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Cruelty Free
“Deliciously vicious and unsettlingly hilarious, Cruelty Free is a nasty, thrilling Hollywood take-down for the ages.” —JENNIFER THORNE, author of Diavola
A disgraced movie star returns to Hollywood 10 years after the kidnapping of her young daughter intent on seeking revenge, for fans of Monika Kim and Rachel Yoder.
NOTHING FEELS BETTER THAN REVENGE.
Ten years ago, Lila Devlin was an A-list actress with a movie star husband and a beautiful baby girl, Josie. When Josie was kidnapped out of her home and never seen again, Lila’s previously pristine public image twisted into that of an Unfit Mother. Driven mad by the hungry press, incompetent cops, and relentless true crime–obsessed “fans,” she disappeared into anonymity.
Now, Lila Devlin returns to LA with a grand vision for a radical new skincare brand to reinvent herself and honor Josie’s legacy. She's prepared to move into the next chapter of her life with forgiveness in her heart, when an encounter with a parasitic blogger ends with him dead. Lila suddenly discovers forgiveness isn’t nearly as satisfying as a body hitting the floor.
With the help of her devoted publicist Sylvie, Lila begins a relentless, blood-soaked hunt through LA. Giving her skincare the edge it needs, they introduce a secret ingredient—revenge-sourced—from the bodies piling up. But as the company’s success skyrockets and Lila begins unraveling the truth behind her daughter’s kidnapping, her murderous side hustle threatens the life she’s painstakingly rebuilt.
Both a striking portrayal of grief and womanhood, and a twisting, cynical satire on celebrity and toxic beauty standards, Cruelty Free is an ambitious debut from a talented star on the rise.
“Wildly twisted, razor-sharp, and ultimately heartbreaking, Cruelty Free is as much a novel about the fullness of grief as it is about the hollowness of vengeance." —LING LING HUANG, author of Natural Beauty
A disgraced movie star returns to Hollywood 10 years after the kidnapping of her young daughter intent on seeking revenge, for fans of Monika Kim and Rachel Yoder.
NOTHING FEELS BETTER THAN REVENGE.
Ten years ago, Lila Devlin was an A-list actress with a movie star husband and a beautiful baby girl, Josie. When Josie was kidnapped out of her home and never seen again, Lila’s previously pristine public image twisted into that of an Unfit Mother. Driven mad by the hungry press, incompetent cops, and relentless true crime–obsessed “fans,” she disappeared into anonymity.
Now, Lila Devlin returns to LA with a grand vision for a radical new skincare brand to reinvent herself and honor Josie’s legacy. She's prepared to move into the next chapter of her life with forgiveness in her heart, when an encounter with a parasitic blogger ends with him dead. Lila suddenly discovers forgiveness isn’t nearly as satisfying as a body hitting the floor.
With the help of her devoted publicist Sylvie, Lila begins a relentless, blood-soaked hunt through LA. Giving her skincare the edge it needs, they introduce a secret ingredient—revenge-sourced—from the bodies piling up. But as the company’s success skyrockets and Lila begins unraveling the truth behind her daughter’s kidnapping, her murderous side hustle threatens the life she’s painstakingly rebuilt.
Both a striking portrayal of grief and womanhood, and a twisting, cynical satire on celebrity and toxic beauty standards, Cruelty Free is an ambitious debut from a talented star on the rise.
“Wildly twisted, razor-sharp, and ultimately heartbreaking, Cruelty Free is as much a novel about the fullness of grief as it is about the hollowness of vengeance." —LING LING HUANG, author of Natural Beauty
308 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 3, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 429 reviews
February 5, 2026
if the lindbergh baby's mom started a skincare brand
(review to come / thanks to the publisher and libro.fm for the alc)
(review to come / thanks to the publisher and libro.fm for the alc)
December 8, 2025
I'm not sure what this book was trying to be. From the cover, title, description and comp titles I expected it to be an intense read about female grief turning into violent revenge. And sure, that was part of the story, but it also stayed so shallow all the time and it somehow ended up being over-the-top and ridiculous. I guess it's an enjoyable read if you just turn your brain off and don't question anything, but I really expected more than that.
The start was promising. We learn all about Lila Devlin, once a rising star actress but now only remembered as the mother of a kidnapped and murdered daughter. She had to live through the most horrific thing that can happen to a parent, but she was still heavily villainized by the press. Lila's life is recapped in form of an oral history and I liked the mixed media aspect of the story. It was well done how different people talked about the events as if they knew exactly what happened while also constantly speculating and gossiping. It was an intriguing part of the story, but it also made for the strangest pacing. The oral history is finished after a third of the book and only then does the revenge part start. Lila is of course not a fan of all the people who talk about her to make money and she eventually makes the decision that she cannot live with these people on earth. Although … 'makes the decision' is the wrong choice of words. She more or less stumbles into her revenge and then just never stops. She isn't ambitious at the start of the book and she doesn't have a strong voice, and later she just got very unlikable from one chapter to the next. There was no great exploration of her character and it all stayed very flat. That's one of my biggest issues with this book: everything was flat and superficial. It doesn't go deep into the toxicity of Hollywood or the beauty industry, and not even into the murder stuff. Especially the latter is really bumming me out, because if there is nothing else then at least give me a woman becoming her most unhinged self. But that was undermined by how ridiculous the plot got. Lila keeps killing people left and right – people who all have a public connection to her, I might add – and no one cares. I must admit that there was an entertaining quality to it all, but it also was such a strange contrast to the heavy theme of child loss. The tone of the book was very incoherent and I just don't know what to make of it. It wasn't a great read for me and it's not much of a recommendation, but it was quick and readable and might work better for other readers than it did for me.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
The start was promising. We learn all about Lila Devlin, once a rising star actress but now only remembered as the mother of a kidnapped and murdered daughter. She had to live through the most horrific thing that can happen to a parent, but she was still heavily villainized by the press. Lila's life is recapped in form of an oral history and I liked the mixed media aspect of the story. It was well done how different people talked about the events as if they knew exactly what happened while also constantly speculating and gossiping. It was an intriguing part of the story, but it also made for the strangest pacing. The oral history is finished after a third of the book and only then does the revenge part start. Lila is of course not a fan of all the people who talk about her to make money and she eventually makes the decision that she cannot live with these people on earth. Although … 'makes the decision' is the wrong choice of words. She more or less stumbles into her revenge and then just never stops. She isn't ambitious at the start of the book and she doesn't have a strong voice, and later she just got very unlikable from one chapter to the next. There was no great exploration of her character and it all stayed very flat. That's one of my biggest issues with this book: everything was flat and superficial. It doesn't go deep into the toxicity of Hollywood or the beauty industry, and not even into the murder stuff. Especially the latter is really bumming me out, because if there is nothing else then at least give me a woman becoming her most unhinged self. But that was undermined by how ridiculous the plot got. Lila keeps killing people left and right – people who all have a public connection to her, I might add – and no one cares. I must admit that there was an entertaining quality to it all, but it also was such a strange contrast to the heavy theme of child loss. The tone of the book was very incoherent and I just don't know what to make of it. It wasn't a great read for me and it's not much of a recommendation, but it was quick and readable and might work better for other readers than it did for me.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2025
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
I’m going to go ahead and say it… I don’t think these beauty products were cruelty free.
Ostensibly a book about achieving beauty by any means, it’s really a book about longing for the past and allowing that yearning to fully consume you. Even in the most devastating of circumstances, failure to move on will slowly chip away at a stony heart until only vestiges remain.
That’s very much the case for our protagonist, Lila, who is somehow an extremely sympathetic figure even while also being a sociopathic, revenge-lusting serial killer. It takes skill to create a character with that duality.
This book is good. I didn’t know what I was walking into, but sometimes a book is best experienced with no preconceptions. I completely understood the motivations of the characters, the plot was interesting and moved effortlessly, and it was just twisted enough to keep me wanting more.
An impressive debut novel, which bodes well for more to come.
I’m going to go ahead and say it… I don’t think these beauty products were cruelty free.
Ostensibly a book about achieving beauty by any means, it’s really a book about longing for the past and allowing that yearning to fully consume you. Even in the most devastating of circumstances, failure to move on will slowly chip away at a stony heart until only vestiges remain.
That’s very much the case for our protagonist, Lila, who is somehow an extremely sympathetic figure even while also being a sociopathic, revenge-lusting serial killer. It takes skill to create a character with that duality.
This book is good. I didn’t know what I was walking into, but sometimes a book is best experienced with no preconceptions. I completely understood the motivations of the characters, the plot was interesting and moved effortlessly, and it was just twisted enough to keep me wanting more.
An impressive debut novel, which bodes well for more to come.
February 7, 2026
2.5 stars/audiobook from Libro FM ALC
.
Between the dog murder, the predictable plot, the vapid characters, the insta romance, and the formulaic “unhinged female psychopath” plot—I was mildly entertained. The character “Sylvie” *shaking my head* I’m curious how listeners who do like a 2-3 times the speed will handle her voice
This wasn’t my cup of tea
But if you like sapphic romance & sex, a missing child sub-plot, revenge fantasy, and basic female rage story beats—you’ll have fun
.
Between the dog murder, the predictable plot, the vapid characters, the insta romance, and the formulaic “unhinged female psychopath” plot—I was mildly entertained. The character “Sylvie” *shaking my head* I’m curious how listeners who do like a 2-3 times the speed will handle her voice
This wasn’t my cup of tea
But if you like sapphic romance & sex, a missing child sub-plot, revenge fantasy, and basic female rage story beats—you’ll have fun
October 16, 2025
the beginning was the best part in my opinion but it quickly fell flat for me. the excerpts in between each chapter throughout part one disrupted the flow of the story & I kept waiting for them to really connect or add to the overall plot & they didn't.
this was both too direct, as far as plot goes, but also a little ridiculous..Every character felt extremely shallow. Lila, the mc, quickly became extremely unlikeable. At first I was sympathetic because of what she went through with losing her daughter but then it quickly turned into "oh she's actually just mean & unstable & needed an excuse to be a shit person"...Her excuse to killing these people is just so stupid.
Lila is giving Joe Goldberg energy. Probably has some anger issues & definitely a little unstable..
I was also really confused with the relationship of Sylvie & Lila, it felt so forced & really came out of nowhere. It's not a bad debut, just wasn't for me & that's ok. Despite all of this, I do see the potential & will give the author another chance in the future.
2.5 rounded up for gr
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review
this was both too direct, as far as plot goes, but also a little ridiculous..Every character felt extremely shallow. Lila, the mc, quickly became extremely unlikeable. At first I was sympathetic because of what she went through with losing her daughter but then it quickly turned into "oh she's actually just mean & unstable & needed an excuse to be a shit person"...Her excuse to killing these people is just so stupid.
Lila is giving Joe Goldberg energy. Probably has some anger issues & definitely a little unstable..
I was also really confused with the relationship of Sylvie & Lila, it felt so forced & really came out of nowhere. It's not a bad debut, just wasn't for me & that's ok. Despite all of this, I do see the potential & will give the author another chance in the future.
2.5 rounded up for gr
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review
February 3, 2026
Savage, dark, and delightfully twisted, Cruelty Free was one of the best debut novels that I’ve read in quite a while. Taking a hard look at the beauty industry, womanhood, and the dark side of celebrity with a satirical eye, it was a wickedly hilarious tale of female rage. You see, not only was it a rollercoaster ride of much-needed justice through a trail of blood-soaked revenge, but the exploration of grief, loss, and love delivered in spades. Alongside of the many thought-provoking themes, though, was a propulsive plot that grabbed me and didn’t let go. Thanks to a cheer-worthy narrator who was as sociopathic as she was charming, I couldn’t help but root for her every step of the way. After all, the depths of Lila’s grief made me connect with her character even as her descent into madness made me cringe in delight.
All said and done, Ms. Glenn is clearly a new maestro of the horror genre. Grabbing laugh-out-loud funny dark humor with both hands while also delivering a storyline that was as perceptive as it was cynical, I raced through this novel in one very late night. I mean, how could I possibly put it down as bodies started dropping like flies? With that, though, is my one little warning: you’re going to want to read this book with the lights on as it was quite gory and violent at times. Despite that, however, I couldn’t get enough of this relentless tale of revenge. And that was before I reached the mind-blowing “WTF?!” twist towards the end. So if you love vengeance-fueled horror or deliciously unhinged rides, grab your copy now. It was everything I could want in a *let women roar* kind of read. Rating of 4.5 stars (upgraded).
BRIEF BLURB:
Please oh please go into this mostly blind. While the publisher-provided synopsis didn’t offer up any actual spoilers, it also gave a bit too much away for my liking. All you need to know is the following: Ten years after fleeing L.A. following the kidnapping of her daughter, former A-list actress Lila Devlin returns to start a new skincare brand in the City of Angels. The only problem is she was run out of town a decade ago when both the press and the cops suspected that she could’ve been behind the disappearance of her daughter. Well, that and her products don’t seem to be winning anyone over just yet. That is, until she accidentally kills a problematic blogger. After that her brand explodes. What will it take, though, to keep her products in demand? A little revenge never hurt anyone…except for the growing stack of victims, of course.
Thank you Caroline Glenn and William Morrow Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: February 3, 2026
Content warning: kidnapping, alcoholism, death of a child, stalking, knife and gun violence, blood, murder, violence, grief, cursing, infidelity, animal death, fire, mention of: drug use
All said and done, Ms. Glenn is clearly a new maestro of the horror genre. Grabbing laugh-out-loud funny dark humor with both hands while also delivering a storyline that was as perceptive as it was cynical, I raced through this novel in one very late night. I mean, how could I possibly put it down as bodies started dropping like flies? With that, though, is my one little warning: you’re going to want to read this book with the lights on as it was quite gory and violent at times. Despite that, however, I couldn’t get enough of this relentless tale of revenge. And that was before I reached the mind-blowing “WTF?!” twist towards the end. So if you love vengeance-fueled horror or deliciously unhinged rides, grab your copy now. It was everything I could want in a *let women roar* kind of read. Rating of 4.5 stars (upgraded).
BRIEF BLURB:
Please oh please go into this mostly blind. While the publisher-provided synopsis didn’t offer up any actual spoilers, it also gave a bit too much away for my liking. All you need to know is the following: Ten years after fleeing L.A. following the kidnapping of her daughter, former A-list actress Lila Devlin returns to start a new skincare brand in the City of Angels. The only problem is she was run out of town a decade ago when both the press and the cops suspected that she could’ve been behind the disappearance of her daughter. Well, that and her products don’t seem to be winning anyone over just yet. That is, until she accidentally kills a problematic blogger. After that her brand explodes. What will it take, though, to keep her products in demand? A little revenge never hurt anyone…except for the growing stack of victims, of course.
Thank you Caroline Glenn and William Morrow Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: February 3, 2026
Content warning: kidnapping, alcoholism, death of a child, stalking, knife and gun violence, blood, murder, violence, grief, cursing, infidelity, animal death, fire, mention of: drug use
January 9, 2026
How about that cover? It definitely catches your attention that’s for sure.
Lila was at the top of her game in the film industry along with her movie star husband, when tragedy strikes her family. After taking some time off to travel the world, she is back, hoping to reinvent herself by up starting a new cosmetics line. It’s better than Botox and no animals were harmed in the making of it. The thing is, Lila can’t move forward from the past and things take a very dark turn.
I went into this completely blind, so I had no idea what to expect. I personally think that is the best way to jump into this one. The less you know the better. This is just one of those books that captivated me from start to finish.
This appears to be the year of unhinged FMCs. And I’m all for it!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Lila was at the top of her game in the film industry along with her movie star husband, when tragedy strikes her family. After taking some time off to travel the world, she is back, hoping to reinvent herself by up starting a new cosmetics line. It’s better than Botox and no animals were harmed in the making of it. The thing is, Lila can’t move forward from the past and things take a very dark turn.
I went into this completely blind, so I had no idea what to expect. I personally think that is the best way to jump into this one. The less you know the better. This is just one of those books that captivated me from start to finish.
This appears to be the year of unhinged FMCs. And I’m all for it!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 7, 2026
Thank you to LibroFM for the audio copy.
What a wild ride. I listened to the audio and flew through it. I must have read some of the synopsis on NetGalley or maybe it was just the title and cover? Because I had no idea what the premise of this was and I think that made me enjoy it more.
Sure, this story is about a woman coming back to Hollywood after 10 years since her daughter was kidnapped but I think it does an excellent job commenting on true crime content and how harmful and exploitative it is. Simultaneously commenting on the beauty industry and how it preys on women and creates so many insecurities for people to fixate on. Yes, it’s also about revenge, but it’s more than that and I really enjoyed it.
I thought the narration was great, the chapters were the perfect length to keep me engaged. I also liked the narrative choice of switching between present day with our main character and to excerpts/interviews/internet posts about our main character and the kidnapping of her daughter.
Again, I didn’t really know what this book was supposed to be about, so I think that enhanced my enjoyment. The story started one way and then it changed gears and I was like biiiitch 😳 and then it keeps going and escalating and twists and 🫢.
Anyway, I recommend. 😏
What a wild ride. I listened to the audio and flew through it. I must have read some of the synopsis on NetGalley or maybe it was just the title and cover? Because I had no idea what the premise of this was and I think that made me enjoy it more.
Sure, this story is about a woman coming back to Hollywood after 10 years since her daughter was kidnapped but I think it does an excellent job commenting on true crime content and how harmful and exploitative it is. Simultaneously commenting on the beauty industry and how it preys on women and creates so many insecurities for people to fixate on. Yes, it’s also about revenge, but it’s more than that and I really enjoyed it.
I thought the narration was great, the chapters were the perfect length to keep me engaged. I also liked the narrative choice of switching between present day with our main character and to excerpts/interviews/internet posts about our main character and the kidnapping of her daughter.
Again, I didn’t really know what this book was supposed to be about, so I think that enhanced my enjoyment. The story started one way and then it changed gears and I was like biiiitch 😳 and then it keeps going and escalating and twists and 🫢.
Anyway, I recommend. 😏
February 10, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for giving me an ARC copy ❤️
This was the most unhinged, disturbing, dark 5 star book I EVER read. There is soooo much to unpack, but I will do my best to avoid any spoilers. Going into this book I thought it would be a simple murder mystery, but HELL NO. Anything you think you know? Throw it away. This will catch you off guard and maybe even make you a little bit uncomfy. Go into it with an open mind! Otherwise the unreliable characters you meet throughout the story? chef's fucking kiss 🤌🏻 You don't know who you can trust or who is telling the truth. This would be a FANTASTIC twisty tv series 📝 It does feature mixed media in the form of a true crime book/interviews - which flowed very nicely and helped shed light on the backstory of how things happened. I haven't been able to stop raving about this to my coworkers. This is the author's debut novel (or at least I think so) and I cannot wait to see what else she writes! I highly highly recommend this 🤭
This was the most unhinged, disturbing, dark 5 star book I EVER read. There is soooo much to unpack, but I will do my best to avoid any spoilers. Going into this book I thought it would be a simple murder mystery, but HELL NO. Anything you think you know? Throw it away. This will catch you off guard and maybe even make you a little bit uncomfy. Go into it with an open mind! Otherwise the unreliable characters you meet throughout the story? chef's fucking kiss 🤌🏻 You don't know who you can trust or who is telling the truth. This would be a FANTASTIC twisty tv series 📝 It does feature mixed media in the form of a true crime book/interviews - which flowed very nicely and helped shed light on the backstory of how things happened. I haven't been able to stop raving about this to my coworkers. This is the author's debut novel (or at least I think so) and I cannot wait to see what else she writes! I highly highly recommend this 🤭
September 12, 2025
ARC for review. To be published February 3, 2026.
4 stars
In this deliciously devilish novel Hollywood stars Lila Devlin and Adrian Reynolds have a small daughter, Josie, who was kidnapped. She never came home
In her grief Lila leaves Adrian and stardom behind for ten years. Then she comes back with a plan. Well, two plans, actually.
This is done in interview format combined with narrative. Some nice writing: for years the press and suits had “given her a career for being beautiful only to claw her to pieces as ugly.” Both Lila and her partner Sylvie Lightly are interesting characters and I enjoyed this.
4 stars
In this deliciously devilish novel Hollywood stars Lila Devlin and Adrian Reynolds have a small daughter, Josie, who was kidnapped. She never came home
In her grief Lila leaves Adrian and stardom behind for ten years. Then she comes back with a plan. Well, two plans, actually.
This is done in interview format combined with narrative. Some nice writing: for years the press and suits had “given her a career for being beautiful only to claw her to pieces as ugly.” Both Lila and her partner Sylvie Lightly are interesting characters and I enjoyed this.
December 9, 2025
This was so stupid to the point where it was funny. I couldn't take any of it seriously.
Don't ask me if this had a deeper, hidden meaning worthy of an English/American Studies major type of deep dive. Something about celebrity culture, unhealthy beauty standards for women in the spotlight, yadda yadda.
You know when you watch too many shows like Dexter and Hannibal that all the murder, torture, and deaths become so unbelievable and even campy?
Yeah, this has those vibes. (But featuring white women.)
I couldn't stop reacting to each ridiculous and absurd scene that the characters happen to find themselves in. Hell, the author had me right in the very beginning when the white FMC went on an Eat, Pray, Love type of pilgrimage to find herself after her daughter's death.
*** SPOILER ALERT***
*** SPOILER ENDS***
It became more and more unhinged after that. I couldn't stop reading. Was this supposed to be a dark comedy? This should definitely be marketed as a dark comedy instead of whatever serious genre they're shelving this under. Total missed opportunity.
Anyway, this was a quick read and had me rolling at its absurdity and stupidity. Would I recommend this? Only if you suspend your disbelief and keep it suspended for the entirety of the novel.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for this arc.
Don't ask me if this had a deeper, hidden meaning worthy of an English/American Studies major type of deep dive. Something about celebrity culture, unhealthy beauty standards for women in the spotlight, yadda yadda.
You know when you watch too many shows like Dexter and Hannibal that all the murder, torture, and deaths become so unbelievable and even campy?
Yeah, this has those vibes. (But featuring white women.)
I couldn't stop reacting to each ridiculous and absurd scene that the characters happen to find themselves in. Hell, the author had me right in the very beginning when the white FMC went on an Eat, Pray, Love type of pilgrimage to find herself after her daughter's death.
*** SPOILER ALERT***
*** SPOILER ENDS***
It became more and more unhinged after that. I couldn't stop reading. Was this supposed to be a dark comedy? This should definitely be marketed as a dark comedy instead of whatever serious genre they're shelving this under. Total missed opportunity.
Anyway, this was a quick read and had me rolling at its absurdity and stupidity. Would I recommend this? Only if you suspend your disbelief and keep it suspended for the entirety of the novel.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for this arc.
February 6, 2026
“You’re not ugly you’re just poor”
Ok, then.
“Cruelty Free” is a pretty hilarious title for this one because the book is filled with grief, torment, and cruelty! It is filled to the brim with cruelty. I mean, the whole thing is based on a woman’s pain and mental collapse after a tragic event. And, I feel this must be said, if you dislike reading about the death of an innocent there is one here and, yes indeed, it is still bothering me many hours later. Of all the awful scenes in this book, I am struggling to get that one out of my head. It came out of nowhere. It was too descriptive for my liking, and it was kind of unnecessary. There are two things I prefer knowing ahead of time. That was one, the other is suicide, and a heads up is always appreciated. I wish I’d had it here. Maybe you’ll get a warning in the print copy. If not, feel free to read my spoiler if you want to know.
With all of that out of the way, this story started out SO interesting. It wasn’t your typical “I’m going to start a beauty company, but things just happen to go awry” story. Ok, I guess it IS that but it’s also so much more. Almost a mystery/suspense/thriller. Lila was once an A-lister in Hollywood, but everything fell apart when her baby was kidnapped and, of course, the public turned their judgy little fingers towards Lila because she had been suffering from postpartum depression. She retreated and became a haunted shell of herself. Who can blame her? But now ten years or so have passed and she’s hoping to get her life back on track by starting an affordable beauty company in honor of her missing daughter. And, naturally, things go very grossly awry.
Lila is a very sympathetic character, and the backstory of that horrible evening kept me hooked and hoping Lila would find her sweet revenge on all of those grasping people who did her wrong. But then she finds success again with her company she inexplicably calls GLOB, an unexpected new lover and partner, becomes stunningly beautiful again and things go a little off the rails which would be totally fun except for the fact that it wasn’t. Lila becomes an abhorrent person in this process and I kind of hated reading her POV by the end.
What else to say about this one? It was a whirlwind for sure and because it started out setting expectations high for an excellently motivated rage and revenge tale but eventually turned itself into something else, a very mean something else, I ended up enjoying the last 1/4 a little less. There was some wicked dialogue and several darkly humorous bits but, in the end, it became more about Lila’s all about me-ism which I didn’t find as satisfying. And the big reveal at the end was simply messy in this time of . Or maybe I’ve just watched too many movies and true crime tv shows, lol. You cannot like main characters like these (or who am I to say, maybe you do?), but they sure are readable. Even though I felt some rage and sorrow near the end, I was never even for a moment bored and perhaps that’s how it was supposed to go.
Narration Notes: The narrator Jaime Lamchick does an incredible job with all of the characters, changing tone just enough to sound natural for the male characters and differentiate one female character from another. Sylvie sounds unhinged from the start while Lila becomes increasingly unhinged as things escalate. An excellent performance with no complaints from me.
Ok, then.
“Cruelty Free” is a pretty hilarious title for this one because the book is filled with grief, torment, and cruelty! It is filled to the brim with cruelty. I mean, the whole thing is based on a woman’s pain and mental collapse after a tragic event. And, I feel this must be said, if you dislike reading about the death of an innocent there is one here and, yes indeed, it is still bothering me many hours later. Of all the awful scenes in this book, I am struggling to get that one out of my head. It came out of nowhere. It was too descriptive for my liking, and it was kind of unnecessary. There are two things I prefer knowing ahead of time. That was one, the other is suicide, and a heads up is always appreciated. I wish I’d had it here. Maybe you’ll get a warning in the print copy. If not, feel free to read my spoiler if you want to know.
With all of that out of the way, this story started out SO interesting. It wasn’t your typical “I’m going to start a beauty company, but things just happen to go awry” story. Ok, I guess it IS that but it’s also so much more. Almost a mystery/suspense/thriller. Lila was once an A-lister in Hollywood, but everything fell apart when her baby was kidnapped and, of course, the public turned their judgy little fingers towards Lila because she had been suffering from postpartum depression. She retreated and became a haunted shell of herself. Who can blame her? But now ten years or so have passed and she’s hoping to get her life back on track by starting an affordable beauty company in honor of her missing daughter. And, naturally, things go very grossly awry.
Lila is a very sympathetic character, and the backstory of that horrible evening kept me hooked and hoping Lila would find her sweet revenge on all of those grasping people who did her wrong. But then she finds success again with her company she inexplicably calls GLOB, an unexpected new lover and partner, becomes stunningly beautiful again and things go a little off the rails which would be totally fun except for the fact that it wasn’t. Lila becomes an abhorrent person in this process and I kind of hated reading her POV by the end.
What else to say about this one? It was a whirlwind for sure and because it started out setting expectations high for an excellently motivated rage and revenge tale but eventually turned itself into something else, a very mean something else, I ended up enjoying the last 1/4 a little less. There was some wicked dialogue and several darkly humorous bits but, in the end, it became more about Lila’s all about me-ism which I didn’t find as satisfying. And the big reveal at the end was simply messy in this time of . Or maybe I’ve just watched too many movies and true crime tv shows, lol. You cannot like main characters like these (or who am I to say, maybe you do?), but they sure are readable. Even though I felt some rage and sorrow near the end, I was never even for a moment bored and perhaps that’s how it was supposed to go.
Narration Notes: The narrator Jaime Lamchick does an incredible job with all of the characters, changing tone just enough to sound natural for the male characters and differentiate one female character from another. Sylvie sounds unhinged from the start while Lila becomes increasingly unhinged as things escalate. An excellent performance with no complaints from me.
January 22, 2026
Thank you so much Netgalley and HarperCollins for this advance copy! Honestly this could’ve been 4 stars if it wasn’t for the slur against Vietnamese people and the epstein joke amongst a few other unsavory things that felt lazy. Interesting story with a twist i didn’t expect but maybe should have.
SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!
SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!
October 22, 2025
Any theatre nerds who are fans of Sondheim specifically may find this book very interesting, as I eventually realized that the story was a blatant retelling of one of his musicals. Complete with a direct parody of one of the most well known (and best) songs. Although that epiphany pretty much told me how things were going to end, I still didn’t know the specifics for these characters or how everything would come together.
I liked the mixed media writing style that was heavy throughout the first half. It kept me invested. I was given a frustrating introduction to Lila in the horrible way that she was treated by pretty much everyone around her. That was a great way to get me on her side quickly before things really took a turn for the macabre.
Tonally, this was a little muddled. It was not quite a horror at first, more like a suspense thriller. But sometimes it also tried to be a dark comedy. There were definitely times that a serious message came across about grief or the way celebrities are put on display for our entertainment during the worst moments of their lives. Parts of the plot are grisly, even sad. Then others are silly to the point that I just couldn’t take it seriously. The last fourth of the book especially took a turn into much campier territory. And yes, it did get bloodier.
You will need to suspend ALL of your disbelief for this one. It is essentially an entertainment read.
I think this author did a good job with Lila, and gradually developing her from an innocent, tragic figure into someone blindly obsessed with revenge, no matter what the cost. But I have to say the star of the show for me personally was Sylvie.
A messy but entertaining 3.5 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Biggest TW: Bodyshaming, Suicide, Postpartum Depression, Substance abuse, Animal harm/death
I liked the mixed media writing style that was heavy throughout the first half. It kept me invested. I was given a frustrating introduction to Lila in the horrible way that she was treated by pretty much everyone around her. That was a great way to get me on her side quickly before things really took a turn for the macabre.
Tonally, this was a little muddled. It was not quite a horror at first, more like a suspense thriller. But sometimes it also tried to be a dark comedy. There were definitely times that a serious message came across about grief or the way celebrities are put on display for our entertainment during the worst moments of their lives. Parts of the plot are grisly, even sad. Then others are silly to the point that I just couldn’t take it seriously. The last fourth of the book especially took a turn into much campier territory. And yes, it did get bloodier.
You will need to suspend ALL of your disbelief for this one. It is essentially an entertainment read.
I think this author did a good job with Lila, and gradually developing her from an innocent, tragic figure into someone blindly obsessed with revenge, no matter what the cost. But I have to say the star of the show for me personally was Sylvie.
A messy but entertaining 3.5 stars.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Biggest TW: Bodyshaming, Suicide, Postpartum Depression, Substance abuse, Animal harm/death
January 18, 2026
This one started off strong and had me fully hooked for the first two thirds. The pacing was great early on (but after that dragged) and I really enjoyed the exploration of fame, true crime and revenge. The characters were messy, complicated, and not exactly likable but that worked for the story and kept things interesting.
Unfortunately, the final third didn’t quite stick the landing for me. As things went a bit off the rails the plot became more predictable and much less realistic so I found myself less invested in the characters and the outcome. There was definitely a lot of potential here it just didn’t fully come together in the end.
That said, I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narration — it added a lot to the experience. If you like stories about unhinged women and revenge driven plots, this is still worth checking out.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for the opportunity to listen to this ALC.
Unfortunately, the final third didn’t quite stick the landing for me. As things went a bit off the rails the plot became more predictable and much less realistic so I found myself less invested in the characters and the outcome. There was definitely a lot of potential here it just didn’t fully come together in the end.
That said, I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narration — it added a lot to the experience. If you like stories about unhinged women and revenge driven plots, this is still worth checking out.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for the opportunity to listen to this ALC.
January 11, 2026
the beginning of this completely took me by surprise (in a good way), but the final execution was disappointing.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Lila Devlin was the greatest young actor of her time but when tragedy struck and her infant daughter was kidnapped, Lila became the center of attention for a completely different reason. Overwhelmed with newfound, unwanted fame and guilt, Lila fled the country to escape it all. Now, a decade later, she is returning to Los Angeles to begin a new chapter in her life. Plans change once she’s back though, as she soon discovers she hasn’t forgiven the people of her past like she thought she had.
Letting a lot of this story unfold through past interviews is an interesting approach, especially considering it’s a story that involves stardom and being in the spotlight; it feels salacious and gossipy in a way that really makes sense for this story. Still, it quickly became overplayed and I ended up feeling that a strictly narrative focus would have contributed more to the plot and the impact.
Although beauty horror has kind of exhausted itself with me, I found this novel well-written with a pacing that kept me turning the pages. Reflections on motherhood, privilege, fame, and beauty.
Thank you William Morrow for the early copy in exchange for an honest review. Available Mar 31 2026
Letting a lot of this story unfold through past interviews is an interesting approach, especially considering it’s a story that involves stardom and being in the spotlight; it feels salacious and gossipy in a way that really makes sense for this story. Still, it quickly became overplayed and I ended up feeling that a strictly narrative focus would have contributed more to the plot and the impact.
Although beauty horror has kind of exhausted itself with me, I found this novel well-written with a pacing that kept me turning the pages. Reflections on motherhood, privilege, fame, and beauty.
Thank you William Morrow for the early copy in exchange for an honest review. Available Mar 31 2026
November 10, 2025
2.5? 3? Not quite sure yet tbh...
I really enjoyed this one at the beginning as there was a lot of promise for a blood-soaked revenge thriller... although it was blood-soaked I'm not quite sure what genre to place this under. Suspense? Horror? Dark comedy? A tragedy? I was tonally confused on this and that's what ultimately made this whole experience feel underdeveloped and disjointed. And the screenplay in-between chapters? Every time I came across those sections it felt I was being forcibly ripped out of the book which made getting back to the regular chapters extremely hard to get into.
Outside of the plot, the characters fell a little flat for me. With the exception of Lila and Sylvie, all the other characters felt like the same person just different fonts. There was not much development with any of them. It made it hard to care at all about the story. Although I liked Lila in the beginning, her gradually descent into madness wasn't fleshed out well enough and came off as ridiculous and annoying. From the get-go you really have to suspend your disbelief so you won't be wondering how she's getting away with any of this acting the way that she is.
Somewhere in here there is a great novel tackling the issues of celebrity culture, celebrity privacy, grief, and the sensationalism of crime. However, it doesn't quite hit that mark. Some more time honing the tone of the story, developing the characters, and really tying the mixed media format together would've done wonders for the pacing and experience of this novel. I truly think this author is talented, and this wasn't a bad debut at all. I'm excited to see them hone their craft and come out with something a little more baked in the future.
*Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own*
I really enjoyed this one at the beginning as there was a lot of promise for a blood-soaked revenge thriller... although it was blood-soaked I'm not quite sure what genre to place this under. Suspense? Horror? Dark comedy? A tragedy? I was tonally confused on this and that's what ultimately made this whole experience feel underdeveloped and disjointed. And the screenplay in-between chapters? Every time I came across those sections it felt I was being forcibly ripped out of the book which made getting back to the regular chapters extremely hard to get into.
Outside of the plot, the characters fell a little flat for me. With the exception of Lila and Sylvie, all the other characters felt like the same person just different fonts. There was not much development with any of them. It made it hard to care at all about the story. Although I liked Lila in the beginning, her gradually descent into madness wasn't fleshed out well enough and came off as ridiculous and annoying. From the get-go you really have to suspend your disbelief so you won't be wondering how she's getting away with any of this acting the way that she is.
Somewhere in here there is a great novel tackling the issues of celebrity culture, celebrity privacy, grief, and the sensationalism of crime. However, it doesn't quite hit that mark. Some more time honing the tone of the story, developing the characters, and really tying the mixed media format together would've done wonders for the pacing and experience of this novel. I truly think this author is talented, and this wasn't a bad debut at all. I'm excited to see them hone their craft and come out with something a little more baked in the future.
*Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own*
February 7, 2026
3.75-4 stars. An unhinged, campy horror//thriller romp into the world of Hollywood, reinvention, skincare products.. and yes.. REVENGE.. and plenty of it!
When Hollywood A-list couple Lila Devlin and Adrian Reynolds baby girl Rosie is kidnapped it makes headlines followed by a lot of scrutiny.. but just on Lila. She’s dragged through the mud by the media, those crime-obsessed, and her so-called friends. Lila spirals and steps away from the spotlight leaving her husband and Hollywood behind and escapes into solitude, grieving for her daughter.
Ten years later, Lila, now a has-been actress, returns with a plan, a reinvention to start a self-empowering skin care company. This is when she meets her new publicist Silvie.. just as crazy.. helping her in more ways than one! Finding likable characters here is slim.
Lila’s products are nothing special and her extracurricular activities leave her feeling hollow, unfulfilled.. that is until she taps into her delirious//psychotic imagination for what she thinks she needs to do to reach her ultimate contentment — well that’s my interpretation anyway as this went off the rails about here.. not sure why the author wrote it in that specific way. So here we are.. with Lila taking her power back in an ingenious, feverishly vicious, gory way. Oof.
This book may not be for everyone as I said there were places I didn’t fully grasp. For me no worries, it was enough of an entertaining, messed-up and unhinged reading experience to keep me listening.. and I had to find out what happened to baby Rosie. GO with the audio - was great, really enjoyed the narration by Jaime Lamchick! Pub. 2/3/26
Many thanks to William Morrow // HarperAudio Adult for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
When Hollywood A-list couple Lila Devlin and Adrian Reynolds baby girl Rosie is kidnapped it makes headlines followed by a lot of scrutiny.. but just on Lila. She’s dragged through the mud by the media, those crime-obsessed, and her so-called friends. Lila spirals and steps away from the spotlight leaving her husband and Hollywood behind and escapes into solitude, grieving for her daughter.
Ten years later, Lila, now a has-been actress, returns with a plan, a reinvention to start a self-empowering skin care company. This is when she meets her new publicist Silvie.. just as crazy.. helping her in more ways than one! Finding likable characters here is slim.
Lila’s products are nothing special and her extracurricular activities leave her feeling hollow, unfulfilled.. that is until she taps into her delirious//psychotic imagination for what she thinks she needs to do to reach her ultimate contentment — well that’s my interpretation anyway as this went off the rails about here.. not sure why the author wrote it in that specific way. So here we are.. with Lila taking her power back in an ingenious, feverishly vicious, gory way. Oof.
This book may not be for everyone as I said there were places I didn’t fully grasp. For me no worries, it was enough of an entertaining, messed-up and unhinged reading experience to keep me listening.. and I had to find out what happened to baby Rosie. GO with the audio - was great, really enjoyed the narration by Jaime Lamchick! Pub. 2/3/26
Many thanks to William Morrow // HarperAudio Adult for the ALC. All opinions are my own.
January 13, 2026
I really didn't know what I was getting into with this one, and I think that made me enjoy it even more! I heard beauty industry horror and jumped. And it was, but it was actually so much more than that. And incredibly unhinged! Lila was a rising actress in Hollywood, married the perfect guy, had a baby--everything seemed idyllic, until her baby went missing. Lila fell from grace, accused of murdering her own child, being crazy, using drugs, heavily vilified and ostracized. Now, she decides to come back to Hollywood and try again, but this time, in the beauty industry. Lila clearly has not healed from the trauma of losing her child and as the book progresses, things escalate and Lila unravels even more. This. Shit. Gets. Dark. Lila has a shit list, and trust me when I say, you do not want to be on it. All the while, her new beauty line is thriving and changing the game. It is very unhinged and very wild, but I personally really enjoyed it. I was in the right mood for this one. There are tons of inferences on the beauty industry, on Hollywood and being in the spotlight, on motherhood, on grief and loss--especially of a child, and unhealed trauma. I love an unhinged FMC and this is that! I think it will be hit or miss for readers, but for me, it was a hit!
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC. Book releases 2/3/26.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC. Book releases 2/3/26.
February 6, 2026
(3.25/5)
I enjoyed this, but not as much as I wanted to. I felt like there were plot holes and loose ends that could have been tied up in editing pre-pub.
Learning that Caroline has experience in playwriting makes a lot of sense, as this def had a very cinematic feel. I think that's what I enjoyed most about Cruelty Free, how easily I could picture everything playing out in my mind.
The satire regarding celebs was on point, but some of the commentary on motherhood missed the mark for me for some reason.
Overall, this just felt a bit disjointed. I wish I had more succinct reasoning...but here we are.
I'll certainly read whatever Caroline Glenn puts out next, though.
Narrator Jaime Lamchick did a phenomenal job—I couldn't have hand-picked a better narrator. I'll be seeking out more of their work forsure.
Thank you bunches to Caroline Glenn, Jamie Lamchick, William Morrow, HarperAudio & NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
I enjoyed this, but not as much as I wanted to. I felt like there were plot holes and loose ends that could have been tied up in editing pre-pub.
Learning that Caroline has experience in playwriting makes a lot of sense, as this def had a very cinematic feel. I think that's what I enjoyed most about Cruelty Free, how easily I could picture everything playing out in my mind.
The satire regarding celebs was on point, but some of the commentary on motherhood missed the mark for me for some reason.
Overall, this just felt a bit disjointed. I wish I had more succinct reasoning...but here we are.
I'll certainly read whatever Caroline Glenn puts out next, though.
Narrator Jaime Lamchick did a phenomenal job—I couldn't have hand-picked a better narrator. I'll be seeking out more of their work forsure.
Thank you bunches to Caroline Glenn, Jamie Lamchick, William Morrow, HarperAudio & NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
August 15, 2025
This book is a brilliant, blood-soaked debut wrapped in luxurious, clean-girl aesthetic beauty brand packaging. Think Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop owned and operated by Arya Stark as she repeats her revenge list….Joffrey, Cersei, Walder Frey, Meryn Trant, Tywin Lannister, the Red Woman….
One woman’s tragedy is entertainment for the public, and a cash cow for paparazzi and podcasters. Can you blame a slay queen for taking her power back? A-List actors are people, and LA is a candy-colored mirage in the desert.
“To use ‘humanity’ as a word for mercy was the greatest lie ever told.”
Thank you so much to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for the eARC of this book! Cruelty Free set to be published Feb 3, 2026.
One woman’s tragedy is entertainment for the public, and a cash cow for paparazzi and podcasters. Can you blame a slay queen for taking her power back? A-List actors are people, and LA is a candy-colored mirage in the desert.
“To use ‘humanity’ as a word for mercy was the greatest lie ever told.”
Thank you so much to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for the eARC of this book! Cruelty Free set to be published Feb 3, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I came into this book expecting a weird beauty horror book and what I got was a complex story about grief and living in the past (with a side of murder.) I can easily split the novel into 2 “acts,” one related primarily to discussing the past and Josie’s disappearance, and the other exploring revenge and gore.
Throughout the first half of the novel, we are fed little bits of information about Josie’s disappearance through an “oral history,” containing interviews given by people on the periphery of the case. I really liked the format of the oral history, and felt that it accurately portrayed the obsessive parasocial relationship that true crime fans can have with the people involved in their favorite cases. The choice not to allow Lila to tell the story of Josie’s disappearance in her own words reads as a comment on how the media so often co-opts the narrative of a woman’s lived experience, and I thought that was done quite well!
In the second “act,” we follow the growth of Lila’s skincare business and the harvesting of her secret ingredient. I didn’t enjoy this section of the book as much as the first; the deaths became formulaic and expected. If you think too hard about the mechanics of these murders you probably won’t enjoy the ride as much.
That being said, I think Glenn did a great job of creating sympathetic characters that I continued to care about even as they became more and more psychotic. I think it takes a great deal of skill to achieve the complexity of a character like Lila.
Overall, I came away from Cruelty Free thinking it was both a romp and a compelling story about grief, motherhood, and obsession.
*Thank you so much to NetGalley, HarperAudio, William Morrow, and the author for providing me with an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Throughout the first half of the novel, we are fed little bits of information about Josie’s disappearance through an “oral history,” containing interviews given by people on the periphery of the case. I really liked the format of the oral history, and felt that it accurately portrayed the obsessive parasocial relationship that true crime fans can have with the people involved in their favorite cases. The choice not to allow Lila to tell the story of Josie’s disappearance in her own words reads as a comment on how the media so often co-opts the narrative of a woman’s lived experience, and I thought that was done quite well!
In the second “act,” we follow the growth of Lila’s skincare business and the harvesting of her secret ingredient. I didn’t enjoy this section of the book as much as the first; the deaths became formulaic and expected. If you think too hard about the mechanics of these murders you probably won’t enjoy the ride as much.
That being said, I think Glenn did a great job of creating sympathetic characters that I continued to care about even as they became more and more psychotic. I think it takes a great deal of skill to achieve the complexity of a character like Lila.
Overall, I came away from Cruelty Free thinking it was both a romp and a compelling story about grief, motherhood, and obsession.
*Thank you so much to NetGalley, HarperAudio, William Morrow, and the author for providing me with an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!
January 22, 2026
⚠️ Graphic Dog Death Scene in this Book ⚠️
I kind of lost my mind with Lila. Like fully…. hands off the wheel, staring into the void. This book is unhinged, dark, and so sharply written it almost feels mean. A disgraced A-list actress turning her enemies into luxury skincare? Absolutely deranged. Absolutely on brand. Very much giving Hollywood Hannibal Lecter with a Goop subscription.
The satire is where this shines. Celebrity culture, grief, true-crime freaks, beauty standards… it’s all getting dragged, skinned, and bottled. Watching Lila spiral while reclaiming control felt raw and gross and kind of cathartic????
BUT… And this is a real but, not a nitpick one.
There’s a brutal, graphic animal death, and that’s my one hard no in books. It was detailed, upsetting, and honestly unnecessary. I damn near DNF’d right there. It didn’t deepen the story for me at all… it just made my stomach drop in a way that wasn’t fun or clever, just… bad. Only carried on since I was at the home stretch…
So yeah. I loved the voice. I loved the audacity. I loved how feral and vicious it was when it worked. But that scene cost it a star (maybe two, emotionally).
I kind of lost my mind with Lila. Like fully…. hands off the wheel, staring into the void. This book is unhinged, dark, and so sharply written it almost feels mean. A disgraced A-list actress turning her enemies into luxury skincare? Absolutely deranged. Absolutely on brand. Very much giving Hollywood Hannibal Lecter with a Goop subscription.
The satire is where this shines. Celebrity culture, grief, true-crime freaks, beauty standards… it’s all getting dragged, skinned, and bottled. Watching Lila spiral while reclaiming control felt raw and gross and kind of cathartic????
BUT… And this is a real but, not a nitpick one.
There’s a brutal, graphic animal death, and that’s my one hard no in books. It was detailed, upsetting, and honestly unnecessary. I damn near DNF’d right there. It didn’t deepen the story for me at all… it just made my stomach drop in a way that wasn’t fun or clever, just… bad. Only carried on since I was at the home stretch…
So yeah. I loved the voice. I loved the audacity. I loved how feral and vicious it was when it worked. But that scene cost it a star (maybe two, emotionally).
January 6, 2026
I was entertained but I ultimately expected, and wanted, the story to hold more emotional weight. The tone of this book is so puzzling. And unbelievable. Nothing felt rooted in reality from the start and I never felt invested because of it.
I don’t think you can do an unhinged girlboss with a satirical element book AND a compelling revenge story. At least- not in this way. For me, I wanna care. I wanted to care about Lila and Josie’s story but it seemed the book worked against that at times because of the other elements the author introduced.
Part Hollywood critique, part feminist revenge, part beauty industry satire. An unhinged buzzword nothing burger most of the time. Though there is aspects of the writing and story I liked, the predatory media aspect offered something different. In time, I think this author could have a rage filled book for me to enjoy.
I won’t talk in depth about it but I have to get it out. Hated the ending. Huge eyeroll. Why I rounded down instead of up.
I don’t think you can do an unhinged girlboss with a satirical element book AND a compelling revenge story. At least- not in this way. For me, I wanna care. I wanted to care about Lila and Josie’s story but it seemed the book worked against that at times because of the other elements the author introduced.
Part Hollywood critique, part feminist revenge, part beauty industry satire. An unhinged buzzword nothing burger most of the time. Though there is aspects of the writing and story I liked, the predatory media aspect offered something different. In time, I think this author could have a rage filled book for me to enjoy.
I won’t talk in depth about it but I have to get it out. Hated the ending. Huge eyeroll. Why I rounded down instead of up.
September 3, 2025
Rating: 4.5 Stars ★ ★ ★ ★
Release Date: February 3, 2026
No, that twitter user was right - Lila WAS serving cunt and being mother.
A darkly funny and at times poignant tale that felt like a modern Sweeney Todd. I know these types of stories have been done over and over that are filled with the same type of commentary on motherhood, beauty and aging, but I think Caroline Glenn has something unique, fresh and sharp with Cruelty Free. Which mostly has everything to do with the story itself and her writing. Caroline managed to create a compelling storyline with equally compelling characters.
To me, the first four chapters dragged a little, but I think that had more to do with it feeling like a set up for the later part of the story. By the time it hit chapter five, I couldn't put it down. An incredibly fast paced story that takes you on a whirlwind of revenge and grief. Perfectly balanced blend of witty and biting satire, brutal violence and deep humanity.
Sometimes I go around thinking I don't like lit fic and then I read something that blows my mind and makes me want to devour more. Caroline Glenn crafted such an insane and fun debut novel that I can't wait to see what else we'll get from her.
Thank you to William Morrow, Caroline Glenn and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Release Date: February 3, 2026
No, that twitter user was right - Lila WAS serving cunt and being mother.
A darkly funny and at times poignant tale that felt like a modern Sweeney Todd. I know these types of stories have been done over and over that are filled with the same type of commentary on motherhood, beauty and aging, but I think Caroline Glenn has something unique, fresh and sharp with Cruelty Free. Which mostly has everything to do with the story itself and her writing. Caroline managed to create a compelling storyline with equally compelling characters.
To me, the first four chapters dragged a little, but I think that had more to do with it feeling like a set up for the later part of the story. By the time it hit chapter five, I couldn't put it down. An incredibly fast paced story that takes you on a whirlwind of revenge and grief. Perfectly balanced blend of witty and biting satire, brutal violence and deep humanity.
Sometimes I go around thinking I don't like lit fic and then I read something that blows my mind and makes me want to devour more. Caroline Glenn crafted such an insane and fun debut novel that I can't wait to see what else we'll get from her.
Thank you to William Morrow, Caroline Glenn and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
October 6, 2025
This is such a tough one to review, because though this story was unique, kept my attention all the way through, and had a theme that I was eating up, you could really tell this was a debut novel. I can count on at least two hands the amount of plot holes or just the pure unbelievability of many, many parts of this book, which really took me out of the story. On top of it, Lila’s revenge plan just like… didn’t even make sense? I don’t want to spill too much of why I thought this to not spoil the plot for those excited to read it, so I will leave it at that. This was such a highly anticipated book for me, but it didn’t meet my expectations unfortunately. I think a couple more passes from an editor to get the plot to seem more well rounded would have made this a 4-5 star read for me. With that said, I love the unique plot and I think Glenn has the chance to write a book that I’ll love, Cruelty Free just wasn’t for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced ebook!
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced ebook!
January 8, 2026
#ad much love for my advance copy @williammorrowbooks #partner
& @harperaudio #partner for the ALC
🅲🆁🆄🅴🅻🆃🆈 🅵🆁🅴🅴
< @carocglenn >
ʀᴇʟᴇᴀꜱᴇꜱ ꜰᴇʙʀᴜᴀʀʏ 𝟥, 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟨
JonBenét meets
“…there were always three types of people. The people who spoke, the people who listened, and the people who weren't in the conversation at all. And I've realized that that applies to everyone in general. The people who talk are the decision-makers—they're corrupt. The world needs to be rid of them. The people who listen follow orders—they're weak sycophants; we don't need them either, And for the people who just consume—if you don't get a say in anything, what's the point of
being alive?,” (p. 150).
𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚞𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚞𝚖𝚎𝚍.. 𝙽𝚘 𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚜…
You know those books you read and then have to go tell all your friends they need to also read it? Well, this is one of those books! Highly recommend it.
Lila Devlin was once a famous actress, catapulted into the spotlight at only twenty-two and torn apart by it just as quickly. Her life is a series of tragedies: her parents die, her marriage falls apart, her career ends, and worst of all, her child goes missing and is later found dead.
When her daughter goes missing and is later found dead, the world doesn’t offer sympathy. It offers blame instead. The press dissects her. Strangers accuse her. Every part of her grief becomes public property free for the taking.
So Lila disappears, drifting across the world, trying to survive the wreckage. But now she’s back, reemerging to launch a beauty line and reclaim her narrative. Lila wants peace, but revenge is not something you can simply ignore.
🎧: Also listened to the audio while following along and highly recommend it. Jaime Lamchick does a phenomenal job narrating this book and bringing Lila’s story to life. Just a fantastic listen. She has the perfect voice for narrating.
Told in alternating formats, the story unfolds through traditional chapters and with interview excerpts from The Devlin Baby, an oral history. Which is pieced together from journalists, insiders, and opportunists eager for the spotlight.
This format only extends the rage and heartbreak, exploring how women are consumed, judged, and discarded by the media, and how easily people will betray the truth for a flash of attention.
This book is female rage distilled, raw and unapologetic. Lila Devlin refuses to lie down, and watching her take her power back is LIT AF. I freaking loved it. Highly, highly recommend.
Read if you like:
Female rage
Badass villain you love
Obsessed love
& @harperaudio #partner for the ALC
🅲🆁🆄🅴🅻🆃🆈 🅵🆁🅴🅴
< @carocglenn >
ʀᴇʟᴇᴀꜱᴇꜱ ꜰᴇʙʀᴜᴀʀʏ 𝟥, 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟨
JonBenét meets
“…there were always three types of people. The people who spoke, the people who listened, and the people who weren't in the conversation at all. And I've realized that that applies to everyone in general. The people who talk are the decision-makers—they're corrupt. The world needs to be rid of them. The people who listen follow orders—they're weak sycophants; we don't need them either, And for the people who just consume—if you don't get a say in anything, what's the point of
being alive?,” (p. 150).
𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚞𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚞𝚖𝚎𝚍.. 𝙽𝚘 𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚜…
You know those books you read and then have to go tell all your friends they need to also read it? Well, this is one of those books! Highly recommend it.
Lila Devlin was once a famous actress, catapulted into the spotlight at only twenty-two and torn apart by it just as quickly. Her life is a series of tragedies: her parents die, her marriage falls apart, her career ends, and worst of all, her child goes missing and is later found dead.
When her daughter goes missing and is later found dead, the world doesn’t offer sympathy. It offers blame instead. The press dissects her. Strangers accuse her. Every part of her grief becomes public property free for the taking.
So Lila disappears, drifting across the world, trying to survive the wreckage. But now she’s back, reemerging to launch a beauty line and reclaim her narrative. Lila wants peace, but revenge is not something you can simply ignore.
🎧: Also listened to the audio while following along and highly recommend it. Jaime Lamchick does a phenomenal job narrating this book and bringing Lila’s story to life. Just a fantastic listen. She has the perfect voice for narrating.
Told in alternating formats, the story unfolds through traditional chapters and with interview excerpts from The Devlin Baby, an oral history. Which is pieced together from journalists, insiders, and opportunists eager for the spotlight.
This format only extends the rage and heartbreak, exploring how women are consumed, judged, and discarded by the media, and how easily people will betray the truth for a flash of attention.
This book is female rage distilled, raw and unapologetic. Lila Devlin refuses to lie down, and watching her take her power back is LIT AF. I freaking loved it. Highly, highly recommend.
Read if you like:
Female rage
Badass villain you love
Obsessed love
February 14, 2026
I'm between 3/3.5
I got this from LibroFm as an audio ALC. This story was very wild and I was intrigued. I just feel the end kind of lost a bit of steam. and there were parts in part 1 that kind of took me out of the story.
Story follows a woman who is a celebrity her daughter disappeared one day and everyone felt she was involved. Then she decides to disappear herself. she comes back years later to start a makeup brand BUT also takes revenge on people who talked bad about her in the past, and from here takes wild turns.
the story was interesting and definitely interesting take on how the public views celebrity.
Just didn't overly wow me. but definitely worth checking out
I got this from LibroFm as an audio ALC. This story was very wild and I was intrigued. I just feel the end kind of lost a bit of steam. and there were parts in part 1 that kind of took me out of the story.
Story follows a woman who is a celebrity her daughter disappeared one day and everyone felt she was involved. Then she decides to disappear herself. she comes back years later to start a makeup brand BUT also takes revenge on people who talked bad about her in the past, and from here takes wild turns.
the story was interesting and definitely interesting take on how the public views celebrity.
Just didn't overly wow me. but definitely worth checking out
February 8, 2026
Reading this was such a wild fucking ride and I think even if I hadn’t gone in blind, still wouldn’t have been prepared for everything that happened. Some parts of reading this felt like a 5 star, and some parts felt more like a 3 star sooo here we are.
Either way, this was an impressive debut and the crossing of beauty industry elements with sapphic female rage was executed perfectly. A fun read with such a killer cover I’m so glad I picked up a copy on pub day to have as a trophy on my shelves.
Either way, this was an impressive debut and the crossing of beauty industry elements with sapphic female rage was executed perfectly. A fun read with such a killer cover I’m so glad I picked up a copy on pub day to have as a trophy on my shelves.
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