I Could Be Famous: Stories

by Sydney Rende

From a magnetic new voice in fiction , a 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 in control only 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 unnervingly astute 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, Audiobook, Literary Fiction, Contemporary, Literature, Collections

267 pages, Kindle Edition

First 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!

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

The longer I looked at him, the more I wanted to wrap my arms around him. I imagined him resting his chin on my head, his tears gliding down his face and into my hair. There, there I'd say, rubbing his back.*

Social media influencers, bratty celebrities, reality TV stars . . . these are a few of my LEAST FAVORITE things people. And yet, I couldn't stop reading these quirky stories about them. Though many of these characters are at the end of their respective ropes, the author uses dark humor to make their sad tales more palatable. There was not a dud in the bunch.

Whether Rende's next project is more short stories or a novel, I'll be waiting in line to buy it.

* From Home Videos.

Many thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing for the physical ARC.

[erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm very confused. I was enthralled from the get-go. Yet when I hit chapter 3, each page began to lose me slowly. i will admit that i have 50 pages to go, and have given up. But I feel absolutely no connection to the main character; all that's kept me here is a mix of curiosity, boredom, and enjoyment for the writing.

[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.

[Tyler Atwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this sharp collection. “The Hole in Your Heart Is Mine” was a clear standout for me, but many left me wanting more in exactly the way a good short story should.

Throughout, Rende explores themes of intimacy and distance, desire and self-invention — people circling one another, misreading signals, or trying on versions of themselves that don’t quite fit.

Reading this was a reminder of how much I love short stories when they’re done well. I somehow drifted away from the form last year, and this felt like a return. More short fiction for me in 2026!

[Haylee Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm…how to rate an anthology that had some stories that absolutely captivated me, some stories that were interconnected, and some stories that I couldn’t understand the meaning and purpose of (if there even was one)? I was HOOKED at the beginning of this collection, but the middle and end fell apart unfortunately. I found it weird that the only recurring character was a male celebrity when I thought the stories would be centered around women, and I’m still confused on whether or not this male celebrity IS a cannibal. What’s his issue? Anyway…I’m disappointed, but it wasn’t all bad.

[Theresa Pankey · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a DNF after reading four of the short stories. The first was promising and the author has some clever moments but a series of pointless, abrupt-ending chapters and I’m done. I don’t mind ambiguity but it reads like the author has no idea how to end any of them. The theme is inconsistent and it left me with the feeling that I was reading outlines or first drafts. Disappointing but I hope this author finds their voice in a better format in the future.

[Sahil Javed · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was quite entertaining. some of the stories were bizarre, certain scenes were weird as fuck, but overall it was entertaining. each of the stories had a certain addictive quality that made me want to keep reading

[Leonie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A lot can happen in a year. I could become a whole new person. I could be famous by then.”

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m very much target audience for this, I had fun

[Guinevere DelaMare · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Audiobook)

[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.

[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.

[Larry H · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

“Money. Fame. The high you get when a group of strangers screams your name with tears in their eyes. The ability to strut around L.A. like you really belong there (most people don’t), like you landed in the exact right spot.”

The quote above describes the characters that some of the stories in this enjoyable debut collection center around. In some cases they’re famous; in others, they’re infamous; and in others they’re either fame-adjacent or wanting to be famous. (The irony is not lost on me that I’m discussing this book on social media for my followers.)

There are 11 stories in this collection. The characters always made me a little bit nervous, wondering what disaster they might cause. But I really enjoyed nearly all of them.

Some of my favorite stories include: “Nothing Special,” about a young woman who becomes friends with a popular influencer yet realizes the life she covets isn’t all that great; “High School Junkie Girlfriend,” in which an aspiring young actress aims for authenticity before her audition for the role of said girlfriend; “The Actor Naked,” which deals with the ways the relationship between an actor and his assistant changes when she sees him naked; and “Monsters,” about a reality TV star who just wants to be loved, but can’t seem to pull it together when she’s not on camera.

I really was impressed with Sydney Rende’s storytelling abilities. All of the stories felt complete and I felt totally immersed in the mini-universes she created. Not all of the characters are sympathetic but they were all fascinating.

Check out my best reads of 2025 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2025.html .

See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.

Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/getbookedwithlarry/.

[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.

[Lauren D'Souza · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short story collections so rarely hit the mark for me for two main reasons: (1) a lack of a full plot arc or (2) placing an abrupt ending on a story that doesn’t really have an ending because you can get away with it in this form. This book sadly fell victim to both of those tropes - I felt like these were random little vignettes that ended so abruptly it almost seemed like an unfinished thought.

What really frustrated me was that the narrators/main characters in these stories could have all been the same person - the narrative voice, the backgrounds, and the situations they're in were all so similar that I had trouble distinguishing one story from the next. The writing was strong enough, and I felt like I knew so many of these characters in the fame- and social-media obsessed young women who want but feel insecure about sex and have a vaguely disaffected youth attitude towards their lives - it's all very Ottessa Moshfegh. Sometimes that genre really resonates with me, and other times I just get annoyed at these narrators and their first-world problems; this definitely fell into the latter category for me.

[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.

[Amyiw · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2-Review to come.
11 short stories of young adults looking for more and figuring out what they have/don't have.

Both the novella format and short story format, if done right, leave you thinking about the characters and wanting or imagining more. With nearly all of these, I was pulled into the stories wanting to know more. Several of them had me laughing at the sometimes irreverent, dark humor and situations, others you are on the ride of where they are going. All of them have a theme of young unfulfilled changing relationships. Some of them are fame adjacent and overlap with one child star now actor. All are engaging and interesting.

I don't usually read short story compilations but do sometimes read anthologies of usually 3 or 4 novellas. With those I actually will review each story but with 11 shorts that doesn't work as well. I loved quite a few of these and liked all of them, even with characters that are sometime unlikable, you are still hoping for them to find themselves and what they are looking for. I read through all of these with easy and enjoyment as they caught my attention with both the stories and characters.

[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! 🫶

[victoria marie]

stories focused on the ambition for visibility: to be known, recognised, & above all famous… as a lover of short stories, I was excited for this collection with all the praise from so many favorite authors, however… at first I wasn’t sure if I was *too old* to appreciate these, but my *elder millennial* also saw some basic human desires in these that are timeless… or usually… like the urge to want to be adored, etc… but these felt like they just lack depth in characters & storylines or just have an emptiness that maybe mirror the focus of the book: how unfulfilling aims to just & only be famous can be maybe…

maybe this is pure gold for gen z!! & lately I’ve been loving only five stars or none in my ratings, so hopefully my personal experience doesn’t discourage anyone (especially young women) from this book! will definitely keep an eye out for more by this new author, as stylistically so much works!! &, some true LOL moments too.

[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.

[Stephen Eschbacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I do not usually read short story collections, this book was referred to me by a person whose taste I trust. “I Could Be Famous” affirmed my confidence in their recommendations.
There is one recurring character in (four of) the eleven stories, which makes it fun when his name pops into an ensuing episode. The evolving description of this person is initially fun, then mysterious, then…what just happened?!
The (all) female protagonists range from fun to funny and from sad to sorry. Each is drawn out in a way that leaves you wanting a few more pages to find out “and then what did she wind up doing?”
Sometimes clever, sometimes chilling, sometimes poignant - always interesting and definitely worth the read.

[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.

[Kate Martinez · Rating 2 out of 5]

I nearly DNF’d multiple times. Only finished this one because audio books are easier to listen to while doing other tasks from time to time and there were, admittedly a couple short stories that did hit for me.

Personally may not be a fan of collections of short stories like this. A couple were just misses that were so dull and pointless. All in all, this collection set out to look at this generation’s obsession with fame and nearly missed because some of the short stories around the middle were not it.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick, fun read. I do think if you're a fan of Anna Dorn and a fan of short story collections I think you might enjoy this. Also I'm always a sucker for books that explore celebrity and parasocial relationships. A lot of times I'm tempted to read short story collections one story at a time, but I didn't experience that with this and it kept me engaged until the end. I also enjoyed that there was a character that kept popping up throughout.

[Kimberly (spacetoread)]

I liked this - the stories were funny and uncomfortable and highly readable. I struggle with short story collections as a rule, and some of these felt especially unfinished. Just as i got used to a character or invested in their struggle, the ending came abruptly. But excited to see more from this author.

[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

[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.