I chose Just for Clicks to satisfy one of the prompts from the POPSUGAR Reading Challenge: a book about or involving social media. The book is about Claire, a high school senior who grew up alongside her twin sister Poppy under the watchful eye of the internet, thanks to their mom’s blog and Instagram fame. The two sisters become influencers in their own right, with a large YouTube following and sponsorships of their own. Claire isn’t so sure she wants this life anymore, as the constant scrutiny seems to weigh on her more than the rest of her family. She feels like no one ever asked her what she wanted to do with her life, and as she tries to figure that out, she discovers secrets about herself and her family. Oh, and there’s a cute boy, just to make things more complicated.
I read this book in one sitting. Even though it’s YA (and maybe even moreso because it is YA), I was very interested in what it had to say about privacy, the place social media has in our lives, and family. I think the first generation of kids who have had their entire lives posted on social media is finally getting old enough to realize the impact that may have on their future. At the same time, social media is an important tool for connecting with friends and family, and keeping treasured memories that might otherwise be forgotten with time. There’s a balance and in the end, McDowell lets you know that that balance is something you have to figure out for yourself, because it’s deeply personal. It’s an important lasting message to give to teens who seem so absorbed by the monster social media has become.
Story wise, the book had a few twists that kept the story moving and interesting. Personally, I didn’t expect them (which made them that much better). Plus, the awkward teen romance had me kicking my feet in bed just like when I would come home from high school so giddy because “ohmygod he was right next to me!!!” Slow-burn, just-kiss-already cheesy goodness.
However, the ending did feel a bit rushed. Everything was building and when it finally crashed, the pieces were swept away too quickly and easily. The pivotal antagonist also felt a little flat, which was a little disappointing, but not overly so since this was mainly a coming-of-age novel that didn’t require a real enemy to overcome.
All in all, I give this book four stars (which is “I really liked it” on my personal scale). It was fun, kept my attention, and even had some important things to say along the way. I’d recommend it for teens and adult fans of YA who like to relish in remembering how terribly inept their teenage self was at romance.
★★★★☆
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