The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes

A Novel

By: Elissa R. Sloan

Narrated by: Brittany Pressley, Natalie Naudus, Jayme Mattler, Piper Goodeve, Caitlin Kelly, Megan Tusing, Stephen Graybill

“The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes is a page-turning peek inside the glamour and brutality of life as a pop star. Sloan takes us on a wild ride through the world of music video shoots, expensive hotels, and arena tours—showing us the darkness that threatens just below the surface.” —Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones and The Six

“I didn't know I was waiting for a smart, literary writer to craft a novel about the rise and fall of a teen star akin to Britney Spears until I discovered The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes. A witty, bright, hilarious—and at times devastating—read. I loved it."" —Amanda Eyre Ward, New York Times bestselling author of The Jetsetters

Cassidy Holmes isn't just a celebrity.

She is “Sassy Gloss,” the fourth member of the hottest pop group America has ever seen. Hotter than Britney dancing with a snake, hotter than Christina getting dirrty, Gloss was the pop act that everyone idolized. Fans couldn't get enough of them, their music, and the drama that followed them like moths to a flame—until the group’s sudden implosion in 2002. And at the center of it all was Sassy Cassy, the Texan with a signature smirk that had everyone falling for her.

But now she's dead. Suicide.

The world is reeling from this unexpected news, but no one is more shocked than the three remaining Glossies. Fifteen years ago, Rose, Merry, and Yumi had been the closest to Cassidy, and this loss is hitting them hard. Before the group split, they each had a special bond with Cassidy—truths they told, secrets they shared. But after years apart, each of them is wondering: what could they have done?

Told in multiple perspectives—including Cassidy herself—and different timelines, this is a behind-the-scenes look into the rise and fall of a pop icon, and a penetrating examination of the dark side of celebrity and the industry that profits from it.

Eye-opening.

An excellent first novel, though only fit for those with strong stomachs. The multiple narrators make it come to life, though Brittany is the only one I recognize. Still, all do an excellent job. Ten out of ten.

Had higher expectations

Good enough story aimed at a younger reader..
A lot of tragedy. Didn’t find the characters like able.

Unfulfilled potential

Good idea for a look at celebrity, but the shifting perspectives diluted the narrative’s impact. It was very unsatisfying that the bad male behavior was unpunished. At the end of the story, the members of Gloss were no more real than their public personas.

Great Concept

I enjoyed this book and how the story unfolded past and present.
The reason for my 3 stars was the ending. It’s like the author just got tired of writing. I found it disappointing.

Worth a read

Take Ariana Grande, Rihanna & Chris Brown, Britney Spears, The Spice Girls, Harvey Weinstein, Justin Timberlake and combine with Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction, Me Too, American Idol, Star breakdowns, and any other gossip column event in the past 20 years then roll up and spit out. You will have this book.

The story line is good but very predictable.