I really wanted to love this one. I was looking forward to Nwabineli’s critique of family vlogger/mom influencer type content. and while it was definitely there, it also felt fairly reserved.

throughout the book the author touches on topics like adults forming parasocial relationships with kids online, the importance of children being able to consent, and even the validation/need to be consumed that parents like ophelia thrive off of. but those points are so brief they end up feeling like occasional one liners. the audience isn’t given a chance to sit with it before you’re redirected to the central plot line. which would be fine except I didn’t find myself wanting to go back to anuri (the main character). in part because too much time was spent on her found family and too little on anuri’s character development.

the plot meanders along and ultimately comes to a very anticlimactic end. I wish more time was spent on the social commentary because that’s what makes the book interesting! instead of isolating that commentary to inner dialogues, it would have been much stronger weaved into the character’s interactions with each other so we could get more depth.

personal enjoyment aside, I think this was a solid effort that’ll hopefully prompt people to re-examine their relationship with social media.

thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. all opinions are my own.

An amazing book. Highly recommend. An amazing book. Highly recommend. An amazing book. Highly recommend. An amazing book. Highly recommend.

Allow Me to Introduce Myself by Onyi Nwabineli is a work of art. I am typically not a fan of literary fiction because for me, only on a few authors are able to make artistic writing interesting, but once I was able to get past the first few chapters, I found this book quite interesting. The central theme of the book is an important topic and also made me think about how much I expose my children on social media (not so much). This book has many strong characters and that got a bit much for me, but overall, it was a good read. Thank you, Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, for giving me the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

(4.5/5 stars)
Thanks so much to Onyi Nwabineli, NetGalley, and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Graydon House for a free ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review!
Instantly I was drawn to the main character Anuri. She is deeply flawed, but who in her position wouldn't be? After being exploited by her stepmother via social media throughout her entire childhood, and having strained relationships with multiple people in her life, who wouldn't have trauma to deal with?
The author beautifully describes the experiences and feelings of many of the supporting characters as well, showing that there are many sides to the same story, while not making excuses for some of the truly abhorrent behaviour coming from certain individuals. The writing as easy to follow, even when I didn't understand some of the language, because the author skillfully captures the essence and feelings of the scene in a way that makes the dialogue clear even if you only speak English (like myself). Overall this book was extremely well written and I'm glad I got the chance to be an ARC reviewer.
This book is now available to the gen. pop. so go pick up a copy if it piques your interest!

This is a gorgeously-written novel, but it is for sure a difficult read. The prose is complex and fascinating but doesn't really lend itself to skimming, but what I really mean by "difficult" is that it's just so very hard to read about how terribly the MC's stepmother treated her and is now treating her half-sister. I realize that's much of the point of the book, but...it's still overwhelming at times. It's all incredibly well-executed, though, and it's definitely worth a read.

Anuri Chinasa has had enough. And really, who can blame her? She was the unwilling star of her stepmother’s social media empire before “momfluencers” were even a thing. For years, her stepmother Ophelia documented every birthday, every skinned knee, every milestone and meltdown for millions of strangers to fawn over and pick apart. Now that Anura is an adult, she has stopped it. However, Ophelia simply shifts her focus to Anuri’s young stepsister. Anuri refuses to have her sister endure what she did.

Wow, this book would make a great book club book as there’s lots to discuss around parenting, kids & social media, family dynamics, and setting personal boundaries. I love that Anuri has a great support system in her found family. I’ll be thinking about this emotional, slow, thoughtful read for a long time.

Allow Me to Introduce Myself was one I was very curious to read- the synopsis sounded really fascinating and I find the gray area of what is ok for influencers to post about their children an interesting topic to explore.

This one ended up just being ok for me. I found the writing style hard for me to connect with. It seemed very flowery and clunky and I found myself having to concentrate pretty hard to absorb what was happening in the story. While it was mostly told from Anuri’s POV, there were little snippets with the father and step mother’s perspective. I think the book really could have benefited from more lengthy alternating POV. I never really understood some of the character’s behavior and it would have added a richness to the story if I knew more about what motivated them to act how they did.

It also felt like it was pretty repetitive and I found myself not connecting to the characters or the story. Anuri was a frustrating character who I didn’t really find myself wanting to root for.

I personally wouldn’t recommend this one.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review

A timely novel that is introspective and thoughtful. It took me a little to get into as it was slightly slow paced in the beginning but I enjoyed it start to finish.

I was expecting to love this one but I thought it was pretty slow going for too long. Too much set up for a fairly straightforward story. It did feel timely (all these children of early influencers are growing up!) but it took too long to get there. I wondered if it might have been better consumed as an audiobook. It might have flowed better read aloud.

I have this a 3.5 star. This is the second time of me reading a book by this author. And once again i feel the same; beautiful words but they just feel confusing on the page.

I love how different and fresh this story is. Mommy bloggers that exploit children and an inside on how they felt during and after.

I too like other reviewers read this book and sometimes felt like I didn’t understand what was written on page. Some of the beautiful words and descriptions in the book was so lyrical and poetic but it was so drawn out that it felt like jargon. I had to reread parts over and there was no separation or clue when a scene changed. I think what would work is if this author breaks up her books into shorter chapters, and when scenes change either introduce that into another chapter or have a line separation in the text to not confuse the reader.

Once again, the premise was good but my favorite part would have to be the relationship between the friends. It felt so authentic and it shows that the author is very strong in expressing bonds through the paper.

3.75 stars

I really enjoyed the premise of this book. I thought it was a very important and relevant topic in today’s society with the normalization of “mommy bloggers” who grossly exploit their children.

Anuri was such a strong female lead and I was entertained by how she chose to handle the repercussions of her stepmother’s decisions and her approach to handling her little sister’s uncomfortability loving through a similar situation.

Throughout, I really felt that Anuri’s friends were a great source of support for her journey to finding herself after her childhood was quite literally stolen.

For me, there was a bit of a disconnect with the writing style. I found myself rereading paragraphs because I wasn’t quite absorbing what I had read. Something about the flow of the writing was just not clicking for me.

This is a book where the synopsis drew me in and the execution was so well done!

This story encompasses so much and everything is well fleshed out. It made me think and look inwards for sure.

The premise of the book sounded so good, unfortunately, the style just wasn't for me.
I loved how unique the story was, it made the reader think and feel for the main character. I struggled with the scenes changing, it was a little bit hard to keep up and I had to reread paragraphs a few times to understand where we at.
Overall, I still recommend this solely for the message the author was making and the cover is also phenomenal.

SHEESH!! This story is so on time.

With the rise in the need for social media content, many are allowing the world in on private moments without regard for those depicted in said content. The way Onyi Nwabineli captured the struggle of Anuri and her fight to remain in control of her likeness, her mental, and her physical self was phenomenal. To think that tons of children can very well be in the headlines soon with this very same fight is sickening.

This book is a must grab!!!!

Whew! That is my thought after finishing Allow Me to Reintroduce Myself. This is such a well-written, intricate masterpiece that offers a look into the world of parent influencers and the effect it can have on ( the psyche) of children.

Anuiri grew up as the child of a popular mom influencer and it shaped her life in many ways. This book highlights some of the negative consequences that we do not see. As she tries to come to terms with her childhood and page her way forward she attempts to use the legal system to get her life back by asking that her childhood likeness be scrubbed from the internet. To complicate matters she is struggling with her own demons from alcoholism to trying to protect her younger system from traveling the same path repair the relationship with her father and heal from the loss and essential erasure of her birth mother who died when she was an infant.

Adding to this story are her two best friends Loki and Simi and an unexpected love interest. I am not a romance reader and typically do not like that element in the book, but the chemistry between Christian and Anuri was top notch and I love it as I did almost everything in this book.
This story is also heavily intertwined and features Nigerian/Igbo culture which I loved along with some British racial elements ( Anuri’s (step)mother is white and mixed race culture on the internet is an even bigger money draw. There was some introduction of the financial aspect of influencing and I think that even Ophelia’s limited background that was highlighted in a chapter helped shine some light on why this industry is so big and problematic.

This was such a fresh and heartbreaking take on something that I don’t think has gotten as much traction (at least in the U.S.) as it should as many of these children become older, I think this will become an even bigger issue.

It definitely is a great read that I couldn’t put it down. I did feel like the ending was wrapped up in a tidy bow and I really wanted more fallout for Nkem and Ophelia but overall this is a great, thought-provoking read.

I am so happy that I had the privilege of reading this ARC. What a well done and thought provoking story about the impact of social media in childhood. Granted this story tells of an extreme case, but as a parent it still had me reflecting.

Onyi Nwabineli does a really nice job weaving in a lot of important, but heavy, themes without making it feel like they were just there to check off boxes. We get family dynamics and conflict, parental/spousal loss, questionable parenting choices, substance abuse, mental health issues, etc all woven in so naturally and depicted with respect. I loved the inclusion of Aṅụrị’s therapist and felt that relationship and tbe mental health rep were really well done.

This book has a lot of tension but there are also some really beautiful tender moments. I love a found family story and we absolutely see that with Aṅụrị and her friend group. Her protectiveness for her little sister is heartwarming. And we get a bit of romance also, which was done in such a way that it is not front and center but was still so good.

Watching Aṅụrị find her voice and her power to take back control of her life was moving.

I also really enjoyed the inclusion of Nigerian and Igbo culture throughout the book. It gave me a peek into language, foods, customs, etc that I was not familiar with and I really loved that.

4.5 / 5 stars

The whole world knows Anuri's name because her stepmother, an extremely popular (white) blogger, has been documenting her life since early childhood. But Anuri is 25 now and extremely over it. She lives a much more anonymous life now as the owner of a hair hut and boutique candle business (and occasional findom), supported by her best friends Simi and Loki, and struggling with alcoholism. Her relationship with her father and stepmother is fraught, but they are family, and she maintains ties because she has a five-year-old half-sister, Noelle, whom she adores.

But family dinners are about to get much more tense. Anuri has decided to take legal action to have her stepmother's content about her life removed from the internet. And Anuri doesn't want to stop there. She wants to make sure that Noelle doesn't have to live the same dysfunctional childhood that she experienced.

I loved this book. The whole thing is a simmering low boil character study that I found myself glued to. Anuri is an extremely well-developed character with desires and flaws that just drag the reader in. And the family she has forged for herself -- Simi, Loki, Ammah, and Gloria -- are also just so wonderful. I want to live in the compound they joke about building. I also appreciate that there are glimpses into the thoughts of Anuri's parents, but that they are not absolved of their sins.

The writing style of the first chapter was a little difficult to get through, and I worry that some readers may not stick through it. Please do. I think that chapter is trying to reflect the internal brokenness that Anuri is experiencing. The style is much easier to read after that.

Also, this cover is so gorgeous.

This review will be posted to Goodreads on May 26, 2024 (https://www.goodreads.com/goodquietkitty) and Instagram on May 27, 2024 (@goodquietkitty).

Thank you NetGalley for my copy! This review is all my own opinions!

cw: alcoholism, mental health/trauma themes, and mentions of suicide

Nwabineli has done it again! i love her writing style and the character development so much 🤌🏻 ugh it’s so poetic! i REALLY loved how well the relationships between Anuri (mc) her dad, sister, stepmom, aunt, grandparents, friends, therapist, attorney, and love interest were painted. Nwabineli has this talent for making the reader feel like you know the mc and are walking through their story with them rather than just being a bystander to it. she also knows how to address so many deep topics and feelings that affect so many of us even if we haven’t experienced exactly what the mc does.

i really enjoyed reading about Anuri not only fully freeing herself from trauma and protecting her sister but also helping her dad and stepmom see things from a new perspective. i resonated with how Anuri refused to let her experience and feelings be dismissed or ignored. the friendship between Anuri, Simi, & Loki was so heartwarming. they are a perfect example of found family and unconditional love 🥺 i really have nothing bad to say about this book.

Hopefully, this will make you think twice before you post photos of your children and even when you look at influencer posts of kids. Anuri reclaims herself in this novel that's about standing up and saying no. Her stepmother started her career using Anuri and now she's shaping the image of Anuri's little sister Noelle. Anuri, however, isn't going to let that happen. The scenario and how Anuri approaches it might seem extreme but I'm sure it's not. You know who to root for here. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. A good read.

Thank you Graydon House, HTP Books, HTP Hive for my #gifted copy of Allow Me to Introduce Myself! #HiveInfluencer

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐌𝐞 𝐓𝐨 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐎𝐧𝐲𝐢 𝐍𝐰𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐢
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

★★★★★

I knew as soon as I read the Dedication page that this book was going to be emotional, and I was right. Nwabineli has such a beautiful way with words and I cannot recommend this book enough. There was so much about this book I loved. The character development was truly remarkable. On top of that, this book was laced with family drama and I thought the author did such a great job of integrating some really difficult topics into the plot.

I loved how this novel was so thought-provoking. It really made me think more about social media and how I personally use it and how it impacts children. There is so much to unpack with this novel and I found myself telling myself I would read one more chapter but then one more turned into 5 more and then before I realized it, I had finished the entire book. I love books that allow me to so easily get lost and this one did just that.

While there were some heavy topics in this book, there were also some tender moments and also some humor and wit sprinkled throughout as well. It was the perfect blend and I can’t wait to read what Nwabineli writes next!

Posted on Goodreads on May 22, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around May 23, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on May 28, 2024
**-will post on designated date