Social media stardom gives us a satirical dive into the exclusive world. In the current world of social media this books gives an interesting look into fame and family dynamics.

I liked this one! It’s part mystery, part deep dive into the world of social media influencers (specifically mommy bloggers). While I went in expecting more of a mystery, it turned out to be more of a commentary on influencer culture and its impact on both the individuals creating the content and those of us watching it unfold.

There was one plot twist I didn’t see coming at all, and honestly, that storyline ended up being my favorite part of the book. I just wish I could’ve connected more with the characters. There were a lot of them! That made it difficult to form a genuine attachment to anyone. That said, I did love June. I’m always a fan of a morally gray character with some hidden heart.

All in all, it was an interesting read that made me reflect, even if it didn’t totally blow me away.

I really wanted to like this book, but it was a little boring. Yes, there was a murder mystery plot to it, but it was a little sloppy and tried too hard to be Kardashian-esque that I couldn't get into it. I pushed myself through, but with so many dull characters to follow, it was hard to get into it.

This was such an quick and engaging read! The suspense of finding out who committed the murder kept me at the edge of my seat the whole time. It was also really interesting getting to explore the family dynamics of this mother and her daughters who have shared a large part of their lives online. We got some darker/heavier moments while we learn about the trauma the girls endured while being manipulated and forced to be online as children but yet the overall tone of the book was kept lighthearted and fun. I thought Anna-Marie McLemore was able to keep the perfect balance of making this a meaningful yet fun read for the summer.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Such an interesting plot with easy to read chapters. Lifestyle/mom influence May Iverson’s new husband is murdered. While trying to find out what happened, someone is continually releasing unused footage of May and her kids.

Really enjoyed the perspective of how influencing can cause trauma. Found the book quick, fun, and very engaging from start to finish!

I can’t say no to a book about a family of influencers (plus murder!) 🤪 There was just enough drama to keep me reading, but it was slower than I prefer. A better book is in there somewhere.

This book was exactly what I needed--light hearted and current. Loved this--thanks so much for the gifted copy!

This one is just in too many places at once. McLemore's writing is still superb, but this one left me more than a little confused trying to juggle all of the perspectives.

I found this to be a very fun, entertaining read! Kept me on the edge of my seat and I felt like I was watching a Bravo true crime episode. Loved!

Part murder-mystery, part missing persons case, part family drama this novel follows a family named after months of the year headed by a matriarch who is part Gwyneth Paltrow, part Kris Jenner, and part mommy blogger you used to read that suddenly disappeared from the internet. There were so many characters to follow that some of the suspense was buried under character development but, on the whole, an easy little read.

A very Kardashian-esque take on influencer culture. A mom and her daughters. Fame and fortune. Burning it all to the ground.

First off, I loved the cover art and had to read it. This one had mixed reviews but I was a fan. It was fun and escapist and perfect for your next vacation.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

With the rise of influencers, I thought this tackled the subject in a fresh and clever way. Funny, dark, and suspenseful-I absolutely devoured this.

This was my frist book by this author and I wasnt sure if. I was going to like it or not after seeing mixed reviews online about it.

I thought the most interesting dynamic about this book was more about the family relationships and not the murder mystery, There is a dark side to social media and what it does to people. Over all this was an okay read for me, it was 3 stars, not anything spectacular.

"A social media influencer's empire is burned to the ground—literally. The top suspects? The five daughters who made her famous."

This had a lot of potential but, in the end, it fell flat. The ideas were there, but the execution left too much to be desired.

This was a really good book at the beginning, however it became very repetitive, slow, and down right boring to the point I didn’t even care who did it

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.