of Wicked to come out later this year!
As you can tell, I'm a fan and I can't wait to get started on this book....more
Rebel Wilson has lived a pretty interesting life and offers some interesting tidbits and behind-the-scenes information about the movie industry a3.5/5
Rebel Wilson has lived a pretty interesting life and offers some interesting tidbits and behind-the-scenes information about the movie industry and the movies that she's been in (seeing as I've watched The Bridesmaids,Pitch Perfect,Isn't it Romantic (which I LOVED), and Senior Year, I definitely enjoyed listening to Rebel recount her experience filming these movies).
I learned quite a bit about Rebel including her upbringing in Australia, her time spent in South Africa (kind of wild), her experience in Hollywood (including her not-so-great experience with Sacha Baron Cohen - whom I was never a fan of anyways), her romantic relationships, and her coming out. Most of all, I was impressed with her work ethic, although it also left me concerned with how hard she pushed herself (i.e., working despite having a concussion).
She also touches upon her struggles with her image, romantic life and sexuality (being a rather late bloomer - no shame in that!), and her experience with freezing her eggs and opting for surrogacy.
Overall, I liked getting a glimpse into Rebel's glamourous life and learning how hard she worked to earn her current lifestyle.
Audiobook Comments: I listened to the audiobook which was narrated by the author (as it should be) and it was a great listening experience.
To be honest, everything I know about Barbra Streisand is from Glee (which is to say that the only think I knew about her was that she was the st3.5/5
To be honest, everything I know about Barbra Streisand is from Glee (which is to say that the only think I knew about her was that she was the star of Funny Girl and is Jewish).
This memoir is definitely intended for die-hard Streisand fans (aka Rachel Berry) because it goes into incredible detail about all of Streisand's works (99% of which I was unfamiliar with lol). She provides a lot of behind-the-scenes information and critical analysis of her work that are quite interesting and definitely made me more curious about her early movies (none of which are available on Netflix or included in Prime... boo).
Even though I wasn't familiar with most of Streisand's work, I admire her worth ethic and passion. She also provided a lot of insight on what it's like being a female director and a director with acting experience.
Streisand has had a very impressive career and it's clear from this memoir that she's incredibly proud of everything she's worked on (as she should be!)
Audiobook Comments This is probably the longest audiobook I've ever listened to (48 hours!!) Somehow, Streisand made this audiobook feel shorter than it actually was. This is probably because she narrates the book in such a candid way that I was never bored. This audiobook also include many snippets of her songs as well, which made the listening experience more enjoyable.
I did find her narrating to be quite slow and had to listen to the audiobook at x1.75 and x1.85 speeds, while switching back to regular speed or x1.25 for the songs.
Reading Advice If I had to re-read/re-listen to this book again, I would probably take my time with it and take breaks in between to watch one of her movies or listen to one of her albums before she dives into it (each chapter usually marks the work that she'll discuss in detail).
This memoir primarily focused on two things: 1) Kerry Washington's experience as an actress, and 2) her grappling with the secret that her parents had kThis memoir primarily focused on two things: 1) Kerry Washington's experience as an actress, and 2) her grappling with the secret that her parents had kept from her for most of her life.
I thought the best parts of the memoir were the parts about Washington's foray into acting, and little behind-the-scenes tidbits about the various roles that she's played (although even more details would have been appreciated!)
The parts of the memoir where she dives into more personal stories and experiences lacked a certain level of introspection to really make the memoir stand out. The stories about Washington's personal life felt disjointed from the rest of the memoir and seems to have been included mainly as a 'shock factor' to make the book even more marketable than other celebrity memoirs. Given the lack of meaningful and vulnerable self-reflection, I think this memoir should have focused primarily on Washington's career instead (for example, like Bryan Cranston's memoir, Life in Parts).
Overall, reading this memoir felt like I skimmed through Washington's major life events without getting to know her better on a more personal and intimate level.
I listened to the audiobook at x1.4 speed.
_______________________ If you liked the following books, then you might enjoy Thicker Than Water or vice-versa:
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I'm not familiar with actress Minka Kelly but I'm a sucker for any kind of celebrity audiobook memoir so I decided to listen to this book.
This wa3.5/5
I'm not familiar with actress Minka Kelly but I'm a sucker for any kind of celebrity audiobook memoir so I decided to listen to this book.
This was a very introspective memoir that mainly focused on unpacking Kelly's childhood trauma and dysfunctional relationship with her mother who worked as a stripper, struggled with addiction, and bounced around from place to place as she tried to make ends meet. Because of this, Kelly went through a lot growing up but was somehow still able to pull herself out of her trauma-filled past to become a surgical nurse, and then a fairly successful actress. Her journey of healing and forgiving her mother was tough but it seems like she came through stronger than ever. Kudos to her.
I listened to the audiobook at x1.45 speed.
_____________________ If you liked the following books, then you might also like Tell Me Everything or vice-versa:
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The World Record Book of Racist Stories is a continuation of the first book (readers will probably want to read the first book before this one, as there are a number of references to the previous book) with more stories about the microaggressions that the authors' family have faced in Omaha.
I can't quite put a finger on why I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first one. I think it might be because this second book seemed to try much harder to be funny but the delivery just wasn't as good as the first book.
Audiobook Comments: Although I read a physical copy of the previous book, I knew the alternative POV and conversational tone would be great in audiobook format so I decided to listen to the audiobook version of this book. The audiobook narration was just as entertaining as I thought it'd be, complete with singing, laughter, and a very friendly and conversational tone. I listened to the audiobook at x1.15 speed, which still felt a bit fast - the talked really fast throughout the audiobook.
I didn't know who Paulina Porizkova was until she appeared on the Red Table Talk to promote this book. I really liked her personality and knew th3.5/5
I didn't know who Paulina Porizkova was until she appeared on the Red Table Talk to promote this book. I really liked her personality and knew that I would be interested in reading her book (particularly the audiobook).
I quite enjoyed the audiobook. I listened at x1.2 speed which seems closer to Porizkova's regular speaking speed. She shared really interesting stories about leaving communist Czechoslovakia for Sweden, her experience in the modeling industry (and the sexual harassment that would occur), and her seemingly amicable separation from her husband and rock star Ric Ocasek which was complicated by his untimely death.
I thought Paulina was a good storyteller. I really enjoyed listening to her stories via audiobook - it was like listening to a friend or family telling me their drama-filled life story in an engaging way and imparting some of their wisdom. ...more
January 1, 2024 This was the last book I finished in 2023 (finished listening to the audiobook an hour before the new year!)
This memoir was... not January 1, 2024 This was the last book I finished in 2023 (finished listening to the audiobook an hour before the new year!)
This memoir was... not what I expected. Marketed as a "no holds barred" memoir, I was expecting a deep, honest, heartfelt, introspective, and emotionally vulnerable memoir. There was none of that. Instead, we have a fairly dry account of Jada's early life peddling drugs (and trying to prove what a badass she is), her friendship with Tupac (and his apparent crush on her), her spiritual journey to enlightenment, and her marriage to Will Smith (where she complains that he doesn't understand her at all, which is why their relationship hasn't been working) along with having each chapter end with exercises and questions - because apparently readers are supposed to be motivated and inspired by her stories.
There is something about this memoir, and listening to the audiobook, that felt inauthentic to me. Maybe it's the fact that it comes off as being very preachy, with each story being tied to a life lesson for the self-help sections of the book. Or maybe it's all the meaningless name-dropping and attempts to justify her "entanglement" and her blatant disregard of Will Smith's feelings.
In any case, if I learned anything from this book, it's that Will Smith loves Jada more than she loves him and that he's trying to make things work while she's busy playing the victim and blaming him for her misery.
March 6, 2023 - Jada Pinkett Smith's, "no holds barred" memoir is set to be published sometime this fall (according to the Hollywood Reporter).
As someone who enjoys the Red Table Talk series, I think this is going to be a really interesting celebrity memoir and I'm very much looking forward to getting my hands on the audiobook once it becomes available.
I actually didn't know who Paul Newman was before reading this book.
Had I been familiar with Newman's work, this memoir, which was published pos3.5/5
I actually didn't know who Paul Newman was before reading this book.
Had I been familiar with Newman's work, this memoir, which was published posthumously, would have easily been a 4- or 5-star book.
This memoir is probably one of the most well-edited biographies I've read thus far. The editor did an impressive job of putting together interview transcripts in a way that didn't feel like we were reading/listening to interview transcripts but rather like we were hearing Newman's story the way he intended. This memoir also incorporates additional personal anecdotes from various people who have known and worked with Newman, which helps corroborate his stories and experiences.
This was a very introspective memoir as it goes into a lot of detail about Newman's personal life and struggles. I get the sense that Newman was very hard on himself and has spent a long time reflecting on his past, and doing his best to make up for his past by throwing himself into philanthropy later on in life and being a better husband and parent.
I found the afterword, by his daughter, particularly moving. It sounds like despite the dark parts of Newman's life, he still led a very fulfilling and rewarding life that's still celebrated and remembered by the many people who love him. ...more
I really only recognize Selma Blair from Legally Blonde and Hell Boy and was unfamiliar with her other works, drama with other celebs, and battle3.5/5
I really only recognize Selma Blair from Legally Blonde and Hell Boy and was unfamiliar with her other works, drama with other celebs, and battle with MS. [image]
This was a well-written memoir. Blair's childhood, her struggles with alcohol, her journey of becoming an actor, her imperfect relationship with her parents, health issues and MS diagnosis, and foray into parenthood were all fascinating
The narration was pretty slow (so I had to listen to the audiobook at x1.2 and x1.25 speeds) and there were too many moments when Blair's voice would crack with emotion and then quickly go back to normal (it was a bit overdone). ...more
This memoir focuses primarily on Britney's conservatorship (at a fairly high level). Although she does mention her December 5, 2023 - Review:
3.5/5
This memoir focuses primarily on Britney's conservatorship (at a fairly high level). Although she does mention her childhood and notable career moments, they were mentioned in passing.
As such, I felt like this book was premature - the trauma that Britney experienced and her journey of becoming free from conservatorship were all too recent for her to really be able to take a step back and reflect on everything that has happened. This is made evident by the fact that, aside from the brief introductory note, Britney did not narrate the audiobook herself (understandable, as she did not want to relive the painful memories) and by the fact that the memoir lacked depth and introspection.
With that being said though, I understand why Britney felt the need to publish a book. This is probably the best time for her to come out with her side of the story and to control the narrative, particularly since her family seems to have a lot to say and publish on the matter. The timing of the book is also great from a marketing perspective, especially while her recent freedom from conservatorship is still fresh on everyone's mind. I was just hoping for more personal and meaningful details and stories rather than just a surface level account of her experiences.
As far as memoirs go, this one lacked vulnerability and introspection, making it feel like I was reading a biography, not a memoir.
Britney Spears has been through so much. As she indicated in her Instagram reel, "I had a lot of therapy to get this book done, so you guys better like it!"
I'm definitely curious about this memoir and can't wait to read it. I also hope I won't have to wait too long for the audiobook version to come out, so that I can really listen to what she has to say.
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