Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book!

This book surprised me in the best way! First, the opening was a 12/10. Consider me hooked and doing nothing else until I finish the book. Influencer explores the dark side of social media and the possibility for a modern-day Manson or Bundy to use it for evil. I liked the dual POVs and the way all the characters were written. This is a dark story, but one that I think my high school students will enjoy! Perfect for readers who enjoy psychological thrillers.

Wowowowow, I read this in one sitting. I was sucked in and terrified! Reading this made me question my own social media use, or for sure spooked me for the next few days. I am looking forward to reading more from Cesare because this had me freaked out more than adult horror I've read. 10/10

This book went from zero to one hundred very very quickly.
From the first chapter I was drawn in to Aaron's world, his headspace.
This one is dark and twisty, focusing on social media and the power of suggestion. Has some excellent psychology within the pages.

This novel gripped me from the first chapter. It literally gave me chills. Crystal is your average teenager whose ennui is overwhelming. She and her motley crew of friends have been making through high school unscathed up until her friends Paul and Harmony become entranced by a new influencer. Then a new student arrives at the school. Aaron is a sociopath or psychopath depending on your preference, he wishes only to leave chaos and destruction in his wake. When he arrives in NY as new student he finds fast friends in Crystal's tight knit group and Crystal finds herself on the outside trying to avert disaster at her school. This book disturbing but also timely. I found to be a real page turner and I also listened to it on audio and it was a great production. Well done Cesare!

this was such a spooky horror book! i love the suspense and the writing style. the cover is also so spooky and cool

One of the more welcome and unintended side-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and an extended nationwide quarantine that saw many schools switch to virtual instruction was the halting of mass school shootings. Of course, we're no longer in quarantine, and the start of the 2024-2025 school year was marred by that most American of all pastimes as a 14-year-old shot and killed two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Georgia on Sept. 4. According to CBS News, this was the 218th gun incident at a school in 2024.

To say that Influencer is a timely read feels a bit on the nose. I began reading Adam Cesare's latest in the shadow of this most recent tragedy because, let's face it, school shootings have become an inescapable facet of American life that we simply refuse to do anything about or care a whit about at all, as evidenced by our continual reelections of politicians who proudly wear AR-15 buttons on their lapels and shrug off scores upon scores of dead kids with a "whaddaya gonna do" indifference. Sure, I could have held off on starting Influencer for another time but, odds are, there'd just be another cycle of mass violence and thoughts and prayers, so may as well dive on in.

Take two parts disturbed teen and school violence, add in social media obsession, teenage angst, and perpetually techno-savvy kids keeping at least ten steps ahead of their parents, it feels unlikely that Influencer will feel dated anytime soon. In some ways, it's a modern riff on Stephen King's yanked Rage, by way of a Zuckerbergian American Psycho for the YA crowd. Aaron Fortin (pronounced with Frenchie flair as "fourteen," which also makes our central antagonist sound like a walking, talking username handle) is a minor Instagram celebrity, broadcasting anonymously as the masked The Speaker. He's built up a steady cult following, with Cesare spectacularly highlighting the cult aspect, à la a young, upstart Charles Manson.

Aaron's parents have yanked him across the country to a Long Island suburb, giving him a chance to reinvent himself as the new kid on the block and expand his profile. At least until Crystal blows his cover and quickly identifies him as The Speaker in front of her friends. It's something Aaron hadn't planned on, and he is nothing if not a meticulous planner. He's unsettlingly intelligent and charismatic, and he stalks through these pages like a spider tracking its prey across dangerous webs he's woven. Crystal immediately becomes his sworn enemy, even if she doesn't realize it right away, and Aaron sets about enmeshing himself with her friends on the road to completely destroying her, mentally and physically.

Cesare delicately and deliberately engages the two in an escalating game of cat-and-mouse. Crystal is driven out of the group, her friends banishing her in favor of the new, attractive, and mysterious Aaron. Aaron subtly and effectively manipulates all of them, engaging in their desires and influencing their decisions, shaping them into the killers he wants them to become. It's not his first rodeo of course. Cesare lays out the stakes immediately in a wildly fraught opening sequence revolving around a home invasion that has been staged by Aaron and ends in a confusing symphony of violence, murder, and arson. What Aaron has planned for Crystal and her ex-friends will make all that look like small potatoes.

High school and horror are simpatico bedfellows, and the horror genre is rife with what Roger Ebert derisively called "Dead Teenager Films." Influencer doesn't feel derivative of works like Scream or Prom Night, but it certainly wears those cinematic influences on its sleeve, along with plenty of true crime inspo, while also engaging in the hot button topic of deranged kids who kill. It's a taut, and often uncomfortable, work of psychological suspense, cult horror, and with a few moments of slashery goodness for some extra oomph, but one that exists within a uniquely American political flashpoint we perpetually choose not to extinguish.

Crystal is the quiet one in her friend group. She calls them friends but only Gayle is truly a friend. Trevor is polite to her, Harmony barely
speaks to her and Paul practically doesn't know she even exists - even though they spend a lot of time together.

Paul and Harmony have been following some guy online called The Speaker, and talk about him in Trevor's van on the way to school one day. The Speaker has a huge online following as he posts bizarre and dark messages, poetry and images. Each time he actually shows himself on screen he has a mask covering most of his face - his eyes blazing out hate and malice. His followers love it and analyze his every word. Crystal, Gayle and Trevor don't understand the appeal.

One day there is a new kid at school, named Aaron Fortin. He's well dressed, clean cut, good looking and drives an expensive car. He makes an impression. For some reason he asks to sit with Crystal and her friends on his first day in the school cafeteria. His presence changes the vibe of their group, putting a spark in them and awakening true natures.

But Crystal sees right through him. She calls him out on his online identity. She has always existed on the fringes and edges of life at school, and is excellent at watching body language, faces and personalities. From the short amount of clips she's seen, she knows Aaron is The Speaker.

Harmony and Paul flip out at this revelation, but this is where The Speaker sees his chance to repeat past misdeeds. But first he makes them vow not to divulge his secret. If they keep quiet, he will bring them into his world and fame.

All of Crystal's group have insecurities and secrets, and Aaron's favourite thing in life is to manipulate those around him. Soon he has the group around his little finger and with his million followers - even more at his beck and call.

Trevor is wary, but Crystal even more so. She saw the moment of evil in Aaron's eyes when she revealed him, but never dreamed of the malevolence headed her way.


Told in both Crystal's and Aaron's points of view, I was captivated early. Crystal is quiet, shy, insecure and socially anxious. Aaron is slick, measured, always forward thinking and planning, even as he revels in past, horrific crimes.

Crystal's indecision is frustrating and heartbreaking as she tries to break through her anxiety and be brave for her friends. Reading Aaron's chapters is like watching a terrible trainwreck about to happen, but not being able to look away.

The dark side of social media is so real within this novel, as it slithers through teen lives, away from parents, teachers and authorities' eyes. 

A YA thriller from the author of the Clown in a Cornfield series - if slasher horror is your thing, Influencer brings it!

Bram Stoker Award-winning author Adam Cesare DOES NOT DISAPPOINT!! Influencer is dark and twisted, taking you on one wild ride. From its jaw dropping opening, it had me hooked and yearning for more.

Influencer builds its story through a dual narrative alternating between two classmates. Aaron, a new student with magnetic charm, captivating all who cross his path; and Crystal, who sees through Aarons charismatic facade, believing him to be a murderous psychopath, and her the next target in his warped game.

Influencer draws readers to reflect on the reality of the dark, cult-like world within social media and the monsters that may be lurking within its shadows.

I enjoyed both reading the ARC copy I received and listening to the audio book during those moments when I had to get things done... like dinner!

This was a big miss for me.
I see the entertaining quality of it, and it is YA novel, but even for that the story, the execution and Aaron’s characterisation all fell flat for me.
I hope this book meets with its ideal audience.

This book is listed as teen and young adult but I would absolutely NOT recommend this book for a school library. That isn't to say that this isn't a good book, but it is very disturbing and there is quite a bit of violence with some slightly graphic descriptions. This book is written from the perspective of two characters, Aaron and Crystal. It alternates between each character's views and there is a stark contrast between them - good and evil.

I spent a lot of time wondering why I was finding this book so disturbing to read and finally worked out that while I love crime books, usually the ones I read are seen through the view of the detectives trying to solve the crime, not the perpetrator of the crime. It's scary to see the manipulation and control that the Aaron develops over others and I think that is because of the juxtaposition it created in my brain; that it felt very real and like something could happen vs the fact that I don't want to believe that people could act in this way. I definitely found this book difficult to put down as I wanted to get to the end and see if Aaron would get his comeuppance, to the point that I woke up in the middle of the night to finish it.

If I was to use this in the classroom with young adults, I think it would give the opportunity to discuss the influence of others and peer pressure. It also touches of the influence that people who create a mystic and a strong persona online can create, especially on the developing minds of children. Again, it is one of those where you hope it's fiction but worry it could and does happen in real life. As an adult in education reading this, it's very scary.

Did I enjoy this book? I'm not sure. Will I remember this book? Absolutely.

.25 ☆
i wish i never read this book. i truly, wholeheartedly wish i had never ever requested the arc for this wretched book when scrolling through netgalley. for your information, i didn't even make it past chapter 1.

now let's get into it~
ngl i think the premise of this book is okay? but oml the execution is so bad. the prologue (that is supposed to be sad) wasn't sad at all. it felt more like a joke. everything sounded like it was written by a teen wattpad author who has creepy sexual fantasies. and idk if this is js me but i do not want to hear the details of being pregnant. like personally, that is not my vibe...at all.

quotes~
"olivia's tongue pushes forward, and I have to open my mouth wider to accommodate. i'm not enjoying this." - page 13
you might be asking, 'wtf did i js read' and tbh i don't know. also, those are the very first two sentences on the very first page of the very first chapter. instant ick.

"just as i'm starting to get comfortable with the shape of olivia's tongue, the thin veins of its underside, she exhales through her nose and pulls its mass back into her own mouth." - page 14
sorry but ewww. ick. ugh. gross. disgusted. instant red flag.

- oh and guess what? the main character, aaron, is using olivia as a ploy to distract people from his intentions! ooh and even better! he drugs her so that way she doesn't know if they had sex or not! (if you couldn't tell this is some extreme sarcasm over here)

thank you to netgalley for the arc <3

Thank you to Netgalley, Union Square & Co, and Adam Cesare for this ARC of INFLUENCER. Available on Audible and coming October 1st to print and digital formats.

This dual-narrated story grips you from the start and never lets go. It's a YA horror novel so well-written that you often forget you're reading about high school-aged kids. The book gave me Netflix's YOU vibes in all the right ways.

Aaron Fortin, a mysterious new kid, moves to town and befriends an unlikely group. Almost immediately, Crystal Giordano recognizes him, and the group is stunned by who is sitting among them. From there, they begin to unravel into the crazy world of The Speaker. Friendships are tested, and the boundaries of right and wrong are pushed. You're about to discover just how far these kids will go to impress their favorite influencer.

Aaron Fortin, a new student and secret online influencer, arrives in town with a flashy and captivating persona. Crystal, part of a misfit group, senses his insincerity. As Aaron's true nature is revealed, he targets Crystal and manipulates her friends. Crystal must decide whether to protect her friends or succumb to Aaron's influence.

I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and this is my voluntary and unbiased review. It is currently available on Audible only, but is being released in October in physical and digital format.

I requested this ARC because I absolutely love Adam Cesare's Clown in a Cornfield series, and will be reading the third one soon! Something I love about his writing is that he is not afraid to make YA gory, which is something I look for in thrillers. The opening scene of this book hooked me right away!! YA can be frustrating to read at times because the characters, teenagers mainly, are stupid. I did find there to be too much boring friendship dynamics for the first third of this book that probably could've been pared down. However, the premise of this was really fun and it was also a topical look at the power of social media in 2024.

Adam Cesare is the up and coming prince of horror and gore, right behind Stephen King and Joe Hill and if you love both of those authors, Adam Cesare is for you. He has a way for dawing you in and creating characters that you can relate to and then altering everything by adding in that horror and terror you never really knew you needed in a book. This is a must read! 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free copy of Influencer by Adam Cesare in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. for the copy of Influencer by Adam Cesare. This book opens with a bang and the action may have slowed down but the tension kept ratcheting up. This was much darker than I expected, but the story and the writing were so good it was like passing an accident; you can’t look away. Aaron was scary, and his thoughts and the things he orchestrated might not be appropriate for younger readers. This horror novel was addictive and repulsive at the same time!

This is one of the best books I have read this year. Thank you so much for this ARC. Honestly why did this feel like something that could happen. I could not stop reading.

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

This book was really dark and disturbing. The thought that one person could have this kind of power over other people is scary. Aaron was a total psychopath and his inner monologue was frightening! I know people like this exist, but something about this book really got under my skin. I enjoyed the dual POV. I thought it was helpful to get Crystal’s POV too. The characters in this book were so easily influenced, I’d like to think it was unrealistic, but part of me thinks it could definitely happen. Which makes it just that much more disturbing!

Definitely a book that is going to stick with me for a while! If you enjoy social media plots and YA horror, then I recommend reading this book!

Addictive and thrilling, Influencer offers a look into the messed up mind of a psychopath and a wannabe cult leader. I was intrigued by the narration, the story progression, and how the author managed to capture the thoughts of a narcissist and make it humorous and extremely disturbing at the same time. However, the rushed ending left me confused and wanting more.

Overall, a great YA thriller for fans of true crime.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bloody brilliant.

A crime/horror novel for young adults but adult readers would definitely read this. Sort of a modern day Helter Skelter.

Excellent writing, fully fleshed out characters, fascinating friendship dynamics, massive suspense and compulsive page turning. Not at all predictable. So many books I've read lately have wrapped up the finale in a matter of paragraphs, leaving me feeling ripped off. Not in this offering.

The tension made me physically tense! I really cared about what happened to Crystal. And I was racing to the end of the book hoping for justice.

I received this arc from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.