reading_under_covers's Reviews (1.61k)

This book was a love letter to libraries (NYPL!) and the stories they hold. I loved getting to dive deeper into the main branch of NYPL after hours and the artwork was full of so much imagination!

The final author’s note/acknowledgments was so sweet as well!

Maya is looking forward to returning to her alma mater Princeton for her 10 year reunion, since this is also the year her younger sister Naomi will be graduating. However, Maya receives a phone call saying that her sister was found dead. She’s convinced it wasn’t an accident and will stop at nothing to uncover the truth.

SOCIETY OF LIES by Lauren Ling Brown (fellow film editor, heyyyyy!) is a debut novel and so so rich in story.

The Ivy League combined with secret societies within secret societies was absolute peak dark academia, making it the perfect fall read.

Brown alternates between the two sisters and builds the mystery and story from their POVs and I really enjoyed seeing how their Princeton journeys varied and were also similar, despite attending a decade apart.

I couldn’t help but root so hard for Naomi throughout most of the story and knowing that she wouldn’t survive to the end made it that more emotional to read.

Definitely a great slow-burn thriller that puts class and race under a magnifying glass!

Thanks to Bantam (Random House Ballantine) and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Publication Date: October 1

When Frances Keen, the woman behind the Dear Constance advice column, is found murdered, her entire community of readers is devastated. When The Herald puts out an advertisement for her replacement, Alex jumps at the chance to take her hero’s place. However, with Frances’ murder unsolved and Alex’s own mysterious past, taking on such a public role may come with a cause for concern…

I NEED YOU TO READ THIS by Jess Maxwell is a slow-burn mystery set in the bustling city of New York.

I loved how Maxwell intercut the present-day timeline with “Dear Constance” letters from the past and the whole premise of this murder mystery being focused on an advice columnist was so so good.

There was a sense of dread woven throughout, which really added to the suspense and atmosphere of the story, making it incredibly difficult to put down!

Definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for a fresh take on a slow-burn thriller!

Thanks to Atria and NetGalley for the early copy for review!

Publication Date: August 13

Such a cute spooky middle grade read!

A spooky mansion with history ✔️ 
Queer rep ✔️ 
Multiple timelines ✔️ 
A fun cast of characters ✔️ 

I enjoyed this story so much and the spooky summer vibes were perfect for this time of year. A great standalone from Johnson!

The drama and scandal of the ex-wife and current wife attempting to be friends was so much fun to read about (especially when it came to how appalled the older generation felt about it 😂)

This is one of those rare instances where the murder definitely took a backseat for me and the chaos and gossip were center stage and I was a rapt audience member. 

I really wanted to love this one, but it just missed the mark for me. Our quirky main character was a bit annoying, the will they won’t they too tiring, and the twist was predictable.

I also didn’t really see any growth from Eve when it came to her goodness and evilness, which would’ve have added a lot to the story.

Thanks to Libro.fm and Blackstone Publishing for my early copy for review!

This book was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed the friendships made by our three main girls!

The magic was very modern, which was cool to see, and the NYC locations were an added bonus on top.

I do wish we got to spend more time learning about the history of the witchy world with the Nadia character, but most of this story is really about following Maya, Gabbie, and Delali navigating their lives post-college and oops, they have magic powers now ( <-- still very fun by the way)!

Definitely go into this one expecting something light and "I'm a 22-year-old woman living in NYC" and you'll be ready for the ride haha.

Publication Date: August 20