Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy via NetGalley. Really enjoyed Bella's memoir which revolves around her mental health and the impact of social media addiction. She has some really valuable insights into the negative cycle of chasing likes for validation. Easy to read and follow.

Overall, felt like this delved too much into the mental health struggle of the author - like it was more a memoir of living with her particular struggles with her mental health...rather than focusing on what being an influencer and the behind-the-scenes of it looked like. The parts I most enjoyed were when she spoke of the 'world' around the time of Deliciously Ella and the clean eating movement, then the downfall of that trend and authenticity started being the new flag being waved around. Felt like she was in the trenches and thus with a bird's eye view of the world of online personas, Instagram, and influencing and thus in the prime spot to pull the curtain back. The parts about her mental health felt a bit triggering at times, too 'there' in stark detail and like we were in the spin with her...
Still, it's a decent look at a world many of us hear of yet don't really know about

A really interesting read… honest, gripping and funny throughout. A true reflection of social media and how it’s used today, Definitely one to read!

I absolutely loved this read! It was so interesting and even though I often feel like these kinds of books are kind of dry, I flew threw this as I was so captivated by the writing. Loved it!

A funny, yet dark look at the effects of social media on fragile mental health. The more successful you are the worse it gets.

Interesting insight into the backstage world of likes and dislikes and the insta world, certainly take the glamourous front off it! There's a lot of insightful bits about the world of mental health treatment which I would have welcomed more of

I probably fall just outside the age bracket for the target market for this one being a 40 something year old however I do like to dive into the world of social media and I love a memoir .

I didn’t know much about Bella before reading this but I was aware of her deliciously Stella persona . I loved reading about how she got to where she is today and she writes with such honesty and humour despite touching on darker subject matters . I think it’s a really good read for anyone who is thinking about being an influencer , it’s not all fun and pretty pictures as we learn !

I have to admit I didn’t know who Bella Younger/Deliciously Stella was before I read this but I absolutely loved her story. I insta stalked her through out reading it so I also had visuals to the words written. This book documents her rise to becoming an accidental influencer while she was trying to break through as a stand up comedian while also suffering badly with her mental health. An extremely honest and open account of her life and I’m so glad I read this.

'Accidental' influencers are all the rage these days; so much so that pretty much EVERYONE who calls themselves an influencer likely did it accidentally. Since it's not a job title. I did love the sound of this though, the idea of becoming an influencer by doing exactly the OPPOSITE of what the rest of them do. Except Bella Younger is pretty much the same as the rest of them. Rich, spoiled, etc, etc. When you open your memoir about the posh boarding school you attended, well you're going to lose me. Bella presents herself as this 'every girl', this 'girl next door' and that clearly couldn't be further from the truth. The privilege in the pages I read was insane.

The insta generation will enjoy this book, I found it quite tedious in places however I managed to finish it. A self help account of the world of influencing and what sort of people need this stimulus, both to inform and be the informer. I had never heard of the Instagram accounts before starting this book, not really any inclination to follow now either. Obviously pleased that the author matured and found her authentic self, hopefully can go on and heal others. Younger wannabe influences will love this book. Thank you #NetGalley for the e-book to review.

The Accidental Influencer by Bella Younger is an engaging memoir about the perils of social media and finding out what really makes you happy.

When Bella Younger started her Deliciously Stella parody account on Instagram in response to the wellness industry, she had no idea just how much Instagram would take over her life. The Accidental Influencer takes us behind the scenes of Bella’s life as an influencer and is a frank account of just how much the chase for likes and validation affected her mental health. This book really lifts the lid on the pressures of the more stressful sides of social media and how it can completely take over your life.

Whilst I found ‘The Accidental Influencer’ interesting i felt my interest was tailing off towards the end and I found myself becoming less interested in the Deliciously Stella anecdotes.

There was also a diabetes ‘joke’ in the book that really bothered me. It was a cheap shot at a complicated health condition and I was disappointed to read it in the book.

Overall there were parts of the book that fascinated me but it didn’t blow me away.

Funny, frank and fearless, The Accidental Influencer is a relatable story of the precarious balancing act between our online and offline selves – and the truth behind the staged shots, spon-con, and the coveted but ever-elusive blue tick. Adored this book, very timely with it being mental health week. Fascinating read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bella Younger is a comedian whose Instagram account satirises the wellness culture. As her followers and likes sky rocketed, her mental health plummeted. “The accidental influencer” is the memoir of her experience.

Full disclaimer - the word influencer makes me cringe as do the often entitled narcissistic undertones of those accounts. But having experienced the effect social media can have on mental health - the imposter syndrome, the constant comparison and counting likes and baffling algorithms - I was intrigued to read the book.

The thing is, there are some really valuable insights and important information in the book. Bella Younger’s points are backed by scientific research and expert opinion is referenced in the book. However the rest seems like a lot of waffle and celeb name dropping. I lost interest and found myself skim reading to get to the more salient points.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Harper Collins Publishing for the opportunity to review an advanced copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

The Accidental Influencer is an extremely funny and captivating book by comedian, writer and brand consultant Bella Younger, a.k.a. Deliciously Stella, about the highs and lows of being an accidental influencer. These days everybody wants to be an Influencer, but in Bella Younger’s experience, the reality is not all it’s cracked up to be. In 2015 Bella founded popular Instagram account Deliciously Stella, parodying wellness influencers with a six-pack of beer on her stomach and food ‘inspo’ posts such as avocado with Easter eggs on toast. At the height of her fame, she had 150,000 followers and this ended up spawning a spoof cookbook, a successful podcast, a sold-out live show at the Edinburgh Festival, and the hilarious web series ‘Stella gets her wings’ parodying Victoria’s Secret models. Bella was invited to product launches, fashion parties, press days and pop-ups. Sometimes she was paid just to show up. In 2018 Bella decided to ‘kill’ Stella off, finding she’d accidentally been sucked into the very life that she had set the account up to satirise. With a unique insight into the extremities of ‘influencer culture’, The Accidental Influencer will explore how Bella ended up at the height of Social Media fame and what made her want to escape it. Social Media is unavoidable – and readers will learn from Bella’s experience how to manage it – with a healthy dose of Deliciously Stella’s cynicism and wit along the way.

This is a laugh out loud amusing, informative and compelling read right from the outset and Bella has such a friendly, conversational writing style that it almost seems like chatting and listening to a friend. She seems so excited to share her dispatches from behind the front line of Instafame, and the book is her chance to share the highs and lows of being an accidental influencer, have her final say on wellness and tell readers why she thinks social media is making us all crazy. I like to believe that bad decisions make good stories. Luckily this book is full of both. I vividly remember when Bella digitally killed Stella off – it felt at the time like a revolutionary act, and utterly seismic. Why on earth, having built up such a fantastic phalanx of devoted followers, would someone as effortlessly funny choose to just stop? Bella has truly lived through the maddest part of this odd corner of our culture – and this extremely entertaining book is as much for people secretly spiralising wishing they were eating a Crunchie, as it is for anyone lurking on IG, wishing their follower numbers would magically go up overnight as the world discovers how gorgeous and interesting they really are. Bella has a natural wit and fantastic voice and I highly recommend this book for those looking for a lighthearted, holiday, beach read in particular, or those interested in the shallowness and arrogance of influencers and the sides to being an influencer that you do not usually see or hear discussed.