When ready a book with a sole character at its center, you want to love the character. Sophia didn’t do it for me. I found that she lacked the depth that her character needed. One instance that really got me with how infatuated she was with Tree. The author really wanted us to see the intrigue being Tree, through the eyes of Sophia. However, because of Sofia’s lack of everything remotely interesting, I was bored. I didn’t see the infatuation like I think I was suppose to see. I didn’t feel any depth when reading from Sophia’s perspective. A dull main character doesn’t paint the prettiest picture for a book. I’m afraid she washed everything out of what could have been great about this book.

The plot was interesting enough: a beauty company uses “unique” ingredients for their skincare’s formula. I could see this “twist” from 3 states away. I wasn’t shocked or even impressed with this take. I expected a subsequent twist that would blow my socks off (or gross me out since it’s modeled as horror). I’m sad to say that neither happened.

Enough with the blab, I just didn’t enjoy this one.

Okay, that’s enough skincare horror beauty culture madness fiction for me. Every so often, the success of a book will establish a new micro-genre that various authors try to emulate in the following years or two, until the excitement fizzles out after some less than innovative publications, ending in YA picking up the theme in a more sanitized fashion, before the copycat publications go out of print entirely. I’m afraid this is one of the latter books.

The Good:
- Dieting culture, calorie restriction, and body image issues are depicted in a realistic way.
- Excellent representation of a millenial employee fighting for their lives on the job market.
- The cocaine-snorting influencer rich best friend was the most interesting character of all.

The Bad:
- I couldn’t keep most of the other secondary characters apart or make myself a picture of them for the life of me.
- Are crime investigators stupid?
- I have no words for the ending.

So I didn’t hate this, but I also couldn’t believe any of the increasingly unhinged turns in the second half of the novel. Do I still have to pretend I don’t want to spoil you? Of course not, it's right on the cover. The premise is Elizabeth Bathory-adjacent, and that’s all you need to know if you’re curious to discover the secret ingredient that rejuvenates the protagonist’s skin.

Have fun reading this, because I sure did for the most part, though I can recommend better books if you have an itch for beauty craze criticism (and a couple of video essays on youtube, too, while we are on the topic).

Sophia is a new employee at HEBE, a skincare company lead by Tree and comprised mostly of a rotating collection of young, fresh interns. When Tree gives Sophia a moisturizer that repairs one of Sophia's most delicate insecurities, Sophia has to decide if she'll accept the truth of what makes the moisturizer unlike anything she's tried before.

Surprisingly, I felt this book slowed down the most right at the point of action. Additionally, I think it was pretty easy to see what was going on but I still very much enjoyed the book and identified with the pressing themes women often have to face as they begin to age. I'd recommend this to fans of Imposter Syndrome and other "girlboss" (non-derogatory) thrillers!

"youthjuice" by EK Sathue is an intriguing exploration of themes surrounding youth and vitality. Narrated by Suzy Jackson, the audiobook presents a unique narrative that invites listeners to ponder the complexities of life and aging.

Jackson’s narration is engaging, bringing a dynamic energy to the characters and enhancing the overall experience. However, while the concept is fascinating, I found the execution to be a bit uneven. Some parts felt rushed, and certain themes could have been explored in more depth.

I’d rate this audiobook 3 out of 5 stars. It offers thought-provoking moments but may leave some listeners wanting more clarity and depth. Thank you to NetGalley for my copy; all opinions are my own!

#NetGalley #EKSathue #youthjuice #RBMedia

I appreciate the allegorical take on modern beauty standards and practices. Took quite a while for the secrets to be spilled, but it was so much better than spilt milk!

Although I'm giving this audiobook 4 stars, I am left wanting more.

So much of this book just barely grazed the surface. While the parallel stories are playing out about her two best friends, one told from the past and one happening just slightly off-page, I was left with questions.

Would Sophia truly become best friends with someone who's life could be seen as a glimpse of what Mona's life could've become?

Clearly, addiction play a huge part in this story: Drug, Beauty, Other People's Perceptions and Validation.

This gave me the creeps in the best possible way! Great commentary, scathing dark humor, and kept me entertained until the very end. The narration was great as well so I would highly recommend listening to the audiobook.

I didnt read this book, I listened to the audiobook.
I loved the cover of this book, def eye catching.
Horror and skin care themed what an awesome concept. We need more books with this theme.
It was a fun book to read, very light on the horror elements in my opinion. I would like to have more horror and some gross elements into the book. you know like more nightmare fuel. lol
This gene (theme) has sooo much potential.
Well written, lots of interesting characters (they were all there for a purpose) and a POV of the main character.
So the main character (Sofia) was a bit off, unhinged i guess you could say and odd. You def get vibes of a female American Psycho from her.
I was happy to read this book. I might have to see what else this author has written and check it out.

I really love stories that are timely and relevent and will probably LAST and stay that way. "youthjuice" has that bite and wit with it's commentary and I feel like it snuck under my skin and irritated it and now I'm questioning things--which is exactly what you WANT from this kind of novel. WELL DONE.

Oh boy this one was fun!! It’s dark! Creepy! And somewhat prescient! I loved it! It’s an absurd love letter to the beauty industry! The lengths people will go to remain young looking! It’s short! It’s funny! Its dark humor will make you squeal with delight!

Sophia is convinced to try this youth enhancing moisturizer and finds herself addicted! What’s Youth Juice’s secret ingredient? Does she care? LOL Great audio!!

Thank you NetGalley & Recorded Books! I’d definitely read or listen to similar dark thrillers!! Fun quick listen!!

I went into this one with HIGH expectations, what's not to love about the synopsis. While I enjoyed the horror elements, the YA feel didn't work that well for me, I can see it working for others though. I might not have finished this one had it not been for the audiobook, I liked the voice of the narrator.

When you know the twists of the plot just from the blurb, cover, and intro, it becomes that much more important for the characters and their relationship with the story to carry it. In that way, this is a really solid 3.5 that I'm rounding up because it's the sort of story and writing that crawls under your skin and sticks with you in one way or another.

The story is much less about Sophia slowly being drawn into the HEBE lifestyle and more about slowly unraveling what it is about her that leads her so deep in, the choices and emotions she has about beauty, ambition, and the things she's willing to convince herself of.

This is a book that does require you to, in some way or other, be cognizant of trends, of how current blogs or tiktoks talk about health and beauty and skincare and marketing. It plays in a sort of space that is intimately familiar with said trends while only just dipping into how easily we fall into the spell of each new fad and trend, and how easy it is to build a cult-like following.

The horror parts of this were well done - there are some descriptions that physically made me recoil or curl into myself to protect the soft, fleshy parts - but I especially loved the creeping realization of Sophia herself and the horror of the life she's built.

There are a few weak points - why were she and Dom friends? Especially to the point that they lived together, especially with Sophia's history with Mona and her drug usage - but overall, I enjoyed the heck out of this.

3.5 rounded to 4 because the audio was well done.

I like this novel. It was a quick read and felt more satire than anything else to me. I love the hyperclean and Instagram worthy depiction of the skincare company. Every commentary on the over-saturated, over-stylized nature of the exorbidant rise of skincare and content creation was so fun! I did have trouble connecting to any of the characters though. It felt more like an overall story being told rather than THEIR story being told. Overall, the story was fun and engaging if a bit predictable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very odd and creepy story. I was cringing with how obsessed the characters were with looking young and youthful. This book was a little disturbing and creepy.

I didn't realize this wasn't a true story but more based on several real life ideals. Honestly I think that kind of killed it for me and was a little confusing, I think it just fell flat. I was trying to figure out who it was based on and that made the character feel a little all over the road to me. Maybe that's just me.

I know there is a large audience that loves body horror - turns out I am not part of that audience. I had a difficult time with this one but know a lot of library patrons that will love it.

"Youthjuice" by EK Sathue is a riveting and thought-provoking novel that delves into the dark underbelly of the beauty industry. The story follows Sophie, a young woman working at the prominent beauty company HEBE, who begins to uncover unsettling secrets about her workplace, her colleagues, and the lengths to which people will go to maintain youth and beauty. Sathue masterfully explores themes of beauty and aging, shedding light on society's obsession with youth and the sometimes extreme measures people take to preserve their appearance. Through Sophie's eyes, we witness the pressures and moral dilemmas faced by those in the beauty industry, making for a compelling and often unsettling narrative.

The novel's strength lies in its ability to balance a gripping plot with deep, reflective commentary. Sathue's portrayal of HEBE's darker aspects and motives is both insightful and critical, prompting readers to question their own perceptions and the societal standards of beauty in real life. The suspense builds as Sophie navigates the intricacies of her job, her relationships with her coworkers, and the enigmatic behavior of her boss, making for a page-turner that is hard to put down.

One of the standout aspects of "Youthjuice" is its exploration of childhood friendship and betrayal. The characters are richly developed, with flaws and past mistakes that make them incredibly human and relatable. Sathue does an excellent job of illustrating how past relationships shape who we become and the moral complexities that define us. The characters' actions and motivations are portrayed with nuance, reminding readers that even those who have done awful things are not necessarily awful people.

E.K. Sathue's writing is both engaging and evocative, capturing the reader's attention from the very first page. "Youthjuice" is a must-read for anyone interested in a hypothetical beauty industry's inner workings, societal standards of beauty, and the complex nature of human relationships. It's a book that not only entertains but also provokes thought and introspection.
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This novel presents a darkly satirical take on the beauty industry and NYC's influencer culture, blending elements of horror with social commentary. The premise of a luxury skincare company harboring sinister secrets offers a compelling critique of society's obsession with youth and beauty. While the plot's exploration of the protagonist's moral dilemma and the gruesome reality behind the products creates an engaging narrative, the body horror elements may indeed be too intense for some readers. The book's strength lies in its sharp observations of contemporary culture, though its graphic content could be off-putting for those sensitive to such descriptions.

This book was very dark and weird, so naturally I loved it. The storytelling was a little disjointed at times and reminiscent of Mona Awad's book Rouge. It came into it's own and unfurled into a very enjoyable horror parody aimed at the skincare beauty industry.

3.75 stars rounded up.

Marketed as American Psycho meets The Devil Wears Prada and it lived up to the hype. Yes, it was over the top and a bit on the nose but I really enjoyed it. My favorite parts of youthjuice were when EK Sathue really examined just how ugly and disgusting vanity can be. Did I listen to this audiobook while doing my multistep skincare routine? Absolutely.

One minor thing: I really liked the narrator but there were a few places in the audio where there were some noises from the mic cutting out at the end of a paragraph or chapter. This seemed like an easy editing issue that wasn't addressed.

Good narrator with excellent pacing and tone. Some odd gaps between chapters but not too distracting. thank you to NetGalley and publisher for a copy..