The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes: A Novel

3.75 starsI had a good feeling going in I would like this book. I'm a big pop culture junkie and I was a young adult in the early 2000s. I remember this time period vividly and so this fictional story about the rise and fall of an all female music group was right up my alley. The author did a nice job capturing the nostalgia of that era's music scene while also highlighting how the industry is not particularly kind to young women.The story kicks off with letting you know the ending right from the start. Cassidy Holmes, a former member of the music group, Gloss, has died. The story goes back to 1999 and leads you on Cassidy's journey as she experiences the rise to stardom as well as the price of fame with the group. You also get glimpses into the lives of the surviving members, Merry, Rose, and Yumi, after finding out the news of Cassidy's death.I appreciated the attention to details in the story, whether it be something simple like name-dropping Kitson, or a minor subplot that brought Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes to mind. And while the book on a surface level has a bit of a VH1 Behind the Music type feel, there's substance as well. The timing of me reading this book was interesting as some of the pop stars and actresses of the early 2000s have been making the news in recent days. It's like it just now dawned on the masses that the treatment of young female celebrities by both the media and the general public was gross and unfair. (I have other words I'd like to use but I'll keep this review family friendly)This book wasn't a perfect read as the pace was slow at times but it was a worthwhile one for me.

I really enjoyed this book following a young girl, Cassidy Holmes, who is rocketed to fame by being chosen for a 4th spot in a popular girl group called Gloss.This book highlights all the highs and lows of fame and how it can mentally and physically affect anyone, but especially a young girl who is just figuring her life out.Emotions run high in the group of 4 women all with different style, personalities and emotions, all trying to figure out who they are personally and sexually while trying to balance who the public wants them to be.For Cassidy, it was too overwhelming. After cutting ties with Gloss, she went on to live her life away from the public eye donating her time and money to charities. Her family noticed she was a bit more reserved and introverted, but when Cassidy committed suicide everyone was surprised.The ending was a bit anticlimactic, but I find the lives of celebrity to be fascinating.

Meet Gloss - the biggest pop group of the 2000s - comprised of Cassidy, Yumi, Merry and Rose. At the height of their career, Cassidy 'Sassy' Holmes abruptly leaves the girl group to live a quieter life - until less than a decade later, she is found dead.We follow Cassidy from her humble reality tv show beginning to the height of Gloss fame, riding the wild wave of music videos, red carpet appearances, backstage fights and the secrets threatening to unravel it all.Told in multiple perspectives, The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes looks at how each Gloss member handles the dark side of fame. It was a page turner from beginning to end, peppered with many 2000s references that filled me with nostalgia.As fun as this was to read, the characters didn't feel quite fleshed out enough. Where Daisy Jones & The Six feels like a real-life band, I was always aware that Cassidy Holmes and the other Gloss members were fictional.The ending wasn't as strong as I'd hoped for, but ultimately an incredible debut novel that reads like a backstage pass into the entertainment industry.

Let’s first get this out of the way. Outside of being about a band this is not like Daisy & The Six. DATS was better. However that doesn’t mean I didn’t like this book on its own.It has a great soap opera feel with a Beverly Hills/Melrose Place (the originals) kinda vibe. I could see Gloss plying at Peach Pit After Dark and Rose getting hit on by David Silver. Lol It was a great read with interesting characters and the story line was great. Of course having it all set the music industry was a lot of fun.Cassidy herself got on my nerves at times - of course they all did - but her especially. The book over all was a bit depressing but again with the soap opera vibe, it wasn’t too much. I will say the ending wasn’t super satisfying but you can draw your own conclusions.It was a good book and over all I liked it. I just wish it had a bit more depth.

I enjoyed this!! I keep reading how Daisy Jones and The Six is a better book on the "rock star genre", but I beg to differ. This was the story of Gloss, a 4 member girl group that shot to worldwide stardom around 1999 - 2002. Each Gloss girl was flawed and you get to learn about their heartbreaks, their climb to stardom, and what it ultimately cost them in their personal lives. The writing was quick, easy to follow and engaging. The story alternated between the early years of Gloss, right up to the present day. Lots of turn of the century nostalgia, deep examinations of friendship, sexism, and racism -- all these were addressed without being preachy. This is just a good book ! I finished this in one sitting. It was just that engaging.

DNF at 37%I tried. I gave this book 3 days, and I just didn't care about any of the characters or even what happens. I thought this would be a great inside look at a 90's pop all-girl band (think The Spice Girls) and all the things they have to endure, but it was just so flat.Also, ANYONE who compares this to 'Daisy Jones and the Six' should no longer be allowed to read books. This book is nothing like Daisy Jones.N.O.T.H.I.N.GI'm giving it two stars because, while I don't care for it, it is somewhat readable, and there are people out there who will find this entertaining. I am not one of them. I never felt anything for Cassidy, and Rose was just awful. I skimmed the rest of the book to see how it ended, and I'm standing by my decision to DNF this. Life's too short to read books you don't like.

This was flagged as similar to 'Daisy Jones and the Six' wow is that a disservice to 'Daisy Jones'. This is badly written, I cringed multiple times at some of the writing and the editing is horrendous too. Sometimes the author uses words that don't even make sense in the context. Not even worth it should you ever have a long flight or a pool lounger. Plot and character development are lacking. It could have been over and done with in half the pages. Not good. Worst book I've read all year.