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I'll Follow You
“Reading this made me want to text my best friend. And then block her. And then text her again. It was a wild ride!” —Mindy Kaling
For two best friends desperate to escape their dead-end town, a viral online persona becomes a dangerous game of control in a twisting psychological thriller about class, power, and identity.
Faith and her charismatic best friend, Kayla, always vowed to escape their trailer park together. After their social media persona, Hannah Primrose, goes viral, their fates seem more entwined than ever. But when Faith is accepted into prestigious Harkness College, she must decide whether to keep her promise to Kayla or learn to tell her own story.
By the time Faith arrives on campus, Kayla is no longer speaking with her. Struggling to fit in with her wealthy classmates, Faith reinvents herself, drawing the attention of her enigmatic art history professor. Then Kayla shows up outside her dormitory one night. I need to stay with you.
Having Kayla on campus is thrilling—and dangerous. Posing as a student, Kayla charms everyone she encounters, and soon enough they’re posting together again. Hannah Primrose, after all, is perfect for a place like Harkness. But as Faith risks her future for the persona she helped create, she begins to realize that Kayla is playing a deadly game…and it may be too late to regain control of the narrative.
For two best friends desperate to escape their dead-end town, a viral online persona becomes a dangerous game of control in a twisting psychological thriller about class, power, and identity.
Faith and her charismatic best friend, Kayla, always vowed to escape their trailer park together. After their social media persona, Hannah Primrose, goes viral, their fates seem more entwined than ever. But when Faith is accepted into prestigious Harkness College, she must decide whether to keep her promise to Kayla or learn to tell her own story.
By the time Faith arrives on campus, Kayla is no longer speaking with her. Struggling to fit in with her wealthy classmates, Faith reinvents herself, drawing the attention of her enigmatic art history professor. Then Kayla shows up outside her dormitory one night. I need to stay with you.
Having Kayla on campus is thrilling—and dangerous. Posing as a student, Kayla charms everyone she encounters, and soon enough they’re posting together again. Hannah Primrose, after all, is perfect for a place like Harkness. But as Faith risks her future for the persona she helped create, she begins to realize that Kayla is playing a deadly game…and it may be too late to regain control of the narrative.
323 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2025
3297 people are currently reading
8790 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 261 reviews
September 13, 2025
Trying to figure out how this has so many high ratings bc I was struggling with this one. I almost added it to my DNF a few times. First of all - this is NOT a thriller as it was advertised on KU - first strike. But overall it just seemed so drawn out and boring. I already forget about half of what happened if I’m being honest.
August 31, 2025
Charlene Wang's I'll Follow You is a dissection of female relationships told from the perspective of a young girl who is struggling to survive and adapt to the social complexities of girl-hood in the modern day and age. Sometimes I feel like Faith -- painfully aware of my difference from others and playing the character of "college girl" and over-analyzing/mimicking the behaviors of others. And sometimes I feel like I'm Kayla -- desperate to stand out but scared to put too much of myself out there. These characters both come with their fair set of flaws. Faith is an insecure girl which is mostly explored through the telling of her narrative…She describes things slightly sardonically and is constantly ruminating to herself. Her insecurity is what draws her to someone like Kayla in the first place. Kayla on the other hand can be shallow and manipulative. She views most other people as pawns to her goals, and sometimes you don't even know if you (faith) are also a pawn to her greater scheme. You can never tell what her true motives are, but that just adds to her charm, and you can't help but be enraptured by her like everyone else, man or women.
Now, I want to give my analysis of these characters. I will be diving into MAJOR SPOILERS, so if you haven't read this yet, PLEASE STOP READING!!!! Just take my word, if you like books with a mix of slice-of-life college vibes, twists and turns to keep you engaged, and a cool and unique writing style to go with it, then add this book to your reading shelf (it also has an aesthetically pleasing cover).
---------------------SPOILERS INCLUDED (this is your last warning)------------------
When Faith gets into the elite Ivy League, Harkness, she finally has something to call her "own" (which btw, she had to be pushed to do so by her English teacher). But even at Harkness, she's still a wall-flower. As a cashier, she's still watching from the sidelines, the other girls living their college lives. When Whyman, a professor at Harkness that picks her out from the crowd and makes her feel special, she immediately starts falling in love (🙄oh please, Faith! Unfortunately, we've all been there before…don't lie to me and tell me you haven't)-- but you can tell she's bright and insightful, and so you'd think that she could see her romance with her 50+ year old professor for what it is, right? Well -- no. The delusions of a girl's first love conquer even the brightest of minds. But this had me screaming at her, "Come on Faith, did you actually think you're the only one?" Thankfully, my queen Kayla calls her out on this.
And although Kayla was never supposed to be the brains of the two, she shows her intelligence by seeing through the barriers that Faith puts up to guard her insecurities. An interesting point of discussion that was brought up in the novel, was when Kayla pointed out that it was her image, her face, that she was putting on the line into the online persona of Hannah Primrose. And not just her image, but her WHOLE LIFE, and means of survival, she was putting into Hannah Primrose. Since we were seeing things through Faith's perspective, you get absorbed and focused on "being used" in Kayla's blackmail plot, you overlook Kayla's own issues. She doesn't have a Harkness, or even family, to use as a back-up. Hannah Primrose was her means of survival, and if that was what your entire life was, wouldn't you also do what you can to survive? But maybe this is just me justifying her because I can't help but like Kayla myself. And this isn't the only time that Faith gets called out on that. Avery even makes that same criticism that Faith is "so absorbed in her own suffering, she doesn't see the suffering of others, even when it's right in her face."
And to those that think that Kayla only saw Faith as a pawn, I would actually question that. I believe Kayla actually did love Faith, but sometimes she didn't do it appropriately. Maybe she was never even taught how to, given her family situation. She wanted to be with Faith. Always insisting that they were a "package". She may have lashed out in a negative manner but deep down she just didn't want Faith to leave her. She pushed Faith to have sex with her professor, because she wanted Faith to step out of her comfort zone and go for the things she wants, not fall in love with him. So yeah sorry I am a Kayla apologist! You can manipulate me! But I also understand where Faith comes from, and I see a lot of my own qualities in Faith. I was happy though, that in the end, Faith was able to choose for herself and become more selfish. If Faith did NOT tell the truth, I would be so mad because NO WAY are you gonna do my girl Kayla like that. But thankfully she did. I'm curious if other readers resonated with or viewed these characters the same as I did, or if why it resonated with me so closesly because I'm a Gen-Z. Would be interesting to hear your takes!
Now, I want to give my analysis of these characters. I will be diving into MAJOR SPOILERS, so if you haven't read this yet, PLEASE STOP READING!!!! Just take my word, if you like books with a mix of slice-of-life college vibes, twists and turns to keep you engaged, and a cool and unique writing style to go with it, then add this book to your reading shelf (it also has an aesthetically pleasing cover).
---------------------SPOILERS INCLUDED (this is your last warning)------------------
When Faith gets into the elite Ivy League, Harkness, she finally has something to call her "own" (which btw, she had to be pushed to do so by her English teacher). But even at Harkness, she's still a wall-flower. As a cashier, she's still watching from the sidelines, the other girls living their college lives. When Whyman, a professor at Harkness that picks her out from the crowd and makes her feel special, she immediately starts falling in love (🙄oh please, Faith! Unfortunately, we've all been there before…don't lie to me and tell me you haven't)-- but you can tell she's bright and insightful, and so you'd think that she could see her romance with her 50+ year old professor for what it is, right? Well -- no. The delusions of a girl's first love conquer even the brightest of minds. But this had me screaming at her, "Come on Faith, did you actually think you're the only one?" Thankfully, my queen Kayla calls her out on this.
And although Kayla was never supposed to be the brains of the two, she shows her intelligence by seeing through the barriers that Faith puts up to guard her insecurities. An interesting point of discussion that was brought up in the novel, was when Kayla pointed out that it was her image, her face, that she was putting on the line into the online persona of Hannah Primrose. And not just her image, but her WHOLE LIFE, and means of survival, she was putting into Hannah Primrose. Since we were seeing things through Faith's perspective, you get absorbed and focused on "being used" in Kayla's blackmail plot, you overlook Kayla's own issues. She doesn't have a Harkness, or even family, to use as a back-up. Hannah Primrose was her means of survival, and if that was what your entire life was, wouldn't you also do what you can to survive? But maybe this is just me justifying her because I can't help but like Kayla myself. And this isn't the only time that Faith gets called out on that. Avery even makes that same criticism that Faith is "so absorbed in her own suffering, she doesn't see the suffering of others, even when it's right in her face."
And to those that think that Kayla only saw Faith as a pawn, I would actually question that. I believe Kayla actually did love Faith, but sometimes she didn't do it appropriately. Maybe she was never even taught how to, given her family situation. She wanted to be with Faith. Always insisting that they were a "package". She may have lashed out in a negative manner but deep down she just didn't want Faith to leave her. She pushed Faith to have sex with her professor, because she wanted Faith to step out of her comfort zone and go for the things she wants, not fall in love with him. So yeah sorry I am a Kayla apologist! You can manipulate me! But I also understand where Faith comes from, and I see a lot of my own qualities in Faith. I was happy though, that in the end, Faith was able to choose for herself and become more selfish. If Faith did NOT tell the truth, I would be so mad because NO WAY are you gonna do my girl Kayla like that. But thankfully she did. I'm curious if other readers resonated with or viewed these characters the same as I did, or if why it resonated with me so closesly because I'm a Gen-Z. Would be interesting to hear your takes!
October 21, 2025
WOW. An incredibly well written, twisty, dark academia novel. I could not put this one down. This was unlike anything I’ve read before. The characters in this were so toxic and yet parts of their friendship were so relatable. Female friendship can be all consuming and can cause incredibly bizarre power dynamics, and this book highlighted that perfectly. Couldn’t recommend this one more!
September 9, 2025
This is probably up there as a favorite book now. I was able to get a copy with Amazon Prime “First Reads” and I’m glad I chose this one. I felt all the emotions with every part of the story and it was very well written. There were a lot of surprising moments, a lot of sad moments, but also a lot of triumphant moments. I was hooked all the way through! Will definitely be talking about this book for a while!!
September 15, 2025
This was my Amazon First Reads selection for September.
Don't be fooled by Goodreads & Amazon's classification of this book. It is NOT a thriller, except for maybe 10 pages towards the end. It's a New Adult drama or dark academia. I hate when publishers misrepresent books.
This is the story of Faith and Kayla, two trailer park girls (go 'round the outside, 'round the outside) who meet as tweens and become best friends/co-dependent narcissists. Kayla dreams of being a famous influencer and is well on her way in high school, using her beautiful face on Instagram and Faith's ghostwriting skills to create the gorgeous & mysterious character of Hannah Primrose. The girls have a falling out when Faith earns a scholarship to fictional Ivy League university Harkness. But then one day months later, Kayla comes back into Faith's life. She moves into the dorm with Faith and lives under the guise of a Harkness student. Somehow, all the supposedly smart Harkness students and faculty don't catch on. It's baffling. I went to a dumbass university that could clock me having an off campus friend crash in my room within 24 hours.
Meanwhile, Faith (an economics major) meets a professor while on the clock for her work-study gig in a dining hall and becomes obsessed with art history and preservation. She begins an affair with the 50+ year old Wyman, a staggeringly rich art professor with his fingers in all sorts of art-y pies (no pun intended). Eventually, Kayla and Faith turn the Hannah Primrose Instagram into a dark academia account and Faith writes about her affair with Wyman as if Hannah's the one having the affair. Eventually, the cagey Kayla convinces Faith that Wyman is cheating on her and convinces her to blackmail him. When Faith learns Kayla's lying and confronts her, the result is deadly.
But oops! Kayla was RIGHT! Faith eventually learns that Wyman was cheating on her...he was having affairs with 4 other Harkness students. Faith manages to leverage this into a pretty cushy life as she leverages this 'hurt' into a career as...you guesssed it...AN INSTAGRAM INFLUENCER!
I hated Faith. She was MIND-NUMBINGLY STUPID. She couldn't make a good, healthy decision if her life depended on it. But then in the last 20% of the book, she becomes a MASTERMIND OF MANIPULATION. The prose veers into pretentious way too much for a free book on Amazon.
Don't be fooled by Goodreads & Amazon's classification of this book. It is NOT a thriller, except for maybe 10 pages towards the end. It's a New Adult drama or dark academia. I hate when publishers misrepresent books.
This is the story of Faith and Kayla, two trailer park girls (go 'round the outside, 'round the outside) who meet as tweens and become best friends/co-dependent narcissists. Kayla dreams of being a famous influencer and is well on her way in high school, using her beautiful face on Instagram and Faith's ghostwriting skills to create the gorgeous & mysterious character of Hannah Primrose. The girls have a falling out when Faith earns a scholarship to fictional Ivy League university Harkness. But then one day months later, Kayla comes back into Faith's life. She moves into the dorm with Faith and lives under the guise of a Harkness student. Somehow, all the supposedly smart Harkness students and faculty don't catch on. It's baffling. I went to a dumbass university that could clock me having an off campus friend crash in my room within 24 hours.
Meanwhile, Faith (an economics major) meets a professor while on the clock for her work-study gig in a dining hall and becomes obsessed with art history and preservation. She begins an affair with the 50+ year old Wyman, a staggeringly rich art professor with his fingers in all sorts of art-y pies (no pun intended). Eventually, Kayla and Faith turn the Hannah Primrose Instagram into a dark academia account and Faith writes about her affair with Wyman as if Hannah's the one having the affair. Eventually, the cagey Kayla convinces Faith that Wyman is cheating on her and convinces her to blackmail him. When Faith learns Kayla's lying and confronts her, the result is deadly.
But oops! Kayla was RIGHT! Faith eventually learns that Wyman was cheating on her...he was having affairs with 4 other Harkness students. Faith manages to leverage this into a pretty cushy life as she leverages this 'hurt' into a career as...you guesssed it...AN INSTAGRAM INFLUENCER!
I hated Faith. She was MIND-NUMBINGLY STUPID. She couldn't make a good, healthy decision if her life depended on it. But then in the last 20% of the book, she becomes a MASTERMIND OF MANIPULATION. The prose veers into pretentious way too much for a free book on Amazon.
September 2, 2025
Good story
Got it through Amazon free read for the month and am glad I chose this one. It was really well written and the story had me hooked.
Got it through Amazon free read for the month and am glad I chose this one. It was really well written and the story had me hooked.
September 4, 2025
This was an Amazon First Reads book for Sept. and is being released on 10/1. I enjoyed this one but would consider it more of a coming-of-age/dark academia fiction rather than a psychological thriller (how Amazon categorized it).
October 6, 2025
"And it was hard to believe that I could be loved. Loved not in the way Kayla loved me, entwined in a sinewy dark knot. But love as a choice. As more than a means to survive." - Faith
Oh man. I greatly enjoyed the writing style, the pacing, and especially the art references sprinkled throughout the novel. This felt fresh and distinct from other thrillers I've read. On that note, it didn't read like a thriller; it leaned more toward drama or a coming-of-age story.
Charlene explores several deeper themes, such as the effects of growing up poor and moving to a place where no one feels relatable, the disastrous effects of toxic friendships, and modern-day problems that primarily the youth face in the form of social media addiction and consumerism. It may seem obvious to some, but I had not truly grasped how heavily modern influencers shape societal norms and consumer behavior until reading this novel.
However, I found several flaws in the story, such as the lack of likable characters, except for Avery. Even Avery, although initially appealing, became unlikable by the end. Faith is clearly a good kid and was negatively influenced by Kayla throughout their entire friendship. I was cheering for Faith to leave Kayla behind the whole time, but I knew she wouldn't. Instead, she does a complete 180 within a couple of weeks. How the story is going to end is honestly predictable from the moment that Faith meets Wyman, but the twist was good.
The whole ending is botched though. If Wyman is sleeping with 4+ women in a single semester, he has clearly done this multiple times before and likely since the first time that he admitted to sleeping with a student. Following the timeline of the story, the #MeToo movement had already occurred (they even joked about it), so where were the other countless women that Wyman had also taken advantage of? The author tries to paint Faith's crusade against him as a redemptive act, for her, for other students, and against the patriarchy as a whole. But the economic framing, the mention of economics, and the supposed "exchange of value" felt completely incoherent. This made zero sense. It seems that Charlene is trying to paint Wyman as a downright terrible person. In that case, we cannot ignore that he provided life-changing opportunities, such as valuable internships, paying for housing, gallery access, and more, in return for consensual sex. Faith and Avery mention reparations and doing the 'right thing,' but overlook the positives that Wyman has already done for them, which they clearly relished. Faith used Wyman, Wyman used Faith. Avery used Wyman. And so on. That's a clear value exchange.
Also worth mentioning: Wyman is an accomplished professor at a prestigious university, runs galleries, and does extensive research, among other activities. Would he realistically have the time and energy to maintain all of this deception? Lastly, it was also a little out of touch with the mention of Henry at the end. Rape is not confined to followers of any political view; it stems from an obvious lack of morality, not political ideology.
The social justice themes at the end felt excessive and, at times, hypocritical. I was hoping for a deeper story, one more concerned with the fragility of friendship in the face of transitioning to adulthood and societal pressures, rather than a cliché narrative of a professor sleeping with his students. Granted, the way that it played out was different from what I expected and felt fresh in some ways. Overall, a decent novel.
Oh man. I greatly enjoyed the writing style, the pacing, and especially the art references sprinkled throughout the novel. This felt fresh and distinct from other thrillers I've read. On that note, it didn't read like a thriller; it leaned more toward drama or a coming-of-age story.
Charlene explores several deeper themes, such as the effects of growing up poor and moving to a place where no one feels relatable, the disastrous effects of toxic friendships, and modern-day problems that primarily the youth face in the form of social media addiction and consumerism. It may seem obvious to some, but I had not truly grasped how heavily modern influencers shape societal norms and consumer behavior until reading this novel.
However, I found several flaws in the story, such as the lack of likable characters, except for Avery. Even Avery, although initially appealing, became unlikable by the end. Faith is clearly a good kid and was negatively influenced by Kayla throughout their entire friendship. I was cheering for Faith to leave Kayla behind the whole time, but I knew she wouldn't. Instead, she does a complete 180 within a couple of weeks. How the story is going to end is honestly predictable from the moment that Faith meets Wyman, but the twist was good.
The whole ending is botched though. If Wyman is sleeping with 4+ women in a single semester, he has clearly done this multiple times before and likely since the first time that he admitted to sleeping with a student. Following the timeline of the story, the #MeToo movement had already occurred (they even joked about it), so where were the other countless women that Wyman had also taken advantage of? The author tries to paint Faith's crusade against him as a redemptive act, for her, for other students, and against the patriarchy as a whole. But the economic framing, the mention of economics, and the supposed "exchange of value" felt completely incoherent. This made zero sense. It seems that Charlene is trying to paint Wyman as a downright terrible person. In that case, we cannot ignore that he provided life-changing opportunities, such as valuable internships, paying for housing, gallery access, and more, in return for consensual sex. Faith and Avery mention reparations and doing the 'right thing,' but overlook the positives that Wyman has already done for them, which they clearly relished. Faith used Wyman, Wyman used Faith. Avery used Wyman. And so on. That's a clear value exchange.
Also worth mentioning: Wyman is an accomplished professor at a prestigious university, runs galleries, and does extensive research, among other activities. Would he realistically have the time and energy to maintain all of this deception? Lastly, it was also a little out of touch with the mention of Henry at the end. Rape is not confined to followers of any political view; it stems from an obvious lack of morality, not political ideology.
The social justice themes at the end felt excessive and, at times, hypocritical. I was hoping for a deeper story, one more concerned with the fragility of friendship in the face of transitioning to adulthood and societal pressures, rather than a cliché narrative of a professor sleeping with his students. Granted, the way that it played out was different from what I expected and felt fresh in some ways. Overall, a decent novel.
September 14, 2025
Two words…cringe and cliche. Without spoilers, this had every stereotype out there. I couldn’t have cared less about any of the characters. They were all hollow and shadows. So much so that I forgot who was who outside of the two main characters, Faith and Kayla. I would have been a DNF but I had nothing else to read.
September 10, 2025
4.5 almost a 5
Wowww is all I can say. This is quite possibly the best dark academia book I have read in a long time. And I have read a lot of them:
1. Donna Tarte: “The Secret History”
2. “If we were Villains”
3. The Likeness
Even similar vibes to “Tell me Lies” with the college professor themes.
But this book is set apart from the rest, and I am truly shocked this is a Kindle First Reads. I highly recommend to all of my friends. 😬. Not predictable. I will read any of her future work.
Wowww is all I can say. This is quite possibly the best dark academia book I have read in a long time. And I have read a lot of them:
1. Donna Tarte: “The Secret History”
2. “If we were Villains”
3. The Likeness
Even similar vibes to “Tell me Lies” with the college professor themes.
But this book is set apart from the rest, and I am truly shocked this is a Kindle First Reads. I highly recommend to all of my friends. 😬. Not predictable. I will read any of her future work.
August 28, 2025
What a fun and captivating read. I could not put this book down. The story follows two childhood best friends who create an instagram account and are willing to do whatever it takes to become an influencer. The dynamic between the two main characters feel so real and Charlene Wang does a wonderful job exploring the relationship between them. And I didn’t expect the ending at all! I highly recommend this book!
September 14, 2025
Chose this for my Amazon first reads and I thought it started out pretty good but then I just could not get into it. Forced myself to finish.
October 13, 2025
#ad much love for my advance copy @mbc_books #partner (umm I think?)
ILL FOLLOW YOU
Available as a read & listen now via KU
Check the triggers. There’s lots.
“Sometimes in friendships, there is nothing kinder than silence,” (p. 12).
Best friends. Instagram fame. Betrayal. Moving on. Murder. A vendetta. Clout chasing. And secret societies. Buckle up.
Kayla and Faith, best friends since childhood, build a social media following going by Hannah Primrose on Instagram. Kayla is the face while Faith writes the captions. Kayla is the bad girl, while Faith is a good girl - always going along with Kayla. Until Faith decides it’s time to move on without Kayla. That. Wasn’t. Their. Plan. So of course, Kayla eventually shows up. But the things that happen neither could have predicted.
Growing up in a trailer park in a shitty town - I so related to Kayla and Faith as they grew up. This book reminded me of the movie Thirteen, • from 2003 • (only in a different setting) Pretty Little Liars, and Euphoria. A must-read, a fun read.
Memorable
“Why is it that a man in this country can sexually assault a woman and then offer her $$$ in exchange for her contractual silence and that transaction is legally binding and enforceable in a court of law? But if the victim offers her silence to her abuser in exchange for $$$ that is blackmail, a felony punishable up to 25 years in prison? A transaction is 'economically efficient' if there's an equal exchange of value. Each side needs to give up something. What's more valuable than a woman giving up her right to tell her story? Aren't these two transactions identical to each other except if it's initiated by a man it's law but if it's initiated by a woman it's a crime? Isn't the law of blackmail just an institution of misogyny?,” (p. 310).
This was a wild ride and it didn’t end up going the way I thought it would. Solid read. Loved the art angle.
ILL FOLLOW YOU
Available as a read & listen now via KU
Check the triggers. There’s lots.
“Sometimes in friendships, there is nothing kinder than silence,” (p. 12).
Best friends. Instagram fame. Betrayal. Moving on. Murder. A vendetta. Clout chasing. And secret societies. Buckle up.
Kayla and Faith, best friends since childhood, build a social media following going by Hannah Primrose on Instagram. Kayla is the face while Faith writes the captions. Kayla is the bad girl, while Faith is a good girl - always going along with Kayla. Until Faith decides it’s time to move on without Kayla. That. Wasn’t. Their. Plan. So of course, Kayla eventually shows up. But the things that happen neither could have predicted.
Growing up in a trailer park in a shitty town - I so related to Kayla and Faith as they grew up. This book reminded me of the movie Thirteen, • from 2003 • (only in a different setting) Pretty Little Liars, and Euphoria. A must-read, a fun read.
Memorable
“Why is it that a man in this country can sexually assault a woman and then offer her $$$ in exchange for her contractual silence and that transaction is legally binding and enforceable in a court of law? But if the victim offers her silence to her abuser in exchange for $$$ that is blackmail, a felony punishable up to 25 years in prison? A transaction is 'economically efficient' if there's an equal exchange of value. Each side needs to give up something. What's more valuable than a woman giving up her right to tell her story? Aren't these two transactions identical to each other except if it's initiated by a man it's law but if it's initiated by a woman it's a crime? Isn't the law of blackmail just an institution of misogyny?,” (p. 310).
This was a wild ride and it didn’t end up going the way I thought it would. Solid read. Loved the art angle.
September 11, 2025
4⭐️ This felt a lot longer than it actually was, but not necessarily in a bad way. There were a few spots that dragged, but even with those, I was in it enough to stay up till 3am last night to see how everything resolved. Also, I like a book where none of the main characters are particularly likable or worthy of sympathy.
September 24, 2025
I grabbed this as a free Amazon First Reads book at the start of the month. While the story felt a bit slow at first, it soon picked up and I could not wait to read every chance I got from then on. This book is a very twisty tale involving lies, manipulation, and betrayal, and is a perfect popcorn thriller to read in my opinion. Definitely give this one a read if it catches your attention!
September 16, 2025
Outstanding and deliciously dark in all the right ways.
September 15, 2025
Whoever told me this book was good lied!!!! This was horrendous. I had to skimmed through it towards the end of the book just so I could finish it
November 3, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for my audio ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book is available now and it’s a Mindy (Kaling) Book Studio selection.
We meet Faith and Kayla, two best friends living in a trail park who desperately want to escape their small town. They create an online persona Hannah Primrose in an attempt to become social influencers.
The beginning of the book took me back to high school, the haves and the have nots, the lies, the drama. So I was excited when Faith, who usually followed in Kayla’s footsteps as the content ghostwriter, made the big decision to abandon her BFF and attend an Ivy League college.
Fast forward and Kayla mysteriously shows up. She wants to live in Faith’s dorm room. She’s pretending to be a student. There are lies upon lies. And then there’s the very rich art professor.
This psychological thriller gets very suspenseful in the last third when all the pieces start coming together, or should I say falling apart? No spoilers here but if you can get beyond the obvious unethical relationship that evolves, it’s a fun read!
We meet Faith and Kayla, two best friends living in a trail park who desperately want to escape their small town. They create an online persona Hannah Primrose in an attempt to become social influencers.
The beginning of the book took me back to high school, the haves and the have nots, the lies, the drama. So I was excited when Faith, who usually followed in Kayla’s footsteps as the content ghostwriter, made the big decision to abandon her BFF and attend an Ivy League college.
Fast forward and Kayla mysteriously shows up. She wants to live in Faith’s dorm room. She’s pretending to be a student. There are lies upon lies. And then there’s the very rich art professor.
This psychological thriller gets very suspenseful in the last third when all the pieces start coming together, or should I say falling apart? No spoilers here but if you can get beyond the obvious unethical relationship that evolves, it’s a fun read!
September 15, 2025
Ready for a movie adaptation, stat!!!!
September 10, 2025
3.5 rounded down
wild ride, the two main characters were relatable and unlikeable all at once, and you root for them.
wild ride, the two main characters were relatable and unlikeable all at once, and you root for them.
October 7, 2025
This book wasn't my cup of tea, but I encourage you to give it a shot and decide for yourself whether you enjoy it.
In a psychological thriller, two best friends, Faith and Kayla, from a trailer park create a viral social media persona named Hannah Primrose, hoping to escape their small-town life. Faith gets accepted into prestigious Harkness College, leading her to choose between her friendship with Kayla and pursuing her own identity. Once on campus, Kayla appears unexpectedly, posing as a student and rekindling their partnership, which complicates Faith's life and future. As Faith navigates her new environment and the attention of an art history professor, she realizes Kayla is engaging in a dangerous game that threatens to spiral out of control.
The two main characters, Faith and Kayla, appear immature and difficult to connect with. They had a clear goal and pursued it, but like many things, their friendship eventually fizzled out. Instead of growing apart and maturing into responsible young women, they reunite only to wreak havoc in others' lives—what's the point of that? There’s a fine line between friends and bad influences, and sometimes it's necessary to let go of people who bring nothing but trouble.
I found it hard to like these characters, and the book felt overly long and drawn out. It lacked the upbeat energy I was hoping for and read more like fiction than a gripping mystery thriller. Honesty, I felt tempted to skip a few sections since they dragged on endlessly.
Although this book isn’t categorized as YA, the characters lacked the maturity, responsibility, and understanding of right and wrong that I expected. There was a lot of back-and-forth, which made it difficult to trust any of them. I hope it resonates with others more than it did with me, and I’m considering the audiobook format instead—perhaps a great narrator could breathe life into the story. If the written word doesn't quite hit home for you, that's always an option.
If you enjoy reading about childhood best friends navigating secrets, lies, and deceit, this book might just catch your interest. Like I mentioned earlier, it didn't work for me, but perhaps you'll appreciate this writing style. I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Thank you, Mindy's Book Studio, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
In a psychological thriller, two best friends, Faith and Kayla, from a trailer park create a viral social media persona named Hannah Primrose, hoping to escape their small-town life. Faith gets accepted into prestigious Harkness College, leading her to choose between her friendship with Kayla and pursuing her own identity. Once on campus, Kayla appears unexpectedly, posing as a student and rekindling their partnership, which complicates Faith's life and future. As Faith navigates her new environment and the attention of an art history professor, she realizes Kayla is engaging in a dangerous game that threatens to spiral out of control.
The two main characters, Faith and Kayla, appear immature and difficult to connect with. They had a clear goal and pursued it, but like many things, their friendship eventually fizzled out. Instead of growing apart and maturing into responsible young women, they reunite only to wreak havoc in others' lives—what's the point of that? There’s a fine line between friends and bad influences, and sometimes it's necessary to let go of people who bring nothing but trouble.
I found it hard to like these characters, and the book felt overly long and drawn out. It lacked the upbeat energy I was hoping for and read more like fiction than a gripping mystery thriller. Honesty, I felt tempted to skip a few sections since they dragged on endlessly.
Although this book isn’t categorized as YA, the characters lacked the maturity, responsibility, and understanding of right and wrong that I expected. There was a lot of back-and-forth, which made it difficult to trust any of them. I hope it resonates with others more than it did with me, and I’m considering the audiobook format instead—perhaps a great narrator could breathe life into the story. If the written word doesn't quite hit home for you, that's always an option.
If you enjoy reading about childhood best friends navigating secrets, lies, and deceit, this book might just catch your interest. Like I mentioned earlier, it didn't work for me, but perhaps you'll appreciate this writing style. I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Thank you, Mindy's Book Studio, for the digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 23, 2025
I absolutely do not understand the relatively low rating on this gem of a book. I won’t reinvent the wheel and write a succinct synopsis—there are many who have already done that (brilliantly). What I will say is that I devoured this in a day, captivated by the author’s detailed development of each character she included. I was absolutely fascinated with the character arc of the protagonist (Faith) as she stepped from grubby sweatshirts to Italian silk, a process fraught with the pain of delayed introspection made hazy by profound betrayal. It is through Faith and a plethora of other relatable characters that author Charlene Wang delves into the intricacies of female relationships and the lengths to which we all will go for self-preservation. There are no heroes here waving red capes of integrity. Instead there are at the heart of the novel two deeply flawed women who stirred in me buried guilt and regret for my own “coming of age” missteps. I was left with mixed emotions and, for reasons I still cannot explain, a few tears.
One of the criticisms I’ve seen in other reviews is that the story was perhaps too long, the pacing too slow. I cannot disagree with either. It was, at times, a slow burn. When it caught, however, it was a fiery conflagration that kept the pages turning. 4.5/5 stars.
One of the criticisms I’ve seen in other reviews is that the story was perhaps too long, the pacing too slow. I cannot disagree with either. It was, at times, a slow burn. When it caught, however, it was a fiery conflagration that kept the pages turning. 4.5/5 stars.
September 27, 2025
I'll Follow You is a slow burning drama and coming of age story. I don't think this book is properly labeled, it is definitely not a psychological thriller. If you go in with those expectations it'll definitely up your enjoyment. The writing was definitely gripping, the story was intriguing and the characters all had distinct personalities. There are many things explored in this novel such as toxic friendships, addiction, grooming, overconsumption of social media, I think it was very relevant and relatable to our modern day society.
The characters are pretty hard to love though, they all have vile intentions and make some very bad decisions. The pacing was also a little wonky at times, but it didn't prevent me from finishing it in one sitting. The closer we get to the ending the more things feel unrealistic. In terms of Faith doing a complete personality 180. The part at the end with the grooming and the fact Faith exposes the teacher, that it's supposed to be a redemption act. It just lacked coherence in the execution.
Overall, this was just an okay read for me. It was lackluster, missing the thrills, a lot of stereotypes and cliches, the book as a whole left me feeling very underwhelmed.
✨ ️Thank you to @fireflybookdistributionlines & Charlene Wang for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The characters are pretty hard to love though, they all have vile intentions and make some very bad decisions. The pacing was also a little wonky at times, but it didn't prevent me from finishing it in one sitting. The closer we get to the ending the more things feel unrealistic. In terms of Faith doing a complete personality 180. The part at the end with the grooming and the fact Faith exposes the teacher, that it's supposed to be a redemption act. It just lacked coherence in the execution.
Overall, this was just an okay read for me. It was lackluster, missing the thrills, a lot of stereotypes and cliches, the book as a whole left me feeling very underwhelmed.
✨ ️Thank you to @fireflybookdistributionlines & Charlene Wang for my gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 24, 2025
the most thrilling part was when i finally reached the end
September 17, 2025
Interesting
As an older female, I think this is geared more to the younger generations. Still, it was a great read with lots of twists. Just when you think you have it figured out, you don't. I even learned things about painting that I didn't know, due to the author's attention to detail. It's worth the time to read, for sure.
As an older female, I think this is geared more to the younger generations. Still, it was a great read with lots of twists. Just when you think you have it figured out, you don't. I even learned things about painting that I didn't know, due to the author's attention to detail. It's worth the time to read, for sure.
October 20, 2025
These young women were very unpleasant and I did not enjoy this book.
To be fair, the men (older and younger) were also unpleasant - criminally so - except for Randy who is barely in the book.
I kept reading because I wanted bad things to happen to all of our odious characters, including our main character. This does not reflect nicely on me but, I really don't care. I didn't enjoy them.
When a bad thing happens (finally) it's a very dull and unsatisfying bad thing and so totally wasn't worth finishing this book.
Feel free to DNF. I wish I had.
To be fair, the men (older and younger) were also unpleasant - criminally so - except for Randy who is barely in the book.
I kept reading because I wanted bad things to happen to all of our odious characters, including our main character. This does not reflect nicely on me but, I really don't care. I didn't enjoy them.
When a bad thing happens (finally) it's a very dull and unsatisfying bad thing and so totally wasn't worth finishing this book.
Feel free to DNF. I wish I had.
September 6, 2025
Another fascinating book that focuses on best friends, Faith and Kayla who create an Instagram account for "Hannah Primrose," a fictitious character. By their senior year they have amassed 20,000 followers. Faith goes to Harkness College where she meets artist Charles Wyman, a talent art historian whom she believes is brilliant and they become close. It's a wonderfully convoluted story of blackmail, revenge, secrets, and lies! Loved every minute of it!
September 15, 2025
Follow You
Wow! Fantastic work. It is hard to believe this well crafted piece, with heart-pounding pacing and unique twists is only the first novel of Ms Wang. It is definitely a winner. Brava! Looking forward to many more exciting reads from this author.
Wow! Fantastic work. It is hard to believe this well crafted piece, with heart-pounding pacing and unique twists is only the first novel of Ms Wang. It is definitely a winner. Brava! Looking forward to many more exciting reads from this author.
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November 17, 2025Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy
I'll Follow You by Charlene Wang is a first person-POV thriller about social media and dark academia. Faith and Kayla are two best friends who dream of more after growing up in a trailer park in a small town. But when Faith gets into an elite university and Kayla doesn't, Faith starts to think the friendship is over. Until Kayla shows up the two create a social media persona, Heather, to embody the dark academia vibe that is going viral.
The story deals a lot with the themes and aesthetics of dark academia, particularly with Faith starting a relationship with a respected professor at the school who is older than her by about thirty years, and in how her dorm room is set-up for photos of Kayla posing as Heather. I wouldn't say the text dismantles dark academia or critiques it heavily, but instead uses it for conversations about virality and the ways professors can abuse their power of students. The detail I liked the most was Kayla and Faith talking about what color books would fit the vibe more for Heather followed by the pair being asked how they will reinvent Heather once the dark academia thing has dried up.
Because everything is in Faith’s POV, we see her through a lens that highlights her desire for fame, to be as far away from where they started as possible, and how relentless she is to get those things. We've had a lot of stories about fame lately and social media and how it's never all it's cracked up to be, but people still want to be famous. I don't think Charlene Wang was going for a cautionary tale, since I think she knows one book will probably not change someone's mind about becoming a TikTok star, but I do think that she is writing honestly about how wanting fame can make you do things that hurt the people who care about you.
I went back and forth on whether to call this a thriller or suspense because it's missing the thriller pacing for me, but it has the twists that feel more aligned with how thriller works rather than how suspense does. I also don't think I would call it New Adult or a coming of age story. It feels very firmly like an adult book about fame first and foremost.
I would recommend this to fans of books about social media and readers of dark academia
I'll Follow You by Charlene Wang is a first person-POV thriller about social media and dark academia. Faith and Kayla are two best friends who dream of more after growing up in a trailer park in a small town. But when Faith gets into an elite university and Kayla doesn't, Faith starts to think the friendship is over. Until Kayla shows up the two create a social media persona, Heather, to embody the dark academia vibe that is going viral.
The story deals a lot with the themes and aesthetics of dark academia, particularly with Faith starting a relationship with a respected professor at the school who is older than her by about thirty years, and in how her dorm room is set-up for photos of Kayla posing as Heather. I wouldn't say the text dismantles dark academia or critiques it heavily, but instead uses it for conversations about virality and the ways professors can abuse their power of students. The detail I liked the most was Kayla and Faith talking about what color books would fit the vibe more for Heather followed by the pair being asked how they will reinvent Heather once the dark academia thing has dried up.
Because everything is in Faith’s POV, we see her through a lens that highlights her desire for fame, to be as far away from where they started as possible, and how relentless she is to get those things. We've had a lot of stories about fame lately and social media and how it's never all it's cracked up to be, but people still want to be famous. I don't think Charlene Wang was going for a cautionary tale, since I think she knows one book will probably not change someone's mind about becoming a TikTok star, but I do think that she is writing honestly about how wanting fame can make you do things that hurt the people who care about you.
I went back and forth on whether to call this a thriller or suspense because it's missing the thriller pacing for me, but it has the twists that feel more aligned with how thriller works rather than how suspense does. I also don't think I would call it New Adult or a coming of age story. It feels very firmly like an adult book about fame first and foremost.
I would recommend this to fans of books about social media and readers of dark academia
November 22, 2025
Faith and Kyla become friends in a trailer park in rural Louisiana. Kyla is beautiful and adventurous and ready to escape the small town while Faith is more reserved and prefers to hold back. While in high school they create the persona of Hanna Primrose, a beautiful girl showing her life experiences, in a hope to go viral. After graduation, Kyla wants them to continue Hanna's journey online while Faith decides to pursue academic knowledge at Harkness, an "Ivy League" college near New Orleans. While this breaks them up for a time, Kayla shows up later to bring Faith back into her dreams, whether she likes it or not.
"I'll Follow You" surprised me in a number of ways. I had low expectations for this book as it sounded very shallow and similar to other books out there. But hearing Faith in her voice tell the story of her friendship with Kayla hit a chord. We have all had that friend that was close, but also dangerous and was always prompting us (or forcing us) to make bad decisions to be with them. I also especially appreciated the extended "end" of the book that only cleaned up the loose ends but also provided a satisfying last act of the book to bring everything together. I will read for from Charlene Wang in the future.
"I'll Follow You" surprised me in a number of ways. I had low expectations for this book as it sounded very shallow and similar to other books out there. But hearing Faith in her voice tell the story of her friendship with Kayla hit a chord. We have all had that friend that was close, but also dangerous and was always prompting us (or forcing us) to make bad decisions to be with them. I also especially appreciated the extended "end" of the book that only cleaned up the loose ends but also provided a satisfying last act of the book to bring everything together. I will read for from Charlene Wang in the future.
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