A little warning from me about this one. I am not at all faint-hearted when it comes to thrillers or graphic scenes in novels but there were some parts of this book that I found quite triggering, upsetting and unnecessary. As a parent of young children, there was also a major plot element that I fundamentally disagreed with and actually made me quite angry.

I did like the concept of a thriller set around a mummy influencer and it’s a nice easy read with short chapters that alternate between Emmy’s point of view and that of her husband. Unfortunately this one wasn’t for me.

With thanks to Pan Macmillan for the gifted digital review copy.

Instamum Emmy is a huge success story, her brand 'Mamabare' is shared with millions, along with her personal life. But not everybody is cheering her on, one person in particular is plotting her downfall.
I was really interested to read this, it explores the darker side to online sharing and is a really current subject. However I did struggle to really get into the story, the first half was all the build up, explaining the intricacies of online stats and algorithms which I felt sometimes became a bit repetitive and tedious. The real story came to play towards the end and I felt this was a little rushed considering the extensive build up.
The characters were also hard to connect with, you didn't really find much in common with Emmy herself and being such a 'fake' person didn't lend to feeling any sort of common ground with her. Apart from the children I wasn't entirely concerned with what happened to any of the characters, as they just really weren't people who were easy to like.
That said although I felt the story was rushed at the end, it was very very good. Dark, harrowing and truly sinister and the atmosphere and tension really helped to keep me reading.
The plot addressing the dangers of oversharing is really important, so well done for tackling such a prominent subject, the stark message this book brings home is vital with the current trend to share very aspect of our personal lives online, so is well worth a read.
Thank you to Netgalley, Harper and Ellery Lloyd for the advanced reader copy.

I found this to be a really thought provoking book. In a world where most of us have some internet footprint on social media this story centres around an Instagram influencer called Emmy and her husband, Dan who achieved some success with his first novel some 7 years ago but has never seemed to be able to write anything further.

Emmy trends the Mamabear hashtag and would virtually sell her soul and her family for followers, advertising deals and her ultimate goal of her own tv show. The family’s lives are documented constantly on her Insta page however, none of it is real. Emmy stages photos and antidotes in order to win over her followers and stay relevant. Whilst Dan appears to dislike his wife’s profession he is happy to live off the salary it supplies.

Whilst Emmy attracts followers not all of them love her and the dark side of being so public about your homelife rears it’s ugly head putting those closet to her in danger.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, Emmy and Dan were not characters I liked and the author did a great job of showing how fake and narcissistic the world of influencers are and how getting followers is more important than being true to yourself and people around you. By the end of the book I felt that neither had learned any lessons and the cycle was starting again.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book tells the tale of Emmy an influencer on Instagram or Instamum who shares her life and that of her husband and children with her followers. She gets free products which she tests out and shares her views with her followers and gives advice at talks and events.

It also tells the tale of one of her followers who is not such a fan and holds her responsible for the death of her daughter and granddaughter and is planning revenge but exactly what you will have to read it.

It shows that what people share of their lives online is not always reality and there is a bad side to it as well.

Thank you to Net Galley for my advance copy.

I had read mixed reviews about this book, however I really enjoyed it. It focuses on Emmy and Dan who are able to live an affluent lifestyle, thanks to Emmy’s Instagram fame. It was really interesting to read about an influencer whose posts aren’t necessarily reflective of her real life and how millions of people can buy into that. While I didn’t dislike Emmy I certainly questioned her choices, particularly in terms of using her children to gain likes and followers, which I suppose was the point. I felt sorry for Dan sometimes but at the same time wished he would just put his foot down. However the development of his character showed he wasn’t as opposed to the lifestyle as he projected, rather slightly jealous of his wife’s success perhaps. I enjoyed the mystery part of the story and thought the twist at the end was well done. Overall an enjoyable read.

If I hadn't read the blurb to discover that Ellery Lloyd is the name for two writers working together I wouldn't have guessed - the novel doesn't feel disjointed at all. What initially interested me to request the book is the social media theme of an instagrammer, Emmy Jackson, who experiences the dark side of fame when her daughter goes temporarily missing and there's a break in at their flat. It's a very current topic (such as how much people 'pretend' online and the dangers of sharing information about your children) and one which is is explored throughout the plot. It gets particularly creepy and I kept turning the pages wanting to know what happens next.

So this was an absolutely fascinating read in a work of instafame. Seeing that dark side to it was eye opening and I could see Emmy's resemblance to so many accounts that I see on Instagram. It basically seems to me like selling my soul to the devil and I'm not sure I'd ever want to be instafamous, especially not after reading this.

The book had me gripped from the off. We're sucked straight into Emmy and Dan's world as mama and papa bear, and I think this book leant itself so well to the changing viewpoints. There's a third viewpoint throughout the narrative. It's clearly that of an 'Emmy-hater' and an interesting back plotline burns away in the background leaving you feeling really uneasy and knowing that something bad is going to happen to Emmy and her family. It subsequently does and I felt like everything was tied together really nicely.

I've seen a couple of reviews that's criticised the book because the main characters weren't likeable. I don't see a problem with that. I don't think they were supposed to be likeable. To me, Emmy seems like a bit of a narcissist. Dan too, although to a lesser degree. And nobody really likes a narcissist. Having said that, I still cared about her safety towards the end of the book. Because nobody deserves to go through what she goes through.

For me, this is probably a solid 4 star read. I felt the ending was well written but a personal bug bear with thrillers is how realistic it is - and this felt like quite a far reach. It wasn't problematic enough to ruin the book for me though. I've learned to accept that this is likely to happen when you read thrillers! What it does do though, is buck the trend of thrillers. Not many thrillers surprise me or make me feel so uncomfortable anymore so that more than made up for that. The only other thing is that I'd have liked to understood a little bit more about Winter's story and motives. Questions were answered in the epilogue but it also felt a bit glossed over, considering what a significant part of Dan's narrative it was.

But yes. I liked this one a lot.

Emmy Jackson is an Instagram influencer. Her daily posts looking at her life with her 2 children and husband are followed by thousands. So much so that she can make a living out of it and let her husband continue to write hoping to publish his second elusive novel.
I found the whole concept rather trying but there is a moral to the story that highlights the dangers of letting s9 many strangers view your life and inner most secrets.
Not for me

I did enjoy this book and found it easy to read but it appeared to be very neatly wrapped up throughout, like you know who the ‘villain’ is you know what their plan is and you know why fairly early on, I feel the thriller aspect of it was over as quickly as it started. I do think this book did really well in portraying social media and that what it can do to people, how in modern day life everyone wants to be an influencer but not many realise the negative aspects to it in losing your privacy, the pressure from agents and the creepy messages! But at the same time it was difficult to warm to any of the characters, it was hard to know who’s side you were on and who you liked or disliked in the end. I think the character development was strong and you really got a feel for their personalities and what they were like but I was a little disappointed in the husband at the end and his fakeness as I felt he was more likeable than most. The writing style was good and easy to read and I still read it quickly, definitely worth a read but not quite four stars for me.

People Like Her by Ellery Lloyd, Pub Date 21 January 21
A thought-provoking read. More of a psychological suspense novel than a thriller.
I did find it interesting learning about influencers and the more sinister side that can occur when sharing your life with strangers on the internet, and it certainly made me think about what I share online. I am afraid the rest of the plot did not keep my interest; I found it weak and did not engage with the characters.
I thank NetGalley, Pan MacMillan and author Ellery Lloyd for a pre-publication copy to review.

Well .....: now I realise why I keep seeing great reviews on this book!! Set in a time when online influencers are a thing and a way of life! Dan & Emmy are the main characters and Emmy is an Instagram influencer while Dan is an author. Read this book to find out why having the most followers isn’t the most important thing but keeping your family safe is!!
Loved it!!

#netgalley # ellerlylloyd #panmacmillan #instagram #thriller

Thanks Netgalley

https://www.instagram.com/Bookstagramshaz

Thank you to Ellery Lloyd, Pan MacMillan and Netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review. I was hooked from the opening pages, a brilliantly told story surrounding the dark side of social media. I was genuinely holding my breath in parts but I the ending felt slightly rushed. However, I would still give this book a 4* review. Impressive debut, can't wait for more from this author. I would whole heartedly recommend this book.

I really didn't know what to expect with this book. I loved the premise, and loved how the idea of influencers/instagrammers could play a part in a thriller. It's something that is so current and familiar to us all now on a day-to-day basis so I thought a thriller about this idea would be close to home, and therefore even more tense and thrilling.

I found the central characters Dan and Emmy incredibly annoying. I don't know if this was intentional by Ellery Lloyd, but I just couldn't warm to them at all. As I couldn't empathise, I didn't have that want for them to be ok against this 'mysterious' stalker-type character.
I found the pacing to be off too - the ending just felt far too quick, and I didn't feel satisfied by the ending.

Overall I didn't hate this book - but it was just OK. It was an easy read, and I read it quite quickly but won't be on my favourite thrillers list.

This book was a hard read in places. I thought there would be more suspense. The main plot idea was good but the characters were too unlikable at times. It was interesting to think how much people listen to influencers and are swayed by what they say.

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy.

This was an unusual read. I nearly gave up 30% of the way through as it was slow moving and I was finding the fake lifestyle of the InstaMum annoying, but then it started to pick up with more intrigue and an added darker dimension. The InstaMum isn’t all she claims to be , and there are people determined to better her, have revenge, make her pay.
To be honest, I thought the book dragged a bit at the start and was a bit too long, up it picked up well 3/4 in.
Thanks to #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review

People Like Her is the modern day story of about an Influencer who shares her and her families day to day life online. I found it a quick read which kept me interested and highlighted the dangers of sharing things online and should make people think twice on just what they share.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for my ARC

So this book was an easy read but for me it didn't live up to being a thriller. It lacked suspense, pace and tension and I was left disappointed with the characters and the plot. I did enjoy finding out about an influencers life and the dark side that can occur when sharing your life with strangers on the internet but I wouldn't rush to recommend this.

An absolutely fantastic, spine chilling book about the dangers of social media that will creep up on you and have you rethinking everything you post on Instagram. This book is going to be huge and I'm already looking forward to what this team of writers comes up with next.

3.5 STARS // This gripping and unsettling thriller(ish) explores the dark side of the influencer era - both from the perspective of influencers and the consumers of their content.

I'll start by saying I loved the premise - I was so excited to read this book from the moment first read the synopsis. Additionally, the level of detail throughout the book caused a rather unsettling feeling for me as the reader, especially around the content that I post on social media. I'm assuming this was intentional, so must praise the authors for a job well done! However, overall, the plot was rather slow moving and I felt that it dragged on just a bit too long. There was one subplot that the book could've done without and I would've been satisfied without the last chapter.

The characters were also extremely unlikeable - Emmy to the point that I nearly put the book down about 25% through. I love a book with good character development, or even that blatantly shows that no, this character didn't change at all (I won't say which category this one falls into); however, I struggle with a book that has such insufferable characters it's actually hard to read. Unfortunately, the first half of People Like Her really fell into that group.

But, I persevered and ultimately enjoyed the book, despite its flaws. I can see this being a popular book this year and it's certainly one that is worth discussing. It just didn't live up to the hype for me!

2020 was full of fast-paced, chilling, and intelligent thrillers. I decided to pick up People Like Her by Ellery Lloyd as my first 2021 thriller, and I don't know if it's because I'm all thrilled-out, but this book didn't deliver the adrenaline rush I was after. I wouldn't say this was a thrilling story. While definitely having that air of mystery, this book leans more towards dark and moody domestic fiction for me. If you're after a slow-burn that will keep you guessing to the very end sans the heart-stopping thriller aspect, you would love this.