At eighteen, Chloe Hughes enters Dern University with dreams. Insecure, estranged from herself, and barely tolerating her flatmate, she drifts until she meets Clara Holland.
Clara, the picture-perfect social media influencer, is everything Chloe isn’t: glamorous, magnetic, effortlessly adored. She doesn’t just light up a room, she pulls the whole universe toward her. And somehow, Chloe is chosen. Swept into Clara’s glittering inner circle, she finds herself among beautiful and popular women. For once, Chloe feels wanted.
But Clara’s charm curdles. She doesn’t want a best friend. She wants a follower. A worshipper. As the cracks begin to show, Chloe becomes entangled in something far darker than friendship. When her flatmate vanishes after one of Clara’s exclusive parties, rumors begin to spread.
Clara calls her followers the Goldens bound by aesthetic, loyalty, and carefully enforced rules. But the media paints them as something else: a cult disguised in glitter and girl power.
4.5 ⭐.I docked half a star because I loathed Chloe. Not as poorly written, but as a person. Her passivity and blind devotion was infuriating. Strangely, I hated her more than Clara, which says a lot. But that’s also the author’s skill to create a believable and suspenseful narrative. Both Chloe and Clara are disturbingly complex and vividly real, one of the most compelling characters I’ve encountered this year.
The story unravels like a slow burn with psychological tension simmering just beneath the surface. It’s not fast-paced, yet I tore through it. Disturbing, timely, and eerily reflective of influencer culture.
Set to release in June 2025, this haunting, twist psychological thriller is one you won’t want to miss. Perfect for fans of toxic friendships, mind games, and stories between admiration and obsession.