The premise hooked me: influencers trapped at a snowy luxury retreat turned crime scene? Yes, please. But while the setup was promising, I struggled to stay invested early on. The characters, all influencers or part of their entourage, lacked the depth or likability that might have made the slow-burn beginning more compelling. It wasn’t until the halfway mark that the thriller elements kicked in.

Some plot mechanics required a bit of suspension of disbelief—particularly the elaborate murder setup in a snowstorm and the unreliable tech details around cell/WiFi access. There were also some choices (like naming the main influencer Sydney and nodding to Scream lore) that felt too on-the-nose and pulled me out of the story. Add in a few jarring sex scenes and a rushed resolution, and the payoff didn’t quite land.

That said, once the momentum picked up, the pacing and final twist held enough intrigue to carry me to the end. A decent pick for readers who enjoy influencer drama meets closed-circle thrillers, but go in with tempered expectations.

Wow. Just wow. This was insanely good. The dark side of social media and revenge. The story had me hooked from the beginning and didn't let up. Definitely recommend.

It’s a new generation out there and us old timers aren’t that familiar with the world of social influencers. How does one become such a thing? And, better yet, make a living at it?
The cast of characters: Sydney, the new social media darling, the bright flame around whom everyone congregates; Caitlyn who handles her social media; Lucy the best friend and photographer who is indebted to Sydney for coming to her rescue in her time of need; Jeff, Sydney’s boyfriend, the little boy in the godlike body; Nash, the elegant stylist; and Brent, Sydney’s manager. They’re all headed to a photoshoot at a new hotel in the Catskills, a mountain resort area north of New York City.
The characters are all in a love/hate relationship with each other. It’s friendship vs duty, while all the while each one comes to realize that each one is his own brand, no matter how interdependent. And in their world that means posing for the camera, no matter how dangerous or self-centered. Anything for that perfect shot.
The characters get snowed in and somehow there isn’t enough food to see them what should have been a weekend shoot. There are no snowplows around to dig them out and no internet connection.
Ms Grant’s writing is good, but…we know that someone will get murdered, however it was a long slog to get to the ¾ mark which is when it happens.
We get pulled into the lives of these selfish egomaniacs, realizing who they are, yet rooting for them. They’re all users, they just don’t see things that way. Loyalties and friendships are tested, especially when faced with murder.
Thank you, Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review this book.

I tried to get into this book, but sadly, the concept was there, but the story was not. Convoluted and uninteresting characters. DNF- only got about one-third of the way through.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tanya Grant and Berkeley Publishing for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This was fun! I was really into this one instantly, influencers deserted in the woods alone - 100% need! It’s twisted and dark - everything I was looking for in a thriller. It did take a while to get into the action, but there’s never a dull moment in the build up. I would recommend.

It took awhile for the action to get started but overall this was a solid read. I wish the characters were more interesting and engaging.

I feel so bad I wanted to love this book but I couldn’t. Characters jumbled and I lost track of who was who and had to keep re-reading.

3.5⭐️
So over all I enjoyed the story as a whole in a fluff type of way. Was it a pulse pounding thriller? No. Was it fairly predictable? Yes. But it was entertaining enough where I wanted to finish it and see what happened.

I think what drew me in is I could completely see a bunch of influencers actually behaving this way. It had a realness to it. While it was simple it had decent pacing. I think what I enjoyed the most is how the author explored the dynamics between the group. There was a definitive hierarchy with Sydney being the “Queen Bee” but the story is told through other people eyes and how they relate to her. It was effective.

The Book doesn’t come out until November 18 2025 making is a good transition book at the take end of spooky season before heading into the holidays.

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary eARC from Berkley Publishing through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

3.5 stars

I loved the premise of this book, and the remote Catskills setting was so fun. The group dynamics were interesting, and the tension buildup had me on the edge of my seat at times.

I will add that a good bit of what I read was so unbelievable which distracted me and caused a bit of a disconnect.

Overall a fun and entertaining read. I liked it.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I was really intrigued by the synopsis and had high hopes going in—it sounded like something I’d absolutely love. And at first, I was pulled in. But around the 40% mark, I started to lose interest. The pacing began to drag, and the storyline became a bit muddled, making it hard to stay fully engaged. I also struggled to connect with the characters, who felt underdeveloped as the plot moved forward.

That said, the concept had a lot of potential, and there were definitely moments I enjoyed. I think this one just didn’t hit the mark for me personally, but I can see others connecting with it more.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4. This one was fast paced and kept my attention. I liked the influencer angle and appreciated how that thread was weaved through all the story elements. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this e-ARC

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for providing this book, with my honest review below.

This one is getting a 3.5 ⭐️ for me

This a fast paced and easy read. There's influencers, drama, and mystery. Oh my!

It fell into the meh category for me. I'm focus ebbed and flowed.

Made You Look is a razor-sharp, high-gloss thriller that skewers influencer culture while delivering a gripping locked-room mystery you won’t be able to put down. Tanya Grant’s debut traps a group of glamor-obsessed content creators in a snowed-in Catskills retreat, where the Wi-Fi is dead, the secrets are alive, and the bodies start piling up. With biting social commentary and a cast of frenemies teetering between viral fame and total collapse, the novel pulses with tension and pitch-perfect dark humor. Think Big Little Lies meets Clue with ring lights and designer boots—deliciously vicious and deeply entertaining.

Arc Review of Made you look
Thank you NG & Tanya Grant

Remote location, influencers, and snowed in. What could go wrong?

Fast read, LOTS of drama, and secrets.

It was a little too slow paced for me (I personally do not do well with slow burns. Maybe my ADHD?) but overall a solid read with a good twist.

Must read for people who enjoy reality tv drama like stories leading with influencers or fans of YA.

Goodreads -https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7630803933

Made You Look is the story of a group of social media influencers that take a trip to a remote resort. Once there, things start going awry. People are dying and they have no way to leave the resort. Who is behind the chaos??

This was a quick, fun read. If you go into it expecting a deep, intense thriller, you will probably be disappointed. If you go into it willing to suspend belief just a bit and go with it, you'll probably enjoy it. Would you really think that driving a golf cart into a snowstorm is going to get you anywhere? No, of course not. So just pretend it could work and enjoy the story! This book started off a tad slow but once it picked up, it stayed chaotic (in a good way!) until the end. I was caught by surprise by the twist at the end so that's always a win in my opinion!

As always, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Take a dive into this book that is about social media influencers who along with their photographer and agents have a chance to stay at a resort for the weekend. The book is full of murder, and drama. It really draws you in. Thank you so much NetGalley for the chance to read this wonderful book!

This was a very entertaining, quick read!!

A group of social media influencers along with their photographer and agents, get a chance to stay at an up and coming upscale retreat for a weekend.

Sydney drops a bombshell during a photography shoot and the tensions between everyone build. Murder. Mayhem. Scandal. This book has it all!

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book!

I wasn’t a fan of this 😭 I could not picture the characters at all and kept getting them all confused. I know the influencer thing is real, obviously but none of this felt realistic at all? Like going to an unopened resort with zero staff, realizing there was no food and no phone service and still expecting it to be a great weekend getaway?? I feel like no towels for the pool was the first red flag 😂 They should’ve ditched out way earlier… and no way a golf cart was cruising off in snow that hadn’t been shoveled or plowed?? Also Lucy’s storyline with Nick..? Unnecessary and anticlimactic 😅 idk just not for me I’m sorryyyy. But thank u netgalley for the arc

Mindless but easy to read influencer thriller. Like stale popcorn that you can’t stop eating, this gets the job done without really satisfying.

When a group of influencers gather at a remote lodge, things start to go wrong. There's very little food. A snowstorm traps them. Someone dies. And it gets worse from there. I enjoyed the setting, plot and twists. Two sex scenes took the story in a new direction for a few moments before the thriller veered back on course in the last third of the book. Oddly, I noticed the pace lagged at about 80% into the book, when we should be charging ahead. I'd give it almost 4 stars.