Always fun when your books match your nails!
Thanks to Mariner Books for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review
SNAKE OIL – Kelsey Rae Dimberg (Released September 17th, 2024)
Book Description:
A sharp and twisty novel of literary suspense that interrogates the dark side of wellness, startup culture, and female ambition.
“If you commit to it, wellness can optimize every facet of your life. Unleash your superpowers. If every woman felt radically healthy, we could save the world. That’s my Radical vision.”
Rhoda is a quintessential girlboss: the founder of billion-dollar wellness company Radical, she’s equally admired for her business acumen as for her flawless skin and enviable Instagram presence. But behind her perfect veneer, Rhoda is riddled with an all-consuming desire to keep growing her empire, and fear that it could all be taken away from her. As she grows increasingly desperate to maintain her status and paranoid of the people surrounding her, she must question what lengths she’ll go to, to protect what she’s built.
Dani found Radical at a low point in her life, and it took her less than a month to sell her house, board a red-eye across the country, and apply for her dream job. When Rhoda hand-selects her for a prestigious new role, Dani is thrilled. But as she’s drawn into Rhoda’s inner circle, she begins to question Rhoda’s motives and suspect that something sinister may be going on behind Radical’s walls.
Cecilia spends her days dealing with customer complaints as part of Radical’s “Customer Worship” team, and her nights running an anonymous Twitter account dedicated to exposing Rhoda as the hypocrite she believes her to be. And then she stumbles upon a story that might just prove her suspicions right once and for all. But how much is she willing to sacrifice to share the truth and bring down Rhoda?
These tensions all come to a head on the night of Radical’s company party, when a shocking tragedy strikes the company. In the aftermath, the women of Radical will be forced to confront their loyalties and figure out what’s real, and what’s just snake oil.
My Thoughts: 4/5 stars
Who doesn’t love a good thriller about the messy drama that goes on at lifestyle and wellness company? Meet Radical. Health and wellness is the focus of Radical – as well as their skincare products and homeopathic supplements for a wide variety of possible ailments. Rhoda has created an empire that is nearing the billion dollar mark. The newest product they’re trying to roll out is called Lift, and they think this homeopathic anti-depressant will be a game changer.
We follow three women throughout the book: Rhoda, Dani, and Cecelia. Rhoda is the CEO of Radical and the embodiment of the “girlboss” archetype – successful in building her empire, a perfectly curated Instagram feed, and flawless skin. However, the paranoia starts to get the best of her. Dani works for Radical and is starstruck to be given more attention from Rhoda when she’s given a new prestigious job and begins a trial of Lift. Cecelia is part of the Customer Worship Department and lives two separate lives. By day, an incredible employee at Radical and by night, she runs an anonymous Twitter page where she airs her grievances with the company and what a hypocrite she finds Rhoda to be.
All these women collide, and there’s all kinds of drama and paranoia that builds. What is Rhoda willing to do to keep her business safe? Is Dani going to be able to standby in Rhoda’s inner circle as things spiral? What will Cecelia do with the story she stumbles across? I loved all of the different angles we got with this. The culture around wellness influencers and social media is so present in this, and we get the viewpoints from the founder, a woman that worships and loves the message and products of Radical, and another who is a complete skeptic.
Jessicamap Reviews 