Meh. I wasn’t a fan of this one. There were a lot of characters and POVs (y’all know how I feel about that) and the characters were absolutely TERRIBLE people. I also didn’t love the whole influencer thing; every character was shallow and there was no character growth. I did sort of like the “twist” and I kept reading to get to that point.

Read this if you like:
🏝️ Deserted islands
🏝️ Gossip Girl x Survivor
🏝️ Lots of characters
🏝️ Dual POV

Rounding up from 3.5 stars....

This was an entertaining book. A bunch of influencers come to film a reality tv show on a private island...what could go wrong? Turns out, a whole lot.

The story itself was entertaining, and the book was a quick easy read. Once I started it, I definitely wanted to keep reading to see what was going to happen. This had some similar vibes to the movie Glass Onion, so if you liked that movies, I'd give this a go.

I struggled connecting or feeling for pretty much any of the characters. Most of them were just not great people, so when they started dying, I honestly didn't care too much. The multiple POV was a little confusing, especially at the start, and I found myself constantly having to flip back to the start of the chapter to confirm whose perspective it was. The main twist also wasn't overly surprising. I figured out who the sponsor was at about the 50% mark. That said, I still enjoyed seeing the rest of the characters figure it out.

Overall, this was a perfectly enjoyable book that kept me interested from the first page until the last.

Read if you enjoy:
- Murder mysteries
- Drama
- Glass Onion
- Unreliable Narrators
- Off-the-grid Locations

Ten influencers head to a remote island for a reality show, "In Real Life (IRL)," expecting an easy ride, but they face a reality check. Cut off from tech and followers, they reveal their true selves and deepest secrets. Amidst it all, one influencer seeks revenge, targeting contestants one by one.

The story is told from four viewpoints: Kiral, Logan, Elody, and Max. None are particularly likable, but Kira and Max are more stable. Many of the influencers aren't endearing, and some meeting their demise is oddly satisfying. The narrative's uneven, with varying chapter lengths and smartwatches for communication and challenges.

It's a guilty pleasure for those who can stomach privileged teen influencers dealing with their problems. The murder mystery adds intrigue with clever twists. Overall, a solid debut by Worley.

A little backstory, last Christmas I watched #knivesout and #theglassonion and I absolutely loved both but The Glass Onion was instantly a favorite movie. Being more into books than movies/tv—I wanted to find a book with those same feels. I have read a lot more mysteries this year than ever before chasing that feel—I finally found it, and just like The Glass Onion jumped to the favorite movie list People to Follow jumped to a favorite book list!

People to Follow has a large cast—some you want to root for and others you’ll want to root against—of influencers who are invited to a private island to unplug and live IRL for awhile.

With the mix of secret and not so secret histories, rivalries, alcohol, and egos—the drama begins to unfold right away and puts some in the hot seat which may just get them #cancelled .

This book gives a glimpse of the influencer lifestyle and a healthy amount of gen z speak—which while not fluent I knew enough to keep up 🫣—I was up until after 3am because once I started I could not stop!

**some content may be triggering to some readers

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. I was really into the premise of this book. It was a very entertaining read and kept my interest throughout. There are multiple POVs, which was a little hard for me to track initially. Once I got to know the characters better it was easier, but the beginning started off a bit slow for that reason. Overall, I thought it was a good YA read and would recommend it to anyone who likes that genre.

7/10. Basically a modern, YA retelling of Agatha Christie's 'And Then There Were None.' It was well done for what it was, though I would have been okay if everyone had would up dead—hard to find one likable character! I really wish that I had been able to sympathize with Kira as she seemed the most down to earth, but something about her rubbed me the wrong way. I was surprised by the reveal at the end, and would recommend to anyone who likes thrillers with a twist.

Ten young adult influencers arrive on an island for a few weeks to "unplug" and film a show about being disconnected. But soon, one of them is dead and they all have to wonder - is it one of them killing them?

My first piece of advice, because there are 10, is make notes when you first get introduced to everyone. It's a lot of people at once and it was hard to keep track of which one was a fashion blog and who was mad at who. Luckily, you don't have all 10 POV so it got easier and easier to keep track of the crew as the chapters went on.

And I was highly entertained! The drama and secrets were dark and I loved how each one was pushed out through a vote. It was interesting, also, to see all the ties and the way the influencers connected with each other. But fame under a spotlight is tough and their lies and secrets were pretty brutal. I didn't have any good guesses but just let the story take me. Only one twist didn't quite hit right with me but the rest was just great. I love the cover, too.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This book was phenomenal! The isolated location and trying to guess who was behind it all made it a really fun read! All the different personality types in close proximity helped to increase tension. I couldn't put this book down!

3.5 stars rounded up. This was a fast paced, "locked door" thriller. It had some fun twists and reveals. My only issue was how many characters there were and how similar and connected they all were. I was constantly forgetting who was who and what their story was. If there had been a fun little social media profile for each character at the beginning, I think that would've helped as an introduction but also as a reference. Overall, it was a fun popcorn thriller that was slightly confusing but had me shocked by the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This has been a popular plot lately. Some have been good; some not as much. I thought I would give it a try. It got a little confusing for me with all of the characters. Overall it was slow in the middle so I jumped around. It was ok. Not my favorite.

People to Follow is thriller about 10 influencers alone an island taping a reality show. They are there to see what happens when the unplug for a few weeks. Quickly things aren't what they seem and one of them ends up dead. The ones remaining start to have their secrets revealed with the threat of being "canceled" if they don't come clean themselves. Those remaining have to work out who brought them here and how they will get off the island. I liked this story it definitely had some twists I didn't see coming and wasn't sure where the story would go. My main complaint would be the amount of perspectives the story was told through was sometimes hard to keep straight who was talking and I'd have to go back and check whose chapter I was in. It was also a little difficult at first to keep track of all the characters and who was connected to who. All in all I enjoyed this book 3.5 stars round up to 4. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review

ARC REVIEW

People to Follow
By Olivia Worley

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Publishing date: 10/31/23

A bunch of influencers arrive to a remote island where they are set to film a reality show, but shortly after, they begin receiving cryptic texts threatening to "cancel" them. The influencers decide its nothing serious but definitely change their minds when one of them is found dead....

Think "who done it" featuring teenage influencers and various mentions of tik tok, twitch, IG, etc.

I didn't LOVE it, but it was okay. I had a hard time keeping track of the characters. And since I was having difficulty remembering everyone's connections, it made it harder to be invested in the story. Especially when the idea is to find out who the killer is.

I liked the island setting and the concept! It was a fun read but won't be memorable for me.

As always, thanks to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for the chance to read and review this one early!

People to Follow is Olivia Worley’s debut novel. The premise had me excited to check it out - 10 influencers sent to a remote island to “unplug” and film a reality TV show but bodies start piling up…sold right!? While I did enjoy the story and the whodunnit aspect of figuring out who “the sponsor” was parts of the book did fall flat for me. For one aside from Elody and her calling everyone babe, the character’s voices chapter to chapter started to blend. They had such similar tones in parts that I’d have to go back and double check whose POV that chapter was written from. I think the book does give insight to some of the toxicity of influencer culture and drives home the point at the end that you never really know how much your words or actions affect others. Overall this was a fun read. Thank you to Worley and Netgalley for the ARC.

I received an advanced copy of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.

"In Real Life" is the hottest new reality show that dares to challenge social media's biggest influencers to disconnect from the virtual world and live without filters for three intense weeks. With legions of loyal followers eagerly watching, IRL promises to be the opportunity of a lifetime for its contestants. The cast includes Elody, an impulsive Instagram model; Kira, a former child star turned fitness influencer; Logan, a disgraced TikTok celebrity with a hidden past; and Max, a YouTuber known for exposing fellow creators.

However, what was meant to be a golden opportunity quickly turns into a nightmare. When the production crew mysteriously vanishes, and one of their own meets a tragic end, these nine budding influencers find themselves stranded in an isolated location with a lifeless body and no way to contact the outside world. As if that weren't enough, they begin receiving ominous messages from an enigmatic Sponsor, who threatens to reveal their darkest secrets. It becomes chillingly clear that they've been drawn into a deadly game, and one of their fellow contestants might be the puppeteer pulling the strings.

I have a soft spot for whodunnit murder mysteries, and this one had me hooked from the start. What stood out were the characters, each bringing their unique quirks and personalities to the table. Among them, Kira and Corrine struck me as the most grounded and relatable, while Max appeared to be genuinely trying, even if he couldn't fully escape his documentary-maker persona. Logan, on the other hand, came across as somewhat adrift.

Kira Lyons, the fitness influencer, impressed me with her down-to-earth nature, a breath of fresh air amidst the online fame frenzy. However, Elody Hart's excessive use of "likes" grated on my nerves at times.

Despite these quirks, the storytelling was top-notch. The author kept me guessing, and I found myself oscillating between different theories about the identity of the murderer. The element of suspense was expertly woven into the narrative, making this murder mystery a compelling and enjoyable read.

4.5/5 ⭐️
This was so much fun! This book is perfect
if you’re a fan of trashy reality shows like Too Hot to Handle or Love Island. But with a game element that reminds me of The Circle. It was also like Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None plus The Glass Onion but with young influencers and with Olivia Rodrigo playing in the background.
I had such a great time reading it. It had me so engaged and constantly changing my guesses with each new detail. I couldn’t put it down. Especially after the 60% mark when we would get a new cliff hanger detail. On top of the Murder mystery, this story took such an interesting and dark look on influencer culture and how even when we enter with best intentions, there’s almost always slightly negative or toxic repercussions.
I would say this was fun and young, so it will be best for anyone who enjoys more so teen dramas like Pretty Little Liars or Riverdale. But to me, none of it was cheese or eye rolling. Everything felt very believable for each of the characters.
I will also say I did struggle with who was who, but after a few chapters and writing down a few major details, I got it and didn’t need to reference my list. But I’ll put it down below for anyone else to use:
Kira is a ex dance mom-esq fitness girlie. Max is a documentarian. Logan dry humor influencer, used to be a part of bounce house. Corinne is a twitch gamer influencer. Aaron is a washed up child actor who was caught with a dui. McKayleigh is also ex dance mom, also one of the main 3 owners of bounce house. Zane is creator of bounce house on tiktok & like man bun yoga crunchy guy. Graham is third bounce house who’s a mediocre musician who copies other musicians styles. Elody is just known for her beauty & sob story
Overall, super enjoyed it. I binge read it on one rainy Sunday. And I was definitely engrossed, finding myself jumping at any random noise as I read. I highly recommend this!
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Publishing for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

WOW!! People to Follow was fantastic! A story about 10 influencers invited to unplug for 3 weeks on a remote island for a reality show. Soon they find themselves alone, stranded with no way to call for help and the bodies start to pile up. Totally trashy and slashy, this was so good I read it all in one day! I've begun to really enjoy "influencer culture" thrillers. A definite page turner.

People to Follow is a new YA (young adult) thriller by author Olivia Worley. This is the author’s debut novel. Ten teen influencers are invited to a remote island to participate in a reality show called In Real Life (IRL). They are not allowed to have any screens or contact with the outside world. They are only given a watch that sends them messages and instructions but does not allow them to send messages back or to anyone else. Suddenly a dead body is found and more to come after that. The influencers are all hiding big secrets and the sponsor of the show is threatening to expose them all.

The book is told from four perspectives, Max, Kira, Elody, and Logan. I didn’t feel like the multiple perspectives added to the story because they all had the same tone and personality. Sometimes I had to flip back to remember whose POV I was reading. This book is a ‘locked door’ trope similar to books like Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None’ or Freida McFadden’s One by One.

Things I liked:
-Fast pace and short chapters that keep you wanting more.
-Many twists and turns that keep you guessing who the murderer is.
-Interesting concept regarding influencers as characters.
-Great follow up on what happened to the characters after leaving the island.
-Good use of red herrings to throw us off course.
-Although I had a theory on who the murderer was, I was way wrong, so the final twist was a complete surprise.

Things I disliked:
-Too many characters to keep up with.
-One character’s overuse of the the word ‘babe’ got to be annoying.
-Some of the characters reactions/actions just didn’t make sense to me. After two bodies are found, the remaining characters play spin the bottle. I found that to be both unrealistic and in poor taste.

Overall, I enjoyed the novel and recommend to anyone who likes locked door type mysteries. I think this will appeal more to a YA audience. Olivia Worley is an author I will definitely keep an eye on for future books.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. People to Follow will be released on October 31, 2023.

This is a very good debut novel by Olivia Worley. The novel is a fast paced thriller with several twists and turns throughout. The story follows the point of view of four of the influencers: Kira, Logan, Elody, and Max. All four of the characters suck as people. As a reader, it is hard to root for any of the four to succeed. None of the four character are reliable narrators. The reader never knows who they can or cannot trust. This helps to build the uneasy tension throughout the novel that makes it a good thriller and mystery.

This novel is reminiscent of "And then There Were None" by Agatha Christie. The novel starts with all ten of the influencers arriving to the island, with no phones or any sort of electronic, to start filming the reality television show. By the end of the first night, one of the influencers has already died. Worley does update the trope by having an omniscient presence texting the influencers to do as they are told or to be "cancelled". Worley is not the first author to do a modern retelling, but she does add some new nuance to the story. The addition of changing points of view and modern technology make the trope feel fresh.

Worley does an excellent job on playing on the readers expectations of influencers. Worley knows that her audience has heard of people having to make apology videos, stars that prey on young girls, and the general bad behavior that surrounds influencer culture. She uses that knowledge to create certain expectations of the characters. Worley does appear to use those expectations to make some commentary about the current influencer culture on a whole. The novel grapples with question of what it means to be cancelled and who gets to decide to cancel someone.

This book is a fun, action packed thriller, with enough twists to keep the reader invested. It does seem to be geared towards a young adult audience, but I think that anyone who likes a mystery could enjoy it.

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

Book: People to Follow
Author: Olivia Worley
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, Wednesday Books, for sending me an ARC. now, I am going to start by saying that it took me a little bit to get into this one. I felt like the first fifteen-twenty percent was on the weaker side. However, the deeper I got into the book, the more difficult I found it was to put it down.

This one follows a group of influencers, who have been offered this chance to be on a TV show. They must put up their devices and social media accounts to go to this private island to film to see how influencers can function without the Internet. However, when they get there, the film crew is there and they are going to be left alone for one night. However, the film crew never shows up and things start happening. They get the sense that someone is watching them. Then, the first body appears. The longer they are on the island, the more darker and deadlier it becomes. Someone wants to kill them, but the question is who. Plus, there is a good chance that one of them is the killer. As secrets start to come out, each finds that everyone has a reason to be the killer.

The idea of having people stuck at a remote place and having them turn up dead never gets old to me. I know this plot has been done time and time again, but I love all of the twists and turns that this kind of book brings. Plus, I like that as we get deeper, we find out that everyone is not what they seem. The idea of being stuck with the very people that could and can bring you down makes, to me, a very interesting plot. These people are not who they seem. Once the blood starts flowing, you start to see reasons as to why any of them could want to kill. Secrets and isolation have this way of bringing out the worst in people. Now, most of these characters are not the best people either, but this fear makes them worse. They don’t want the whole world to find out what they have done. Some of it could very well end up making them serve time.

The idea of having these rich kids who have everything going for them to be in danger of losing it all was very entertaining to me. They go on and on about how hard they have worked to get to the point that they are. They don’t mean that for the most part, they were born lucky. They don’t want to do anything- for lack of a better term. Yet, they are holding onto the idea of not being cancelled and still being important. The fact that they could lose it all makes them turn ugly. We see the impact that social media has on them. We see how their actions can have a major impact on those around them. we also get a sense that some of them believe they are above the law. The fact that this is what they hold onto, not their friends, families, and loved one, is what take away their beauty and brings out the worst in them.

The characters were interesting. All of them are somehow connected in a twisty way and figuring out how it all fits together was very interesting. Most of them have point-of-view chapters, which only add layers to the story. Each point of view gives you a reason to not suspect that character, but at the same time, suspect them that makes any sense. Yet, I found these characters who were supposed to be super complex and have a past to be very underdeveloped. There were times that I found it very difficult to remember who was who and what their role was supposed to be. Each one felt like they had the same voice. I was actually kind of shocked to find out the age of some of them, as they all acted the same. I would have liked to have seen some more character development.

I feel like I have been saying this a lot lately, but I had fun with this one. Once I got past that little rough patch at the beginning, I found myself enjoying the plot. It’s not perfect, but that’s fine.

This book comes out on October 31, 2023.

Youtube: https://youtu.be/O05QvpE0kVY

3.5/5 ⭐️

Ten teenage influencers come to a remote island thinking they will be filming a reality tv series, but then they start to die one by one as their darkest secrets are revealed. Who is behind it all? Who will make it out alive?


This was such an intriguing plot in today’s day and age with the power of social media and influencers, along with the concept of being cancelled. This book had suspense, many questionable characters, and multiple twists. At first I was worried that there were too many POVs, but it ended up being worthwhile diving into each characters perspective and emotions.

Overall this was a great YA thriller!