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Shame On You
SURELY WE ALL LIE A LITTLE BIT ONLINE . . . DON'T WE?
The gripping psychological thriller that explores the darker side of social media, perfect for fans of The Girl Before and Friend Request.
Have you ever reached the New Year and thought it's time to reinvent yourself?
Have you ever lied about who you are to get more likes?
Have you ever followed someone online who you think is perfect?
Meet Holly.
Social media sensation. The face of clean eating.
Everyone loves her. Everyone wants to be her.
But when Holly is attacked by a man she's only just met, her life starts to spiral out of control. He seemed to know her - but she doesn't know him.
What if Holly isn't who she seems to be? What if Holly's living a lie?
YOU THINK YOU KNOW HER . . .
The gripping psychological thriller that explores the darker side of social media, perfect for fans of The Girl Before and Friend Request.
Have you ever reached the New Year and thought it's time to reinvent yourself?
Have you ever lied about who you are to get more likes?
Have you ever followed someone online who you think is perfect?
Meet Holly.
Social media sensation. The face of clean eating.
Everyone loves her. Everyone wants to be her.
But when Holly is attacked by a man she's only just met, her life starts to spiral out of control. He seemed to know her - but she doesn't know him.
What if Holly isn't who she seems to be? What if Holly's living a lie?
YOU THINK YOU KNOW HER . . .
400 pages, Paperback
First published December 14, 2017
924 people are currently reading
1048 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
January 26, 2018
Shame On You by Amy Heydenrych.
Holly has beaten cancer by adopting a healthy lifestyle and a vegan diet, now she is an Internet sensation. She thrives on all the attention she has online and everything is a photo opportunity to post for her fans. One night she is attacked and badly injured. Waking up in hospital her first thoughts are of how her fans are taking the news of her misfortune. When a secret she has been keeping is exposed, everything changes for Holly. This book shows how social media and living your life online can have many dangers. I would like to thank NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre for my e-copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Holly has beaten cancer by adopting a healthy lifestyle and a vegan diet, now she is an Internet sensation. She thrives on all the attention she has online and everything is a photo opportunity to post for her fans. One night she is attacked and badly injured. Waking up in hospital her first thoughts are of how her fans are taking the news of her misfortune. When a secret she has been keeping is exposed, everything changes for Holly. This book shows how social media and living your life online can have many dangers. I would like to thank NetGalley and Bonnier Zaffre for my e-copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
January 16, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Relevant...but not riveting stars...
Holly is a social “influencer”...a media sensation.
Tyler is the man who viciously attacks her...he is angry about what she has posted...for personal reasons.
The story is told from their alternating perspectives.
Although the author is “spot on” with many of her observations about the ugly side of social media, and how it can make you, or break you, I actually set it aside, and read an entire different book, before I finished this one.
In a market saturated with psychological thrillers, this one just did not stand out for me, but may work better for a reader younger than myself, (or very into social media) or one who only reads this genre on occasion.
Holly is a social “influencer”...a media sensation.
Tyler is the man who viciously attacks her...he is angry about what she has posted...for personal reasons.
The story is told from their alternating perspectives.
Although the author is “spot on” with many of her observations about the ugly side of social media, and how it can make you, or break you, I actually set it aside, and read an entire different book, before I finished this one.
In a market saturated with psychological thrillers, this one just did not stand out for me, but may work better for a reader younger than myself, (or very into social media) or one who only reads this genre on occasion.
August 19, 2018
Holly is a social media sensation. Health food blogger, role model and the perfect advocate for clean and healthy eating, living life to the full. She's overcome cancer and is everybody's favourite internet reality star. Except, she has a huge secret. A secret that would bring her world crashing down around her if it were to be exposed. When Holly is viciously attacked by a man she doesn't know, she starts to suspect that he may know that she is actually living a lie.
This psychological thriller had me gripped from the first page. I loved the alternating chapters between Holly and Tyler especially the 'then' chapters. I can't say I really liked either of the main characters but then they were who they were - a fraudulent internet celebrity and a troubled and violent doctor. Not people you really endear to. The way the author used social media as the centre of the story worked really well and it's quite frightening to see how easily it can be used against you and how it can take over your life.
"Shame On You" is a very clever, fast paced modern thriller with a very up to date and recognisable theme especially considering the many 'fake news' articles that appears regularly online these days.
The author Amy Heydenrych is an excellent writer who engages with her readers and holds their attention, I for one was hooked immediately.
I highly recommend this psychological social media thriller and I'd happily read more by this talented author again.
4 stars
This psychological thriller had me gripped from the first page. I loved the alternating chapters between Holly and Tyler especially the 'then' chapters. I can't say I really liked either of the main characters but then they were who they were - a fraudulent internet celebrity and a troubled and violent doctor. Not people you really endear to. The way the author used social media as the centre of the story worked really well and it's quite frightening to see how easily it can be used against you and how it can take over your life.
"Shame On You" is a very clever, fast paced modern thriller with a very up to date and recognisable theme especially considering the many 'fake news' articles that appears regularly online these days.
The author Amy Heydenrych is an excellent writer who engages with her readers and holds their attention, I for one was hooked immediately.
I highly recommend this psychological social media thriller and I'd happily read more by this talented author again.
4 stars
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June 12, 2018Have you ever reached New Year and thought it's time to reinvent yourself? Have you lied about yourself to get more like She? Have you ever followed someone online who you think is perfect? Meet Holly, a social media sensation.
This book is about Holly, a girl who was bullied. When Holly is told she has cancer, she posts on Facebook and Instagram about it. Now, she has thousands who follow her. She claims healthy living and a vegan diet cured her cancer. Tyler's girlfriend, Frankie, also has cancer. Frankie followed the advice Holly gave out but Frankie died. Tyler, who is a doctor, is out for revenge. This is a story about how social media can take over your life. People pretend to be something they are not. I did not like the characters Holly and Tyler. The pace is fast and the book is well written. It is written in alternating chapters between Holly and Tyler in both the present day and the past.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bonnier Zaffre and the author Amy Heydenrich for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is about Holly, a girl who was bullied. When Holly is told she has cancer, she posts on Facebook and Instagram about it. Now, she has thousands who follow her. She claims healthy living and a vegan diet cured her cancer. Tyler's girlfriend, Frankie, also has cancer. Frankie followed the advice Holly gave out but Frankie died. Tyler, who is a doctor, is out for revenge. This is a story about how social media can take over your life. People pretend to be something they are not. I did not like the characters Holly and Tyler. The pace is fast and the book is well written. It is written in alternating chapters between Holly and Tyler in both the present day and the past.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bonnier Zaffre and the author Amy Heydenrich for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 23, 2018
Reviews on: www.booknerdtan.wordpress.com
Using a holistic approach and a very strict vegan diet, Holly has beaten cancer. She has shared her unique story online and has allowed all of her followers to see all aspects of her life. She has gained fame, brand deals, book deals and a religious following. She is the ultimate clean eating, yoga fanatic nut job. One evening Holly is attacked by a man she has only just met and from this, her world and life she has built for herself come apart at the seams...
4.5/5 stars!
This book was so gripping! Even the opening of the book was so well crafted that it left you baffled as to why this woman had been attacked so viciously. The story is told in alternating perspectives, between Holly and her attacker and also contains flashbacks to earlier in their lives for us to gain insight into how this attack came to happen and why.
I flew through this book in a couple of days; the social media aspect always intrigues me in any book and was executed so well here. The characters were well developed and I also liked the fact that there wasn't a swarm of characters that you had to get used to and ultimately confused by.
If anyone is looking for a fast-paced, modern and pretty dark twisty thriller - pick this up!
***THERE MAY BE A FEW SPOILERS AHEAD***
I found the story and Tyler's ex fiancé so heart breaking. She wasn't the main character in this story however her story broke my heart more than anything else. I found the surgery scenes in the book really dark and it creeped me out the whole time!
There is one main reason why I felt that I couldn't give this book a full 5/5 stars no matter how entertaining it was. I understand that Holly may have had psychological issues which attributed to her need for attention and the simulation of love and affection that social media gave her. However, to me, lying that you have cancer is sickening. I felt she needed to have had some form of punishment, but that never really happens. I can definitely say that Tyler was just as evil, if not more so and he deserves everything he gets, but Holly needed consequences which correlated with her wrong doings.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank them, the publisher and the author for this opportunity.
Using a holistic approach and a very strict vegan diet, Holly has beaten cancer. She has shared her unique story online and has allowed all of her followers to see all aspects of her life. She has gained fame, brand deals, book deals and a religious following. She is the ultimate clean eating, yoga fanatic nut job. One evening Holly is attacked by a man she has only just met and from this, her world and life she has built for herself come apart at the seams...
4.5/5 stars!
This book was so gripping! Even the opening of the book was so well crafted that it left you baffled as to why this woman had been attacked so viciously. The story is told in alternating perspectives, between Holly and her attacker and also contains flashbacks to earlier in their lives for us to gain insight into how this attack came to happen and why.
I flew through this book in a couple of days; the social media aspect always intrigues me in any book and was executed so well here. The characters were well developed and I also liked the fact that there wasn't a swarm of characters that you had to get used to and ultimately confused by.
If anyone is looking for a fast-paced, modern and pretty dark twisty thriller - pick this up!
***THERE MAY BE A FEW SPOILERS AHEAD***
I found the story and Tyler's ex fiancé so heart breaking. She wasn't the main character in this story however her story broke my heart more than anything else. I found the surgery scenes in the book really dark and it creeped me out the whole time!
There is one main reason why I felt that I couldn't give this book a full 5/5 stars no matter how entertaining it was. I understand that Holly may have had psychological issues which attributed to her need for attention and the simulation of love and affection that social media gave her. However, to me, lying that you have cancer is sickening. I felt she needed to have had some form of punishment, but that never really happens. I can definitely say that Tyler was just as evil, if not more so and he deserves everything he gets, but Holly needed consequences which correlated with her wrong doings.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank them, the publisher and the author for this opportunity.
May 27, 2018
This tale of a life of lies lead on social media, being caught out by someone with possibly even more to hide, where the readers sympathies change with almost every chapter and encompassing a currently relevant look at life reality v our Instagram feeds was highly addictive and genuinely compelling.
Holly has built an empire around her struggle to beat cancer using holistic means and careful diet - but somebody out there knows she is not being entirely honest. After she is attacked, her life spirals out of control and from the shadows someone is watching...
I thought the dual narrative structure worked extremely well here and Amy Heydenrych has a talent for creating divisive yet highly engaging characters. It has an authentic and often realistically thought provoking feel, digging deep into the underneath of our modern, open world where you can be whoever you want to be..often though at huge personal cost.
The personal costs are at the heart of this, our understanding of self and how easy it is to take the path of least resistance to those things that we think we want, without a thought for others. Shame On You is a clever novel on several levels and ultimately your reaction to the events and to the people will probably differ depending on your own world view.
As well as that is is spot on entertaining. A psychological thriller for today's generation of social media addicts, of which I am one.
Really enjoyed it. Recommended.
Holly has built an empire around her struggle to beat cancer using holistic means and careful diet - but somebody out there knows she is not being entirely honest. After she is attacked, her life spirals out of control and from the shadows someone is watching...
I thought the dual narrative structure worked extremely well here and Amy Heydenrych has a talent for creating divisive yet highly engaging characters. It has an authentic and often realistically thought provoking feel, digging deep into the underneath of our modern, open world where you can be whoever you want to be..often though at huge personal cost.
The personal costs are at the heart of this, our understanding of self and how easy it is to take the path of least resistance to those things that we think we want, without a thought for others. Shame On You is a clever novel on several levels and ultimately your reaction to the events and to the people will probably differ depending on your own world view.
As well as that is is spot on entertaining. A psychological thriller for today's generation of social media addicts, of which I am one.
Really enjoyed it. Recommended.
January 11, 2018
3.5
“What you put out into the world comes back to you.”
Holly is a health blogger. She has become famous after defeating cancer by means of her healthy vegan recipes, meditation and natural remedies. She gets thousands of likes and positive comments on her posts and has many followers. She is an influential celebrity and she likes it. In fact she craves it!
But she has a devastating secret. A secret which would ruin her image if revealed and someone is going to do everything in his power to make Holly’s life insufferable; to make her pay for what she has done.
This was a well written and fast-paced read and pertinent to our age of networking and social media and obsession with sharing our daily activities, albeit filtered.
The only shortcoming was that sometimes I felt I was reading an article about the negative effects of social media in our lives, which had a repetitive presence throughout the novel.
“What you put out into the world comes back to you.”
Holly is a health blogger. She has become famous after defeating cancer by means of her healthy vegan recipes, meditation and natural remedies. She gets thousands of likes and positive comments on her posts and has many followers. She is an influential celebrity and she likes it. In fact she craves it!
But she has a devastating secret. A secret which would ruin her image if revealed and someone is going to do everything in his power to make Holly’s life insufferable; to make her pay for what she has done.
This was a well written and fast-paced read and pertinent to our age of networking and social media and obsession with sharing our daily activities, albeit filtered.
The only shortcoming was that sometimes I felt I was reading an article about the negative effects of social media in our lives, which had a repetitive presence throughout the novel.
July 24, 2018
So do you believe everything you see online? Is everybody who they make themselves out to be? In this day of social media this book is very apt. Shame On You by Amy Heydenrych had me staying up way past my bedtime to find out what was going to happen next... I was hooked!
Holly is a young and insecure girl who suffered from bullying at school but has made a new start and a new life for herself in London.. She has become an Instagram sensation after her posts about her raw diet and how they cured her cancer. People can't get enough of her online and she finally feels loved. She meets who she think she is a nice man in a coffee shop and agrees to have dinner with him.. things are going well until he attacks her with a knife and leaves her for dead. Why? As she recovers her life starts to fall apart and people start to wonder if she is all she says she is.
A fantastic fast read that I didn't want to stop reading. Thank you to Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and and are in no way biased
Holly is a young and insecure girl who suffered from bullying at school but has made a new start and a new life for herself in London.. She has become an Instagram sensation after her posts about her raw diet and how they cured her cancer. People can't get enough of her online and she finally feels loved. She meets who she think she is a nice man in a coffee shop and agrees to have dinner with him.. things are going well until he attacks her with a knife and leaves her for dead. Why? As she recovers her life starts to fall apart and people start to wonder if she is all she says she is.
A fantastic fast read that I didn't want to stop reading. Thank you to Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and and are in no way biased
December 10, 2017
A psychological thriller by author Amy Heydenrych that will grow on you the more pages you turn.
The story is told through the eyes of Holly and Tyler. Holly is a blogger who preaches to her followers and tells of her cure from cancer. While Tyler is an obsessive character who bears a grudge. Holly is attacked for no apparent reason by a man she has only just met. Following the attack her life is thrown out of control and she tries to understand why she was attacked.
This is a fast paced addictive thriller that will keep you reading to find out more and is well worth a read.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Bonnier Zaffre for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The story is told through the eyes of Holly and Tyler. Holly is a blogger who preaches to her followers and tells of her cure from cancer. While Tyler is an obsessive character who bears a grudge. Holly is attacked for no apparent reason by a man she has only just met. Following the attack her life is thrown out of control and she tries to understand why she was attacked.
This is a fast paced addictive thriller that will keep you reading to find out more and is well worth a read.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Bonnier Zaffre for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
May 14, 2018
Now, we all know I love the crime genre, with all of its different sub-genres. I have a massive soft spot for technothrillers - those that are based around the internet and including but not limited to - social media, internet dating and chat rooms. I find these thrillers the most engaging and exciting with the internet being such an it adds an extra mystery and fear factor to the book. The concepts within these books work very well in a crime capacity in my opinion. So, whenever a techonothriller appears on NetGalley I request it knowing 99% of them will be right up my alley.
This was a well written, pacy read. It took a few chapters until I was fully invested but once I was engaged there was no stopping me flipping those pages. I feel that the technological nature of the book does a good job at updating the usual mystery/thriller type titles as it brings the genre into the modern tech era and also creates a new audience of younger readers that may not have been interested in those crime titles based in reality as opposed to the web.
I found that "Shame On You" was addictive and hard to put down. I raced through it! The author certainly knows her stuff on social media and its negative effects. This is fiction with a large dose of reality added in for good measure and it held my attention throughout.
My review will be added to Amazon on the date of publication and a link then added on NetGalley.
I would like to thank Amy Heydenrych, Bonnier Zaffre & NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest and impartial review.
This was a well written, pacy read. It took a few chapters until I was fully invested but once I was engaged there was no stopping me flipping those pages. I feel that the technological nature of the book does a good job at updating the usual mystery/thriller type titles as it brings the genre into the modern tech era and also creates a new audience of younger readers that may not have been interested in those crime titles based in reality as opposed to the web.
I found that "Shame On You" was addictive and hard to put down. I raced through it! The author certainly knows her stuff on social media and its negative effects. This is fiction with a large dose of reality added in for good measure and it held my attention throughout.
My review will be added to Amazon on the date of publication and a link then added on NetGalley.
I would like to thank Amy Heydenrych, Bonnier Zaffre & NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest and impartial review.
January 23, 2018
My initial thoughts of this book were very high but as the story went on, I thought the author spent too much time trying to teach us a lesson about our presence on social media and not enough time creating a fun and thrilling story.
This novel begins with a captivating and gruesome first chapter which is exactly what drew me into this one in the first place. I was expecting the same kind of story to continue all the way through, however I was let down. For me, there wasn't enough excitement in this novel... the "twists" were predictable and I felt that the story lacked shocks and thrills. This was one of those books that's trying so hard to teach the readers a lesson - this one being that we need to stop caring so much about what other people think of us on social media - that the actual plot gets left behind and we're left with a mediocre, preachy book.
I really liked the idea of the story in this one, however, as I've already mentioned, all the the bits that could have been shocking turned out to be extremely predictable when I think there could have been some really great ways to make this sinister and dark.
As for writing, I thought the quality of it was very good. Heydenrych has a eloquent way of writing and her character building was very well done. I really felt like we got to know Holly, Tyler, and even Zanna, really well. It was easy to step into their shoes and take on their personalities and feelings. What I liked in this novel is that I found both of the main characters unlikable but I was still intrigued as to how their interactions would play out.
However, looking at the writing as a whole book, I did find the amount of repetition in this one annoying. So many chapters felt like a tedious repetition of the last... I got pretty sick of reading how terrified Holly was of Tyler and how happy all the attention on her Instagram made her, and I got bored of reading how much Tyler hated Holly and how much he missed Frankie. There wasn't enough to differentiate each chapter from the one before so it felt like a bit of a Groundhog day.
Although I have all these negative opinions on this book, I didn't hate it... I did find it quite gripping at times. There was enough in the book to keep me entertained to finish it and I did enjoy the characters even if I felt Holly was very annoyingly self-pitying.
I think this book will work well for other readers who are into something a little less twisty & turny, but for me, it didn't quite quench my thirst for a thrill-ride read.
Thanks to Readers First for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review!
This novel begins with a captivating and gruesome first chapter which is exactly what drew me into this one in the first place. I was expecting the same kind of story to continue all the way through, however I was let down. For me, there wasn't enough excitement in this novel... the "twists" were predictable and I felt that the story lacked shocks and thrills. This was one of those books that's trying so hard to teach the readers a lesson - this one being that we need to stop caring so much about what other people think of us on social media - that the actual plot gets left behind and we're left with a mediocre, preachy book.
I really liked the idea of the story in this one, however, as I've already mentioned, all the the bits that could have been shocking turned out to be extremely predictable when I think there could have been some really great ways to make this sinister and dark.
As for writing, I thought the quality of it was very good. Heydenrych has a eloquent way of writing and her character building was very well done. I really felt like we got to know Holly, Tyler, and even Zanna, really well. It was easy to step into their shoes and take on their personalities and feelings. What I liked in this novel is that I found both of the main characters unlikable but I was still intrigued as to how their interactions would play out.
However, looking at the writing as a whole book, I did find the amount of repetition in this one annoying. So many chapters felt like a tedious repetition of the last... I got pretty sick of reading how terrified Holly was of Tyler and how happy all the attention on her Instagram made her, and I got bored of reading how much Tyler hated Holly and how much he missed Frankie. There wasn't enough to differentiate each chapter from the one before so it felt like a bit of a Groundhog day.
Although I have all these negative opinions on this book, I didn't hate it... I did find it quite gripping at times. There was enough in the book to keep me entertained to finish it and I did enjoy the characters even if I felt Holly was very annoyingly self-pitying.
I think this book will work well for other readers who are into something a little less twisty & turny, but for me, it didn't quite quench my thirst for a thrill-ride read.
Thanks to Readers First for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review!
March 26, 2018
This book is unlike any I have read before, the book is about Holly, a bullied girl who discovers when she has cancer and posts on Instagram and Facebook about it she suddenly has thousands of followers, her ‘life/illness’ then takes on new meaning and she becomes a social media star as she advocates a lifestyle that cures her ( shunning chemotherapy etc ) people start following her advice........and then the story takes a massive turn, hard not to say more about it but all is not as it seems with Holly......nowhere near as it seems...she is then attacked and scarred, her internet love increases and she is unstoppable....and then she IS stopped by a massive revelation by her attacker....her fall from social media is rapid, cruel
and utterly vicious.....and then the story once again takes another massive turn and......well, cant say anymore without ruining the story.....
A truly FASCINATING read that we all will relate to and understand with equal revulsion and sympathy
Social Media is explained and described exactly as it affects all of us daily and its quite shocking how real the book is
I LOVED IT, the characters appalling in their wonderfulness and extremity and shocking when you see the tiny glimmer of all of us in them
A truly fascinating read about a situation completely out of control but only too easy to understand how and why it happened, fabulous book
10/10 5 stars
April 3, 2019
I feel like this sort of thing probably happens in real life all the time.
Likely not this extreme.....at least I hope not.
I really enjoyed this and found it hard to put down.
Her writing is addictive to say the least.
Likely not this extreme.....at least I hope not.
I really enjoyed this and found it hard to put down.
Her writing is addictive to say the least.
October 4, 2018
Holly is an Instagram star whose following is built on healthy living; her raw, vegan diet is one that she claims cured her cancer. Tyler is a young Doctor whose girlfriend eschews modern medicine in favour of Holly's diet when she is diagnosed with brain cancer. This is the story of how these people collide.
This book had a lot to say on the implications of social media, public shaming, trolling, diet fads, lying, shame, guilt and domestic abuse. Unfortunately, the story meandered without taking a stance on any of the issues it contained, instead forming a narrative without nuance, opinion or position.
We’re not sure if either narrator is worthy of sympathy or empathy, which is compounded by the completely open ending and that is wildly frustrating.
The story is an interesting one, and there have been recent examples of such cases happening in real life, but I really wish the author had taken more of a stance on the matters at hand. It left everything feeling soulless and lacking, much like the protagonists.
This book had a lot to say on the implications of social media, public shaming, trolling, diet fads, lying, shame, guilt and domestic abuse. Unfortunately, the story meandered without taking a stance on any of the issues it contained, instead forming a narrative without nuance, opinion or position.
We’re not sure if either narrator is worthy of sympathy or empathy, which is compounded by the completely open ending and that is wildly frustrating.
The story is an interesting one, and there have been recent examples of such cases happening in real life, but I really wish the author had taken more of a stance on the matters at hand. It left everything feeling soulless and lacking, much like the protagonists.
July 30, 2018
Are you the type of person who will gullibly believe all you see on social media? Or are you of the opinion that everyone bends the truth to some extent online?
In an age where social media has come to the brink of taking over our lives, the subject matter of ' Shame on You' can be seen to apply to everyone to some extent.
Holly, our protagonist, as a result of school bullying, was an insecure young girl before she made a new life for herself. As an Instagram sensation as a result of her posts about beating cancer with her healthy clean eating diet and inspiring yoga sessions, she now feels loved and adored by her many followers. The penny drops when she is attacked and left for dead by a seemingly nice man she met in a coffee shop. But why? It only gets worse for her from here on out. Her life begins to unravel as a secret she has been keeping is revealed to the world, resulting in people questioning if she is all she's made herself out to be.
Well written with a pace that flowed easily, I enjoyed discovering how this story would play out. It had me wanting to have a word with my teenage kids on thinking twice about what they post on Instagram and the like. The book did feel like the author was preaching to the reader regarding social media though, trying to teach the reader a lesson, almost to the point of leaving the plot behind at times, which did affect my total enjoyment of the book.
I feel this book would be great for the younger generation fixated on social media...it would certainly give them food for thought, as it did me.
Many thanks to Netgalley, the author and Bonnier Zaffre, Twenty7 for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.
In an age where social media has come to the brink of taking over our lives, the subject matter of ' Shame on You' can be seen to apply to everyone to some extent.
Holly, our protagonist, as a result of school bullying, was an insecure young girl before she made a new life for herself. As an Instagram sensation as a result of her posts about beating cancer with her healthy clean eating diet and inspiring yoga sessions, she now feels loved and adored by her many followers. The penny drops when she is attacked and left for dead by a seemingly nice man she met in a coffee shop. But why? It only gets worse for her from here on out. Her life begins to unravel as a secret she has been keeping is revealed to the world, resulting in people questioning if she is all she's made herself out to be.
Well written with a pace that flowed easily, I enjoyed discovering how this story would play out. It had me wanting to have a word with my teenage kids on thinking twice about what they post on Instagram and the like. The book did feel like the author was preaching to the reader regarding social media though, trying to teach the reader a lesson, almost to the point of leaving the plot behind at times, which did affect my total enjoyment of the book.
I feel this book would be great for the younger generation fixated on social media...it would certainly give them food for thought, as it did me.
Many thanks to Netgalley, the author and Bonnier Zaffre, Twenty7 for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.
February 24, 2018
~I got this as an ARC from NetGalley~
I have no idea how to write this review without giving too much away. The thing is,I really liked this book and I have never read anything like it but the main character, Holly, is soo awful that it made me want to throw this book out of the window. She's the most selfish and unapologetic character I've ever read. Travis wasn't an angel himself but he had reasons to be like that. Ugh I'm so mad right now because I hate Holly so much
I have no idea how to write this review without giving too much away. The thing is,I really liked this book and I have never read anything like it but the main character, Holly, is soo awful that it made me want to throw this book out of the window. She's the most selfish and unapologetic character I've ever read. Travis wasn't an angel himself but he had reasons to be like that. Ugh I'm so mad right now because I hate Holly so much
October 26, 2018
Books that focus on social media call my name. I feel we are all trying to find our way in the brave new world of social media, and it has so many negative aspects that reading further into this whole theme is well worth the effort. Shame on You by Amy Heydenrych is fictional but it’s well grounded in the fakeness and manipulation of social media profiles.
FIRST LINE OF SHAME ON YOU BY AMY HEYDENRYCH
“McDonald’s is an unholy mess of drunks at this time of night.”
MY THOUGHTS ON SHAME ON YOU BY AMY HEYDENRYCH
Let’s get real here first. I love social media, it’s one of my favourite ways to waste time. And I’ve been known to vet my photos, so only the ones I’m happy with see the light of day on social media. However, I also think Facebook, Instagram, etc can be sewers of negativity, hate and falseness. So I try to find a happy medium, be careful about who I follow, and be socially aware of what I post myself. But you never really know for 100% what’s authentic and what’s outright lies. And this book digs deep into that issue.
Holly is insta-famous, celebrated for her clean living and love for healthy food. Sticking to a vegan diet healed her of cancer, and zillions of fans fawn over her every picture. Brands have endorsed her, and she sustains herself fully from her blogging life. Which all sounds fine, it even sounds like music to my blogger ears.
However, her life is nothing like she portrays. Yes she loves food, and is zealous about her clean lifestyle, but her only validation comes from likes and comments. Only she eats her meticulously prepared food, she has no real friends, no real life. Only a one-dimensional flat-lay existence. Worse she is hiding a secret, and somebody knows.
On the very first page, Holly suffers a vicious attack and that sets the tone for a tense, stressful read. Someone is watching, someone has been in her home, and someone wants to slowly torture her by letting her know that. I was thoroughly freaked out.
I had a love/hate relationship with Holly. Or maybe that should be a pity/admiration relationship. I dream of a lifestyle that would be fully in insta-perfect moments, but I’m old enough to know better. Clean living is a goal of mine, but with a side of chocolate, and a far more balanced approach. But still I admired her grit to follow her dreams, and transform her life. However I despised so much of her inner dialogue, her actions and her values. Hello, conflicted.com.
THE THEME WAS BANG ON THE MONEY
But the theme was bang on the money. Because of reasons, Holly experiences a public shaming. While reading this book, there was an actual case in the media here about a UK blogger who approached an Irish restaurant basically looking for a freebie. The restaurant then named and shamed the blogger on their social media, and it became trial by internet trolls. So reading this book at the same time that all this going on made the book even more relevant and thought-provoking.
All that aside, I found the found a book an entertaining read, with well-developed characters, and a plot that held me captive. The dual narrative between Holly and her attacker allow you a full insight into just why the characters behave the way they do. And it kept me engaged from beginning to end. With an ending that made me close the book with bulging eyes.
FIRST LINE OF SHAME ON YOU BY AMY HEYDENRYCH
“McDonald’s is an unholy mess of drunks at this time of night.”
MY THOUGHTS ON SHAME ON YOU BY AMY HEYDENRYCH
Let’s get real here first. I love social media, it’s one of my favourite ways to waste time. And I’ve been known to vet my photos, so only the ones I’m happy with see the light of day on social media. However, I also think Facebook, Instagram, etc can be sewers of negativity, hate and falseness. So I try to find a happy medium, be careful about who I follow, and be socially aware of what I post myself. But you never really know for 100% what’s authentic and what’s outright lies. And this book digs deep into that issue.
Holly is insta-famous, celebrated for her clean living and love for healthy food. Sticking to a vegan diet healed her of cancer, and zillions of fans fawn over her every picture. Brands have endorsed her, and she sustains herself fully from her blogging life. Which all sounds fine, it even sounds like music to my blogger ears.
However, her life is nothing like she portrays. Yes she loves food, and is zealous about her clean lifestyle, but her only validation comes from likes and comments. Only she eats her meticulously prepared food, she has no real friends, no real life. Only a one-dimensional flat-lay existence. Worse she is hiding a secret, and somebody knows.
On the very first page, Holly suffers a vicious attack and that sets the tone for a tense, stressful read. Someone is watching, someone has been in her home, and someone wants to slowly torture her by letting her know that. I was thoroughly freaked out.
I had a love/hate relationship with Holly. Or maybe that should be a pity/admiration relationship. I dream of a lifestyle that would be fully in insta-perfect moments, but I’m old enough to know better. Clean living is a goal of mine, but with a side of chocolate, and a far more balanced approach. But still I admired her grit to follow her dreams, and transform her life. However I despised so much of her inner dialogue, her actions and her values. Hello, conflicted.com.
THE THEME WAS BANG ON THE MONEY
But the theme was bang on the money. Because of reasons, Holly experiences a public shaming. While reading this book, there was an actual case in the media here about a UK blogger who approached an Irish restaurant basically looking for a freebie. The restaurant then named and shamed the blogger on their social media, and it became trial by internet trolls. So reading this book at the same time that all this going on made the book even more relevant and thought-provoking.
All that aside, I found the found a book an entertaining read, with well-developed characters, and a plot that held me captive. The dual narrative between Holly and her attacker allow you a full insight into just why the characters behave the way they do. And it kept me engaged from beginning to end. With an ending that made me close the book with bulging eyes.
August 22, 2020
Awful book l kept on going because the reviews were good however it was tedious, and unbelievably stupid.
June 12, 2018
“Why did he hate her so much? All she ever did was strive to be better, cleaner, washed out and pristine from the inside out.”
Shame on You has a very contemporary protagonist; Holly Evans is a “wellness blogger” - one of those beautiful young women who post pictures of their perfect foods and perfect lives on Instagram.
It’s worked out very successfully so far for Holly, whose particular USP is that she cured herself of cancer by... oh, you know. Juice and positive thinking. Or did she? Tyler Wells doesn’t think so. He’s an angry man, and he’s on a mission to bring Holly down.
Holly’s disgrace and Tyler’s obsession provide the two narrative strands of a gripping and thought-provoking story.
This isn’t the first, nor the second novel I’ve read recently which deals with the very modern phenomenon of internet shaming. But it is a timely issue and Amy Heydenrych has a lot to say about society’s expectations of women.
Holly’s online persona is carefully curated and filtered for maximum acceptability: be thin, be pretty, be clean and pure, don’t say anything controversial or political. Be sexy, but never slutty. Following the rules leads to the reward and validation of likes and follows and admiring comments (not to mention the more material rewards that accompany success); break them, and you will be harshly judged. Holly’s fall from grace, when it comes, is spectacular.
Tyler is a man on a mission, driven by rage, a largely unaddressed grief and a burning desire to dispense his own form of justice on Holly; or perhaps on what he perceives her to represent. For him there’s a clear divide between the innocent and the guilty, and the latter deserve only contempt. And revenge.
Neither Holly nor Tyler are particularly sympathetic characters; both are capable of terrible things, yet it is possible to understand to a certain extent why they do what they do - even if both go way further than most people ever would.
Shame on You has a very contemporary protagonist; Holly Evans is a “wellness blogger” - one of those beautiful young women who post pictures of their perfect foods and perfect lives on Instagram.
It’s worked out very successfully so far for Holly, whose particular USP is that she cured herself of cancer by... oh, you know. Juice and positive thinking. Or did she? Tyler Wells doesn’t think so. He’s an angry man, and he’s on a mission to bring Holly down.
Holly’s disgrace and Tyler’s obsession provide the two narrative strands of a gripping and thought-provoking story.
This isn’t the first, nor the second novel I’ve read recently which deals with the very modern phenomenon of internet shaming. But it is a timely issue and Amy Heydenrych has a lot to say about society’s expectations of women.
Holly’s online persona is carefully curated and filtered for maximum acceptability: be thin, be pretty, be clean and pure, don’t say anything controversial or political. Be sexy, but never slutty. Following the rules leads to the reward and validation of likes and follows and admiring comments (not to mention the more material rewards that accompany success); break them, and you will be harshly judged. Holly’s fall from grace, when it comes, is spectacular.
Tyler is a man on a mission, driven by rage, a largely unaddressed grief and a burning desire to dispense his own form of justice on Holly; or perhaps on what he perceives her to represent. For him there’s a clear divide between the innocent and the guilty, and the latter deserve only contempt. And revenge.
Neither Holly nor Tyler are particularly sympathetic characters; both are capable of terrible things, yet it is possible to understand to a certain extent why they do what they do - even if both go way further than most people ever would.
October 20, 2020
Holly is attacked by a man she's only just met and her life starts to spiral out of control. He seemed to know her - but she doesn't know him.
What if Holly isn't who she seems to be? What if Holly's living a lie?
Shame on You starts with a captivating and intriguing opening chapter and draws the reader in immediately.
The writing is engaging and the pacing solid, but the twists are predictable.
On top of that, I felt like the author was trying to lecture me and teach me a lesson about my use of social media. Perhaps I felt a bit attacked? The lecture soured my enjoyment somewhat.
What if Holly isn't who she seems to be? What if Holly's living a lie?
Shame on You starts with a captivating and intriguing opening chapter and draws the reader in immediately.
The writing is engaging and the pacing solid, but the twists are predictable.
On top of that, I felt like the author was trying to lecture me and teach me a lesson about my use of social media. Perhaps I felt a bit attacked? The lecture soured my enjoyment somewhat.
November 4, 2020
This was a super fun and very addictive psychological thriller with an important message.
I really liked the way this book was written. It was really easy to read and the chapters were super short which made it really addictive.
I think this book had some really important messages about cancel culture, online influencers and social media. It definitely made me reflect about what I post and who I follow on social media.
Yes, I could see where this book was going from the beginning. It's pretty much laid out for you. There isn't that many twists or turns until right at the very end.
I think the concept was really original and different. It's not something I've read in a thriller before.
Overall, I think this was a great thriller and I'll definitely be interested in reading other books by this author
TW: child abuse, self harm, violence, murder and cancer
I really liked the way this book was written. It was really easy to read and the chapters were super short which made it really addictive.
I think this book had some really important messages about cancel culture, online influencers and social media. It definitely made me reflect about what I post and who I follow on social media.
Yes, I could see where this book was going from the beginning. It's pretty much laid out for you. There isn't that many twists or turns until right at the very end.
I think the concept was really original and different. It's not something I've read in a thriller before.
Overall, I think this was a great thriller and I'll definitely be interested in reading other books by this author
TW: child abuse, self harm, violence, murder and cancer
December 7, 2017
This is quite a deceptive little book, you anticipate so much from the blurb and none of that is what you actually get. This appears to be a light, frothy chic lit book about an Internet Star, the darling of Instagram, a healthy-living guru called Holly. Whilst the initial impression of Holly is just that, this is a book about how social media twists and skews our perceptions so that lies become easy to tell and ordinary just is not good enough. You cannot look ordinary, you cannot think ordinary and you certainly cannot live ordinary if you want to succeed.
To be fair, a quick scan of the first 20 or so pages tells you straight away that this is not a light, comforting book. It is quite clear that we are dealing with something far more menacing. It deals with issues that are relevant right here and now - the hero worship of vloggers, Instagram stars and what lengths they go to for that vicarious thrill that one more like, one more positive comment gives them. But what happens if it is all a lie, or even a little bit of it, and someone exposes you?
Told from a slightly bizarre removed first person perspective the story unfolds through first the eyes of Holly and then Tyler. Fortunately each chapter spells out just who is involved in this bit but it is obvious from both the events covered and the tone of the writing who is being talked about here. Hence the removed first person comment about the story telling, in sections it is clearly third person story telling and then in others it is more first person perspective so I have had to coin my own phrase for it as I don't know what the technical term for this would - and I am sure there must be one.
Neither of the main characters are entirely likeable. Holly I am pretty sure has Borderline Personality Disorder and/or needs a jolly good slap to bring her back to real life and Tyler is twisted in his own Obsessive Compulsive ways. Certainly both characters have their moments where you feel empathy for them, strangely I felt this more for Tyler than I did for Holly. What this says about my judgemental old self I don't know and I am not entirely your feelings about fictional characters carry much psychological weight wither.
The pace is fast and furious and there is little time catch a breath or reflect on what you just read. Tight and taut this is a good old-fashioned thriller primped and preened in to the 21st century. Make no mistake, you will need to set this aside for a minute or two every chapter or two just to thoroughly assimilate the barrage of information.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
To be fair, a quick scan of the first 20 or so pages tells you straight away that this is not a light, comforting book. It is quite clear that we are dealing with something far more menacing. It deals with issues that are relevant right here and now - the hero worship of vloggers, Instagram stars and what lengths they go to for that vicarious thrill that one more like, one more positive comment gives them. But what happens if it is all a lie, or even a little bit of it, and someone exposes you?
Told from a slightly bizarre removed first person perspective the story unfolds through first the eyes of Holly and then Tyler. Fortunately each chapter spells out just who is involved in this bit but it is obvious from both the events covered and the tone of the writing who is being talked about here. Hence the removed first person comment about the story telling, in sections it is clearly third person story telling and then in others it is more first person perspective so I have had to coin my own phrase for it as I don't know what the technical term for this would - and I am sure there must be one.
Neither of the main characters are entirely likeable. Holly I am pretty sure has Borderline Personality Disorder and/or needs a jolly good slap to bring her back to real life and Tyler is twisted in his own Obsessive Compulsive ways. Certainly both characters have their moments where you feel empathy for them, strangely I felt this more for Tyler than I did for Holly. What this says about my judgemental old self I don't know and I am not entirely your feelings about fictional characters carry much psychological weight wither.
The pace is fast and furious and there is little time catch a breath or reflect on what you just read. Tight and taut this is a good old-fashioned thriller primped and preened in to the 21st century. Make no mistake, you will need to set this aside for a minute or two every chapter or two just to thoroughly assimilate the barrage of information.
I RECEIVED A FREE COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM READERS FIRST IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
February 11, 2018
We are living in the digital era and it has become the norm rather than the exception for people to post updates and photos of their lives across the many social media channels. Many of these are snapshots of their lives the unedited version but others have been filtered to show people’s lives they way they want them to be seen. Our children in particular are naive and not embarrassed to post pictures of every aspect of their lives using the many filters available. It’s very easy to portray a life online that we want others to think we lead but, as this book goes someway to highlight, we don’t know who is watching and reading our posts and nor do we know what picture they are building up in their minds of the lives we lead. The author of this book hits home about the dangers that people face by plastering their lives over social media. How quickly things can go from hero to zero.
The book itself - This book is well written and fast paced alternating between chapters written from the point of view of the two main characters, Holly and Tyler, both in the present day and in the past.
Holly is a healthy food blogger who has become famous by beating cancer through adopting a vegan diet, researching natural remedies and exercising religiously every day. In the opening chapters she is subjected to a horrific attack by a man she has just met - he knows who she is (after pretending he doesn’t) and she is left terrified, wondering what she has done to make him so viciously attack her. In a short period of time, Holly’s life spirals out of control and she quickly learns who she can trust and who she cannot.
As I said the book is fast paced and you will find that you can’t turn the pages fast enough as you race to find out how the story will end. I strongly recommend that you read this book and share your thoughts.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
The book itself - This book is well written and fast paced alternating between chapters written from the point of view of the two main characters, Holly and Tyler, both in the present day and in the past.
Holly is a healthy food blogger who has become famous by beating cancer through adopting a vegan diet, researching natural remedies and exercising religiously every day. In the opening chapters she is subjected to a horrific attack by a man she has just met - he knows who she is (after pretending he doesn’t) and she is left terrified, wondering what she has done to make him so viciously attack her. In a short period of time, Holly’s life spirals out of control and she quickly learns who she can trust and who she cannot.
As I said the book is fast paced and you will find that you can’t turn the pages fast enough as you race to find out how the story will end. I strongly recommend that you read this book and share your thoughts.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
February 14, 2018
Shame on you by Amy Heydenrych is a story about health blogger Holly who has beaten Cancer from adopting a healthy Vegan lifestyle and Alternative remedies. Who has thousands of followers from her comments and recipes and likes. She has made a living from it and has become a celebrity. Also Tyler, who is a bearing a grudge towards Holly.
One night, she meets a man in a café who attacks her for no apparent reason and her world is turned upside down. She can’t understand why someone who do this too her.
Tyler, who is a doctor and whose girlfriend Frankie who had Cancer followed the advice that Holly gave out, died and now he is set out for revenge.
This is a great story of how we all live in the age of Social media. How we want to be like/loved. We pretend to be people that others who like us to be. How easy it is that we think that everything on there is the truth and how fickle people can be when things go wrong. How nasty things can turn. Also how lonely it can all be. I applaud the author that this will teach others what Social media really means.
Thank you Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for a copy of this book.
One night, she meets a man in a café who attacks her for no apparent reason and her world is turned upside down. She can’t understand why someone who do this too her.
Tyler, who is a doctor and whose girlfriend Frankie who had Cancer followed the advice that Holly gave out, died and now he is set out for revenge.
This is a great story of how we all live in the age of Social media. How we want to be like/loved. We pretend to be people that others who like us to be. How easy it is that we think that everything on there is the truth and how fickle people can be when things go wrong. How nasty things can turn. Also how lonely it can all be. I applaud the author that this will teach others what Social media really means.
Thank you Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for a copy of this book.
September 8, 2018
My blog: A MAGICAL WORLD OF WORDS
(Thank you so much to Jonathan Ball SA for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.)
I totally judged this book by its stunning cover and synopsis (can you blame me?!) and expected to end up rating it 5 stars.
It is not badly written. But the repetitiveness doesn't help at all, and neither does the plot. The story's slow, boring, and predictable. The incidents are extremely clumsy and random and could have come about so much better had they been refined and more naturally executed. I also wasn't invested in the characters (who are far from strong enough to carry the powerful messages the book's trying to convey).
The ending is a gigantic pit of melodrama and silliness, too. It's far-fetched, open-ended, and sudden. What the author was thinking I don't know.
Look, it's not a terrible book. I respect the author for the themes she's trying to preach, but I just wish they hadn't sounded so preachy. I like the writing, but it's too repetitive. In addition, the characters and plot need serious editing.
(Thank you so much to Jonathan Ball SA for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.)
I totally judged this book by its stunning cover and synopsis (can you blame me?!) and expected to end up rating it 5 stars.
It is not badly written. But the repetitiveness doesn't help at all, and neither does the plot. The story's slow, boring, and predictable. The incidents are extremely clumsy and random and could have come about so much better had they been refined and more naturally executed. I also wasn't invested in the characters (who are far from strong enough to carry the powerful messages the book's trying to convey).
The ending is a gigantic pit of melodrama and silliness, too. It's far-fetched, open-ended, and sudden. What the author was thinking I don't know.
Look, it's not a terrible book. I respect the author for the themes she's trying to preach, but I just wish they hadn't sounded so preachy. I like the writing, but it's too repetitive. In addition, the characters and plot need serious editing.
January 22, 2018
I'm writing this review literally moments after I finished reading this book. While it takes a while to build, I've found myself frantically paging through the last few chapters to find out the ending, mainly because I just couldn't predict how the story would go. Amy Heydenrych has built a fascinating thriller in the giddy world of food blogging and Instagram, exposing the hollow reality behind the photo filters and glitzy endorsements. While her protagonist, successful darling of the raw food movement Holly, isn't necessarily likeable, there's something fascinating about her that makes her compulsive to follow. Her stalker, the surgeon who maims her, is equally well-rounded, coming across as both despicable and desperately human. Well-written and genuinely tense, I cannot recommend it more!!
July 26, 2018
I requested to read this book as it had the potential to be an excellent commentary on the whole issue of social media. Within the story, the author made some interesting points about online celebrity and social media, how we don't really know the real person behind the posts, and how women are attacked for having an opinion, and judged if they are not perfect. Unfortunately I felt that this was diluted by the ending which was a little too contrived. Having said that, it was an interesting read, I'm just not sure I would read it again.
Thanks to Netgalley and publishers, Bonnier Zaffre / Twenty7, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
Thanks to Netgalley and publishers, Bonnier Zaffre / Twenty7, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
March 30, 2018
I am very happy this book clearly shows how many people nowadays live their life on the internet instead the real world. But worse, other people believe everything they see and hear. Shame on you shows how easy it is to fool people and to even get rich with doing almost nothing, except posting about their silly little empty lives. Because that is what she has, main character Holly. She may be rich and famous, it is all fake and show. Inside there is nothing. And when confronted with causing horrible things to other people, she doesn't know what to do and where to turn to.
Thanks to NetGally for this book. I've enjoyed it.
Thanks to NetGally for this book. I've enjoyed it.
dnf
July 13, 2022DNF @ 15%
Maybe I'll resume this read later but right now, I'm only skimming, which is not good. I am notndounf the book justice and I am wasting my time.
The characters don't interest me. I hate that Holly doesn't fight more and act like the victim he made of her. I'm sure there's more to her story, but I don’t care enough to explore farther.
Maybe I'll resume this read later but right now, I'm only skimming, which is not good. I am notndounf the book justice and I am wasting my time.
The characters don't interest me. I hate that Holly doesn't fight more and act like the victim he made of her. I'm sure there's more to her story, but I don’t care enough to explore farther.
January 19, 2018
In today's world of internet celebrity, created by posting the right thing at the right time, and having the face/body that fits this book ticked all the boxes when highlighting the current issues with social media today.
The main character is a health/lifestyle food blogger, who is easy to imagine as any of the current 'celebrity' Instagram experts, Throughout the book I was picturing someone similar to Clean Living Alice, with her own brand, sponsorship and cookbooks.
Holly is the Blogger we follow through this book. Shes blonde, skinny, works out and share her healthy recipes with you on Instagram. However Holly wasnt always the shining star she is now, as a child she felt unloved and unwanted. She was friendless and unhappy with herself.
After meeting a handsome doctor in the coffee shop, Holly embarks on a magical first date which ends with her in hospital. We then follow the rollercoaster to her recovery while flushing out some secrets of her own.
Unlike a lot of Female led books the main character isnt obviously strong, shes flawed and just wants people to like her, and with social interaction a challenge for her the recognition on Instagram is her focus in life.
Shame on you is out on 28 July 2018.
**Spoiler Alert**
At the beginning of the book we are also introduced to Tyler, the handsome Doctor - learning that he blames Holly for the loss of someone. My brain was in overdrive trying to work out the link. I was convinced that Tylers missing girlfriend was actually Holly ( he does a form of plastic surgery so it was a plausable thought) for at least one chapter.
The book takes us on Hollys journey to recovery, highlighting bad parenting, self doubt and criticism, social shaming and reminds us that you can own it and continue with you life. Whats posted isnt always real. The persona we see may not be the truth, its just the perception people want you to have, whether its intentional or not.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for the Advance copy of this book.
Official Description
You think you know her . . .
Meet Holly.
Social media sensation. The face of clean eating.
Everyone loves her. Everyone wants to be her.
Or do they?
When Holly is attacked by a man she's only just met, her life starts to spiral out of control.
Was she targeted because of her online wellness empire, or is there a darker reason behind the attack?
He seemed to know her - but she doesn't know him.
Or does she?
What if Holly isn't who she seems to be? What if Holly's living a lie?
But surely we all lie a bit online, don't we . . .?
The main character is a health/lifestyle food blogger, who is easy to imagine as any of the current 'celebrity' Instagram experts, Throughout the book I was picturing someone similar to Clean Living Alice, with her own brand, sponsorship and cookbooks.
Holly is the Blogger we follow through this book. Shes blonde, skinny, works out and share her healthy recipes with you on Instagram. However Holly wasnt always the shining star she is now, as a child she felt unloved and unwanted. She was friendless and unhappy with herself.
After meeting a handsome doctor in the coffee shop, Holly embarks on a magical first date which ends with her in hospital. We then follow the rollercoaster to her recovery while flushing out some secrets of her own.
Unlike a lot of Female led books the main character isnt obviously strong, shes flawed and just wants people to like her, and with social interaction a challenge for her the recognition on Instagram is her focus in life.
Shame on you is out on 28 July 2018.
**Spoiler Alert**
At the beginning of the book we are also introduced to Tyler, the handsome Doctor - learning that he blames Holly for the loss of someone. My brain was in overdrive trying to work out the link. I was convinced that Tylers missing girlfriend was actually Holly ( he does a form of plastic surgery so it was a plausable thought) for at least one chapter.
The book takes us on Hollys journey to recovery, highlighting bad parenting, self doubt and criticism, social shaming and reminds us that you can own it and continue with you life. Whats posted isnt always real. The persona we see may not be the truth, its just the perception people want you to have, whether its intentional or not.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for the Advance copy of this book.
Official Description
You think you know her . . .
Meet Holly.
Social media sensation. The face of clean eating.
Everyone loves her. Everyone wants to be her.
Or do they?
When Holly is attacked by a man she's only just met, her life starts to spiral out of control.
Was she targeted because of her online wellness empire, or is there a darker reason behind the attack?
He seemed to know her - but she doesn't know him.
Or does she?
What if Holly isn't who she seems to be? What if Holly's living a lie?
But surely we all lie a bit online, don't we . . .?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews