Like so many others on bookstagram, I recently listened to I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy. I was actually not super familiar with McCurdy, as I was a little old for iCarly and Sam & Cat. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her act.

McCurdy has really been through it. She tells her story in a really interesting way, basically sharing the perspective she had at the time, without reflecting too much about how she feels about things now. The abuse she faced is shocking, and it is upsetting knowing how normal she thought things were. Kids are so vulnerable and trust their parents and adults, so she didn’t realize the extent of the abuse and exploitation she faced until she was much older. From the outside looking in, you’d assume that a Nickelodeon star would be living a charmed life, but in reality McCurdy was the main supporter of her family, under the extreme control of her abusive and manipulative mother. It’s wild to me that there wasn’t anyone else looking out for her.

This is a really great memoir, even if you haven’t seen shows starring McCurdy. I’m glad that she has been able to start working through some of the trauma from her past, and I think it was really brave of her to share this story with us. Highly recommend.