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Death by Society #1
Death by Society
MEAN GIRLS meets IT’S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY when two teenage girls’ worlds collide when one attempts suicide to avoid toxic popularity.
Carter Harper may have created an award-winning app and have a 3.93 GPA, but her successes are overshadowed by brutal bullying, depression, and loneliness. Tired of being treated as the popular girls’ plaything, Carter thinks her only choice is to die by suicide.
Abby Wallace is one of the most popular girls in school, subordinate only to Kelsey, her best friend with benefits. The ambitious poet destroys reputations without care to prove how cool, cruel, and strong she is, all while pushing down her past trauma and secret guilt.
Carter and Abby’s tumultuous relationship comes to a boiling point when Abby stops Carter from attempting suicide. But what happens when they have to protect one another from Kelsey’s harmful antics? If Carter and Abby can stand each other for more than three minutes, they can stop Kelsey from hurting more girls—and maybe become friends in the process.
In the tradition of Courtney Summers and Laurie Halse Anderson, DEATH BY SOCIETY questions how far we’ll go to gain power over our lives—and what happens when we use our voices for both good and to harm others.
Carter Harper may have created an award-winning app and have a 3.93 GPA, but her successes are overshadowed by brutal bullying, depression, and loneliness. Tired of being treated as the popular girls’ plaything, Carter thinks her only choice is to die by suicide.
Abby Wallace is one of the most popular girls in school, subordinate only to Kelsey, her best friend with benefits. The ambitious poet destroys reputations without care to prove how cool, cruel, and strong she is, all while pushing down her past trauma and secret guilt.
Carter and Abby’s tumultuous relationship comes to a boiling point when Abby stops Carter from attempting suicide. But what happens when they have to protect one another from Kelsey’s harmful antics? If Carter and Abby can stand each other for more than three minutes, they can stop Kelsey from hurting more girls—and maybe become friends in the process.
In the tradition of Courtney Summers and Laurie Halse Anderson, DEATH BY SOCIETY questions how far we’ll go to gain power over our lives—and what happens when we use our voices for both good and to harm others.
376 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 13, 2022
23 people are currently reading
895 people want to read
About the author
Sierra Elmore
3 books216 followersSierra Elmore writes YA contemporary and thriller novels about girls wreaking havoc while fighting trauma. Her work has won the YoungArts merit award and was selected for the Author Mentor Match program. Elmore earned a BA in Sociology from Arcadia University. She’s conducted research on the representation of mentally ill women in media, as well as relational aggression amongst adolescent girls. Elmore lives in New York City, where she explores independent bookstores, volunteers for the Crisis Text Line, and goes to as many concerts as possible.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 116 reviews
November 5, 2022
I received an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review. It’s out next month so I would love your thoughts if you read it!
Before I start, let me just say that I think it’s really important to have a look at the content warnings for this one before going into it. The book itself began with a page of CWs and I was very grateful for knowing what I did before starting it, but even then some things still hit close to home. Make sure to take care of yourself while reading ❤️
This is such a frank look at what it can take to deal with the already difficult high school experience while also struggling with depression, relentless bullying and finding actual helpful support for your mental health. If you’re familiar with Mean Girls and Heathers then the POPS are this book’s answer to that group of untouchable girls at the top of the school’s food chain, but what makes this an interesting take on that group is its members were predominantly sapphic (the book has lesbian, bi and pan rep).
Death By Society alternates perspectives between Abby, the second in command of the POPS, whose secret traumatic past has produced a fraught relationship with her mother, and Carter, a social outcast who moonlights as a wildly successful app developer. Though their dynamic begins as bully/bullied, a series of dark events creates a messy friendship and bonds them and others over time. For a YA book to discuss mental health struggles and trauma quite this honestly is rare enough, but Carter is also a fat, Black, queer protagonist whose perspective I valued hearing so much.
This wasn’t an easy read and was honestly painfully relatable at times but ultimately just made me so grateful that I’m not in school anymore. While some characters (peers and adults alike) just wanted to capitalise on the trauma of these teens, I really enjoyed seeing the different mother-daughter relationships and how they individually expressed their very fierce love.
Though there is a romance subplot and some high school antics, I definitely wouldn’t go into this wanting a light read or looking for those elements alone. It’s hard to say I ‘enjoyed’ something like this, but I truly appreciate what it handles and the eventual feeling of hope.
Before I start, let me just say that I think it’s really important to have a look at the content warnings for this one before going into it. The book itself began with a page of CWs and I was very grateful for knowing what I did before starting it, but even then some things still hit close to home. Make sure to take care of yourself while reading ❤️
This is such a frank look at what it can take to deal with the already difficult high school experience while also struggling with depression, relentless bullying and finding actual helpful support for your mental health. If you’re familiar with Mean Girls and Heathers then the POPS are this book’s answer to that group of untouchable girls at the top of the school’s food chain, but what makes this an interesting take on that group is its members were predominantly sapphic (the book has lesbian, bi and pan rep).
Death By Society alternates perspectives between Abby, the second in command of the POPS, whose secret traumatic past has produced a fraught relationship with her mother, and Carter, a social outcast who moonlights as a wildly successful app developer. Though their dynamic begins as bully/bullied, a series of dark events creates a messy friendship and bonds them and others over time. For a YA book to discuss mental health struggles and trauma quite this honestly is rare enough, but Carter is also a fat, Black, queer protagonist whose perspective I valued hearing so much.
This wasn’t an easy read and was honestly painfully relatable at times but ultimately just made me so grateful that I’m not in school anymore. While some characters (peers and adults alike) just wanted to capitalise on the trauma of these teens, I really enjoyed seeing the different mother-daughter relationships and how they individually expressed their very fierce love.
Though there is a romance subplot and some high school antics, I definitely wouldn’t go into this wanting a light read or looking for those elements alone. It’s hard to say I ‘enjoyed’ something like this, but I truly appreciate what it handles and the eventual feeling of hope.
July 2, 2022
The second I saw this on my Twitter feed, I knew that it would be amazing and that I had to read it. I ended up being lucky enough to score an early copy and dove into it as soon as I was able to.
Death by Society is a phenomenally written book, and I don't say that lightly.
It starts off slowly, setting the scene and introducing the reader to the characters - Carter, Abby, Slater, Mei and Kelsey.
Carter and Abby are both PoV characters, and alternate every chapter. It's interesting that we get to see both the PoVs of the bully and the bullied.
Not everything is black and white, and there's an explanation why Abby acts the way she does, which still doesn't excuse her actions of course, but it's nice to see that she's also a human underneath the mask.
Meanwhile Carter, she deals with A LOT. Not only has she been depressed for almost half of her life, but she also has to deal with bullies on a daily basis and one of them lives on the same street as her.
There were parts of this book that were hard to read for me, due to my own experiences with the subjects mentioned, so I took some mini breathing and crying breaks when I needed to.
I love when books can provoke such strong feelings, and this one more than succeeded. Unlike some other books I read that dealt with mental health issues, this one did it right.
I didn't feel like things were just surface level and then everyone is happy again, the end. Oh no, this one went to the center of the problem and it dug deep to find it, and from there it was a realistic recovery process.
Carter was very easy to relate to, she's a great main character who grows and heals as the book goes on. I'm so proud of her. I hope we'll get another Carter book in the future, where she's off at college, making friends and NOT getting into trouble.
I kid I kid, even if she gets into trouble she'll have a support system to help her out of it, and that's also something this book tackles.
Oh and did I mention this book is SAPPHIC? NOBODY IS STRAIGHT! Well except Mei, but we love her anyway, yes we do. So naturally, the rep is good.
One of the PoV characters has a bigger romantic subplot than the other (the other doesn't really, except in passing mentions and a few possibilities sprinkled through), and I love how that ended.
For a good part of the book I was expecting a different ending, but nope, this is the right one.
So, while I'm at romantic mentions, that one character has a somewhat fade to black somewhat not scene near the start. It's nothing graphic, so if someone younger picked this book up too it would be okay, and I think it's important that it's in there.
This whole book is important really, for young and old people alike, but especially young, in this age of social media where kids get insecure about things that they should never be insecure about, and where they get depression early in life. They need to know they're not alone, and that there's always a light at the end of the tunnel. If Carter could do it, so can you.
I wish that younger me had this book, even before she lost her dad, but especially after, it would mean a lot to her.
And now I'm going to enter parrot mode and tell you to BUY THIS BOOK! BUY THIS BOOK! BUY THIS BOOK! If you want to make me happy you'll not only add this to your tbr, but BUY IT!!!
It's also worthy to point out that November is my birth month, and this book will be out in November, so as birthday gift to me go preorder this book, I'm serious. Go do it.
EDIT: THE PUBLICATION DATE WAS MOVED UP TO SEPTEMBER YAYY!!! It may not be my birth month anymore, BUT WHAT I SAID STILL STANDS, GO PREORDER!!!
*Thank you to the amazing author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
Death by Society is a phenomenally written book, and I don't say that lightly.
It starts off slowly, setting the scene and introducing the reader to the characters - Carter, Abby, Slater, Mei and Kelsey.
Carter and Abby are both PoV characters, and alternate every chapter. It's interesting that we get to see both the PoVs of the bully and the bullied.
Not everything is black and white, and there's an explanation why Abby acts the way she does, which still doesn't excuse her actions of course, but it's nice to see that she's also a human underneath the mask.
Meanwhile Carter, she deals with A LOT. Not only has she been depressed for almost half of her life, but she also has to deal with bullies on a daily basis and one of them lives on the same street as her.
There were parts of this book that were hard to read for me, due to my own experiences with the subjects mentioned, so I took some mini breathing and crying breaks when I needed to.
I love when books can provoke such strong feelings, and this one more than succeeded. Unlike some other books I read that dealt with mental health issues, this one did it right.
I didn't feel like things were just surface level and then everyone is happy again, the end. Oh no, this one went to the center of the problem and it dug deep to find it, and from there it was a realistic recovery process.
Carter was very easy to relate to, she's a great main character who grows and heals as the book goes on. I'm so proud of her. I hope we'll get another Carter book in the future, where she's off at college, making friends and NOT getting into trouble.
I kid I kid, even if she gets into trouble she'll have a support system to help her out of it, and that's also something this book tackles.
Oh and did I mention this book is SAPPHIC? NOBODY IS STRAIGHT! Well except Mei, but we love her anyway, yes we do. So naturally, the rep is good.
One of the PoV characters has a bigger romantic subplot than the other (the other doesn't really, except in passing mentions and a few possibilities sprinkled through), and I love how that ended.
For a good part of the book I was expecting a different ending, but nope, this is the right one.
So, while I'm at romantic mentions, that one character has a somewhat fade to black somewhat not scene near the start. It's nothing graphic, so if someone younger picked this book up too it would be okay, and I think it's important that it's in there.
This whole book is important really, for young and old people alike, but especially young, in this age of social media where kids get insecure about things that they should never be insecure about, and where they get depression early in life. They need to know they're not alone, and that there's always a light at the end of the tunnel. If Carter could do it, so can you.
I wish that younger me had this book, even before she lost her dad, but especially after, it would mean a lot to her.
And now I'm going to enter parrot mode and tell you to BUY THIS BOOK! BUY THIS BOOK! BUY THIS BOOK! If you want to make me happy you'll not only add this to your tbr, but BUY IT!!!
It's also worthy to point out that November is my birth month, and this book will be out in November, so as birthday gift to me go preorder this book, I'm serious. Go do it.
EDIT: THE PUBLICATION DATE WAS MOVED UP TO SEPTEMBER YAYY!!! It may not be my birth month anymore, BUT WHAT I SAID STILL STANDS, GO PREORDER!!!
*Thank you to the amazing author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
August 16, 2022
death by society is mean girls for teenagers today if said film focused on mental health, recovery, and the repercussions of bullying.
there is a good book within this, but it is one i am not the target audience for. had i read this as a teenager, i would have both adored it and had my life changed by it, but as a twenty-something, i struggled to connect with it despite understanding our main character’s struggles and mental health issues. all i wanted to do was scream at the collection of characters at different points throughout, wishing they would act differently, which is a benefit of growing and being on your path to recovery. teenage me would have felt a lot differently and certainly would have made similar decisions to those in the book.
on a positive note, i cannot praise sienna elmore enough for writing something so raw and something so understanding of the mental health issues teenagers struggle with, in her debut. it is not an easy subject to tackle in the slightest but several chapters in, it becomes clear that the openness throughout this book will help several people down the line with their struggles. despite my praise here, i want to stress that this is not going to be for everyone. the book is one you absolutely should not go into unless you know every single trigger warning as listed by the author - ”suicidal ideation, depression, self-harm, bullying, domestic violence, anxiety (social and generalized), racism, and rape trauma syndrome (no rape depiction).” it is heavy, it is heartbreaking. do not read unless you know you will be able to cope with the contents touched on and described. take care of yourself.
thank you to netgalley and elm street publishing for the arc. the publication date is the 13th of september 2022.
there is a good book within this, but it is one i am not the target audience for. had i read this as a teenager, i would have both adored it and had my life changed by it, but as a twenty-something, i struggled to connect with it despite understanding our main character’s struggles and mental health issues. all i wanted to do was scream at the collection of characters at different points throughout, wishing they would act differently, which is a benefit of growing and being on your path to recovery. teenage me would have felt a lot differently and certainly would have made similar decisions to those in the book.
on a positive note, i cannot praise sienna elmore enough for writing something so raw and something so understanding of the mental health issues teenagers struggle with, in her debut. it is not an easy subject to tackle in the slightest but several chapters in, it becomes clear that the openness throughout this book will help several people down the line with their struggles. despite my praise here, i want to stress that this is not going to be for everyone. the book is one you absolutely should not go into unless you know every single trigger warning as listed by the author - ”suicidal ideation, depression, self-harm, bullying, domestic violence, anxiety (social and generalized), racism, and rape trauma syndrome (no rape depiction).” it is heavy, it is heartbreaking. do not read unless you know you will be able to cope with the contents touched on and described. take care of yourself.
thank you to netgalley and elm street publishing for the arc. the publication date is the 13th of september 2022.
December 3, 2022
2/5⭐
CHECK OUT TW BEFORE READING!!! The book has a page at the beginning of tws (I'mreally happy that authors started to include them!)
In this review I mention bullying, depression, and su!cide
Let's start by saying that I was not too fond of the book. I still don't really know what the plot is tbh. The writing was very much telling and not showing and things were overexplained, and really repetitive. Most characters that go through some kind of mental health issue in books (in this case, the main character has to cope with major depressive disorder and chronic suicidal ideation) usually have a lot of development, but the protagonist was very flat and every character felt so underdeveloped and boring that I couldn't tell them apart.
I didn't understand anything Carter did throughout the book, it just made no sense. I don't remember what happened exactly, but I think it was that the group of girls that bullied her, invited her to a party and she went because she wanted to prove that she was cool or that the bullying didn't affect her. Why would you accept that invitation? Like, don't you think they have ulterior motives for randomly inviting you? Why would you then try to JOIN their friend group if they've been bullying you for years... if the main girl literally drove you to almost kill yourself? That's just self-sabotage. Her actions just frustrated me so much. I don't want anyone to misunderstand me, because I know this is a very sensitive topic, but Carter was such a bad character. For every self-destructive thing that she did, she blamed Abby, she had a weird superiority complex that I just didn't understand, and she never took responsibility for her actions. I don't know, she just wasn't a character that I could sympathize with.
Also, Abby and the rest of her friend group were awful and I still don't understand the reasons... and why did Kelsey get even worse? I don't get it!!! Probably because of how little development these characters had. Also, about the romance (btw there's a sapphicrelationship, well, "relationship"), I really thought Carter and Abby were gonna end up together and this was one of those weird bully romances and I was so scared. But literally, nothing happened between them and I didn't know how to react cause then the book made even less sense.
So... what was the moral of the story? that bullying is bad? Cause it felt like one of those videos that teachers put in class so kids would stop bullying each other, it was that bad and unrealistic (and I don't mean that these things don't happen, but it was EVERYTHING that happened that made it unrealistic to me).
I think a lot of people could easily enjoy this book and relate to the characters because of how they deal with their traumas or past experiences, but it wasn't for me.
CHECK OUT TW BEFORE READING!!! The book has a page at the beginning of tws (I'mreally happy that authors started to include them!)
In this review I mention bullying, depression, and su!cide
Let's start by saying that I was not too fond of the book. I still don't really know what the plot is tbh. The writing was very much telling and not showing and things were overexplained, and really repetitive. Most characters that go through some kind of mental health issue in books (in this case, the main character has to cope with major depressive disorder and chronic suicidal ideation) usually have a lot of development, but the protagonist was very flat and every character felt so underdeveloped and boring that I couldn't tell them apart.
I didn't understand anything Carter did throughout the book, it just made no sense. I don't remember what happened exactly, but I think it was that the group of girls that bullied her, invited her to a party and she went because she wanted to prove that she was cool or that the bullying didn't affect her. Why would you accept that invitation? Like, don't you think they have ulterior motives for randomly inviting you? Why would you then try to JOIN their friend group if they've been bullying you for years... if the main girl literally drove you to almost kill yourself? That's just self-sabotage. Her actions just frustrated me so much. I don't want anyone to misunderstand me, because I know this is a very sensitive topic, but Carter was such a bad character. For every self-destructive thing that she did, she blamed Abby, she had a weird superiority complex that I just didn't understand, and she never took responsibility for her actions. I don't know, she just wasn't a character that I could sympathize with.
Also, Abby and the rest of her friend group were awful and I still don't understand the reasons... and why did Kelsey get even worse? I don't get it!!! Probably because of how little development these characters had. Also, about the romance (btw there's a sapphic
So... what was the moral of the story? that bullying is bad? Cause it felt like one of those videos that teachers put in class so kids would stop bullying each other, it was that bad and unrealistic (and I don't mean that these things don't happen, but it was EVERYTHING that happened that made it unrealistic to me).
I think a lot of people could easily enjoy this book and relate to the characters because of how they deal with their traumas or past experiences, but it wasn't for me.
September 14, 2022
impressed by the sympathetic portrayal of teen girls while unravelling—and not romanticising—tough mental struggles & intense bullying, showing how vital it feels to belong, and letting hope & resilience exist in darkness. rtc.
August 18, 2022
Take notice to the trigger warnings located at the beginning of the book.
Death by Society is a raw and emotional YA.
Carter is trying survive life, school and the toxic bitches with the mean girl complex that patrol the halls.
For myself it was a hard read but I knew it would be going in, again see TW.
The dual POV’s are very well done. Giving readers insight to Carters emotional state, as well touching on Abby’s trauma. Not an excuse for Abby’s behaviour just a reminder that everyone has their own demons under their perfectly painted masks.
Carters thoughts leading up to her suicide attempt and during recovery were an eye opener. Her “I was so close” thoughts were painful to hear though it gave an accurate depiction of mental health struggles.
Without going into detail as not wanting to spoil anything, Kelsey needs major intervention, seriously who does that to another person.
Carters last chapter 💖!
Overall a solid debut novel by Sierra Elmore. A definite recommendation for anyone but especially for teens/YA
Death by Society will be released Sept 13/22
Looking forward to reading more by this author.
Thank you to Sierra Elmore, NetGalley and Elm Street Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Death by Society is a raw and emotional YA.
Carter is trying survive life, school and the toxic bitches with the mean girl complex that patrol the halls.
For myself it was a hard read but I knew it would be going in, again see TW.
The dual POV’s are very well done. Giving readers insight to Carters emotional state, as well touching on Abby’s trauma. Not an excuse for Abby’s behaviour just a reminder that everyone has their own demons under their perfectly painted masks.
Carters thoughts leading up to her suicide attempt and during recovery were an eye opener. Her “I was so close” thoughts were painful to hear though it gave an accurate depiction of mental health struggles.
Without going into detail as not wanting to spoil anything, Kelsey needs major intervention, seriously who does that to another person.
Carters last chapter 💖!
Overall a solid debut novel by Sierra Elmore. A definite recommendation for anyone but especially for teens/YA
Death by Society will be released Sept 13/22
Looking forward to reading more by this author.
Thank you to Sierra Elmore, NetGalley and Elm Street Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 16, 2022
That was dark, but also beautifully hopeful at the same time. AMAZING book.
Full review to come!
Full review to come!
September 24, 2022
I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
Actual rating: 3.25
While I really appreciated the inclusion and discussion of difficult topics like bullying and mental health, I didn’t really like the writing style. There were a lot of things written in brackets, and the use of slang words like “super shook” or “booty” written casually in the narrative threw me off a little.
For a big part of the book it was also really hard to differentiate the characters. Everyone other than Carter felt like they were the same person for a while.
Actual rating: 3.25
While I really appreciated the inclusion and discussion of difficult topics like bullying and mental health, I didn’t really like the writing style. There were a lot of things written in brackets, and the use of slang words like “super shook” or “booty” written casually in the narrative threw me off a little.
For a big part of the book it was also really hard to differentiate the characters. Everyone other than Carter felt like they were the same person for a while.
July 26, 2022
all i have to say is wow. i wasn’t expecting this to be so good. i saw it on netgalley and i thought the cover looked pretty, and here we are.
i don’t even know where to start. this book was a lot, for sure (in a good way). it touched on some very important topics, including mental health, body image, sexual assault, bullying, and more. the author handled these areas very maturely and did an accurate job describing them, so props to her. i love her for adding so much diversity as well! we almost never see plus sized rep in books, so it’s great that there’s some here. the mc struggling with her weight isn’t the main topic of the story, but we still see a bit of struggle.
don’t even get me started on these characters. by the end, i had soft spot for all of them, even kelsey (don’t hate me). carter was a great protagonist. she has lots of struggles that are relatable to teenage girls and i thought even though she was portrayed as a “nerd” or a “loser”, she was still interesting to read about. next—abby. abby took a bit longer for me to like. at first, she is self obsessed, shallow, and mean. but after certain events, her character starts to develop, and she for sure grew on me. out of the two, i think i like abby more. even the side characters were still likeable by the end. slater had her annoying moments, but we definitely see some growth there. we don’t really see a lot of change with mei, her development is more subtle for sure, but it’s there. i really wish the author would have touched more on her, because i personally found her to be a super interesting and possibly misunderstood character. i would totally read a spin-off with her as the mc.
overall, i thought this was an amazing book. and for a debut??? i am so so impressed. the reason my rating isn’t higher is because i personally did not connect to the characters very much; they weren’t super relatable to me. but that obviously doesn’t mean i didn’t still enjoy it!
thank you so much to netgalley & the author for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
i don’t even know where to start. this book was a lot, for sure (in a good way). it touched on some very important topics, including mental health, body image, sexual assault, bullying, and more. the author handled these areas very maturely and did an accurate job describing them, so props to her. i love her for adding so much diversity as well! we almost never see plus sized rep in books, so it’s great that there’s some here. the mc struggling with her weight isn’t the main topic of the story, but we still see a bit of struggle.
don’t even get me started on these characters. by the end, i had soft spot for all of them, even kelsey (don’t hate me). carter was a great protagonist. she has lots of struggles that are relatable to teenage girls and i thought even though she was portrayed as a “nerd” or a “loser”, she was still interesting to read about. next—abby. abby took a bit longer for me to like. at first, she is self obsessed, shallow, and mean. but after certain events, her character starts to develop, and she for sure grew on me. out of the two, i think i like abby more. even the side characters were still likeable by the end. slater had her annoying moments, but we definitely see some growth there. we don’t really see a lot of change with mei, her development is more subtle for sure, but it’s there. i really wish the author would have touched more on her, because i personally found her to be a super interesting and possibly misunderstood character. i would totally read a spin-off with her as the mc.
overall, i thought this was an amazing book. and for a debut??? i am so so impressed. the reason my rating isn’t higher is because i personally did not connect to the characters very much; they weren’t super relatable to me. but that obviously doesn’t mean i didn’t still enjoy it!
thank you so much to netgalley & the author for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
July 28, 2022
[Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing for providing me with a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion!]
3,25⭐️
This book was… raw. There were scenes that were so hard to read. It presents us Carter, a bully victim, and her group of bullies. The plot was not really original, but the way the events take place is not what you are used to read. It is raw, and heartbreaking. Sometimes I wanted just to scream at the book and the characters.
Despite this, I didn’t get 100% into the book. It was good, but not the best thing I’ve read. Anyways, it is a good book to read if you want something that will make you think.
But IMPORTANT! Check trigger warnings before reading. Suicide, depression and mention of sexual assault.
3,25⭐️
This book was… raw. There were scenes that were so hard to read. It presents us Carter, a bully victim, and her group of bullies. The plot was not really original, but the way the events take place is not what you are used to read. It is raw, and heartbreaking. Sometimes I wanted just to scream at the book and the characters.
Despite this, I didn’t get 100% into the book. It was good, but not the best thing I’ve read. Anyways, it is a good book to read if you want something that will make you think.
But IMPORTANT! Check trigger warnings before reading. Suicide, depression and mention of sexual assault.
November 1, 2022
i thought i would enjoy this book but the writing was so hard to stomach. some of it was just bizarre and entirely cringey (the repeated my chemical ho-mance line). The characters were all very shallow and although there were a lot of very serious topics it did just seem like that was ALL they were.
netgalley arc
netgalley arc
June 16, 2022
this was twisted but also a carefully crafted book! rtc
February 10, 2023
I’m a bit confused… Was there a part that I missed that would make me want Carter to be friends with the girls that tormented her and drove her to attempt suicide? I feel like I’m in the twilight zone. I’m so happy about Carter being on the journey to recovery and rediscovering her hope for living. This story dealt with so many raw issues and in such a caring way. I will give the author her flowers for that but this ending was very umm interesting. Why am I supposed to forgive Abby and the other popular girls for bullying Carter for years? I feel like I’m in the twilight zone. Abby’s few month redemption arc and sad backstory doesn’t move me or excuse her behavior. Like this book would’ve been so much better if Abby felt what Carter felt for months and that’s why she finally rights her wrongs. Her character arc was forced and rushed. Maybe I’m just a vengeful petty person but I wouldn’t have forgiven these girls if my life depended on it. Sorry not sorry.
April 24, 2024
Diversity win! The popular mean girls at your school are queer! A showcase of bullies, with the varying levels of involvement that are all culpable, and the bullied. At times the behaviours of the characters are incomprehensible, not all of which I can excuse as teenagers being teenagers.
There's almost something really interesting here about the relationship between mental health and bullying, as well as how responsible someone is to save themselves or be saved, to ask for help or accept help. However, I feel like we spent much more time focusing on redemption arcs (or lack thereof) which is less interesting to me.
There's almost something really interesting here about the relationship between mental health and bullying, as well as how responsible someone is to save themselves or be saved, to ask for help or accept help. However, I feel like we spent much more time focusing on redemption arcs (or lack thereof) which is less interesting to me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2022
This book was a lot darker then I was expecting but I’m glad it didn’t hold back. It addressed a lot of important issues, bullying, PTSD, depression, suicidal thoughts, a lot of things teens struggle with and are so afraid to talk about! Also had lots of LGBT+ rep! It was a little all over the place and most of the characters are just so dislikeable. But I liked Abby’s poetry and I’m kinda in
love with Slater too although I wish she’d done more.
love with Slater too although I wish she’d done more.
November 8, 2024
This was a fantastic read. It raises awareness for depression and what it does to us. Teen girls, and talk of suicide. It's very indepth, the storyline was just a perfect way of raising awareness!
Listened via Audible - there were 2 narrators from 2 girls' points of view. Emily Lawrence and Deanna Anthony have done an amazing job.
There are potential triggers through out however the storyline itself keeps you reading.
Would recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Listened via Audible - there were 2 narrators from 2 girls' points of view. Emily Lawrence and Deanna Anthony have done an amazing job.
There are potential triggers through out however the storyline itself keeps you reading.
Would recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 8, 2022
A highly emotional roller-coaster of a young adult novel!
Read full review in the 2022 October issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2022 October issue of InD'tale Magazine.
September 1, 2022
I read this with little to no information about this book. I knew I wouldn't get disappointed requesting this book. This contains a lot of major issues (depression, self-harm. domestic violence etc.) I love how this book reminds me of mean girls somehow. This was a dark and emotional book. It is very important to search the trigger warnings of this book before reading it as this contains some scenes that hard to read.. Sierra Elmore really did a great job writing this raw and hard-hitting book.
Note: I received an ARC of this in exchange of my honest review
Note: I received an ARC of this in exchange of my honest review
September 14, 2022
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
TW: suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, depression, bullying, self-harm
Death By Society manages to balance the line between intense emotions and also hopeful resilience. Carter's struggle with mental illness and the intense bullying she experiences makes it hard to read sometimes. But there's also light, transformation, and help. Elmore's novel is a testament to trauma and mistakes, but also self-discovery and belief in our own possibility. It's a gripping story about looking deeply at our own self, identity, and behavior.
Death By Society takes this idea that we never know the full story behind someone else, behind their actions, and deepens it. Being dual POV is an expert move to see the relationship between Carter and Abby. We can see the ways in which their actions impact each other, the (mis)communication, and the distance that needs to be covered.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
TW: suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, depression, bullying, self-harm
Death By Society manages to balance the line between intense emotions and also hopeful resilience. Carter's struggle with mental illness and the intense bullying she experiences makes it hard to read sometimes. But there's also light, transformation, and help. Elmore's novel is a testament to trauma and mistakes, but also self-discovery and belief in our own possibility. It's a gripping story about looking deeply at our own self, identity, and behavior.
Death By Society takes this idea that we never know the full story behind someone else, behind their actions, and deepens it. Being dual POV is an expert move to see the relationship between Carter and Abby. We can see the ways in which their actions impact each other, the (mis)communication, and the distance that needs to be covered.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
August 19, 2022
Thank you Elm Street Publishing, Sierra Elmore and NetGalley for granting me an arc of Death by Society.
This book is a hard-hitting, raw depiction of bullying and its consequences, filled with a diverse cast of characters that were unique in their own way.
It had such potential, all the right ingredients to be a great book and when I saw the description of 'MEAN GIRLS meets IT’S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY' - I was so ready!
However, the amount of characters were confusing, it was a bit difficult for me to remember who was who, of course as I progressed through the book it became easier. The writing style is very YA and the majority of it felt very over explained, whilst I prefer a much more 'show, don't tell' writing style. By the end, everything felt so over the place, and at the 80% mark the whole plot just went out the window and I had no idea what was the point of anything that happened was.
The content of the book felt more mature than a YA novel, but the writing style felt like a YA novel, leaving me a bit confused as to who the target audience is supposed to be.
This book includes:
- bullying
- suicude, self harm, suicidal ideation
- depression
- domestic violence
- racism
- anxiety
- mentions of rape and rape trauma
This book is a hard-hitting, raw depiction of bullying and its consequences, filled with a diverse cast of characters that were unique in their own way.
It had such potential, all the right ingredients to be a great book and when I saw the description of 'MEAN GIRLS meets IT’S KIND OF A FUNNY STORY' - I was so ready!
However, the amount of characters were confusing, it was a bit difficult for me to remember who was who, of course as I progressed through the book it became easier. The writing style is very YA and the majority of it felt very over explained, whilst I prefer a much more 'show, don't tell' writing style. By the end, everything felt so over the place, and at the 80% mark the whole plot just went out the window and I had no idea what was the point of anything that happened was.
The content of the book felt more mature than a YA novel, but the writing style felt like a YA novel, leaving me a bit confused as to who the target audience is supposed to be.
This book includes:
- bullying
- suicude, self harm, suicidal ideation
- depression
- domestic violence
- racism
- anxiety
- mentions of rape and rape trauma
April 24, 2023
3.2 stars
Death by Society is a book that follows 2 teenagers—the bully and the bullied, and makes the story feel much more interesting and gripping than anyone could think of! I loved the portrayal of mental illness, especially ones of suicide and depression. The book, in itself, is really dark with themes of violence.
But in way, it also shines light on the goods of having a friendship and family, and overcoming your trauma over time. I especially enjoyed that aspect. The only thing I didn't like, though, is the ending which could've been a bit more stretched out instead of redeeming many people.
Death by Society is a book that follows 2 teenagers—the bully and the bullied, and makes the story feel much more interesting and gripping than anyone could think of! I loved the portrayal of mental illness, especially ones of suicide and depression. The book, in itself, is really dark with themes of violence.
But in way, it also shines light on the goods of having a friendship and family, and overcoming your trauma over time. I especially enjoyed that aspect. The only thing I didn't like, though, is the ending which could've been a bit more stretched out instead of redeeming many people.
December 20, 2023
the plot was so weird
August 8, 2022
This book definitely made me feel things. For some aspects it definitely hits too close to home (check content and trigger warnings before reading) but getting the ARC and the opportunity to read it was probably the highlight of my week.
This book has such a beautiful and real depiction of high school girls, both bullied and bullies, that it’s impossible to hate any of the main characters. Because they’re human, they’re flawed and broken, but they feel oh so real. As real as my middle school bullies, who, exactly like the POPS, I was never able to hate. I hate and condemn the actions of real-life bullies as well as fictional ones, but at the end of the day I’m reminded that they’re human beings too, and that they make mistakes just like everyone else.
This is to say, very well-crafted characters. Diverse and informed representation of ethnicities, sexual orientations and mental illnesses. Real talk about topics such as rape and self-harm that, once again, hit close to home but in a comforting, healing way. This book made me feel seen, heard, hugged. Also a bit sad and scared, at parts, but I firmly believe that books are made to bring out our darkest emotions as well.
The fast-forwards sometimes make the story feel puzzle-ish, as if there were some parts missing, and this is the only reason I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5. I liked the way it was written, I just wish some of those time-gaps were filled in. That might just be my curiosity, though, it doesn’t mean the book is flawed.
In some cases, things are said or mentioned and then never talked of again throughout the book. This isn’t confusing or annoying, and doesn’t compromise the reading, it just kind of brings you to question some things, some characters, some plot points. But alas, in real-life conversation you don’t always manage to get back on a topic, so I suppose this adds “life” to the story.
A special mentions to Abby’s poems thrown into her chapters like wonderfully-worded, hauntingly-beautiful, emotional punches to the face. They really add something special to her character arc.
I hope “Death by Society” isn’t the last book in which we’ll meet Carter, Abby and Slater. Those girls have grown on me like actual friends, and I’m low-key intrigued by Kelsey and Mei’s future as well.
Shoutout to Sierra Elmore: this book really is something.
This book has such a beautiful and real depiction of high school girls, both bullied and bullies, that it’s impossible to hate any of the main characters. Because they’re human, they’re flawed and broken, but they feel oh so real. As real as my middle school bullies, who, exactly like the POPS, I was never able to hate. I hate and condemn the actions of real-life bullies as well as fictional ones, but at the end of the day I’m reminded that they’re human beings too, and that they make mistakes just like everyone else.
This is to say, very well-crafted characters. Diverse and informed representation of ethnicities, sexual orientations and mental illnesses. Real talk about topics such as rape and self-harm that, once again, hit close to home but in a comforting, healing way. This book made me feel seen, heard, hugged. Also a bit sad and scared, at parts, but I firmly believe that books are made to bring out our darkest emotions as well.
The fast-forwards sometimes make the story feel puzzle-ish, as if there were some parts missing, and this is the only reason I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5. I liked the way it was written, I just wish some of those time-gaps were filled in. That might just be my curiosity, though, it doesn’t mean the book is flawed.
In some cases, things are said or mentioned and then never talked of again throughout the book. This isn’t confusing or annoying, and doesn’t compromise the reading, it just kind of brings you to question some things, some characters, some plot points. But alas, in real-life conversation you don’t always manage to get back on a topic, so I suppose this adds “life” to the story.
A special mentions to Abby’s poems thrown into her chapters like wonderfully-worded, hauntingly-beautiful, emotional punches to the face. They really add something special to her character arc.
I hope “Death by Society” isn’t the last book in which we’ll meet Carter, Abby and Slater. Those girls have grown on me like actual friends, and I’m low-key intrigued by Kelsey and Mei’s future as well.
Shoutout to Sierra Elmore: this book really is something.
July 29, 2022
3.5 stars
This book is a mix of serious discussion about depression and social anxiety, Gen Z humor, and real-life teenage relationships. I loved Carter as a character, and was rooting for her the whole time—each downfall felt like mine, too. The plot flows seamlessly; the stakes are high the entire time, which kept me unable to pull myself away.
However, I’m concerned about Abby’s “redemption” in the end. I don’t know that her saving Carter’s life is enough to make me forgive her, let alone enough to believe Carter and her eventually become best friends. Her backstory is obviously traumatizing, but not enough to justify her treatment of Carter. I wonder if seeing her reflect on her feelings of how she hurt Carter more would have made me feel differently. While I think Carter’s story of perseverance and self love is important and has the potential to really help struggling readers, I think her friendship with Abby has the potential to harm.
Aside from that, there were small aspects of the book that felt poorly planned and confusing. The POPS’s consistent changing of alliances and in-groups felt incredibly realistic, but was really hard to track as a reader. A lot of the smaller arcs (Abby and Slater’s relationship, Abby’s relationship with her mother, Carter’s BRAIN/ZAPP progress) were thrown into the narrative inconsistently and felt underdeveloped.
In the end, I feel confused and sort of unsatisfied. I really wanted to love this book, but by the third act I didn’t know who was friends with who anymore, and who I should be rooting for. This book has a wonderful story, and I hope it finds its readers, but it just wasn’t for me!
This book is a mix of serious discussion about depression and social anxiety, Gen Z humor, and real-life teenage relationships. I loved Carter as a character, and was rooting for her the whole time—each downfall felt like mine, too. The plot flows seamlessly; the stakes are high the entire time, which kept me unable to pull myself away.
However, I’m concerned about Abby’s “redemption” in the end. I don’t know that her saving Carter’s life is enough to make me forgive her, let alone enough to believe Carter and her eventually become best friends. Her backstory is obviously traumatizing, but not enough to justify her treatment of Carter. I wonder if seeing her reflect on her feelings of how she hurt Carter more would have made me feel differently. While I think Carter’s story of perseverance and self love is important and has the potential to really help struggling readers, I think her friendship with Abby has the potential to harm.
Aside from that, there were small aspects of the book that felt poorly planned and confusing. The POPS’s consistent changing of alliances and in-groups felt incredibly realistic, but was really hard to track as a reader. A lot of the smaller arcs (Abby and Slater’s relationship, Abby’s relationship with her mother, Carter’s BRAIN/ZAPP progress) were thrown into the narrative inconsistently and felt underdeveloped.
In the end, I feel confused and sort of unsatisfied. I really wanted to love this book, but by the third act I didn’t know who was friends with who anymore, and who I should be rooting for. This book has a wonderful story, and I hope it finds its readers, but it just wasn’t for me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2022
3.5 stars.
Death by Society is a dark and compelling look into the lives of two teenage girls, Carter and Abby, who start off on opposite sides of the bully/victim relationship. With an amazing portrayal of mental illness, this book definitely provides good representation for those who see themselves reflected in the protagonists. One of my favourite things about this book was Carter's character arc and her journey - I thought it was handled really well and I found myself really rooting for her throughout the book. I really enjoyed the writing style and the humour, which made this book highly enjoyable to get through, even with the more serious subject matters.
The only thing I wasn't a fan of was throughout this book was the character motivations - it felt like some characters switched up a little too quickly. Relationships were formed and broken throughout the book - often with little to no difficulty - and, although it kept the book moving, it sometimes felt a bit too convenient.
Overall, a hard-hitting book about mental health and societal pressures with representation that is so important. Dark but hopeful - I'd definitely recommend.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the early digital copy to read and review!
Death by Society is a dark and compelling look into the lives of two teenage girls, Carter and Abby, who start off on opposite sides of the bully/victim relationship. With an amazing portrayal of mental illness, this book definitely provides good representation for those who see themselves reflected in the protagonists. One of my favourite things about this book was Carter's character arc and her journey - I thought it was handled really well and I found myself really rooting for her throughout the book. I really enjoyed the writing style and the humour, which made this book highly enjoyable to get through, even with the more serious subject matters.
The only thing I wasn't a fan of was throughout this book was the character motivations - it felt like some characters switched up a little too quickly. Relationships were formed and broken throughout the book - often with little to no difficulty - and, although it kept the book moving, it sometimes felt a bit too convenient.
Overall, a hard-hitting book about mental health and societal pressures with representation that is so important. Dark but hopeful - I'd definitely recommend.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the early digital copy to read and review!
September 11, 2022
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Death by Society follows Carter Harper, a bullied, badly depressed teenager. It's about her journey to finding hope. It also follows Abby Wallace, bully extraordinaire who gets a change of heart when her prey tries to commit suicide.
I wanted to love this and some parts were very good but I just couldn't get over the bully turned friend narrative. This was not some light teasing bullying, this was showing, pushing down the stairs, tripping, and so much more. I just don't understand how they went to this to the other part. To me, Abby got a personality change at 34% and I just didn't understand it. Also, some things just did not make sense to me. I just couldn't see why Carter was being blamed for befriending the popular girls when they're the ones who hounded her to be friends.
anyway, a lot of this just didn't sit right with me.
But I still appreciated Carter's journey to finding hope and it did made me feel a lot overall. I honestly don't know if I can recommend this but I will definitely read more by Sierra Elmore.
Death by Society follows Carter Harper, a bullied, badly depressed teenager. It's about her journey to finding hope. It also follows Abby Wallace, bully extraordinaire who gets a change of heart when her prey tries to commit suicide.
I wanted to love this and some parts were very good but I just couldn't get over the bully turned friend narrative. This was not some light teasing bullying, this was showing, pushing down the stairs, tripping, and so much more. I just don't understand how they went to this to the other part. To me, Abby got a personality change at 34% and I just didn't understand it. Also, some things just did not make sense to me. I just couldn't see why Carter was being blamed for befriending the popular girls when they're the ones who hounded her to be friends.
anyway, a lot of this just didn't sit right with me.
But I still appreciated Carter's journey to finding hope and it did made me feel a lot overall. I honestly don't know if I can recommend this but I will definitely read more by Sierra Elmore.
August 29, 2022
This is a raw and honest story of what high school and growing up can be like for some people. I praise the author for tackling such sensitive topics with grace and for not leaving out the true nitty gritty stuff such as suicide from bullying because it happens everyday!
I talk from experience as mum of a 13 year old who wanted to commit suicide due to school bullying. It's an awful and terrifying ordeal to go through and I thank my lucky stara daily that were almost on the other side.
Yes serious sensitive topics are covered in this book so you may want to explore the triggers in case it isn't for you.
I also tell you what I enjoyed about this book was the queer aspect... it was refreshing to see that the bullying wasn't actually about that as it so typically is in school.
It was super hard to read at times but feel like the teens of today need this book in their lives. I can't say I enjoyed it because of the content like who would enjoy something like that but I totally appreciated it 100%
I talk from experience as mum of a 13 year old who wanted to commit suicide due to school bullying. It's an awful and terrifying ordeal to go through and I thank my lucky stara daily that were almost on the other side.
Yes serious sensitive topics are covered in this book so you may want to explore the triggers in case it isn't for you.
I also tell you what I enjoyed about this book was the queer aspect... it was refreshing to see that the bullying wasn't actually about that as it so typically is in school.
It was super hard to read at times but feel like the teens of today need this book in their lives. I can't say I enjoyed it because of the content like who would enjoy something like that but I totally appreciated it 100%
August 3, 2022
First of all thank you, Victory Editing and Sierra Elmore for kindly gifting me this eARC via Netgalley!
I liked this book because it first of all had a trigger warning at the beginning which is a rarity even in books that feature a lot of triggering subjects for some.
I also loved how it writes from two girl's perspectives and includes (and openly mentions) things that a lot of people will not address even though they're natural, such as periods.
It also helps you to be more empathetic seen as the bully is facing a lot of their own issues in this book and even though, it doesn't excuse it it helps us have the understanding of why people bully others.
All I have to say is, Sierra Elmore is a true inspiration with her hard voluntary efforts towards this cause and using her undeniable talent to write books that will actually go onto help people! 💗💗
I read this book so that I could help people and if that is something you want to do, I cannot recommend this book enough!! 💕🙌🙌
I liked this book because it first of all had a trigger warning at the beginning which is a rarity even in books that feature a lot of triggering subjects for some.
I also loved how it writes from two girl's perspectives and includes (and openly mentions) things that a lot of people will not address even though they're natural, such as periods.
It also helps you to be more empathetic seen as the bully is facing a lot of their own issues in this book and even though, it doesn't excuse it it helps us have the understanding of why people bully others.
All I have to say is, Sierra Elmore is a true inspiration with her hard voluntary efforts towards this cause and using her undeniable talent to write books that will actually go onto help people! 💗💗
I read this book so that I could help people and if that is something you want to do, I cannot recommend this book enough!! 💕🙌🙌
May 8, 2023
A bully and the bullied.
But what happens if the two realize their problems with the help of each other?
This story is about Carter Harper, a depressed teen who is bullied by Abby Wallace, a sexual assault survivor who lashes out to deal with her trauma. Together the two learn the real consequences of their actions.
This was a great YA novel about depression, suicide, bullying, and trauma. The ways trauma can affect not only you but others around you is what this novel aims to show us. I loved Abby’s characters and honestly she kept this novel going for me. I just wish we had delved into her story more.
Definitely check the trigger warnings for this just bc of the depression and bullying. This book also provides resources at the end for those who ever need help.
But what happens if the two realize their problems with the help of each other?
This story is about Carter Harper, a depressed teen who is bullied by Abby Wallace, a sexual assault survivor who lashes out to deal with her trauma. Together the two learn the real consequences of their actions.
This was a great YA novel about depression, suicide, bullying, and trauma. The ways trauma can affect not only you but others around you is what this novel aims to show us. I loved Abby’s characters and honestly she kept this novel going for me. I just wish we had delved into her story more.
Definitely check the trigger warnings for this just bc of the depression and bullying. This book also provides resources at the end for those who ever need help.
August 24, 2022
This is a unique story line and I thought it had good potential but unfortunately for me it wasn't quite there. I liked Carter and how the book didn't shy away from the difficult subjects such as suicide and mental health but the 4 main bully characters were awful (minus Slater) and barely showed any character development even though we were supposed to believe Carter made friends with them.
Overall a good book with important topics raised but not completely believable.
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review*
Overall a good book with important topics raised but not completely believable.
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review*
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