As the founder of "Mother May I", May Iverson has become an internet sensation. Married to new husband August, her life is perfect. That is, until it all comes crashing down. August is murdered and the Iverson mansion is set aflame, and the prime suspects are May Iverson's five calendar-named children. April, the oldest, has sued her mother in the past. June and July have followed in her footstep as influencers, but it is well known that June hates August, and July would do anything June asked. As a theater tech, January absolutely has the know-how to start a fire. And no one has heard from March Iverson in years. When videos start to leak showing the gruesome behind-the-scenes of "Mother May I", audiences swarm to support the siblings, even as it becomes more and more evident that one of them must have done it. With The Influencers, Anna-Marie McLemore probes the consequences of raising children in the eye of the internet. And in this case, it comes with incredible danger.

This was McLemore's first foray into contemporary fiction, and my first foray into their books. A truly unique set-up, I loved the combination of the mystery of who killed August and started the fire with the interpersonal drama of the Iverson family. We get chapters from the points of view of all the Iverson sisters, as well as first person plural chapters from the point of view of the viewers, giving insight into the role the Iverson influencers play in parasocial relationships, and emphasizing the fact that these girls are under a microscope at all times. Both aspects of the book kept me constantly engaged in a book that may otherwise feel unweildy.

Indeed, with over 400 pages, numerous POVs, and descriptions of leaked video snippets, it is no doubt a sprawling novel. For the most part, I liked this construction, emphasizing the vast influence of these events. And as I said, I felt hooked the entire time. However, there are times where it became evident that editing such a story can be difficult. There were a few times where the audience was told information that we already knew as if it was the first time we were hearing it. It was like McLemore had decided to re-arrange things but had forgotten to delete the older scenes. Since I did read an advanced copy, I hope that some of these things were cleared up in the final print.

*Minor spoilers starting here.* These bits were strange, but if it was simply a fact drop I didn't mind too much. I think the place where it stood out like a sore thumb was in April's confrontation of her father. One of the sources of tension in the novel is the fact that while May is a typical white Mommy-blogger, the Iverson children were all born with a Mexican father. Some of them are more white passing than others, and this identity heavily influences many of them. However, it also means that in the relationship between May and former husband Ernesto, May held more of the power. Near the end of the book, April goes to confront her father about why he didn't fight to have custody of them—to save them. Ernesto points out that it is because he knew he would have lost that fight to rich, white, conventionally beautiful May.

This may have been an emotionally resonant moment except 1. April should have already known this. She is both too old and too smart to not understand this fact and 2. this information had already been revealed to us! Earlier in the book, there is a description of a leaked video of May and Ernesto having this exact fight, and May threatening to take full custody. I found this argument scene to be much more effective, so I can only assume it was written later and the original scene between April and her Father was meant to be deleted. It seems like maybe they just forgot. This gap in editing is ultimately not enough to detract from my enjoyment of the book, but it does feel a little sloppy. It is a hazard of writing such a book that perhaps McLemore was not prepared for, or was too rushed to properly tend to. *Minor spoilers end here.*

That being said, the exploration of race and queer identity is what I believe elevated this novel. The evisceration of parents who turn their kids into content is extremely well done. I think that parents who not only bring their children to a wide audience without their consent, but also make money off of that, are doing an extreme disservice to those children under the guise of caring for them. And McLemore did an excellent job of illustrating just how harmful it is. But I think addressing the racial, gender, and sexuality dynamics at play in the influencer sphere add a level of complexity that really make the book. June is able to be the wild child because she is white passing, while July in her brown skin would face consequences for the same actions. May shows off first periods and first bra shopping experiences, humiliating the siblings and sexualizing her own children. And what does it mean to come out to your Mother if it also means coming out to the entire internet? Five Iverson children allows McLemore to explore a range of reactions to what it may mean to grow up on the internet, including how that intersects with different identities.

The Influencers is a page-turner of a mystery, while also offering sharp social commentary. Exploring complex themes while also offering relatively light prose makes this book fall perfectly into the New Adult range. It is easy to sit down and be entertained by it, while also having something to think about. I found The Influencers to be an intriguing read, and would recommend it to anyone who loves watching internet drama unfold.

anytime I see an influencer book, I really get excited thinking I'll see some gross mommy vlogger finally get what they have coming. I was again let down with a disappointing mystery and lackluster conclusion. this book attempted to do too much. are we talking about influencers exploiting their kids, race, transphobia ? all of it, but none of it was done well enough to warrant any outside discussion. the book is readable (hence the two stars) just prepare to be bored.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House | The Dial Press for the free e-arc. My opinions are being left voluntarily. Unfortunately this was a dnf for me. I was not interested in any of the characters, their conversations or anything pertaining to the book. I found it to be alot of telling jot alot of showing.

Dnf/5☆

Suggest skipping.

A fun who-dunnit filled with social media bits and angst. The twisty mother-daughter relationships as well as those between the sisters are palpable. Well done!

Books about influencers are a catnip that will always draw me in. Unfortunately the execution didn’t work for me in this one and I decided to dnf.

The Influencers is a sharp, twisty look at the dark side of fame and family. When the husband of a mommy-vlogger-turned-empire-mogul is found dead, her carefully crafted world starts to unravel—and her daughters might know more than they’re saying.

Told from multiple perspectives, the story blends murder mystery, family drama, and social commentary in a way that feels fresh and haunting. If you’re into messy family secrets and the toxic underbelly of influencer culture, this one delivers.

I was offered this book and accepted it without reading much about it - I found it very entertaining.

The characters in this one are all unique and fun to read -- and it kept me guessing as we figure out what happened to August.

I always love a book that talks about social media and influencers and really enjoyed those parts of this one, especially the mommy-blogger aspect of it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Influencers by Anna-Marie McLemore.

The husband of huge social media mogul May, of "Mother May I" has been murdered, and the May's mansion has been burnt down to cover it up. All five of May's children, also named for different months of the year, are suspects, and each has their own reason for wanting to see May fall, but who actually did it, and why?

You got to be careful with stories like this. It's an delicate balance having a lot of players, but not TOO many, lest it get to bogged down. That's exactly what I felt happened here, too many suspects, too hard to keep them apart, it becomes overwhelming and hard to care. I did enjoy the book, but I admit to feeling lost on occasion and fading in and out of the plot.

The Influencers was a quick and compelling read. It’s the Kardashians stumbling into a murder mystery, except the dead body is one of their own. The format of the short chapters in shifting points-of-view between many characters (and unknown entities) kept the reader guessing about how much they could trust what they were reading. Everyone had opinions, and they often conflicted. Secrets were gradually revealed. Clues dropped incrementally along the way. Most of the characters are deeply unlikable, but especially the matriarch of the family, who is the OG influencer among the family. Between the format of the short chapters and shifting POV along with the constant clues, this book was fast paced up to the reveal at the very end.

A muddled mess, unfortunately. I wanted to love the story of a mommy-blogger and her 5 daughters as now adults, recovering in different ways from growing up in the spotlight. But the story gets bogged down by a murder mystery (May, the mom's new husband, is killed and then their house burns down! Did May, or one of her daughters do it?) that I ended up not being that invested in.

I thought McLemore did a good job trying to explore the minefield of children of influencers who did not consent to be entertainment and content for their parents social channels. I wish the book was more straightforward and about that instead. There were way too many POVs, twists and turns that you could see coming, and a writing style that felt very hard to penetrate. The bones were there, but the book fell flat for me.

The Influencers is messy, dramatic, and fun. Anna-Marie McLemore crafted a juicy mystery that's extremely timely in today's social media influencer-obsessed culture.

The premise is instantly gripping: a murdered husband, a burnt-down mansion, and five daughters reckoning with the fact that their entire childhoods were turned into online content. The shifting perspectives worked really well for me; despite the many, many characters, I was never confused about what was happening.

That said, the camp sometimes overwhelms the emotional stakes, and not every sister feels fully fleshed out. The tone walks a fine line between sharp satire and soap opera, occasionally slipping into excess. Still, for readers who enjoy high-drama family sagas with teeth—and a timely critique of digital fame—The Influencers is an entertaining, thought-provoking ride.

The Influencers hooked me from the very first page. This book has a Kardasian vibe. Imagine your whole life being documented and put online for others to judge. The Influencers was told from multiple points of view which was a little tricky to follow at first, but then blended seamlessly. This is definitely a messy family drama with the affects of living your life on social media. The banter was snarky and at times laugh out loud funny. As this family was starving for fame and approval online, what wouldn't they say to get some "likes". Society is definitely obsessed with social media and following this family's drama. How do you know what is true and what is just for their online presence. The Influencers is both entertaining and thought-provoking—as we scroll our way through life.

This is a very different type of novel from this author, and I want the old ones back. If you're into stories where terrible people are terrible to each other and the narrative is a hate-watch spectator sport, you may be into this. Wasn't my cup of tea, unfortunately.

I was so excited to read this one and in the end it felt too much like trying to be the Kardashians that I just couldn't fully get into it. I loved the dynamics of the twins. I felt like the twist with the youngest was trying too hard. I wish we got to see more of the dynamics between all of the sisters and less of the mom.

I really thought the premise of this book was interesting! As someone who grew up in the height of the Kardashian/Jenner clan's prime, nothing intrigues me more than a group of sisters! And throwing in a side of *murder*? I couldn't wait to read this.

Mother May I, or May Iverson has 5 daughters, April, June, July, January and March. Each of them have their own personalities, and their opinions on their mothers influencer life. When their moms new husband (August of course), turns up dead all fingers point to the sisters. This was a complex family dynamic, and was written in a way I have never read before. This book could've been at least 50 pages less and I truly wasn't rooting for any of these characters (not even 1).

I did like how this seemed like it came right out of the Bravo/E! reality cannon.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dial Press and Anna-Marie McLemore for my ARC!

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for the ARC!

The Influencers was an ARC I was invited to read, and I was definitely intrigued by the premise. Once I dove into the book, I had a really hard time putting it down! It took a little while to get into the style of writing but I was hooked by the characters and the murder mystery. This isn't my usual style of book, but I loved it regardless!

Thank you again for the ARC!

This is just not my kind of book but I'm sure others would like it. This is focused on a family of influencers, led by mother May "Mother May I", who has given all her children month names and filmed them for their whole lives in order to get money and products. The novel starts with a mystery, May's husband, August, has been murdered, and all the family members are suspects. A lot of the book is written from the "we" perspective - from the followers of Mother May I and her family. Which makes it read more like a news story than a book. I guess I'm just not into the whole influencing industry, but if you are, this book is more for you.

Marketed as a mystery and felt that it did not give that at all. I thought it was a lot of mother may I and just really satire and over done. Not how it’s been marketed to be about.

The Influencers follows a family of influencers who were thrust into the spotlight by their matriarch, “Mother May I” Iverson, and again after tragedy strikes. May's new husband is found dead and part of the mansion set on fire in what might have been an attempt to cover up murder. At the same time, May's children are dealing with the fallout of growing up online in very different ways. Twins June and July have embraced the influencer lifestyle, although disagreements have been brewing behind the scenes between the two. April and January have thrown themselves into their work, trying to make names for themselves in their own fields, and March has been MIA for years. The police investigation puts the family in the spotlight and forces them to face the conflicts from their pasts.

I think my main issue with this book is that it was marketed as a mystery when it really did not feel like a mystery. The death of August was more a catalyst for everything else that goes on, but there isn't much investigation that is being done. The book focuses more on the relationships between all of the family members, which I would have enjoyed if there was more depth to them. Instead, it felt like each family member was defined by one trait and that was their whole personality. It makes sense for influencers to have a brand, but these characters felt especially superficial. The dialogue at times also felt incredibly unrealistic. The story was told in alternating perspectives from the family members as well as from the perspective of the general public. I did like the way that the followers on social media were incorporated into the story and this did a good job of showing how the story that is told on social media can be drastically different from what is going on behind the scenes. The pacing felt a bit off, with really short chapters where not much happened. The sections were also divided by days since the murder, but it didn't really feel like it was building to anything. I enjoyed the discussions about the dangers of social media and what growing up with that influence can do to people, but I just wish that the book had gone a bit deeper. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy discussions about social media or books about dysfunctional families.

3.5 ⭐️
This was fun, but kind of hard to keep track of the siblings given that they’re all named after months of the years (that part is creative) a murder mystery about a family of sisters that were influencers.
Also, the message about parents taking advantage of their children and knowing what they’re doing is gross and I’m glad there’s books out there to shine light on that, that parents know what they’re doing by exploiting their children.
I understand that it’s hard to produce an audiobook with more than one narrator, but I think it would’ve been better to understand with more than just one narrator. *the narrator was still good though