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!

Vacation. Sailing around the world. Creepy deserted island. Six people. Lies. Betrayal. Murderrrrr. An easy read thriller with a twisty ending that didn’t excite me as much as I thought it was going to. It was a suspenseful journey but the ending didn’t leave an impact. I did like the writing style and the way the author set up character flashback chapters in between the present storyline chapters. Also the setting of remote supposed-to-be-paradise island with creeptastic gothic vibes, I felt like I was there.

When Lux McAllister and her boyfriend, Nico, are hired to sail two women to a remote island in the South Pacific, it seems like the opportunity of a lifetime. Stuck in a dead-end job in Hawaii, and longing to travel after a family tragedy, Lux is eager to climb on board The Susannah and set out on an adventure. She’s also quick to bond with their passengers, Brittany and Amma. Meroe Island is every bit the paradise they expect, despite a mysterious history of shipwrecks, cannibalism, and even rumors of murder. The last thing they expect is to find another boat anchored off Meroe’s sandy beaches. The owners of the Azure Sky, Jake and Eliza, are the perfect golden couple. For the first time Lux feels like she belongs with this group of people, but the arrival of a skeevy stranger disrupts the balance and soon cracks begin to emerge.

Last year I picked up Rachel Hawkins’ THE WIFE UPSTAIRS and found myself loving her writing style. Picking up RECKLESS GIRLS brought the same feelings coupled with a great island mystery that kept me guessing. I’m a huge sucker for claustrophobic, isolated stories and Hawkins created just that with Meroe Island. I loved the backstory of the island that was woven in for that creepy history vibe. While I didn’t bond with or feel connected to any of the characters, that didn’t stop me from being fully committed to what was happening. If we’re being honest, they’re all just a bit unlikable and I didn’t trust that anyone wasn’t hiding something. I found myself wanting to know all of their backstories, which Hawkins mixed throughout the present day narrative with flashback chapters. RECKLESS GIRLS is a fun, binge-worthy book that would make for a perfect beach read or an escape from the cold temperatures currently outside!

This was a fast-paced thriller that I really enjoyed. Lux and her bf, Nico, agree to take Amma and Brittany, two girls they just met, to Meroe Island, a deserted island, with a sinister reputation and past. Alternating between now and before and spotlighting the histories of multiple characters, the book does a great job of setting the stage for the ending. While I was able to figure out the ending, for the most part, about 2/3 in, I didn’t have it all correct. Definitely a good read for fans of Lisa Jewell and B.A. Paris.

“Reckless Girls” by Rachel Hawkins
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release Date: 1/18

Thank you Netgalley for this arc! I liked it, but didn’t love it. I felt like the shock value wasn’t until the very end of the book. I wanted more hints and twists throughout the book. It took me almost 40% until I was interested. That being said I thought the ending was fabulous, but because there was so many holes I couldn’t give it a higher rating. A lot of the book was unbelievable, but that generally doesn’t bother me. I don’t want to read something obvious and common all the time. It’s fun to get your mind spinning.
Dual timeline: before and now.

Lux is looking for the adventure of a lifetime. She won’t believe what this adventure turns into. When Lux meets Nico and they have an instant connection, but the fact that he has a boat wants to sail the world is exactly what Lux needs. Ever since her mom died she wants to sail and be free. They travel from California to Hawaii where they work to gain the funds to continue their journey. When two vacationers Amma and Brittany offer Nico 50k to travel to a deserted island Meroe Island they can’t pass it up. What could go wrong? When they arrive on the deserted island they find another boat anchored. Jack and Eliza are thrilled to see new faces while they are vacationing while Lux feels uneasy. After days of vacation bliss with great food and company questionable things start happening.