A combination of really good writing with a plot that too disturbing for me. The disturbing part started in the opening chapter, but I held on because I was grabbed by the academic setting in Scotland - all of which engaged me until about the 40% mark where the plot got really weird. The usual trope - a plain girl goes to college to reinvent herself and is enveloped into a friend circle with a charismatic leader - but the story is not what it seems. I read until the end - I wanted to see what happened and really liked the writing style - but the story was ultimately not for me.

Heather Darwent's “The Things We Do To Our Friends” proved to be a difficult reading experience that fell significantly short of expectations. Despite the atmospheric backdrop of Edinburgh's labyrinthine alleyways and buried history, the narrative failed to engage me, leaving me with a mere gist of the storyline.

As I trudged through the pages, it became apparent that the characters, especially the charismatic Tabitha, failed to evoke any genuine interest or connection. The plot, centered around dark secrets and toxic relationships, lacked the depth needed to captivate my attention. Frankly, I found myself finishing the book solely out of obligation after agreeing to review it.

This literary journey turned out to be a unique disappointment, marking the first time I've ever harbored such strong disdain for a book. The writing failed to resonate with me, and the overall experience left me questioning why I invested time in a narrative that struggled to hold my attention. Penning this review becomes an unfortunate task for a book that, in my opinion, failed to live up to its potential and left me with an overwhelming sense of regret, earning it one star.

Where is the plot?! The writing was beautiful and the atmosphere was very present as a result...but what was the actual plot. I know this was likely meant to be character driven vs plot driven as a result but the characters needed more depth for this to work!

The novel delves into the complexities of human relationships, particularly the bond between friends, and sheds light on the darker aspects that can emerge within these connections. Darwent skillfully navigates the intricacies of trust, loyalty, and the fragile nature of friendship, weaving a captivating narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

I got 20% of the way through this and was bored to death. I DNF unfortunately. The story was taking a very long time explaining the relationship between the group and while I could see the author was trying to set the scene, it felt so much like we were being told rather than shown.

Dark, twisty, & creepy but not in the way that makes a good suspense novel. Clearly, this one wasn’t for me as I didn’t like any of the characters and was not invested at all. So wishing I just would’ve moved it to the DNF pile

DNF @ 70%

I tried to keep going with this one but I couldn’t. Maybe it’s me!

I love an unhinged, unreliable MC, but I could not connect with Clare and everything felt a bit underwhelming.

I love a dark academia story, so I was captivated by The Things We Do to Our Friends by Heather Darwent. This is one for lovers of the genre and fans of books like The Secret History.

Darwent weaves a fascinating tale of ambition and power and the costs associated in this one.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

Clare looks to reinvent herself at university. She makes some friends, but they are not exactly good people. Clare’s not a good person either though.

The Things We Do to Our Friends has toxic friendships, entitlement, and manipulation. The story is told from Clare’s point of view, and she’s a bit of an unreliable narrator. The characters are unlikable. The setting is atmospheric.

Slow-burning and dark mystery. An entertaining debut novel.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It was a solid novel, the cover is stunning, and the writing was good. Thank you for the early copy!

Ugh, I loveee dark academia, but this one just didn’t do it for me for some reason. That cover though, amazing.

This was not the story I thought it would be when I requested or started it. However that is not a bad thing. I enjoyed reading it and it kept my attention well.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of The Things We Do to Our Friends by Heather Darwent.

I just love books about young people in college, especially if it involves a "cool" group and an outsider who somehow manages to join! Because of this, I couldn't help but request this book, and I was absolutely not disappointed. Bad decisions, backstabbing and questions are aplenty as this story weaves on. Highly recommend to anyone who loves well written characters and a little bit of darkness.

Book Review:
Title: The Things We Do To Our Friends
Author: Heather Darwent
Rating: ⭐️⭐️/2 stars

I don't give very many books such a low rating, so obviously, this one was a doozy imo. I not only tried to read the book, but I also followed along with the audiobook and still couldn't like it. I just felt it was all over the place, and I was constantly confused about what was going on. Some books just don't match the reader, and in this case, I believe that is what happened. I'm not really going to waste much time on a summary because I barely remember what I read! No offense meant to the author, I swear!

Published: January 10th, 2023

Thank you, @netgalley and @randomhouse, for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really really tried to care about these characters but found them so obnoxious. I just wanted to shake and scold them.

As soon as I saw the cover for The Things We Do to Our Friends I knew I had to read it - look at how stunning! This was a somewhat gripping story about toxic friendships and revenge full of all the atmospheric vibes. I loved visiting Edinburgh a few years ago and I think having been there really helped me enjoy the story more.

We don't know much about our main character Clare, only that she's escaping a dark part of her past and hoping to reestablish herself at a new school in Scotland. While working in a pub she draws the attention of Tabitha and her small group of friends. As Clare gets drawn in deeper to their friend group, Tabitha starts scheming up a business idea that only Clare can help with. And she'll recruit her to the team by and means necessary - even a little blackmail isn't off the table,

This book did get dark at times, but I still kept waiting for it to get darker. I think this could have been a great read if the author really went a bit further. Still enjoyed it though and will read from them again!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for a review copy.

A seductive thriller about the toxic battle between those who have and those who covet, between the desire to truly belong, and the danger of being truly known.

She’s an outsider desperate to belong, but the cost of entry might be her darkest secret in this intoxicating debut of literary suspense following a clique of dangerously ambitious students at the University of Edinburgh. How much is an extraordinary life worth if others have to pay?

An eclectic group of friends (that Clare refers to as The Shiver) initiate a honeytrapping project, one that Clare was accurately wary of from the beginning, and soon realized just how wrong and deep it all was.

Creepy, disturbing, yet deliciously enticing…

Obsessive friendships, deceit, secrets, lies...

Oh, my!

I want to first start out by saying that this has been one of the best debut's I have read in a long time. I am angry it took me so long to pick this one up.

Heather Darwent didn't shy away from pushing boundaries in her debut suspense novel, The Things We Do to Our Friends. I was completely submerged within the plot in the first couple of pages. The women, flawed as they were, were engaging and interesting.

There was no shortage of twists and I was riddled with anxiety throughout the entire book. The phrase "edge of your seat, thriller" does not even begin to explain this one.

Don't believe me, check it out for yourself!

Teaser:

Edinburgh, Scotland: a moody city of labyrinthine alleyways, oppressive fog, and buried history; the ultimate destination for someone with something to hide. Perfect for Clare, then, who arrives utterly alone and yearning to reinvent herself. And what better place to conceal the secrets of her past than at the university in the heart of the fabled, cobblestoned Old Town?

When Clare meets Tabitha, a charismatic, beautiful, and intimidatingly rich girl from her art history class, she knows she’s destined to become friends with her and her exclusive circle: raffish Samuel, shrewd Ava, and pragmatic Imogen. Clare is immediately drawn into their libertine world of sophisticated dinner parties and summers in France. The new life she always envisioned for herself has seemingly begun.

Then Tabitha reveals a little project she’s been working on, one that she needs Clare’s help with. Even though it goes against everything Clare has tried to repent for. Even though their intimacy begins to darken into codependence. But as Clare starts to realize just what her friends are capable of, it’s already too late. Because they’ve taken the plunge. They’re so close to attaining everything they want. And there’s no going back.

Reimagining the classic themes of obsession and ambition with an original and sinister edge, The Things We Do to Our Friends is a seductive thriller about the toxic battle between those who have and those who covet—between the desire to truly belong and the danger of being truly known.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick. Our library purchased and our patrons have been checking out and and enjoying the book. I see it is a popular book club choice as well we hope to have more oppurtinies to support authors like them