This was a BONKERS book by a new to me Canadian author about Jessamyn St. Germain, an aspiring theatre actress determined to get her shot at a chance in the spotlight but instead gets cast as the glorified babysitter for the child actors in an off broadway production of The sound of music.

Determined to make the part of Maria hers, Jessamyn goes to great lengths to create the perfect circumstances that will have the director begging her to step in when the lead actress is unable to go on. She's not above murder and other manipulations either but things go horribly wrong in the end just when she's so close to achieving her ultimate dreams.

This was fantastic on audio narrated by Stephanie Willing and perfect for fans of authors like Mona Awad. While this book might not be for everyone, I was totally enthralled by this unhinged female protagonist who was willing to do anything to seek fame! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you ECW Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to read this book.

This was so amazing and very much gave me the feeling of a black comedy version of "Black Swan." I love how unhinged and awful that Meredith Hambrock made her characters. She did not shy away from giving us an incredibly unlikable character. Jessamyn wasn't just unlikable, she was a legitimately vile person and it was honestly kind of fun watching her downfall and spiral. I really didn't expect Jessamyn to get to a certain level and then she proved me wrong every single time.

I love the commentary on social media and also the culture of telling people they're good at everything instead of being honest. Jessamyn actively sabotaged herself based on what the people around her told her. She had a legitimate chance at a successful career, but was always surrounded by "yes men" that she didn't know what was real and what wasn't.

My biggest issue was making Jessamyn the survivor of SA. It felt like for a moment we were supposed to feel bad for her because of that and it almost felt as if we were supposed to excuse some of her behavior. I wasn't sure the exact reasoning for that being added other than the cast/crew of the theater trying to be overly nice to her about her bad singing. I also felt like the ending was a bit abrupt and I wasn't 100% sure what I was supposed to get out of her final hallucination.

Overall, this was fantastic. The story was done so well that it felt like a true spiral into madness. Immaculately done.


Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for an e-ARC. This review is my honest opinion of the book.

Jessamyn wants to be a star ... scratch that, Jessamyn IS a star. It doesn't matter that at the age of 26 she hasn't gotten any real role in a musical (because she can not sing) she is thoroughly convinced she is destined to be the next name on Broadway! Of course it's annoying that she is enlisted to be a child minder for The Sound of Music but it's ok, she knows the director is low key telling her she's the understudy for Maria, the main role! Because Jessamyn is way better than all these other hack actors, and she'll do whatever it takes to get what she deserves.

Oh Jessamyn, this is one delulu chick, my friends! Being in her head was a wild ride. Honestly, I think she is one of the most delusional and self-absorbed characters I've ever read, and I loved it. She is incredibly unpleasant, and her comments on everyone in her life are vile (albeit hilarious). She has 2 boyfriends (one who treats her with no respect and the other she's afraid may murder her) so that she appears both desirable as well as noncommittal enough to sleep her way to the top if a director asked her too. As you get through the story, watching her circling the drain more and more, it's not hard to have some empathy for her.

You have to admire the confidence of her, though. Despite the fact she has no talent, she still went out there and got what she wanted! What I would give to be able to see Jessamyn from the POV of any other character, I imagine it would be quite the story! I wish there was a bit more unhingedness in the climax, and I wasn't a huge fan of the ending, but overall, it was a book and deeply enjoyed!

Thank you to Netgalley and ECW Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

‘She’s a lamb’ is a classic girlboss-ed too close to the sun story. Jessamyn tries to make misogyny and her own objectification work for her. She thinks she’s in on the joke. Her self obsessed and ignorant point of view is entertaining yet bleak. But she’s not just horrible for the sake of it, we get these really vulnerable moments with Jessamyn where we come to understand her, where I couldn’t help but feel for her. I felt like there was depth there.
There’s a lot of delusional female main characters being highlighted these days and I think Hambrock really nails that pov in a way that sets this book apart.
The description really hits the nail on the head I think. Cutting satire, a delusional woman’s dream, and the grotesque patriarchy all typed out for our reading enjoyment. A strong 4+ stars.

Hambrock’s novel follows Jessamyn, who wants to make her big break on the stage and is willing to do anything for it. No, really, anything. She pays a crazy amount of money for mediocre training, isolates herself from any meaningful relationship, and even resorts to violence.

I wanted to like this book more than I did, but, unfortunately, it was a bit of a miss for me. Though the concept was interesting, the story itself was a bit repetitive. The delusion of her self-worth that Jessamyn has throughout the novel is repeatedly brought to the forefront of the narrative. The pacing of the novel felt a little disjointed too—rushed in some spots and drawn out in others. But, maybe that’s how Hambrock intended it to be? Perhaps that was their way of representing Jessamyn’s delusion and how she perceives the world. I wish we could have seen some things in more detail and less of other things. Overall, the novel has really good potential, and I’d recommend it to those who like weird books.

Thank you to Netgalley, ECW Press, and Meredith Hambrock for approving me for the She’s a Lamb arc in exchange for an honest review!

She’s a Lamb follows Jessamyn, a motivated and desperate aspiring star who wants to further her acting career by showcasing her talents in a local production of The Sound of Music. Even though Jessamyn is not given the lead role as she wished, she is given the role of child minder for the kids involved in the production. Jessamyn views this access to the production as a stepping stone to make her dreams come true and play the lead part at any cost.

I thought the premise of this book was interesting and I enjoyed the overall storyline of a character willing to do whatever’s necessary to achieve their dream, even if they go off the deep end in the process. Throughout the book, the reader gets a good look into the type of person Jessamyn is and the attributes that drive her forward. That being said, I also feel that she comes off somewhat one-dimensional at times, and although I love an unhinged character, I just couldn’t find myself rooting for her as she is trying to achieve her dream. I did find the dynamic between Jessamyn and some of her coworkers interesting, especially seeing her perspective and how she viewed everyone around her. Although the climax and ending of the book felt a little rushed and disjointed, I can see why the author wanted to build up the final scene for Jessamyn’s character arc. Overall, the read was enjoyable and fun and I liked the premise, it just didn’t work for me as well as I had hoped it would. She’s a Lamb by Meredith Hambrock is being published on April 8th and it’s a fun read to check out if you’re interested!

4.5 stars for this darkly funny satire about the grotesque pall patriarchy casts over one woman’s delusional quest to achieve her dreams and the depths she will sink to for a chance at the life she’s convinced she deserves.
Jessamyn St. Germain is a star. In her own mind. No one seems to know this yet. However, Jessamyn is convinced and refuses to believe otherwise no matter how many times she's been told she cannot sing. She IS Maria Von Trapp and will prove so at any cost.
Jessamyn is delusional but you can't help routing for her. When she starts to fall apart, you can completely understand why. It's what makes She's a Lamb! so great.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and ECW Press for this digital e-arc.*

She's a Lamb was sooooo good! Love a unreliable narrator! Love a FMC spiraling! Meredith Hambrock wrote the perfect weird girl book! Highly recommend to my weird girl book lovers. Thank you Netgalley for an eARC!

okay listen. this will not be for everyone but i absolutely ATE this up, okay? devoured it like i was on death row and this was my last meal.

there is nothing NOTHING in this world i love more than an unhinged and delusional main character, and jessamyn is now the reigning queen. she is a musical theater actress desperate for her big break and she thinks that she's going to get the part of maria in a regional production of the sound of music. she doesn't, instead becoming the backstage "babysitter" of the child actors but thinks it's really because the director is saving her to take over as maria in case something happens to the lead actress.

being in jessamyn's mind was everything to me. every one of her intrusive thoughts? hilarious. and also, relatable. she said a lot of things that most people are afraid to admit and she says it with her whole damn chest. she was convinced that she was the best of the best and because of it, she came up with insane reasons for why people did what they did around and to her. the men she dated? girlllll. A MESS. she literally made one of her stalkers her boyfriend.

and honestly? i was obsessed lol. i'm not afraid to admit that i LOVED her. she's not one without her problems though. she's meant to be unlikeable character, but once you realize just how deep her trauma goes, you can't help but empathize with her. she had her moments!

i really enjoyed this and will definitely picking up a physical copy when it comes out. a new favorite of the year!

Like a theatre-focused read alike to Yellowface.

Jessamyn is delusional and unhinged - cringe on a whole other level. You almost feel bad for the girl, and by the end maybe you do feel bad for her.

I love books about women who are unapologetic and delusional! She's a Lamb could easily be a fourth installment in Ti West's Pearl Trilogy - Mia Goth would EAT the role of Jessamyn, an aspiring but talentless musical theatre actor desperate to break into the industry at literally any cost. A small regional Vancouver production of Sound of Music becomes Jessamyn's battleground when she is hired as a child minder for the young actors after being turned down for the role of Maria. Jesamyn is an unreliable narrator to the extreme, interpreting the world through a teetering see-saw of self-obsession and self-loathing. Whether she's bouncing between her two boyfriends or scheming backstage, it is impossible to avoid getting caught up in the thrall of her single-minded obsession. Despite its campy premise, the novel manages to subtly touch on how persistent internalized misogyny and abuse can devastate women's lives, poisoning Jessamyn against herself and against the other women in her life. As insufferable as Jessamyn is, there's a twisted part of you rooting for her success, and therein lies Hambrock's skillful character work. I was utterly riveted by the chaotic insanity of the story and would die for a televised adoption.

The story of an ambitious, yet extremely delusional, woman who is convinced she’s one step away from her big break as an actress, despite evidence to the contrary. I enjoyed her inner dialogue and being front row to her slow, explosive demise. However, this needed to be more unhinged! It definitely gets dark, but I wanted it to really GO there.

a good 3.75 stars. i loved jessamyn at first and was feeding into her delusions. i was rooting for her! however, the story got repetitive and the climax fell a bit flat. enjoyable overall but i just wanted a *bit* more.

I loved this! A bit slow-going at first, but I sped through the last two-thirds at an alarming pace. I questioned everything the delusional narrator said & I loved, hated, and was confused by her every minute of the book. Things really went off the rails at the end - a WILD ride. I enjoyed the plot but some parts didn’t feel really fleshed out.

I’d recommend for people who enjoyed Maeve Fly (CJ Leede), or like books by Eliza Clark & Mona Awad.

Thanks to ECW Press & NetGalley for the ARC!

One delusional woman's quest, at whatever cost, to be the lead in a theater play.
This was darkly humorous, full of delusion and jealousy, with a stream of conscious-style writing and a flawed, unlikeable, but still root for-able main character.

This is very much in the style of All's Well by Mona Awad and Yellowface by R.F. Kuang. It's a relatively quick read with short chapters that build momentum, angst, delusion, jealousy, etc. to a satisfying conclusion. This was like watching a car crash in slow motion. Obsessed.

4.5, rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

A great story featuring delusion and determination. I loved following our unlikable narrator as she goes to any means to secure her fate playing Maria in <i>The Sound of Music</i>. The author has a real talent for slowly unveiling, Jessamyn, our main character’s unreliability. As the novel moves along, any pretense at glamor surrounding her circumstances (multiple boyfriends, a famous vocal coach, etc.) are slowly disclosed to us alongside Jessamyn, as her worldview comes crashing down. I thought the ending of this book was brilliant – it presented a great unraveling that not too many stories are able to achieve. I also enjoyed the subtle feminist themes throughout <i>She’s a Lamb!</i> The book is both a darkly humorous romp and an easy-to-read murder plot.

A huge thank you to ECW Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and ECW Press for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fast-paced book with a completely unhinged main character. Jessamyn was so unlikable, but hearing her inner monologue become more delusional as the story progressed was entertaining. The ending felt a bit rushed, hence the three stars.

There’s is nothing I love more than an unhinged main character, and not only is Jessamyn unhinged but she is also one of the most delusional characters I’ve ever read, and I love that about her. Yes she may be insufferable at times, but she truly believes she is the greatest person alive and you know what, you go girl!

The story did feel somewhat repetitive at times, like I was reading the same scene over and over, but I suppose that just showed the extent to which Jessamyn really believed everything was just going to fall into place for her.

The book is a straightforward read with a plot that flows well. The characters are relatable, but their development could have been stronger. It’s engaging enough to keep you reading. Overall, it’s an enjoyable, easy read! Def unhinged!