3.5 stars rounded up. This was a fast paced, "locked door" thriller. It had some fun twists and reveals. My only issue was how many characters there were and how similar and connected they all were. I was constantly forgetting who was who and what their story was. If there had been a fun little social media profile for each character at the beginning, I think that would've helped as an introduction but also as a reference. Overall, it was a fun popcorn thriller that was slightly confusing but had me shocked by the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This has been a popular plot lately. Some have been good; some not as much. I thought I would give it a try. It got a little confusing for me with all of the characters. Overall it was slow in the middle so I jumped around. It was ok. Not my favorite.

People to Follow is thriller about 10 influencers alone an island taping a reality show. They are there to see what happens when the unplug for a few weeks. Quickly things aren't what they seem and one of them ends up dead. The ones remaining start to have their secrets revealed with the threat of being "canceled" if they don't come clean themselves. Those remaining have to work out who brought them here and how they will get off the island. I liked this story it definitely had some twists I didn't see coming and wasn't sure where the story would go. My main complaint would be the amount of perspectives the story was told through was sometimes hard to keep straight who was talking and I'd have to go back and check whose chapter I was in. It was also a little difficult at first to keep track of all the characters and who was connected to who. All in all I enjoyed this book 3.5 stars round up to 4. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review

ARC REVIEW

People to Follow
By Olivia Worley

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Publishing date: 10/31/23

A bunch of influencers arrive to a remote island where they are set to film a reality show, but shortly after, they begin receiving cryptic texts threatening to "cancel" them. The influencers decide its nothing serious but definitely change their minds when one of them is found dead....

Think "who done it" featuring teenage influencers and various mentions of tik tok, twitch, IG, etc.

I didn't LOVE it, but it was okay. I had a hard time keeping track of the characters. And since I was having difficulty remembering everyone's connections, it made it harder to be invested in the story. Especially when the idea is to find out who the killer is.

I liked the island setting and the concept! It was a fun read but won't be memorable for me.

As always, thanks to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the chance to read and review this one early!

People to Follow is Olivia Worley’s debut novel. The premise had me excited to check it out - 10 influencers sent to a remote island to “unplug” and film a reality TV show but bodies start piling up…sold right!? While I did enjoy the story and the whodunnit aspect of figuring out who “the sponsor” was parts of the book did fall flat for me. For one aside from Elody and her calling everyone babe, the character’s voices chapter to chapter started to blend. They had such similar tones in parts that I’d have to go back and double check whose POV that chapter was written from. I think the book does give insight to some of the toxicity of influencer culture and drives home the point at the end that you never really know how much your words or actions affect others. Overall this was a fun read. Thank you to Worley and Netgalley for the ARC.

I received an advanced copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.

"In Real Life" is the hottest new reality show that dares to challenge social media's biggest influencers to disconnect from the virtual world and live without filters for three intense weeks. With legions of loyal followers eagerly watching, IRL promises to be the opportunity of a lifetime for its contestants. The cast includes Elody, an impulsive Instagram model; Kira, a former child star turned fitness influencer; Logan, a disgraced TikTok celebrity with a hidden past; and Max, a YouTuber known for exposing fellow creators.

However, what was meant to be a golden opportunity quickly turns into a nightmare. When the production crew mysteriously vanishes, and one of their own meets a tragic end, these nine budding influencers find themselves stranded in an isolated location with a lifeless body and no way to contact the outside world. As if that weren't enough, they begin receiving ominous messages from an enigmatic Sponsor, who threatens to reveal their darkest secrets. It becomes chillingly clear that they've been drawn into a deadly game, and one of their fellow contestants might be the puppeteer pulling the strings.

I have a soft spot for whodunnit murder mysteries, and this one had me hooked from the start. What stood out were the characters, each bringing their unique quirks and personalities to the table. Among them, Kira and Corrine struck me as the most grounded and relatable, while Max appeared to be genuinely trying, even if he couldn't fully escape his documentary-maker persona. Logan, on the other hand, came across as somewhat adrift.

Kira Lyons, the fitness influencer, impressed me with her down-to-earth nature, a breath of fresh air amidst the online fame frenzy. However, Elody Hart's excessive use of "likes" grated on my nerves at times.

Despite these quirks, the storytelling was top-notch. The author kept me guessing, and I found myself oscillating between different theories about the identity of the murderer. The element of suspense was expertly woven into the narrative, making this murder mystery a compelling and enjoyable read.

4.5/5 ⭐️
This was so much fun! This book is perfect
if you’re a fan of trashy reality shows like Too Hot to Handle or Love Island. But with a game element that reminds me of The Circle. It was also like Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None plus The Glass Onion but with young influencers and with Olivia Rodrigo playing in the background.
I had such a great time reading it. It had me so engaged and constantly changing my guesses with each new detail. I couldn’t put it down. Especially after the 60% mark when we would get a new cliff hanger detail. On top of the Murder mystery, this story took such an interesting and dark look on influencer culture and how even when we enter with best intentions, there’s almost always slightly negative or toxic repercussions.
I would say this was fun and young, so it will be best for anyone who enjoys more so teen dramas like Pretty Little Liars or Riverdale. But to me, none of it was cheese or eye rolling. Everything felt very believable for each of the characters.
I will also say I did struggle with who was who, but after a few chapters and writing down a few major details, I got it and didn’t need to reference my list. But I’ll put it down below for anyone else to use:
Kira is a ex dance mom-esq fitness girlie. Max is a documentarian. Logan dry humor influencer, used to be a part of bounce house. Corinne is a twitch gamer influencer. Aaron is a washed up child actor who was caught with a dui. McKayleigh is also ex dance mom, also one of the main 3 owners of bounce house. Zane is creator of bounce house on tiktok & like man bun yoga crunchy guy. Graham is third bounce house who’s a mediocre musician who copies other musicians styles. Elody is just known for her beauty & sob story
Overall, super enjoyed it. I binge read it on one rainy Sunday. And I was definitely engrossed, finding myself jumping at any random noise as I read. I highly recommend this!
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Publishing for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

WOW!! People to Follow was fantastic! A story about 10 influencers invited to unplug for 3 weeks on a remote island for a reality show. Soon they find themselves alone, stranded with no way to call for help and the bodies start to pile up. Totally trashy and slashy, this was so good I read it all in one day! I've begun to really enjoy "influencer culture" thrillers. A definite page turner.

People to Follow is a new YA (young adult) thriller by author Olivia Worley. This is the author’s debut novel. Ten teen influencers are invited to a remote island to participate in a reality show called In Real Life (IRL). They are not allowed to have any screens or contact with the outside world. They are only given a watch that sends them messages and instructions but does not allow them to send messages back or to anyone else. Suddenly a dead body is found and more to come after that. The influencers are all hiding big secrets and the sponsor of the show is threatening to expose them all.

The book is told from four perspectives, Max, Kira, Elody, and Logan. I didn’t feel like the multiple perspectives added to the story because they all had the same tone and personality. Sometimes I had to flip back to remember whose POV I was reading. This book is a ‘locked door’ trope similar to books like Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None’ or Freida McFadden’s One by One.

Things I liked:
-Fast pace and short chapters that keep you wanting more.
-Many twists and turns that keep you guessing who the murderer is.
-Interesting concept regarding influencers as characters.
-Great follow up on what happened to the characters after leaving the island.
-Good use of red herrings to throw us off course.
-Although I had a theory on who the murderer was, I was way wrong, so the final twist was a complete surprise.

Things I disliked:
-Too many characters to keep up with.
-One character’s overuse of the the word ‘babe’ got to be annoying.
-Some of the characters reactions/actions just didn’t make sense to me. After two bodies are found, the remaining characters play spin the bottle. I found that to be both unrealistic and in poor taste.

Overall, I enjoyed the novel and recommend to anyone who likes locked door type mysteries. I think this will appeal more to a YA audience. Olivia Worley is an author I will definitely keep an eye on for future books.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. People to Follow will be released on October 31, 2023.

This is a very good debut novel by Olivia Worley. The novel is a fast paced thriller with several twists and turns throughout. The story follows the point of view of four of the influencers: Kira, Logan, Elody, and Max. All four of the characters suck as people. As a reader, it is hard to root for any of the four to succeed. None of the four character are reliable narrators. The reader never knows who they can or cannot trust. This helps to build the uneasy tension throughout the novel that makes it a good thriller and mystery.

This novel is reminiscent of "And then There Were None" by Agatha Christie. The novel starts with all ten of the influencers arriving to the island, with no phones or any sort of electronic, to start filming the reality television show. By the end of the first night, one of the influencers has already died. Worley does update the trope by having an omniscient presence texting the influencers to do as they are told or to be "cancelled". Worley is not the first author to do a modern retelling, but she does add some new nuance to the story. The addition of changing points of view and modern technology make the trope feel fresh.

Worley does an excellent job on playing on the readers expectations of influencers. Worley knows that her audience has heard of people having to make apology videos, stars that prey on young girls, and the general bad behavior that surrounds influencer culture. She uses that knowledge to create certain expectations of the characters. Worley does appear to use those expectations to make some commentary about the current influencer culture on a whole. The novel grapples with question of what it means to be cancelled and who gets to decide to cancel someone.

This book is a fun, action packed thriller, with enough twists to keep the reader invested. It does seem to be geared towards a young adult audience, but I think that anyone who likes a mystery could enjoy it.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Book: People to Follow
Author: Olivia Worley
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Wednesday Books, for sending me an ARC. now, I am going to start by saying that it took me a little bit to get into this one. I felt like the first fifteen-twenty percent was on the weaker side. However, the deeper I got into the book, the more difficult I found it was to put it down.

This one follows a group of influencers, who have been offered this chance to be on a TV show. They must put up their devices and social media accounts to go to this private island to film to see how influencers can function without the Internet. However, when they get there, the film crew is there and they are going to be left alone for one night. However, the film crew never shows up and things start happening. They get the sense that someone is watching them. Then, the first body appears. The longer they are on the island, the more darker and deadlier it becomes. Someone wants to kill them, but the question is who. Plus, there is a good chance that one of them is the killer. As secrets start to come out, each finds that everyone has a reason to be the killer.

The idea of having people stuck at a remote place and having them turn up dead never gets old to me. I know this plot has been done time and time again, but I love all of the twists and turns that this kind of book brings. Plus, I like that as we get deeper, we find out that everyone is not what they seem. The idea of being stuck with the very people that could and can bring you down makes, to me, a very interesting plot. These people are not who they seem. Once the blood starts flowing, you start to see reasons as to why any of them could want to kill. Secrets and isolation have this way of bringing out the worst in people. Now, most of these characters are not the best people either, but this fear makes them worse. They don’t want the whole world to find out what they have done. Some of it could very well end up making them serve time.

The idea of having these rich kids who have everything going for them to be in danger of losing it all was very entertaining to me. They go on and on about how hard they have worked to get to the point that they are. They don’t mean that for the most part, they were born lucky. They don’t want to do anything- for lack of a better term. Yet, they are holding onto the idea of not being cancelled and still being important. The fact that they could lose it all makes them turn ugly. We see the impact that social media has on them. We see how their actions can have a major impact on those around them. we also get a sense that some of them believe they are above the law. The fact that this is what they hold onto, not their friends, families, and loved one, is what take away their beauty and brings out the worst in them.

The characters were interesting. All of them are somehow connected in a twisty way and figuring out how it all fits together was very interesting. Most of them have point-of-view chapters, which only add layers to the story. Each point of view gives you a reason to not suspect that character, but at the same time, suspect them that makes any sense. Yet, I found these characters who were supposed to be super complex and have a past to be very underdeveloped. There were times that I found it very difficult to remember who was who and what their role was supposed to be. Each one felt like they had the same voice. I was actually kind of shocked to find out the age of some of them, as they all acted the same. I would have liked to have seen some more character development.

I feel like I have been saying this a lot lately, but I had fun with this one. Once I got past that little rough patch at the beginning, I found myself enjoying the plot. It’s not perfect, but that’s fine.

This book comes out on October 31, 2023.

Youtube: https://youtu.be/O05QvpE0kVY

3.5/5 ⭐️

Ten teenage influencers come to a remote island thinking they will be filming a reality tv series, but then they start to die one by one as their darkest secrets are revealed. Who is behind it all? Who will make it out alive?


This was such an intriguing plot in today’s day and age with the power of social media and influencers, along with the concept of being cancelled. This book had suspense, many questionable characters, and multiple twists. At first I was worried that there were too many POVs, but it ended up being worthwhile diving into each characters perspective and emotions.

Overall this was a great YA thriller!

I thought that the premise of this book was fun, in a guilty pleasure sort of way.

I found the multiple POVs confusing, and the twists too predictable for my taste however. For these reasons it just couldn’t keep my attention, and I DNF’d this book about half way through.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for providing me with an ARC of this book to read and review.

People to Follow was a fun/entertaining read, but I had higher hopes for the character development. There were quite a few characters and not enough to differentiate in terms of character voice for me. I think my biggest issue was that there were too many characters to keep track of and I couldn't remember who was who. I think that this book could be a great hit for many people, but it just wasn't my cup of tea

This book is the perfect fix for when you want a classic teen slasher movie, it’s in that sweet spot of having a great plot with enough of a tribute to the classic formula to be satisfying.

Ten young influencers in their late teens/early 20s arrive at a luxurious private island in the Bahamas, ready to film “IRL” a reality TV show in the style of Big Brother, where they live in a house together with no connection to the outside world, filmed 24/7. Their production liaison tells them the crew was delayed due to a storm and will be in the next morning. But upon waking, the group finds that they are alone on the island - and that their emergency communication system is gone. With only messages from their mysterious “Sponsor” as a means of connection with anyone off the island, they begin to freak out. Then the bodies begin to pile up…..

So yeah, this book was a really fun “locked room” mystery that had some nice twists. I thought I knew what was going on a couple of times, but my guesses were wrong. Which was actually pretty fun, because I enjoyed getting to see the other twists thrown in there, making me readjust my frame of reference. And when I finally got to the end, I was really satisfied with the overall result. It was the perfect tone and level of creepiness for the book. You couldn’t really have a “happily ever after” ending for a book like this, it wouldn’t fit.

There were a couple frustrations with the main characters acting, well, as teenagers, but hey, that’s par for the course. Like when someone in a horror movie decides it’s a good idea to go into the basement alone.

Overall, I had a great time with this book, and would definitely recommend it to horror/thriller fans. It was a great escape for a little while for a horror fan like myself.

I'm fascinated by influencer culture and love a good twisty thriller so i was very excited to read this one! The voice jumped off the page and into my brain right from the start and I loved the twists and turns of the mystery as the narrative uncovered the killer's identity. The remote setting added the perfect dash of atmosphere and the quick pacing kept me on the edge of my seat.

The perfect thriller for readers obsessed with influencer culture! It was fun to think of the real-life influencers that could have inspired each character. Constantly left you guessing who you could trust, and how the story would continue to change in order for each character to get themselves ahead.

I love a locked-room mystery, and a secluded island is just as fun! Olivia Worley's "People to Follow" is a thrilling book full of revealed secrets and looming danger. This was one of the few unputdownable books I've read this year, and I repeatedly found myself sneaking away to read more - it's that engaging!

The New Mother by Nora Murphy is an eye-opening domestic thriller that explores postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis, and the inherent vulnerability of new mothers.

When you have unsupervised teenagers who live life with money, influence and bring them to a private island for a Big Brother type of "unplugging" where they're in a house with alcohol and little supervision (in the name of reality TV), and you've got a recipe for kids behaving badly and know drama is bound to ensue! Worley delivered a story that had a lot of characters that kept you guessing what was going to happen next and what everyone's secret is. Influencers seems to be a popular topic over the last few months. As much as I like a "behind the scenes" look at a something as intriguing as influencers, once you've read a few, it feels like you've read them all. I read this on the heals of a similar book with adult women instead of kids and that did influence my overall feelings of this book. People to Follow was a fun read, it did pick up and got faster paced closer to the end, but I think I'm a little burnt out on the influencer plot lines so this one fell a little short for me, but I think would be a really good read for others!