I love this! You definitely need to listen to this one on audiobook. There are multiple narrators who bring this entire story to life. It's about a child star who got herself in some trouble and walked away from the film world. Now, as an adult, she wants to get back into it. She meets a man who introduces her to an acting coach who is extremely serious about what she does. As time goes by, things get a little... weird. Intense is a very mild way of putting it!
This is a fantastic audio book and I 100% recommend it. It's just so much fun and so incredibly well done. Give this one a chance if you can!!

At about the 35% mark I began to get concerned that this wasn't actually much of a thriller. A lot of world building has happened, but it usually does not take this long to get going into action and solidify its place in the thriller genre. Because I have a background working with performers (and with former child actors) earlier in my career, I decided to stick this one out a little longer to see where it goes.

I didn't love the narration. The main character, Georgia was good, but I didn't love when they moved to scene work with her boyfriend, it took me out of the experience of the audiobook. I also did not like the intonations of the acting teacher. Overall, I preferred the one person POV. Three stars.

I received this advance audio copy from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

A child actor grows up and tries to get back in the scene. She ends up getting a new bf and they both join the “studio”, an actor training group. Overall teaching technique appears to be digging in finding vulnerabilities of each pupil. Darkest traumas are on the table. It also ends up acting like therapy and it of course isn’t cause there isn’t a single trained person to handle these revelations properly. Overall it was an ok book. I liked the narration with multiple voices.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of the original and innovative audio recording of Break Me Down by Anna Downes. This is unlike any narration that I’ve ever heard and the cast of actors was phenomenal. Unfortunately the story fell flat for me despite the great potential for an amazing story.

Georgia was a child actor who disappeared for years and is ready to reinvent herself. She has a meet-cute with Henry, a fellow actor hungry to become a star, and he brings her to an intense and brutal acting class taught - or directed - by Marianna. Georgia and Marianna are immediately drawn to one another’s talent, much to Henry’s displeasure. As the rift between Henry and Georgia grows, she finds herself more immersed in the cult-like environment that Marianna has created. Marianna pushes her students to their emotional limits, regardless of the toll that it takes on their wellbeing.

I’m an Anna Downes fan and I’m looking forward to her next release, but this was not one of my favorites. It’s still worth a listen because of the amazing performances by the narrators.

First let me start with the narration- I enjoyed all the sound effects, podcasts, voicemails, news reports and full cast. This kept me listening and fully engaged. As for the actual story I think it shows you how far people will go to get what they want in entertainment and the people that exploit them. Georgia obviously had childhood trauma from acting and you can see it as come out at The Studio... some real and some make believe. The ending is sorts of messed up but no spoilers. Let's just say Marianna is a very unlikable character.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Anna Downes’ previous books, so I went into Break Me Down expecting the same gripping plot and well-developed characters. Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite hit the mark. The full-cast audio approach was a cool idea, but it felt a little too chaotic in practice—jumping between scenes in a way that made it hard to stay connected to the story. The plot felt thin, and the characters were well developed. On top of that, one of the narrators—who had a major role—felt really mismatched for the character. Her voice didn’t suit the tone, and after a while, it actually started to grate on me. There were a few tense moments and decent performances overall, but I needed more from both the story and the characters to stay engaged. Just not on the same level as her previous work.

Georgia Lane is a former child star determined to restart her career in Los Angeles. When she is invited to take classes at The Studio, an elite acting school, Georgia is quickly drawn into Mariana's unconventional teaching methods. The way Mariana pushes her students could be what Georgia needs to make it big in Hollywood. But as Georgia delves deeper into Mariana's classes, Georgia's financial and social life starts to spiral. How much is Georgia willing to sacrifice to fulfill her dream?

An Audio Thriller was a new experience for me. The cast and overall production were amazing. I loved the concept of different audio sources, such as podcasts, voicemails, and recordings, being brought together to tell Georgia's story. Although slow to begin, this thriller quickly picks up as Mariana's methods become more extreme and Georgia delves deeper into this cult-like group. Break Me Down explores the darker side of Hollywood and the extremes actors are willing to go to make it into the industry.

Break Me Down is out August 19th.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to review Break Me Down. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Break Me Down by Anna Downes presents an intriguing glimpse into the dark side of Hollywood and the relentless pursuit of fame. The story follows Georgia Lane, a former child star seeking a comeback in Los Angeles, and her journey through the cutthroat acting world. The narrative introduces compelling characters like Henry and Marianna, whose mentorship and influence add layers of tension and mystery. While the plot has some engaging moments, especially surrounding the intense environment of The Studio and the psychological games played within, it occasionally feels predictable and slow-paced. The character development is decent, but Georgia's inner struggles and the escalating stakes sometimes lack depth, making it hard to fully invest in her transformation. The themes of ambition, jealousy, and the price of fame are well-explored, but at times, the story veers into familiar territory without offering much that’s new or surprising. Overall, Break Me Down is a solid listen for fans of psychological dramas and Hollywood stories. It offers an interesting look at the darker side of artistic pursuit but doesn't entirely break new ground. If you're in the mood for a gritty, atmospheric story with some thrilling moments, this audiobook is worth a listen, though it might not leave a lasting impression.

Title: Break Me Down
Series: Crooked Pass Security Book #1
Author: Anna Downes
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Main Characters ~ Yael Stone- as Marianna, Elisa Colla as Georgia, Remy Hii- as Henry, Airlie Dodds- as Lola, Taylor Owens- as Dusty.
Other characters are performed by Aimee Horne, Lyanna Kea, Jeremy Waters, Alan Zhu and Angela Tran and Anna Downes interviews the cast in a ‘Bonus Conversation’!
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Audiobook Pub Date: August 19, 2025
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Pages: 224

Georgia Lane once was a celebrated child star in Australia. Her fame continued until her early teen years with she was no longer a ‘cute child’ and there just weren’t roles for her. When she was in high school she took dance and one day observed the drama class practicing for an upcoming production. Georgia expected they would be terrible but when they weren’t she decided she wanted to join them and learn as much as she can about being an actress.

So now she moves to LA hoping to be discovered. Only the bills pile up and the opportunities aren’t happening.
That is, until she meets Henry, an aspiring actor, who sweeps her off her feet, connects her with his agent, and brings her to audit a class at the elite acting studio he attends.

It’s here that Marianna, The Studio’s head teacher, takes a special interest in Georgia. As she steps into the intense, ego-driven world of The Studio, she finds herself challenged and invigorated by its unconventional methods, which promise to unlock her full potential but demand much more in return.

I was drawn to this story once I found out it was about the toxic environments that some actor/actresses are willing to go through to be have their dreams come true. Is being famous really what they want or is being needed what they want.

I live in the LA area and everything about the film industry is important and makes the news.

The story was interesting ~ cults have always been interesting. It just never occurred to me that the cult atmosphere occurs in far more organizations than I imagined!
This audiobook was truly a drama production - something you would see on stage – it was an audio play narrated by a full-cast!!! It was GREAT

I have read and enjoyed other Anna Downes stories. Even she admits this audiobook and the actor/actress who performed the characters were all fantastic.

I loved the Bonus conversation at the end with Author Anna Downes and main characters~
Georgia –Elisa Colla
Marianna -Yael Stone,
Henry – Remy Hii,
Lola - Airlie Dodds
Anna Downes also tells readers that her inspiration for writing this was from her own acting experience in Australia. She, of course, lets her imagination take off after hearing tales about the dark side of Hollywood acting experiences. Please that there are far more regulations on protecting those in the industry especially child actors.

Want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this Audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for August 19, 2025.

I was approved as an ARC for this book, I have to give my honest review and remember it’s just my opinion. The story line was ok it all finally came together at the end. I didn’t enjoy reading it and really found it hard to be carried along. It started off good and then I feel it lost its plot and pace for a while. You can read it and see if you enjoy it. But like I said it came together at the end of the book.

2.5/5

Genuinely, I do not know the point of this book.

I also did not like one of the narrators, I found her voice whiney (she was doing it on purpose, I could tell) and it drove me nuts, I got to the point where I started skipping chunks of her chapters. Sorry.

This story didn't really have a plot or a story, but it kind of did. It was so confusing.

If I had to give you a description of this book, all I could say would be "child stars and podcasts." But what was the actual story? What happened over the course of the book? I could not tell you.

I can kind of see what they were trying to do with this book, but it majorly missed the mark, making it quite boring and confusing. If your story is so slow and ambiguous that the reader doesn't even know what is going on or what they are supposed to be paying attention to, there's a problem.

And as a film girlie (film school), this was extra disappointing.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

The audiobook’s production quality was excellent, with an immersive sound design that made it feel more like a true crime podcast or serialized audio drama than a traditional audiobook. The storytelling format was engaging and well-executed. However, I found the main character’s narration style difficult to connect with, which ultimately impacted my overall experience. While this aspect didn’t work for me, others may appreciate the unique approach and find it highly enjoyable.

4,5⭐️
Plausible, scarily plausible.
Master manipulator.
Had no idea where it was going but I had to find out. Terrifying look at how Hollywood can manipulate you.
The narration and production was EXCELLENT.

I am such a big fan of Anna Downes and her books so I thrilled to get an early audio copy of Break Me Down from Macmillan Audio on NetGalley. I couldn’t wait to get started and once I did I couldn’t stop listening. This dark Hollywood story is told through podcasts, phone calls and messages and a brilliant cast of narrators who do a fantastic job of bringing the story to life.

A former child star, Georgia Lane, is ready to get back in acting and finds herself in acting classes with mesmerising coach., Marianna. Georgia is draw in by Marianna’s methods and feels she is finally getting somewhere. How far will a teacher go to get their students to nail the scene? Marianna pushes her students to look deep inside for their past experiences and pain to get the right emotional response. Georgia’s boyfriend Henry feels that it is being taken too far but Georgia is completely under her teachers spell.

This story is an uncomfortable listen at times, with some really dark moments. The actors were amazing they all did such a wonderful job with all the different characters. I really loved the podcast that gave some background to Georgias story.

An added bonus is after the story ends.. and that ending was 🤯🤯🤯, there is an interview with Anna Downes and the actors which was so interesting.

Another fantastic Anna Downes book and perfect for audio. Her own experience in acting really did come through, though I hope she didn’t have these dark issues in her life.

Out on August 19th, you need to listen to this book. Easy 5 stars.

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

This was a good listen. I enjoyed the effects it gave me graphic audio feels. The story was interesting. A little different than I usually listen to. Was a great mix it up kind of title.

A former child star down on her luck meets a man who sweeps her off her feet and promises to help her regain her stardom with a very special acting class. The Studio, and its mysterious instructor, specializes in breaking her students down to the ground before rebuilding them. But in what image?