I'm Glad My Mom Died

Bookseller recommendation

“This book is laid out in two parts, before and after the death of the author's mother, and each chapter is a short story. The material tends to be on the darker side, but McCurdy does an excellent job of balancing her vulnerability with humor, while giving the listener a clear vision of what she was going through. I am so glad I chose to read this via audiobook as the author's deadpan tone really elevated the story! ”

— Kelli • The Novel Narwhal

Bookseller recommendation

“This book shines a light on the trauma involved with the child star industry, compelling form start to finish. Made me very thankful for my Mum.”

— Georgie • Devonport Bookshop

Bookseller recommendation

“A Nickelodeon child star, Jennette McCurdy was raised by a mother desperate to live out her show-business dreams through her daughter. That pressure to succeed--and to please her mother--sent McCurdy into a downward spiral of eating disorders, drug addiction, and destructive relationships from which she is only beginning to recover....Most of the time I listen to audiobooks at one-and-a-quarter speed because it feels like the reader is just plodding along, but McCurdy's memoir is paced and performed wonderfully. McCurdy shares her own difficult truths with a voice that is strong without being strident, vulnerable without becoming maudlin, and with a few achingly beautiful moments when her voice betrays sorrows not yet healed. Jennette McCurdy's story would be engaging on the page, but it is exceptional in your ears.”

— Adam • Prairie Lights Books

Bookseller recommendation

“Wonderful read that draws you in with its intensity. While a lot of the content is heavy, there's an unflinching honesty about this memoir that is resounding and deeply touching. Not for the faint of heart (TW: eating disorders, child abuse, religious trauma)”

— Jayme • Second Flight Books

Bookseller recommendation

“Woah! There is so much to unpack here. I put on the audiobook and finished it in two days because I just couldn't stop listening. I didn't grow up watching iCarly—coincidentally because I grew up Mormon—but Jennette McCurdy's memoir will strike a chord (many chords) with anyone who reads it. We could all do with a little more understanding on what it's like to be a child star, to have an abusive mother, to experience religious trauma, and to live with eating disorders and addiction. McCurdy tackles these subjects with the sensitivity of someone who understands while also being frank about how these experiences have affected and continue to affect her life. (And, if anyone is wondering, yes. That is how most Mormons think of the Holy Ghost.)”

— Kvothe • Rediscovered Books

Bookseller recommendation

“Equal parts hilarious and devastating, Jennette McCurdy reviews her acting career with stark clarity, irony to fill your soul, and a presence of control over the uncontrollable. I'm Glad My Mom Died reflects on undiagnosed narcissism with a mother forcing her child to live out her mother's dreams as a childhood actor. The dichotomy of gratefulness and criticism take center stage in this beautiful memoir read by the author with honesty, pain, and a performance that will resonate with you for months to come. Please listen to this.”

— Nick • Cream & Amber

Bookseller recommendation

“This is such a heavy and wonderful story. A rollercoaster of emotions with a light at the end of a very long and windy tunnel. Jennette McCurdy is such a strong woman, and even without knowing her personally, her story has made me so proud of who she has become and how far she has gotten. Very personal stories that are quite tragic, to super silly and comedic stories that'll probably have you laughing out loud. You will not regret this listen! ”

— Andie • Vroman's Bookstore

Bookseller recommendation

“More raw than simply reading her written words. ”

— Jane • Maria's Bookshop

Bookseller recommendation

“From the eyes and experiences of a child-actress, Jennette McCurdy recounts her life with a heavy focus on how her mother developed, impacted, and controlled it. It’s a fascinating and heavy read, and the lasting effect it leaves will make you really think about how you view celebrities. They are just as human as everyone else and the lasting thought this book leaves is: 'I wish her the best'. ”

— Makayla • Tattered Cover

Bookseller recommendation

“I genuinely enjoyed this book, though it wasn't an easy read. The writing was superb, and the infusion of humor into a challenging narrative added a poignant layer. My heart goes out to Jeanette, and while her story is difficult, it provides a profound understanding of her journey and personal evolution. Despite the heaviness, I found the book to be a rewarding experience, and I wholeheartedly recommend giving it a read.”

— Alycia • Books on Main

Bookseller recommendation

“This book will have you laughing and cringing in the same breath. It's always so powerful to hear a memoir told in the voice of the author and this does not disappoint. For those who had complicated relationships with their parents or anyone who wants a behind the scenes look at the traumas that can come with being a child star. You won't be able to stop listening to this book!”

— Andrea • Left Bank Books

Bookseller recommendation

“There is something about listening to a memoir narrated by the person who wrote it that makes one’s experience feel complete. McCurdy’s writing 'voice' and actual one give dry humor and a low folksy charm while describing truly harrowing abuses from her mother. She doesn’t hold anything back whether it’s her time on set on iCarly to her first sexual experience to the description of her vomit after a binge and purge. If you wanted a fun celebrity tell-all…this ain’t it. This is a survivor’s story.”

— Lissa • Book Club Bar