I love this author's work so much!! Mrs.Maud is able to write such unreliable narrators with heart, and honestly makes you fee for them and their unhinged ways. As always, perfect writing and substance to make you forget you are even reading. Need to get a physical copy asap!!

One thing I really liked about this book was that it gives you an inside view into what it’s like to be a celebrity — including a lot of logistical things that I had never thought of. I will call that part of this novel a “process story” and that, to me, was the most interesting. I absolutely did love the ending and was not expecting it. The main character is completely grating and while I get that is the point of the novel, it would’ve been good to give us at least one character we really, really liked and cared about.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for this amazing ARC!

4.5 ⭐️. This book was absolutely phenomenal. Mixing the tone from “My Husband” with the cutthroat world of fame and celebrity was a perfect fusion. Listening to Cleo tell her story and casually and rationally talk about all the unhinged and horrible ways she treated people to get to the top, people she back stabbed, and just the experiences of a character with a level of hubris that I’ve rarely experienced. The audiobook enhancing this even more with the wonder narrators ability to nonchalantly say all these things like she’s just telling you about her day. It was a great listening experience and wonderful book.

i loved My Husband so i was really excited for this release! i think if you go into it expecting Daisy Jones and the Six, you’re gonna be disappointed. to me it read more like Yellow Face. i loved to hate cleo, how can someone be so seemingly self-aware yet so delusional? probably will be an unpopular opinion but i loved the ending!! the whole book i was wanting more of her life on the actual beach, but by the end i was pleasantly satisfied.

Maud Ventura’s debut My Husband was phenomenal, but Make Me Famous is on another level—sharp, stylish, and absolutely unforgettable.

This book dives into the mind of Cléo, a world-famous pop star on a solo retreat to work on her next album. But instead of peace and quiet, we get a front-row seat to her unfiltered, obsessive inner monologue—and it’s glorious. Narcissistic, self-aware, and spiraling in the most delicious way, Cléo is a character you won’t be able to stop thinking about.

I listened to the audiobook, brilliantly narrated by January LaVoy, and it brought a whole new layer of intensity and glamour to the story. Her performance was magnetic—every word felt like it came straight from Cléo’s lips, making the experience feel even more immersive.

Ventura’s writing is clever and biting, with moments that made me laugh out loud, pause to take it all in, or want to scribble down a perfectly worded line. I can’t wait to get a physical copy just to highlight my favorite quotes.

Thank you to @NetGalley and @HarperAudio for the advanced listening copy! I’m officially a Maud Ventura fangirl for life.

MAKE ME FAMOUS had the cool, precise character writing that made me fall in love with Maud Ventura after initially reading MY HUSBAND, but it lacked the same pull that had be impulsively turning pages before. The "twist" at the end felt abrupt and I honestly think she could have gone darker with it.

Many thanks to Harper Audio and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
2.5 stars
Unfortunately, I just could not make myself finish this book, even though I got well over halfway in. There is a possibility that I may go back and try to finish it. We are following Cleo, a French-American singer, as she reflects back on her obsession with fame and the lengths she went to to achieve her dreams. I do not need a likable character, but I do need a compelling one, and I felt like I was reading about the same shallow and narcissistic behaviors over and over again, which I found quite boring. Unfortunately, this was not a win for me. January LaVoy's narration, however, was on point as always!

Loved this book. Loved the narrator’s voice, she was so raw and honest. I felt the audiobook narrator did a good job portraying that.

I have no complaints about this book. I will be reading more from this author.

Cléo was perfectly unlikable in the best possible way. A true narcissist through and through, and what a ride it was to be trapped in her head. Maud Ventura does a phenomenal job crafting a character who is both infuriating and fascinating, making it impossible to look away. I enjoyed every bit of the toxic introspection, the ego, the chaos, and that ending had my jaw on the floor!

Thank you NetGalley & Harper Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Maud Ventura returns with a cheeky and absorbing sophomore novel that is equally funny and cruel. Gretchen Schmid’s translation is perfectly nuanced and Maud’s attention to detail is chef’s kiss. Most importantly, the conclusion is breathtaking and everything that I hoped for (especially after My Husband iykyk). I highly recommend Make Me Famous, the audiobook narration is superb.

I’m not going to lie, the first 100 pages or so I didn’t see the vision. But I really shouldn’t have question the mastermind that is Maud Ventura. I was a fan of her first novel and will continue to be a fan after this one.

Cleo is the girl we love to hate. She’s absolutely a control freak and will do anything to gain fame, but most importantly to keep it. I love an unhinged woman doing unhinged things.

The narrator was absolutely fantastic and I’m so glad that I picked the audiobook version. It was so binge worthy I ended up listening to it in one sitting.

Thanks as always NetGalley for the arc!

Long live literary crash outs!!! Long live books about women being absolutely unhinged!!! This one was brimming with passion, nastiness, obsession, and madness, and the lines between all of those blurred in the best, most chaotic way.

This is a story about a woman doing whatever it takes to get, and stay, famous. Cleo is sociopathic, narcissistic, cold-hearted, and completely deranged—and I loved every second of it. I was screaming, cringing, gasping, and even swooning (at some parts). And that ending??? Maud Ventura didn’t close the story… she slammed it shut, and I was left reeling! (in the best way!)

If you’re a fan of My Year of Rest and Relaxation, or maybe even Yellowface, you’ll probably love this too. It’s biting, dark, and hypnotic. HOWEVER! I’m knocking off a star because the 10–30% section felt a little repetitive and stagnant. The buildup to fame had me feeling like I was stuck on a roundabout. But once we got through that? The story took OFFFF!

⚠️ Please check the trigger warnings before diving in—there are several intense scenes involving self-harm that I wasn’t aware of going in. ⚠️

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for the advanced audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

the narrator to the audio was so good! She made me enjoy it even the book even more. I did give the audio an extra star for that. Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC!

5/5 — Clever, Cutting, and Completely Addictive

Make Me Famous was everything I hoped for and more! Cleo is one of those complex, messy characters I couldn’t look away from—even when I wanted to. Being inside her head was such a ride, and Maud Ventura captures that inner spiral so brilliantly it made me both wince and cheer.

Ventura’s writing is razor-sharp and darkly funny, with just the right amount of bite. If you loved My Husband, this is a no-brainer—you’ll devour it. I binged this in two sittings (or should I say listenings?), and the audiobook was absolutely stellar. The narration added even more nuance to Cleo’s unraveling and made the entire experience feel voyeuristic in the best way.

This is the kind of literary fiction I’m always searching for: tightly focused on one character, morally murky, a little unhinged, and beautifully written. Make Me Famous gets it exactly right.

Highly recommend for fans of character-driven fiction, flawed narrators, and anyone who enjoys watching a trainwreck in slow motion—especially when it’s this deliciously well done.

I had heard this compared to Daisy Jones so I was intrigued but it was far from that book and a faulty comparison. I didn’t like the main character at all and I feel like, quite literally, some things in this story got lost in translation. I found it disconnected and I just kind of wanted it to be over by the end. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review

Thank you HarperAudio and NetGalley for the ALC of Make Me Famous by Maud Ventura. Narrated by January LaVoy, who is absolutely phenomenal in anything she narrates! Publishing May 13th.

Cleo is a bat shit crazy narcissist who is obsessed with becoming famous. If you like books with a as*hole MC you’ll hate then this one’s for you. Do yourself a favour and please don’t skip the epilogue - you can thank me later lol
Overall I enjoyed this book and can’t wait to check out My Husband by the same author.

Thank you NetGalley for the audio Arc copy of this book. I loved it. Five stars. The main character is so bitchy, full of herself, and , she doesn't like people. I loved it.

I was so excited to read this book after DEVOURING My Husband earlier this year. Maud Ventura sure knows how to write an absolute freaking psychopath, and I’m here for it. This take on the rise-to-fame novel is distinctly her own in style and voice, and especially considering it is a work in translation, I love how strongly that voice comes through. If you enjoyed My Husband, there’s a strong chance you’ll like this too. I think some will say it is too similar, while others will appreciate it for being exactly what they expected and hoped for, which is more of what we got in her first novel. Another great audiobook performance from January LaVoy - her delivery of some of these lines left me gasping. I love a memorable dedication page and this one is *chef’s kiss* 🐥

STRONG content warning for self harm!

Fascinating view of fame; I was truly hooked, and found myself thinking about this long after I was done. Maud Ventura is one of my favorite discoveries of the last few years. This was fabulous - just dark and twisted enough. I both listened to and read this book, and enjoyed both formats. Still reeling from that ending weeks later.

𝙈𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙈𝙚 𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝘣𝘺 @maudventura_ 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘺 @gl_schmid 💋 𝙿𝚄𝙱 𝙳𝙰𝚈 𝟻/𝟷𝟹

Writing-wise, totally what I wanted & expected from Maud. The more translated lit I read the more I notice nuances in source languages—this is a beautiful example of seamlessly translated French lit. The snide (& HILARIOUS) remarks, teetering on the cusp of its Overton Window, transitions from one mindset to another coming on so subtly it’s jarring (in a good way). Ahh I just love Maud’s writing. Reminiscent of a French Anna Dorn 🤌🏼

The ending though... AGH I’m torn. I’ll leave it at that for spoiler’s sake.

Specific to audio—well no, I first want to applaud Maud for the strength of her writing. Sometimes when a character has this sort of tone, audio enhances the vibes bc you can hear the attitude & pettiness in their voice—MAKE ME FAMOUS didn’t need it. @januarylavoy does a fantastic job, I’m not negating that! As to be expected w her stellar & SO varied backlist (GOOD DIRT, HOME IS WHERE THE BODIES ARE, THE 24TH HOUR). MAKE ME FAMOUS is just one of the few novels that doesn’t need propping up by its audio.

MY HUSBAND (the novel, lol) has a special place in my heart being the first translated lit that truly fooled me enough I was under the impression its source language was English—I kid you not it was on my Translated Fiction shelf for months before I realized 😅

Thank you times a bizillion to @harperviabooks for this stunning final copy & @poppykinglipstick lipstick 💄 I am 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 to have been able to read early (w/o having to fight my son for my kindle the entire time). I cried when I opened this, & crying with red lipstick on felt v strange. But for the record, it did stay put 💋

{PS I do notttt take myself as seriously as this pic—according to my husband—might imply. But how can I get such a 🔥 gift & not give it some time to shine 🤭}