⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 5
What a story! This had me hooked from the get go and didn’t disappoint at all throughout! I loved reading all 4 main characters perspective and loved the twists that happen throughout! This was well written and is perfect for YA’s getting into reading, YA’s in general and anyone my age -26! If you enjoy YA books, definitely give this a try when it’s released!
I’ll end the review with saying Benjamin, please!! I need a sequel!

Sunset High is the name on everyone's lips. The original series broke a woman; the reboot caused another to vanish, and a man to die. After all that, it's less "third time lucky" and more "who will the curse take this time?". Ryan and Lucky, the golden couple, are old hands when it comes to fame, in particular when it's manufactured by Omnificent. Ella is newer to the fame, but determined to ride her rising star. And Abel? To the world, Abel is the newcomer, plucked out of obscurity and catapulted into an unimaginable world. But Abel is also grieving, and out to uncover the truth of his brother's tragic death: whatever Omnificent, and his co-stars, might be hiding. This is picturesque Hollywood, where no-one can hear you scream; and where the only type of bad publicity really is no publicity.

How to Die Famous ticks a lot of boxes: mystery, queer, LA glitz and glamour, a (fictional) expose of the realities of fame. And in a lot of ways, it absolutely delivers. It's a gripping read that's all too easy to devour in one go. It is wonderfully queer! The LA glitz and glamour is there, in particular with the gorgeous descriptions of "the City of Angels". And it does take an unflinching look at the harsh truths beneath that glimmering facade, courtesy of Dean's own background in celebrity journalism.

I do think that, ultimately, my hopes were not completely fulfilled, but let's be honest, my hopes were probably unfairly high! I also read a LOT of YA thrillers and mysteries; so whilst it's easy for me to say that I wasn't surprised by many of the twists, that's probably because I've become too cynical and hardened for my own good. And that being said, the end of the book? Absolutely got me. I can only assume (and hope) that that's setting the scene for a sequel...

A really enjoyable book based in Hollywood. A famous teen show us making a comeback but it has been dogged by rumours of past curses. Abel.is trying to find out about what happened to his brother and delves into the secrets of the production company.
I was really drawn to the characters and found it a gripping read.

From the moment I read the synopsis of 'How to Die Famous,' I knew it was a book made for me. The premise intrigued me, and as someone who has worked in the industry, I always find showbiz novels particularly fascinating. Benjamin Dean's insights, drawn from his previous career, were exactly what I was looking for. In fact, I could almost envision myself swapping stories with the author!

The main character was endearing, and I found myself rooting for him as he sought to gain favour amongst the stars and unearth hidden secrets. Yet, it was Lucky who stole the show for me. Who can resist a damaged heartthrob? The female characters were also great, displaying strength and serving as positive role models for younger readers.

The plot of this captivating 'whodunit' mystery took me on a rollercoaster of twists and turns. I was consistently engaged, and the story kept me guessing until the very end.

I applaud both the author and the publisher for tackling the topic of stardom and shedding light on its many pitfalls and dark corners. It is crucial for our emerging adults to glimpse behind the veil of celebrity. Personally, I am unsettled by the growing number of youngsters who aspire to be 'famous' at any cost, driven by societal influences. I sincerely hope that Benjamin Dean continues to create engaging works that educate young adults about the perils of blindly chasing fame. I will be looking into his backlist whilst crossing my fingers that there will be a sequel to this one. You can't leave it like that guys, c'mon!

'How to Die Famous' is a thought-provoking novel that explores the captivating and treacherous world of stardom. Benjamin Dean's expert storytelling and insightful commentary make it a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the price one pays for fame and it's industry

I was so excited to have been sent an ARC of How to Die Famous by Benjamin Dean, by NetGalley. This book is classed as a YA Mystery and is set to be released in July 2023.

This book needs a Netflix adaptation and a sequel, like, yesterday, and it hasn’t even been released yet!!!!

Honestly, I think I have a new favourite book. I was immediately drawn in by the premise and the opening of the novel does not disappoint. I loved everything about this book, I found the twists (both good and bad) absolutely thrilling and found myself immersed in the world of all things Omni. Anybody who loved books like One of Them is Lying or A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder will definitely love this book and I cannot wait for it to be released.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children’s UK for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

London-born Abel has landed the role of a lifetime for an upcoming blockbuster. On the face of it he’s Hollywood’s latest teen star, but below the surface he’s an undercover journalist on a mission to expose the ‘squeaky clean’ entertainment industry and the part they played in his brother’s ‘accidental’ death. As Abel steps into the spotlight alongside fellow actors Lucky, Ryan and Ella, he soon discovers that beneath the glittering surface of fame and riches lies a darker world of secrecy, scandal and murder. Nobody is who they seem when the cameras are off, and everybody has something to hide. But who’s next in line to die famous? 

Abel wants to find out what happened to his brother. Ryan wants to wriggle out from under Omni’s thumb. Ella wants to be her own person, not what someone else wants her to be. Lucky wants to hide away and finally grieve his mother’s death properly. All four characters are vastly different from each other but are thrust into a situation none of them want to be in. Each of their POVs are engaging and thrilling, offering vital insight into their personal stories and how they entwine into the greater plot with the others. I really liked how in the end, all of their goals merged into one and they could successfully work together. What a team they made! I think they were some brilliant characters that felt well fleshed out and realistic.

I love me a good murder mystery kind of book so when I read the blurb, I knew I needed to jump in and read this one. I do think the plot was very solid and the flow was excellent. If I had the time, I probably could have blazed through this in only a couple of sittings. The building suspense was great and came to a great climax. There were quite a few POVs which I was a little skeptical of but I don’t think they were confusing in any way. I’ve had experiences with other books in the past where multiple POVs have just been too much to handle to maintain a good story (and flow) but this was not the case with this book. There were one or two smaller characters we suddenly got the POV of which was a little jarring but didn’t hurt the story in any way. The ending was definitely unexpected! It seems like it has been set up for a potential second book, though it could also just be a very interesting open end as well. I think Dean has done a very good job with this book.

Overall, How To Die Famous is a great, suspenseful story that keeps you hooked throughout.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children’s UK for an advanced copy of this book. Review will be live on my blog on release day.

This is a great story about the realities of Hollywood and how young stars navigate their way through the minefield of showbiz.

The story follows four young starlets all signed with a huge Hollywood studio in reviving a popular but cursed TV show. There is mystery, scandal and lots of drama. And although this is purely fiction, when reading it feels like it could be reality. It is compelling, exciting and was fantastic to the very last page.

As a secondary school librarian this is the exact sort of book which the kids love, so I can’t wait to have it available to them. I’m also hoping there will be sequel, as I’d love to know what happens next.

How to die famous
By Benjamin Dean
Published by Simon & Schuster Ltd

This YA thriller about the pitfalls of instant fame in the TV arena is an absolute page turner! Brought to us by the award-winning author Benjamin Dean, we are introduced to the four main characters and a suspicious death to investigate. But all is not as it first seems. As the characters unveil themselves and their involvement within the industry is peeled back, layer by layer, each one has their own demons to keep under wraps.

When Abel Miller’s brother dies, he is determined to find the real answer - this was no accident. So juggling his Hollywood role & answering to a journalist on speed dial, Abel makes it his mission to expose the TV industry and make them pay as revenge for his brother’s murder.

This deliciously dark and addictive YA thriller follows the lives of the young, rich and famous through relationships, loves lost alongside struggles to stay alive.
Who are these actors beneath their scripts?
Why does everyone have something to hide?
What will become of these four teenage heart throbs?
Who will be next to die?

With thanks to Dean’s previous career as a celebrity journalist, we get the inside and outside story, up close and personal! Glamour and glitz, sit side by side with dark and daring, secrecy and scandal - read on for a fabulous showbiz ‘guess who’ with many a twist and turn! Nothing is as it seems on the surface,; congratulations Dean.

Joanne Bardgett - teacher of littlies, lover of Children’s literature.

#Netgalley

‘How to die famous’ really appealed to my love of YA thrillers and although it took me a little bit of time to really get into the story, once I was in I was hooked. The main plotline is a remake of a teen TV show, one that now has cult status thanks to its supposed curse. All of the young cast members have their own secrets, but Abel we find out off the bat has history with the show. He has been picked from obscurity to be a new star but his focus is to uncover the truth behind his brother’s ‘accidental’ death.
The pacing was well done and I found it hard to stop reading with each twist and turn. I appreciated how each character felt well rounded on their own before slotting into the teenage friendship dynamic of the main four. The style in which Dean writes felt very on trend and had a similar feeling to works like ‘One of us is lying’ in that I am sure this will be adapted for Netflix soon, but it still felt fresh and original. I enjoyed Dean’s take on the dark side of the entertainment industry and how the way we live our lives on social media can be manipulated and misshaped for consumption. I really enjoyed Dean’s writing style and loved the upbuild in pace and revelations towards the end of the novel. Great addition for anyone who loves a well written and entertaining teen thriller.

How to Die Famous is a YA thriller novel about the lives of four young celebrities involved with the reboot of a popular show which is believed to be cursed due to its actors encountering disasters over the years. We meet four main characters, Abel, Lucky, Ryan, and Ella, whose POV we explore throughout the novel as the clues for the reveal at the start of the book all start to add up. However, the reveal seems to have more to it and we find this out as we read further into the novel, leading up to the events at the end. The plot twists were absolutely amazing and had me shocked at every turn, as every time I thought I had figured out what was going on, something else happened and changed my perception. There is a bonus end reveal which I definitely wasn’t expecting, and I am hoping it leads to more because it’s a fantastic cliffhanger! I don’t frequently read thrillers but I have loved Benjamin Dean’s other books and knew I would love this one too. I’m glad I got the chance to read this and would definitely recommend it!

5/5⭐️ How to Die Famous was a book I absolutely devoured! This queer mystery was suspenseful and engaging and had you constantly guessing. I loved the characters and was rooting for them all the way through; the side of romance was perfect and there were many moments that had me giggling. I also appreciated how the author included some of the characters dealing with grief and how they supported each other, it was heartwarming to read.

This book follows the viewpoint of each of the court protagonists: Abel, Lucky, Ella and Ryan, and having the story told from each of their POVS really made everything come together. They are all to star in the supposedly cursed show called Sunset High and as they embark on this journey they learnt there’s more to the curse than just myth. Murder seems to follow the production company, Omnificent and after his brother suffers an “accidental” death whilst working for the company, Abel sets out to find the truth.

Each revelation had me shocked especially the ending, I didn’t want to stop reading. This story of secrets, lies and murder will keep you hooked from the very first line until the end

A twisty and inclusive YA thriller with all the glitz, glamour, and scandals! Lifting the curtain on the hidden world of big production companies and their media darlings, contrasting what we see on the outside (and what sets social media on fire) with what's really going on. Really enjoyed that! I mean who doesn't love a good scandal or two?

Abel Miller is on his way to Hollywood, having landed one of the lead roles in a major teen blockbuster series, Sunset High. This is the third reboot of the series which has been cancelled before due to a curse that seems to plague the series. Now, as Able heads to begin filming, not only will he be acting, but he will also be surreptitiously reporting back to Hannah Wilkes at the Daily Eye newspaper for he is determined to expose Omnificent, the film company behind Sunset High, and their treatment of its staff. After meeting Lucky, Ryan and Ella, his co-stars, Abel quickly realises that the beneath the surface of the glamour and glitz of acting, there is a very different, much darker world; one that can be deadly.
Having read and loved Benjamin's MG books (Me, My Dad & The End Of The Rainbow (review here), and The Secret Sunshine Project (review here)), and devoured Benjamin's first YA novel The King Is Dead (review here) on a sunbed last July, I was rather giddy when I saw his upcoming YA, How To Die Famous, on NetGalley. I downloaded it immediately, knowing that a train journey to London would be the perfect opportunity to get lost in the Hollywood hills.

From the very beginning, you know that this is going to be a book full of drama with the prologue ending with the sentence 'One of us is dead.' It gives the reader a sense of anticipation and suspense from the very beginning and this carries through the entire book. Far from the glitz and glamour of the film industry, How To Die Famous shines a spotlight on the darker, controlling side of the film industry which made me shudder on many occasions. I know that the book was based on Benjamin's time as a celebrity reporter and is fictional but it did make me wonder how much of this goes on behind the scenes of the film industry; it's a life that many young people aspire to yet one that the book quickly shows readers isn't all that it seems. When you can't leave your hotel without being mobbed by paparazzi; when you can't be yourself and have to live the life you are instructed to, and when you aren't given the time to grieve, all in the name of building audience excitement for the show, it makes you realise that the glitzy outward appearance hides a much darker side; one that is showcased chillingly in this book.

The four main characters are very different from each other and I liked the four person perspective of the narrative. Lucky has recently lost his mother and is finding it difficult to come to terms with this, which results in him backing bad choices, especially in terms of drink. Ryan is a young black actor who is only too aware that this life could end at any moment, and Ella is the girl Omnificent want to be their new leading lady - on the surface she has everything anybody could possibly want but there is much behind the scenes that is making her miserable. Then there is Ryan, the young English actor heading towards his big break, but why is he determined to expose the world he is about to enter?

How To Die Famous is a deliciously thrilling book full of twists, stalkers, curses and suspense that will have you on the edge of your seat. In fact, not only did I read it on the train without pausing, but I also found myself reading it on the tube in London and even whilst at dinner as the book was compelling and utterly unputdownable.

Publishing on the 20th July, How To Die Famous is the perfect summer YA read and I predict that it will be seen around many a poolside this summer.

3.75 ⭐️
If you liked a good girl’s guide to murder, you’re bound to like this book.
Abel miller joining the world of celebrities to uncover their dirty little secrets, only to find it’s much deeper than he could’ve thought. What more could you ask for? Inclusive characters, LGBT+ representation, and an all round really enjoyable story.

The only reason I didn’t rate this higher was the multiple POV’s, although relevant to the story, didn’t seem to allow much room to understand each character. I think it would’ve been much better to be in the head of 1 or 2 of the characters rather than trying to do all 4, I don’t think the inner monologue of Ryan and Lucky added much to the story that you couldn’t get from the perspectives of other characters.
Also the hope waters story line at the end seemed unnecessary other than to set up a second book, but I’m still excited for a second book to explore that further!

I’m definitely thinking of buying the physical copy to put on my shelf when it comes out!

an easy read by a new author for me, it a behind the scenes glance of the rich and famous and all the drama you see on screen also happens off screen!
lots of twists and turns

I was extremely grateful to be given an arc of this book from @simonandschuster

I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘how to die famous’. The book follows Abel, as he joins the set of ‘Sunset High’, a tv show which is labelled cursed due to various incidents affecting both staff and cast members. Abel joins with the intentions of taking down Omnificent (the show’s production company), however, he soon realises that this won’t be an easy job.

This book definitely took me by surprise- I wasn’t expecting to be as instantly hooked as I was and I loved the LGBTQ+ representation. The relationships between characters felt very realistic; I could definitely picture them existing as a real friend group. The twists and turns were also unpredictable and left me wanting to ignore real life just to find out what happens next.

I really hope this becomes a series as I really want to know what’s next for these characters.

With HOW TO DIE FAMOUS, Benjamin Dean delivers another pacy, hard-to-put down thriller that delves into the pressures put on those in public view,

This is a book all about how Hollywood, production companies, and the culture of celebrity gossip manipulates stories and invades privacy in order to sell media. It also explores how companies treat people like rubbish and discard them when they are no longer profitable - or begin to stand up for themselves.

It's sharp and uncompromising about how it portrays the effect this has on young actors and their mental health. Benjamin Dean is clearly drawing on his years as a celebrity reporter to make both the tangled lives that result from the pressure and the way it's all reported feel so painfully familiar. There's no dignity in it, from either the press or the production companies, no sense that these people are people to these bodies.

The book is mainly told from the perspectives of the four teen actors at the front of the show, revealing their different experiences and pressures. It's really good at humanising them so you can see why they might act as they are, see the different sides of the story. Plus you're rooting for these actors who are being pitted against each other in order for the production company to maintain power to come together to take it down.

Here and there, there are chapters from other characters' perspectives. These are when the events are being narrated to the main characters, in order to make the events more emotionally impactful, rather than being filtered through the listener's ears. It gives the chapters an imediacy.

It is also a twisty thriller to find out exactly what happened to Abel's brother and the other people who have been tangled with the production company's attempts to launch this show over the years. It's a mystery to keep you guessing - and then wondering how they're going to take those responsible down.

This was a really excellent read - I found it a bit slow going at first, but once the main story got underway it went from strength to strength. The twists just kept on coming, right until the last page! The writing style struck me as more pre-teen than young adult in the beginning, but seemed to mature alongside the story itself.

Overall, a cleverly plotted slow-burn thriller with a very satisfying ending!

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC.

Very much enjoyed this! Loved how gay it was and the characters were brilliant. Favourite character was Ryan - she’s one of those characters who you just think ‘yeah, sure’. Love Benjamin Dean’s books and would recommend this to anyone who asked me!

How To Die Famous is a book you will read in one sitting. It's deliciously scandalous. It keeps you on your toes and is a wild and unpredictable ride behind the scenes of the celebrity world we all love to read about. Benjamin Dean draws on his knowledge from his time as a celebrity journalist to create a jaw-dropping and addictive read.