Your Perfect Life

This book is certainly up to date with the times we currently live in, whilst social media definitely has its good points, it certainly also has some bad points. But then I guess that depends how much of yourself you put out there. Just writing a book review is something that wasn’t done as I grew up, not even sure how it would have been done then, I guess word of mouth. I only know of some of the Vlogs and “influencers” through my daughter, who whilst pregnant and after having her son, has followed other mums.

Violet Young is an “influencer” with a huge following on social media, her very popular mummy vlog, Violet is Blue, which she began to help other mums deal with, or even recognise postpartum depression, some women don’t always realise they have until months after having had a child. The problem with having a huge amount of followers, is that it can also come with a lot of haters, who make nasty comments, each and everyday, if you are struggling with any type of depression at the same time some of these comments can be hard to overlook.

It appears a follower knows more about Violet than she would like, her personal email address where she is being harassed more, the person states if Violet puts all the information out there, then she is asking for someone to follow the trail, and find her, seems whoever knows all about her.

People like 40 year old Yvonne who desperately wanted to have children with her younger husband Simon, but it’s not meant to be, as Simon is infertile, Yvonne turns to Violet is Blue as well as other websites and chat rooms.

Then Violets #1 fan is Lily a young widow, with a 3 year old son, since losing her husband she has struggled with depression, before losing her husband and having a child, Lily had friends, and hope, but now she has no one and nothing, so has turned to watching Violet to fill the void, she believes that Violet knows her, understands her and what she is going through. But does she really?

The story is told through three points of view, Lily, Yvonne and Henry, Violet’s shady husband. With alternating chapters from these characters, the story begins to unfold, with dark secrets, are these three connected? If so in what way?

Henry and Violet seem to have the perfect life to anyone looking in, Henry is successful, Violet is popular on her online sites, they have 3 children. But is everything that is shown online as good as it seems, after all people show what they want people to see, no one really knows what goes on offline or behind closed doors, only what you want them to know.

One day Violet is there, online, then she disappears, as does all her social media presence, everything is deleted. With no explanation, what has happened to Violet? This is the question fans discuss on forums, where things can be twisted, how fickle are fans, they go from liking someone until a little doubt turns them. Without knowing the truth.

This is a well written, clever twisty story, with some nice and not so nice characters, a great fast pace, the pages fly by as you get so engrossed in the story, this is the authors second book, I for one will be watching out for her next read.

I would like to thank #netgalley and #Crookedlanebooks for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

Loved this. Explored the nature of family vlogging well and the negative voyeuristic behaviours - (like running to the comments- )that go alongside it.

This book is about obsession and how far it can take a person. It’s a warning about how much we share on social media, especially if we become popular. I was gripped to the mystery of what had happened to Violet. It had me totally absorbed when it came to Lily and Yvonne - her followers.

Lily had her own story and I found myself sympathising with her daily struggle. Yvonne had her problems too, but they were a little different. I hurriedly through it to find out where everything was going and, what a finale.

Unfollow Me is a brilliantly written and stunning psychological thriller. It totally got under my skin and given how popular influencers are, it felt so real. It had me asking questions like, what tips a person over from being a casual observer to practically being a stalker? Absolutely super read!