An emotional YA friends to lovers romance that sees Charlotte Goh, an aspiring Korean American high school fashion influencer struggling to balance family obligations, friendships and romantic relationships while also being true to herself. There was a lot of family drama and pressure in this story that added an extra layer of relatability to balance out the NYC influencer lifestyle the FMC is aspiring to. Good on audio and perfect for fans of books like Suzanne Park's Sunny Song will never be famous. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Choppy writing and uneven pacing made this a tough read, and I struggled to connect with the main character and her mother. Charlotte's motivations felt forced and her mom was too overbearing. Charlotte and Stephen got to where they were because of how Charlotte let's everyone walk all over her.

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely loved this book and read it in one sitting. I loved the characters and their storyline. I did laugh in parts of this book. I would definitely recommend this book.

Charlotte Goh is a dutiful Korean daughter by day, NYC fashion influencer by night. When a viral post brings her sudden fame, she’s swept into a world of glam perks and unexpected romance. But staying true to herself—and to Steven—might cost her more than she ever imagined.

Every element about this book is fabulous. She’s a fashionista. Warm Korean family. Travel. Tension between her and her mom. Best friends to lovers. It had all the ingredients to be a story I was charmed by, but it was just... missing the actual charm. I wanted the trendiness of Kitty Song Covey (Xo, Kitty + To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before) with the sparkle and angst of PREQUEL Carrie Bradshaw (The Carrie Diaries). It had the ingredients to get us there but failed somewhere in the execution.

If you can get past the flat descriptions and Charlotte’s annoying tone, this story does have great messages! Social media is not worth sacrificing values, the intimacy of friendship is sweeter than popularity, and sometimes parents are just as much in the wrong as their kid.

I primarily read via audio, and the narrator represented the character well!

Perfect for you if you like:
Korean American families
Fashion influencer + social media
Friends to lovers subplot

Similar to:
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han (if Xo, Kitty was a book, that’d be the closest)
The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell
The Do-Over by Lynn Painter

⛔️fade to black language but nothing happens
⚠️explicit language, racial bullying, underage drinking, previous divorce of friend’s parents (cheating father)

My thanks to NetGalley and Viking/Penguin Random House for the ARC of "Bad Influence" in exchange for an honest review.

Author Claire Ahn has given us something I didn't think possible......a teen influencer we can empathize with and cheer on in her quest for "likes" and followers. (It seems lately such characters only hang out in horror of murder mysteries....)

Korean-American Charlotte is by no means your standard vapid fashionista living out a click bait life on social media. Her family has fallen on hard times making ends meet, and Charlotte's secretly helping them out with money she's earned from her site's first sponsorship, (Her family has no clue about her media life, so she makes up a series of lies about where the money came from.)

Charlotte's ups and down as an influencer take her on quite an emotional ride. Decrying the anti-Asian bigotry of some of her fellow influencers gains her a growing fan base, but she suffers derision and scorn by a taking a sponsorship from a company accused of that exact misdeed. To complicate things even more, she catches the attention of a rising, devil-may-care young movie star at the very same time she realizes she's been in love with that always familiar standby, the combo lifelong friend/boy next door.

But it's none of those usual, typical and predictable YA tropes that attracted to me to this book. The beating heart of "Bad Influence" lies in Charlotte's relationship with her loving, close-knit Korean family. (including, of course, mouth=watering descriptions of Korean cooking at the dinner table.) She and her parents dote upon Jojo, her irrepressible toddler sister, with Charlotte often assuming co-parenting duties of the little girl. But she harbors a long simmering deep resentment of her mother, whom she feels never raised Charlotte with the love and care she now lavishes on Jojo.

While I realize that a lot of readers will, unlike me, find the social media stuff fascinating and compelling., along with the questionable choices Charlotte makes, it's her family dramas and their resolution that kept me glued to the book. (Sorry, but the rising amounts a character's 'likes' doesn't pump out much adrenalin for me....)

A pleasant, satisfying read, that manages enough heart to overcome the self-absorbed superficial world of influencing.

When struggling but determined influencer Charlotte posts a racist interaction to her platforms, she goes viral and is swept away into the fancy world of fellow influencers, brand deals, and famous actors. Her goal is to make enough money to help support her family and care for her little sister. Though she has made new friends, caught the attention of a Hollywood actor, and has millions of new followers, Charlotte realizes that the influencer world isn't as perfect as she expected.

This was a quick read that focused on Charlotte's influencer achievements before shifting to focus on her feelings for her friend Steven. Her feelings came out of nowhere since she spent the majority of the story obsessed with her influencer lifestyle and new friends. Charlotte also wasn't the most likeable character, but she eventually learned to let go of her bad habits.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.

Charlotte is a devoted daughter AND a fashion influencer. When she decides to share her thoughts about a recent experience involving racism on her social media page the instant fame she recieves begins to be too hard to handle.

This was a very quick read which I appreciate. I continue to forget that YA genre doesn't usually mesh with me. I LOVE flawed characters but the writing style typically feels a little adolescent for my taste. Now, I enjoyed Claire Ahn's debut novel I Guess I Live Here Now a lot and Bad Influence definitely had similar vibes but I think this one just felt a smidge too choppy and I also feel like the romantic element took a tad too long to explore.

Still, this is a though provoking book perfect for young adults since 'influencers' seems to be such a big wish these days. At times the pacing felt slow but the importance of family is very rewarding.

This is a beautiful story that really shows not only the reasons why someone would want to become an influencer, the downfalls, and how perception isn’t always reality. I think this book truly shows one person’s experience of finally being able to monetize their content. Charlotte is a teen who is dealing with a lot of personal struggles. Her mother always wants to complain about how they don’t have enough money or what her husband is not doing to provide for the family. Charlotte feels trapped always taking care of her younger sister, and while she loves her, she also doesn’t like feeling like she is her sister’s mother. Her dad is struggling after being hurt at work to try and find something he can do to help his family. Since her family prioritizes education so much Charlotte knows she really can’t get a traditional job, so when she starts to receive emails about brand deals, she feels like this is the only way she can really help her family. Even when one of the brands that reaches out none of her other fellow Asian influencers don’t feel comfortable with working with.
This story really follows Charlotte as she navigates her new found influential powers and the new world she is being exposed to. Sometimes all that glitters is not gold and I liked watching her navigate through the gold and was happy she was able to figure out what truly mattered in the end.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Young Readers and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Thanks to NetGalley and Viking Books for the advanced reader copy.

Charlotte Goh is using her rising status as a fashion influencer to help her family financially, despite her best friend, Steven's, scoffing at her ambition. After Charlotte posts about a racialized moment that she experienced and the post goes viral, she has to reckon with what being famous really means.

The idea of this book ended up being more exciting than the execution. Charlotte was somewhat bland as a main character and the pacing of the story felt off, as though the author was trying to cram moments in to further the narrative.

I tend to love these wanna-be influencer reads, and this one was just adorable. I had to remember that not all YA's read alike and these are kids, but I liked Charlotte, even though she was so confused with everything that had to do with her life. From wanting to be MORE, a social media influencer, but for no other reason then to be MORE, ain't that what most of these teens want??? lol...

Bad Influence by Claire Ahn is a contemporary YA that dives into the glossy, complicated world of fashion influencers—with a lot more at stake than likes and followers. Charlotte Goh is smart, ambitious, and navigating two very different worlds: her obligations as a Korean American daughter trying to help her family, and her secret online hustle as an aspiring style icon. When a viral post launches her into influencer stardom, Charlotte finally gets everything she thought she wanted. But fame has a cost—and it might just be the relationships and identity she values most.

This novel has a strong concept and a lot of heart, but the pacing felt uneven at times and some character arcs left me wanting more depth. Still, it raises important conversations around identity, online validation, and the emotional toll of constant performance. If you like your YA with real-world relevance, messy friendships, and a dash of romance, Bad Influence is worth a spot on your radar. Just know this journey isn’t all designer bags and brand deals.

Thanks to Penguin Young Readers group for the galley! I was so excited to read this.

I feel like social media is such an interesting idea for a book— we all are really consumed by it and I liked seeing our MC, Charlotte, try to juggle social media star-power with her life and her family responsibilities.

It broke my heart to see how she felt responsible to support her family, and be her mother’s therapist. It was absolutely heart wrenching. It was so realistic the way she interacted with her best friend, her little sister, her mom, her social media friends… it was relatable, and because of that the end was that much sweeter.



CW/TW: heavy make outs, a couple of descriptive open door scenes that don’t “go all the way”; parental neglect; divorce of friend’s parents, cheating father before book;

3.5 rounded to 4

I really liked the Korean aspects of this YA novel. But it was hard to push through. Though I am not the least interested in "influencers" except as a phenomenon, I'd hoped to see develipment of why people follow influencers. Instead, the constant barrage of label talk and fashions made me want to skim, then stop. The characterization took a backseat to the obvious plot trajectory: initial success, frantic effort, total humilation, decision to jettison it all. It seemed a bit too on the nose, making it hard to believe in. Especially as the main romance suffered a bit, feeling almost after the fact.

Still, the descriptions of the food, the Korean customs and attitudes, and the fallout of racism were absorbind, and those aspects got my rating.

Most of this book didn’t work for me. The writing felt choppy and the pacing was off. The characters didn’t really resonate with me either. I thought the influencer elements would be a lot more fun then they turned out to be. I’m sure there are people that would really enjoy this but it wasn’t for me.

Since young adult influencers are experiencing increasing attention on social media sites, I was looking forward to reading Claire Ahn’s latest offering.

Seventeen-year-old second-generation Korean student Charlotte Goh is paving the way as a fashion influencer to help her family financially. Firstly, her keeping them in the dark didn’t overly excite me; however, I understood her reasoning. Not only have digital platforms become a source of parental worry, but I also considered her folks’ cultural thinking and health–I truly loved her dad, hmm … there are mum-daughter issues. Then, trying to keep up with schoolwork, child-minding her little sister, and other responsibilities seemed a lot to take on for a teen.

A fitting title for a novel that would more than likely appeal to GEN Z readers, connecting to some of the characters and more so to Charlotte, was challenging. I felt a hint of jealousy–what her new friends' lifestyles and possibilities were like compared to how her family lived was something she’d have to deal with. Ahn has candidly planted a parental and young people's learning curve by tackling subject matters such as racial bullying, cultural and moral conundrums, and a fixation on growing follower numbers that go hand in hand with excessive phone usage. A new must-watch streaming series with a different premise but concerns teenagers crossed my mind while absorbing this read.

I enjoyed reading about Korean cuisine, their mealtimes–foodies–you’ll love how mouthwatering dishes are served, and the Korean chit-chat was easy to grasp in its context. Yet, I’d have liked to have seen a more fleshed-out romance between Charlotte and her bestie, Steven; fewer truncated sentences and some paragraphs felt rushed and a tad inconsistent.

Bad Influence is indeed thought-provoking, if not without heightened emotional moments.

Thanks to Penguin Group and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this YA about fashion and the world of influencers, although it felt a little on the young side. The characters seemed younger than 17 based on their decisions and how they navigated the world. Overall, though, I appreciate stories on immigrants and most notably, Asian-Americans, that doesn't have to do with trying to get into the college their parents want them to go to. This was fun and sweet and I'll recommend to fans of YA rom-coms.

Seventeen year old Charlotte Goh has a lot of responsibility on her shoulders. Between studying to keep up her grades, babysitting her three year old little sister, being a confidante for her mother and worrying about her father after an accident left him injured... she’s carrying a lot for a teenager. Classic eldest daughter syndrome.

It’s also clear that they’re struggling financially, so Charlotte decided to try to help. For the last two years, she’s been hiding a secret Instagram account where she’s become a micro-influencer just waiting for her first sponsorship. When she overhears racist remarks at an influencer event and stands up for her friend, herself and their Asian community, she ends up gaining thousands of followers and going viral.

But going viral isn’t always a good thing, and I really appreciated that the author looked at both the good and bad sides of social media/being an influencer, especially at a young age. This book looked at topics surrounding ethics and values when it comes to brand deals, becoming too invested in a follower count, spiraling down the rabbit hole of negative comments, cancel culture, and most importantly, the moments you miss out on when you’re addicted to your phone. There can (and should) be healthy boundaries with social media where you can still be present for the ones you love, and I think this book had some great lessons on this topic for teens that are written in ways they’d be receptive to.

As for the things I didn’t love as much… the pacing was a little too fast and I wasn’t the biggest fan of Charlotte overall. While she’s a young woman, and of course has much to learn, I thought the author could’ve given us more depth and maturity for her character since she was 17 vs. a younger teen and she’s been forced to grow up quickly.

But on the whole, I think it’s a good book for a young audience growing up in the digital age, and they’ll take away some valuable lessons at the end!

Bad Influence by Claire Ahn is a compelling and heartfelt exploration of personal ethics, identity, and the pressures of curated online personas. With empathy and insight, Ahn pulls back the curtain on the illusion of digital perfection, revealing the complexities that lie beneath.

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group, and Claire Ahn for the opportunity to read this e-ARC!

I always enjoy reading books where I can immerse myself in another culture and this book did not disappoint. I learned about Korean food, family, and holiday traditions throughout the book.

This book has relatable topics for young adolescence: social media pressure, friendship, romantic relationships, and family struggles.

Plot-wise, I was not super enthralled in the storyline...but appreciated the message for young people and the pull toward social media.