Jayden Said I Wouldn't Be a Doctor: Novelistic Nonfiction

by Sarabelle Soh

She thought she had her story figured out —
college at fifteen, a circle of like-minded friends in university, a career that would bring pride and prestige to her family. Every chapter of her life seemed perfectly planned — until the story strayed from the map she’d drawn.

Then came the unwritten pages.

The moments when the fairy-tale ending she’d imagined took an unexpected path.
When losing direction in university became the start of finding herself — of standing still long enough to finally hear her own voice again, and learning that silence isn’t the same as peace.
Once, she was the passive girl who endured — the Cinderella who kept her head down and her feelings hidden.
Now, she’s becoming more like Ariel — daring to speak, even when her voice trembles, even when it costs her comfort.

Honest, tender, and quietly defiant, Jayden Said I Wouldn’t Be a Doctor is a coming-of-age memoir for every girl who was taught to be good before she was taught to be brave.
Because growing up, it turns out, isn’t about finding a prince — it’s about finding yourself.

183 pages, Paperback

Published October 31, 2025

Reviews

[Layli Chee · Rating 5 out of 5]

・❥・"𝙽𝚘𝚠 𝙸 𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚔. 𝙸 𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚎𝚏𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚢 𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕 𝙸 𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 - 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚞𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚊 𝚟𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚞𝚎." ・❥・

A rarity — me reading and enjoying a memoir — but here we are. First of all, thank you to the amazing Sara Belle for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review. Ah, now comes the hard part: the honest review.

I have to say, the cover… is adorable, by the way. Axolotl tu omey angat! Very cozy, very cutesy!

Fair enough, the title is pretty much an open invitation for a memoir to unfold. Not gonna lie, it made me curious too. Hmm… it definitely had my interest piqued. And when I started reading it — I have to say — writing-wise, it’s really easy to understand. Smooth je. It didn’t feel suffocating while reading, you get what I mean? I enjoyed it. I understood everything. It felt close to my heart because I relate to it — the sense of not knowing what to do, who you are, why this is happening. So many questions, so few answers, and you’re left on your own to figure it out. Luckily, a mother is there to help <3 That tugged at my heartstrings. I just love supportive parental figures.

I loved, loved, loved the media insertions in this book — Disney Princesses! As a princess (self-claim) myself, it made me smile. It wasn’t just cute references thrown in for aesthetics; it actually meant something. Growing up with Disney Princesses, you’re taught that dreams aren’t silly, that wanting more doesn’t make you ungrateful, and that courage doesn’t always look loud — sometimes it’s quiet, stubborn hope.

Each princess has her own struggle. Some leave home. Some fight expectations. Some feel out of place. Some lose everything before they find themselves again. And somehow, that parallels the whole memoir so well. The reminder that you can feel lost, confused, uncertain — and still be worthy of your own happy ending.

It shows that you shouldn’t be afraid to dream big, take a leap of faith, believe, have courage, and never give up. Because even princesses doubt themselves sometimes. They just keep going anyway. And honestly? That hit.

This book is for the lost souls trying to seek validation in a world filled with picture-perfect-minded people — but who will soon realize that that is bullsh— you know what’s best for you. And screw anyone who tells you how to live your life.

[Tashakilaa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book made me reminisce about my good and bad days dari zaman sekolah dulu sampai la where i am in my career now. Macam time travel pula. Buku ni berkonsepkan memoir. I feel like this book is quite close to us, and in many ways, we’ve gone through some of the same things as the main characters.

[Alia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jayden was absolutely right—but she became someone even better.

This is my first nonfiction read of the year, yeayy! 

First of all, let me say that I love your mother! Best mother on the planet (after my mama, of course!).

I really loved the writing style. It’s so easy to read, yet beautifully written. I especially liked how the author used Disney princess metaphors throughout the story. Reading this somehow woke up memories of my own past. Everything was different, yet the feelings felt strangely mutual, like we somehow shared something similar.

I would especially encourage young people to pick up this book:
– those waiting for their SPM results
– those who need the courage to stand up for themselves
– those who are afraid of trying new things
– those who feel insecure
– those who feel like their life is a bit kosong

Maybe we all need a story like this once in a while—to remind us that our path is still ours to choose.

[Ailén Herrera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Antes que nada, debo mencionar lo identificada que me sentí con la protagonista, por su fascinación por los mundos fantásticos atrapados en las páginas de un libro o en la pantalla de un televisor, y por sus sueños, a veces locos, de pertenecer a esos mundos y no a este. Anhelar vivir cuentos de hadas y no estar atada a situaciones y empleos mundanos. Y los títulos que menciona son los que más han resonado en mí, debido a mi propia adoración por ellos.

Cuando relata sus nulas pasiones realistas o la experiencia de un vacío interior, es como leer "mi diario íntimo", si hubiera escrito uno.

Sobre todo, resonó en mí cuando pudo encontrar aquello que le salía tan natural como respirar: en su caso, la anatomía humana. Ese tipo de encuentro con tu propósito de vida no es fácil de hallar.

Y al final, esta historia es lo que es: "Un diario íntimo". O al menos, así es como yo la interpreté. La protagonista narra sus experiencias de vida, sus sueños, sus metas, cada dato que contiene su mente y cómo lo procesa con sus elocuentes asociaciones, las inseguridades que siempre aparecen, los miedos que la oprimen, sus defectos y los obstáculos que debe superar en cada oportunidad.

Y como todo la llevó a Jayden, un compañero de clases al que no le caía bien y quien fue el primero en decir que fallaría en cumplir su sueño. Y cómo eso se convirtió en un reto: mostrarle que se equivocaba.

Reto del que, después de varios párrafos, se despidió. Estudiar medicina cuesta mucho, sobre todo para una joven sin padre y para una familia con pocos recursos. Al final, parecía que Jayden tenía razón.

Ese tipo de vivencias las pasamos todos: no poder alcanzar un sueño. Ese sueño. Por eso es tan fácil conectar con la historia. Una historia cortita que fue un placer leer.

[Gabriella · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, I really liked how real this book felt. It didn’t feel like one of those “everything magically works out and everyone is nice” stories, and I appreciated that a lot.
What I loved most was watching the author slowly accept her true self. She stopped trying so hard to live up to other people’s expectations and became braver, step by step. The studying, the self-doubt, the pressure, the constant talking to herself… it all felt so human. I kept thinking, yeah, I’ve felt this too.
I also really liked how honest she was. Writing all your personal thoughts and feelings and putting them out there like that is not easy at all. At the start, it felt like I was just getting to know her, then as I kept reading, it went deeper and deeper. By the time I reached the last two chapters, I was actually really moved. I could really feel her through the words. The part about the “mirror, mirror on the wall” quote was my favorite. it really stayed in my head.
The only downside is that sometimes the author talks a bit too long about the same topic, and I did feel it dragging a little. But honestly, it didn’t bother me that much, because overall the book still felt sincere and comforting.

[Eric Ng · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very honest and heartfelt memoir of a young person finding her feet in life. We all face expectations in life, and it is how we face these challenges that defines us. We all will meet our own versions of Mr Ivan and Mr Thomas along our journey, and it is comforting to read that the author establishes such encounters as character-building moments.

A very encouraging read for young readers facing the same challenges in their lives and the same expectations of becoming a doctor, engineer, lawyer, etc. Finding one's true path, finding love, and finding oneself can be a confusing and frustrating journey; this book helps to encourage readers to be true to themselves. Very encouraging read. Written with a level of maturity and honesty, laced with love.

[Carol · Rating 1 out of 5]

A huge let down, reeked like it was written by ChatGPT. Book was hard to read I was so close to making this one a DNF. Everything was overly flowery and detailed without purpose. Proses felt hollow and lacked human depth. All in all, the entire book had the phasings of how ChatGPT writes: stylistic structures riddled with endless em dashes throughout the whole book. While this isn't an indication of AI, I have never seen a book with so many. I highly feel the traces of AI being used to write this book because the paragraphs do not flow well and nothing in it felt human at all. If the author uses AI, this should be properly disclosed. And if AI was used in this book, then shame on the author.

[Ji Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book easily deserves five stars. I found myself relating deeply to the author, especially when she described how her dreams, and even her appearance didn't fit the expectations set by her family and those around her. That feeling of constantly owing people an explanation for her choices really resonated with me. This book is genuinely motivational and has inspired me to be braver and to start seeking my own true passions in life. I truly enjoyed reading it.

[あき · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was reading this book, it reminded me a little of I Want to Die But I Want to Eat Tteokbokki. Both the authors are so candid in sharing their personal experiences and I really respect them for that. I loved Belle’s writing style and how she used different metaphors to describe situations. It was a good read, though it may not be my favourite read.

[Cho · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book because a friend recommended it, and honestly, I just thought the cover looked cute, and the blurb was interesting enough, so I gave it a shot. But wow! It totally exceeded my expectations. I'm not even a big fan of Mulan or Disney stuff, but the way the author mixed fairy tales into real life really amazed me. I ended up loving it way more than I thought I would.

I also resonated with what she wrote about friendships changing over time and feeling undervalued by others when she clearly deserved more. The last chapter was definitely my favorite. It’s raw and emotional, and I felt really touched reading about the things she went through, about the sting of being seen yet unseen, and couldn’t tell whether the spoken or unspoken words hurt more, and especially when she said “no more mirror mirror on the wall, asking who’s the fairest of them all,” I could almost feel her.

I'm really glad I gave it a try, it even inspired my New Year’s resolution after finishing it. Such a heartfelt and beautifully written book. Thumbs up.