Kendyll Cobb, SJRState student on the St. Augustine campus, is this week's guest blogger. Here is a little bit about Kendyll! If you want, please feel free to leave a comment at the end of her blog. And don't forget to subscribe, so you don't miss out on the weekly book blog!
- Genres I like to read: Fiction, Non-Fiction
- Favorite books: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, The Perks of Being a Wallflower
- Least favorite books: I love all books.
- Authors I enjoy: Kathryn Glasgow
- Where, how, and why I like to read: I love to read physical books outside! I like reading, because it takes my mind off real-world things.
I’m excited to write for SJRState’s book blog! Today’s blog is about a recent read of mine called I'm Glad my Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy. Growing up watching Jennette on “ICarly” and then discovering the horrors she hid so well was an eye-opening experience. I was recommended this book by Brenda Hoffman due to my own complex relationship with my mom; seeing someone else go from suffering in silence to healing and enjoying life was comforting in a way.
Jennette was a middle to lower class girl living with her mom, Dad, three brothers, Grandma and Grandpa. Her mom was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer when Jennette was young, but her passing didn't happen until much later in Jennette's life.
Jennette never wanted to be an actress; it was her mom’s dream to be an actress, but she never had the chance. She projected her dreams of showbiz onto Jennette. During Jennette's childhood, her mom inflicted many forms of physical and psychological abuse, from intense dieting to showering with her older brother when they were teens. Throughout the memoir, we see how Jennette deals with the abuse and the aftermath of it. She reveals an eating disorder, substance abuse, and toxic relationships, most of which lead back to the root cause: her mother.
This book evoked lots of emotions for me: it's funny as well as gut wrenching. McCurdy’s sad story made me feel new emotions along with familiar ones. I have had numerous people throughout my life say that I reminded them of Jennette's character, Sam, from “ICarly,” who's characterized by her funny, aggressive, personality. After reading this book, I find I see myself more in Jennette, while others see the front both she and I put up as Sam. McCurdy’s memoir not only changed my perspective of the glamour of Hollywood, but more importantly it shined a light on the fact that people's lives are full of invisible struggles that, thankfully, they can overcome through admitting there’s a problem, guidance from trusted friends and family, and therapy.
Good news! I'm Glad My Mom Died is available to borrow from St. Johns River State College Library and on our LIBBY App. If you haven't downloaded LIBBY yet, come into the library and the staff at the circulation desk will guide you through the process.
