Elissa R. Sloan Knihy

The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes is a page-turning peek inside the glamour and brutality of life as a pop star.

Hayley Aldridge is just a girl from small-town Texas when she's pushed into show business by her mother. At seven, in 1991, she lands on a popular TV talent show. Her success leads her parents to view Hayley less as a daughter and more as a meal ticket, providing Porsches for her father and expensive Hermès handbags for her mother. In the present day, Hayley recounts her experiences to her twin daughters, Jessica and Jane, 17, detailing years of financial abuse and control by her parents, film directors who hit on her while she was underage, flirtations with drugs and alcohol, an unhealthy body image, a good friend's death, and her parents' decision to put her into conservatorship in 2007 so they can control her money. As Hayley tells her story, her daughters help make it go viral with a #HelpHayley campaign. Sloan does a great job portraying Hayley's grasping, opportunistic parents, and the twisty plot never lets up.

The narrative centers on two former A-list stars whose lives intertwine repeatedly over the years. It delves into their personal journeys, exploring the challenges and efforts required for self-growth and transformation. Through their encounters, the story highlights the complexities of fame, relationships, and the pursuit of personal identity.