FUN, no words wasted in here, the book flows really quickly and the plot was smart, all pieces connecting in the end. I loved the MC, wish it would have a continuation.

I loved this authors book, The Wife Upstairs and I really enjoyed this one too!! I loved the desolate setting and the atmosphere was super spooky! This book is a Gothic mystery set on a mysterious Island. The characters were complex and I thought I had things figured out, but most certainly did not!! Great read

So, this was my first Rachel Hawkins book. I didn’t read THE WIFE UPSTAIRS. I enjoyed her writing style and voice a lot. It was very relatable and casual.

The story itself was LIGHT suspense. I suspect readers who gravitate toward dark thrillers won’t be a fan of this one. The other thing to note is that it is slooowww. Not much happens in it at all, and certainly not for the first few hundred pages. That said, it did keep my interest and I appreciated the whole “stranded at sea” story. I don’t read those often. This is one of those books you know something shitty is going to happen and you want to stick around to find out what.

If you like light suspense I will recommend this as a perfect summer beach read! 🌸👀

Lux and Nico are hired by friends Brittany and Amma to sail them to the remote Meroe Island in the Pacific Ocean. Meroe Island has a history of shipwrecks, cannibalism and even murder. Upon arrival they meet couple Eliza and Jake, who have also docked their boat on the island. The group quickly becomes friends and enjoy their days in paradise until a stranger shows up. The stranger causes suspicion among the group, and soon after it becomes apparent that the group is keeping dark secrets from each other. As tension rises, it becomes difficult to tell who is trustworthy and whether everyone will make it off the island alive.

This is a fun, twisty thriller that I could not put down! I loved the atmosphere that Hawkins created in this book and enjoyed the unique setting of being on a boat and deserted island. This is more of a slow burn mystery, but with multiple time lines and points of view I found it kept my attention well. I enjoyed the locked room mystery feel to this book, and enjoyed how everything came together at the end.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartins press for an advanced e-arc! Reckless Girls publishes on January 4, 2022!

After reading this book, there is nothing that appeals to me about sailing off to a secluded island. I think it sounds amazing at first, the beach, the privacy, the quiet... but expectations are not always reality.

Lux and her boyfriend Nico are hired by two young women that want to sail to Meroe Island, a short distance from Hawaii. But it is an island with a very dark past. As people start to show up unexpectedly to the island, interrupting the tranquility, Lux begins to feel more unsure about her relationship with Nico and with these random strangers.

This was a quick read with quite a few unexpected twists. The story jumps back and forth between "Now" and "Before", where the Before is told from the perspective of each of the different women. The ending was a little bit of a Wait! What?!? but overall, I enjoyed this read.

A suspense novel that takes place on Meroe, a remote island that sounds like paradise but is actually the opposite. The island sounds serene and peaceful but later on, it becomes creepy and somber. There is a lengthy cast of characters: 7 at times; but it was easy to remember the names. Overall, it was the perfect quick read.

Thank you SMP and Netgalley for the gifted arc.

The atmosphere surrounding the claustrophobic island setting was so well done. This is a redemption and vengeance story wrapped in a cocoon of what it means to be a survivor. This is not the story you think it will be.

I can’t wait to get a physical copy when it comes out on 01.04.22. This is my new favorite by #RachelHawkins!

This was an awesome thriller, well written and packed with plot twists to keep readers guessing on what is really going on. There is a whole host of unreliable narrators and characters in the story, making it so unpredictable. Add on to the fact that it takes place on a very isolated, deserted island out in the middle of the ocean, which is rumored to have bad luck, ever since WWII when a ship was wrecked there and only 8 of the original 30 some men made it out alive. Meroe Island may be breathtakingly beautiful, but not everyone who enjoys its views will make it out alive. I loved this book so much - it's my favorite of Rachel's yet!

I received an advance reader copy of Reckless Girls from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Reckless Girls is the second Rachel Hawkins book I’ve read. Her stories are quick and engrossing, filled with suspense and intrigue.

Meroe Island may be one of the most beautiful, secluded spots in the world, but it has a tendency to push people right over the edge. When narrator Lux’s boyfriend Nico is hired to sail two college friends to the island, it seems like the opportunity Lux and Nico have been waiting for, but when they arrive, they find that they are not alone and nothing is quite as they had hoped.

I gobbled this book up in three bites and enjoyed every moment. Excellent escapist fiction—Gilligan had it easy compared to these folks!

I was really wanting to like this book much better than I did but I had to DNF at 65%. Why you ask? Well, I felt it was moving so slow that I really did not care how it was going to end. The “f” word is used on just about every page if not every other page and I’m just not a fan! So … this book is not for me and I’m abandoning it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

Reckless Girls rocked my world. It’s an unexpected story of a couple running a charter to an inhabited island that has a history of driving people to the brink of madness and beyond. The big question I’m left with is whether it’s the isolation or the island itself setting the stage. The story had me on edge with every twist and turn. Watching the guests unravel slowly, kept me turning pages well into the night.
The parallel stories of the guests and their lives before was intriguing and went in unexpected directions. The ending was a total plot twist and can easily be the first book in a series. It’s a psychological thriller not to miss. 5 stars.

4/5

My second Rachel Hawkins book and this one did not disappoint.

A really unique boat/sea thriller with unique twists. I saw some of them coming which is why I gave 4 stars, the predictability but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this ARC.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I am giving it in exchange for an honest review.

This book is an excellent summer read that I ...read in October. It is quick and fast-paced set in a lush tropical environment, and I found that it was generally a quick read that didn't require me to do any heavy mental lifting. My favorite bits were the chapters slipped in between that told us a bit about the backstories of the female characters in the book, and I think I would have liked more of those since they were the most interesting to me and helped develop the main storyline. In fact, I could have gone with less main storyline if it meant I'd get more backstory.

The characters were a wholly unlikable bunch unfortunately, but the backstory helped round them out and give them motives for their actions. It made them seem more realistic, which was necessary since they could have easily all blended into one girl. (I'll admit, when Amma and Brittany were first introduced, I had a hard time keeping them apart.)

Since I wasn't able to connect with any of them, I didn't particularly feel anything when anything happened to them. I was intrigued by the drama, but I didn't feel bad for anyone. I wasn't rooting for anyone. I was pretty ambivalent about their fates.

I have read other things by the author that I liked more, and I'm looking forward to reading more by her in the future.

She did it again! Rachel Hawkins kept me on the edge of my seat with this thriller. I will continue to pick up anything by this author! Be ready for one you won’t put down!

Over the years, people have sailed out to Meroe Island- a deserted island where creepy things seem to take place. Now a group of friends sails out to see what kinds of adventures they can have. Sex, drugs, booze, and murder?? This book definitely has "The Beach" vibes (both film & novel versions are mentioned). So if you've ever had a desire for an insane boat trip (or better yet, just want to live vicariously through those that do that sort of thing), then this is the book for you. Also, don't expect anyone to make any rational decisions.

What a fun, summery thrill ride of a book! I read this in one sitting and couldn’t put it down. One of the things I loved most was that this book really centers on the relationships between women and certain kinds of men. You know. Bros. Dudes who roll their eyes at feminism and only notice women who are conventionally attractive. So much of the plot of this book is women claiming their power (albeit, in a Gone Girl kind of way) from those kinds of men. Every woman needs a book like this at some point of her life.

Rachel Hawkins has done it again! After falling in love with The Wife Upstairs I was very excited to get early access to her next book, the Reckless Girls and it did not disappoint. A mix between The Beach and Lord of the Flies, the premise of this book hooked me from the start. A fast paced, thriller of a read that takes place on a remote island, with a murderous history, and a cast of characters that are not to be trusted. I did find the ending a bit anticlimactic, the build up was great, but with so much action packed in a few chapters at the end I was left wanting a bit more. Overall an enjoyable read!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins' Publishing

Reckless Girls
By Rachel Hawkins
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
•••
Summary:
Lux is figuring life out after her mom passed away. When she meets Nico, her life is changed. Nico is a free spirit who just wants to sail the world on his boat, The Susannah. Lux decides to follow Nico and together the two set sail for Hawaii. In Hawaii, Lux cleans hotel rooms at a luxury resort and Nico works at a marina. Nico’s plan is for he and Lux to sail the world and go on endless adventures. And then Nico meets Amma and Brittany who are looking for a captain to sail them to Meroe Island, a deserted island used in WWII. Nico sees this as the perfect first adventure and happily accepts the job. Lux tags along and when the four get to Meroe Island, they realize they aren’t the only ones who had this idea. Jake and Eliza are also looking for a fun escape. The six quickly become friends and enjoy exploring the island together. But it doesn’t take long for everyone to realize that Meroe Island has some secrets and they might not be the only ones out there…
•••
My thoughts:
Okay I didn’t know boat murder stories were something I was missing out on… but apparently I was! I really enjoyed this. It gave me Lost/Gilligan’s Island vibes. I was so excited to see what would happen. I’d say the beginning was a slow build, but the last half/40% or so was 🤯😮. I think I enjoyed The Wife Upstairs more, but I still really enjoyed Reckless Girls. I definitely recommend this one, especially if you’re a fan of Rachel Hawkins!
•••
Read if you:
- Have ever thought about taking a trip to a deserted island
- Want a read with major twists you won’t see coming
- Have ever plotted to get MAJOR revenge 😳

Reckless Girls is an amazing thriller/suspense. I'll be honest that the action is really in the last 50 pages, and the rest of the story is a slow build up to the dramatic ending. Some readers might not find it super engaging, but I really liked learning about each of the characters, and seeing all the pieces come together slowly throughout the story.

Lux and her boyfriend Nico are chartered to bring two college-aged girls, Amma and Britney, to a somewhat notorious deserted island a two-day sailing trip of the coast of Hawaii. Hopeful for adventure and an "off the gird" experience, they were at first disappointed to see another boat already on the island when they arrived. However, the other boat belongs to a slightly older rich couple, Jake and Eliza, and the group soon feel like they are in paradise, except for the haunted feeling that they are always being watched. In this story, nothing is as it seems. I would definitely recommend this book, set to be published January 4, 2022.

I want to give a huge thank you to St. Martin's Press, the author and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

#netgalley #recklessgirls

Wow! This book kind of caught me off guard because I thought it was going to be just your regular mystery/thriller and it was so much more! Very exciting and creepy, it had me turning the pages so fast! Really loved it! Thanks so much to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review