wow - surprised myself by really enjoying this! It was a fun read and i thought the ending tied up nicely. feels pertinent without being too overtly in your face. will definitely recommend to patrons.

🌟 Rating: 4/5

This book was an absolute whirlwind. Equal parts murder mystery, family drama, and sharp social commentary, The Influencers dives headfirst into the messy, high-stakes world of internet fame—and the fallout when the cameras stop rolling. It’s campy, cutting, and completely addictive.

At the center of it all is “Mother May I” Iverson, the influencer matriarch who turned her daughters into the stars of her empire. But the real heart of the story lies with the sisters themselves, each grappling with the legacy of growing up in the public eye. April, June, July, January, and March (yes, the calendar names work) are messy, flawed, and deeply human. Their relationships with each other—and their complicated feelings about their mother—are what drive the narrative, and the tension is palpable as secrets start to unravel.

The murder mystery adds another layer of intrigue, with suspicion shifting between characters and the collective voice of the internet weighing in like a Greek chorus. It’s a smart and biting commentary on how influencer culture commodifies not just individuals but entire families, and how that can ripple through race, gender, and class dynamics.

The tone walks a fine line between campy fun and serious introspection, and for the most part, it works. The story doesn’t shy away from asking hard questions about exploitation and retribution, but it also leans into the absurdity of the influencer world in a way that’s darkly funny.

My only critique is that the multiple perspectives occasionally felt chaotic—it’s a lot to juggle, and some characters didn’t get as much depth as I wanted. But even with that, the book kept me hooked right up to the explosive finale.

If you’re into sharp, fast-paced stories with a mix of family drama and cutting cultural critique, The Influencers is definitely worth a read. It’s bold, timely, and will leave you questioning everything you think you know about the people behind the screens.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced reader copy.

The device of having all the main characters' first names be months in the year added a flourish to the idea of this novel--that May Iverson's social media empire gets burned to the ground and the culprit is likely one of her daughters. Unfortunately, the beginning of this novel was so frantic in its conveying of information that it was hard to keep track of which daughter was which and why some person named August was murdered (since the murder is the catalyst for the plot, it was frustrating to not even know who this person was, which made me not care about what happened to them).

While I really enjoyed the premise of this book, I found myself slightly annoyed by the characterization of June & July.

They did not seem as fully fleshed out as the other siblings and as the most chaotic character, she seemed to become a caricature.

Very interested concept for a novel in 2024! I don’t doubt that children of influencers will revolt against their parents in the same way that the Iversons did.

Only a matter of time.

Such a clever thriller! I love all things influencer, but the category is getting pretty crowded these days -- and this one definitely stands out. The sisters can be a little hard to tell apart in the beginning, but they each have a unique voice and I was impressed at the deep dive into such a niche, strange world. It's also really funny -- the perfect beach read!

i liked the idea of this book but unfortunately could not fully get into and really struggled to finish it. i liked the late game twists and i see what the author was going for but unfortunately the writing style made every daughter feel interchangeable for me and it felt a little too naval-gazey.

A murder happens within an influencer family. A deep look at the effects of social media on families and the kids that are being objectified. Sad, but it manages to be entertaining.

What a complex and deeply interwoven tale of this matriarch and her 5 daughters. Murder mystery meets classic familial competition.

May “Mother May I” Iverson has built an empire on broadcasting her daughters’ lives to the world—think perfect outfits, choreographed moments, and endless sponsorships. But when her husband dies under suspicious circumstances and the family mansion burns down, the Iversons’ picture-perfect life crumbles into a true-crime spectacle. The sisters—April, June, July, January, and the mysteriously absent March—are suddenly left to reckon with the lives they’ve lived under their mother’s obsessive control.

Through the sisters’ eyes, you get a raw, unfiltered look at how race, gender, and family expectations are shaped and warped for the public gaze. Not every subplot works, and some side stories feel like overkill, but the heart of the novel—the messy relationships between the sisters—keeps it compelling. I really appreciated the frequent juxtaposing of what the audience sees and what was really going on. The level of calculation which we all know, intellectually, is hard at work on shiny social feeds, but our capitalist little noggins are conditioned to respond to the gloss. I liked being reminded, again and again, of the reality.

This isn’t a thinly veiled Kardashian spoof – though the parallels are there, including the five sisters, selective racial identity, and questionable endorsements. It’s a surprisingly (surprising only because this degree of brand name dropping seldom happens outside of wish fulfillment Chick Lit) sharp commentary on the weird, unsettling ways social media can both connect and commodify us.

this was meh for me. sadly i didn’t enjoy this like i hoped i would unfortunately. often felt a bit lost and confused. it felt things were very dragged on and unnecessary.

3.4 stars for this semi-take off on the Kardashians…if any of them had a soul.

Mom/influencer May Iverson has big problems. Her new husband August (nee Augustus) has been killed in their home and she and her daughters that she brought up in the spotlight are the prime suspects. April runs a successful business, twins June and July are influencers themselves, January works in stagecraft for a theatre and March…well, March left home as soon as she could and hasn’t been seen or heard from since. Now May’s hard fought for empire is at risk and who killed August? The collective view of the audience chimes in throughout.

This book isn’t about the Kardashians, obviously, but if you look at it is an indictment of Kris Jenner, the momager (autocorrect made this “monster.” Perfect.” I don’t think you would be wrong. A bunch of confused, miserable, unhappy people here, all because of social media and the desire to be seen. I have the desire not to be seen. By anyone. Really ever. In fact, I might take to my bed right now.

April: “I don’t want to do what you do. I don’t want to be you. I don’t want to be anything like you.”

“…in the process of becoming Mother, May I, May Iverson had turned each of her children into more consumable versions of themselves.”

“How little she had known her children.”

May Iverson, also known as Mother May I to her beloved followers, is a popular influencer who built her brand from the ground up while using her 5 adorable kids to draw people in. Now, years later, May’s new husband is found dead in their mansion leaving May and all her adult kids under suspicion. This story offers a unique perspective on the potentially exploitative nature of family vlogging and how it can negatively effect relationships, self esteem, and personal growth.

I loved this book. Part of what made it so interesting to read was that not only was it told from multiple characters’ points of view; it was also told from the perspective of May Iverson’s “viewers”. I thought this was very unique. It made me think about the parasocial relationships people build with popular influencers. The author did a great job writing the characters; specifically, May Iverson herself. I almost felt sorry for her at some points while reading from her point of view because it was so well written. I wish we had more information about Luke’s backstory.

I wouldn’t consider this book a thriller, but I would recommend it to people who enjoy a slight mystery.

This book’s release date is April 15th, 2025. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really just struggled with this one, I just couldn't get into it. Everything felt a little gimmicky and I just didn't care to find out who actually did the crime. It was a DNF for me, but think it mostly felt like it was character driven, while I prefer plot driven stories.

DNF at 10%

I love the concept of this book and I'm super intrigued by the chapters told from the perspective of the royal "we". However, this book has far too many perspectives which in turn is contributing to a slow pace that I know I will not be able to handle in a book of this length.

Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

This book gave a really interesting insight into what we might see, socially, in the next few decades as children of influencers become adults themselves. I was completely fascinated by how the author explored the intersections of living life online with consumerism, family relationships, race, and parasocial relationships. I loved the chapters from the point of view of the characters’ followers — it really opened my eyes to how much we can convince ourselves we know someone through their online persona and how wrong we are.

It was a mystery, yes, but there were also so many other intriguing elements that kept me reading. This was my first time reading something by this author but I’ll definitely be checking out their other books.

I have an obsession with any book that includes influencers, so I immediately knew this book would be perfect for me. I like that this brought up a huge issue - mommy influencers. Msg has her daughter set up in multiple social media platforms and curates everything so her whole life looks perfect. A murder occurs and it unfolds from there.

✨ Just finished The Influencers by Anna-Marie McLemore, and I am completely captivated! This book is a stunning exploration of identity, fame, and the power of connection that left me in awe. 🌈💖Very easy to get hooked on page turning. From the very first page, I was drawn into the vibrant world McLemore creates. The characters are beautifully complex, each navigating their own struggles and dreams in a way that feels so relatable. I loved how their stories intertwined, revealing the impact of social media and the search for authenticity in a world obsessed with image.

What really stood out to me was the lyrical prose and the way McLemore captures the nuances of friendship and self-discovery. The themes of love and acceptance resonated deeply, making this not just a story about influencers, but about what it means to truly be seen. If you’re looking for a book that will make you think and feel, The Influencers is a must-read!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I found this book very hard to enjoy. The characters were all just terrible people and the plot was very flat.

This one sadly missed the mark for me. I love stories about influencer culture but this one was just too slow paced and repetitive for my liking.

I had SUCH high hopes for this, but sadly, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I initially hoped I would.
 
A lot of the time, I was awfully lost at what was even happening. Being in confusion was a constant. Things were dragged on for far too long that I almost didn’t want to finish this. Much of this book was not necessary; it was essentially rambling.
 
Even so, I did like the premise of this storyline a lot; it shined a much-needed light on the dangers of having children grow up as influencers on social media, and the mystery surrounding it all was fascinating!
 
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy. This is my honest review.