ANTM was one of my favorite shows growing up and I never missed a season, so I was delighted to receive this ARC. Sarah was a contestant on the show and offers firsthand insight. This is interesting, informative and very honest with a lot of personal anecdotes and interviews from others involved. Fans of the show will enjoy this.

This memoir offers a sharp and humorous look at a unique experience in the spotlight. The author shares personal stories with honesty and wit, shedding light on the challenges that come with public scrutiny and a show being on television. There are thoughtful reflections on identity, self-worth, and growth throughout. While a few parts feel a bit drawn out, the overall voice remains engaging. It’s a compelling read that mixes humor with insight.

As soon who got into America's Next Top Model (ANTM) for S16/17, I was not familiar with the author by far. However, Sarah Hartshorne candid retracing of her steps and story was fun, with little pop culture references drizzled here and there (Loved that No Scrubs by TLC reference). I would recommend this for anyone unfamiliar with the process and chaos of an ANTM season. Highly recommend for those who haven't watched the series yet because Sarah introduces the whole premise in a way that had me NOT struggling to recall what the whole point of ANTM was about.

This was an interesting look at the behind-the-scenes of one of the top reality competitions of the 2000s. As someone who spent far too much time watching these somewhat questionable shows during their formative years, it was interesting to see how the content was created and scripted.

If ANTM was on my TV, I was seated. I had favorites for every season (that often ended up being the maligned "villain" of the season - ILY Melrose (but ILY2 CariDee...) - so when this title popped up I couldn't have clicked request faster.

Going into reading this memoir, I honestly didn't remember Sarah's season. That's possibly (probably) because it came out during my junior year of college when I was drowning in course work and anxiety. As I progressed through the book, I remembered pieces. I'm highly tempted to find it on whatever streaming service the show is on and watch her season now that I have some of the background info of what was truly happening.

It's no surprise to anyone that the show was toxic, but I was somewhat floored at just how toxic, isolating, and damaging the show was to the contestants. Hartshorne's writing is witty and insightful, even when writing about some of the darkest and most damaging parts of her story. While I initially requested this as a nostalgic romp, I wound up with something much deeper and more meaningful.

P.S. - I always knew Mr. Jay was a bitch ✌️

This memoir was right up my alley. As a fan of America’s Next Top Model, I was excited to hear a contestant's side of the story. This memoir is honest, compelling, and surprisingly informative. I appreciated how readable it was—conversational without feeling shallow, and insightful without getting bogged down in industry jargon. I'm glad she took the time (and found the courage) to share her experience after all these years.

As an avid ANTM fan growing up this was a really interesting and quick read. It was wild to hear about everything going on behind the scenes and compare it with the show we watched on the screen. It was well written and paced and I enjoyed it.

Thank you very much to NetGalley / the publisher / the author for the Advanced Copy!

I vividly remember watching Cycle 9 of America's Next Top Model when I was a child. I watched reruns of the show religiously, when I was probably 9-13. I strongly urge all those who watched ANTM to pick up a copy of YOU WANNA BE ON TOP? by Sarah Hartshorne. Sarah's writing tone is witty (even in the darker sections of the story), and insightful. She paints a picture that brought back memories of watching the season the first time around. Hartshorne interviewed cast and crew of ANTM for the novel, and I appreciated having others' perspectives, as well as Sarah's, to create a fuller perspective of how the girls on the show were feeling. This book is a quick read, but it also makes you think about your media consumption, specifically of reality television. I thoroughly enjoyed YOU WANNA BE ON TOP? by Sarah Hartshorne, and will definitely pick up the book again.

Content warnings:
Moderate: Body shaming
Mild: Sexual assault

5/5 ⭐️s

As an avid watcher of America’s Next Top Model, I was really excited to read this. I’ve kept up with quite a few of the past contestants on social media so I had an idea of what to expect, but I still found myself very interested in everything Sarah had to say.

She did an excellent job of writing with sincerity, humor, and authentic reflection on herself and her time on the show.

- The way Sarah perceived many of the big name folks was fascinating to me, especially after having had my own perceptions of those people: Mr. Jay, Tyra, Nigel Barker, Twiggy, and Miss Jay.
- I remember some “conflicts” between certain girls during Sarah’s season and knowing what I know now, I feel bad for ever judging any of those ladies. I was so glad to read that most of the time, they were a united front and genuinely took care of each other the best they could. Or even banded together to “fight back” in small ways against the tough conditions they were put in. 👏🤭
- All of the rigmarole around Sarah being a plus size model was totally bonkers to me. I don’t remember her being labeled as plus size at the time I watched the season and seeing photos of her from the show makes me even more baffled how she could have been labeled that way. That being said, the way Sarah wrote about her experience with weight, dieting, and fashion/model culture was poignant and moving.

Reading this book was such a nostalgic experience for me. I remember these people and seeing behind the curtain was fun, uncomfortable, and meaningful. The book was easy to digest and written very thoughtfully. By the end, I felt proud of Sarah for speaking her truth. Especially, in such an honest, eloquent way. You go, girl.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the eARC 💝 Releases July 8th!

I watched America's Next Top Model religiously in middle and high school. I loved the makeovers and wacky photoshoots. I was indifferent to the catwalks and found that having a certain gait to be silly. I haven't seen an episode in a decade, but I'm itching to rewatch after this memoir. You Wanna Be on Top? follows former contestant Sarah Hartshorne’s recollections about her time on the show. I loved how she detailed each episode and revealed juicy behind the scenes content. From how she described the set, it was a brutal work environment filled with hours deprived of restroom breaks and conversation. I vaguely recalled Cycle 9 featuring the author, but it became more familiar as she detailed her season. It was utterly ridiculous that she was branded as plus-size despite being the same shape as a normal healthy woman. It reaffirmed why I developed body dysmorphia from shows like this. This was a really cool memoir that I enjoyed the breakdown of each challenge and photoshoot. My only critique was that I wished there were photos so I didn't have to cross-reference the ANTM Wiki every other page. It makes sense if it's a copyright issue and she doesn't own the images, but it was a reading experience that made my eyes spin.

All in all, this was a neat nonfiction book that felt very accessible to those who grew up with the show or cautious about venturing outside of fiction for the first time. I'm proud of Hartshorne for telling her brave story and sharing her experiences with the world. I hope more former reality show contestants will follow her lead so I can collect more juicy stories from the telly.

Thank you, Net Galley, for providing me with an advanced readers copy of Wanna Be On Top? As someone who spent their childhood glued to the TV and watching an unhealthy amount of reality television shows, I had to get my hands on this book! My sister and I have watched probably every season of ANTM together. While watching the show you know that the experience cannot be as magical as it seems on TV. However, you never picture the contestants being held in windowless rooms for hours unable to speak to each other, passing out while filming because they have been standing on their feet for hours, or being denied bathroom breaks.

Sarah Hartshorne's story tells of the exploitation of reality TV and the damage it has on the mental and physical health of its contestants. Especially those who do not fit into a certain mold. This a book you do not want to miss!

For anyone who peaked in the early aughts and was glued to the TV for every season of this show, this was a fun read. While much of the cringey and possibly illegal/unethical practices of early reality television, and specifically this show have long been brought to light, I did find Sarah's perspective as the "plus size" model on her season to be unique and interesting. I also like hearing a little bit about whether or not she continued to pursue modeling after the show.

4.5 STARS

As a child that was often left to their own devices (including unrestricted internet and television access), “America’s Next Top Model” was in frequent rotation, contributing to some hefty body dysmorphia and pre-pubescent brain rot. “ANTM” was such a big thing in my elementary years, it became a game commonly played on the playground, sleepovers, or at birthday parties. Being a little chubbier, I was often the photographer, pretending to snap photos of my twin and friends as they strut the “runway.” This was a feat I didn’t mind because it was the root of a lot of my creativity that would bloom later in life.

Anyone who has seen the show can acknowledge how intense of an impact it had on young people. Judges brutally analyzed the bodies of men and women in a way that former-viewers are still realizing left a major impact on them today. But… what was it like from the perspective of a contestant, themself? We’ve all heard reality TV horror-stories, but never as in-depth as this. Grab your Motorola Razr and heels! Let’s dive into “ANTM” Cycle 9!

Sarah Hartshorne bluntly shares her experience in “You Wanna Be On Top?” She knows what you came here for and she delivers. This is NOT an “ANTM” namedrop/cash-grab secretly bound by an NDA and actually discussing everything besides the show. Hartshorne gets into the nitty gritty starting right when she decided to do the show and ending with her finishing up post-production with the show. The book’s only focus is on Hartshorne and the show, very little of her personal life is discussed outside of it. So, if you haven’t seen an episode of the show, you might be a little lost at times.

I appreciated how concise the book was and only focused on the events surrounding the show. It wasn’t flowery, but don’t be fooled, there was still plenty humor and depth found in this book. Hartshorne tackles things such as mistreatment and manipulation of the contestants, being a “plus-size model” as a person who is not plus-sized, and so much more. It was a fascinating (albeit heartbreaking) glimpse into an “ANTM” cycle.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me a free ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Grateful a book that exposes ANTM exists as someone who grew up watching it and experienced disordered eating and body dysmorphia from it at eight years old. The book ties the line between a juicy tell all and heartfelt recount perfectly. Hartshorne knows how to balance humor and sincerity without it feeling cringy or gimmicky. I only wish we had more of it!

I would like to start by thanking netgalley for the arc of this book.

I (shamefully now) watched all seasons of americas next top model and I absolutely love all reality tv. Being able to pull back the curtain and see what is behind the glamour and fashion of ANTM Hartshorne brings to light what really happened as a contestant. Not only is Harsthone extremely funny and witty she is also down to earth and relatable. Struggling with body dysmorphia is something that many young girls of our generation have to deal with and Harsthorne shows us we are not alone and it even happens to beautiful models. Bringing in quotes form books such as cultish and words from Mr and Ms Jay also help to drive home the point of what was really going on in ANTM. I demolished this book in a day and I just want to say that this book was so fun to read and as much as I cringed at what was going on to her I was also rooting for her so many years later. I laughed out loud at some of her jokes and loved all her sea life facts that brought home that behind all the models are a real person.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book! There were a couple of spots that meandered or were repetitive, so I think it could’ve been tightened up a bit. However, I couldn’t put it down and I appreciated how vulnerable Sarah was, especially in the chapter about her sexual identity.

It made me sad to find out about the horrible work conditions for the women on the show. I watched ANTM as a teenager and it never occurred to me that the women weren’t being paid or that at times, they were deprived of sleep, food, and access to the bathroom. I’m glad that Sarah is shining a light on the dark side of reality TV and I hope this helps improve conditions for others.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I have always wondered what it was like behind the scenes of a show like this, and that’s exactly what I learned from this book. A very honest memoir, I found myself really enjoying the humorous parts and gasping at some of the happenings I never knew about in this world of reality tv. Sarah did a great job giving us the answers we’ve always wanted while also putting ourself in her shoes so we were along for the ride of her life.

For millennials who grew up glued to the latest episodes of “America’s Next Top Model”, “You Wanna Be on Top”, the first tell-all from a contestant, is going to be a must read this summer.

Sarah Hartshorne was a “plus size” model on season nine which filmed 18 years ago. I say “plus size” because that’s what the show called her, but most people who would look at photos of her at the time would disagree. So unsurprisingly she shares a lot about how the show impacted her body image. One of my favorite revelations from the book was the information that the doctor who was brought in during the filming of one episode to help the girls with their body image issues was a dermatologist, not a psychologist or therapist or nutritionist or anyone with any relevant training.

Anyway, aside from talking about her own personal journey, Hartshorne shares a lot of behind-the-scenes tea. You won’t learn anything revolutionary in this book but it’s well written, tight, and not trying to be anything it’s not. A great in-one-sitting read for anyone who was ever obsessed with “America’s Next Top Model”.

I loved ANTM growing up. It was really cool to read about behind the scenes. But there was so much I didn’t know about. I didn’t know how poorly they were treated. Women and body image was also different in the 2000s.

I watched ANTM religiously when I was younger, and I was really excited to see a book from the contestants POV. Sarah was a contestant from Season 9, and considered plus size. While some of her story is kind of traumatic and harrowing, I think most readers will revel in the juicy bits and the nostalgia of a show that really embodied an era of reality TV.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for thw ARC ecopy.