This book was not what I expected, which is why I've been teetering between 3.5-4 stars. Nonetheless, the story was original, which I really appreciated.

It starts off quite slow, there were a few times I wondered if this would be a DNF, but I'm glad I stuck through. The blurb made it seem as if there was something really sinister happening with the Feely family, and frankly, I was a little let down there wasn't. That being said, I think the ending made up for it (even if it felt a tad rushed). In a sea of thrillers, this book stands out. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

I loved this story. There is some great character development, and you really find yourself book hoping that Angela finds herself. I found myself reading this one in two sittings. It kept my interest all the way through.

Every time Emily Bleeker writes a new book, I cannot wait to read it! What It Seems was not exactly what I was expecting, but I still loved it! Emily Bleeker has so many different writing styles, so she always manages to surprise me, always in a good way. What It Seems is definitely full of surprises, until the very end!

Some may be able to get into this book and enjoy it but it wasn't for me. I guess I just could not imagine a 20 yr. old locked in her room, committing theft for her mother, pretending to be pregnant and wanting a job for a you tube channel. I will admit that I could not finish it. If you enjoy this type of fantasy story, okay, but to me, it was beyond reasoning. I thank Netgalley for giving me the chance to try it.

What It Seems is a masterpiece of a story.

I love books like this that show the reality of social media.
The writing is phenomenal and I lost myself in Angela’s (scary!) world very easily. There’s a small twist towards the end which I thought was obvious but it’s the haunting way this book unfolds that makes it so incredible!

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy, I just could not get into this book. It sounded good but it lost me early on and I gave up.

Emily Bleeker is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Her books are fantastic. While I really enjoyed "What it Seems" reading it in one day, there were a few parts of Angela's story that I found a bit unrealistic. Overall, another great book we will recommend. Thank you for the advanced copy.

For Tara, it should have been a new beginning, being adopted out of the foster care system by a loving mother. But her new mother is cruel and controlling, and now 8 years after her adoption, Tara is twenty and knows nothing of the outside world. Her only escape is watching online videos of the Feely family, to her they represent what a real family should be. When the Feely family offers her an internship, Tara believes her prayers have been answered and that she’ll finally have a life away from her controlling adoptive mother. But Tara will soon learn that the Feely’s are far from what they appear and she may have gone from the frying pan to the fire. Tense and creepy

Experimental Excellence. With this book, Bleeker does something she's never done before - writes a tale in first person. And for this particular tale, that was likely the only way to make this story as good as it is. This story involves some pretty heavy abuse, but that actually drives the reader to want to find some resolution... and drove me to complete the 304 page book in less than 12 hrs, which is a rarity even for me. An excellent take on the not-what-it-seems side of a popular cultural phenomenon, while also an excellent tale of survival and what a person will do just to get to the next day. Truly great work from an author I've been following since her debut a few years ago now. Very much recommended.