This is a good example of what would you do?
Ola’s fiance’s name appears on a whistleblower list that has gone viral and worst yet she is assigned to the story.
I thought Michael was lower than a slug because of what he did and he constantly lied to Ola.
The book portrays the ugly side of social media and all the havoc it can wreak.
It will be a cause for pause for readers to really think about consequences.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback

REVIEW: The List by Yomi Adegoke

"The List" by Yomi Adegoke is an ambitious novel that tackles timely issues of social media cancel culture and modern relationships but ultimately delivers mixed results. Adegoke's sharp observations and cultural commentary shine through, making for some compelling moments, but the overall execution falls short of its full potential.

The premise is intriguing: a young, successful Black British woman finds herself at the center of a social media storm when her fiancé is anonymously accused of sexual assault. Adegoke deftly explores the complexities of public shaming, racial dynamics, and the court of public opinion in the digital age. Her insider knowledge of online culture and millennial experiences lends authenticity to the narrative.
Character development is a strong point, with the protagonist, Ola, feeling particularly well-realized. Her internal struggles and conflicting loyalties make for some of the book's most engaging passages. Supporting characters, however, sometimes lack depth, occasionally veering into stereotypes.

While Adegoke's prose is generally sharp and observant, the pacing of "The List" is uneven. Some sections drag, while others feel rushed, particularly towards the conclusion. The plot, while thought-provoking, sometimes meanders, losing focus on the central conflict.

The novel raises important questions about accountability, loyalty, and the nature of truth in the age of social media. However, it doesn't always dig as deep into these themes as one might hope, occasionally settling for surface-level exploration where more nuance could have elevated the story.

"The List" shows promise and demonstrates Adegoke's talent for capturing contemporary issues. Readers interested in modern relationship dynamics and the pitfalls of internet culture will find plenty to discuss. However, those seeking a tightly plotted thriller or a more in-depth examination of cancel culture might be left wanting more.

Thank you, Netgalley and William Morrow, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

I listened to the audiobook which I think helped...because if I'd read it I would have skimmed the middle for its repetition.
In a nutshell, Ola and Michael are minor celebrities in media and are one month out from their wedding. When The List shows up on twitter naming toxic men in media who are being alleged to have sexually assaulted/harassed women, Ola is shocked to find Michael's name on the list. The book explores the cost of unvetted accusations, secrets, lies, male entitlement and female empowerment/solidarity. It's interesting in that opinions shift as you get into the story and the aftershocks of the accusations hit the abusers. I think the book tried to go for a "journalistic" vibe but came across more as a gossip site. Fairly good twist at the end but even that only solidified the theme of men cannot be trusted.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is an expertly written story—to the point of having that "ripped from the headlines" feel like an episode of Law & Order or a Lifetime movie. Twists keep it interesting, but this is more enjoyable for the vivid narrative than it is for its messages.

Thank you to William Morrow for an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Ola is a feminist journalist who wakes up to news of The List, a crowdsourced list of men who are accused of sexual allegations. Since it’s a Google doc anonymously posted on Twitter, the list can’t be traced or verified. And Ola’s fiance is on the list.
The chapters alternate between the viewpoints of Ola and Michael, her fiance. It definitely is a social commentary on the #metoo experience, but I struggled to understand either of their choices in the aftermath of the list being posted. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a great job alternating voices/accents, which was enjoyable, but this was a tough read for me to really engage with, and I can’t quite put my finger on the reasoning of that.

I tried really hard on this one. The blurb was SO GOOD. But the actual book, it was so slow going. Even after the "LIST" was revealed, it just felt like walking through molasses to read this one.

The characters were fine, but I didn't feel like I connected with them enough to care about them. This didn't compel me to keep reading.

I ended up not finishing this one.

What I did read was fine. It was well-written. I could visualize what was being described. I just didn't connect with the story. I can definitely see that there --would-- be an audience for this story though.

I am going to try and write this review with kindness rather than the deep anger that I felt when reading it. In a nutshell, the story follows Ola and Michael, an engaged couple who are insta famous and the picture of Black love and couple goals. A month before their wedding, "The List" is published on Twitter, an anonymous spreadsheet outing abusive men in the media, and Michael is named. Ola, a feminist journalist, is torn.

I'm not going to go into all the ins and outs of this book, but it attempts to present a nuanced look at the me too movement, approaching the subject from "both sides." It succeeds only in centering men's voices, rewriting the entire narrative to make men the real victims, and taking the statistically tiny number of false accusations and blowing them up. The final "twist" in the story serves only to take the very real trauma of abuse and assault and make it a "gotcha" moment.

Being generous to the author, I want to believe she was attempting something other than what she ended up creating. I hope so. Because this reads like an apologist manifesto and it hurts that it came from a woman.

Would not recommend, especially to survivors.

Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel. Unfortunately, I was not able to finish the novel so I won't be leaving a full review.

This book is what happens on the other side of a #MeToo — and the fiancé of the accused is a feminist journalist who has written several pieces on men accused of harassment. It’s so JUICY, but also complex and heartbreaking.

From the publisher: “Ola Olajide, a celebrated journalist at Womxxxn magazine, is set to marry the love of her life in one month’s time. Young, beautiful, and successful—she and her fiancé Michael are considered the “couple goals” of their social network and seem to have it all. That is, until one morning when they both wake up to the same message: “Oh my god, have you seen The List?” 

“It began as a crowdsourced collection of names and somehow morphed into an anonymous account posting allegations on social media. Ola would usually be thefirst to support such a list—she’d retweet it, call for the men to be fired, write article after article. Except this time, Michael’s name is on it.”

As a reporter, I was obsessed with this storyline and the chaos it caused for Ola personally and professionally — and how difficult it was for her to separate the two. I think if you enjoy following news stories like this one and liked “Catch and Kill” and “When We Were Bright and Beautiful,” you’ll really get “The List.”

I really found this interesting and riveting for the first half. However eventually the book just became too much about the character's internal monologues, and less about the issue at hand. I appreciated the issues the author was trying to address but thought the argument of the book could be more developed. I'm excited to read more by the author because this book shows some promise.

3 stars!

I will say that I found this a very entertaining and a fast read but I can't say that I found any of the characters likeable. Also they were supposed to be very famous and almost celebrity level and I definitely did not feel that. I also don't think I liked how it felt like the author was almost supporting men who have been accused through the #MeToo movement. Overall, I just unfortunately didn't love it that much.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed Yomi Adegoke's debut novel, THE LIST, although I felt it moved rather slowly through a few sections. I thought the concept was timely and the challenging circumstances our protagonist faces when a Me Too uproar forces her to challenge her own feminist ideology and commitment to always supporting other women when allegations arise, until those allegations put her high profile wedding at risk. The book was smart and the revelation of who truly named the names was a surprise at the end for me. I was thrown off a bit , as an American reader, by some of the British slang. I appreciated the multicultural representation.

Wasn't able to review this one, so I'm leaving a neutral rating as to hopefully not affect the average too much.

Really great book with amazing characters and a great plot. Was easy to get into and it was very engaging. This is a book that I can see a lot of people in YA enjoy.

I thought the plot was very unique and timely! The last chapter completely shocked me. I think it will make for a great adaptation but it fell short for me. The ending and the dramatic turn of the last 50 pages or so confused me on what the takeaway message should be but it is definitely a page-turner!

A great book with strong characters. Lots of twists and turns, and important story on what to do if someone you love is strongly and anonymously accused of a heinous crime.

I really wanted to love this!! The first page hooked me, as did the premise. This had so much potential, but the execution of the plot and the unrealistic decisions the characters made really took me out of the book.

I enjoyed the author’s writing and would read another. Bummed this one didn’t work for me! 2.5 stars rounded up to 3

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

I struggled through this uncomfortable tale. Ola's set to be married in a month, and then her fiance ends up on a viral social media list of men who have abused women. It's not a happy tale or a light tale. It felt really dark as both characters go back and forth over how they can move forward.

I was drawn in by the premise but unfortunately the execution didn’t work for me and I decided to DNF at 30%. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free ebook.