What do you think?
Rate this book
The Hashtag Killer: Awakening
Los Angeles mega influencer Samantha Sinclair has built a life of luxury and control, thriving in a world of curated posts, high-end collaborations, and exclusive events. But her carefully constructed reality begins to unravel after a violent attack at Le Cher, a glamorous rooftop restaurant in Downtown L.A.
As Samantha grapples with the aftermath, she uncovers a chilling she’s being targeted by a killer who is methodical, unrelenting, and driven by a reason that leads straight to her. Influencers like her are only the beginning.
Her once-safe sanctuary, a meticulously restored family home, starts to feel fragile as its warmth is shadowed by the growing threat. Nowhere feels truly untouched.
Through it all, Samantha finds an anchor in Michael Theodorou, a steady and caring presence in her increasingly chaotic life. Their connection deepens as he becomes both her protector and confidant. But love proves complicated when danger looms and trust is hard to give. Their growing bond is tested as Samantha is forced to rely on him in ways she never imagined.
As the killer tightens his grip, Samantha must confront her past, her family’s secrets, and her deepest fears. Set against the glittering but cutthroat world of Los Angeles influencer culture, this psychological thriller is as much a story of survival as it is about love, resilience, and rediscovering one’s identity in the face of unimaginable danger.
The Hashtag Awakening is the first in a raw, high-stakes series where beauty, fame, and fear collide. And Samantha’s fight for survival is only beginning.
As Samantha grapples with the aftermath, she uncovers a chilling she’s being targeted by a killer who is methodical, unrelenting, and driven by a reason that leads straight to her. Influencers like her are only the beginning.
Her once-safe sanctuary, a meticulously restored family home, starts to feel fragile as its warmth is shadowed by the growing threat. Nowhere feels truly untouched.
Through it all, Samantha finds an anchor in Michael Theodorou, a steady and caring presence in her increasingly chaotic life. Their connection deepens as he becomes both her protector and confidant. But love proves complicated when danger looms and trust is hard to give. Their growing bond is tested as Samantha is forced to rely on him in ways she never imagined.
As the killer tightens his grip, Samantha must confront her past, her family’s secrets, and her deepest fears. Set against the glittering but cutthroat world of Los Angeles influencer culture, this psychological thriller is as much a story of survival as it is about love, resilience, and rediscovering one’s identity in the face of unimaginable danger.
The Hashtag Awakening is the first in a raw, high-stakes series where beauty, fame, and fear collide. And Samantha’s fight for survival is only beginning.
406 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 18, 2025
2 people are currently reading
6 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 1, 2026
I loved this book. Serial killer was attacking influencers when they were doing there lives, but no one knew why he was attacking them. All these influencers had something to do with his family death. I need the second book.
February 14, 2026
If you like true-crime vibes and thrillers, this is definitely the read for you!
We all see influencers everywhere, their perfect lives and perfected personas. We see the power they can hold. For some, they’re idols living a lavish life. Samantha Sinclair is just that, a beauty influencer that oozes composure and perfection. She has it all, or at least you’d think so from her online presence, including her name at the top of a hitlist of a seems-to-be ruthless killer.
I thoroughly enjoyed the complexity of every character and how it was introduced. Third person POVs are usually not my go-to read, but it worked SO well. You get an insight into every character’s thoughts and actions, while still maintaining that true-crime show feel. Instead of getting a hindsight telling of a horrible massacre, it feels like you’re there as an observer.
It was incredibly easy to get absorbed in the smaller plot elements, like the budding romance between Samantha and Mike. Only to be reminded of the killer’s lurking, interjecting a feeling of unease with what will happen next.
The killer’s backstory was a great addition, and it gave a different level of complexity. Who is innocent and who isn’t? Who gets to decide? The backstory transformed the killer’s motives from pure jealousy to revenge. Investigating the line of what happens when somebody truly snaps.
I’m left waiting for book 2, wondering what will happen next and questioning who is a reliable narrator.
There were a few minor typos and a few places towards the end where it felt like some things were repeated, but nothing major that took away from the overall story or my enjoyment of the book.
We all see influencers everywhere, their perfect lives and perfected personas. We see the power they can hold. For some, they’re idols living a lavish life. Samantha Sinclair is just that, a beauty influencer that oozes composure and perfection. She has it all, or at least you’d think so from her online presence, including her name at the top of a hitlist of a seems-to-be ruthless killer.
I thoroughly enjoyed the complexity of every character and how it was introduced. Third person POVs are usually not my go-to read, but it worked SO well. You get an insight into every character’s thoughts and actions, while still maintaining that true-crime show feel. Instead of getting a hindsight telling of a horrible massacre, it feels like you’re there as an observer.
It was incredibly easy to get absorbed in the smaller plot elements, like the budding romance between Samantha and Mike. Only to be reminded of the killer’s lurking, interjecting a feeling of unease with what will happen next.
The killer’s backstory was a great addition, and it gave a different level of complexity. Who is innocent and who isn’t? Who gets to decide? The backstory transformed the killer’s motives from pure jealousy to revenge. Investigating the line of what happens when somebody truly snaps.
I’m left waiting for book 2, wondering what will happen next and questioning who is a reliable narrator.
There were a few minor typos and a few places towards the end where it felt like some things were repeated, but nothing major that took away from the overall story or my enjoyment of the book.
February 6, 2026
Let me tell you, this book I did not want to put down, I had to force myself so I could be productive. Right away you are lured in. You want to know who the Hashtag Killer is and what he will do next, so you just keep turning the pages to get more.
This story has a lot of characters involved and it is CRAZY how some of them come back around and are connected. The main female character, Samantha, I was a little unsure of. She really comes off as self absorbed at first and uses men. But as the story unfolds, her character really starts to develop as she learns to let Mike in. And we also get her backstory a little more.
Noooow, the Hashtag Killer… of course you hate him, he’s a killer, right? Well, this author gives you his backstory and how he got to where he is and your heart breaks for him. You can’t help but have some sympathy about how his life has unfolded. I love that the author gave us this background and understanding of why he picked the people he did, it gave a better understanding of the story.
The author also does an amazing job giving details. Some of them, whew, but I loved that they took the time to describe things further rather than just say “oh this happened” without the context. I need the details when it comes to a thriller book.
I can’t wait for book two, I need to know more. I am still unsure about Mike, he seems too perfect. Maybe I just watch too many crime shows, but we will see.
This story has a lot of characters involved and it is CRAZY how some of them come back around and are connected. The main female character, Samantha, I was a little unsure of. She really comes off as self absorbed at first and uses men. But as the story unfolds, her character really starts to develop as she learns to let Mike in. And we also get her backstory a little more.
Noooow, the Hashtag Killer… of course you hate him, he’s a killer, right? Well, this author gives you his backstory and how he got to where he is and your heart breaks for him. You can’t help but have some sympathy about how his life has unfolded. I love that the author gave us this background and understanding of why he picked the people he did, it gave a better understanding of the story.
The author also does an amazing job giving details. Some of them, whew, but I loved that they took the time to describe things further rather than just say “oh this happened” without the context. I need the details when it comes to a thriller book.
I can’t wait for book two, I need to know more. I am still unsure about Mike, he seems too perfect. Maybe I just watch too many crime shows, but we will see.
November 3, 2025
This was the perfect beginning to a thriller series!! I really enjoyed all the details and back stories of every character. The backstory of the killer really had me feeling all the feels and at some moments I was cheering for his success(clearly I’m chaotic 🤣) but the author really had a way of showing you how everything isn’t so black and white. I liked that the author went in depth about explaining why the killer became who he is in the present. This book had me scared, laughing, crying, and cheering characters on. This was a fun and easy read! I’m excited to see what happens next in this series!
November 24, 2025
This will be a great thriller for those who are fans of this genre & are good with multiple POVs that are back & forth. I had trouble carrying the story. I do not feel it was a good fit for me, as I do not normally read thrillers & mysteries. But if this is your thing, definitely go grab this & get ready to ride along. Thank you for the ARC Jesse.
December 13, 2025
I actually really liked this book. It can be super detailed about random things and the main character and her friend would get under my skin a lot lol (It gets to your emotions about real life influencers and how the world is right now) but the backstory of the other characters really came into play really well and that’s what made me enjoy the read. Overall a pretty good thriller.
January 18, 2026
As a true crime lover and micro influencer this was the perfect read! I love the tone - it almost reminds me of an adult version of the RL Stine Fear Street books. The plot has tons of twists and turns with lots of secrets revealed as the story goes on (even the backstory of the killer himself!) It’s an easy read and you’ll fly through it! I can’t wait until the next book.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews