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3.67 AVERAGE
3.67 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
4.5 ⭐️
I just finished "The Clique" by Rhiannon Barnsley. What a wild ride! I loved every minute of it.
The description doesn't begin to capture the drama, intrigue, mystery & mega twists that unfold in this story. I couldn't put this book down! I loved the character of Cass, who was strong, determined and a total badass!!
The ending totally floored me!! I highly recommend this book, it was so well written, full of twists and will not disappoint.
I will say if suicide, drugs, and/or sexual assault are triggers for you, I would proceed carefully.
Thanks to @Netgalley, @HarperCollins UK and One More Chapter for the opportunity to read this ARC and give my honest thoughts.
Despite the inequalities within the workplace, high-flying lawyer Sara O'Neil has it all. She has the money, the power, and the career; and is on track to make partner in a prestigious firm. That's why everyone is confused when seemingly out of nowhere, she climbs to the terrace rooftop and jumps to her death. Her co-worker and friend, Cassandra, doesn't believe that Sara would end her life and decides to find out what really happened to her. Cass discovers Sara was part of an elite networking club for professional women and plans to infiltrate the group to reveal the secrets behind Sara's death, and there begins a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse.
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The Clique was certainly a fun read. Although originally I struggled to get into the book due to its slow start, it really picked up in the last half of the book and I devoured it in one sitting. There were a few predictable twists but also some that I didn't see coming. Overall, it was a fun read I just couldn't get over how unrealistic the ending felt. I also found there weren't really any characters that I found memorable or relatable which is another factor that let it down as there was nobody to really root for or care about. Still, it was an enjoyable reading experience and I can see people liking this book if they're into the genre.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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The Clique was certainly a fun read. Although originally I struggled to get into the book due to its slow start, it really picked up in the last half of the book and I devoured it in one sitting. There were a few predictable twists but also some that I didn't see coming. Overall, it was a fun read I just couldn't get over how unrealistic the ending felt. I also found there weren't really any characters that I found memorable or relatable which is another factor that let it down as there was nobody to really root for or care about. Still, it was an enjoyable reading experience and I can see people liking this book if they're into the genre.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this! Very well written, super fast paced, and a fair amount of twists.. How can you go wrong! I'll be keeping an eye out for this author!!
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the ARC of this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the ARC of this book.
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
In this twisty legal thriller we’re following Cassandra Harlow, a high-achieving lawyer who wants nothing more than to be made partner at the prestigious law firm where she works. She is shocked and in disbelief when she learns that Sara, her friend and colleague, has killed herself.
Cassandra immediately starts to investigate her friend’s apparent suicide, only to find out that Sara was a member of a secret women’s society called “Inside”. Inside promises to help advance their member’s careers significantly, and Cassandra tries to join in order to find out what really happened to Sara.
Unfortunately, Inside isn’t what it claims to be…
Overall I found this to be a successful debut novel. Rhiannon Barnsley gives us a peek into an overachieving and massively misogynistic legal company in which women are trying to find their space. I was definitely entertained throughout the book, and some of the twists in the second part really surprised me (especially the ones near the very end!)
Around halfway in the book gets a little slow, but the pace picks up again and I almost read the last half in one sitting. I also really enjoyed the romance subplot, Cassandra’s romantic relationship and her friendships felt realistic to me.
The characters are not necessarily memorable, but I’ll probably remember the story as a whole for a while. I would love to read more from Rhiannon Barnsley!
Thank you to One More Chapter for providing an ARC in exchange of an honest review.
Cassandra immediately starts to investigate her friend’s apparent suicide, only to find out that Sara was a member of a secret women’s society called “Inside”. Inside promises to help advance their member’s careers significantly, and Cassandra tries to join in order to find out what really happened to Sara.
Unfortunately, Inside isn’t what it claims to be…
Overall I found this to be a successful debut novel. Rhiannon Barnsley gives us a peek into an overachieving and massively misogynistic legal company in which women are trying to find their space. I was definitely entertained throughout the book, and some of the twists in the second part really surprised me (especially the ones near the very end!)
Around halfway in the book gets a little slow, but the pace picks up again and I almost read the last half in one sitting. I also really enjoyed the romance subplot, Cassandra’s romantic relationship and her friendships felt realistic to me.
The characters are not necessarily memorable, but I’ll probably remember the story as a whole for a while. I would love to read more from Rhiannon Barnsley!
Thank you to One More Chapter for providing an ARC in exchange of an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Suicide, Sexual harassment
Moderate: Violence
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
‘The Clique’ by Rhiannon Barnsley is a clever and dark thriller which follows lawyer Cass as she navigates working in a patriarchal environment and coping with the loss of her mentor Sara. The story begins with Sara’s death - initially written off as a suicide caused by work-related stress (the author who is herself a corporate lawyer definitely drives home just how stressful and exhausting the job is!) but later investigated by the police who think something even more sinister happened. Cass also can’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right in the lead up to Sara’s final day…
When her colleague Nat reveals that Sara was part of a secret female-only society, Cass wonders whether that group hold the key to the mystery. Since spots only open up when members leave… or die, Cass decides that now might be the time for some digging. As her situation changes at work, she meets a man she likes and is drawn deeper into the secretive club, her life becomes more dramatic… but is her life in danger?
I really couldn’t put this book down and read it in one sitting… the office environment was tense and disturbing even before the real drama started, and the raw descriptions of the treatment of women in the workplace and the outward-facing focus on mental health while piling unreasonable workloads on Associates rang true. The club itself sounded tempting - empowering and elevating women by creating a strong network to counteract the influence of old boys’ clubs and male dominance on company boards - so it was thrilling to glimpse inside and ponder whether it was too good to be true. The plot was twisty and intriguing, with a few shocking moments.
I liked Cass, she was easy to relate to and sympathise with and was clearly a very smart and capable woman. George was also an interesting addition to the book and I enjoyed the evolution of their relationship.
This gets five stars from me!
I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher HQ via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
When her colleague Nat reveals that Sara was part of a secret female-only society, Cass wonders whether that group hold the key to the mystery. Since spots only open up when members leave… or die, Cass decides that now might be the time for some digging. As her situation changes at work, she meets a man she likes and is drawn deeper into the secretive club, her life becomes more dramatic… but is her life in danger?
I really couldn’t put this book down and read it in one sitting… the office environment was tense and disturbing even before the real drama started, and the raw descriptions of the treatment of women in the workplace and the outward-facing focus on mental health while piling unreasonable workloads on Associates rang true. The club itself sounded tempting - empowering and elevating women by creating a strong network to counteract the influence of old boys’ clubs and male dominance on company boards - so it was thrilling to glimpse inside and ponder whether it was too good to be true. The plot was twisty and intriguing, with a few shocking moments.
I liked Cass, she was easy to relate to and sympathise with and was clearly a very smart and capable woman. George was also an interesting addition to the book and I enjoyed the evolution of their relationship.
This gets five stars from me!
I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher HQ via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.