My thanks go to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing an advance review copy. Although this novel doesn't conform to traditional thriller conventions, the circus setting and storyline were engaging and unpredictable. The pacing was inconsistent, with slow periods and moments of intense interest. While I enjoyed aspects of the book, it didn't quite meet its full potential. I am interested in seeing how this author grows and develops in the future. Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to review this book. Will also be reviewed on B&N under Girlmomma2224.

Actual Rating 1.5

This book is listed as a thriller first and a mystery second. Sadly, neither genre felt right. It's much more of a general fiction with a very light mystery included, but I think it's fair to say it's 0% thriller or even suspense. This was largely due to how it was written.

The text is extremely exposition heavy, and there are some long, long paragraphs included. While this isn't in itself a bad thing, the way it was used made it negative in this case. The text would go from the primary plot in one paragraph to pages of memories starting in the next paragraph with no transition or separation. This not only drastically slowed down the "mystery/thriller" plot, it also made the small amount of action that was shown feel inadequate as well as feel like info-dumping was constantly occurring in relation to the character's histories. The plot was painfully slow, with the plot mentioned in the blurb not really starting until 25% through and even after that it's often buried.

The characters weren't well written either. They're bland, unlikeable (but not in a compelling way), and not in the least memorable. On top of that, these best friends felt nothing like friends to me. There were no surprises with the plot, the game wasn't interesting and just felt awkward, the stakes were low, and the whole read was unfortunately quite boring.

I can't recommend this to anyone. My thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

At 240 pages, this is a fast read. I liked the premise of the Circus assassin game and the mystery, but this is not a thriller. You will be disappointed if you go in thinking it is a thriller. I enjoyed the mystery and the reappearance of their dead roommate. I wish the book was told in a multiple point of view format and not just Sara's point of view. I wanted to know what the other women were thinking. I did not guess who the perpetrator was, but I usually never do, which I think makes the story more fun and interesting. If I guessed all the time, then mysteries and thrillers would not be fun to read for me and mysteries and thrillers are my favorite genres to read. They are my escape.

This was very hard to get into. I feel like the premise was ok but the story fell flat. I could actually see it being made into a movie.

This is a story of middle aged women who compete in a yearly assassination game. One starts seeing their dead friend from 20 years ago. The friends meet up for their yearly get together, half don't want to play the game and the others decide to all play 1 last time for a huge cash prize. Friends start getting hurt and paranoid.

Personally I'm not a fan of this story. These are women in their mid to late 40s. It was not believable behavior and was quite annoying. I can totally see this being played out still in your 20s, but not with old women.

A secret ‘killing game’ between Harvard alums turns real, and the whole thing has dark academia meets messy adult thriller written all over it.
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It’s twisty, fast-paced, and the setup is SO juicy. But I needed more depth from the characters—and a few of the reveals didn’t quite land.
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Still? I couldn’t stop reading. 3 stars for vibes and suspense.

It took me weeks to get through the first half of this book, but only three days to consume the second half. While I felt the beginning was a bit slow, the twist at the end was beautifully executed and I started getting emotional during the final chapter. In good conscience, I have to give this book 5 stars because it made me feel something, contained a message that I feel I needed to hear, and also made me question my own writing ability (in a good way! Alissa is very talented).

I'm very glad I got to read this book.

These college friends play a dangerous, adult version of "tag". Their friendship is tested during the game. I found the premise interesting and somewhat familiar. The backstory provided a mystery element. I think this story could play very well in audio.

Thank you to Atria Books and Alissa Lee for the opportunity to read this advance copy. The views expressed are my honest opinions.

This debut thriller offers a gripping, tense exploration of friendship, secrets, and betrayal among a tight-knit group of Harvard alums. The clever premise of a decades-old “killing” game, combined with the richly layered characters and escalating stakes, keeps readers hooked from start to finish. The blend of nostalgia and suspense builds an atmospheric, twisty narrative reminiscent of Julia Bartz and Ruth Ware’s best works. While a few plot turns feel a bit predictable, the book’s strong pacing and psychological depth make it a compelling and satisfying read.
Thanks to netgalley, the publisher and the author for the chance to read this early.

I hate to say it, but this one really fell flat for me. I loved the premise, a more sinister version of hide and seek, old college friends, long held secrets/grudges, but unfortunately I didn't end up caring about any of them. The characters felt very two dimensional and there was a whole lot of nothing happening with the plot. By that I mean that time and events passed, but it was hardly noticable because it was so slow. I would read another by this author because I don't like to judge based on only one book I've read and because the plot as an idea had so much promise!

Thank you to Atria for pre-approving me to read an advanced digital copy of With Friends Like These by Alissa Lee.

What started as a fun game for a group of kids to play in their college dorm ended in an unintentional death. Years later, one group of girlfriends has opted to continue playing the game for one week every year both as a way to let loose and a way to remember their suite mate that died. The rules are clear, if one person wants to stop playing, the game ceases. As these friends are all at a point in their life where getting caught playing the game could have disastrous consequences for their careers and futures, a couple want to quit playing, but the rules are clear - they have to play one last time, and winner takes all - which they've only just learned is almost one million dollars.

I honestly didn't know what to expect going into this book. I love a good academic setting, so hearing about a secret game these Harvard grads have opted to continue for 20 years sounded just up my alley. When it comes down to it, these friends are playing a game of Splash, but the water guns look real and there's nothing they can wear for protection. That being said, I really enjoyed seeing the development of the friendships these women have had over the years and their reflection now that the stakes are higher. The game of cat and mouse that these characters had going, cavorting all over the city and state was wild and downright outlandish but it clearly helped to build up the paranoia that existed during the weeklong game.

3.5 stars ⭐️ This is a quick thriller read. I loved the premise but I feel like it needed more action.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own 🫶🏼

The novel tackles themes such as the enduring impact of past traumas, the complexities of adult friendships, and the facades people maintain. Lee's writing style is characterized by its focus on character development and the psychological underpinnings of interpersonal relationships.

Six college friends develop a game to play among themselves called the Circus. In the rules of the game, each person draws a target name to eliminate by using a fake nerf like gun. One the friend has eliminated their target, their target’s name becomes theirs until only one girl is left the winner. Now twenty years later, the woman get together to play their annual game of Circus, but Sara has declared she is not playing their annual game anymore. That is until Wesley announces that she had been secretly investing their winnings for over the twenty years and has grown to over a million dollars. As the woman start playing their annual game game for money and not just status, the game takes a darker turn pitting friends against friends.

Not enough action. Slow-paced. I couldn't feel connected to any of the characters nor take them seriously. Too predictable. I think there's also a lot of dragging uninteresting subplots.

What started as six college roommates creating a game that would continue to challenge them physically and emotionally through the years takes a twisted turn this year.

For twenty years they have been playing their elimination game coined the Circus, where they silently stalk and “kill” one another until one is left standing. This year, instead of going in and telling them she doesn’t want to anymore, Sara is surprised (as well as the rest of them) that there is actually quite a lot of money riding on this year’s game. Perhaps one final Circus before they can end this game once and for all. They are all tired. They all have life pulling them in different directions. But the payout at the end has them all on the same page. So the game beings…

We follow Sara through the whole book, which I didn’t mind. There was already so much happening, yet nothing happening at the same time and having multiple pov would have been a lot!

We follow these full grown women as they skulk through the city, chasing each other. Lines are crossed, bonds are tested… This was interesting, but it felt so pointless. There was no real serious conflict. There feels like there is a couple times, like finally - this is what this is all about… only to remain ultimately ineffectual. There is a bigger mystery going on, yes… but even that was slightly mundane.

I enjoyed the journey, but it didn’t really go anywhere.

I wanted so badly to like this book, however it felt a little dull to me. This book tried to be so intense, but it really boils down to a bunch of grown women playing a game of tag with fake guns. There were some interesting plot points, but it all felt a little predictable and just way less intense than it was trying to be.

I think the overall concept is fantastic and really has some potential!

This is a solid drama but there wasn't enough action. The story moved a bit slowly and honestly, I didn't find any of the characters particularly enjoyable. Thank you!

I loved the female relationships in this story! I also thought the overall premise was original and kept my interest. While I figured out the twists about halfway through, the intricacies and evolution of the female friendships kept me super interested nonetheless!

This was such a tense, clever read. A reunion of childhood friends goes sideways when they start playing a dark little game they used to call “Circus”—a game that gets a bit too real. I loved the dual timelines and how each reveal made me question every character’s motives. There’s something so delicious about thrillers that mine old friendships for hidden resentments, and this one nails it. It had me side-eying my own group chat.

If you enjoy twisty, character-focused thrillers that explore loyalty, memory, and buried secrets—yes, pick this up.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)