Thank you to the author & Net Galley for allowing me to preview this book before it was published to the public. I absolutely loved this idea and the book itself didn’t dissapoint. The whole “it’s not a cult it’s a lifestyle” vibe throughout the whole book was creepy in a way that was weirdly natural? I felt like Iv been there and heard of similar things happening before in the real world so it wasn’t a stretch to take myself into the world of Deep Flow and feel like I knew exactly what and who were involved.
I loved the ending but felt it could have been taken in a different angle and focused more on the character of Vee and her experiences. Would have been good to know more of her story! My favourite quote of this book was “ if she were wearing pearls , I don’t doubt she would be clutching them right now as if her life depended on it.”

The themes False Idols are incredibly timely - the reveal of certain ones hitting me like a punch enough to draw a breath. (No spoilers, promise!)
Written extremely entities and passionately, I think Sweet has a sure fire hit on her hands. My only slight issue was that the ending and resolution were wrapped up a little too quickly for my liking. I wanted to luxuriate in the characters a little more.

Sadie has an interesting life story.
She and Derek move to LA and Sadie finds herself in Flow.
Flow becomes a mystery on its own.
I loved Sadie’s voice.
A few scenes felt less plausible and underwritten.
In general, the craft was good.
The plot and the resolution were 65-70%.
Nevertheless, Sadie kept me engaged. There could have been more depth and story.
Overall, still 3.5 stars rounded up because it was fun.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Headline for this ARC

False Idols is a compelling, dark dive into the underbelly of the wellness industry.

Sadie is adrift; looking for something to hold on to when she meets the magnetic leader of wellness class Deep Flow, an enigmatic woman named Lilith.

Lilith takes Sadie under her wing, and soon, Sadie is addicted to all things Deep Flow and Lilith. When others around her profess their skepticism, Sadie is quick to insist that Deep Flow isn’t a cult, but a transformative experience and a chance to escape her past.

However, soon, the walls start to fall down and Sadie begins to realise the truth about Deep Flow and Lilith.

This is such a unique concept for a thriller, and brilliantly captures the dark side of the wellness industry; how it can be unregulated and how it can pray on the vulnerable, isolating them.

Sadie’s state of mind is portrayed so well, and you’re completely captivated as she falls under Lilith’s spell.

Overall I really enjoyed this book - a unique story that balances thriller with literary fiction.

This story does explore some difficult themes which may need a trigger warning!