Thank you for this advanced copy from NetGalley and the publishers. I read this at the perfect time. It's being published at the perfect time. I read the audiobook from my library. I loved it. This story was a complete roller coaster. Every time I thought I knew what was going on, the author said 'sike!' and things went the opposite way. I think the atmosphere and vibes of this story were perfection. It was spooky and creepy with hints of magic and wondering what was actually going on. The story was perfectly suspenseful. It definitely was a little dark and more gruesome than I thought it was going to be and there's a graphic description of an animal death that I didn't love. I definitely will recommend this for the spooky season.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 4 stars
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC of this book via TBR and Beyond Tours in exchange for an honest review!

The Society of Soulless Girls takes place at Carvell Academy, a prestigious school that reopened after four students were found death ten year prior. Lottie and Alice, who are roommates, are swept in when another death happens a few weeks after the reopening.

“The real reason they encourage little girls not to fight. So that we won’t know how.”

Trigger warnings; blood, gore, death, murder, graphic animal death, misogyny, sexual assault, mental illness, injury detail

I read the synopsis for this book and immediately wanted to read it! It gave me all the gothic, creepy vibes perfect for autumn and the spooky season! I do have to say that the book can definitely be triggering to some and no trigger warnings were given at the start, so I would advise looking those up.

The first thing I noticed were the very short chapters! Both Lottie and Alice had their POV’s and a very distinguishable voice. With both of their chapters quite short it was very easy to say to myself “oh, just one more chapter” and promptly read more than one hahaha.

I really liked the atmosphere created! It truly felt haunting and creepy at a lot of times. Some horror elements were also introduced and I loved the supernatural touch to the story. It fitted really well with the narrative, but still was told in a very believable way. As if it truly could’ve happened like that, which I really like! I did feel like some parts of the story could’ve been better explained in the end though.

While I felt that the characters had a distinguishable voice, they were very similar. Especially the philosophical talks in their thoughts were similar and a bit too much for me. The double POV does really help to get to know both characters intimately and not just through the view of one character. It made me sympathize with them more, whereas I don’t think I would’ve liked them as much if there was only one POV.

The romance was definitely very much a SLOW BURN. I had expected a bit more of the romance and development. I also don’t really feel like they were enemies in the beginning, just more two girl who didn’t know each other yet.

I did very much like the view on feminism in this book. It was an interesting take that could’ve been explored a bit more in my opinion.

I liked the ending and how it resolved in the end, albeit it feeling a bit rushed. It felt like that was all stuffed in one chapter, which were already short by themselves. I think a bit more explanation would’ve been better.

Overall, The Society for Soulless Girls is a haunting book that tackles the topic of feminism, anger and what it means to be a woman. A perfect mystery for the spooky season!



<spoiler> Like, I still don’t understand why or how the rubies appeared on Lottie’s throat. </spoiler>

I was absolutely obsessed!! Society for Soulless Girls had me sitting at the edge of my seat the entire time I read it. I'm a sucker for Catholic undertones in a dark academia situation and this book was perfect for me! Laura Steven's books are the perfect choice for me since there is nothing I love more than a sapphic dark academia retelling of an old novel.



***A review of this book will be up on my Instagram @readswithmila n the coming weeks

Thank you to NetGalley, Delacorte Press, and Laura Steven for this arc for free in exchange for an honest review.

I have never read a retelling of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The author did a good job of setting the scene for it though. The pacing was a bit off because some chapters seemed like it was building up to an amazing event but when it actually came it didn’t feel as good as the buildup. However, I liked how she gave a backstory of the school and dove right in to the main characters flaws. Overall the book was good, it did take me a little to start reading it and actually get into it. I do recommend if you like quick, dark academia books with some teen drama.

Happy Wednesday y’all! I’m starting to get my first fall cold of the season, and it’s for sure the worst- I love the fall and the winter, but being sick is my least favorite part of these two seasons. One of the only good things about being sick is extra time to read though! Speaking of reading, today’s my stop on the TBR and Beyond Tours tour for The Society for Soulless Girls. The summary of this book intrigued me, so I was super excited to read it!

The Society for Soulless Girls 4/5 Stars

Summary from Goodreads:

A sapphic enemies-to-lovers retelling of Jekyll & Hyde, this dark academia thriller follows two roommates who must solve an infamous cold case of serial murders on their campus after an arcane ritual gone wrong prompts another death.

Ten years ago, four students lost their lives in the infamous North Tower murders at the elite Carvell College of Arts, forcing Carvell to close its doors.
Now Carvell is reopening, and fearless freshman Lottie is determined to find out what really happened. But when her beautiful but standoffish roommate, Alice, stumbles upon a sinister soul-splitting ritual hidden in Carvell’s haunted library, the North Tower claims another victim.
Can Lottie uncover the truth before the North Tower strikes again? Can Alice reverse the ritual before her monstrous alter ego consumes her? And will they give in to the ill-fated attraction that’s growing between them?

Exploring possession and ambition, lust and bloodlust, femininity and violence, The Society of Soulless Girls is perfect for fans of The Secret History, A Lesson in Vengeance, and The Grimrose Girls.
Content Warning: sexual harassment, on page animal death, suicide, self-harm, violence, murder, physical abuse

The Society for Soulless Girls was such a fall book. It was super atmospheric and I could completely picture it happening while the leaves turned and the wind had a chill to it. I really enjoyed the college campus and the magic about. Alice and Lottie were such interesting characters and I really liked how every single professor seemed like they had something to hide. The murders were interesting and I wasn’t sure who had done them until Lottie and Alice had also discovered who had done them. The ritual was interesting and the possession was also an interesting concept- I’m still unsure how the person who wrote the book with the ritual was able to figure out that ritual when the first time it was done was hundreds of years ago (or whenever the sister was alive). Overall, I really enjoyed The Society for Soulless Girls and I recommend picking it up today! Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Not sure if it’s just me but I got some My Best Friend’s Exorcism vibes while reading The Society for Soulless Girls (at least during the first half). Around halfway I started to lose interest. Mostly I was wondering how the book got its title. Thankfully that does get answered but it takes most the book to get a solid understanding.

At its core I do like that this group of women take charge because they realize that many women are being forced to act a certain way in order to prove their anger is an act of the devil. The very end was unexpected but yet a really good way to resolve how terribly the society was treated and forced to endure.

I love the chance to be able to read all sorts of new stories out there and given the fact that I have recently gotten into the horror/thriller genre and reading more of these stories in this particular genre, I am glad I got my hands to read rhis one.


This one sets out to give similar vibes to Alex Brown's Damned if you do and Chelsea Ichaso's They're watching you in which both have queer main characters, involves lesbians falling in love while solving mysteries, murders and battling with supernatural vibes that made me feel right at home with this one. I liked the story even if it did take me a while to get into it and so, while it also took some time to warm myself up to the characters, I definitely liked the humor and the twists and turns that had me trying to figure out what would happen next. It was a pretty good read overall even if it also took a bit more effort to get into this one.


Overall: 3.5/5 stars

A sapphic romance with teeth!

Dark and mesmerizing, this story of female anger and empowerment will have you laughing, crying and railing against the oppressor. I can’t get over how powerful it is and how beautifully it is told.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

I have never read a retelling of Jekyll and Hyde so I was beyond excited to begin with this one. This sapphic, dark academia, enemies to lovers story was atmospheric, mysterious, and delved on the misogynist idea that powerful and scorned women are monsters that need to be dealt with! I loved the badass characters that fought against this abhorrent belief and flipped this idea on its head. I listened to the audio as I read along in my book and I enjoyed the two narrators.

I recommend this YA thriller to all those who identify with the author’s dedication: “For The Girls Who Were Born Angry”.

Laura Steven's is officially an auto-buy for me. So glad more of her work is being published in the US. I loved this twisty, weird, dark academia gem.

This is a riveting page-turner that seamlessly blends elements of mystery, horror, and the supernatural to create an electrifying reading experience. The vivid and atmospheric descriptions help to bring the story to life, making it feel all the more haunting and immersive. The conclusion is both satisfying and unexpected, tying up loose ends while leaving room for a sense of mystery to linger. Overall this is a captivating and haunting tale that will appeal to fans of psychological thrillers, supernatural mysteries, and dark academia.

The Society for Soulless Girls by Laura Steven is a unique sapphic enemies-to-lovers retelling of Jekyll & Hyde.
An interesting dark academia thriller that follows two roommates who must solve an infamous cold case of serial murders on their campus after an arcane ritual gone wrong prompts another death.
This slow burn mystery had me so intrigued and flipping my ebook pages throughout the entire night.
This book was very well written. I was able to read fairly fast and it kept me entertained.
The characters were well developed, the writing is engaging, and the story is still entertaining.

“Exploring possession and ambition, lust and bloodlust, femininity and violence, The Society for Soulless Girls is perfect for fans of The Secret History, A Lesson in Vengeance, and The Grimrose Girls.”

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Delacorte Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Lottie Fitzwilliam Is packing to go to Carvell Academy of the Arts.. Her parents have been trying to talk her out of going to Carvell but she insists on going there. When she arrives at Carvell, she and her father find her room, her roommate is already there. When Lottie says a bright and cheery hello, her roommate answers her with a “smart” unfriendly reply. Lottie’s dad tries to smooth the little conversation so it will be friendly. It doesn’t work. Her name is Alice Wolfe and unknown to Lottie she is an “angry” person. Alice doesn’t have the ability to control her anger until one day in the library, she picks up a book about how to stop being so angry all the time. There is a ritual in it. Alice doesn’t take it seriously. Will she change her mind? Lottie doesn’t understand Alice’s anger. When Alice got so angry, she gets scared and goes back to the library to find the book to do what it says to do to stop the angry war inside herself. To her amazement it works, she seems to be more than she was before. Her anger is gone. Lottie has been getting up at night and going to North Tower where there were four unsolved mysterious deaths ten years ago which closed down Carvell. The deaths were never solved. One of them was a girl from the town where Lottie lived. Lottie never forgot the horror the parents went through when they found out that their daughter was dead. Lottie was going to Carvell to solve the deaths of the four that dies. One night she has torn her fingernails plus off plus more trying to get inside the North Tower. She doesn’t know why she did that. Lottie is having strange dreams that don’t help her understand what caused the deaths. Lottie and Alice do be come friends. Will their friendship last? Will Lottie discover why the four deaths occurred? Will Alice continue to being nice?

There is so much more to this novel than what I have told you. Carvell Academy of the Arts is a very unusual institution. It has its secrets plus more. It repeats. itself, as there’s another death at the North Tower. The unsolved murders appear connected to a much larger, more sinister plot. The roommates’ complex relationship is as compelling as the mystery; they are opposites who are drawn together. The novel touches on deeper societal issues such as patriarchy, paternalism, and the unacceptability of women’s expressions of anger. I enjoyed the twists and turns that occurred in the novel.

Now that I have finished this book, I am torn on how I feel about it. I wonder perhaps a younger reader would have gotten more out of it than I did.

Laura Steven did a great job of setting the scene for this modern retelling of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I loved the mysterious backstory of the school and the introduction to the main characters and their flaws right from the start. However, after a few chapters the pacing felt off and each new chapter was alluding to a future event that the buildup was greater than the reward.

Overall, this ended up just being okay for me. If you are looking for a quick, dark academia read with teen drama and some spooky references, try this one out.

Carvell College of Arts was forced to close its doors ten years ago when four students died at the North Tower on campus. A decade later, Carvell is reopening, and Lottie, whose friend died on campus, is determined to get to the bottom of the story. However, her roommate, Alice, ends up performing a soul-splitting ritual and the North Tower ends up claiming another victim.

Will Lottie be able to figure out the truth before another victim turns up? What will happen to Alice now that she has performed this ancient ritual?

Once I started this book, I literally did not want to put it down. I really enjoyed the banter and flirting between Alice and Lottie and found myself giggling or smiling while reading. There were a lot of twists and turns and I was loving the ride the entire time. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you, Laura Steven and NetGalley for the free eARC!

4.5 stars.

I waited a bit too long to finish this book, so it lost a little of its sparkle, but I still loved it. Lottie 🫶🫶
It reminds me of a book I also loved aka My Dearest Darkest. I will never turn down reading a sapphic spooky school fic. Give them all to me.

I’ve been wanting to read this book since before it was published (not the us publishing date lol- like a yearish). I searched for it in bookstores and everything just to find it wasn’t in the US yet. Sad.

I’m glad I got the opportunity to get this arc from netgalley. I can’t wait for Laura’s next book as well.

Who wouldn’t like immortal cats and fatal secrets. The dual pov was a perfect choice, and Lottie is bbg😪😪

Also note: the moths as markers for time changes *chefs kiss*

For anyone who comes running when they hear the words "dark academia", make sure to add The Society for Soulless Girls to your TBR. This book is pitched as a sapphic retelling of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which was something I didn't even know I needed until I read this book. Lottie & Alice are unlikely roommates at the prestigious Carvell College of the Arts, which has just reopened after being closed for ten years due to a serious of mysterious deaths on campus. Lottie in particular is determined to unravel the secrets of these cold cases, but unsurprisingly, the faculty at the school are reluctant to even discuss the tragedies of the past. Alice wants nothing to do with this at first, but finds herself immersed in the mystery whether she likes it or not.

Alice and Lottie are fascinating characters with a lot of depth and growth throughout the story. I think they are the shining part of the book, as you can't help but want to find out what will happen to them next. It is also an incredibly atmospheric read, and that really adds to the sinister and foreboding vibes of the school setting. I think the pacing of the book could have used some work, as at times it felt dragging and other times felt it too quickly skipped over important themes or questions.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to seeing what the author will do next!

Thank you to the author, Random House Children's, and NetGalley for providing a copy of this title in exchange for my review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this!

I enjoyed this book, it’s a romance mixed with thriller set in the 90s! It was published under the guise of dark academia and I was sold. I really enjoy the grumpy/sunshine trope and this fit very well. This was a quick easy read and I think it fits as we go into fall/halloween time frame :)

Outstanding! A fresh concept paired with a classic genre (dark academia) done spectacularly well. Lottie and Alice are as different as it is possible to be yet they are set to be roommates at the beautiful yet haunting Carvell College for the Arts. A decade before, 4 students mysteriously died and as Lottie and Alice settle into life on campus, it seems that history might be repeating itself. As the girls are drawn more and more to the dark history of the college, and to each other, they must discover the secrets hiding in the North Tower before it is too late.

Atmospheric and stunning, this is a must read YA novel!

Atmospherically perfect for a fall read

Told in the dual points of view of Lottie, a cheerfully enthusiastic hockey-playing sleepwalker, who can't resist the lure of the North Tower, and Alice, a grumpy, rage filled philosophy quoting goth, whose anger might possibly have led to the murder of another student, The Society for Soulless Girls explores female emotions and how they are perceived by society,

Ten years ago four students died at the exclusive Carvell Academy for the Arts. The event was one that permeated Lottie's life and left her with more questions than answers. When Carvell reopens, Lottie is determined to attend and solve the mystery of the North Tower. When she is roomed with the perpetually grumpy and negative Alice, Lottie meets, perhaps for the first time in her life, someone who doesn't like her and that she can't win over. After a disastrous first day together, the girls tacitly agree to ignore one another and go their separate ways. It becomes difficult to do when Lottie comes home in the middle of the night with bleeding hands and covered in dirt; harder still when the spell casting Alice flies into murderous rages and brandishes a penknife. This is obviously the perfect setting for a budding romance between the two. When the death of a fellow student the points to Alice, the two join forces with a classmate to discover the mystery of the North Tower and uncover secrets long buried.

With themes of dark academia, secret societies, sapphic relationships, enemies to friends to lovers, grumpy vs. sunshine, and redemption, the story is sure to appeal to its young adult target audience. I enjoyed that the main characters are university students, rather than high school, which is what the initial description left me expecting. The age of the characters, 18/19, perfectly lends itself to the explorations of human emotions and behaviors that one goes through at that age. The retold Jekyll and Hyde isn't a book of magic wands and wizards. The darkness of the story is generated by the human actions of suicide, murder, misogyny and rage. It is balanced by the human actions that come from drunken nights at uni, the explorations of first/unrequited love, feelings that one doesn't know how to handle, and the act of slogging through typical university assignments, . The use of class titles, topics, and teachers to underscore the themes is brilliantly used, as is the age old lesson that intellectual curiosity can very well kill the cat.

Although there are moments in the story, while switching from points of view, that feel underdeveloped or altogether missing, the author does an excellent job of balancing Lottie's supernatural mystery with that of Alice (and new friend Hafsah), and intertwining them so that we understand that what appear initially to be two seperate mysteries are really part and parcel of the same story. The romance between Lottie and Alice is a slow burn. Very slow. So slow, in fact, that one might wonder why it is there at all except to further the theme of feminism and all things female related. (Although, I suppose as these things go, they've already brought their u-hauls and have the next four years to get to know one another. :) )

While the story might be read and understood by some highly intellectual/worldly 12-15 year olds, I think the target market really works better for age 16 and up.