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sophie_halson's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
AHHH I LOVE THIS BOOJ
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Sexual assault
dblue236's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
If you're looking for depth, you won't find it here. This book reads like the cheesy as hell '90s teen slasher flicks I used to love, with an updated feel thanks to the fact that all the characters are obnoxious influencers. I can honestly say I didn't REALLY like any of the characters, but that made the book even more fun to read. There weren't a lot of huge surprises or twists I didn't see coming, but the ride was well worth sticking with it and this was the most fun I've had reading a book in a while.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Gun violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
michelles_book_nook's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
⚠️ CW: murder, sexual assault and grooming ⚠️ If you're a fan of reality TV then this one is for you! They're used to being followed, but not like this. Ten social media stars think they're about to join the cast of a hot new reality show. But the production crew never shows up, and the influencers find themselves stranded on a deserted Caribbean island with no contact with the outside world, except for messages from the mysterious 'Sponsor', who is threatening to expose their darkest secrets. When one of them winds up dead, things start to get more real than they ever bargained for. And with the body count rising, the influencers must figure out who is trying to get them cancelled before their number one follower strikes again. This book had a really good hook and delivered the thrilling storyline that I wanted. Unfortunately though I just didn't seem to like any of the characters which dropped down my rating. Also with so many characters I did struggle to keep track at certain points but I think that's more of a me problem than a problem with the book. Despite this I did find it really interesting though and it kept me guessing until the end as to who the 'sponsor' could be. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and recommend it if you're looking for a thrilling remote island getaway.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, and Murder
hermithebs's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Sexual assault, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Body shaming and Gaslighting
alli_the_bookaholic13's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, and Death of parent
jillwedemeier's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Ten influencers. Ten secrets. One dead body.
Read if you like:
📱Locked-room mysteries
🌴Remote island thrillers
📱Social media influencers
🌴Reality TV
📱Multiple POVs
Olivia Worley's debut YA novel, People to Follow, is the story of ten teen influencers who come to a remote island in the Caribbean to star in a reality show, In Real Life. This hot new reality show will force social media's rising stars to unplug for three weeks as their every move is filmed without filters. For these influencers, IRL will be the opportunity of a lifetime. But when the production crew fails to show up and a dead body is found, their dream of superstardom turns into a nightmare. Then, they begin receiving messages from a mysterious sponsor who threatens to expose their darkest secrets. They realize that they've been lured into a deadly game, and one of them may be a killer. With the body count rising and cameras watching them, these influencers must figure out who is trying to get them canceled.
Ok, so I realize I am totally not the target audience for this YA novel, but it was such a fun read! This locked-room mystery is told from the perspectives of four of the influencers: Kira, a child star turned fitness influencer; Elody, an Instagram model; Max, a Youtuber; and Logan, a TikToker. With ten influencers as main characters, it was hard at first to remember who was who, but it became easier as the story progressed. This was a twisty, fast-paced thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. It was a fun spin on a classic Agatha Christie novel, perfect for the TikTok generation. What an amazing debut from Olivia Worley! I can't wait to see what she does next.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
CW: death, murder, sexual assault/harassment, alcohol use, cursing
Read if you like:
📱Locked-room mysteries
🌴Remote island thrillers
📱Social media influencers
🌴Reality TV
📱Multiple POVs
Olivia Worley's debut YA novel, People to Follow, is the story of ten teen influencers who come to a remote island in the Caribbean to star in a reality show, In Real Life. This hot new reality show will force social media's rising stars to unplug for three weeks as their every move is filmed without filters. For these influencers, IRL will be the opportunity of a lifetime. But when the production crew fails to show up and a dead body is found, their dream of superstardom turns into a nightmare. Then, they begin receiving messages from a mysterious sponsor who threatens to expose their darkest secrets. They realize that they've been lured into a deadly game, and one of them may be a killer. With the body count rising and cameras watching them, these influencers must figure out who is trying to get them canceled.
Ok, so I realize I am totally not the target audience for this YA novel, but it was such a fun read! This locked-room mystery is told from the perspectives of four of the influencers: Kira, a child star turned fitness influencer; Elody, an Instagram model; Max, a Youtuber; and Logan, a TikToker. With ten influencers as main characters, it was hard at first to remember who was who, but it became easier as the story progressed. This was a twisty, fast-paced thriller that kept me guessing until the very end. It was a fun spin on a classic Agatha Christie novel, perfect for the TikTok generation. What an amazing debut from Olivia Worley! I can't wait to see what she does next.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
CW: death, murder, sexual assault/harassment, alcohol use, cursing
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Sexual assault, Murder, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment
jasmineslibraryy's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
this book was pure chaos. messy teenagers, dead bodies piling up, and a ton of alcohol. what couldn’t go wrong?
the characters are awful, but i couldn’t stop reading about them. few of them were awful but in likeable ways. the plot was easy to follow, but it all unravels pretty fast in the end. the POV always switched at the perfect time.
if you read influence by sara shepherd & lilia buckingham and/or the new girl by jesse q sutanto and liked it/them, this book is definitely for you. the vibes are there!
thank you wednesday books & goodreads for the ARC :)
the characters are awful, but i couldn’t stop reading about them. few of them were awful but in likeable ways. the plot was easy to follow, but it all unravels pretty fast in the end. the POV always switched at the perfect time.
if you read influence by sara shepherd & lilia buckingham and/or the new girl by jesse q sutanto and liked it/them, this book is definitely for you. the vibes are there!
thank you wednesday books & goodreads for the ARC :)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, and Violence
Minor: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Vomit, Stalking, and Sexual harassment
it speaks a lot about how young girls are treated online and in the entertainment industry. be advisedmissrosymaplemoth's review
4.75
Thrilling and captivating with so many twists and turns that I didn’t want to stop reading! I enjoyed how the story slowly unfolded. There was never a lull in this book where something wasn’t gripping me with suspense or interest. I liked the premise of the book regarding “influencers” and the takes on what it means to be “canceled,” because most of these kids would not have faced harsh consequences in their real lives, which is mentioned. Some heavy topics are brought up, and handled decently. The ending truly surprised me.
Gripes: I wish there weren’t so many POVs because it got confusing at times. If you aren’t a fan of internet lingo or pop culture references, this is not the book for you.
I would recommend this book to upper YA and NA readers. Thank you to NetGalley for the free eARC.
Gripes: I wish there weren’t so many POVs because it got confusing at times. If you aren’t a fan of internet lingo or pop culture references, this is not the book for you.
I would recommend this book to upper YA and NA readers. Thank you to NetGalley for the free eARC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Violence, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Stalking, and Toxic friendship
beckyremillard's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
10 influencers are going to be spending three weeks on a private island to unplug - and film a new reality show called IRL. When a body is found the first morning, everyone is suspicious of everyone and secrets start to be revealed.
This book was hard to start. I was interested in the concept because I love the closed door mystery troupe but getting 10 characters right off the bat was hard to keep track of. I went back and forth so many times at first I ended up making a note to keep them straight. This was also exasperated by multiple POVs that sounded the same.
It held my attention and some things I predicted, some things I did not. I honestly think there would have been more mystery and less confusion with less POVs.
Overall, it was a nice quick read. If you’re looking for a Gen Z thriller that discusses relevant issues with influencers, you should give this book a chance.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a chance to read and review this eARC.
This book was hard to start. I was interested in the concept because I love the closed door mystery troupe but getting 10 characters right off the bat was hard to keep track of. I went back and forth so many times at first I ended up making a note to keep them straight. This was also exasperated by multiple POVs that sounded the same.
It held my attention and some things I predicted, some things I did not.
Overall, it was a nice quick read. If you’re looking for a Gen Z thriller that discusses relevant issues with influencers, you should give this book a chance.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a chance to read and review this eARC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Blood, and Murder
Minor: Eating disorder