I enjoyed this novel, which uses mixed media to tell the story of Melanie Lange, a celebrity whose fame has been a blessing and a curse. I went back and forth as to what was going on and the author did a great job in portraying the trials and tribulations of being famous in today's celebrity-obsessed world.

An intriguing look at social media fame and mental health with compelling characters and an addictive feel.

The author explores many socially relevant themes whilst providing an entertaining and thought provoking read. I especially liked the ending which made you really think about what had come before.

Overall an excellent timely thriller that works beautifully and is a real page turner.

I really enjoyed the concept of this read - like a script from a Netflix documentary. Made me visualize the storyline well. This was such a great thought provoking read, suspenseful, addictive and entertaining.

There are plenty of incredible plot twists to discuss making for a superb book club read.

I’m still undecided on the answer to the concluding question but I can’t wait to hear what other readers make of it!

Definitely one to read in 2023!

Former It-Girl turned beauty entrepreneur Melanie Lange has disappeared, and social media is a storm of opinions and misinformation. Her father, hotelier Sir Peter Lange, insists that Melanie is recovering from mental health issues in a private clinic. Her best friend Nell says she's been kidnapped. Who is telling the truth? And where IS Melanie Lange...?

I was intrigued by the premise of this one from the get-go. Ill be honest - I wasn't sure if I was going to like it once I started reading, as the narrative style switches quite a lot, moving from interview style Q & A's to Melanie's recordings, to tweets from the public. But once i got used to it, I found it a really inventive and compelling way to tell a story using multiple narrators, all of whom are unreliable in their own way. My favourite thing was how all the way through this book, we believe what we are being told, only to have someone else's version of events upend that belief, so that we are never sure who - if anyone - is telling the whole truth.

I loved Melanie's character and was rooting for her all the way through - the author did a brilliant job of conveying how the people we see in the media really are just a figment of our collective imaginations, and how the real person and the real story are often very different from what we aere presented with. If I had one minor niggle, it was with the ending - I won't give anything away here but the sort-of-epilogue bit at the end felt a little out-of-nowhere and for me it wasn't entirely cohesive with the rest of the novel. Was it the ending I wanted for Melanie? No, and I felt a bit cheated on her behalf. But then I suppose the whole point of the novel is that we never really know Melanie, we only know what we can glean and weave together from multiple - and wildly differing - accounts, so when my initial response was "Melanie wouldn't do that", I had to confront the fact that I had become one of the people I disliked so much in the book, the public commentators who felt they knew Melanie just based on what they had read in the tabloids etc. A clever final twist.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for granting me a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Harrowing.

A really interesting and unique way of presenting the story, through various interviews and video transcripts. I've very rarely seen that narrative style used and much less with all the versions combined. I think it was really effective in keeping reader attention and made it much easier to keep track of the changing perspectives.

You can very easily see something like this being true, or at the very least there are strong elements of truth throughout the entire story. We live in an age where stars such as Brittney Spears have been under conservatorship, not dissimilar situation to the one that Mellie finds herself in.

The fashion industry in particular (as well as music) can be very unforgiving, it's all about image and being 'seen' in the right things with the right people and in the right places, but the paparazzi are a double edged sword - they can make you and break you in a heartbeat.

This is a perfect read for young adults (and personally, adult readers too!), especially with things like The Crown, drawing attention to younger generations what terrible tragedy happened to Diana, Princess of Wales.
The press can be a dangerous ally.

I really dislike being harsh on a book because the author has put so much effort and hardwork into their work. However, that's a reason I enjoy books, one person may love it and the other may not.
I was really looking forward to this book as it really appealed to me however it didn't really hit home. For this being a thriller there was no real drive for me to read it. I had no real urge to pick this book up apart from wanting to get to the end for the plot twist. There was no real suspense for the reader, as you knew who was behind the situation, however the main ending wasn't what i thought was going to happen. Frankly it made me like the main character less. I was rather disappointed with the ending.

This book does have some positive points and the main one being the format. I love when a book isn't written like every other book. It reminded me a little of Daisy Jones and the Six, being made up of interviews, snippets from documentaries and YouTube videos also. It did keep me captivated enough to finish the book which is a positive as if it was written in basic book form, I'm not sure I would have finished. The format did limit the amount of character depth created and I found some characters to be quite annoying.
Whilst this book didn't overall impress me, I think the moral of the story is important. It allows readers to understand the negative impact social media can have on a person and allows the reader to realise that words hurt, no matter who the person is.

Giving the fact I finished this book, the format was interesting and the meaning behind the story, I rated this book 3 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy, as always it is appreciated.

I was intrigued with the premise of this book, I love a good epistolary and this was an up to date take on that, it is told trough transcripts, twitter posts and blogs. For me this kind of writing tends to get straight to the point and doesn't have to set the scene with a lot of descriptive words which works perfectly with this storyline.
I have to say though I didn't really enjoy this one, it was described as a thriller and for me it didn't work. I couldn't get to grips with the story it was more a list of events rather than a plot. I felt as if the author was just drawing on one or two very famous peoples experiences with social media and conservatorships which made me feel as if I had already. read it.
It has a lot of good reviews though so maybe I am just not the demographic it is aimed at, definitely worth a read

I found this format to be innovative and different to the usual way in which narratives are written. I had to concentrate to keep up to speed with who was talking or writing, but that is not a bad thing. This is written as if a Netflix documentary was being made about a missing celebrity and it brought to mind both the UAE princess who is 'missing' and Britney when she was under her father's control. It rang true and it really brought home how a celebrity would potentially feel. Good novel.

I really enjoyed this book and it really makes you think about what celebrities go through with the press as in my mind that is what the book was really all about. How the press can ruin a life just to fill in column inches. Melanie Lange is the daughter of a wealthy owner of hotels and she is herself a socialite and all that goes with that. Melanie becomes a model as a teenager and eventually this falls away with the ugly press stories about her antics. Her father feels that she is despressed and eventually sends her to a clinic. This causes more trouble than is saves and life becomes more difficult for her. She eventually gets her act together and starts a cosmetics company under the Lange Hotel umbrella and is doing very well and the brand is becoming very popular. Things seem to be settling down, Melanie married and had two children and life was good but the media managed to hound her and catch her in situations which were not good for her marriage and business. Eventually her marriage failed due to her being photographed in unflattering situations and she loses custody of her two boys. Suddenly Melanie disappears and the press try to find out what has happened. Her friend Nell is extremely worried and tries to find out from Melanie’s father where she is. He is very cagey which worries Nell all the more. Melanie attends a launch for the company and she was handed a phone which she hid from her captors before she is returned to her “prison”. YouTube videos are posted and the media circus starts again. There are two schools of thought one of which is that her father has her in hiding or is it against her will. The story goes backwards and forwards with campaigns of save Melanie or save Peter as her dad is adamant she is not being held against her will. I found this book a good read and was not sure really until I almost finished it where the story will end. I hope this book does well.

I really liked the style of writing and I got hooked in straight away!

The format and the story make it seem so believable that I actually feel like it would be a Netflix documentary I could watch!

I really like the way the stories talks about the intense pressure the media can cause and the affect this has on people once the doors were shut.

I liked the way you heard from different people’s perspectives and trying to work out who was right or wrong.

Overall a good book -would recommend

A cleverly written story with great insight into celebrity culture and the media. When Melanie Lange becomes a model at seventeen little did she know that her life would no longer be her own. Her father Peter Lange is successful businessman and wants to protect his daughter at all costs. Melanie is followed by the media wherever she goes highlighting her life for all to see. When Melanie meets Finn her life settles a little, she has two boys and sets up her own company 'Lange Cosmetics'.
Then Melanie goes missing....
The book is written in the form of interviews in making a TV documentary "The Ugly Truth".
It is a brilliant piece of fiction and has everything from friendship to heartache. Who do you believe? It has a total shock ending that left me speechless.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW!
Many thanks go out to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for the eARC of The Ugly Truth by LC North. It took me a few weeks to finish but that was no fault of this book, life has been getting in the way of my reading. When I did get a chance to read I loved this book.
I really enjoy this style of book where the story is told by social media messages, audio recordings etc. I think it’s easier for me to picture things and books don’t seem so slow.
This is the story of a rich businessman, his company of affordable luxury hotels and his daughters, one of whom hits it big when she’s just 15 at the opening of his London hotel. She’s flung to stardom overnight and this is the story of her journey. The good, the bad and the ugly!
When his daughter, now grown with children of her own, disappears completely, will you be team #SaveMelanie or #HelpTeamPeter?
Well worth a read when this comes out 16th of March 2023, I’ll be ordering a copy for myself and family members to read.

What a book! I can see this being the must read of 2023!! This was a really gripping read and kept me hooked from start to finish. It’s written in the same sort of format as Daisy Jones and the Six and The Appeal which I found to be quite engaging.
There are some sensitive issues covered throughout - these include suicide and abuse of power.

Throughout the novel you get to witness the impact media scrutiny and its negative coverage has on celebrities and the harm social media trolls can cause. It’s quite an eye opener!! It’s dreadful how acceptable it is for the media to distort the truth and bend it to fit their narrative.

An easy 5 ⭐️ Recommendation
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Bantam Press for the opportunity to read and review this outstanding thriller.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 rounded up to 4

This book took me a little while to get into as it's told in a mix of Tweets, blog posts, Youtube videos, interview transcripts and a Netflix documentary. I'm not sure what the formatting will be like in the final copy but it did take a bit to get used to. I found it slightly jarring at first, as any books I've read with this mixed media approach have included things like that alongside regular prose. Having that as the main body of the book was a new experience!

I do think it started to lag a little in the middle for me. I'm not sure if that's down to the style it was written in or the story itself. Things did pick up again towards the end, and the mystery kept me guessing throughout.

I feel like this concept may work better onscreen than as a book, but again I'd have to see the final copy to see if some of the weird formatting is changed.

I was intrigued by 'The Ugly Truth' by L.C. North, being a fan of epistolary style novels like 'Daisy Jones and the Six' and, more recently, the fantastic 'The Appeal'. This novel is in their image, comprised entirely of newspaper cuttings, interview recordings, journal entries, and the script from a true crime Netflix show.

At the beginning, we are introduced to the history of Melanie Lange, former model and still high profile in the tabloid press. In the present, Melanie has been missing for months, her father holding her in a private mental health facility, isolated from her two sons, best friend and her estranged husband. Here we have two narratives at odds, one Melanie claiming she is being held against her will, her father maintaining he is doing everything he can to protect his daughter. The reader is left to interpret the evidence.

The premise of the novel is an intriguing one and I enjoyed the gradual reveal of Melanie's past and present through the interviews and other found articles. I went back and forth between being angry at Melanie's father and supporting his actions. The morality and truth is murky and uncomfortable throughout. However, I was expecting more twists and turns. Discounting a twist in the final few pages, everything unfolded quite predictably. I am still torn on the ending as a device - go and read for yourself as it is purposefully there to make you question your own viewpoints and the role of the tabloid press.

Overall, an interesting mystery and nice use of the form. I would recommend reading 'The Appeal' before approaching this novel as it pulls off the narrative style more convincingly. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved the style of writing in this book! The use of transcripts and emails really fitted with the theme of the book - you are only ever getting one side of the story and who or what do you believe? I found the storyline compelling, so much so, I read it in a couple of sittings. I was a little disappointed with the ending, but that wouldn't put me off recommending it and suggesting it be purchased by my library service.

I really enjoyed this book. I'm a big fan of a book that is written differently to other books out there. It's rare to find them. But I love it when I do. This one has all sorts of correspondence types in it and I find that it keeps me more engaged it the story. I liked all the twist and turns and trying to piece everything together. I really enjoyed reading this one.

Nope. Couldn’t get into this at all. A famous model has disappeared. Her father says she is in a mental health facility for treatment. Her ex and her friend say she’s been kidnapped.
The issue for me here was the style of writing. Entirely in the form of interviews, social media comment, tweets etc. I found this so difficult to get into, it really broke the flow of the story and I found a lot of the content superfluous to the plot.
I thought the story sounded up my street but just couldn’t get into it.

A great story which hooks you in and has you questioning the sanity of everyone. Hard to put down, I loved every moment of it!

Melanie Lange has always been in the spotlight but now she has disappeared. This was a twisting, turning thriller told from many viewpoints using a mix of emails, video transcripts, tweets and other media outlets. At first, I was unsure of this style of writing but if you treat them as little chapters it really works very well. I found it a thought provoking read that kept me hooked till the end. Recommend you give it a read. Thanks go to the author, the publisher and NetGalley.