Mar 2, 2024

You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto, and Talking to Strangers by Fiona Barton: Sunday Salon

 


You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Publication: August 20, 2024; Berkley
Genre: women's fiction, thriller, suspense, adult contemporary fiction

I love Jesse Q. Sutanto's books, from her romantic comedies to her newest books, contemporary thrillers.

In You Will Never Be Me, two best friends, Meredith and Ashley, get into social influencing, and though one helped the other to gain followers at the beginning, both soon become fierce competitors, always comparing the number of followers they gain. They both need the money from their social media work, as Ashley's husband makes a meager salary, and Meredith is a single mom.

I liked the plot direction that takes the reader on a roller coaster ride between the two former friends, and how one sabotages the other. I also think the book is a spoof on the abnormal lengths social influencers will go to get fame and fortune through their followers. The book also shows the negatives to this kind of lifestyle, when it becomes extreme, and how it could affect families and readers alike.

The suspense becomes more intense as Meredith and Ashley compete fiercely, and after one too many sabotages, one of them disappears. At the end, I found myself rooting for one of them. This is fiction, after all, a mystery thriller, but one with a unique way of bringing a message about influencers and social media.

See also, a Kdrama, Celebrity, a thriller with a similar story of murderous influencers. 


My next read 


I've read The Widow and The Child and gave them high ratings, so I'm eager to get into the author's latest mystery thriller, Talking to Strangers, to be published August 15, 2024 by Berkley. 

Description: 
When the body of forty-four-year-old Karen Simmons is found abandoned in remote woodland, journalist Kiki Nunn is determined this will be the big break she so desperately needs...

While the police appear to be focusing on local suspects, Kiki sets out to write the definitive piece on one woman's fatal search for love. But she will soon learn that the search for truth can be just as deadly...

What are you reading this week? 

Memes: The Sunday Post hosted by The Caffeinated BookreviewerAlso, It's Monday: What Are You Readingand Sunday SalonStacking the ShelvesMailbox Monday

30 comments:

  1. You Will Never Be Me is not one I've run across before, but it sounds good. I hope Talking to Strangers is equally compelling. :D

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  2. Just started 'The Spitfire Story - Told by Those Who Designed, Maintained and Flew the Iconic Plane' by Jacky Hyams. Next up will be 'Blood on the Tracks - Railway Mysteries' edited by Martin Edwards.

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  3. I really enjoy Jesse Q. Sutanto's books too and am glad you liked You Will Never Be Me. I hope you enjoy Talking to Strangers. That one sounds like it will be good too. Have a great weekend and week ahead, Harvee!

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  4. I have not heard of either one of these. Glad you enjoyed the first and hope you enjoy Talking to Strangers. Have a great weekend!

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  5. Talking to Strangers sounds interesting... Hope you enjoy!

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  6. I haven’t heard of either of these two books but really appreciated reading your review! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

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  7. Talking sounds like one I'd like.

    And I didn't know that about k- drama and fans!

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  8. Talking to Strangers sounds great. I'm reading a mystery called Salem's Cipher this week, it's similar to DaVinci Code, finding clues and all that...

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  9. You make these suspenseful reads sound very compelling. I can see that many people would be especially interested in reading about a competition between social influencers.

    Thank you for sharing these with us.

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  10. Both books sound really good. Enjoy them...and your week.

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  11. Both of these sound so good. I want to read both of them.

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  12. Both of theses are new to me. Hope you enjoy them!

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  13. Oh, I like the sound of that Jesse Q. Sutanto! I think influencer life could be very cut throat and mercenary!

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  14. The Fiona Barton one looks particularly good. I just finished a David Nicholls novel called You Are Here coming in June.

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  15. I can't wait to read You Will Never Be Me by Jesse Sutanto. So glad to see you enjoyed it so much!

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  16. The whole concept of "social influencers" is one I can't get past feeling amusement about, even tinged with a little contempt because of the fakery involved in it all. Not sure I could read a whole novel about two influencers, but this one does sound like a bit of fun.

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    1. It's a murder mystery, so it does get spicy

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  17. Both books sound really good, but You Will Never Be Me is really piquing my interest!

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  18. Sutanto's book sounds fascinating. That whole world of social influencers astounds me. I haven't read a ton of thrillers lately. I'm overdue.

    https://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2024/03/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-and.html

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  19. You Will Never Be Me sounds interesting

    Wishing you a happy reading week

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  20. I didn't know Sutano writes thrillers as well. I need to check out You Could Never Be Me. I love her Auntie books as well as Vera Wong...

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    1. This is her second thriller. She has also written a couple YA books

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  21. Your books are all new to me. They do sound interesting. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

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  22. You Will Never Be Me puts me in mind of some of the antics my grandsons tell me that some of the influencers they follow get up to... A great premise for a modern murder mystery, though. I hope you have a great week.

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  23. I've only read Sutanto's YA books and liked them a lot. I will have to look for this one.

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  24. I adored Vera Wongs Advice to Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto, but I'm not really that into actual thrillers. I might give Dial A for Aunties a try since it sounds like it has the same flavour as that one. I truly adored Vera.

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  25. These both sound good. I haven't read either of these authors. Have a good week and Happy Reading!

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  26. You will Never Be Me sounds interesting. I have been hearing good things about Jesse Sutanto's novels. I am also interested in her latest: Vera Wong's Unsolicited advise for Murderers. Vera sounds like just my kind of character so I plan to read the book this year.

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  27. I liked the other novels from Jesse Q. Sutanto, but I wonder if I would like this one since it's not comedic.

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