What happens when jealousy, social media fame, and manifestation collide with something ancient and dangerous? Wendy Heard explores that terrifying combination in Such a Lucky Girl, a twisty young adult horror novel about former best friends, influencer culture, and the consequences of wanting what someone else has.
Thank you, Hachette Book Group, for the book and my honest review.
Bella appears to have everything. After leaving her old life—and her best friend Kerry—behind, she transforms herself into a wildly successful influencer. Known online as “Such a Lucky Girl,” Bella shares her supposed secrets for manifesting success with millions of followers. Her carefully curated life is filled with sponsorships, attention, and everything she once dreamed of having.
Kerry, meanwhile, has been left to deal with the pain and anger caused by Bella’s abandonment. When she discovers a vintage self-help book about shadow work, its rituals seem to offer her a way to get revenge on the person who hurt her most. Unfortunately, the book is connected to something much darker than either girl realizes. Once that ancient force is released, Kerry and Bella discover that jealousy can become much more dangerous than an unpleasant emotion.
Such a Lucky Girl had me hooked from the first page. The story immediately establishes a sense that something is not quite right, even beneath the glossy surface of Bella’s online world. That early tension kept me interested because I wanted to understand how Bella became so successful, why her friendship with Kerry fell apart, and what was waiting behind the book’s supernatural promises.
I especially enjoyed the characters and their internal conflicts. Neither Bella nor Kerry can be reduced to a simple hero or villain. Their choices are influenced by insecurity, ambition, anger, loneliness, and the desire to be seen. Even when I disagreed with their decisions, I could understand the emotions driving them. Their complicated history gives the horror a personal foundation. The supernatural threat is frightening, but the damaged friendship at the center of the story is just as important.
One of the strongest themes, at least in my interpretation, is the evil eye. The novel examines what can happen when jealousy grows into resentment, particularly when someone appears to have more success, beauty, money, or attention than everyone around them. Bella’s entire career depends on presenting an enviable version of her life. She teaches people how to become “lucky,” but her brand also encourages her followers to constantly compare their lives to hers.
That idea felt especially relevant in a story about influencer culture. Social media often invites people to display their happiest moments and biggest accomplishments while hiding everything difficult or ordinary. Bella’s followers see the sponsorships, glow-up, confidence, and success, but they do not necessarily see the sacrifices or consequences behind that image. The book suggests that constantly flaunting what we have can attract the wrong kind of attention—and that envy can harm both the person experiencing it and the person receiving it.
The manifestation element also worked well. I liked how Heard takes language commonly found in online self-help spaces and connects it to rituals and magic. Bella packages manifestation as something positive, marketable, and easy to share with her audience. Kerry’s vintage book, however, reveals a much darker version of trying to shape reality through desire. This contrast creates an interesting question: When does working toward the life you want turn into believing you are entitled to take it from someone else?
Another highlight was the backstory surrounding the demonic entity. Horror novels do not always explain where their ghosts, demons, or supernatural forces originated. Sometimes that mystery is effective, but I appreciated that Heard gave this particular evil a history. Learning how it was created made the threat feel more developed and gave the story’s mythology greater weight. It also showed that the jealousy and vanity affecting Bella and Kerry are not new problems. People have struggled with envy, pride, and the desire for recognition throughout history.
The cult aspect added another layer that I was not expecting. It strengthened the book’s commentary on influencer culture because both cult leaders and online personalities can build communities around charisma, promises, and carefully controlled messages. Bella’s followers believe she possesses the secret to becoming lucky. That level of devotion becomes unsettling when mixed with ritual, jealousy, and supernatural horror.
My only real complaint is that the ending dragged in a few places. I appreciated that Heard took the time to tie up the story’s loose ends, but some of those explanations and resolutions could have happened faster. After such a gripping beginning and tense middle, I wanted the final portion to maintain that same momentum.
However, the final chapter was an absolute chef’s kiss. I will not reveal what happens because it is best experienced without spoilers, but it gave the ending exactly the extra touch it needed. It left me thinking about the characters, the supernatural mythology, and the story’s warnings about envy and manufactured perfection.
Overall, Such a Lucky Girl is a compelling horror novel that combines dark magic with a sharp examination of social media fame. Its memorable characters, unsettling mythology, cult elements, and exploration of the evil eye made it difficult to put down. Despite an ending that could have moved a little faster, the final chapter delivered.
Readers who enjoy twisty young adult horror, morally complicated characters, influencer stories, dark rituals, and novels about friendships turned toxic should add this one to their reading lists.
Final rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
About the book:
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Publication date: June 16, 2026
Genre: Young Adult Horror
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ — 4.7/5 stars
Synopsis:
Perfect for fans of Rory Power and Tiffany D. Jackson, this twisty horror novel follows a magnetic young influencer who gets ensnared in a web of dark, jealousy-fueled magic.
★ “Puts the “cult” back in influencer culture.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Three years ago, Bella dumped her best friend Kerry to follow her dreams of becoming an influencer. It worked; she is Such a Lucky Girl, famous for her epic manifesting glow-up and dedicated to helping other girls be “lucky,” too. She’s living the dream—success, sponsorships, and fame. She burned her old life to the ground and never looked back.
Leaving Kerry behind. Alone. Angry.
When Kerry picks up a vintage self-help book on shadow work, she’s fascinated by the suggested rituals. Get back at those who have wronged her? Yes, please. She has one person in mind, and that girl is smiling at her millions of followers, having forgotten Kerry long ago. But there’s something tied to the book, something dark and ancient, and Kerry and Bella may not be ready for what is about to be unleashed.
Meet the author:
Wendy Heard is the author of the acclaimed YA novels We’ll Never Tell, Dead End Girls, and She’s Too Pretty to Burn, which Kirkus Reviews praised in a starred review as “a wild and satisfying romp,” as well as the adult novels The Kill Club, Hunting Annabelle, and You Can Trust Me. She lives in Los Angeles, her hometown, and enjoys haunting local bookstores and spending time with her little rescue dogs. Readers are invited to enjoy more content via her newsletter at wendyheard.com.
A fascinating blend of horror and modern culture. The way the story connects influencer fame, jealousy, and dark magic creates a powerful reflection on how desire can sometimes become dangerous. Do you think social media has made envy more powerful today?
Yes, I do. Besides envy, the theme of the book is also based on the "Evil Eye" superstition. Where a look of jealousy or intense admiration brings sudden bad luck, illness, or harm to a person, baby, or possession. So it also hits on vanity and boasting as much as envy. Great read! I loved It!