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Unfiltered
'White's sharp-eyed take on modern life couldn't be more on target ' Irish Independent All looks perfect for Ali and Shelly. And that's what counts, right? But beneath the filters, it's a different story . . .Ali Jones is dealing with a lot. The fallout from her ill-conceived plan to fake a pregnancy to gain new social media followers, an inbox filled with horrible messages, her ex is still ignoring her ... Oh, and she actually is pregnant. For real this time.But as Ali debates trying to salvage her online career as a desperate step to support her baby, Queen of the Influencers Shelly Devine discovers that her mysterious stalker seems to know a shocking amount about the life not shown in her glossy aspirational content - a life Shelly wants to keep hidden.As Ali and Shelly try to figure out how to live their lives online, they start to realise that the lines between fact and fiction are still blurry, even for them. And are they in danger of losing the people that matter most?
390 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 18, 2020
53 people are currently reading
439 people want to read
About the author
Sophie White
31 books279 followersSophie White is an Irish author, journalist and podcaster. She is the co-host of the podcasts Mother of Pod and The Creep Dive.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
July 24, 2020
Is your guilty pleasure watching Instahuns? If so you’ll love the hilarious Unfiltered by Sophie White for a snapshot of what might be happening behind the screens, behind the all the smoke and mirrors, behind every unrealistically perfect story.
FIRST LINE OF UNFILTERED
“Ali woke up in her childhood bed on the morning of her dad’s funeral with a song in her head.”
5 THOUGHTS ON UNFILTERED BY SOPHIE WHITE
This book is a tonic. If you need cheering up, or some good belly laughs in your life, then this book will deliver.
Ali faked a pregnancy to get Insta famous, so seems like an unlikely heroine. But I defy you not to like her anyway! And coming from someone who is infertile, that speaks volumes, as I was prepared to hate her for that vile act. But I’m Team Ali all the way!
Shelly is more of your typical big shot Instagram blogger/flogger, but she is coping with a troll in this book. Which is just so topical and scary to read about.
I loved how it combined serious mental health issues, with lots of humour. The mix didn’t downplay the tougher moments, but added an uplifting and authentic feel to the plot.
If even 5% of this is true, Instagram is way more nuts than I had ever realised.
Overall I loved this one, as I did the previous book Filter This. They are best read in order, and I highly recommend both.
WHO SHOULD READ UNFILTERED?
I’d recommend this to you if you like romantic comedy that also tackles some heavier issues. Or if you love Instagram and want to be a fly on an influencer’s perfect grey wall. Fans of authors such as Sophie Kinsella, Lindsey Kelk and Carmel Harrington should also enjoy.
FIRST LINE OF UNFILTERED
“Ali woke up in her childhood bed on the morning of her dad’s funeral with a song in her head.”
5 THOUGHTS ON UNFILTERED BY SOPHIE WHITE
This book is a tonic. If you need cheering up, or some good belly laughs in your life, then this book will deliver.
Ali faked a pregnancy to get Insta famous, so seems like an unlikely heroine. But I defy you not to like her anyway! And coming from someone who is infertile, that speaks volumes, as I was prepared to hate her for that vile act. But I’m Team Ali all the way!
Shelly is more of your typical big shot Instagram blogger/flogger, but she is coping with a troll in this book. Which is just so topical and scary to read about.
I loved how it combined serious mental health issues, with lots of humour. The mix didn’t downplay the tougher moments, but added an uplifting and authentic feel to the plot.
If even 5% of this is true, Instagram is way more nuts than I had ever realised.
Overall I loved this one, as I did the previous book Filter This. They are best read in order, and I highly recommend both.
WHO SHOULD READ UNFILTERED?
I’d recommend this to you if you like romantic comedy that also tackles some heavier issues. Or if you love Instagram and want to be a fly on an influencer’s perfect grey wall. Fans of authors such as Sophie Kinsella, Lindsey Kelk and Carmel Harrington should also enjoy.
July 13, 2020
Reading Unfiltered makes me very glad that I'm a book blogger, and not well anything on instagram. Life on the gram is sounding utterly exhausting and bonkers, and the various grammers in this story are very close to being unhinged!!
This is fantastic sequel, that continues almost immediately after the previous book ends, and catapults us back into the zany world of Ali and Shelly, two of Ireland's top mummy instagrammers. Well apart from Ali isn't actually a mum yet, and the world is still reeling from her fake pregnancy, when she discovers it is now real!
And Shelly's private life isn't fabulous, she is also pregnant, and has picked up a stalker too, which leads to some really creepy moments and in pivotal towards the end of the book too.
This is a fast paced story that is full of cutting observations of real life and social media, and how you portray yourself to others. Told in alternating chapters of Ali and Shelly, we get to see all the nitty gritty in their lives, much of it quite hilarious, and at other times mildly worrying.
There are some tougher subjects examined carefully, but on the whole this is a light hearted book, that has made me smile a lot over the past few days while reading it. I am thoroughly invested these characters lives and would be highly curious to see another book in the series, or failing that what Sophie White will write next, as I am loving her writing.
An absolute joy to read.
Thank you to Hachette Books Ireland and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily
This is fantastic sequel, that continues almost immediately after the previous book ends, and catapults us back into the zany world of Ali and Shelly, two of Ireland's top mummy instagrammers. Well apart from Ali isn't actually a mum yet, and the world is still reeling from her fake pregnancy, when she discovers it is now real!
And Shelly's private life isn't fabulous, she is also pregnant, and has picked up a stalker too, which leads to some really creepy moments and in pivotal towards the end of the book too.
This is a fast paced story that is full of cutting observations of real life and social media, and how you portray yourself to others. Told in alternating chapters of Ali and Shelly, we get to see all the nitty gritty in their lives, much of it quite hilarious, and at other times mildly worrying.
There are some tougher subjects examined carefully, but on the whole this is a light hearted book, that has made me smile a lot over the past few days while reading it. I am thoroughly invested these characters lives and would be highly curious to see another book in the series, or failing that what Sophie White will write next, as I am loving her writing.
An absolute joy to read.
Thank you to Hachette Books Ireland and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily
June 26, 2020
Unfiltered by Sophie White was published with Hachette Ireland June 18th and is described as ‘hilarious', with the Irish Independent stating that Sophie White is ‘hyper current…hugely relevant' Unfiltered picks up from Sophie White’s debut, Filter This, continuing the story of wannabe influencer, Ali Jones and Irish Queen of the Influencers, Shelly Devine.
O.M.G. it must be SOOOO exhausting being ‘on’ all the time. In the selfie world of ‘The Influencer’ the pressure to be perfect, to be living your best life is a very scary prospect. It is back into this chaotic world that we return, as Sophie White reacquaints us all with the lives of Ali and Shelly. In Filter This Ali was going through some challenging times and, with her life in flux, she took some decisions that didn’t quite work out as she had hoped for. In Unfiltered their lives have changed dramatically, now that Ali is REALLY pregnant and Shelly’s husband, Dan, now lives in the Seomra down the end of their back-garden.
Ali’s father passed away at the same time the Insta world discovered her fake pregnancy was….well…fake! Immediately putting her Insta on private, Ali knows that the keyboard warriors, the trolls, will be out for her blood, to call her out, shame her and to ultimately take her down. Not coping too well with the death of her Dad, and then the dramatic discovery that she REALLY is pregnant has placed Ali in a very vulnerable position. Sam, her boyfriend was horrified to hear that the first pregnancy was fake but when he hears that Ali is now actually carrying his child he is literally gobsmacked. Sam is a nice guy. He really loved Ali but her transformation on social media, as her numbers grew, was like car crash TV. At this point Sam has now all but given up on them having any future together. But Ali is not giving up. Riddled with guilt following the death of her father Ali makes a decision, one she hopes will help her cope somewhat with the confused feelings she has
“I didn’t set out to do this but it’s happening, and I feel like it’s happening for a reason. This baby is my chance to make amends for how….for how I was with Dad. I’m going to take care of this baby. I’m going to be there for this baby the way I wasn’t for him”
But Ali has one major problem. With her Insta on private she has no income stream. With the help of Amy O’ Donoghue, social media guru and all around PR whizz, they set about re-introducing Ali to the world again, but with a difference. Ali will be herself and she will limit her posts. She signs up for rehab with Catfishers Anon, a group that are there to help people like Ali, people who are addicted to the buzz and the insanity of this online world. The results are not quite as Ali had anticipated….
Meanwhile Shelly Devine is seriously rethinking her future as an influencer. Her marriage is in bits, her perfect image is crumbling. She is on her second pregnancy and she discovers she has a stalker. Initially she disregards the seriousness of the situation but, as the days pass, Shelly begins to fear for her life and that of her little girl, Georgia.
We follow Ali and Shelly’s journeys as they begin to realise that the glamour and the influencer status is not all as they had planned. Making new decisions and changing some of their ways could possibly be the beginning of something new, a possible existence beyond the ‘gram.
Sophie White has captured something very relevant with these books. Although very witty throughout, there is an underlying truth and pertinence about the way we live our lives today. We are all guilty of being distracted from the moment by our need to check our feed many times a day, hour, minute. Many of us drool at the lifestyles we see online, the perfection that we can never recreate in our own lives. But what is behind the veneer? What is behind the filter? In Unfiltered, we get a great insight into the tricks of the trade and we see how challenging life on a pedestal can be. Ali and Sophie both had great successes on the ‘gram, with the money attached to this success causing them to lose sight of what is really important in their lives. There is a moral behind these books.
Unfiltered has some really hilarious scenes and I did nearly choke on my coffee one day on reading about a specific scene in The Abbey Theatre. Sophie White has great comic timing, creating a brilliant visual through her writing. These books are very much a satirical portrayal of society today, a parody of our strive to emulate perfection, based on what we think of as real. The hashtag has become such an important symbol in all our lives today, but for the influencer it is especially so. It is these seemingly innocuous symbols that help the cash to flow, the sponsorship to increase.
Unfiltered is an extremely topical, relevant book. With a lightness and a captivating charm, Sophie White takes us on a behind-the-scenes journey into the world of the social media influencer. With wonderful dialogue and Ali’s trademark sense of humour, Unfiltered is a very funny, heart-warming tale written with a sharp eye and a very entertaining style. Perfect sunshine reading!
O.M.G. it must be SOOOO exhausting being ‘on’ all the time. In the selfie world of ‘The Influencer’ the pressure to be perfect, to be living your best life is a very scary prospect. It is back into this chaotic world that we return, as Sophie White reacquaints us all with the lives of Ali and Shelly. In Filter This Ali was going through some challenging times and, with her life in flux, she took some decisions that didn’t quite work out as she had hoped for. In Unfiltered their lives have changed dramatically, now that Ali is REALLY pregnant and Shelly’s husband, Dan, now lives in the Seomra down the end of their back-garden.
Ali’s father passed away at the same time the Insta world discovered her fake pregnancy was….well…fake! Immediately putting her Insta on private, Ali knows that the keyboard warriors, the trolls, will be out for her blood, to call her out, shame her and to ultimately take her down. Not coping too well with the death of her Dad, and then the dramatic discovery that she REALLY is pregnant has placed Ali in a very vulnerable position. Sam, her boyfriend was horrified to hear that the first pregnancy was fake but when he hears that Ali is now actually carrying his child he is literally gobsmacked. Sam is a nice guy. He really loved Ali but her transformation on social media, as her numbers grew, was like car crash TV. At this point Sam has now all but given up on them having any future together. But Ali is not giving up. Riddled with guilt following the death of her father Ali makes a decision, one she hopes will help her cope somewhat with the confused feelings she has
“I didn’t set out to do this but it’s happening, and I feel like it’s happening for a reason. This baby is my chance to make amends for how….for how I was with Dad. I’m going to take care of this baby. I’m going to be there for this baby the way I wasn’t for him”
But Ali has one major problem. With her Insta on private she has no income stream. With the help of Amy O’ Donoghue, social media guru and all around PR whizz, they set about re-introducing Ali to the world again, but with a difference. Ali will be herself and she will limit her posts. She signs up for rehab with Catfishers Anon, a group that are there to help people like Ali, people who are addicted to the buzz and the insanity of this online world. The results are not quite as Ali had anticipated….
Meanwhile Shelly Devine is seriously rethinking her future as an influencer. Her marriage is in bits, her perfect image is crumbling. She is on her second pregnancy and she discovers she has a stalker. Initially she disregards the seriousness of the situation but, as the days pass, Shelly begins to fear for her life and that of her little girl, Georgia.
We follow Ali and Shelly’s journeys as they begin to realise that the glamour and the influencer status is not all as they had planned. Making new decisions and changing some of their ways could possibly be the beginning of something new, a possible existence beyond the ‘gram.
Sophie White has captured something very relevant with these books. Although very witty throughout, there is an underlying truth and pertinence about the way we live our lives today. We are all guilty of being distracted from the moment by our need to check our feed many times a day, hour, minute. Many of us drool at the lifestyles we see online, the perfection that we can never recreate in our own lives. But what is behind the veneer? What is behind the filter? In Unfiltered, we get a great insight into the tricks of the trade and we see how challenging life on a pedestal can be. Ali and Sophie both had great successes on the ‘gram, with the money attached to this success causing them to lose sight of what is really important in their lives. There is a moral behind these books.
Unfiltered has some really hilarious scenes and I did nearly choke on my coffee one day on reading about a specific scene in The Abbey Theatre. Sophie White has great comic timing, creating a brilliant visual through her writing. These books are very much a satirical portrayal of society today, a parody of our strive to emulate perfection, based on what we think of as real. The hashtag has become such an important symbol in all our lives today, but for the influencer it is especially so. It is these seemingly innocuous symbols that help the cash to flow, the sponsorship to increase.
Unfiltered is an extremely topical, relevant book. With a lightness and a captivating charm, Sophie White takes us on a behind-the-scenes journey into the world of the social media influencer. With wonderful dialogue and Ali’s trademark sense of humour, Unfiltered is a very funny, heart-warming tale written with a sharp eye and a very entertaining style. Perfect sunshine reading!
February 25, 2021
Unfiltered is super cute, entertaining, and a quick read. It has a mixture of everything you could want in chick-lit and more. Written in the present-day, it really highlights the world of social media and how much it impacts our daily lives. Unfiltered gives readers insight into what it's like to be an Instagram influencer and how much time and energy comes with it. The main characters, Ali and Shelly, become so focused on their success with Instagram that they begin to lose sight of what is really important in their lives. As someone who has always thought it would be cool to be an influencer, this book was a huge wake-up call to me of how exhausting it can really be.
I also didn't realize until the end of Unfiltered, that it was the second book in the series. I, unfortunately, did not read Filter This, but I felt that Sophie White did a really good job giving readers an overview of both Ali and Shelly's life that I didn't miss much. I feel this book could have been a stand-alone, although it would have been interesting to read the journey of Ali's fake pregnancy.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who finds themselves always on social media or if you are just looking for an entertaining chick-lit!
****
With the passing of Ali's father and finding out she actually is pregnant, Ali finds herself at another cross-road. Sam is still upset about the fake pregnancy and wants nothing to do with her. As for her Instagram account, it's out of control. Ali has no clue what to do next but she knows this is her chance to turn her life around, she just doesn't know where to start.
With the help of Amy, a social media expert, Ali soon finds herself rebuilding her Instagram image. Her first post is an apology to all of her followers and Sam. Sam isn't as easy to forgive and forget as her followers are, and Ali soon finds herself pulling out all the stops to fix their relationship. As she gets closer and closer to her due date, she wonders if there is any hope for her and Sam.
Meanwhile, Shelly is pregnant with her second child, currently separated from her husband, Dan, and is dealing with a stalker. Her life is crumbling all around her and she begins to rethink her future as an influencer. As Shelly begins to post less, the stalker becomes angrier and angrier and threatens to expose the real Shelly. Shelly has no clue what to do or who to go to for help. The cops aren't taking any of it seriously and Shelly is afraid for her and her children's lives. Will she continue to do as the stalker wants in order to protect her secrets and family or will she stand up to the stalker and expose everything?
I also didn't realize until the end of Unfiltered, that it was the second book in the series. I, unfortunately, did not read Filter This, but I felt that Sophie White did a really good job giving readers an overview of both Ali and Shelly's life that I didn't miss much. I feel this book could have been a stand-alone, although it would have been interesting to read the journey of Ali's fake pregnancy.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who finds themselves always on social media or if you are just looking for an entertaining chick-lit!
****
With the passing of Ali's father and finding out she actually is pregnant, Ali finds herself at another cross-road. Sam is still upset about the fake pregnancy and wants nothing to do with her. As for her Instagram account, it's out of control. Ali has no clue what to do next but she knows this is her chance to turn her life around, she just doesn't know where to start.
With the help of Amy, a social media expert, Ali soon finds herself rebuilding her Instagram image. Her first post is an apology to all of her followers and Sam. Sam isn't as easy to forgive and forget as her followers are, and Ali soon finds herself pulling out all the stops to fix their relationship. As she gets closer and closer to her due date, she wonders if there is any hope for her and Sam.
Meanwhile, Shelly is pregnant with her second child, currently separated from her husband, Dan, and is dealing with a stalker. Her life is crumbling all around her and she begins to rethink her future as an influencer. As Shelly begins to post less, the stalker becomes angrier and angrier and threatens to expose the real Shelly. Shelly has no clue what to do or who to go to for help. The cops aren't taking any of it seriously and Shelly is afraid for her and her children's lives. Will she continue to do as the stalker wants in order to protect her secrets and family or will she stand up to the stalker and expose everything?
July 6, 2020
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from the Publisher.
The perfect story for the times we live in, UNFILTERED by Sophie White looks at the lure of Instagram and all the power and money it can provide, but just how much of yourself do you have to sacrifice in the process?
Ali Jones is still reeling from the fallout of her fake pregnancy when she loses her beloved father, and on top of that, she has discovered that she is actually pregnant with Sam's baby but Sam certainly doesn't want anything to do with her now. Ali doesn't know what she is going to do but she knows that she will love this baby and that this is her chance to get her life in order. But where to start? With the help of a social media expert, Ali soon finds herself rebuilding her social media image and wading into the Influencer world again but this time she is determined to be in control. But she wonders about how good a mum she will be when her life is such a mess? And will Sam ever talk to her again?
Shelly is heavily pregnant with her second child, separated, and beginning to suspect that her husband has already moved on to greener pastures. And to top it all off, she has a stalker. As Shelly makes some decisions on what she wants for herself and her children, she questions how much exposure she wants to have, especially when the stalking becomes more frightening. Who can she really trust? Do any of her so-called influencer friends care enough to be there for her? And just how far will this obsessed fan go to get what they want?
And when Ali discovers something that might help Shelly who has always been kind to her, secrets may just start coming to the surface.
Compelling, witty, and engaging from beginning to end, UNFILTERED by Sophie White lets readers continue with Ali and Shelly's story and allows us a further glimpse behind the curtain of being an Instagram Influencer. I still cared a lot for Ali and Shelly throughout this book and wanted them to find happiness inside themselves and the strength to do what they needed to do to make that happen. The issue of trolling and the unbelievable damage it can do is deftly described in this story and in a week when I have watched Irish influencers crying online with the amount of abuse and hate they are receiving, UNFILTERED is a timely read.
With plenty of crazy deeds, hilarious mishaps, and entertaining characters, UNFILTERED by Sophie White balances humour with scrutiny perfectly in this story, and I look forward to more from this author.
The perfect story for the times we live in, UNFILTERED by Sophie White looks at the lure of Instagram and all the power and money it can provide, but just how much of yourself do you have to sacrifice in the process?
Ali Jones is still reeling from the fallout of her fake pregnancy when she loses her beloved father, and on top of that, she has discovered that she is actually pregnant with Sam's baby but Sam certainly doesn't want anything to do with her now. Ali doesn't know what she is going to do but she knows that she will love this baby and that this is her chance to get her life in order. But where to start? With the help of a social media expert, Ali soon finds herself rebuilding her social media image and wading into the Influencer world again but this time she is determined to be in control. But she wonders about how good a mum she will be when her life is such a mess? And will Sam ever talk to her again?
Shelly is heavily pregnant with her second child, separated, and beginning to suspect that her husband has already moved on to greener pastures. And to top it all off, she has a stalker. As Shelly makes some decisions on what she wants for herself and her children, she questions how much exposure she wants to have, especially when the stalking becomes more frightening. Who can she really trust? Do any of her so-called influencer friends care enough to be there for her? And just how far will this obsessed fan go to get what they want?
And when Ali discovers something that might help Shelly who has always been kind to her, secrets may just start coming to the surface.
Compelling, witty, and engaging from beginning to end, UNFILTERED by Sophie White lets readers continue with Ali and Shelly's story and allows us a further glimpse behind the curtain of being an Instagram Influencer. I still cared a lot for Ali and Shelly throughout this book and wanted them to find happiness inside themselves and the strength to do what they needed to do to make that happen. The issue of trolling and the unbelievable damage it can do is deftly described in this story and in a week when I have watched Irish influencers crying online with the amount of abuse and hate they are receiving, UNFILTERED is a timely read.
With plenty of crazy deeds, hilarious mishaps, and entertaining characters, UNFILTERED by Sophie White balances humour with scrutiny perfectly in this story, and I look forward to more from this author.
December 24, 2023
Another random book choice for me. I had to read a book by an author with the same initials as me for a reading challenge. I had nothing on my shelves, so off to the library I popped. I had two options and this was definitely the right choice.
This was a lovely book about obsessions with social media (like to the point of actual mental illness), motherhood, womanhood and friendship. I'd love to say that the story was outrageous, but I can actually believe that far worse has probably taken place on the gram. I can see how someone can get sucked into the constant pressure of likes and comments and I'm thankful to say that it could never be me.
I loved Ali's character. She was able to pull herself out of the craziness, but maintained friendships with people from that world afterwards. She grew up an awful lot through the story and ended up being the most sensible character in the book. She was definitely someone I could see myself getting along with.
I didn't realise that this was a follow up book until, well, this very moment of writing this review. I think that says enough that it can definitely be read standalone and you can still fall in love with/despise the characters. A lovely easy going read that had me laughing but also emotional. Lovely quick read.
This was a lovely book about obsessions with social media (like to the point of actual mental illness), motherhood, womanhood and friendship. I'd love to say that the story was outrageous, but I can actually believe that far worse has probably taken place on the gram. I can see how someone can get sucked into the constant pressure of likes and comments and I'm thankful to say that it could never be me.
I loved Ali's character. She was able to pull herself out of the craziness, but maintained friendships with people from that world afterwards. She grew up an awful lot through the story and ended up being the most sensible character in the book. She was definitely someone I could see myself getting along with.
I didn't realise that this was a follow up book until, well, this very moment of writing this review. I think that says enough that it can definitely be read standalone and you can still fall in love with/despise the characters. A lovely easy going read that had me laughing but also emotional. Lovely quick read.
March 17, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up! ^^
I really enjoyed reading Unfiltered! I enjoyed Filter This more, which was 4 stars for me.
I loved Ali's story in this one - how much she grows and how her relationship with social media develops. Shelly's story was good, but I wasn't as invested in it as much as I was with the first book.
I loved seeing the very descriptive parts of pregnancy / early motherhood included. It's good to see discussions like that being normalised.
Plus, it was a super funny book. I genuinely laughed a lot!
If you are in the mood for a fluffy, easy-to-digest contemporary with some deeper topics explored within it, as well as some solid Irish humour, this duology is a great one to pick up. :)
I really enjoyed reading Unfiltered! I enjoyed Filter This more, which was 4 stars for me.
I loved Ali's story in this one - how much she grows and how her relationship with social media develops. Shelly's story was good, but I wasn't as invested in it as much as I was with the first book.
I loved seeing the very descriptive parts of pregnancy / early motherhood included. It's good to see discussions like that being normalised.
Plus, it was a super funny book. I genuinely laughed a lot!
If you are in the mood for a fluffy, easy-to-digest contemporary with some deeper topics explored within it, as well as some solid Irish humour, this duology is a great one to pick up. :)
August 4, 2024
3,5!! Okay, this was a very silly book, but I enjoyed it so much. We need such ones, light and fun and a bit ridiculous haha! I loooved Ali and all the crazy troubles she got into and I also loved the tiny bit of mysterious aspect the book had with the Shelly plot. Also it painted the reality of Insta influencers really well - it truly is all completely mad. I definitely will try more from Sophie <3
January 1, 2021
Full Review on The Storygraph:
https://tinyurl.com/BGEUnfiltered
https://tinyurl.com/BGEUnfiltered
January 16, 2021
Lighthearted and fun, and absolutely essential after reading the previous installment, Filter This. Took me days to stop thinking about Ali and Shelly. Would I read a third? Definitely yes.
October 25, 2022
Sequel to Filter This which was brilliant. This one felt a lot slower, and really just wrapped up the cliffhanger in the first book. Felt like the first book would have been better as a stand alone.
December 24, 2024
A sequel to Filter This which I thought was bang average but was clearly intrigued enough to pick this up uhhhh 5 years after I read that?
As you would imagine this follows up where we left off with Ali & Shelly. Ali is dealing with… a lot of things and Shelly is dealing with… a lot of other things. But they are both influencers & that’s important. Hard to say much without ruining the first book! So let’s just get into thoughts.
I enjoyed this so much more than the first. I thought the writing was better, it was more engaging & there are so many loathsome characters which I quite simply love to read about. It also wrapped up in an altogether satisfying way.
As you would imagine this follows up where we left off with Ali & Shelly. Ali is dealing with… a lot of things and Shelly is dealing with… a lot of other things. But they are both influencers & that’s important. Hard to say much without ruining the first book! So let’s just get into thoughts.
I enjoyed this so much more than the first. I thought the writing was better, it was more engaging & there are so many loathsome characters which I quite simply love to read about. It also wrapped up in an altogether satisfying way.
March 6, 2022
Plagued as I may be by self-doubt in other aspects of life, the one thing in which I am unwaveringly confident in my literary taste. I enjoy what I enjoy, and don't enjoy what I don't enjoy, regardless of either how many accolades a book has won, or alternatively how disparaged it is.
Unfiltered is an example of what 20 years ago would have been called 'chick lit' (do we still use that term? I don't think we do), the much denigrated genre of popular fiction largely about and for women. Chick lit tended to be dismissed as 'forgettable froth', as one reviewer said of Marian Keyes' Rachel's Holiday, a book about drug addiction. Rachel's Holiday is, as I have mentioned elsewhere on Goodreads, my favourite book of all time.
So when I say that Unfiltered isn't great, it's not because I think it is too 'low brow' or that my tastes run exclusively to the cerebral. Rather, it doesn't quite manage to blend the, yes, 'frothy' world of Instagram influencers at its centre with the darker themes which lurk around the edges of this text (e.g.; grief, relationship breakdown, mental illness). It's not dreadful either, but White doesn't quite pull off grafting three-dimensional themes onto two-dimensional characters.
Unfiltered is an example of what 20 years ago would have been called 'chick lit' (do we still use that term? I don't think we do), the much denigrated genre of popular fiction largely about and for women. Chick lit tended to be dismissed as 'forgettable froth', as one reviewer said of Marian Keyes' Rachel's Holiday, a book about drug addiction. Rachel's Holiday is, as I have mentioned elsewhere on Goodreads, my favourite book of all time.
So when I say that Unfiltered isn't great, it's not because I think it is too 'low brow' or that my tastes run exclusively to the cerebral. Rather, it doesn't quite manage to blend the, yes, 'frothy' world of Instagram influencers at its centre with the darker themes which lurk around the edges of this text (e.g.; grief, relationship breakdown, mental illness). It's not dreadful either, but White doesn't quite pull off grafting three-dimensional themes onto two-dimensional characters.
June 21, 2020
Follow up to Filter This, is picks up right where the previous book ends, so if you haven't read that yet and don't want to be spoiled a) don't read this book first and b) don't finish this review!
With that out of the way, Ali Jones' father has just passed away, the same day she is exposed for faking a pregnancy online on Instagram. Oh, and she is NOW pregnant for real! Naturally she is mess, trying to cope with her father's funeral and trying to get Sam, the father of her baby, to talk to her when he's angry at being hurt. She enlists the help of Amy, social media manager for Shelly Devine (aka SHELLY) to help with all the nasty comments she's getting and to set the record straight. Meanwhile, Shelly is being blackmailed by a creep anonymous troll. Things keep getting more and more sinister, making Shelly want to wind down her Instagram career. However the anon account is threatening to expose Shelly's not so perfect life if she stops posting content!
After finishing Filter This last year, I was glad to hear there would be a follow up novel. I enjoyed this one more, probably because the tension of 'oh my God, when are they going to find out about Ali's lying?!' was gone and we got to see more of the real Ali, one who isn't obsessed with Instagram and who is trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life. She's definitely more likeable and easier to warm to in this book and I loved seeing her navigate her new life. We see Ali grow more as a character, I especially loved when she decided she was sick of grovelling to Sam and was going to just be herself. It would be easy to dismiss this as a light, fluffy book, there's plenty of funny moments (Ali's early morning escapade to the Abbey Theatre with her mother being just one!), but these are countered with darker elements, like online trolls and mental health issues, adding substance to the story (which I often done so well in Marian Keyes' books). While some of the plots were a bit predictable, there was a lot of I didn't see coming too. And I liked how the book ended as well, it didn't tie up everything completely but it was still satisfying enough to end the story. But I would hazard that there could be another book coming down the road if this one is as popular as the first one!
With that out of the way, Ali Jones' father has just passed away, the same day she is exposed for faking a pregnancy online on Instagram. Oh, and she is NOW pregnant for real! Naturally she is mess, trying to cope with her father's funeral and trying to get Sam, the father of her baby, to talk to her when he's angry at being hurt. She enlists the help of Amy, social media manager for Shelly Devine (aka SHELLY) to help with all the nasty comments she's getting and to set the record straight. Meanwhile, Shelly is being blackmailed by a creep anonymous troll. Things keep getting more and more sinister, making Shelly want to wind down her Instagram career. However the anon account is threatening to expose Shelly's not so perfect life if she stops posting content!
After finishing Filter This last year, I was glad to hear there would be a follow up novel. I enjoyed this one more, probably because the tension of 'oh my God, when are they going to find out about Ali's lying?!' was gone and we got to see more of the real Ali, one who isn't obsessed with Instagram and who is trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life. She's definitely more likeable and easier to warm to in this book and I loved seeing her navigate her new life. We see Ali grow more as a character, I especially loved when she decided she was sick of grovelling to Sam and was going to just be herself. It would be easy to dismiss this as a light, fluffy book, there's plenty of funny moments (Ali's early morning escapade to the Abbey Theatre with her mother being just one!), but these are countered with darker elements, like online trolls and mental health issues, adding substance to the story (which I often done so well in Marian Keyes' books). While some of the plots were a bit predictable, there was a lot of I didn't see coming too. And I liked how the book ended as well, it didn't tie up everything completely but it was still satisfying enough to end the story. But I would hazard that there could be another book coming down the road if this one is as popular as the first one!
February 12, 2021
This is the sequel of Filter This which is a book I read and adored before I had a book Instagram, so I’ll give a brief synopsis of both books. The author of the books is Sophie White one of my absolute favourite Irish podcasters – So, this review is going to be biased AF.
Filter This, deals with Ali Jones a wannabe instahun who is hell bent on achieving her #lifegoal of 10’000 Instagram followers. In the first novel. Ali inadvertently leads people to believe she’s supporting a baby bump at an influencer award ceremony and conveniently doesn’t correct anyone about the fact she’s not actually pregnant when the mistake increases her follower count massively. Meanwhile, Irelands biggest influencer Shelly Divine who according to Instagram has “it all” life is unravelling at the seams.
After all the drama of Filter This in Unfiltered Ali Jones is more popular than ever and recruits social media manager Amy Donoghue extraordinaire to clean up her reputation. Meanwhile Shelly is being attacked in her DM’s by a mysterious insta-stalker.
These books are Chicklets done right, while they are cheesy, funny romances, they also provide cutting observations about social media and people's obsessions with it. They are both extremely topical books and deal with proper issues in a way that makes them easier to read. I loved both books and if you like creepy, yet funny stories check out Sophie on The Creep Dive podcast.
Filter This, deals with Ali Jones a wannabe instahun who is hell bent on achieving her #lifegoal of 10’000 Instagram followers. In the first novel. Ali inadvertently leads people to believe she’s supporting a baby bump at an influencer award ceremony and conveniently doesn’t correct anyone about the fact she’s not actually pregnant when the mistake increases her follower count massively. Meanwhile, Irelands biggest influencer Shelly Divine who according to Instagram has “it all” life is unravelling at the seams.
After all the drama of Filter This in Unfiltered Ali Jones is more popular than ever and recruits social media manager Amy Donoghue extraordinaire to clean up her reputation. Meanwhile Shelly is being attacked in her DM’s by a mysterious insta-stalker.
These books are Chicklets done right, while they are cheesy, funny romances, they also provide cutting observations about social media and people's obsessions with it. They are both extremely topical books and deal with proper issues in a way that makes them easier to read. I loved both books and if you like creepy, yet funny stories check out Sophie on The Creep Dive podcast.
May 19, 2020
If you loved Sophie’s Filter This last year, you’ll love the sequel. We left Ali Jones learning that she was pregnant (she’d previously pretended she was to boost Instagram followers) and despite feeling she was on the outs, her popularity is more than ever. Life hasn’t been so kind to Ali: she’s dealing with the loss of her father, her mother’s erratic whims and a babydaddy who’d rather forget she existed. Can she change her image? And who can help her? Meanwhile, supermummy blogger Shelly is preparing to be a mum of two, while her husband sleeps in the garden. She’s being targeted by someone who knows all her secrets… and isn’t afraid to tell everyone. Throw in a WYND festival, the brainchild of fellow blogger Hazel, and there’s a recipe for much #sponcon, many #ads and the chance to really be yourself. I thoroughly enjoyed this and loved the style of writing. It’s clear Sophie’s got a great eye when it comes to being knowledgeable of the bloggerscene.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advance reading copy.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advance reading copy.
June 17, 2020
It was so much fun to return to the world of Ali and the insta-mums and see the fallout and growth from
The events of Filter This. very compelling reading and a great follow up. Sophie writes with such a realistic, no-bulls*** voice, it’s like having a chat with your best friend.
Ali Jones has had a hard year, she’s been exposed for accidentally faking a pregnancy ‘for the gram’ and become the most hated person on the internet. Her erstwhile boyfriend Sam won’t answer her WhatApps. Her beloved father has just died and she’s just found out she’s pregnant. For real this time.
Meanwhile her insta mentor Shelly is trying to maintain her picture perfect insta life while negotiating a separation with her husband, a new baby on the way and a demanding stalker who seems to know her every move.
Meanwhile the rest of the insta mums are being extra as ever and Ali and Shelly need to figure out where they fit in this insta world and if they even want to be a part of it anymore.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.
The events of Filter This. very compelling reading and a great follow up. Sophie writes with such a realistic, no-bulls*** voice, it’s like having a chat with your best friend.
Ali Jones has had a hard year, she’s been exposed for accidentally faking a pregnancy ‘for the gram’ and become the most hated person on the internet. Her erstwhile boyfriend Sam won’t answer her WhatApps. Her beloved father has just died and she’s just found out she’s pregnant. For real this time.
Meanwhile her insta mentor Shelly is trying to maintain her picture perfect insta life while negotiating a separation with her husband, a new baby on the way and a demanding stalker who seems to know her every move.
Meanwhile the rest of the insta mums are being extra as ever and Ali and Shelly need to figure out where they fit in this insta world and if they even want to be a part of it anymore.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.
August 10, 2020
Unfiltered is the follow up to Filter This - the story of instagram bloggers and what really goes on behind the scenes. In Filter This, Ali is a wannabe blogger who inadvertently leads people to believe she is pregnant - chaos ensues as her Tinder hook up believes he is the father of the fake baby and the sponsorship deals come flying in whilst her dad is very sick in a nursing home with Alzheimer’s. Filter This ends with Ali’s deception being discovered, her dad dying and her finding out she actually is pregnant. Unfiltered begins immediately where Filter This left off. All background is explained so Unfiltered can be read independently of Filter This if you choose to. Unfiltered follows the sharp, witty observations of its predecessor with a large cast of characters recognisable from the current world of Instagram. It also has genuine warmth and heart and is a very easy, well paced read. I read it on a weekend away and it is a great holiday read with lots of drama at the finale.
July 3, 2024
This book is realistic in the way that it's setting is placed around life as a social media influencer, which we have a lot of these days. Yet, the main character is utterly stupid and selfish. I've never read a book that actively places the main character as someone you immediately dislike. She is a selfish person, looking for any way to gain social media followers and is too wrapped up in the ideal social media influencer life. (Now that I think of it, this was probably the author's goal all along, because so many influencers are 'cancelled' for things that Ali does in the book) Towards the end of the book, I believe she changed her ways, but her whole character analysis was frustrating to read.
January 24, 2023
2.5 stars. I loved "Filter This", the predecessor to Unfiltered. I thought I'd enjoy this more, but the sequel paled a bit in comparison. Ali Jones' character was distinctly more sympathetic and easier for me to root for in book one. The tangled web of lies she got caught up in was horrifying and entertaining in equal measure. Tbh, she came off as a bit of a gobshite in parts of the sequel. Shelley's storyline was less compelling and a little unbelievable in this one.
I am however, still obsessed with the Audible narrator Jacqueline Milne and want to look up the other books she has narrated because she injects so much life and character to her reading.
I am however, still obsessed with the Audible narrator Jacqueline Milne and want to look up the other books she has narrated because she injects so much life and character to her reading.
July 5, 2020
Loved it! I was so invested in Shelly’s story a bit more than Ali and the reveal of who the anon stalker was kind of bored me. I wish there was a bit more mystery than it just being her friend. Still creeped me out. Ali and Sam being together in the end made so happy!
It’s a nice ending, especially when you’re so invested in each character. I disliked Sam for a while because of his little tantrums however towards the end of the book and Ali giving birth he wasn’t too bad.
It’s a nice ending, especially when you’re so invested in each character. I disliked Sam for a while because of his little tantrums however towards the end of the book and Ali giving birth he wasn’t too bad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2020
Really enjoyed this story and really made me think about my social media use and perhaps not taking everything i see online so seriously or as the full truth.
This book really made me see that perhaps we aren't getting the full truth from out favourite influencers and their perfect lives are not so perfect
Thoroughly enjoyable story, highly recommend.
This book really made me see that perhaps we aren't getting the full truth from out favourite influencers and their perfect lives are not so perfect
Thoroughly enjoyable story, highly recommend.
November 10, 2020
This was a nice wrap-up to the characters introduced previously. There's a humbling but a reality of not being able to totally be offline. It was a nice way to bring about a change where the characters who embraced being themselves on social media and using it for themselves vs caring about what everyone thought. And those who didn't suffered.
March 5, 2021
Couldn't put this down. Loved both heroines - highly flawed and utterly charming. Hilarious, definitely, and with no shortage of insight into social media and social hierarchies and how we can so easily get wrapped up in things without really setting out to... Plus the romance was gorgeous. Not the main feature, but felt perfectly balanced.
April 21, 2021
Loved this book, I felt it dragged a little and I predicted some parts but I enjoyed the first one and Sophie’s writing so much I didn’t mind too much. It’s also funny and had me LOLing for real. Also good message into how social media can really catch up on us!! Would recommend after reading Filter This for sure.
July 18, 2020
It was so fun to return to Ali's world! I found this book hard to put down - it's been a long time since I actually laughed out loud at a book and I thoroughly enjoyed the highs and the lows of the Instagram world!
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September 1, 2020It was an entertaining read and provided an insight into the world of social media especially Instagram. It also highlighted how life on Social Media and real life can bear little resemblance to each other. It also highlights the dangers of being an "influncer" on social media.
March 13, 2024
I couldn’t get into it at first but once I started to care about the characters I wanted to see where the story was going. With the couple added twists it kept you on your toes. But the girls ended up being very likable and I wanted to see how their stories ended.
September 16, 2024
References to SVU are always a good sign! I can't say I found this book hilarious, it was more horrifying than anything. When you lose yourself in the world of social media, the worst can come out, and this novel reminds you how easy it is to slip!
April 19, 2020
While the ending to this is undeniably unrealistic, this is a fantastic follow-up to Filter This. Fun and guaranteed to make you think about your own social media usage.
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