Hello my friends, welcome to my first book review of the Summer Holidays. I have broken up for the 6 weeks and I am catching up on some amazing books I’ve read. Today I’m reviewing the new Benjamin Dean book, I also met him at CampYA this weekend which was amazing. So before I say any more I think I should save it for my review, so here is a little more about the book.
How To Die Famous by Benjamin Dean Published by Simon & Schuster Children's UK on July 20, 2023
Genres: LGBTQ+, Murder, Mystery, Romance, Thriller, UKYA
Amazon | Waterstones
Goodreads
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 . 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? Drawing on his previous career as a celebrity journalist, Benjamin Dean examines the dark underbelly of showbiz, leaving no stone unturned.
The return teen TV sitcom Sunset High with a murderous curse. Abel has always wanted to be a star and to get onto the revamp for this show is a brilliant start, but he’s also looking to get an inside scoop as to what really happened really happened to his brother who fell victim to the tv show curse. Little did he know it would be full scandal, secrecy and falling for the lead the star!
This book is a queer Karen McManus mystery with a bit of Scream (the movie). If you love One of Us is Lying then this book is for you. The TV element reminded me of Scream 2 with the murder becomes a franchise and that’s How to Die Famous in a nutshell. This book is every kind of twisty, scandalous mystery that is unputtadownable and I loved every second of it. What we see on TV it’s nothing like actual real life I loved that Benjamin didn’t gloss away from the dark and toxic nature that show business can be, it certainly isn’t all glamorous as it looks.
What I enjoyed was relationships and friendships between the other co-stars Lucky, Ryan and Ella told through short chapters, getting to know each of their stories which you really start to empathise with. All of the characters I adored in different ways, some of the romance element to the book certainly gave me some Heartstopper vibes.
I feel after the end of the academic year I can very easily get into a slump from work burnout but get yourself a Benjamin Dean book and you won’t want to put it down. It spurred on my reading and I love that feeling. Mysteries in general have that effect on me but for the past 2 summers I have read his books, so there is something about them.
Benjamin Dean is UKYA’s answer to Karen McManus. I love Benjamin Dean’s books when I read The King is Dead. I love his spin on mysteries and for me he’s an autobuy author! I am a huge advocate for UKYA and also the underrated YA books and I feel this needs all the love and all of you should pick it up now! I also met Ben at CampYA and he is the such a nice author, I can’t wait for more books from him!
Pssst.. Have you bought it, picked it up yet… go on! Read IT!!!!
Thank you to SimonYA and Pride Book Tours for my copy in exchange for a review.
I’ve never heard of this book before, but it sounds so fun and the mystery intriguing that I’m adding it to my TBR now! Thanks for putting it on my radar and glad you enjoyed it!