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The Most Famous Girl in the World
Stars―they're just like us! Except much, much worse.
Rose Aslani is mid-bikini wax when her phone lights up with a notification: Famed scam artist Poppy Hastings will be released from prison today.
It's been two years since Rose―a first-generation Middle Eastern American, functional trainwreck, and reporter for online journal The Shred―wrote the investigative article that exposed Poppy as a socialite grifter. Normally, one of her articles going viral would be cause for celebration, but the highly publicized trial that followed turned Poppy into the internet's favorite celebrity. And Rose has been reeling from the aftermath ever since. Although Poppy served her time for defrauding some of the richest, most powerful men in the world, Rose knows this is only the tip of the iceberg for Poppy's crimes. She just can't prove it yet… At least not without the help of a devilishly handsome FBI agent gone rogue.
As Poppy's star rises as an influencer and pop-culture icon, Rose quickly descends into a downward spiral of guilt and obsession. Her article created Poppy's fame, so Rose needs to right her wrong by exposing Poppy for the monster that she is. But it's not going to be easy taking down the most famous girl in the world.
Campy, satirical, and utterly hilarious, The Most Famous Girl in the World is both a scathing indictment of modern celebrity and a thrilling rollercoaster ride of unhinged hijinks that will keep you gasping at every turn of the page.
Rose Aslani is mid-bikini wax when her phone lights up with a notification: Famed scam artist Poppy Hastings will be released from prison today.
It's been two years since Rose―a first-generation Middle Eastern American, functional trainwreck, and reporter for online journal The Shred―wrote the investigative article that exposed Poppy as a socialite grifter. Normally, one of her articles going viral would be cause for celebration, but the highly publicized trial that followed turned Poppy into the internet's favorite celebrity. And Rose has been reeling from the aftermath ever since. Although Poppy served her time for defrauding some of the richest, most powerful men in the world, Rose knows this is only the tip of the iceberg for Poppy's crimes. She just can't prove it yet… At least not without the help of a devilishly handsome FBI agent gone rogue.
As Poppy's star rises as an influencer and pop-culture icon, Rose quickly descends into a downward spiral of guilt and obsession. Her article created Poppy's fame, so Rose needs to right her wrong by exposing Poppy for the monster that she is. But it's not going to be easy taking down the most famous girl in the world.
Campy, satirical, and utterly hilarious, The Most Famous Girl in the World is both a scathing indictment of modern celebrity and a thrilling rollercoaster ride of unhinged hijinks that will keep you gasping at every turn of the page.
384 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 501 reviews
November 2, 2024
”I, too, feel like I belong everywhere and nowhere all at once. Like I am of myself and myself alone.”
Satirical, super witty, crass and more than a little unhinged and sprinkled with aspects of romance, mystery and thriller- I liked this a lot more than I thought I would!
3.75 Stars
We follow Rose Aslani, a reporter working at the Shred, as she tries to uncover the lies and deceit of the woman she inadvertently made famous, Poppy Hastings. Despite Rose’s original intent, Poppy has become a household name- someone everyone adores despite being a criminal who lied, cheated and stole from some of the wealthiest people in the world. When Poppy is released from prison, Rose is dead set on making it right.
Rose was a really intriguing MC to follow- she’s crass and blunt, obsessive (detrimentally so), unstable and determined to find her answers no matter the cost. There were so many times I actually laughed out loud at her antics and she’s pretty relatable, too. In my opinion, her juxtaposition as the outsider to Poppy’s vast fame and lovable persona was done really well.
I also loved the supporting characters, mainly Rose’s friends- Steph and Fern. While Rose spends the majority of the book spiraling down the rabbit hole of conspiracy and works to figure out the truth, her friends are a layer of added lightness. Steph was such a sweet and adorable friend while Fern was wholly sarcastic with a dry humor that I absolutely adored (Fern is totally me lol).
Now, based on all the other reviews I’ve seen I’m going to be the outlier here, but I loved the ending. Just like how this story tells us to question the realness and truth of what the media regurgitates, we are left reeling with a revelation I never saw coming. IYKYK, but I don’t see the ending as a cliffhanger. I think it’s just meant to enhance the message of the story and bring it to another level.
Overall, I don’t think this would be everyone’s cup of tea, but I would recommend it to anyone who likes pop culture, Anna Delvey, or exaggerated humor.
I’d never heard of Anna Delvey before but I guess this is inspired by her story or very similar at least? Not my typical pick, so let’s see how it goes? 😬
Satirical, super witty, crass and more than a little unhinged and sprinkled with aspects of romance, mystery and thriller- I liked this a lot more than I thought I would!
3.75 Stars
We follow Rose Aslani, a reporter working at the Shred, as she tries to uncover the lies and deceit of the woman she inadvertently made famous, Poppy Hastings. Despite Rose’s original intent, Poppy has become a household name- someone everyone adores despite being a criminal who lied, cheated and stole from some of the wealthiest people in the world. When Poppy is released from prison, Rose is dead set on making it right.
Rose was a really intriguing MC to follow- she’s crass and blunt, obsessive (detrimentally so), unstable and determined to find her answers no matter the cost. There were so many times I actually laughed out loud at her antics and she’s pretty relatable, too. In my opinion, her juxtaposition as the outsider to Poppy’s vast fame and lovable persona was done really well.
I also loved the supporting characters, mainly Rose’s friends- Steph and Fern. While Rose spends the majority of the book spiraling down the rabbit hole of conspiracy and works to figure out the truth, her friends are a layer of added lightness. Steph was such a sweet and adorable friend while Fern was wholly sarcastic with a dry humor that I absolutely adored (Fern is totally me lol).
Now, based on all the other reviews I’ve seen I’m going to be the outlier here, but I loved the ending. Just like how this story tells us to question the realness and truth of what the media regurgitates, we are left reeling with a revelation I never saw coming. IYKYK, but I don’t see the ending as a cliffhanger. I think it’s just meant to enhance the message of the story and bring it to another level.
Overall, I don’t think this would be everyone’s cup of tea, but I would recommend it to anyone who likes pop culture, Anna Delvey, or exaggerated humor.
September 19, 2024
✨in my fantasy land that last few paragraphs doesn’t exist✨
October 15, 2024
3˖⁺‧✮
“I’m not like you,” I repeat, mostly to myself. “Maybe I created you. But I can destroy you, too.”
i have mixed emotions about this book. firstly, it took me a month to finish it and it’s a long time. secondly, i’m confused about a lot of moment.
the storyline was impressive; i really liked how the book started and how the events were going. i enjoyed main character meeting fbi agent and the whole romance storyline, even though there were so many moments i skipped. what i mean is - book was loosing its interest by the end of the chapter. whole poppy thing was too long. i didn’t remember any moment from the beginning of the book.
end of the book was something i have never imagined could happen. i’m still confused about some characters and their role in the book. they were mentioned briefly at the beginning and then at the end. but as the whole, who are they? also, are there a second book? because definitely felt like it.
at the end, book is too long to keep my interest. it had great mystery and tension but not as good storytelling and plot development.
Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for approving this arc.
pre-read
this book gives anna delvey vibes
“I’m not like you,” I repeat, mostly to myself. “Maybe I created you. But I can destroy you, too.”
i have mixed emotions about this book. firstly, it took me a month to finish it and it’s a long time. secondly, i’m confused about a lot of moment.
the storyline was impressive; i really liked how the book started and how the events were going. i enjoyed main character meeting fbi agent and the whole romance storyline, even though there were so many moments i skipped. what i mean is - book was loosing its interest by the end of the chapter. whole poppy thing was too long. i didn’t remember any moment from the beginning of the book.
end of the book was something i have never imagined could happen. i’m still confused about some characters and their role in the book. they were mentioned briefly at the beginning and then at the end. but as the whole, who are they? also, are there a second book? because definitely felt like it.
at the end, book is too long to keep my interest. it had great mystery and tension but not as good storytelling and plot development.
Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for approving this arc.
pre-read
this book gives anna delvey vibes
November 29, 2024
The Most Famous Girl in the World is an entertaining story about Rose, an online publication reporter, who is obsessed with famous influencer, Poppy Hastings.
When Poppy is released early from prison, where she ended up thanks to one of Rose’s articles putting her on the map a few years ago, Rose feels edgy. She vows not to go back down the same path as last time, one that led to her boyfriend breaking up with her, her friends worrying about her, and her boss thinking she spiraled. But old habits die hard and Rose just knows there’s something shady still going on with Poppy.
As Rose works to uncover the mystery surrounding Poppy, she attempts to put on a facade and determine who, if anyone, she can trust. Around the 100 page mark, it became clear to me that Rose herself was fairly unhinged.
Offering scam story and light mystery vibes, The Most Famous Girl in the World is an entertaining, satirical story that explores social media and influencer culture and society’s obsession with fame.
When Poppy is released early from prison, where she ended up thanks to one of Rose’s articles putting her on the map a few years ago, Rose feels edgy. She vows not to go back down the same path as last time, one that led to her boyfriend breaking up with her, her friends worrying about her, and her boss thinking she spiraled. But old habits die hard and Rose just knows there’s something shady still going on with Poppy.
As Rose works to uncover the mystery surrounding Poppy, she attempts to put on a facade and determine who, if anyone, she can trust. Around the 100 page mark, it became clear to me that Rose herself was fairly unhinged.
Offering scam story and light mystery vibes, The Most Famous Girl in the World is an entertaining, satirical story that explores social media and influencer culture and society’s obsession with fame.
September 23, 2024
THE WHIPLASH OF THAT ENDING, HELLO???
July 15, 2024
The humor in this book was right up my alley. I loved all the characters. The mystery was intriguing. Everything was perfect until the epilogue cliffhanger. I don’t know if a sequel is planned or if it was just supposed to be a shock ending, but it was not the vibe. This would be a five star read had the last page of the book been different.
I love campy, satirical stories about media and pop culture and this was just that. I liked how it was written, it was fast paced, but still felt atmospheric. I would still recommend the book, but maybe skip the epilogue?
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC!
I love campy, satirical stories about media and pop culture and this was just that. I liked how it was written, it was fast paced, but still felt atmospheric. I would still recommend the book, but maybe skip the epilogue?
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC!
August 12, 2024
Iman Hariri-Kia's sophomore fiction novel, THE MOST FAMOUS GIRL IN THE WORLD, is a ridiculously fun, wild ride! The cover immediately drew me in, but the story is over the top thrills and laughs.
It's been two years since Rose wrote an article about Poppy Hastings―a socialite grifter who defrauded some of the most wealthy and influential people in the world. Poppy has turned into a celebrity, causing Rose to realize that her article backfired. When Poppy is released from prison, Rose begins to unravel. Rose knows that Poppy is responsible for more crimes, but she can't prove it. Rose decides to investigate with the help of FBI agent Simon, and the two forge a chaotic path towards exposing Poppy and getting revenge on how Poppy affected their lives since her fame took off. The duo knows that taking down someone this famous will be difficult, but they did not realize how much of an adversary Poppy actually is.
THE MOST FAMOUS GIRL IN THE WORLD reminded me so much of Anna Delvey and you can totally see the inspiration there. This book was definitely a satire about social media and pop culture. I loved Rose and loved her banter with Simon. I thought this book was such a good escape from heavier reads that I've picked up recently as well. It was a refreshing take on the thriller genre for sure. There's a bit of smut and romance, but it's short lived so if you're not a romance fan, don't fret! This book won't be for everyone, but that's ok because I don't believe the author intended for this book to be for everyone. All I know is that this book is for me and I can't wait to see what Iman Hariri-Kia comes up with next.
It's been two years since Rose wrote an article about Poppy Hastings―a socialite grifter who defrauded some of the most wealthy and influential people in the world. Poppy has turned into a celebrity, causing Rose to realize that her article backfired. When Poppy is released from prison, Rose begins to unravel. Rose knows that Poppy is responsible for more crimes, but she can't prove it. Rose decides to investigate with the help of FBI agent Simon, and the two forge a chaotic path towards exposing Poppy and getting revenge on how Poppy affected their lives since her fame took off. The duo knows that taking down someone this famous will be difficult, but they did not realize how much of an adversary Poppy actually is.
THE MOST FAMOUS GIRL IN THE WORLD reminded me so much of Anna Delvey and you can totally see the inspiration there. This book was definitely a satire about social media and pop culture. I loved Rose and loved her banter with Simon. I thought this book was such a good escape from heavier reads that I've picked up recently as well. It was a refreshing take on the thriller genre for sure. There's a bit of smut and romance, but it's short lived so if you're not a romance fan, don't fret! This book won't be for everyone, but that's ok because I don't believe the author intended for this book to be for everyone. All I know is that this book is for me and I can't wait to see what Iman Hariri-Kia comes up with next.
August 14, 2024
unfortunately i did not love this at all. i want to start by saying the premise and the first 50ish pages of the book had me absolutely captivated and i predicted a 5 star rating. unfortunately the book turned into a ridiculous rom com thriller and it wasn’t what i was expecting at all. sad i didn’t love it and the epilogue pissed me off but extra brownie points for the cover. maybe i would have felt different if my expectations weren’t different going in, not the crazy lit fic i expected.
July 25, 2024
Thank you to the publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.
I want to preface this by saying I am not really a good reviewer. I'm not good at articulating what I do and don't like in an eloquent way about books, but I'll do my best. I loved the beginning premise/idea of this book. This thought that we make con artists celebrities with this whole "girl boss" attitude and give them exactly what they want is a super interesting thing to explore. That coupled with the toll that a con artists notoriety could take on the person who broke the story in an attempt to "take them down" so to speak.
That being said, I think this book executed that poorly and lost any interesting exploration of that in the first fifty pages. There was too much going on, the reveals became so ridiculous and by the third big "wow" reveal moment, I was completely turned off the book. Plot twists at the end and the end of the epilogue were just so far past ridiculous. I think my biggest issue with all of that was that this book was presented as a satire about con artists and that phenomenon in our society. The level of ridiculousness that this book went into, I feel, rendered any meaningful critique pointless as they got lost in the sheer absurdity.
Finally, the addition of the romance plot line felt quite random to me and wholly unnecessary. It sort of came out of nowhere and felt like a box to tick with tropes and the goal of drawing in an additional group of readers.
All in all, I am sorry to have not liked this book. I had high hopes and was really excited to begin it. Maybe it just wasn't for me.
I want to preface this by saying I am not really a good reviewer. I'm not good at articulating what I do and don't like in an eloquent way about books, but I'll do my best. I loved the beginning premise/idea of this book. This thought that we make con artists celebrities with this whole "girl boss" attitude and give them exactly what they want is a super interesting thing to explore. That coupled with the toll that a con artists notoriety could take on the person who broke the story in an attempt to "take them down" so to speak.
That being said, I think this book executed that poorly and lost any interesting exploration of that in the first fifty pages. There was too much going on, the reveals became so ridiculous and by the third big "wow" reveal moment, I was completely turned off the book. Plot twists at the end and the end of the epilogue were just so far past ridiculous. I think my biggest issue with all of that was that this book was presented as a satire about con artists and that phenomenon in our society. The level of ridiculousness that this book went into, I feel, rendered any meaningful critique pointless as they got lost in the sheer absurdity.
Finally, the addition of the romance plot line felt quite random to me and wholly unnecessary. It sort of came out of nowhere and felt like a box to tick with tropes and the goal of drawing in an additional group of readers.
All in all, I am sorry to have not liked this book. I had high hopes and was really excited to begin it. Maybe it just wasn't for me.
March 18, 2024
Hot and sharp as hell
October 8, 2024
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Most Famous Girl in The World is a campy romcom thriller that aims to tackle the rot at the heart of internet stardom and parasocial relationships. The concept and set up was excellent but I unfortunately found the execution lacklustre. I’ll start by discussing the writing style then plot and praise for parts and ideas that showed real promise.
The writing style attempts to be snappy but falls short of that and sometimes trips into Buzzfeed-type witticisms which I found sort of grating. The humour is not really my taste and crude jokes are used for either shock value or to add some edge to the writing but they read as stilted. Some analogies fell flat and the dialogue was questionable. It tries to poke fun at the vapidness of quippy internet gossip sites but somehow reads just like it at times.
I was not expecting this book to turn into the Da Vinci Code for zillennials but it happened. I love cleverly written campy stories and I could tell that that’s what it was going for but the plot lines felt half-baked. It didn’t quite hit as a thriller because it lacked suspense and had bizarre pacing. This made the reading experience incredibly clunky, things would be tepid one second then mayhem the next with no good build-up. I wanted it to really delve deep into the psychology of Rose and Poppy. Yet, for a book that purports to dive deep into parasocial interaction Rose and Poppy’s actual relationship is sort of pushed into the periphery a lot in favour of zany conspiracy theory side plots and a one-dimensional romance. The book scratches the surface of issues it’s marketed as tackling but doesn’t fully sink its teeth into any of them.
However, I loved when Rose briefly meditated on the eroticisation of women’s suffering but it wasn't explored enough. Other fascinating, emotionally evocative topics like her disgust with turning her immigrant experience into ‘trauma porn’ writing, her relationship with her parents, the line between obsession and desire, her imposter syndrome as a writer and her status as a ‘silent observer’ also felt mostly marginal. Exploring the idea of her work environment being a yassified millennial surveillance state also had potential without the conspiracy theory subplot. I really enjoyed Chapter 25 and the Chapter 20 dream sequence because they discussed things that made me actually feel something and were excellently written. Yet for the most part, in this book, sincerity is just out of reach. Because it tries to do so much it veers into being convoluted and ends up too unfocused to really pack a punch. It would’ve worked infinitely better as a character study/ psychological thriller with the conspiracy subplot and romance cut out.
The Most Famous Girl in The World is a campy romcom thriller that aims to tackle the rot at the heart of internet stardom and parasocial relationships. The concept and set up was excellent but I unfortunately found the execution lacklustre. I’ll start by discussing the writing style then plot and praise for parts and ideas that showed real promise.
The writing style attempts to be snappy but falls short of that and sometimes trips into Buzzfeed-type witticisms which I found sort of grating. The humour is not really my taste and crude jokes are used for either shock value or to add some edge to the writing but they read as stilted. Some analogies fell flat and the dialogue was questionable. It tries to poke fun at the vapidness of quippy internet gossip sites but somehow reads just like it at times.
I was not expecting this book to turn into the Da Vinci Code for zillennials but it happened. I love cleverly written campy stories and I could tell that that’s what it was going for but the plot lines felt half-baked. It didn’t quite hit as a thriller because it lacked suspense and had bizarre pacing. This made the reading experience incredibly clunky, things would be tepid one second then mayhem the next with no good build-up. I wanted it to really delve deep into the psychology of Rose and Poppy. Yet, for a book that purports to dive deep into parasocial interaction Rose and Poppy’s actual relationship is sort of pushed into the periphery a lot in favour of zany conspiracy theory side plots and a one-dimensional romance. The book scratches the surface of issues it’s marketed as tackling but doesn’t fully sink its teeth into any of them.
However, I loved when Rose briefly meditated on the eroticisation of women’s suffering but it wasn't explored enough. Other fascinating, emotionally evocative topics like her disgust with turning her immigrant experience into ‘trauma porn’ writing, her relationship with her parents, the line between obsession and desire, her imposter syndrome as a writer and her status as a ‘silent observer’ also felt mostly marginal. Exploring the idea of her work environment being a yassified millennial surveillance state also had potential without the conspiracy theory subplot. I really enjoyed Chapter 25 and the Chapter 20 dream sequence because they discussed things that made me actually feel something and were excellently written. Yet for the most part, in this book, sincerity is just out of reach. Because it tries to do so much it veers into being convoluted and ends up too unfocused to really pack a punch. It would’ve worked infinitely better as a character study/ psychological thriller with the conspiracy subplot and romance cut out.
September 23, 2024
this book has me DISTRAUGHT in the best way???
September 4, 2024
"What are we, the stars of a shitty A24 film with no plot?"
It kills me to give this book a flat two stars after all the love I had for Hariri-Kia's debut novel. However, I believe that this book is the sophomore slump of trying to be everything to everyone. Coming off in a style of a confessional or a prep for a tell all, Hariri-Kia's main character of Rose comes off as contrived and a really terrible person. The failing point of Rose, in my point of view is that she has nothing for the average reader to connect with. She hates everyone except for her two work friends, cannot be bothered to learn her roommates name and swings wildly between and inflated sense of self and no sense of self.
With Hariri-Kia using terms like 'menty-b' while simultaneously articulating the attraction Rose feels for Simon as 'an invisible current', 'The Most Famous Girl in the World' cannot find its footing. Unfortunately, it reads like Anna Delvey fan fiction with a homicidal secret society thrown in the mix.
At the end of the day, the failing of Hariri-Kia's sophomore novel is the same issue that Rose is facing; trying to be all things to all people and falling flat in her attempt.
It kills me to give this book a flat two stars after all the love I had for Hariri-Kia's debut novel. However, I believe that this book is the sophomore slump of trying to be everything to everyone. Coming off in a style of a confessional or a prep for a tell all, Hariri-Kia's main character of Rose comes off as contrived and a really terrible person. The failing point of Rose, in my point of view is that she has nothing for the average reader to connect with. She hates everyone except for her two work friends, cannot be bothered to learn her roommates name and swings wildly between and inflated sense of self and no sense of self.
With Hariri-Kia using terms like 'menty-b' while simultaneously articulating the attraction Rose feels for Simon as 'an invisible current', 'The Most Famous Girl in the World' cannot find its footing. Unfortunately, it reads like Anna Delvey fan fiction with a homicidal secret society thrown in the mix.
At the end of the day, the failing of Hariri-Kia's sophomore novel is the same issue that Rose is facing; trying to be all things to all people and falling flat in her attempt.
July 5, 2024
Before reading the epilogue I wanted to give this book 4 stars. After reading the epilogue I wanted to give it 2 stars. So I settled in the middle at 3 stars.
First and foremost, you have to throw all reality to wind with this book. It was so much fun to read and super sharp, but a lot of it was unrealistic.
Poppy in this book is inspired by Anna Delvey, who posed as a wealthy heiress, but was really a con artist stealing rich people's money.
Rose Aslani, our main character is absolutely obsessed with Poppy after having written the article that exposed her. She's trying to pull herself out of the aftermath of her Poppy induced breakdown when Poppy is released on good behavior.
So down the rabbit hole Rose goes again. She's delusional, except maybe she's not. Though our main character is definitely a little crazy, unhinged and a bit of an addict. She meets a handsome FBI agent and together they try to prove Poppy's crimes.
Bonus points for the unexpected romance, which I did enjoy. This book has a little spice 🌶️
This truly was such a fun, satirical book with twists! Rose, though unhinged, is hilarious and fun. You want to hate her, but you end up rooting for her and her sharp tongue. Also, she's Middle Eastern representation!
However, let's get back to the epilogue. How disappointing. One chapter really ruined the whole book for me. I wish I hadn't read that chapter!
This book ends on a cliff hanger, which I found disheartening as it doesn't say it's going to be a series, but maybe it will be? It certainly doesn't feel like the type of book that would have a sequel, but what do I know.
Definitely pick this up for a wild and fun read, but be aware you might not be totally satisfied by the ending.
*Thanks to NetGalley for the free read in exchange for an honest review.
First and foremost, you have to throw all reality to wind with this book. It was so much fun to read and super sharp, but a lot of it was unrealistic.
Poppy in this book is inspired by Anna Delvey, who posed as a wealthy heiress, but was really a con artist stealing rich people's money.
Rose Aslani, our main character is absolutely obsessed with Poppy after having written the article that exposed her. She's trying to pull herself out of the aftermath of her Poppy induced breakdown when Poppy is released on good behavior.
So down the rabbit hole Rose goes again. She's delusional, except maybe she's not. Though our main character is definitely a little crazy, unhinged and a bit of an addict. She meets a handsome FBI agent and together they try to prove Poppy's crimes.
Bonus points for the unexpected romance, which I did enjoy. This book has a little spice 🌶️
This truly was such a fun, satirical book with twists! Rose, though unhinged, is hilarious and fun. You want to hate her, but you end up rooting for her and her sharp tongue. Also, she's Middle Eastern representation!
However, let's get back to the epilogue. How disappointing. One chapter really ruined the whole book for me. I wish I hadn't read that chapter!
This book ends on a cliff hanger, which I found disheartening as it doesn't say it's going to be a series, but maybe it will be? It certainly doesn't feel like the type of book that would have a sequel, but what do I know.
Definitely pick this up for a wild and fun read, but be aware you might not be totally satisfied by the ending.
*Thanks to NetGalley for the free read in exchange for an honest review.
September 9, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️ a cat and mouse chase type murder mystery, between a reporter, an FBI Agent and a socialite grifter/influencer. Rose’s big break came from an expose of Poppy, who was released from prison. Then people started ending up dead.
Somehow this was well written, kind of funny in parts, but my word did I dislike the main character. She seemed so crass, so self-pitying, so arrogant. I am all for flawed characters but I genuinely didn’t like spending time with Rose. The murder victims were people we barely know, but it was interesting to try to figure out exactly what was going on. The pacing was great and so was the dialogue.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC. Book to be published September 17, 2024.
Somehow this was well written, kind of funny in parts, but my word did I dislike the main character. She seemed so crass, so self-pitying, so arrogant. I am all for flawed characters but I genuinely didn’t like spending time with Rose. The murder victims were people we barely know, but it was interesting to try to figure out exactly what was going on. The pacing was great and so was the dialogue.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC. Book to be published September 17, 2024.
January 3, 2025
WHAT THE FU***????????????????
4.5 stars ⭐️
I’m speechless. This book was a WILD RIDE!!!! I loved how there were different cycles in this book. First we have unhinged and obsessive Rose (my favorite), then we have clever and hopeful Rose and to finish we have Rose 3.0 (iykyk). I absolutely loved the premise, the twists, the writing style. I adored being inside Rose’s head. I feel like she was my best friend and I wish she would know that the reader was there for her.
This book was incredibly witty, smart and sexy and it was exactly what I expected from it. But damn that ending. From the reviews I knew that I would be distraught but I still was unprepared.
This is a wonderful book about celebrity culture, wealth and identity and I wish there were more books like this one out there.
Anyways Iman sleep with an eye open!!! Why would you do this to me.
4.5 stars ⭐️
I’m speechless. This book was a WILD RIDE!!!! I loved how there were different cycles in this book. First we have unhinged and obsessive Rose (my favorite), then we have clever and hopeful Rose and to finish we have Rose 3.0 (iykyk). I absolutely loved the premise, the twists, the writing style. I adored being inside Rose’s head. I feel like she was my best friend and I wish she would know that the reader was there for her.
This book was incredibly witty, smart and sexy and it was exactly what I expected from it. But damn that ending. From the reviews I knew that I would be distraught but I still was unprepared.
This is a wonderful book about celebrity culture, wealth and identity and I wish there were more books like this one out there.
Anyways Iman sleep with an eye open!!! Why would you do this to me.
July 3, 2024
If you are looking for a campy influential read filled with satire and led by an unstable narrator then The Most Famous Girl in the World is your next read !!
The premises of this book is so fun and creates quite a buzz in the social media world and Rose our somewhat unlikeable narrator journalist who wrote an article that put the infamous con artist criminal Poppy behind bars , but Poppy is being released from prison early and Rose's Obsession to keep her behind bars needs to tread very carefully before she finds herself spiraling out of control, and as if that's not her only problem , she has just made Poppy one the most famous girls in the world !!
I really think this book will appeal to a lot of younger readers and would be a fun buddy read as it also has a Readers Guide at the end of the book for great discussion questions .
There was a lot of laughable moments and a twist at the end I did not see coming, so I thank the author for this fun little trip of craziness and witty satire with a bit of romance !! My only gripe for not loving this book was the amount of F Bombs in this book, there was so many it actually turned me off the story . The storyline is good enough that in my opinion they do not need to be there , it was actually so overwhelming that I could anticipate the next F*** to drop.
I think fans of How to Kill A Guy in 10 ways, Swiped and This Girls a Killer will enjoy this one !!
Thank you Netgalley , Sourcebooks Landmark and Iman Hariri-Kia for this Digital ARC.
Respectfully Another Read by Angie
The premises of this book is so fun and creates quite a buzz in the social media world and Rose our somewhat unlikeable narrator journalist who wrote an article that put the infamous con artist criminal Poppy behind bars , but Poppy is being released from prison early and Rose's Obsession to keep her behind bars needs to tread very carefully before she finds herself spiraling out of control, and as if that's not her only problem , she has just made Poppy one the most famous girls in the world !!
I really think this book will appeal to a lot of younger readers and would be a fun buddy read as it also has a Readers Guide at the end of the book for great discussion questions .
There was a lot of laughable moments and a twist at the end I did not see coming, so I thank the author for this fun little trip of craziness and witty satire with a bit of romance !! My only gripe for not loving this book was the amount of F Bombs in this book, there was so many it actually turned me off the story . The storyline is good enough that in my opinion they do not need to be there , it was actually so overwhelming that I could anticipate the next F*** to drop.
I think fans of How to Kill A Guy in 10 ways, Swiped and This Girls a Killer will enjoy this one !!
Thank you Netgalley , Sourcebooks Landmark and Iman Hariri-Kia for this Digital ARC.
Respectfully Another Read by Angie
Read
November 18, 2024Had to dnf halfway through. It started off promising but the FBI agent romance line is really weird and I know the main character is supposed to be a mess and annoying, but I can't take it anymore
September 17, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
I’m not that interested in infamous celebrities but I am definitely interested in criminal minds. Having watched Inventing Anna and then seeing Anna Delvey announced as a guest on Dancing with Stars, I can’t help but feel that publication of The Most Famous Girl in the World comes at a perfect time.
After @scaredstraight lovely review of this book I expected to be entertained but I had no idea what a wild, wild ride this will end up being. This book doesn’t subscribe to a single genre but mixes some of my favorite tropes in a satirical, campy read that does entertain but also explores some of the darker sides of popularity. The main character Rose is unhinged, obsessive, and really struggling with her own identity, vulnerability and (lack of) sense of belonging. I loved her outlandish behavior, as well as the extra colorful cast of “support characters.”
Grab this if you enjoy:
💋 absolutely unhinged reads
💋 enemies to lovers
💋 found family
💋 mystery/suspense
💋 just one bed
💋 a dash of spice
I would love to see a sequel 🫣 and a mini series adaptation! And just a heads up prepare up reread that ending a few times!!! 😱
A huge thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I’m not that interested in infamous celebrities but I am definitely interested in criminal minds. Having watched Inventing Anna and then seeing Anna Delvey announced as a guest on Dancing with Stars, I can’t help but feel that publication of The Most Famous Girl in the World comes at a perfect time.
After @scaredstraight lovely review of this book I expected to be entertained but I had no idea what a wild, wild ride this will end up being. This book doesn’t subscribe to a single genre but mixes some of my favorite tropes in a satirical, campy read that does entertain but also explores some of the darker sides of popularity. The main character Rose is unhinged, obsessive, and really struggling with her own identity, vulnerability and (lack of) sense of belonging. I loved her outlandish behavior, as well as the extra colorful cast of “support characters.”
Grab this if you enjoy:
💋 absolutely unhinged reads
💋 enemies to lovers
💋 found family
💋 mystery/suspense
💋 just one bed
💋 a dash of spice
I would love to see a sequel 🫣 and a mini series adaptation! And just a heads up prepare up reread that ending a few times!!! 😱
A huge thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review!
October 9, 2024
when they are partners in crime with a hell one bed chem❤️🔥
November 12, 2024
Jaw is on the floor. Wait, what?!
September 27, 2024
3.5 stars (rounding up)
"The Most Famous Girl in the World" is an entertaining read with a dash of edgy humor. While it leaned more into romance than I typically prefer, the story flowed well until the ending. I must say, I was left a bit disappointed. Will there be a sequel, or are we meant to fill in the blanks ourselves? I'm not a fan of open endings!
Thanks to the author and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC provided via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
#TheMostFamousGirlintheWorld #ImanHaririKia #Netgalley #SourcebooksLandmark
"The Most Famous Girl in the World" is an entertaining read with a dash of edgy humor. While it leaned more into romance than I typically prefer, the story flowed well until the ending. I must say, I was left a bit disappointed. Will there be a sequel, or are we meant to fill in the blanks ourselves? I'm not a fan of open endings!
Thanks to the author and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC provided via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
#TheMostFamousGirlintheWorld #ImanHaririKia #Netgalley #SourcebooksLandmark
September 9, 2024
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark for my copy! All thoughts are my own!
This book truly could not be coming out at a better time than with the announcement of Anna Delvey joining the cast of Dancing with the Stars. I was literally reading this book while Good Morning America made the announcement. So, if you were totally and completely riveted by her story and the Netflix show, Inventing Anna, you are going to want to read this book.
But it more than a fictionalized version of Anna Delvey. It’s about the media and how someone can rise to fame not of their own actions, but with an obsession that takes hold with our virality culture. I really liked how this book felt so different in terms of content from Iman’s debut but still stayed true to her almost irreverent writing style. It’s not a romance, but there is romance. It’s not a thriller, but it’s so thrilling. It’s not a mystery, but you’re left wondering what the heck is going to happen next.
Synopsis:
“Rose Aslani is mid-bikini wax when her phone lights up with a notification: Famed scam artist Poppy Hastings will be released from prison today.
It's been two years since Rose—a first-generation Middle Eastern American, functional trainwreck, and reporter for online journal The Shred—wrote the investigative article that exposed Poppy as a socialite grifter. Normally, one of her articles going viral would be cause for celebration, but the highly publicized trial that followed turned Poppy into the internet's favorite celebrity. And Rose has been reeling from the aftermath ever since. Although Poppy served her time for defrauding some of the richest, most powerful men in the world, Rose knows this is only the tip of the iceberg for Poppy's crimes. She just can't prove it yet… At least not without the help of a devilishly handsome FBI agent gone rogue.
As Poppy's star rises as an influencer and pop-culture icon, Rose quickly descends into a downward spiral of guilt and obsession. Her article created Poppy's fame, so Rose needs to right her wrong by exposing Poppy for the monster that she is. But it's not going to be easy taking down the most famous girl in the world.
Campy, satirical, and utterly hilarious, The Most Famous Girl in the World is both a scathing indictment of modern celebrity and a thrilling rollercoaster ride of unhinged hijinks that will keep you gasping at every turn of the page.” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Concept—Like most of the world, I watched Inventing Anna and got wrapped up in the whole Anna Delvey of it all. I thought this was such a fun concept, seeing it from a media persona’s POV.
The Pacing—Wow does this book MOVE. It almost made me anxious because things kept piling on for Rose and Iman’s writing of Rose’s anxiety, frustrations, fears, and anger is so visceral you can’t help but fall into the first person POV.
The Energy—Like the pacing, the energy of the book is just infectious. Iman’s writing is natural and readable, giving the reader moments were they laugh out loud, cringe, gasp and propulsive.
The Ending—I literally was like…are we getting a sequel??? (are we???)
What Didn’t Work:
Some of the Language—Like I said, there are some cringe moments. I mostly had this happen when I felt like the fourth wall was totally broken one or two times and it took me out of the story.
Character Authenticity: 4/5
Spice Rating: 2.5/5 Overall Rating: 4/5 Content Warnings:
alcohol and drug use, drug abuse, murder, violence, death
This book truly could not be coming out at a better time than with the announcement of Anna Delvey joining the cast of Dancing with the Stars. I was literally reading this book while Good Morning America made the announcement. So, if you were totally and completely riveted by her story and the Netflix show, Inventing Anna, you are going to want to read this book.
But it more than a fictionalized version of Anna Delvey. It’s about the media and how someone can rise to fame not of their own actions, but with an obsession that takes hold with our virality culture. I really liked how this book felt so different in terms of content from Iman’s debut but still stayed true to her almost irreverent writing style. It’s not a romance, but there is romance. It’s not a thriller, but it’s so thrilling. It’s not a mystery, but you’re left wondering what the heck is going to happen next.
Synopsis:
“Rose Aslani is mid-bikini wax when her phone lights up with a notification: Famed scam artist Poppy Hastings will be released from prison today.
It's been two years since Rose—a first-generation Middle Eastern American, functional trainwreck, and reporter for online journal The Shred—wrote the investigative article that exposed Poppy as a socialite grifter. Normally, one of her articles going viral would be cause for celebration, but the highly publicized trial that followed turned Poppy into the internet's favorite celebrity. And Rose has been reeling from the aftermath ever since. Although Poppy served her time for defrauding some of the richest, most powerful men in the world, Rose knows this is only the tip of the iceberg for Poppy's crimes. She just can't prove it yet… At least not without the help of a devilishly handsome FBI agent gone rogue.
As Poppy's star rises as an influencer and pop-culture icon, Rose quickly descends into a downward spiral of guilt and obsession. Her article created Poppy's fame, so Rose needs to right her wrong by exposing Poppy for the monster that she is. But it's not going to be easy taking down the most famous girl in the world.
Campy, satirical, and utterly hilarious, The Most Famous Girl in the World is both a scathing indictment of modern celebrity and a thrilling rollercoaster ride of unhinged hijinks that will keep you gasping at every turn of the page.” —NetGalley
What I Liked:
The Concept—Like most of the world, I watched Inventing Anna and got wrapped up in the whole Anna Delvey of it all. I thought this was such a fun concept, seeing it from a media persona’s POV.
The Pacing—Wow does this book MOVE. It almost made me anxious because things kept piling on for Rose and Iman’s writing of Rose’s anxiety, frustrations, fears, and anger is so visceral you can’t help but fall into the first person POV.
The Energy—Like the pacing, the energy of the book is just infectious. Iman’s writing is natural and readable, giving the reader moments were they laugh out loud, cringe, gasp and propulsive.
The Ending—I literally was like…are we getting a sequel??? (are we???)
What Didn’t Work:
Some of the Language—Like I said, there are some cringe moments. I mostly had this happen when I felt like the fourth wall was totally broken one or two times and it took me out of the story.
Character Authenticity: 4/5
Spice Rating: 2.5/5 Overall Rating: 4/5 Content Warnings:
alcohol and drug use, drug abuse, murder, violence, death
October 7, 2024
THAT ENDING WHATT
JAW DROPPED
JAW DROPPED
January 1, 2025
This was, and I do not say this lightly, the stupidest book I have ever read. An “Inventing Anna” knock-off story with unrealistic relationship development and cringey dialogue. It ended with the insinuation of a sequel with a “to be continued” tone and I truly hope that is not the case. Yikes. 1 star for being a quick and easy read.
October 5, 2024
If Anna Delvey’s story had been told by a hilarious journalist with a deep understanding of social media and millennial culture, this book would absolutely be it! I found myself laughing out loud regularly and, while it wasn’t impactful, it was definitely enjoyable!
October 25, 2024
After loving all of the scandal surrounding Anna Delvey, and obsessing over Netflix’s Inventing Anna, I expected to ADORE Iman Hariri-Kia’s The Most Famous Girl in the World, a novel about a Delvey-esque scammer, and the journalist who attempts to take her down. Rather, instead of love, I borderline loathed this book. I was so excited to read this novel - in fact, I almost started recommending it to my Delvey-loving friends before I had even read it - my expectations were THAT high. I saved this novel to listen to on a road trip because it was the perfect length, expecting it to while away the hours as I drove, but it could hardly hold my attention. I felt like the writing was all over the place and just too outlandish. The novel also follows the journalist Rose, and there is hardly any exposition involving our grifter Poppy! I thought this book would spend more time on her and her schemes, a la Inventing Anna, but rather, it focuses on Rose, her hang ups, and a …. ROMANCE of all things! Meh, such a let down.
September 2, 2024
(I received this book as an ARC)
DNF
INCREDIBLE premise with horrible execution. I’m so disappointed this was bad because the idea is so fun. Horrific dialogue, plot is meandering. It’s funny but so reliant on contemporary internet culture that it’ll be unreadable in a decade because no one will understand the references being made
DNF
INCREDIBLE premise with horrible execution. I’m so disappointed this was bad because the idea is so fun. Horrific dialogue, plot is meandering. It’s funny but so reliant on contemporary internet culture that it’ll be unreadable in a decade because no one will understand the references being made
October 11, 2024
I enjoyed this a lot, until the epilogue. What??? That cliffhanger felt so out of tune with the rest of book, which was otherwise a solid 4.5/5 for me on breezy enjoyability and great humor alone. It was as if trying to set up a sequel, but nothing else in this book behaves as if there was going to be a sequel.
February 2, 2025
was excited to read this for prose hoes book club and thought this was going to be some sort of fun lit fic with a messed up main character i’d grow to love but instead it turned into like satirical rom com thriller (she hit every single cliche trope of a bad rom com i think on purpose?) with the worst epilogue ending???????? what was that? is there going to be a second one or just that’s it ???
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