I have recently started getting into audiobooks, particularly celebrity memoirs narrated by the author, so I’m trying out a new format to share audiobook reviews! I’m going through them so quickly that I’ve decided to do monthly mini-reviews instead of longer reviews of each book. Therefore, I hope you enjoy these quick roundups.

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

THE PLOT: ‘I’m Glad My Mom Died’ is a memoir about celebrity, child abuse and eating disorders. Written by the Nickelodeon child star of iCarly, Jennette reveals the narcissistic abuse she suffered from her mother which led her reluctantly into a tumultuous career and fuelled her anorexia.

RATING: This was an extremely emotional and powerful book that will resonate with a lot of people. McCurdy is an exceptional writer, evidenced by the way she describes complex characters and emotions. Told in very short chapters that are almost vignettes, you get a glimpse into McCurdy’s life and the abuse she suffered. Narrated brilliantly by Jennette herself and easy to listen to, I’d highly recommend downloading this asap.

Manifesto: On Never Giving Up by Bernadine Evaristo

THE PLOT: ‘Manifesto: On Never Giving Up is a memoir about the Booker Prize winning author’s life and writing. From her childhood in South London and mixed-race parents to becoming a lesbian and getting through an abusive relationship, Evaristo narrates her life and how she developed her craft.

RATING:  Evaristo’s 2019 Booker Prize win was a historic occasion, with Evaristo being the first Black woman and first Black British person ever to win the prize in its fifty-year history. This book demonstrates the hard work and determination she went through to get there, including the many books she wrote along the way and how she developed her craft and style. While I wish we got less information about her parents and more information about her writing through her twenties, I found this a very inspirational and entertaining book.

Becoming Molly Mae by Molly Mae Hague

THE PLOT: ‘Becoming Molly Mae’ is a memoir from the Love Island star and charts how she became one of the biggest social media influencers in the UK. Through her upbringing and school years, she describes how she started posting on Instagram and YouTube and how it led to her reality TV fame and current businesses.

RATING: I’ll admit it – Molly-Mae is my secret girl crush. I find her YouTube videos very comforting and love to keep up with what she’s up to. Therefore, I really enjoyed Molly-Mae discussing her upbringing and life story so far. To be honest, there’s not much in the book that I didn’t already know from her YouTube and I think she is very young to be able to write a comprehensive, honest and reflective memoir. However, it was a very easy and mindless listen, similar to sticking on her videos as background noise.