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.

I loved the idea of this one, but the execution just never grabbed me the way I wanted to. I'm someone who has an interest in vlogger/influencer families and so the summary of Hate Follow just made me want to read it ASAP! I will say Quinn-Kong has a solid writing style, breezy and commercial and this is a good debut. I just never connected to the characters and their problems the way I should've; they felt a bit one-dimensional.

I loved and hated this. this is such an important conversation about kids and digital privacy. I feel for Mia so much. But I also understand Whitney’s need to feel financially secure.
I really wish Mia would have seen the lawsuit through. I know that isn’t the point of the book and the ending is a happily ever after where we all learned our lesson and everything is okay again.

Whitney Golden has a...well, a golden life. A handsome boyfriend, beautiful children, a lovely home and all the clothes and beauty products one could want. She's an influencer, more specifically a mominfluencer, with over a million followers who follow her life as a widowed mother of four.

But it's all going to come crumbling down. Mia, Whitney's teenage daughter is tired of her mother's career. She doesn't want to be seen in photos, mentioned in her blog, or really, just anything to do with Whitney's brand. And she wants the same for her siblings AND her deceased father.

Whitney does not agree with Mia, so Mia takes her mother to court. What happens is more than a mother-daughter fight, its about privacy, child privacy, and how the world REALLY sees those who put everything out there.
---

If you scroll back far enough, you'll see one of my reviews for a mominfluencer book. It was written by a fairly popular blogger who had an enviable life, with her husband and 5 children. I hated it. I found it vapid and pointless. Hate Follow by Erin Quinn-Kong has taken that and turned it into a story about the real issues of child privacy. It's an excellent look at what is given up when someone chooses to put everything online.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I flew through Hate Follow in a couple of sittings; it poses a question that I think is so interesting: what are the rights of the children who are featured in their influencer parents’ content? As a lawyer by background, I was interested in the legal components, but I’m even more interested in the ethical dilemma. For me, this book’s biggest strength was that I truly felt empathy for all of the characters. Of course I felt for Mia; imagine being fifteen (no thank you!) and having your life being broadcast to your mother’s one million followers? But I was surprised by how much I felt for Whitney, also. She had very real, human, and understandable reasons for her career choices. I’m Whitney’s age, but I don’t have children and I’m not an influencer; nevertheless, I felt myself empathizing with her struggle to determine what was right for her and her family.

I am one of those people who are patiently waiting for the wave of lawsuits against "mom-fluencers" who share photos of their children without their consent in sponsored posts, so this was a fun read. It's also a quick read, one that would be an appropriate choice for teens and parents to read together. I was intrigued the entire time I read this one and flew through it. Plus, if you live in Austin, there are a lot of fun local shout-outs that will make you smile. I can't wait to see what Erin Quinn-Kong writes about next!

This book was a fast and easy read! I’ve been seeing tons of influencer centric books these days, but the mother/daughter angle was unique with Hate Follow. Definitely made me grateful my parents had normal jobs. I think this will be a great read for mom’s with teenage daughters!

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC copy!

Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for a free advanced copy of this ebook to review. All opinions are my own.

Hate Follow was a quickly paced, and entertaining read all about how influencing affects the children involved.

The plot, along with the interview subplots really pushed the story along. Mia and Whitney's relationship really evolved by the end of the book.

The guilty pleasure we can get from hate following, and snarky comments really takes a toll on everyone involved.

I was thrilled to get my hands on a copy of The Hate Follow—and I was not disappointed! The premise about a social media influencer whose teenage daughter refuses to be part of her brand and sues her is wholly original.

Erin Quinn-Kong’s creativity and writing style give rise to an engaging story full of relatable characters. On one side is Whitney, the widow with four children who became an influencer to support her young family. Then there’s Mia, her teenage daughter who is no longer comfortable being a part of her mom’s online presence. The dynamic of these two characters pulls the reader in and doesn’t let go until the end. Between that and the heartbreaking backstory, I was engaged from the first page until the last.

The Hate Follow is a relevant and timely commentary on what it means to raise children in the social media age and where we draw the line when it comes to our children’s privacy. This is a stellar debut from an author I will definitely be following.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow  for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In Hate Follow, Erin Quinn-Kong delivers a sharp, engaging critique of influencer culture through the tumultuous relationship between Whitney Golden, a prominent social media personality, and her teenage daughter, Mia. Whitney’s life seems perfect: she boasts a large following, luxurious lifestyle, and an image of domestic bliss. However, the façade crumbles when Mia, feeling exploited and invaded by her mother’s constant online presence, demands that her family, including their late father, be removed from Whitney’s social media platforms. When Whitney refuses, Mia sues her mother, setting off a dramatic legal and media storm that threatens to dismantle everything Whitney has built.

The novel's strength lies in its exploration of the ethical complexities of social media and parental rights. Quinn-Kong adeptly portrays the clash between Whitney’s desire for public validation and Mia’s plea for privacy, making for a compelling narrative that examines the consequences of living a life broadcasted to millions. The story is told from both Whitney and Mia’s perspectives, allowing readers to understand the motivations and struggles of each character. This dual viewpoint enriches the narrative, offering a nuanced discussion of modern parenting and digital ethics.

While the premise is intriguing and the characters are well-drawn, some readers may find the pacing uneven, with subplots occasionally detracting from the central conflict. Despite this, Hate Follow is a thought-provoking read that raises important questions about the impact of social media on family dynamics and personal privacy. It’s a solid debut that will resonate with anyone interested in the intersection of technology and personal relationships.

This was one of the most fun books I've read lately.

The question of social media and children has always been an interesting one, and I think this book actually tackles it well. I actually agree with the daughter here, and I've never been more glad to grow up in years without social media for my parents to have posted me all over. I thought this book was well written and I could not believe it was a debut. I look forward to reading more from Erin in the coming years.

I personlly think this would be a perfect choice for book clubs, and I'm going to recommend my book club reads this. I think it's such a hot topic that I would love to have this be a heavy discussion novel. I'd be surprised if this didn't make a best sellers list, or a Book Club suscription box for the month of it's release.

What a debut for this author! The plot line of it is so relevant in the social media age, and I’m actually surprised we haven’t seen it happen in real life.

The book follows the perspectives of Whitney and Mia, a mother/daughter duo. Whitney is a social media influencer who shares her everyday life of herself and her children. Mia is her oldest and realizing just how much her mother is sharing about her and her siblings online. Guess what? She doesn’t like it.

I really enjoyed reading this book and could honestly relate to both of their sides in it.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

The story itself feels unique and compelling. Overall though I really struggled with the pacing. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for my honest option.

Publication date -October 8th 4.5 stars rounded up.

If you belong to a book club, be sure to get this book for discussion. This is a powerful look into internet privacy, influencers, and the first generation of kids to have their whole lives spread out on the 'net for strangers to follow...whether the kids want it out there or not.

Although sometimes clumsily written with secondary and tertiary storylines that aren't always necessary, it is worth the read.

This story tells us about one family ( a widowed mother, twins, a teenager, and a boy who never knew his father) who is in the social media spotlight. The mom is an influencer who lays it all out there for the world to see, even pictures of her dead husband in his coffin. The mom makes a great living off of her posts etc. But this also tells the story of her teenage daughter, who has had enough of her privacy being invaded. And the daughter takes some drastic steps to get her mother to stop.

I have to say that at first, I was against what the daughter was trying to do; after all, the mom was trying her best to keep her family afloat. I'm from that nasty generation who sometimes still feels that children should be seen and not heard!

This is definitely one book that will be discussed...a lot.


*ARC was supplied by the publisher William Morrow Paperbacks, the author, and NetGalley.