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Society of Lies
Win a free print copy of this book!
22 days and 01:14:50
10 copies available
U.S. only
When a young woman is found dead on her college campus, her sister doesn't believe it was an accident—and her search for answers leads her closer to home than she ever would have imagined in this thrilling debut novel from an exciting new talent.
Maya can’t wait to return to Princeton for Reunions—it’s been a decade since she graduated, but she is looking forward to seeing old faces and reminiscing about her college days. And this year is even more special because her little sister, Naomi, is graduating.
But what should have been a dream weekend becomes Maya's worst nightmare when she gets a call no one ever wants—Naomi is dead. The police are saying it’s an accident, but Maya suspects there is more to the story than they are letting on.
As Maya pieces together the months leading up to her sister’s death, she starts to realize how much Naomi hid from her. Naomi had joined Sterling Club, the most exclusive social club on campus—the same one Maya belonged to—despite Maya’s warnings. And if she had to guess, she'd say Naomi was also tapped for the secret society within it.
The more Maya uncovers, the more terrified she becomes that Naomi's decision to follow in her footsteps might have been what got her killed. Because Maya's time at Princeton wasn't as wonderful as she always pretended it was—after all, her sister wasn't the first young woman to turn up dead. Now every clue is leading Maya back to the past…and to the secrets she’s kept all these years.
Maya can’t wait to return to Princeton for Reunions—it’s been a decade since she graduated, but she is looking forward to seeing old faces and reminiscing about her college days. And this year is even more special because her little sister, Naomi, is graduating.
But what should have been a dream weekend becomes Maya's worst nightmare when she gets a call no one ever wants—Naomi is dead. The police are saying it’s an accident, but Maya suspects there is more to the story than they are letting on.
As Maya pieces together the months leading up to her sister’s death, she starts to realize how much Naomi hid from her. Naomi had joined Sterling Club, the most exclusive social club on campus—the same one Maya belonged to—despite Maya’s warnings. And if she had to guess, she'd say Naomi was also tapped for the secret society within it.
The more Maya uncovers, the more terrified she becomes that Naomi's decision to follow in her footsteps might have been what got her killed. Because Maya's time at Princeton wasn't as wonderful as she always pretended it was—after all, her sister wasn't the first young woman to turn up dead. Now every clue is leading Maya back to the past…and to the secrets she’s kept all these years.
384 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication August 13, 2024
About the author
Lauren Ling Brown
1 book203 followersLauren Ling Brown graduated from Princeton and USC School of Cinematic Arts with a BA in English literature and an MFA in film production with a focus in screenwriting. She currently resides in Los Angeles, California, where she works as a film editor.
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January 21, 2024
“Did my silence allow the same thing to happen to my sister? “
Brief Summary-
Maya is supposed to be celebrating her little sister Naomi’s graduation from Princeton the same college she attended 10 year prior. But instead, Maya ends up investigating her sister death. As Maya keeps digging for the truth she realizes the secret society she was involved in when attending college might be the key to finding out who killed Naomi. This is a dark academia story with the rich acting unhinged. Told from the alternating viewpoints of Maya and Naomi, the reader is given two different time periods with each POV leading up to the murder.
My Thoughts-
This book had a very intriguing plot. The characters were very well liked. The author does a great job with weaving in the dark campus vibe and the suspense to this story. The writing in this book was very detailed and vivid. I felt like I was standing on the room with each character. I love how this book touched on privilege and race and how it applies at an elite school like Princeton. Money and power is everything, am I right?
I do have to complain about the pace. It was very slow. I think the reason I felt this way is because given the dual POV (which I love in books) it was very confusing, because of the repetition of characters and settings. I had to stop reading to go back to the beginning of the chapter just to confirm who perspective it was. The POV were just way too similar to each other. There was a lot of miscommunication in this story between the sisters. 😭 Which I did not like. But overall, it was a fun ride. The story kept you guessing the whole time. I kept thinking I figured it out but in reality I kept coming up wrong.
🗣️I do recommend this book. This is my first book by the author and I can’t wait to check out her future work.
“The world does not make sense. Humans are not ration decision makers- we are driven by our wants, our needs, our fears”
✨Thank you to NetGalley, the Author and Random House Publishing/ Ballantine/ Bantam for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review✨
Playlist-
🎶Touch- Cannon
🎶Perfectly- Tep No
🎶Umbrella- Rihanna
🎶Shea Butter Baby- Ari Lennox, J.Cole
🎶Work Out- J.Cole
🎶Replay- Tems
🎶Not An Angel- Tems
🎶I Took A Pill in Ibiza- Mike Posner
🎶Latch- Sam Smith
🎶Después de la Playa- Bad Bunny
🎶Safaera- Bad Bunny
🎶Mr. Brightside- The Killers
🎶This Night Has Opened My Eyes- The Smiths
🎶Rainy Night in Soho- Nick Cave
🎶No Role Models- J. Cole
🎶Imported- Jessie Reyes, 6LACK
🎶Cocaine Model- ZHU
🎶Blue Orchid- The White Stripes
🎶Poker Face- Lady Gaga
🎶Heros- Alesso
🎶Power Trip- J.Cole
🎶We Are Young- FUN
🎶Bulletproof- La Roux
🎶NUMB- ZHU
Brief Summary-
Maya is supposed to be celebrating her little sister Naomi’s graduation from Princeton the same college she attended 10 year prior. But instead, Maya ends up investigating her sister death. As Maya keeps digging for the truth she realizes the secret society she was involved in when attending college might be the key to finding out who killed Naomi. This is a dark academia story with the rich acting unhinged. Told from the alternating viewpoints of Maya and Naomi, the reader is given two different time periods with each POV leading up to the murder.
My Thoughts-
This book had a very intriguing plot. The characters were very well liked. The author does a great job with weaving in the dark campus vibe and the suspense to this story. The writing in this book was very detailed and vivid. I felt like I was standing on the room with each character. I love how this book touched on privilege and race and how it applies at an elite school like Princeton. Money and power is everything, am I right?
I do have to complain about the pace. It was very slow. I think the reason I felt this way is because given the dual POV (which I love in books) it was very confusing, because of the repetition of characters and settings. I had to stop reading to go back to the beginning of the chapter just to confirm who perspective it was. The POV were just way too similar to each other. There was a lot of miscommunication in this story between the sisters. 😭 Which I did not like. But overall, it was a fun ride. The story kept you guessing the whole time. I kept thinking I figured it out but in reality I kept coming up wrong.
🗣️I do recommend this book. This is my first book by the author and I can’t wait to check out her future work.
“The world does not make sense. Humans are not ration decision makers- we are driven by our wants, our needs, our fears”
✨Thank you to NetGalley, the Author and Random House Publishing/ Ballantine/ Bantam for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review✨
Playlist-
🎶Touch- Cannon
🎶Perfectly- Tep No
🎶Umbrella- Rihanna
🎶Shea Butter Baby- Ari Lennox, J.Cole
🎶Work Out- J.Cole
🎶Replay- Tems
🎶Not An Angel- Tems
🎶I Took A Pill in Ibiza- Mike Posner
🎶Latch- Sam Smith
🎶Después de la Playa- Bad Bunny
🎶Safaera- Bad Bunny
🎶Mr. Brightside- The Killers
🎶This Night Has Opened My Eyes- The Smiths
🎶Rainy Night in Soho- Nick Cave
🎶No Role Models- J. Cole
🎶Imported- Jessie Reyes, 6LACK
🎶Cocaine Model- ZHU
🎶Blue Orchid- The White Stripes
🎶Poker Face- Lady Gaga
🎶Heros- Alesso
🎶Power Trip- J.Cole
🎶We Are Young- FUN
🎶Bulletproof- La Roux
🎶NUMB- ZHU
January 22, 2024
I'm hooked! The mystery surrounding the dark society of Greystone in Princeton, where devoted attendees vie for their futures through powerful connections, intertwines with the enigmatic drowning of a young student: Maya's sister Naomi, who harbors a dark past within the same college. Maya, doing everything in her power to conceal a tragic incident related to the death of a student connected with one of the teachers, takes us on a thrilling journey.
WOW! This might be one of the longest summaries I've written. My mind is about to be blown because I couldn't stop reading this thriller with so many layers, incredible characterization, and a balanced, paced trajectory that keeps your attention intact. The narrative transports you 13 years back, where young Maya, biracial with a Chinese mom and a black father, recently orphaned with her 8-year-old sister Naomi, finds herself part of a secret society surrounded by privileged students. Maya does what she can to adjust, providing extra funds to send her sister to school, even if it involves her into the pyramid scheme of the institution. We then move seven months before the present time, witnessing Naomi, Maya's little sister, unfortunately following the same footsteps, estranged from her sister and part of a secret society, entangled in a love triangle that may be doomed with heartache!
We witness how Naomi's actions may resolve with her death as she attempts to uncover the mystery of a student's death under suspicious circumstances that was swept under the rug. When she discovers her straight, cold, career-oriented sister may be one of the last persons who has seen the dead girl alive, and the possibility that the girl has been silenced for knowing too much about the secret society connections, Naomi teams up with her roommate, an intern at the New York Times, to unravel the dirty secrets! Could her attempts to face the past be the reason for her demise? Or is she the victim of a love triangle that has gotten out of hand?
Maya has to confront her dark past, face the consequences of her actions, and find out the truth about her sister's death, even though it may ruin her entire future and the family she's built.
Overall: As soon as I started to read Naomi's narrative, I easily connected with her, and I wished there would be a miracle that she could be alive, that the entire mystery might consist of misunderstandings. Her story broke my heart. I also easily understood the reasoning behind Maya's actions. She's burdened with too much baggage at a young age and needed to find a way to survive, which may have led her to dangerous roads.
I loved the realistic execution and depiction of the secret society. As I thought I finally pieced up another layer of the mystery, the author perfectly presented another layer, and I hardly guessed some parts of twists, which are perfectly executed. It's a one-sitting, intense read that also wrecked my heart with a realistic but sad conclusion. Especially the sisters' miscommunications that affected their entire relationship broke my heart. This is great reading that earned my five unputdownable stars I highly recommend.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing/ Ballantine/ Bantam for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest feedback.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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WOW! This might be one of the longest summaries I've written. My mind is about to be blown because I couldn't stop reading this thriller with so many layers, incredible characterization, and a balanced, paced trajectory that keeps your attention intact. The narrative transports you 13 years back, where young Maya, biracial with a Chinese mom and a black father, recently orphaned with her 8-year-old sister Naomi, finds herself part of a secret society surrounded by privileged students. Maya does what she can to adjust, providing extra funds to send her sister to school, even if it involves her into the pyramid scheme of the institution. We then move seven months before the present time, witnessing Naomi, Maya's little sister, unfortunately following the same footsteps, estranged from her sister and part of a secret society, entangled in a love triangle that may be doomed with heartache!
We witness how Naomi's actions may resolve with her death as she attempts to uncover the mystery of a student's death under suspicious circumstances that was swept under the rug. When she discovers her straight, cold, career-oriented sister may be one of the last persons who has seen the dead girl alive, and the possibility that the girl has been silenced for knowing too much about the secret society connections, Naomi teams up with her roommate, an intern at the New York Times, to unravel the dirty secrets! Could her attempts to face the past be the reason for her demise? Or is she the victim of a love triangle that has gotten out of hand?
Maya has to confront her dark past, face the consequences of her actions, and find out the truth about her sister's death, even though it may ruin her entire future and the family she's built.
Overall: As soon as I started to read Naomi's narrative, I easily connected with her, and I wished there would be a miracle that she could be alive, that the entire mystery might consist of misunderstandings. Her story broke my heart. I also easily understood the reasoning behind Maya's actions. She's burdened with too much baggage at a young age and needed to find a way to survive, which may have led her to dangerous roads.
I loved the realistic execution and depiction of the secret society. As I thought I finally pieced up another layer of the mystery, the author perfectly presented another layer, and I hardly guessed some parts of twists, which are perfectly executed. It's a one-sitting, intense read that also wrecked my heart with a realistic but sad conclusion. Especially the sisters' miscommunications that affected their entire relationship broke my heart. This is great reading that earned my five unputdownable stars I highly recommend.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing/ Ballantine/ Bantam for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest feedback.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
January 20, 2024
This story started out really strong. I was all in and completely invested in binging the book in one sitting. However, very early, around 20% with all of the back and forth between Maya in the present timeline, Naomi in the past and Maya in the past- it all just started to bleed together for me.
I constantly had to work to hard to remember who's POV I was reading - I don't want to work hard- I just want to enjoy a book. Not a fan of the writing, at all.
Also, not a fan of any of these characters.
DNF @20%
1/17- Trying to find the strength to pick this book back up. Lol. And damn does it seem like I'm in the minority here. 😩🥱🧍🏻♀️
"But that's the thing about love, isn't it? When you find someone who sees you in a way no one else does, who understands you and makes you feel like you can't be whole without them, it wraps you in a vise and makes you forget how to live life without them." ❤️🩹🥹
Welp...what can I say? Manju and Meagan made me want to read this (thanks for that 🤭)- and now I really need to put in some actual work on my ARC pile. 😬😅
Many thanks to NetGalley, Lauren Ling Brown, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I constantly had to work to hard to remember who's POV I was reading - I don't want to work hard- I just want to enjoy a book. Not a fan of the writing, at all.
Also, not a fan of any of these characters.
DNF @20%
1/17- Trying to find the strength to pick this book back up. Lol. And damn does it seem like I'm in the minority here. 😩🥱🧍🏻♀️
"But that's the thing about love, isn't it? When you find someone who sees you in a way no one else does, who understands you and makes you feel like you can't be whole without them, it wraps you in a vise and makes you forget how to live life without them." ❤️🩹🥹
Welp...what can I say? Manju and Meagan made me want to read this (thanks for that 🤭)- and now I really need to put in some actual work on my ARC pile. 😬😅
Many thanks to NetGalley, Lauren Ling Brown, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 3, 2024
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Society of Lies is a debut mystery thriller about two sisters, Maya and Naomi. After ten years, Maya is finally going to take part in her college reunion. One day, however, she gets a phone call informing her that her sister, who was about to graduate from college, has passed away. Although they have determined that it was an accident, Maya believes there is more to her sister's death than that.
After conducting her own investigation, Maya discovers that her sister joined the Sterling Club despite the fact that she had repeatedly cautioned her against doing so numerous times. Maya will then continue her search for additional secrets in order to discover what transpired with Naomi.
Using the first-person narration style, the story is told from the perspectives of the two sisters. There are three different timelines, one of which is the present day, told from Maya's point of view. As well as two in the past, from the points of view of both of the girls.
There is a lot of intrigue surrounding the concept of the book. It is always interesting to read about secret societies, and I believe the author did a good job of making this aspect of the mystery the primary focus of the whole thing. Both the writing and the organization of the book are excellent, especially considering that it is the author's first novel.
Society of Lies is a decent mystery thriller. Because I am not a fan of multiple points of view written in one's own voice, especially when both of the characters' own voices were not too distinct from one another, I am unable to say that I enjoyed everything the author did. Additionally, another thing that I do not like about this is that there are three different timelines that we are dealing with here. In this case, I suppose it is a "me" thing. Therefore, if you don't mind these things and like reading about secret societies, you should give it a try because you might like it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Society of Lies is a debut mystery thriller about two sisters, Maya and Naomi. After ten years, Maya is finally going to take part in her college reunion. One day, however, she gets a phone call informing her that her sister, who was about to graduate from college, has passed away. Although they have determined that it was an accident, Maya believes there is more to her sister's death than that.
After conducting her own investigation, Maya discovers that her sister joined the Sterling Club despite the fact that she had repeatedly cautioned her against doing so numerous times. Maya will then continue her search for additional secrets in order to discover what transpired with Naomi.
Using the first-person narration style, the story is told from the perspectives of the two sisters. There are three different timelines, one of which is the present day, told from Maya's point of view. As well as two in the past, from the points of view of both of the girls.
There is a lot of intrigue surrounding the concept of the book. It is always interesting to read about secret societies, and I believe the author did a good job of making this aspect of the mystery the primary focus of the whole thing. Both the writing and the organization of the book are excellent, especially considering that it is the author's first novel.
Society of Lies is a decent mystery thriller. Because I am not a fan of multiple points of view written in one's own voice, especially when both of the characters' own voices were not too distinct from one another, I am unable to say that I enjoyed everything the author did. Additionally, another thing that I do not like about this is that there are three different timelines that we are dealing with here. In this case, I suppose it is a "me" thing. Therefore, if you don't mind these things and like reading about secret societies, you should give it a try because you might like it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.
April 11, 2024
Thank you for reading my debut novel, Society of Lies.
Society of Lies is a dark academia about a young woman of color who joins a corrupt secret society at Princeton. Ten years later, she returns to campus to attend her younger sister, Naomi’s graduation where she learns that Naomi has died in a horrible accident…
The book is set in the Princeton eating clubs, these historic clubhouses built in the late 19th century, where many students spend their nights and weekends. The characters join a fictional club called Sterling Club and the secret society within it.
At its core, Society of Lies is a book about sisters, friendship, and belonging.
I wrote it during the pandemic, during a low point in my life and a dark and divided time in America. Much of the sister relationship was inspired by my relationship with my sister, who is three and a half years younger than I am. After years of living in different cities, years of work and life coming between us, we reconnected. While writing this, I thought a lot about how much I respect and admire her and how I should tell her that more often.
Overall, this story is meant to be an entertaining dark academia suspense but also, hopefully, to encourage conversations around privilege, multiracial identity, and sisterhood.
Thanks for checking it out. I hope you enjoy!
- Lauren
Society of Lies is a dark academia about a young woman of color who joins a corrupt secret society at Princeton. Ten years later, she returns to campus to attend her younger sister, Naomi’s graduation where she learns that Naomi has died in a horrible accident…
The book is set in the Princeton eating clubs, these historic clubhouses built in the late 19th century, where many students spend their nights and weekends. The characters join a fictional club called Sterling Club and the secret society within it.
At its core, Society of Lies is a book about sisters, friendship, and belonging.
I wrote it during the pandemic, during a low point in my life and a dark and divided time in America. Much of the sister relationship was inspired by my relationship with my sister, who is three and a half years younger than I am. After years of living in different cities, years of work and life coming between us, we reconnected. While writing this, I thought a lot about how much I respect and admire her and how I should tell her that more often.
Overall, this story is meant to be an entertaining dark academia suspense but also, hopefully, to encourage conversations around privilege, multiracial identity, and sisterhood.
Thanks for checking it out. I hope you enjoy!
- Lauren
February 2, 2024
Mayas younger sister Naomi is found dead in a lake near Princeton campus, the same school Maya attended 10 years ago. Maya has suspicion's about her sister’s death and unravels secrets at the college.
This was a great dark academic story that I hated to end. Thanks NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for this eARC that will be released August 13, 2024!
This was a great dark academic story that I hated to end. Thanks NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for this eARC that will be released August 13, 2024!
May 23, 2024
Thank you to Random House and Lauren Ling Brown for this debut. It was about Maya, a girl head back to her alma mater to see her sister graduate. But when Naomi turns up dead, the weekend becomes something Maya could have never imagined. Maya knows there is more to the story, especially after she finds out Naomi was in a secret society that Maya warned her against joining. The more she uncovers, the more Maya realizes that Naomi was digging up the past and secrets that went along with it. After all, Naomi wasn’t the first girl found dead at Princeton.
Thoughts: This book had the perfect setting. I love an academic thriller, and the setting of Princeton and the eating clubs and secret societies was a great backdrop for this story. I liked the contrasting characters of Maya and Naomi with the rich and privileged students who attended Princeton with them. I thought there were some good points about race and culture and belonging.
I think that some of the chapters ended at really weird points that didn’t make much sense. The story was a bit far fetched and I found there to be some loose ends that were never tied up. This was wonderful for a debut, and I think the author will be one to watch. 4 stars for this interesting story!
Thoughts: This book had the perfect setting. I love an academic thriller, and the setting of Princeton and the eating clubs and secret societies was a great backdrop for this story. I liked the contrasting characters of Maya and Naomi with the rich and privileged students who attended Princeton with them. I thought there were some good points about race and culture and belonging.
I think that some of the chapters ended at really weird points that didn’t make much sense. The story was a bit far fetched and I found there to be some loose ends that were never tied up. This was wonderful for a debut, and I think the author will be one to watch. 4 stars for this interesting story!
April 26, 2024
"Society of Lies" by Lauren Ling Brown is a captivating read that had me hooked from start to finish, earning a solid four-star rating.
Maya's return to Princeton for her college reunion takes a dark turn when she receives the devastating news of her sister Naomi's death. What should have been a nostalgic trip down memory lane quickly transforms into a gripping mystery as Maya delves into the secrets of the exclusive Sterling Club, where Naomi was involved.
Now, I gotta be real – the story starts off a bit slow. But trust me, once it picks up, it's a wild ride! Brown keeps you guessing with every twist and turn, and just when you think you've got it all figured out, she hits you with another surprise. Admittedly, keeping track of the multiple points of view was a bit challenging at times, and some characters felt a little too similar. However, Maya and Naomi's dynamic as protagonists added depth to the narrative, and their sisterly bond was a driving force throughout the story.
And let's not forget about the themes Brown tackles – identity, race, sisterhood, you name it. It adds a whole new layer of depth to the story and makes you think long after you've finished reading.
"Society of Lies" delivers a satisfying conclusion that ties up all the loose ends. While the reveal of the culprit may not have been a total shocker, the journey to uncover the truth was an exhilarating ride. Overall, if you're a fan of mysteries with a touch of dark academia and a sprinkle of sisterhood, this book is definitely worth your time.
Maya's return to Princeton for her college reunion takes a dark turn when she receives the devastating news of her sister Naomi's death. What should have been a nostalgic trip down memory lane quickly transforms into a gripping mystery as Maya delves into the secrets of the exclusive Sterling Club, where Naomi was involved.
Now, I gotta be real – the story starts off a bit slow. But trust me, once it picks up, it's a wild ride! Brown keeps you guessing with every twist and turn, and just when you think you've got it all figured out, she hits you with another surprise. Admittedly, keeping track of the multiple points of view was a bit challenging at times, and some characters felt a little too similar. However, Maya and Naomi's dynamic as protagonists added depth to the narrative, and their sisterly bond was a driving force throughout the story.
And let's not forget about the themes Brown tackles – identity, race, sisterhood, you name it. It adds a whole new layer of depth to the story and makes you think long after you've finished reading.
"Society of Lies" delivers a satisfying conclusion that ties up all the loose ends. While the reveal of the culprit may not have been a total shocker, the journey to uncover the truth was an exhilarating ride. Overall, if you're a fan of mysteries with a touch of dark academia and a sprinkle of sisterhood, this book is definitely worth your time.
June 6, 2024
Set among the culture of the secret eating societies of Princeton University, Naomi, graduate of that Ivy League school, sacrificed a lot of herself to enable her younger sister, Maya, to also attend. Visiting the University for Maya’s graduation, Naomi is shocked when her sister is found drowned on campus. Did her death have anything to do with actions taken or not taken when Naomi was a part of those private clubs?
Written from two POVs with three timelines, this debut, multilayered novel touches on dark academia, the corruption of money, power and privilege, young people trying to find their place in the world while dealing with the social aspects of the multiracial experience. The suspense and twists are there yet slow to develop. Usually I find different POVs and timelines easy to follow; with this book, I needed to often remind myself who was speaking when starting new chapters.
This is a worthy first novel and I look forward to future works by this author.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #RandomHouse #Ballantine #Bantam for the DRC.
Written from two POVs with three timelines, this debut, multilayered novel touches on dark academia, the corruption of money, power and privilege, young people trying to find their place in the world while dealing with the social aspects of the multiracial experience. The suspense and twists are there yet slow to develop. Usually I find different POVs and timelines easy to follow; with this book, I needed to often remind myself who was speaking when starting new chapters.
This is a worthy first novel and I look forward to future works by this author.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #RandomHouse #Ballantine #Bantam for the DRC.
May 4, 2024
If you love dark academia and secret societies, you’re going to NEED to read this book.
Society of Lies delves into the dark side of the secret societies (and secret societies IN those secret societies) in prestigious colleges and what they are able to get away with. We follow sisters Maya and Naomi in the past and present leading up to Naomi’s death. The story works to unravel two mysteries that have been heavily covered up.
It took me a bit to get used to the POVS since Maya has a past and present POV and her experiences are very similar to Naomi’s. But once I got that figured out, I was absolutely HOOKED. The dark academia vibes in this book are everything you want them to be.
I thought the end got to be a little rushed and hard to believe and Naomi’s POV felt very immature at times but it was still SO good. The journey the sisters go on separately to unravel the secrets within their secret society made the book impossible to put down. Definitely recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
Society of Lies delves into the dark side of the secret societies (and secret societies IN those secret societies) in prestigious colleges and what they are able to get away with. We follow sisters Maya and Naomi in the past and present leading up to Naomi’s death. The story works to unravel two mysteries that have been heavily covered up.
It took me a bit to get used to the POVS since Maya has a past and present POV and her experiences are very similar to Naomi’s. But once I got that figured out, I was absolutely HOOKED. The dark academia vibes in this book are everything you want them to be.
I thought the end got to be a little rushed and hard to believe and Naomi’s POV felt very immature at times but it was still SO good. The journey the sisters go on separately to unravel the secrets within their secret society made the book impossible to put down. Definitely recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
January 8, 2024
First of all, I loved this novel because I work where it was set, in Princeton, New Jersey!
As a high school counselor I am used to hearing about the myths and mystique of the Ivy League school only 4 blocks away. This book takes these myths and explodes them! Think secret clubs, and spy-level connections.
Society of Lies is a thrilling story of what a Princeton Alum does when her younger sister dies at Princeton only days before graduation. Lauren Ling Brown provides multiple points of view and a variety of flashbacks to build a story where no one is safe. Ling Brown creates fascinating characters and a believable setting. Through her own experiences and those of her friends, Ling Brown is also able to detail on campus racism and the feeling of being "other," which an especially poignant layer to the story.
If you love a bit of dark academia with your thrillers, this book is for you! #Randomhouse #societyoflies #Laurenlingbrown
As a high school counselor I am used to hearing about the myths and mystique of the Ivy League school only 4 blocks away. This book takes these myths and explodes them! Think secret clubs, and spy-level connections.
Society of Lies is a thrilling story of what a Princeton Alum does when her younger sister dies at Princeton only days before graduation. Lauren Ling Brown provides multiple points of view and a variety of flashbacks to build a story where no one is safe. Ling Brown creates fascinating characters and a believable setting. Through her own experiences and those of her friends, Ling Brown is also able to detail on campus racism and the feeling of being "other," which an especially poignant layer to the story.
If you love a bit of dark academia with your thrillers, this book is for you! #Randomhouse #societyoflies #Laurenlingbrown
April 27, 2024
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Society of Lies is filled with endless secrets, twists, and turns while the characters are just trying to figure out how to survive the real world and secret societies. Between sisters Maya and Naomi, it's hard to figure out who you can or can't trust. Both timelines of them at school definitely tie them closer together in more than one way. It's just hard to follow the pieces when we float between different timelines.
And yet, I couldn't help but try to guess who was behind it all before we would get a new clue. Then I'd throw everything out the window and start guessing all over again. Towards the end of this, we got so many reveals. One of the big ones definitely shocked me because I never had this person down as a suspect. They were a little chaotic and got jealous quite easily, but I just never saw the betrayal coming until it was too late.
In the end, I'm happy with how the mystery played out and how a certain character met Karma. I definitely can't wait for this to get published and for everyone else to be able to dive into Princeton.
Society of Lies is filled with endless secrets, twists, and turns while the characters are just trying to figure out how to survive the real world and secret societies. Between sisters Maya and Naomi, it's hard to figure out who you can or can't trust. Both timelines of them at school definitely tie them closer together in more than one way. It's just hard to follow the pieces when we float between different timelines.
And yet, I couldn't help but try to guess who was behind it all before we would get a new clue. Then I'd throw everything out the window and start guessing all over again. Towards the end of this, we got so many reveals. One of the big ones definitely shocked me because I never had this person down as a suspect. They were a little chaotic and got jealous quite easily, but I just never saw the betrayal coming until it was too late.
In the end, I'm happy with how the mystery played out and how a certain character met Karma. I definitely can't wait for this to get published and for everyone else to be able to dive into Princeton.
April 12, 2024
Thank you to Random Hoise publishing & Netgalley for allowing me to read Society of Lies.
This was such a fun book to read. A real who done it story!
The plot was good, characters were fun to follow, & I didn’t see the ending coming!
I am a huge fan of messy characters, secrets, & revenge. This book had it all.
This was such a fun book to read. A real who done it story!
The plot was good, characters were fun to follow, & I didn’t see the ending coming!
I am a huge fan of messy characters, secrets, & revenge. This book had it all.
June 27, 2024
I’m saying it now—2024 reads have so far been my overall best year since I’ve started my bookstagram! Lauren Ling Brown’s debut, SOCIETY OF LIES, immediately captured my interest with this stunning cover. Thank you @randomhouse for this gifted copy! The story is centered around Princeton alumni Maya and her investigation into the mysterious death of her sister Naomi. Naomi was supposed to graduate Princeton and Maya was looking forward to reconnecting back to her college days, but Maya is stunned to find out that her sister joined the Sterling Club, the mysterious and exclusive social club on campus. Maya warned her about the Sterling Club since she had joined back in her college days. Maya can’t help but think this club has something to do with Naomi’s death.
This book gave me In My Dreams I Hold a Knife vibes! I really had a blast reading this one. This book touches on race and privilege while in college which I felt was a compelling aspect of the book that also helped form the mystery in ways I didn’t expect. This book moved rather quickly and left for many different scenarios for the reader to keep on guessing. I don’t always love dark academia stories, but SOCIETY OF LIES was very compelling. I highly recommend putting this book on your TBR and picking it up once it releases later this summer! STARS: 4, PUB: 8/13
This book gave me In My Dreams I Hold a Knife vibes! I really had a blast reading this one. This book touches on race and privilege while in college which I felt was a compelling aspect of the book that also helped form the mystery in ways I didn’t expect. This book moved rather quickly and left for many different scenarios for the reader to keep on guessing. I don’t always love dark academia stories, but SOCIETY OF LIES was very compelling. I highly recommend putting this book on your TBR and picking it up once it releases later this summer! STARS: 4, PUB: 8/13
March 4, 2024
Thank you so much to the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was absolutely hooked from page 1, actually the cover if I’m honest.
This book is centered around secret societies within Harvard. It touched on secret societies within secret societies. They call the regular secret society eat clubs, but that is only a small portion of what happens if you are in one.
Maya & her younger sister, Naomi both choose Harvard for their school of choice. Maya is able to graduate and continue her life, but Naomi doesn’t even make it to her graduation because she’s been asking questions about a future Harvard student, Lila, and what actually happened during her death.
It’s a page turner! I won’t go into the ending as you’ll quite enjoy reading it yourself, but it asks the question are all the societies and admissions sticking to their own policies? Or do they let their n anyone who could assist with donations?
Very interesting theme for a book! This is a debut author and I will definitely be adding her in my watched authors.
I was absolutely hooked from page 1, actually the cover if I’m honest.
This book is centered around secret societies within Harvard. It touched on secret societies within secret societies. They call the regular secret society eat clubs, but that is only a small portion of what happens if you are in one.
Maya & her younger sister, Naomi both choose Harvard for their school of choice. Maya is able to graduate and continue her life, but Naomi doesn’t even make it to her graduation because she’s been asking questions about a future Harvard student, Lila, and what actually happened during her death.
It’s a page turner! I won’t go into the ending as you’ll quite enjoy reading it yourself, but it asks the question are all the societies and admissions sticking to their own policies? Or do they let their n anyone who could assist with donations?
Very interesting theme for a book! This is a debut author and I will definitely be adding her in my watched authors.
January 17, 2024
This is a little hard for me to rate. I did enjoy myself, but… I guess I found it to be just a little too long. I think it would have been a better story if 50-75 pages were cut out. The resolution took a very long time to get started, and I found myself a bit let down by the ending. The big reveal didn’t make sense to me, and their motivations didn’t ring entirely true. Now that I’m writing this out, maybe the ending bothered me more than I thought. It’s a little too neat, and I have some serious reservations about some of the other characters…but maybe that would make for a good sequel.
All this to say, I liked the main characters, and I cared about the whos and whys. You really feel for both sisters, as the timelines jump back and forth. There’s a fair amount of suspense here, and plenty of “footsteps behind me” scenes that will get your heart rate up. Before I read this, I knew next to nothing about Princeton, and now I know that an “eating club” is not a club where students have an internationally-themed potluck once a week. That was my first thought, haha! I was thinking, my goodness, they are SERIOUS about their food at Princeton!
Also, shout out to the author for keeping the romance non-explicit. We know characters are hooking up, but it ends quickly, and we’re moving on to the next scene—as it should be, in my opinion. We don’t need no stinkin’ sex scenes.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and the author for an advance copy in exchange for my honest feedback.
3.75 stars, rounded up.
All this to say, I liked the main characters, and I cared about the whos and whys. You really feel for both sisters, as the timelines jump back and forth. There’s a fair amount of suspense here, and plenty of “footsteps behind me” scenes that will get your heart rate up. Before I read this, I knew next to nothing about Princeton, and now I know that an “eating club” is not a club where students have an internationally-themed potluck once a week. That was my first thought, haha! I was thinking, my goodness, they are SERIOUS about their food at Princeton!
Also, shout out to the author for keeping the romance non-explicit. We know characters are hooking up, but it ends quickly, and we’re moving on to the next scene—as it should be, in my opinion. We don’t need no stinkin’ sex scenes.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and the author for an advance copy in exchange for my honest feedback.
3.75 stars, rounded up.
March 17, 2024
I am obsessed with books about secret societies on campus settings so o was excited to meet this. I thought the story was ok, but it did leave me with some unanswered questions. It centers on sisters Maya and Naomi, who both attend Princeton 10 years apart and get drawn into the dark underbelly of a corrupt eating club. When Naomi is found dead (which the reader finds out immediately), Maya is convinced there is more to the story and sets out to investigate what really happened.
The book alternates chapters between Naomi’s POV before her death and Maya’s POV in current time as well as from her own college days. Though the chapters were labeled clearly, I did sometimes have to reframe myself to remember which sister’s chapter it was, as they both took place in the same setting but with an entirely different cast of characters. I could empathize with both protagonists at times, though I didn’t necessarily agree with the decisions they made. The story itself was twisty, albeit somewhat predictable, and the author did a good job at tying up all the loose ends around how all the different pieces fit together. I did walk away with some lingering questions around how and why Maya even got involved with all of this to begin with, and around some pieces of the scandal.
Overall, it was an interesting read and a well written book, but left me wanting just a little more. I’d give it 3.5 stars, rounded up. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book alternates chapters between Naomi’s POV before her death and Maya’s POV in current time as well as from her own college days. Though the chapters were labeled clearly, I did sometimes have to reframe myself to remember which sister’s chapter it was, as they both took place in the same setting but with an entirely different cast of characters. I could empathize with both protagonists at times, though I didn’t necessarily agree with the decisions they made. The story itself was twisty, albeit somewhat predictable, and the author did a good job at tying up all the loose ends around how all the different pieces fit together. I did walk away with some lingering questions around how and why Maya even got involved with all of this to begin with, and around some pieces of the scandal.
Overall, it was an interesting read and a well written book, but left me wanting just a little more. I’d give it 3.5 stars, rounded up. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 16, 2023
"Society of Lies" is a captivating murder mystery that masterfully navigates between two timelines, immersing the reader in the enigmatic world of a prestigious university where dark secrets are hidden behind ivy-covered walls. The dark academia atmosphere and the authentic depiction of college relationships transport the reader back to their own college days. Brown’s skillful storytelling and suspenseful writing make her a rising star in the genre. I am eagerly anticipating her next work.
March 12, 2024
3.5 closer to 4 ⭐️
Being from NJ and having family in the Princeton area, this book peaked my interest from the beginning. You are taken into from the perspective of two sisters, Maya and Naomi, who have gone through very different experiences during childhood but somehow similar experiences during their college years at Princeton. Secret societies, collegiate scandals, and an insight on the living of the privileged. Being Asian, I also admired the subtle but powerful inclusions of racial discrimination and judgement and bystander effect. That being said, I did think that the story started out very strong but towards the last quarter of the book spiraled into many things at once. I felt that I had to keep track of characters, motives, etc. I personally felt there was a lot thrown together at the end and some loose ends still needed to be tied. Overall, I would give this book a 3.5/5 stars and am excited to read more from Lauren Ling Brown!
Thank you go NetGalley, the publisher, and author for my advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!
Being from NJ and having family in the Princeton area, this book peaked my interest from the beginning. You are taken into from the perspective of two sisters, Maya and Naomi, who have gone through very different experiences during childhood but somehow similar experiences during their college years at Princeton. Secret societies, collegiate scandals, and an insight on the living of the privileged. Being Asian, I also admired the subtle but powerful inclusions of racial discrimination and judgement and bystander effect. That being said, I did think that the story started out very strong but towards the last quarter of the book spiraled into many things at once. I felt that I had to keep track of characters, motives, etc. I personally felt there was a lot thrown together at the end and some loose ends still needed to be tied. Overall, I would give this book a 3.5/5 stars and am excited to read more from Lauren Ling Brown!
Thank you go NetGalley, the publisher, and author for my advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!
February 14, 2024
You guys! This book was SO good! Even more impressive is that this is the author’s debut novel! Society of Lies is about sisters Maya and Naomi - both attendees of Princeton. Maya had already graduated and was back at the school to attend Naomi’s graduation when she receives a call that her sister was found dead. Told in dual POVs between past and present, we go on a deep dive into the corruption, lies and cover ups within the university and secret societies. I LOVE anything dark academia and this did NOT disappoint! I thought I had everything figured out a few times but when it came time for the reveal, I was shocked! Get your copy of Society of Lies when it comes out on August 13th!
April 29, 2024
4.5/5
This book was amazing. I couldn’t put it down. It goes between two sisters points of view Maya and Naomi. Both in the past and present. The twists and turns don’t stop. The secret society at Princeton is such an interesting part of the book. How it operates keeps you on your toes. The ending you don’t see coming.
Definitely recommend!!!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC
This book was amazing. I couldn’t put it down. It goes between two sisters points of view Maya and Naomi. Both in the past and present. The twists and turns don’t stop. The secret society at Princeton is such an interesting part of the book. How it operates keeps you on your toes. The ending you don’t see coming.
Definitely recommend!!!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC
March 11, 2024
First of all, a HUGE thank you to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read this ARC! This is Lauren Ling Brown's debut novel; she did an excellent job presenting Society of Lies!
Maya and Naomi are sisters who attend Princeton ten + years apart from each other. When Maya learns her sister has died right before graduation, she is confident this wasn't an accident. She knows too much about the secrets and lies from her own time at Princeton. As Maya begins to investigate Naomi's college life, she learns her sister was hiding more than she led on. Throughout the story, we learn about the corruption and lies of Princeton's secret society, the Sterling Club, and how money can attempt to sweep their secrets under the rug. Maya will stop at nothing to find answers and get the justice Naomi deserves.
How did Naomi die? Who can be trusted? Did Maya's involvement with the secret society lead to Naomi’s death?
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars for this debut album!
Wow- this was a gripping, fast-paced page-turner from start to finish! A book rarely hooks you in from the beginning, but this one surely did! The second half of the book had twist after unexpected twist! I almost want to reread some parts because there were some twists that I didn't pick up on initially and would love to see the clues that brought us to the ending. I thought I knew exactly what was happening, but I did not predict the ending (I love when this happens)! I thought this story was creative and unlike most suspenseful books I have read. I am impressed this is Brown's first novel! I am excited to read more from her in the future!
My only critique of this book was that I occasionally found the dual POVs and alternating timelines a little confusing to follow. There were several characters and I found myself thinking, "Wait, is this Maya or Naomi's point of view?" "Is Amy Maya's friend or Naomi's?" or "Was this in 2011 or 2023?"
Overall, very well done! Congratulations on your first novel, Lauren!
Maya and Naomi are sisters who attend Princeton ten + years apart from each other. When Maya learns her sister has died right before graduation, she is confident this wasn't an accident. She knows too much about the secrets and lies from her own time at Princeton. As Maya begins to investigate Naomi's college life, she learns her sister was hiding more than she led on. Throughout the story, we learn about the corruption and lies of Princeton's secret society, the Sterling Club, and how money can attempt to sweep their secrets under the rug. Maya will stop at nothing to find answers and get the justice Naomi deserves.
How did Naomi die? Who can be trusted? Did Maya's involvement with the secret society lead to Naomi’s death?
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars for this debut album!
Wow- this was a gripping, fast-paced page-turner from start to finish! A book rarely hooks you in from the beginning, but this one surely did! The second half of the book had twist after unexpected twist! I almost want to reread some parts because there were some twists that I didn't pick up on initially and would love to see the clues that brought us to the ending. I thought I knew exactly what was happening, but I did not predict the ending (I love when this happens)! I thought this story was creative and unlike most suspenseful books I have read. I am impressed this is Brown's first novel! I am excited to read more from her in the future!
My only critique of this book was that I occasionally found the dual POVs and alternating timelines a little confusing to follow. There were several characters and I found myself thinking, "Wait, is this Maya or Naomi's point of view?" "Is Amy Maya's friend or Naomi's?" or "Was this in 2011 or 2023?"
Overall, very well done! Congratulations on your first novel, Lauren!
January 11, 2024
Society of Lies
by Lauren Ling Brown
Publication 13 Aug 2024 by Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam
Princeton, prestigious Princeton. What a dream, right? How could there be possibly dark secrets involved?
Maya is an alumni herself and cannot wait to get back to the university to catch up with old friends and remember her days. It will be even more special as she will be seeing her little sister Naomi graduate.
But celebration will turn into a nightmare, when police inform her that Naomi had an accident and did. It survive it. But Maya is suspicious from the start. She finds out that Naomi has stepped into her footstep and joined Sterling, a most exclusive club, even though Maya has warned her not to do so.
Will Maya uncover the truth about what happened to Naomi?
Delicious! Lauren Ling Brown masterfully weaved a tale of secrets on an exclusive campus around well crafted characters. The story was delightfully dark and full of suspense.
As much as I enjoyed the story itself, I think the pacing could need a bit of work, it dragged along at times. Also, I felt confused by the POV’s. While I think the characters were well done and multidimensional, I still think they could difference even more from each other, as at parts they sounded too alike.
I did like the aspect of race and meaning of family for the sisters. These were nice touches to the story, good layers. You could question, did Mayas need to survive and take care of her sister lead to her ultimate demise in the end? This book brought up some interesting questions.
I liked both sisters but my heart broke a little bit more for Naomi.
All in all, a very enjoyable thriller!
by Lauren Ling Brown
Publication 13 Aug 2024 by Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam
Princeton, prestigious Princeton. What a dream, right? How could there be possibly dark secrets involved?
Maya is an alumni herself and cannot wait to get back to the university to catch up with old friends and remember her days. It will be even more special as she will be seeing her little sister Naomi graduate.
But celebration will turn into a nightmare, when police inform her that Naomi had an accident and did. It survive it. But Maya is suspicious from the start. She finds out that Naomi has stepped into her footstep and joined Sterling, a most exclusive club, even though Maya has warned her not to do so.
Will Maya uncover the truth about what happened to Naomi?
Delicious! Lauren Ling Brown masterfully weaved a tale of secrets on an exclusive campus around well crafted characters. The story was delightfully dark and full of suspense.
As much as I enjoyed the story itself, I think the pacing could need a bit of work, it dragged along at times. Also, I felt confused by the POV’s. While I think the characters were well done and multidimensional, I still think they could difference even more from each other, as at parts they sounded too alike.
I did like the aspect of race and meaning of family for the sisters. These were nice touches to the story, good layers. You could question, did Mayas need to survive and take care of her sister lead to her ultimate demise in the end? This book brought up some interesting questions.
I liked both sisters but my heart broke a little bit more for Naomi.
All in all, a very enjoyable thriller!
January 21, 2024
Society of Lies is a fresh take on the secret society and dark academia sub-genres. The multiracial character POV and class issues were portrayed with depth and authenticity. This is a great choice for fans of Lucy Foley, especially those who are seeking a younger, more diverse cast of characters. Fantastic vacation or weekend read!
January 20, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Bantsm for allowing me to read this ARC. This was a phenomenal book. The story detail and the writing made it easy to read. I didn’t want to put the book down. Just when you think you have it all figured out, you actually don’t. It was easy to go back and forth between Maya and Naomi once you had the characters set.
April 9, 2024
Lauren Ling Brown, you did it! I don’t give out many 5 star ratings but this book had me hooked from the very beginning. There were a few different mysteries going from the past to present and they had me on my toes the whole time. And the ending, oh my gosh I was not expecting that.
I got early access to this book through NetGalley.com and through Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam.
I got early access to this book through NetGalley.com and through Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam.
Read
July 9, 2024Review coming
March 12, 2024
My Rating: 4.5 ✨
WOW, what a debut!! This will be a thriller of the summer and it is well deserved! I literally read the Prologue and was so intrigued that I stopped reading another book I had just started 🙌🏼 If you love dark academia focused thrillers with whodunit vibes then SOCIETY OF LIES is for you! The story is told from 2 alternation points of view and seamlessly navigates through three different timelines and explores much deeper themes than your average thriller - themes including identity, privilege and race.
At Princeton, the most prestigious (fictional) eating club is the Sterling Club and within the Sterling Club is an even more elite and powerful secret society, called the Greystone Society. The Greystone Society is so covert that most people at Princeton don’t even know they exist and the only way in is if you get “tapped”. Sisters Maya and Naomi are both book-smart, practical, biracial girls who both are searching for a sense of belonging as they attend Princeton, ten years apart. That sense of belonging is exactly what the Greystone Society offers them, but at what cost??
SOCIETY OF LIES is a well written, gripping, action packed dark academia thriller with exclusive secret societies entangled in blackmail, collusion, the requisite of drugs & alcohol, and two dead bodies. Maya and Naomi find themselves in the heart of the drama and corruption as they realize certain members are willing to do whatever is necessary to keep secrets safe and the money and influence flowing. The best thriller books, in my opinion, are the ones where multiple different characters are looking guilty and I’m trying to piece together the who, why, when and how along the way. This book does exactly that and I can confidently say I did not guess the twist at the end even though I had my suspicions… 👏🏼👏🏼
My only critique is I felt there were a few loose ends with how the book ended - a few characters dropped off the map and were never heard from again. This is also a book with many characters and timelines so you definitely need to be paying attention!
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC! 💜
WOW, what a debut!! This will be a thriller of the summer and it is well deserved! I literally read the Prologue and was so intrigued that I stopped reading another book I had just started 🙌🏼 If you love dark academia focused thrillers with whodunit vibes then SOCIETY OF LIES is for you! The story is told from 2 alternation points of view and seamlessly navigates through three different timelines and explores much deeper themes than your average thriller - themes including identity, privilege and race.
At Princeton, the most prestigious (fictional) eating club is the Sterling Club and within the Sterling Club is an even more elite and powerful secret society, called the Greystone Society. The Greystone Society is so covert that most people at Princeton don’t even know they exist and the only way in is if you get “tapped”. Sisters Maya and Naomi are both book-smart, practical, biracial girls who both are searching for a sense of belonging as they attend Princeton, ten years apart. That sense of belonging is exactly what the Greystone Society offers them, but at what cost??
SOCIETY OF LIES is a well written, gripping, action packed dark academia thriller with exclusive secret societies entangled in blackmail, collusion, the requisite of drugs & alcohol, and two dead bodies. Maya and Naomi find themselves in the heart of the drama and corruption as they realize certain members are willing to do whatever is necessary to keep secrets safe and the money and influence flowing. The best thriller books, in my opinion, are the ones where multiple different characters are looking guilty and I’m trying to piece together the who, why, when and how along the way. This book does exactly that and I can confidently say I did not guess the twist at the end even though I had my suspicions… 👏🏼👏🏼
My only critique is I felt there were a few loose ends with how the book ended - a few characters dropped off the map and were never heard from again. This is also a book with many characters and timelines so you definitely need to be paying attention!
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC! 💜
January 21, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Bantsm for allowing me to read this ARC. This was a phenomenal book. The story detail and the writing made it easy to read. I didn’t want to put the book down. Just when you think you have it all figured out, you actually don’t. It was easy to go back and forth between Maya and Naomi once you had the characters set.
January 16, 2024
While certainly there's many novels of this genre, none give us the pleasure of exploring secret societies at elite institutions through the lens of these two sisters. Propelled with intrigue, this novel explores the odds POC and women have to overcome to have a seat at the metaphorical (and literal) table and the sacrifices women make to speak truth to power.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
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