Such a Bad Influence, Olivia Muenter
Such a Bad Influence, Olivia Muenter
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Such a Bad Influence

Author: Olivia Muenter

Narrator: Jesse Vilinsky, Kelli Tager, Full Cast, Charlotte Moore-Lambert, Mark Sanderlin, Joe Hempel, Yinka Ladeinde, Amara Jasper, various narrators, Krystal Hammond, Amanda Stribling, Deanna Anthony

Unabridged: 12 hr 46 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 06/04/2024

Synopsis

A razor-sharp debut thriller about what happens when one of the first child stars of the social media age grows up … and goes missing.Hazel Davis is drifting: newly unemployed, living in a city she hates, and significantly less successful than her infamous younger sister, Evie. Evie grew up online, having gone viral at age five in a daddy-daughter dance video. She had an Instagram following in elementary school, and brand sponsorships before she had a driver’s permit. Now she’s a megapopular lifestyle influencer, with a million-dollar career at an age when few teens know what they’re going to major in.But to Hazel, @evelyn is just Evie, her beloved little sister—and a kid who has been exploited for her entire childhood. Ten years older and spotlight-averse, Hazel has managed to dodge the family business, but she’s deeply protective of Evie and skeptical of the way everyone seems to want a piece of her: Evie’s followers, her YouTuber boyfriend, her frenemies across the influencer industry.So when Evie disappears—in the middle of a live stream, during a brand-sponsored trip to Los Angeles—Hazel knows something is terribly wrong. Determined to find her sister, Hazel throws herself into the darkest parts of internet culture to untangle the threads of truth behind Evie’s disappearance. After all, Hazel knows Evie better than anyone else … doesn’t she?Internet fame, the allure of parasocial relationships, and some of our deepest cultural obsessions collide in this electric thriller by a debut writer to watch.

About Olivia Muenter

Olivia Muenter is a writer and cohost of Bad on Paper, a weekly podcast about books, life, and everything in between. Previously she was a senior fashion and beauty editor at Bustle.com. Olivia’s work has appeared in Refinery 29, HuffPost, Glamour.com, Philadelphia magazine, Byrdie, Apartment Therapy, and more. This is her first novel.

About Jesse Vilinsky

Jesse Vilinsky is a classically trained actress and voice actor, having graduated from the USC School of Dramatic Arts and BADA in London. She has lent her voice to numerous film and television projects and has worked on various video games, animation, and commercial projects as well. As a narrator, Jesse has garnered recognition in AudioFile magazine for her expertly voiced characters and ability to bring forth the strength and truth of their stories.

About Kelli Tager

Kelli Tager is a classically trained actor with a master's degree in Shakespeare studies from the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-Upon-Avon, UK. She worked in film/theater and taught children's acting for many years. Now, she only acts behind the mic in commercials, animation, and, of course, audiobooks. ("Kelli Garland" narrates anything for the young listener.) Audiobook narration is the perfect marriage between her love of literature and her love of acting.

About Full Cast

Dylan Thomas was born in Swansea, Wales on 27 October 1914. In 1934 his first book of poetry, Eighteen Poems appeared, followed by Twenty-five Poems in 1936, Deaths and Entrances in 1946 and in 1952 his final volume, Collected Poems. He also published many short stories, wrote filmscripts, broadcast stories and talks, did a series of lecture tours in the United States and wrote Under Milkwood, the radio play.During his fourth lecture tour of the United States in 1953, a few days after his 39th birthday, he collapsed in his New York hotel and died on November 9th at St. Vincent's Hospital. His body was sent back to Laugharne, Wales, where his grave is marked by a simple wooden cross.In June 1994, his wife, Caitlin Thomas, died in Italy, where she had spent most of the years of her life after the death of Dylan Thomas. Her body is buried next to his.

About Mark Sanderlin

Mark Sanderlin is a talented voiceover artist who has worked on numerous audiobook projects.

About Joe Hempel

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, award-winning narrator Joe Hempel, a total eighties' kid, had a fascination with an eclectic array of shows that would later shape his performances in the audiobook world. For over a decade Joe honed his acting skills as a referee in WWE's Developmental professional wresting schools. Combined with his animated personality and a love for reading, becoming an audiobook narrator was a natural step. Best known for his captivating, rich narrations and uncanny ability for pulling listeners into an immersive experience, Joe has entertained listeners with over 600 audiobooks, carving a path to being the most in-demand narrator in the horror genre. He also frequently narrates mystery, thriller, science fiction, fantasy, romance, and nonfiction titles. Joe Hempel is a 2018 Independent Audiobook Award winner for best horror, a 2021 Independent Audiobook Award winner for best horror as a publisher, and a 2022 SOVAS award winner for best voice-over in an anthology for the thriller Hotel California. Joe also runs the award-winning extreme horror audiobook company Fright Night Audio.

About Krystal Hammond

Krystal Hammond is a narrator/writer, cancer survivor, and nonbinary queer human. They grew up in rural North Carolina, nurtured by a steady diet of local Black Beard legends and Civil War-era ghost stories. These nuggets of folktale and myth fostered a lifelong love of storytelling and all the drama that goes with it, resulting in loads of trunk novels and dozens of audiobooks. They have a passion for science fiction, fantasy, and horror, YA and middle grade novels, and romantic comedies.

About Amanda Stribling

Amanda Stribling grew up as a musical theater/show-choir girl and went on to pursue a journalism degree from the University of Tennessee. She loves all things performance and often lends her voice to audiobook productions. A southern girl, she currently resides with her husband and twins in Nashville, Tennessee.

About Deanna Anthony

Deanna Anthony is a classically trained singer, actress, and audiobook narrator. A former beauty queen, she has performed in over fifty regional and international theaters. When not working, she enjoys quilting and sewing, reading romance, and enjoying home-cooked meals and baked treats.

Reviews

Goodreads review by nico on July 06, 2024

so disappointed in this book. it was repetitive and too slow paced for my liking. definitely a commentary on social media and influencers, but would I consider it a thriller? I don’t think so. it’s mostly drama with some suspense sprinkled in. the plot started to thicken and speed up at around 80% a......more

Goodreads review by The Lit Homebody on June 11, 2024

5 ⭐️ SUCH A GOOD BOOK?!?? Immediate words that come to mind after just finishing this book: addictive, electric, propulsive, unputdownable, insightful, gripping, deliciously entertaining, thought provoking and WOW so well written. I truly can’t believe this is a debut novel?! I am a Bad On Paper/Olivia......more

Goodreads review by Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme) on July 10, 2024

Hazel Davis is drifting: she’s stalled in her career, living in a city she hates, and less successful than her younger sister, @evelyn, a mega-popular lifestyle influencer. Evie came of age online, having gone viral at five years old for a heart-tugging daddy-daughter dance. Ten years older and spot......more

Goodreads review by julianne on December 12, 2023

OH MY GOD?? THAT ENDING?!?? Olivia Muenter you are a legend......more

Goodreads review by Scottsdale Public Library on June 04, 2024

Perfect for those who enjoyed the docuseries “Quiet on Set” or celebrity memoirs about growing up in the spotlight, this is a story set in our social media/influencer heavy culture; a “Gone Girl” for our current times. It follows Hazel who is trying to find her 18-year-old sister Evie, who has been......more

Quotes

“A varied cast of ten narrators bring the online world to life. Standouts include Amara Jasper, who reads the bulk of the book as Hazel…Muenter has wisely infused the book with text exchanges, social media comments, and podcast recordings. That’s how stories unfold nowadays, and Muenter is plugged into this world as a real-life podcaster and Substack creator.” Library Journal (starred audio review)

“The main narrators, Amara Jasper and Jesse Vilinsky, tell the story from the perspectives of Hazel and Evie…with commentary from social media and podcasts voiced by the various narrators, a device that highlights the maelstrom unfolding while also helping to build tension and keep the plot clear.” AudioFile

“Packed with trenchant critiques of internet celebrity and topped off by a satisfyingly nasty finale, this leaves readers wanting more from Muenter.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“With razor-sharp insights and wit, Muenter puts under the microscope parents who monetize and exploit their children for clicks and financial gain…A not-to-be-missed page-turner.” Library Journal (starred review)

“Clever, cutting, and utterly unputdownable, Muenter’s ice pick–sharp tale is a thoroughly modern page-turner.” Apple Books

“This unsettling plot is delivered with a sense of humor and is filled with twists and turns that are sure to inspire a buzz within the thriller community. The shocking ending will leave readers wanting more.” Booklist

“This story is as addictive as scrolling Instagram.” Ashley Winstead, author of Midnight Is the Darkest Hour

“A fascinating exploration of the dangers of social media.” Carola Lovering, author of Bye, Baby

“[A] twisty, propulsive story…I was riveted the whole way through..” Ana Reyes, author of The House in the Pines

“An addictive psychological thriller that will totally immerse you in the terrifying, overexposed world of child social media stars.” Jo Piazza, author of The Sicilian Inheritance

Awards

  • Shelf Awareness Pick
  • Goodreads Readers’ Choice
  • Electric Literature
  • Alta Journal Pick
  • A USA Today bestseller
  • BookBub Editors' Pick
  • Southern Bookseller Review
  • Good Morning America Selection
  • CrimeReads Pick
  • Apple Books Pick
  • Scary Mommy Pick
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