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This Song Is About Me: A Novel
A reporter strives to discover the reason behind a superstar’s disappearance in an enthralling novel about the mysteries of love and success by a New York Times bestselling author.
It was a night to remember. Ryan Holding, the most famous pop star in the world, won every music award imaginable at the industry’s highest event. She exited the stage to thunderous applause…then disappeared off the face of the earth.
Six years later, her social media accounts remain untouched. Her band has broken up. Her Malibu estate sits quiet. And billions of obsessed fans still Whatever happened to Ryan Holding?
Amid theories, suspicions, and rumors, reporter Elyse James wants the truth about the girl who poured her heart into every song she wrote. As Elyse searches through the stories of Ryan’s life, from those willing to talk—her best friend, a childhood teacher, and Ryan’s first love among them—a portrait of a flesh-and-blood icon begins to emerge. So do clues to a mystery that has captivated the world.
Did Ryan disappear to find herself? Or did someone deliberately make Ryan disappear? The answers are the stuff of legend.
It was a night to remember. Ryan Holding, the most famous pop star in the world, won every music award imaginable at the industry’s highest event. She exited the stage to thunderous applause…then disappeared off the face of the earth.
Six years later, her social media accounts remain untouched. Her band has broken up. Her Malibu estate sits quiet. And billions of obsessed fans still Whatever happened to Ryan Holding?
Amid theories, suspicions, and rumors, reporter Elyse James wants the truth about the girl who poured her heart into every song she wrote. As Elyse searches through the stories of Ryan’s life, from those willing to talk—her best friend, a childhood teacher, and Ryan’s first love among them—a portrait of a flesh-and-blood icon begins to emerge. So do clues to a mystery that has captivated the world.
Did Ryan disappear to find herself? Or did someone deliberately make Ryan disappear? The answers are the stuff of legend.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 21, 2026
About the author
Melissa de la Cruz
160 books16.1k followersMelissa de la Cruz is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for teens including The Au Pairs series, the Blue Bloods series, the Ashleys series, the Angels on Sunset Boulevard series and the semi-autobiographical novel Fresh off the Boat.
Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.
She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.
Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).
She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.
Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.
She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.
Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).
She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.
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November 24, 2025
Thanks to Little A, NetGalley, and Melissa De La Cruz for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! My opinions are my own.
When I was in college, I devoured Melissa De La Cruz' Blue Bloods series. I loved the elite academic world she created with the added intrigue of fantasy, and I read every book in the series voraciously. Now, years later, I was excited to pick up her latest novel, a cautionary tale of life in the spotlight told in oral history format. I found myself just as swept away as I was back then, though in an entirely different setting: the modern life of an ultrafamous musician.
The novel examines the life of Ryan Holding, the world's most famous pop star who suddenly disappears on the night of her triumphant Video Music Awards appearance. Ryan, who started in the music industry as a precocious pre-teen, bears an uncanny resemblance to that OTHER current biggest pop star on the planet, from her country and bluegrass roots to her ever-changing image, to her revolving door of romances. Driven by a force larger than herself to create music, she finds herself adrift the further she wades into the murk of celebrity life, struggling to reconcile the life she once had with the life she has now. We see Ryan grow from learning to play the banjo in her small town to signing her first record contract to being unable to even walk down the street without being accosted by paparazzi. The toll that takes on her mental health, her personal relationships, and her professional growth is profound, and it soon becomes apparent that the price of fame might be higher than Ryan is willing or able to pay.
The author's choice to present her story in an oral history format makes it particularly compelling to read. Parasocial relationships run rampant in today's real world, and to hear Ryan's story from those who thought they knew her well to those who didn't really know her at all feels almost like eavesdropping. It's a strangely intimate approach that almost feels invasive at times, and I think that was intentional. It's an approach that worked well in Taylor Jenkins Reid's "Daisy Jones and the Six", and that approach is only enhanced as we struggle to figure out what happened to Ryan, who she trusts and who she shouldn't, and what their motivations might be.
The novel does a stellar job examining the price of fame, the cost of loyalty, and the weight of expectations, particularly for those who are thrust into the spotlight at a young age. Ryan's story is painfully, tragically familiar to those who grew up idolizing the likes of Britney Spears, Amanda Bynes, and Taylor Swift. We're groomed to feel like we know these people, that we have a stake in their lives, when in most cases we don't really know them at all. That's part of what makes this story so poignant: it illustrates exactly how alone one can feel even when under the brightest lights.
I think you'll enjoy this story if you've ever been even casually interested in the life of a popstar or have dreamed about fame, or if you enjoyed the unique oral history format of "Daisy Jones and the Six". For Swifties, the story might hold particular prescience: I found myself smiling at the subtle song references sprinkled throughout the story. Ultimately, the book is a quick, fun, breathless look into a young woman's meteoric rise to fame and the price she paid to get there. Though it's a standalone book, the novel's wry wink of an ending made me imagine "what if", and left me satisfied with the resolution. It’s everything I love about Melissa De La Cruz’s writing, and I’m so glad I got to step into another one of her worlds at a completely different stage in my life.
When I was in college, I devoured Melissa De La Cruz' Blue Bloods series. I loved the elite academic world she created with the added intrigue of fantasy, and I read every book in the series voraciously. Now, years later, I was excited to pick up her latest novel, a cautionary tale of life in the spotlight told in oral history format. I found myself just as swept away as I was back then, though in an entirely different setting: the modern life of an ultrafamous musician.
The novel examines the life of Ryan Holding, the world's most famous pop star who suddenly disappears on the night of her triumphant Video Music Awards appearance. Ryan, who started in the music industry as a precocious pre-teen, bears an uncanny resemblance to that OTHER current biggest pop star on the planet, from her country and bluegrass roots to her ever-changing image, to her revolving door of romances. Driven by a force larger than herself to create music, she finds herself adrift the further she wades into the murk of celebrity life, struggling to reconcile the life she once had with the life she has now. We see Ryan grow from learning to play the banjo in her small town to signing her first record contract to being unable to even walk down the street without being accosted by paparazzi. The toll that takes on her mental health, her personal relationships, and her professional growth is profound, and it soon becomes apparent that the price of fame might be higher than Ryan is willing or able to pay.
The author's choice to present her story in an oral history format makes it particularly compelling to read. Parasocial relationships run rampant in today's real world, and to hear Ryan's story from those who thought they knew her well to those who didn't really know her at all feels almost like eavesdropping. It's a strangely intimate approach that almost feels invasive at times, and I think that was intentional. It's an approach that worked well in Taylor Jenkins Reid's "Daisy Jones and the Six", and that approach is only enhanced as we struggle to figure out what happened to Ryan, who she trusts and who she shouldn't, and what their motivations might be.
The novel does a stellar job examining the price of fame, the cost of loyalty, and the weight of expectations, particularly for those who are thrust into the spotlight at a young age. Ryan's story is painfully, tragically familiar to those who grew up idolizing the likes of Britney Spears, Amanda Bynes, and Taylor Swift. We're groomed to feel like we know these people, that we have a stake in their lives, when in most cases we don't really know them at all. That's part of what makes this story so poignant: it illustrates exactly how alone one can feel even when under the brightest lights.
I think you'll enjoy this story if you've ever been even casually interested in the life of a popstar or have dreamed about fame, or if you enjoyed the unique oral history format of "Daisy Jones and the Six". For Swifties, the story might hold particular prescience: I found myself smiling at the subtle song references sprinkled throughout the story. Ultimately, the book is a quick, fun, breathless look into a young woman's meteoric rise to fame and the price she paid to get there. Though it's a standalone book, the novel's wry wink of an ending made me imagine "what if", and left me satisfied with the resolution. It’s everything I love about Melissa De La Cruz’s writing, and I’m so glad I got to step into another one of her worlds at a completely different stage in my life.
November 30, 2025
Ryan Holding is a really famous popstar, similar in nature to Taylor Swift I would say, who suddenly goes missing after the VMAs. One of the peaks of her career. The book is told through a series of interviews in a sort of oral history format.
Honestly this book frustrated me deeply a lot of the time. I liked Ryan at first. She seemed nice, genuine and like she had a good head on her shoulders. But then her character started to feel unstable and confused. I understand that's because we were seeing her through various different people's eyes, but still.
I thought it was an interesting character study though despite my dislike for her at times. The way it was crafted so you could see society's reactions to things Ryan did and went through felt very reflective to things I see all the time and it paid off in that regard.
I also didn't love the ending to this book. I found it very predictable and it even went into boring territory at times. Like if you had asked me where I thought the book was going about halfway through, the way it went was exactly what I would've said.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little A for the ARC to honestly review.
Honestly this book frustrated me deeply a lot of the time. I liked Ryan at first. She seemed nice, genuine and like she had a good head on her shoulders. But then her character started to feel unstable and confused. I understand that's because we were seeing her through various different people's eyes, but still.
I thought it was an interesting character study though despite my dislike for her at times. The way it was crafted so you could see society's reactions to things Ryan did and went through felt very reflective to things I see all the time and it paid off in that regard.
I also didn't love the ending to this book. I found it very predictable and it even went into boring territory at times. Like if you had asked me where I thought the book was going about halfway through, the way it went was exactly what I would've said.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little A for the ARC to honestly review.
April 30, 2026
Ryan Holding has it all. Or so it would seem. One of the most famous pop stars in the world, she's won almost every award imaginable. She has fame and fortune and seemingly wants for nothing. But appearances can be deceiving. On the night she wins yet another award, she completely vanishes. No signs of foul play although conspiracy theories and rumors abound. When one journalist sets out to find the truth, we find out that things in Ryan's world weren't as perfect as they seemed.
I couldn't put this book down. It's told in a series of "interviews" with those who knew and worked with Ryan along with some press-release type stories. I felt definite parallels to Taylor Swift's career as I was reading it. A hugely enjoyable read!
I couldn't put this book down. It's told in a series of "interviews" with those who knew and worked with Ryan along with some press-release type stories. I felt definite parallels to Taylor Swift's career as I was reading it. A hugely enjoyable read!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The chokehold This Song Is About Me had on me was honestly embarrassing. I pressed play thinking I’d casually dip a toe in, and suddenly I’m emotionally invested in a missing pop star like I’m about to launch my own low-budget investigative podcast titled "Where Is Ryan Holding and Why Am I Crying About It."
Ryan Holding, global icon, disappears at the literal peak of her career, and the world just collectively loses its mind for six straight years. Which…fair. If a mega pop star vanished after sweeping an awards show, we would all become unhinged Reddit detectives overnight. No one is better than us in a crisis except us with WiFi and too much time.
The whole story unfolds through interviews, which means we are stuck piecing Ryan together like a chaotic emotional jigsaw puzzle made entirely of other people’s opinions. Her best friend is like, she was soft and overwhelmed. Her ex is like, actually she was calculating and terrifying. Industry people are hovering somewhere in the middle like, she was a brand first, a person second. And you’re just sitting there like…so nobody agrees and yet all of you are convinced you’re right. Incredible. No notes.
And Ryan herself? A walking contradiction in the most fascinating and mildly frustrating way. She starts off feeling grounded, talented, almost painfully sincere. Then fame hits and suddenly she’s either a misunderstood artist drowning under pressure or a master strategist playing everyone around her. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, but the book absolutely refuses to hand it to you cleanly, which is both thematically brilliant and personally offensive to my need for clarity.
Now let’s talk about the audiobook, because Dominique Salvacion did not come to play. She came to perform. The way she shifts between voices, tones, and emotional beats makes the whole thing feel alive in a way that could have easily fallen flat. You can hear the tension, the bias, the little cracks in each person’s version of events. She turns what could have been repetitive into something that actually feels intimate, like you’re sitting in a room while people spill secrets they probably shouldn’t. Without her, I think I would’ve checked out during a few of the slower stretches. With her? I was locked in.
And yes, the format is very much giving Daisy Jones and the Six energy, but with less dreamy nostalgia and more “who is lying to me right now” paranoia. It works…until it occasionally doesn’t. There are moments where the repetition creeps in and you start to feel the structure a little too much, like the curtain gets pulled back and you see the mechanics instead of the magic.
That said…we need to have a gentle but honest conversation about the mystery. Because the buildup? Delicious. The speculation? Addictive. The reveal? I mean…yeah. I saw it coming. Not instantly, but early enough that when it happened I didn’t gasp, I just nodded like, okay, we’ve arrived exactly where I thought we would. It’s not bad, it just doesn’t hit like a plot twist that ruins your entire day in the best way.
Also, the real-world parallels are LOUD. Like, capital letters, neon sign, you cannot ignore them. Sometimes it’s fun, like you’re in on a little pop culture joke. Other times it pulls you out because you start questioning the logic of this universe and suddenly you’re spiraling about whether fictional and real pop stars coexist in the same timeline. I had to actively tell my brain to relax.
But here’s where This Song Is About Me quietly gets you. Under all the gossip and speculation and messy perspectives, there’s this thread about what fame actually does to a person. The isolation, the pressure, the way everyone feels entitled to your story while you’re losing control of it. And that part lands harder than the mystery. It sneaks up on you between the drama and suddenly you’re like…oh. Oh no. This is actually kind of sad.
I wanted more depth in certain relationships. I wanted a little less repetition in the interview structure. I wanted a reveal that made me pause the audiobook and stare into the void for a minute. But I was entertained the entire time, and I needed to know what happened to Ryan in the same way I need to know why celebrities suddenly wipe their Instagram.
So yeah, this sits comfortably at 3.5 stars. Messy, addictive, occasionally frustrating, but absolutely worth the ride, especially with Dominique Salvacion narrating like she’s carrying the emotional weight of everyone in this book on her back.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Trust No One, Suspect Everyone, and Still Somehow Feel Bad for a Woman I Never Actually Got to Hear Speak
And thank you to Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for the ALC, because clearly I love being emotionally manipulated by fictional pop star drama.
Ryan Holding, global icon, disappears at the literal peak of her career, and the world just collectively loses its mind for six straight years. Which…fair. If a mega pop star vanished after sweeping an awards show, we would all become unhinged Reddit detectives overnight. No one is better than us in a crisis except us with WiFi and too much time.
The whole story unfolds through interviews, which means we are stuck piecing Ryan together like a chaotic emotional jigsaw puzzle made entirely of other people’s opinions. Her best friend is like, she was soft and overwhelmed. Her ex is like, actually she was calculating and terrifying. Industry people are hovering somewhere in the middle like, she was a brand first, a person second. And you’re just sitting there like…so nobody agrees and yet all of you are convinced you’re right. Incredible. No notes.
And Ryan herself? A walking contradiction in the most fascinating and mildly frustrating way. She starts off feeling grounded, talented, almost painfully sincere. Then fame hits and suddenly she’s either a misunderstood artist drowning under pressure or a master strategist playing everyone around her. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, but the book absolutely refuses to hand it to you cleanly, which is both thematically brilliant and personally offensive to my need for clarity.
Now let’s talk about the audiobook, because Dominique Salvacion did not come to play. She came to perform. The way she shifts between voices, tones, and emotional beats makes the whole thing feel alive in a way that could have easily fallen flat. You can hear the tension, the bias, the little cracks in each person’s version of events. She turns what could have been repetitive into something that actually feels intimate, like you’re sitting in a room while people spill secrets they probably shouldn’t. Without her, I think I would’ve checked out during a few of the slower stretches. With her? I was locked in.
And yes, the format is very much giving Daisy Jones and the Six energy, but with less dreamy nostalgia and more “who is lying to me right now” paranoia. It works…until it occasionally doesn’t. There are moments where the repetition creeps in and you start to feel the structure a little too much, like the curtain gets pulled back and you see the mechanics instead of the magic.
That said…we need to have a gentle but honest conversation about the mystery. Because the buildup? Delicious. The speculation? Addictive. The reveal? I mean…yeah. I saw it coming. Not instantly, but early enough that when it happened I didn’t gasp, I just nodded like, okay, we’ve arrived exactly where I thought we would. It’s not bad, it just doesn’t hit like a plot twist that ruins your entire day in the best way.
Also, the real-world parallels are LOUD. Like, capital letters, neon sign, you cannot ignore them. Sometimes it’s fun, like you’re in on a little pop culture joke. Other times it pulls you out because you start questioning the logic of this universe and suddenly you’re spiraling about whether fictional and real pop stars coexist in the same timeline. I had to actively tell my brain to relax.
But here’s where This Song Is About Me quietly gets you. Under all the gossip and speculation and messy perspectives, there’s this thread about what fame actually does to a person. The isolation, the pressure, the way everyone feels entitled to your story while you’re losing control of it. And that part lands harder than the mystery. It sneaks up on you between the drama and suddenly you’re like…oh. Oh no. This is actually kind of sad.
I wanted more depth in certain relationships. I wanted a little less repetition in the interview structure. I wanted a reveal that made me pause the audiobook and stare into the void for a minute. But I was entertained the entire time, and I needed to know what happened to Ryan in the same way I need to know why celebrities suddenly wipe their Instagram.
So yeah, this sits comfortably at 3.5 stars. Messy, addictive, occasionally frustrating, but absolutely worth the ride, especially with Dominique Salvacion narrating like she’s carrying the emotional weight of everyone in this book on her back.
Whodunity Award: For Making Me Trust No One, Suspect Everyone, and Still Somehow Feel Bad for a Woman I Never Actually Got to Hear Speak
And thank you to Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for the ALC, because clearly I love being emotionally manipulated by fictional pop star drama.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3,5⭐
This book begins with a dissapearance. Ryan Holding, a very famous popstar, vanishes one night after receiving a prestigious award at the VMAs. And since then, no one knows what happened to her.
Some years later, a reporter decides to start questioning people that were close to Ryan about what happened that night, about the rest of her career as a singer, in order to write a book, and maybe, discover some clue to find her.
You see her whole life through the eyes of others: her friends, her teacher, her producers, other people related to her work, her exes. You also read press releases from different moments in her career, fan comments, and so on. But not from Ryan’s point of view.
She is the main character of the story, yes, but to what extent is everything they say the real story? Would she have told those things herself, or would she have keep quiet?
Fans want to know what happened to her; they want to know everything about her. Did she dissapeared on her own? Or did someone did something to her? Will she appear again, sing again, or will we never see her more? To what extent do people have the right to know everything about her? She is a public figure, but does that mean she has no privacy? This book makes you reflect on this. As well as discusing sexism and certain related situations on different chapters.
At certain points you wonder, what of all was really planned by Ryan? Nothing at all, some parts, or literally everything? And that makes you want to find it out, and you keep reading, even without knowing if you will actually find it out or not, which was kind of stressful at times.
There are some chapters that are more tedious than others, in which I thought about all of that being really necessary, but anyways is addictive, and the whole book is quite short.
In fact, I would have liked some extra chapters explaining more details related to one or two of the characters that appear in the book, as for example, Ryan’s bestfriend. I have a lot of questions related to her.
None of the characters were really likeable for me, some are better than others but I don’t think I like any of them, not even Ryan’s bestfriend, which I think has the best plot in a way, even more than Ryan (spoilers if I explain)
In general, even if half of the end was obvious, the whole final idea was good as it makes you rethink some aspects of the story you thought you knew.
Another thing, at least in what I interpreted about the book’s title, it was well thought, as the whole book is about Ryan’s life and she makes music.
To sum up, if you look for a short book, you are fan of Taylor Swift (it was really similar for what I know about her) or some other pop star like her and you like celebrity dramas, you could give it a try, it could be a book for you.
Thanks to Little A, NetGalley and Melissa De La Cruz for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!
This book begins with a dissapearance. Ryan Holding, a very famous popstar, vanishes one night after receiving a prestigious award at the VMAs. And since then, no one knows what happened to her.
Some years later, a reporter decides to start questioning people that were close to Ryan about what happened that night, about the rest of her career as a singer, in order to write a book, and maybe, discover some clue to find her.
You see her whole life through the eyes of others: her friends, her teacher, her producers, other people related to her work, her exes. You also read press releases from different moments in her career, fan comments, and so on. But not from Ryan’s point of view.
She is the main character of the story, yes, but to what extent is everything they say the real story? Would she have told those things herself, or would she have keep quiet?
Fans want to know what happened to her; they want to know everything about her. Did she dissapeared on her own? Or did someone did something to her? Will she appear again, sing again, or will we never see her more? To what extent do people have the right to know everything about her? She is a public figure, but does that mean she has no privacy? This book makes you reflect on this. As well as discusing sexism and certain related situations on different chapters.
At certain points you wonder, what of all was really planned by Ryan? Nothing at all, some parts, or literally everything? And that makes you want to find it out, and you keep reading, even without knowing if you will actually find it out or not, which was kind of stressful at times.
There are some chapters that are more tedious than others, in which I thought about all of that being really necessary, but anyways is addictive, and the whole book is quite short.
In fact, I would have liked some extra chapters explaining more details related to one or two of the characters that appear in the book, as for example, Ryan’s bestfriend. I have a lot of questions related to her.
None of the characters were really likeable for me, some are better than others but I don’t think I like any of them, not even Ryan’s bestfriend, which I think has the best plot in a way, even more than Ryan (spoilers if I explain)
In general, even if half of the end was obvious, the whole final idea was good as it makes you rethink some aspects of the story you thought you knew.
Another thing, at least in what I interpreted about the book’s title, it was well thought, as the whole book is about Ryan’s life and she makes music.
To sum up, if you look for a short book, you are fan of Taylor Swift (it was really similar for what I know about her) or some other pop star like her and you like celebrity dramas, you could give it a try, it could be a book for you.
Thanks to Little A, NetGalley and Melissa De La Cruz for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!
April 23, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and Melissa de la Cruz for the ARC. I had a really great time with this one. Simply adored it.
As a fan of the person who's the inspiration for the main character (and she's appropriately given a shoutout on the dedication page, subtly), this was a really fun read for me. This had super obvious parallels to that one particular blonde; traditionally male first name, billionaire country/bluegrass-turned-pop star, serial dater, best friends with someone back home and a supermodel, dropped off her demos at label offices as a child, hidden messages in booklets and music videos, beef with a rapper at an awards show, cut her hair into a bob, adopted an animal as a symbol for a comeback (spiders instead of snakes), breakup on a boat, her ex JA "William" who wrote poems and had aspirations in Hollywood, addressed the press by delegating a close friend, and lastly, referred to as a mastermind... only Ryan's a redhead.
I. HAD. FUN. I didn't even care this was pretty much a thinly veiled fanfiction - this was not romance in genre, so it's already different than other books inspired by her, and because of that it didn't feel creepy or invasive. I also liked that this was written like watching a documentary; weaving in and out of anecdotes by Ryan's close friends and associates, taking us through the years from her come up to her disappearance and later, after. I started this book quite late at night and got to 20%, and the next time I picked it up I breezed through the last 80% in less than a day. Other than my own enjoyment of recognizing the references to blondie, the story itself was good and satisfying, and the characters complex. I could also tell this was written not to capitalize on the singer's hype and goodwill (in other words, to bait her fans into reading), but this felt like a love letter from a fan. Those references were written so thoughtfully and with reverence.
On that last note, I want to hear Ryan's songs. Some of those lyrics were excellent and I could see her real life counterpart actually writing and performing those. I'm sure some of those were direct references to her real songs too - I'd need another read to clock it. At least two were inspired by "the lakes" and I'd bet my entire library on it. But one existing song in particular I heard in my head over and over as I was reading this book, specifically this line: "I'll go back to LA and the so-called friends who'll write books about me if I ever make it, and wonder about the only soul who can tell which smiles I'm faking."
I'm happy I got to read this, as I needed a pick-up as well. I've been a reader of Melissa for a long time now, almost 20 years, since the first Blue Bloods. Loved that series, and I'm still waiting for it to be adapted to screen. I couldn't vibe with her YA Disney books or modern retellings (I'm afraid I've aged out of those), and this pulled me back in. Looking forward to her future releases, once again.
As a fan of the person who's the inspiration for the main character (and she's appropriately given a shoutout on the dedication page, subtly), this was a really fun read for me. This had super obvious parallels to that one particular blonde; traditionally male first name, billionaire country/bluegrass-turned-pop star, serial dater, best friends with someone back home and a supermodel, dropped off her demos at label offices as a child, hidden messages in booklets and music videos, beef with a rapper at an awards show, cut her hair into a bob, adopted an animal as a symbol for a comeback (spiders instead of snakes), breakup on a boat, her ex JA "William" who wrote poems and had aspirations in Hollywood, addressed the press by delegating a close friend, and lastly, referred to as a mastermind... only Ryan's a redhead.
I. HAD. FUN. I didn't even care this was pretty much a thinly veiled fanfiction - this was not romance in genre, so it's already different than other books inspired by her, and because of that it didn't feel creepy or invasive. I also liked that this was written like watching a documentary; weaving in and out of anecdotes by Ryan's close friends and associates, taking us through the years from her come up to her disappearance and later, after. I started this book quite late at night and got to 20%, and the next time I picked it up I breezed through the last 80% in less than a day. Other than my own enjoyment of recognizing the references to blondie, the story itself was good and satisfying, and the characters complex. I could also tell this was written not to capitalize on the singer's hype and goodwill (in other words, to bait her fans into reading), but this felt like a love letter from a fan. Those references were written so thoughtfully and with reverence.
On that last note, I want to hear Ryan's songs. Some of those lyrics were excellent and I could see her real life counterpart actually writing and performing those. I'm sure some of those were direct references to her real songs too - I'd need another read to clock it. At least two were inspired by "the lakes" and I'd bet my entire library on it. But one existing song in particular I heard in my head over and over as I was reading this book, specifically this line: "I'll go back to LA and the so-called friends who'll write books about me if I ever make it, and wonder about the only soul who can tell which smiles I'm faking."
I'm happy I got to read this, as I needed a pick-up as well. I've been a reader of Melissa for a long time now, almost 20 years, since the first Blue Bloods. Loved that series, and I'm still waiting for it to be adapted to screen. I couldn't vibe with her YA Disney books or modern retellings (I'm afraid I've aged out of those), and this pulled me back in. Looking forward to her future releases, once again.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, Little A, and Melissa de la Cruz for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
This [Book] Is About [Taylor Swift].
It was an interesting read, and with the method of the storytelling it reminded me of a Taylor Jenkins Reid book or of The Favorites. But, what made it not work for me, is that while you can always sort of read real life people who were inspiration for those characters, Ryan was SO obviously Taylor Swift that it doesn't even take a Swiftie to notice. Not only that, but in a book that takes place in our world, and references Olivia Rodrigo, Charli XCX, Kelly Clarkson, Adele, Lady Gaga, Blake Lively, and Katy Perry as popular stars, NOT referencing Taylor Swift makes it even more obvious that Ryan is a red haired Taylor Swift.
I wouldn't quite say I reach the level of Swifite, but I grew up with her music enough and am enough of a fan that I was able to catch a crazy amount, and looked up to confirm. Below is a (non-exhaustive) list of things that made it obvious.
- She was born in 1989.
- Long curly hair starting out
- Firebird = Fearless
- Her "whole second album" had songs about how the guy was supposed to be with her and not his girlfriend
- The description of the Blue Jean Baby video matches the Our Song video
- Diatribe = Speak Now
- Mine on Speak Now leaked; Mine All Mine on Diatribe leaked
- Ryan filed a lawsuit against someone seeking $1 in damages
- She gets compared to a spider (instead of snake) and completely runs with it
- The description of Ryan's Ropes music video nearly identical to the Ready For It video
- SO MANY references to Eras. So, so many.
Honestly, writing a book clearly about Taylor Swift, without saying it is about her and dropping clear easter eggs of everything she does is VERY Taylor Swift, so kudos to de la Cruz for knocking that out of the park, and this would be a good book for either a Swiftie who wants to read something like this about their fave or for someone who knows absolutely nothing about Taylor Swift and wants to read a character study. Not something that was really for me, and with the premise being that Ryan is missing, I expected a little more suspense and maybe more Gone Girl-esque. That is not what this is.
The ending was predictable to a certain extent, but I did feel like the one line from Lilla left it open ended in a good way that fit the story and character.
This [Book] Is About [Taylor Swift].
It was an interesting read, and with the method of the storytelling it reminded me of a Taylor Jenkins Reid book or of The Favorites. But, what made it not work for me, is that while you can always sort of read real life people who were inspiration for those characters, Ryan was SO obviously Taylor Swift that it doesn't even take a Swiftie to notice. Not only that, but in a book that takes place in our world, and references Olivia Rodrigo, Charli XCX, Kelly Clarkson, Adele, Lady Gaga, Blake Lively, and Katy Perry as popular stars, NOT referencing Taylor Swift makes it even more obvious that Ryan is a red haired Taylor Swift.
I wouldn't quite say I reach the level of Swifite, but I grew up with her music enough and am enough of a fan that I was able to catch a crazy amount, and looked up to confirm. Below is a (non-exhaustive) list of things that made it obvious.
- She was born in 1989.
- Long curly hair starting out
- Firebird = Fearless
- Her "whole second album" had songs about how the guy was supposed to be with her and not his girlfriend
- The description of the Blue Jean Baby video matches the Our Song video
- Diatribe = Speak Now
- Mine on Speak Now leaked; Mine All Mine on Diatribe leaked
- Ryan filed a lawsuit against someone seeking $1 in damages
- She gets compared to a spider (instead of snake) and completely runs with it
- The description of Ryan's Ropes music video nearly identical to the Ready For It video
- SO MANY references to Eras. So, so many.
Honestly, writing a book clearly about Taylor Swift, without saying it is about her and dropping clear easter eggs of everything she does is VERY Taylor Swift, so kudos to de la Cruz for knocking that out of the park, and this would be a good book for either a Swiftie who wants to read something like this about their fave or for someone who knows absolutely nothing about Taylor Swift and wants to read a character study. Not something that was really for me, and with the premise being that Ryan is missing, I expected a little more suspense and maybe more Gone Girl-esque. That is not what this is.
The ending was predictable to a certain extent, but I did feel like the one line from Lilla left it open ended in a good way that fit the story and character.
December 19, 2025
3.5 ⭐️!
Thank you to the author & publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC!
I really enjoyed my time reading this, but I also have lots of feedback and some issues with it that prevent me from giving it a higher star rating. But overall I was entertained the entire time and thought it was a unique premise!
First: I requested this on Netgalley as I was in the mood for a literary fiction, and this was listed as both general fiction (adult) and litfic. I do not think this is a litfic in any way, and I would remove that label. Also I do think this book would benefit from being marketed to a younger audience by adding a YA label. There’s no content in it that a preteen or teen couldn’t digest, and I think they’d enjoy the story more than the general adult population as it’s not very detailed or nuanced.
Second, I think that the mixture of fictional people and celebrities in this book’s universe combined with real celebrities and references didn’t work for me. Obviously, this story is heavily inspired by Taylor Swift. A fictionalized version of her come to fame story, the idea of leaving easter eggs and secret messages in her videos and albums etc etc etc. The problem with mentioning other celebrities like Olivia Rodrigo, Charli XCX, Katy Perry etc means that Taylor Swift also exists somewhere
in this universe which is weird? I think that to better execute the story, we either should have set this in a completely fictional place and not mentioned any real people, or we should have made this Pop Star Ryan Holding a separate entity from Taylor Swift with a completely different backstory and music genre instead of making her story mirror Taylor’s so heavily.
Finally, I think the actual plot needed some work regarding the easter eggs and her disappearance. It truly wasn’t really a scavenger hunt of a journalist trying to
figure out where this missing pop star went because she knew the whole time. And the easter eggs from the music videos really weren’t even very relevant to her figuring out where Ryan went at the end?
Overall I think the concept had potential but for this to be an adult fiction (or literary fiction) novel, I just needed more. A more intricate and detailed plot, more character depth etc., and some of the issues noted above took me out of the story.
I also do not particularly like the cover and would never have picked it up in a bookstore.
Thank you to the author & publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC!
I really enjoyed my time reading this, but I also have lots of feedback and some issues with it that prevent me from giving it a higher star rating. But overall I was entertained the entire time and thought it was a unique premise!
First: I requested this on Netgalley as I was in the mood for a literary fiction, and this was listed as both general fiction (adult) and litfic. I do not think this is a litfic in any way, and I would remove that label. Also I do think this book would benefit from being marketed to a younger audience by adding a YA label. There’s no content in it that a preteen or teen couldn’t digest, and I think they’d enjoy the story more than the general adult population as it’s not very detailed or nuanced.
Second, I think that the mixture of fictional people and celebrities in this book’s universe combined with real celebrities and references didn’t work for me. Obviously, this story is heavily inspired by Taylor Swift. A fictionalized version of her come to fame story, the idea of leaving easter eggs and secret messages in her videos and albums etc etc etc. The problem with mentioning other celebrities like Olivia Rodrigo, Charli XCX, Katy Perry etc means that Taylor Swift also exists somewhere
in this universe which is weird? I think that to better execute the story, we either should have set this in a completely fictional place and not mentioned any real people, or we should have made this Pop Star Ryan Holding a separate entity from Taylor Swift with a completely different backstory and music genre instead of making her story mirror Taylor’s so heavily.
Finally, I think the actual plot needed some work regarding the easter eggs and her disappearance. It truly wasn’t really a scavenger hunt of a journalist trying to
figure out where this missing pop star went because she knew the whole time. And the easter eggs from the music videos really weren’t even very relevant to her figuring out where Ryan went at the end?
Overall I think the concept had potential but for this to be an adult fiction (or literary fiction) novel, I just needed more. A more intricate and detailed plot, more character depth etc., and some of the issues noted above took me out of the story.
I also do not particularly like the cover and would never have picked it up in a bookstore.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This Song Is About Me is a documentary-style retrospective by Melissa de la Cruz. Her books never disappoint, and this one was no exception.
Most of the book was structured around interviews, magazine articles, Internet threads, and first-person accounts. These sources were pieced together by journalist Elyse James to reconstruct the life and disappearance of Ryan Holding. The missing protagonist was a singer who vanished at the height of her fame.
Think Daisy Jones and the Six, but with an early 2000s energy. There's also a strong Taylor Swift undercurrent running throughout the book. Ryan is a pop star who has bluegrass roots that delve into pop over time. Her relationships end up in her lyrics, leaving her devoted fans eager to decode them.
The mystery of what actually happened to Ryan is what keeps the pages turning. De la Cruz is smart about slowly giving out information. Just when you think you've figured it out, someone else's perspective reframes everything.
The multi-POV format is one of the book's biggest strengths. We hear from Ryan's friends, her family, industry colleagues, and even enemies. Each voice feels distinct.
What surprised me most, though, was how much the book made me reflect. Underneath the page-turning mystery, de la Cruz is asking some deep questions about fame, celebrity culture, and the parasocial relationships fans build with artists. There's something timely about it, even though the story is set firmly in the early 2000s.
De la Cruz manages to make Ryan feel like a full, complicated human being. This isn't easy when your protagonist is mostly absent from the story and filtered entirely through other people's memories and agendas. By the end, I felt like I genuinely knew Ryan and understood why everyone who knew her needed closure.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little A for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Most of the book was structured around interviews, magazine articles, Internet threads, and first-person accounts. These sources were pieced together by journalist Elyse James to reconstruct the life and disappearance of Ryan Holding. The missing protagonist was a singer who vanished at the height of her fame.
Think Daisy Jones and the Six, but with an early 2000s energy. There's also a strong Taylor Swift undercurrent running throughout the book. Ryan is a pop star who has bluegrass roots that delve into pop over time. Her relationships end up in her lyrics, leaving her devoted fans eager to decode them.
The mystery of what actually happened to Ryan is what keeps the pages turning. De la Cruz is smart about slowly giving out information. Just when you think you've figured it out, someone else's perspective reframes everything.
The multi-POV format is one of the book's biggest strengths. We hear from Ryan's friends, her family, industry colleagues, and even enemies. Each voice feels distinct.
What surprised me most, though, was how much the book made me reflect. Underneath the page-turning mystery, de la Cruz is asking some deep questions about fame, celebrity culture, and the parasocial relationships fans build with artists. There's something timely about it, even though the story is set firmly in the early 2000s.
De la Cruz manages to make Ryan feel like a full, complicated human being. This isn't easy when your protagonist is mostly absent from the story and filtered entirely through other people's memories and agendas. By the end, I felt like I genuinely knew Ryan and understood why everyone who knew her needed closure.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little A for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was good! There were many elements I enjoyed in this!
First though, let's get my critique out of the way. While this is not a long book by any means (283 pages), I did sort of start to feel around the 50-70ish % mark that I was losing steam/engagement just a *little* bit because what was going on in the plot felt just a tad repetitive. I think I would have liked to see more inclusions of the main character's actual voice as well.
The second thing that I can't say I confidently and fully liked was the *big reveal.* On one hand, I don't dislike it because I didn't really see it coming. But on the bigger hand, I didn't like it because it felt—and I need to speak kind of vaguely here to not give away spoilers—kind of extreme and not relatable. I'm not saying that I couldn't understand the character's motivation, but at the same time, it made me look at this character and think, "Come on, now!"
However, now for what I liked. Regardless of what I just said, I do think the ending/the final line the book ends with complements the reveal well and does make it more believable.
I also really liked the narrative format: the book-within-a-book, an interview-style formatting with all these people who knew/were close to the musician. I liked following all of these different voices and seeing the range in how they felt/saw the main character.
Another thing I enjoyed was the theme of fame and the close look into the life of a rising pop star. I like how we start from the beginning, when Ryan was a young girl, to her becoming famous. I thought the author did an excellent job at capturing the nuances of how fame affects a person—especially a woman who is constantly scrutinized by the media.
If you enjoyed books about fame and you enjoyed books told in an interview format, I definitely recommend this!
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review.
First though, let's get my critique out of the way. While this is not a long book by any means (283 pages), I did sort of start to feel around the 50-70ish % mark that I was losing steam/engagement just a *little* bit because what was going on in the plot felt just a tad repetitive. I think I would have liked to see more inclusions of the main character's actual voice as well.
The second thing that I can't say I confidently and fully liked was the *big reveal.* On one hand, I don't dislike it because I didn't really see it coming. But on the bigger hand, I didn't like it because it felt—and I need to speak kind of vaguely here to not give away spoilers—kind of extreme and not relatable. I'm not saying that I couldn't understand the character's motivation, but at the same time, it made me look at this character and think, "Come on, now!"
However, now for what I liked. Regardless of what I just said, I do think the ending/the final line the book ends with complements the reveal well and does make it more believable.
I also really liked the narrative format: the book-within-a-book, an interview-style formatting with all these people who knew/were close to the musician. I liked following all of these different voices and seeing the range in how they felt/saw the main character.
Another thing I enjoyed was the theme of fame and the close look into the life of a rising pop star. I like how we start from the beginning, when Ryan was a young girl, to her becoming famous. I thought the author did an excellent job at capturing the nuances of how fame affects a person—especially a woman who is constantly scrutinized by the media.
If you enjoyed books about fame and you enjoyed books told in an interview format, I definitely recommend this!
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 29, 2025
I enjoyed this one more than I expected. Ryan Holding is a famous singer and celebrity, basically, Taylor Swift. Everything except her looks, basically, down to her being criticized for dating around and then writing songs about it. She disappears one night after an awards show and is never seen again. Now it's six years later, and Elyse is a reporter writing THE story about Ryan, determined to get to the bottom of what happened for her own personal reasons. But if she does figure out the mystery, will she be satisfied with what she discovers or wish she had never gotten involved?
The story is told via interviews with those closest to Ryan, with a few interspersed narratives from Elyse. The reader has to take everything with a grain of salt, as these are just opinions and not facts, given by people with their own biases. We hear about the same events from multiple people, each one putting their own spin on it. Some paint Ryan as a sweet kid overwhelmed by fame and fortune, disillusioned by the changes in her life. Others say she just played the part of the innocent ingenue and knew how to manipulate to her own advantage every time.
While the big mystery is solved (no ambiguous ending here, thankfully), it was a tad unsatisfying. Not exactly unbelievable, but a bit obvious, I guess. I mean, there's really only two ways it could have gone. So no big bombshell twist or anything, but man, this author can write. I think I read this in almost one complete sitting. I'm not even a fan of celebrities and gossip culture; I was only in it for the mystery. And even though that part was underwhelming, I was still hooked. I'm definitely going to check out more of her books to see what else she'll get me drawn into.
The story is told via interviews with those closest to Ryan, with a few interspersed narratives from Elyse. The reader has to take everything with a grain of salt, as these are just opinions and not facts, given by people with their own biases. We hear about the same events from multiple people, each one putting their own spin on it. Some paint Ryan as a sweet kid overwhelmed by fame and fortune, disillusioned by the changes in her life. Others say she just played the part of the innocent ingenue and knew how to manipulate to her own advantage every time.
While the big mystery is solved (no ambiguous ending here, thankfully), it was a tad unsatisfying. Not exactly unbelievable, but a bit obvious, I guess. I mean, there's really only two ways it could have gone. So no big bombshell twist or anything, but man, this author can write. I think I read this in almost one complete sitting. I'm not even a fan of celebrities and gossip culture; I was only in it for the mystery. And even though that part was underwhelming, I was still hooked. I'm definitely going to check out more of her books to see what else she'll get me drawn into.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A middle of the road read for me, but I think there will be an audience that will love this. The issue is that it's listed as adult fiction and even women's fiction, but it reads much younger than that. The author typically writes for the YA crowd, and it shows. It's so obvious that the main character is supposed to be Taylor Swift that it felt weird to me. I'm sure hardcore fans could spot plenty of similarities and more easter egg type finds than I did.
Ryan Holding is a world-famous pop star with country/bluegrass roots. She disappears without a trace following a huge win at the VMAs.
Is she alive?
A reporter/photographer decides to dig into this mystery a few years down the road to see if the people who knew Ryan are hiding clues to what really happened that night. Some are eager to give an interview and some not so much, but we get to hear their exact words because the story is told in shifting points of view. The style is very Daisy Jones and the Six. We never get Ryan's POV only seeing her through the eyes of others demonstrating the negative side of fame without having to spell it out which worked.
The audiobook is narrated by Dominique Salvacion who brought a wide range of characters to life in the interview format. The biggest issue I had was that solving the mystery was the weakest part feeling like an afterthought with a predictable ending. It read more like a dramatic character study than a mystery.
Even with the issues I had, the writing was good enough to hold my attention wondering what would be revealed next.
Thank you to Little A and Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio for providing an ARC and ALC for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Ryan Holding is a world-famous pop star with country/bluegrass roots. She disappears without a trace following a huge win at the VMAs.
Is she alive?
A reporter/photographer decides to dig into this mystery a few years down the road to see if the people who knew Ryan are hiding clues to what really happened that night. Some are eager to give an interview and some not so much, but we get to hear their exact words because the story is told in shifting points of view. The style is very Daisy Jones and the Six. We never get Ryan's POV only seeing her through the eyes of others demonstrating the negative side of fame without having to spell it out which worked.
The audiobook is narrated by Dominique Salvacion who brought a wide range of characters to life in the interview format. The biggest issue I had was that solving the mystery was the weakest part feeling like an afterthought with a predictable ending. It read more like a dramatic character study than a mystery.
Even with the issues I had, the writing was good enough to hold my attention wondering what would be revealed next.
Thank you to Little A and Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio for providing an ARC and ALC for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Sorry to say that this was a total 'miss' for me.
Maybe it's geared more towards teenagers or young adults? Not really sure...
But, it didn't grab my attention in the beginning... yet I kept holding on to see if it would pick up.
It did not, at least in my opinion.
A story about a young woman who makes it big in the Bluegrass/Country Music World... at a very early age... and then switches to more of a pop-artist kind of genre. She doesn't have good experiences in love and writes these guys into her songs... (Hmmm... kind of sounds like someone we all know, no??)
She has a bunch of friends, who sometimes felt like they were really trying to help her, and at other times felt like they were just along for the ride..
In any case, it was a very LONG story about something that was not of interest to me, and did not hold my attention... so, for me, only 2 1/2 stars that I am rounding up to 3. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This Song Is About Me by Melissa de la Cruz and narrated nicely by Dominique Salvacion.
This book releases tomorrow, 4/21/26.
As I am not giving this a glowing review, I will limit my posts to Goodreads and NetGalley.
Thanks so much to #NetGalley, @BrilliancePublishing and @BrillianceAudio for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Instagram: @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!!
And as always, thanks for reading along with me! 📚⭐️📖🩷
Maybe it's geared more towards teenagers or young adults? Not really sure...
But, it didn't grab my attention in the beginning... yet I kept holding on to see if it would pick up.
It did not, at least in my opinion.
A story about a young woman who makes it big in the Bluegrass/Country Music World... at a very early age... and then switches to more of a pop-artist kind of genre. She doesn't have good experiences in love and writes these guys into her songs... (Hmmm... kind of sounds like someone we all know, no??)
She has a bunch of friends, who sometimes felt like they were really trying to help her, and at other times felt like they were just along for the ride..
In any case, it was a very LONG story about something that was not of interest to me, and did not hold my attention... so, for me, only 2 1/2 stars that I am rounding up to 3. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This Song Is About Me by Melissa de la Cruz and narrated nicely by Dominique Salvacion.
This book releases tomorrow, 4/21/26.
As I am not giving this a glowing review, I will limit my posts to Goodreads and NetGalley.
Thanks so much to #NetGalley, @BrilliancePublishing and @BrillianceAudio for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Instagram: @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!!
And as always, thanks for reading along with me! 📚⭐️📖🩷
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ALC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
This Song Is About Me ended up being a really engaging audiobook. It follows Ryan, a bluegrass‑turned‑pop artist who suddenly disappears, and the whole world becomes obsessed with figuring out what happened to her. The story is told through interviews with the people who were part of her life, which gives it a documentary feel that worked well for the mystery.
There are definitely some intentional parallels to a very well‑known pop figure, and part of the fun for me was catching those little nods without the book ever naming them. Because of that, I thought I knew exactly where the story was headed, but the ending surprised me. The love‑interest twist was not what I expected at all.
The interview‑style structure kept things interesting, though I did occasionally lose track of who was speaking since each chapter is labeled by character name. That’s more on me than the book, but it’s worth noting for audiobook listeners.
The narrator was a highlight. She handled the Massachusetts accent naturally and made it easy to tell characters apart. Her performance added a lot to the overall experience.
Overall, this held my attention from start to finish. Whether it was the mystery itself or my curiosity about which real‑life moment they’d echo next, I stayed invested the whole way through.
This Song Is About Me ended up being a really engaging audiobook. It follows Ryan, a bluegrass‑turned‑pop artist who suddenly disappears, and the whole world becomes obsessed with figuring out what happened to her. The story is told through interviews with the people who were part of her life, which gives it a documentary feel that worked well for the mystery.
There are definitely some intentional parallels to a very well‑known pop figure, and part of the fun for me was catching those little nods without the book ever naming them. Because of that, I thought I knew exactly where the story was headed, but the ending surprised me. The love‑interest twist was not what I expected at all.
The interview‑style structure kept things interesting, though I did occasionally lose track of who was speaking since each chapter is labeled by character name. That’s more on me than the book, but it’s worth noting for audiobook listeners.
The narrator was a highlight. She handled the Massachusetts accent naturally and made it easy to tell characters apart. Her performance added a lot to the overall experience.
Overall, this held my attention from start to finish. Whether it was the mystery itself or my curiosity about which real‑life moment they’d echo next, I stayed invested the whole way through.
April 30, 2026
For fans of pop culture, the early to mid aughts and the rise of social media's influence on music and celebrities, This Song Is About Me is for you. When icon pop superstar Ryan Holding accepts a VMA, after years of winning multiple awards, fans, her family and friends don't know that is the last time they will ever see her. While her team heads to after parties, Ryan disappears-completely. For six years, billons of fans around the world are still searching for answers. Her social media accounts have never been updated, the band is broken up, her house is empty. When a reporter is determined to find answers she seeks Ryan's best friend, her first music teacher and others in Ryan's orbit who are willing to talk. Elyse James worked as a photojournalist and then reporter, frequenting some of the same circles as Ryan and her entourage. Now, she's piecing clues together to determine if Ryan left on her own accord or if someone is responsible for her disappearance. Told in media format, with chapters and interviews from the book Elyse is writing, along with magazine and internet articles, this is a fun, fast-paced novel that will keep readers engaged. While it is clear within the first chapter who the story is modeled after, the attention to detail is notable (that Met gala dress!) and the song lyrics are woven in...like a mastermind. While I figured out part of the ending (not early on), Melissa de la Cruz has a couple surprises that readers and fans alike will enjoy.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Yet another Netgalley ARC success for me!
This Song Is About Me by Melissa de la Cruz is a fictional nonfiction book, about a young girl rising to superstardom in the country music scene and then disappearing after an awards show many years later. It's built up of interviews with her various friends and coworkers, with the investigative journalist 'author' turning out to have more of a personal investment in the story than is initially apparent.
As with any book that includes transcripts of supposed interviews or journal entries or similar, the narrative doesn't quite hang together credibly as being authentic interviews, because nobody would report whole conversations or direct action scenes likes that when asked about it years later.
BUT - it *does* work as a fictional story that's compelling and well written with an interesting range of distinct voices. The narrative builds up cleverly and does a good job of maintaining the suspense - up until the point where it becomes very obvious what the answer to the mystery is, though for me, that was pretty late on. It does also suffer from a common issue with stories about the music industry, in that I really wanted to be able to listen to all the songs that are mentioned!
It's a pretty short book and, even given that, I'm not sure it has enough story to fill all its pages - but it did keep me reading to the end and I really enjoyed it overall.
This Song Is About Me by Melissa de la Cruz is a fictional nonfiction book, about a young girl rising to superstardom in the country music scene and then disappearing after an awards show many years later. It's built up of interviews with her various friends and coworkers, with the investigative journalist 'author' turning out to have more of a personal investment in the story than is initially apparent.
As with any book that includes transcripts of supposed interviews or journal entries or similar, the narrative doesn't quite hang together credibly as being authentic interviews, because nobody would report whole conversations or direct action scenes likes that when asked about it years later.
BUT - it *does* work as a fictional story that's compelling and well written with an interesting range of distinct voices. The narrative builds up cleverly and does a good job of maintaining the suspense - up until the point where it becomes very obvious what the answer to the mystery is, though for me, that was pretty late on. It does also suffer from a common issue with stories about the music industry, in that I really wanted to be able to listen to all the songs that are mentioned!
It's a pretty short book and, even given that, I'm not sure it has enough story to fill all its pages - but it did keep me reading to the end and I really enjoyed it overall.
April 20, 2026
3.5 ⭐
Thank you to NetGalley and Little A for the ARC to honestly review.
Ryan Holding was the biggest pop star in the world, after reaching levels of success people only dream off she disappears. Six years later journalist Elyse James plans to write a book investigating her disappearance and finally figure out what happened to Ryan Holding.
If you love Taylor Swift and/or Daisy Jones and The Six / The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo than this book is perfect for you. The author has very obviously drawn heavy inspiration from Taylor Swift if not based Ryan and her story on Taylor Swift completely. This book at times did feel like a fanfic and I did get pulled out of the plot trying to figure out who was based on who (and this is someone who is not a Swifty so it is fairly obvious.)
The actual story itself is a look into the price of fame, told through interviews with people close or not so close to Ryan Holding as the interviewer tries to piece together what happened. Though Ryan is clearly the main character the story is told through interviews about her opposed to ever having a chapter in her POV. I enjoyed the addition of fan reactions , theories and past magazine articles about her – I do wish we could have some more fan theories spread through out the book I think it would have made solving the puzzle of what happened to Ryan more of an experience. The side characters didn’t really leave an impression on me. The ‘twist’ at the end with the reporter didn’t really add any interest for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little A for the ARC to honestly review.
Ryan Holding was the biggest pop star in the world, after reaching levels of success people only dream off she disappears. Six years later journalist Elyse James plans to write a book investigating her disappearance and finally figure out what happened to Ryan Holding.
If you love Taylor Swift and/or Daisy Jones and The Six / The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo than this book is perfect for you. The author has very obviously drawn heavy inspiration from Taylor Swift if not based Ryan and her story on Taylor Swift completely. This book at times did feel like a fanfic and I did get pulled out of the plot trying to figure out who was based on who (and this is someone who is not a Swifty so it is fairly obvious.)
The actual story itself is a look into the price of fame, told through interviews with people close or not so close to Ryan Holding as the interviewer tries to piece together what happened. Though Ryan is clearly the main character the story is told through interviews about her opposed to ever having a chapter in her POV. I enjoyed the addition of fan reactions , theories and past magazine articles about her – I do wish we could have some more fan theories spread through out the book I think it would have made solving the puzzle of what happened to Ryan more of an experience. The side characters didn’t really leave an impression on me. The ‘twist’ at the end with the reporter didn’t really add any interest for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I feel like this is the kind of book that you need to ruminate a few days over before you can fully know your feelings, but I am going to write it just as I have finished and maybe I will update again.
Maybe, I don't....
Yeah, that's how I am currently feeling.
This gives Daisy Jones & The Six vibes, but with more mystery. Ryan Holding, a famous pop star, goes missing on the night of the VMAs, not even her closest friends and family know what has happened. After years of speculation, reporter and friend to Ryan, begins searching for the truth.
As I stated before, this is told in a documentary format, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
This book is well written and the audio narrator was spectacular.
4/5 SOLID stars.
I received a copy of this audiobook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Maybe, I don't....
Yeah, that's how I am currently feeling.
This gives Daisy Jones & The Six vibes, but with more mystery. Ryan Holding, a famous pop star, goes missing on the night of the VMAs, not even her closest friends and family know what has happened. After years of speculation, reporter and friend to Ryan, begins searching for the truth.
As I stated before, this is told in a documentary format, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
This book is well written and the audio narrator was spectacular.
4/5 SOLID stars.
I received a copy of this audiobook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 29, 2026
This was a fun book. It was one of those books that reminds you of another yet at the same time it takes on a life of it's own so that as it continues the other one becomes less prominent.
Ryan Holding was the most famous pop star in the world and had won all the awards able to be won before she simply disappeared. Six years after, her social media accounts have had no activity, her band broke up, her home sits unoccupied and no one has a clue where she is. Reporter Elyse James wants to find out the truth about Ryan and her disappearance. She talks to a few people who are actually willing to talk to her including Ryan's best friend, her first love, and one of her teachers she had as a child. Elyse begins to see who Ryan really was rather than just the girl pop star. Now Elyse is putting everything together and is wondering if Ryan left to find herself or if someone else made her disappear.
This was a good story. It was really easy to get through. The story bounces between the past and present in order for the whole story of Ryan to unfold correctly. The characters were interesting and the story is very well written.
I was fortunate enough to get an audio version of this book. I really enjoyed the narrator (Dominique Salvacion). She really brought the character and the story to life. Highly recommend this version.
Ryan Holding was the most famous pop star in the world and had won all the awards able to be won before she simply disappeared. Six years after, her social media accounts have had no activity, her band broke up, her home sits unoccupied and no one has a clue where she is. Reporter Elyse James wants to find out the truth about Ryan and her disappearance. She talks to a few people who are actually willing to talk to her including Ryan's best friend, her first love, and one of her teachers she had as a child. Elyse begins to see who Ryan really was rather than just the girl pop star. Now Elyse is putting everything together and is wondering if Ryan left to find herself or if someone else made her disappear.
This was a good story. It was really easy to get through. The story bounces between the past and present in order for the whole story of Ryan to unfold correctly. The characters were interesting and the story is very well written.
I was fortunate enough to get an audio version of this book. I really enjoyed the narrator (Dominique Salvacion). She really brought the character and the story to life. Highly recommend this version.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I don’t know a lot about Taylor Swift but from the little I do know I wouldn’t be surprised if this title reappears somewhere redubbed Taylor’s version, now I’m not really that kind of girly, but let me tell you, I was invested!! Fans of Daisy Jones and The Six will probably love this it’s delivered in a documentary style and focuses on a series of interviews that take us through the life of one of the world’s biggest stars, following her disappearance immediately after the ultimate highlight of her career, and I inhaled every minute. I was desperate to know exactly what unfolded. Where is she I kept asking myself.
I didn’t really love the ending, but equally I can’t think of an outcome I’d have preferred. You’ll never believe what else I’m going to say, I’d have liked to have had some of the lyrics performed in the audiobook. I promise I’ve written this myself, I’ve not been kidnapped or anything. I wonder who’ll play her in the movie WITH singing………..
Great narration. I had to slow it down a little from my usual speed.
Huge thanks to Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
I didn’t really love the ending, but equally I can’t think of an outcome I’d have preferred. You’ll never believe what else I’m going to say, I’d have liked to have had some of the lyrics performed in the audiobook. I promise I’ve written this myself, I’ve not been kidnapped or anything. I wonder who’ll play her in the movie WITH singing………..
Great narration. I had to slow it down a little from my usual speed.
Huge thanks to Brilliance Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
April 23, 2026
Many thanks to NetGalley, Little A, and Brilliance Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest book by Melissa de la Cruz, with the audiobook narrated by Dominique Salvacion. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 3.5 stars rounded up.
It's award night, and as soon as she walked off the stage, Ryan Holding, the biggest star in the world, disappeared. Six years later, there is still no trace of her. What happened? Reporter Elyse James wants the truth, and interviews everyone to try and find out the answers.
I really liked the way this story was told, through interviews from multiple points of view, giving us an oral history. I thought the narrator did a great job doing all the different voices. However, it was not even a veiled retell of the story of Taylor Swift, although with a different ending as of now! While I like some of her songs, I'm way too old to be a Swiftie, so I probably wasn't the target audience for this book. It would definitely work as YA. It certainly showcases the dark side of fame and how the public feels entitled to every bit of a celebrity, made worse with social media.
It's award night, and as soon as she walked off the stage, Ryan Holding, the biggest star in the world, disappeared. Six years later, there is still no trace of her. What happened? Reporter Elyse James wants the truth, and interviews everyone to try and find out the answers.
I really liked the way this story was told, through interviews from multiple points of view, giving us an oral history. I thought the narrator did a great job doing all the different voices. However, it was not even a veiled retell of the story of Taylor Swift, although with a different ending as of now! While I like some of her songs, I'm way too old to be a Swiftie, so I probably wasn't the target audience for this book. It would definitely work as YA. It certainly showcases the dark side of fame and how the public feels entitled to every bit of a celebrity, made worse with social media.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When a famous singer at the top of her game suddenly disappears, an investigative reporter wants to know why. Ryan Holding, a suspiciously Taylor Swift like character( they even have androgynous names) has disappeared after receiving a prestigious music award. It’s now six years later and no word, no social media, nothing!
Elyse James takes it upon herself to talk with Ryan’s friends, business associates and various others in her circle to unravel the disappearance. She even throws in news articles, press reports to be as all embracing of events, details and facts which may point to what happened. When it’s revealed what happens, we at least know she’s alive.
The book works to build tension and suspicion but the reveal is anticlimactic. I’m not sure why the author chose it. It seemed logical but still . . . . Besides Ryan isn’t very likable, so I ended up thinking why even bother finding out anything about her.
This is a book for lovers of fictional famous people being put under a microscope to determine they @real” story - kind of like reading People magazine but longer.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Little A for allowing me to read this ARC.
Elyse James takes it upon herself to talk with Ryan’s friends, business associates and various others in her circle to unravel the disappearance. She even throws in news articles, press reports to be as all embracing of events, details and facts which may point to what happened. When it’s revealed what happens, we at least know she’s alive.
The book works to build tension and suspicion but the reveal is anticlimactic. I’m not sure why the author chose it. It seemed logical but still . . . . Besides Ryan isn’t very likable, so I ended up thinking why even bother finding out anything about her.
This is a book for lovers of fictional famous people being put under a microscope to determine they @real” story - kind of like reading People magazine but longer.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Little A for allowing me to read this ARC.
April 18, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishing team for the opportunity to listen to this title in advance of it's release. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This story kept me entertained and searching for what would happen next! This is my first read from Melissa De La Cruz and I can't wait to read more from this author.
Imagine for a moment that your favorite pop star had a start in bluegrass, rose to the tippy top of her career and then simply vanished. What happens in the days, weeks, and years that follow? What questions would be asked? Who would find themselves tasked with investigating her disappearance?
This Song Is About Me was an excellent audiobook and that is definitely the format I would recommend for everyone for this story! With so many interviews and elements, the audiobook does a fantastic job of weaving it altogether and bringing the story to life!
There are so many fun pop culture Easter eggs in this one and millennials especially are going to love it! But there is truly something for everyone in this story. Will you guess what happened?
This story kept me entertained and searching for what would happen next! This is my first read from Melissa De La Cruz and I can't wait to read more from this author.
Imagine for a moment that your favorite pop star had a start in bluegrass, rose to the tippy top of her career and then simply vanished. What happens in the days, weeks, and years that follow? What questions would be asked? Who would find themselves tasked with investigating her disappearance?
This Song Is About Me was an excellent audiobook and that is definitely the format I would recommend for everyone for this story! With so many interviews and elements, the audiobook does a fantastic job of weaving it altogether and bringing the story to life!
There are so many fun pop culture Easter eggs in this one and millennials especially are going to love it! But there is truly something for everyone in this story. Will you guess what happened?
April 27, 2026
This was an interesting read. It was different than normal books I read in the way that it was based all on interviews, but chronologically of how things happened vs all once person's interview at once. This is a interviewer's timeline and interviews following the disappearance of a popstar after accepting one of the biggest awards of her career. Somehow the disappearance of the interviewer's brother was missed by me until two thirds of the way through the book. Let's be honest, we know who this was based on and my fellow Swifties will appreciate it. I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 because it wasn't my favorite book and I did find some typos, but mostly I just didn't love the way the popstar during the story. I know that's how characters change over time especially in such a high profile career, but she just rubbed me the wrong way. I will recommend this to my Swiftie friends. I picked up this book based on a FB ad and I won't say I'm disappointed that I did. It was a nice read to break up a crazy real-life and the heavy books I read before this.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
If you were a fan of Daisy Jones and the Six, I would definitely recommend reading this book. This book follows Ryan Holding (who reminds me a lot of Taylor Swift), and award winning musician who went missing, nobody knowing what happened to her. It is told in interviews of people close to her, as well as news articles and online posts.
The reason I gave this 3 stars is because of the way the story was told. Personally, with the story being told through interviews, I didn't feel a connection to Ryan as a character. This is because you are seeing her through other people's perspectives, and they all see her different ways.
One thing I can say for sure is that this plot had me hooked. Although Ryan as a character didn't, her story did. I found myself wanting to know what would happen next and, ultimately, what happened to her.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.
The reason I gave this 3 stars is because of the way the story was told. Personally, with the story being told through interviews, I didn't feel a connection to Ryan as a character. This is because you are seeing her through other people's perspectives, and they all see her different ways.
One thing I can say for sure is that this plot had me hooked. Although Ryan as a character didn't, her story did. I found myself wanting to know what would happen next and, ultimately, what happened to her.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I'm giving this book a 3.5 ⭐️
First off, let me say I absolutely love Melissa de la Cruz. I have always enjoyed her books, but this one fell a little short and flat for me. I also feel this book could be marketed to a younger audience. The YA label should be added. There is nothing in this book that a pre teen and younger adult couldnt understand or digest. The concept of the book had a lot of potential, but it needed more character depth and world building, and a little less Taylor Swift. It mirrored too much of her life.
The story of Ryan Holding is being told through a series of interviews by those closest to her. Each one different, based on their own opinions and biases. For me, and ONLY MY OPINION, I didnt feel the connection with Ryan's character and felt that everything kind of dragged on a little too long. AGAIN, it had potential with the plot, but fell a bit short.
AS ALWAYS.... HAPPY READING!
First off, let me say I absolutely love Melissa de la Cruz. I have always enjoyed her books, but this one fell a little short and flat for me. I also feel this book could be marketed to a younger audience. The YA label should be added. There is nothing in this book that a pre teen and younger adult couldnt understand or digest. The concept of the book had a lot of potential, but it needed more character depth and world building, and a little less Taylor Swift. It mirrored too much of her life.
The story of Ryan Holding is being told through a series of interviews by those closest to her. Each one different, based on their own opinions and biases. For me, and ONLY MY OPINION, I didnt feel the connection with Ryan's character and felt that everything kind of dragged on a little too long. AGAIN, it had potential with the plot, but fell a bit short.
AS ALWAYS.... HAPPY READING!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️
Thank you NetGalley for the audioARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to love this one, but it just didn’t land for me.
The story follows superstar Ryan Holding, who vanished from the public eye after her VMA win six years ago. Now, celebrity reporter Elyse is determined to uncover the truth behind her disappearance, digging through Ryan’s past and interviewing those who knew her along the way. The book is told through a series of interviews, tracing Ryan’s rise to fame and the events leading up to her sudden exit.
I’ll be blunt: this was boring. I usually enjoy the interview-style format, but here it fell flat. The pacing dragged, and I never felt fully invested in either the mystery or the characters.
The biggest letdown was the reveal. After all the buildup, it felt underwhelming and, at times, predictable.
Overall, while the premise had a lot of potential, the execution just didn’t work for me.
Thank you NetGalley for the audioARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to love this one, but it just didn’t land for me.
The story follows superstar Ryan Holding, who vanished from the public eye after her VMA win six years ago. Now, celebrity reporter Elyse is determined to uncover the truth behind her disappearance, digging through Ryan’s past and interviewing those who knew her along the way. The book is told through a series of interviews, tracing Ryan’s rise to fame and the events leading up to her sudden exit.
I’ll be blunt: this was boring. I usually enjoy the interview-style format, but here it fell flat. The pacing dragged, and I never felt fully invested in either the mystery or the characters.
The biggest letdown was the reveal. After all the buildup, it felt underwhelming and, at times, predictable.
Overall, while the premise had a lot of potential, the execution just didn’t work for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
2.5 rounded up. Look, I guess I wish the synopsis made it clearer that this would be Taylor Swift fanfic, because I wouldn’t have requested it. It’s very clear this book is a response to the success of Daisy Jones and the Six, and while it doesn’t hold a candle to that masterpiece, I did appreciate the format and it made it a quick read. I didn’t like Ryan, but I’m also not surprised I didn’t. I’m glad we didn’t get her POV as I think I would’ve DNF’d this, she came across manipulative and insufferable enough just through others perception of her. While the ending felt predictable, I do kinda wish the person this was based on also ended up on a remote island somewhere…I’ll be interested to see if this book makes a splash and it the response is polarizing at all.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This Song Is About Me by Melissa de la Cruz is outside my usual genre, but the premise caught my attention—and I’m glad it did. This was a quick yet engaging read that I really enjoyed.
The parallels between Ryan Holding—a banjo/bluegrass performer turned global pop superstar—and Taylor Swift are hard to ignore.
The story explores the price of fame, growing up in the spotlight, and themes of trust, loyalty, celebrity, loss of anonymity, and the desire to live a “normal” life.
I also found the oral history format, told through interviews, especially compelling and unique.
The audiobook narration by Dominique Salvacion was excellent and truly brought the story to life. Overall, the production quality was outstanding.
Thank you to NetGalley & Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio for letting me read this ARC.
The parallels between Ryan Holding—a banjo/bluegrass performer turned global pop superstar—and Taylor Swift are hard to ignore.
The story explores the price of fame, growing up in the spotlight, and themes of trust, loyalty, celebrity, loss of anonymity, and the desire to live a “normal” life.
I also found the oral history format, told through interviews, especially compelling and unique.
The audiobook narration by Dominique Salvacion was excellent and truly brought the story to life. Overall, the production quality was outstanding.
Thank you to NetGalley & Brilliance Publishing | Brilliance Audio for letting me read this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book was an interesting concept. Instead of written in story format, it was all interviews of the people in the life of this famous pop star who disappeared. Through the eyes of the people who knew her best, you follow Ryan's career from the very beginning leading up to her famous 2018 VMAs disappearance. I loved that the book was written this way and found it unique. The interviews about this mysterious girl also provided a lot of insight into how her life was affected by her career and you can see easily why someone might want to just disappear--but you also see why certain people would have had motive to do something to her. Which leads to the question of what really happened to Ryan.
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