What the heck did I just read?

This book is described as journalist Jillian infiltrating a secret society for rich, influential, feminist women in New York City. Rumors have been swirling that this cabal got the first female mayor of NYC elected, and then got her booted from office when she attempted to tax their wealth, and Jillian wants to get to the bottom of this.

For the first half of this book, I was torn between attempting to appreciate it as a novel, and feeling compelled to analyze it as a sociopolitical commentary. And then at 60% in... I don't even know what happens. It just goes off the rails. There's a twist that's so absurd, so random, I don't even know how to wrap my head around it. And there's no way for me to further discuss it here without completely spoiling the book, which I don't want to do. Especially since so many other readers seem to be a fan?

Instead, I'll say, if you're a realist or pragmatist, or even just a mystery/romance fan, looking for the story described in the blurb... this might not be the book for you. If you're a fan of the unexpected, the surreal, and fantastical--sure, give this a try. The writing wasn't bad, the characters were interesting, it's just... the plot... left something to be desired.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3 stars - 6/10

Wow... Where do I even begin with this roller coaster of a story? It grabbed by attention early on and just did not let go. It gave me everything that I could want from being set in NYC, romance, to All the witchy vibes (sorry Caroline for calling you a witch haha) But seriously this was such a fun read. It reminded me a bit of if Sex and the City met AHS Coven, and let's just say I was living for it. I started this book later on in the night, and had to practically force myself to put it down in order to fall asleep, and thought about it until I was able to pick it up and finish it. I truly think that this would be the perfect summer read, and this book has for sure put this author on my instant-buy radar. Thank you so much for allowing me the chance to read this early, as you can tell I truly enjoyed the story.

Surely I have good instincts. Truly, I am discerning. My life as I have lived it means that I am not crushed by something outside my normal day to day. After all, what even is a day to day normal? Books like this, books that bleed magenta and feature a female protagonist journalist who gets in over her head are just over for me. Because the narrator, as a cypher for the reader, is so clueless, so bonkers dumb, lacking in lived experience to the fullest, is just too hard to ignore any longer. No longer can I read "The Woman in Cabin 10" (Ruth Ware) or "You Are Not Alone" (Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen) or "The Dollhouse" (Fiona Davis) or This Book or any other number of books where a woman who is accomplished enough and wise enough to live and work in the big city be totally unable to relate to almost anything. Who is this person? Why is this person? The main character as cypher as dumbfuck is just offensive. The reader is more competent, sees more nuance, can investigate and think more critically than the blank-slate placeholder representing the reader. And that is just not good enough anymore.

I'm not sure that this author's writing style clicks with my reading preferences. She is undoubtedly talented. However, I just never seem to mesh well with her characters or plot line. I am going to give this book three stars because I didn't not like it, it just isn't going to be one I rave about. I definitely recommend other's try and see for themselves, because I can totally see how it could be a favorite for many. Plus, the cover is fantastic. Thank you so much Netgalley for my advanced reader digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

aura Hankin is quickly becoming an auto buy author for me! I had the pleasure of reading this one early, thank you to @berkleypub and @penguinrandomhouse for the advance copy! After reading Happy and You Know It and now A Special Place for Women, Laura Hankin has this special way of capturing normal groups of women and writing about them with a touch of humor and relatability.

I got LOST in this story and truly did not know what was going to happen. The main character, Jillian is so damn likable and relatable, I couldn’t help but want all good things for her. This premise of a secret club for high powered women in the middle of NYC is intriguing but then to find out that they think they are harboring a deep dark secret, was a twist I did not expect. I thought the story was weaved in such a way that I almost started to believe in the power and magic these women had and I wanted to be part of their girl gang. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Jillian, Margot and Caroline but I loved how the story wrapped up. Thank you @laurahankin for once again creating a story that was just a little bit unbelievable it had me questioning “do groups of women like this exist?”

Recommended for: Salem vibes, Girl Power, Coven Catastrophe

This book was something that I didn't expect. For the best reading and twist value, I suggest not googling the genres this book falls under!

What could have been better?
I think the ending was rushed and the characters could fall a little flat. I think there were a lot of good ideas, but some weren't fleshed out enough for me. I feel like if the author focused on two or three things instead of four or five the book would have been a lot better for me.

What I enjoyed?
The twist was really cool! I didn't see it coming for the most part and it was something I had never seen before. When I was guessing what I thought would be the twist or the reveal of the thriller, I wasn't expecting what I got. Going on, the author created this idea of sisterhood and forgiveness I enjoyed, There were two minor characters, Margot and Libby, that I loved.

This may not have been my favorite read, but I can definitely see people really enjoying it! It's fun and an easy one to get through. If you liked The Herd or books which feature investigative journalists going undercover I would give this book a try!

3.25/5

You have to be incredibly important to be invited into the exclusive NYC women’s club. Jillian is struggling after the death of her mother, but a story about the exclusive club could certainly get her back into the journalism game after her recent company crumbled. All she has to do it figure out a way to get invited and then she can spill all the clubs dirty little secrets.

I loved Happy & You Know It, so I was so excited to read this book! While this one certainly had the same rich NYC ladies, it was such a completely different book! It was not what I expected at all! While this was totally unexpected and went in a bit of a weird direction in my mind, I really liked where it went and how the story ended up! I highly recommend this one!

I had to sit with this one a little bit to parse out what I truly thought about it. Because this book is a wild ride! It seems like it's one thing (a playful, snarky riff on The Whisper Network) and then out of nowhere, it morphs into something completely unexpected and different (Hocus Pocus-esque??).

And OH! there's some romance thrown in too. A love triangle, a fake boyfriend scenario, and a friends to lovers bit.

It is JUICY. And Laura Hankin is such a witty writer. She's truly fabulous. Biting and insightful and damn...super freaking funny. I laughed out loud several times. She can absolutely SKEWER performative white woman BS.

I went back and looked at my review of Hankin's previous book (Happy & You Know It) and I said "This one really surprised me. It was dark and witty and strangely insightful into all of the weird stuff that happens when you’re a mom. I just thought it was really well written, funny, and unexpected.".

Dark, witty, unexpected. EXACTLY.

I'm clearly now a huge fan of Laura Hankin.

So...after thinking about it, I've come to the conclusion that I adored this book because it's unlike anything I've read. It made me think, it made me laugh, and it made me "WTF". So so good.

4.5 stars rounded up

This book was gifted to my by NetGalley and Berkley. All opinions are my own.

Oh, this book is pure, Wicked fun. I read this entire addictive book in one sitting. I am a complete sucker for books about secret societies and this absolutely did not disappoint.
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Rumors run rampant among the New York Elite about a powerful secret women’s society. The top women in New York are supposedly a member of this group. Other rumors include $1,000 monthly membership dues, Rhianna stopping by when she’s in town and that this group single handedly got the first female mayor of NYC elected.
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There is not much this group of billionaire “girl bosses” don’t have a hand in. They are the taste makers of New York City. They are a subject of intense curiosity. Anyone who’s a member of this group is on the rise.
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Jillian Beckley is on the way down as she is dealing with the aftermath of her mother’s death and the loss of her journalism job. She needs a story and a job fast and sees her chance as she infiltrates the secret society, but nothing is as she expected.
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These women have all the power and dangerous things can happen if you cross them. This book is crazy in the best way. I loved it. It’s wicked, dark with laugh out loud moments that focuses on feminism but what if women don’t rise each other up but step on each other along the way? These women will do what it takes to get to the top no matter the cost.
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This witty and darkly fun book comes out May 11th!
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Thank you to #NetGalley and #Berkley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

At the end of her rope, Jillian attempts a last-ditch effort to save her career by pursuing an impossible story – trying to find out if this secret society took down one of the most promising politicians NY has seen in years. There are whispers of their influence, sky-high dues, and even witchcraft.

As she becomes embroiled in their society though, she starts to wonder if this is the place she actually belongs? Is it truly just a sisterhood of women looking out for each other?

I admittedly had very high hopes for this novel about a journalist infiltrating a secret society of high power women in NYC. I adored Hankin’s previous novel, Happy and You Know It, so I might have set my expectations a bit too high.

Overall this was a solid read and I picked it up often to find out what would happen. However, the ultimate wrap up just left me wanting more? The whole thing felt a little far-fetched, even knowing going in that these "rumors" of magic might actually be true.

I did enjoy how Jillian ultimately managed the two men in her life, realizing who she truly wanted and who would be best for her!

Reeling from her mother’s death and the loss of her job, Jillian takes on a new journalism investigation. She infiltrates a secret and notorious group of elite, wealthy women.

I loved the author’s first book so I was excited to read this one. It kept my interest but I never got as engaged as I did for Happy and You Know It. I liked that it was similar in that it exploded the lives of wealthy elite women. The journalistic aspect also was interesting. I couldn’t get into the romance subplot, as I didn’t like either contender. The book took an unexpected turn, which wasn’t something that I loved but I appreciated how it turned out. I know that’s vague, but I don’t want to give anything away. The main character was frustrating because she was so fickle! I did enjoy the ending.

“Because of power and sisterhood. Because to be a woman in this world is to know that you’re never truly equal, even when you put in ten times the work. Because it scares the men who want to control us.”

A Special Place For Women comes out 5/11.

A story about a shady elite, women-run cult?

Yes, please.

This book will have you screaming GIRL POWER into the void while dancing naked in the light of a full moon. (Intrigued yet?)

Things get weird!

On the surface, A Special Place for Women is about a down and out journalist named Jillian who wants to infiltrate a secretive millennial women’s club in New York called “Nevertheless.” She needs a big story, and this one could enhance her faltering career.

However, as Jillian begins to somehow edge her way into the elitist group, she discovers much more than she originally anticipated.

This culty group has new age Illuminati vibes and influences society under the radar. They are feminists and they are powerful. I was entranced.
It was magical. ✨

A Special Place for Women is full of snark and social commentary. I appreciated that it could make me laugh while also keeping me hanging on every page to discover more about this club of women. The members was endlessly fascinating to me.

I really wanted to grab Jillian by the shoulders and tell her to get it together quite a few times, though. As a character she was often selfish and frustrating...but also complicated and very human in her flaws. I couldn’t fully dislike her because of how entertaining her thoughts were. I really enjoy witty and quirky characters.

If you enjoyed the author’s other book, Happy & You Know it, I recommend picking this one up when it’s published on May 11th. It has a similar feel and flow but a totally unique storyline.

I had fun reading it and will be thinking about this novel for days to come.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for providing me with the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sometimes you start a book not really knowing what you're in for, and then WHAM! You're so sucked in you can't stop reading. This is that book.

A Secret Place for Women grabbed me instantly. Laura's writing style is incredibly engaging and conversational. I don't want to get into too much about the book, simply because it will give away some of the best surprises, but this secret women's club is much more than what it appears.

I loved Jillian's sharp wit, and she was sarcastic, cunning, and also charming. Her inner dialogue had me laughing out loud. During one particularly serious scene in a pivotal part of the book, she thought to herself "Shit, I'm hungry" because of the smell of charring meat (spoiler: it wasn't the kind of meat meant for eating).

This is one of those books that I'm going to have to go get myself a copy of so it can live on my bookshelf forever.

Once again, I have finished a Laura Hankin book and I have no idea how to feel. I enjoyed the ride of her first book HAPPY & YOU KNOW IT but in many ways I feel like A SPECIAL PLACE FOR WOMEN is a stronger novel, at least for my tastes. This is probably mostly because satire about white, Pinterest feminism is infinitely more interesting and relatable to me than the perfect mommy satire. But the twist here was as equally unexpected as it was in her last novel, and I think the "rich mother sells her mommy play group speed" was more believable than the twist used in A SPECIAL PLACE FOR WOMEN...and that's really saying something. However, Hankin's books are an absolute blast to read and are filled with some very smart commentary, tongue-in-cheek humor, and compelling characters. I look forward to seeing what she does next!

I heard rumblings about this book months ago and was so fascinated by the premise. So, I went into this book with expectations for a wild ride, and was not disappointed!

Nevertheless is a secretive, invitation-only social club for elite NYC women with membership dues rumored to be $1,000 a month. Remind you of anything in real life (ahem, The Wing)?

Jillian Beckley is a journalist in desperate need of a job and money after taking time off to take care of her sick mother.

So what is left to do? Infiltrate this secretive club, learn their secrets, and expose them to the world, of course!

I think this book is best experienced knowing less than more, so I’ll leave the description at that, but this page-turner book had my attention from the start. It’s like finally getting to know what the life of really put-together (and highly intimidating) women is like, but still from the perspective of a normal ol’ gal. Plus, there’s a little bit of romance, which was mostly an enjoyable sweetness compared to the insanity of the rest of the book.

I will say that the conclusion felt very quick compared to the build up, and I wish it had a bit more oomph to it, but despite that, I loved this book. I’d recommend it to fans of Little Big Lies, Gilmore Girls, and Mean Girls. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Books for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this novel! Reporter Jillian Beckley needs a big story badly. She decides to work to get a membership in a New York women-only social club. Membership dues are $1,000 a month, and what happens there is supposed to stay there. Outsiders don’t even know where the meetings are held.
Word has it that these women, many of whom are CEOs, were instrumental in the election of the city’s first female mayor, and later in her downfall.
Jillian begins to realize just how powerful some of these women are and that she’s poked a hornet’s nest that contains many secrets.
Loved this different look featuring powerful women rather than the old boys’ club.

Ummm, this story was f***ing WILD. I honestly have no idea how to categorize this book - was it a thriller? paranormal? "women's fiction" (man do I hate that term)?

Let's break this down: There is an uber elite secret society for the select few women of Manhattan. Jillian is a journalist trying to re-start her career and decides to infiltrate said society to expose their secrets. While we learn about these ladies it's unclear if they are the ultimate feminists poised to make major breakthroughs for women everywhere, or just self-righteous rich bitches who enjoy power and prestige. Also, why so much drama around the term witches?

My initial thoughts: This book was so unique and unlike anything I've read before. If I can make any on-screen comparisons I'd say it's a mixture of Gossip Girl, Scandal, and The Craft. I was definitely sucked in from the beginning and read it compulsively in less than 48 hours. Some parts got a little weird for me and I wasn't completely satisfied with understanding the characters' motives, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

This was a fun book, espeically if you were a member of all-female coworking space, "The Wing." The details and parody of The Wing were the best part. I enjoyed the characters, although I thought the end tied together too quickly and cleanly. Overall, I'd defintely recommend this to anyone interested in NYC subcultures, feminism 'brands', or anyone just looking for a fun fiction book.

A SPECIAL PLACE FOR WOMEN - ☆☆☆☆
Thank you @netgalley & @berkley for the e-ARC!

From @goodreads: “It’s a club like no other. Only the most important women receive an invitation. But one daring young reporter is about to infiltrate this female-run secret society, whose beguiling members are caught up in a dark and treacherous business.”

I really enjoyed Laura Hankin’s last novel, HAPPY & YOU KNOW IT, and this one was even better. From the start I was dying to know what went on in this elitist secret society. The tension was immaculate. 😂 Even when things took a *weird* turn, it stayed really fun and not overly silly. Sharp, funny, twisty, spooky, and even a little romantic— it has it all, honestly. Even some really thought-provoking cultural commentary!

Is this one on your radar?! It’s out May 11th!

This book was amazing. The story was engaging and unique and the characters were beautifully flawed. The pace and flow of the plot pulled me forward and made it impossible to put down.