4.5 Stars (rounding up) This year has introduced some remarkable debuts, and "Society of Lies" by Lauren Ling Brown is certainly one of them.

The narrative follows Maya, who returns to Princeton after a decade because her sister Naomi is graduating. Maya had hoped to leave behind her experiences with the exclusive secret society, Sterling Club, but things take a dark turn when she discovers that her sister's body has been found at the lake.

The book presents numerous layers and twists, creating an emotional rollercoaster that encourages readers to contemplate that everything occurs for a reason, even when it's challenging to accept. "Society of Lies" is a compelling and intense read, rich with emotional depth, and definitely deserving of attention.

Thanks to the author and Random House Publishing/Bantam for this gifted ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own and left voluntarily.

#SocietyofLies #LaurenLingBrown #NetGalley #Bantam #randomhousepublishing #ARC

As the past and present of two sisters intertwine, the Princeton campus and the societies that offer social connections to students becomes that background for two deaths. Maya and her younger sister reveal their personal story of life on campus. Maya survived hers, Naomi? An excellent thriller with a few bumps, but overall, I'd recommend to every thriller reader I know.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Lauren Ling Brown, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Perfect read for start of fall! I've been on a dark academia kick lately, and while this was nothing ground-breaking, it was a perfectly enjoyable read. I loved the premise of Ivy League secret societies, and I enjoyed reading between both Maya and Naomi. I did think parts of this were a little confusing with characters' relationships to each other, since some people introduced did not really seem necessary to the plot. I wasn't fully expecting the ending, which I appreciated! I do think the book would have benefited from flushing out both Maya and Naomi's characters a little bit more. There were a lot of details related to the case of Lila that they were both investigating, so I feel that it led to them getting left out a bit (even though they were the protagonists). If you're looking for a quick, not-too-dark dark academia read for fall, though, this is a good installment!

Dark academia story that alternated between 2 sisters POV's. Maya and Naomi are both sisters who attended Princeton 10 years apart. When Maya finds out her sister was found dead near campus, she immediately starts digging into her death. What was Naomi involved in? What secrets are being hidden on campus?

Solid story telling but the dueling POV's, which I normally like, read too much alike so it was hard to tell the sisters voices apart.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House Ballantine.

Society of Lies: Reese's Book Club
by Lauren Ling Brown
Pub Date: Oct 01 2024

Society of Lies had a good plot, great characters, good descriptive writing and started out strong but at times I feel it went at a slow pace. There is a lot of intrigue surrounding the concept of the book. Considering this is the authors first novel all in all I feel she did a great job!

Synopsis: Maya has returned to Princeton for her college reunion—it’s been a decade since she graduated, and she is looking forward to seeing old faces and reminiscing about her time there. This visit is special because Maya will also be attending the graduation of her little sister, Naomi. But what should have been a dream weekend becomes Maya’s worst nightmare when she receives the news that Naomi is dead.

Many thanks to #SocietyofLies #NetGalley and #RandomHousePublishingGroup for providing me with an E-ARC of this book.

Secret societies, check. Suspicious deaths, check. Thrilling ending, check. This book has it all. Multiple POVs, dual timelines, suspense. I really enjoyed this one and will definitely be recommending to everyone!

I really enjoyed this one. It fit the fall, moody, dark academia vibes I was craving. I also appreciated the author’s note at the end.

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Pub Date: 10/1
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Thank you to Penruin Random House Audio, Random House Publishing, Ballentine, NetGalley and Lauren Ling Brown for the eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review.
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Society of Lies is a dark academia surrounding a secret society within a secret society at Princeton. A murder occurs in 2012 and then again in 2023. First it was Maya’s friend, now it is her sister. She can’t help but dig deeper into what she already knows for the truth.
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This story was gripping right from the start. I love me a dark academia story and secret societies are always chefs kiss. This is no exception, I wanted to know all the dirty secrets, and boy did I find out. This is told in a dual POV. It’s also told in a linear and nonlinear timeline. Naomi is one narrator - her timeline is in chronologial order, starting from a 10 months out up until her death. The other is Maya, in the present as she tries to figure out what happened to Naomi and in the past in 2012 when she first joined Greystone.
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The characters are awesome. I loved every single one of them. Brown does a phenomenal job at creating the perfect amount of tension with certain characters. I loved the atmospheric vibes and how this was a stead / fast paced story. I was gripped and just wanted to figure out what happened. The ending was fantastic and it was one I most definitely did see coming but it made perfect sense!
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I listened to this while simultaneously reading on my Kindle. The narrators, Brie Carter and Chandler Gregoire were perfect for this story. I felt like they complimented one another and were so easily distinguishable from each other. Highly recommend both the book and the audio.
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Overall, I loved this story, it’s perfect for fall season. It’s a mystery with some serious tension and suspenseful moments at the end. A great debut! I really enjoyed it!

A college student joins a secret society and ends up dead. Her sister was part of the same society when she was at the same college. The dual timelines share the stories of these two sisters and their experiences in college and the secret society.

I liked the spookiness of college life on Princeton’s campus. The secret meetings and societies, the private parties, and the suspense of finding Naomi’s death had me turning pages to see what would happen next. The lack of communication between the sisters had me shaking my head and losing some sympathy for them. There were also times that I struggled to remember whose story I was reading at the time. The points of view were so similar, their experiences almost identical, that their stories were almost interchangeable at times. I would have liked a little more distance between their college experiences.

This is my first book from Lauren Ling Brown and I am definitely going to check out more from her. She has the talent to write books that will keep me on the edge of my seat, turning pages, and needing to know what will happen next.

Maya's return to Princeton was meant to be a double celebration: her class reunion and the graduation of her little sister Naomi. But upon Maya's arrival, the unthinkable happens: Naomi is found dead, supposedly in an accidental drowning. But Maya refuses to believe this was an accident. And through three perspectives—Maya now, Maya ten years ago, and Naomi in the months leading up to her passing—readers learn the shocking truth.

Both Maya and Naomi were members of Sterling, one of Princeton's prestigious "eating clubs." They were also members of Greystone, a secret society run from deep within Sterling, through which lifelong favors were earned, granted, and paid off. While Maya despises the underhanded dealings of Greystone, she does what she must to give her sister a better life—even if it means accepting bribes and acting dishonestly. Eventually, the club's activities lead to the supposedly accidental death of a girl named Lila. But after Naomi's tragic death, Maya learns that her little sister was digging deep into Sterling's (and her own) history. And that digging could lead to more deaths before this case is solved.

In her first novel, Laura Ling Brown paints an all too believable picture of a secret society on an Ivy League campus. While the tradition of eating clubs is very real, Sterling and Greystone are not real themselves... at least not by name. Their practices and procedures ring distressingly true. However, as dire as Maya and Naomi's story may be, Brown paints a vivid pictures of hope amidst despair. It's a thrilling whodunit with twists right up to the very last page, but also a reminder that justice can prevail even in a world with the odds stacked against you.

Compulsive
Thrilling
Addictive

This book, summed up above, was what thrillers are made of! WHAT A DEBUT! Loved this so so much.

*Society of Lies* by Lauren Ling Brown is a compelling story about deception and the masks we wear. Brown’s sharp writing and well-developed protagonist pull you into a web of secrets, exploring themes of trust, betrayal, and identity. The pacing is strong, with twists that keep the reader engaged.

Maya returns to Princeton University for her reunion only to be hit with the news that her younger sister, a current Princeton student is found dead. Now, Maya must come face to face with her past while looking into what really happened to her sister.

This was an interesting one. I found the joint story of the sisters interesting. They both interact while not interacting almost. Both death with the same places and secret societies with in Princeton, just years apart. Even some characters cross over in their stories. I found both Maya and Naomi's stories interesting at different times. It honestly went back and forth for me. On the other hand, while I usually like multi-layered narratives, this one got a little confusing at times. You have Maya in the present, Maya in the past, and Naomi in the more recent past. All started to blend together, especially the side characters.

All in all, this was a good twisty thriller that has a good dark academic feel.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

This book was unlike anything I have read. I liked the way it was written. Will definitely pick more up from this author.

This one had a good concept and although a bit predictable a good story , but here it lost me was the two POVs ( different but very similar) … multiple timelines ( different but similar ) and a long list of characters 🤷🏼‍♀️ it would prob be a good screen adaptation tbh

My rating 3.5 ⭐️

Society of Lies is a slow burn mystery about two sisters who attended Princeton University about a decade apart. They both become wrapped up in eating clubs, formerly known as secret societies, with tragic consequences. When we meet Maya, she is in her thirties, married, with a young child. Naomi is her much younger sister, on the verge of graduating college. But right before graduation, she is found dead in the lake near Princeton. Her death has been declared an accident by authorities, but Maya knows it cannot be true.

The story is told by both sisters in alternating timelines, focusing on their time at university. I found the story intriguing, but a little slow going at first. The second half had me riveted. The storylines are pretty similar, with some characters appearing in both timelines. Their parents passed away when they were both young, so they have a complex relationship. With Maya being a decade older, she has taken on a maternal role in Naomi's life, but still hasn't been there for Naomi as much as she would have wanted. Though the university may appear idyllic and secluded. It’s not beyond the very real privilege, wealth, and bigotry of the real world. It reveals the power and control vast wealth has. I really liked those elements as too many mysteries are pretty superficial and don't investigate other, larger issues.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

First off, can we talk about how much I adored the backdrop of Society of Lies? Princeton and its sneaky secret societies? Yes, please! The mystery was like a puzzle with a zillion pieces, and I was all in for the multiple viewpoints and timelines! That said, I felt like the story took a leisurely stroll when it could’ve sprinted. All in all, I’d give it a solid 3-star rating!

I wanted to love this. The pacing was a little too slow for me. I was hooked in the beginning but then things slowed down and it was difficult to keep my attention.

"Society of Lies" by Lauren Ling Brown is a very interesting read. I could not put it down. The story follows Maya. Maya’s younger sister Naomi turns up dead near Princeton campus, the same school Maya attended 10 years ago.
I enjoyed the storyline & the characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.

Many thanks to netGalley and Random House Publishing/Ballentine for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Maya and Naomi are sisters who both attended Princeton but 10 years apart. When Naomi dies before graduation, Maya is convinced that it was not an accident. As Maya begins to investigate, she is determined to find out what happened. Was Maya's involvement with the Sterling CLub, a secret society, cause Naomi's death?

Told through dual POV and timelines, this is a gripping, fast paced thriller. This is a well written and creative story for fans of suspenseful mysteries! Highly recommend!