A powerfully real and funny new story from the rising queen of teen, about first kisses, learning to be true to yourself and how one click can last for ever... Amelia Bright wants to be the best at everything. But when it comes to popularity, she is dead last. No matter what she tries, she can't shake her reputation as a maggoty nobody. When she meets cute new boy Evan, Amelia wonders if he can help her lose her loser status. And in a moment of hope, she agrees to something she quickly regrets - something that goes viral at school. Now she's not just called "maggot", she's a "bad influence" - and worse. But Amelia's determined not to let one mistake define her...she's so much more than the image everyone sees online.
BE AWARE: this book contains the non consensual sharing of a photo of a thirteen year old girl wearing a see through bra. There is also some kissing and over the clothes touching.
I love Tamsin Winter. Girl (in real life) was one of my favourite books of 2021, and I've been looking forward to this one. Tamsin seems to have a line straight into the minds of teenage girls, and she knows how to present it in a way that's clear and easy to follow without being patronising.
Much like Tamsin, I am always grateful that I grew up (::cough::just::cough::) before social media was a thing. Puberty is tricky enough without having all your failings immortalised for everyone to look at forever, as happens here to Amelia. As often happens, from our position outside the story, it's easy to see what's happening - with her father, with the bullying and with Evan - but Tamsin makes it easy to sympathise with Amelia, too, and to understand why she takes the actions she does. (No spoilers, but I very nearly cheered at a certain scene near the end!) There are a few scenes that are difficult to read, just because of the subject matter, but it's such a good read I got past that.
If we're lucky, this book will spark a few conversations and maybe make a few people rethink their actions and behaviours. It absolutely should be in every classroom, read and discussed in book clubs, and ideally part of the school curriculum - it's that important and that well written. Just a fabulous read all around, I really enjoyed it, and I tore through it in a day!
I will read anything Tamsin produces; Girl has a special place in my heart, but this is very nearly unseating it.
(And, in an amusing coincidence, the Irish Gardai have just started a new campaign to make sure people are aware that threatening to spread intimate images is a crime, just as this book is publishing! Hopefully between the two we get some conversations going around this very touchy and misunderstood topic.)
Absolutely brilliant. I love it.
Bad Influence publishes on the 8th of June, 2023. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.
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