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lochnessvhs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Sophia, light and innocence and forced smiles as she may seem, is made almost purely of this wildness. And when an unhinged woman starts working at a company owned and operated by women even MORE unhinged, that's when the real weird shit begins.
You'll likely read many reviews about how this is a critique of the modern beauty and wellness community. How young influencers are devoured for their beauty and easily discarded the second they have a frown line. And on the surface, that is exactly what's happening in this story.
But Sophia's story goes much deeper than that. And we are treated to an additional 2008 timeline, where 16-year-old Sophia first unfurls her own wildness, takes chances, and pushes her own boundaries.
I loved this book from start to finish. I love any story where you know people are doing objectively bad things but you can't help but root for them anyway. Those are my women. Those are my ladies. So get yourself a night cream and an oat milk latte and settle in for this look into the the dark and horrible female subconcious.
I was provided a copy of youthjuice through NetGalley in return for my honest review. My thanks to NetGalley and E.K. Sathue.
Graphic: Death, Gore, Body horror, Self harm, and Blood
Moderate: Addiction, Child death, Vomit, Drug abuse, Mental illness, and Toxic friendship
lauren_reads_outside's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book is absolutely bonkers, and I really liked it. Is it realistic? No but that's not the point is it. Taking the pursuit for beauty and youth in a modern company to the furthest possible extent with visuals that will have you flinching and nauseated. The narrator absolutely nailed the vapid unhinged voice and it made the book come to life. I will say that in audiobook I did lose track of a few of the characters because they seemed vaguely interchangeable but it also felt intentional that they were described that way in a sort of fever dream haze.
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Self harm, Drug abuse, Gore, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Dysphoria, Toxic friendship, Body shaming, Addiction, Murder, Mental illness, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Body horror, and Bullying
thereadingpan's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Sophia was very unlikable, which personally is not a negative in my book, I’m happy to dislike an MC. But she was at times painfully self centered to the point of ridiculous, many of her big life choices were made solely in vain.
I loved the nose dive she took into psychosis, I honestly thought it was the best part of the book even though it was starting to drag a little in the middle of the second half.
*I received this ARC from NetGalley and RB Media in exchange for my honest review. All words/opinions are my own.*
Graphic: Self harm
Moderate: Murder and Death
Minor: Drug abuse and Body shaming
laceybananareads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death and Gore
thegayestghost's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Grief, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Self harm, Murder, Body horror, Death, Eating disorder, Toxic friendship, and Violence
woodsybookworm's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I wanted to love this book. I saw the cover and read the blurb, thinking it would be a fun horror novel making light of the beauty industry. Instead, I found myself mostly bored as the main character consistently jumped into narrating her past rather than focusing on the horror of youthjuice.
⚠️ Spoilers below:
Honestly, the book probably would have been more entertaining from Tree's perspective - how she came up with the idea to sacrifice interns, how she collected victims, how she convinced her full time employees to follow her like a cult leader, and her devolving mindset in desperation for eternal youth.
There was so much that could have been fleshed out and explored if we followed Tree over Sophia who barely talked about youthjuice at all - the book read more like her fictional memoir than what could have been an interesting horror story about a moisturizer made from literal human blood.
Moderate: Death, Blood, Drug abuse, and Drug use
sidekicksam's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was a fun non-scary horror book that I think will do well among BookTok and Bookstagram audiences. Not really scary but with some gory moments and horrifically vivid descriptions, the book is a funny satirical novel, first and foremost. Some of the horrors that Sophia encounters have more to do with the absurd ideas her boss has (naming a lipstick line after murdered/missing girls so 'they live on forever' is hilarious) than actual horror, but it was still horror-y in places.
I enjoyed the storyline revolving around Sophia's work and time at Hebe, and life at the company was fun to get lost in, but the exploration of Sophia's character was a bit too superficial for me to really get interested her. It was very easy to listen to the story as it's written in easy, engaging language (and the narrator is great!), but I would have loved it if the story was a bit more horror.
The comparison to American Psycho meets The Devil Wears Prada is a bit overreaching - I'd say it's more bits of Black Swan and The Devil Wears Prada, with influences from American Psycho in the obsession with looks and skincare routines.
If you enjoy bashing beauty influencers, enjoy a quicky horrorish book or want to read something with a gorgeous pink cover - this is your book! youthjuice is out on June 4!
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gore, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Death, and Murder
taylorjayne's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Gore, Murder, Cannibalism, Self harm, Drug abuse, Body horror, and Death
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Violence, and Eating disorder
Minor: Classism, Gaslighting, Medical content, and Vomit