I picked up this book because of the plot – dystopian-near-future, technology-will-be-our-destruction, Black-Mirror type of thing. It was definitely that, although for most of the book, it felt lighter than I was expecting. The end made up for it with a very DARK look at what a universal power grid shutdown and privacy data spill could look like for America. I found it interesting to see both sides of the aftermath: people who embraced the new way to use the internet, and those who refused to have anything to do with it. Although it was slow at times, I would recommend!

Man this one was addictive, I usually only think of that word to describe a book when I talking about a thriller, and while this definitely had some mystery and intrigue it was not a thriller. Either way, this one sucked me right in and had me captivated for sure!

There are two timelines here, 2015 and 2051 and I was equally drawn to both, though if I was pushed I was maybe slightly more invested in the future chapters. It was enough of a time jump to feel futuristic but it wasn’t so far ahead of present day that I was disconnected. You can almost imagine what the world would look like then and if it’s anything like the world Angelo creates its simultaneously fascinating and horrifying. For a good portion of the book the timelines seem unrelated but nothing is at it seems and that’s all I’ll say. Things took a turn, a turn I loved and by that point I was beyond hooked.

My only super minor complaint is that it did feel a tad bit too long, I’m not exactly sure what could’ve been cut but it did drag just a little at times so some pages probably could’ve been chopped. Sometimes I’m impatient though so take that with a grain of salt because beyond that this one was incredibly well written, fresh and compelling. Super impressed this is a debut and looking forward to what the author does next.

While the prose was clear and engaging, this book wasn't for me. Thank you to Graydon House Books and NetGalley for providing the eARC.

Thank you to Graydon House Books and Netgalley for a copy of Followers by Megan Angelo for an honest review.

Followers is told in two timelines, 2015 New York and 2051 Constellation, California.

In 2015, we follow Orla, an aspiring writer who is writing for a blog called Lady-ish. She follows the lives of minor celebrities and writes articles about what is in their favourite salad order. Orla’s roommate Floss wants to be famous but has no talent. So Floss and Orla conspire to build some buzz and take their shot and fame.

In 2051 Constellation, we meet Marlow. Her life is on display for 11.6 million followers. She has never known another life. The government controls the internet after “The Spill” and made this community to please sponsors and to convince everyone to share all of their life details online again.

Followers was an amazing concept that went on a little too slowly at times for me. It felt like it took forever to get to the point. But at the same time, the plot was intriguing and some of the scenes were very good. Once the timelines started connecting to each other, I feel the pace picked up considerably. Though classified as sci-fi for genre, I didn’t find it to be overwhelmingly a different world in the future. More of a cautionary tale maybe?

The Followers was such an interesting story about the impact that social media and the internet can have on society. This book was so addictive from page one. The story alternates back and forth between two narrators, one in the past (2015) and one in the future (2051). The past story line follows Orla and Floss who are roommates that come up with a plan to make Floss Instagram famous. They both become internet famous from this plan and become best friends in the process. The future story line follows Marlow, an adult that grew up in a time of no privacy and she lives in a city that is run by the government and in which their lives are viewed and streamed constantly. ​She is famous because of this, but is starting to feel stifled in her life, she is able to make her own decisions to a point, but is starting to realize that she is still a puppet of the government. They advertise medication, drinks, lifestyles, through her image online. Marlow decides to run away to find out the truth about her past, while being pursued by the government.


I didn't think I would enjoy this book as much as a did, but it really grabbed me from the beginning. I think that it is really well written and the characters are so interesting. At first it is hard to understand what these two different times last had anything to really do with one another, but once Marlow runs away, you start to understand why both stories are being told. I personally thought that the jumping between two times lines could be a bit confusing, mostly in the beginning of the novel, but once the story starts to unfold it makes more sense. I really enjoyed Orla's character because I felt like you could really relate to her. Floss was a bit more dramatic, but I'm sure everyone knows someone who is just like her, obsessed with her image to the world.

I think that this novel is really thought-provoking in regards to social media and sharing information online. Do we post online to just get people to follow us and to feel popular? Are we actually connecting with other people? How many advertisements are actually being thrown at us when we follow an online celebrity? What is the future going to look like in regards to social media and what is shared online? It is sort of a scary thought to believe that my whole life could be put on display for others and the thought of not having free will in my decisions is even scarier.

I would definitely recommend this book, even to those that don't usually the science fiction genre. I think that it would also generate great conversation for a book club. You just want to talk about it! It is hard to believe that this is the authors first novel, it is very well done.

ARC provided by Publisher via Netgalley

This is such a timely novel with a great premise -- about how social media influencers are made and maintained, how social media could be in the future, and how it would be different if it were controlled by the government.

I love books that speculate on our future by making one change, and this book does that. What if the internet were hacked and the government took it over?

The book follows Orla, a blog type reporter, and her roommate Floss, who becomes a social media influencer in the present. It also follows Marlow in the near future who lives live-streamed in a constructed town in California.

I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the present and the future in this book and the exploration of the "what ifs". I also liked how the story lines converged. However, something was a bit off for me. Perhaps it was because, although I found the characters fine, I had a hard time actually liking any of them. I'm not quite sure. Maybe it was the pacing of the book. However, I did find it thought provoking and find myself thinking about it still.

Thank you to Netgalley and Graydon House Books for the review copy.

3.5 stars - This book has a fantastic premise - one that Angelo encapsulates perfectly for a majority of the novel. I was enthralled for the first two thirds of the novel. The plot was extremely interesting and fast paced; I was thinking this would be a full 5 star book, it had everything I love: futuristic society not to different from our own, follows multiple female characters over different time periods, generational... I was amazed that this was a debut novel. But, that being said, it is the novel's ending that really ruined it for me. I found that elements of the plot fell into place a little too simply. For a novel that mirrors a possible future we could have, it was a specific moment in the later third that just felt so blah. Angelo red so many details to weave the storylines together, that this ending felt so empty compared to the rest of the story and really left me disappointed. I still think this novel is worth reading because of its beginning and overall world building - per chance the way it ends is just a me problem.

I wanted to love this book, but unfortunately, I can't get into it. The writing was too choppy for me, and I never once felt a connection to the characters. The premise of the book is fascinating, but the execution is not. I read 10% of the book, and I know that I'm not the right reader for this book. I think this book is going to be a polarizing read. You're either going to hate it or love it.

This book was a wild ride!
Alternating timelines between around 2015 and 2051, Followers ultimately tells the story of Orla and Floss- strangers turned into partners in their quest to fulfill their dreams. And almost 40 years later, there is Marlow trying to figure out what she wants and who she is.
In 2015 Floss is super ambitious and wants nothing more than to be rich and famous. Orla is biding her time writing blogs in hopes to one day be an author with a published novel.
As they set out following the plan they agreed upon to catapult their careers, things start to get crazy. Floss and Orla’s lives change drastically and while one gets the fame and notoriety she craves the other seems to settle for what her life has become and just follows along on the ride.
While in 2051, Marlow lives her life perpetually on reality tv. Her every waking moment is on a live feed for the world to see.
Marlow’s entire life has been made for tv. Between the network and her mother, her entire life has been planned out without her desires or interest in mind. No one asks her opinion about her life, everyone just wants her to smile and play her role. But this is her life and she wants to control her own narrative.
Followers really made me look at society and how we crave attention through social media. We do so much to make our lives se interesting on screen while many of us live miserable existences often closing ourselves of from real human interaction. It made me think about how everything we do is often looked at as opportunities to monetize, even the most sacred of life’s events and milestones. All of the privacy we have willingly given up for likes and glimpses into the lives of others. Also, it made me truly look inward and be more honest about why I share on social media so much and WHAT I share.
I truly think this novel would be a great read for book clubs as there are so many discussions that can be had. I really hope this book does well, and I look forward to reading more by the author in the future!

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to finish this book. I found it to be too wordy and unable to keep my attention. Great concept, only wish the writing satisfied my taste.

3.5/5 stars rounded up.

Whew boy. I was waiting for my interest in Followers to catch and the story to pick up, and once it did, I was in for a wild, non-stop ride.

Scott Westerfeld's Uglies meets Black Mirror in this intense novel centered around how much we let social media impact our lives and what we're willing to do to obtain (and maintain) influence. Followers alternates narration between Orla, a 28 year old woman during 2015 who is struggling to write the book she's been meaning to finish since she was a little girl and, along with her roommate Floss, comes up with a scheme to launch them both into notoriety, and Marlow, a 35 year old woman in 2051 whose life is constantly streamed by millions of followers and is on a hunt to solve the mystery of her own backstory. With one woman living in a time where people are still risking it all to become famous, and one living in an era where to escape fame is to risk it all, Followers combines a twisted plot and too-real observations about the current world we're living in that is honestly alarming because you can easily see it becoming a reality. Marlow and Orla have to work on a new normal on their own separate journeys, with Floss struggling to "be relatable!!" in both timelines.

For the first 35% or so, Followers dragged for me. It was slow-paced, wordy, and I wasn't sure that it would end up being for me. Funnily enough, the book starts to pick up when the characters' lives start to unravel, launching some of them into the fame they so crave. While it still isn't a favorite, the premise is so interesting and sociologically complex that I finished in a day once I actually sat down with the intent to see this book through til the end. Megan Angelo manages to embed some of the security risks people joke about in a way that is unavoidable and horrifying with a nonchalant voice that makes it all the more chilling. Anyone who watches Black Mirror and is haunted by the storylines for days after knows what I'm talking about. Followers is definitely an interesting, worthwhile read that forces us to reconsider our priorities and what we're willing to sacrifice for influence.

The followers follows 2 timelines, current day and 2051. In the current day, we find Orla, an aspiring author with a roommate named Floss that is working on “making it”. To make ends meet, Orla finds herself writing for a gossip web-zine called Lady-ish. When the celebrity that Orla writes all of her articles about dies, she finds that she needs a new celebrity to follow or she will be out of a job. Orla and Floss combine their talents and turn Floss into the next big thing, influencer du jour and twitter famous in the blink of an eye.

In the 2051 timeline, we find ourselves in Constellation, California, a picture perfect community designed by The Network to be not just a reality show, but several reality shows in one community. The stars all where a device that allows them to see their followers, read commentary and allows The Network to influence their choices and behaviors.

The story focuses on Marlow, who has lived in the community since she was 5. She has grown up in front of the camera for the past 30 years and has had every moment of her life filmed and directed. After a violent episode in her teen years, she even finds herself as the face of Hysteryl, a mood stabilizing drug that keeps her “happy”. When the Network decides that she needs to have a baby to spice up her life for her followers, Marlow has to stop taking Hysteryl. As she emerges from the drugs haze, she realizes that she is not happy with her picture perfect life and when a lab tech tells her about an anomaly with her DNA, Marlow decides she wants answers.

While Marlow is looking for answers, she discover the story of her parents, Floss and Aston and their short lived reality show that featured Orla as the nerdy disgruntled roommate. She also finds herself face to face with her nemesis who helps her discover the truth as it centers around The Spill.

The book is an interesting commentary about social media and sharing, the desire for celebrity and it’s consequences. It pokes fun at influencers and people who find themselves famous just because they are famous.

This was a light and sometimes dark read, humorous and thought provoking. It would be a good beach read, a book club read and even a required reading for later high school and early college to discuss the media and other agencies role in our lives and our actions.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Have you ever read a book that struck a little too close to home for comfort? That may be this book. The Followers by Megan Angelo takes place in both 2015 and 2051. 2015 is just like we all remember it. The continuing rise of social media and smart phones and smart devices, the rise of influencers and otherwise … kind of talentless stars, and more and more tabloids following the live scandals, outfits, and lives of all the a-listers, b-listers, and c-listers you could possibly care about.

In 2015 we meet Orla Cadden, aspiring author just killing time before her big break by writing for Ladyish.com. Ladyish covers all the celebrity news, or whatever qualifies as news for the rich and the famous. Orla knows she’s destined for more, for bigger and greater things. And when she welcomes a new roommate, Floss, into her apartment, together they scheme to make that happen.

Floss wants to be an influencer. She’s sure she can make it happen if she just gets a little bit of attention, attention that Orla can give her. Orla starts covering Floss on Ladyish, essentially making her into a star. The money, the sponsorships, and the followers start pouring in. And like a boulder gaining speed, once they get going, is there any way to make it all stop?

In 2051 we’re transported to Constellation, an entire enclosed town in California where every citizen is on television. You can tune in almost 24 hours a day and watch as their life unfolds, mostly scripted by the network, but it’s more fun to pretend it isn’t. Here lives Marlow, a popular Constellation star whose had almost her entire life filmed. Her viewers have been there through her adolescence, through her mental wellness, through her love life and her marriage. And now she isn’t sure she wants to stick it out anymore. She’s becoming more and more aware of just how heavy of a hand the Network has in her life from staging her courtship to her husband to their next step, a baby. She figured their next step was a messy divorce, especially after realizing the relationship is all a sham, neither of them have true feelings for each other but they’re supposed to have a baby together? Bring a new human into THIS world?

It gets more and more interesting as their storylines start to come together. As past and present begin to merge and we learn more about the terrifying event that lead to where our country is in 2051, Orla, Floss, and Marlow’s lives start to come into sharper focus.

Angelo creates a world in 2051 that doesn’t seem outside the realm of possibility. Now we have devices embedded in our wrists that interact with our brain. These devices replace any smart device you’d ever need. Want to know how to get to the nearest ice cream shop? Just think about it and your device will guide you there. Need to know how old your favorite actress is? Just think it and you’ve got the answer. Now we have a government-run internet. Now we have genetically designed babies. Now we have children on mood-controlling medicines from toddlerhood. Now privacy is a taboo thing no one has or wants.

This book will stick with you. It will pop into your head when you’re scrolling through Facebook and make you remember that text-neck is a thing. You’ll remember this book like a pop-up ad when you’ve been staring at your tablet for a little bit too long. And honestly, maybe that’s not such a bad thing. It’s going to strike a chord with you as you think about the world we live in.

My review will also be posted on my blog, Librarian Wannabes on January 13, 2020. http://angelasepilogues.wordpress.com/

2.5/ 5 stars

Tarryn Fisher raved about this book, which was enough for me to want to read it.

I really liked the idea of this book. But I struggled with the actual story.

I'm not sure what genre to put this book in. It is a futuristic world. However I really don't think that I would classify this as science fiction. There is some romance. But it's not the main focus of the book.

There are two timelines in Followers. In one timeline it is New York in 2015/16 and the book follows Orla (28, 3rd person POV) and her friend Floss.

The other time period is in 2051. The narrator is Marlow (35, 3rd person POV).

In 2015 Orla is a blogger who wants to write a book. In 2051 Marlow has millions of followers who watch almost every minute of her life.

I feel like the 3rd person POVs did not help connect me to the characters. The idea of Marlow's life being on camera 24/7 was very intriguing to me. But unfortunately the book didn't adequately capture my attention. It usually takes me 2-3 days to finish a book maximum. Yet I was reading this book for 8-9 days. I just did not feel like reading it.

I did enjoy the last part of the book the most. As the stories connected and there was more happening I was more involved in the story.

However, there were times when the author would jump all over the place in terms of time. A character would jump ahead and mention stuff from a year later. And then the next paragraph jump back to the current year. The transitions were not seamless and I just didn't enjoy this.

Overall this book had so much potential for me. It just unfortunately did not keep my attention.

Followers shares the story of three women, two who are living in New York, NY in the year 2015 and one who is living in Constellation, California (a government controlled and broadcasted Hollywood) in the year 2051.
Flow and Orla are New York city roommates who are different, yet similar in their aspirations. Orla wants to be loved, as a writer and Flow wants to be loved by the masses by any means necessary. Orla and Flow then develop a get-famous-quick scheme that has repercussions that follow them into the year 2051. Marlow is trying to figure out what she really wants out of life, whether the role of government appointed celebrity is her destiny and how Flow and Orla are connected to it all.

Followers was a story that I had been highly anticipating. My curiosity went through the roof when I hear “government appointed celebrity” I wanted to know what Angelo’s vision of this was as I believe we are not too far off from having something of the sort in the 2020s. The drama between Flow and Orla, their lives in NY and their familial issues had me eating out of the hand of Angelo and the descriptions of Constellation were very Black Mirror – Nose Dive Episode aka right up my alley. At the peak of this story – it went left and suffered for it. The drawn out scenes for the hunt and the reunion were bearable but the explanations of The Spill for days was way too much and not exactly what I was looking for out of this story. I would have loved more information on how Constellation came to be, the algorithm used to select the reality stars lol, ect.

In the end my feelings about this book is similar to how it wraps up – with a frienemey feeling (3.5/5). I will definitely read more from Angelo if she continues with this pop culture theme, I think it is something that the market is missing right now.

What starts as a humorous, slightly catty look at social media turns into a chilling and dark commentary on our obsession with likes and followers. I fully expected this to be a light, fluffy read that would keep me entertained for a few hours and instead found myself dropped into a dark and twisted future that seems all to real and likely to happen.
Told through two timelines, we are introduced to a future where entire towns are filled with reality tv stars and are on camera non-stop. Marlow, a young starlet who has spent almost her entire life in front of the camera having her everyday life written and directed by the Network, has few memories of her life before. The face of Hysteryl, a mood stabilizing drug she has been using since puberty, Marlow spends her day in medicated contented bliss. When the Network decided it's time for her and her husband to have a child, the drug must be stopped during the pregnancy and is slowly weaned off as she prepares for her sowing party, her emotions slowly return and the mental clarity creates her first feelings of dread and uncertainty of spending the rest of her life having her every move dictated by others. When a lab technician discovers there is a discrepancy in Marlow's DNA, Marlow sets out to discover the truth about her parents and her past.
As Marlow searches for clues to her past, we learn through flashbacks about the social media rise of the couple that Marlow believes to be her parents. Floss Natuzzi and Aston Clipp rose to Internet super stardom with the help of blogger Orla Cadden and a series of outrageous stunts. When their Instagram stardom leads to a reality tv show, the three spend their days pretending to live their real life on camera while a small crew of writers create the scandalous and shocking scripts for them to follow. After an Instagram message inadvertently causes a horrific event, the three social media stars are cast out as social pariahs. The fallout of the event helped to spur on the Spill, a tragic and worldwide phenomenon that changed the world forever.
This book was fascinating! Not only does Megan Angelo give us a world ruled by social media and reality tv, but everyone also has an implanted device that allows them to see their standings and comments from followers. The devices provide a way for producers to directly influence their stars and direct their behavior. Living with a complete lack of privacy is second nature to the residents of Constellation, a town completely set up to provide 24 hour access to the followers of the show. With only one hour a day allowed to themselves off camera, found in the very wee hours of the morning, Marlow and her fellow residents have their every word and movement scrutinized and commented on by their millions of followers.
How absolutely terrifying! Even more so when you know someone in our present day has definitely had that idea and there are those out there who would love to watch a group of people live out every moment of their life with no editing or commercial breaks.
Angelo created a story that deftly combined the two timelines with enough twists and turns that you are always kept guessing as to how the two are truly intertwined. The Spill, not going to spoil that little nugget, is frightening in it's believability. To have one event completely change the future of the entire world-terrifying.
Followers is thought-provoking, chilling, and fascinating.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title, all opinions and mistakes are my own.

This book is hyped up in Instagram and I have a tough time reading hyped up books. They tend not to live up the hype and leave me wanting more. I will give it a try in a few months once the hype dies down.

This novel shows us a world where our follower count and social standing is more important to us than our real friendships. Equal parts horrifying and entertaining the story is half Orla, a journalist in 2015, and Marlow, a 2051 "influencer" celebrity. Sometime between Orla's and Marlow's lives, an event was known only as "the Spill" caused the Internet as we know it today is gone, and Marlow lives in a completely different world. The government regulates all internet traffic, including entertainment, and Marlow has grown up in a Truman Show-like city called Constellation, which is an ongoing, immersive reality series. Both women yearn for more meaning in their lives, and each of their stories unfolds to show how they grow and change, while also revealing how they become connected over the years if you liked Ready Player One and The Farm, you'd like this one. It's much like a Black Mirror episode in that you'll need to give it a little time to get going. I put it down twice because I could not figure out what it was getting at besides an- internet= lousy message.

The description for Followers promises a lot. I expected a thrilling sci-fi that would be similar to a Black Mirror episode, with an in depth look into Orla and Floss' relationship and an interesting event that would lead to Marlow's version of America. Unfortunately, this book fell really flat for me.

The story was very long and unnecessary. I kept thinking that it was being drawn out and nothing was really happening. The actual reveal for what happened to America (referred to as "The Spill") was so far near the end, that it wasn't as exciting as I'd hoped. There are also some twists, but they were very predictable.

The characters were also very weak. Every single character is unlikeable and not relatable. Orla, Floss, and Marlow are the main characters, but I didn't feel anything for them because they weren't written very well. They are very shallow and didn't have much personality beyond their motivations. I found it hard to sympathize with any of the characters because I didn't feel like any of them deserved it.

While the concept of the book was very intriguing, the actual content is what brought this down for me.

My copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to the the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review it.

Followers is a difficult book to review; it doesn’t easily fit into a nice, clear-cut niche for me. It combined elements of women’s fiction with science fiction while throwing in quite a bit of social commentary and just a touch of dystopia. As if that wasn’t enough, the author gave us main characters that, while well written, were just not nice people. Despite everything, I did want to know how it was all going to come together in the end.

I really wish the author would have picked one genre for the story. I enjoyed the science fiction aspects the most and would have liked them expanded; specifically, the Spill, the time surrounding it and more about how people dealt with it.

I think this book will hit home with a lot of readers and, maybe, even give them something to think about. It would be a great choice for any book club.