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Followers
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An electrifying story of two ambitious friends, the dark choices they make and the stunning moment that changes the world as we know it forever
Orla Cadden is a budding novelist stuck in a dead-end job, writing clickbait about movie-star hookups and influencer yoga moves. Then Orla meets Floss ― a striving wannabe A-lister ― who comes up with a plan for launching them both ...more
Orla Cadden is a budding novelist stuck in a dead-end job, writing clickbait about movie-star hookups and influencer yoga moves. Then Orla meets Floss ― a striving wannabe A-lister ― who comes up with a plan for launching them both ...more
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Hardcover, 380 pages
Published
January 14th 2020
by Graydon House
(first published January 9th 2020)
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”Sensational, futuristic, smart, entertaining, twisty, mind-bending and surprising ARC reading!” I’m about to slap myself because I waited at least three month to start this book and I let it drown at the bottom part of my growing NetGalley pile. I think one day, they will send me glasses for my red rimmed eyes instead of future releasing yummy books all set to be devoured with two bites!
So welcome to the social media madness. Everybody’s lives depend on the likes and visual encouraging comments ...more
So welcome to the social media madness. Everybody’s lives depend on the likes and visual encouraging comments ...more

From the first chapter, this book had me straightjacketed. It snatched me up and held me rapt until the last word.
It's just, ugh, there is no word. Oh wait, I got it...
IT'S ELECTRIFYING!
*using bad Danny Zuko/John Travolta impression* *slinks away in shame*
☆ Megan Angelo's writing is top notch.
She has flawlessly woven a complex, multilayered and intelligent tale of the current state of social media and the dramatic effects it has on society some thirty years in the future.
☆ Angelo offers up a m ...more
It's just, ugh, there is no word. Oh wait, I got it...
IT'S ELECTRIFYING!
*using bad Danny Zuko/John Travolta impression* *slinks away in shame*
☆ Megan Angelo's writing is top notch.
She has flawlessly woven a complex, multilayered and intelligent tale of the current state of social media and the dramatic effects it has on society some thirty years in the future.
☆ Angelo offers up a m ...more

Followers by Megan Angelo is a 2020 Graydon House publication.
Dark, clever, and contemplative -
This is the second book I’ve read recently that had a science fiction element. For the record, it’s not the outer space type of sci-fi. It has a dystopian flavor to it- so basically, what qualifies it for the sci-fi category is the futuristic setting. For me this is a big change of pace since I normally prefer historical fiction. As before, I went in blind, thinking this book was more of a current da ...more
Dark, clever, and contemplative -
This is the second book I’ve read recently that had a science fiction element. For the record, it’s not the outer space type of sci-fi. It has a dystopian flavor to it- so basically, what qualifies it for the sci-fi category is the futuristic setting. For me this is a big change of pace since I normally prefer historical fiction. As before, I went in blind, thinking this book was more of a current da ...more

Jan 17, 2020
Lindsay - Traveling Sisters Book Reviews
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
physical-from-publisher
3.5 stars.
Timely. Thought-provoking. Relevant.
How many social media accounts do you have? How many online sites do you trust? How much of your personal information is online waiting to fall into the wrong hands? Scary questions, right? This book will make you rethink your online presence told through a fictional story of two friends who find themselves at the height of online stardom.
This was one big step outside my comfort zone. I don’t usually read books set in future times, but this one wo ...more
Timely. Thought-provoking. Relevant.
How many social media accounts do you have? How many online sites do you trust? How much of your personal information is online waiting to fall into the wrong hands? Scary questions, right? This book will make you rethink your online presence told through a fictional story of two friends who find themselves at the height of online stardom.
This was one big step outside my comfort zone. I don’t usually read books set in future times, but this one wo ...more

Followers is a timely debut novel about the power of social media, the internet, and technology. It demonstrates the effect it has on our relationships and the damage that can be caused because of its influence. Have our friendships and family dynamics changed because of the prominence of social media? How has the internet changed us? What is the purpose of social media, and who is accountable for what is promoted on our pages/feeds: society or individuals? In Followers, a dystopian atmosphere i
...more

Absorbing, futuristic, & relevant!
FOLLOWERS by MEGAN ANGELO is a fabulous, timely, smart, and electrifying tale that was quite the entertaining and captivating read. Once I started reading it I was absolutely hooked and so intrigued in the futuristic aspect of this storyline and the dystopian atmosphere that I was flipping those pages as fast as I possibly could.
MEGAN ANGELO delivers an original, intelligent, creative, intense, and well-written read here that is told in two timelines and altern ...more
FOLLOWERS by MEGAN ANGELO is a fabulous, timely, smart, and electrifying tale that was quite the entertaining and captivating read. Once I started reading it I was absolutely hooked and so intrigued in the futuristic aspect of this storyline and the dystopian atmosphere that I was flipping those pages as fast as I possibly could.
MEGAN ANGELO delivers an original, intelligent, creative, intense, and well-written read here that is told in two timelines and altern ...more

Now that I have had a day to think about this one, I have decided that I did not love Followers nor did I hate it. In fact-- I really loved the premise of the story itself. It's what encouraged me to read the book in the first place (as well as the cover). When it was all said and done, I felt like what I had read was two episodes of Black Mirror crammed into one book. The mediocre ones.
Followers was lengthy and wordy. There. I said it. It was. I think the words in this one took over and at some ...more
Followers was lengthy and wordy. There. I said it. It was. I think the words in this one took over and at some ...more

Jan 20, 2020
Brenda - Traveling Sisters Book Reviews
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
print-from-publisher
3.5 stars
Social media and our future with it terrifies me! Megan Angelo has created a scary social media future here and has given us some things to think about. She challenges some dark realities with our need to be seen, how dependent people are on followers, following and liking on social media and how that affects the vulnerabilities of everyone involved. She shows us a bleak reality of social domination that left me wondering if it could happen.
The story is told in two timelines, where we s ...more
Social media and our future with it terrifies me! Megan Angelo has created a scary social media future here and has given us some things to think about. She challenges some dark realities with our need to be seen, how dependent people are on followers, following and liking on social media and how that affects the vulnerabilities of everyone involved. She shows us a bleak reality of social domination that left me wondering if it could happen.
The story is told in two timelines, where we s ...more

Followers is a dual timeline story about the obsession and dangers of social media — Never being “off” or away or checked out has its price.
Orla moves to NYC and dreams of being a successful writer. In 2015, she meets Floss, who dreams of being a star. Together they hatch a plan launching them into the world of fame, though things aren’t always as they seem.
In 2051, Marlow is constantly on camera in the world she lives in, Constellation. The network decides her storyline and she rarely has a m ...more
Orla moves to NYC and dreams of being a successful writer. In 2015, she meets Floss, who dreams of being a star. Together they hatch a plan launching them into the world of fame, though things aren’t always as they seem.
In 2051, Marlow is constantly on camera in the world she lives in, Constellation. The network decides her storyline and she rarely has a m ...more


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I have other ARCs that I should have been reading before this one (deadlines, yo), but after reading a few pages of this book to "sample," I ended up not being able to put it down. I picked up FOLLOWERS because it sounded a little like Dave Eggers' THE CIRCLE, only without the terrible sex scenes and unrealistic protagonist that made THE CIRCLE seem like a social media version of RED SPARROW (i.e. exploitative and bad).
FOLLOWERS is comi ...more

Kirkus definitely oversold this book to me with its glowing review and promises of great speculative fiction. This is, instead, a fast moving, easily readable women's fiction with some poorly developed and underthought elements of spec fic. It's the kind of light genre fiction that writers like Ruth Ware and Taylor Jenkins Reid produce. Easy to read, but never digs deep enough to have an emotional or intellectual impact.
But I did like half of Followers. The half set in present time, where two yo ...more
But I did like half of Followers. The half set in present time, where two yo ...more

In the age of social media, how do we define our worth? I’ll admit as a blogger, I’ve had my fair share of moments where I compare my following, popularity, likes, shares, and other metrics to others. This is the time that we live in, where many of us feel that some of our value is related to how others see us.
I read an advanced copy of Followers back in mid-fall of 2019, and it was without question the best book I read in 2019. Followers holds a special place in my heart because it pulled me ou ...more
I read an advanced copy of Followers back in mid-fall of 2019, and it was without question the best book I read in 2019. Followers holds a special place in my heart because it pulled me ou ...more

In 1998, we had "The Truman Show" starring Jim Carrey. Truman Burbank is an insurance salesman, who doesn't realize that his entire life is being telecast, around the globe 24/7. The producer of the show tries to control his mind, even removing his true love Sylvia from the show and replacing her with another woman. A movie ahead of its time.
Now we have Followers:
2015: Orla, New York, New York
A blogger (Orla) and her roommate, Floss, an aspiring singer, demonstrate the use of the social media p ...more
Now we have Followers:
2015: Orla, New York, New York
A blogger (Orla) and her roommate, Floss, an aspiring singer, demonstrate the use of the social media p ...more

If you told me that
Followers
would be the debut novel of Megan Angelo, I would've told you that you were lying. I actually had to double check Ms. Angelo's Goodreads profile because I actually didn't believe it for a second.
Followers
showcases the dark reality of society's addiction to technology, instant gratification through social media, and the world of the celebrity. As it alternates between 2015-16 and 2051, it shows the vast differences between society's role in the aforemention
...more

Okay, so I received this book as an advanced edition paperback a few months ago and was incredibly stoked because I had already seen a lot of great reviews. I got about 200 pages in it and nothing had really happened yet so I decided maybe it wasn't the right time and shelved it, moving on to some other books.. Since then publication day has come and gone and I've continued to see amazing reviews on it, so many that I decided to give this a second chance and start it back over again, but this ti
...more

Followers is a story told in two timelines, on opposite sides of a societal upheaval referred to as the Spill. In the 2015 timeline, Orla Cadden is a wannabe writer, stuck working as a blogger and churning out clickbait stories about celebrities. Her new roommate, Floss Natuzzi, has a plan to work with Orla to achieve her dreams of fame and life as a social influencer. In the 2051 timeline, Marlow is a young woman living in a city in California where everyone knowingly lives their lives on camer
...more

3.5 (rounded up) Futuristic, Thought Provoking & Timely Stars
This one drew me in and had me rapt, furiously turning the pages. Followers details the perils of the use of social media to promote celebrity focusing on the obsession, backstabbing, lies and corruption in that often dangerous climb to fame. What would you do to gain followers and become a famous influencer? The higher your numbers get, the greater the perks... but at what cost?
The concept was so relevant and timely when you think of ...more
This one drew me in and had me rapt, furiously turning the pages. Followers details the perils of the use of social media to promote celebrity focusing on the obsession, backstabbing, lies and corruption in that often dangerous climb to fame. What would you do to gain followers and become a famous influencer? The higher your numbers get, the greater the perks... but at what cost?
The concept was so relevant and timely when you think of ...more

(3.5) The very definition of an addictive read. 'I'll just read a bit of this and see what it's like...' 'I'll just read maybe 30 more pages...' and before I knew it, I was setting aside a whole Sunday night to power through the second half.
In 2051, we follow Marlow, one of the inhabitants of Constellation, an entirely artificial town where everyone is a reality show star; their lives are streamed to the world 24/7. Marlow has grown up in Constellation and is the face of an emotion-suppressing m ...more
In 2051, we follow Marlow, one of the inhabitants of Constellation, an entirely artificial town where everyone is a reality show star; their lives are streamed to the world 24/7. Marlow has grown up in Constellation and is the face of an emotion-suppressing m ...more

Nov 10, 2019
Alessandra Torre
added it
I'm so torn over this book. I really really loved it. Then I got to the end, and my love faded to a muted simmer. I still love it, but I feel like this story deserved a stronger ending.
It's set in a really cool future world where there has been a digital crisis and everything is kind of turned upside down in terms of technology and privacy. The book jumps between present and future, and it's a bit of a mystery (which I love!) in figuring out how the two worlds interact.
I'd definitely recommend t ...more
It's set in a really cool future world where there has been a digital crisis and everything is kind of turned upside down in terms of technology and privacy. The book jumps between present and future, and it's a bit of a mystery (which I love!) in figuring out how the two worlds interact.
I'd definitely recommend t ...more

Followers by Megan Angelo is a very unique story that grabbed my attention from the first page.
Followers switches between Orla, Floss, and Marlow’s stories. The stories work their ways towards each other from two different time periods. All of the characters made mistakes and questionable decisions. I enjoyed how the characters changed throughout the novel. Social media affected every aspect of these characters’ lives. I quickly get invested in these characters even though they weren’t the most ...more
Followers switches between Orla, Floss, and Marlow’s stories. The stories work their ways towards each other from two different time periods. All of the characters made mistakes and questionable decisions. I enjoyed how the characters changed throughout the novel. Social media affected every aspect of these characters’ lives. I quickly get invested in these characters even though they weren’t the most ...more

In another time and place, this book would easily be four stars, so don’t let your eyes quickly gloss over my three star rating and somehow give you the false impression that this book is just average. Also, never mind. Let’s continue...
Here’s the deal, friends. And we’re all friends, aren’t we? And we’ve been practicing social distance long before that was a thing. We’re all way ahead of our time, aren’t we, Goodreads? Anyway,
I ended a sentence we a comma, or I broke a sentence into another par ...more
Here’s the deal, friends. And we’re all friends, aren’t we? And we’ve been practicing social distance long before that was a thing. We’re all way ahead of our time, aren’t we, Goodreads? Anyway,
I ended a sentence we a comma, or I broke a sentence into another par ...more

In 2015, Orla Cadden struggles to pursue her aspiration of becoming a writer while she works as a gossip writer for a New York City magazine. Her days are spent following the frivolous activities of movie-stars and society’s big shots. Orla is stuck on the outside of celebrity until her new roommate - the boisterous and ambitious Floss Natuzzi - hatches a plan to that will bring them both into the limelight. However, neither of these women realize how fame will shape their lives, or how high on
...more

Ok, I just purchased a load of blue light blocking reading glasses after reading “The Followers” a highly rated speculative fiction novel…. just in case. If you think you might have a problem with checking your computer for updates every five minutes, then this is a great novel for you.
“The Followers” hilariously shows the dark side of those “influencers”, the ones who tweet, Instagram, u-tube, etc. for the sole purpose of getting “hits” “likes” or what have you. I listened to the audible produc ...more
“The Followers” hilariously shows the dark side of those “influencers”, the ones who tweet, Instagram, u-tube, etc. for the sole purpose of getting “hits” “likes” or what have you. I listened to the audible produc ...more

Followers is a story about the power of social media, and also a warning about the dangers of oversharing. We follow the timelines of two women. One is Orla and her story starts in 2015. The other is Marlow and her story is taking place in 2051. Orla is a blogger with dreams of publishing a book living in New York City with a roommate, Floss, an up and coming social media star. Marlow is living in a town where her every movement is recorded and broadcast to her 12 million followers. She gets one
...more

Followers by Megan Angelo is a dystopian science fiction fantasy that to me felt a lot more like a contemporary read with a bit of sci-fi to it. The story is told from different points of view and across two timelines from 2015 and 2055.
In 2015 Orla Cadden is a writer that has yet to write the novel she plans but instead writes celebrity gossip pieces to pay the bills. One day Orla meets Floss, a want to be A-lister who comes up with a plan for them both their big dreams. Then in 2055 Marlow liv ...more
In 2015 Orla Cadden is a writer that has yet to write the novel she plans but instead writes celebrity gossip pieces to pay the bills. One day Orla meets Floss, a want to be A-lister who comes up with a plan for them both their big dreams. Then in 2055 Marlow liv ...more

Jan 16, 2020
Brooke — brooklynnnnereads
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
netgalley
This was an INTENSE read which was made even more intense by the fact that although it was futuristic, everything that was occurring in the future seemed realistic and plausible.
Without a word of a lie, this novel is enough to make you want to delete all of your social media and get rid of all of the technology that you so heavily rely on. With that being said, will I delete or get rid of any of mine? No, I will not. Again, this makes the message of this novel that much scarier.
This novel is d ...more
Without a word of a lie, this novel is enough to make you want to delete all of your social media and get rid of all of the technology that you so heavily rely on. With that being said, will I delete or get rid of any of mine? No, I will not. Again, this makes the message of this novel that much scarier.
This novel is d ...more

"THE TRUMAN SHOW" MEETS "1984" IN THIS DYSTOPIAN FUTURISTIC MYSTERY TALE
2051-California: Marlow has been living almost all her life in this celebrity closed community where her every move is 24/7 streamed online nationwide by the Government, which runs the Internet now. Marlow is simply tired of living a wealthy but dull life and wants more out of it. However, she has to do whatever the network that owns her tells her to do, like having a bad marriage and a lab genetic made child. Marlow doesn't ...more
2051-California: Marlow has been living almost all her life in this celebrity closed community where her every move is 24/7 streamed online nationwide by the Government, which runs the Internet now. Marlow is simply tired of living a wealthy but dull life and wants more out of it. However, she has to do whatever the network that owns her tells her to do, like having a bad marriage and a lab genetic made child. Marlow doesn't ...more

In the beginning, I was all in on this one. As a middle-aged mom raised in the idyllic time before technology, back when children were free to roam and every single mistake/misstep/accident/poor fashion choice was not recorded and broadcast, I am afraid for us all. Are most of us too addicted to social media? Are most of us spending more and more time online? Are we finding it challenging to remember things, like phone numbers and appointments...or are we not even trying to remember them and rel
...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Bookish First Rea...: Followers by Megan Angelo | 2 | 23 | Oct 23, 2019 04:43AM |
Megan has written about television, film, women and pop culture, and motherhood for publications including The New York Times (where she helped launch city comedy coverage), Glamour (where she was a contributing editor and wrote a column on women and television), Elle, The Wall Street Journal, Marie Claire, and Slate. She is a native of Quakertown, Pennsylvania and a graduate of Villanova Universi
...more
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"Oh, we are living a dystopian reality!" You've heard it, you may have even said it. But despite what's happening in the world—or maybe because...
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“She wanted the answer to the question. She was living in the before of something, and she was getting tired of it. The dangerous thing about the way she felt . . . was that she didn't know exactly what she wanted to happen, and she didn't care that she didn't know. Almost any change would do.”
—
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“She loved her father with ease and loved her mother with effort.”
—
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