I Could Be Famous: Stories

by Sydney Rende

"A terrific fresh, original, and surprising." -George Saunders

For fans of Homesick for Another World and HBO's Girls, a magnetic debut story collection following ten ambitious women and one male superstar as they pursue their desires-however deluded-for more.

A listless woman befriends an influencer at a rooftop party, only to discover her lifestyle is not as glamorous as it seems. A college freshman gives the world's longest blow job to a boy whose name she's forgotten. A fan-favorite reality TV star joins a dating app after an explosive breakup, ready to move on, but finds she's only in control when cameras are rolling. While working in a hot tub showroom, a struggling actress goes method so she can nail an audition for the role of High School Junkie Girlfriend. Threaded throughout these explorations of neuroses and aspirations is one Arlo Banks, a hotshot actor, who faces his own downfall when he's accused of cannibalism.

From the dazzling to the mundane, Rende's brilliant, unnerving, cynical stories hold a mirror to our obsession with how we're perceived and our ache to be adored. Above all else, I Could Be Famous is a love letter to big ambitions and bigger dissatisfactions, belief in ourselves, and the fascination we hold with the idea that we could-somehow, someday-be famous.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Literary Fiction, Literature, Contemporary

272 pages, Hardcover

Published January 13, 2026

Reviews

[Marcus (Lit_Laugh_Luv) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun collection of stories! I always land around 3-4 stars for short story collections because some entries always resonate with me more than others — in this case, I liked Rende’s writing a lot, but I don’t know if short stories make the best use of it. They’re still enjoyable reads, but often suffer from an abrupt ending. If you’re a fan of short story collections (I know they can be divisive), this is so unserious and fun.

The darkly comedic tone was akin to Anna Dorn, Ottessa Moshfegh and Halle Butler. Several excerpts made me laugh out loud from the sheer insanity of it all; the way the stories connect is fun, and the pop culture references are camp. Armie Hammer is a lovely muse for this satirical dive into fame and faking it until you make it.

Will I remember all the details of this collection? Probably not. But it does its job of introducing a debut author with undeniable talent and wit — very excited to see what she publishes next! If you’re a fan of weird literary fiction, these are good stories to breeze through. Thank you to Bloomsbury for the early review copy!

[Colin Kirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rushed through this one, so take my words with a grain of salt. That said, I did not enjoy this book very much. I think it’s largely a matter of personal taste, as I have no taste for books that are so unapologetically current in their premises. I can’t deny the basis of these stories, that we live in a fame obsessed society, where social media drives our desires, so I can see why some would want to read this. The trouble is, I’ve seen these sorts of disaffected yet acutely aware narrators before in other works, to much better effect. This book exists firmly in a post Moshfegh literary world. Even the cover, with its classical painting overlaid with colorful block text, is indicative of what the publisher wants this book to be, who they want to read it. There were certainly moments in some of these stories that made me pause appreciatively, but, overall, this collection failed to capture my interest. I am curious to see what others say when the book comes out in January. Maybe other readers will love it. Ah well.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Libro.fm for an Advanced Listener's Copy! I enjoyed these clever, often funny, but also sometimes sad, contemporary stories.

[Castille · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely read short-story collections, because often only a few of the stories grab me and the rest feel like filler. But with I Could Be Famous, I found myself engaged with almost all of the eleven stories. What I appreciated most was how they connect — not just thematically, but through recurring characters and shared motifs — giving the collection the cohesion and emotional heft of a novel, told in vignettes.

Rende gives us a sharp and often darkly comedic look at fame-obsessed culture: across the stories we meet people chasing clout, attention, illusions of glamour. The collection doesn’t glamorize fame, but instead shows the reality; celebrities yearn for 'normality', while 'normal' people yearn for celebrity. The stories explore desire, identity, the longing to be seen, and the toll of aspiring to something bigger, all while critiquing a hyper-visible, hyper-performative culture.

My favorite story was “The Hole in Your Heart Is Mine” — it struck the perfect balance of psychological tension, tragedy, and dark humor. I could easily see it adapted into a short film or psychological thriller with some bite.

I Could Be Famous doesn’t romanticize fame— it deconstructs it. For readers who appreciate wry, provocative short fiction, willing to confront the contradictions of fame and longing, this collection hits hard. It’s not cozy, but it’s compelling, and worth the read.

[Niamh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was very kindly given an e-ARC of this book via Netgalley and Little, Brown Group UK.

I was certain I was going to DNF this. I found the stories kind of slow and, despite the synopsis, was disappointed that not every story was connected to Arlo Banks. Some don't even mention him at all, which was interesting. But then yesterday I was on a plane and decided to see if things picked up. You're reading my review, so I think you can guess where this is going.

I'm not a big short story reader, but there was a lot that I liked in here. I never felt like any of the stories over-stayed their welcome, so to speak. Rende's writing is sharp and honest and she paints this underlying theme of ambition of fame with fascinating light and shadow. It towed the line between actually exploring a complex topic and being edgy for edgy's sake. There is no denying that Rende is a good writer. But for me, I came out of it with the emotional equivalent of that three star rating up there. These were not stories that made me feel any particular way. A lot of them I read and went 'okay cool' and moved on. They were strong enough for me to finish the book but not so much as to leave a lasting impression.

What I do agree on is that if you loved the TV show 'Girls', you will love this book.

'I Could Be Famous' will be available from 13th January.

[Jamad · Rating 2 out of 5]

I Could Be Famous is a collection of short stories centred on young people whose primary ambition is visibility: to be known, recognised, and above all famous. Sydney Rende sketches a world of social media feeds, fleeting relationships and distracted lives, presenting these stories as snapshots of contemporary desire.

The book has been praised as “terrific, fresh, original and surprising” and described as a “love letter to big ambitions and bigger distractions”. Unfortunately, for me it achieves the opposite. Rather than offering insight or critique, the stories often feel thin and airless, reinforcing the emptiness of the goal they depict. The obsession with being famous is treated as a given rather than interrogated, and the emotional range rarely extends beyond self-absorption and ennui.

There is competence here, and occasional sharp observation, but too often the collection simply demonstrates the increasing vacuousness of ambition untethered from anything more substantial. I finished the book feeling not illuminated, but rather dispirited. A depressing read.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have received an advanced listener copy of I Could Be Famous from the author, Libro.fm and Bloomsbury Publishing! 🫶

I Could Be Famous is an incredible debut full of short stories and I loved every single one of them! 🥹🩵 If you love HBO’s Girls then this is an absolute must-read because each story is so different from one another and yet all have very similar themes! 🫶

I thought it was wonderful that one of the short stories has Lupus representation because I have not seen that represented before in a book and since I do have a few friends of mine that have this it was truly great to learn more about it! 💜 Sydney Rende’s writing is witty and truly captivating and Rachel Angco did a wonderful job narrating and bringing all of these short stories to life! 🎧

If you love short stories, HBO’s Girls and a book that is witty and fun at the same time then this is the one for you! 🫶

[Chelsea Knowles · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy of this collection in exchange for an honest review.*

I Could Be Famous is a short story collection that follows characters in strange situations. Some involve fame and some are more mundane. This collection should be read in order. Some stories feature Arlo Banks who is an actor accused of cannibalism. Another story features a woman who has lupus as she is slowly getting sick of her boyfriend. One story focuses on a photographer who does camming as a side hustle.

I enjoyed these short stories. They were all fun to read and had something different to say. Each story was unique in some way and I will be recommending this. I’m not sure how memorable this collection will be overall but I’m interested to see what this author writes in the future.

[mads · Rating 4 out of 5]

these were fun! I liked the themes explored re: money, hollywood, celebrity culture. I liked that there were recurring characters (one cannibalistic actor in particular) throughout a few stories, but that each story also stood super well as a standalone. I laughed out loud a handful of times and was just generally very amused for the majority of the book! my interest did kind of start waning towards the end, but maybe that's my own fault.

all in all, this was a unique little romp of a collection and I think readers will absolutely love it.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I love this cover—truly no notes.

This was a fun, sharp collection of short stories that fully lived up to the comparison to HBO’s Girls. If you liked that show, you’ll definitely see the parallels here. The stories explore Hollywood, celebrity culture, and the strange, often unsettling effects that fame can have on people.

It strikes a great balance between funny and dark, with moments that feel uncomfortably real in the best way. An entertaining, incisive read that I flew through and genuinely enjoyed.

Thank to Goodreads and Bloomsbury for the giveaway win.

[Stephanie Karlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful collection of short stories that had me laughing out loud. The characters are captivating, the plots intriguing, and the storytelling is artful and witty. This book is definitely worth the read and one I'll be recommending to friends

[Kindall Bliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking to break your social media addiction, this collection of short stories is it! At times NSFW, but always sharply insightful, hysterically funny, these quirky but richly human characters are begging for a Netflix treatment. She could be famous, indeed.

[Paige Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never laughed out loud at a book as much as I did during “I Could Be Famous”, and the character development within each short story was better than most long form novels. Eagerly awaiting whatever’s next from this author, and recommending this with fervor to anyone asking for a book rec.

[Dol Leander · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recieved as an ARC on Libro.fm. A charming collection of semi-connected short stories, Rende explores our obsession over being desired with a darkly comic tone. Each woman presented is ambitious and dissatisfied with her life, trying to fill the void with an adoration that lies just out of reach. These experiences aren’t romanticized but rather their contradictions are highlighted in witty ways. Especially as the reader gets to learn more about a male superstar and everything that has come with his position in the public eye throughout. As we live in a time where fame means more than it ever has before and exists in more ways than ever thought possible, the basis of these tales simply cannot be denied.

[Laurie Burns · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Not a bad collection, I would say for the 20 something weird girl they would be gold.

All of the stories sort of center around bad decisions, and celebrity and gen Z angst/

Rende has a sharp observational eye and some parts (like the breakup list) made me laugh out loud.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

really nails the humor and humiliation in dreaming big!

fav line:
"She had an aura that couldn't be ignored.
'That's the cigs,' Derek said."

[Remi]

i really believed that i could

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Lindsay Bryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this is best enjoyed by a young twenty-something.

[Paula Butler · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first story was great and I was hoping for more of the same but they all fell flat or seemed confusing or completely unfinished.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun book of short stories. Some really pulled me in and read more like a chapter and was wanting more. Really enjoyed the premise and overall theme.

[Darien · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book genuinely cracked me up- I find her hilarious. It’s so fun to read. My only critique is that I totally loved some of the short stories and wanted more of them :)

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this collection. It was well written and I enjoyed the exploration of fame in each story.

My favourite stories were okay, okay, okay, home videos and monsters. But the main star of the show is Trick that is focused on Arlo, an actor and character who features in a few of the different stories.

A fresh and fun collection! Thank you to the publisher for an eARC :)

[twoey (rachel q.) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not usually a big fan of short story collections, but the comparisons to Otessa Moshfegh and the premise intrigued me enough to read. And I’m very glad I did- this was a very bizarre but charming collection of writing, all centered around the desire for fame in our chronically online world. I also loved how some of the stories were connected via the cannibal actor character. All of the stories were consistent in quality, and every time I finished one I wished it was a whole novel so I could read more. All in all a very solid collection.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!