Reviews

Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown

kindlebabe's review

4.0

I want to thank the author for giving me the opportunity to read this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

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deepbutdazzlingdarkness's review against another edition

4.0

Oh I really enjoyed this. The privilege of so many of the characters (obviously not the mains) was infuriating, but in a realistic way, and it was really well-written. I saw another review say the switching POVs was confusing, but I didn’t think so and it was a great way to build suspense. It made me sad getting closer and closer to Naomi’s death, especially her last chapter, but the ending was satisfying. Everyone got what they deserved!!!!!

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

meowdermix's review

dark emotional slow-paced

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

3.0

This ARC was provided by NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam

Secret societies and mysterious deaths are totally up my alley, so I was really looking forward to hearing Maya and Naomi's stories involving Sterling Club. 

While I like the back and forth timelines, I found it difficult to keep the timelines straight when some of the scenarios shared a lot of similarities. I often found myself going back to the start of the chapter to make sure I wasn't mixing up characters. The pacing was also a bit slower than I typically like. There's nothing wrong with that, but between the pacing and the character confusion, this book took me substantially longer to read than I anticipated. 

With all that said, I would still recommend the book, you just need to be extra mindful of keeping the characters when you read it.

manderzreadz's review

5.0

RTC

readwithdrabby's review

3.0

Lauren Ling Brown’s debut novel, Society of Lies, tells the story of two sisters, Maya and Naomi. Maya, a Princeton grad, comes back to campus after ten years to reconnect with some friends and celebrate Naomi’s graduation. Shortly after arriving though, Maya is told that Naomi’s lifeless body was just found. 

Initially, this book started off very strong and had an interesting premise. I was intrigued and wanted to figure out the mystery surrounding Naomi’s death. However, as the story continued, I began losing interest. In my opinion, I felt like the book was a lot longer than necessary. I struggled with keeping the two timelines separate and trying to keep everything straight in my brain. With all of that being said, the ending  moved more rapidly and held my interest. 

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine/ Bantam for this ARC. It will be available for purchase on August 13, 2024. 

cmyrup's review

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Society of Lies is a dual narrative/dual timeline of sisters Maya and Naomi during their time at Princeton University and the present. 

I really enjoyed both the dual narrative and dual timeline. Having different perspectives for a similar crime made the story more interesting. 

Both sisters belong to the same secret society and each one is searching for answers to a crime they think the same person committed. 

Things really picked up about a third of the way in and I read the last 50% in just a few hours.. 

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this arc

nftayyyy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Stumbled upon "Society of Lies" by Lauren Ling Brown, where the slow-burning mystery is worth it. For those who DNF at 20-30%, I found the story picked up 40% all the way through with pacing. 😁👏

Moods: dark, intense, mysterious 👀, and emotional. 
Expected: August 2024! 

"Society of Lies" definitely lived up to the title. Books told from two different perspectives and timelines can be difficult to follow. I felt this until 40% through and I was thinking I would DNF. However, the pacing picked up for me and kept me engaged till the end. 😅 Think of the movie "The Skulls" but the modern version is driven by two FMCs. We explore a prestigious college campus's dark underbelly through the intertwined lives of sisters Maya and Naomi. If anything this felt a little too real and current at times regarding the college admissions scandal. If you found that interesting then you will love this fictional take on exploring that theme which I recommend.

Big thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Bantam for the ARC. 💜

ameserole's review

dark mysterious medium-paced

4.0

avy9891's review

4.0

This was a perfect blend of thrilling and suspenseful. Filled with secret societies and dark secrets. The back and forth between both sisters memories was a little confusing at first, but as the story progressed it became much easier to keep track. Honestly, there were so many twists and turns through out the story that just when I though I had figured it out something new would come to light. If you are looking for a thrilling story filled with many secrets definitely read this book!

Thanks to Net Galley and the Publisher for allowing me to read a copy of this book!

lexiepf3's review

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0