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jelkebooks's review
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I received a galley of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book started off so strong for me. It wasn't terribly amazing, but I was having a brilliant time with it. I do have to say that I do have a weak spot for reality tv based fiction. I don't know why. I just think it's a great frame work for a novel. So of course, this book would also speak to me. That being said the reality tv show setting was probably my least favourite part of this book. I just think the author kind of forgot it was a thing at times. I can't believe a group of ten influencers would forget they are on camera 24/7 so many times throughout this book as they did. It was super odd. Especially the side plot where the documentary guy has his own camera, and is trying to expose some of these characters in his next documentary. It makes 0 sense, as any scoop he could get during this would be precendented by the reality show airing the same thing but from different angles. I don't know. It was so stupid, and it's not like his camera actually pushed the narrative forward in any way.
This was an extremely fun read though. I had such a fun time reading this book. It was an extremely compelling read, and I did not want to put this book down. I just think the combo of the mystery who is killing people, and the different mysteries around everyone's secrets was just really well done. I also think reveals were done all over the book really well to want you to keep reading. It was just such a blast.
However, when it came to the end, I just didn't like it that much. I feel like a lot of these secrets were actually really terrible stuff that they did, and (I'm trying to talk about this without spoilers) made me truly dislike most of these people. I have to say, that I didn't even feel bad about some of them dying, or was even rooting for some of them to die (obviously I'd never root for any real people to die, but it's fiction people). It was only made worse by that fact that these characters refuse to take any accountability as "at least I'm not killing people". Truly putting a murderer in the mix, made some of these characters feel like their actions weren't bad at all because at least they didn't kill anyone. It just gave me such a massive ick. It made the end quite frustrating to read, which truly is a shame because I do think most of these reveals were incredible though.
This book started off so strong for me. It wasn't terribly amazing, but I was having a brilliant time with it. I do have to say that I do have a weak spot for reality tv based fiction. I don't know why. I just think it's a great frame work for a novel. So of course, this book would also speak to me. That being said the reality tv show setting was probably my least favourite part of this book. I just think the author kind of forgot it was a thing at times. I can't believe a group of ten influencers would forget they are on camera 24/7 so many times throughout this book as they did. It was super odd. Especially the side plot where the documentary guy has his own camera, and is trying to expose some of these characters in his next documentary. It makes 0 sense, as any scoop he could get during this would be precendented by the reality show airing the same thing but from different angles. I don't know. It was so stupid, and it's not like his camera actually pushed the narrative forward in any way.
This was an extremely fun read though. I had such a fun time reading this book. It was an extremely compelling read, and I did not want to put this book down. I just think the combo of the mystery who is killing people, and the different mysteries around everyone's secrets was just really well done. I also think reveals were done all over the book really well to want you to keep reading. It was just such a blast.
However, when it came to the end, I just didn't like it that much. I feel like a lot of these secrets were actually really terrible stuff that they did, and (I'm trying to talk about this without spoilers) made me truly dislike most of these people. I have to say, that I didn't even feel bad about some of them dying, or was even rooting for some of them to die (obviously I'd never root for any real people to die, but it's fiction people). It was only made worse by that fact that these characters refuse to take any accountability as "at least I'm not killing people". Truly putting a murderer in the mix, made some of these characters feel like their actions weren't bad at all because at least they didn't kill anyone. It just gave me such a massive ick. It made the end quite frustrating to read, which truly is a shame because I do think most of these reveals were incredible though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, and Alcohol
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Pedophilia
Massive content warning for grooming as well.dbunk's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Mental illness, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
bookb1itch's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
i loved the premise of this book, billed as Agatha Christie meets TikTok. It felt like it was paying homage to "and then there were none". What didn't work so well was the narration by 10 different people who all had basically the same voice. (I had to keep returning to the start of the chapter to see who was telling this part of the story). The ending was very satisfying though, after keeping me guessing throughout. If this is a debut, look out for more from Olivia Worley!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Gun violence and Gaslighting
helena_chris's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A solid 4-star book for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Moderate: Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, and Gaslighting
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Stalking
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
styxx's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-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
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Blood, Murder, and Alcohol
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Death of parent
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- 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
As a group of influencers are stuck on a private island for a supposed reality show and cut off from the outside world, their secrets begin to be released and are "canceled" one by one. But why and how are they all connected?
This was a surprisingly good thriller! I had expected it to be more predictable, as most YA thrillers are, especially the first book written by an author. I kind of saw who was doing it but not why, and I mostly didn't trust them, I didn't know they were behind it all. This book had a lot of twists and turns.
An overall excellent thriller, but the MCs weren't very likable.
Extra ratings: Fluff - 0/5 Heartfelt- 3/5 Helpful -NA Horror -1/5 Inspiration -NA Love aka Romance- 2/5 Mystery - 4/5 Predictability -1.5/5 Spice - 1/5 Suspense - 4/5 Tear- 1.5/5 Thrill - 4.5/5 Humor-0.5/5
This was a surprisingly good thriller! I had expected it to be more predictable, as most YA thrillers are, especially the first book written by an author. I kind of saw who was doing it but not why, and I mostly didn't trust them, I didn't know they were behind it all. This book had a lot of twists and turns.
An overall excellent thriller, but the MCs weren't very likable.
Extra ratings: Fluff - 0/5 Heartfelt- 3/5 Helpful -NA Horror -1/5 Inspiration -NA Love aka Romance- 2/5 Mystery - 4/5 Predictability -1.5/5 Spice - 1/5 Suspense - 4/5 Tear- 1.5/5 Thrill - 4.5/5 Humor-0.5/5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Violence, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use
caseythereader's review against another edition
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thanks to Macmillan for the free copy of this book.
- If you are looking for a juicy, escapist read, put PEOPLE TO FOLLOW on your list. I couldn't read it fast enough: every chapter ends on a cliffhanger, keeping you turning the pages and trying to guess what was coming next.
- This book both sympathizes with and expertly skewers the phenomenon of young influencers. The author seems to understand how lonely and unreal the life of a full time influencer can be, while also hitting on everything that makes the industry absurd.
- If you are looking for a juicy, escapist read, put PEOPLE TO FOLLOW on your list. I couldn't read it fast enough: every chapter ends on a cliffhanger, keeping you turning the pages and trying to guess what was coming next.
- This book both sympathizes with and expertly skewers the phenomenon of young influencers. The author seems to understand how lonely and unreal the life of a full time influencer can be, while also hitting on everything that makes the industry absurd.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
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 advised