Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Kelsey Rae Dimberg’s “Snake Oil” is a razor-sharp literary thriller that delves into the cutthroat world of wellness startups, where ambition and authenticity collide with deadly consequences. This novel offers a darkly comic and suspenseful exploration of the lengths people will go to achieve success and the cost of maintaining a facade.

The story centers around Radical, a fast-growing wellness startup founded by the charismatic Rhoda West. Rhoda is Silicon Valley’s darling, embodying the #girlboss ethos with her visionary leadership and magnetic personality. However, beneath the glossy exterior of Radical lies a web of deceit and power struggles. As Rhoda’s empire expands, the cracks begin to show, leading to a series of events that threaten to unravel everything she has built. Dimberg’s portrayal of the high-stakes startup culture is vivid and chilling.

Rhoda West is a compelling protagonist whose drive and determination are matched only by her willingness to manipulate those around her. Her character is a fascinating study in ambition and the moral compromises it entails. The novel also follows two other women, each vying for power within Radical. Their interactions and conflicts add depth to the narrative.

“Snake Oil” explores themes of authenticity, ambition, and the dark side of the wellness industry. Dimberg delves into the psychological toll of maintaining a public persona and the ethical dilemmas faced by those in positions of power.

Dimberg’s writing is sharp and incisive, with a keen eye for detail that brings the world of Radical to life. The pacing is brisk, with enough twists and turns to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

“Snake Oil” is a gripping and thought-provoking novel that offers a scathing critique of the wellness industry and the pursuit of success at any cost. Kelsey Rae Dimberg has crafted a story that is both entertaining and unsettling, with characters that linger in the mind long after the final page. This novel is a must-read for fans of literary thrillers and anyone interested in the darker aspects of startup culture.

I love books that poke at the wellness industry lining, and this did just that. It combines social media, marketing ploys, wellness culture, and the pressure for females to be their perfect selves 100% of the time to deliver a fast-paced psychological thriller.

Snake Oil is a slow burn. I found myself immediately pulled into the world of Radical and happily read on and on about the conflicting relationsihps between the characters, but as a thriller it didn't work for me. Even when the stakes were high, I didn't feel any real sense of urgency or concern about the fates of the characters.

The wellness industry has a ton of secrets but they’re scarier than we thought! All former people who referred to themselves as “girl boss”, this one is for you! There is so much drama and mystery wrapped up into this cult like culture, get ready for twists and turns.

Being a former “girl boss” myself, I couldn’t wait to dive into this! I did feel like the middle of the book dragged and I had a hard time keeping up with who was who. But the payoff was worth it! I really enjoyed this story and how it showed behind the scenes truths that the public will not always know about. I really felt for some of the characters and enjoyed this book a lot!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Kelsey Rae Dimberg, and Mariner Books for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review! This published on September 17th.

I have posted my review on Goodreads, my Facebook book club, and will make a TikTok.

✨️Review snake oil 1/5 🌙's✨️

Overview: Radical is a company that sells miracles to women everywhere. While claiming to be for the women with the women Rhonda the CEO uses all of her female employees as pawns in her larger scheme for a mega machine.

I really wanted to like this book. I wanted to enjoy it. But I just didn't. Thr characters needed a little more love. And maybe not knowing how an MLM works The catty cult boss made me want to roll my eyes a little. I think this story is meant for someone just not me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mariner Books for providing this book, with my honest review below.

I was intrigued by Snake Oil’s premise and so glad I picked it up. The book follows a startup that is centered on wellness, Radical, and doing seemingly well. But when it’s much lauded founder, Rhoda, gets caught up trying to find a mole in her midst, things get really complicated really fast. Radical seemed such a realistic type of company in this day and age, focused on marrying wellness and tech with products that don’t seem too far off to what we see today. But the best parts of this book come when we focus on two worker bees in Rhoda’s little kingdom - Cecilia, who hates Radical, and Dani, who is overly bought into it. The three women spin suspense in this story, and I truly didn’t know who was driving the big key event until the very end.

I loved the look into what could be a real company, with the accompanying intrigue, and the suspense of this story!

absolutely love the suspenseful satirical take on the wellness industry and the social commentary. the wellness space isn’t discussed enough and this does so in a smart and funny way.
also, who of us hasn’t wanted to make an anonymous twitter account to vent?
the pregnancy plot line did feel forced even if it came together in the end.

3.5 rounded up for Goodreads/NetGalley

Snake Oil is a story centered around three women.
Rhoda is the founder and owner of Radical, a popular health & wellness brand
Cecilia works at Radical and writes mean tweets about the company on the sly
and Dani, who also works at Radical and has visions of working her way up from the bottom.

The story is told from their POVs in short, bingeable, chapters. I would say this is a psychological thriller shot through with biting social commentary exposing the internal, sinister world of marketing, social media, corporate businesses, scandals, "girl bossing", brand management and optics, ladder climbing, jealousy, health & wellness scams, and influencers.

The behind-the-scenes style drama and escalation were so addictive.
Highly recommend for readers who enjoy dark satire reflecting the truth behind so many issues modern women face.
Read if you enjoyed:
Youthjuice
Natural Beauty
Yellowface
and The Devil Wears Prada

Snake Oil presents an engaging exploration of the wellness industry, female ambition, and the allure of startup culture. The novel cleverly delves into the lives of three women tied to Radical, a billion-dollar wellness empire, as they confront the brand's toxic underbelly.

The characters, particularly Rhoda, the enigmatic founder, are well-crafted, and the story’s premise of deception and ambition makes for an interesting read. Dimberg effectively critiques the superficiality of the wellness industry while developing an intriguing web of power dynamics.

However, the novel’s pacing felt uneven at times. Some sections dragged, while others rushed through key moments that could have used more depth and engagement. Additionally, while the plot twists were entertaining, a few felt predictable, lessening the impact of the story’s climactic moments.

If you enjoy stories about power, deceit, and ambition, this book offers plenty to keep you hooked, though it may not fully surprise you.

Thank you NetGalley and Mariner Books for the ARC.

Drew me in right from the beginning if I could have sat and read this one straight through I would have. Switching points of view from Rhoda and Dani made it even more interesting seeing both sides and wondering where it will lead. Would have liked a longer ending didn't feel like quite enough for me but none the less this was a great book that I would read again.

A suspenseful story that delves into the gray underside of the wellness industry. Rhoda is the CEO of a wellness products startup looking to raise a fresh round of capital. Cecilia is a tweet-friendly disgruntled employee. Dani is Cecilia's friend and Rhoda's loyalist and finds herself caught between the two. The author has done a great job of highlighting the downsides of the wellness industry, the cut-throat business of funding innovation, the tough decisions and sacrifices called for, the double-edged sword that is private equity as also the productive and destructive power of social media. A very modern, very contemporary story. I wouldn't call it a thriller, yet it keeps you on edge and guessing till the end. The pacing is slow, there is a lot of character and atmosphere-building and it may have benefitted from being a bit of an edit in the beginning parts. It takes a while to get to the plot but overall its an entertaining read.

Thank you Netgalley, Mariner books and Kelsey Rae Dimberg for the ARC

Snake Oil was one of those books that I didn't know would hook me until it did. I absolutely cruised through it in literally a day! I couldn't stop thinking about the characters and how all of their stories would weave together in the end.

Snake Oil follows Rhoda West, the CEO of a startup called Radical, focused on whole wellness through supplementation - both physical supplements like a bracelet and supplements to take internally, like pills, tinctures and a wide variety of other 'it' potions. These potions are created in The Well, a secretive spot in the headquarters of Radical where trials are held on new products and some things don't quite make it out of the vault.

Speaking of The Well, another character telling her story in the book is Dani, who is a high-effort member of the Customer Worship team - aka customer service, who places high regard on treating people with respect, and clearing as many tickets from the queue as possible. Joining Dani on the Customer Worship team is Cecelia, who, more than once made me as a reader wonder why she would work somewhere she hated so much.

Rhoda, Dani and Cecelia all have their own voices shared in this story, and I was completely sucked in and could barely myself away from the book, wanting to know so badly what would happen next. From what seems like just another everyday multilevel marketing scheme on the outset comes a hell of a whistleblower Twitter feed, a mysterious murder, trials that may not be for the first time, basically espionage, and more - this was a GREAT read, and I had no idea exactly how much I would enjoy it until I was finished with it. The twists and turns kept me coming back for more more than once!

This story is a smart thriller about female entrepreneurs and the wellness industry—with a very timely twist. I added this book to the end of my Summer Wrap Up posts telling all my readers to preorder. One of the best books I've read all year.

We all know that sometimes the wellness industry can get… weird. A lack of regulations and oversight in this industry means a lot can go unchecked. This book dives into ‘the dark side of wellness, girl bossing, and startup culture.’ Following an almost billion-dollar wellness start up ‘Radical,’ the story is told from the perspectives of the founder, Rhoda, and two employees. One employee, Dani, is completely bought into the company message and products, while the other employee, Cecelia, is suspicious of of what Radical is selling. When a body is found the morning after the company’s biggest party, the company is in the public eye for many reasons.

This book started slower than I expected, and really picked up about a third of the way through for me. As the story continued, the stakes grew and so did the suspense. I felt this was a compelling commentary on the wellness industry as well as the internet and a culture that breeds toxic ‘girlbosses’ on the daily.

Happy Publication Day to this super fun social commentary!

Snake Oil follows multiple women that are wrapped up in the company Radical.

- Rhoda is the founder with a fiery spirit and big dreams surrounding her project. She can visualize the success of her company and plans to break the billion (with a B) dollar valuation ceiling before the end of this year.

- Dani is a Radigal through and through. She believes strongly in Radical's vision, too, and treats her job in Customer Worship as nothing less than the miracle it is. Working on the Lift team to test Radical's newest supplement has pulled her deeper than ever into the company, and Dani knows that any day now, she might catch her boss's eye for her dedication to the company.

- Cecelia is a skeptic. She sees through the sparkle of Radical to the gritty underbelly and plans to expose the company's toxic side to the world. The only issue? She works at Radical and keeping herself anonymous may be harder than she ever thought.

This book is a great time and really delves into the toxic practices used in the wellness industry. The book gently leads you down the road and is rarely in your face about it, which marks a really good book with commentary; it's easy to fall into heavy-handedness, but Snake Oil avoids that by using dynamic, morally grey characters as its catalyst.

And boy, those characters are morally grey. Not a single one is absolutely good or bad, making them feel very real. All, though, are sympathetic. I found myself rooting for all three at different instances; for Dani to get her promotion and be accepted as a top figure at Radical, for Cecelia to get the fair treatment she deserved, and for Rhoda to keep hold of her company in a male-dominated world. At the same time, I was disgusted by some of the actions of the women in this book and found myself so frustrated when one was taken advantage of or deceived. In short, I really cared about these people while I was inside the world of the book.

On the topic of the plot, I did think the book could be a little shorter. There were a lot of scenes of Dani working the desk in CW or Rhoda scheming in her office or at some mixer. It got a bit repetitive and I think that a bit of it could have been cut or combined for brevity. There are scenes that are extremely gripping, though, and I found myself taking shallow breaths while reading about the aftermath of the valuation party (just read it - you deserve to have that feeling too).

My final point of critique comes from the ending of this book. While the characters do achieve an ending, I felt that many of the big issues in the book were unresolved. I found I felt the same way after reading Self-Care, another book critiquing the wellness, and it might have to do with the genre and my personal taste more than actual deficit with the book. Of course, in real life, chapters aren't always closed with a neat bow. Sure, we get resolution in our own ways over time, but you don't really get that with a set of fictional characters. So, even though, I'm left with questions, I don't feel like a I can really condemn the book for it.

This book is one I will absolutely recommending to people who are obsessed with health and influencer culture like I am. I find these kinds of books really interesting and am happy I found this one - it was a ride I am thrilled to have taken.

Rhoda West is a certifiable #girlboss. As the founder and CEO of Radical, an almost-billion dollar wellness company, she’s ambitious, charismatic, and aspirational. Radical has millions of fans on social media, where every new release of a pill, potion, or lotion sells out in a flurry of excitement. But the viral brand has its critics too; not everyone believes in the woo Rhoda is shilling.

Snake Oil is told through three POVs: Rhoda herself and two employees in the Customer Worship (service) department, one a devotee of the company and the other a hater. Dani is a true believer in everything Radical, singing its praises and continuing to participate in a vaguely shady clinical trial even after she discovers she’s pregnant. Cecelia is on the opposite end of the spectrum, certain that Rhoda is a fraud and skeptical of the company’s health-washed products, and she’s not about to keep quiet about it.

I’m always fascinated by stories with about the culty vibes surrounding beauty and wellness (I tend toward Cecelia’s mind set), so I was immediately drawn to the concept of Snake Oil. The author skillfully uses the multiple POV structure to deftly reveal the inner darkness at the heart of the industry. The portrayal of start-up culture feels authentic and the social commentary is incisive, but the plot gets a bit chaotic with so much going on and some plot points needed more resolution.

This one might be for you if you’ve found yourself fascinated by Goop or enjoyed Rouge by Mona Awad or The Dropout (Hulu’s Theranos series).

Many thanks to NetGalley and Mariner Books for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Thank you to Kelsey Rae Dimberg, Mariner Books, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. This is my honest review.

The first half of this book was quite slow, and it took a while for it to actually pick up steam in a way that grabbed my attention. As a "Thriller" book, there wasn't much "thrilling" happening in the first half. However, in the second half of the book, things picked up well, and it started turning into the thriller book that I was looking for. The plot in the second half of the book was great. The mystery aspect in the second half was a great and had good pacing.

The story was told from three different POV's: One being the CEO and founder of the company, one being someone who works at the company and believes in the CEO and the company, and one being someone who dislikes the company, and attempts to discredit the company online, while posting frustrations about the company.

The ending caught me off guard for sure, but I enjoyed the turn that it took and am happy with how things turned out.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Kelsey Rae Dimberg, and Mariner Books for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I’m obsessed with anything that has culty/MLM vibes, especially if they’re related to the wellness industry, and Snake Oil definitely fit the bill! Although it’s not set in fall, I found this to be a great transition-into-fall read based on the mystery aspect and somewhat-sinister vibes. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed, as I truly couldn’t put it down. I thought telling the story from the perspective of 3 different women involved in the company was a great way to convey all sides. Even though I know that we as readers weren’t supposed to be on Rhoda’s side necessarily, I definitely found her the most compelling character and was rooting for her even with her misgivings. There was a nice little twist that I didn’t fully predict, and I thought the pacing of the story worked well. My biggest shortcoming with the book is that I wish that Dimberg would have fleshed out Cecelia’s story more. She felt the most one dimensional, and I didn’t like how her arc abruptly cut off. I would have also liked to see more of Dani’s backstory. Shortcomings aside, this was a quick read that kept me hooked the entire time!

Thank you NetGalley and Mariner publishing for this ARC! Snake Oil is a captivating thriller about a startup company in the health and beauty industry! Definitely different from my normal books but I absolutely loved it. I felt it was a perfect read for the fall and really kept me intrigued with the varying POVs!

This is a propulsive, of-the-moment fiction about a Rhoda, an influencer and entrepreneur who would do anything to grow her company. Secrets are revealed, messy drama ensues, and the narrative takes a dark turn. A super fun iteration of the “influencers behaving badly” microgenre. 4⭐️!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review