The Substance meets Girl in Pieces, in this new YA psychological thriller exploring the dark secrets of the wellness and beauty world, brimming with sapphic...

The Substance meets Girl in Pieces, in this new YA psychological thriller exploring the dark secrets of the wellness and beauty world, brimming with sapphic romance, class exploration, and friendship clashes.

Frances Bean has always been content living life on the perimeter. Until she gets paired up for a class project with rich and popular Julia, daughter of famous wellness guru Deena Patterson. The "magic" skincare products, healing sound baths, and extravagant parties of Deena's company DEEP never really interested Frances before, who wears the badge of goth outcast and bookworm proudly. But face time with the girl she has been crushing on for years is starting to give her a new outlook.

When Frances gets an exclusive invite to a DEEP event, she is blown away by the beauty and luxury of Julia's world and the group's focus on empowering girls to be their most true selves surprisingly strikes a chord. Before long Frances finds herself invested in DEEP, a whirlwind romance with Julia, and a future that feels hopeful.

But when an infamous DEEP party takes a dark turn, Frances wonders if the allure of being a part of Julia's life was actually just a deadly distraction...

Author: Hayley Krischer
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Published: 04/15/2025
Pages: 320
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.75lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.90w x 1.20d
ISBN: 9780593698389
Audience: Young Adult


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 01/20/2025
Kirkus Reviews 02/01/2025
Booklist 03/01/2025 pg. 103

About the Author
Hayley Krischer is the author of The Falling Girls, Something Happened to Ali Greenleaf and the adult fiction book, Where Are You, Echo Blue? She has written for The New York Times, Elle, The Atlantic and more. She lives in New Jersey with her family.