Didn't quite know what to expect from this one. As I started and realised the entire book was being told by a Netflix style documentary interviewing friends/family of the missing Melanie, also YouTube videos posted by Melanie herself. I wasn't sure if I'd connect to the characters with this format but it worked perfectly, really refreshing and I really felt like I was literally watching a documentary on a celeb.
It's so fitting in this cuurent world with paparazzi, social media and no privacy for celebs, also sadly very true.
My only negative really was that I ended up not really know what Peters intentions really were? I don't think it ever confirmed it for me, maybe it's meant to be like that, for the reader to decided.
Thank you #NetGalley definitely recommend anyone and everyone to have a read of #TheUglyTruth you may just learn something

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured this book! It was a quick read due to the pace and the multimedia story telling. I think this book covers an important topic to be discussed and would encourage others to read it.

I loved the premise of this story, especially in the world of social media and our desire to put celebrities on a pedestal and tear them down. I found the narrative a tad jarring, wasn’t keen on the speed with which it jumped through the different methods of telling the story- diaries, interviews etc. I cared about Melanie and read quickly to understand what happened to her, which meant I maybe didn’t enjoy the story as I got there as much. A very interesting and important topic though, I would recommend reading, just take your time!

I absolutely flew through this book, devoured it in 2 sittings, with only a gap to eat some food. I read a really easy read with great use of mixed media and the characters were really relatable. I enjoyed the twists and turns and where it ended. A good book with a great premise.

I flew through this book and actually read the last 60% in one sitting which never happens for me. Its such an easy read as its told through interview excerpts, tweets and such.
It obviously draws parallels to the #FreeBritney movement which at first I thought would be too jarring as someone who avidly followed that but it quickly becomes its own story.
It's a harrowing look at celebrity life especially in the age of social media and I thought it was very well done.

I've not read anything else by this author, but after The Ugly Truth I will be looking for more, I really enjoyed this twisty turny story. It kept me guessing all the way through

I’m afraid to say that I picked another dud. I keep choosing books on NetGalley that sound incredible, but they keep end up being disappointing. I think the main issue with this book is that it’s marketed wrong. It claims to be a mystery/thriller, but it’s neither of those in any way shape or form… it’s more women’s fiction/family drama, and if I’d known that, I would have avoided it.

Melanie Lange is nowhere to be found. Her father claims he has had her admitted to a clinic because he was concerned about her mental health, but her husband and best friend claimed her father is holding he against her will. Who is telling the truth? With the media arguing both sides, will the truth actually come out?

I think it will be clear to most people that this book is heavily influenced by the #freeBritney story, but because of this, it just made me feel very uncomfortable. North has literally made so many direct parallels to Britney’s real life, and I feel like it’s just someone else trying to tell her story and taking her voice away from her… which is ironic keeping in mind the point her book was supposed to be making.

Mixed-media novels can go either way for me, and I’m afraid this one just shut down any interest I may have had because it was just surface level ‘social media’ fodder and because of this, I felt like I didn’t have any real connection to Melanie. If I don’t have a connection to the main character, then I struggle to care what happens to them and then become bored and disengaged with the novel. Melanie wasn’t a very sympathetic character and the rest of them were just as unappealing.

A slog to finish. Save your time, read about Britney on Twitter and pick a real book. Ugly truth indeed.

This book is not only an original and thought-provoking read, but it is also brilliantly written. I couldn't put it down.

Okay I loved this. So much more than I expected to. Once I started reading I couldn’t stop. I enjoyed the interview/diary style format, and I even enjoyed the multiple characters when at times I can definitely struggle to keep up. It jumped between them flawlessly and everyone’s character was valid to the storyline.

The storyline itself was punchy and entertaining, showing the down side to fame and social media, and the media in general. I do love me a bit of social commentary. Definitely similar in ways to the #savebritney drama!

I wish I could speak more about the whole story and that ending without giving it all away but you’ll just have to trust me.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

This book was admittedly darker than i was expecting. However, it was blunt, to the point and put its whole point across very well. An interesting read, would recommend.

I have to admit, I was expecting this book to be more of a mystery with the way it was set out but it wasn't and instead, tells the story of social media and the damage it can have. A story that cuts to the bone. Some may find this book quite upsetting with mention of mental health, self-harm, and being held in an institute and L.C. North does not hold back. A cautionary tale.

The Ugly Truth is a gripping insight into fame and celebrity culture, highlighting the atrocious behaviour of the British press. I was absolutely hooked by this story, and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.

It follows Melanie Lange, the daughter of hotel mogul Peter Lange. On the surface, Melanie’s life seems pretty damn perfect. She’s stunning, has a loving husband, two perfect sons and a successful business. Then she goes missing. The Ugly Truth focus on the story of her disappearance, with information being fed to us through Netflix interviews, autobiography segments and emails. Turns out, the disappearance isn’t all that it seems! I loved the multi media aspect, and felt that it gave an extra layer of mystery to the story.

It was a very fast paced read, with very well developed characters. There were points in the story that I did feel were quite hard to read, so please make sure you check out the trigger warnings (I’ve listed them below).
I also really liked that the reader was encouraged to pick a side, and boy did I certainly pick mine!

TW: suicide, drug and alcohol misuse, social media stalking, bullying, kidnapping, forced confinement, murder.

This book is described as a mystery/thriller when I feel it is more contemporary/women's fiction. However, although it wasn't what I was expecting, I was totally engrossed quite early on in the book. The format is in mixed media, newspaper articles, interview transcripts, text messages & chat room comments. It follows Melanie who comes from a wealthy famous family & who becomes a model. It was a great read and one I would recommend.
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this advance read

3.5 stars
I was intrigued by the premise of The Ugly Truth but it turned out to be not quite a thriller described in the blurb. I would put it more in the contemporary women’s fiction/YA category. I didn’t mind the story being told through tweets, transcripts, interviews etc but the characters lacked depth and I found the plot repetitive, with the same events being retold by different characters many times. The subject of the book was interesting, thought provoking and relevant, which I am sure many readers will enjoy.

“This is the story of what happened to Melanie Lange: her rise to fame, her fall from grace, and her troubled relationship with her father – one of the wealthiest and most powerful businessmen in the world. This is the ugly truth of Melanie Lange.”

My thanks to Random House U.K. Transworld Publishers Bantam Press for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Ugly Truth’ by L.C. North.

This addictive novel utilises a modern epistolary format of interviews, diary entries, documentary transcripts, social media posts, and the like to convey the story of celebrity Melanie Lange, who disappeared on the eve of her thirty-fourth birthday.

We are provided with an overview of Melanie’s early life as a teenage model. She later becomes a successful businesswoman, establishing a line of ethical skin care products. Yet from her early years Melanie has been the target of the U.K. tabloid media and the paparazzi as every youthful misstep is chronicled. In later life her life continues to be reported on and she feels increasingly harassed by this assault on her and her family’s privacy.

After her disappearance her father, Sir Peter Lange, advises the press that Melanie has been admitted to a private mental health clinic yet her ex-husband and best friend, Nell, believes that she has been kidnapped. They organise an online campaign to #SaveMelanie. Meanwhile, the press will say whatever gets them the most views and those on social media sites just speculate wildly.

It’s a powerful story that held my attention throughout. It certainly raises questions about the role that the media, both traditional and social, plays in terms of bullying and harassment of certain individuals. It’s sadly a familiar story that could have been snatched from the headlines.

I can certainly see ‘The Ugly Truth’ being popular with reading groups as aside from a good read there’s plenty of scope for discussion.

Interesting start but it falters in the middle and gets a bit weary. Got to the end but was not really gripped by it. Its OK, if you're stuck it's a book to pass the time but not addictive or unputdownable, IMO

An excellent idea, well executed, slightly exaggerated but a good racy read about the pitfalls of modern fame!

Trigger warning: drug and alcohol abuse, suicide and self-harming.

Melanie Lange has disappeared. Her father, Sir Peter Lange, says she is a danger to herself and has been admitted to a private mental health clinic.

Her ex-husband, Finn, and best friend, Nell, say she has been kidnapped.The media will say whichever gets them the most views.But whose side are you on?
#SaveMelanie or #HelpPeter

I loved the format and writing style of The Ugly Truth. Told from multiple points of view through interviews, diary entries, emails and transcripts, this book is a binge-worthy, addictive read. Highlighting the dark side of social media and the sensationalism of the press and tabloids, the author shows the fickleness of people; how easily their opinions can be swayed by a headline or single photo and the prejudices and assumptions we make on a daily basis about people living in the public eye. The double standards women in the public arena face is also heavily focused on, particularly the way women attack women online was shocking but also very realistically portrayed by the author.

This story made me think immediately of the snowball effect of the #freebritney
hashtag on social media and how vicious everything became online depending on what side you were on. It’s a book that I’m still thinking about weeks after reading!

The ending… shocked to my core! Fresh, captivating and thoroughly addictive, The Ugly Truth should be on your TBR! Thanks to Transworld Publishers, Random House UK and NetGalley for the arc. Out now! 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was surprised by this novel. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this.

The book is about the disappearance of Melanie Lange, an ex-model turned business woman. With hints of the media coverage of Brittany Spears, a #SaveMelanie Twitter storm rages, with people arguing over what has happened and who is to blame.

What I liked most about this novel was the focus of the poison that is spread by the tabloid papers/magazines and by trolls on Social Media. It highlighted the scrutiny that women face, and the double-standards when it comes to talking about men.

It wasn’t the thriller I was expecting, but more an examination into modern society.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Melanie Lange is a 34-year-old former model, turned successful businesswoman, who in a recent YouTube clip claims that she’s been imprisoned in an unknown location by her father, Sir Peter Lange.

Sir Peter Lange, a billionaire business tycoon, says he admitted Melanie to a private mental health facility following her mental breakdown, after she lost custody of her two children, Sebastian and William.

The media and social media are in uproar, with Melanie’s fans wanting to #SaveMelanie, and people on Sir Peter’s side wishing to #HelpPeter. Who is telling the truth? Or is the truth more blurred in this case?

I LOVED this book so much, I devoured it in two sittings. I had to know what happened next. I found it fresh, exciting, and extremely addictive.

The format of the book (emails, social media posts, Netflix documentary transcripts, Melanie’s journal, Sir Peter’s unpublished biography) turned it into a much quicker and accessible read.

I found myself swaying from Melanie’s to Peter’s side. I could see why she thought her father was controlling, and I understood that he wanted to protect his daughter. However, this book reminded me of the recent #FreeBritney movement, which I followed with great interest and I was on Britney’s side, so I was probably more inclined to support the #SaveMelanie side.

The ending though… shocking! Didn’t expect it at all.

Overall, it is a fantastic book that is bound to keep people talking. I can’t wait to read more work from this author, she’s the one to watch out for!

Thank you to Transworld Books for approving my NetGalley request to read and review this title.