A very good read. . . Excellent back story on the nuances of feminist issues, combined with a compelling plot

Review copy provided by publisher.

This was an interesting read! I was familiar with the Theranos scandal but haven’t really read anything like this before. I thought it was a fascinating look into the different ways women in business act. I really liked that we got a look at both the world of startups and journalism. It was an interesting look into corporate misconduct and the lengths people will go to, to get what they want. I thought the short chapters and getting to see both POV’s worked really well for the story.

I was expecting a little bit more of a punch at the end but still thought the ending was great for the story and probably much more realistic to what would actually happen. Overall, this was a really fun read! I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future. This was a 4.25 stars for me.

Anna Bright Is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall and narrated by Tiffany Bache & Hillary Huber is a dual-pov story told from the perspective of Anna Bright, the hugely successful founder of Brightspot, a multi-billion dollar company about to launch the latest in smart-tech, a chip implanted below the eye camera, web, computer all in one

The second POV is Jamie Roman, a journalist who is trying to live in her own light, hiding the identity of her Pullitzer prize winning father, hungry for the story that will secure her promotion at BusinessBerry. She saves Anna Bright from a huge faux pas at a conference, which sets into motion a series of events that reveal that Anna Bright (and Brightspot) is not all that she seems.

The narrators Tiffany Bache & Hillary Huber play their respective roles perfectly and there is a harmony in each narrators portrayal of the cast.

A brilliant observation of women in th workplace and the highly competitive startup culture in Silicon Valley. I was absolutely intrigued in Orman Schnall's writing style, so authentic and plausible as to make for a highly compelling novel

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media the author Susie Orman Schnall and narrators for this fantastic ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

Anne Bright Is Hiding Something tells the story of a tech startup and its CEO Anna Bright. BrightSpot is about to go public and revolutionize the bio-tech industry, only Anna Bright is hiding something. There are problems with BrightSpot, but only Anna knows the extent of these issues. She also knows that she stands to make billions if BrightSpot goes public. Jamie is a journalist, who focuses on female CEOs. She ends up interviewing Anna Bright, but suspects that something fishy is going on and begins to delve deeper. The audiobook was excellent. Both narrators were great, but the voice of Anna was especially good at showing her aloof, intense character. I couldn't wait to come back to the audiobook every time I had to stop. The beginning is more character driven, but the pacing really ramps up as the book goes on. This book made some really interesting points about the ways in which female CEOs are treated. It will be a great one for people who were interested in Elizabeth Holmes, Anna Delvey, or tech startup culture.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so interesting and full of twists and turns. I was so convinced Anna Bright faked her entire company and that there was no way for the technology to ever happen. I really enjoyed how the book focused on women CEOs and women journalists. This was a fun read with a lot of great details.

Anna Bright is a shining light in the tech world. She wants to take her company, which makes a life-changing intraocular implant, public. The story is reminiscent of Elizabeth Holmes and her company, Theranos. Anna Bright Is Hiding Something is well-constructed and fast-paced, and the narration gets an A+.

This wasn't my normal type of read as I tend to lean toward mystery/psychological thrillers. I really wanted a bit more from this book, more scandal or something to shock me. That being said, it was very well written and as the story played out I found myself invested in what happened to Anna and Jamie. The character development was done so well and I felt like I could follow from chapter to chapter flawlessly, which I enjoyed. The story seemed simple but the layers of Anna and her choices...you had to know what happened next. The title and description did lead me to think the fraud was a bit deeper and there could possibly be a twist at the end, but it was simply just a well written story with a somewhat predictable ending. Wonderful narrators which can be a deal breaker for me when listening to a book!

This story follows two young women’s point-of-views in a world of cutthroat business dealings and intrigue. Anna Bright is the founder and CEO of a potentially very successful and revolutionary product that will change how people live their lives. What everyone doesn’t know is that not everything she does is above-board. Jamie Roman is an aspiring journalist with great potential. After coming in contact with Anna several times, Jamie can’t help but dig into Anna’s past and shady future plans for her business.

This was a fascinating read. I enjoyed learning through this story about corporate misconduct and the lengths people will go to for what they want. Having said that, at times I was a little confused with the corporate and business lingo. The ending also surprised me. I was looking for more of a clincher, but I think the ending was perfect for the story. Even though I am not very knowledgeable on business dealings, this story felt realistic and true to what women struggle with in the business world of men today.

I struggled a bit with the audiobook version of this book. Because of all the business terms, it was a bit more difficult for me to keep up over audio than normal. I also found myself speeding the audio up because the pacing was a bit slow for me. However, the narrators’ voices were engaging for the characters and I liked that there were two different narrators for each of the perspectives.

I definitely recommend this for those looking for more intrigue rather than thrills. There are no major plot twists, but the lies and misconduct are fascinating. If you liked Yellowface by R. F. Kuang, this should be your next read.

I received a copy of this book in an audiobook format from Dreamscape Media in return for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions here are mine and mine alone.

Publication Date: June 4, 2024
This is a story of two ambitious women navigating their respective male-dominated worlds of Silicon Valley startup entrepreneurs and the New York City media covering them. Anna Bright is the "She-EO" and founder of the pre-IPO, pre-money, pre-commercially launched product BrightSpot, an implantable device destined to change lives. Jamie Roman is a reporter for BusinessBerry focused on new ventures. She reports to Victoria who went to school with the famous Anna Bright. When Victoria can't make a panel appearance, she taps Jamie to fill in. Jamie rescues Anna from a "hot mic" moment and is granted an interview... sort of. What follows is a lot of delicious bad behavior and questionable activity, including the marginalization of women founders. The chapters alternate from Anne and Jamie's perspectives. We learn more about their backgrounds and daddy issues, but not much about the other characters. The story seems realistic and entertaining. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook.
Note it is not a suspenseful thriller but a novel of contemporary fiction. Ideal for people with an interest in startups, journalism, women in business, etc.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and #NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook for review purposes.

Thank you Susie Orman Schnall for the #gifted ARC, thank you BookSparks for the #gifted finished copy, and thank you Dreamscape Media for the #gifted ALC of Anna Bright is Hiding Something! #SRC2024 #GameSetRead

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐞 𝐎𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐓𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐇𝐮𝐛𝐞𝐫
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

★★★★★

Anna Bright is Hiding Something was so entertaining and quite the page turner! I was drawn to this book because of the unique premise and it did not disappoint! I loved the focus on a woman in a male dominated industry and found both of the main characters to be so well-developed and the storyline to flow so well. I really loved this book and highly recommend this one!

Anna Bright is committing fraud and no one knows. With the upcoming launch of BrightSpot, she is promising a variety of services via an implant, that will take the world of biotechnology to new levels. Jamie Roman is a journalist for BusinessBerry. She is looking for a story to get her name out there. When she learns of Anna’s misconduct, she is determined to expose her. Anna is willing to do anything to stop Jamie, especially with BrightLife’s IPO only days away.

🎧I alternated between the physical book and the audiobook narrated by a truly dynamic duo! Tiffany Bache and Hillary Huber were absolutely perfect for their roles and I could not imagine two better people to narrate Anna and Jamie. I loved how there were two narrators and cannot recommend this one on audio enough! You are in for a treat with Bache and Huber!

👁️Perfectly paced
👁️Female In a Male Dominated Industry
👁️CEO Behaving Badly
👁️Dual POV
👁️A Page-Turner

Posted on Goodreads on May 29, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around May 30, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on June 4, 2024
**-will post on designated date

This is an interesting two sided observation to women in business.
    
    Anna Bright takes no prisoners and mows down anyone in her way to the big league. Her company has developed an impregnable device that would be revolutionary and getting it out in the public domain is all she's interested in.
     While in her position she would be an outstanding role model, she has little interest in promoting women entrepreneurs, acting as a mentor or participating in events that would benefit women.
    We also meet Veronica, another successful business owner who is the complete antithesis of Anna: she advocates for women in business. The fact that she and Anna have a back story from college adds to the conflict between them.
    Jaime, a reporter that works for Veronica, meets Anna for an interview and the essence of the book takes off from there. The behind the scene manipulations, the trickery, the lies are all fascinating and I am sure are true happenings that women face in business.
    It seems that no one is immune from the underhandedness that prevails in the attempt to rise to the top.

This one was slow and took some time to warm up to...

The overall ideas behind the storyline are strong and caught my attention immediately.
Eager and talented female CEO intentionally commits fraud.
Also eager and talented female journalist committed to expose the fraud and in turn become a respected journalist.
Again, the story had potential but was so slow and just fell short grabbing my attention and keeping me into the book.

This just felt like a gossipy soap opera and just didn't do it for me.
I listened to the audiobook read by Tiffany Bache and Hillary Huber.
Both narrators did an outstanding job with the narration.

Special thanks to Susie Orman Schnall, Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, the cover and title of this book are incredible. Completely pulled me in. However, I had a hard time with this book as it is so similar to Elizabeth Holmes (purposefully), but it was so hard to get into. Felt like absolutely nothing happened until about 40% through. Wasn’t for me personally, but this book will have a lot of fans!

Anna Bright is Hiding Something 📝 Susie Orman Schnall

Out June 4th!

I listened to the audiobook for this and loved it! Anna Bright Is Hiding Something follows Anna, the founder of a biotech startup, and Jamie, a journalist who specialises in interviewing and reporting on female founders. Jamie is a big fan of Anna and gets the chance to interview her, from there Jamie sees a different side to Anna and her company and begins the journey of creating an article that will expose her and her company.

I really enjoyed this book, I love reading about people at work, and this book was great for that. We got a look into the world of startups and journalism, which I found really entertaining. I felt like this book was similar to Yellowface, but instead of publishing, it was looking into startups/ tech companies. Also, there was the waiting for everything to fall apart! I found the commentary on women in business, start-up culture, and technology very interesting.

I liked the short chapters and change of POV in this book and think it worked really well. The narrators were really good, and I enjoyed the pacing of the story.

Overall, I think this was an entertaining, quick read with some funny moments that would interest you if you like mysteries, technology, or general fiction that has some drama!

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

#bookreview #bookstagramuk #bookstagram #bookstagramnewbie #Netgalley #AnnaBrightIsHidingSomething

A fast-paced story that felt a lot like the story of Elizabeth Holmes in the book Bad Blood. It certainly wasn't the Anne Hathaway in the movie The Intern! Anna was definitely not a nice boss that wanted a good working environment for her hard-working employees. That said, the main characters - Anna, the CEO of Bright Spot, and Jamie, the journalist for BusinessBerry - were both driven women with back stories that kept the story intriguing. Not to give away any spoilers, pay attention the characters and family in their lives.

My thanks to Net Galley, Spark Press, and Dreamscape Media for advanced copies of the e-book and audiobook.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC in audiobook format.

Susie Orman Schnall’s Anna Bright Is Hiding Something is a gripping exploration of ambition, deception, and the high-stakes world of Silicon Valley startups. Narrated by the talented Tiffany Bache and Hillary Huber, this audiobook takes listeners on a rollercoaster ride through corporate intrigue, journalistic tenacity, and the blurred lines between success and morality.

Synopsis:

Anna Bright, the enigmatic CEO of multibillion-dollar company BrightLife, is harboring a dangerous secret. As the launch of BrightSpot—an innovative tech platform—approaches, Anna’s facade begins to crack. Enter Jamie Roman, a determined journalist for BusinessBerry, who stumbles upon Anna’s misconduct. Jamie’s pursuit of the truth sets off a chain of events that will test their limits and redefine success.

What Works:

Narration Excellence:

Tiffany Bache and Hillary Huber breathe life into the characters. Bache’s crisp delivery captures Anna’s calculated charm, while Huber’s voice adds depth to Jamie’s relentless pursuit.

Their chemistry enhances the tension, making this audiobook a compelling listen.

Ripped from the Headlines:

Schnall’s narrative mirrors real-world scandals, drawing inspiration from Silicon Valley’s glossy offices and media frenzy.

The exploration of female founders breaking barriers—sometimes at the cost of their integrity—adds layers to the story.

Character Complexity:

Anna is no one-dimensional villain. Her internal struggle between ambition and guilt is palpable.

Jamie, too, evolves beyond her journalistic pursuits, revealing vulnerability and determination.

What Doesn’t Work:

Predictable Twists:

While the central mystery keeps us engaged, some plot developments are foreseeable.

A few secondary characters lack depth, leaving room for improvement.

Ambiguous Morality:

The novel grapples with ethical dilemmas, but the resolution feels rushed.

The line between right and wrong blurs, leaving readers pondering the consequences.

Overall:

Anna Bright Is Hiding Something is a thought-provoking thriller that delves into the psyche of powerful women navigating ambition, deception, and the pursuit of success. Schnall’s writing, combined with Bache and Huber’s stellar narration, ensures an immersive experience. Whether you’re commuting or relaxing, this audiobook will keep you hooked.

Anna Bright Is Hiding Something by Susie Orman Schnall
Narrated by Tiffany Bache; Hillary Huber

For all her success, nobody really likes Anna Bright. Her fans may think they like her, want to be like her, but once anyone gets to know Anna, even on a very superficial basis, Anna can't hide her contempt for everybody. She's a piece of narcissistic, lying, cheating, work. As far as she is concerned, she'd be an idiot not to do everything in her power to push through her upcoming product despite all it's problems, downfalls, and dangers. She's built her product on a hill of sand and she's selling it like it's an almost perfect product. She expects people to want it, to invest in it, and she expects her employees, who know what a dangerous piece of junk it is at this point in time, to do the same as she is doing. Lie through their teeth and risk their reputations and the respect of everyone to push this thing through because, if they don't, she'll ruin them.

Anna's product, an implantable lens that is touted to do everything but fly you to the moon, could certainly get a boost by Anna implanting it into her own eyes, as a show of faith in how much Anna trusts it to work and be safe. But Anna makes up lies, excuses for not having already had the implant surgery, none her fault, of course. Hillary Huber narrates Anna's POV and nails her condescending, holier than everyone else, attitude. Seeing Anna from her POV will make you hate her and she won't care. Everyone is a pawn to her, someone to be used and tossed away, maybe destroyed, if they don't bow down to her greatness.

Jamie Roman, is an on the rise journalist for BusinessBerry and she thinks a story on Anna can break her through to the next level. She even risks her job at BusinessBerry to get an interview with Anna. It takes almost no time for Jamie to realize that Anna may be driven but also will trod on everyone to get her way. Jamie, proud of the fact that her work comes first, before everything else, sees a bit of herself in Anna, and that gives her second thoughts about just how driven she wants to be. The more Jamie digs into Anna's doings, the bigger the story she has if only her boss will let her keep digging and actually print the story. But many people start warning Jamie off, not because they like Anna but because they know the dangers of crossing her. Tiffany Bache's narration of Jamie's POV works very well in contrast with Huber's narration.

The story moves slowly and I think it was more interesting as I listened to it than it was to think about it afterwards. There comes a time at the end when there is a lot of telling and even the sense that this story is not over. There are comeuppances to come, good and bad, for a lot of people.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this ARC.

🎧ANNA BRIGHT IS HIDING SOMETHING by Susie Orman Scnall is narrated by Tiffany Bache and Hillary Huber.

I thought this story would be fictionalized retelling of another famous downfall of a "female founder."

It was surprisingly more than that for me, and did give a nod to that fascinating con with a takeaway that I also found to be apropos.

What made this story more for me was the exploration of strong women in leadership, specifically in this high tech business culture. I didn't expect to find aspects in which I agreed from the villain, Anna Bright. I had to concede she made some valid points about labels. I was, however, more compelled to cheer on the journalist, Jamie Roman on her quest to expose it all. This was an interesting journey to watch unfold as a hero for her was shown to be catastrophically flawed.

It is an interesting idea to ponder how some can take challenges as a way to make it as or more challenging for others instead of breaking down barriers when it is their power to do so. So bent on their own success (whatever that means), there is no room to share.

This was much more thought-provoking than I expected.

I appreciated the dual narrators as the two voices of each woman. It was easybto distinguish and I thought they sounded perfect for the characters!

Thank you @dreamscape_media & @netgalley for this ALC that publishes on June 4th!

ANNA BRIGHT IS HIDING SOMETHING has been a much anticipated read since its announcement. Susie Orman Schnall can be counted on to create strong female characters who challenge conventions, push the envelope, and defy traditional norms. In her latest novel, she gives us not one, but two woman who are fighting to succeed in roles traditionally dominated by men.

Ms. Orman Schnall takes us to the boardroom where C-Suite level positions have always been male territory. There we meet Anna Bright, a driven entrepreneur of a billion dollar tech company whose product is about to take the world by storm. Anna will stop at nothing to make her vision a reality - including destroying relationships and sacrificing her integrity. Anna's success is threatened by Jamie Roman, a journalist for a NYC-based publication who is pursuing her own professional aspirations. When Jamie sees signs that something is amiss at BrightLife in the days before launching their highly anticipated IPO, it sets up a conflict between the two women where only one can emerge the winner.

I literally could not put this book down. I was consumed with these women - each trying to claw her way to professional success. Ms. Orman Schnall captures perfectly the challenges faced by women in contrast to their male counterparts. Issues surrounding assertiveness, cultural expectations, and work-life balance are all too accurate. The book feels meticulously researched and far too plausible. The author exposes the double standards that still exist for women that need to be addressed to truly achieve equality in the workplace. This book could have been ripped from the headlines.

The audiobook, narrated by Tiffany Blanche and Hillary Huber, is expertly done with the transition between points of view easy to follow.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

This is a (very thinly veiled) dramatized version of the Elizabeth Holmes story and I am HERE for it, it’s so good!! Way more fun than reality.

The story is told from two perspectives: those of Jamie, a hungry, young journalist trying to get to the root of what’s going on at BrightSpot and of Anna, the Elizabeth Holmes character. The characters are multidimensional and so fun to get to know (even the ones we despise).

Premise - When Jamie gets the opportunity to interview female founder Anna Bright, she’s sure it’ll be a career-maker, something that’ll make her Pulitzer Prize-winning father finally consider her a success. Jamie soon learns her hero is not the idol she’s built her up to be, but when she befriends a BrightSpot employee, Ian, she realizes there’s more wrong at BrightSpot than just a rotten corporate culture…

As someone who began my career working for startups, I inhaled ‘The Dropout’ and this is even better! It’s an indictment of ‘fake it till you make it’ startup culture, our societal definitions of success, and how we treat überrich businesspeople as gods.

This is marketed as ‘The Dropout’ x ‘Inventing Anna’ but it’s basically just the former. I would absolutely love it if the author did a version of the Anna Delvey story next, or Sam Bankman-Fried!🤞🏽🤞🏽

Thanks, NetGalley and Spark Press, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.