A truly intoxicating, dark academia thriller!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and author for a gifted eARC of SOCIETY OF LIES, and congratulations to the author for their recent publication and selection for Reese's Book Club!

This was a consuming, dark thriller set in an ivy league college filled with secret society skeletons (literally and figuratively). I could not put this one down! I look forward to reading more from this author.

I thought this book was well written and I enjoyed it enough to finish it. I personally did not connect with the characters but that is just a me thing.

This was just okay? I enjoyed the look behind eating clubs at Princeton and a secret society, but it just wasn't very surprising or thrilling (at least to me). The dual POV at times was confusing, since one was in the current time and the other was in the past counting towards the present. It was nice to have the different perspectives of Maya and Naomi, though. Maybe if you have never read or seen anything about Ivy League secret societies, this would be more thrilling for you? I received an advance review copy for free and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.

Murder, dark societies... I enjoyed reading this one.
I love a good dark academia story and the secret societies of Princeton's eating clubs were intriguing to me. The plot drew me in and I loved the chapters that delved deeper into Greystone Society.
I came to really like Naomi's character and her inquisitive mind as she dove deeper into the dark secrets of the past. Reading about the relationship dynamic between the two sisters was interesting. I enjoyed how their characters developed throughout the book, and I loved the twists and turns that the book took.
If you like a fun dark-academia murder mystery I would recommend it!

Title: Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown
Publication Date- 10/01/24
Publisher- Random House Ballantine
Overall Rating- 5/5 stars

Review copy given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: It’s been a while since I’ve read a thriller that I felt was crafted really well. This is just a good story. It’s engaging, the pacing is perfect, it’s layered in a sensible way, it’s just good.

Something that this author did that I don’t think I’ve read before is a POV of the present, past POV of her sister and past POV of her as well. This story goes back and forth in time and explores secret societies at Princeton. Basically, rich people behaving badly, on a college campus. There is a dark academia feel that was perfect for this time of year.

Society of Lies has an investigative approach which I found interesting and engaging throughout the story. The characters were realistically written, dialogue felt appropriate, it just feels like it’s been a while since I’ve read a thriller that mature.

There are several characters that are important, however it’s not difficult to keep up because the author intertwined things in a continuous timeline that is sensible and easy to follow.

If you enjoyed books like “In my Dreams I Hold a Knife,” and “I Have Some Questions for You,” you should give this one a try.

Secret societies...entitled university students...what could go wrong?

This was a great story of biracial sisters (Black and Chinese) who attend the elite Princeton University and are thrilled when they are tapped to join the elite "eating club" Sterling Club. But within Sterling Club is an even more influential club that can make or break an individual, a future, or a whole corporation. Because they are somewhat estranged, with 10 years between them, Maya fails to warn Naomi about the dangers of the club. Naomi mistakenly believes she is protecting Maya in her pursuit of the explanation for the murder of a college student when Maya was at university. And there's no one either of them can (or should) trust. Secrets and miscommunication lead to a deadly outcome, when Naomi is killed just before her graduation.

The chapters flipped between Maya's and Naomi's time at Princeton, and while the pacing was a little uneven, this was an enjoyable, tense, emotional read. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for an advance reader's copy.

The synopsis of Society of Lies immediately drew me in, promising a tale of intrigue and deception. The first half of the book lived up to my expectations, immersing me in the lives of the characters and the complexities of their relationships. However, as the story progressed, I noticed a shift in the pacing that ultimately affected my overall enjoyment of the story.
Overall, Society of Lies is a decent read, but it didn't keep me on the edge of my seat or compel me to finish it in one sitting. While it has its strengths, particularly in the initial setup and character development, the pacing and predictability in the latter half left me wanting more.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy of Society of Lies in exchange for my honest review.

OMGosh! These kids! lol So Maya and Naomi aren’t necessarily kids but they younger than me so KIDS! When I tell you they are falling into so many messed up situations it feels like I’m yelling at screen. But I can say the story is definitely keeping me on my toes especially with waiting for this big reveal. I’m just under halfway through and the book has my attention. If you are looking for suspense and entertainment this book has exactly what you need. Young adults figuring it out! Will definitely be back for a final reaction!

Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown is about two sisters, Maya and Naomi. While they do not always get along or agree, they do love and care about each other. When Naomi drowns, Maya must wrestle with her emotions. According to the police, drugs and alcohol were found in Naomi’s body. Maya cannot believe that Naomi used drugs. Was it an accident? Was it suicide? Through a series of flash backs, we get a glimpse into how decisions made by Maya while she was in college may have caused issues in her sister’s college life. This book is an interesting twist on how choices we make sometimes have repercussions down the road. And just how little we know about the people we know and sometimes trust. An interesting read.

Maya and Naomi are sisters who may are separated by a decade, but their experiences at Princeton intersect in ways Maya didn’t expect. Told in alternating timelines, follow along as the sisters explore life in secret societies.

This book consumed me from the very beginning. I found myself unable to put it down as the alternating chapters shed more and more light into what happened during Maya’s time at Princeton. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a thriller!!

Thanks to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair review.

Lauren Ling Brown’s Society of Lies is an utterly captivating thriller that grips you from the first page and doesn’t let go. The novel skillfully blends the intrigue of secret societies with a deeply personal quest for truth, making it a standout in the genre.

Maya’s return to Princeton for what should have been a nostalgic reunion is quickly overshadowed by her sister Naomi’s shocking death, and the tension mounts as Maya begins to peel back the layers of her sister’s life. Brown masterfully weaves a tale of suspense, where every revelation about Naomi brings Maya closer to the dark, unsettling truth she’s been running from for years. The setting of Princeton’s elite social clubs and secret societies is both glamorous and chilling.

Maya’s journey is both emotionally charged and dangerous, and Brown does an excellent job of portraying her grief, guilt, and determination. The plot twists are smart and satisfying, and the pacing is perfect, building to a jaw-dropping conclusion that left me reeling.

If you love dark academia with a side of secrets and suspense, Society of Lies is an absolute must-read.

Thank you Lauren Ling Brown, Random House Publishing, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Society Of Lies by Laura Ling Browne, Maya is returning to Princeton not only to go to her reunion but to watch her sister Naomi graduate. They’re 10 years apart and because of Mia’s failed attempts to open up and be closer she feels like she’s didn’t do a good job being a big sister so when she learns her sister was found dead she takes all the guilt and love she has to solve her sisters murder even when the cops are calling it accidental. Mya knows all too well that even when you’re in the most elite club it can be dangerous despite warning Naomi away from that being rebellious she went headfirst into it and now Maya fears she already knows what happened to her poor sister Naomi. Princeton has traditions going back decades and they’re willing to kill to keep everyone of them. I really enjoyed this book not only because the MC was Asian/African American and we don’t always get that viewpoint but because she earn their way at the elite school and all that entails including the Sterling club and all the other dinner clubs most don’t hear about in every day life. Having said that once again it comes to people having a problem due to a lack of communication and in this case it ends in murder. I think the author did a great job putting the reader right where she wanted them to be and created an elite atmosphere dashed with secrets, fear and longing. What great job and a great book. #NetGalley,#Random house children’s, #LauraLingBrown, #SocietyOfLies,

I really enjoyed this story of a university secret society gone wrong. I thought both timelines were engaging and kept my interest equally. It was surprising to me how the women's time at Princeton were intertwined and that was really well done. There were plenty of characters to keep you guessing but there was obviously one main "suspect" throughout...

I also love when books make me check my privilege and this book did it a few times. It's so easy to forget that there are some people who still have to worry about cops attitudes towards them, even when they go to an Ivy League school.

With that said, I was also happy to hear the author's note at the end too.

Wow!! Great story!!

Maya Mason lost her father when she was just 9 years old and her Mom was 7 months pregnant with her little sister. Her Mom was Asian and her dad was African-American, growing up with a mixed background was hard. When their mom died when Maya was 18 and Naomi was just 9 years old, Maya sent her to live with an Aunt while she went off to Princeton University.

Maya felt like an outcast her first two years until she was initiated into the wealthy Sterling Club and eventually the ultra secret Greystone Club. There she finally felt like she belonged. She did everything so she and her sister, Naomi, could have better futures. But a manipulative professor was pulling the strings of both students, faculty, and rich donors. When a student is ready to out him, he makes sure that she's permanently silenced.

Fast forward 9 years and its Naomi's graduation from Princeton, but when her body is found, Maya knows that there's been foul play. Naomi joined both clubs without telling Maya and wanted to get justice for the student that was killed and finally out the scheming professor.

A must read!

* I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I started and stopped this book more times than I want to admit. I even purchased the audio hoping that my experience would be better. It wasn't.

Unlikable characters doesn't bother me and I have enjoyed books where the main character was unlikeable. However, there are certain stories where you want, need, to root for the main character. I couldn't stand Maya. I wanylted satisfaction for Naomi and i could care less how Maya felt. Maya was such an entitled person who kept deluding herself regarding Naomi. I truly questioned if she really did love her sister.

It was the audio that helped me finish the book. The author is talented and had a story to tell. But doing that you have to make you main character worth rooting for.

#SOCIETYOFLIES
#NETGALLEY
#LAURENLINGBROWN

This book was entertaining the whole way. A sister trying to find the truth of what happened to her younger sister. Was it accident? Or was it murder? I was on the edge of my seat wanting to know what happened. When I tried to guess the twists, I was wrong which is unusual for me. I can not recommend this book enough. Please check trigger warnings if it sounds interesting to you.

While I thought this book had an interesting and intriguing premise I had a hard time becoming invested in the story itself or its characters.
Normally dual POV's don't bother me, but in this book I sometimes had a hard time distinguishing which sister we were reading,
I think for the most part the story was fine, if I had to put it down I wasn't really compelled to pick it back up, and once I was finished I was already forgetting what had happened.

I couldn't wait for Lauren Brown's Society of Lies! RBC never lets me down with a pick, and I knew this one would be no different. I will always love a mysterious dark academia novel, and I was hooked from the beginning as Maya returns to Princeton after 10 years, only to find out her sister has been killed. I flew through this, and I would recommend it for a quick, thrilling read!

I'm a sucker for a dark academic club thriller/mystery. I also love dual timeline and dual POV. This book was good, but not great. It had everything I hoped it would, but something just dragged a bit. It felt longer than it needed to be, even though it's not a particularly long book. The dark academic setting and twists kept me going, but I think I was left just wanting more.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine Bantam for gifting me a digital ARC of this debut book by Lauren Ling Brown, this month's Reese's Book Club Selection. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

Maya has returned to Princeton for her college reunion and the graduation of her sister, Naomi. But then Maya gets word that Naomi is dead, and she suspects that it's not an accident. She begins investigating and learns that Naomi hid so much from her, especially that Naomi joined Sterling Club, the most exclusive social club on campus, and probably the secret society within it, just as Maya did in her college days. Every clue leads Maya back to the past and the secret she's kept for years.

Told from both Naomi's and Maya's viewpoints, in the present and the past, you need to pay close attention, but it's well worth the effort! I'm a fan of dark academic thrillers and this one has all that plus secret societies, mysteries and deaths in both timelines, and plenty of secrets and lies. This book was so atmospheric and covered so many topics, from sisterhood, to friendship, to loyalty, abuse, and just how important communication is. If you're like me, you'll be questioning the motives of so many different characters and the ending was a big surprise. Great read, especially in the fall!