i was excited for this book because i love schemes and misadventures and i hate capitalism, but i don't think i got what i expected. i didn't like any of the characters - in all honesty none of the so-called "villains" who are shunned by the end do anything worse than the main characters we're supposed to support and root for and like - and in some cases i think they actually are better. i didn't think the character development or consequences fully played out by the end, and i was left feeling this book didn't live up to its full potential.

This book is interesting. I knew nothing of Singapore and we get to find out what Singapore high society looks like. It kind of reminds me of the novels of the 1980's featuring lavish lifestyles with people with too much money.

This book shows what happens when you will do anything to get into the "in" crowd. Samantha is ready to be part of this society but its not what she thought it would be and all the hoops she has to go through, dragging her own mother through it all, is ultimately not worth it.

This, to me, is the best part of this book. Kicking and clawing towards your goal, regardless of what you have to do - made it all worth the read.

There are a lot of things going on here and not all of it works, but the story is propelled by exciting stories and good writing.

It did feel a little long towards the end, but overall, this is a compelling debut - reality -vs- fraud. Your version of reality may just be my idea of cheating and pretending - basically of fraud.

DNF. The premise sounded so promising, but the way in which Sam convinces Anya and Tim to make her a socialite (with absolutely no upside for them that I could see) just destroyed the world that we were being brought into. And if you can't believe the world...

eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.

I had the pleasure of reading the first several chapters of this book before it was published and have been excited to read the entire novel ever since. I was not disappointed. What a page turner! Crazy Rich Asians meets Working Girl. I loved reading about all the glitz and glamour of Singapore society through the eyes of Samantha Song, a working-class young woman who, with the help of two society friends, makes her way into high society for a chance to write for her favorite magazine. I thought the rise and collapse of Sam's relationships during this transition were so well done and the romance, while subtle and not the main focus of the book, was immensely satisfying. I can't wait to read what's next from Kyla Zhao and she's a real talent!

I was interested in reading this book because of the comments of it being reminiscent of The Devil Wears Prada. Unfortunately, this wasn’t anywhere near as good. I just couldn’t get into it.

Thank you @PRHAudio for my complimentary audiobook. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC.

The Fraud Squad is a fun mashup of Trading Places, Pretty Woman and Crazy Rich Asians. Fast paced with no real downtime, it is easy to binge this one in a weekend. I would label this a guilty pleasure read. It was a fun peak into high society. Some place to visit but not somewhere I would like to live.

Samantha, Anya and Tim make a great team. I love how they all worked together toward the goal of introducing Sam to High Society. But are they all really on the same team ?

Just when everything is falling into place, the bottom falls out. Will Sam be able to pick herself up and save face ?

If you are a fan of the above movies then you will enjoy this book !

This book was gossip girl for Singapore, but almost too simplistic writing to the point it was cheesy. I’ll totally show up for the movie, but pass on finishing this book.

Much thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary audio copy of this debut from Kyla Zhao and NetGalley for an early digital copy. I really wanted to love this cross between Crazy Rich Asians and The devil wears Prada but I had a hard time really connecting with the main character and the romance didn't have the emotional depth I would have liked. It was also a tad longer than I thought it needed to be. Definitely worth checking out though if you enjoy Kpop/Kdrama style stories!

If you're looking for a fun, quick read into the world of society and fashion, there's a lot of that in this debut novel. There are some plot holes and the author has a habit of including an action tag with every line of dialogue, and often the same action. I don't know how many times I've read a character "rolled their eyes" or had a "twinge of guilt" or that their "breath hitched". Also, not clear as to why the protagonist's friend Anya would help her in her fraud.

The Fraud Squad is a fantastic debut the explores Singapore’s high society and what it takes to be a socialite. It follows Samantha Song, a working class journalist, who teams up with her two wealthy friends, Anya and Timothy. Together, they create a false identity that will allow Samantha to make a name for herself in the industry. However, the more absorbed she gets by the glitz and glamor, the more she gets lost in it.

Overall, this was a fast-paced and captivating book that was truly a mix of Crazy Rich Asians, Gossip Girl and a Devil Wears Prada. Zhao vivid descriptions transported me right to the streets of Singapore, and I loved learning about the fashion and lifestyle trends, the media industry, local/traditional foods, and the social classes. While there is romance in the story, it certainly not the focal point, so I would know that going in. What made this story special was all the other relationships explored, particularly the relationship between her and her mom and her and her friends. While I primarily read this book, I listened to a few chapters on audio and was truly impressed by Siho Ellsmore and how well she depicted each character.

Read if you like:
-Singapore setting
-Fashion/media
-Character growth
-Devil Wears Prada/ Crazy Rich Asians

Thank you Berkley, PRH Audio, and Lets Talk Books. Pub Date 1/17/22

The Fraud Squad by Kyla Zhao reminds me of becoming Anna if you love to learn about the world of the elite and how some are able to be apart of that world with the money or fame. You will love this book. It well written and has a lot of turns to keep you turning the pages to find out what happens next!

Fraud Squad has all the Gossip Girl/Crazy Rich Asian vibes and I loved it! Samantha Song has always dreamed of being a socialite, and when her socialite friend Anya asks her to dinner with her friend Timothy, the disillusioned heir of an elite family, they come up with a plan: make Samantha the new It girl. The more absorbed she gets into the glitz and glamor though, the more she gets lost in it. I blitzed through this book. I loved the drama and depiction of society painted in this Singapore high society in contrast to Samantha’s more “normal” life. There’s some predictability in the story, but that didn’t take away from the story at all. The characters and writing were vibrant and interesting, and I loved Samantha’s journey. There is so much individuality in this book and the characters and relationships are so good and well developed. I highly recommend Fraud Squad.

I really really really wanted to LOVE this book. It was fun and I really liked the plot, but it's hard to read a book on this topic and not compare it to Crazy Rich Asians. I just wanted more description, more opulence, and a few more personalities. We were just starting to scratch the surface of this world by the time the book ended!

*3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Pub for giving me an eARC of this book!

Kyla Zhao has spun a fascinating debut story of uncovered secrets behind the glamorous socialite life and a young-woman's plan to achieve the career of her dreams, plus representation of the struggles working class immigrants experience, all in one.

I, for one, am always down for a good career-driven, girl boss success story and this one definitely hit that mark. Especially given the heartfelt portrayals of Sam and her immigrant mother's struggles, I found myself eager to follow along with her journey to write at a famous fashion magazine and finally see her reach her dreams.

I do wish we got to see more of the cultural aspect of Singaporean life, besides just the delicious food, as I was looking forward to that element of the book and didn't see as much of it integrated as I'd expected. I also felt the character relationships were a bit lukewarm, especially with Sam and Tim. I so badly wanted to feel more for them, but I just never fell in love with their romance. Similar with the plot points, they were often obvious and the stakes were usually low.

This is a more personal thing, but I have trouble getting fully integrated with books when the main character "is the problem but doesn't realize it". While I fully support Sam's plan, it really pained me to see her prioritize it over the people who cared about her (like Raina! I love Raina). All I could think about was how it may blow up in her face by the end. She just wasn't my favorite main character to follow along with, but I liked her storyline nonetheless.

As for the ending, I really loved the way the author wrapped everything up and the final "drama" points were super entertaining to read through. The last third of the book was definitely my favorite. Overall, this was a fast-paced read that will immerse you in the alluring world of high society.

The cover and synopsis of this book are so stunningly interesting, I'm disappointed I didn't like this book as much as I thought I would. I usually love reading about scams and glamorous lives but something about this one lacked the depth to make me invested in their schemes. Sam seemed really intriguing and I wish the story took time to explore her backstory and motives before moving forward. And all of this lead to an unsatisfying ending that didn't go with the flow. It's an entertaining read, I'll give you that and would absolutely win me over if it was more thoughtfully written.

I grew up in Singapore and have been lusting over this book forever, so it pains me that it didn't quite live up to my anticipation or expectations. My biggest issue is that it lacks the cultural representation I'd been so looking forward to. The Fraud Squad could have been set in anywhere else and it wouldn't have made a difference.

The good:

I was totally onboard with the plot of a woman fighting the system and doing what it takes to survive, because who doesn't love a good girlboss story? The author did a great job in exploring elitism, classism and the cut-throat world of high society through the eyes of a spunky protagonist worth rooting for. I also enjoyed all glitz and glamour as well as the name-dropping of luxury brands and fashion labels, they were super fun to read!

The blah:

The story is disappointingly basic and predictable, especially with how low stakes everything seemed. I also felt lukewarm about the romance and relationships, except for that one scene with Sam and her mother. Neither was the writing the best. The dialogue in particularly felt extremely stilted and unnatural, like the author was struggling to retain the Singlish + authenticity of how people in Singapore speak while making the book readable and palatable for an international audience.

Overall:

It took me a week to finish this book because I paused at 30% and didn't feel compelled to continue. The last 1/3 was fortunately a vast improvement. I liked how everything unfolded and ended. The kopi scene between Sam and Tim was the one thing that I finally felt was accurate representation of Singapore culture, but it was too little and too late.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad novel. My opinion is definitely skewed by my personal experiences and how much differently I imagined this book would be. It was an interesting debut nonetheless and I look forward to Kyla's future works.

I really loved the concept of the book but not the actual follow through of it. I disliked every character, and over the course of the book I started hating them more and more. The MC was just horrible to everyone, and I couldn't understand her motivations or her 'friends' as they kept changing. Even the parents of every single character was horrible! I disliked the relationships between the friends, the families, the work colleagues....just didn't love this one.

I really wanted to like this, but I was not a fan of the writing style at all. Could not get past the first chapter

This book definitely had all the Crazy Rich Asians and The Devil Wears Prada vibes. Loved reading about Singaporean society. The story was well written. Can't wait to read more from this author.

This book delivered perfectly on its synopsis and description as a propulsive debut. Set in the socialite/media/PR/fashion world in Singapore, it was everything I hoped it would be: expertly paced, cinematic (I can see the series or movie this would be!) filled with shiny events and brands, deliciously aspirational yet still grounded with a deeper message about what defines who we are and what we ultimately should value. A fast, easy and satisfying read!