3.5.

I'm really torn if I should bump my rating up to 4 stars or down to 3, because the last 1/4 of the book was my favorite part. I think I'll stick with three stars, as the story all-around was fresh and thought-provoking, but this isn't going to sit on a favorites list for me personally. A truly wonderful debut, and a different sort of book to pick up that I definitely recommend!

JUST FOR CLICKS follows Claire, the twin sister of Poppy and one third of the internet's favorite family. When all you've know since conception is how to pose in front of a camera and do cute things for a mommy blog, it can feel like your life is fake and processed simply for the benefit of others. This book follows Claire as she discovers what each member of her family do the internet lifestyle for, and if it's really for her. It also goes in-depth on how to establish relationships with others when everything about you is out in the open for anyone to see. JUST FOR CLICKS really GOES THERE, and I was invested the entire time.

TW: PTSD, attempted kidnapping

Something I LOVED about this book--especially when comparing it to other similar contemporaries--was how on-page the unique plot points were. We actually SEE Claire do coding and explain how it works. Ashley teaches Raphael how sponsorships work. The different hobbies weren't just mentioned in passing or used for convenience. As readers, we are able to see the details of it. The same goes with the setting. I've actually been to Gilbert, Arizona and the surrounding areas, and the descriptions and intricate details of what it's like to live there are accurate and full of the heart that actually exists. The details of the mountains and towns are all real and actually are places! I love fictional towns in the likes of Sarah Dessen, but I also love when books have a firm grounding in reality as well.

While I do wish at times we got Poppy's perspective, I loved the focus on twins from Claire's sole POV. I'm somewhat of a twin myself and our relationship is just like any biological twins' would be. JUST FOR CLICKS dives deep into what makes you a sibling, a relative, DNA match or not. It's so sweet and wholesome and I loved Poppy and Claire. Both got my nerves, but both have my heart. If you watch any sort of family channel or follow a family blog, then you'll be able to see what it's like to be in their shoes (to a degree). While reading this I thought of the McKnight family (of CuteGirlsHairstyles and Brooklyn and Bailey fame), and the Bucket List Family. Their kids have all been impacted in this same way. it really makes you want to go back in time and stop all your past judgments of internet personas.

While I did really enjoy this book, I had a few issues. Mostly they revolved around the romance. I was so bored by it and felt like it was forced by the author. Raphael is a POC which was neat, but he didn't seem like a proper fit for Claire. And while she did forgive him for stalking up on her life and pretending to not know anything about it, I would not have. That crosses a line, even if your life is extremely public. Besides Claire, Poppy, and Ashley, I felt like most of the characters were pretty one-dimensional. We saw glimpses of quite a few, especially since BITES introduced internet friends into the mix (in a really clever and fun way), but I honestly didn't care about any and therefore didn't feel betrayed by Olivia or Nora's behavior.

The writing was pretty slow, but just when I felt like I was going to be bored something really exciting would happen and I was hooked again. In all honesty, the acknowledgements were one of my favorite parts. I really felt like the author's true personality shone through and I wanted that style to appear more in her book. (Yes, I'm the person that reads the acknowledgements. Don't judge). The crawling pace and uninteresting romance were really the only flaws I saw in this fresh and reflective debut. This is a story that will stick with you after you finish reading, and I'm so glad I chose to pick this one up.

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an arc of this to review. All opinions are my own.

*There are some spoilers in this review.*
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Mommy blogs are great . . . unless the blog happens to belong to your mom.
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We live in a world where we share everything with everyone. And sometimes, we feel more comfortable telling the truth to a stranger rather than someone who knows us because the stranger can't judge us. And if they did, what's it matter? Their opinion is mute. But for someone who grows up in full view of the world, Claire now has to figure herself out with those eyes still on her. Being famous means a perfect life, correct? Hanging with the Kardashians and running this week's Red Carpet? Not for Claire Dixon. That seems more of Poppy's thing.

I was truly worried this book would play on the "fire good, technology bad"-caveman mentality that the older generations have, but I was happily surprised it didn't. There were a few moments that I had a moment - such as Rafael accusing Claire of lying about 'who she really was'. My online-life and my "real"-life are not separate or secrets - there are certain environments I'm more willing to gush about books and bookish things than I am about my personal life and things going on. Claire and Rafael were just starting to know each other - I'll tell a stranger certain private things, but not a stranger that I'm hoping becomes a friend. (And, Claire didn't want to be connected to something that she didn't enjoy. It wasn't who she 'really' was.) But I suppose that's how the character is and the development of Rafael and Claire shows.

It was a sweet, clean slow-burn romance, something that focused more on familial relationships and courting rather than the sex and money thrown into our face by modern society. It was refreshing and cute, but not my personal taste.

Overall, the characters and the environment were easy to relate to and quick to catch on. It sounded like I was reading bout someone who truly exists today (and I wouldn't be surprised if there was someone out there going through this same exact circumstance). I came into age just as social media was taking off, and I look back now trying to think of how it has changed my life. This book helped me ask the right questions to myself, and now I've found another side of me underneath what shows on the computer screen.

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Thank you Netgalley and the publishers at Amberjack Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read and review Just for Clicks.

Something weird happened with my laptop and a lot of my downloads disappeared, including this and other Netgalley ARCs I had not yet gotten around to, but are now archived and not available to re-download... I am sadness

Thank you for granting us an ARC of "Just for Clicks" while we greatly enjoyed the premise we did not chose it for our February box.

I think the thing that really gets me the most after reading <i>Just for Clicks</i> by Kara McDowell is that I am genuinely surprised by how much of a following people leading this sort of life actually have. It's most likely a personality thing, but I just don't get it. The world that is described in <i>Just for Clicks</i> is a thoroughly baffling and foreign one to me. And yet, I suppose it actually does exist. I cannot imagine being one of those people. The story follows Claire Dixon, daughter of a "mommy blogger" whose twin sister genuinely enjoys life in the spotlight. It just comes with the territory that Claire must continue to live with and practically for the brand that was built as her legacy before she could even walk. Of course, she is far more interested in living her own story outside of the spotlight of internet fame and just wants to attend college to get a degree in computer science. Of course, as a result of her fame, life has other plans in store for her.

Honestly, there is a <i>lot</i> to unpack from this novel, which in its own way made the entire book rather similar to real life in the sense that it was kind of a mess. That said, there are several moments when you really have to suspend your disbelief to buy into the novel. But then again, as someone who never lived the life as an internet sensation made popular by the insanity of online fans who bolster the fame of young children whose mother's put them out for the world to see, so do I really know what that world is like? And, I dunno, the more I look back on the book the more I feel like there was just <i>so much</i> involved. From cyber-bullies to kidnappers to a giant and yet thoroughly predictable twist (but it's a spoiler so I won't say more) and to the main plot point of a teenage girl simply not wanting to be internet famous any longer despite how enmeshed she's already become in the life.

The best thing that <i>Just for Clicks </i>has going for it is that the novel is quite engaging throughout. There are several issues with it from believability to something as simple as having too much happening all at once. I alternated between a three and a four-star review for this book for a long time before settling on three largely due to the rather rushed ending. But the novel is enjoyable despite those issues. I don't see myself ever reading it again, but I don't regret the time I spent with it either. There definitely could have been some facets to the novel that made it better--I don't think the cyber-bulling piece was really all that necessary since it was never really fleshed out and was resolved <i>far</i> too quickly for how it panned out in the end--but it's a pretty decent book if you're looking for something to pass the time.

<i>I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

I received an ARC of Just for Clicks from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. It was just released on February 19th.

I love books involving social media and the internet world, so I knew I wanted and had to read Just for Clicks. It did not disappoint and I actually ended up loving it so much! It’s so relevant for today with blogs, YouTube, going viral and becoming internet famous happening pretty much daily. I think a lot of people can relate to that. The story itself was fun and cute, but also had some real emotional and important moments as well.

I loved that there was a lot of focus on family and friendship. I really enjoyed Claire’s and Rafael’s friendship so much. There’s a slow burn romance as well, which was great. I liked that it was more focused on friendship. Poppy and Claire both struggle with internet fame in different ways, which I think is so true for so many people that are internet famous today. So many people handle situations differently and I think this is a huge one. I loved that we got to see a bunch of different sides of it between Poppy, Claire, and their mom. They love each other so much, but there are also so many dysfunctional aspects to their family as well, so you get to see all of that too.

Overall, I really loved Just for Clicks. I loved the characters, the relationships, and pretty much everything about it. It was fun and cute, but it also had its moments where things turn and I’m like “WTF IS GOING ON”. I did get emotional at times as well, because I was really invested in the characters and their stories. I personally don’t know if I would ever be able to handle being “internet famous”, but I love that you get to see all the positives and the negatives of that world and that life. I would definitely recommend reading Just for Clicks.

Claire was living the life that some dream of. She is one half of a set of twin sisters and they have lived their whole life behind a mommy blog that later turned family vlog. These girls have everything that they could ever want. They get the best seats and the best swag at all the events. But just because they are popular and well known, doesn't mean that they are living the best life that they can. Claire has always been different. She has always known that the luxurious life that she has been living is not the life that she wants. She starts to realize that she wants to be different. But she also wants to make her family proud. So, as she finds the strength to be there for her mom and her twin sister, she also finds out some deep dark secrets. Some things that she already knew, and other she had no idea. So, she decided that it was time that she took matters into her own hands and live the life that she wants.

I received this book as a e-arc from Netgalley and I am not going to lie, I solely choose this book on it's cover. Yes, I am that person. I chose books by their cover because honestly it is the first thing you see. I tend to this a lot. I really only "judge" the book by how well it is written and how well it had me wanting more out of the story. This book did just that. I felt that it was somewhat a slow read at first. I did like how the chapters were broken up into sections by separating them with either an email chain or a text message chain. I felt like this really allowed you to see that Claire is just a normal teenage girl that is trying to find her way in life. This format helped the chapters to be more like every day conversation verses just chapters in a book. Because of this, I was more into the story and I found myself not wanting to put it down. I think that books that start slow and really pick up are some of the hidden gems that people do not necessarily give the time of day. Give yourself a chance and try Just Clicks! You will not be disappointed!

I received an ARC from Amberjack Publishing via NetGalley in exchange of honest review. I was super excited when I saw the cover + read the premise. It's very unique yet relatable at the same time? I've never read a book which entirely focused on the current blogging/vlogging hype, so I'm excited to read this one.

THE YAY
✅ The cover, obviously?
✅ An original premise, YES.
✅ Cute e-mail and message exchanges.
✅ Rafael.
✅ Friend into lover trope, but better.
✅ Character-driven and I praised every one of them. (Yes, even the bad ones)
✅ Easy to follow, especially with its light writing.
(view spoiler)

THE NAY
❌ A bit awkward sibling/twins relationship. I can't sense the sibling connection at all.
❌ Few characters got their development in a snap of finger towards the end of the story and it just feels rushed.

Overall, I'd recommend this book if you're looking for:
✨ Something light but still entertaining.
✨ Relatable plot with current hype and trend.
✨ Friend into lover with a little romance and a lot more friendship.

There is no denying we live in an internet famous world. We have YouTube and Instagram and Snap Chat. We have blogs and Facebook and Twitter. People want to make their mark and they try to become internet famous overnight. So when I read the description for Just for Clicks I immediately wanted to pick it up because we never think of the people that are brought into internet fame just because their parents are internet famous. I was intrigued by the idea and I can say happily that Kara McDowell did not let me down. This book is fantastic guys! Like, blow you away, fantastic!

Just for Clicks is the story of Poppy and Claire, twins that become internet famous thanks to their mom’s blog going viral when they were babies. Now teenagers, they must continue to build their brand at all times. But as one twin starts to hate all the notoriety more and more she must figure if she should continue doing with makes her mom and sister happy or if she should finally do what makes her happy. And what to do about her mom’s handwritten journals that contain stuff that wasn’t on the blog.

The thing I loved most about this book is that it made me think a lot about social media. I follow a couple of Instagram accounts that have been using their children to do ads for different brands and it got me thinking about what their lives will be like when they are older. Currently the choice is being taken away from them because they are basically too little to decide. But what will happen when they are Poppy and Claire’s age? When they want to have a life of their own outside of the public eye? When it becomes a job and not fun? Those where the things that jumped out to me most when I was reading Poppy and Claire’s story and Claire’s struggle with it all.

The other thing I loved about this book is the unexpected turns it took. As I was reading it I would read a part and be shocked that what I read happened because I never expected the story to go that way or for something like that to be unveiled. It was all done so naturally it took my completely off guard and I loved it. It made the reading experience all the more enjoyable.

Just for Clicks is not at all what I was expecting. When I picked it up I thought I was going to get a story about twin girls and their ‘whoa is me’ attitude. Instead I got a deeper story about being put on a path you didn’t choose and what that means when it is your choice and who it affects. This book is A+. top notch and I 100% recommend you snag a copy and read it. I think you will be pleasantly surprised that it is more than you expect going in. Read it!

Rating: 4.5 Stars

In this day and age, when social media plays such a big role in our lives, Claire wanted to escape it all and be "just Claire", but after playing her role for so long, she first needed to figure out who "just Claire" really was.

• Pro: I have a love/hate relationship with social media, and I really appreciated all the different sides of internet fame McDowell presented. She showed the good, the bad, and the ugly of it all, as well as the perceptions of both fans and the internet stars. Lots of interesting commentary in there without being judgmental.

• Pro: This book was a LOT deeper than I expected. There were some pretty major issues touched upon with respect to family, loyalty, grief, and self fulfillment, among others, and it was done in a thoughtful way without making the book too heavy.

• Pro: The friendship and romance between Claire and Raphael was really fun and cute. She was living her life online, while he insisted on in person meetings and eye contact. They were seemingly different yet so good together. These two definitely supplied me with some of my favorite scenes.

• Pro: The inclusion of the different media - emails, texts, posts, was a lot of fun and nice touch for a book centered around the use of electronic media.

• Pro: Claire was the star of this story, and I adored her. From her awkward attempts at romance to her fantastically nerdy coding t-shirts, she was a girl after my own heart. She was grappling with so many different things in this book - feeling like the odd man out, worrying about her safety, her sense of being less than, and her waning desire to partake in the family business. Her struggle with what she wanted and what her family wanted came across well, and I felt for her as she tried to come to terms with her emotions regarding her online life PLUS all the other things, which precipitated over the course of this story.

• Pro: The family dynamic was a big driving force in this story, and it was interesting to observe. I know I formed a lot of instant opinions, which I then had to nullify as I learned more of the details, and also as other characters gave their two cents on the situations.

Overall: A compelling look at life online, which was thoughtful, fun, sweet, and adorable.

Going into this, I really didn't expect to have this much fun reading it. The plot is fairly predictable, some of the drama is a little too contrived, the characters aren't super nuanced (but do get significant development) — but it's one heck of an entertaining story, and the second half is filled with satisfying little moments building up to a very neat resolution.

It's a very comfortable read, one that didn't challenge any of my assumptions but did slightly surprise me (pleasantly) at times, and one I would recommend to most people who like narratives about personal identity, family, friendship, the line between private and professional (particularly for public figures), and a bit of romance.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the early copy!

This was well-done YA contemporary with interesting characters, I will be checking out more from McDowell in the future.

RTC

It was alright. Pretty average all across the board. Nothing overly gripping about the writing or the plot. The characters were mildly interesting at all times. I felt that the pacing was off for the first half of the book but not in a seriously off-putting way. I liked it. I didn't love it. Good for a light read and good for the younger end of the intended audience.. Older teens I think will be hit or miss but 13-15 y/o will enjoy it in my opinion. One thing I did enjoy was the freshness of the writing. It wasn't great but it was a nice change of pace. 3.5 stars overall.

I didn't like this as much as I thought I would. It was still good, but possibly my expectations were just too high. I found the protagonists a bit annoying, and this booms simply didn't catch my attention.

Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book... It was really good.

Just for Clicks is about fraternal twins, Poppy and Claire and the way their mom's fashion and lifestyle blog has molded their lives and how they deal with being internet famous. But this is Claire's story, and Claire's story alone.

Claire is unlike her sister in many ways – where Poppy is all about the fashion and internet fame, and embracing the lifestyle their mom built for them, Claire would rather be a normal teen, and clings to her privacy wherever she can (which is pretty impossible considering the family business). Since building their own brand apart from their mom's blog, and becoming YouTube famous with their vlogs, Poppy is a pro at thinking up new videos, and she's so good with the fans and fame in general. Claire feels there is some unspoken competition... and she's constantly losing. While she doesn't want to reveal every little aspect of her life to fans and trolls alike, she also is torn to keep her mother and sister happy. But she would much rather stay behind the scenes because Claire really enjoys coding and web design.

"The only person I've ever competed with is Poppy, and it's pretty clear how that's turned out. She wins everything, every time."

Enter: Rafael! Right from the get-go, I found him intriguing. He's a traveler, or rather, his dad is and he just has to tag along. (His dad is with Doctors Without Borders.) Rafael's got interesting hair, he basically never has a cell phone, and he is a beast at maintaining eye contact. Plus, he's super disturbingly friendly and has the uncanny ability to fit into a school in a single day.

The way Rafael and Claire meet is pure fate. Claire drops her phone, thus cracking the screen and rendering it useless. She goes into lunch, unable to contact her sister to see where she is, and has to sit and eat alone. Everyone else has their phone in their face, which prompts Rafael (at school on his first day) to pull up a chair and sit with Claire.

"I think about all the kids in the cafeteria bent over their screens, and how I may have never gotten to look into Rafael's eyes if my phone had been working."

One of the things I really liked about the book were the email clips/text convos/tweets/etc. placeholders between each chapter. It's a really cool feature, especially in a novel where internet culture is a prime focus. (For example, a bird poops in Claire's mouth – so gross, poor Claire – and someone films it and uploads it to YouTube. It goes viral. So then she gets an email from a mouthwash company, offering a collaboration opportunity, and you get to read the direct email in between the chapters.)

The fact that Claire meets Rafael, a traveling teenager who isn't phone- or technology-obsessed (plus, bonus, he doesn't even know who Claire Dixon IS) was a really nice premise. Rafael is non-existent on social media, and gives Claire a "blank slate," so to speak. They start to become really good friends, and they had really good chemistry. But Claire starts to really like him, but can't even begin to guess what he's thinking when they're together.

I really loved these two as main characters, and even though I couldn't really connect with Poppy, it felt okay, since this was Claire's story. The fame and popularity drives a wedge between Claire and her sister, and when Claire uncovers some devastating news, it makes the chasm even greater.

If you're looking for a book that drips with internet culture, about a girl who is dying to get her face off the grid, meanwhile falling for a guy who is perpetually offline, then you will love this book, just as I did.

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<p><em><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38349296-just-for-clicks?from_search=true">Just for Clicks</a> </em>by Kara McDowell</p>
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<p>Rating: 4.5/5</p>
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<p>This book comes out on February 19th! Be sure to check it out!</p>
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<p style="text-align:center"><strong>(I received this as an e-ARC from netgalley!)</strong></p>
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<p>This is a debut novel by Kara McDowell and it was definitely a pleasant surprise! Twin sisters Claire and Poppy are social media sensations. You could say they were born into the business, as their mom is a famous fashion/mommy blogger. While Poppy loves the fame and the "influence", Claire is the complete opposite. </p>
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<p>Claire goes through a journey of self-discovery as she battles with her "privacy" and identity. And let me tell you, this is not your generic cute story. Oh, no! This was a fun rollercoaster of emotions!</p>
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<p style="text-align:center">Secrets are revealed and CRAZINESS ensues! </p>
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<p>I did not expect what would happen, which made this story all the more exciting! Though I found Claire a bit too cynical, I could totally understand where she was coming from. Her entire life is online for everyone to enjoy, and that definitely comes with cons. And of course, people can act jealous... I mean... they get free clothes and get to travel places! Who wouldn't want that?</p>
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<p>It was definitely an interesting discussion, especially because one sister enjoyed the life while the other just wanted to live her own life and be herself!</p>
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<p>When I started the book, I was skeptical, because what kind of mother puts her daughters' lives online without really thinking about the consequences? Why doesn't anyone realize Claire doesn't like the lack of privacy? And I really liked that it made me think about checking myself... I shouldn't judge a person's parenting styles, right? It's hard... and it's definitely easier to judge when you're anonymous online!</p>
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<p>Not only does this novel bring this into discussion, but it also has the perfect cute little romance! I'm a sucker for cute boys that are enthusiastic and sassy! Rafael is a pure angel and so fun to read! He's new to school and Claire is Just Claire... no online persona necessary! And it's ADORABLE, OKAY?!</p>
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<p>I loved reading their friendship and screaming "JUST KISS ALREADY" during certain scenes! I loved the interesting relationship between the twins and how different they were, but how they still stuck up for each other! </p>
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<p>Kara McDowell really did an amazing job creating a fun and unique story involving common tropes! She made it her own and definitely surprised me (and I'm not always surprised!)! I would recommend this to anyone who likes teenage angst, social media and how it affects day to day life, cute friendships and sassy characters, interesting family drama, and a rollercoaster of emotions! </p>
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<p>This was funny, sad, and dramatic! Everything I didn't know I was going to get, and it was PERFECT.</p>
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Not my normal go to read but I really enjoyed it for its quick and easy lanaguage. It's not something I'm going to reread, but there will be an audience out there that will, most definately have this on their go to pile.

Just For Clicks is the type of novel I’m automatically supposed to love, it had everything that made for the perfect contemporary: complicated yet interesting family dynamics, a cute love interest and lots of drama but for me it was missing that tiny spark that makes an ordinary book extraordinary. I still loved lots of elements in this book, I just wished it captured my attention a little bit more.

For starters, I really loved the blogging/vlogging element of this book. Being a blogger myself I completely understand the hard work and effort that goes into blogging and the pressure of wanting to make sure that everything is absolutely perfect, this part of the story really resonated with me and I enjoyed reading about it. I also loved that the author addressed internet fame and the often nasty side that comes with it, she speaks openly about internet bullying and the risks of going out in public where everyone thinks they know you just because they know your name & face and have read about you online. This is a very scary and real problem that a lot of Youtubers are facing in this day and age and I loved that she shone a very real light on it.

The story is told from only Claire’s perspective and although she was a good narrator and a fairly likeable character, I felt like we missed out on Poppy’s thoughts and feelings. I would’ve loved to read certain scenarios from Poppy’s point-of-view and it kinda felt to me like she was being pushed to the background. I think this is also why it felt to me like their relationship was weird, because we never got to fully understand what Poppy was thinking about important moments and scenarios that happened in the book. I somewhat liked Claire, she was smart & witty and I loved the fact that she was so immersed into coding, it’s always refreshing to read about female characters interested in STEM, but I also had a hard time connecting with her character. I never got a good grasp on her, making it hard for me to understand her thoughts and where she was coming from, it also made it more difficult to submerge myself fully in the story.

I really liked Rafael, he was my favourite character and a real sweetheart. I love how he treated Claire and saw her for more than just a persona online, he actually listened to her as a person and I loved how interested and invested he was in her hobbies {coding} and her problems at home. I am also a sucker for slow-burn romance {and Claire and Rafael really had that going for them} but I felt like it was stretched out more than it needed to be in certain instances, the constant mixed signals and miscommunications about whether Claire was dating someone else became a bit exhausting. I also felt like the secondary characters weren’t fleshed out enough, Olivia plays a crucial role in the story but she doesn’t appear more than a few times and she probably has no more than three sentences. The same rang true about a few other characters that I can’t go into detail about, because spoilers.

However I still enjoyed reading Just For Clicks. Although I didn’t love everything about this book, I still think it is a very important read when it comes to online presence and internet fame. I also loved some of the plot twists and Rafael was a complete angel. I really don’t think this is a bad book and I am definitely recommending it to fans of sister relationships, slow-burn romances and complex family dynamics.

Just for Clicks is a light breezy book about one of a set of twin influencers, whose whole lives have been online since they were born, and who is feeling stifled by it. Claire and her sister Poppy established their own brand with a vlog, as an offshot from their mom's fashion and life blog, but now Claire doesn't feel as enamored by the lifestyle. She is tired of the constant lack of privacy, the invasive nature of followers, and while she hates it all, she goes along because that is her family business. Finding one of her mom's journal gives her more insight into her mother's life, and consequently hers and her figuring out what she thinks of their family's online presence.

While this book is a contemporary romance in a way, it is also a lot about family. Claire feels like a misfit in hers, and she has problems with the way her life and relationships are forever marked by picture perfect moments for public display. The line between keeping memories and sharing with the world is a topic discussed, as well as the lack of privacy suffered by those who have big online presences. Poppy's sister loves the life, however, and Claire feels like she has to do it so that her sister can have the life she likes. A major theme that arose out of this is what online presences mean for a person: for Claire, it is about being allowed to tell her story, not an image that people can see at as a brand. It was what draws her to Rafael, initially - the fact that he wasn't aware that she was famous, and so she gets an even footing with him, knowledge-wise.

The writing style and tone is nice and light, though it still deals with some tough things. Claire's voice comes out perfectly well - it doesn't sound like a caricature of a 'not like other teen' who just 'hates social media' but a person with her own reasons for liking and disliking various aspects of it. She has her insecurities that are worsened by the trolling and the bullying, which she finds a way through. I must admit, though, that the ending felt a little too easy for what was being built up - it felt like it had to go some way and wrap it up, so the characters were suddenly more mature and understanding after finally sitting down and talking about stuff; the issues weren't just about misunderstandings or not seeing things, they were deeper. On another note, Rafael's digital ignorance was taking it a bit too far - he is still a Gen Z kid, whichever country he was in, okay? Being in rural India for 14 months doesn't entirely mean you are living under a rock, especially when in some cases he was using pretty recent slang.

Overall, it is a quick and entertaining read, delving into online fame and the trials of being famous, but also paying attention to characters and relationships.

Claire and Poppy grew up in the social media limelight. Their mother blogging about their lives until the three of them became household names. Now in high school Claire discovers her history isn’t all as it was blogged and as she researches past facts she realizes her life’s ambitions may not be the same as her sister’s. When she meets Rafael and learns his story he helps her realize that her definition of family may not be as pretty as the blog posts but her feelings and ties to her sister are real.

Even though Claire and Poppy were internet stars they had the drama and emotions of normal high school teenagers. Claire was the more introverted of the two sisters and so felt each emotion and comment cut deeper. That sensitivity made her afraid to speak her feelings until they grew so large in her own head they overwhelmed her. I’ll admit I grew frustrated with most of the characters in this novel because a little communication would have allayed so many of their fears, but then I guess we wouldn’t have had much of a novel to read!

Rafael ended up being my favorite character, yet, he too was not 3D. Having lived all over the world with his father with Doctors without Borders should have given him a broader frame to draw his experiences from, yet he never got past the drama and his own teenage insecurities. My expectations may have been set a little high, but I was really looking for a reason to love this novel and instead never got past like.

As a blogger myself, I thought I should have found this plot more interesting. Their life as bloggers was actually kind of fun and I’d have liked to see more of that. Part of the problem was that some of the subject matter, while deep, was written with a lighter touch that seemed to de-emphasize the importance of what was happening in that scene, so the tone of the novel was too light for the drama it was trying to represent. It kept me from connecting with these characters in a way that I needed to do to enjoy their journey. ❤️❤️❤️❣️

I received a free copy of the ARC for my honest review and it was honest.