a far fetched mystery with too many coincidences (+ plot holes) and an island that is too good to be true.

Really enjoyed this thriller! The setting was so peaceful and beautifully described, and all the drama was even better! Would highly recommend

I hate to say this one didn't really do it for me. I though the setting was fun and different, and it was pretty engaging, but something about the plot just didn't work for me. I really enjoyed her previous book though, so I'll definitely read with Rachel Hawkins comes out with next!

2.5/5 stars, rounded up to 3
I was intrigued by the premise of a deserted island thriller, and this book certainly pulled me along at a fast pace -- until the last third of the book. As with most mysteries these days, in my opinion, the attempts to get wild with the end just fall flat into nonsense and leave me feeling "meh" about the whole thing. I also don't think I needed all of the attempts at going back in time and building a backstory for the characters that were secondary - that's 4 other people outside of Nico and Lux, and really Lux was the main character. My overall feel about it is "meh".

LOVED this! Reminds me of DANGEROUS GIRLS by Abigail Haas - very different premises and characters, but the vibe of secrets & sunshine is the same, and I'd definitely recommend that one if you enjoyed this.

I just can't get enough of girls with secrets & toxic friendships & murder - SO GOOD! This one starts off with a pretty quick pace and doesn't let up, with some chapters being set "Before" and some being set "Now". I loved this setup, and always enjoy stories that go back in time to reveal secrets for the reader as things progress - it was done so well here!

Lots of quotable tidbits as well about feminism & how difficult it is being a woman in a "man's world" -- especially a rich, white man's world. I will say the cast was a bit white - not a single POC in the book that I can remember?? But the story was still enjoyable, def one of my fav thrillers of the year.

Lux McAllister followed her boyfriend Nic to Hawaii with dreams of sailing around on his boat, the Susannah. Unfortunately an accident left the boat with damage that they were unable to afford to fix, halting any further travel plans. Lux is working a dead end job and itching for adventure. One day, her boyfriend Nic, is approached by 2 women named Amma and Brittany asking him to charter them to a private location called Meroe Island. There is a seedy history surrounding the island filled with death, murder and cannibalism. Lux jumps on the chance and throws in as part of the deal, that the women will cover the boat repairs for the Susannah and they will agree to charter them. They agree. Before they know it they all set off toward the island. When they arrive they are surprised to see another boat in the cove. They meet Jake and Eliza, a wealthy couple, and the 6 of them begin to get to know each other and explore the island. Then, another visitor named Robbie arrives and the good times are thrown off kilter and things begin to unravel.

The book started off strong! Captivating plot line, interesting characters and an amazing setting. It took hold of my interest and I was tearing through the pages to find out what was going to happen next. However at some point things turned and there was some serious implausibility in the plot line. The ending was twisty, but overall felt underwhelming. It was a quick and engaging read though, so I will give it 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley + St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my personal review.

This book just kept getting weirder - and it was VERY hard to predict what might happen. While we got know a lot about these characters throughout the dual time lines of present and past, I felt like I didn't really know anyone at all, nor their intentions and motivations, which was a very interesting concept. I had no idea who to trust at all. Fully enjoyed this one.

Reckless Girls is a fast-paced thriller about 6 people, most of them strangers, who find themselves vacationing on the same deserted island. Everyone on the island has their own secrets, and soon the idyllic trip they were pursuing grows more sinister as tensions rise and strange things begin to happen on the island.

I was enjoying this book and the way it was psychologically tense without being too gory or scary. But there was a gaping plot hole left by the ending that I found completely unforgivable, and just extremely implausible. This really dampened my opinion on what was otherwise a fast and fun thriller.

This is the sort of binge-worthy thriller that seems to leap right off the page. I could easily picture Rachel Hawkins’ Reckless Girls as a movie—a total popcorn thriller with a dash of paradise, romance, adventure, and danger, this modern gothic is one of my favorite books I’ve read this year!

Our leading lady Lux is adrift in life, following the death of her mother, Lux left with her now boyfriend Nico to sail his boat down to Hawaii where damage to the boat meant they were stranded for a time. As the book opens, Lux finds herself out of a job suddenly and so when Nico comes to her with an offer from two wealthy female travelers to fix their boat in exchange for a personal trip to the uninhabited Meroe Island, she accepts.

I found Lux to be a very sympathetic character. While I haven’t been through what she has, I understood how she felt lost after the death of her mother with no family, no degree, and no career. Her boyfriend Nico is a different story—if you think a charming, privileged, rich boy has a few red flags, you’d be thinking what I was! Of course, even Nico has a lot of complexity as a character as the book goes on.

But as you may guess from the title, the women in this book are the true stars. Amma and Brittany are the two young female travelers who pay for the trip to Meroe Island and they are both entirely unique—if not always likable—characters. Soon after the group arrives on the island, they notice another boat is docked and meet young, attractive, wealthy couple Jake and Eliza.

The group of six gets along well, especially with the expensive rations from Jake and Eliza, but the whole time there is this eerie feeling to the entire trip. Hawkins really built the suspense throughout the book. I always felt a bit off-balance reading it, like I was just waiting for the next twist. There was also something quite intoxicating about the early days of their time on the island—reading it gave that same feeling you get when you play hooky, like you’re doing something deliciously naughty and getting away with it.

When a stranger shows up on the island, the comradery between the six island friends is revealed to be more fragile than they realized. In fact, despite their quick bonds, it turns out these fast friends may not know each other at all. Perhaps there is a lot more secrets buried that are still to come to light. And then someone goes missing…

A brilliant mix of soapy drama and tautly-wound suspense, this popcorn thriller should be on your must-read list!

What I liked? This nook had an amazing setting. Maybe I am just craving a tropical vacation after covid but the descriptions took me right into the setting.
What I did not like? The book was really dragging. I could not get into it and while the ending was great, I am not sure if it redeemed the slowness of the first half. It needed a twist earlier in the story.

I really loved most of this book but the end kind of went off the rails for me.

Most of the novel read like a wild vacation and I was all for it. I knew an element of suspense was coming but it almost felt a little unnecessary and definitely felt rushed. I also didn’t quite understand how one piece played out but maybe missed something as my interest waned toward the end.

I did the audio and thought the narrator did a great job.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this book.

Lux and Nico are living in Hawaii while making money to get their boat fixed to sail the world. They are hired to take two girls to the beautiful but mysterious deserted island of Meroe in the middle of the Pacific for two weeks. The boat is fixed and they are on their way; and when they return, they will be able to take off and see the world. But all is not as it seems. When they arrive on the island, there is another couple there ahead of them. There is the occasional creepy feeling from the island, but once a seventh person arrives, dark things really begin to happen. Can Lux survive this adventure?

The first half to two-thirds of the story feel more like a beach read than a thriller. The thriller aspects take off in the last third or so. Everybody has their secrets. Lux is strong, friendly, and determined, but I didn’t find her to be that likeable as a main character. There seemed to be a lot of cussing that didn’t really serve a purpose.

I received an advanced reading copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This thriller was a fun read, one that I should not have read immediately before going deep into the woods to camp for four days. The characters are developed well, the pace is good, and the plot is enjoyable.

This was a decent read, but the thrilling elements of the book left a little to be desired. The backstory was a little confusing to me and did not add much to strengthen the motive as much as I would have suspected, It read more like an action book to me than a truly thrilling mystery. 3 star ✨ rating.

What could possibly go wrong? Lux and her very new boyfriend Nico are heading to Hawaii for a vacation away. Her mom passed away from Cancer and what else could she possibly lose. Nico suggests they take his boat to a remote island with a couple girls to have a getaway and Lux begins to wonder how well she knows Nico.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the advance ecopy.

I have a huge regret that it took me so long to finally read this one. It's addictive, hard to put down. Fast paced story with characters you love to love or love to hate. There is mainly one POV, Lux, as she tries to figure out her life after she's had a profound loss.

There are other POV - the before POV that cover everyone else on the island. It gives a little glimpse in to what brought them to the island to help understand why they are reacting a certain way now. I loved the style and easily slid right in to this little island paradise. I also loved the little breaks with stories and letters giving the history of the island, enough to make you really get worried and push up that creepy vibe. Such a perfect, fun story. I loved it!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

A great thriller! A little predictable by the end but I also didn’t want the story to end. I would definitely read a sequel if there ever was one. Find out what happened to Lux on her best adventure.

Lux has become accustomed to a nomadic lifestyle when her boyfriend Nico is offered a proposition to sail best friends, Amma and Brittany, to the desolate Meroe Island. She agrees to join the journey, despite the many stories of Meroe’s dark history. Through treacherous seas they arrive to Meroe to find that it is just as beautiful and exotic as rumor has it, however not as abandoned as they had anticipated. What is supposed to be a relaxing adventure turns grim as unwelcome guests arrive and the islander’s secrets begin to unfold.

The story is a slow burn, where you have to really wait and be patient to see where it ultimately peaks, however the entire ride is an exhilarating. The characters are fascinating and I loved Lux as a narrator - broken, fiestly, but hell bent on adventure. The way the character’s “before” falls into place as “now” creates a must-read story.

Do I wish I was on a tropical island right now? 100% yes. Do I wish it was Meroe Island from this book? 100% no. Although it made a FANTASTIC setting!

Reckless Girls takes us to the island of Meroe, a desolate place with rumors of murder and cannibalism among its shores. Lux and her sailor boyfriend Nico agree to take some girls to Meroe island after some convincing and cash. When they meet two other travelers on the island they have the vacation of a lifetime full of partying and relaxing, for a few days that is…

Liked:
-Absolutely amazing setting
-Fast paced
-Survivor vibes

Disliked:
-Ending was meh

I’d highly recommend this as a lighter thriller perfect for summer or a spring break trip! Big thriller fans will probably think it’s a little predictable, but overall I thought it was a fun one!

4/5

I'll be in the vast minority in not being over the moon in love with Reckless Girls, but I read a far different book than what I was expecting. I wanted to be creeped out and on the edge of my seat, but I found by the time the "creep factor" set in, things were almost immediately resolved. I'll be the first to admit I don't typically enjoy a slow burn, but this plot moved along too quickly even for me.

I did enjoy the alternating timelines and getting a look into each character's past. The final twist is one I definitely did not see coming, and I felt the ending was just good, not great.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Rachel Hawkins for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.