I tried multiple times to get into this book and I just couldn't. It had such promise but wasn't able to draw me in whatsoever.

I go into most books blind these days, so I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up a book with the names Death by Society. One of the logical guess would be that society is somehow causing the death of its youth. And to be fair I wasn’t that far off.

The expectations a society puts of a high school students is often weighed down with many pounds of extra things aside from just completing your studies and a be a teen. There’s also the impact of what just being a teen in a school means these days. There’s the different crowds and in the jungle of high school there’s a group in power and someone who may fall to be their prey. Carter is the popular crowds prey. And one day she has had enough. She leaves her suicide note in the persons hands who had brought her to this point. Only much to her surprise her bully shows up and saves her.

This book deals with plenty of tough conversations surrounding bullying and the desperate need to begin having tough hard conversations with our youth as early as middle school or before as this is when Carter began experiencing the torment. This book also includes the dialogue surrounding the importance of mental health, just because you are a successful student like Carter with a thriving app, doesn’t mean that on the inside you aren’t hurting.

This book defo is mean girls meets its kind of a funny story but i also got heathers vibes from it - just a little, well a lot, more on the tamer side. I was gripped by the story and really resonated with the mental health struggles of the characters.

Death by Society is a raw and emotional read that takes you threw the ringer of emotions. It's a hard book to read when you already have mental health issues, read the tags before you begin but if you can handle it it's the perfect representation of what mental issues are like especially for teenage girls in high school environments.
It's not pretty or romantic. It's trauma, bullying, and depression.

this book is so good. the author is able to wonderfully portray the complexities of all the characters and i was so hooked from start to finish. fair warning that this book is DARK dark and to read the content warning before going into it.

2/5⭐

CHECK OUT TW BEFORE READING!!! The book has a page at the beginning of tws (I'm really happy that authors started to include them!)
In this review, I mention bullying, depression, and su!cide

Let's start by saying that I was not too fond of the book. I still don't really know what the plot is tbh. The writing was very much telling and not showing and things were overexplained, and really repetitive. Most characters that go through some kind of mental health issue in books (in this case, the main character has to cope with major depressive disorder and chronic suicidal ideation) usually have a lot of development, but the protagonist was very flat and every character felt so underdeveloped and boring that I couldn't tell them apart.
I didn't understand anything Carter did throughout the book, it just made no sense. I don't remember what happened exactly, but I think it was that the group of girls that bullied her, invited her to a party and she went because she wanted to prove that she was cool or that the bullying didn't affect her. Why would you accept that invitation? Like, don't you think they have ulterior motives for randomly inviting you? Why would you then try to JOIN their friend group if they've been bullying you for years... if the main girl literally drove you to almost kill yourself? That's just self-sabotage. Her actions just frustrated me so much. I don't want anyone to misunderstand me, because I know this is a very sensitive topic, but Carter was such a bad character. For every self-destructive thing that she did, she blamed Abby, she had a weird superiority complex that I just didn't understand, and she never took responsibility for her actions. I don't know, she just wasn't a character that I could sympathize with.
Also, Abby and the rest of her friend group were awful and I still don't understand the reasons... and why did Kelsey get even worse? I don't get it!!! Probably because of how little development these characters had. Also, about the romance (btw there's a sapphic "relationship"), I really thought Carter and Abby were gonna end up together and this was one of those weird bully romances and I was so scared. But literally, nothing happened between them and I didn't know how to react cause then the book made even less sense.
So... what was the moral of the story? that bullying is bad? Cause it felt like one of those videos that teachers put in class so kids would stop bullying each other, it was that bad and unrealistic (and I don't mean that these things don't happen, but it was EVERYTHING that happened that made it unrealistic to me).

I think a lot of people could easily enjoy this book and relate to the characters because of how they deal with their traumas or past experiences, but it wasn't for me.

More Heathers than Mean Girls, plus a dash of Cruel Intentions vibes. This book deals with a lot of heavy issues and I appreciate that the author puts a fairly heavy trigger warning at the start of the book. These are topics that can and should be explored in YA lit. There is also great representation in this book so there are a lot of plusses. That said, I feel like it kind of lost the thread in the second half and there is much more telling than showing. The main characters are so unlikable and I feel like we are supposed to feel for Abby because she herself says she does bad things due to the trauma she suffered, as if pointing out that cause and effect makes it okay. Even still, there are poignant parts where I teared up and I was invested enough that I will probably read the sequel.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

i thought i would enjoy this book but the writing was so hard to stomach. some of it was just bizarre and entirely cringey (the repeated my chemical ho-mance line). The characters were all very shallow and although there were a lot of very serious topics it did just seem like that was ALL they were. a lot of other people did seem to really enjoy the book though.

I've been following the author in every step of the making of this book and I'm so excited to be able to read it as an eARC!

I really enjoyed this book, it made me laugh, it made me cry and it was all worth it! It surely contains lots of difficult topics to write about, but the author truly did a great job portrait everything.

I'll be back for more, for sure!

Okay, y’all. Consider me influenced. This book was floating around via Bookish social media witch quite a lot of buzz. Additionally, the author has been very candid with how personal this story was, and how much it meant to pen a novel about Mental Health topics. Then someone captioned a tweet saying it was like Dark Alt U Mean Girls and I was here for it. It’s in the same vein as a lot of the YA/New Adult TV shows I watch, with a lot of drama and dark brutal social dynamics. Into it in a major way! Had no clue it was going to be the first in a series but I’m happy to hear it!

What I Liked Most:
- mean girls with a darker twist and slight thriller edginess to it, no horror no comedy
- dark drama dealing with bullying, mental health, cliques
- narration swap to get two perspectives on the same story
- lots of inner dialogue where we can explore the MCs and connect personally
- two female leads, ND, trauma, abuse
- queer representation and diverse characters
- For fans of “Mean Girls”, “Do Revenge”, “Pretty Little Liars,” “She’s All That,” “10 Things I Hate About You” (without much of the funny-funny but definitely for the same audience)

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

What to say about Death by Society? I was really excited for this book. I mean, Mean Girls with a queer twist and a mental health focus? How could I say no? And I'm glad I didn't. This was a fun read that got me out of a reading slump. It follows our mc, Carter, who is relentlessly bullied at school by a the POPS—a group of girls that rule the school. But what will happen when one of them is forced to help Carter in the moment she needs it the most? Could a friendship possibly ensue?

One thing I'll say is that I'm not quite sure who this novel is intended for. The topics are certainly mature and presented in not a graphic but at least very descriptive way. However, the writing seems as though it was meant for a much younger audience.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me turning the pages and touched on important issues going on every day, all around us. I appreciate how Sierra was able to humanize Abby without absolving her of her wrongdoings, and normalize depression and suicidal ideations without demonizing Carter. I love that she touched on issues of public schools' inability to address bullying and the generalities of being a teenage girl, while also diving deep into the trauma that so many women and girls experience in their lifetime that go well beyond bullying.

Death By Society
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars
by: Sierra Elmore
Genre: YA Contemporary
Thank you @netgalley @victoryeditingngc for this copy

Ooooo, as much as this book boiled my blood, I really did like it. I hate the topics that were brought up as they are very close to home and are extremely traumatizing.

Bullying, Assault, suicidal dots and attempts, self harm, rape and depression are all touched on in this book, eith a pretty damn accurate portrayal of all.

Reading about what Carter was going through at school and in her personal life on a day to day basis broke my heart but also made me very angry. The way the situations were handled were very much true in real life situations as well. Not much happens, leaving the victim to feel alone, ashamed, depressed, anxious.

This book made me very thankful that I am not a teenage girl going through high school in this day and age. But it makes me that much sadder because my daughter is 😔 and she has dealt with very similar situations.

📢High level of triggers!!📢

Published September 13, 2022

I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Death by Society follows Carter Harper, a bullied, badly depressed teenager. It's about her journey to finding hope. It also follows Abby Wallace, bully extraordinaire who gets a change of heart when her prey tries to commit suicide.

All I have to say is, Sierra Elmore is a true inspiration with her hard voluntary efforts towards this cause and using her undeniable talent to write books that will actually go onto help people

I really enjoyed “Death By Society,” but be sure to read all the trigger warnings ahead of time as there’s a lot to process. It’s compared to “Mean Girls” but I’d say the popular clique is more like the crew in “Jawbreaker” in terms of the cruelness, and these characters go for blood in when trying to destroy each other’s reputations.

While the book focuses on Carter Harper, an intelligent introvert who develops a successful app and suffers from depression, her tormentor, Abby Wallace, also gets her own perspective chapters to give background on why she’s the monster she is. Abby too has a bully, and she’s goes by the name of Kelsey; a friend with benefits and head of the POPS (think plastics from “Mean Girls.”). The story takes a dark turn when things become so bad that Carter attempts to take her own life, only to be saved at the last minute by her sworn enemy, Abby. Tragedy brings the two girls together, which throws the Kelsey dynamic into a tailspin.

There’s so much to unpack and the characters do some truly despicable things that will leave you reeling with shock and anger. Fortunately, the story also puts a spotlight on mental illness, finding the right therapists, learning to ask for help, and using your voice for good. It also highlights why bullying continues in schools, and how the fear of speaking up sometimes leads to worse consequences as a form of retaliation.

Carter Harper is a good and dedicated student, she works hard for the good grades she gets. Abby works harder on being popular so she and Carter are always trying to get the 3rd spot grade, there's two other girls that neither of them can beat grade wise. The thing that keeps both of them busy is Carter ALWAYS gets bullied by Abby, nonstop, relentless bullying that's mostly directed at Carter. Carter has come home so many days with bruises and cuts and a broken heart, a broken soul thanks to Abby and her friends, the POPS as Carter calls them. POPS aka the Petty, Oppressive, Popular Shitbags include Kelsey- the queen bee, Abby- her next in command and the one who won't leave Carter alone, Mei- she doesn't really care about much but making good grades and being hot she doesn't bully Carter as much as the other two girls, and Slater- the nicest of the group but not nice enough to stop Carter from being harassed constantly day in and day out.

Carter has a wonderful mom to come home to, thank goodness for that because she needs someone on her side. At school she has no one, no one wants to step up to the POPS and no one wants to stand up for her. She doesn't tell her mom all the abuse she suffers on a daily basis, Carter feels she can suffer in silence long enough to get out of highschool and onto her next chapter of life. In her free time Carter works on her app. She made an app by herself in her spare time and it helps with mental health. There are soothing sounds and different activities you can do to get out of your own head. She is invited to do an interview about her app and what it does for an article in a magazine about young Black women. She decides to do the article, she knows the POPS read that magazine so they'll see the article and maybe if they see some of her worth, some of the great things she can do, maybe they'll finally leave her alone if only for the rest of the year. It works, sort of, Kelsey wants to hang out with her more and finds her kind of interesting and Slater just wants everyone to get along. Slater actually helped Carter out before the article, she's the one who took pictures of Carter for the article. Slater knows that her friends bully Carter for no reason but she doesn't want to be bullied either so she stands down and says nothing out of fear of retaliation from Abby who she has a huge crush on or from Kelsey who is very cruel and evil. Abby doesn't want to pretend to like Carter, to have to be around Carter who she thinks is boring and a terrible dresser. So Abby and Mei start spreading a rumor about Carter, a rumor that Carter can't handle because it could cause the grownups to investigate her, to put her in psychiatric treatment and maybe even a hospital. Carter can't take it anymore and decides to leave this world, she's had enough of the POPS and their torment. She leaves a note for Abby letting her know she can't take the constant bullying anymore. Abby finds the note and goes to find Carter to hopefully get her to a hospital in time. Will Abby save Carter? Will Abby learn how to be an empathetic human being? What happened to Abby to make her so violent?

This story has content warning at the beginning of the book, keep those in mind and take care of yourself while reading this. I had a couple of moments where I had to stop reading for a few minutes to collect myself. I cried a lot while reading this, some parts are extremely sad, my heart hurt for Carter. Carter seems so cool and sweet and she definitely didn't deserve all the pain and destruction she got at the hands of those 4 pretty girls. I won't give the story away because I want others to read it. I feel like it's an important book to read, I just STRONGLY suggest it's read when you're in good mental health because it can be sad and triggering if not.

This book focuses mainly on Carter and Abby. Carter is a straight A student but very unpopular. And the popular girls know it and use it to their advantage. Abby is part of the in crowd and very popular. Carter cannot handle all the bullying brought on primarily by Kelsey, also a popular girl. So Carter decides that suicide is the only way to get away from it all. She almost succeeds until Abby finds her and is able to call 911 and have her live. Her saving Carter starts a tumultuous friendship between the two. Kelsey is very jealous of Abby spending time with Carter . Kelsey is sent into a very unfamiliar territory of not being able to have others do what she wants them to do.
For anyone that has been bullied, you will be able to empathize with the characters in this book.

I would recommend.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Quite a few days late but, A big thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for approving me of a copy of an e-arc of this book!
Such a good book! Way to go, Sierra Elmore!!!

Impressed by the sympathetic portrayal of teen girls while unravelling—and not romanticising—tough mental struggles & intense bullying, showing how vital it feels to belong, and letting hope & resilience exist in darkness. Will be posting the full review on 20th September, 2022.

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by Elm Street Publishing.

Carter Harper may have created an award-winning app and have a 3.93 GPA, but her successes are overshadowed by brutal bullying, depression, and loneliness. Tired of being treated as the popular girls’ plaything, Carter thinks her only choice is to die by suicide.

Abby Wallace is one of the most popular girls in school, subordinate only to Kelsey, her best friend with benefits. The ambitious poet destroys reputations without care to prove how cool, cruel, and strong she is, all while pushing down her past trauma and secret guilt.

Carter and Abby’s tumultuous relationship comes to a boiling point when Abby stops Carter from attempting suicide. But what happens when they have to protect one another from Kelsey’s harmful antics? If Carter and Abby can stand each other for more than three minutes, they can stop Kelsey from hurting more girls.

Death by Society is a dark and compelling. This book was an amazing portrayal of mental illness, and definitely provides good representation for those who see themselves reflected in the protagonists. Furthermore, having the POV of both the bully and being bullied was also interesting but I can’t help but feel like it wasn’t explored enough. For teen readers, especially those who have been bullied or are facing trauma, I think this will be a book they see themselves in. It is a good book with a great message, nice redemption arc for most of the characters and great saphic representation.