Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my opinion.

Okay. So. I thought this was a very strongly written book, especially compared with some other influencers’ books I’ve read. I followed Lee back when she was on the Glowing Up podcast, and I witnessed her “cancellation” in real time. I didn’t have any strong feelings on her either way at the time. I enjoyed most of the book and read it in one sitting. I especially loved the first part when she was young and going into the “computer room” - it was incredibly nostalgic and relatable.

She lost me a bit when she wrote about the incident that led to her getting off the Internet. She kiiiiinda takes accountability but not really, and it seemed like she was still trying to put the blame on her assistant. I don’t think she gets it even to this day. That being said, I was still ready to give the book 4 stars. But then I looked at her current social media. Mistake on my part. Lee doesn’t get it, doesn’t want to take responsibility for any of the unhealthy things she promoted, and just comes off very poorly while promoting her book, which is a very baffling choice to me. I am giving the book 3 stars because it was enjoyable and quick to read and the writing was great.

I really wanted to like this book.

While it is not horrible and the subject matter is quite interesting, I found the story dragged A LOT. It made it hard to care about the story.

I managed to read about half the book and then gave up,

📸✨ “If You Don’t Like This, I Will Die” by @leefromamerica is one of the most raw, eye-opening memoirs I’ve ever read. 💔🔌

Once a top wellness influencer with 400k followers and six-figure sponsorships 💵🌱, Lee was living the curated dream… but offline, she was crumbling. This book pulls back the filter and lays bare the mental toll of being always on. The performative pressure. The disordered eating. The burnout masked by #selfcare. The deep unraveling of identity behind the algorithm.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the expectation to be liked, this one’s for you. 🫠💭 A deeply personal and timely reflection on internet culture, influencer capitalism, and what it means to reclaim your humanity.

💬 Add this to your nonfiction/memoir TBR ASAP.

🧠 TW: disordered eating, mental health crisis, institutionalization

⭐️ Out 8.12.25 from @simonandschuster

#IfYouDontLikeThisIWillDie #LeeTilghman #InfluencerMemoir #Bookstagram #MemoirRecommendation #NonfictionReads #SocialMediaDetox #MentalHealthMatters #WellnessCulture #BookRelease #MustReadMemoir #BooksOfInstagram #Bookstagrammer #BookRecs #AugustBooks #RealTalkReads #ContentCreationCrisis #BurnoutRecovery #DigitalWellness #InfluencerLifeExposed

I was an OG follower of @leefromamerica starting around 2015. I vividly remember so many of Lee's life events, brand partnerships, and health experiments, so reading If You Don't Like This, I Will Die was very nostalgic. It's hard to read how much she was struggling and how few things in her life were truly bringing her joy. I expected nothing less than the honest truth from Lee, though, and I can't believe how many things I am already rethinking about my own social media use. I think some parts of the book could have been left out in favor of diving deeper into others. For example, the emotional and physical abuse Lee experienced at home clearly impacted her, but we didn't learn much more after the chapter about her sister's birthday. I can understand wanting to keep some things private, so I think this could have been omitted and that space focused on other things.

Lee Tilghman’s memoir offers a revealing, sometimes raw glimpse into the highs and lows of life as a wellness influencer. Known to many as @LeeFromAmerica, she built an online empire on self-care, clean eating, and aesthetic living. From brand deals with Madewell and Subaru to raking in over $300,000 a year, her life on Instagram seemed polished and perfect.

But as she openly confesses, the curated image came at a cost. Behind every photo was a moment missed, a friendship strained, and a mind unraveling. Her obsession with “content” blurred the lines between life and performance, leading to disordered eating, mental health struggles, and eventually, a complete identity crisis. The memoir documents her descent into burnout and her journey toward self-rediscovery after stepping away from the influencer lifestyle.

While the writing can be uneven and sometimes leans into generalizations, the story is honest and timely. It’s a thought-provoking account of the emotional toll of performing online, especially as influencer culture becomes increasingly normalized. This book is a strong pick for readers interested in digital culture, wellness discourse, or the hidden cost of chasing online validation.