Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | All Girls | 2021 | Emily Layden | Buy |
| 2 | Once More from the Top | 2024 | Emily Layden | Buy |
All Girls (2021) takes place at the Atwater School, a fictional girls’ boarding school in Connecticut. The novel rotates between several students as they deal with a scandal involving a teacher, and Layden is careful to show how each girl responds differently based on her background and position in the school’s social hierarchy.
Once More from the Top (2024) follows a different kind of institution. The novel traces a young woman’s path through the music business, examining what fame asks of the people who achieve it. Both books show Layden’s skill at writing ensemble casts and capturing the specific pressures of closed, high-stakes environments.