Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of #FAshionVictim. I enjoyed the book. It was not what I expected it to be when I first started reading it. It was a pretty fast read for Me and I will not give any spoilers. This was also my first book by the author. I recommend it.

I'm going to go all out and say I definitely loved this book. It had an interesting and quirky main character. Not going to lie - most of the twists were apparent, however I don't think that matters. In fact I think that adds to the enjoyment of the novel. 

The book is easy to read and the story easy the follow. The main character is consistent, terrifying but consistent. Even her colleagues seem to feel the same: they often make fun of her for the way she presents herself but don't gang up on her. Almost as if they know she lives her life on the edge and can only cope with one issue at a time. 

This book is probably not for everyone; but that's ok, life would be boring if we all had to share the same taste? After all Anya St. Clair has killed for less...

A very solid 4/5 - I would recommend it to some of my friends as a 5/5 because I know it will speak to them as it does me (#welovethecrazyladies).

*A free copy was provided by the publisher through netgalley for an honest review*

This is scheduled to be posted a week before publication date.

An interesting and creepy read, that was engaging even though at times I was unsure of where the plot was going. Still unsure what the overall plot for this book was as it wasn’t the standard ‘there’s a problem and it’s resolved’ novel.

I was so excited to read this book, based on the book blurb and comments like “Devil Wears Prada Meets Dexter” , I was sure it was going to soar to the top of my favorites list for 2018, sadly, it did not.
In all honesty, I almost didn’t finish it.
Even though it wasn’t for me, I do think there’s a large audience that will love it.
Would make a great Midnight movie ( Rocky Horror-ish type movie)

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley the opinion is my own

I read somewhere that this book was a mixture of Heathers and The Devil Wears Prada and I couldn't agree more! Maybe with a little Gossip Girl mixed in!

This book is fun! I don't think this book is serious at all including the murders. It was all just like watching a campy horror movie but I enjoyed it! I could definitely see this being the next best thing at the movies if it were made into one!

I received this book as an ARC in exchange for a review.

OMG...WTF did I just read?!?! About halfway through the book, I ended up hate reading it because I was so annoyed with the main character Anya. To put it simply, Anya is a total psychopath and has issues. The book touches briefly on her past but does not delve into it so that the reader can actually get an idea of why Anya is a total psycho.

Do not read this book if you have issues with animals being killed. I'm still pissed at that part of the book.

If you are into very little character development, self centered people, and fashion name dropping you might enjoy this. Otherwise don't bother.

This book is like American Psycho meets The Devil Wears Prada. It's an interesting behind the scene look at the world of fashion journalisim. Dark and funny.

"God there was always so much work to do. Update this, kill so-and-so. I wish people understood how hard we worked in fashion all to make it look effortlessly easy."

This was a delightful dark, campy comedy that was such an easy read that I will probably read it again and again for some light relief.

It was the kind of book that was so vivid that I felt like I was watching a movie, and make no mistake this book will make an amazing movie which I will be very excited to go and see. All of the characters had a great over the top quality to them, think The Devil Wears Prada meets Scream Queens with a dash of Mean Girls. And Anya’s narration of the fashion world as both superficial and incredibly hard working was highly enjoyable.

Anya’s mental state is an interesting journey through that novel as you have to try and decipher reality from what is going on in her head, but it is done in such a way that it made reading the story very compelling. Even going into it knowing the “who done it” didn’t detract from the draw to keep reading to find out what would happen next. Most of the way through there aren’t too many twists that you don’t see coming because you are reading it from the point of view of the killer, however, there is a big one right in the final section of the book that I didn’t see coming which was a very nice surprise. I will say however, there were times that I was slightly uncomfortable with the portrayal of Anya’s mental health, but at the same time it was a really interesting element that I think it was required - do stick with it, it does all come full circle in the end.

We are always told not to judge a book by its cover but when the cover draws you in like that of #FashionVictim why should you not?! Luckily the story is even better than the cover so you will not be disappointed. If you haven’t already read this, I would highly recommend that you do, especially before they make it into a movie (or TV show). I do hope this is just the first of a series of books on Anya, the fashion world and the friendship that she has at the end (I don’t want to spoil it for you!).

A big thank you to Netgalley and crooked lane books for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

I received an ARC copy from netgalley for my honest review,  so thank you netgalley and publishers for offering me this book! ♡
The cover and title is what originally drew me to this book. It was NOT at all like I expected it to be lol but it was actually really good!
This was my first book by this author.. It was slow paced but it was alltogether an easy read. ♡ I give this book a
4.5 star rating!

Absolutely loved this book. I was expecting a lot of fluff but boy was I wrong. Totally twisted and engrossing.

TENS ACROSS THE BOARD.

Holy SHIT. this is THE year for awesomely psychotic (and fashionable) serial killer books. first #Murdertrending by Gretchen McNeil (which i loved, see review at our blog), and now September's #fashionvictim. Anya St Clair would do ANYTHING to be best friends with Sarah Taft -- even if it means killing anyone who gets in her way.

Guys, this book was amazing from start to finish. Snarky AF, Anya is deliciously delusional. The body count keeps rising as she fights to get a promotion at LA VIE, the magazine where she works. I loved her conversations with Dr. M. I loved her fantasized relationship with the detective investigating the murders. I loved that the people she killed kept showing up every where she went (especially Mulberry....!). Seriously, if Dexter were a woman who loved fashion -- you'd have Anya St. Clair. She's 100 percent diabolical and someone you do NOT want to cross.

If you're looking for an engrossing, not so much of a mystery but murder book -- THIS IS FOR YOU. also, i love Jack. he's so freaking shady!

I would like to start off by saying that I was super excited to read Fashion Victim, by Amina Akhtar. The reason I was so excited is because this is an author that is completely new to me. I had no expectations and I read and reviewed this without bias and really got a chance to enjoy it. I love reading new Authors.

So, Fashion Victim, wow! I give this a 4 out of 5. This novel had really great character development. We meet the main Character Anya, who is not your typical girl. She seems to have an obsessive personality. She idolizes the person whom she wants to be best friends with, Sarah Taft. Anya thinks Sarah is perfect, which to be honest, that is one of the things that really bothered me. How many more times is it going to be shoved in our faces that long blonde hair, blue eyes and skinny is perfect? It is not, and my gosh I have never wanted to be that. Well, skinnier, maybe but not skinny to the point where I can only eat a piece of celery and judge everyone around me. Again, this did annoyed me a bit but I digress.

The novel itself is something that should be appreciated and that I do. Amina did a great job having characters with personalities that evoked emotions. I mean, Anya angered me, Sarah annoyed me, Celia, their boss realistically represented the boss everyone loves to hate and the list goes on. Fashion Victim had a beginning, middle and end and it was very well written. I also love that it was realistic in the sense that someone like Anya, who idolizes another human being, can want to be them, befriend them and then once they get a taste of what it is liked to be them, replace them. Crazy, but I love that, it is so creepy. The more you read, the darker this novel becomes, which to me was unexpected. I read the description but I still wasn’t sure if this was going to be as dark as it was.

The ending for me was unexpected. I appreciate that so much. Most books are very predictable and have the same type of ending but not with this novel. Hooray to Anima for really going there. I do feel as if the epilogue could have just been the ending of the novel without an epilogue. The ending left a little bit to be desired but the epilogue cleaned it up so I was thankful for that. Maybe that was Amina trying to set something up for novel #2?

Overall Fashion Victim has a few cliché moments but it has many fresh angles as well that outweigh those cliché moments. This was a great novel and I cannot wait to see what Anima has in store next!

Look, if you’re going to write a book from the perspective of an anti-hero or villain, there’s a 90% chance that I’ll overlook all the terrible things they’ve done and cheer them on from my couch.

When I saw this book being likened to The Devil Wears Prada and Mean Girls, I expected fashion, cliques, backstabbing and I got all of that and murder.

This was so unexpected. Anya, the main character, leaves a trail of dead bodies in her quest for the coveted position of being Sarah’s best friend. Conning her way as an editor at one of the popular fashion magazines to have access to her targeted BFF, Anya’s determination knows no bounds. As morbid as it sounds, I kind of wanted her to win. Anya is clearly suffering from a mental illness; her conversations with the suspicious Dr M, vivid hallucinations and outrageous obsession with Sarah are a suggestion of this.

Working at La Vie Anya is subjected to condescension, workplace racism, belittling and constant bullying from her colleague and boss. She’s the weird Indian girl only there to fill up their diversity card but she’s got a knife up her sleeve or a pair of vintage Marc Jacobs to take down anyone who threatens her perfect plans.

This book was everything. One minute everything would be quiet and the next everything’s gone wild. Every time Anya thinks she’s managed to infiltrate Sarah’s circle she’s violently thrown out again leaving her worried and determined to get back in. Dead bodies begin piling up around her and the police begin to circle around.

This was such a fantastic read. Amina Akhtar’s writing is so vivid and entrancing. Half the time I lowkey feared for my own life at the hands of Anya, a spectacular villain.

After being in several institutions while being young, Anya is ready to let the past in the past and start fresh. She has changed her name and now works in the fashion industry. Her boss Celia is obsessed with her losing weight to fit as part of the magazine staff. Celia starts a competition for a promotion between Anya and her co-worker Sarah, but the thing is, Anya is obsessed with Sarah. She wants Sarah to do all she wants, to be her best friend and she will do whatever is in her power to keep her old life and secrets hidden… EVERYTHING.
While getting into the book I thought it will be a book like “The Devil wears Prada”, with the obsessed boss that only thinks about work, does not care about you or your feelings, and it some way it was, but it was much more like Dexter and The Sixth Sense movie…
In addition, there was many topics I was not comfortable with, like the obsession with Anya´s body and forcing her to weigh every day in the office and make a ridicule of herself was rough. I did not want to keep reading those scenes and they were a lot of them. Then there were the murders… I did not like how everybody was laughing at some of the deaths, like the hole title #fashionvictim was not funny at all, at least was not funny for me. I understand there´s dark humor, but no thanks, I pass!
Finally I was expecting a total different end for the story, maybe some justice, idk. This was just not a book for me.

Fashion do. FOUR AND A HALF STARS!!!

Calories burnt reading this: Probably not as much as I liked since I'd stay up reading this.

This book gave me what was promised, a The Devil Wears Prada meets Heathers experience. I think you could even toss in some American Psycho into the mix to truly describe this story.

Steps taken today: None. Like literally none. Because the last time I walked with my nose buried in a book, I was in the hospital with a sprained ankle.

The story centers around Anya. She's a girl trying to make it in the La Vie fashion magazine world. Her boss, Celia, is the devil incarnate. Her "friend" Sarah is just as desperate to "Mean Girls" her way above Anya. So many interns I can barely remember. So many evil cackles... and one handsome detective who could be Mr. Right. If only he could see the girl before him.

Fashion don't: Ignore this book.

For some reason, I found this book oddly compelling. The cover is eye catching. The over-the-top characters--Zhazha, I'm talking about you--kept this story going. Parts where Anya seemed thrown out like yesterday's sweater. Parts where Anya was the new "it" pair of Manolo's... This book was more than entertaining.

The psychosis of Anya was a whole new character in itself. And I think that is what contributed to the "ride" of this story. You didn't know who or what was real life and who or what was in her head. You had to keep reading to see who dies next--because you can't do Heathers-like fun without a death or ten. Just saying.

Now modeling: The best ending to this kind of story I've read in a long while.

By 85% completion, I didn't have a clue as to what was going to happen or how it was going to end. I did guess one plot revelation that came about at almost the tail end, but as for the true ending--hence the 1/2 star that's missing--I was pleasantly surprised.

Diet do's: Voraciously read this book!

The whole book was so enjoyable. At least for me. I cannot recommend this one highly enough!!!

If there were ever to be a sequel...which is difficult to say if that's even a possibility, though I wouldn't doubt it, I'd snatch it up and read it in a heartbeat.

Definitely FOUR AND A HALF STARS worthy! Read it!

Reading the description of this book I had an idea of what I wanted this to be, and I was so very happy when I started it because it was exactly the dark comedy I wanted. I have already recommend this book to friends, before even finishing it. This is a light, quick summer read and I am not surprised this already seems to have been picked up for a movie. For a fun light-hearted take murder and fashion, it's a must read.

Kind of American Psycho meets The Devil Wears Prada. The fashion world is pretty cut-throat, and Anya has a habit of imagining that phrase literally. She'll do anything to get to the top, and to become rival and icon Sarah's BFF4L, even if it means a few dead bodies scattered here and there along the way.

Thoughts: I was excited about the premise but had a hard time getting into it. One teaser I read bullet this as Heathers meets TDWP, which makes sense because the first few minor characters readers are introduced to are all named Lauren, are interchangeable, and are incredibly shallow and dimwitted. What I struggled with was Anya's somewhat split personality as well as how caught up in the fashion world the plot was. I get that it was the whole premise of the novel, but even having been a fan of The Hills I still could not keep up. I honestly couldn't tell when something was supposed to be serious or facetious. There was so much going on and so many minor characters with their own distinct personalities that I got easily distracted. This may be a fun read for others but it just wasn't for me.

I did not like this book. This was a lovely opportunity to write a book that shows you the inside of a psychopath’s mind. Sadly his book does nothing of that sort. There is the initial shock factor but after that it’s just boring. The characters are highly unlikeable and honestly the cheesy language makes it hard to enjoy. I was expecting a dark, twisty and humorous book but this one fulfills none of those criteria.

Great story. Couldn’t put it down. Great character development. Definitely recommend. Would be a great book to gift.

I thought to read this book because of the fashion aspect and figured a predictable little murder mystery would accompany the clothes and shoes. Wow, when I am wrong, I am wrong.
This book totally took my by surprise. Narrated in the first person, we get an unusual perspective on committing murder and the reasons that they have to happen.

There is a great dose of snark, some really fun discussion of clothes and a really interesting view of obsession.
This is a great, fun read; it took me a bit to really get what was going on and even that was entertaining.

It is rare when a murder mystery comes along and takes a really novel approach - this was one of those occasions.