People to Follow by Olivia Worley

Rating: ★★★★☆

Dates Read: 2/23/23 - 3/6/23

    "In Real Life" is the latest sensation in reality TV, gathering ten popular teen influencers on a remote Caribbean island. The show's premise forces these social media stars to go offline, unfiltered, for three weeks. For rising stars like Elody, Kira, Logan, and Max, this seems like the opportunity of a lifetime, with millions of followers eagerly watching their every move. However, their dream quickly turns into a terrifying nightmare.

    When the production crew fails to show up, and a fellow contestant is found dead, the nine remaining influencers are left stranded with no means of communication to the outside world. As they grapple with the shock of their situation, mysterious messages from an unknown Sponsor start to arrive, threatening to expose their deepest secrets. Realizing they're part of a deadly game, they must find the puppet master behind it all before the body count rises further and their every move is tracked by relentless cameras. The stakes are high, and the influencers must uncover the truth before their #1 follower becomes their deadliest enemy.

    I finally got around to reading this book, and I have to say, it was a pleasant surprise. Despite my initial reservations about modern elements like Instagram and TikTok being incorporated, I found myself really enjoying this debut novel. The fast-paced plot kept me engaged, and I was genuinely taken aback by the unexpected twists - a rare occurrence for me as I usually predict plot developments. 

    Narrated from multiple points of view among the ten influencers, I appreciated the opportunity to get to know each character, although I did struggle at times to remember who was who due to my difficulty with names. Some of the characters seemed to embody certain tropes, like the pro-gun southern conservative, but this didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the story.

    I must thank St. Martins Press for providing me with this book and NetGalley for granting access to the ARC. I'm eager to read more from this talented author in the future, and I highly recommend this thrilling and well-executed tale to fellow readers.