This audiobook had an interesting structure, in that it was structured like a celebrity memoir. The main character is narcissistic and unlikeable, but I found myself invested in her rise to stardom. The writing was smart and evocative, and I loved how it explored the psychological toll of fame. It focuses on character depth over a big dramatic plot and reminded me of a darker, more literary version of Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. If you’re into character-driven stories and don’t mind an unlikeable narrator, this is worth picking up! Please be aware of the CW, including an eating disorder and self-harm.

ARC REVIEW (5/13/25): make me famous by maud ventura 🌟 an addictive, intense novel about the brutal and ferocious road to glory.

this is a character study of a sociopathic woman’s fight to become famous while being adored by the world. all the while, she’s horrible to everyone she works with, is friends with, and dates. I was thoroughly entertained while living inside the mind of cleo, our fmc- as I read 80% of this in one sitting. don’t even get me started on that ending… I’ve never clutched my pearls so quickly.

🎤 some of the celebrity scenes seemed a bit too on-the-nose and overly referential to current pop culture. from cleo claiming that malibu (originally by miley cyrus) was her own, to the music video featuring her shetland sheepdog running through the fields- it just didn't sit right with me. the direct references took me out of the story, even though the novel later addresses them as “inspired by.”

in the blurb, make me famous is pitched for fans of daisy jones and the six… but I disagree 🎵 if you enjoyed litfic stories like honey by isabel bantas or perfume & pain by anna dorn, this is the book for you!

getting famous is one thing. staying famous is another. thank you harper audio for the early copy 🎥 4 stars!

The book was a bit of let down for me, I felt the story was too repititive and lacked the spark of her previous novel. Loved the audio narration though!

A wild trip through the making of a world famous superstar. Great ending! Thank you to the author and publishers for this ARC

A sociopathic and narcissistic French American woman will do whatever it takes to make it as a popstar!

Clèo has dreamed of becoming a famous singer her whole life and is determined to succeed at all costs. Once she achieves her goal, she is determined to stay relevant. From her first vacation alone on a remote island, thirty-three-year-old Clèo details her rise to stardom in a long monologue. But it soon becomes clear she is a bit unhinged. Culminating in a shocking ending, Maud Ventura’s Sophomore novel exposes the secrets of stardom and the price one pays for it.

I did it again…I just couldn’t help myself! I was going to skip this book, but when the audiobook became available on NetGalley and I saw that January LaVoy voiced the narration, I just HAD to read it! Ventura’s first novel, “My Husband” received 5 stars from this reviewer, so I took the gamble.

January LaVoy NEVER disappoints! Thanks to her fabulous narration, I was able to plow through this 352-page monologue. As in “My Husband,” “Make Me Famous” includes an unhinged unreliable narrator and a mic drop ending. While I enjoyed this book, it didn’t work as well for me as her first. I didn’t find Clèo quite as intriguing and unreliable as the nameless wife in “My Husband,” which led to a lack of twists and a bit of predictability in the final scene. However, the ending is mostly satisfying and will appeal to thriller readers.

3.5/5 stars rounded up

Expected publication date: 5/13/25

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for the ARC of Make Me Famous in exchange for an honest review.