Girl Dinner
- Judith D Collins
- Oct 21
- 7 min read
By: Olivie Blake
Narrators: Rita Amparita;
Stephanie Németh-Parker
ISBN: 9781250402738
Publisher: Mcmillan Audio
Publication Date: 10/21/2025
Format: Audio
My Rating: 4.5 Stars (ALC)
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six, Girl Dinner is a darkly-fun novel about power, lust, and eating your fill, as wealthy moms and sorority girls practice a sinister new wellness trend . . .
Good girls deserve a treat.
Every member of The House, the most exclusive sorority on campus, and all its alumni, are beautiful, high-achieving, and universally respected.
After a freshman year she would rather forget, sophomore Nina Kaur knows being one of the chosen few accepted into The House is the first step in her path to the brightest possible future. Once she's taken into their fold, the House will surely ease her fears of failure and protect her from those who see a young woman on her own as easy prey.
Meanwhile, adjunct professor Dr. Sloane Hartley is struggling to return to work after accepting a demotion to support her partner's new position at the cutthroat University. After 18 months at home with her newborn daughter, Sloane's clothes don’t fit right, her girl-dad husband isn’t as present as he thinks he is, and even the few hours a day she's apart from her child fill her psyche with paralyzing ennui. When invited to be The House’s academic liaison, Sloane enviously drinks in the way the alumnae seem to have it all, achieving a level of collective perfection that Sloane so desperately craves.
As Nina and Sloane each get drawn deeper into the arcane rituals of the sisterhood, they learn that living well comes with bloody costs. And when they are finally invited to the table, they will have to decide just how much they can stomach in the name of solidarity and power.
A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books.
My Review
The satirical horror novel GIRL DINNER by the talented Olivie Blake Gifted & Talented uses the "girl dinner" concept as a satirical backdrop, weaving the stories of two women: a struggling adjunct professor and a college student, who are both drawn into an exclusive and secretly cannibalistic sorority known as The House.
Exploring themes of female ambition, the pressure to be perfect, and the hunger for power and belonging in a patriarchal society. Alexene Farol Follmuth serves up a darkly funny exploration of womanhood, power, ambition, privilege, belonging, and the price of perfection.
With a blend of dark humor, captivating metaphors, and feminist undertones, the author skillfully delves into the challenges of womanhood, the unattainable standards imposed on women, and the societal pressures they navigate.
About the Book...
The story unfolds through the eyes of its two central characters:
Nina Kaur:
As a sophomore in college, Nina is on a journey to reclaim her life after a challenging freshman year. She views her acceptance into The House as the crucial first step toward a promising future. Eager to fit in, she dives into the sorority's mystical rituals, seeking a sense of belonging.
Sloane Hartley:
Sloane, an adjunct professor, is navigating her return to work after a demotion and maternity leave. She's grappling with the loss of her previous life, the challenges of motherhood, and her own feelings of inadequacy. When she's invited to serve as an academic liaison for The House, she's intrigued by the allure of its accomplished alumnae.
The House:
The allure of The House captivates both Nina and Sloane, drawing them into a world of successful, respected women who seem to have it all figured out. While Nina commits to the sorority, Sloane steps into her role as an academic liaison, becoming increasingly entangled in the rituals and culture of The House.
As both women delve deeper, they uncover the dark and potentially costly realities of maintaining their place within the sisterhood.
Nina and Sloane are faced with a profound moral dilemma: Is the power and sense of belonging that The House offers worth the steep price they may have to pay? What are they willing to sacrifice—both literally and figuratively—to achieve success?
How far will they go for solidarity and power?
Here is my take...
Book clubs will flock to GIRL DINNER as there is much to discuss and unravel. The novel is not just wildly entertaining; it’s humorous, bold, current, and thought-provoking. It captures the universal allure of seeking power within a flawed system, resonating with women of all ages, backgrounds, and social classes.
The story follows two protagonists from different stages in life, offering a rich exploration of how feminism and power are viewed across generations and class divides.
Nina, the younger, less privileged student, sees joining the sorority as a crucial step toward upward mobility. On the other hand, Sloane, the more established academic, is drawn to the group in a quest to reclaim the sense of worth she feels has slipped away since becoming a mother.
As the narrative unfolds, it raises a compelling question: what lengths will women go to succeed in a male-dominated world?
The sorority, known as The House, promises its members collective power and success, but they achieve this through a rather shocking cannibalistic ritual. This act serves as a satirical commentary on female rage, transforming the metaphorical act of "consuming" and "being consumed" by the system into something all too literal. The book challenges us to consider the extremes women must navigate to carve out their place in this world.
The cannibalistic dinner intensifies this theme, illustrating a woman's suppressed hunger—for power, success, and more—manifesting into a monstrous, unchecked appetite.
The novel also tackles the immense pressure on women to maintain perfection while juggling careers, motherhood, and societal beauty standards. While the sorority markets itself as a sanctuary of "Sisterhood," a closer look reveals that this solidarity is built on a dark and exploitative foundation. Blake cleverly uses this twist to question whether true sisterhood can thrive in a patriarchal society that often pits women against each other.
Additionally, the story satirically comments on domestic labor, echoing the original "girl dinner" TikTok trend, where women would hastily whip up meals when their male partners were away. This trend highlights the societal expectation that women, even while balancing professional lives, are still responsible for domestic tasks like cooking. The sorority’s rituals take this idea to a grotesque extreme, suggesting that in a patriarchal world, women are trapped in a cycle of consuming and being consumed by these domestic obligations.
Ultimately, both protagonists must confront their own relationships with power and ambition, peeling back the layers of the disturbing reality hidden behind the facade of perfection. This leaves readers pondering the larger philosophical themes at play.
The audiobook...
The audiobook was an absolute delight, featuring the incredibly talented Stephanie Németh-Parke (my favorite!) alongside Rita Amparita. Their enthusiastic, passionate, and witty narration truly brought the characters to life, making for an engaging listening experience that you won’t want to miss!
Recs...
If you're a fan of feminist literature or just on the hunt for something fresh and exciting to dive into, GIRL DINNER is the perfect choice for you.
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio, #MacAudio2025, and NetGalley for providing an advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest opinions.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Pub Date: Oct 21, 2025
Praise
“At once hilarious, scathing, insightful, and heartbreaking―I devoured Girl Dinner! Olivie Blake never pulls any punches, defies genre boundaries, and this book cements her as one of the most unique voices writing at the moment. I live for her commentary on motherhood, relationships, and above all, academia. This book is the fever dream I never knew I needed, and I'm going to recommend it to everyone I meet!”
―Ali Hazelwood, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis
"Bracing and darkly funny, Girl Dinner is filled with the fire of feminist rage that burns so good. Also, some cannibalism, as a treat."
―TJ Klune, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“As always, Blake eats! Girl Dinner is truly brilliant―a precise and ruthless novel about the impossibility of being a woman and a mother, it also answers the question of what it takes to win when you start from a losing position. I savored every morsel of this wickedly fun and deeply satisfying interrogation of sisterhood, sorority life, and the true cost of success.”
―Ling Ling Huang, author of Natural Beauty and Immaculate Conception
"A book that whets your appetite before devouring you whole. Girl Dinner is cunning, charged, and just as you’re comfortable―a profound shock. Perfect for the era we live in."
―Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Immortal Longings
“A brilliant head trip of a book, Olivie Blake constantly comes at timely topics from new and interesting angles. I can't wait to see what she does next!"
―Katee Robert, New York Times bestselling author of Neon Gods
"Hot. girls. read. cannibal. novels!! Deliciously twisted and lipstick-stained, Girl Dinner serves up a feast of ambition, privilege, and the deadly price of belonging. I loved it."
―Lucy Rose, author of The Lamb
"Whip sharp, nuanced, and highly propulsive. I will be thinking about Girl Dinner for a long time."
―Hildur Knútsdóttir, author of The Night Guest
“Girl Dinner is a crackling, tense journey between the ravenous teeth of feminine rage and sorority power struggles. Overflowing with creeping dread. I devoured it and loved every second.”
―Chuck Tingle, USA Today bestselling author of Bury Your Gays
"A female-fueled tumbleweed of bloodthirsty seduction. A decadent dive into the dark depths of ambition and toxic relationships. Deliciously addictive."
―A. R. Torre, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Lie
“An exploration of the many hungers of the female heart and the pain behind the drive to be everything to everyone, Girl Dinner shaves pearls into teeth and bites deep. As a woman, as a mother, as a wife, as an artist―I felt this story in my bones.”
―Delilah S. Dawson, New York Times bestselling author of The Violence
"Sinister and downright surprising―you’ll see!...Endlessly quotable, highly entertaining."
―Kirkus Reviews
“Daring, ironic, and bold.”
―Booklist
About the Author
OLIVIE BLAKE is the New York Times bestselling author of sci-fi and fantasy for adults, including The Atlas Six trilogy, Alone with You in the Ether, Masters of Death, the short story collection Januaries, and her most recent novel, Gifted & Talented. With Little Chmura, she is the co-creator of the graphic series Clara and the Devil. As Alexene Farol Follmuth, she is also the author of the young adult novels My Mechanical Romance and Twelfth Knight. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son. WEBSITE
