A solid 3 star read from the author of Pretty Little
Liars. I’ll admit I went into this book with low expectations because I really didn’t like the PLL books but I was pleasantly surprised. The story was well written, and paced perfectly, they never really got bogged down in the notoriously muddy middle and that made this an easy read.
I’ll say that some of the characters seemed very surface level-like yes they had their issues (OCD, hidden sexuality, overbearing parents etc) but we never really got to dig deep into each character. I would have loved a story about Jasmine or at least to have dived into her rise and hidden life a bit more.
All in all it was an enjoyable read, with a good twist (I did figure it out early on but I can see how people wouldn’t), and it was a nice insight into the life of influencers (albeit on a exaggerated scale).

Great book full of twists and turns that kept me page turning deep into the night. If you like the pretty little liars books then this is a mu for you . 4 stars

i tried to enjoy this book but i just didn't like it overall. Thge writing was fine but it just underwhlemed me entirely. The story could've done so much more than it did and the characters seemed a bit 2d and flat at times. I got what it was trying to do but it didn't do it for me.

I adored this! As a huge fan on Pretty Little Liars I was drawn to this straight away!
This was full of twists, laughs and definitely spilled some tea of the influencing world!

*I was given an ARC of Influence in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Little, Brown Book Group UK, Atom, Sara Shepard and Lilia Buckingham.*

Review posted at youngcreativepress.com.

Influence is the latest novel from Sara Shepard, bestselling author of Pretty Little Liars. Focussed on the LA influencer world, the thriller shows what life is like behind the scenes of influencers.

Delilah Rollins is fairly new to the influencer world and has just moved to LA with her family. We first meet her when she is on her way to an event. At this event, she meets Jasmine and Fiona, two big names in the influencer world. She also meets ‘it girl’ Scarlet.

The story is told from the four-girls perspectives and is packed full of mystery, drama and interesting insights on the influencer world.

Influence definitely took a little while to get going. However, it was essential to know the background of each character and how they got where they are today. This does not mean that it was a slow or boring read. Honestly, I was hooked from the get-go.

I actually really enjoyed the writing style, which is quite unusual for me as I’m not a huge fan of multiple perspectives. However, here it worked really well. Especially with all of the secrets that everyone was trying to keep.

This brings me to our four main girls. They were all intriguing characters and getting to experience four different types of influencers was a really great aspect. Each girl had their own secrets they were trying to hide and they all had unique personalities which really fed into the mystery.

Gaining insight into the life of influencers was really interesting. I’m so glad Sara decided to include more of the gritty side of it, instead of just showing people all of the amazing events and opportunities influencers get.

The plot twist is definitely an interesting one. I would never have guessed it. Although I will say there is a second plot twist, which is actually the answer to the main mystery. This was the only bad point of the book for me. Not because you are tricked into thinking you know the answer, but because it was so rushed and no one really reacted to it. Which trust me they should have. It was wild.

I would more than recommend Influence to anyone who was a fan of the Pretty Little Liars series or anyone who is looking for a contemporary thriller. I feel like by the end of the book I was so invested in the characters lives that I am now craving a sequel.

Influence is a young adult thriller about the pitfalls of being a celebrity in the public eye and explores the sinister side of technology, offering a glimpse at the drama that unfolds behind the scenes of Hollywood’s it-influencers. How much of their seemingly picture-perfect lives are real and how much is facade? 16-year-old Delilah Rollins, known online as Puppy Girl, is an up and coming teen social media influencer from Minneapolis. She rose to prominence when a video in which she bravely rescued a golden retriever from a neighbour’s burning shed went viral. Having just moved to Los Angeles six days earlier with her family, Delilah receives an exciting invitation to a huge influencer party for Wellness Beauty, taking place at the Evensong Hotel, via direct Instagram message from @LuluJasmine, aka Jasmine Walters-Diaz, aka Lulu C from That’s Hot!, Delilah’s favourite dance show on Lemonade. With 20 million followers Delilah can't believe actress and dancer Jasmine even knows who she is, never mind saying she's a fan; after all this is the girl who practically broke the internet when she wore her iconic rainbow skirt and lace leotard. At the gathering Jasmine introduces Delilah to Fiona Jacobs, an aspiring actress and YouTuber, with her caramel skin and gorgeous, flowing red hair. It's not long before uber influencer Scarlet Leigh, aka @ScarletLetter, shimmies into the lobby and the 3 girls greet her.

Scarlet was a tall girl with glowing skin; bouncy, white-blond hair; and a curvy, flawless body. She was on every Sexiest Girl Alive list, she’d received sponsorship deals for everything ranging from a small-batch whiskey maker to a renowned airline. Delilah is taken aback when Fiona's boyfriend, Chase, warns her away from the apparently toxic, self-absorbed Scarlet. Delilah slips into a dimly-lit booth to gather herself and is shocked to discover that half-concealed in shadows, is a guy with pale green eyes and soft, floppy chestnut hair. The guy turns out to be Scarlet's beau, YouTube comedian Jack Dono, and unfortunately, with cameras now everywhere catching every minute of an influencer’s life the encounter between them is recorded and widely circulated. Cue the melodrama, bitchiness and accusations between the social media moguls. And when a brutal murder takes place, Delilah vows to root out the killer in their midst. This is a compulsive, exciting and unique read set in a cutthroat world where influencers will do anything to acquire fame and anything to retain it. It's a glamorous way of life, and we are shown a fully rounded and immersive view of it as the chapters alternate between the 4 girls. It's fun, entertaining and a great piece of escapism made all the more authentic by knowledgeable real-life influencer Lilia Buckingham's involvement. Highly recommended.

While I’m a fan of Pretty Little Liars and have watched the show religiously, ‘Influence’ failed to sell me on the world it tried to construct. The characters felt realistic, if not slightly one-dimensional but it was the story and plot points that felt weak and disconnected mainly because we kept fleeting from one person to the next. So it was really hard connecting to any of the characters. I also would have liked to see more about some of the health issues mentioned - for example Fiona’s OCD was handled well and carried throughout the book, but Scarlett’s PCOS felt more like convenience at the end. It was an easy read overall, but it left me wanting more.

Influence is a twisty mystery set in the world of teen influencers. Jasmine wants to move on and grow as a person but she’s stuck playing the same role as her character rainbow-clad Lulu C. in real life as well as on TV, Fiona wants to get into acting but her head isn’t in the game and Delilah is completely new to the world of influencers, after becoming an internet sensation overnight by rescuing a puppy. These are our three main characters, who each have their own secrets and problems, and they’re all connected to Scarlet Leigh, the influencer everyone wants to be - but nobody actually likes.

I liked this book. The mystery, which I can’t say too much about in case I spoil it, was executed brilliantly, as I had no idea who was behind the mystery and there was plenty of twists and turns. The ending was definitely unexpected. The characters also had more depth to them than I had expected - they each had a lot of secrets and things that made them relatable to ordinary people. In fact, the biggest secret about influencers is that they are normal people, and this book really explored the world of influencers which I found fascinating. There were some different types of representation with the characters which was good to see. However, I felt like the ending wrapped things up a little too neatly - everything turned out great for the main characters, which I felt was a little unbelievable given one of the secrets that had been revealed in particular. It felt like everything was a bit too easy and there should have been more repercussions. Also, this book gave me some definite PLL vibes and I would have liked to see Sara Shepard make the book a bit more unique - the anonymous texts are becoming a little cliché. That said, I did enjoy the book and Sara Shepard as always delivered a great mystery, and I would recommend the book to anyone who likes her other books.

review courtesy of my thirteen year old daughter...

I thought Influence was an amazing book. It had lots of different twists and lots of things happened that I didn't expect. It was really interesting to see things from the influencer's point of view rather than the fan's as you don't see that from a social media page. I'm someone who uses Instagram a lot so this was really engaging to read because the characters see social media in a totally different way. There were quite a few major plot twists throughout the book which kept me wanting to read more. I really like how it was told from different point of views, it kept the storyline from becoming one main plot. The only thing I would improve is the ending, it felt a little rushed to get the big plot twist out. However, it was a very good book and I highly recommend it.

The book stood out to me from the difference it promised in its premise, and it was something it definitely delivered on. I'm a sucker for a good mystery, and adding in the unusual setting of the influencer world of LA added a good bit of spice to keep things fresh. The characters were well-written on the whole, proving unique and distinctive - extremely useful for a multi-POV book - although I do question Fiona. To me, she felt extremely changeable, almost oscillating from one character extreme to another, which I thought undermined the credibility a little.

The plot, too, was fairly well-handled, although I wasn't fully sold on the pacing. Things took a while to get established, and then the ending seemed almost rushed, but the twists were believable (and not predictable!), which certainly kept the reader's interest alive. Thus, on the whole, it was a strong MG-YA read, and a stable start for Buckingham's debut, but with a couple of technical changes it could elevate itself much higher - (the YA mystery/thriller genre has some pretty steep competition which I'd say demands near-perfection to rate among.)

With social media becoming exponentially popular and powerful, I'm thrilled that Sara Shepard has penned a tale that expresses that world so beautifully.
Teenagers / young adults are without doubt the most susceptible to the glossy, highly stylised world that is so readily available to them.
Without too much of a spoiler, it's a very refreshing to read a more realistic picture of what goes on behind the scenes.

*Received as an ARC from NetGalley*

If Gossip Girl was a murder mystery, I think it would be exactly like this book.
It was very interesting to be able to delve into the world of social media stars and gain an insight of their reality. This book highlights the darker aspects of social media and shows how fame isn’t always about the ‘glitz and glam’. Despite this, I expected more from the mystery side of the plot. It often felt as though the mystery was forgotten about and the suspense was replaced with the character’s anxieties about their secrets being exposed.
Overall, it was an easy, interesting read.

This is not something I’d usually read, I’m not a girly girl or a social media expert by any means, but I actually quite enjoyed it! I was a bit baffled by aspects (most of the “influencer” stuff to be honest) but I loved the thrilling mystery bits; it kept me gripped and I totally didn’t guess the ending. I can see this being popular with YA fans and I will probably add it to the 13+ section of my school library! It sends an important message that I think a lot of teens need to hear.

THERE MAY BE SPOILERS THAT HAVE SLIPPED MY KNOWLEDGE WHEN TRYING TO EDIT THEM OUT SO PLEASE DON'T READ PRIOR TO READING THE BOOK.

This was such a well written, brilliantly formulated and wonderfully developed book. I was hooked by the plot from the very beginning and I was kept on my toes until the very end.

The multiple twists and turns of the plot were incredible. I honestly felt like a detective, with little clues being dangled in front of me every now and then. And when I thought I had my mind made up on what happened, another clue came along and my suspicions were shifted. I felt like I was truly along for the ride with the group, even second guessing them at times, and I was really not prepared for that second conclusion. I was so surprised! And it was even sort of hinted toward the beginning with a different but similar character. I should have trusted my gut instinct at the beginning that something was off. Everything fell together so perfectly at the end, yet there’s still a slight question of could Scarlet still actually be alive? And this will keep me thinking and I think the whole plot is just so brilliant!

I have included a link to where the good reads review will be, however I will not post the review there until two weeks before publication, as requested.

The characters had depth and they felt so real. Although my life on the whole is vastly different to theirs, I could relate to them on their more personal and “human” aspects. I really appreciated the range of characters and their complex situations that made them real. They are more than what they appear to be on the surface, or in this case on their social media. It gives time to reflect on how I view people with big followings and how they too are actually complex people, and their online persona is only the surface that has barely been scratched. I feel that the world of influencers as fun as it may seem can also be very stressful and complicated, especially with the current “cancel culture”. I appreciate how this book refocuses a group of influencers as “real” people. I also loved delving deeper into this world with the help of Delilah, as she too is relatively new to the world and I felt her storyline was the perfect way to introduce the reader into the plot.

I cannot fault this story, it has everything I loved, mystery, scandal, a group of friends with secrets and it was written so well with such a gripping storyline that I found it hard to put the book down.

This holds such a strong and important message for the young generation of today’s society. It explores the world of social media and influencers that is very relevant today. It provokes thoughts of how you view people with an “influencer” label and how you put them on a pedestal, but really they are for the most part pretty normal. They may have certain opportunities not available to the general person, but they are real people with real lives, they have their own battles and struggles and you may not always see that as they choose to post their “highlight reel” of their life.

I feel like this story brings an anti-bullying message to the forefront as well as messages of self-acceptance. It also shares the importance of telling the truth as well as being true to yourself. I honestly thought it was such a delightful and gripping read. It was right up my alley and I can’t wait for it to be published!

I really loved the tying up of each characters current storyline in each of the chapters. I enjoyed their reflections and I felt they were complimented the rest of the story perfectly. I also really liked the somewhat cliff-hanger at the end, the idea that Scarlet might still be alive, or it could just be an experienced hacker. The idea that even after she had been memorialized her fanbase and memory still live on. Oh, I just really loved it!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to have access to an advanced copy! I really enjoyed it. Never in my years did I think I would have early access to a book by Sara Shepard and it didn't disappoint. I also found it super cool that Lilia Buckingham who I hear is an influencer was also on board with writing this book. I think her inside knowledge definitely helped to create the realness and complexity of characters and situations, while also making some aspects seem a little "far-fethced", but in the best of ways and in ways that only added to the plot. I really enjoyed this book!

*contains spoiler*
This book was easy to read, which I liked. The plot overall was good, and I liked the different point of views from each of the main characters. I liked reading about the activities that the influencers character carried out.

But I hated the love line plot between Delilah and Jack. It happened so quick, I guess what people call insta-love? Also, Scarlet's character was confusing. I can't tell if she's actually a bad person, or just a bully.

It would have been nice if Jasmine got the chance to know it was Scarlet who she was with under the masks, a little sooner. I also was disappointed with the part where Delilah figured out about Faith. It was too rushed!! I wished it played out with more suspense.

Thank you Little, Brown Book Group UK, Atom and Netgalley for the ARC.

I just want to start by saying I was super excited when I heard about this book as I absolutely love Sara Shepard. I never thought in a million years that I would get approved to read an advanced copy of one of her books.
I absolutely love that Sara partnered up with Lilia and you can definitely see where Lilia's knowledge was essential throughout this book. Such a lovely collaboration that you should both be super proud of.
As for the storyline... This book absolutely made me want to be become an influencer. I have no idea what my specialist subject would be and what I would even promote but I wanted to be an influencer.
One point I love that this book made is that we all have an online persona that doesn't quite ring true to who we are and that maybe we should actually just embrace who we are as a person and share that with the world instead of a carefully constructed character. The world of fame and fortune has perks, sure. But are they really worth it when you have to pretend to be someone you're not?
I felt like the four main characters in this book all had traits that I most likely have myself. I like the loyalty and the friendship that is displayed. I like that there were two sides to every story.
I know this book is effectively a fictional story but it really has made me think quite deeply about a lot of things.
I don't want to go into the story too much as I don't want to spoil it but I just want to say be kind. Be kind to others and of course, be kind to yourself. Sometimes we are our biggest critics.
Overall I loved this book! It had a great story and there were things that I did not see coming which was nice as a lot of books can be quite predictable.
I love that this book mixed media from two generations. It mixed the world of Instagram and influencers with the world of books. I would even go as far as saying that this book will likely persuade people to put down their phones and pick up a book.

When i saw this book pop up on @netgalley, immediately i requested for access to read it. I LOVE Sara Shephard. Her PLL books were a huge part of my teenage years and of course i loved the Netflix show. Also loved The Lying Game, if anyone remembers that! But the other author is 16 years old!!!! Lilia Buckingham is the creative behind this insane book. So it's about social media influencers.

It's VERY much like Pretty Little Liars. I loved the writing style, i loved the whole plot line. The way social media is portrayed is also very accurate in this book. Influencers i feel are in some kind of a prison. Sure they are rich and famous, but those things always come with a price. I loved this plus there is a potential for a sequel!

This book just wasn’t for me. I liked getting to know the 4 main characters who are all popular influencers. However the plot felt melodramatic and unrealistic. Plus the romances were underdeveloped and with a strong whiff of insta-love.

I think this book might suit a younger audience.

If you thought Pretty Little Liars was set in a far-fetched world, then you’ll love Influence. It’s a world so far removed from reality for many that it really is hard to comprehend people living like this. However, Shepard’s co-author in this is a real-life influencer, so I trust much of this is based on her reality.
The story focuses on four influencers - Delilah (relatively new to the scene), Scarlet (the original mean girl), Jasmine (a child star desperate to reveal who she really is) and Fiona (the funny girl hiding her own secret). We follow them as they live their picture-perfect lives and quickly realise that the reality of their existence is quite different from the image they present.
Much of the interest for me came from the insight into a way of life that is so alien to my experience. It struck me as crazy, a mental nightmare waiting to happen and yet something that holds a dangerous allure. When one of the group is found dead, there is a determination to uncover some of the secrets people have been hiding as they work out what’s happened.
Strangely, the actual murder and subsequent investigation really didn’t register much. There was an attempt to make it dramatic, but the truth was - if I’m honest - rather out of place and seemed more of a manipulation of events to prove a point about the potential pitfalls of this type of world.
I’m grateful to NetGalley for letting me read this prior to publication, and though it wasn’t really my thing I can see this being a big hit with the target audience.

Influence is the book to read if you are obsessed with Instagram and influencers. It's a seductive and fast-paced read that throws you headfirst into the crazy LA celeb /influencer scene.
An intriguing read that has you addicted and turning the pages to see what happens next.