(CW: childhood abuse by a parent, eating disorders, parent with undiagnosed NPD, extreme control issues, death from breast cancer)

Quite a few random things make me inexplicably sad and chief among them are child/teenage stars. Another strange thing I can't explain: from time to time prior to reading this book, I would catch myself wondering what happened to Jennette McCurdy.

Besides from the occasional out-of-context iCarly meme and a noteworthy appearance on The Eric Andre Show, I knew very little about McCurdy. I only watched Nickelodeon as a kid before switching to Disney Channel as a preteen, so I just missed the wildly successful iCarly right as it premiered. I only know the show in the vague context of memes, particularly about the network's infamously creepy creator/showrunner/director + his rather unsurprising abuse allegations, but still casually kept up to date on some of the show's stars. McCurdy pretty much vanished awhile after Sam & Cat, her iCarly spin-off, ended and up until a year or so ago, no one really knew why.

I'm Glad My Mom Died is incredible which, within the context of the subject matter, feels insensitive to say. But what makes this book incredible is the writing. Holy shit, let's take a moment to gush about McCurdy's writing style. Of all the autobiographies and books in general I've read, I have rarely come across writing so effortless, thoroughly-crafted and easy to read.

McCurdy highlights her devastating history in a captivating, darkly humorous way that's almost... comforting? to read. Sure, I 100% disassociated when she talked about how damaging her abusive mother was to her overall well-being (oh ho ho, I will discuss in a second), but I couldn't put this book down because of how well-written, honest and absorbing it is. There's humor at just the right times and a perfectly measured balance between light and dark in regards to tone. Fuck Hollywood - it's clear that writing is McCurdy's expertise, and I fully support her future literary career.

(A small aside: another bright spot in this book was McCurdy's wholesome friendship with Miranda Cosgrove. I always knew Cosgrove was an uncomplicated, genuinely kind person and I'm glad this book solidified my perception of her.)

Should I even talk about her Mom? Do I feel like spiking my blood pressure thinking about how absolutely despicable some people can be and how those people should never, ever be allowed to have children? *sigh* Alexa, set a two minute countdown, please.

The only thing worse than having a parent with an undiagnosed personality disorder is having a parent with undiagnosed narcissistic personality disorder whose sole mission is to live out her dreams through her daughter and whose erratic, bully personality destroys everyone's life in the process. On top of inflicting harrowing mental, emotional and physical trauma and robbing Jennette of a childhood and any autonomy, her Mom introduced her to something that would later haunt her every waking moment: calorie counting. Most Moms give their daughters training bras at 11 - Debra gave her daughter an eating disorder. Plus: insisting on showering with Jennette until she was 15, giving her breast and vaginal exams until she was 17, brazenly overstepping boundaries and throwing terrifying tantrums when she's denied what she wants, forcing Jennette into acting at a young age (a profession which only Debra was interested in), and seeing her daughter as nothing more than a cash cow and a cute little toy she can manipulate to her liking. This transcends complex family dynamics - this is a portrait of how deep sickness is misconstrued as a mother's love and the irreversible, unforgivable damage it causes.

This book is simultaneously heart-breaking, tragic, deeply dark and uplifting, brave and cathartic. Don't be put off by the book's title or subject matter - this is worth a read.

And hey, Jennette - for what it's worth, I'm glad your Mom's dead too.

Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster + NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Pub date: August 9, 2022

This really was one of the saddest memoirs I’ve read. I feel so bad for her. Her mother was so abusive and the effects of that in this woman’s life are so clear and long lasting.

I thought the book was structured well and felt very honest. Some memoirs give you the impression that they are explaining how things felt but through their eyes today and McCurdy really made you feel and understand how she felt in that moment.

She’s also very funny.

This memoir was so raw and real (and for me a little triggering and emotional) but powerful. I’m sure others have scoffed at the title but I loved it. I love this whole “story”. The way it’s written is brilliant and is a nice tactic to make it more “readable” as opposed to other styles people try with memoirs. It’s clear that acting isn’t all she is good at, because this is written very well. Kudos to Jennette for not only coming out with an amazing book, but also for the emotional toll writing it may have taken.

This is quite possibly my favorite memoir that I’ve ever read. It’s unique in the writing style. Rather than looking into the past and recounting what happened, it reads like a work of fiction with Jennette sharing what “is” happening as if she’s living through those moments of time. The tone shift from young Jennette to older Jennette is so impressive, she really digs into her young mind.

It’s cliche to describe a memoir as “raw and unflinching” but that’s exactly what this is. Sharing her mentality and struggle with eating disorders so openly was so impressive. Also, not many people like to talk about the reality both loving someone and being victimized by them at the same time. I feel grateful that Jennette McCurdy let the world hear this story. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing a digital copy for review

I'm Glad My Mom Died is a memoir by Jennette McCurdy. Jennette was Jones of the stars of the show iCarly. In things book, Jennette writes about her childhood and working as an actress. She suffered years of abuse by her mother. This was an amazing memoir the she died a fantastic job writing.

ARC releasing 8/9/22. Jennette, famous as Sam iCarly, chronicles her life thus far, diving into several eating disorders, heavy emotional abuse from her mom, and hatred of acting. This title has been stuck in my head since it was announced, so I knew I had to read it. She spares no details and is very dark but does have bits of humor. I was very pleasantly surprised, as I normally struggle with memoirs.

As a kid, I was a huge fan of Jennette McCurdy and ICarly, so I knew that I wanted to read this book when it was first announced. And it did not disappoint! McCurdy’s writing style is unique, emotional, and candid. It describes her life from childhood and the trauma that she's been through and what it’s truly like to be a child star. I was shocked at how heartbreaking her relationship with her mom was, but I hope that writing this book has helped her to grow and heal with many supporters across the globe. I felt close to her while reading, like I could really get what she was saying, and I don’t always feel that way with non-fiction books. I highly recommend this book - it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read and I hope the best for McCurdy in the future.

I'm sure like many other readers, what initially drew me to Jennette's book was her infamous role as Sam Puckett in iCarly. Within a chapter, however, it was clear that Jennette has incredible writing talents. Her memoir is heartbreaking, eye-opening, and appropriately humorous. Jennette writes not to expose and exploit the dysfunction in her family members, but to grapple with the abuse she experienced and how that influenced her mental health and career. This is a memoir of triumphant growth and overcoming seemingly impossible emotional circumstances. I am sure that this book will be an encouragement to anyone who grew up with an abusive parent or who struggled/is currently struggling with an eating disorder. I cheered along with Jennette on her steps to recovery, and I applaud her for the choices she's finally made for herself in this stage of her career. A wonderful first book from Jennette McCurdy!

The stars didn't really align when I was a kid for me to have been a fan of either of McCurdy's Nickelodeon shows, but I've had some vague awareness of her departure from acting and her speaking out about her childhood experiences. And with a title like this, I rightly assumed that being intimately familiar with McCurdy or her work was not a prerequisite. This memoir is as biting and compellingly honest as its title would suggest, to the point where she is unafraid to paint her mother as a virtually irredeemable figure, every depiction to the very conclusion seething with anger and resentment. The book is all written in present-tense, such that she's speaking from the perspective of her past selves, but her current perspective is made clear through the sarcasm and irony that drips past her childhood self's thoughts. Much of the book plays out like a trainwreck you can't look away from, particularly as the seeds of her trauma are being meticulously planted throughout her childhood. The whole book seems exceedingly personal, avoiding speaking too much about the broader industry or really much that exists outside of McCurdy's own head and personal affairs, which makes sense considering her disillusionment with the industry (well, I don't think she could have been disillusioned from something she was clearly never onboard with).

Even with a good bit of dry humor sprinkled in, this is an exceedingly sad read and it's hard to come away particularly hopeful, but I still hope all the best for McCurdy. I'm glad that she was able to share her story in this way, and she writes it well. The book is deeply compelling and her voice is distinct.

I was able to read this for free thanks to Net Galley, although that does not affect my opinion of the actual book. Growing up, I knew who Jennette McCurdy was. I watched her all the time through a television screen, and so, I was very excited when I learned that she was releasing her own memoir. I’ll admit, the title of this memoir is sad, however McCurdy has a reason for why she chose it and if you have followed her for long enough or have read the book, you’ll know why. Without spoiling too much, I do need to warn you that there can be some triggering things mentioned in this book (I.e. eating disorders, addiction, abuse), however that is also mentioned in the book’s description. I became invested in this book, felt my heart break at moments knowing that these are the things that McCurdy had to grow up living with in regards to her family, reading about “The Creator” of some Nickelodeon shows and how he treated people. If you are a fan of McCurdy, grew up watching her, or just want to learn about what it’s like growing up in the public eye, this memoir is for you. She did not hold back and she truly is meant to be a writer.

“Growing is wobbly and full of mistakes, especially as a teenager-mistakes that you certainly don't want to make in the public eye, let alone be known for the rest of your life.”

In general, memoirs/nonfiction books aren’t that interesting to me. However, younger me was a huge Jennette McCurdy fan, so I had to get my hands on a ARC. Once I started reading, I flew through it in one sitting. Though it’s hard to rate a book about someone’s trauma and abuse, I think this is a really important and well written memoir. I know I will be thinking about it for a long time to come, especially the ending. I’m so glad Jennette was able to gain some agency over of her own life. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

I am not typically one for non-fiction, but this book had me captivated immediately. Jennette’s story is heartbreaking, but also showcases the story of a child star who overcame so much despite the statistics that surround those who traveled a similar path. The entire memoir is so heavy, but also adds in some levity here and there. Learning more about her upbringing as well as her career in Hollywood has made me have even more respect and admiration for her. Not because of what she’s accomplished in Hollywood, but more because of what she’s accomplished in terms of personal growth.

So, this was a surprise. McCurdy can really write. The voice is incredible.

I expected a tell-all kind of autobiography, maybe ghostwritten, but this is straight-up a memoir that moved readers through the page like how you move through flashes of memory. Seriously one of the best nonfiction books I've read in years.

So candid, open, honest, raw - McCurdy holds nothing back, which can be scary. I feel like I actually know and understand her. Lovely.
Thanks, Netgalley for an ARC of this book.

I agree with the title.

What an awful mother Jennette had to deal with, even after her death. From forcing her into an acting career that her daughter didn't want to not letting her wash her own hair to introducing her to an eating disorder (as a little kid even!)...just everything is awful. I'm glad Jennette wrote this, because hopefully this has helped her own recovery from all her trauma and fans of hers should feel privileged over how forthcoming she is, when she certainly didn't need to be for anyone else's sake.

On a side note, The Creator is a garbage human being (we obviously know who he is) and Nickelodeon is gross for trying to pay her hush money.