Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

3333 reviews

kissable's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

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This book is a must read for anyone and a must listen on audio. Jeanette Mcurdy is a beautiful writer and an amazing voice actor. Jeanette's book is emotional and funny she writes people very well and makes you feel. This is my top books of all time

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Vomit

aze_nario's review against another edition

4.5

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

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I knew nothing about Jenette McCurdy before starting this memoir, except that she was an actress on ICarly and that she refused to appear in the reboot because of trauma.
And well, I quite understand why.

I listen to the audiobook, narrated by the author and I think it added something to the read. I don't know what exactly though.

It's hard to put my thoughts in order, but I think this book is one that needs to be read by everyone. 
The way Jenette McCurdy describes her childhood, taking care of her mom, and all of her family too, felt way too realist. The struggle with her mother and the way she wants what's best for her (but who's her? The daughter or the mother?), forcing Jenette to give up her childhood for something she didn't really want. It kind of broke my heart for the young girl she was.
And then, the Hollywood part. How hard it was to reach being a principal actor and keeping it while trying to be understood and heard. The toxicity of the milieu and everyone (or almost everyone) in it.

Yes, Jenette McCurdy writes about her experiences in an almost innocent voice, and we see her grow through the roles and experiences and persons she works with.
And now I'm just happy for her, that she stopped acting, that she found a way to do what she likes, that she finally can live the (more or less) quiet life she's been aspiring to for a long time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Eating disorder

Moderate: Body shaming, Child abuse, Emotional abuse

Minor: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Vomit

boliv3's review against another edition

3.25

dark emotional reflective medium-paced

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very sad. author is definitely finding her voice, writing voice is developing. has potential. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Eating disorder

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault

hanza1234's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad fast-paced

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A gripping, fast-paced journey through the dark world of disordered eating, loving and acting. Very emotional as the reader knows what she tells us naeively as her child self isn't 'okay' and the excuses her Mother spouts are sick in many ways. Positive resolution, not in the 'and they all lived happily ever after' kind of way but more in a 'dragging yourself out through the mud of the trenches' via multiple tries at therapy and self-actualisation kind of way.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, Alcohol

alegzac's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Gaslighting

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol

Minor: Fatphobia, Infidelity, Schizophrenia/Psychosis

jmkalvarez's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

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I don't listen to audiobooks very often. But there's something about an autobiography read by the author that adds another layer of depth to the written words. Jennette McCurdy's dry, sardonic, matter-of-fact narration goes hand-in-hand with the casual and straightforward way she tells her story. Yet the emotion that breaks through during pivotal moments, realizing and coming to terms with the difficulties she faced, is audible in her voice.

When she recalls the moments after being told for the first time that what she experienced from her mother was abuse, she sound almost like she's fighting back tears, which make the gravity of that moment that much more impactful.

The story is told in very short vignettes, key moments in her life that stand out as memorable or impactful for one reason or another. You could easily take it a little bit at a time, and the content is heavy so breaks may be necessary to process it. But Jennette's style of narration kept me coming back, kept me listening for more. It's horrifying what she's been through, but it's incredible that she was able to come out on top and share her story. She definitely has a talent for writing, and for narration, and I truly hope to see more written work from her in the future.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Death of parent

Moderate: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment

freemakd's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol

Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Blood, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis

katapedraza's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

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Este libro no se lee: se atraviesa. Este libro es un testimonio crudo sobre el abuso, pero también es un recorrido por algo que me interpela profundamente: el autoconocimiento. 

La conocí como una actriz famosa en Nickelodeon, pero aquí, Jennette McCurdy nos entrega una memoria profundamente dolorosa y valiente, donde la infancia no es un espacio de ternura, sino de sobrevivencia. Abre una herida sin anestesia: la de una infancia marcada por la culpa, la manipulación y la violencia disfrazada de amor materno. Desde los abusos físicos y emocionales de su madre hasta el silenciamiento sistemático de sus necesidades, Jennette construye una narrativa sin adornos, que muestra cómo una niña fue empujada a la fama, manipulada, y obligada a reprimir su identidad para satisfacer los deseos de una madre narcisista. Como ella misma lo dice: “Mi mamá abusó emocional, mental y básicamente de mí de maneras que me impactarán para siempre”. 

La maternidad, la fama, la niñez, la salud mental, la espiritualidad y hasta el amor aparecen entrelazados con un mismo dolor de fondo. Me impactó cómo todo está cruzado por la manipulación. Jennette fue manipulada toda su vida, y por eso también aprendió a manipular.

Pero no todo es oscuridad. El libro también muestra que hay posibilidad de curación, aunque no sea lineal ni inmediata. No se trata de hacerlo perfecto, sino de reconocerse en el camino. Porque ese es el trabajo: reconocerse en medio del caos, del pasado, de los vínculos rotos, de tener ese deseo hondo de entenderse, de dejar de cargar culpas que no son propios, de romper patrones aprendidos en la infancia. La Jennette del final no es una versión pulida ni resultado de sí mismo. Es una mujer que sigue llorando a la madre que la dañó, y que aún así puede decir “esto fue abuso” sin justificarse. Que se permite sentir contradicción y avanzar. Que decide dejar de sostener un modelo de éxito que no era suyo.

Es una relación que golpea y conmueve, y que obliga a cuestionar las dinámicas familiares idealizadas. El título, tan fuerte como necesario, no es una provocación gratuita, sino la declaración honesta de alguien que sobrevivió al abuso. Un libro que duele, pero que también libera. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Death of parent

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Death of parent

lindseyallyce's review against another edition

dark hopeful informative reflective sad fast-paced

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I don’t like to rate memoirs. It feels strange to put a rating on someone’s life story. This is a well written, well read telling of a child actor who has been abused by her mother and, to a degree, the entertainment industry. It’s a heartbreaking and hopeful account of recovery and healing work from  abuse and addiction. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Death of parent, Alcohol

krisbartos's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Alcohol