This was a very difficult read for me. I kept waiting for the real meat of the story to come out. Clare is a university student in Scotland studying Art and some find her "weird" but still she is able to fool people and make friends. We find out early in the book that she has a very dark secret in her past. Unfortunately, wading through this tale frequently left me disgusted and I could not get over all the psychopathic characters in the book. They were all quite "weird", except for Clare's bartender boyfriend Finn.. But, I digress, I feel the author had an interesting plot but the writing just dragged on and on. I kept reading because I felt that maybe there could be some redeeming quality somewhere.. but all that I was handed was likely the worst "epilogue" ever. I am sorry for the scathing review but I wish I had known to expect a slow read before I started this one as the other reviews are extremely praise worthy and I feel this book is very overhyped.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for a chance to read and review. .

I really struggled with this one as I do not really feel it went anywhere. There was so much about the friendships and the incremental interactions between them and never ventured into actually telling moving a plot along and tying in the past and present. It was hard to understand why Clare even cared to be friends with this strange group of people in the first place. I think that the premise was good. It just really lacked execution. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

After reading the prologue, I knew this book would be for me. Reader beware, this book is dark and twisted but boy, is it good. Thank you netgalley & the publisher for the arc, in exchange for an honest review.

Great writer! Very disturbing cast of characters that I couldn't look away from. One event after the next all left me quite shaken but seemingly like everyone else involved the story just snags you in.

Wonderful writing and characterization but a very strange book. It’s like “The Secret History” meets weird, weirder, and creepy feminine rage.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60880813

This is a bit of a departure from the books I primarily read but I am a sucker for a dark academic focused mystery that involve a clique of friends keeping secrets. The story focuses on Clare, who comes to college in Scotland after escaping a secret of her own, and becomes enamored with the gorgeous Tabitha and her group of friends. When Tabitha comes up with an odd “project”, Clare goes along with it in an effort to fit in, but of course things get complicated from there.

The book was written beautifully with language that felt very literary but not hard to understand (if that makes sense). I was engaged in the story even though the author did make me work for it a bit sometimes. As others have said, the characters weren’t really likable, but that was ok because they weren’t meant to be. Clare was the moat unlikable of them all, in my opinion, and I do wish I had gotten a bit more to understand what made her the way she was, even before the incident she escaped. The book flowed well and the ending felt satisfying to me.

Overall, a unique and interesting read that was a nice break from the more commercialized psychological thrillers that I usually pick up. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This novel was unlike anything I've read before- on its surface, a mystery involving a group of college friends, but it was so much more. The characters are delightfully unlikeable, the plot engaging and confusing in a good way (until the end), and the prose lyrical but accessible. Greatly enjoyed this one!

Thanks Netgalley for an early read.

This was so fun, 4.5 for me.

Do you like shows like Killing Eve?
Did you have THAT friend group in college?
Is whimsical dark literary your vibe?
Than this for you.

Our slightly unreliable narrator Clare yearns to be apart of this friend group she sees in her art history classes. Little by little she is lured into the high of their strange closeness. When things get interesting in their planning, Clare’s own history sparks inner conflict.

I love whenever there isn’t always a good guy, maybe just Nana 😂

I received an e-ARC version of this book from NetGalley and the publisher.

The Things We Do to Our Friends
By: Heather Darwent

4.25

Without giving away too much but this story takes place in Edinburgh, Scotland. One of my favorite places in the world. Clare, the main character, went through many ups and downs. From her parents, college, friendships, relationships, and life. She studied Art History which was one of my majors at college ironically.

Meanwhile, she had an "episode" and tried to reinvent her life. Moving on from her past. While moving on, many things happened. Multiple occurrences throughout the novel as Clare transforms into a different person.

The novel in general is dark and has some toxic tones. But well written and descriptive. Dark academia and relatable vibes. Slow at first but it picks up. I would watch this if it becomes an adapted film or show.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC and The Things We Do To Our Friends will be released on January 10, 2023!

I was immediately drawn into this book, trying to understand Clare and how she got to university in Edinburgh. At its core, this book is about a girl who is trying to remake herself and fit in with an impressive (to her) group of friends.

There is an unexpected thriller twist to the book that made me rethink and look back on a few passages. Tabitha's project is a little questionable to me, but it makes the book come full circle.

THE THINGS WE DO TO OUR FRIENDS has all the hallmarks of a classic 'academic' thriller when you first begin: a moody and atmospheric university town, a troubled main character with a secret past needing to reinvent herself, and a group of wealthy, enigmatic, apparently 'cooler' friends who pull her into their orbit and set her on a path of destruction.

But boiling away beneath that foundation was a potent undercurrent of gothic horror, rage, toxicity, and total insanity. As a reader who is rarely surprised by thrillers anymore, I'm pleased to say that I was genuinely surprised by some of the turns this book took, by some of the dark lengths it went to. There were pacing issues, for sure; this was a slow burn to the very core, and the first part felt a bit like pulling teeth, it took so long to get where we needed to be. But if you can hold until the end, the conclusion is all the more satisfying.

Full disclaimer, you shouldn't expect to like any of the characters in this. They're all pretty terrible people. You should expect to be frustrated by their behaviours and actions, even by their relationships with each other. But that's probably the point. They're not good people, but in their awfulness, they reflect us: the simmering resentments, the desire for justice and revenge against people who've wronged us, the need to belong to something at any and all costs. The very worst things about ourselves that we'd be ashamed to admit we feel.

In “The Things We Do to Our Friends,” the narrator, Clare, is looking back on her past as a university student in Edinburgh, where she hints that something horrendous took place. When she first moves to Edinburgh, she is trying to reinvent herself, hoping to befriend the right people. While working part time in a bar, she meets Tabitha and Imogen, fellow students at the university. Clare is immediately taken with Tabitha who has an incandescent, domineering personality. Eventually, Tabitha lets Clare into her circle, which in addition to Imogen, includes Ava and Sam. Most of the group have known each other for years and Imogen, Ava, and Tabitha share an expensive flat together in an exclusive section of town.

Clare’s casual boyfriend, Finn, who manages the bar where she works, warns her that her new group is odd, but Clare ignores his warning as she is soon swept up into the group’s dynamic. In fact, Clare herself seems somewhat “off” and the reader gets the sense early on that she is an unreliable narrator.

Although the writing was lyrical, almost poetic in its beauty and the characters with all their flaws were well-drawn, after the first third of the book I became bored with the storyline and was eager to be done with it. Several issues contributed to this disinterest. First, none of the characters were appealing, so the reader didn’t feel invested in their fate. Second, the big scheme hinted at throughout the book was banal, more businesslike than psychological thriller material. Moreover, the description of the unfolding of the scheme and its execution was boring and monotonous. And even though the ending had some shocking revelations, even that felt drawn out.

From other reviews of the book, I appear to be in the minority so my issues with the book may just reflect my personal preferences. As mentioned earlier, the writing is superb and the characterizations are well crafted. Since this is a debut novel, I would be interested in seeing what this author does in the future as she clearly has potential.

Edinburgh is a moody type of city. A lot of fog and atmosphere, history, and perfect for someone trying not to be noticed.

Clare arrives alone. She has secrets. Dark ones. She is sharing a flat with two girls she doesn’t speak to and keeping herself to herself.

There is a group of girls she is watching. They are a tight circle it seems. And the leader is clearly Tabitha. Tabitha is gorgeous and obviously rich. People are just drawn to her. And she is a psycho! But being befriended by this group is what Clare wants. Until she doesn’t.

When Tabitha reveals a project they have been working on Clare is certain Tabitha knows about her past. And then things get weird.

This one went so slowly that I thought I was almost finished but was only a quarter of the way in. It left me with a lot of questions. Would someone just blithely go along with something so immoral? Why? The price for being accepted may be too high.

NetGalley/: January 10th, 2023 by Bantam

Claire is in her first year at University. She is different than most of her classmates and eventually joins a group with four others, all of whom are wealthy. They are also seriously disturbed. They set up a “business” in which they “take care” of men who have mistreated their wives. The novel is very well written and can be disturbing at times, but it is not one easy to put down. Thanks to Net Galley and Bantam Books for an ARC for an honest review.

You can definitely judge a book by its cover (What a Beautiful Cover!) with this one because I couldn't put it down. The twists and turns of this psychological thriller all the way to the end stunned my with its brilliance, and the writing is superb. Ms. Darwent has created a best-seller and reminded my of Donna Tartt's great novel, "The Secret History." I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone! Read it and find out for yourself how great this is!

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine, Bantam and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

A bit of a slow read yet enjoyable. Perfect for long, lingering days, one you can put down when you put down when you have other tasks. The dream is to spend all your time reading, unfortunately life does call to us.
I digress.
A dark, twisted, story fans of the genre should enjoy a slow burn.

Dark, intense, complex, absolutely surprising, deliciously twisty debut!
And take a look at this breathtaking, fantastic cover which deserves extra five stars!

The is the story of a young woman who desires to recreate herself for living a peaceful life.
She was an outsider, changing her identity to become someone for adapting in a new life style: her new name is Clare!

She left to Paris to Edinburg/ Scotland, working on her accent, finding a cocktail mixer job at the bar, befriending the owner, taking her lectures at school, laying low, hating her roommates, building a new life.
Everything seems quite uneventful at first! Till she meets with enigmatic Tabitha and being allured by her friend circle.

Here’s the other members of the group: Ava: originally Russian with complicated past, Imogen; protective of Tabitha, a little suspicious about Clare and her joining to their friend circle and flirting, adrenaline junkie, mysterious Samuel!

Only thing Clare wanted was having real friends and starting fresh for more hopeful future. But her new friends came with a heavy cost! Tabitha has a unique project for her to sharpen her past skills!

Clare realizes she’s trapped because her new friends might know more about her real identity and they are adamant to use it for their benefits!
She has to accept their offer and work with them in expanse losing everything she’s worked for!

Overall: the book’s first chapter in Paris is absolutely dark, intriguing and disturbing start!
First third was so slow burn and I had hard time to get into the story! The eccentric friend circle members are dislikable and Clare was truly struggling. You may sense something is really wrong with her.

Thankfully when we realize what the project was about thing get more heated. Pace picked up and story turned into another dark and disturbing road.

Epilogue revealed everything as beginning and the end collided perfectly!
It was a fresh, unique, unconventional debut! I mostly enjoyed!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

I thought the idea of this book was much better than the execution. The biggest issue for me was the pacing. This book was plodding and slow. It was hard to stay in the rhythm of reading it and after a while, it was to a point where I stopped caring about what was happening. The characters were all pretty icky people, but the lack of momentum and forward movement killed this book for me. It honestly just felt stagnant and wasn't fun to read.

Clare is in her first year of college in Scotland and is studying art history when she stumbles upon a trio young women in her lectures. You know the type - the ones in the last row of the lecture hall, sprawled out, giggling amongst themselves with their private jokes. Clare wants to be apart of that group. She’s lonely and her flat mates are quite dull. She has a part time job tending bar and an low-key romance with her fellow bartender, Finn. But none of this intrigues her.

And then one day she’s invited into the fold. Tabitha, Ava, Imogen and Samuel mold Clare into a part of their circle seamlessly. And then they move her into their business ventures that turn out to be quite thrilling at first, but also bring out memories of her past.

Soon Clare is spiraling and doesn’t know if her friends are loyal or are working against her and using her childhood history to do it.

This novel was intriguing and the characters were all quite interesting, though I felt the development was delayed (though purposely) until the end. The ending was abrupt and I don’t think the lead up we were given didn’t fit well with the rest of the novel. Otherwise, I found the plot kept my interest and was quite original.

The intermingle of friendships at the beginning was slow to develop, and the over descriptions of their surroundings did not help push the storyline. The over descriptions of everything started to annoy me as it seems the author is trying to paint a picture, but it doesn't help the story or the characters. When the plan evolved was when the storyline picked up and got interesting. However, the author does not elaborate on that any further but chooses friendship development as the main course of the story. I find that was where I lost interest, as it didn't go any further. The story was very predictable at the end and overall. The pace started slow and ended the same way. The only character I thought was of any interest was Ava. She was mysterious and unpredictable. Yet, she's in the background.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam and NetGalley for letting me read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.