Although the writing was good, this fell flat for me. I guessed the plot early on and although it makes for a good thriller subject, the mental illness aspect bothered me to the point of being kind of offended. It felt forced and hyperbolic which is fine except I don’t think that was the author’s aim. I appreciate the advanced copy from Greenleaf Books.

2.5 stars, rounded up. My score is based solely on the quality of the writing, not the story itself. Some events were utterly implausible and as a psychologist, I won’t even address the shaky mental health aspects. The first of the two plot twists is immediately predictable and overused of late. The second was weak and almost silly. But I’m sure some readers will still find it exciting.

Alexa is ready to embrace new challenges and independence in her adult life. But her twin Beth threatens to curtail her dreams, especially when Alexa meets and falls in love with Curt. Will Alexa have the courage to stick to her path and fulfill her dreams?
I enjoyed this book. It's a quick read but includes several twists that gave me pause. I even needed to re-read parts of the book after two of the twists.
While the characters could be fleshed out a bit more, this book is entertaining and surprising. I would read more books by this author.

Alexa and Beth are twins, both have spent time in a psychiatric hospital, but finally Alexa is able to lead a single happy life. She gets a job in New York and even manages to fall in love with a co-worker Curt, but then her sister comes to stay at Alexa's apartment and Alexa is scared that the family secret she has held for so long, may be revealed by Beth and come between her and Curt
This thriller lives up to its name and is a quick enjoyable read.
I thank the author, publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A clever and fascinating thriller readers will want to read twice to see what hints they missed during the first experience. Do You Follow by J.C. Bidonde follows the lives of twins Beth and Alexa following an "incident" that occurred when they were nine years old and living in a modest family home with their parents in Connecticut. Alexa, young and just beginning her career, decides to accept a marketing job in New York City in 2020. Beth, her twin, arrives at Alexa's apartment door and the two live together. Tension grows when Alexa meets Curt and he moves into the tiny apartment with the twins. Good for book discussion groups who like a good puzzle.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Jan. 4, 2022
After suffering the tragic loss of her mother, Alexa finally decides to leave the home of her overprotective father and make her own start. With a new apartment and a job she loves, Alexa finally feels like she is moving on with her life. When she starts dating a new client, Curt, Alexa slowly starts to find her own footing, until her estranged twin sister, Beth, shows up on Alexa’s doorstep. Alexa has promised her father, and her therapist, that she would keep Beth out of her life, but soon Beth is living with Alexa and Alexa is keeping her sister’s presence secret from everyone. True to form, Beth starts interfering in Alexa’s life in every way, and the twins’ relationship takes a dark turn when Curt ends up dead and Alexa is charged for his murder. Soon, the dark past of both Alexa and Beth start to surface, and Alexa realizes she must separate herself from Beth permanently, once and for all.
“Do You Follow?” is the debut novel of author J.C Bidonde. The epic, identical twin saga with a modern-day millennial, social media twist kept me engaged from the first page.
The novel is narrated by both Alexa and Beth, and the twisted sibling relationship is highlighted from both sides. There is never a dull moment, with constant drama and action, and I loved how Bidonde added the twists and turns in just the right places.
I was able to predict the first plot twist (and it will be familiar to a lot of readers who have read psychological novels with twins as the main characters), but Bidonde adds a few more, smaller ones that hit me unexpectedly. I was invested with both Alexa and Beth as characters, and the whole “good twin/evil twin” had me rooting for one over the other, which speaks to Bidonde’s ability to form believable, relatable characters.
As a debut novel, I was impressed! Bidonde is able to write a creative, well-developed novel with good flow and although I predicted the ending, I wanted to read to the very end! Bidonde is definitely one to watch in the future, and I eagerly anticipate her next book.

Do we like stories about twins? Oh, yes, we do. There are so many ways these stories can go. From twins turning on each other to twins pretending to be each other, twin stories can take us places we didn't expect we could go.
This twin story is interesting. Both twins spent time in a psychiatric clinic. Alexa was released, and is now working and living on her own. Beth stayed longer at the clinic, but was finally released also. She immediately moved in with her twin. All is fine in that small space, until Alexa gets a boyfriend. Things get tricky in Alexa's small New York apartment.
Stop here if you don't want spoilers. About the middle of the book, before Alexa's boyfriend showed up, I started to get the feeling that one of these twins wasn't real. Oh, she had existed, but she died sometime before the start of this novel. I wasn't positive which one wasn't there. A couple of chapters later, I was positive Beth was currently only in Alexa's imagination. It was very skillfully done.
There is a second thread in this book, shadowed by the title of the book. Alexa works in marketing, particularly marketing social media influencers. This is a thing I haven't paid much attention to, but I'm older. These influencers have followers, sometimes in the multiple millions. They start trends and push brands and change the behavior of large groups of people. Alexa's boyfriend, Curt, wants to be an influencer. He cooks on camera. He only has 30,000 followers. He needs 1,000,000 to be able to monetize his YouTube channel. He thinks something spectacular, like getting shot on camera, will increase his numbers quickly. He picks Alexa on purpose to get that number boost, or so Beth claims. This whole desire for followers is strange to me, while I know it exists. But that is a whole other issue.
I found the book very interesting. There were several things to think about like multiple personalities, the size of New York apartments, the amount of free time Alexa seems to have. It kept me busy, reading the story and trying to figure out what was really going on.
I received the copy of the book I read for this review from BookishFirst.

I would rate this novel as 3.5 stars. "Do You Follow" is a psychological thriller that deals with mental health issues.

Alexa is a twin who just got her first big job and independence in New York City and is living on her own. Beth is her twin sister who seems to be just released from the hospital after a year, shows up at her door and is now living on Alexa's couch. The dynamic of the duo shifts how Alexa originally feels independent to now having a sister who brings up their unresolved issues.

Curt is an up-and-coming youtuber who is known for his cooking videos, with only 30k shy from one million subscribers. Curt and Alexa both met before, Alexa when she was seeing her therapist and Curt cooking in the kitchen at the same place.

As the books unravels, we learn that Beth is not so nice unless its to her sister but it seemed like Alexa always took the fall for it. I thought Beth was a bit overbearing and kept mentioning how Alexa liked to be in control, but in reality, it seemed like she wanted to control Alexa. As for Alexa's character, I didn't really see much depth of her. She moved into a relationship too fast, couldn't tell her sister to get lost even though her inner monologue felt it and just seemed like the author wanted to create the "good girl" image for Alexa.

I enjoyed this book, but the signs of the twist started happening early on. I do like that we read the chapters from both Alexa and Beth's perspective and I liked that the book didn't try to drag on this huge twist to make it longer than it needs to be. The ending wrapped up in a nice little bow.

Big thanks for NetGalley providing the story ARC for an honest review!

Book: Do You Follow?⁣
Author: J.C Bidonde⁣
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Do You Follow? is a psychological thriller told from the point of view of Alexa and Beth. The books begins with a crime, and then goes back in time to tell the story of Alexa and Beth, and the events leading up to the crime. Alexa has moved to the city and has a new job in marketing job. She will be living alone for the first time, determined to keep her distance from her twin, Beth. Beth has been in a psychiatric facility for treatment, and has been released and shows up on Alexa’s doorstep wanting to live with her. ⁣
⁣
I found the book to be quick and enjoyable. I will say that I also found it to be predictable and figured out the twist pretty early on. There was however, a facet of the twist that I didn’t see coming, so that was exciting. This book also goes a little into the negative side of social media, but I think this part of the book could have been developed a little more.⁣
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Overall, if you are looking for a quick psychological thriller, I would recommend.

thank you so much to netgalley for a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review ! )

: ̗̀➛ 1 star.

↳ ❝"I'd never want you to stop living your life, Lex," I say. "I've given so much up so you could."❞

Based on the synopsis alone I was incredibly excited for this book. Books with twins are usually hit or miss especially within the thriller context, but I wanted to give this a try ( not to mention the stunning cover ).

Unfortunately, this book did exactly what I dislike authors doing when featuring twins in any sort of mystery/thriller setting. In other words, I certainly did not follow.

The likes:

*I liked the premise of the place that Alexa was working. It was super cool and different and I thought that it was really creative!
*The dad-daughter relationship was so cute too!!

The dislikes:

*Literally everything was revealed by the 75% mark and then there was one last attempted twist at like 95%????
*(view spoiler)
*Dr. Greer????
*I was honestly confused by the mom's role and not to mention this diary???
*The pacing was a little off and it flipped between going quickly and going slowly to the point of annoyance
*The setup of the weapon used. I'm—huh?

Again, thank you so so much for this arc but we just didn't click. Guess I unsubscribed.


↳ ❝That hurts her, I can tell. But that's the thing about Alexa—she doesn't let people know her, then acts as though it's your fault when you do.❞

This seemed like it had the making of an interesting and twisted thriller. My problem was that I could predict almost every twist.

Additionally, the characters never seemed to come to life. They were archetypes rather than relatable "people."

The underlying themes of the dangers of social media and the tenuous nature of psychiatric treatment were not fully developed.

Nonetheless it was a fast.read that managed to keep my attention.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free copy. This is my honest review.

Alexa is finally grown up, has a real job and is moving to New York. Away from her over protective dad and into her very own apartment. She’s had no contact with her twin for over a year, but just as she arrives in the city, Beth is able to leave the mental health facility she’s been in. Showing up at Alexa’s door, Beth asks to stay. As twins the tie is deep and Alexa can’t turn her away. When Alexa meets Curt, she’s soon in love. Being a bit on the naive side, Beth is concerned at how quickly their relationship develops. Alexa and Beth have a complicated relationship and Alexa doesn’t really trust her. When the unthinkable happens, Alexa finds herself in a jail cell on trial for murder. Is Alexa really innocent as she blames Beth or is there more to the story? This book had the elements to be great, but the characters never really came to life. There were some good twists and many won’t see them coming, but being an avid reader, I saw them coming from a mile away. Not a bad read, but unfortunately didn’t live up to expectations.

Being a twin I am always drawn to books that have twin characters to see how accurate they get the whole twin dynamic and I have to say there was no major flinching in this book. How the sisters are portrayed is pretty life-like. All the characters especially Beth and Alexa have strong independent personalities, Beth is more protective and assertive, while Beth is trying to make her own way in life and seems to be more of a do-gooder. But what both girls have in common is their shared secret past and maybe one of them would kill to keep it a secret.

The fact that there is a secret being hidden from the reader is no secret at all. We know something is being kept from us, we just don't have the whole picture. Throughout the book, you are given clues and flashbacks leading you still the grand reveal. I have to say that I surprisingly guest one of the main unknown plot points, and yet when it was revealed, I still felt the hairs on my back stand up, which NEVER happens to me.

There was so much in this book to keep me wanting and needing more. Curt's past, the sister's past, a secret journal, etc. There were some unneeded parts of the book but for the most part, it was very fast-paced. I was disappointed in some plot holes, especially a major one toward the end, but I am trying to chalk it up to a first-time author mistake. I would still recommend this book simply for its unique and alluring concept.

3.5 stars! A special thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

I read a ton of thrillers, and this one has its moments of being wild. We meet Alexa and Beth, identical twins who were once conjoined and the complex relationship they have. Told from alternating viewpoints, we see Alexa trying to build a life in the city and seemingly leave Beth in her past. There’s a giant twist coming here….(spoilers ahead!)
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When we see a switch to Dr. Greer’s viewpoint, we figure out that Alexa and Beth are one in the same and we’re looking at a case of dissociative identity disorder. I’m knocking the book down just a few stars because I feel like anyone that writes about mental health immediately goes to the “this personal is a criminal” pathway, when in reality that’s not the case. But looking at this from a sheer thriller entertainment purpose, I think this is a really fast read that left the door open in the end for a possible continuation of the story!

Again, a big thanks to NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for this review.

I was not a huge fan of the way the author portrayed mental illness in this book, and to be honest, I very rarely am satisfied with mental illness portrayed in stories. I think it’s a hard topic to really nail as every person has their own unique struggle when it comes to mental health. Unfortunately, I think the author distorted the mental disorder in this story and created a false narrative that people who have this certain disorder are dangerous or scary. I think this is something that happens a lot when it comes to this certain disorder and it was very disheartening to see it happen once again.

DNF - the storyline was super predictable and the twins were just so unlikable (and not in a love to hate kind of way). I was super intrigued in the social media aspects of the book but it wasn’t enough to keep me going.

thank you to netgalley and greenleaf for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

When first introduced to Alexa, I got the impression of her being weak and very submissive and that she was hiding something. Then Beth came, and she was the strong twin, the twin that didn’t take any crap and very dominant. And then the twist came, and I was so excited! Nothing of major significance happened for the first 70% of the book. But that’s okay! Bidonde writes so perfectly that I was still captivated and interested in the story that I didn’t put it down. My absolute favorite style of writing is multiple points of view chapters and first person. I also really enjoyed the short chapters which seems to make the time of reading fly by. I really hope the Bidonde does not try to make a sequel to this book because it’s perfect just the way it is! The ending was great and wrapped up nicely. There is a tiny cliff hanger at the end of the epilogue, but it’s a good one. One that does not need to be answered as you can just assume which way it would proceed. I think a second book would just be too much.

This book had me very interested in the dynamic between sisters and the backstory. The ending was just the turn that was needed. I would read more for this author.

Through flashbacks and alternating chapters, twins Beth and Alexa recount visits to their psychiatrist Dr. Greer and their need to protect the secret of what happened when they were nine years old. Readers learn that Alexa is more likely to apologize and internalize conflict, while Beth unashamedly causes conflict. Together they clash but, when apart, they miss each other.

Many years ago Alexa’s father sent Beth away to a mental institution, so Alexa spent her high school and college years living at home and missing her sister. Despite her father’s protests Alexa decides to move out, get a job in New York City, and live her life. Within a few hours of moving into her new apartment, Beth arrives and becomes her new houseguest.

Alexa has mixed feelings about having Beth share her apartment, knowing she’d miss her if she were gone but frustrated at the trouble Beth always causes. She loves her new marketing job and, especially, her new client Curt. As they spend time together working on ways to improve his social media profile, they fall in love. Beth is not happy that Alexa is keeping secrets from her, nor is she happy that Curt has wormed his way into their lives. She’s sure he’ll discover their dark past, and will do anything to make sure he never finds out what really happened to them many years ago. Anything.

The author does a great job of stringing readers along, making us either love or hate Alexa and Beth, lulling us into a state of complacency. Suddenly the story rug is whipped out from under us, and we’re left to blink dazedly as the final clues reveal a story within the story. This whodunit will keep readers turning pages to find out what happens next to Alexa and Beth. It left me completely flabbergasted, and will do the same to you.

Highly recommended for Adults.

I received an advance reading copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A compelling psychological thriller that sucks you in and holds your attention through the epilogue.

Alexa Martin seems to have it all - a new job, an apartment in New York, a cute influencer boyfriend, and finally some freedom from her twin sister, Beth. Until Beth shows up and crashes it all, and lands them accused of murder. Alexa swears it was Beth...but was it?

While I honestly predicted the big twist from the first chapter, this did not in any way preclude me from being intrigued to read more. Chapter after chapter I devoured this book to uncover the next secret - who is Beth? what secrets are these twins hiding? and who really did commit murder? Although the big twist was relatively predictable, there were more in store along the way that I did NOT see coming.

Thank you to Green Leaf Book Group NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!