Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for my honest review.

Somehow I liked this book and disliked the book at the same time. I think that was probably the point though. The characters were written to be unlikeable. I felt sorry for the daughter because her mommy blogger mother aired all of her dirty laundry out on her blog for all the world to see. Yet somehow I also felt sorry for the mom as well.

Overall, this was a juicy guilty pleasure read that is sure to keep you up until you read the very last page.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book!

This was an interesting read with the main topic being a teen daughter wanting her privacy when her mom is an influencer. Social media is such a big thing in todays time and so many people put their kids on their social media and it can teeter the line of invading their privacy. The mom is more concerned with keeping her followers and the money that she makes from posting her family on social media. I did enjoy the look into the influencer lifestyle and complicated family relationships.

Hate Follow written by Erin Quinn-Kong was supposed to be one of my anticipated reads for 2024 after receiving a widget from Netgalley and one of their marketing people saying it was one of their favorite books, but unfortunately I didn't love it. I was so excited to get my hands on this book, but I'm so disappointed to say it wasn't a favorite for me, Hate Follow wasn't a horrible book by any means, but it wasn't the best either. When I saw the beautiful cover and read the synopsis, I was jumping with excitement that I finally got to read this book, but I don't know, it just felt like something was missing. I just wanted more from this book, but it missed the mark for me. What really bothered me about this book was the ending, it just ended so abruptly, like I wanted to know what happened after the whole fiasco, but I was left with unanswered questions. Hate Follow was a pretty good story for a debut novel, but I just needed more. I know many people loved this book by looking at all of the positive reviews, so don't let my review stop you from reading this book, please do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book if you are looking for something quick. These are my OWN opinions, if you don't like what I've said, kindly keep scrolling, please. There's absolutely no need to be rude and leave nasty comments.

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND WILLIAM MORROW FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!!

"I remember high school like it was yesterday. It's a complicated time for everyone, especially when your mother is a gorgeous influencer."

"This case could change internet privacy laws for children forever."

"You've got to fight for what is right."

Whitney Golden is a widowed mom to four children ten year old twins, Chloe and Charlotte, three year old, Mason, and fifteen year old, Mia. Whitney's husband, Michael unexpectedly passed away four years ago, and now Whitney has a boyfriend of six months, Ace. Whitney's relationship with Ace is a bit rocky and unstable, Whitney has four children and Ace doesn't want kids, he's not ready to be a step dad just yet, even though no one has asked him to jump into that role, he was just jumping to conclusions way too quick. Whitney's youngest sister, Rosie also lives with the Golden family while she attends college in town and help out with the kids. Whitney is an influencer mom, she has one million followers on Instagram, Whitney also has Tiktok, and her own blog where she posts family photos, make up reviews, clothing try on's, cute videos of the twins dancing, life hacks, and parenting tips. Whitney is a grieving mom, she felt like she was swimming in the ocean, struggling to breathe, wave after wave crashed over her, but let's be honest, Whitney cares more about social media, being tipsy, and being sunburned more than she cares about her own children. After Michael died, he left Whitney in debt, so she vows to never financially rely on a man ever again. Whitney does social media to provide for her family, but I was not okay with the things she posted on social media at all.

Whitney posted her dead husband's open casket photo on social media, she also posted pictures of her two twin daughters naked in the bathtub on social media, this just doesn't sit well with me at all. The photos of the twins have found their way to the walls and lockers of Mia's high school, Mia decides to have a talk with her mom about the things she has been posting, Mia asks her mom to delete these pictures, but when Whitney doesn't, Mia decides to sue her mother. Mia wants to sue her mom for violation of privacy, but if Mia decides to follow through with this case, she would be the center of attention all across the world because she's fighting for children's privacy on social media. Mia Golden never gets her way, she wanted to decorate her bedroom with Harry Styles posters, Broadway ticket stubs, and vision boards, but instead she gets lavender and mint colored walls. Mia wants to be a cardiologist, and Mia also wants to attend her dad's alma mater for undergrad. I absolutely felt so bad for Mia, she has a whole group of people judging her, strangers on the internet, and even students at school. Let's just say school for Mia is an absolute shit show, bullies are absolutely heartless. There's a website called HateFollow.com which is an online forum where people bash influencers, and as you can guess many people bash Whitney on this website. I just wanted to reach into my kindle and give Mia the biggest hug.

It's a bit weird to post about this book since the focus of the book is a battle between a mommy influencer and her teen daughter who decides to take a stand for her own privacy. It does sensitively look at both sides- the kids have a right to privacy, but for the mom in this book- a widow with a high school education- it's hard to imagine a similarly lucrative work from home option. This book doesn't present a perfect solution, but will definitely give readers food for thought on a very current topic.

3.5 stars! I loved the premise of the book, but the execution didn't entirely work for me and I'm not sure why? HATE FOLLOW explores the complexity of mother-daughter relationships against the backdrop of the social media age, tackling issues of privacy, agency, and what it's like to grow up online. Influencer Whitney Golden seems to have it all: the perfect family, the perfect house, the perfect wardrobe, the perfect life. She's thriving in her career and gaining more followers than ever. But Whitney's world turns upside down when her teenage daughter Mia decides that she wants nothing to do with the social media lifestyle anymore—in fact, she wants herself, her siblings, and their late father completely wiped from Whitney's extensive online presence. When Whitney refuses, Mia decides to sue. Will Whitney be able to save her relationship with her daughter, even if it means risking the loss of the empire she's built?

I love books about influencers/social media culture, so the plot of this had me totally hooked! I also really liked the author's writing style—I think this is Erin Quinn-Kong's debut novel, so I would be super excited to see what she writes next. That being said, I feel like the execution fell a little bit flat, especially in terms of the ending. I just felt like there was something missing, but I couldn't exactly put my finger on it. Still, if you love books about influencers, social media, and complicated familial relationships, definitely give this one a try! I think it will resonate with a lot of readers. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC.

Hate Follow written by Erin Quinn-Kong ask a lot of profound questions with not many resolutions. Mia is 15 an tired of being her Instagrammer mom‘s prompt doll in all her posts. At least that’s what she says it isn’t until she starts being bullied at school due to her moms profile that she really takes a stand. She even goes as far as filing a court case against Whitney her mom. On the other hand Whitney lives in a lavish home she really can’t afford supports her mom who lives in an elderly home her sister who is in college and even helps keep her wayward brother Brandon out of jail to make matters worse if Whitney should decide to stop posting their lavish lifestyle would definitely come to an end. Thankfully Mia has a best friend Camila and Camila‘s parents Eve andOmar give her a soft place to fall in the safe place to be during the chaos. I really did enjoy this book for the most part but thought Mia con fighting in her aunt Rosie was a tilted balance especially due to the fact Whitney pays for her college it seems however in the same vein I think Eve and Omar should have minded their own business especially since if Whitney owned a grocery store and wanted Mia to work there no one would bat an eye and as far as the twins being in a tub of bubble bath Bing pornography I think that’s people wanting to make mountains out of mole hills because plenty of parents have done that and as long as private parts isn’t being shown there’s nothing pornographic about it. Ultimately I think this is a lot of who shot John if you love a book that is thought-provoking about the new questions we face as an Internet society then you will probably love the book as I said I liked it and do recommend it.#NetGalley,#William Morrow, #ErinQuinnKông, #HateFollow,

Influencer books are a must read and this had such an interesting take on what the fallout may be in the future. This was a timely novel with new protections coming out for children of influencers (see the recent laws put into action in California.) I thought the dynamics between Whitney and Mia were very relable - I am always glad that I do not have a teenager daughter because they are truly a breed of their own. This would be an excellent book club choice as it is ripe for discussion!

Highly promising story with sadly very little payoff at the end. It was entrainment enough but superficially at best.

📕: Hate Follow-a standalone

✍🏾By: Erin Quinn-Kong -debut author

✨Rating: 4/5

Format: eBook 349 pgs.

🌍Setting: Austin, TX

📅 Publication 10/8/24, Read 10/4/24

👆🏾POV: dual

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow Paperbacks, and Erin Quinn-Kong for this ARC❤️! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Genre: Women's/Adult Fic, Contemporary

Tropes:
-social media influencers
-privacy
-modern day parenting
-family drama
-mom/daughter relationship


⚠️ TW: death of spouse, grief/loss, online and school bullying

💭Summary: Whitney has amassed one million followers on Instagram featuring her family and makeup and clothing brands. Her teenage daughter Mia has had enough of her life being so public, so she tells her mother she no longer wants to be on her blog. When Whitney refuses to take pictures down Mia is forced to sue her own mother for privacy.

🎭The characters

Whitney Golden-(37) 1 mil Instagram followers, brand deals, new boyfriend-Ace (42) she met 3 years ago, 4 children

Mia- 15, Whitney's daughter. Doesn't want her or her family's life on display.

Camila Garcia-Mia's BFF. Eva and Omar are Camila's parents

Michael-Whitney's deceased husband-married 11 years, died of heart attack 4 years ago

Rosie-Whitney's younger sister, lives w/ her and Whitney pays for her college

Whitney's children - Chloe and Charlotte-Whitney's 10-year-old twin daughters and Mason 3-year-old son, never met his father

Gabby -Whitney's assistant

Tawny-hair/makeup artist she's known for 20 years.

Taylor-Whitney's manager

Caleb Bradford-a lawyer who takes Mia's case pro bono.

Brendan, Stephanie, Tom-Whitney's siblings she had to take care of as the oldest. Her father (deceased 2 years ago) was a gambler, and her mother Sandy (living in a retirement community Whitney pays for) had to work 16-hour days to support them financially.


🤔My Thoughts: This was a great conversation starter, especially if you are a parent. I'm so glad I was raised before the internet because I was able to have a childhood without a 24 hour "news" cycle where anything is available with the press of a button. I sympathized with Whitney because she didn't want her children struggling financially. She provided for her family and didn't apologize for it. Mia's view was a little narrow because she's 15 and didn't know much about life or sacrifice.

Hate Follow by Erin Quinn-Kong was so addicting, I could not put it down. The topic was so interesting and it was so well-written. I loved the idea of this story and how relevant it was.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

After the sudden death of her husband, Whitney Golden begins a career as a momfluencer and is remarkably successful. It doesn’t hurt that her four children, young twin girls, a toddler son and Mia, her fifteen year old daughter, are photogenic and eager to take part in photo shoots. Until Mia rebels. She’s horrified and embarrassed by the amount of what she considers personal information that she finds on her mother’s blog. Confronted by her daughter, Whitney argues that she has to make a living and her children are helping her, not being exploited. Mia reacts by filing a lawsuit.

Hate Follow takes a serious look at an issue unique to our times. Many bloggers feature photos of their cute children to illustrate the articles they have written or to advertise products placed by a sponsor. What rights do the children have? What happens to their pictures on the internet? What on the surface looks like fun (who hasn’t followed an instagram story or a blog post?) Is behind the scenes, hard work. Scheduling, editing, professional photography, clothing changes, etc. take time, time when children should be, well, being children. While Mia and Whitney find a solution to their conflict, this issue will not go away. Hate Follow will leave you thinking about this long after you finish the final page. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow and Erin Quinn-Kong for this ARC.

I was intrigued by the premise of this women’s (general) fiction story. The story of Witney, a widowed mother of four, who makes her living as an influencer. She likes engaging with her over 1 million person fan base, sharing the carefully curated life of her family and surviving a tragedy. When teen daughter Mia pushes back and no longer wants to be part of any social media campaigns she is shocked and a little tone deaf.

The issues are relevant today as children are growing up and finding their parents have shared their entire lives on the internet. Mia decides to fight back. Her best friend's father is a paralegal and helps her find a lawyer who takes the case pro bono as it could be ground breaking. There are issues and thoughts on both sides. Mia is a little naive in not understanding this is how her mother provides for their family. And Whitney is so caught up in her social media she doesn’t realize the negative side for Mia and her other children.

I think my only disappointment is how easily everything gets resolved. It becomes less about case law and more about listening and understanding the relationship between mothers and daughters. I found it easily readable and breezed through it in one sitting.

Whitney is a widowed mom of four who’s curated the picture-perfect life for her one million Instagram followers. When her 15-year-old daughter, Mia, decides she no longer wants to be part of the charade, she decides to sue her mom for invasion of privacy. The case garners national attention and raises questions about internet privacy and parental rights, potentially setting groundbreaking legal precedent.

The book was thought-provoking with regard to influencer culture and its impact on families. It’s the first time I’ve seen this subject in fiction. I especially liked the blog snark sections as a storytelling device. While I enjoyed it, I did wish it went deeper into the ethical complexities of the situation. Everything felt a bit too easily resolved and surface level.

Thank you netgalley for an arc of Hate Follow! This is not a book I would typically choose for myself. Reading about a mom influencer was interesting for more but not super relatable as I am child free. I thought the characters were written and developed well and overall enjoyed the book.

As a parent to a tween and a teen, HATE FOLLOW by Erin Quinn-Kong really struck a chord with me. I believe any parent in a similar season of life would be intrigued by this premise:

“𝙏𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙢 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙧 𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙮 𝙂𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙣’𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙙𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙈𝙞𝙖 𝙨𝙪𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙘𝙮.”

With oodles of juicy drama and an addictive writing style, HATE FOLLOW kept me entertained, and most importantly, enlightened. It opened my eyes to the dangers of over-sharing online and the unpleasant side of social media. In this modern (and digital) age of parenting, it was beneficial and refreshing to read a novel so focused on relevant and hot topics like online privacy laws, consent, and the creation of one’s digital footprint.

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY:

- Social media and blogging
- Influencer lifestyle
- the #momlife
- Teenage behavior
- Family drama and dynamics
- Mother/daughter relationships
- Caring for aging parents
- Reflections on loss and grief
- Dual POVs
- Drama, drama, and more drama

Both of my kids started speaking up about what I could and could not share about them online around the age of ten. I was annoyed at first, but then I really started to listen to their concerns. Without even realizing it, I already started their digit footprint when they were babies on Facebook.

This novel mainly points a finger at mommy bloggers and momfluencers, but I truly think that all parents could learn a lesson from it. Overall, Quinn-Kong’s debut is a very thought-provoking and timely read that might make you reconsider posting your monthly photo dumps and lengthy blog posts that include personal information about your tiny humans. Just saying. 🤷🏻‍♀️

HATE FOLLOW releases on October 8th, and it gets 4/5 stars from me!

Hate Follow by Erin Quinn-Kong aspires to be the My Sister's Keeper of this decade. Not many people will have children who need life-saving medical care and second children that are a perfect biological match. Everyone is on social media, and this book draws attention to the moral and ethical implications with posting content of those who have not (and cannot) give consent. And while this novel raises so many poignant aspects of the online culture, the plot sort of fizzles out by the end.

Mia's mom Whitney is a momfluencer. She makes incredible money by posting about her life as a widowed mother of four in Austin TX. As Mia is getting older, she doesn't want to be a part of the photo shoots anymore. When she finds out exactly how much her mom has been sharing about her online without her permission, her little teen-y world implodes and she takes things into her own hands.

Such commentary!

When I met Whitney, I knew her. We've all seen them: the picture-perfect IG influencers whose entire identity becomes 'be the ideal version of the modern woman who has it all'. They're real people out there, though it's hard to imagine. They just tend to get carried away. The pressure increases, and their lives become all about numbers. But there's still the facade that they're doing good in the world, by sharing all this perfect sh*t, they're helping people.

Then add in the layer of momfluencers. The ones who post about their kids online. Include their photos, tell stories from their lives: exploit them, in some sense. There is a lot of conversation about this already, but this book lights it up with the bat signal from hell.

I felt for the strained relationship of Whitney and her teen daughter. Those teen years are tough for everyone to navigate and add the hurt and immense grief of losing the husband/father they loved so dearly...all the ingredients of a city-block razing explosion are there. Though Whitney, as an influencer, is kind of despicable...the author humanizes her by having her shoulder so much responsibility. It is not just her own future in jeopardy if she can't continue making a good living, it is her children, and her siblings, and her mother.

The heart of this story isn't actually about the violations Whitney is subjecting her children to, it's about simply getting out of your own way to listen.

For me personally, I was let down by a plot that promised a lot of juicy drama but ended up resolving a little too easily for my taste. It felt like a lot of build up for something so ultimately bland. I was getting so nervous when I saw the numbers closing in on my ereader (75%-80%-85%) and the big finale hadn't started yet. Turns out it just wasn't there. It's a quiet ending to a problem that had so much potential.

I still think it's worth reading, of course. The points discussed in this book are incredibly relevant for everyone on social media and I think it does a good job showcasing both the good and bad aspects if 'influencing'. There is so much more I could say about the topic, but this is about the book, so I'll leave it at that!

I was given the opportunity to read this book for free by netgalley and the publisher. All opinions are honest, and my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow Paperbacks for the advanced reader copy.

This feels like an updated version of My Sister's Keeper, in the murky conversation around a child's rights against their parent. This book had me staying up for "one more chapter." A great read.

• ARC REVIEW •

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Release Date: 10/8

This was such a fun read you guys!! It was a different/unique plot that is so relevant to our current digital age. This story follows a daughter, Mia who decides to sue her own mother for exposure on social media without her consent. Mia discovers personal and sensitive information about their family and her siblings had been shared on her influencer mom’s Instagram and blog site. This leads to a legal situation that could potentially tear this family apart. It ends up being a monumental case revolving around child privacy laws and modern parenting. I could not put this book down! I loved the idea of this story and how relevant it was. Mia was very relatable and raw as a character. Her development was inspiring. I would recommend you add this one to your TBR!

Expect:
-family dynamics
-social media age
-girl friendship
-dual POVs
-parental loss
-cancer diagnosis

Thank you NetGalley, the author and William Morrow Publishing for the gifted physical galley and e-arc copy in exchange for my honest review! ✨

This novel follows the story of an influencer mother and her daughter who doesn’t like being in her content any more.
The story goes back between the mother Whitney who is the influencer and her daughter, Mia. The author does a beautiful job of making both perspectives very raw and realistic.
I loved getting both sides of this story. The characters are likable, relatable and I honestly had the best time reading their story.
Erin Quinn-Kong does an amazing job of portraying the hard and rough mother & teenage daughter relationship. Her writing style draws you in and keeps you wanting more, which makes Hate Follow a hard one to put away.
Any book that makes me want to stay up and keep turning the pages is a winner.
Her story is extremely readable, tremendously thought-provoking, and very enjoyable.
This is an amazing debut, and I can’t wait to see what this author writes next.

Thank You NetGalley and William Morrow for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I was super excited to have received this arc— however it felt so flat for me.

First off, there was too much going on. Second, I felt like the story dragged you through this plot that didn’t even happen which then gave me the feeling of “what the heck did I even just read?”. By the end I was feeling like 80% of the story was pointless going in different directions that didn’t stick to the plot, add to the story or really make sense.

Honestly disappointed and from my rating I’m clearly the outlier here so I recommend reading and making your own choices/determinations about this story. I read other reviews and truly wonder how we read the same book.