Thank you Libro.fm / Blackstone Publishing, for the ALC and Quirk Books, #partner for the advanced copy of Such a Bad Influence in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Quirk Books / Blackstone Publishing
Published: June 4, 2024
Summary:
A razor-sharp debut about what happens when one of the first child stars of the social media age grows up . . . and goes missing.
Hazel Davis is drifting: she’s stalled in her career, living in a city she hates, and less successful than her younger sister @evelyn, a lifestyle influencer. Evie came of age on the family YouTube channel after a viral video when she was five. Ten years older and spotlight-averse, Hazel managed to dodge the family business—so although she can barely afford her apartment, at least she made her own way.
Evie is eighteen now, with a multimillion-dollar career, but Hazel is still protective of her little sister and skeptical of the way everyone seems to want a piece of her: Evie’s followers, her YouTuber boyfriend and influencer frenemies, and their opportunistic mother. So when Evie disappears one day during an unsettling live stream that cuts out midsentence, Hazel is horrified to have her worst instincts proven right.
As theories about Evie’s disappearance tear through the internet, inspiring hashtags, Reddit threads, and podcast episodes, Hazel throws herself into the darkest parts of her sister’s world to untangle the truth. After all, Hazel knows Evie better than anyone else . . . doesn’t she?
My thoughts:
This book completely took me by surprise! That ending…I’ll be thinking about it for quite some time because I definitely did NOT see that coming! I needed to go back and read it even though I listened to this one…I wasn’t sure I had heard it correctly – and spoiler alert – I did! Wow was it good!
This debut totally snuck up on me in the best way. A book that explores the influencer culture in such a compelling way you aren’t going to want to put this one down once you start it…I sure didn’t! At the surface we have Evie, an 18-year-old influencer who disappears during a live stream one day. It’s puzzling to say the least and we follow her mom and older sister as they try to figure out what is going on.
This is the type of book that not only will have you questioning everyone you come in contact with, including the relatives, but it will also have you questioning what you yourself put on social media. It’s such a thought-provoking read making it a good book club pick as I’m sure it would lead to some pretty good discussions.
And did I mention that ending? I’m still thinking about it! Trust me…get this book. You won’t be sorry!
Audio thoughts:
I opted to listen to this one and loved the full cast narration. All the narrators – Jesse Vilinsky, Kelli Tager, Joe Hempel, Charlotte Moore-Lambert, Mark Sanderlin, Yinka Ladeinde, Amara Jasper, Krystal Hammond, Amanda Stribling, Deanna Anthony – did a fantastic job bringing this story to life. And with the mixed media elements, the audio component really pops.
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