Tara is a foster child and ‘mother’ is her foster mom who took her in when no one would at the tender age of 8. Tara is now 20 but with no means to leave she continues to bear the daily abuse from mother.
Mother wasn’t like most mothers kind and loving but she was evil and cruel. She used Tara for the family business which included lying and stealing from stores and businesses to sell goods on eBay.
Taras only escape is following the YouTube family and blog all the Feels.
This book keeps me engrossed wanting to read more wondering the back story of Tara and why mother is so cruel, Things definitely are not what it seems. Emily Bleeker has done it again wrote a intriguing novel that kept me interested. Can’t wait to read more of her books. Thank you Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read this early!

This was an excellent novel that I very much enjoyed. Strong.characters and a fascinating storyline make for an exciting read. Highly recommended.

What It Seems by author Emily Bleeker was a fantastic story that kept me turning the pages. Something about it reminded me of the gothic novels by V.C. Andrews. It’s about a young girl who is led to believe that she’s a foster child named Tara and is treated in the most inhumane way by her foster mother. The abuse she goes through will really tear you up! She’s made to lie and steal as a means of support for the mother. When she messes up, she is starved and locked in a closet for punishment. There’s so much I could say about this story but I don’t want to give it all away. I just really recommend you read it. It kept me riveted the whole way through and I was very happy with the way it ended. I’d like to thank NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and author Emily Bleeker for the chance to read this arc. All opinions stated are my own. I give this 5 stars!

Wow what an explosive read! Loved this book and will definitely be looking for more from this fantastic author. Great plot and characters who keep you guessing til the end highly recommended

So, I did that thing that reviewers aren’t supposed to admit (but we totally do). I spent the last 50% of this book hate-reading it.

I’m actually admitting that with NO SHAME WHATSOEVER because this is…kind of a train wreck.

I never believed in a single one of our characters. Our 20 year old (12 year old) main character who apparently literally stinks and who is smart enough to figure out how to fake an ultrasound photo but who can barely put a pair of pants on. Our male lead who is both unobservant, incurious, and… just kind of there. Our over-the-top villain who does everything but tie our heroine to the railroad tracks while snickering.

I didn’t believe our plot. I couldn’t figure out why anyone would hire stinky girl or why the family had two extra children who had practically no role in anything or why our girl stinks at all!

So, yeah. I didn’t like this. I did finish it. Why? Because I kept hoping for some huge conflagration in which Stinky is unmasked and everything falls apart.

Le sigh. Even that disappointed.

*ARC provided via Net Gally. Sorry I hated it. 2 stars because I finished it.

This is the first book I read from this author and I really enjoyed it. It is a heart wrenching story about a foster child and her creepy mother. In my opinion it started a little bit slow but then it it gets more suspenseful and it keep me engaged intel the end. I would definitely recommend this book for those who lies a good suspenseful read,

"What It Seems" is the story of 20-year Tara, who was taken in by her foster mother at the age of around 8, and since that time, has remained a prisoner in her home, expected to do whatever Mother tells her, and punished when she does not submit and behave. At night, Tara escapes her lonely existence by watching YouTube videos, mainly of families, with her favorite being the Feely family and their online antics and their playful behavior with one another. When the most recent Feely video comes up regarding their contest to search for an intern for their YouTube channel, Tara puts in an application, and is offered the position, with the Feely's all impressed by her ideas on ways they can build and expand their viewership. Tara manages to make her escape away from Mother, into what she sees as becoming a part of the perfect, loving family. However, the more time she begins to spend with their Feely's working for them, the more she realizes that their perfect online life isn't exactly what it seems, and to top it off, she feels as if she hasn't completely escaped from Mother.

"What It Seems" was a fast-moving thriller that kept me wanting to keep reading until the end. The character of Tara is told mostly in present-time, with several flashback chapters to fill the reader in on how Tara came to be living with Mother. You really feel for the character of Tara- angry for how she is treated by those around her, sad for scared little girl that she remains (even though she is now 20), excited when she gets tastes of independence and escape from her former life. It's hard to describe this book in more detail with out giving it away, but I highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What It Seems is a psychological thriller about Tara/Angela and the woman who adopts her. Tara is kept under lock and key, literally, while she serves her "Mother" and supports her illegal business selling stolen goods. Tara has access to a computer and has learned to work around the cookies and cache to delete her browsing history. Tara follows several YouTube family vlogs and lives vicariously through them. When an opportunity arises to work with one of the family vlogs, Tara is able to escape her "Mother" and find out how the family she watches on the computer really lives. And nothing is what is seems...

I rate this book a 3.5/5.

This has be be one of the best reads of the year. Tara fostered at eight years old by a controlling, abusive woman. She is kept locked in a room and is only brought out when her mother wants to take her "shopping". Left in her room with only her dolls for friends she is able to get to to an old computer and secretly watches an online vlogging family 'AlltheFeels', known as the Feely family. They are close, affectionate, understanding and fun and they are everything Tara craves.
I really do not want to write any spoilers so am finishing my review here but can only say buy this book. Once you start it you will want to finish it, a brilliant page turner by Emily Bleeker, may there be many more.

I will rate What it Seems by Emily Bleeker a 2/5 stars. This book just didn't do it for me. I found myself greatly aggravated with the fact that Tara "Angela" had no idea that she had been kidnapped as a child. I figured that out early on in the book. It became mind-numbingly even more annoying as the story droned on. I didn't like any of the characters and the story bothered me immensely. I found myself skipping through the story just to see when the girl would realize the truth. I will not be recommending this book to anyone.

Emily Bleeker has crafted an engrossing page turner of a read in What It Seems. Well worth the read!

Things are definitely not what they seem in this suspenseful page turner by Emily Bleeker. Angela (aka Tara) escapes a horrifying upbringing when she takes a job with a picture perfect family she has admired for years. The Feely's appear to have everything a loving family needs and Angela works hard to hide her past and present secrets from them. As she gets a closer look at the family she realizes that appearances are deceiving. When a traumatic incident brings her past crashing down around her, she also uncovers the biggest lie of all. I was horrified by Angela's story and yet unable to stop reading until I reached the conclusion.

Tara was adopted by her controlling mother when she was a little girl and sees very little of the outside world. One of her only joys is watching videos of families on YouTube, especially the Feely’s. The Feely’s are the perfect family and when they post a video seeking an intern, Tara jumps at this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The only problem, how is Tara supposed to get away from Mother?

Although relatively entertaining, it didn’t feel as suspenseful as I was expecting and the plot was pretty predicable.

I received a reviewer copy of What It Seems by Emily Bleeker from the publisher, Lake Union Publishing, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

his was a very creepy, but excellent book! Nothing is as it seems for sure! In Taras life and with the Feely family. Tara/Angela believes there is a perfect life out there for her after viewing the Feely families’ you tube channel videos. Her infatuation with the family leads her to find a different life than the one she has now. But again , is it as perfect as it seems! You need to read this to find out what she does to find out.

Great read to start the year with! This is a tense page turner. It leaves the reader longing to find out more about Tara’s story, leading you to keep turning the pages even after you should be sleeping! Thank you netgalley and the publisher for an ARC!

What it Seems was the first book I read in 2020. I loved it! It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I read it in 1 sitting. It’s a book that will stick with me for a long time. I loved that Emily wrote about social media and what we see online isn’t always what’s happening behind closed doors. It was an excellent thriller and now one of my favorite books. Thank you for allowing me to read this ARC.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

I have read other books by this author and liked them but found myself reluctant to start this one. It was hard to read at first but grew to really care about the main character and rooted for her to find her way. while the "twist" was easy to guess., it didn't take away from her victory

Interesting and different

I liked the premise, writing and characters. The story is not exactly a thriller and very suspenseful but don’t let that spoil it for you. There were some crazy and awful moments at the beginning of the story.

The Feely family, professional bloggers, gave an insight to something that I wasn’t familiar with. I can’t imagine how this works for someone to profit enough to live. Also, why you would want to put so much of your life and children in the public eye. I just feel like it’s a bit scary exposing your children to every sicko on the internet.

I liked the conclusion and how things clicked together for Tara/Angela. I’m not sure about the Henry thing. It didn’t seem necessary or organic to the storyline. Regardless, I did enjoy this story and will look forward to more by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Lake Union Publishing for a copy in exchange for a review.

Why has no one thought to write a novel based around a YouTube vlogging family before?? A fantastic premise especially as my 9 year old is obsessed by following a particular family online.
This novel has the perfect level of creepy. Just enough whiff of suspicion that you aren’t quite sure who Tara should trust. I have enjoyed other books by Emily Bleeker and her descriptive powers are top notch. I need a lot of help from authors in building my minds eye picture of the characters, homes and locations but writing this review having finished the book some time ago and having read many books since I can still instantly call to mind the public toilet in the park, the apartment building Tara says she lives at and my God I can smell that pregnancy belly by the end of the book!!
I could say so much more but it would contain spoilers which I hate so I’ll just say “Read it!”