Two Books We Loved This Month
What we thought of these two books by Louise Hare and Jennette McCurdy
Miss Aldridge Regrets
Louise Hare
Lena Aldridge’s career has not turned out as she hoped. Instead of performing on glittering stages, she is singing in a dive bar in Soho. When a murder is discovered at the bar, she starts to worry she will become the prime suspect. So when a stranger offers Lena a first-class ticket to America aboard the Queen Mary, she jumps at the chance for a fresh start. Yet she soon begins to realise the danger may have followed her onto the ship. Set in 1936, Miss Aldridge Regrets charts a young woman’s desire to love and be loved, both as a performer and as a person.
Sally Grey, Advertising Executive
I’m Glad My Mom Died
Jennette McCurdy
It’s not easy for someone to tell their own story with heartbreak and laughter in equal measure, but that’s exactly what Jennette McCurdy has done in this poignant memoir. The words within are just as shocking as the title. There are certainly chapters that some readers may find hard to read, as she highlights her career as a child actress and her difficult relationship with her abusive mother, eating disorders and addiction, but it’s definitely worth the read and there are plenty of lessons everyone can learn from her hardships. I think writer and actress Lena Dunham described it best as an ‘important cultural document’. Once a child star, Jennette is now a masterful writer.
Faye Dixon, Arts Editor
This article contains affiliate links. We may receive a commission on any sales we generate from this piece
