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The Plans I Have for You
Not yet published
Expected 17 Mar 26Feminine 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.
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.
352 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 17, 2026
7664 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
August 21, 2025
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.
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.
September 11, 2025
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!
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!
September 28, 2025
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 😓)
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 😓)
July 26, 2025
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.
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.
August 18, 2025
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.
“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.
January 14, 2026
This is a strong debut - it was hard to put this book down. The pacing is quick, I enjoyed the characters, and the non-linear narrative really ramped up the tension as more tidbits were revealed. The novel succeeds in juggling a lot of themes and topics, such as race, gender, class, virality/cancel culture, mother-daughter relationships, myth, religion, virtue signaling, and more. There were some areas that I wish received a little more focus, but overall I had a great time reading this and will definitely be reading any future books from Sanders.
4.5 stars
4.5 stars
November 25, 2025
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for review!
i just turned the final page of this book and im trying to catch my breath--from holding it? from hyperventilating? yes.
im always hesitant to share my interpretation of the meaning of a book in case im way off base but to me, this was ultimately a cautionary tale about seeking wholeness and identity in another person, not just between the main characters but between all of the flawed relationships that are exposed as the story unfolds. the relentless pursuit of such wholeness begs the questions: what makes a person genuine, good, and above all else, loveable?
this was a bit of a slow burner for me to start, but once cracks in the too-good-to-be-true foundation start to form, it doesnt take long at all for the landslide to follow, and you won't be able to look away.
i've had a lot of luck with my reading material this month, but this one in particular will sit with me for a while. equal parts haunting and thought-provoking enrobed in painful relatability.
i just turned the final page of this book and im trying to catch my breath--from holding it? from hyperventilating? yes.
im always hesitant to share my interpretation of the meaning of a book in case im way off base but to me, this was ultimately a cautionary tale about seeking wholeness and identity in another person, not just between the main characters but between all of the flawed relationships that are exposed as the story unfolds. the relentless pursuit of such wholeness begs the questions: what makes a person genuine, good, and above all else, loveable?
this was a bit of a slow burner for me to start, but once cracks in the too-good-to-be-true foundation start to form, it doesnt take long at all for the landslide to follow, and you won't be able to look away.
i've had a lot of luck with my reading material this month, but this one in particular will sit with me for a while. equal parts haunting and thought-provoking enrobed in painful relatability.
August 16, 2025
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!
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!
November 6, 2025
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.
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.
November 29, 2025
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I had no idea this was a thriller until 85% of the way through. That's on me though. Somehow I had saw "Yellowface" and had expected something completely different. My expectations for this book did not align at all with what this book ended up being. I thought it was going to be somewhat of an experience similar to watching a train crash in slow-motion and only being able to read on in horror. Especially when the summary described it as a 'situation that soon spirals out of control'. I kept waiting for the 'revenge' plots to go awry and to negatively impact the women in their hubris. I kept waiting for things to go out of control. I think the only similarity the book might have with Yellowface is that there is one bad white woman character, and that's ... all I've got. This is why publishers really need to be careful when marketing a book by using other well-known titles. I think this book stands well enough on it's own.
About the book and story as it is-- I think Lai Sanders is a great writer. I think there are weaknesses to the story, but the writing itself was great. There are some quotes I saved that ended up having a double meaning when I looked back on them after finishing the book. Several quotes about society and the expectations placed on us both by our parents and cultural standards had me nodding along like, yes yes.
I felt some of the side quests didn't add much value to the story, while other storylines didn't get enough attention. Of the three people that the two main characters target for revenge (as written in the book summary), one takes up a lot more 'screen time' than the others- and I wish there was more for them. I also thought that the author did a good job touching on current politics in China and props to her for that section, but I didn't see how it added to the story.
The book follows both Shelley's current journey for revenge and also time jumps to parallel-tell the story of Sophia and her fall from grace. While Shelley's parts are written in first person, Sophia's are written in third person omniscient which I believe was the right choice. The author also forces Shelley to confront the people she is exacting her revenge on- she lives right under their noses, in disguise, and really learns what makes them tick. In this, we, as the reader, alongside Shelley, get to decide for ourselves if the 'day where it all went wrong' really defines all the related characters, or if they were just products of their own history. We also decide whether we think the revenge was 'worth it'. I don't think we ever really get a clear picture of what happened on the day that ruined Shelley's life- even though it was such a focal point in the story. Sure, POVs can color the event with biases, but everyone else in the book saw the videos, so why wasn't it made more clear to the reader exactly what had happened?
Ultimately, the book is a journey of two deeply flawed characters and their own selfish desires and darknesses within as they orbit and clash (kiss) and drift away and repeat.
About the book and story as it is-- I think Lai Sanders is a great writer. I think there are weaknesses to the story, but the writing itself was great. There are some quotes I saved that ended up having a double meaning when I looked back on them after finishing the book. Several quotes about society and the expectations placed on us both by our parents and cultural standards had me nodding along like, yes yes.
I felt some of the side quests didn't add much value to the story, while other storylines didn't get enough attention. Of the three people that the two main characters target for revenge (as written in the book summary), one takes up a lot more 'screen time' than the others- and I wish there was more for them. I also thought that the author did a good job touching on current politics in China and props to her for that section, but I didn't see how it added to the story.
The book follows both Shelley's current journey for revenge and also time jumps to parallel-tell the story of Sophia and her fall from grace. While Shelley's parts are written in first person, Sophia's are written in third person omniscient which I believe was the right choice. The author also forces Shelley to confront the people she is exacting her revenge on- she lives right under their noses, in disguise, and really learns what makes them tick. In this, we, as the reader, alongside Shelley, get to decide for ourselves if the 'day where it all went wrong' really defines all the related characters, or if they were just products of their own history. We also decide whether we think the revenge was 'worth it'. I don't think we ever really get a clear picture of what happened on the day that ruined Shelley's life- even though it was such a focal point in the story. Sure, POVs can color the event with biases, but everyone else in the book saw the videos, so why wasn't it made more clear to the reader exactly what had happened?
Ultimately, the book is a journey of two deeply flawed characters and their own selfish desires and darknesses within as they orbit and clash (kiss) and drift away and repeat.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A rollercoaster of emotions, schemes, and twists, The Plans I Have for You follows two Asian American women as they work together to get back at a world that has torn them down.
Shelley is working a deadend job at a lousy hotel after a humiliating video of her on the subway in the NYC went viral, causing her to lose her internship and her spot at Columbia Law and return home with unfulfilled promises of a better life. It's when she's working a night shift at the hotel that she's approached by Sophia, who once went through something similar as Shelley and promises to help her build a new life and get revenge on those responsible for her downfall.
This book follows through on it's compelling premise as we follow Shelley as she adopts a new name, a new appearance, and a completely new identity in an effort to get close to those who wronged her. The humiliation she had to face and her vulnerability is so raw that you feel for her and want to see how exactly she'll get back at these people. Yet, like every good revenge story, Shelley has her moments of doubt and thinks to herself, maybe she shouldn't ruin these people's lives. But that's okay because Sophia is there to keep her on the right path. Or so she says.
Sophia is a complex, mysterious character. We get chapters of her past interspersed between Shelley's present and moments where she talks to Shelley about what she's been through. Yet even with this there's a feeling that Shelley, and the reader don't really know her as well we think we do. There's a lot of anger within Sophia as well. Anger at being looked down upon for where she was born, her gender, her opportunities. And we see how she projects that anger onto Shelley and uses it to put this revenge plan into motion.
The Plans I Have for You uses this revenge plot as a vehicle to touch upon a range of issues related to identity - being Asian American, female, and in Shelley's case being a descendant of Hui Muslims from China. Lai Sanders weaved these issues beautifully throughout and created a layered story about revenge, identity, and forgiveness.
There were some points in Sophia's story where I got a bit lost from the back and forth between past and present and something that is revealed towards the climax, but I think the ambiguity there was on purpose.
Highly recommend this one! Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the arc.
Shelley is working a deadend job at a lousy hotel after a humiliating video of her on the subway in the NYC went viral, causing her to lose her internship and her spot at Columbia Law and return home with unfulfilled promises of a better life. It's when she's working a night shift at the hotel that she's approached by Sophia, who once went through something similar as Shelley and promises to help her build a new life and get revenge on those responsible for her downfall.
This book follows through on it's compelling premise as we follow Shelley as she adopts a new name, a new appearance, and a completely new identity in an effort to get close to those who wronged her. The humiliation she had to face and her vulnerability is so raw that you feel for her and want to see how exactly she'll get back at these people. Yet, like every good revenge story, Shelley has her moments of doubt and thinks to herself, maybe she shouldn't ruin these people's lives. But that's okay because Sophia is there to keep her on the right path. Or so she says.
Sophia is a complex, mysterious character. We get chapters of her past interspersed between Shelley's present and moments where she talks to Shelley about what she's been through. Yet even with this there's a feeling that Shelley, and the reader don't really know her as well we think we do. There's a lot of anger within Sophia as well. Anger at being looked down upon for where she was born, her gender, her opportunities. And we see how she projects that anger onto Shelley and uses it to put this revenge plan into motion.
The Plans I Have for You uses this revenge plot as a vehicle to touch upon a range of issues related to identity - being Asian American, female, and in Shelley's case being a descendant of Hui Muslims from China. Lai Sanders weaved these issues beautifully throughout and created a layered story about revenge, identity, and forgiveness.
There were some points in Sophia's story where I got a bit lost from the back and forth between past and present and something that is revealed towards the climax, but I think the ambiguity there was on purpose.
Highly recommend this one! Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the arc.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
thank you to netgalley and simon & schuster for the ARC!
i've seen this comped as "for fans of yellowface and counterfeit", and having read both of those, i cannot for the life of me understand why they're being offered as comparisons beyond having chinese main characters. my advice: if you're looking to pick this up based off of the comps, do not. instead, consider reading this because lai sanders clearly has a vision and talent and so much potential.
i didn't understand what i was getting into when i started reading this, and i still don't really understand after having finished it. which is very much a positive. this is a story of culture and shame and societal pressure with messy and imperfect characters and what it means to belong, to be human, to exist in a world intent on minimizing you and flattening you. i think the plot strays just a little too much from the premise in the description, which is both a positive and a negative; there's so many moving parts, so much happening—sanders' writing is very ambitious, very much embodying the 'go big or go home' mentality—and the themes i was most interested in are kind of buried under other plot points, but i'm not entirely mad about that. i think there's such a sharp and cutting excision of the cast of characters who are allowed to actually be awful without that being excused or softened that IS rare for books in this genre (though i do wish it had been explored more out of dialogue. the constant speeches from sophia and erin both about how 'awful' they are became a little tedious). i did, however, feel a little lost when the supernatural element started to really bleed through; there's hints of it throughout the first half of the book, yet it still feels like it comes out of left field, and the vague nature of it could have been interesting, but i really wanted a more in-depth exploration of it by the end.
the ending as a whole feels very rushed, with lots of monologuing and odd pacing; i understand the intention and i appreciate sanders not going for a 'happy' ending (something else that feels rarer and rarer these days; not every book needs a 'good' ending) but it just feels incomplete all the same.
but sanders really has something to say, and i appreciate that. this is a great addition to the revenge genre, an engrossing debut, and i'm very interested in what sanders is going to put out into the world next.
i've seen this comped as "for fans of yellowface and counterfeit", and having read both of those, i cannot for the life of me understand why they're being offered as comparisons beyond having chinese main characters. my advice: if you're looking to pick this up based off of the comps, do not. instead, consider reading this because lai sanders clearly has a vision and talent and so much potential.
i didn't understand what i was getting into when i started reading this, and i still don't really understand after having finished it. which is very much a positive. this is a story of culture and shame and societal pressure with messy and imperfect characters and what it means to belong, to be human, to exist in a world intent on minimizing you and flattening you. i think the plot strays just a little too much from the premise in the description, which is both a positive and a negative; there's so many moving parts, so much happening—sanders' writing is very ambitious, very much embodying the 'go big or go home' mentality—and the themes i was most interested in are kind of buried under other plot points, but i'm not entirely mad about that. i think there's such a sharp and cutting excision of the cast of characters who are allowed to actually be awful without that being excused or softened that IS rare for books in this genre (though i do wish it had been explored more out of dialogue. the constant speeches from sophia and erin both about how 'awful' they are became a little tedious). i did, however, feel a little lost when the supernatural element started to really bleed through; there's hints of it throughout the first half of the book, yet it still feels like it comes out of left field, and the vague nature of it could have been interesting, but i really wanted a more in-depth exploration of it by the end.
the ending as a whole feels very rushed, with lots of monologuing and odd pacing; i understand the intention and i appreciate sanders not going for a 'happy' ending (something else that feels rarer and rarer these days; not every book needs a 'good' ending) but it just feels incomplete all the same.
but sanders really has something to say, and i appreciate that. this is a great addition to the revenge genre, an engrossing debut, and i'm very interested in what sanders is going to put out into the world next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2025
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!!
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!!
August 2, 2025
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.
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.
December 10, 2025
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.
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.
November 9, 2025
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.
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.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2025
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An atmospheric story about race, identity, and revenge with touches of magical realism that delivers.
Two Asian women, Soyoung “Sophia” Moon and Shelley “Erin” Hu/Callaghan meet to exact revenge on three individuals (Amy Cloverfield, Gene Struzik, and Auggie Flores) who ruined Shelley’s life. Sophia Moon comes to the seedy motel Shelley works offering her a chance at revenge. Sophia has been traumatized in a similar way so she is able to convince Shelley she can help her achieve a new and better life. Shelley accepts Sophia’s offer and the plans begin. Told along with Shelley’s story is Soyoung’s duplicitous background which leaves you wondering what’s the reason for Sophia’s help, especially as Sophia’s help turns into obsession and the revenge is darker than Shelley realizes.
This is kind of a thriller in a way but the friendship element that starts the book throws you off until that becomes weird as the book goes on. Another element explored in the book includes discrimination as both women have experienced this. My only criticism is the weird ending but otherwise I stayed riveted to the story lines
This is a pretty good debut novel. I encourage anyone interested is revenge stories to give this a try.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for allowing me access to read this ARC.
Two Asian women, Soyoung “Sophia” Moon and Shelley “Erin” Hu/Callaghan meet to exact revenge on three individuals (Amy Cloverfield, Gene Struzik, and Auggie Flores) who ruined Shelley’s life. Sophia Moon comes to the seedy motel Shelley works offering her a chance at revenge. Sophia has been traumatized in a similar way so she is able to convince Shelley she can help her achieve a new and better life. Shelley accepts Sophia’s offer and the plans begin. Told along with Shelley’s story is Soyoung’s duplicitous background which leaves you wondering what’s the reason for Sophia’s help, especially as Sophia’s help turns into obsession and the revenge is darker than Shelley realizes.
This is kind of a thriller in a way but the friendship element that starts the book throws you off until that becomes weird as the book goes on. Another element explored in the book includes discrimination as both women have experienced this. My only criticism is the weird ending but otherwise I stayed riveted to the story lines
This is a pretty good debut novel. I encourage anyone interested is revenge stories to give this a try.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for allowing me access to read this ARC.
November 27, 2025
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.
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.
July 31, 2025
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.
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.
September 4, 2025
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.
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.
October 29, 2025
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!
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the Advanced Reader Copy and can't wait to read more from this author!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
The Plans I Have For You follows Shelley, a woman who has lost everything due to a public breakdown, and Sophia, a mysterious woman who inserts herself into Shelley's life promising to help her get back at the people who hurt her. This was such a dark, interesting premise with themes of casual racism, manipulation, "saving face", familial expectations, adoption, and even some paranormal themes mixed in. There were many things I loved about the book: the way Shelley and Lizzie both speak sounds authentic for an 18 year old and twenty-something, the way Sophia refused to give up on herself even when things were bad, the weird but compelling premise. The few things I didn't like as much: it became muddled toward the end, the big reveal from Shelley to her nemesis fell a little flat, and it seemed absolutely insane to me that the love-bombing in the book was simply accepted by the character who was receiving it. Overall I enjoyed it.
The Plans I Have For You follows Shelley, a woman who has lost everything due to a public breakdown, and Sophia, a mysterious woman who inserts herself into Shelley's life promising to help her get back at the people who hurt her. This was such a dark, interesting premise with themes of casual racism, manipulation, "saving face", familial expectations, adoption, and even some paranormal themes mixed in. There were many things I loved about the book: the way Shelley and Lizzie both speak sounds authentic for an 18 year old and twenty-something, the way Sophia refused to give up on herself even when things were bad, the weird but compelling premise. The few things I didn't like as much: it became muddled toward the end, the big reveal from Shelley to her nemesis fell a little flat, and it seemed absolutely insane to me that the love-bombing in the book was simply accepted by the character who was receiving it. Overall I enjoyed it.
August 18, 2025
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.
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.
February 6, 2026
The Plans I Have For You is the bridge between run of the mill fiction and weird girl fiction. It's just kooky enough to scratch the itch, and yet perfect for those who want to dip their toes into the world of weird fic.
It was such a unique premise that I had trouble even putting it down.
Shelley's world came crashing down after she had a menty b on the subway. The moment was filmed and went viral, and Shelly loses her prestigious internship and spot at Columbia Law school.
In comes Sophia, who swoops in to help Shelley turn her life around. Sophia also suffered at the hands of public shaming, and she invites Sophia to come live with her as they carry out this insane revenge plot against all the people who contributed to Shelley's downfall.
It spirals completely out of control, as you can imagine, and is so worth the read.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster for sending me an early copy for my honest review <3
It was such a unique premise that I had trouble even putting it down.
Shelley's world came crashing down after she had a menty b on the subway. The moment was filmed and went viral, and Shelly loses her prestigious internship and spot at Columbia Law school.
In comes Sophia, who swoops in to help Shelley turn her life around. Sophia also suffered at the hands of public shaming, and she invites Sophia to come live with her as they carry out this insane revenge plot against all the people who contributed to Shelley's downfall.
It spirals completely out of control, as you can imagine, and is so worth the read.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster for sending me an early copy for my honest review <3
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This debut novel packs a punch and is not for the faint of heart. Lai Sanders impressively grapples with some intense themes in her first novel, including (but not limited to!) bi-directional racism, religious intolerance/ homophobia, mental health/toxic relationship, sexual assault through coercion and the general sexualization of Asian women. The characters are under immense pressure and respond in kind through these twisted targeted revenge operations. It was fascinating to watch the oppressed become the oppressors.
The author's writing is easy to read with simple, straightforward prose. Overall, I think the plot became a little chaotic because so much was packed in that I didn't feel there was enough room to really unpack some the issues she presented, but I found this debut well worth the read. I look forward to more from Lai Sanders.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The author's writing is easy to read with simple, straightforward prose. Overall, I think the plot became a little chaotic because so much was packed in that I didn't feel there was enough room to really unpack some the issues she presented, but I found this debut well worth the read. I look forward to more from Lai Sanders.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 12, 2026
**The Plans I Have for You** was a compelling and fast-paced read, especially because of the way the story bounces back and forth between the two main characters.
I understand the criticism that one character has significantly more background than the other, but honestly, I think that’s kind of the point. The imbalance felt intentional and reflective of the dynamic between them, rather than a flaw in the writing.
I’ve also seen a lot of people hate on the ending, but I didn’t mind it at all. Did we really want this girl to get a happy ending? She’s toxic, and sometimes toxic characters don’t deserve neat, satisfying conclusions. I respected the author for sticking with that choice.
Overall, it’s an engaging, messy, emotionally charged story that kept me hooked. Not perfect, but definitely memorable and worth the read.
I understand the criticism that one character has significantly more background than the other, but honestly, I think that’s kind of the point. The imbalance felt intentional and reflective of the dynamic between them, rather than a flaw in the writing.
I’ve also seen a lot of people hate on the ending, but I didn’t mind it at all. Did we really want this girl to get a happy ending? She’s toxic, and sometimes toxic characters don’t deserve neat, satisfying conclusions. I respected the author for sticking with that choice.
Overall, it’s an engaging, messy, emotionally charged story that kept me hooked. Not perfect, but definitely memorable and worth the read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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
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