The Plans I Have for You

by Lai Sanders

Feminine rage, cancel culture, and suffocating societal pressure—a cutting and brazen thriller about two Asian American women on a quest for revenge after a public shaming pushes them to the limit, for fans of Yellowface and Counterfeit.

When a conflict with a fellow passenger on the subway spirals into a humiliating breakdown, Shelley Hu’s life is over. The incident goes viral, costing Shelley her prestigious Manhattan law firm internship, her spot at Columbia Law, and her plan to build a better life for herself and her mother.

Months later, Shelley is back in Kissimmee, Florida, working the night shift at a kitschy motel near Disney World—the very same job she held in high school. Shelley’s life is a black hole until, one night, the beautiful, enigmatic Sophia Moon checks in with her husband and young son. But Sophia’s appearance is far from random.

It turns out that, once upon a time, Sophia suffered her own episode of public shaming. Since then, Sophia has rebuilt a new life, and she promises to help Shelley do the same. More importantly, Sophia vows to help Shelley enact revenge on the three people responsible for the worst day of her life with a precise set of plans.

Shelley returns to New York with a new identity and plans that start off well. But when the situation soon spirals out of control, Shelley is forced to reckon with Sophia’s unspeakably dark side—though it may be too late.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Adult, Adult Fiction

352 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication March 17, 2026

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published March 17, 2026.

3 stars

Shelley Hu is a law student at Columbia (she only mentions this about 750 times) and has a covered clerkship with a prestigious firm, but she loses it all after she appears in a video losing her mind on the subway; the video goes viral.

She moves back in with her mother in Florida, in disgrace and she’s working at a cheesy motel when she meets Sophia Moon, who promises Shelley she can help reconstruct her life; Sophia has also been through a terrible set of circumstances made public.

So, this was…odd. What, at first, appears to be a simple revenge story (and I like revenge) is mixed with ghostliness and that part takes over toward the end of the book. It’s fairly well done, but, honestly, I don’t even know if I liked it or not.

[Morgan Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a phenomenal, unhinged ride this book turned out to be! I was lucky enough to receive an early copy from Simon & Schuster, and the moment I saw it pitched as “for fans of Yellowface,” I was all in, and it absolutely delivered.
The Plans I Have for You is a masterclass in feminine rage. Shelley’s life is derailed by a single pivotal moment, and Sophia enters the picture with a plan to help her take revenge on those responsible. What follows is a spiraling, genre-blending journey that’s equal parts cathartic and chaotic.
Lai Sanders layers in a touch of speculative fiction and introduces a lesser-known cultural side of China that I found completely fascinating. The pacing is relentless, but in the best way. I kept thinking I’d wind down for bed, but the plot refused to let up. Every chapter amped up the wildness, and I had to see how it would all unfold.
If this is Sanders’ debut, she’s one to watch. I’ll be first in line for whatever she writes next. A bold, explosive, and wildly entertaining read.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC!

[Cherlynn | cherreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

A debut to watch out for!

I was so taken with the synopsis and premise of this book that I dived into it almost immediately despite the 2026 publication – and was not disappointed.

The social commentary is stellar and the author skillful explores a wide range of themes while crafting a tense, intriguing and entertaining page-turner. It's a lot but yet not too much at the same time. I loved how magical realism is woven into the story while still left up up to the reader's interpretation and belief.

The ending initially left me with mixed feelings but then I realised the ambiguity is the beauty of it all.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the Netgalley ARC.

(Alas, I seem to have lost all my Kindle highlights so I might come back to add my favourite quotes 😓)

[Brandy Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shelley is down on her luck after hitting her breaking point in public which ended up costing her career and reputation.

With no better options, she returns to her hometown to work at the motel with her mother. During a night shift an unexpected guest arrives. Turns out this woman knows exactly what Shelley needs to get revenge on everyone who ruined her life.

Taking a leap of faith, Shelley puts everything she has left on the line for Sophia to help her. However everything comes with a price…

Wow what a wild ride! While this was very fast paced, I liked that the author took the time to build the backstory for the main characters. It really helped paint the picture on why they were looking for their own version of justice.

Also the plot twist blew my mind - I wasn’t expecting that ending at all.

Thank you to the publisher Simon & Schuster for the eARC.

[Tessa Pacelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

The Plans I Have For You is a psychological-revenge thriller about two Asian-American women, Shelley Hu and Sophia Moon, whose lives are wrecked by public shaming. Sophia recruits Shelley to return to New York with a new identity and a step-by-step plan to get even—until the scheme spirals and Sophia’s darker side surfaces (which is – whoa – pretty scary). The novel tackles themes of viral humiliation, “cancel culture,” and identity reinvention with well-crafted insight and ease. What do you do when your whole life collapses around you? When your plans vanish into thin air?

I appreciated the layered psychology of this book – lots of insights on the intersection of faith, God/higher powers, free will, the spirit world and more. The quote at the beginning of this review (from where — I think — the title comes) sums of many of these themes, all wrapped around a pretty chilling and page-turning thriller with tinges of pretty intense horror. To wit: I am never, ever purchasing a watercolor painting of any body of water (I don’t care if it’s a freakin’ puddle on the pavement) from anyone, ever again. Or accepting one as a gift. Nope. That’s done for me.

I enjoyed this immensely. Lai Sanders is a very talented writer!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

[Sacha · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

I'm a big fan of knowing as little as possible about a book before I dive in, and this book is a particularly strong example of why it's important to follow this rule. Stop reading reviews. If you want to know what plans one person has for another, just find out the traditional way. The reveals...wow.

Shelley is having a tough time which gets way worse after she, ummm, expresses herself publicly. This book provides many reminders of why social media and tech are ruining our lives, and this is just one. Shelley's faux pas is big, but it'll never be forgotten thanks to the joys of the modern era. Another interesting outcome of this situation is that her fame connects her to a person who, uh, understands her particular predicament: Sophia.

The way things d/evolve in this novel is troubling because of both the extreme and believable nature of the situation. Sometimes we get pushed to the brink and the outcomes can range wildly in their severity. Also, there might be someone for everyone if only for a specific moment.

Transparently, there were times when I was so disturbed by the choices these characters made that I got irritated with them and with the reading experience, but I am also confident this is an intended outcome, so kudos. A frequent response I've had to my reads recently has been that the kids are not alright, but in this society, can any of us be expected to be okay at all? Ever? This book will have me pondering this question for a long time.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Danielle Prielipp at Simon & Schuster for this widget, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Tanen · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT A BOOK!!

I can see why they’re pubbing this for fans of Yellowface, it’s got the same kind of “can’t put this down but oh god can I even read this page” cringe. But also it’s got such incredible insight into toxic relationships! I’ve never seen that feeling of “oh yes life is worth living because of this, but also it’s killing me” captured so well.

Can’t say whether or not I enjoyed it because it mostly knocked me off my seat. Strongly recommend and can’t wait to make people read it so we can talk about it!

Ty to netgalley for the free ARC!

[BristolSotonian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of this book.

There’s so much going on in this novel! On the surface, it’s a revenge thriller, and read in this way it’s wholly successful, as you’d expect. But Simon & Schuster aren’t giving book deals to debut authors for one-dimensional stories, and this is where The Plans I Have For You really excelled for me.

In my view, this book opens with the question “What if you listened to that little voice on your shoulder telling you to get your own back on all the people who’ve wronged and diminished you?” On one level, we’ve all secretly dreamed of doing it, which is how it’s sufficiently believable for Shelley Hu to meet Soyoung Kim (or is that Sophia Moon?) in an early pivotal scene and make a Faustian pact to ‘save’ her soul.

That’s the jumping-off point for the revenge plot. But underneath that, what follows feels to me like an interrogation of human suffering and societal disfunction that, from the first-person perspective of the main character, is rooted in anger, cynicism and bewilderment. “Why isn’t the world like I want it to be?” she seems to scream. “Where is the equity?”

There’s a pervasive sense that everyone out there is battling some kind of trauma, grief or pain, and the results don’t reflect well on any of us. People feel emotions deeply and intensely, dialled up to the infamous 11, and struggle to cope with all the mental baggage that weighs us down. The systemic rough ride endured by women and anyone considered ‘other’ is a constant presence throughout the story.

There’s also a spiritual element, mentioned by some reviewers, that I’m not equipped to fully understand but other readers might. I found that thread fascinating and would love to know more.

As you can tell, I loved it, especially when thinking about what lurks beneath the surface. It feels like a story about all of us. About how we and our world are broken, and I urge you to read it and take in all its depth.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, this was crazy. I'm not sure how I feel about the ending though. I also wasn't expecting this to take the turn it did, and I'm unsure if I like it.

I think it's a bit of an ambitious novel, trying to tackle several themes/topics while staying within this plot of the story. We have two women who ruined their lives, on way or another, and one tries to help the other freshly ruined woman get her life back. But as we unravel both of their stories, the past and present, we run into the issues I have with this story.

Sander touches on a lot of topics that are pretty standard issues that many Asian American women face in today's society: a poc in white society, the standards imposed on Asians in general from society and their own families, especially Asian women and their relationship with their parents, the fetishization of Asians, and general Asian principles vs white/American principles. Plus other things, but the point here is this is about being an Asian American woman in the US. I can recognize a lot of the problems and even some of 'em read like a personal experience, but I don't think Sanders does a lot with the topics other than highlighting them; there's nothing substantial being done with them. However, bringing the topics to light is still a good thing, even if it's been done a thousand times. You never know what it's like in another's culture when you aren't a part of it, so the simplest non-thought about something could very well be a light bulb going off for them.

Even though the novel doesn't seem to move the topics in a largely meaningful way, I still enjoyed the thrill of Shelley getting her revenge. I think the whole bit with Shelley and Sophia getting together though......was probably not necessary? I feel as though that one was a curveball... And the realization of what Sophia has been doing kind of takes away from the initial plot. It starts with Shelley, then it blends with the two, and then ultimately settles to be Sophia's story? Although I wasn't expecting to read another book with this creature in it already...

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC!!

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two women who have fallen victim to public shaming unite to seek revenge on their antagonists. Sophia strategizes, Shelley follows, not realizing until it is too late the depths of Sophia's cruelty.

This story is told in a dual-narrative, nonlinear fashion. The pace is fast, and the character development is strong; character-wise, I felt especially compelled by the relationship between Shelley and her mother. There are some mild speculative fiction elements employed with the interweaving of folk/cultural myths and paradigms. Culturally, a particularly interesting component in the story is the exploration of the rarely discussed minority Muslim and Uyghur populations in China; it was compelling to learn about some of their challenges, conventions, and lived experiences. And of course, the most obvious storyline theme is the post-internet phenomenon of global public shaming. Shelley had a bad day that has lasting effects on her quality of life forevermore, which, we can extrapolate, is happening to real-life subjects of public shaming, for whom no amount of contrition satisfies the rabidly angry masses.

The reading experience was largely enjoyable and engaging, but in the end I was hoping for a bit more resolution with Sophia and Paul's storylines. Also, without giving away a twist, even after re-reading key chapters, I don't fully understand the full "backstory" of Sophia. So, that was a little frustrating after going along the full journey. Maybe someone smarter than I am can key me in.

I would categorize this as a mystery with speculative fiction components. There are "hot" mysteries and "cold" mysteries, and I would categorize this one as very "hot," in that it contains highly emotional interactions and powerful relationship dynamics. I recently reviewed Salt Bones, and although the books are wildly different in many ways, I think if you enjoyed the folk/speculative/emotional components of that story, you will also enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lai Sanders, and Simon & Schuster for sending me an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Bonnie Brody · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lai Sanders has written a novel that is both a social commentary and an exploration of Chinese mythology and faith. Get ready to traipse into some very deep waters when you open this book. It is a page-turner that sucks the reader in from the beginning despite realizing that the narrative appears improbable. Unreliable narrators spin a tale so over the top and unbelievable that it had me scratching my head and asking myself 'How could this possibly be true?'

The two protagonists are young Asian American women. One has participated in an incident that has ruined her life, canceled all her credibility and caused her to be expelled from her university. The other woman appears almost out of thin air with an agenda to save her and assist her in seeking revenge against those that did her wrong.

Both women are unstable and needy with a skewed sense of self. Their relationship is very toxic and mercurial. They are involved in a scheme that leads them far astray from daily norms.

The novel explores issues of female anger and rage, feminism, higher education, cancel culture, racism, Asian stereotyping, and revenge. The name of many of the characters in this novel begin with the letter 's'. I think this may be the author's way of portraying the racism inherent in our culture, our frequent confusion between one Asian American person and another.

While the novel is very readable and I was propelled through it, it made me anxious. The story line is so over the top that I could not suspend belief enough to really appreciate the narrative. It did remind me of Yellowface and, like that novel, I found this one very disturbing. I rate it a 3.5 and am raising my rating to 4 because of the novel's readability and important themes.

[Luc Esprit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first 100 pages. I think the author does an excellent job of setting up each scene, and captures the mundane well. I really felt like I was in that drab Florida hotel when Sophia and Shelley first met.

The novel very accurately portrays how suffocating and imbalanced romantic relationships can lead people down roads they never thought they would go down, and to actions they never saw themselves taking. The central romance of the story is suitably depressing and explored very competently.

Not sure if it’s necessary to say but **spoiler alert**.

If we are looking at the three targets of revenge, I would have preferred a bit more balance in the time spent with each. The story focuses too heavily on the revenge against Amy, but I kept wondering if there was a quicker way to get to the same outcome (i.e. the manipulation of the adopted daughter) without the whole career pathway and transformation that Erin undertakes. Before later coming to realise Sophia’s more direct actions, I found it unsatisfying that Erin & Sophia’s ostensible end goal was to fracture the mother / adopted-daughter relationship. It is feasible to assume that the relationship could have survived after the adopted-daughter did some soul searching and tried to find her birth parents, so in this sense, the revenge goal seemed a little lacklustre. Perhaps if there was more balance and time spent exploring the revenge against Gene and the journalist, this point wouldn’t have stuck out so much.

In the end, and despite the above, I found it hard to put the book down and I enjoyed the reading experience. Congratulations to the author for an excellent and entertaining first novel. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

[vlm · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Plans I Have For You is a solid, thought-provoking debut that doesn’t quite live up to its full potential. The premise—two Asian American women united by trauma and fueled by revenge—has bite, but the execution doesn’t always match the setup.

Shelley Hu’s arc feels a bit underwhelming. Her motivations are clear, but her presence doesn’t carry the weight needed to anchor such an intense narrative. On the other hand, Sophia (Soyoung) is layered, enigmatic, and often the most compelling figure on the page. And then there’s Paul—quiet, strange, and unexpectedly pivotal. He turns out to be more of a dark horse than expected, but not in a fully satisfying way.

There’s a lot to admire here: the commentary on cancel culture, the tension of identity reinvention, and the simmering undercurrent of feminine rage. But the story loses some steam in the final stretch. The emotional payoff isn’t as sharp as it could be, and some threads feel intentionally murky rather than meaningfully ambiguous.

It’s a good book—bold in concept, stylish in moments—but not quite a five-star, can’t-wait-for-a-sequel kind of read. Worth picking up, especially for readers who appreciate thrillers with a social edge and complicated, morally gray characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an e-ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Lidija Hilje · Rating 5 out of 5]

This suspenseful, thought-provoking, genre-bending novel is as much a slow-burn revenge story as it is a razor-sharp exploration of the cancel culture, racism, toxic relationships, and self-sabotage.

Shelley Hu is hunkering down in Florida, working a dead-end job after a viral public humiliation shattered her once-promising life. Then a stranger appears—mysterious, alluring, and far too interested in Shelley’s pain—offering not only a way to rebuild her life, but to get even with the people who ruined her. Desperate, Shelley accepts, unaware of whose hands she’s placing her future in. What ensues is a wild ride of rage, self-discovery, love, and betrayal that will keep you at the edge of your seat until the very last page.

Atmospheric, with hints of Chinese mythology woven throughout, this book brims with psychological suspense and emotions, and is a beautiful and painful exploration of identity, mental health, and the experience of being othered.

If you loved the biting social commentary and morally gray characters in YELLOWFACE, and admired the bold audacity and wild imagination of the con artist Anna Delvey in INVENTING ANNA (mini-series), this is your perfect book.

[Harvee Lau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shelley Hu meets Sophia Moon in Florida at a touristy motel where Shelley is hiding out after an embarassing incident on a subway in Manhattan that made her lose her job and chances for studying law. Sophia is also suffering from memories of an incident at Cornell University, where she faked being a student for several months before being outed in a very public way.

The novel, in my opinion, centers around females, in particular Asian females, and the hurdles they face in everyday life, in their careers, and their hope for the future. Shelley and Sophia think the only way to overcome the past embarrasing situations is to reinvent themselves, change their names to an American sounding name, and become other people with other skills. Sophia's plan to help Shelley do this is successful to a point, but the darkness around Sophia makes the effort challenging and even dangerous.

A bit of magical realism surrounds this tale that really is about stereotyping, discrimination, and sexualization of women.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I foresee this book at the top of many buzzworthy book lists in the future!

This is a dark revenge thriller built around the timely themes of cancel culture and social shaming. Shelley has recently faced public humiliation and ruin. Sophia, who experienced something similar years ago, offers support, not just as a sympathetic ear, but as a partner in making people pay for what happened to Shelley. Together, the two women plot to fight back against racism, misogyny, and other ways society rejects them. I like that it’s not your typical, formulaic thriller. The story gradually reveals a suspenseful backstory for Sophia and explores Shelley’s family history, where much of her pressures stem from. Their stories build a strong social commentary while still keeping the momentum of a fast-paced thriller. I never fully knew who I could trust, and I found myself asking how far is too far? It was definitely an unnerving and thought-provoking read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advanced e-reader copy of this book.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, Lai Sanders has delivered a thought-provoking, plot-twisting rollercoaster of a debut! THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU is a razor-sharp exploration of identity, friendship, rage, redemption, loneliness, family history, manipulation, revenge, and self-destruction. Connected by experiences with public humiliation and cancel culture, Shelley and Sophia form a toxic attachment that encompasses love triangles, lies, and new identities and kept me turning pages late into the night. And the ending! So twisty, and in such a unique way. But what makes this novel exceptional isn’t just the plot but also the emotional intelligence and biting social commentary. The writing is superb with keen attention to small details and taut pacing. With compelling psychological suspense and flashes of magical realism, this novel defied genre and leaves the reader with plenty to ponder and discuss (would be a great book club pick).

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the Advanced Reader Copy and can't wait to read more from this author!

[Emily Kincaid · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a surprisingly insightful and wildly entertaining read this was!

Shelley Hu’s life changes for the worse after an incident on the subway leaves her humiliated and jobless. The charismatic Sophia Moon seeks her out because she knows how she feels - Sophia was also left humiliated from an event in her past. Together, they enact a plan to turn Shelley’s life around by changing her name, job and essentially taking revenge on those responsible.

This started out as a revenge story with an empowering ‘take back your life’ concept. But deeper than that, it explored religion, ‘cancel culture’ and what I expect are the intricacies of living as an Asian-American woman. This story then morphed into a more psychological-thriller vibe which was not what I was expecting but I loved the switch up! This author molded her characters so well - they had such full backstories and had such real and raw dialogue and emotions. I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone once it comes out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Justinstaysreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️

Okay wow, I had a lot swirling in my head after finishing this. The suffocating pressure placed on Asian women becomes the emotional and terrifying core of this story, and the author really leans into it. There were moments where the pacing hit hard and felt electric, and then other stretches where I caught myself thinking, “alright, let’s move it along.”

That said, this is a seriously strong debut. It digs into cancel culture, feminine rage, and the way we can overlook someone’s flaws because we want the story to be something it’s not. The creativity and the darker imagination behind it really surprised me, and I’m always a sucker for a revenge-driven plot.

Overall, I’m impressed and definitely looking forward to what this author does next.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC — out March 2026.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Simon and Schuster, for providing the copy of The Plans I Have For You by Lai Sanders. It started out great, and I loved the idea of remaking Shelley's life so she could escape from her viral infamy. I was less excited about the revenge plot for something that Shelley had some responsibility for. The revenge plot WAS diabolical though, so it was satisfying on some level! This is a debut novel, and suffers from the common pitfall of throwing in too many different subplots and trying to tackle too many issues that end up taking focus away from the main story. Based on the first part of this book, I look forward to the next book by Sanders, but I’m not sure this one was for me. 3 stars

[Ellen Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. What an epic plot this book has! After a public breakdown goes viral, Shelley is hiding out in Florida when she’s approached by Sophia, a woman who went through something similar and offers a way to get revenge. There were so many diabolical moments in this book that I was gasping and unsure of who out of some of the characters was the most twisted. I absolutely love Shelley in this book as she grapples with right and wrong. This book’s plot is basically what we would all daydream about if the same thing happened to us.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an odd but fascinating book once I got into it! It begins with Shelley, a young woman who works in a hotel when another woman comes in and tells her, "I know who you are." She wonders if it has anything to do with the subway when years ago a woman asked her to "move your stuff" and she refused. It's a tale of blackmail, hidden identities, and adoptions of Asian babies that may not be legal. It flows quickly and had me gasping a lot as every page has new information that shocks or ties loose ends together. Loved it!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

[Vonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was interesting! I liked the whole idea of two women who’ve both been publicly shamed finding each other and trying to piece their lives back together. It definitely touches on some heavy stuff like rage, revenge, cancel culture, and religion. Some parts felt rushed and a little confusing, but overall, it kept me curious enough to keep reading.

[Stroop · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a strange and thrilling novel. It starts out as revenge story and evolves into something much murkier. There are unlikeable characters galore and interesting looks at ambition and identity. I am not sure how I feel about the story overall and did not love the ending but it is certainly a compelling read.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read a copy.

[Ronnica Fatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning is messy. I expect not to know what’s actually going on at the beginning of the thriller, but I struggled to track even what was happening on the surface. But by the end with the reveals, I got it. Fans of unhinged women will love this.

Thank you Simon for the ARC.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not your typical thriller! It was not the simple revenge story I expected from its description, and I can only say wow. I had lots of, “wait…what did I just read?!” moments. I think this would provide many interesting book club discussions. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Abbey Dufoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

received an ARC from netgalley!

this book follows two asian american women who have both been “cancelled.” they’ve found each other through a questionable encounter, and Soyoung offers to help Shelley with her grief and rage following her recent fall from society.

the book is interesting. it encapsulates female rage, sexuality, cancel culture, morality, and more. however, there are times in which the context is missing or the story moves too fast to understand what just happened. the narrators are unreliable, which of course fits the theme, but sometimes leaves the reader questioning what the hell just happened. additionally, there are heavy themes of religion.

i enjoyed it, but i wouldn’t reach for it again. 3.5 stars rounded down.