A review by megansmith
Under the Influence by Noelle Crooks

hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

This book was fine. I think Crooks is a solid writer but I felt this story was lacking in a lot of places. The switch from skeptical to fully influenced felt fake and too quick. I felt like it ran into a lot of tropes and generalities, and nothing in this book felt particularly groundbreaking. I think The Female Persuasian in the fiction genre or Uncanny Valley in the nonfic genre do this category of workplace drama better, and my hopes felt a little dashed for something more interesting and compelling. It does feel like a time capsule to the era of Sophia Amaruso, which maybe turned me off a bit having it be so specific to one era that feels behind us culturally, but not far enough behind us yet. Not a bad read but definitely found myself wanting more the whole time I read.