I got this as an audiobook ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

The synopsis says it's like Yellowface and that does seems like an accurate comparison in terms of the mania that the narrator experiences. However, Jessamyn really doesn't experience any success in the way that the narrator of Yellowface does (which itself is more of Tell-Tale Heart kind of scenario).

Jessamyn, however, has almost no redeeming qualities. The reader/listener is meant to believe that at least she is talented and just hasn't gotten her big break but the unreliable narrator trope is really heavily leaned upon here and it's very obvious you can't believe anything Jessamyn says.

I always find it hard to get behind a story where the main character has no redeeming qualities. At first you want to root for her to get this part of Maria after all her hard work but throughout the story she's given a lot of other opportunities that she turns her nose up at and always chooses the wrong choice. What makes more far fetched are the lengths she'll go to for what is low budget regional theater production.

Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Publishing for this free audiobook in exchange for an honest review! This takes the cake for Most Unhinged, Unreliable, Delusional female main character 🤭 This is so similar to My Year of Rest and Relaxation but it's deffo more of an unhinged female main character. If this is one of your favourite tropes, I highly recommend for a crazy ride.

Jessamyn St. Germain is supposed to be a star, but right now she's been relegated to doing commercials and ushering for a small theater company in Vancouver. Their newest show is The Sound of Music and Jessamyn was born to play Maria von Trapp. The role is given to Samantha, Jessamyn's social media obsessed rival, and Jessamyn is in charge of babysitting the bratty children. From her position on the sidelines, though, Jessamyn can learn the role and commit herself to being the best Maria there ever was. All she has to do is get Samantha out of her way and then the world will see her for the star that she is.

She's a Lamb! was a really unnerving and suspenseful story about the world of theater. Jessamyn was an insane protagonist, selfish and delusional and completely unhinged. The way that her perceptions of events and the other characters changed over time was fascinating to see and really brought home just how unreliable of a narrator she was. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a great job with portraying Jessamyn. I thought she really captured the tone of the story and the character throughout. I think I would have liked just a little bit more in the end, and maybe a little bit more of the other characters' impressions of Jessamyn to make this a five-star read. It was still super entertaining and campy. I would recommend this to fans of movies like Pearl or Black Swan, unreliable narrators, and people interested in the theater industry.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the digital copy of this audiobook; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Wow–this book is a train wreck, but in a good, can’t-put-it-down way. It is absolutely unhinged and just bonkers. Jessamyn is an even more unreliable narrator than the one in Yellowface. Like, really unhinged. There’s such violence in her thoughts. At first, I was like, wow, that was aggressive, and then I thought, that’s a little too graphic with the descriptions of the violence she wishes upon people and even herself. I kept cringing whenever her inner monologue revealed just how unstable she was. But that’s also the sign of great writing, to get the reader to feel something so viscerally it evokes strong emotions.

We’ve all heard the stories of people who will do anything to become famous, even if it’s only for fifteen minutes. Jessamyn will do anything to get the lead in the production of The Sound of Music. She manipulates people and situations and will even do the unthinkable in order to get her way. She is, and I’ll keep saying the word, unabashedly unhinged.

This audiobook was narrated by Stephanie Willing, and she was fabulous! She really added to the female protagonist’s utterly manic personality. I would definitely listen to something Willing narrated again. I do think that the cover art of the book, as well as the title, are a little meh.

Meet Jessamyn St. Germain. Jessamyn is destined for stardom, and the first step on her path is to play Maria in her tiny Vancouver theatre’s production of The Sound of Music. Never mind that the role she’s actually been given is that of babysitter for the child actors playing the von Trapp children – she knows the director just wants to keep her close for when Samantha, the production’s Maria, inevitably fails. And when that happens, Jessamyn will be ready to jump into the role – her first in what will surely be a storied career leading her directly to Broadway.

Darkly funny and razor sharp, She’s a Lamb! catapults readers into the mind of a narcissist – a woman so singularly focused on her ultimate goal that she is completely disconnected from reality. She is unhinged and delusional, unable to see herself clearly, and doesn’t care about others’ opinions because those opinions are obviously wrong if they don’t match her own. Other people are only important if they are useful to her, or if she can mold them into her vision. The first-person narration is such a delicious choice, because it allows readers to witness Jessamyn’s delusions and chaotic instability first-hand. We see the other characters through Jessamyn’s eyes and mindset, but we can also read between the lines to understand how they really feel about her. This is smart, flawless, brilliantly executed satire. The audiobook narrator, Stephanie Willing, brought just the right amount of unhinged energy to her reading that made She’s a Lamb so much fun to listen to.

This is an instance where the publishers got it right when comparing She’s a Lamb! to All's Well and Yellowface. It gives Black Swan vibes, too. I loved every minute of this book and can’t wait to read whatever Meredith Hambrock writes next. Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the complimentary reading opportunity.

The cover art: genius.
The title: obsessed.
The main character? Can I say I wanted her to be crazier?

This book is definitely hilarious and the satire about fame and how one perceives themselves was perfect. I would definitely say this book is for fans of Mona Awad and Ottessa moshfegh, but maybe a lighter more funny tone? But I wanted her to be crazier. I wanted her to rage and do sneakier stuff. And it simply was not enough for me.

What an addictive mix of dark satire and erratic narration! Jessamyn is a character you can’t help but root for—even as her delusional optimism and detachment from reality make you cringe.
Her overconfidence and skewed view of the world creates a story that’s both entertaining and unsettling.

She's A Lamb! - Meredith Hambrock
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

The dark humor is sharp and clever, with vibes of Victorian Psycho—but minus the heavy gore. It’s the kind of book you fly through, barely noticing the time passing.
By the time you finish, you’ll probably feel the urge to start it all over again to catch the nuances you missed the first time.
A wild, witty, and unforgettable read...and
An instant auto-buy author for me!

Jessamyn knows she is destined to be a star. And she would do anything to make it happen. She is certain she should have been cast as Maria in a production of the sound of music.
This was a funny and unhinged novel. the main character is totally delusional and we live inside her head, hearing her unhinged thoughts. A silly novel like this can be spectacular, but it needs to perfectly toe the line. this one didn't quite hit the spot for me. it was either too out there, or not out there enough.
I think jessamyns voice will live on in my head though. especially with the fantastic audio narration that captures her style perfectly.

this book was such a pleasant surprise. very fast-paced and highly entertaining, i literally flew through these pages. i have no idea if women going insane is now a thing in literature, but i’m absolutely loving this.

jessamyn is a character that is utterly delusional and fully convinced that she is the star and she is the moment - while everyone else is working against her and her success. as a reader, it is clear there is something twisted about her perception of the wolrd; i have to say though, this woman was hilarious. many of her comments - especially regarding men, were right on point. i also actually liked how ambitious and driven she was, despite this fact eventually leading to her doom.

the tone of the book changes around 70% and it’s no longer so fun anymore - it’s becoming clear that jessamyn is spiraling and that she’s losing her mind. some things also come to light and we learn a little more about her past. some things start to make sense and in the end, i actually felt incredibly sorry for what happened. the delusion was a way for her to protect herselft against the world and this was something i believe many of us can relate to.

also, say what you can, but in this house, we support women’s rights AND women’s wrongs!

Listen, usually one of my prerequisites of loving a story is loving the main character.

This book smashed that rule to absolute Corelle shards.

The only one that loves the main character (an unhinged horror of a human being) is the main character herself, and I am here for all the shenanigans.

She’s narcissistic and paranoid and judgmental and singularly lacking in musical talent.

Watching her spiral completely down the drain was a joy that I should probably unpack with my therapist.

What a delightfully unhinged book.

Jessamyn St Germaine is a star. Everyone else just needs to get on board with that.
She is the most delusional character I’ve maybe ever read and it’s kinda fun being in her head and seeing her interpret the people around her.

The ending was a little abrupt but overall a very good time.

Thanks to netgalley and Dreamscape for an alc

The narrator did such a good job

Delusional Diva Energy at Its Absolute Peak! 💚💚💚

She’s a Lamb! by Meredith Hambrock is an absolute rollercoaster of chaos, camp, and cringe comedy. If you're into theater drama, this book will have you clutching your pearls while laughing at Jessamyn St. Germain’s complete and utter ✨DELUSION💫.

Jessamyn is 26, always unbooked, and allergic to accountability. She’s convinced she was born to play Maria in The Sound of Music, but the universe had other plans. Instead, her nemesis Samantha gets the role. Rude🙄! Jess is assigned to babysit the Von Trapp children backstage, but don't expect that to humble her. Not even a little.

This book reads like a backstage pass to all the drama of a community theater production. Jess is the ultimate unreliable narrator—spiraling, hilarious, and completely obsessed with validation. Every flashback reveals more of her thirst for fame and recognition, wrapped in layers of glitter and delusion.

As for the audiobook — I absolutely loved it! The narrator did an amazing job bringing Jessamyn’s chaotic energy to life. Her performance made the spiraling, over-the-top moments even more hilarious, and the way she captured Jess’s Delusion made the listening experience even more enjoyable. I was completely hooked from start to finish.

This book is for the theater kids who rehearse acceptance speeches in the mirror, the ones who think being cast as Tree #3 is a personal attack, and anyone who’s ever dreamed of standing ovations for the most ridiculous reasons. It’s unapologetically unhinged, theatrical, and delulu in the best way.

Thank you @ecwpress @netgalley @dreamscape_media for the ALC 💚!

She's a Lamb! is a book about an actress hired to take care of the children during a production of The Sound of Music who is convinced that she is meant to be playing the lead role.
This book has taken the spot as my favorite release of 2025 so far. It's fun and voicey with excellent pacing. It had me laughing out loud. I love books that center on deranged female characters and this one did not disappoint. The audio narration is fantastic and the voice actress did such a good job. I think this sort of first person narration works really well in audiobook format but I also intend to buy a physical copy. I'm looking forward to see what else this author comes up with!

Pick up She's a Lamb! if you love female rage, unreliable narrators and thought Maeve Fly would be better if it wasn't so sexually explicit.

Thank you to NetGalley and @Dreamscape_Media for this advanced listening copy of She's a Lamb! I was initially blessed with an advanced reading copy, but the writing was too good and I was transported into some very intense unwanted sexual attention in the first two chapters that made it difficult to read. I was interested in the story and wanted to see where it went, so when I had the opportunity to listen instead, I jumped at the chance.

Meredith Hambrock has a very dark sense of humor, and Stephanie Willing's narration helped to make bring levity to some of these completely delusional situations that I might have missed on the page.

A young woman desperately wants to be cast as the lead in the sound of music, but instead winds up as a glorified babysitter. I felt truly invested in her life and story.

Happy publication day to SHE’S A LAMB! by Meredith Hambrock! Thank you to @NetGalley and @Dreamscape_Media for the ALC 🎧

This book is for anyone who has ever felt like crying or screaming in public because your wildest intrusive thoughts are piling up and you know what you *deserve* damn it, you’re a gift to everyone and everyone loves you, obviously. You’re hot and the next biggest star but nothing is going your way and you don’t know why no one can appreciate your charm and talent. You’ve been robbed of your dream part in The Sound of Music and your life is exploding because you need this part no matter the cost and so you’re screaming in public because it’s all too much!!

SHE’S A LAMB! was so funny and unhinged. I was so invested in Jessamyn’s life and descent into delusional destruction. The audiobook narrator, Stephanie Willing, did such a wonderful job brining Jessamyn’s self-obsessed and hilarious story to life.

Definitely recommend if you need a laugh and to read about someone else’s life just unravel into madness!

She's a Lamb! I loved this slow descent into madness that we see from the main character's POV. If you loved Pearl and Yellowface, definitely check this one out. I feel like it's a well done combination of the two.

Jessamyn is not a girl's girl and she's got lots of issues, the main one in her mind being her failure to achieve stardom despite years of giving it her all. That's not to mention how much of a dislikeable charter she is for her racism, internalized misogyny and arrogance.

My only wish for this story was that the true chaos would have started sooner and we would have seen her go even further off the rails.

If you love a good unreliable narrator, a slow descent into madness, and theater, check this story out.

Happy release day! Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the advanced audio!

4.5 stars rounded up

This book is like nothing I’ve ever read (well, technically listened to!) and I cannot get enough. Jessamyn was the perfect compelling yet questionably reliable narrator. I do theatre, so this book was right up my alley. Sometimes when I’m on stage and can feel the crowd react, I have this brief, fleeting feeling that I’m destined for greatness lol. Jessamyn takes that feeling and runs with it. Like, just fully embodies it. I love to read about crazy and delusional women, and this was such a treat.

If you support women’s rights AND women’s wrongs, this book is for you. Jessamyn is an incredibly interesting narrator, and seeing the world through her eyes was both scary and exciting. I was enthralled only a chapter or two in. The audiobook narration was really well done, perfectly complimented the story and was not distracting. The writing was really good too. I really am impressed by how immersed I felt into Jessamyn’s psyche. And I thought the side characters were written really well too! They are able to tell you things through what they say to Jessamyn that paints a delightfully messy picture of what’s going on.

If you love consuming media about delusional/mentally unstable women, you’ll love this read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hilarious satirical fun! Jessamyn St. Germain is a (failed) actor waiting for her big break. And if she doesn’t get a big break, she’ll take matters into her own hands. She has two, possibly three boyfriends, using each of them to get something different. How far is she willing to go to make the starring role hers?

Jessamyn is a terrible, horrible human and it’s hilarious to see her scandalous plans unfold. I wanted her to get in trouble but I also wanted her to get away with what she does. Her grip on reality is tenuous at best, making for some hilarious scenes. We are left to try to figure out what’s really going on.

I listened to the audiobook courtesy of Dreamscape Media and NetGalley. The narrator was terrific, she became Jessamyn. I was drawn into the plot almost immediately. Even though I despised Jessamyn, I was somehow also rooting for her. Another cool thing was the setting was in the great, INDEPENDENT country of Canada. Yay Canada! Fast paced, I was kept on my toes throughout. This was a great listen!

this book is BONKERS!

i hated her, i have known her, hell i have probably BEEN her. anyone who has been in a (especially) competitive musical theatre environment can relate to some of the delusions of our unreliable narrator and her self spiraling way of living her life.

the book became a bit one note, which is my primary critique. there was such opportunity for depth with the sister gorgeous plotline and instead it pivoted back to a very singular obsession. entertaining, but got a bit grating toward the 60% mark and slowed down the book pacing considerably.

the idea of someone losing their sanity due to a one sided competition they run in their head while also having their insecurities reflected back to them by everyone they engage with is weirdly relatable based on how the author shows the sorrow and loneliness of her FMC beneath the delusions.

this book really is for the BFA girlies but also anyone who has ever felt trapped by a mean girl and would love to watch her unravel.

thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this wild ride!

3.5/5