When cracks start forming in an influencer’s curated life, she finds out that jealousy is just as viral as a video in this riveting suspense novel by bestselling author Jesse Q. Sutanto.
Influencer Meredith Lee didn't teach Aspen Palmer how to blossom on social media just to be ditched as soon as Aspen became big. So can anyone really blame Mer for doing a little stalking? Nothing serious, more like Stalking Lite.
Introduction
Jesse is known in the thriller, comedy and adventure genres, but they've all been aimed at children or teens. This is her first adult book, set in the world of internet influencers.
Plot Summary
Meredith was one of the biggest influencers on the circuit. She shared her wisdom with Aspen, literally renaming her to better fit her brand. It worked, too; now Aspen is the megastar and Meredith is failing...
Characters
Personally I didn't find either Aspen or Meredith nice characters. Both are too obsessed with their online presence, Aspen especially. However, as this is literally the point of the story, I do think it was very well written to provoke this response in me.
Writing Style
The novel’s dual POV offers a unique glimpse into the lives of these social media influencers. As readers, we're privy to the meticulous crafting of their online personas while simultaneously uncovering the less polished truths of their offline worlds. Aspen's staged "wake-up" routine perfectly shows how the book contrasts their carefully constructed public images with their real lives. It's a remarkable piece of writing.
Themes and Messages
This leans heavily into the 'influencers construct everything, none of it's real' idea. I'm sure there are influencers out there who are always honest, but equally there are plenty who are this false and only interested in views and likes and products. It is, of course, also a thriller, and when we reached that point of the story I was hooked!
Strengths
- Some great points about influencers
- Having both POVs really helped
- Once the thriller aspects kicked in I was completely hooked
Weaknesses
- It does take a while to get to the thriller bits - the first part of the book is firmly set in the world of influencers, which is interesting in a different way
Personal Connection
This was a really interesting read. As a book blogger, I'm technically a micro influencer, but the characters here are on a completely different level. There's also the thriller aspect, which I'm trying really hard not to spoil but found so unexpected and brilliant!
Conclusion
Fantastic read for adults who are into thrillers or the world of influencers. Highly recommended.
Further Reading/Viewing
Jesse's other books are children or teens, but her thrillers are very similar to this in tone; try The Obsession or The New Girl. For a look at children growing up in influencer households, try Girl (in real life) which is aimed at tweens or teens; for a more adult oriented novel, try People Like Her.
You Will Never Be Me publishes on the 20th of August, 2024. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.
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