Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Society of Lies by Laura Ling Brown. This Reese’s Book Club pick pulled me into a world of intricate social dynamics and simmering secrets lurking beneath a well-groomed exterior. Brown’s writing is crisp and engaging, slowly peeling back layers of deception and power struggles as the characters navigate their carefully constructed reputations. Although a few plot points felt a bit predictable, the story’s compelling tension and nuanced commentary on truth and image kept me turning pages. In the end, Society of Lies offers a thoughtful exploration of what we hide from ourselves and others, making it a satisfying, if not groundbreaking, read.

I wanted to like this book because it had been on my shelf for a while. It might be my fault for not getting into it because I didn’t read it quickly but I just never felt connected to any of the story or characters.

Maya, Naomi's older sister, became the mother figure after their mother passed away. All she wanted to do was care for her sister and give them the best chance life had to offer. After getting into the most elite secret society at Princeton, the world became her oyster in terms of opportunities, but it came at a cost. Days before Naomi's Princeton graduation, she is found dead in the lake. What do the death of Naomi and the death of Lila have in common years later? Lies, and cover ups.

This is a great whodunit thriller written in two different timelines from the sisters POV. Kept me guessing until the near end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Hidden sects and secrets come to a crescendo in Lauren Ling Brown's Society of Lies, a gripping thriller that delves into the dark side of academia and the cost of climbing the social ladder. Maya reflects on her past days as a member of Princeton's elite eating club and its even more elite inner society after her sister dies shortly before graduation. Was Naomi's death a tragic accident or was she another pawn in a bigger game at play?

The narrative is split between three perspectives. Maya's past and present take up two of them and the months leading up to Naomi's death tell another. While I did find the narrative voices a bit too similar, I was still captivated by each plotline and each delivered their own mysteries and conflicts that were ultimately satisfying. The differing collegiate societies as told by two biracial MCs is really interesting, although sobering in its honesty about the spaces we allow minorities to occupy within ivory towers. Having the sketchy professor be a continual antagonist throughout worked to keep things grounded even as readers' expectations and guesses remain fluid as to why Naomi was killed and by whom. Princeton comes alive as a setting in all its sunlit library academia and shadowy, debauched parties. The relationship between Maya and Naomi is the kind that will leave readers feeling all their regrets - how much do we withhold while trying to protect someone we love? And is that for the better?

Overall, I had a good time reading Society of Lies. Readers who prefer their dark academia a little more realistic and less magical should rush to the shelves. Anyone who has ever joined a clique and later regretted it will cringe through these pages. Sisters with age gaps who could probably talk more will be guilted by this narrative into making a phone call. If you want to escape into the ivy league and claw your way into a better life, then this book is for you. Pick up a copy and join the Society of Lies.

DNF at 43%

I thought I was reading a thriller?! I struggled with this books for several different reasons. The pace is very slow, not much has really happened at this point, the book cares more about race/racism than developing any characters and adding any suspense to the book.

I love the dual POVs, but they are so similar, I can’t remember which POV I am reading.

This book had so much potential and the summary sounded right up my alley, but it was misleading. Such a bummer.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown is a captivating debut that delves into the dark underbelly of elite academia and secret societies. The story follows Maya, who returns to Princeton for her ten-year reunion, only to be thrust into a mystery surrounding her sister Naomi's sudden death. As Maya investigates, she uncovers secrets about the exclusive Sterling Club and its covert Greystone Society, which she and Naomi were both involved in. The novel is a compelling mix of suspense and emotional depth, exploring themes of belonging, privilege, and the lengths one might go to fit in. Brown's writing is vivid and detailed, making the campus setting come alive and adding to the overall tension. The characters are well-developed, particularly Maya, whose journey from a confident alumna to a desperate sister seeking answers is both relatable and heart-wrenching. Naomi's narrative, told through flashbacks, adds layers to the story, revealing the pressures and dangers she faced. I found Maya to be the most interesting character in Society of Lies. Her journey from a confident alumna to a desperate sister seeking answers is both compelling and relatable. Her determination to uncover the truth about her sister Naomi's death, despite the risks and secrets she encounters, adds depth to her character. Maya's emotional struggles and growth throughout the novel make her a captivating protagonist. While the plot is engaging and filled with twists, the pacing can be uneven at times, with some sections feeling slower than others. However, the strong character development and the intriguing mystery make up for these minor flaws. #netgalley #societyoflies

Overall, Society of Lies is an addictive read that keeps you turning pages late into the night. It's a promising start for Lauren Ling Brown, and I look forward to reading more from her in the future

Lauren Ling Brown's Society of Lies is a suspenseful work asking how far will people go to belong? Following the story of two sisters, Maya and Naomi, experiencing Princeton ten years apart, this book continues to forces characters to continue to ask that question. What will you do and what will you stay silent on?

This book is a fantastic look at the elite circle of secret societies and just how far they can reach.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this wonderful book in exchange for my honest review.

A dark academia-style thrill set on an elite Ivy League campus. I found the ending somewhat unbelievable, but it was entertaining. I especially loved the relationships between the characters, and the writing was top-notch.

i really enjoyed this one! i love a dark academia setting, and this one really checked all of the boxes for me. i wish we'd gotten a little more depth in the sisters' relationship dynamic, but everything else was really solid.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine in exchange for an honest review.

Who doesn't love a dark academia novel complete with secret society? I enjoyed this book, but wasn't "wowed" by it.

I was totally engrossed by this dual-timeline read. I loved seeing the (horrifying but addictive) story play out through the sisters’ eyes, a little more than ten years apart.

I had no idea who was the villain until the end. The characters were so well written—I either loved or despised each one of them.

The mystery surrounding (and embedded in) the secret society was fascinating. It’s one of those 0.1% things that I love reading about, especially when there’s scandal and rich people problems—this hit those criteria perfectly.

Overall, loved this and would gladly read the author’s next book!

This was a pretty typical thriller/dark academia for me. I did find it really slow for about the first 70% or so. I enjoy dual timelines but found myself having to go back and see who was talking in that chapter because there are characters that overlap. I enjoyed Naomi's narrative more than Maya, but I felt bad for both sisters. Then ending picked up pace and I enjoyed it. Overall I think it was a good debut. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

I love the premise of this book, dark academia and secret societies at an Ivy League school. It started out strong but slowed down toward the middle, where frankly I was bored.
I also found it somewhat confusing with the multiple POV’s, you really need to pay attention to which year you are reading about.
Another thing that drove me crazy was the repetitive use of “out of the corner of my eye” and “ are you okay?” If it was said once it was said easily 50 or more times.
Overall a premise I love but the execution just wasn’t there for me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Read if you like:
🏫 Ivy League Settings
💰 Elite Behaving Badly
🖤 BIPOC /Mixed Race MCs
⏳ Dual Timelines
👯‍♀️ Sisters Dual POV
☠️ Two Murder Mysteries

Maya is the older sister who did it all first, and of course made mistakes while carving her path for herself and her sister. Now 10 years later her younger sister is also at Princeton and a member of the same elite eating club that Maya was part of when a girl died 10 years prior.

Now it is time for Naomi’s graduation celebration but when she turns up dead, questions surrounding her death start to come up, and how is it connected to the secret eating club that she was part of and that her sister was also a member of 10 years prior when another member died.

I loved getting the dual POV of the sisters during their time at Princeton and also Maya’s POV in present day when Naomi is found dead, and as she investigates her sister’s death.

The way both Maya’s past POV and Naomi’s POV leading up to her death worked so well together of sisters trying to find their place while also dealing with the complexity of dead parents, being bi-racial, and trying to find a place in the elite Princeton crowd while not losing themselves was so well done!

I truly enjoyed every second of this mystery as well as the social and political commentary and hints of the college scandals that have been in the news that were woven into this work of fiction so well!

Thank you so much to the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I love a dark academia book, and I really enjoyed this one. I actually ended up buying a copy at the airport, and it was the perfect page turner to accompany me on my trip. The back and forth between characters AND years takes a little getting used to, but that also just made me read more carefully and truly pay attention to the nuances.

I wasn’t a fan of this book. I felt like they was just way to much going on and it just did not keep me invested like I had hoped it would. I had high hopes for this book but it really just was a let down for me.

This was a pretty decent thriller! I think pacing was a major struggle here. The first quarter of the book, I was sucked in and ready to binge it. But after that, the pacing fell off for me. The voices in each timeline/POV are not incredibly distinct, making it slightly harder to follow. I do enjoy learning about things like secret societies, so that part was extremely interesting.

Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown was a fast pace story about lies, mysteries and murder in a secret society at Princeton. The story is in dual POV and dual timeline of past and present of older sister Maya, reflecting 10 years in the past on her time in the exclusive Sterling Club and Naomi, Maya's sister who followed in her footsteps to attend Princeton and John joining Sterling Club 10 years later but ends up dead. It was called an accident but Maya doesn't believe it.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my e-ARC.

As someone who is pretty particular about the type of prose found in their books, I feel like I had a hard time getting into this story at first because the prose felt too straightforward and simple in a sense. I was interested in learning about the sprawling campus that was so central to the mystery and the author definitely delivered on showcasing Maya's time at Princeton. However, like some of the other reviewers have noted, I also found the jump between the two POVs a little bit confusing and also too similar. Sometimes parallels can be too parallel and I think this book would have benefited with more variation in between the two sisters. I think this book would be good for anyone looking to take their time with a mystery centered around 2 sisters!

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me access to this book!

Academia, eating clubs, and a murder yesterday? Sign me up. This is exactly the type of thriller that peaks my interest. This one left me largely satisfied - a creepy atmosphere and an ending that I didn’t see coming. I found this book fun with a little bit of societal note added to it. I really liked it, but thought it slightly dragged in a couple of places. This would make a great tv series. 4 stars ⭐️. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy for review.