Blurb:

The Bennetts are the picture-perfect family: at least, that’s what they want the subscribers to their famous vlogging channel to think. Between Mom’s obsession with their impeccable reputation and Dad hardly in the picture, seventeen-year-old Alyssa’s life is anything but normal when the cameras are off. Her parents’ divorce was a lot messier than it was portrayed online, and Alyssa wants nothing more than for Mom to put an end to their channel so they can finally get the privacy they deserve.

But when a video exposing the truth goes viral, Dad is out for revenge.

This story was a rollercoaster of emotions. Looking through the eyes of 17 year old Alyssa we see the dark twisted side of living life as an Influencer. Unfortunately, Alyssa and her younger siblings Harper and Levi didn't choose this life. This life is thrust upon them by their social media obsessed mother and soon they all will suffer the consequences of their mothers greed and obsession.

Taking a look at how social media can be damaging to a family and the great lengths a person is willing to go in order to get away from the spotlight. This story went far beyond Alyssa's father's betrayal of kidnapping his children in an attempt to get revenge. This book uncovers the damage caused by secrets and deception from both parents.

Alyssa is a typical teenage girl put in a dire situation where not only her life but the lives of her siblings are on the line. A story of courage against unbeatable odds, sibling love that goes the distance and one's willingness to sacrifice everything including their life so that others could be saved.

Talk about Plot twists. In reading this book you know that their father is not working alone but too witness the enormity of the betrayal and deception that plays out during the climax of the book leaves the reader thinking: Everybody was betraying each other and the children were the ones caught in the middle.

What to Expect:

Life as a Influencer
Divorce
Infidelity
Toxic Family
Greed
Kidnapping
Betrayal
Revenge
Strong Sibling Bonds
Fight for Survival

Somethings are better left offline.1 Vicky Chapman204 10

A fast paced tale that really brings to light the darker side of the "influencer" lifestyle, and the consequences of sharing your life online.
A quick and enjoyable read with some heart pounding moments.
Huge thanks to the author and the indie visible tour for the arc ebook.1 Lara RobinsonAuthor 2 books7

Genre: YA thriller (although this is definitely one that older adults would enjoy too.)

Rating: 4.5/5, rounded up

Content warnings: Violence (including domestic), death, kidnapping, swearing, brief mentions of pregnancy and hospitals. Nothing graphic; I would say this is suitable for ages 12+

This is a really great thriller; in fact, it's my second favourite read of 2024 so far. It was original, well-written, fast-paced, and with several twists which I didn't guess, yet still made sense once explained.

The book follows a vlogging family, and I really d this aspect; I've come across a lot of social media-based thrillers in the last few years, but this is the first family vlogger themed one I've seen. The family in this story, aside from the influencer aspect, are very normal: the children especially are any others you might know, and the parents - despite having issues in their marriage - come across as respectable for the most part, at least to the outside world. Them being so normal made the later events all the more shocking.

Our protagonist, Alyssa, was a great character. She was as normal on the outside as the rest of her family - a somewhat meek, book-obsessed girl who just wants to keep her head down and get through school - and I found her very likable and easy to root for. I especially appreciated the fact that she was so strong, without having the traits of the usual "strong female protagonist" type character. Instead of being cold and stubborn, with a one-track mind and great fighting skills, Alyssa is emotional, not very physically strong, and is conflicted as to what she should do at several points of the novel. She felt so real, the kind of girl I would be friends with.

The writing style was great, too, and well-suited to a YA thriller: easy to understand, but still fairly detailed, and fast paced. The action scenes were particularly well-written. As for the overall pacing, it was very fast the whole way through. I d that for the most part, but I do have one criticism regarding it, which is my only real criticism of this book as a whole: it was too fast at some points, namely the beginning and end chapters. I think the build-up to the kidnapping could've lasted a bit longer, showing more of the family's everyday life vlogging and being internet celebrities before it all imploded. But my main problem was with the ending; I really feel an extra chapter or two should've been added to show the aftermath of the whole situation, as it felt everything was skipped over from after the point where Alyssa escaped Pete's car. I would've d to have read scenes of her and her siblings being rescued by the police, and then being reunited with their mother, and maybe seeing their father arrested. But none of this is shown, as the book then skips a few months ahead and we get a brief update as to what Alyssa's life looks now Without having any of these scenes, the ending felt rushed, as if the author just wanted to wrap up the book as quickly as possible.

Overall, this was a really good quick read, with the pacing of the ending being my only real criticism: everything else, from the characters, to the settings, to the twists, was perfect. I would strongly recommend it if you want a fast-paced, short thriller (at just under 200 pages, it could easily be read in just a day or two) that discusses a highly relevant, yet rarely talked about social issue. I am looking forward to working my way through the rest of Brianna North's books now, starting with Where the Sun Won't Shine. Beth351 7

Thank you Indie Visible (@hayley_a_writes) and the author for letting me have a copy of this book. This is an ARC read and the book will be released into the world on the 15th June. Very soon. Should you add to your TBR? Absolutely!

This is a fast paced, gripping thriller and my heart was beating out of my chest reading it.
Alyssa just wants to be a normal seventeen year old, but how can she when her mum is an social media influencer? Subjected to multiple vlogs a day, Alyssa and her siblings find their lives and their personal details shared to around 4 million viewers! Their dad hates it too, but he takes it to the next level. Kidnapping the kids, Alyssa finds her world turned upside down.

This was intense! Alyssa needs to find a way to escape, survive and more importantly keep her younger siblings safe. Can they trust their dad? Or is he dangerous? Will he hurt them just to get back at their mother?

Alyssa comes up against pretty much everything and her journey is breathtaking. Just when she thinks she's jumped over one hurdle, a worse one is thrown her way! My heart was pounding, I was biting my nails. I found myself rushing to read more, but also going back so I could take in absolutely everything happening. Brianna writes fantastic emotions, as with her last novel... But her ability to write a thriller is 10/10! The tension!

I also think this shows a fine example of the whole "influencer" thing! Lives not being as perfect as they seem. Obsessions with content. Not living in the moment because of it. Stalkers and crazy fans. Is it worth the money? Is it worth the potential danger? It's one thing doing it for yourself, but when children are involved... do they suffer the consequences of all the negatives more so than others?

Brilliant! This was so tense and I devoured it so quickly, unable to look away and NEEDING to know what was going to happen next. Obviously a 5 star read! Lucy AppadooAuthor 30 books56

I thoroughly enjoyed this domestic thriller about a 17-year old girl, Alyssa and her dysfunctional family whose parents mistreat their three children in ways that are unfortunately, widespread today.

Events take a tragic turn when Alyssa’s father kidnaps her and her two siblings as a revenge move against their mother. But Alyssa refuses to be a victim and fights for her freedom in more ways than one.

Her father doesn’t plan for the unexpected when the situation changes. When an alliance takes a turn for the worst, it reveals secrets and escalates events.

The courage and fighting spirit of Alyssa and her siblings impressed me, showing how pressure can push you to act in ways you wouldn’t typically choose.

Will the children be able to escape the toxic relationship of their parents and find their freedom, or will they remain trapped forever?

The plotline is interesting as it opens the discussion about domestic violence in all its forms, and how secrets and lies come out, eventually.

What an amazing story that kept me turning the pages. It is so highly recommended and deserves the highest rating.
Katelynn D.40

Thank you to the author for the ARC of this fun read.

I really enjoyed this YA thriller. It had all the elements of a thriller that you'd expect, but the vlog aspect added a little extra something. There was suspense, drama, family secrets, and action just on a less graphic level.

The story centers on Alyssa (Lissy) and her siblings, Harper & Levi, after they are kidnapped by their father. They don't know why their father has abducted him, they don't know what he may do to them, and as their time with him progresses, they learn that they may not know their parents as well as they think they do.

This story explores some of the downsides of sharing too much of our lives and presenting ourselves as picture perfect on social media. It really makes you realize how much of a mask people wear on the internet and that in reality, we don't really know what goes on in someone's life offline.

TW: Kidnapping. Infidelity. Death. Chelsea Kohutek8

I am a big true crime girlie, I listen to a true crime podcast everyday on my way to work. If you the Family Vlogger crime stories/scandals (i.e. Ruby Frankie is the one I can think of most recently) or finding out the truth behind the lives of influencer, you will really enjoy this read!

It was fast, paced and kept my attention the whole way through. It seems cut and dry initially, but there are several twists throughout the story that have you second guessing the intetions of multiple characters.

I finished the entire book in a day! I would definitely recommend it to my true crime and thriller readers who want to get lost in someone else’s secrets and family drama. Rachel Wagner54 2

I really enjoyed this read. The young adult point of view of the impact social media can have on people was realistic and at times very uncomfortable.

But to see the bigger impact it has on Alyssa's family was alarming. To see the shift from 'perfect family' to fighting for your life and realising how social media can hide so many lies is what made this feel intense for me.

This book was fast paced and well written. Definitely a good starter for someone wanting to read a YA thriller Madelin12

This book is very different from my previous thriller reads. I loved the vlogging + influencer aspects. The author really focuses on social media and what it can do to a person. Everything you see online isn’t always as it seems and we never truly know what’s going on in someone’s life or truly know them. My heart was absolutely broken for the Bennett children throughout the book. They are some of the strongest characters I’ve read in a while. This book was fast paced and had me hooked to the end. Such a great read! Allyssa Gaines11 1 follower

This was a really captivating story! The daughter of a family vlogger grows tired of her mother documenting every aspect of her life. Her father decides to “help” his daughter, as well as her siblings, get away from this life. His solution? Kidnapping them. This YA thriller had me nervous for the main character, and while YA usually isn’t my preferred genre, I enjoyed it! Alexis C15 3

I really this one. It’s a fast paced thriller & the young teen pov really makes you want to keep reading so it’s hard to put down. I enjoyed the whole book honestly. The plot was great, the twist made my jaw drop & the ending was great. So glad I got a chance to read this. Laura2

This thriller really makes you take a look at social media as a whole and just how toxic it can be, not just on teens but adults as well. It kept me captivated the whole time, hoping for a good outcome for the family. Thank you to the author for an ARC. Toni L77 2

Grateful to have gotten hold of this early after loving Where The Sun Won't Shine!

Really enjoyed this YA perspective with thriller edges. The whole vlogging thing was brilliantly done throughout - made me so uncomfortable and sad for the family. The tension in the action sequences was fantastic. The eldest daughter pressure was super relatable too!3 s Kelly112

Autor del comentario:
=================================