"People to Follow" by Olivia Worley is a pulse-pounding debut novel that takes readers on a thrilling journey into the dark side of social media fame. Set against the backdrop of a remote Caribbean island, this gripping tale follows ten teen influencers who find themselves trapped in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

"In Real Life" is the latest reality show sensation, promising fame and fortune to its contestants as they unplug from social media and confront the harsh realities of life without filters. But when the production crew fails to show up and a member of their group is found dead, the influencers realize that they're not just playing a game—they're fighting for their lives.

Worley expertly crafts a diverse cast of characters, each with their own secrets and vulnerabilities, adding layers of depth and complexity to the story. From Elody, the impulsive Instagram model, to Logan, the disgraced TikTok celeb with a hidden agenda, every character is fleshed out with nuance and authenticity.

As the body count rises and tensions mount, the influencers must navigate a treacherous landscape of betrayal and deception, all while being watched by an unseen audience and threatened by a mysterious Sponsor. With cameras tracking their every move and their darkest secrets at risk of being exposed, the stakes couldn't be higher.

Filled with twists, turns, and heart-pounding suspense, "People to Follow" is a riveting page-turner that will keep readers guessing until the very end. Worley's sharp writing and knack for storytelling make this novel impossible to put down, offering a chilling glimpse into the dangers of fame and the lengths people will go to protect their image. Fans of thrillers and social media culture won't want to miss this captivating read.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for the copy of this eARC for my honest review. All ratings and any reviews are opinions of my own.

I, like probably a few others, did not realize this was a young adult book when I selected to read it. Had I known, I wouldn't have chose to read it. I would recommend it to young adults/teens, but not for adults who like adult thrillers, lol!

Since this novel was for a younger crowed, it was mainly drama between the characters, and less mystery and suspense. It was entertaining enough for the first bit, but then it became really predictable and kind of boring for me. I also didn't really like any of the characters!

Thanks for the copy!

This book is such a good time. The story takes place on a small isolated island where 10 influencers in their late teens/early 20s agree to leave their phones and all form of communication on the mainland for the sake of a reality TV show about disconnecting from social media. Through a series of suspicious coincidences, the TV crew never shows up, and then influencers start dying. It's told from the POV of 4 different characters and none of them are 100% reliable, leaving the reader questioning until the very end. I won't give too much away except that the ending did surprise me and I loved the way everything wrapped up. One of the best parts of this book was the epilogue where all the loose ends were tied and nothing was left without explanation. I'm not a massive reader of thrillers, especially YA thrillers, so I can't speak to how original these characters/plot points/twists are, but to me they felt unique. Overall I was a huge fan and I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys YA thrillers or YA books in general.

This book was a little too drawn out for me. I think this book was a little too YA for me. I personally couldn’t connect with any characters.

This book is officially my last try in the influencers are stuck on a dangerous island/place genre. Either this book is awesome, orrrr I’m giving up….. I have high hopes that I’ll love it! Or I’ll just know that concept isn’t for me 🤷‍♀️

Edit, review: So I think I’ve officially decided this concept just isn’t for me. I want to love it bc conceptually I find it so interesting- but actually 4x trying it? Maybe it’s me!

I would've loved this book when I was younger -- the "locked room"-style mystery, messy and toxic characters, multiple POVs, and over the top antics would've checked every box for me. Being a bit outside of the target demographic and a lifelong thriller reader, I still appreciated the popcorn thriller vibes and reality tv type of escapism that the story provided.

I felt like the premise of this was so good. But the execution was what lacked for me. While multiple POV is one of my top tier reads, this one just had way too man characters to keep track of where I was constantly going back to see who exactly I was reading. It was definitely a really nice YA thriller that still had those elements of surprise.

Honestly, this was so identical to Never Coming Home that I thought it was the same book rereleased with a new title at first. Unfortunately, it had the same drawbacks of that one too — too many POVs, characters you don’t care about, and a plot that drags.

A reality show where the top influencers must disconnect from social media for three weeks. Everyone has their perfectly curated lives, but they also have secrets that they can't have getting out. A mysterious Sponsor is threatening to expose them all, and with the body count rising, they're running out of time to save themselves.

I truly think this is more so that I'm not the right audience for the book. While I do love some YA books (especially horror and thrillers) not all of them are a hit. While this wasn't my favorite, I did read this in one sitting. A solid YA popcorn thriller

Wow, I didn’t put this one down! It was so suspenseful and well written. I was so shocked by the ending and couldn’t believe who the sponsor was. This was a stunning debut novel!

A remote Caribbean island 10 influencers secrets and drama and a dead body I'm intrigued! I loved the concept of influencers having to not always be on unplugging from social content. Overall a good story it did feel a bit longer than it needed to be for me personally. Overall solid story good execution by the author.

This was a twisty, turner thrilled filled with unlikeable characters. If you have a fascination with influencer culture and you like thrillers this one is for you. While this wasn’t my favorite thriller it was a fun time.

YA thriller about influencers stuck on an island together afraid of being “#canceled”. While I did find this story enjoyable it was told in multiple POV which was slightly confusing in the beginning with so many characters. However, once I figured out who was who I had no trouble. If you mix reality tv with murder… this is exactly what the book reminded me of. I had no idea who the killer was until it was literally spelled out for me.

Thanks to NetGalley& St Martins Press for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was tagged as YA mystery and while the characters were teens, otherwise it didn't read super young to me. As an adult I enjoyed it just as much as any teenager could. Perhaps some of the 'influencer speak' and other parts of that would could go over the heads of some adults and that could be why it is marketed that way.

But as a story, I really enjoyed. It kept me engaged and entertained and also kept me guessing. It was like an updated version of "And Then There Were None" for the social media saavy. It was a fun twist, having all the different types of influencers and seeing how the reveal all came together at the end.

This is a pretty typical YA thriller. It's a quick, entertaining read, but it's nothing revolutionary. I think teens would love this, though.

just a middle of the road ya/mystery for me! found this one was lacking some character development and found them pretty annoying.

This one just wasn't for me and I think that's just because it's too YA. The way the teens talk is really cringy and superficial and I just couldn't get into it. DNF

This was an twisty YA thriller/mystery, with an interesting ending.

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

I didn’t realize this was YA when I picked it up, but my views have changed slightly now that I’ve clarified that. Knowing that now, I think this would definitely be an entertaining read for the teen crowd and fans of the YA thriller reads. A balance of social commentary, just right scary and reality show level “reality” in storyline. The story definitely kept me guessing right up to the end with some clever twists I didn’t see coming. Also provided some good behind the scenes views of the dark side of social media and internet fame without being too in your face about it. Definitely worth the read.