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I'm Glad My Mom Died (Export (Local Printing))
I'm Glad My Mom Died (Export (Local Printing)) | Jennette McCurdy
33 posts | 42 read | 6 to read
A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor--including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother--and how she retook control of her life. Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother's dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called "calorie restriction," eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, "Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn't tint hers?" She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income. In I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail--just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly, she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi ("Hi Gale!"), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants. Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I'm Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair.
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DebbieGrillo
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Pickpick

I chose this book because it was a short audiobook and available at the library while I was looking for something while I was waiting for my holds to come in. Compelling, huh? The title was off-putting and part of the reason I hadn't picked it up before now. Sorry mom! Also, memoirs/biographies usually aren't my thing. So, I'm shocked at how much I enjoyed Jenette's story. I was rooting and horrified for her the whole time.

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hedgehokey
Pickpick

As someone who grew up with iCarly this made me re-evaluate some of my childhood favorites. This was the first time I heard a detailed and first person honest account of having an eating disorder. That was eye opening and it was so sad how her mom had a part in that. Overall gripping story that talks about the extreme complexity of a daughter-mother relationship.

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Bookpearl
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@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you! Your kindness and generosity is truly appreciated and uplifting more than you know. I am on summer break and cannot wait to dive into this one as I‘ve heard it‘s a doozy.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks You‘re very welcome 🤗🩷 5mo
16 likes1 comment
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AudiobookingWithLeah
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Pickpick

5⭐Wow…I didn‘t know much about Jennette McCurdy before I started this and I was not her target audience when her show was a hit. I was completely there for the story she had to tell. It was quite good and surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. This girl‘s mother was something else…I didn‘t understand the book's title at first, but now, I sure do. Her narration was fantastic and she would actually make a terrific narrator for fiction books.

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MsLeah8417
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️

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MonicaLoves2Read
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Pickpick


Jennette McCurdy wrote this book about her struggles with an eating disorder. I can't imagine. This was a very sad book, because even after her mom died she still struggled with this. In fact, her struggle will never go away. Her mother wanted her to act and be star that she abused Jennette mentally. A very compelling story.

#bookspinbingo #nonfiction #memior

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ToniSwinehart6
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Pickpick

This book was incredibly sad. Her suffering was so unnecessary. Jennette's story is so painful and yet beautifully written. For her to be under 10 years old and beg to not be an actor and to be forced into it, sad. A mother who encouraged an eating disorder, I will never understand. I loved hating this book. I'm glad that she has learned to stand up for herself. 💔

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IamIamIam
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Pickpick

Wow, this was brutal all around!!! Looking at my 11 year old daughter, I can't think of anything but what this poor girl missed out on. I thought I had a narcissistic mother but clearly she was small time!

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ChaoticMissAdventures
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July Wrap-up!
Great reading month, lots of wonderful books came my way.

4.5⭐
Madame Restell
I'm Glad My Mom Died

4⭐
In The Absence of Men
Natural Beauty
Imogen, Obviously
The Collected Regrets Of Clover
Poverty by American
Forever Amber

3.5 ⭐
The Terrible
Black Flamingo
Parable of the Sower

3⭐
Burial Rites
It Takes Two to Tumble
To Be Taught If Fortunate
Big Swiss

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ChaoticMissAdventures
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Pickpick

"Sure my mom died, but at least I am not eating."

TW: ED, parental abuse

McCurdy's writing is just my style, a bit self deprecating, the humor is dry and often a tiny bit inappropriate. Her story is sad and horrifying but her delivery is not.
I feel bad for enjoying this as much as I did.

5feet.of.fury Agree whole heartedly 1y
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Kris10H
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Pickpick

Book #27
5/5
I have never watched a single thing McCurdy has acted in - at least that I can remember. I wanted to read her memoir because the title caught my attention, as did the 80s nature of the cover design.
McCurdy is a talented writer - something that she would have no doubt pursued earlier, had her mother not forced her into acting.

Kris10H Her life reads like a work of fiction, in that she had experienced many things that you often hear about child actors - specifically those with overbearing stage moms. I found this book engaging and insightful, and would absolutely recommend. 😊 1y
5feet.of.fury This was so heartbreaking and somehow also hilarious 1y
5 likes2 comments
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Soytoosaucy
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Mehso-so

I feel conflicted because I thought it was very interesting, but I also wanted to get over with reading it. Jennette is definitely brave for putting her story out there and I‘m proud she overcame all she was went through. I appreciate her story.

A quote I really liked, “I like that I‘m able to get myself on paper. It simplifies things for me. When everything‘s in my head, it feels chaotic and jumbled.”

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Soytoosaucy
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“I‘m off to Fantasyland.”
It‘s sad how reality can be so overwhelming and so painful, our mind adjusts to escaping and disassociates to get some relief.

Usually I post my favorite quotes throughout, but there hasn‘t been anything that stood out to me the whole time reading. Nonetheless an interesting read.
I‘m hoping to finish this book by this weekend!
🥸

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Soytoosaucy
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It‘s been 2 years, and I‘ve missed it here. These passed 2 years have been constant major changes in my life. Opening up Litsy again made me feel so nostalgic. The books. The words. It‘s poetry and art to me. It‘s my sanctuary here; getting back to my books. 🫶🏻✨💓

I hope everyone is having a relaxing night reading. 📖

Purpleness Welcome back! 1y
Soytoosaucy @Purpleness thank you! Happy to be back! 1y
Clwojick Welcome back! ❤️ 1y
See All 6 Comments
Yuki_Onna Omg! So happy you are back!!! 💞 1y
Soytoosaucy @Clwojick thank you❤️ 1y
Soytoosaucy @Yuki_Onna happy to hear from you! I hope you are doing well!! 💓 1y
8 likes6 comments
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tara_ashley
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Pickpick

I read this in two days. This book was absolutely heartbreaking but definitely kept my interest.

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booksandsympathy
Pickpick

The physical, mental, and emotional abuse from her narcissistic mom made this difficult to listen to at times. There were a couple of times when she got choked up a bit in the narration but I honestly don't know how she narrated her own trauma so well. Jeanette McCurdy writes well and her humor shines through at times. I'd be interested in reading fiction from her should she chose to write more.

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BBooks
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A book that will have you stare at a blank wall when you're finished 😶 I'm a little glad her mom died too.

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Erynecki
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Pickpick

I‘ve never seen iCarly and I knew nothing about McCurdy‘s acting career, but I found the storytelling about family, child actors, and eating disorders to be a compelling read. I can only imagine how hard it must have been to put so many of these experiences and emotions on the written page.

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TamTracy
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Pickpick

I‘m a little too old to be a fan of the shows she was in but I loved her story telling. I really enjoyed reading about her toxic mom, and the fact that she really had no idea until much later. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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authoramdeese
Pickpick

This was riveting. I didn't know what to expect with this book, I typically don't read auto- biographies but this was so interesting. The author's journey is incredible and poignant. I laughed out loud and cried just a bit too.

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LaraReads
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Pickpick

Of course with a daughter who is 18 now, iCarly was a staple in our house hold for many years. But this is not iCarly, and this is not Sam Puckett. This is Jennette McCurdy in all her pain & trauma & sadness, and it is a fantastic listen. Read by the author (loved hearing it in her voice), she delves in to her past full force. It is heartbreaking to see all that she went through in her early life, and still struggles with today. ⬇️⬇️

LaraReads All the pain that acting brought her, while bringing others such joy. Highly recommend! (And I‘m glad her mom died too)! #52bookclub23 #writteninpresenttense 2y
Cinfhen This was such an eye-opening listen. Great review 2y
See All 8 Comments
squirrelbrain Great review - such a good book, but heartbreaking. 2y
Librarybelle Great review! 2y
LaraReads @Cinfhen @squirrelbrain agreed completely-eye-opening & heartbreaking! It is unreal to me that a mother could cause so much pain! 2y
Cinfhen I feel so bad how clueless we the viewers were and also some eye rolls for Ariana Grande and Dan Schneider 🙄 2y
LaraReads @Cinfhen oh for sure! Just icks me out so much to think about him around all those young actors. 2y
34 likes8 comments
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NikkiCureton
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Pickpick

Very good. I listened to the audiobook, and it was somewhat disturbing but also deeply moving to hear this life story in Jeanette McCurdy‘s own voice.

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Clwojick
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Third completed square for #FourFoursin23! All of these were brilliant, except for His Large Pizza - that was trash! 😂 @Lauredhel

Lauredhel Ahahah the next book in the Chefs Gone Wild series is His Unholy Cannoli. Will be disappointed if you stop at pizza 2y
Clwojick @Lauredhel Ahahahahhaha Unholy Cannoli. 2y
37 likes2 comments
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K.Wielechowski
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Pickpick

Jenette McCurdy is an actress/writer/director best known for her time on Nickelodeon but this memoir was mostly about her relationship with her mom and how it affected her life.
McCurdy‘s mom was a toxic, manipulative, controlling woman who‘s undiagnosed mental illness and bouts with cancer turned McCurdy‘s childhood into a series of bulimia, ugly, auditions, anxiety, roles, pain, and codependency. Heartbreaking but so good.
Finished 10/10/2022

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MelKelsey
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Pickpick

Book 9

I listened to I'm Glad My Mom Died, a memoir read by the author. It's a well-written, engaging look into the complicated relationship McCurdy had with her mother. I was intrigued by McCurdy's Mormon upbringing. Overall, though, I don't feel the book lived up to its hype. 3.5

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Night_Reader
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Pickpick

4/5 🌟

Have never seen any of her shows but glad I read this honest and heartbreaking memoir. Couldn't imagine putting my daughter through anything that her mother put her through. That's some crazy and abusive stuff! Glad she's getting the help she needs.

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amberkeegan
Pickpick

5/5

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Night_Reader
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😂😂

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Clwojick
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I don‘t know why this list was so hard to make, but I honestly STRUGGLED! I have so many goals for January, and 2023 in general, so choosing ONLY 25 books was a proper chore. You‘re making me WORK @TheAromaofBooks 😅😂

TheAromaofBooks Life really is so hard sometimes 😂 2y
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BarkingMadRead
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Bklover
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Pickpick

I have such respect for Jennette MCCurdy. What a wonderfully honest memoir, most definitely worth reading. Loved it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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