People Like Her audiobook

Underrated.Starting with a tangent: In my 2022 quest to downsize my physical tbr, I did a GR looksie at my physical tbr shelf and found the lowest rated books I own. Spoiler alert: out of 236 total books (at the time I was doing this) this was the third lowest rated at something like 3.35 stars. So I considered just decluttering it without giving it a go; however, before doing so, I checked to see if any of my friends had read/rated it. And, not only did I see that a couple super discerning friends of mine liked it...I saw that my homie, Kelly the Book Boar really liked it. As in, rated it 4 stars. High praise indeed. So I sat down that same day and started this thing, and well...In my opinion, and as I said above, this book is super underrated. I could write an extended social commentary piece about this thing to rival an old college paper, but alas, I will save you all the long-winded pretentiousness and outright boredom and just say this:This book has a lot of great things to say about social media and the way in which it's changing our world. It covers all sides of so many aisles, in so many different ways. And within the walls of a thriller-esque chick-flick novel, mind you. Who would have thought.Anyway.I was really impressed with this book as a whole. As someone equal parts perplexed, fascinated, and disgusted by the modern advent of the influencer/vlogger/You-Tube/IG/TikTok star phenomenon, this book both solidified my concerns...and challenged them. And I really thought the ending was well done as well. Ignore the cover (it doesn't really suit the the book, in my opinion) and take a chance on this if the blurb sounds interesting to you. I personally really enjoyed it and have found myself thinking about it a lot since finishing it.

#Mamabare#Influencer#Instamum#HashtaganythingandeverythingAs the #hashtags indicate, this book is about a social media influencer named Emmy Jackson. She’s the proud mother of two young children, and has made her way from magazine fashion editor to having her own influencer brand.Her shtick? Mamabare - A mom who bares her soul about how difficult it can be with young children. Sleepless nights, vomit on clothing, bags under eyes. Her 1 million followers love how honest and relatable she is. Before Emmy knew it, her Instagram profile took off as her “fans” loved hearing her motivational speaking about how all of the negatives are worth it to have her wonderful children. Problem #1 is that she exaggerates. Emmy really does love her children and her husband, but she isn’t as harried as she likes others to believe. It’s what makes #s. Nobody in the UK wants to see a happy mother who has it together, so she fibs here and there. Problem #2 is that because Emmy wants to be loved by everyone and says whatever is necessary to increase her influence lifestyle (without thinking of repercussions), someone has a vendetta against her. This person will do whatever it takes to make Emmy pay for the injustices she carelessly causes. Ellery Lloyd, a pseudonym for wife-and-husband authors Collette Lyons and Paul Vlitos, does a stellar job revealing the darker side of social media. It can be dangerous and addicting - mentally and physically - for some people using sites like Instagram (or Insta...as the cool cats like to call it). Not to mention, most social media in this day and age really isn’t that fun due to the state of our world right now. 🤦‍♂️ But I digress. The story gets quite dark as things progress, and it’s easy to get lost in the pages as the suspense increases. You know what else increased? My hatred for the characters. There is no question that some people will do anything for fame and influencers, and that is evident here. Despite my disdain towards these folks, it’s an intriguing and sometimes emotional tale that that hooked me...and kept me on my feet. I was never sure how everything would wrap up. #Dark#Diabolical#Realistic#EndOfReview#OneMore#3.5starsReview also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

First of all, let me put it out there that I think social media is incredibly silly, and influencers are not professionals in any way, except maybe in the art of illusion, so I believe any advice an influencer gives should be taken with a grain of salt. With that being said, I was apprehensive to pick up another book about an Instastar (Instagram Star), but I'd heard and seen so many great things and it was also a December BOTM selection, so I decided to give it a shot, which I am so glad I did!! What a sinister, wickedly well-crafted tale this was about the potential harm influencers can cause with idle words and just how dangerous it can be to have complete strangers like, and even worse, follow your every move. This book hit close to home, as several years ago I was the victim of a robbery at my home (thankfully when I was not home), on account of my roommate at the time's posting and oversharing our personal details, including where we lived! I mean, who else would have known we would be out for a two hour window in the middle of the day on a Sunday? Our online 'friends' and 'followers,' that's who! Moving on, this was most likely my favorite thriller of 2020, and I absolutely recommend anyone looking for dark, edge-of-your-seat entertainment, go out and get this ASAP! I was literally enthralled and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning New Year's day reading this to completion. That's saying A LOT, because I love my beauty rest!!The perspectives provided came from our protagonist Emmy Jackson, aka @the_mamabare, a #1 Instamum influencer with millions of followers. At the beginning of this novel, the perspectives alternate between her and her struggling novelist husband Dan, illustrating how envy can creep up in a marriage when one spouse, especially the wife, succeeds and the other spouse flails (or fails, you decide). After a few chapters of thinking this would be about what was once a happy marriage, and has now become a toxic and negative one, we are introduced to a third and unidentified perspective. This is when things picked up, and all hell broke loose and I became enthralled. This perspective is definitely not a fan of Emmy's and is actually an obsessed stalker, with vengeance planned, but we aren't told why or how until the last quarter of the book, and at that point I was in for the long haul! This was the most intense read I read in 2020, because there was just no telling how events would transpire, which had me hooked! I love it when I know that the good guy might very well perish unexpectedly, it adds an element of surprise that I crave! As one can probably imagine, I went through a wide range of emotions while reading this, which is always a sign of great storytelling, IMO, and I was blown away with the final reveal and how events unraveled. I especially enjoyed the slight hint of perhaps a follow-up story at the end, fingers crossed!! Bravo Ellery Lloyd, you have gained a steadfast fan, and I simply can't wait to read more of your work!!

Emmeline Jackson is ‘mamabare’ an Instamum and a huge ‘brand’ with many followers. She is married to Dan, a writer and they have a daughter Coco who is four and a baby boy named Bear who are used in the brand. Their story is told in alternating points of view, interspersed with an as yet unknown person on a revengeful course of destruction. The story hooks you in immediately, you know something awful is happening and it then backtracks and unfolds well. The alternating perspectives is absolutely fascinating as their perception of events is almost polar opposite. My sympathy for much of the book lies with Dan until the end when I realise that these two deserve everything they get. Have they no boundaries? Emmy’s life is a bilious inducing micromanaged, manipulated one and so forced and fake it confirms everything I’ve always thought about ‘Insta stars’. Yeah, yeah, I know, paint me green and call me The Grinch 😂. Then she starts to get somewhat tired and jaded with it all - well, boo, hoo! There’s one unforgivable thing she does to her oldest friend Polly that shocks to the core as it’s cynical and a vile betrayal. There are some really good moments of creepiness, there’s alarm, panic and tension as the obsessive revenge seeker ups the ante and how. There are several really good twists as you reach the finale and well played Ellery Lloyd as you sure fool me!!! It’s clever and leaves you wondering and pondering just when ..........Overall, it’s a well written novel with a good premise and plot. It’s a compelling, easy to read psychological thriller which I recommend to fans of the genre. 4-5 stars. With thanks to NetGalley and Pan McMillan/ Mantle for the arc for an honest review.

Followed by Millions, Watched by OneSet in London, Emmy is a successful influencer, a mummy blogger who is showing the world all the struggles and challenges as a mom –the good, the bad, and the ugly. But mostly the ugly, which makes her much loved and relatable among moms over the world. Who wants to see the perfect mum and family? " when it comes to online life, mothers just don’t respond well to other mothers’ success – if comparison is the thief of joy, Instagram is the cat burglar of contentment.”Her platform is based on total honesty - Right?! There are 3 narrators:Emmy, aka “mamabare” the wildly successful “Instamum” influencer. You will not like her, which is, of course, the point. Dan, the fed-up husband who is sick of his wife’s monetizing every mundane moment of their family’s life. But Emmy’s job pays the bills. He struck just the right note of snark and serious which I loved. His commentary, especially in the beginning, was hilarious.The nameless stalker: a person who is obsessed with “mamabare” and has a personal vendetta against her. She is plotting to take her down. Emmy must suffer as she has suffered. But why? The why and how she does so ramps up the tension and makes for riveting reading.*As an aside, their children’s names are Coco and Bear. Who names their kids Coco and Bear? In the beginning when I’d hear their names I thought they were talking about their dogs 🤷🏻‍♀️ But, back to the story. This was a brilliant look into social media while also being a thrilling page-turner. I was hooked from the beginning, and the tension only grew as I listened. The alternating viewpoints was a device that worked brilliantly in this book and kept the pages flipping furiously (metaphorically speaking, since this was an audio). The last half of the book is when the story begins to take some dark twisty turns. I listened to this on audio, with a cast of narrators. Their performances were excellent and definitely enhanced the experience of reading this book. It was pure fun, and I HIGHLY recommend listening to this one! 4.5 stars Ellery Lloyd is a pseudonym for two authors, Collette Lyons and Paul Vlitos, a husband and wife team. I can’t wait to see what they do next.

Quick thoughts: A thriller about a social media mom influencer, People Like Her is exciting and addictive right from the very start. Emmy has mastered being an influencer and appearances of the perfect life, but underneath it all, there are cracks and troubles bubbling away. This is a book I devoured in one sitting; dark, troubling, full of secrets, intriguing, and even emotional at times. Also, can I just say, I love that title with double meaning! I received a gifted copy. Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

WOW I was completely hooked from the first to the final page and nothing could drag me away from this book!!I’m not a fan of Instagram and have never paid influencers much notice, but this book opened my eyes to the horrors of social media.Emmeline Jackson an instamum has many followers, she is married to Dan and has 2 children, Coco who is 4 and baby Bear. Dan is not keen on his children’s pictures being online but knows his wife’s career is important to her. But someone is out there in the background watching and planning revenge!!The story gave me goosebumps, I loved how it is told in alternate chapters, you know something bad is going to happen but it’s told in bite size pieces that slowly builds the tension up to boiling point!!If you are a fan of psychological thrillers then you will love this book.Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review

Emmy is a wife to writer husband, Dan, and mum to two adorable little ones, Coco and Bear. But, to her millions of Instagram followers, she is @mamabare. Whilst so many social media users attempt to make their lives appear more perfectly filtered and artfully lit, Emmy has cultivated a constructed chaos as her brand. She is the relatable face of motherhood who, or so she appears, deals with all the same sleepless nights, public meltdowns, and leaking maternity bras as everyone else. The fact that she now also earns a living from sharing her woes online is merely a fortune by-product of aiding others with her authenticity. Honest.I found this to provide such an interesting insight to what is still a relatively new profession. The fakery of the influencer lifestyle was often galling to read about and I sometimes felt myself riled by Emmy's attempts at appearing to empower others when really her aim was to cash in on the charged emotions of the mamas who followed her.Emmy made horrendous choices throughout this novel but, for me, the ultimate villain remained social media in general. Emmy is merely a cog in their machine and she is very well aware for how quickly she can be deemed a spare part and tossed into the scrapheap. Leading the 'instamum' pack does not come without a gruelling, full-time, and overwhelming workload!This thriller also opened the other dark side of social media - the one where nameless and faceless individuals are provided with a visible and much followed target to hurl their abuse and pain at. Some of these were mere keyboard warriors but sometimes they were not. Sometimes they wanted some of the seemingly effortless success that Emmy had created. Sometimes they wanted so much more from her.I was sometimes sickened, sometimes angered, but always engrossed in the events unfolding here. Lloyd has crafted a cleverly constructed thriller and the multitude of evils, in varying degrees, that featured also ensured this to be also a thought-provoking read.I achieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Ellery Lloyd, and the publisher, Pan Macmillan, for this opportunity.

Emmy is an Instamum - a famous Instagram social media influencer - living in England. With over a million followers, she’s the leader in her niche. She prides herself on her honesty and real-ness, but really, it’s all a facade to make her more likable and more relatable in order to gain more followers which translates into more dollars. Dan, Emmy’s husband, is a struggling writer. His first novel eight years ago was quite a success but his second novel has been in progress ever since. For as much as his wife’s career troubles and annoys him, he can’t deny it pays the bills and provides them with lifestyle that he cannot. A third, unknown character slowly reveals herself by sharing information about her traumatic and tragic past. Through these pages, we also learn that she attributes the root cause of her pain directly to Emmy, and that Emmy must pay for this. What unfolds is a sinister, twisty novel about an internet famous family pretending to be “regular people” and what happens when a follower decides to take a step beyond the screen. I could not flip the pages fast enough. I was completely absorbed by the stories of Emmy, Dan, and the mystery narrator and love that they each told their stories from their own perspectives. The story took turns I wasn’t expecting which I also absolutely loved.Though the novel on the whole was dark, much of the story was fun and wildly entertaining. As a humble #bookstagrammer trying to make my mark in an impressive community, I was absolutely fascinated by the workings of a full time, professional influencer. I know how much time and effort goes into my small page and I just can’t imagine what goes into getting and keeping that many followers. I also loved how “real” the story felt. It was a totally plausible concept and the build up and execution all worked perfectly. Even though Emmy and Dan took every precaution, they were still exposing themselves to millions of strangers, making themselves and their children vulnerable and exposed. I thought much of the backlash and effects of being instafamous were well addressed and also well researched. This is one that can’t be missed and I wholeheartedly recommend!Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for a copy of this fantastic novel.

Whoa!! A thrilling debut that kept me enraptured from the beginning. Social media and its dangers were completely explored in this book. Emmy was a successful influencer with her own brand. Her husband Dan did not like the children's pics on social media, but couldn't do much in the force of Emmy's personality. Entered the darkness which soon followed Emmy and laid down its claws onto her. Destruction was the foregone conclusion. Having read many books in this genre, it was wonderful how the author could make her words express the emotions she wanted to convey. The story might seem familiar but its treatment was certainly different. It was quite thought-provoking. The characters were well developed, each one was contrary to the author. I couldn't help feeling scared for them as danger tightened its web. The author dove into the human psyche to show the workings of the damaged mind. Emotions came through while reading. I was always wary of social media, post reading this I was petrified. Overall, the book dealt with the good and the bad aspects of social media. I was especially engrossed as I wanted to get to the end and unmask the psycho terrorizing Emmy and her family. Quite unexpected was the end, I had to hold my breath for that one.

"Followed by millions, stalked by one" really does sum this book up so well. I had heard such great things about this book and I couldn't wait to dive in. The hype is real people, this is one book that you do not want to miss. It is a clever story, told from multiple points of view that ramped up the suspense.Emmy Jackson is an "Instamum" with over a million followers. She is married to Dan, a writer , and they have 2 small children. She has built up a following with her "real" struggles as a mother. But what you see on social media is not always the truth is it? She is relatable to other struggling mothers and makes a living out of bearing it all online. But it is not all likes and free products. Somebody is out to get her, and becomes obsessed with hurting her.People Like Her is an addictive and fun read. The main character of Emmy is not particularly likeable and her decisions are questionable. But it does highlight the dangers of putting your life on social media and tweaking the truth.Thanks to MacMillan Australia for my advanced copy of this book to read.

QUESTION: Are all books about Instagrammers created equal?ANSWER: No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Just like this fictional Instagrammer's Instagram feed, PEOPLE LIKE HER soars and sizzles. It's witty and snarky -- yet also brilliantly serves as a compelling commentary on social media's powerful impact on lives and one's moral compass.Well written and fast-paced, PEOPLE LIKE HER is humorous, suspenseful, and disturbing -- all at the same time. Some chapters had had me LOL...while other chapters had me guessing and gasping. I did feel that the book's ending was "convenient" and not very believable -- but overall, PEOPLE LIKE HER was a 5-star read for me.The story unfolds from three different POVs and the author's character development was strong. My favorite character in the book was the Instagrammer's novelist husband because I always enjoyed his humorous comments about his wife's uncanny ability to be "creative with the truth" and monetize even the most mundane details of their family's daily routine.In addition to the POVs of the Instagram Mom and her husband, the POV of a sinister and manipulative nameless/faceless "mystery character" is also featured. This "mystery character" despises the Instagram Mom and wants revenge; vowing to destroy the Instagram Mom's platform and life. Throughout the entire book, readers know something horrible is going to happen but are clueless as to what will happen and when.I listened to the book's audio edition. I always love it when a book has multiple narrators and all of this book's narrators were superbly cast and did an outstanding job. According to the Goodreads bio, this book's author is a husband/wife team and I will definitely be looking forward to their next novel.

LOVED it!! I have already found what will definitely be a favourite book of 2021. Writing about social media and making it a convincing piece of work is surely difficult and Ellery Lloyd duo have certainly pulled it off. Also what a clever play of words on the title! People Like Her. What to expect?Emmy is an Insta-mom. She is famous, has a million followers, and a group of Insta-pod friends—fellow influencer mommies. Her husband Dan is a writer and not v keen on the children’s pics being on social media. She has got two kids—Coco and Bear. Someone seems to be obsessed with her life and activities—spelling danger for her life. This reads like a very contemporary Insta novel that morphs into a thriller.What bothered me:I’ll say what I didn’t like first because I loved so many things in the book.- I am trying to be as vague as possible because of spoilers. There's a semi-big climax, but I wasn't sure how believable it is. I liked the way Dan's mind worked in tracking it down. But also there are loopholes (if you've read the book, you know)- Polly; Emmy's friend who isn't an Insta presence but is an old friend, bridesmaid, supportive person etc was a wonderful character. She had too little space. I really wanted a bit more of Polly. At the end, she was reduced to 'the person who screams at Emmy the bad effects of social media'. I wish she had more purpose.Things I especially Loved:- How the two sides of social media were explored. The influencer life vs the fan who might harm the influencer they look up to.- Also loved how Emmy was passionate about building a business. It was hilarious reading about her meeting an agent and being advised ‘have a breakdown or a baby’ to establish her career. I really liked the non-glamorous side of influencer life. The get-togethers that Dan is tired of, the packages that keep coming, trying hard to be accessible to her followers, answering DMs and always being supportive and helpful.- Emmy and Dan decide early on that when the kids are big and when they say no, this Insta-family thing has to stop. There's a wonderful scene where Emmy asks Coco to say something at an interview and she doesn't want to. And Emmy goes on to think should she give in to Coco? But also being a parent is about making your child do things they don't want to—eat what they don't want, wear a diaper etc. I loved how Lloyd wrote about dilemmas of a career in the limelight and parenting as a career vs the trials of parenting.- The agent and the whole business side of influencing. I LOVED this part. The Insta support group of fellow mommies who give each other visibility and grow together, Emmy’s desperation to climb up the ladder and be on TV/talk show etc and how her agent does her best, scheduling posts at least a fortnight in advance, having parties to ‘appeal’ to the audience etc. I also loved how Emmy says she is too tidy that she has to mess up her house a little or not get a new hairstyle to be ‘relatable’ to other moms. Also nice touch with how the party invites are made/given out based on ‘influence’. ALSO Emmy’s agent is literally a genius. She knows how to save her client in every way possible.- Winter—Emmy's assistant who wants to an Insta star was a nice touch and I enjoyed how her arc turned out.-The pacing was great. You are in the middle of the problems between Dan and Emmy and at the same time there’s someone WATCHING. Oooof! It tingles.- The book shows the good side of social media and also the bad side—the trolls, the desperation to make it ‘click’, creepy fans, fake accounts on social media ‘that do not disregard Instagram’s policies and hence can’t be taken down (haven’t we seen that so many times?)-I love how the book ends. It made me ponder a lot of things. When you say you don’t want your life to be on social media, to another person, does it really really apply to you as well? What if you got the fame? Would you give up fame? Fame is so addictive!I would’ve loved it if the ending bits were more stretched out. So many things came to a halt, subplots started moving quickly towards the end. But really, I am not even complaining because the book was v enjoyable. 100% recommending People like her for everyone. I really enjoyed it. And I hope to see more of Ellery Llyod—they sure know how to write a good story. Much thanks to Pan Macmillan for an e- copy of the book. All opinions are my own.Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

Surprisingly one of the more creepy thrillers I have read this year, People Like Her really leans into the paranoias of being a parent. It also has some really interesting conversations involving the ethicality of being an "Instamum" and the cons to constantly documenting your children online. I first found this book really hard to get into, mostly because of the constant use of the hashtags and these very cringey influencer terms like "blogger mommy". But in that way, I definitely think it was written in a way that was supposed to make you cringe and was supposed to make you feel like this entire life Emmy is living in is so artificial and childish. But I really did enjoy reading the different perspectives. They were varied and each had a great use in propelling the story. I'm also happy that Lloyd wrote from a male perspective which we close to never see in current day thrillers. Another thing that really works is there is a massive amount of suspense throughout reading. The messages we get from Emmy's "stalker" only bring up tiny pieces of information, but doesn't spoil their evil plans. So while we usually get the perspective of the stalker later on, that perspective never ruins the shock of the "incidents" that occur. I'll also probably be in the extremely unpopular opinion here, but I wish the author hadn't included the epilogue. I'll try writing this without spoiling anything, but if the epilogue hadn't been written it would be more of a gut punch and a lot more of a hard-hitting and effective ending. Anyways, I had a lot of fun with this very suspenseful book from Ellery Lloyd. If you want to read about the very strange life of an Instagram mom and all of the reasons to not be an online influencer, I think this book has a lot of interesting conversations about that.