Thanks to the publisher for an advanced ecopy of Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins.

This was my second book by the author, the first being The Wife Upstairs. I can't believe how unique these two books are from each other, yet there is SOMETHING that is consistent between them that identifies Hawkins voice and style. I really liked them both. This one, to my knowledge wasn't modeled after another book (unlike The Wife Upstairs, which winked and nodded toward Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre). As such, I was not comparing it to anything, so I feel I enjoyed the experience of reading it more than I did The Wife Upstairs.

Make no mistake: Reckless Girls has holes in the plot and ending that COULD ruin the experience for some people. For me, however, the ride was worth it. I love a good "closed room" mystery. In this case, it is a closed island. When scary things start happening, there are only 7 options to point toward....or are there more hiding on the abandoned island.......? In any case, Lux is the clear lead in the novel. She is a somewhat aimless spirit of a twenty-something, looking for adventure and identity after the death of her mother. She thought she had found it in her hapless boyfriend, a hottie that comes from a super rich family, but is determined not to rely on their money. They are going to sail away on an adventure around the world until they get marooned at their first stop, Maui, too broke to fix the boat and sail on. After 6 months of grueling work as a maid at a luxury hotel, Lux's luck changes when her boyfriend is paid by two recent college grad women to charter a trip to a deserted island. Tight quarters are claustrophobic, but it COULD be the adventure Lux has been looking for.

Upon arrival, they find a luxury boat already anchored at the island and a gorgeous couple with it, ready to party and share their spoils. Soon Lux realizes there is some shady stuff happening on the island and lots of secrets among the vacationers. Unfortunately, an act of sabotage means they are stranded there together for longer than expected and Lux's apprehension turns to horror as one-by-one, secrets and betrayals turn into dead bodies.

The ending is a weak spot as there is no way it could happen, but I was willing to look past it as the book was entirely satisfying insofar as it was super fun and entertaining. You can bet I will be in line to get the next book Rachel Hawkins publishes as she writes amazing guilty pleasures.

This book had you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what was going to happen next. I very much enjoyed this book. I shook my head several times as I was reading - saying ‘I wasn’t expecting that’. The pace of the book was perfect. It kept your interest throughout the book. When I had to stop reading for awhile, I was always excited to get back to reading. The characters all had a back story that eventually was revealed one at a time that really helped to tell the current story and why each of them was where they were and why.

The characters in the story were all very interesting - I could relate to each of them in some emotional way based on their back story. The descriptions of settings in the book was very realistic - you felt like you were there sometimes - feeling the surroundings. The walks through the jungle I thought were the best from a description perspective. I felt like I was hacking away the vines and jungle growth myself.

What I liked about the book - the unexpected twists and turns; the suspense that was added by the diary entries or writings from people in the past that had visited the island making you think there’s something that’s going to happen but what is it?

What I would change about the book - I felt confused sometimes by Lux - I felt there were times she was someone who wanted to be on the high seas in a boat and times when she didn’t so I was slightly confused by that aspect of her character. I also was confused sometimes by Amma and Brittany - in some parts of the story it felt like they had no money or were running out of money and then other times (like paying $50 thousand for the boat trip) they had a lot of money. It didn’t impact the story per se but I was just a little unclear since there were other mentions of money from insurance policy, stealing, Amma coming from a wealthy family maybe, etc.

3.5/5 stars rounded to 4
RECKLESS GIRLS was just the suspenseful and tropical story that I didn't know I needed in my life. Yes, a lot of the drama didn't feel necessary, and yes it felt kind of ridiculous at times, BUT I really enjoyed every minute of it. I loved the mystery that comes with the setting of Meroe Island, and the creepy feel of the novel set on an abandoned island with a dark history and how that plays into the plot. You keep waiting and waiting for the shoe to drop and Hawkins's writing is the type that just keeps you reading. Normally, being left waiting for so long doesn't work for me, but it worked here. Lux's POV is a great choice because, although the choices that bring everyone here ultimately have nothing to do with her, she's the one who changes the most as the novel progresses. The reader experiences the plot twists, secrets and betrayals as she does. It's a choice the author made that was worth it. The ending was one I didn't really see coming, Hawkins had me guessing about who could be trusted and what on earth was really going on on Meroe Island until the very end. Themes of moving forward with life in the aftermath of loss, feminism, and privilege are all explored in this book and I was definitely here for it. I am not sure I would market this as a thriller because most of it is drama, but there was a good amount of suspense that kept the ball rolling, so it was a fun read for me.

This tropical tale was the perfect escape from my New York winter!

This book jumps off the page. From the first chapter you can't help but picture it being a movie. The way this is told-- part in the 'now' and part 'before', you get to see little glimpses of how each character came to be on this deserted island and it's woven together in a way that makes it impossible to put down. I looked forward to every single lunch break, every time my son went to bed at night, so I could dive back into this book.

Initially, the story seems kind of fantastical, with a bunch of good looking 20-somethings sailing off to an island in the middle of the Pacific...but Hawkins manages to ground it impossibly well. You buy every single aspect of the book and it all works. Just masterfully done.

My only criticism is that the very last part, in the 'after' starts to venture a little into the implausible. I can see that it was probably meant to demonstrate that the story has come full circle, but I think the ending would have been more impactful if it ended with the transcript.

I'm really loving Rachel Hawkins! She's quickly becoming a favorite. Another terrific book by her. Great writing, fun characters and some twisty twists and turns!

Reckless Girls is a fun travel thriller with a little locked door mystery mixed in. Put a bunch of strangers on a tropical island and find all of them have mysterious pasts and alternate motives. Probably be a better movie than book but it was a fun and very quick read for those looking to escape the news and the cold this week!

3.5 stars. I debated rounding up or down, but I ultimately decided to round up because I think this book accomplished what it was supposed to: it’s a highly entertaining page-turner that kept me guessing.

25-year-old Lux McAllister is switching between jobs and unsure of how to return to the person she was before her mother’s death. When college best friends Brittany and Amma hire Lux and her boyfriend Nico to sail them to deserted Meroe Island, Lux decides she’ll embrace the island adventure. But as soon as they set sail, things feel more than a little off. Lux is feeling ignored by Nico and senses some strange vibes between Brittany and Amma. Plus, when they reach the island and unexpectedly run into more people, things take a dark turn.

I really enjoyed Lux’s narration and related to both her feeling lost in life and some of her reactions to things (plus she and I went to the same university, which is cool!). I adored the contrast between Hawkins’ breezy writing style and the slowly building tension. It’s easy to picture the setting — the bright sunlight and the expansive ocean — and how it could be both beautiful and sinister. Lux starts to realize everyone’s got something a little off about them: they’re either too charismatic, too unhinged, too spaced out, or too innocent. And when hints are dropped and secrets are revealed, the possibilities seem endless and it’s hard to stop reading.

This had the potential to be a 5-star book, but unfortunately there’s a glaring hole in a critical part of the plot. I kept hoping — praying — it would be addressed somewhere, and when it wasn’t, I finished the book disappointed and with way too many questions. I guess if you’re looking for a quick, entertaining read, and can suspend disbelief about what people’s natural thought processes should be, then you’ll probably be satisfied in the end. But god, it’s bugging me so much that certain characters had close to no reaction where there should have been a big reaction.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book and Hawkins’ writing style, even with the significant plot hole. I’ve enjoyed both of her books I’ve read — this one and Her Royal Highness — so it’s clear that she’s talented at writing engaging stories in a variety of genres. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from Hawkins!

Buddy read with Hsinju! Check out her review here!

content warnings: alcohol (recreational), mentions of drunk driving, drug use, blood, gore, death, murder, death of a parent (cancer), death of loved ones (car accident), divorce, gun violence, misogyny

I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a pretty solid thriller! I didn't guess the twist- or even come close to it. A few parts were hard to stomach just because of how awful the characters treated each other!

Whoa! What an intense ride this one was. I knew from the get-go that something bad was going to happen—four people setting out on the big ocean in a small boat, the two couples knowing pretty much nothing about each other. You just know that's not going to turn out well. And there was nothing I could do to stop the bad from happening.

So this intense story, full of twists and turns, that goes where I'm not expecting it to go had me racing to the end. But then, I almost got whiplash at the head-turning ending. Wait, what just happened? I had to read the ending again to try to understand it. Another whoa!

Thank you Rachel Hawkins for another great thriller. Reckless Girls is a definite must read for an amazing experience!

The simple life…..it’s the dream that Lux and Nico are longing for. In spite of living in Hawaii, this couple has found the island less than fulfilling. Both are working dead end jobs that leave them longing for a life that seems just beyond their reach. The promise of adventure leaves Lux and Nico wanting more than they can possibly afford.

The prospect of landing a new expedition for hire lifts the spirits of this duo. A job sailing two college friends to the South Pacific is just the ticket Nico and Lux need to get their relationship back on track. Expecting a profitable journey, the duo sets sail with their guests to a secluded island full of mystery, intrigue, and the rumor of a potential paradise. What they didn’t expect was to find another vessel already anchored on the beach of the island.

Determined to make the most of their circumstances, Lux and Nico join the owners of Azure Sky off the coast and enjoy the comradery, libations, and friendship that their new island mates have to offer. Living off the grid, this group of six adventurers find themselves enjoying the sun, sand, and surf. All is well until a drifter manages to crash their exclusive island. This stranger manages to pull secrets from every member of this small group of explorers. Fissures in these newly formed friendships begin to form. Leaving the island isn’t an option and the travelers begin to learn that nothing is as it seems.

Soon Lux will find herself questioning every motive and reaction. No one is immune from the danger lurking around the island. Each moment brings another twist to this game of survival.

Reckless Girls is the latest release from Rachel Hawkins. When I heard the hype surrounding this new release, I couldn’t wait to dive into the world of sailing the forbidden seas. I love a good suspense based read, and Reckless Girls definitely fit that bill. Lux and Nico are in a rut in their relationship. With the promise of adventure on the horizon, the duo sets sail for an adventure of a lifetime.

Meroe Island is a place with beautiful beaches and intriguing mystery. Everything about this book kept me glued to my reader. Nothing is simple for Lux in this game called life. The only question is if she can weather the storm that surrounds Meroe Island.

This book had so much potential, and I enjoyed many parts of it. I loved the idea of a deserted island, a smaller cast of characters, and the intrigue of mysterious strangers. However, this book unfortunately had me wanting a lot more. The pacing was slow, which made me hope for a huge twist, but ultimately, there was a rather large plot hole that I couldn't look past. I also struggled with some of the plausibility of the plot. I know thrillers typically have a bit of unbelievability, but this one was taken a little to the extreme for my tastes.

While this wasn't my favorite book, I still enjoyed reading it and the escape to a sunny island that lent. I think many readers would enjoy this one, especially during these cold winter months when we all need a little bit of an escape. I did love the theme of female power/rage, which is always a hit with me. And I'll certainly still read Rachel Hawkins books long into the future.

This fast-paced suspense read is the ultimate "trouble in paradise" story, with twist and turns that kept me hooked throughout the drunken excess of the largely self-obsessed characters.

In Reckless Girls, the newest novel by Rachel Hawkins, Lux is a frustrated young woman who's just done what she said she never would: she followed a boy.

But to be fair, she's emerging from a fog of trauma after her mother's death, her father has abandoned her, and she dropped out of college to take care of her mom when she was sick, so Lux is drifting. And Nico is handsome, charming, adoring of Lux--and he promised adventure and new-found freedom that she can't resist.

But the couple's grand plans to sail the world have come to a standstill. Nico's boat is damaged, and he and Lux are working menial jobs in Hawaii so they can get it repaired and get on their way.

When a wealthy pair of recent college graduates show up and offer to pay for the boat's repairs and want to hire Lux and Nico to take them to a remote atoll for a couple of weeks, Nico is sure their troubles are behind them.

But Lux has a bad sense about all of this, and while the reader has the benefit of flashes forward in time to intense danger, Lux herself can't figure out why she's feeling so hesitant to go on a trip to a remote paradise.

Reckless Girls swirls around issues of money, class, misogyny, anger, suspicion, revenge, dashed hopes, a desire for adventure, people aren’t who they seem to be, mercenary impulses, and, ultimately, the survival of the fiercest. Characters repeatedly make ill-advised choices and largely stay in drunken, sunburned fogs of excess and denial, and they do it all against a luxurious, eerie backdrop of the ultimate deserted island setting.

The point of view shifts between first person and third person and the storytelling switches from past to present, and both of these structural decisions allow for interesting manipulations of accounts of events and of identities. I'm not sure how the details work with the ending and identities and a certain boat, and I didn't feel particularly emotionally connected to the characters, but I was more than willing to roll with whatever Hawkins was laying out for readers in the fast-paced, entertaining suspense story Reckless Girls.

I received an advance digital edition of this book--which was published yesterday--courtesy of NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.

Rachel Hawkins is also the author of The Wife Upstairs--another solid suspense read with magnetic twists and turns--as well as the Hex Hall, Rebel Belle, and Royals series.

I read this in less than 24 hours, couldn't put it down. There's something to be said for that even if the tale is wild.
Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

It’s currently a balmy 16 degrees in central Maine, with a “feels like” temp of 6 🥶🥶

It probably goes unsaid that a trip to a deserted tropical Pacific island sounds heavenly right now. Thanks to Rachel Hawkins @ladyhawkins and St. Martin’s Press, @stmartinspress I just took a fantastic vicarious vacation.

After last year’s The Wife Upstairs, Rachel Hawkins’, follow-up thriller, Reckless Girls, is every bit as addictive. For those of us stuck in an arctic tundra, it’s the perfect escape. For those of you lucky enough to have a sunny vacation planned, it’s just what you want in your beach bag. Plus, it’s available today and so you don’t have to wait!

Link to 1/4/2022 Instagram review post:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYUch0Rrfid/

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for this eARC via netgalley.

3.25 stars

Lux and her boyfriend are about to embark on a trip to the remote Meroe Island to take a couple of girls who wish for them to charter them out there. Meroe Island is a picturesque island escape at first glance, but there is much danger lurking all around. This group is surprised by other travelers looking for a little slice of paradise as well. As all stay on the island unexpected things begin to occur and tension soon rises for everyone.

I love the name of our main character Lux. I really enjoyed reading from her perspective as well. There are little snippets of POV change as well at times that are well placed to provide additional information about other characters. I think that the formatting for the book was well done and helped add intrigue to the story.

This author is good about adding a mysterious feel throughout her stories. I like how the mysterious element of danger is weaved in throughout the story as tension occurs. I appreciate how the reader is about to learn more about the past of some of the characters as well. I also love how she adds complexity to her characters and provides much change.

Overall I did find the story to be intriguing. Some parts of the book were a little slow and you have to realize that the thriller part is more subtle than intense. I did enjoy this book for the most part but I do think that it could have had a bit more mystery, thrill, and action overall to make it more memorable.

Wickedly Plotted. Gothic. Sinister. Wild.

Do not get on these girls’ BAD side. Watch your back. REVENGE. You know something sinister and evil is coming.

My nerves are shot after reading two very claustrophobic thrillers in isolated places with little way to get help PLUS not knowing the true identity of the people you are traveling with spells tragedy waiting to happen.

First, Lisa Gardner’s ONE STEP TOO FAR, where Frankie is in the wilderness mountains with a group with a killer among them and no way to escape (incredible)! Secondly, Rachel Hawkins’ RECKLESS GIRLS, where they are stuck on a deserted island with no radios, with more than one killer as their travel companion, and no way to escape. DARK SECRETS.

Note to self: Travel alone is the safest way.

Let me catch my breath! I might have to read something less heart-pounding next. Maybe take a break and try a historical fiction title between my next thriller. Don’t laugh. I just read 10 thrillers back to back but do not want to take up all the space talking about them.

Now back to RECKLESS GIRLS. TRUST NO ONE!

Lux and her boyfriend Nico are living in Hawaii. They live with many people (all twenty-something) with no money, and Lux just wants to travel on the boat to exotic islands and experience adventure.

She has dead-end job cleaning rooms at a swank resort. Nico is a rich, good-looking boyfriend who takes no money from his family, works at a marina, and has a boat that needs expensive repairs. She thinks fate has stepped in when she gets fired from her job (funny story here) and they get an offer.

Then next, two wealthy female college students (Brittany and Amma) want to pay Nico to take them to this mysterious Meroe Island in the South Pacific. They will pay big money and a way to get the boat repaired, and Lux can come along.

All sounds too good to be true, right? What sounds like a perfect getaway adventure on an exotic island turns into a nightmare from hell.

They find another rich guy, Jake, and his girlfriend, Eliza, upon arrival. They did not plan on sharing the island, but they seem cool, plus they have good food and wine. (so much more).

However, mix tons of booze, sex, drugs, and isolation with fellow travelers with hidden pasts and secrets— a disaster. An easy way to hide bodies.

Then another boat shows up with a guy named Robbie, and he is not so nice and causes more problems. Two weeks in and their radios stolen, all the facades start crumbling. Will anyone make it out alive?

Who will be the survivor?

Hats off to the author! What a complex, multi-layered crazy, witty, and suspenseful tale that I read in one day! You must keep reading to discover how all these characters’ pasts connect.

If you enjoy survivor stories and those mysterious islands with history and boat murders, this one is for you. A fun note is included from the author, and it sounds like she enjoyed writing this one as a dream from childhood.

Yes, the summary is right on. Those fans of Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley most definitely and fans of authors Megan Miranda and Lisa Jewell will enjoy this suspense thriller. In addition, if you watched or read Harlan Coben’s STAY CLOSE, you must read RECKLESS GIRLS.

Get ready for a wild journey and have your lifeboat ready. You may want to think twice about your next voyage.
Get this one on your 2022 list.

A special thank you to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for an advanced reading copy , Love the cover!

Blog Review:
@JudithDCollins
#JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟 4/of 5 Stars
Pub Date: Jan 4, 2022

A frustrating thriller.
Maybe I had an unfairly high expectation for this book and I don't want you to think I hate it but I struggled a bit with this. Suspenseful, no lie but the characters lacked something relatable and for some unlikeable with the long awaited twist didn't hit me after investing in the story. A good read but wanted more.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this 'closed room' mystery. There are six main characters and a side character or two thrown in for fun. They are trapped on an island after something happens to their radios. When people start turning up dead you need to decide - natural causes? murder? Who among the group would commit murder? Who can you trust?

You have various perspectives in this story with a before and an after. It isn't explained exactly how the before relates to the after until later in the book. The relationships between certain people and the secrets each person has are slowly revealed a bit at a time keeping the reader engaged.

The characters do make some dumb decisions, but they are young, trapped on a gorgeous island, and alcohol/drugs are involved, so I think that is to be expected. Overall, I didn't find those poor decisions to be too unrealistic.

I thought the opening scene really grabbed the readers attention. The following scene was when Lux lost her job and I thought it was quite funny. So, for me, this book started out just right. I ended up reading almost the whole thing in one day and did not lose interest at all.

I enjoyed Reckless Girls and the story kept me intrigued, so I read it pretty quickly. The POV changes between different characters, although Lux is narrator more often than the others. I enjoyed trying to piece together the clues from each POV. There are also letters, emails, and other snippets between some chapters that give information from others outside of the main characters. I liked that those were thrown in there to add some mystery and maybe answer some questions. The setting is beautiful with wonderful descriptions of the ocean and the sand. It’s lovely to read about warm weather and cool water during winter. I felt that the ending was a weird way to wrap it all up, but it didn’t ruin the overall story for me. I was a big fan of the movie The Beach, so maybe that’s why I enjoyed this fun island thriller. ☀️

*I did a mix of ebook and audio and I think the narrator did an amazing job with all of the accents and personalities. However, I just love this bright cover! I know I’m going to want to own a physical copy of the book soon even though I have the ebook. However you read or listen, I hope you enjoy Reckless Girls!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved the rich history that came with Reckless Girls and found myself more intrigued by the background than what was going on in the story. I enjoyed it, but really wish we got more of the deep roots of Hawa'ii. This is definitely a book for those that love edge of your seat books.