This story definitely shows you the danger of social media. This was so good and I think people who enjoy reality tv will like this book.

Ten people trapped on a secluded island. Bodies start piling up. Paranoia and secrets abound. No, this isn’t Christie’s And Then There Were None, it’s People to Follow by Olivia Worley. In this young adult novel, the classic mystery has a modern twist with the ten characters all being influencers. When they agree to film a reality show, they had no idea they could get cancelled forever.

I don’t read much YA fiction, but I was drawn to this one to see how Worley used Christie’s inspiration. While it’s a 4-star book for new adults, it’s probably a bit too basic for most seasoned mystery readers. Still, I enjoyed it and it reminded me of Pretty Little Liars.

I really enjoyed this book for what it was. A popcorn thriller with a creepy subplot of social media being as toxic as I have always felt it was. Overall, I think this book was entertaining and the characters were all very distinct and easy to discern in the multi-POV chapters. And I will say the ending with the twist was really great. There were a few things that I couldn't vibe with and that's why I had to give this a 3.5 out of 5. Otherwise great debut novel.

I already knew I might want to read this one because it's a thriller, but as soon as I saw that it was about influencers on a reality tv show with a little bit of murder sprinkled in, I couldn't download it fast enough. And boy, did it deliver! There's drama between the characters from the very beginning, which is juicy enough on its own, knowing said characters are about to be stuck together in the middle of nowhere for three weeks. But then the bodies start dropping, and the plot twists and turns until the very end. It's one of those books where I didn't see the ending coming, but when I think about it, all of the clues were there all along. And, as an added bonus, each of the four POV character has such a distinct voice, I never once felt like they all ran together. This book would be a great fit for fans of Karen McManus.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing a copy for review.

This YA mystery is a modern day And Then There Were None! Great premise with a slight feel of Pretty Little Liars if they were influencers that is written through several POVs.
Fast and easy read!

This is one of those teen, reality tv type things come to life - but with a thriller aspect.

Although his book was not for me, it was extremely entertaining. I did figure out who the sponsor was, as it does follow a bunch of TEEN influencers. That didn't take away from it for me, I just enjoy figuring things out. It gave me time to really work my brain while reading.

Thank you for the ARC!

I think I’m too old for this one but it was definitely entertaining. In the style of Knives Out or Agatha Christie, a who done it on a remote island with influencers? It’s fun but messy. Too many characters (some very annoying), not much substance, some predictable twist but a pretty satisfying finale. Perfect quick vacation read!

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this one!

Great thriller, but to be honest, it was sounding a lot like a book I have read. I enjoyed the book, but the concept of teenagers on an island and deaths occurring is not original. The twist of the teens being "influencers" is original, so kudos to that concept.

I went into this book not knowing it was a YA thriller. But I loved Ace of Spades so I went with it. At first I was like wait is this supposed to be tongue in cheek because the characters are laughably cliche as instagram influencers. I think the author meant to lean in here and once I got it…I got it. The characters are annoying, yes, especially Elody and McKwhatever but as I thought it did a nice job of capturing the personalities. If you like Lucy Foley books like The Guest List check this one out.

4⭐️

Ten influencers have been invited to participate in a reality show located on a secluded island called In Real Life. While they all have their different style of influencing (fitness vs twitch streamer vs just popular), they all know each other one way or another. Specifically the four from the TikTok house.

While they had to leave their phones behind, each person is asked to wear a smartwatch. Soon they are contacted by someone on the watch stating that they must tell the worst lie they’d ever told or be canceled. They soon learn that canceled might not just mean online when one of them is found dead.

This was a wild ride. I think the story did a good job at showing not only the stereotype of an influencer but also what goes on behind the scenes. A lot of these characters come across as privileged brats who can get away with anything, but the story also showed that some have series issues going on in their life. This also tackled the dangers of grooming that can happen when young girls try to find an in from a man with a higher standing.

There were some aspects of this that seemed far fetched. The world of influencers, at least in the book, seems to be a very small world and I find it hard to believe that someone could be so unidentifiable when they had met before. I also found Aaron as a whole a questionable character as he was in his 20s when the rest were teens. But I guess that’s also pretty realistic.

Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this ARC to me!

Finally, a YA thriller about influencers done right! People to Follow was fast paced, snarky, and incredibly entertaining.

Ten influencers are invited to a private island to star in what appears to be a reality show. They leave their devices behind and move in to a house on the beach filled with cameras that will be constantly watching. Several of the influencers have history and prior connections, leading to tension in the house. After a night of partying, one influencer is dead, and the remaining nine are desperate to get off the island.

This book was so so entertaining and fun to read. It felt like a proper teen slasher movie in book form. The ten influencers were perfectly written, from the annoying prankster to the TikTok house group to the fitness guru. A little bit of something for everyone! The story is told in multiple POVs, and each character had a distinct voice.

The pacing was fantastic, with things constantly happening that kept you wondering what was going on in this house and what secrets would be revealed next. Of course the secrets were terrible, with plenty of shocks along the way. I was unable to predict the ending this time, which always makes for a fun read!

The beach setting makes this one such a great sun drenched summer thriller that I would definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press / Wednesday books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was exactly what I expected when I picked it up, a fun quick read with the feel of a guilty pleasure. I thoroughly enjoyed the set up and character interaction, and the plot kept me turning pages. It was a good time.

Shipping influencers to a Remote island what could go wrong? Boom murder mystery who would have guessed. If you love suspense and mystery this is the book for you

I think this book would be great for gen z, but as millenial I just didn’t vibe with it. I think it would be great for a lot of readers though, just not me. It’s a take on hype house IMO and had too many tik tok etc references. The cover is beautiful. Thank you NetGalley for this arc.

Elody is one of the most annoying characters. Why does she call every one babe.
A group of influencers get a trip to stay in a house for a reality show.
They soon realize that nobody tells the truth and they will all be "canceled"
Murder.mystery

I love popcorn thrillers and this one didn’t disappoint! Poking fun at influencer culture, People to Follow lures top influencers onto an island and encourages chaos to reign! Simultaneously ridiculous and suspenseful, it’s an incredible addition to this genre of quick, anxiety-inducing reads!

This definitely has a very young adult feel in both the writing style and the dialogue of the characters. Knowing that going in, I was only slightly annoyed by the dialogue, but perhaps that's on purpose because they're all youths?

Overall it was a solid read - well written, interesting story, good character development. The main issue I had was there being too many main characters and the narrator jumps around a lot. I think it would have been stronger with narration primarily from Elody and Kira with Max thrown in just a few times. It felt like Kira and Logan were both protagonists.

Beyond my own issues with the narration style, I'd definitely recommend if you like young adult thrillers. And lock-door mysteries!

The gen-z thriller we've all been waiting for. Smart, well-paced, and thrilling, this was a wonderful quick read.

this just wasn't for me. thanks netgalley & the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review

Pulling back the curtain on what it's really like to be an influencer. 10 influencers are selected seemingly related to their popularity to travel to a secluded Caribbean island to film a reality show called "IRL". Things take a turn when one ends up dead.
When I first started the book I felt like each of the 4 perspectives telling the story had a unique voice. When ready a chapter narrated by "Elody" you knew that it was her. As the story progressed I felt like that voice became more and more watered down. To the point where I would have to flip back to the beginning of the chapter to remember whose POV I was reading.
The overall story was good. I didn't see the twist coming even though I was looking for one.

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