4.5 stars rounded to 5.

This was so unexpected and such an AMAZING audio thriller! The full cast was a lot of fun and reminded me a lot of Daisy Jones & the Six. Add the suspense aspect to it with extra intensity, and that’s this story! 👏🏻

I really enjoyed the podcast aspect. It gave multiple point of views on the story. The twists at the end was really good too! Everything from the back story to what was happening in the present was on point. I definitely recommend this one for anyone who loves a quick, entertaining thriller! It was like I was watching a movie!

The audiobook production was good. The full cast and immersive sound design gave it a graphic audio feel that made the experience sound great.

Plot wise, I struggled. I spent most of the book confused, waiting for the story to find its footing. It never really did. Then, in the last hour, the author suddenly inserts herself into the narrative, and I couldn’t help but think, “Wait… that’s it?” The ending didn’t feel like a conclusion, it felt like a jarring creative choice that left the story hanging in a very strange place.

A solid effort on production, but the storytelling didn’t land for me.

3.5 stars — Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this audio thriller.

I was immediately hooked by the radio play style of this audiobook. Featuring excellent multicast narration, sound effects, mixed media scenes and more, this story is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at an exclusive (fictional) Los Angeles acting studio.

As a person who grew up doing theatre and did it well into my 20’s, the realities behind this acting studio were all too familiar. While I was mostly on the tech side of things after college, a lot of these exercises resonated with me, and the actor’s intensive courses were things many of my actor friends experienced.

I loved how this story explored the darker side of “committing to the bit,” and how far some will go to unlock their demons, all for the sake of art.

This is wildly immersive audiobook, that will appeal to those who have experienced the behind-the-scenes of acting and those who have simply observed.

After years of seclusion, former child star Georgia Lane moves to LA and becomes part of an elite acting group at The Studio so she can make a comeback. But The Studio is in no way what she thinks it is.

This is a full-cast audiobook, and it was mesmerizing. Don't look into the plot too much, just listen and enjoy.

I am trying to find a way to express my thoughts on this book, which are many, and also review it at the same time- which is complicated.

The one thing that I absolutely loved about this book is the audio. Oh my gosh, one thing that will get me every. single time. is the multiple POV with multiple narrators. It is the key to unlocking something deep inside me 😂. So that helped earn this book an automatic star right from the beginning.

So, if you are not listening to the audio of this, this would be a 2 ⭐ rating for you :/ Which again, is complicated, because it is just not a typical thriller in the normal sense of the word. This book is quite slowly paced, and the ending left a little to be desired. But for some, that is nice.

This book is for you if you like multiple POV as well as atypical story lines and atypical endings. So all in all, it was probably 3.5 stars for me, I think there were a couple issues with how everything came together at the end.

How far would you go for live your dream?

This is the story of a former Australian child star trying to get back into acting, but what she thinks is normal may not be…

I really liked the premise of this being a made for audiobook novel. You could tell how into it the voice actors were, which made you want to keep going. It was fun to get different points of view, during different timelines as well as types of audio formatting (book vs. podcast) and sound effects.

I like a psychological thriller and this one makes you wonder who you can really trust and how you think it’ll end. It was a very slow build up to the end that seemed to wrap things up so quickly as compared to the full storyline build up.

This was a fun story that makes me curious to read through this author’s other work.

Thank you so much to the author, Anna Downes, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for this audio ARC of Break Me Down!

I was hooked until the end. The format is really engaging, like a really immersive podcast. But the ending? Did the author just give up??

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

An audio original from Macmillan Audio.

Narrated by Aimee Horne; Airlie Dodds; Alan Chu; Angela Tran; Anna Downes; Elisa Colla; Jeremy Waters; Lyanna Kea; Remy Hii; Taylor Owens; Yael Stone

I would like to thank Macmillan Audio for providing me with this audio thriller to review.

With a full cast of voice actors providing the voices for the characters, this book was an incredible and immersive experience. From the beginning of hearing Georgia's voice full of nervous excitement of moving to LA to try and restart her childhood acting career, to the other voices that join in and bring such life into Henry, Marianna and Lola, it was an amazing way to feast upon this thriller story.

Georgia was a child star who wants to get back to her career, she meets Henry in Starbucks and that begins a relationship for the two, working together on their craft. Henry takes Georgia to The Studio where she instantly connects with acting coach Marianna. We also hear podcasts talking about child star Georgia's story, emotional voicemails, interviews with young Georgia and her mom Dusty (yes that was weird to hear my own name in a book!), and even a news report of the breaking headlines at the end of the book. It was just so cool.

Break Me Down will be available to listen on August 19 2025

This audiobook production is really well done and I thought this really made such an great immersive and engaging audiobook listen. The story had various styles of media including podcasts, voicemails and sound effects that really just made this such a fun listen.
The narration is done by a full cast of characters to really get you fully immersed into the story. Narrated by Aimee Horne; Airlie Dodds; Alan Chu; Angela Tran; Anna Downes; Elisa Colla; Jeremy Waters; Lyanna Kea; Remy Hii; Taylor Owens; Yael Stone

I found the overall story to be interesting and different than most thrillers I've listened to. The narration was great but I did struggle in the beginning since I'm not used to theatrical audiobooks.

I listed to an advanced copy of this audio thriller. The production value was really awesome, it sounded almost like a graphic audio book, which are my favorites! It was really immersive and fun to listen to. The plot was really what lost me, it was very strange and I didn't find myself too compelled by any of the characters. I enjoyed listening to the style of the audio experience more than the actual plot.

Break Me Down by Anna Downes
*ALC via Macmillan Audio Influencer Program*

𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧 𝗣𝗘𝗘𝗞
The once-celebrated Australian child star Georgia Lane moves to Los Angeles, determined to make a comeback. When she joins an elite acting school, she gets caught in a spiral of ambition, jealousy and mind games.

𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗢𝗡
This starts fast and strong - obsessed! The mixed media was honestly brilliant - podcasts, voicemails, sound effects - it felt so real. The full cast absolutely nailed it. Best audiobook production of 2025 so far, hands down.

The book is all about Georgia and the podcast format gives us her backstory in such a clever, entertaining way!

The acting classes from Georgia’s POV were really intense. The workshops encourage the actors to confess their secrets, to find their truth, but they started to feel a bit hokey. Maybe because I’m not an actor? Either way, there were just too many. They slowed the pace when I wanted the plot to pick up.

I also craved other POVs - especially from Henry and Lola. Their voices could’ve added so much depth and might’ve answered a few of the questions I was left with at the end.

The ending was abrupt, and there were unresolved character arcs that I really wanted concluded. Still, there’s something genius in how it messes with your head. So much manipulation and gaslighting - really powerful, and incredibly well written.

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗?
Not gonna lie, I wouldn’t call this a thriller - rather psychological fiction. There’s an ambiguous ending, it’s emotionally intense and only available in audio. With all that in mind, I highly recommend this, if for nothing else than the stellar audiobook!

🎧 Narrated by Yael Stone, Elisa Colla, Anna Downes, Remy Hii, Aimee Horne, Lyanna Kea, Airlie Dodds, Taylor Owynns, Jeremy Waters, Angela Tran, Alan Zhu
📖 Publishes 08•19•25 | 8h 44m

Thank you MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for this #gifted ARC.

Nothing ground breaking and I knew where the story was taking me but it was still a very fun ride. The full cast and immersive production made this a real treat to listen.

I loved the cast of narrators for this audiobook and they are what kept this from being a "Did Not Finish" for me. Unfortunately, I did not like any of the characters and found the story to be superficial. I would have liked to see some character growth. I also found the villain of the story to be predictable.

I didn't know this was going to be a graphic audio-style book when I started it, but I wasn't upset by that. What I was upset by was the general lack of plot. There was too much going on, and with a graphic audio where there aren't any descriptors it was SO hard to follow. I think I'll stick to this style of audiobook for things a little more whimsical like sci-fi and fantasy where it's cute sound effects versus general daily life - was it me that made that noise or was it the audiobook??

I DNF'd it pretty quickly, it just wasn't very well done I don't think

I was initially really drawn into this one by the narration. I thought the narration was perfect and each of the characters were voiced so naturally. I thought the story started off really strong but quickly lost steam and the ending just felt so abrupt and unfinished. I was left really dissatisfied by the ending and was surprised when it was revealed to be over. I think this had a lot of potential but just didn't quite get where it needed to go. The characters themselves were really interesting but I do think they needed a bit of development to really explain who the characters were outside of being aspiring actors. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fun and well produced audiobook production. The cast here is wonderful. It’s a good plot and even though the ending is predictable, I enjoyed it.

Thank you to the author, narrators, publisher and Net Galley for providing an e-audio ALC of this book.

Let me start with how truly amazing the narration was for this book was amazing. Really kept me interested and engaged. Kept me listening. The overall story was interesting (but I've already read a few books about child authors involved in a cult this year). Thrillers like this always seem to be full of 'should I or shouldn't I? Is he or isn't he?' type story lines that could all be cleared up so much better by having a conversation. I get that it's to build drama, but it's so tired and overdone. If not for the narration, there wouldn't have been much for me in this book.

2 stars for the story, 4 stars for the narration and production. Overall, 3 stars.

Anna Downes’ Break Me Down: An Audio Thriller pulls you straight into the shadows of LA’s acting world, where ambition cuts deep and second chances come with a price. Georgia Lane, once a child star in Australia, is clawing her way back into the spotlight. Her shot? A mysterious acting studio famed for producing legends—and for breaking more than just egos.

Georgia’s story is all grit and ghosts. She’s raw, battered by her past, and desperate for a comeback. Inside The Studio, nothing is what it seems. As the walls close in, the pressure to succeed pushes her—and everyone around her—past their breaking points. Downes weaves a tense, addictive narrative about the cost of greatness and the ways art can both heal and destroy. You feel the stakes in every interaction, every whispered secret, every desperate audition.

What sets this thriller apart is how it uses the audio format. Downes doesn’t just tell a story—she builds a world around your ears. The full cast, led by Aimee Horne and Downes herself, creates a sense of claustrophobic intimacy. Sound effects, fake podcasts, and news clips drop you right into Georgia’s head and the dangerous heart of The Studio. It’s a dark, dazzling experience that makes you forget you’re just listening—you’re living it.

The book’s ambition is its greatest strength and, for some, its biggest challenge. The plot is tight and suspenseful, a lifeline for those who find it hard to focus on audiobooks. But the intensity—emotional and psychological—won’t be for everyone. It’s relentless, and the immersive format might throw off listeners who prefer a more straightforward read. Still, Downes’s fearless approach and commitment to exploring the ugly side of fame make this audio drama hard to shake.

Break Me Down isn’t just a thriller—it’s an experience that lingers in your head and under your skin. If you like your suspense with a side of psychological depth, and you want your audiobooks to feel like living nightmares, this one’s impossible to ignore.

Oh, this was so weird and SLOW! I don't know that I'd call it a thriller because it wasn't thrilling. The only thing that kept me going was the production of the audiobook. I wished the content had been less weird, creepy, cultish and more murder mystery. Like the production was so well done. The story was just lacking and missing a point. nothing exciting happens till like 80% and even that was meh. I'd love for more audiobooks to be produced like this tho just better plotline.