Tag Archives: I’m glad my mom died

Beth’s Favorite Books of 2024!!!

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I read a lot of good books this year. Like many of us, books were a much-needed respite from all the things going on in the world. So, I am forever grateful to all the authors who created the amazing worlds I visited this year.

In no particular order. Here are the books that I loved the most in 2024!

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang – This was such an excellent book. It was a tough read, I am not going to lie because I saw a little bit more of myself in the main character than I would care to admit but that’s a good thing. It’s good to be uncomfortable from time to time because that’s how you learn and ultimately grow. So yes, read this book. Especially if you are a liberally leaning white woman.

What the River Knows and Where the Library Hides by Isabel Ibanez – These were a fun series. It really is a mix of The Mummy (1999 version) and Death of the Nile. I loved the dynamic between the main character and her love interest. It was a mix of adventure, romance and mystery. What the River Knows was so much fun, I had to immediately read the sequel Where the Library Hides. It just hit all the right notes for me.

Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan – What if you could become a character in your favorite story? Sounds like fun, right? It is, at least to me. Rae may disagree as to where she ends up at the end of the book, but it is so much fun. A lot of humor and all the fantasy tropes that readers expect. I can’t wait for the sequel to come out.

Assistant to the Villain and Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer – Both of these books were so funny. I think I picked this up on a whim because it sounded interesting, and I am so glad that I did. It is just the right kind of humor I like. It is so ridiculous I love it.

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy – The only non-fiction title on my list. Okay, it might have been the only non-fiction book I read this year, but I digress. Jennette’s story is heartbreaking because so much of the pain in her life was caused by her mother. How she handling it all now is admirable. I only wish the best for her.

The Familiar – Leigh Bardugo – Magic, mystery, betrayal. It is all here. I loved the atmosphere of the story. Leigh Bardugo is such a great writer. She paints such great portraits in her books. If you are looking for a standalone fantasy novel, You can’t go wrong with this one.

Spoiler Alert, All the Feels and Ship wrecked by Olivia Dade – I love them all. The Spoiler Alert trilogy follows three different couples from a TV show. All of them are relatable and easy to cheer for. I also love the fan fiction part of the stories.

Starter Villain by John Scalzi – Another hilarious book. I have never read John Scalzi before but I might have to after this. The absurdity of the books is amazing. Like I need this to be a movie or TV show because it would be awesome.

A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan – I was introduced to Sophie Jordan from her first dragon books, so I was happy she’s back to writing dragons. There are some similarities to the last series, but I am not mad about it. It was a very fast read, and I didn’t want it to end. It’s a good thing the sequel is coming out next year.

Those were my favorite books of this year. After going through my list, I see a theme of comedic books. I obviously needed the laughs, and I am probably going to need the laughs next year. What were your favorite books of this year?

Review: I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy (read by the author)

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I vaguely knew who Jennette McCurdy was thanks to years of stocking magazine’s working for B&N. I knew she was on some Nickelodeon show but I was passed the Nickelodeon phrase in my life. I have nothing but good things about her memoir but the more I learned about her life, I wasn’t sure I wanted to read it. I decided to to listen to the audio book. I find listening to memoirs more enjoyable. Listening to her story was rage inducing. I knew that her mother was abusive from the press tour and as an adult who knows the signs of abuse I could see it but Jennette as a child who obviously in love her mother, did not see it that way. She didn’t know any better because for her this was just how things were. Knowing what we now know went on behind the scenes of Nickelodeon shows at the time, I couldn’t help to be angry. All the adults in her life and not a single one of them stepped in to help her. She spiraled out of control but because she was making a lot of people money, they just let her spiral. Infuriating I am happy that she is now in a better place and can see what her mother did and was and find support that she needs to be healthy. To step away from acting, even though it was never what she wanted to do in the first place, takes a strong person. It may not have been we career of choice but it made her a lot of money and leaving acting meant leaving a lot of money on the table. I do appreciate Jennette’s matter of fact way of telling her story. She doesn’t try to paint rosy pictures of her childhood, eating disorders or alcoholism. She talked about all of it in plain terms. She didn’t apologize for how she coped with things or try to excuse her behavior nor did she ever our right made her mom the villain. She told her story Told her truth and has moved on Very healthy of her.