She's a Lamb!

There is so much I want to say about this book but I’ll try to be concise. As an actor and overall theatre nerd, I was drawn to this book, especially as it was compared with one of my all time favorite books, All’s Well by Mona Awad. Like Awad’s novel, this is a glorious unhinged woman story with a staged twist. And what Meredith Hambrock has done is create a character study of the worst, most entitled narcissist you’d ever meet and still make her sympathetic and complex. That’s hard to do, and it’s a testament to Hembrock’s talent as an author. I love a story where you see someone’s entire persona fall apart piece by piece, going past the point of “how could this get worse” and making the story absolutely bonkers in the best way. All I know is that if this ever gets optioned for a film, I’m gonna pull a Trisha Paytas and gun for the role. In the meantime, I’ll just be forcing every actor I know to read this. Oh, and the Singin’ in the Rain homage in the climax? Perfectly executed. Five stars, no notes.

What a toxic, twisted gem this is. Really loved Meredith Hambrock’s writing style and the way she crafted her main character, Jessamyn St. Germain (the name!). I was really dazzled by the way Hambrock made Jessamyn a mildly demented, narcissistic, vapid woman, but also allowed her to make sharp, extremely valid and true statements about the inherent misogyny in the entertainment industry, and in society in general. The book was funny and propulsive and I could not stop reading once I started. Also, what a cover!

OMG this book is genius. The protagonist is so outrageously flawed that you cannot look away. Still, call me crazy, but I felt for her too and could feel the intensity of her reaching for her dreams despite her overt arrogance, which is really all smoke and mirrors. It's hard to review this without giving away any spoilers but I will say I've never quite read anything like it, I enjoyed it so much because it's so different! It's bold and risky and so brash and perfect. How can you root for her, but somehow you do and then as her world changes there's that swallow of dread, that feeling things may of hand - inevitable maybe? Maybe not? I still had hope! What a cracking read!

If you were hoping for a novel that's Black Swan-meets-Yellowface with a musical theatre twist, this is the book for you. Hambrock's prose is deft and pointed, bringing you into Jessamyn's single-minded world. The truth is slippery and opaque—until the dazzling, disastrous climax slaps you in the face (in a good way, of course). A book like this is too intense to properly describe; you must go on Jessamyn's journey and see for yourself.

LEGENDARY! The main narrator's flaws are glaring.
A book that best epitomises the words brash and bold! It was a marvellous read!

Initially the beautiful cover of this book had me hooked, but then I read the first chapter. This book was devoured in days as I didn’t want to put it down, however I also didn’t want it to end. I was constantly trying to guess what extremes Jessamyn would go to to achieve her dreams of fame. I was reminded throughout this book of the A24 movie “Pearl”. Overall, “She’s a Lamb!” will definitely be joining my book collection when it hits the shelves and it will proudly join my list of ‘weird girl / unhinged’ book recommendations.

Thank you so much to Meredith Hambrock, ECW Press, and NetGallery for the opportunity to read this book.

Wow. Reading this novel was a full-body experience, and I mean that in the best way possible. The unrelenting dive into the troubled psyche of Jessamyn, our protagonist, was unlike anything I’ve experienced in a novel. She is both deeply relatable and despicable. Which was somehow a deeply intriguing combination.

Jessamyn is profoundly nuanced, thanks to Hambrock’s excellent and detailed writing. Jessamyn’s every thought is detailed on the pages, yet I never tired of hearing her deranged perspectives, whether they be comically trivial (which was often) or integral to the plot. Hambrock combined a perfect mixture of humor, satire, and pathos to create a one-of-a-kind narrative. It was increasingly hard for me to turn the pages as book progressed. The weight of the sheer amount of stress and second-hand embarrassment I was feeling was unfathomable, while also not allowing me to put the book down!

I am sure the “Pearl” comparisons are imminent, and while I was reminded of Pearl in all the best ways in this novel… from where I stand, she has nothing on Jessamyn. Also I must note that I have little to no knowledge about the world of theater. However, Hambrock’s writing was perfectly balanced for beginners and experienced thespians alike to get the most out of this novel as possible.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.