Wow, is this a haunting and disturbing read, in all the best possible ways.

Clare moves to Edinburgh (loved the setting!) in an attempt to shake loose her past and reinvent herself. While taking classes there, she meets Tabitha and her group of friends, and is drawn into their world. When Tabitha proposes a plan she has been developing, Clare realizes she is already in too deep to say no, and what has become codependence is quickly turning dangerous.

I definitely recommend this read.

The Things We Do to Our Friends follows Clare, a lonely, poor-ish college student with a secret checkered past as she finds an “it” group on campus and gets welcomed into their fold. As she becomes closer with the Queen Bee, Tabitha, however, she finds out that the group has big plans and she’s right at the center of them.

The first 50% of this book is a lot of hinting at the big plans and hinting at the past Clare is so desperately trying to keep hidden. Then second half of the book does pick up as the plan gets executed. And the plan itself was quite interesting.

Overall, though, I’m not sure how I feel about this book. For much of it, I couldn’t put it down, but there were times when I considered moving on to something else. There is a lot of character development, which I wasn’t expecting. This is definitely a character-based novel, as the “holy shit” moments didn’t really live up to the hype of the first half of the novel for me. Its almost as if the “holy shit” plot points shouldn’t have been so hyped up. If they hadn’t been, I think I would have appreciated the slow burn of the characters changing and developing more. Ultimately, I think that’s the strong part of this novel-the relationships between all the major players.

I was intrigued by the cover and the title; both are great! Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the writing style, and I couldn't get into this book. Thank you, NetGalley

This novel is a perverse and chilling account of girls who commit crimes and horrendous malicious acts of well planned terror. How could I possibly like it. How could I possibly recommend it. The main protagonist is a psychopath. The book centers on her and her failed family life, her acts of retribution, and her eventual emergence as a murderer. I was appalled as I read her twisted story. The writer is adept and the book is well written. However, one cannot recommend it based on the erudition or technique. In short, this is just too disturbing a topic for me.

Clare has a dark past, and is trying to reinvent herself at university. She is befriended by a wealthy group, and their antics soon turn into something far more sinister. How far is Clare willing to go, and what price will be paid?

First - that cover?! *swoon* Second, this, unfortunately, just didn’t work for me. I wasn’t a huge fan of the pacing or the timeline jumping and NONE of the characters were particularly likable. I really struggled, but when I put it down it was hard to want to pick it back up. Overall, it was just eh for me.

Mysterious, yet beautiful! Both the story and the cover share these characteristics. The Things we do to our friends is a dark academia mystery with unlikeable characters, and toxic relationships. The story started with a dark reveal and slowly tapered off to a predictable ending. The slow pace and seemingly long story line didn’t work for me. If you like slow burn, dark and complex thrillers, this might work for you.

Thank you Bantam for the arc via Netgalley.

Such a well done and amazing, engaging book. I tore through this book faster than any I think I have done recently. The story follows Clare, a young woman attending a university in Edinburgh for an arts degree. Clare meets some very clique-y and interesting individuals, who take her under their wing. But these "friends" are not like most friends are in college. They have secrets, and so does Clare. The story twisted and turned at all the right moments, and the characters were hopeless in only the way that true thriller/dark academia fiction characters can shine. This book brought to mind an updated, more female oriented, version of The Secrety History by Donna Tartt. Dark academia, dark deeds, and engaging writing? This book will be for you.

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A propulsive novel about obsessive friendship and dangerous ambition, The Things We Do to Our Friends was intriguing from the very beginning.
This is Heather Darwent’s debut novel and she is off to an exciting start.

Clare is trying to start over. She meets Tabitha and her friends at school. Tabitha is charming, rich, and intimidating. Their friendship will reveal truths and secrets neither wanted revealed.

Thanks to NetGalley, Bantam Books and Heather Darwent for the opportunity to read and review this book.

#FirstLine ~ FRANCE -Three girls dance in front of him.

Well, I have to admit that I enjoyed this book but it did take me a bit to get into it. But once I did, it was fantastic. I would describe this as more of a slow burn story. I did like how the story unfolded and was engaged in the characters. Not everyone is likeable, but everyone is important to the story. A good book for a book club because a lot of discussion will come from reading it!

This book really just took me for a ride. I loved the build up, the character development, and the writing. I would definitely read more from this author!

What would you do to belong?

This story centers around Clare, who lives with her granny and whose parents have disowned her. Clare goes to Edinburgh, Scotland to attend school and reinvent herself. At one time her family was wealthy but lost everything so Clare finds herself a job working in a bar. Finn is the bar's manager and becomes an on-again, off-again boyfriend.

While working, a group of teens comes in and Clare is immediately taken with one girl, Tabitha, and later Clare accepts an invite to dinner. It is at the dinner, that Clare meets all the members of the clique and it's pretty evident that Tabitha is the leader of the group. Clare refers to the group as The Shiver, a group of sharks.

Little by little Clare is pulled into being a part of the group all the while trying to hide her secret. Clare gets a last-minute invite to go to France with the group and stay at Tabitha's mother's home. It is in France, that Tabitha shares her project, a way for all of them to make money. It is here that one of the group members discloses that Clare's past is known.

The majority of the story is from the perspective of college students, so it had a vibe of YA to me. I didn't like any character, none of them had any redeeming qualities. The group was like a bunch of mean girls, with the exception of one guy. They were all conniving and jumped when told to do something because they felt they were obligated to. The ending was a bit of a surprise since I didn't expect that person in the group to have their own personal vendetta. I think, Imogen and Samuel in the end were the smart ones.

I received an ARC from NetGalley via Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.

The Things We Do To Our Friends by Heather Darwent is a debut novel about a group of college friends in Edinburgh and the dark places their relationship takes them to. It also has elements of suspense and dark academia.

Clare is a young woman estranged from her parents and starting university in Edinburgh alone and with a mysterious past. When she starts a new job as a bartender she catches the eye of a a group of fellow students whose wealth and chaotic energy immediately pull her in. She is especially drawn to Tabitha (their beautiful and wild leader) and Clare finds herself quietly desperate for her approval. When Tabitha proposes a new business opportunity that will feature Clare in a lead role she can’t help but join in but it will force her to interfere with people lives eventually putting her own safety at risk.

The Things We Do For Our Friends is an examination of the effects of childhood trauma, toxic friendships and the danger of being a young female in the world. Though this is not a thriller in the strictest sense there is a slow ramping up of tension when Clare decides to take charge and slowly reveals who she really is. And the reader starts to wonder…who really is the victim? And can you ever start over again or are you destined to repeat the past?

The characters aren’t the most likable and some of the things that happen will give you the serious icks. I enjoyed how the author slowly revealed Clare’s backstory and what her friends were really up to without a lot of cheesy foreshadowing. The descriptions of Edinburgh was also atmospheric and enthralling. The book is nicely paced and I never felt like it was boring or slow even if there wasn’t a ton of action.

Overall, this is a solid book for readers that don’t mind not having someone to root for with characters that are all a little unhinged. Though there is a lot of tension and some suspense it’s not a twisty over the top thriller either but instead acts as a dark examination of toxic friendships and psychopathy.

4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was drawn to this book by the description and the book cover, but the book fell short of my expectations. The characters were all unlikable, dark and toxic. There was not one character that I wanted to empathize with.
The story seemed to drag on and I struggled to finish the book.

Sorry, but this one was not a good read for me.

I was intrigued when I read The Things We Do to Our Friends blurb. It called to me with one sentence: “What is the cost of an extraordinary life if others have to pay?” So, I decided to accept the publisher’s invitation. I am glad that I did because this book was a good read. It was a little fever-dreamish in some spots and frantic in others, but a good read.

The Things We Do to Our Friends is a fast past, almost frantic book that takes place mainly in Edinburgh, Scotland. There are side trips to Hull, England, and a few areas in France (Limoges and Perigueux). Those side trips help give insight into Clare and Tabitha’s backstories.

The storyline for The Things We Do to Our Friends was exciting and terrifying at the same time. Clare is at the University of Edinburgh for reasons only explained later in the book. Something horrible happened in the past, and she is desperate to put it behind her and atone for it. Unable to make friends, Clare sets her sights on a group of rich kids in her art history class: Tiffany, Imogen, Samuel, and Ava. As she integrates herself with the group, Clare is thrilled that she is finally living the life she was meant to (but never forgetting what brought her to Scotland, to begin with). Things start to go sideways when Clare’s past is revealed, and Tiffany decides to capitalize on it. Then, she begins to realize what her friends are capable of doing. Will Clare be able to back out? Or will Tiffany’s plans push her over the edge?

What I liked the most about this book is that the author wrote the characters (all of them) not to be likable. I am not complaining; far from it. It was a refreshing take from the usual characters. Where one is morally grey/evil, the others are squeaky clean. In this book, they were all morally grey/evil, and there was not one character that I would even put into the squeaky-clean category.

Clare—The author did a great job of writing her. She caught my attention from the beginning of the book. While I guessed what happened (there is a prologue in France that explains), I didn’t understand her involvement until almost the book’s end. I think she wanted to change, but she got caught up with Tiffany and company, and they exploited her (well, at the beginning). I also believe she was a product of her environment, and I’ll leave it at that. What she went through with her parents sickened me, and explained so much.
Tiffany—Oh, Tiffany, where do I start with you? She was so damaged that it radiated off the pages. She, too, was a product of her environment; like Clare, it wasn’t in a good way. I also think she was mentally ill towards the end of the book. The author never confirmed it, but it was always in the back of my head while reading.
The Things We Do to Our Friends fits perfectly into the mystery/thriller/suspense genre. The mystery angle was well written, and I was surprised at what was revealed. The same for the thriller and suspense. I could not put this book down!

The plotline with Clare, her secret, and how her friends used it to force her to do what they wanted was well written. As I mentioned above, I guessed what happened because of the prologue. But what was revealed was a shock and the label Clare mentioned. Looking back, there were plenty of hints leading up to it. I thought it was sick and cruel that her friends decided to use Clare’s secret to strongarm her into helping them with their scheme. I also predicted what would happen when things started to go south. But in no way was I prepared for the twist. Again, it made sense once it happened, but it still took me by surprise. It also tied into the secondary storyline with Clare as an adult. Won’t say how but I will say that it made sense to me why adult Clare kept cutting in.

Several minor storylines are absorbed into the main one at several points during the book. They add extra depth to the main storyline mainly because they explain specific events, what led to them, and the consequences.

There are trigger warnings in The Things We Do to Our Friends. They would be mental illness and child abuse. There are more that I want to add, but I can’t because of spoilers. Talk about frustrating!!! If any of these triggers you, I strongly suggest not reading this book.

The end of The Things We Do to Our Friends was anticlimactic. The author was able to wrap everything up in a way that made sense but also frustrated me.

I recommend The Things We Do to Our Friends to anyone over 21. There is nongraphic sex, language, and violence.

I want to thank Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam, and Heather Darwent for allowing me to read and review this book. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

The Things We Do to Our Friends by Heather Darwent is a really good read! This book had me from the first few pages. This book keeps the reader guessing with plot twists and deepening story lines. I never knew how it was going to end which makes it a change from a lot of books where you can guess the ending. This story is dark, uncomfortable, and riveting. I loved it and would definitely recommend.

Dark, twisted and atmospheric, this novel drew me in somewhat against my will. I was expecting more to do with college life in Edinburgh, but the storyline veered so far away from that, I had to repeatedly remind myself these characters were supposed to be in college. None of the characters were likeable, but I still absolutely had to know what was going to happen next.

The Things We Do to Our Friends, the debut novel by Heather Darwent, focuses on Clare, a seemingly nice yet lonely girl who migrates to Edinburgh, Scotland for university. She's new to the area and finding her way when she meets Tabitha and her crew. They're cool, rich, and fond of telling elaborate stories of their exploits, real and imagined. She soon finds out that Tabitha has a dangerous idea that could yield them lots of money but put their lives in peril. It's the type of thing that Clare may have been capable of in the past, but she's trying to travel the straight and narrow path. But her attraction to this group could divert her from that goal if she gets more involved than she already is.

The first thing you notice in this book is the striking cover. It's bound to draw your attention and make you wonder how it works with the plot. It's open to interpretation. It's incredibly weird and disconcerting but kind of goes with the book.

The writing really shines because it's so lyrical. Even when you're reading about something dark and disturbing, which happens here and there, you're drawn into the book. It's enjoyable to read and escorts you throughout it.

I cannot say that I liked any of the characters, though. The main character seems innocuous until you get wind of her past and her present. I couldn't figure her out and felt like the writing hides the deficits of the character, so you're thinking, this girl may be nuts or not but not getting a clear enough picture to care. I didn't feel much empathy for her even in the beginning. I thought, what's so great about this "mean girls" troop? Why not find normal people who aren't trying to figure out ways to hurt others or top each other? But she doesn't click with any of those people, including her roommates who are puzzled by everything she does.

As you go through the story, you learn about this "business idea" that Tabitha has. I still cannot figure out why this girl had this idea. The genesis of it does not really stem from anything that concrete, and I cannot imagine that they wouldn't be caught. It's so unrealistic and destructive. Some of the events are truly horrifying but some of the characters seem nonplussed, including the main character, even when an event turns ugly.

While Clare relates the story to the reader, she mentions her current husband. I kept expecting a hook with this one but nothing ever comes with it. And she's contradictory about how she feels about her husband. I felt that he was so scantily drawn that why bother even mentioning him or creating this character who adds nothing to the story? I think there could have been more to that. And the epilogue was not really important. It could have been eliminated for more of a shocking ending, which I would have preferred. This could have been achieved because there's plenty to shock readers in this book.

First things first...this cover is gorgeous!

The Things We Do to Our Friends is a story of dark twisty academia set in Scotland. I've read a ton of mysteries and thrillers over the past year and this one felt fresh and unique.

Clare is beginning her year at university and is excited at the prospect of change. A new place and a new life. She is desperate to have friends, have fun, and fit in. But at what cost? Is a toxic friendship better than no friends at all?
This book is a slow burn but kept my interest. Not all of the characters were likable but it felt more of like a love to hate. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine-Bantam for granting my wish. 3.5 stars.

The Things We Do to Our Friends starts out as a dark academia novel, but it really isn’t. Instead, the University of Edinburgh serves as the meeting ground for a clique of well-to-do psychopaths and a new girl Clare (the narrator) who desperately wants to join the group. While the clique is shiny on the outside, like an overripe fruit the inside is godawful. Much of the novel is taken up with the story of Tabitha, the apparent head of the clique, whose father has cut her off financially so that she is forced to come up with a number of unsavory schemes to raise money. But what is the story with Clare? Why won’t her parents speak to her anymore? Why would she find this clique so attractive? The characters are all thoroughly dislikable, but the plot is so well-paced and keeps you guessing which makes the book hard to put down.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a courtesy copy of this book.

This book took me awhile to get through. Most of the book I felt as if I was just reading a general fiction book and I wasn't sure of the plot or where the book was even headed. I guess you could say I was bored. However, I felt the tension of something major about to happen, so I read on.

Unfortunately, I don't feel like it ever came to fruition the way I'd hoped. Sure, there was a mystery to be revealed of Clare's past as well as the scandalous work of the present, but nothing felt like a pinnacle or a peak.

I can't say I really loved any of the characters. They were well written, but I just didn't find any of them interest.

Overall, this one didn't meet my expectations.