My first book from this author, the cover was what drew me in at first! I personally loved it, it was engaging and I was binging it within a day.

2.5 stars – I really wanted to like this more.

I was hopeful for more based on the synopsis; this had the potential to be a gripping, twisty thriller with a unique game style premise in Circus, but unfortunately it just didn’t deliver for me. The game itself sounded intriguing, but the story lacked the excitement and tension I was expecting. I kept waiting for something big to happen... and it never really did.

The pacing felt flat, and while there were a couple of twists toward the end that gave the story some movement, it wasn’t enough to redeem the slow build up. I also struggled to connect with the characters. They felt underdeveloped, and I found their personalities and motivations hard to believe, especially considering their prestigious Harvard backgrounds and long standing friendships. That emotional core never truly landed, which made the stakes feel pretty low.

The ending left me unsatisfied as well. I was hoping for something more dramatic or meaningful, and instead it just kind of fizzled out. Overall, I had high hopes for this one, but it ended up being a disappointing read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Alissa Lee, and Atria Books for the eARC of this book.

This was pretty boring. I kept waiting for something to happen and it never did. Not a huge fan of the ending either. The game style of Circus seemed interesting, but it was the characters that lacked for me. Overall I had high hopes for this one but it was pretty disappointing.

I was hopeful for more based on the the synopsis. The game style of Circus seemed interesting. It was the characters that lacked for me. They did not seem as well developed as they could have been. There were a couple of twists at the end that were good. The book needed more action and more thought out characters. I give this a 2.5.

This was really boring! I kept waiting for something to happen and it never did. I had high hopes for this one but was pretty disappointed.

This was a really quick and enjoyable read, with some intriguing twists that kept the pacing brisk and the reveals (mostly) satisfying.

This was ok. It fell a little flat for me towards the middle. I just began to lose interest. Not a huge fan of the ending either.

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC copy of this book.

I needed some time to digest this before writing my review. This concept of a “killer” game amongst friends sounds so fun. The connections to the past, the hopes for the future, can 20 year long friendships last? The twists & turns as you go through the phases of this book are jaw dropping. I recommend to anyone looking for a fast-paced thriller

This was not nearly as action-packed as I was expecting it to be based on the blurb/summary of this book, but I still had a good time.

This read super fast, it was only about 200 pages, I believe (at least, the e-book ARC was only about 200 pages).

This follows a group of college friends who, years later, reunite to play a very dangerous and secrets game. And, of course, this game has to do with events that occurred in their combined past.

I did struggle to like the characters, they felt very immature for their age (and I think they're technically supposed to be middle-aged or close to it). So I found it hard to believe that they all are smart enough to have gone to Harvard together. I also didn't find this to be much of a thriller of mystery, it felt more like a drama (so categorized as fiction or something like that).

This story does just get right into the point, which I do really appreciate.

I did want more from this. I could see this being a good book for when you just need something quick and easy, like a little vacation or something like that.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

I loved the concept of this one but felt very underwhelmed by the plot. The characters were lots of fun and I really enjoyed them.

The initial premise of this book was interested but it missed the mark for me. The characters lacked depth and were uninteresting, and the storyline didn’t pull me in

To preface: this book is categorized as mystery/ thriller but I do feel that it would fit better as women’s fiction or drama. While there were some elements that fit the thriller genre, the mystery and suspense was not the main focus of the novel.

This story follows a group of college roommates as they play their annual game of “elimination”, as they are now in their forties. After a the death of one of their other roommates/ players during college, the game continues but their relationships evolve. The major difference in this game is the large sum of money that the winner stands to gain. Everyone has their own motives for wanting to win, and the pressure is on.

If you’re looking for a short, character driven story about female friendship and the ways in which life changes but stays the same at its core: then this book is for you. I went in expecting more suspense and build up, but overall enjoyed this story. I appreciated the author’s depiction of perception vs reality when we view our friends’ lives from the outside looking in.

Thank you Atria/ Emily Bestler Books (via Netgalley) for gifting me with an eARC, all thoughts expressed are my own.

My first book by this author! I absolutely loved it!! Keep you wanting to read more !! Highly suggest reading this one !! Five stars !!

1/5 stars

This book was horrible. It was absolutely boring and nothing whatsoever happened. The description was more exciting than the book itself. I do not recommend this one.

The story follows six former Harvard roommates — Sara, Bee, Dina, Allie, Wesley, and Claudine — who once felt more like family than friends. A tragic event during a college game of assassins leaves lasting scars, and twenty years later, five of them continue to play a game called Circus — a city-wide, secretive competition that echoes their past and honors the friend they lost. Sara is reluctant to join this year, until a cash prize brings her back into the fold. But as the game unfolds, she realizes not everyone is playing fair, and that some secrets from the past are resurfacing in dangerous ways.
While the premise had potential for suspense and emotional depth, I personally struggled to connect with the characters and found the central game premise hard to take seriously. The plot leaned more juvenile than I expected, and the character dynamics didn’t fully resonate with me. This one, unfortunately, wasn’t a hit for me — but readers who enjoy complex friendship dynamics and mystery games may still find something to appreciate.

Thanks to SS Atria for sending me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An impressive debut with a unique premise, offering both the story of a college game and meaningful insights into the women’s lives. The narrative not only explores the game the characters created during their college years but also provides rich backstories for the women and insight into their personal journeys.

A thriller that follows former Harvard roommates Allie, Bee, Dina, Wesley, Sara, and Claudine, forever bound by a brutal “circus ritual” they invented to test loyalty and survival. After Claudine’s tragic death, the remaining women agree to play one final round in her honor, this time with nearly a million dollars, their careers, and their relationships on the line. As old secrets rise to the surface and loyalties fracture, the true question becomes: who is orchestrating the ultimate betrayal?

thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

I wanted sooo much more from this book and I feel like there IS a version of this book that's absolutely terrific, but it's not this one. it was just too short and did far too much showing, not telling. Dina was a particularly egregious example - I feel like the main character had like one actual conversation with her in the entire book. also the plot felt incredibly low-stakes and therefore the shit some of these women were doing was absolutely goofy. ultimately I just didn't buy the friendship that allegedly tethered this book together because I didn't know these characters at all.

also I'm so sorry but I DID eyeroll at the "life for Harvard grads is hard TOO" paragraphs

*"Friends Like These"* is an enjoyable read that does a great job intertwining a college-era mystery with a present-day game of secrets and betrayal. The friendship dynamics between Bee, Wesley, Allie, Dina, and Sara are especially intriguing, adding depth to the story’s shifting loyalties and tensions. The twists are clever and keep the reader guessing, making for an engaging ride. However, the story becomes a bit bogged down toward the end, losing some of its earlier momentum.

(2.5 rounded down) The plot to this was so wild, I had trouble buying in. Five friends who met at Harvard years ago, continue to participate in a deranged version of tag that involves running all over NYC with fake guns trying to “get” one another. Our narrator and the only member of the group who is struggling financially is also the only one ready to be done playing this “game,” but she is lured back in for “one more round” (shocking!). The characters were too same and the plot was so far-fetched, I couldn’t connect with this one. If you like popcorn thrillers, you might like this one, but it wasn’t for me. It is a quick read, at least!