DNF @ 20%

I'm so sad that this didn't work for me :( I loved Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore, so I was hopeful going into this one. I started reading this in December and didn't pick it up again until mid-February as a last ditch effort. I loved the idea, and the family dynamics were fascinating. I was honestly more invested in where March (one of the Iverson sisters) was than who murdered May Iverson's husband, August. There are so many mixed reviews on this book that I think you just need to pick it up and see for yourself; you might end up vibing with it! To me it just feels waaaay too long.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc of this book!

Some people will like this book, and it’s well written. There was some interesting turns and twists. Overall, this book is a summary of a lot of online conversations in a novel. The takes and metaphors in it are really obvious to me, and it doesn’t really have a fresh perspective. It’s like she’s hammering you over the head with the point. I don’t mind this book at all and I’m sure it’ll sell, but it wasn’t a revelation.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this novel early in exchange for a review.

I probably wasn't the right audience for this book.

The blurbs describe it as "a campy and escapist exploration of race, gender, sexuality, and class" -- and to me it was not that at all. Race, gender, and sexuality were used as simple plot devices to score points as much with readers of the book as any influencer would do in trying to sell a product.

I realize that's more or less the point of publishing a novel, but it's not one that worked well for me.

the overall story was good. the answers to all the questions we have are answered by the end, the characters are interesting, and the environment/plot is unique and fun. the way it’s told is also really interesting and keeps attention. it moved a little slow at the beginning, but able to push through. there were a few things i didn’t like though. i felt like some plot points came out of nowhere and weren’t fairly hinted at mostly for shock value as opposed to mystery story vibe. i also felt like some character opinions/thoughts came in randomly and weren’t fairly hinted supposed to be big but the fact that it was so random made it feel fake. overall good, but not my fave

pretty good. i liked the vibes. i loved the rep. i wasn't a huge fan of any of the chars at all, and the murder was meh. 3 stars. tysm for the arc.

I will be recommending this to everyone I know when it comes out because this book has it all! Great plotting, unforgettable characters, and a riveting mystery.

Interesting premise, but it was a bit slow at the start. I did enjoy the eccentricity of the characters and learning their backstories, but the pacing was not the best.

2.5⭐️

This book had incredible potential. The overall concept is so interesting and unique which immediately draws you into the story. The ever changing perspectives in this book are so fun and again so unique!

I enjoyed a lot about this book including the family and sibling dynamics. I also really enjoyed being in so many different POVs throughout the story and the writing style was quite enjoyable.

Where this book fell flat was the ending. There was nothing to really tie the book together. The mystery felt unresolved despite the entire book leading you up to what really happened. I would say I greatly enjoyed the first 75% of this book despite it being a bit slow at times. The last 25% of the book was just confusing and seemed like an afterthought. Overall mixed emotions on The Influencers.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC.

4.5./5, this one surprised me! I was curious about it based on the description, and one of the blurbs referring to it as a "Knives out, but influencers" type plot. When I started, I wasn't sure it would be as solid as it was. Initial chapters left me doubting. I found the multi-POV from each daughter, the mother, and other important characters very interesting. I enjoyed the fan perspectives / public perspectives, but would have been ok with less of those chapters and more from the main characters.

The Influencers did one key thing: it KEPT ME READING. I couldn't put it down because I had to know if I was right, and how everything played out.
There are a lot of different commentaries in here that are needed in today's world of over-sharing. I appreciated that it looked at the life of Mother May I from when I was coming up with bloggers etc, to the way influencers are today.

Give this a read: it'll surprise you.

thank you to penguin & NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Random House for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC. The blurb for this refers to the book as campy and escapist. Yes it is. It is a beach read in the best sense of the word. It is also well written, and a thoughtful look at expectations of mothers and children, social strata and sexuality. It is told in the form of short chapters- with the point of view of the participants as well as a narrator. The story line goes thru several timelines, and describes several podcasts, social media posts etc. It is not had to follow and is fun to read. May Iverson is an influencer. She uses the name Mother May I, and posts about her 5 daughters and her life as a mother.She divorced the girls father years ago and uses her last name for the daughters- who are named April, June, July, January and March. A year ago, May remarried , to a man named August, and things seem wonderful. Until they aren't. August is found dead and the house is in flames. May tries to carry on with her life, as the police search for the killer. Her daughters are all grown, and living their own lives, with varying degrees of social presence. Except for March, who has disappeared. It is a good look at life being lived on social media. It is campy, sarcastic, witty and thoughtful. I thought the end was not a smooth finish, but otherwise this is a great book to take on your next vacation!

This book was an interesting vibe for me. I requested it via NetGalley because I was obsessed with the cover, and I frankly find our society’s obsession with influencers fascinating. I also thought this novel is being released at a super relevant time, with many kids who grew up in the fishbowl of social media now releasing tell-alls.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I did struggle with the pacing and the abrupt changes between POVs, especially when it pivoted between the sisters’ POVs and the fans. At times, I enjoyed reading about the fans opinions on Mother May I and her daughters, but other times, it didn’t feel necessary to me. I really wanted more time with the family overall.

I struggled with how to rate this story but really enjoyed the ending and the twists and turns that occurred, so I ended up giving it four stars. I think you will really enjoy this book if like:

Mysteries
“Who Done it” Vibes
Complex Family Dynamics
LGBTQIA+ Representation
Multiple POVs

I love this concept: a momfluencer who has made her career by exploiting her children without their consent (and sometimes against their wishes) finds her perfectly constructed world crumbling after those children grow up and move out. Add in an MLM-bro of a husband who dies under mysterious circumstances and a fire that damages her immaculate, Instagram-worthy mansion, and you've got a couple of crimes, more than few suspects, and a whole lot of voyeurs who want to watch the whole empire burn.

This was beautiful. All the characters were developed and the pacing was perfect. It defied my expectations...because generally, novels about social media influencers (even the best of them) tend to be a bit vapid.

Interesting premise, but felt like the overall story dragged a bit. And didn't necessarily care about the mystery at the center.
A bit long but very creative!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Influencers.

Brace yourself, here's another novel featuring the trials and tribulations that come with being social media influencers.

I liked the cover and the premise made it sound like this was a murder mystery involving sibling influencers.

But it's not.

This was more character oriented featuring discussions about each daughter named after a month, and the privilege, superficiality, and shallowness of influencers.

There's plenty of descriptions of each Iverson, but you never really know each of them individually.

I didn't dislike anyone; I just didn't connect with anyone.

There's a disconnect to the writing, not helped by the sections of the followers of May Iverson, the mother influencer extraordinaire. I felt these sections distracting than helpful.

The narrative is slow-paced with no suspense or urgency; there's name dropping and descriptions of how May Iverson built her brand and used her childrens' identities to become rich and famous.

The writing style and tone lacks empathy and warmth, maybe because we're talking about social media and the people who power our obsession with influencers.

There's no mystery here, nothing to unravel, no clues to follow.

It's just a long-winded narrative about the Iverson family, who might or might not be capable of murder, how their mom ruined their lives by airing their private lives to the public.

There's nothing here I haven't read elsewhere with similar themes and topics.

I thought this was a mystery and it isn't, far from it.

3 stars.

I like that the plot of this book was unique, but it felt slow paced and the characters felt a bit flat.

The different viewpoints kept this story interesting, although the different ‘followers’ were difficult to distinguish at times. None of the characters were likable. I wonder if Anna-Marie McLemore wrote them with the intention of the reader having little empathy for anyone? It is definitely an observation of our influencer and celebrity culture and how we love to see the demise of people like that.
Too much privilege, unpleasantness and fakeness has led the Inversons to be slowly destroyed online after a family member is found dead, probably murdered. The haters, fans and fame hungry are quick to throw theories online on which of the sisters killed him. At the core of the story is how an online sensation promoting family, togetherness and support for mothers was found to be a sham. As a reader you are left to decide if the sisters are justified or is the mother the true victim here.
Thanks to Netgalley and The Dial Press for the ARC.

While the premise of The Influencers is engaging and offers sharp commentary on fame, family, and the pressures of social media, the execution fell short for me. The pacing was uneven, with too many scenes that felt unnecessary, slowing the story’s flow. The family dynamics were underdeveloped, and I struggled to connect emotionally with the characters. I also figured out right away what had happened to March.

That said, I did appreciate the satirical edge and enjoyed the multiple perspectives, especially the inclusion of the online audience’s take on the family.

Overall, The Influencers offers an interesting look at the cost of commodifying personal lives but doesn’t quite hit the mark.

This book was really good!!! In the day and age of social medias and all things influenced, this was such a great read!!! This book will have you hooked from beginning to end!!!

I can appreciate what this was trying to do. I just think it was trying a little too hard for my taste. I think there's definitely a lot of interesting commentary on internet fame in here.