Tag Archives: Social Media

Follow Me, by Kathleen Barber

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Audrey posts her move from New York to DC on her social media account for her millions of followers to view, like, and comment on. After her move, she notices someone is commenting very specific things on her posts that only someone following her would know. She starts hearing things outside her apartment. Things escalate. Who is following her?
Wait, doesn’t she want followers…?

Chapters alternate between Audrey, Cat, and Him. Audrey has the most chapters in the novel, and was certainly a naive and self-centered main character. Her best friend, Cat, is an attorney in DC and is socially opposite of Audrey. “Him” is the stalker.

Suspense throughout the story involves “Him”. Trying to unearth the identity of the stalker “Him” is the guiding light behind the tension of the novel.

There is a good twist in the end, but the questions and purpose buried beneath the conclusion spotlighted the main objective. It’s in the conclusion that the true essence of the novel is encapsulated, which made me really like it. Measuring accountability regarding social media is a subject of speculation that drives the novel home.

Visit author Kathleen Barber’s website.

Read Publisher’s Weekly review for Follow Me.

Kathleen Barber’s novel, Truth Be Told (formerly titled Are You Sleeping), is an Apple TV crime drama starring starring Octavia Spencer, Lizzy Caplan and Aaron Paul.

Follow Kathleen Barber on Twitter.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of Follow Me. Opinions are my own.

|Purchase on Amazon | Goodreads Review|

The Weight of a Moment, by Michael Bowe

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With an excellent premise and various great messages, I enjoyed the novel. The characters are an expression of redemption, new starts, and self-acceptance.

The main characters, Tom and Nick, battle their past missteps and the consequences they have rendered. Together, the men excavate the memories of their major fault in order to find the road to atonement. They explore how their past will fit into their future while trying to reclaim their present.

“The ultimate competition in life is with yourself…”

Nick and Tom’s story that caused their major downfall is tragic and completely conceivable. I liked both of the characters, but felt little depth related to my connection with them because of the narration style. The story is told in first person, but reads like it is told in third person. The main characters are telling the story, but I felt like I was watching the story rather than being there in the story with them in their heads. Because of this, I felt like I could relate to the characters but I didn’t feel a personal connection with the characters that deeply resonated with me.

There were several stories within the stories. The subplots caused the novel to jump around a lot. I felt like I was a school bus on my way home from school–excited to get home, but there are a lot of stops you have to make before you get there.

For an independent book, it was quite good. I really enjoyed the message about the consequences of our actions on social media. I would describe the main message as thought-provoking and relevant to our current society. With editing, it could have easily been a book that I really enjoyed and loved.

I read this with Mitchell who really enjoyed it! I will say, it did make an excellent buddy read and naturally prompted great discussions. This book provides a lot of topics for a group or book club read.

Thank you Michael Bowe for the copy! I have a lot of notes and highlights throughout this one. Opinions are my own and unbiased.


The Weight of a Moment is Michael Bowe’s second novel. His first novel is Skyscraper of a Man was published in 2017.

|Purchase on Amazon | Goodreads Review|

Followers, by Megan Angelo

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Followers is a timely debut novel about the power of social media, the internet, and technology. It demonstrates the effect it has on our relationships and the damage that can be caused because of its influence. Have our friendships and family dynamics changed because of the prominence of social media? How has the internet changed us? What is the purpose of social media, and who is accountable for what is promoted on our pages/feeds: society or individuals? In Followers, a dystopian atmosphere is painted to show different outcomes that could occur if balance is not reached.

Chapters alternate between Marlow and Orla:

Is privacy only an illusion? In Marlow’s world, in 2051, her life almost seems to be choreographed in order to keep her followers online. But, can likes replace loneliness? Marlow’s world consists of pleasing a tyrannical pharmaceutical company, Hysteryl, who helped create her brand. Marlow starts to question the difference between friends and online followers. How can her life feel so empty when she has millions who watch her every move? When asked to take the next big step in her life in order to pacify the public, Marlow realizes that she amounts to more than publicists, branding, and marketing. How will she escape when the program can track her, bots can automatically identify anyone in passing, and everyone recognizes her from the media?

“You may not know them like you know your mom and dad,” she breathed, “but your followers are your friends- your very special friends. The happier and brighter you act, the more special friends you’ll get- and the more special friends you get, the happier and brighter your life will be.”

Orla, a struggling writer in 2015, lives in an age promoting endless distractions. Until she creates a name for herself, she feels that she must rely on trends and the rich and famous to maintain a prolific workflow in New York as a budding blogger. Meanwhile, her new roommate looks for fame and wants to market herself on social media as a career. Constantly buried in their devices, how different are they really? What is the value of their work, and how does it influence their relationship and those around them?

“Did she ever think that maybe they’d all be better off off-line? Without any internet, period?”

I really enjoyed this novel and recommend it to readers who enjoy dystopian fiction. My only complaints about this novel is that there were several subplots that caused the intensity of story line to subside. Also, in the end, there was a big moment where I had to suspend belief regarding a city in the future called Atlantis, especially concerning the economics involved. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.

Visit Megan Angelo’s website to learn more.

Read Publishers Weekly review on Megan Angelo’s Followers.

Read Entertainment Exclusive’s article that calls Followers one of the most anticipated books of next year.

|Purchase on Amazon| Goodreads Review|