I thoroughly enjoyed this fresh take on the murder mystery! Lots of drama, backstabbing, and intrigue. It was easy to get lost in this story - my favorite kind!

It’s a typical Sara Shepard novel — drama, backstabbing, murder. It’s exactly what I expected it to be, which isn’t bad at all and makes it fine for what it is. Just don’t expect to be wowed.

Disclaimer: I read this book a long time ago so the details are a little fuzzy, but I am trying to clean up my NetGalley shelf.

I remember enjoying this one, and that it felt a little like Gossip Girl the way the characters were constantly undermining each other as power plays. It was a fun take on fame and the terrible lengths one will go to to keep it, or get it.

Not my favorite! I read this when I was 18, and I feel that I would have enjoyed it much more had I been around 12-15. It was set up nicely and the plot was generally fun to read, but as I felt like I was out of the target age range, I was able to guess what happened next and predict the plot twist. It was also set up for a sequel and so far I have heard nothing of a sequel in the works. It was ok! just not my favorite and I probably wouldn't read again!

I was unable to fully get into this book. I felt a little too old for the target audience, even as someone who can typically read YA fiction. I recommend this only for the younger YA audience or those very interested in influencer culture.

-- this review is unfortunately several years past release date (due to the many issues of 2020). Thanks a million to the publisher and Netgalley for an early copy of the book.

This is my first Sara Shepard read but loved the pretty little liars show so wanted to read something from her. I enjoyed that the story tackled the darker side of social media and the influence life. It was a quick read and and ok story but I did want a bit more from it.

“Influence” by Sara Shepard and Lilia Buckingham follows four up and coming influencers. Delilah is the new girl on the scene. Jasmine is the child star, ready to break out of her box. Fiona is the sweet and funny girl, with a secret. Scarlet is the perfect one, with the -er- perfect image. Each girl seems like her life is the dream, but when one of them ends up dead it becomes quickly apparent that they’re ALL hiding something- some secrets more deadly than others.

PLL fans, unite! This book was giving me all the PLL vibes, all over again. The rotating narrator voice, the character types, the secrets. Each girl is carefully guarding a secret that could ruin her and after one turns up dead chaos breaks loose. I mean, she is dead? Right?

This book was fast-paced and interesting, diving into the influencer world that we can all see splashed across instagram and other social media feeds. It was interesting to see the dynamics and functions of that life, but also makes me glad bookstagram is so chill.

In the end, it all felt a little too familiar to me. If you love Shepard, you’ll get pretty much what you expect. This time around I felt a little too old for it or something. It fell flat. I had a hard time placing the ages of the characters, it felt like they should be in their twenties, but really they were high schoolers. Overall, it got 3 stars from me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Oh I am such a sucker for books that spill the tea on the dark side of being an influencer. Our perceptions of influencers can be messy. I personally have a friend that is a western fashion influencer, so reading this was thoroughly entertaining for me.

The cheaters alternate between the main girls which makes it fun and entertaining. It was deliciously addictive and twisted in the best ways. Would highly recommend.

I give this one 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC

Influence is a book that shows the “dark side” of social media and how fans can take things to far. If you like Pretty Little Liars with the twists and turns you will like this book or at least be entertained by it.

In true Sara Shepard form, Influence is told from four different POVs. You can see this following in the footsteps of the books that came before and making it to the small screen in a series or a movie. Which I would not mind this being a movie. Overall, this book was a solid 3-star rating for me. The POV changing was a little frustrating because I have to keep going back to previous chapters to remember certain story lines. But I held on. Everyone has a secret and there is an all-knowing character lying in wait ready to expose all the secrets. Each character showcased certain aspect of Influence culture of today which was nice to see. Overall, I enjoyed the book seeing the ugly truth of what some young social media influencers go though in real life. Quick and easy read, exactly what you’d expect from Sara Shepard.

Great standalone by the author of the Pretty Little Liars series! I really enjoyed this one. I loved the Lying Game series by this author as well. She doesn't let me down!

First and foremost I am a Sara Shepard fan already but this was a bit different from her usual series so I was excited to dive in. It kept my interest the whole time and did not dissapoint! I have already recommended this book to others for an easy and engaging read.

I love Sara Shepard and really wanted to love this one, but sadly, it was not for me. It was a fast read, but the big twist was disappointing.

Thank you to Delacorte Press for providing me with an e-ARC of Influence in exchange for an honest review! I also want to thank Penguin Random House Audio for the complimentary audiobook that I read alongside the eBook!

Unfortunately, Influence didn't give what it was suppose to have gave.

I read the Pretty Little Liars series & I'll admit, they were trash. But the good kind of trash that kept you reading & wanting you to dive into the secrets of A. I love trash. I love books with gossip & betrayal & murder & all of that fun stuff. I love (fictional) backstabbing friends & trying to figure out who you can trust.

& Influence had all of these things! Set in the world of social media influencers! Which sounds perfect! But for some reason, it didn't drag me in the way Pretty Little Liars did. On the surface this book is fine. There's nothing to truly hate about it. But there's also not much to love either.

So, maybe it's my fault that I didn't enjoy Influence. I expected an addicting book that I couldn't put down. But instead, I just got a barely memorable story that I listened to on a higher speed just to get it over with.

Influence follows a complex cast of characters through the dark side of social media influencing. Delilah Rollins was a regular girl in Minneapolis until a video of her saving a puppy from a burning shed went viral. Jasmine Walters-Diaz got her start on the popular children's show "That's Hot" when she was eleven years old. Fiona Jacobs is a fashion blogger who doesn't particularly like the content she makes, but she'll do anything to maintain her fanbase. The three influencers become key suspects in the murder of Scarlet Leigh, and they'll have to work together to figure out the truth - before it's too late.

This book is perfect for the TikTok generation. It's fast paced, interesting, and makes real life connects that the reader can relate to. I love stories that show the unglamorous, raw moments in social media.

As someone who takes a keen interest in the life of social media and it’s ramifications on people, this book struck my interest. The writing was on the stiff side so it may be a task for the reader to become more engaged. It was interesting but a lot of what I read reminded me of Pretty Little Liars. I would say this book is enjoyable for the person that is into books based around social media.

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. I not sure that I have ever paid all that close attentions to social influencers. I am not sure if this is true for all those involved. The lives of those in this story make it all seen as glossed over and fake and gave a peek into cancel culture. I liked parts of this book but some parts left me a bit confused. I have read other things by Sara Shepard and enjoyed them, but not sure how I feel about this book.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book! I have loved Shepard since I discovered PLL and Influence did NOT disappoint!

All these influencers have secrets, but how far will they go to protect them?! I went in blind and I recommend you do the same! You will be eager for a new chapter after the last!! Bravo Shepherd and Buckingham!!

4 STARS

I loved the concept! Unfortunately, I found the writing a bit stiff and I just couldn't really get into this one.

Perfect lives on social media might not be everything they seem.
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Delilah Rollins has rocketed to internet fame after a video of her saving a dog from a fire goes viral. Now she’s living in California trying to navigate the world of social media influencer with the help of Jasmine Salters-Diaz and Fiona Jacobs who are shrouded in secrets. Then there’s Scarlet Leigh, the internet’s darling. A perfect girl that everyone loves and adores. But nothing is as it seems in this world of faux celebrities.
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The world of social media influencers is still a new one and one I am fascinated by since this career was not around while I was growing up. I liked that Shepard co-wrote this with a social media influencer. It provided a lot of insider knowledge that was helpful to the story. Lots of middle and high school students will connect with this YA book & characters. Log on and read this novel now!

This book takes a look into the dark side of Instagram Influencers. And I am here for it! Who wouldn't love a little behind the scenes drama involving top influencers. This book serves up all the tea!