It's been a few years since Jill Duggar broke away from the family fold, but only recently did she truly start opening up about the harmful environment she grew up in under the Institute in Basic Life Principles while being raised by parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar.
Earlier this year, she didn't hold back when she sat down to film the Amazon Prime docuseries Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, and it quickly became obvious that she had so much more to say. Jill's tell-all memoir, Counting the Cost, will be in stores in September, and we have a feeling the world isn't ready for all the tea she's about to spill on what it was really like growing up in the Duggar family.
But while we wait for Jill's book to finally hit shelves, here's everything we know about Counting the Cost so far.
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The Release Date Was Moved Up
Jill's book announcement came around the same time as the docuseries, and at the time, it was to be released in January 2024. But apparently, the demand for the book was so high that the publisher moved it up a few months, and it's now set to release September 12.
"Due to y’all’s overwhelming support and interest in our story, we’ve been able to pull some strings and now the book is coming out four months earlier than initially expected!" Jill shared in an Instagram post.
She Wrote It With Derick's Help
This isn't just Jill telling her story — it's Derick's story, too. And as she's made it clear to fans, no, she does not think that he is stealing her spotlight by being involved.
"Without him (@derickdillard) my story would be very different," Jill told a fan in an Instagram comment, via The Hollywood Gossip. He’s my biggest support. It’s about our journey together as a couple."
It's Going To Tackle Her Childhood on TV
According to the book's description from her publisher, Simon & Schuster, this book will be pretty jarring for Duggar fans. Jill and Derick will tell all about "the secrets, manipulation, and intimidation behind the show that remained hidden from their fans."
Yeah, this is going to be good.
The Cover Was Shot in Her House
By looking at the cover of the book, we would have assumed that Jill and Derick took part in a shoot at a studio … but no, the cover for their book was actually shot in their house, thanks to a little creativity. Talk about accommodating a busy mama!
It Was an 'Emotional Journey'
Jill has been open about the fact that writing this book hasn't been easy for her. In one Instagram post, she wrote, "Things got real when I printed off the manuscript for my book, #countingthecost … it was now one step closer to being out there. I cried and prayed over it. It’s been an emotional journey and one that wasn’t easy for me to write about."
She Recorded the Audiobook Herself
If you download the audiobook of Counting the Cost, you'll hear Jill's voice reading it to you! Recently, she shared some photos from the studio where she recorded the book, thanking those who had helped her make it happen (especially the people who were able to care for her sons, Israel, Samuel, and Freddy, while she was gone).
She Shared Behind-the-Scenes Video of Her Audiobook Recording
In a later post, Jill shared video footage of what it was like to record her audiobook. She described what it was like bringing her youngest child, Freddy, with her into the recording studio, and the process took a week. She made it look easy, though.
Not Everyone Is Excited for It
Although Duggar fans and critics alike are looking forward to finding out what Jill's side of the story is, some of the family's devotees aren't interested, and Jill has even been accused of "selling out" her parents. In fact, some people have even suggested that she's "throwing them under the bus" because of her negative childhood memories.
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She's Not Holding Back
According to what sources close to the situation told OK! Magazine, Jill is not planning on holding back in this book.
"Jill continues to criticize her parents all the time both publicly and privately," the insider said. "Jill feels like she needs to do this for her own healing. She wants the truth out."
This Was a Long Time Coming
A tell-all book has been in the works for a long time for Jill and Derick. In fact, going back as far as 2019, Derick confirmed that he was working on an outline for a book about his in-laws while talking to fans on Twitter, though it's not clear if Jill was part of the project at that point.
Her Siblings May Not Be on Board
Jill's siblings haven't shown much public support for her book since she announced it, and one of them seems to be actively against it: younger brother Jed. He was caught liking comments people left on Jill's Instagram post about her book, criticizing her for the choice to write about her family. Hmmm …
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It's Already Selling Well
The book is not even out in stores yet, but according to what a source told journalist Yashar Ali, thousands of people were preordering Jill's book shortly after it was announced, which is a great indicator of its success. She could end up with a bestseller!
It Will Probably Be Juicier Than Jinger's Book
Even though Jinger did drop a few bombshells in her memoir, Becoming Free Indeed, which was released in January, her book was relatively tame. We have a feeling that Jill's is going to be much different, though, and we cannot wait to read it when it's in stores this September.
