While slow to start, I overall enjoyed this modern thriller. The book was set up in a way that was easily accessible to audiences, especially for those who are not familiar with Ivy League institutions. I especially liked how this was non-linear and provided both Maya and Naomi's POVs for the same event. Maya and Naomi's backgrounds provided a nice juxtaposition between them and their peers, which helped further the plot.

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Society of Lies is a captivating thriller with an intriguing setting of a secret society at Princeton. I enjoyed the dual POV, however, at times it was hard to follow the timeline between past and present. The middle of the book dragged on and fell a little flat but picked back up in the 2nd half with a few twists I didn't see coming.

Overall a good mystery. The multiple timelines were a little hard to keep up with. The ending fell just a little flat, but I definitely didn’t see the ultimate culprit coming.

I thought the premise of this book was strong but the execution didn't work for me. I'm getting frustrated reading books that just aren't quite as good as I think they could be.

One challenge for me what that it works with three timelines: Naomi leading up to her death, Maya ten years earlier and Maya in the present day, but within each of those there are revelations and flashbacks so it was a lot to keep straight, but it still managed to gloss over events that seemed rather important to me. It felt like there was a lack of detail at times and the characters didn't always behave logically.

It's not a bad book, but I had higher hopes for it.

Maya went to Princeton and desperately wanted friends and to fit in. She made it into Sterling the secret society. Then a tragedy happened and her and her friends visited with to put it behind them and move forward.

Maya has always felt protective of her sister Naomi. She warns her not to get involved with Sterling. Naomi doesn’t listen and Maya has to confront her past and figure out the truth.

The back and forth time lines made it difficult to follow and it was a slow pace.

Although I finished this book relatively quickly, I didn't particularly enjoy it. I think it tackles a lot of interesting and timely topics. The two POV characters--Maya and Naomi--are half-Black and half-Asian and, as such, they deal with a lot of racism and difficulties finding a place where they feel like they fit. I especially liked the addressing of the very specific brand of anti-Asian racism that happened during and post-the height of Covid. There's also a lot there to say about wealth and privilege and how often when someone who is wealthy and privileged gets punished, it's because the people around them finally decided to throw them under the bus.

There were also moments when the writing did stand out to me. Particularly I think the author did a pretty good job of building tension and heightening anxiety, especially during the latter half of the novel where things start to really build.

Unfortunately, that's really all I can say that I liked. The novel jumps along three separate timelines: Maya during the present day, Maya during her time at college, and then Naomi a few months leading up to her death. Truth be told, I don't think the novel needed all three POVs because the end result felt very bloated and, at times, confusing. Especially since the novel is in 1st-person and there didn't seem to be all that much differentiating the tone of voice between Naomi and Maya. Also, within their own POVs, the story hopped around a lot for seemingly no rhyme or reason. I think it would be better to have either just Maya's POV (both present and past) or Maya in the present and Naomi in the past, using either POV to fill in any gaps. It'd make the mystery of why Maya is so cagey about her time at Princeton feel more weighty and suspenseful, while also giving both characters a bit more to do, investigatively.

Speaking of the mystery, I'm a little mixed on how I feel about it (no spoilers, though). On the one hand, I feel like the ending does make a bit of sense. On the other, the author seemed to have a bit of a difficulty in laying out the pieces of the mystery for the reader to follow. There were times when the author over-explained things that probably could've been picked up based on context and others where things that needed an explanation seemed to get glossed over.

The writing, too, felt very "show" rather than "tell". As a result, there were times when the characters felt very one-dimensional, despite dealing with some very traumatic and intense things. That's not to say the entirety of the book was like that. There were definite glimmers of character growth and motivation that peeked through every so often, but they weren't often enough to make me fully invested in what was going on. It wasn't really until near the ending that the author seemed to gain her stride.

While I didn't particularly enjoy my time reading this, I definitely think the author has promise. I just, personally, think this book needs much harsher editing to cut out the extraneous parts and expand more on building the characters into 3-dimensional beings, as well as streamline the pacing a bit.

I happily requested an ARC of Society of Lies after receiving a promotional email from NetGalley. I was intrigued by both the description and the fact that it was my first Lauren Ling Brown novel. Overall, I was so impressed with Brown's writing. I loved the setting, loved the characters, and loved the plot. I truly could not put Society of Lies down and am waiting anxiously for Brown's next book already!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advance e-copy of Society of Lies in exchange of an honest review.

"While it may take some time to fully immerse yourself in the story, 'Secret of Lies' by Lauren Ling proves to be a captivating dark academia tale worth the investment. Through the use of alternating timelines, Ling skillfully weaves together the past and present, drawing readers into the intricate web of secrets surrounding the Sterling Club and its super secret society. As the protagonist, Maya, delves deeper into her sister Naomi's mysterious death, the author keeps readers guessing at every turn, skillfully planting red herrings and leading them down unexpected paths. Ling's ability to create suspense and maintain an air of uncertainty throughout the book is commendable. Although the pacing at the beginning may be slow, it steadily accelerates as the plot thickens, making it difficult to put the book down. With its unpredictable twists and revelations, 'Secret of Lies' will leave readers on the edge of their seats until the final page." This book was a solid 4.2 Stars!

This book starts off really fast and doesn’t stop. From the very beginning the suspense and mystery pulls you in and I could not put it down. So good.

Maya has a lot riding on her shoulders. Both of her parents have died and she's living across the country from her 11 year old sister Naomi. Maya is determined to get a good education at Princeton so she can care for Naomi. One of the ways she can do this is by joining one of the many social "eating clubs" on campus. Luckily, she has friends who already belong to Sterling, one of the most prestigious clubs, and they help to get her in. Not only that, but there is an even more secretive and selective group within Sterling called Greystone. Maya is thrilled to gain membership in this group as well, since its members tend to help each other out with jobs and other perks of the elite for the rest of their lives. She soon begins to wonder if there is more to the clubs than social standing when another member, Lily, begins trying to warn her away from joining.

Twelve years later, Naomi is also attending Princeton and is looking to join the same groups her big sister did. Naomi has been basically adopted by the brother and sister-in-law of one of Maya's college friends. When Naomi's roommate begins looking into some potentially explosive information involving a professor at the school and a death that occurred when Maya was a student, things turn dangerous for everyone. Soon Naomi ends up dead and Maya must figure out what happened to her sister and what part the events during her own college days might have played in the tragedy.

The story jumps between Naomi's life in the months leading up to her death and Maya's search for the truth about what happened to her. There are plenty of shady characters and while I appreciated all of the twists and turns, it was a bit of a stretch that the main characters in the events could, or would want to, keep secrets for so long.

This was a good one! Liked the secret society setting parts the best and the two timelines. The big reveal could’ve used a little more groundwork-building since I didn’t 100% believe it but overall enjoyed.

Give me an Ivy League school, throw in an elite secret society, a dash of murder and I am ALL IN! It took me a few days to read just because I was busy but I was reading every moment I could.
Society of Lies tells the story of sisters, Maya and Naomi. It is told from both of their perspectives during different time periods, which is something I love. Maya graduated from Princeton and 10 years later, Naomi is there as well.
When Naomi is found dead on her college campus, Maya doesn't believe it was an accident—and her search for answers leads her back to Princeton, the life she had there, and the secret society she had been a part of.
For a debut novel, this was exceptional and I can’t wait to read what Lauren Ling Brown comes up with next. Look for this book when it comes out on 8/13/24 from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this arc.

Society of Lies follows the two timelines as sisters Maya and Naomi navigate life at Princeton ten years apart. When Naomi is found dead, Maya knows Naomi’s death is no accident. Maya was a student at Princeton the last time a young woman was found dead and the similarities are mounting. Is there a connection? Who can Maya trust to help her solve her sister’s murder? Can you rely on anyone in a secret society where the one common trait is that everyone can keep a secret? It’s hard to know what to expect as Lauren Ling Brown brings to life well written characters in a continuously evolving mystery with new twists and turns around every corner. You will have to read to the end of Society of Lies to answer any questions.

Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown
Debut
Publishing date - 08/13/24
Rating (4/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Netgalley & Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for this eARC.

This is a mystery thriller set on a college campus. I was so invested in the story and the mysteries that the characters are trying to solve. There are multiple POVs and timelines in this story and I found them all interesting to read. This is a debut author and ; I will definitely be looking forward to seeing what she comes up with in her next book.

If you enjoy secret societies, dual timelines and POVs, murder mystery - then be sure to check this one out when it releases 08/13/24!

An interesting and through-provoking story, if a little difficult to get and stay into.

Following three POVs—Maya as a college student, Maya as an adult, and Naomi—Maya’s younger sister—as a college student—Society of Lies takes you on an insider journey into the world of the Princeton ultra-elite—the Sterling eating club.

It’s graduation weekend but instead of watching her sister walk down the aisle, Maya is trying to figure out how she ended up dead. Naomi followed in her sister’s (Maya’s) footsteps by attending Princeton but she didn’t get the chance to graduate and Maya is fearful that history has repeated itself. Maya is determined to learn what happened to her sister.

The synopsis hooked me immediately—I love a dark academia story! However, the pace of this storyline was a bit slow for my liking. I enjoyed the characters and the rich descriptions but at times got lost sometimes even so. I will say as the story unfolded I was surprised more than once which was fun.

I don't know why as a society we are so obsessed with watching the One Percent behave badly LOL but it seems as though we are, and this book is yet another entry in that genre. It's an entertaining story, albeit farfetched at times, and told in interesting and engaging voices across timelines and perspectives. At times it felt a little over the top, but that was in keeping with the nature of the story so it didn't bother me. It was a dark and twisty tale that was fun to read, although I am wholeheartedly glad it is a world I'm not a part of!

Maya and Naomi are Blasian sisters who both end up attending Princeton and getting involved with a sinister eating club. Getting a peek at the inner workings of elite colleges is always fun for us average folks and I did enjoy that aspect. None of the characters really resonated with me as individuals, though, and they seemed shallow and unfinished. Perhaps that is because they were, but it left me feeling a little un-hooked from the story.
Yet, one can't put the book down without finding out how it ends. Read it for the setting and the sisters.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. One wonders what Princeton will think!

This story was captivating from beginning to end. I completely loved this thriller and was engaged. I felt emotions for both sisters in this story. There was no spice to this book, but mentions of intercourse. So if you are looking for something like that it won’t be there.

Thank you NetGalley and Bantam for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

First of all this cover is gorgeous! That’s what caught my eye for the book in the first place.

This is a mystery thriller set on a college campus. Reading that already hooked me in. I was absorbed every time I went to go pick up this book. I was so invested in the story and the mystery that the characters are trying to solve. There are multiple POVs and timelines in this story and I found them all engaging and interesting to read.

The author’s writing is really easy to read and helps with the immersion into the story! I see that this is the author’s debut novel and I look forward to reading more in the future!

This book is told from both Maya's and Naomi's perspectives and bounces from the past to the present and initially this was very confusing for me to read and keep characters straight. Maya's and Naomi's college experiences with the exclusive clubs and secret society are so similar which is one of the reasons I think it was hard for me to follow initially.
I will admit that I did not guess the ending which is something I want in a thriller novel. I thought I had the "twist" figured out and I was wrong! That definitely helped me enjoy the last half of this book more than the first half. I feel like the ending felt a bit rushed after the "reveal" and I wish there had been more. More information about the past and the present between Matthew, Cecily, Maya, etc. More information about how deep the secret society went and how the favors happen and people stay in the circle. Just more.

I loved the diversity and representation in this book