Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book!

A compelling story about a society where members can relive someone else’s final moments is a very unique premise. Enjoyed the story, just wish there was more.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC for review. What do rich people do
for enjoyment when drugs and booze no
longer cut it? They experience other people's
deaths for a thrill of course!
The Found Object Society by Michelle Maryk
follows Greta Davenport, a financially rich
member of society who, even after a
near-death experience herself, finds no joy in
ife in her late 30s. That is until one night she
receives an envelope that will change her life
for what she believes will be better. In hopes of
finding her next "high" while relieving herself
of 20 years of mourning for her parents, Greta
goes down the rabbit hole of discovering The
Found Object Society, a secret club with the
promise of being able to relive the deaths of
others for your own personal satisfaction (it
sounds so deranged while writing this review).
Chaos ensues and leaves Greta wondering
how much she can get away with while
experiencing these deaths.
Let me start with what 1 think is good about
the book. Firstly, if you enjoyed either The
Giver by Lois Lowry or the concept of most Assassin's Creed games, you wlill likely enjoy
how this book reads (main character with
thanging POV when "living" through others).
also feel the book does a pretty good job of
dealing with difficult topics like loss, grief, and
addiction. Maryk's ability to make the
situations in the book almost feel personal/
empathetic is great (not that these are happy
topics, but you get my point). The book flows
well from plot point to plot point while never
fully letting the reader know what happens
next or how someone is going to die.
And now the bad. Greta is very unrelatable in
my opinion. She comes off as this rich,
arrogant, "I always get my way" person. The
author even has her state such at some points!
Because of that, and my inability to casually
shell out $500k to join a secret club, there is
no sense of "what if this was an actual thing?"
because even if it was, the majority of the
population would never know. Additionally,
Maryk attempts to change the dialogue when
experiencing deaths from another character's POV. While this is nice and works well, what
doesn't is the language used to match the era.
It really breaks any sense of immersion as a
reader. The ending also feels very
rushed and remains unexplained
even with the shocking epilogue.
While I also enjoy the concept of
past changing future, I feel like
there are ways Maryk could have
done this better and (again) less
confusing towards the end.
Seriously this ending is
simultaneously resolving and
confusing which leads me to
question the overall enjoyability
of the book. Overall, The Found
Object Society has an interesting
concept and does decent job at
immersing the reader at times.

Thank you Netgalley and Hyperion Avenue for an ARC of this book!!

I had no idea how badly I needed this book in my life! And I'm so mad at myself for putting it off. I was on the verge of a mammoth book slump and this book completely saved me from that! We all love our trendy tropes but sometimes you just need a beautifully original story that's unlike anything else you've ever read. That's this book in a nutshell.. If you liked The Midnight Library, you're going to want to grab this one on us publishing date.. While the stories are different, the intense emotion and use of though, thought-provoking questions are similar. I absolutely LOVED this

This is my review which as of today can be found on the following platforms,
Goodreads
Fable
BookBub
Bookmory
StoryGraph
Tiktok

I love the idea of an object holding a persons history, and this book explores that concept in the context of death. While the premise was very interesting, the execution left something to be desired. The main character is unlikable and unrelatable—rich and spoiled. I was much more interested in the vignettes told by the objects than in the main character’s plot line. While a very creative book, I struggled with it at times. 3/5 stars.
Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC

This was a twisted tale of what happens when someone has too much money and a thirst that can’t be quenched. Greta wants to feel and her taking the “voyages” is her way to do that. This is very uniquely done and each of the stories and their objects take on a deep meaning. Each one effects Gerta and the reader, equally.

This book had such a cool and unique premise. The idea of a secret society where members can relive the final moments of someone else’s life is both eerie and fascinating, and it set the stage for some really atmospheric, imaginative scenes. I especially loved the glimpses we got inside the Society itself. It felt vivid, mysterious, and full of possibility. Those moments had a cinematic quality, and I found myself wishing we could have spent more time there, traveling through its corridors, experiencing more of its rules, and uncovering its secrets alongside Greta.

By contrast, much of the time spent outside the Society felt slower and less engaging. The external plotlines stretched on longer than necessary, while the parts I was most invested in, the Society and its inner workings, were more limited. That imbalance in focus made the pacing feel uneven. And when the story finally reached its climax, the ending came across as rushed, leaving me wanting more space for the revelations and fallout to fully land.

That said, there’s a lot to admire here. The novel is ambitious, atmospheric, and thought-provoking, tackling big ideas about grief, trauma, and the addictive pull of both danger and escape. It has a dreamlike, speculative suspense quality that lingers, and at its best, it feels like stepping into a fever dream of time, memory, and mortality.

While it didn’t quite stick the landing for me, I still think it’s a compelling and original debut. For readers who enjoy concept-driven, genre-bending fiction like The Midnight Library or The Book of Doors, this one is worth picking up. Just know that the execution may not always match the brilliance of the premise.

3.5 Stars

The Found Object Society is a good debut novel by Michelle Maryk. It has an interesting and very original plot. The ultra wealthy, many running from their pasts, are invited to join the society for half a million dollars. There is a repository where The Collector has gathered items which were last touched by the deceased. Members can select a time period and an object. They are then transported to observe the death of that person. There are rules. Society members may not tell others about the Society. They may not alter the outcomes. But….what if a member breaks the rules? What happens? Can they change a death or outcome that is consuming them with grief? Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC for The Found Object Society. 3.5 stars rounded up.

I’ve sat down to start to read this one a few times and just cannot get into it. I’m not sure that’s a reflection on the book or that I feel like I’m in a Book Hangover from my last read that was phenomenal.

3.5⭐️

Thank you Net Galley, Michelle Maryk, and Hyperion Avenue for the ARC!

The Found Object Society follows FMC Greta Davenport on a journey of grief after the death of her parents 20 years prior. Greta essentially has hit rock bottom emotionally and has become numb, until she is connected to The Found Object Society that becomes her newest addiction.

This book does a great job of painting a picture for the reader, especially when narrating the voyages to different time periods. Although the first quarter felt slow, the pacing of the book picks up and is easy to get into. Michelle Maryk does a great job of intertwining realistic elements of addition, power, greed, and privilege throughout the book.

You’ll either love or hate the action packed ending of the book. I loved it and felt like the author did a good job of cleaning up some loose ends while still leaving enough room for the reader’s imagination to wander.

ARC read- releases February 10, 2026

20 years ago Greta Davenport survived the car accident that took her parents lives and has lived in guilt since. She escapes her grief by finding a rush in near death experiences and one night receives an invitation to the Found Object Society. The society allows her to experience another persons death by touching the last object they touched. Greta’s immediately addicted to the voyages but she soon discovers something that could change her life.

💰✨🕰️

While I did find this book to be interesting, there was much more that I didn’t like than I did like. I found it really hard to care about the story because of how much I disliked the fmc.

The first chapter literally starts with Greta’s, the fmc, inner monologue saying she doesn’t care that she’s about to drive drunk, which is icky but then the chapter just keeps going on and on about how she takes pride in being a good drunk driver and then she does in fact drive drunk. I understand that the point is to establish she doesn’t care about dying but it was so uncomfortable.

The obvious thing is that Greta is literally getting high off of experiencing other people’s deaths, which I found kinda gross. I understand that it is the entire point of the book but the way Greta talks about it is icky. Like I get it, they’re escaping their own grief by experiencing another’s but that’s not how Greta describes it. She always talks about the “rush” and the “pleasure” she gets from her voyages.

Another issue I had was that Greta’s inner monologue is constantly talking about how wealthy Greta is. She’s filthy rich but its like the author just gave her trauma to make her more relatable or to make it okay that she’s literally getting high off of other peoples deaths. I cannot even count the amount of times that Greta says, in one way or another, that she’s rich. It wouldn’t be an issue if there wasn’t so much attention called to their wealth especially when it usually involved her calling someone else poor- it just felt unnecessary and distanced me from the story every time it was mentioned.

Greta is also always talking about the drugs shes taken and the similarities of addiction between them and the society but then turns around and talks about how she looks down on people on the street who have addictions and sees them as inhuman. Granted, she realizes she may have been wrong to think that but only because she realizes that her and Ezra aren’t much different than those “sidewalk drifters”.

I understand her and Ezra’s relationship- it lacks chemistry and is extremely rushed but that makes sense for what’s happening in the story. It could have used a little bit more development though.

There is also some parts where the author tries to comment on race that just felt weird- some other reviewers explain it better.

The books ending feels so rushed and random and doesn’t completely make sense. It is set up for another book but I felt like there should have been a bit more explanation, especially if it is a stand-alone.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC- I received this eARC for free and all of my opinions are my own

Credit where it's due: There was a point at which i was absolutely certain she'd written herself into a corner, but she got out of it not only successfully but with some aplomb.

I absolutely love the refreshing style of this author has to telling a story. I have never read a book like hers and I am on the edge of my seat waiting until I can grab another one of her books. The storyline is so complex with emotions and history, you truly can't help but fall in love with Ezra and Greta.
This story is about the past and present. Having it all and still feeling empty. Do-overs. Love. Being brave and taking chances. Making mistakes.
It's the best book I've ever read.

📖BOOK: The Found Object Society by Michelle Maryk
📱FORMAT: Kindle (ARC) courtesy of NetGalley, Michelle Maryk, and Hyperion Avenue
📚GENRE: Speculative Fiction
📅RELEASE DATE: February 10, 2026
🏢PUBLISHER: Hyperion Avenue
📄PAGES: 448
⭐RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 out of 5 stars)

🧳SYNOPSIS:

”For twenty years, Greta Davenport has lived with the guilt of surviving the accident that killed her parents. She’s tested the limits of her own mortality ever since, but little gives her the dopamine rush she craves. Not until the night she almost drunkenly crashes her car into a tree, and a peculiar blank card slides under her front door—an invitation to the Found Object Society. What she discovers there is beyond comprehension: an opulent, subterranean playground filled with aisles of objects from different eras and regions of the world. Pick an object and go on a voyage to relive the final moments of the person who died holding it, along with an unparalleled, irreplicable high. Greta’s hooked, but she can't quiet her questions about the society and its enigmatic creators, the answers to which have implications far beyond her growing dependence on the voyages. Death is addictive, and what she uncovers will put her entire life into question.”

💬THE VIBE:

Dark, hypnotic, and cinematic. It felt like slipping into a fever dream you don’t want to wake from. I could NOT put this book down.

💡STANDOUT ELEMENTS:

A high-concept premise that feels both daring and inevitable
Sharp, elegant writing with speculative edge
A world that’s at once opulent and sinister
A fearless exploration of grief, power, and obsession

🧠WHAT STUCK:

The idea that death itself could become addictive and the unsettling truth of how far people (with money) will go for meaning, escape, and/or a taste of control.

👎WHAT DIDN’T WORK FOR ME:

Nothing. This book was an absolute chef’s kiss. I am grateful for novels that stretch the possibility of what is possible and suck you in and you’re not mad about it. I knew almost instantaneously that this book was going to be epic.

🤔IF YOU LIKE:

Speculative fiction with spectacular world building
Literary thrillers that probe grief and morality
Books that balance atmosphere, concept, and emotional weight

🙅‍♀️IF YOU DON’T LIKE:

Dark, unsettling explorations of trauma and mortality
Multiple POVs and time-shifting narratives. Trust me, I’m not always into this but it 100% works here

📝FINAL VERDICT:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 out of 5 stars)

My favorite book of the year and it hasn’t even been released yet.

A daring, original debut that I fully expect to become one of the most talked-about books of 2026, if not the book of the year.

Pre-order it, request it at your library, and get ready to be swept into something extraordinary. Friends…prepare for me to not shut up about this book until you’ve read it…then we can talk about it together.

Also, can we talk about the cover? STUNNING! I’m a self-admitted book cover snob.

The Found Object Society by Michelle Maryk follows Greta Davenport, a woman burdened by the guilt of surviving the car crash that claimed her parents. She receives an uncanny invitation to the Found Object Society—an opulent, secretive gathering where one can select an object and experience the final moments of the person who last held it, accompanied by a euphoria-like “voyage” .

The novel explores themes of mortality, addiction, trauma, grief, and the allure of death. However, I found the connection between myself and the reader and the novel fell flat. I also struggled to connect with the characters, I was not invested in the characters progressions or their relationship (which was awkward and lacked chemistry).

As a debut, The Found Object Society is a bold, imaginative story. It asks us: what would we risk to touch death? And in return, what would death ask of us? Though the execution fell flat for me

Couldn't finish the entire read but was a very intriguing premise and a great concept. The flashbacks to different time periods are interesting.

Sadly, I needed to DNF this one after just a few chapters. The writing style was abrasive and rude, the character was annoying as heck, and the formatting on Kindle was almost impossible to read (no spacing between words, texting descriptions were convoluted). I can't give my time to something that doesn't grab me right away. Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.

Greta Davenport has been living with survivors guilt following the car crash that killed her parents 20 years ago. Since then, she has found ways to test her morality, until one night when she discovers the Found Object Society. At the society, members can go on voyages where they experience the death of another person by holding the last object they touched before their untimely death. Greta is hooked, but she has all these unanswered questions about how it all works. She is determined to get answers at all costs, even if that means breaking some rules.

I really enjoyed getting to go into these different time periods & perspectives as we went on the voyages, but also that there was an overall mystery to be solved outside of these experiences. I found myself eagerly waiting for the next voyage wondering where we would go next. Maybe it’s because I found those chapters a bit more captivating compared to the overall plot. The fast pace of the novel kept things moving along & left just enough to leave me wanting more.

Leading up to the climax, there didn’t seem to be any stakes or potential consequences which lead to a lack of tension. So once we got to the climax it didn’t feel like there was much build up aside from the final voyage. As others have said, the ending itself left me more confused than resolved. I think I enjoyed how things played out (from what I understand), but certain details left me confused as a reader & needed a bit more clarification.

3.5★ rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the arc!!

The premise was intriguing and the opening chapters were gripping. There was a brief lull in the middle because the plot just wasn't strong enough to be this long. But the author's writing style kept me going.

This is a very compelling and artistic story with poetic prose. However, the romance felt forced, the characters felt flat, and the pacing was just off. If this book was tweaked a bit to fix those things I think it'd be a best seller.

I was intrigued by The Found Object Society. It was different then I thought it would be. I liked the stories within the stories, I both felt bad for; but also disliked the main character. And honestly thought the main character would have felt the same about herself. It was toxic, addictive behavior that had rules that were meant to be broken. I thought it was mostly very well written, a few times became a bit redundant, but not annoyingly so. You were left with a lot of questions which makes me think ( and hope) that there will be a sequel.
The author made you also feel like you were waiting for the "next hit" or voyage with Ezra and Greta, their in-between time spent talking about it and the next time. Made one a bit anxious, which I believe was the point. At first I thought Ezra was part of it, they way he wouldn't talk about his trips, but then I figured out what he was really doing, it was a little predictable, but again, not in an annoying way.
I enjoyed the book, it just let me with a lot of questions that I hope will eventually be answered.
I give it about 3.5 stars