When Lux and her boyfriend, Nico, are asked to charter a boat for two girls to a remote island in the South Pacific, it sounds like the perfect adventure. The two girls, Brittany and Amma, seem nice, and Lux could use an escape from her dead-end job in Hawaii. Upon arrival, they notice another boat is anchored at the island, so the group of four becomes six, and they quickly begin to bond and experience island life together. However, everyone has their secrets, and when isolated together on a secluded island, those secrets are bound to come to light.

The short chapters, and past/present timeline makes for a binge-worthy novel, and the mysterious characters had me invested in their stories. Strangers stuck together on a deserted island is the perfect recipe for a twisty thriller, and I really enjoyed this read. I would recommend this book as the perfect sinister island escape for a cold winter day, or to save for a summertime beach read!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with both a physical and digital ARC!

Quick read- really enjoyed most of the story- 4.5 stars for sure! I liked the multiple timelines and perspectives. Just a little disappointed in the ending.

Reckless Girls is a thriller that slowly sucks you in and keeps you eagerly turning the pages until the end.
I’ve noticed that Rachel Hawkins’s thrillers have similar themes; Very morally grey characters, and anti-elitist sentiment, and a dash of revenge. Reckless girls isn’t a retelling like The Woman Upstairs was, but it could easily be based on actual events. This book is about an island that makes people go crazy and ends in death. As I mentioned, the characters are grey. They are all relatively likable, but as the secrets started to come out, I found myself, if not disliking the characters, at least being a little suspicious of them. This book is written alternating between past and present, giving us a glimpse of all the characters in the past, but told from Lux’s point of view in the present. The story told this way put you in Lux’s corner from the beginning and helped you still like her until the end.
Now I did guess the twist, but it wasn’t until it was about to be revealed, so I didn’t solve it all that quickly. This did leave me with some questions. But like all good mysteries, I guess I’ll never know all the answers.

Absolutely was obsessed with this deserted island thriller, I read it in a day!

When I first started the book I began to wonder if it would be better to read it in the Summer based upon the tropical vibe, but it actually ended up being super fun to escape to considering it was snowing outside on the day that I read it!

I loved the multiple points of view and was kicking myself for not picking up on the “twist”.

Such a fun book!

On the same day that Lux is fired from her dead-end job cleaning rooms at a Hawaiian resort, two women approach her boyfriend, Nico, with a proposition: They'll pay him $50,000 if he sails them to the remote (and rumored to be cursed) Meroe lsland. Nico agrees as long as Lux comes along, and when the four of them arrive, they find another ship already anchored nearby and become fast friends. When yet another visitor appears, the well established rhythms they've created fall apart, and Meroe Island stops feeling like such a paradise. As tensions rise and relationships begin to crumble, it becomes increasingly evident that nothing here is quite as it appears.

Have you ever watched a scary movie on mute? Without the music, the tension gets lost, and, unfortunately, this is the best analogy have for my experience reading Reckless Girls. While I'm here for this premise, the kind of locked-room mystery a deserted island setting creates, and unreliable and morally grey characters, this one fell short for me. I didn't feel invested in any of the characters or relationships here, and at no point did the tension that Hawkins was trying to create translate to my reading experience. often read mystery/thrillers to just be along for the ride, but Hawkins spoiled most of her own twists in this book by dropping big hints during flashbacks. While wasn't surprised by the ending here, it felt unnecessarily convoluted.

I did love the depictions of Meroe lsland, and for a good chunk of this book found myself wishing I was there. I also was more than a little amused when Hawkins dropped a Lord of the Flies reference right at a point where l was getting big LOTF vibes.

Locked-room mystery/thrillers are hit or miss for me, so others might enjoy this one more than I did. Early reviews make me think Im in the minority here. This read similarly to The Guest List for me, So if you liked that one, this one might work for you, too.

Even though this one wasn't a hit for me, big thanks to St. Martin's Press via Netgalley for a digital copy to review.

I personally was not a big fan of this one. I absolutely loved The Wife Upstairs. The writing was good. The characters were well written. My big gripe comes from how long it took for the story to actually get going. I just kept reading hoping things would pick up. It just moved too slowly for me.

This is a quick and easy read, and is very enjoyable most of the way through. Lux and her boyfriend Nico are hired by two college best friends, Brittany and Amma, to help them sail to a remote island on the South Pacific. It seems as if everyone has a reason to escape and it’s not what they’ve claimed it is. When they arrive on the island to their surprise there is already a couple there, Jake and Eliza. They are all getting along well until a suspect stranger arrives and the balance is disrupted. Things take a turn and it becomes apparent how closed off they are from the world and just how isolated they are on the island.

Like I said this is mostly enjoyable, the ending was a bit out there for me but otherwise this was a light fun read and would be a perfect vacation read.

Thank you to @NetGalley and @StMartinsPress for the digital copy to review.

It was a bit of a slow start, but once it got going I was all in. There were a good amount of twists throughout, but I probably won't read this one again.

I received a copy of Reckless Girls from NetGalley for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins was receiving a lot of hype and now that it's a Book of the Month pick, I was excited to finally have time to dig into it. Overall, I was disappointed, but it wasn't a waste of my time and I read the whole book. The biggest issue for me was the Before and After of the story. While I really liked learning the backstory of the characters, the Before story of Lux was written in 3rd person, while the After of Lux was written in 1st person. I felt this was a weird choice and I found myself really confused the first time it happened.

***MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD***

The story of Reckless Girls is a group of young people who travel to a deserted Meroe Island which has a history of weird things happening. I think it would have helped to have more "island" things involved, but alas, this wasn't the case and mainly focused on Lux's group meeting up with 30-somethings who also decided to make their way to the island. The book plugs along showing you how these people grow a bond and then have that bond severed. The "twist" at the end was fun, but nothing I wouldn't expect from this type of story.

Lux had my love from the moment she got fired for mocking a couple at the hotels dildo’s. What an introduction to her as a character.

Her and Nico seemed like a cute, laid back, twenty some beach bum couple, living in Hawaii. These two girls come along willing to give them thousands of dollars to take them to this island.

Nobody, is passing up 50k. So, off they all go.

This island though, many many people have died on. So fun right? I’d say no, but everyone there seems to be having a great time. UNTIL THEY AREN’T.

Crazy chaos starts to happen as they party and do drugs for weeks on this beach island, that has poisonous fish, among other things.

I didn’t love the ending, which is where the book lost a star for me. Otherwise, solid thriller I couldn’t put down and read in an entire day.

“I was just thinking that paradise isn’t exactly what I’d expected.”

This gothic suspense, set on an isolated Pacific island with a dark history, will have you simultaneously wishing you were on said island for the beaches and atmosphere…but also wanting to get away as fast as you can.

This book pulled me in from the first page! You have Lux McAllister, a broken and emotionally damaged girl just looking to find her way in the world. She finds a hot guy and bonus, he owns a boat! The descriptive writing had me feeling the salt water splashing on my face and the sand between my toes. There is a great cast of characters and you never really know who to believe and who is genuine until the the literal very last page. There is suspense, love, betrayal, and revenge. What a wild ride!

The audio was awesome with some of the best narration I’ve listened to in recent memory. There are British and Australian characters and the way @barriebarrie did the accents, and the emotion she put behind the characters, was so, so good. It made me want to throw in my headphones and get lost on this remote island with them. Until the story got going, that is. 🤪

Thank you to Netgalley, St Martins Press, Macmillan Audio, and the author for the ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Quick popcorn thriller that’s more of a twisted story than thriller. This would make a great movie or show. Lots of interesting characters!

what a refreshing change of scenery! I was really excited to read the latest from @ladyhawkins, and I loved it. RECKLESS GIRLS is an almost-perfect thriller set in the middle of the ocean on a deserted island, and even after finishing the book, it’s still a place I’d rather be (sorry not sorry to all you ❄️ lovers)

I loved the way this was written. told from Lux’s perspective in the NOW, but still getting all the backstories of all the other MCs was extremely enjoyable. it was a nice change from my previous read!

I picked this one up wanting a thriller to change it up after a December full of YA + romance, set somewhere worth escaping to, and I will say it delivered on my expectations. Having not read the synopsis, I picked this read up on having enjoyed Hawkins's previous titles I'd read - her 2021 romance The Ex Hex + last year's The Wife Upstairs - I felt confident this book was one I would enjoy after the initial buzz I was hearing.

The idea behind a couple taking two strangers on a boat trip to a deserted island was enough to hook me into the story and leave me wanting more. At times the book was more of a slow burn, but I really thought the long game that brought us the twists and turns between the characters was worth it, even if I didn't necessarily find all of them likable.

Even as the characters themselves referenced Lord of the Flies + the movie The Beach that clearly provided some of the inspiration for this title, I found this book equal parts dark, thrilling and seductive, full of secrets at every twist and turn. What I loved most about the book was the cleverly plotted introduction of each character, and what brought them to Meroe Island.

I enjoyed this one, and I would have loved to listen to the audiobook of this one with such a great variety of points of view. Thank you to St. Martin's Press + NetGalley for providing me an eARC of this book to read and review!

A remote island in the South Pacific thought to be cursed, becomes an escape from reality. What at first seems like paradise, soon becomes a death trap. Lines are crossed and loyalties are tested. Is there something sinister and deadly about Meroe Island, or are the inhabitants responsible for death and destruction? All is not as it seems on this idyllic getaway. Secrets, deception and revenge are a lethal combination, especially among friends. Trusting the wrong person could be deadly. This thriller definitely had an And Then There Were None vibe. There were surprising twists throughout and an jaw dropping conclusion. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my copy.

Reckless Girls is a twisting mind-fuck of a book. From the beginning it’s captivating, charming, and sarcastic. I love the characters and I love seeing everything from Lux’s point of view. It allows the reader to see everything from her point-of-view so you almost never actually know what’s going on in the other characters minds. This elevates the suspense which makes the book that much harder to put down.

The first two thirds of the book is this slow build-up that really drives home how an island could drive everyone on it insane. I felt like I was second-guessing everything with the characters. However, the last third felt kind of like I was falling down a hill. I couldn’t catch up because everything felt like it was being revealed too fast and too conveniently. The ending itself was still satisfying but it felt a little too wrapped up perfectly in a bow.

Overall, this book was incredible. I stayed up late into the night trying to finish it because I couldn’t put it down until I devoured every page.

I was a HUGE fan of The Wife Upstairs and anxiously anticipated this book. And this one, for me, was soooo much better. I absolutely LOVED this book. What a great escape from the current events of the world. And it provided some much needed sense of excitement and adventure through the quarantining. HIGHLY recommend and cannot wait to see what Rachel Hawkins does next!

A “locked island” thriller from @ladyhawkins, at times reminiscent of The Beach (yes, the Leo DiCaprio movie) and maybe Lost (?), complete with deep atmospheric development and beautiful, privileged 20-somethings living their best lives. A quick tropical getaway, perfect for escaping the winter blues.

You can bet that this is the thriller EVERYONE will be reading this month!

If I could, I’d make this a 3.5 star rating.

📚SYNOPSIS📚
Beautiful, wild, and strange-Meroe Island is a desolate spot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a mysterious history of shipwrecks, cannibalism, and even rumors of murder. 6 twentysomethings are about to embark on a blissful, free-spirited journey, filled with sun-drenched days and intoxicating nights. But as it becomes clear that the group is even more cut off from civilization than they initially thought, it starts to feel like the island itself is closing in, sending them on a dangerous spiral of discovery.


Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review.

OMG! I loved this book. I was hooked from the very start. It was great. I loved the different storylines and it was great trying to put it all together. I didn't see the twists coming at the end and really enjoyed it. The setting on the island was a great mental escape too. I can't wait to see what Rachel Hawkins writes next!

Another great book by Rachel Hawkins! I had no idea how this story line would end up and I was pleasantly surprised! So many stories within stories and some twists you just don’t see coming. I also loved the woman empowerment aspect of this book and the underlying message of living life for yourself. Overall great read and totally gets you hooked into the storyline!