The Rise and Fall of Ava Arcana

A Novel

By: Jennifer Banash

Narrated by: Jess Nahikian, Samara Naeymi

Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

An electrifying novel about a woman in thrall to the exhilarating rhythms of Manhattan, lost in the dizzying promise of youth, and fatally naive to the dark pressures of fame.

When Rolling Stone journalist Kayla McCray is assigned a cover story on pop icon Lexi Mayhem, Kayla stumbles across a startling new angle to the exposé. Years ago, another rising star from Lexi’s past mysteriously leaped to her death. Some things are better off forgotten, Lexi says. Kayla disagrees.

It’s 2005 and Ava Petrova moves to New York with a notebook full of songs and a dream. Then she meets Lexi, an up-and-coming singer who brands Ava with an enigmatic new stage name and introduces her to an intoxicating city alive with possibilities. From fast friends and kindred spirits to creative muses and inseparable soul mates, Ava and Lexi embark on a parallel journey to stardom, but there is room for only one at the top.

As past and present converge, Kayla chases the ghost of a young woman doomed by betrayal and erased by a secret, and unravels the truth that it takes more than ambition to become a star.

©2023 Jennifer Banash (P)2022 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Read-in-one-sitting…Banash masterfully interweaves guilt, love, remorse, and yearning with a bit of playfulness, creating a tale that is multifaceted in its content and spirit.”—Booklist

“Banash’s sublime new stunner immerses us in an intoxicating female friendship between two young singers, each striving for pop stardom, until one of them suspiciously dies, later leading a Rolling Stone journalist to dig out the truth no one seems to want uncovered. A psychological why-done-it about the glittering allure and tragic cost of fame, and the heady bliss of bonding, all set against an unforgettable soundtrack of love and deception.”—Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of With or Without You and Pictures of You

“Gritty, propulsive, and complex, Banash paints a vivid picture of two young women navigating their way through the dark side of the music industry and the journalist who uncovers their shocking truth years later. I found myself completely transported into Banash’s world of glittering stages, bright city lights, and deeply nuanced, compelling characters. The Rise and Fall of Ava Arcana is an addictive read that will leave you wanting more.”—Julia Spiro, author of Full and Someone Else’s Secret

Really fun summer listen

I haven't written a review in a while. i bought this book as the special of the day and really enjoyed it. The story was good. i like the narration a lot and it was just a fun listen.

This is the real story of Lady Gaga

It is about Lina Morgana, who committed suicide in October 2008, throwing herself from the roof of a hotel on State Island in New York. The mother of the young promise of just 19 years old blamed the death of her daughter to Lady Gaga and claimed that Gaga had plagiarized her style while Morgana’s look stood out for its extravagance and eccentricity.

An Okay Mystery

The story was a bit predictable, but the narration was good. I recommend getting this on sale rather than for a credit though.

Excellent story and Narration was spot on!

I really enjoyed this book! I can't say for sure what I liked so much about it; the two stories running simultaneously, one from the past and one current; the characters; the mysterious twists; the tiny bit of romance.... they all made it what it is! It was a little bit predictable, but I did not predict the final ending.

I listened at an increased speed, but that is common for me.

One thing is for sure, the narration was excellent, it made the story come alive! Bravo! My only complaint is that one of the narrators voice was much quieter than the others voice, so I had to keep changing the volume. Not a huge deal though.

Some reviews comment on it being a young adult book. I thought that was fine, but I can see where they are coming from, and since I have never experienced the intense friendship that is apparent between the characters, so some of it was a little cheesy to me, but it was all part of the story and I didn't mind it.

I am bummed that Jennifer doesn't have very many novels, and no other audio books. Hopefully she comes out with more soon!

Hidden gem

An interesting, insightful story. Great narration. Full of detail and mystery. I enjoyed this book!

If you could hear ballet…

Banish uses words so descriptively and so gently it feels like you’re watching ballet.

Manny novelists, repeat over and over a character’s perspective/thoughts. It’s redundant and bothersome.

Banish does not do this. Her writing is some of the best I’ve ever heard, like a renowned poet crossed with a renowned author.

The story is gentle and happy for the first half . As the second half starts, you can feel the tension rising, still with her amazing prose.

You could say the first half is a “novel” and the second half is a “murder mystery”.

The narrators do a superb job in telling Banish’s story.

Gaga For Ava

Ava Arcana is a reluctant singer-songwriter in the mid-2000s who falls into the orbit of Lexi Mayhem, another wannabe pop star who resembles Lady Gaga and will do anything to make her dreams of stardom come true. Kayla McKray is a present-day writer for Rolling Stone assigned to write a puff piece about now-megastar Mayhem, but instead discovers the previously untold story of Ava, whose aspirations ended way back when in an apparent suicide.

Told through the first person voices of Ava and Kayla in their respective time periods, this is ostensibly a mystery about how and why Ava died, and maybe who done it to her (quite possibly herself). But many of the reveals are telegraphed early on, so they're not really much of a mystery. The only real surprise is the final reveal (no spoilers), but that is marred by a talking villain (though author Jennifer Banash tries hard to make it seem natural).

Yet that doesn't matter. This is a case where the mystery is a device for telling a story of the music industry, the desire for stardom, artistic integrity, and the sleazy underbelly of all that. Usually the milieu drives the mystery -- here the mystery is scaffolding for exploring the milieu. I like that. Especially being a musician myself. Yet I still have to deduct a star for the lack of surprise in both plot and character. The narration is good, but there is a volume difference between the two narrators that is mildly problematic.

Overall, a solid 4-star beach read (listen).

Very well written

This book had it all…memorable characters, great suspense, and a parallel plot/timeline that was woven together seamlessly. I really enjoyed the listen.

Who did it?!?

Lots of tips unfolding in past/present made for a good story with lots of suspense and surprises

Average

THE RISE AND FALL OF AVA ARCANA was one of Amazon’s better Prime First Read choices, though with the bar so low that made for an average read.

I liked the premise of Rolling Stone journalist Kayla researching a current star, Lexie Mayhem in 2019 stumbling across the apparent suicide of Ava Arcana in 2005, Lexie’s friend and another up and coming singer.

Every aspect of THE RISE AND FALL OF AVA ARCANA was fine, nothing terrible, nothing stellar, nothing memorable. Audible narration was the best aspect of the story.