The story and characters were phenomenal. It's a great addition to the dark academia genre. It will have you cheering for the swift downfall of the patriarchy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children"s Publishing Group for an advanced ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Where Sleeping Girls Lie began strongly with elements that I love in a story:

dark academia
a disappearance
secrets
a main character with a tortured past
a boarding school
quirky friends (Elizabeth and Baz)

However, it quickly got mired down by flat, one-dimensional characters, a plot that went a direction I wasn't expecting, nor did I enjoy. The social commentary was a bit too much, the way that the boarding school responded to tragic events, and the consequences for students was unrealistic and not believable. In the end, what I felt was compelling about the story got lost in the meanderings of uninteresting characters. Unforutnately, this book was not for me.

I think younger audiences who enjoy social commentary and can handle darker, more mature themes would enjoy this story, but please be aware of content warnings.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. The atmosphere was perfectly set. I was completely blown away by the ending but thinking back on the story, i can see the little nuggets that the author laid out here and there. The characters were all very well thought out, and intriguing. The author really did a great job of pulling you in and making you feel everything that Sade was feeling. I loved how the story wrapped up and was happy that the author was able to bring everything to light and answer all the questions that the story posed in its early stages.

I can’t recommend this book enough! Faridah is an incredible writer, and to follow up ACE OF SPADES was a challenge where she truly role to the occasion and put out another masterpiece. WHERE SLEEPING GIRLS LIE is a must read YA thriller with allll the dark academia vibes.

I enjoyed this book. The forward propulsion of the plot felt a little slow, but the importance of the story and the perspective it shares is so well done. The characters are flawed and complicated and very real and relatable.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for an early e-version of this novel. Opinions are my own!

I love Faridah's style of writing and the overarching message she leaves at the end of each of her books on social injustices. This one is for the girls forgotten, ignored, and not letting 'boys be boys' get away with their gross actions.
There were so many things happening in the plot that it was hard to keep up with at first, especially the many characters. Thankfully, Faridah had a character art set on her IG that helped a bunch.
Baz is me, and I am Baz. He was the highlight of my reading, and I would be honored to be that kind of friend to someone else.
I loved both Ace of Spades and this, but the ghost haunting was a bit confusing. In the first quarter of the book, the ghost is nose-close and banging on windows, but after halfway, the ghost isn't really in the picture at all. I was a bit disappointed in that lack of buildup since there was a reason for said ghost!
4.5 stars

I loved Àbíké-Íyímídé's first book, so I was excited to read Where Sleeping Girls Lie. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it! The author does a fantastic job of creating a world you can get lost in, with a unique setting and interesting characters. I can honestly say I didn't see the twists and turns coming. Àbíké-Íyímídé' also does a great job creating a fictional story that talks about real-world issues.

Where Sleeping Girls Lie is an emotional masterpiece. It features Shakespearean touches and immediately established secrets. From early on, we witness the corruption of the school, the surveillance, and this insular community. It's a book that slowly builds up the mystery. And, what Àbíké-Íyímídé is brilliant at is this push and pull of character relationships and dynamics. Of people who will know what just to say to get us to compromise. Who will know how our pressure points.

3.5 stars!!!

This was not at all what I was expecting! I've heard a lot of hype about this author's previous novel but I never actually got around to reading it, so I went into this with zero expectations. This has a great dark academia with representation that is just a part of the story, not the central plot! I was super interested in unraveling the mysteries thoughout this book but when it came to the ending, things just started falling flat for me. I was super invested for majority of the book, it just felt like there was all this lead up for a big reveal and it was just a small thing. But overall, I liked how the main character's past and the mystery in present day tied together and I let out a couple loud "GOOD FOR HER"s. I will definitely go back and read this author's previous novel regardless because the writing in this one was so well done and easy to read.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc!! I read this book earlier on and am only now getting to writing this review but I did enjoy this book a ton and seeing the general public's positive response to this book has been very satisfying!

I knew this was going to be amazing and it did not disappoint!!!

I loved the authors previous book and I knew this was going to be the same way.

This was dark and powerful and made me feel all the emotions! Do not sleep on this book because it is so so so good and has so many important topics!

I was into this story from the beginning. It had a similar vibe as her last book with a lot to uncover in this mystery. Had themes of racism, sexism, sexual assault woven into the mystery of the missing roommate. Really enjoyed this story.

The 411...
Where Sleeping Girls Lie is the much anticipated Young Adult Contemporary Mystery novel fans of Ace Of Spades were highly anticipating. I remember reading AOS and not being able to put that book down for too long before I was carving out time to jump back into that story.  Five years later we are introduced to the dark academia setting that is Alfred Nobel Academy boarding school where Sade Hussein has enrolled for her third year. Previously homeschooled, Sade arrives on the scene as this mysterious character who is trying to keep a low profile. We learn early on that her parents have both passed away and prior to her father's passing, he maintained a strict upbringing for Sade where boarding school was just simply out of the question. The prestigious Alfred Nobel Academy is prepared for Sade's arrival and have already assigned her a roommate to show her around campus. Elizabeth seems cool with her love of horticulture and willingness to share her space with newcomer Sade, including her best friend Basil. All seems well until it's not, Elizabeth goes missing and the students of Alfred Nobel Academy suspect Sade has something to do with it. Sade who carries grief and secrets of her own decides to try and find answers to the secrets being kept within the walls of her new school. 

This is a slow-burn mystery set in a school that is thoroughly fleshed out giving the reader a sense of darkness in its setting and the shady students who attend. I loved the initial walk-through of the campus Elizabeth gives Sade, the author skillfully brought each wing of the campus to life through Elizabeth's commentary on the schools history. The privileged majority attending Alfred Nobel Academy come from white families. After her disappearance we see Sade capture the attention of the popular girls in school, something that Basil (Elizabeth's BFF who is the only other person interested in finding answers as well) finds difficult to believe. Nonetheless, Sade begins to immerse herself in social circles that get her closer to unearthing the truths she's looking for. What I didn't love? the pacing was beyond slow and this is coming from someone who enjoys slow-burn. Too much time was spent on the day-to-day activities vs. the development of the story/mystery. The time spent on the mundane did enhance the atmospheric vibes making this truly fit the dark academia category but it also made it feel as if it could've been done in less pages What I LOVED? Sade and Basil/his guinea pig provided the lightness and bits of humor that were needed to balance out the much heavier/darker themes unraveling. The Mean Girls circle known in this story as the "Unholy Trinity" who include Persephone were an interesting add-in. There's this quiet attraction between Persephone and Sade that is jumpstarted on an intellectual/feminist level that I really enjoyed. Lastly, the themes brought to light by the time this mystery fully unravels have a history of being underreported in academic institutions. Seeing these issues covered in Young Adult Contemporary novels continues to raise awareness. I'm looking forward to Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé's next story which I'm sure will come with some new memorable characters.

"Where Sleeping Girls Lie" by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is a total thrill ride! Right from the get-go, I was sucked into the story. The plot twists kept me guessing, and just when I thought I had it all figured out, bam! Another curveball. Àbíké-Íyímídé's writing style is so engaging, it's like you're right there in the middle of the action. Plus, the themes of friendship and secrets add an extra layer of intrigue. If you love a good suspenseful read, this book is a must-have. Trust me, you won't be able to put it down!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.


I have anticipated this book since reading Ace of Spades. When Àbíké-Íyímídé promoted her sophomore novel as the point of view of the Unfriendly Black Hotties of “Mean Girls” I was hooked. She further described her second book as a cross between “Mean Girls” and “Blood & Water” (and now I plan to binge watch “Blood & Water”!).

The Summary-

This YA contemporary mystery (I’d even say it’s also a bit of a horror novel depending on how you look at it) is just what we need. Told in third person from Sade Hussein’s perspective, we follow Sade on her journey of new-found freedom: Alfred Noble Academy boarding school. This is her chance to change her life, she’s been home-schooled all her life and has been craving to get out from under her father’s control. Now, as an orphan, she’s able to pursue her goal, except death and mystery seem to follow our main character. On her first day at school, she learns of a trio of popular girls who are deemed the “Unholy Trinity” (what an intriguing moniker!), and befriends two students - one being her roommate, Elizabeth. Not 24 hours has passed and there’s already trouble, Elizabeth is missing! Sade can’t be sure, but she has an inkling it has something to do with the texts Elizabeth was receiving the day before. Who can Sade trust? And with her history of sleep walking, can she even trust herself?

The Writing-

This whole book is *chef’s kiss* wonderful; Àbíké-Íyímídé is really good at story telling! There are a few subplots, and normally that would worry me, but she does a fantastic job of bringing them together in the end in a medium-fast pace.

I appreciate the way Àbíké-Íyímídé is able to express personalities/qualities of her characters through their actions and thoughts, rather than outright stating them. She also create this atmosphere where you just know there are deeper secrets brewing and everyone becomes a suspect for a second. Let’s take a moment here to acknowledge one of my favorite of many references in this book: Paramore’s Riot era - reading that line took me back to middle school.


The Characters-

There are many characters in this novel, but don’t let that deter you. They each have such distinct personalities, you’d have to intentionally try to confuse them. I found the primary characters to be realistic and three dimensional; whereas the secondary characters were more two dimensional - with reason.


I found Sade to be one of the more complex characters I’ve read. On the one hand, she grew up in such a controlling environment, you’d think it’d have affected her sense of self. And in some ways, this expectation manifests itself in how she approaches some of her social interactions. But on the other hand, I don’t think I’ve read a teen who is so self assured in the most subtle ways - ex: she talks about how women and girls are not supposed to know they’re beautiful, but she knows that she is. She doesn’t think this in a self-obsessed way, she’s stating a fact she knows to be true, because let me tell you, almost everyone seems to be drawn to this new girl. She also stands on her principles and knows how to go about getting information. In short, she knows herself. We quickly realize that Sade is a very lonely character who has internalized all her past hurt and trauma - to the point that she takes comfort in her frequent nightmares.

The Verdict-

I absolutely recommend this book - I already told my sister about it. All I’ll say is if you like a boarding school mystery, found families, and feminine rage, this is your book.


Trigger Warnings: sexual assault, negative family dynamics, gaslighting, self-exit, trauma, mental health.

This was a slow-paced, dark academia thriller that I really enjoyed! Parts of the book dragged a little, but it ended up being worth it in the end. 4.25/5⭐.

I admit that this is my first Àbíké-Íyímídé title, and after reading it, I'm not thrilled or excited about the story's outcome. I was at 70% of WSGL when I felt the strong urge to DNF. The pacing of the story is entirely too slow. Though the author delivered on the case of the missing girl, reading the entirety came off as a new girl trying to fit in a new atmosphere.

Alas, I did finish the book, and there was a point to it all. But for my thoughts on that, you have to read the full review over on my blog, lol.

2.5 stars

Thank you to the publisher, the author and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this book! From page 1, I was hooked. I loved the Mean Girls and Heathers vibes mixed with the dark academia/cult-y vibes. It was a lot of fun. Plus I loved all of the diversity the author put into these characters.

The subject matter could be difficult for some people who make sure to check your trigger and content warnings!

Where Sleeping Girls Lie is a dark academia mystery. Sade is an orphan starting at boarding school and she’s dealing with her own traumatic past. On the first night, her roommate is missing and Sade becomes enmeshed with the dark secrets of the elite boarding school. This was a long book, at the beginning it was quick moving and then it lulled middle but then the last part of book picked up. The build up was worth the wait, the secrets, the twists and the retribution was beautifully done. The development in the middle was central to the plot. You emphasize with the characters and the injustices done to them. And you hope for justice at the end.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book kept me on my toes the entire time. I loved Ace of Spades and was very exciting to hear that a new book was being released by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé. This book did not disappoint. The book is told non-linearly, which very much matches the confusion the main character is experiencing throughout the trials of the book. The serious nature of the crimes being committed by characters in the book were handled sensitively and deftly. It never felt excessive or sensational. This book had raw, intense feelings that hit hard. The topics discussed are challenging, but real. Real people face sexual assault every day and the book was compassionate while also inspiring to stand up against the complacency. This book was an experience unlike Ace of Spades, but also just as fascinating and thrilling.