This book was so so so good. I was hooked from start to finish. Let me tell you, I did not see a single thing coming which was refreshing.

If you loved Ace of Spades, you will love Abike-Iyimide's sophomore novel, Where Sleeping Girls Lie. It has the same characteristic character, plot, and suspense building with important conversations woven in that help us look at our world more deeply. Due to the heavy content -- trigger warnings include rape, sexual assault, and suicide--I almost considered not reading but because none of it was explicitly described (most of it was off the page, not on) I was really grateful I kept reading. The main character, Sade, is going through a very hard time after the death of her mother, sister, and then father. She's now an orphan and shows up at a boarding school. She's assigned a house sister and brother. The house sister, Elizabeth, spends the day with her, showing her around and helping her feel welcome. As they tour the school, Sade starts to feel there's more going on than Elizabeth will let her in on yet: There's a dead rat on their doorstep, Elizabeth hides in the biology lab garden, and she keeps looking at her phone with strange expressions crossing over her face. But a few days later, just as Sade is starting to feel like they might be friends, Elizabeth disappears. A few days after that the school says Elizabeth is with her aunt who has written to tell them she's safe; the only problem is that her aunt died years ago and Elizabeth's mother has dementia. Sade and Elizabeth's other friend start to investigate and learn there's a lot more to Nobel Academy than either of them ever thought possible. I loved the inclusion of so many important conversations from privilege to rape culture to toxic masculinity to racism and more and I think this would be a great addition to any secondary library or for any book club (YA or otherwise). I do think readers should be aware that sexual assault and harassment and rape play a large role in the book and keep in mind that could be a trigger but otherwise this is a must read in my mind. Absolutely five stars! Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

I think I liked this book even more than Ace of Spades. Both this book and that one are the kind of stories that just sort of stick with you. While you’re reading it’s hard to stop because you get sucked in and want that next piece of the puzzle, and yet once it’s done, once everything comes together, it’s hard to move on.

More than the characters, or even the story itself, it’s the kind of book you keep thinking about after you finish because so many parts feel (and are) just a little too real to find any comfort or real closure - the line between fiction and reality non-existent. It’s very good, it’s more than a little unsettling (check the trigger warnings), and I can’t wait for her next book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the book and audiobook - great narration that really helped to bring the story and characters to life.

TW/CW:
Micro aggressions toward Black, Muslim, brown, and female characters
Recounted sexual assault(s)
Drug/alcohol use
Reference to character(s) being roofied/drinking tainted drinks
Death/recounted death of various characters
Teachers/Principals that suck at they job


FÀÍ has done it again! This story was addictive and raw and gritty and I think Sade was the perfect FMC for us to live through. 10/10

The students at ANA are the best of the best. Rich kids with even richer parents and a taste for rich things — clothes, drugs, food, everything. Except Sade. She’s an orphan. Mom passed when she was a kid, and her pa just recently. But she wants to *live*. Not just be homeschooled and exist in the opulent walls of her mansion, really live.

But sinister things await her at ANA: a sketchy roommate, hidden secrets, a society that’s operated right under the headmaster’s nose.

Sade’s voice is rich and filled with righteous anger and a tinge of that teenage humor we all know, love, and sometimes still employe.

I cried. I laughed. I RAGED for Sade. And I celebrated her triumphs.
——-

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC via Netgalley, Kelly for the physical ARC from NYCC, and my wallet for the finished copy.

I really really loved this author's first book but I just couldn't get into this one for some reason, so I DNF'd at ~30%. I'll continue to pick up this author's books though! She has a true talent for mystery plotting.

Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is a gripping, thought-provoking novel that delves into themes of identity, privilege, and the complexities of friendship. Set in a prestigious British boarding school, it follows the lives of two young women, Simi and her best friend, who navigate a world full of secrets and hidden motives. The author skillfully blends suspense with sharp commentary on societal expectations. With well-developed characters and a strong, atmospheric plot, Àbíké-Íyímídé offers a thrilling exploration of loyalty, betrayal, and self-discovery. It’s a compelling read that will resonate with fans of contemporary young adult fiction.

I enjoyed this authors first book and this one was equally as good! The mysterious girls school atmosphere, gossip girly, but also important in underlying themes of todays social issues.

If you are in the mood for a dark academia, slow burn YA Thriller, then Where Sleeping Girls Lie is the book for you. I really enjoyed the author's previous book, Ace of Spades, so I was excited to dive into this one.

The book was a bit of a slow burn in the sense where the pacing was slow at first, then picked up as the story went on. While I am not typically a fan of this method, I feel like it worked really well here. The author incorporates some heavy themes within the book and does so with great care and consideration. There is also an author's note at the beginning that warns readers of trigger warnings, which i really wish was more common.

The characters were all very well written. It felt like each person played a role that was significant to furthering the story. I adored Sade and Basil's friendship, and found the inclusion of Muffin very cute. I appreciated the way the Sapphic romance was incorporated in the book... it wasn't exactly necessary for the plot, but it felt very genuine and grew organically.

I really liked this author's first book but I feel like that made me go into this one with expectations too high,

It was a well written book, but the pacing felt off for me and personally it was hard to get into. I felt like there were so many plot points and while we got answers for them all in the end, the constant confusion made me not want to pick up the book.

I very much appreciate being gifted this copy of Where Sleeping Girls Lie, and the opportunity to read & review it. Thanks to the publisher. Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé is an amazing storyteller, Ace of Spades was a wonderful debut, and this was a brilliant next book.

i will read anything Faridah Abike-Iyimide writes. it's giving pretty little liars with a twist. i loved ace of spades and i really hope that she continues writing these kinds of books. the characters are really fleshed out and the plot was really engaging. it's a little long, but i really enjoyed it.

I have truly loved Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé's books and I will continue to read them. I am a huge fan of the sub genre she has occupied, this sapphic ya horror/thriller corner, and I am so appreciative. The book hits pretty emotional straight from the start. With that, it keeps a gentle pace which is vital for this genre since you have to come out swinging. The characters and their development evolved and felt very tangible, which again, is something I have always noticed with Faridah. I carry this title because of it being able to bounce in difference areas of our store. I recommend it.

Read 4/11/24

5 stars
I loved this book. It was everything a YA dark academia book without supernatural elements should be. It had a great balance between school, mystery, friendships and drama.

I did not finish this book. I don't click with the author's writing style. I find the short paragraphs too choppy and really hard to immerse myself in.

Faridah just doesn't disappoint. I LOVED Ace of Spades, so I was really excited to get into Where Sleeping Girls Lie. Faridah has such a way of writing characters and making you instantly root for her main characters. I loved the backdrop of this book and the promise of dark academia was fulfilled to the highest order. This a slow, creeping sort of mystery which was different from Ace of Spades, but I actually like this form of mystery more. The suspense was still there, just in slow burn. The less you know about this book going in, the better. The mystery is so dark and cool and the payoff is even better. If you haven't read this one yet, you absolutely must.

In 'Where Sleeping Girls Lie' we follow a young English girl as she starts at a boarding school following a host of family tragedies. After being homeschooled all her life, Sade enters Alfred Nobel Academy and is immediately thrown into more turmoil. We follow Sade as she navigates high school politics while trying to investigate the sudden disappearance of her roommate. This book explores many triggering topics head-on. I would check the content warnings, but I also found that the topics were handled with enough care that I could continue reading. Overall, this is a very important book, especially for its intended audience. Although I'm not in that category, I still found it quite affecting and therapeutic as it related to some of my traumas. 4.5, as I just didn't get the 5 star feeling, but nothing against the book

This was a great books for people who are looking for a moderate amount of horror and mystery. It was a fun read to read with friends. The plot was a little predictable for some friends, but it did not affect my experience.

this was a good solid mystery; a lot of moving parts and characters to keep track of though. my only complaint is that it was sooo much longer than it needed to be & oftentimes the characters seemed to not be so fleshed out

Really enjoyed this book! I preferred it over Ace of Spades and thought it was really well done. The characters were well described and the twists were believable. Will recommend!

Thank you netgalley and check CW/TW before starting this book.

This would make a great HBO limited series! This book starts off really slow and only picks up by the 60% mark and while some readers might be annoyed by this, I enjoyed the slow pace. Sometimes a book needs to start off slow to be good and this is one of them.

When you realize why this is called Where Sleeping Girls Lie, you will feel sick to your stomach and as the story continues the worse it gets.

But as much as I liked this book, I do think that the execution could have been better, but maybe that’s just me being wishful and hoping for more.