I read Influenced blind, and was pleasantly surprised to discover it wasn't the thriller I'd mistakenly heard it was. Instead, Cindy Otis and Sarah Darer Littman deliver a powerful and heartfelt YA novel about navigating the world of teens today. A world where teen lives are often driven by TikTok trends and other social media melodramas.

The story is told in alternating voices, we meet Lainey, half of a set of twins, who is painfully shy and describes her anxiety as an elephant on her chest (totally relatable to many with anxiety) and adores her brother Aiden, partly because he always includes her in his social adventures, and partially because he's her brother in twins-against-dad-destroying-the-family when he divorced their mom, moved across the country, and remarried.

Then there is Bliss. Bliss is a theatre nerd who loves to sing, and also happens to have cerebral palsy. Bliss lives in New York City with her parents, who are always fighting about money (they don't ever have enough) and her younger brother. Bliss is determined to get the lead in the school musical, despite being only a sophomore, like Lainey. Bliss also wants to be a social media influencer to showcase her musical theatre chops on her quest to get to Juliard.

We also meet Elizabeth. Elizabeth is Bliss's real persona, the person behind the screen. The one who struggles with her parents financial issues, has to deal with the real, daily challenges of living with cerebral palsy, and the ins and outs of being a student at a fine arts high school.

Along the way we meet some friends - Lainey's best friends Mia and Shula, as well as her step-mom, Marissa. We meet some of Aiden's friends, mainly Rafe, and we meet three of Elizabeth's friends - Sonia, Kaitlin, and Raven. Each plays a role in the unraveling of the story, where one teen is determined to become a social media influencer, and another teen is determined to avoid the spotlight at all costs.

Influenced strikes a chord because it is a glimpse into the reality so many teens are experiencing today; that desire to become social media famous, to be an influencer, it's a dream so many young people want to accomplish. As we watch Bliss navigate the highs of reaching 100,000 followers, and the higher highs of hitting a million followers, readers are given a backstage pass into the intense efforts that go into the job (yes, being an influencer is basically a full time job) of being an influencer with a massive following, and the income that goes along with the responsibilities.

Influenced also shares the darker side of social media, something that is rarely shared with public eyes. The idea of parasocial interaction, which is basically when followers think they are actually friends with the influencer's persona, and mix up reality a bit in the process.

Both Bliss/Elizabeth and Lainey work through some incredibly intense experiences in this powerful read, a book that I think belongs in every middle school and high school library, along with the shelves of social worker and counselor's offices everywhere. Authors Littman and Otis do an incredible job taking a very sensitive topic with limited mainstream knowledge and bring it alive in a way that readers can learn from, and hopefully, grow with both Elizabeth and Lainey.

No matter how old I get I will always love YA novels. While they have a simplistic writing choices they usually pack very powerful messages and have complex story lines that will appeal to everyone not just young adults. This book is one that proves the YA genre is for everyone as its strong message is able to resonate through multiple generations of readers. This book centers around two main characters Lainey and Bliss a young teen and an internet influencer. As the two girls connect it soon becomes clear that not everything online is as it seems to be. And when fame and notoriety become more than she can handle Bliss' online persona goes dark. Convinced there is more to this story Lainey takes it upon herself to find Bliss and to help save her. With a duel timeline and a duel perspective it was a little bit hard at times to really get a good grip on what was happening and keeping everything straight, however I understood why it was necessary to the story. There were so many themes in this book and it was a lot deeper than I had originally expected. There is so much to learn from this book that I believe any adults will be able to relate as well. While this is a YA book I do feel that it shows good messages and takes what could be very dark and difficult scenarios and presents them with a lighter tone. I really enjoyed Bliss' character I think she was very three dimensional and easy to relate to for the younger readers she was also very likeable which made for a much smoother story. Very good read a nice and quick one that will leave you guessing. Everything I expected from this book changed with every chapter and I was always on my toes. Pretty good read just a little bit flat at parts and a little bit disconnected in plot at times.

I cannot wait to read this with my students and have some fantastic conversations. How real is what we see online? Can we believe everything we read? What is the life of an influencer really about? Does having a disability make things harder or easier in life? All of these questions and more rolled through my head after reading this story.
Lainey and Bliss are both struggling for different reasons. Lainey's family has broken up and her dad has a new life across the country and expects Lainey to be fine with all of the changes. Bliss and her friends become instant online stars for a video that was taken during a low time in Bliss's life. Both girls are navigating relationships, friendships, and family life while trying to be a normal teenager. This book is a great reminder that what you see isn't what you get, especially online. And that being yourself is more important than being a star. My heart broke for both girls for very different reasons and I found myself wondering what I would do in their situations. I highly recommend this read!

"Influenced" is a deep read that serves as a reminder of the impacts of social media in the modern day and age. As main character Bliss says: 'Social media is a double-edged sword.' I felt really sorry for Lainey, given the troubles in her life, and the events in the last third of the book cause the reader to feel considerable sympathy for her. The big twist was quite shocking, and it took quite a dark turn in my opinion, especially for poor Lainey. While this book wasn't exactly my cup of tea, it's great for readers who enjoy books revolving around real-world problems such as the dark side of the internet.

Lainey is struggling, both at school and at home. Her twin brother moved out of state to live with their dad after a messy divorce, and Lainey doesn't have many friends at school. Her anxiety was mostly under control when her brother was home, but it is getting harder to manage with each passing day. When she stumbles upon a new social media influencer's page, she is immediately drawn in by Bliss and her upbeat videos. When she sends a DM to Bliss and gets a response, an unlikely friendship forms. But how honest can a friendship be when they have never met in person?

I enjoyed the dual perspective narration, and Bliss's character was very well written. The incorporation of Bliss's disability is an important and often lacking perspective, and I liked the analysis of social media and influencers on teens and their behavior. It almost felt like the big reveal took way too long, and the element of the DM relationship was glossed over a little bit too much.

Thank you to NetGalley and Scholastic Press for this very educational read.

As a 64 year old Grandmi I know i am not the intended audience for this book, but I found it eye openning and informative.

I would recommend it for older middle school and all high school students.

Highly recommend

This is a great depiction of a parasocial relationship between a teenager and a teen influencer. Something that is very relevant to current times, and would serve well as a cautionary tale of the impact social media and influencers have. I liked that it not only shares Lainey's experience with watching and interacting with an influencer, but also Bliss's perspective as an influencer and how daunting a task it is to become a persona while also balancing your true self and life. My biggest gripe with this one is that the big event happens so early on, that the rest of the story was a touch mundane. It was interesting to go back into the past and see how the two main characters got to where they are now, but other than seeing how that played out there's not much else to wonder about as the story goes on. Lainey and Bliss are both interesting characters and I did appreciate their individual struggles with their families and friends. I felt the authors did a decent job of making them realistic, although Lainey bothered me a little bit when it came to her interactions with her family. Although they may have been part of what drove her to develop the relationship that she did with Bliss, it made it hard for me to want to root for Lainey when she acted the way she did to her friends at school and members of her family. Overall, this was a decent book and provides a very relevant look at the influence of social media and how teenagers can get so caught up in both being an influencer (or wanting to be) and following those who share the fake personas they have created. I think this book is best suited for younger YA readers.

I was approved this book this morning!! I did NOT put it down!!!!!! I loved it. Some things were predictable some things weren't. High school is hard! I related to a few characters. It was witty at times, sad, twisted and plain truthful at times. It's one that kept me reading until I was finished than I was left wondering wait let me re read this and that part again. 9/10 definitely would recommend!!

Influenced by Sarah Darer Littman and Cindy L. Otis is the story of two teenagers and how their lives intersect. Lainey is struggling with beginning her sophomore year as her twin brother just moved across the country from their home with their mother in Connecticut to go live with their father and pregnant stepmother. As her brother helped smooth they way socially for the very shy and awkward Lainey, she feels very alone and vulnerable. Enter Bliss.

Bliss lives with Cerebral Palsy but she doesn't let it define her. She has just gotten a great part in the school play but behind her confident demeanor she is struggling. When Bliss and Lainey connect on social media Lainey is relieved to have found a great new friend. Will finding out that social media isn't always the truth profoundly change Lainey's life?

Told in the two separate POVs of the main characters and also as two different timelines--now and when the main characters first interacted.

Sometimes reading like a journal, I found the text to ring very true to the mind of a 15/16 year old girl--feelings of not being enough, feeling out of place and wondering what others see when they look at them are so very often top of mind at that age. I remember those feelings of wishing I was someone else and I am forever grateful that social media didn't exist then, we just wielded passed notes like they were ammunition. 3.75 stars for this timely story of angst and wishing one belonged.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

“ I’m no one’s number one anymore,” is what Lainey tells herself in the aftermath of her family splitting up. But Lainey isn’t just telling herself, she’s telling her online influencer friend Bliss. As Lanieys real life relationships struggle she dives deeper into Bliss and her social media.

Elizabeth doesn’t want to be known only as the girl in the wheelchair. So when a chance opportunity makes her go viral she seizes the opportunity to create an online persona. As time passes, Elizabeth starts to realize the true cost of what she is doing.

So if you’ve ever wondered how the line between online and offline can become blurred, pick this book up in August! I literally couldn’t put it down.

While I can see how many people would enjoy this book, it was not my cup of tea. The short choppy writing style kept me from immersing in the book, and I did not like the main character. The plot was interesting, but I just don’t think this one was for me!

I tell my students all the time that I’m so glad that I grew up in a time where there was no social media because for all the good things about it, there are so many more bad things that just seem designed to make kids feel badly about themselves. In this book, Lainey has had some big changes in her life and doesn’t quite know how to deal with them and her social anxiety. Elizabeth, or Bliss as she’s known online, has a moment of notoriety on the street, but her dream will be becoming an influence are quickly becomes more like a nightmare. While the book is really about both of their stories and how they get to the point that they get it’s also about this idea of para social relationships. As we watch people over and over again on Instagram or TikTok or even Snapchat, the viewer at home begins to think that they know this person And if they interact with them in anyway that this person cares about them. Unfortunately, so much of what’s on social media is fake or the very least curated and it means that those relationships aren’t always real. While there is certainly a place for things like fandom’s where people with mutual interest can come together and support a person, a book, or a movie, this is very different where someone imagines relationship that isn’t really there. I think this book is super timely and definitely one I would bring into my classroom to have discussions with my students about.

Thank you Netgalley and Scholastic Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

In a world where social media dominates teenage life, “Influenced” by Sarah Darer Littman and Cindy L. Otis is a timely and thought-provoking novel that delves into the complexities of parasocial relationships and influencer culture. Told primarily from the perspective of Lainey before shifting into both Lainey and Bliss’s perspectives after a specific twist, the book follows Lainey’s deep admiration—bordering on obsession—for teen influencer Bliss, a confident, seemingly perfect content creator with CP. However, as the story unfolds, shocking truths emerge, forcing both Lainey and Bliss to confront their own struggles and reevaluate their identities.

At the heart of the novel is Lainey, a girl struggling with anxiety, loneliness, and her parents’ recent divorce. With her twin brother moving across the country to live with their dad, Lainey finds solace in the online world, particularly in Bliss, who seems like the perfect friend—supportive, fearless, and always there. But when Bliss suddenly disappears from social media, Lainey becomes convinced that something is wrong and takes matters into her own hands by traveling to New York City to “save” her. This decision sets off a series of events that reveal the stark difference between Bliss’s influencer persona and her real life.

The book alternates between Lainey’s perspective and Bliss’s journal entries, offering insight into both characters. Bliss, who has cerebral palsy, is dealing with immense pressure from her parents, who have come to rely on her influencer income to support the family. The story highlights the darker side of online fame—the loss of privacy, the unrealistic expectations, and the toll it takes on mental health. At times, Bliss feels like a prisoner in her own life, and Lainey’s well-intentioned but misguided intervention only makes things worse.

What makes “Influenced” especially compelling is its nuanced exploration of parasocial relationships—one-sided connections where fans feel an intimate bond with influencers who don’t even know they exist. Lainey’s unhealthy reliance on Bliss as a coping mechanism for her own problems is painfully relatable, as is Bliss’s struggle with losing control over her own life. The book doesn’t villainize either character but instead presents a balanced look at how social media can blur the lines between reality and fantasy.

Despite the serious themes, the book maintains an engaging and accessible tone, with moments of humor and self-discovery. Lainey’s character development is particularly satisfying as she learns to manage her anxiety through therapy and starts forming healthier relationships in the real world. The ending is both hopeful and realistic, as both girls begin to move forward, learning from their experiences.

With its insightful commentary on influencer culture, mental health, and online relationships, “Influenced” is an eye-opening and relevant read for today’s digital generation. It’s a must-have for classrooms and libraries, offering an important conversation starter for teens navigating the ever-evolving world of social media.

I loved this book! The writing style is so engaging and I felt swept up in the plot from the first chapter. Also, there are so many important contemporary themes addressed in a way that really stuck with me after reading. Highly recommend!

The characters felt real, and even though some parts were a bit on the nose, I was invested the whole way through.

This is about a socially awkward teen who is going through a challenging time that believes she is friends with an online social media influencer. I think this provides some good insight on what it's like to not only be an influencer but to also be in a para social relationship.

***Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of INFLUENCED by Sarah Darer Littman in exchange for my honest review. ***

Lainey, a socially awkward teenager believes she’s developed a friendship with teen influencer Elizabeth “Bliss”, a disabled girl with CP. Lainey decides that she needs to travel to NYC to “save” Bliss from herself leading Elizabeth to feel as if she’s being held hostage.

I had a lot of empathy for Bliss, whose influencer business has grown out of control, causing her parents to rely on her producing content to support their family. Though she doesn’t want to continue she feels pressured by her parents to accept sponsorship.

Though Lainey’s predicament was not entirely if her own making and she clearly had issues other than her obsession with Bliss, she was much less sympathetic.

Sarah Darer Littman has written another topical story of teenage emotional issues. Classrooms and libraries should stock several copies.