OH MY GOD, THIS BOOK. I love everything Benjamin Dean writes and I’m so glad this lived up to expectations. It is a rollercoaster of a thriller with no hope of guessing who’s telling the truth or what will be revealed next.

The story is told from four different POVs but their characters and backstories are distinctive enough that this is in no way confusing. Abel Miller, Ryan Hudson, Lucky Tate and Ella Winter look like poster kids on paper, the latter three being household names but as the plot develops, the true price of fame comes to light and the sinister undercurrents of show business reveal themselves. They are all inherently flawed characters, making them that much more believable as you get to know them.

How To Die Famous moves at a fast pace throughout but still manages to deal with serious themes like grief with the gravitas it deserves. I loved the mystery aspect, especially since I do usually prefer YA thrillers with a bit of a mystery in the plot. Dean’s writing is so easy to read too, making it easy to speed though (if you want to, obviously!). It definitely has A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder vibes and the less you know going into it, the better.

Honestly, I found this review really hard to write because I just want to keyboard smash and tell you all you NEED to read this book and that’s it. Grab yourself a hot drink, get comfortable and strap yourself in for a journey.

This is a really fun, dark, twisty YA murder mystery, kind of like if a murder happened on the set of a Gossip Girl revival. Builds towards a really exciting climax that piled a few twists on top of one another.

I already uploaded a rather long review discussing how much I ADORED this book, but it seems to have disappeared! As it was written a while ago, and I finished this book even longer ago, I cannot guarantee this one will be quite as detailed or extensive, but I'll do my best. Besides, it'll be a pleasure to think about How to Die Famous Again!

When I began reading this brilliant YA novel, I was honestly a bit worried; certain characters and plot points seemed eerily reminiscent of the tragic stories centered around the TV show Glee*. And while I'm sure that Glee and its actors were an influence on the author, it would be a huge disservice to only consider that when judging the merits of the book. There was so, so much more to it and it felt wholly original and unique to me. There wasn't a single thing I'd have changed in any of the chapters!
(*AKA the best TV show ever and also my favourite one.)

There was so much to love, from the multiple POVs to the enchanting settings (who knew that descriptions of airports could be so genuinely enthralling?!) and, of course, the AMAZING characters. They were all so well-written that it's almost impossible to choose a favourite... but, of course, I did. However, rather than explicitly reveal who that is, I'd like to note just a few reasons why each of the main four were so fabulous.

Abel: Our main character, and the one we are introduced to first. He's focused, determined and funny and, even with his faults, it's impossible not to love him. He had me hooked from the first page and, even when I predicted elements of his backstory and motivations, I never felt that he himself was predictable.
Lucky: I will admit I didn't like him at first; I thought he was just a regular annoying golden boy with a tragic backstory. But I was proven wrong! By about halfway through the story, I liked him every bit as much as I liked Abel.
Ella: I would gladly read an entire trilogy written about Ella. AUs where the events in this book don't happen; tales of her childhood; short stories throughout her career. The way she was written, and the way every other character interacted with her, it was all just PERFECTION.
Ryan: The only character I enjoyed reading about as much as Ella. (Though her relationship with Ella and the way it changed constantly was a huge part of why I loved Ryan! I related a lot to her throughout the novel.) She was so well-developed and interesting.

As you can probably tell, I believe all the characters were written flawlessly. Even the minor characters, from the villains to the sidekicks, were excellent, as was the entire plot. Plus, I'm very much hoping there is a sequel after the twist at the end! I'm devastated I haven't read any of Benjamin Dean's work before, and I will be rectifying that immediately.

I received this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a lot of fun! A little unbelievable at times and more than a little messy in places but the tension is great, and celebrity culture and terrifying publicity / paps / studio machine stuff feels really nailed. You can’t help but feel for the main characters embroiled in it all.

Their personal relationships are a little all over the place - Ella and Ryan in particular, but also Abel and Lucky! There is also no forward thinking which makes you wonder how it all works out lol.

However, it’s definitely supposed to be a bit like that and it honestly leans into the suspense of it all for me. Plus Omni is clearly a sort of dark Disney esque company and I read this at Disney World so the vibes were on point! 😂

Would definitely recommend to people who enjoy suspense, mystery and conspiracy books! 4 stars.

Great book discussing a lot of the issues around child stars the likes of Disney & nIckelodeon employ and the people who destroy them in production. Felt like the main villain was a little obvious and the set up for the end was a bit contrived but I still enjoyed my read regardless

As soon as I read the synopsis for this, I knew I HAD to read it and I wasn’t at all disappointed!

The beginning pulled me in and while I did have a few moments of just kind of impatiently waiting for something to happen, the introduction to the characters and their individual dramas really brought each character to life and had you empathising with them and rooting for them!

Ultimately, I ended up glued to this because there’s twist after twist and some of them genuinely had me gasping out loud. I think I muttered a few “wtf’s” now and then as well because I really didn’t see some of them coming and the way it was all resolved? Perfection.

At least until the last chapter which had me screaming!

I thoroughly enjoyed getting hooked into this and reading through all the drama, I also find it quite believable as well actually! I’m really enjoying Dean’s work and I look forward to seeing what comes next!

It's always fun to come across a book that reminds me of everything I love about YA. How to Die Famous is definitely one of these books. With four queer protagonists embroiled in a manipulative industry, it doesn't hold back in showing the dark side of Hollywood.

I loved the four characters so much. I think Ella and Ryan were my favourites because I'm always a sucker for a Sapphic couple. Abel was probably the character I liked the least, but I still liked him a lot. Each character was strong and had their own issues going on, but they were so strong together.

The ending was clever, as all mystery endings should be. I guessed some stuff, but there was still plenty to surprised me.

Read for a great mystery and fantastic characters!

Benjamin Dean's last book was so underhyped (in my opinion) and I hope that How To Die Famous doesn't have the same fate. This YA thriller really does pack a sensational punch!

From award-winning author Benjamin Dean comes a deliciously dark and addictive YA thriller following the lives of Gen Z’s rich and famous through the lens of an undercover teen journalist. Perfect for fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and One of Us is Lying.

Another page turning YA thriller from Benjamin Dean! I really enjoyed the setting of this one and loved the bond between the 4 main characters. The audiobook was great as they had 4 narrators for the 4 main characters perspectives! Also had a podcast element within the book which was a fun touch!


I enjoyed the twists and turns in this, especially the epilogue! I didn’t see that coming AT ALL!
Believable Hollywood drama, glitz and glam with a sprinkling of queer romance and teen troubles.

A fun young adult read, but if you’re used to your thrillers a little more fast paced, this might be a little slow for you.I loved reading about the world of celebrities, gossip and media this was set it. Overall, such a fun read full of twist - even I did not see the one in the epilogue coming!

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy.

A young journalist goes undercover as an actor on a TV show to try and uncover the truth behind his brother's death

Teenager Abel gets a dream role on the reboot of a popular teen drama, and is set for fame and stardom. But really e he's an undercover journalist on a mission to expose the entertainment industry and the part they played in his brother's 'accidental' death. This is a strong premise that should be juicy and compelling, has all the right ingredients but overall it's all very superficial & implausible & the mystery element lacks much context or dramatic build up but overall it's a trashy, accessible read that will definitely have teen appeal. It's a shame the story and characters weren't further fleshed out and made more engaging.

Another enjoyable YA thriller from Benjamin Dean - he will definitely be an auto-buy author for me now.

I loved reading about the world of celebrities, gossip and media this was set it. Overall, such a fun read full of twist - even I did not see the one in the epilogue coming!

I heard so much hype about this book so had such high hopes.
However I just couldn't get into it.
Found the pacing to be really slow. There was a lot of characters that I struggled to keep on top of.
The plot just didn't seem to go anywhere for a long time.

Did not enjoy this!

This book hooked me straight away! A YA book with a mix of mystery and Hollywood glamour. I loved that you were dropped straight into the drama and felt like you got a glimpse into the not so fun part of being famous. I liked the main characters and felt invested in their stories. Such a readable book, with a good pace that keeps you interested. A great twist at the end too!

I have been reading a lot of YA books lately - a hazard of working in a high school library - and the genres I know my students love are the crime, mystery and thriller. Benjamin Dean's How to Die Famous encapsulates all three and then throws in a big dollop of celebrity culture.

It is the story of Abel who is trying to find out how his older brother died. Along the way he meets a group of teen celebrities who all have their own reasons to hate the celebrity lifestyle and who are there for him in his quest.

Benjamin Dean has a really lovely syle of writing. I felt compelled to read on further. I needed to know what happened and as is normal for me I didn't have a clue who the bag guy was.

This is a perfect summer read.

How to Die Famous by Benjamin Dean is available now.

For more information regarding Benjamin Dean (@NotAgainBen) please visit his Twitter page.

For more information regarding Simon and Schuster Children's UK (@simonkids_UK) please visit www.simonandschuster.co.uk.

I LOVED this book. I recently finished 'The King is Dead' and was really impressed so as soon as I was accepted for 'How To Die Famous', I knew it had to go straight to the top of my tbr list. I didn't think it was possible but I actually enjoyed this one even more. I'm now wondering if the ending was just to leave the reader's jaw dropped or if a sequel is coming...

Thanks for the review copy!

Have you ever picked up a book and from the first sentence you were hooked? Well with How To Die Famous, I was completely hooked.

From the beginning your instantly thrown into a mystery. One character, Abel Miller comes running out of a house with blood on his hands, making the reader aware that something sinister has taken place!

Then we flashback to present day and we officially meet Abel who is flying to LA for a reboot of a teen drama called Sunset High. We find out that the show is cursed and the original reboot 3 years prior ended with a death.

Throughout the book we are introduced to a range of characters who all have one tv show in common, Sunset High. Through each character the plot thickens to eventually it all comes to hand with a plan to get revenge.

Now I won’t say what happens but from how it ends it’s safe to say there feels room for a sequel!

How to Die Famous is a book that examines the dark underbelly of Hollywood, showing just how seriously people in power take the desire to come out on top.
A gripping page-turner that I can see being made into a movie before long. It ticks every box, and I’m grateful to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review it before publication.
Abel Miller is the new face in an upcoming blockbuster. As a Brit joining a celebrated American teen show he could be forgiven for being nervous, but Abel has more reason than most to fear discovery. As an undercover journalist, Abel is trying to track down exactly what happened to his brother years earlier. Of course we’re desperate to find out what happened, and whether Abel will evade discovery.
From the moment we’re introduced to the cast of characters at the heart of the show, it’s clear that there’s a lot riding on this. We have the history of the show’s cursed predecessor and there’s clearly a story to be learnt. What we quickly see is that there’s more than one story to be uncovered, and there are no depths to which those who have most to lose will stoop to in order to stay on top.
A great cast of characters, a wonderfully exaggerated villain and sidekick, a number of secondary characters who offered something more than you might expect…and an absolutely audacious ending that hints we might see more of this cast.
Fantastic read, and I can’t wait to get this in the hands of some readers at school.

I really enjoyed this book from Benjamin Dean. Just like The King is Dead, this is an insightful read into the lives of those in the public eye and everything that happens behind closed doors. I've always loved celebrities and being able to see into the lives of four celebrity children definitely gave me the fix I needed!

My only gripe is that I feel like certain character's stories could have been further fleshed out. For example, one of the characters' mum features quite a bit in the beginning but then we hardly see them again and it could have a great insight into their relationship. There's also the assistant who we only see briefly and then only again at the end which could have been more fleshed out throughout or at least we could have seen them peppered throughout further.

Other than that, this is a great read and one that you should probably avoid reading late at night and when not in the company of others as it did scare me slightly at one point!

Something untoward and deadly seems to happen on the set of a teenage soap. Two previous seasons have ended prematurely when a series of unfortunate events occurred with the cast and crew, but the production company Omni are determined to bring it back again.

The four stars are seasoned actors Lucky, Ryan and Ella but they are joined by new boy Abel. Abel has another reason for being on the show - his brother died when working there, and he’s determined to find out the truth.

The story focuses on the pressure of being famous and the control exerted by the production company in order to create the image they want. The pressure to conform is too much for the young actors and they rebel, each in their own way.

I liked the premise of the story but it all seemed a bit to easy. Abel quickly finds out the information he’s looking for, which raises the question, why did no one else manage to do the same? Also, managing to land a starring role in the cast of the show his brother died working on is just too much of a coincidence.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is insanely good!! I love a YA thriller and this one has it all: a plot full of twists and turns, revenge, secrets, the highs and lows of stardom and an epic conclusion.

It wasn’t long before I was hooked on this book. A reboot of the classic Sunset High, infamous for its curse. Previous stars of the show have had breakdowns, gone missing and an assistant fell to their death… or did they? Abel is desperate to discover the truth of what happened to his brother but little does he realise what he is about the uncover in this thrilling read.

There were definitely parts of this book that made me so happy not to be famous in any way, shape or form. This story contains a searing look into the downsides of being famous - the coersion, the control, abuse of power - at times it was sickening to read. It really makes you think more carefully about what you see in the media and gets you wondering how do celebs really feel?

As far as characters go I loved our leading 4: Abel, Lucky, Ella and Ryan. It didn’t take me long to really adore each of them as their individual POVs gave me the chance to empathise with their personal circumstances behind the famous personas.

I adored the mystery and the determination of our 4 leading characters to serve justice. Definitely an emotional rollercoaster with lots of twists and turns I didn’t see coming. I thought the conclusion to this novel was incredible and the epilogue literally made me gasp! So so good!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster, Benjamin Dean and NetGalley for my early review copy in exchange of a fair and honest review.