Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader copy of this book. This book is a little tough to get into at first. The obsessive behavior of Amaya made me uncomfortable, but I’m glad I stuck with it through the twists and turns as this is a great thriller. I enjoyed the descriptions and the setting. 4 stars

A huge 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞 𝗬𝗢𝗨 to Booksparks and the publisher for gifting me one of my favorite thrillers of this year!
——
I became a huge fan of Amanda Jayatissa’s storytelling after I read 𝗠𝘆 𝗦𝘄𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹, for which I gave 5 stars. I must now state that I loved 𝗬𝗼𝘂‘𝗿𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 even more. Her thrillers completely suck you in with a lot of Sri Lankan culture blended with Western modernity. Even though this is a thriller, you learn a lot about Sri Lankan clothing, weddings and what it’s like for a Sri Lankan woman to navigate in Sri Lankan society. You also learn the differences between classicism and colonialism, which is actually very similar to where I come from. Geographically, I am from the Indian state that’s closest to Sri Lanka and so many of the cultural references spoke to me.

You’re Invited also added a heavy dose of dark humor embedded in a serious investigation of the missing bride. In many ways, the humor in this book reminded me of Frederik Backman’s Anxious People, that also dealt with a police investigation in Sweden’s high society.

I cannot emphasize this enough that this thriller is so intricately plotted that only a genius writer like Amanda could pull it off and therefore please do yourself a favor and go in as blind as possible to enjoy this book. Each main character will flesh out raw emotions out of you for different reasons. As for those of you expecting major thriller twists, fear not - this book has plenty of that too. It is no surprise to me that this novel was chosen among the best books by Apple Books and was also featured in Today Show because it really is THAT good! I can’t wait to see what thriller Amanda comes up with next!

The only good thing about this book is that it compels you to keep reading in order to find out what the heck is going on. Unreliable narrator.. Unlikable characters everywhere. Everyone is so hateful that it made it almost Impossible to keep going forward. I’ve never had such a hard time to finish a book. It put me in a reading slump. The twists at the end were great but they don’t make up for a whole book of craziness.

From the moment I saw Ashley Winstead talk about this book I knew I had to pick it up. It reminded me almost of Agatha Christie in the locked room mystery of it all but I definitely think that is a good thing. The characters felt real and tangible which I think is why I enjoyed the parts of it that I did. My gripes with this book are that I think it moved a bit too slowly and the twist was a bit predictable but I always say I am probably jaded because I read too many thrillers. I definitely think if this is not your typical genre that you may end up being surprised. Overall it wasn't particularly memorable but I did enjoy reading it.

A unique spin on a familiar mystery trope, the whodunit wedding. Great for fans of The Guest List but with more bite. A page turner for sure. Well written and fast paced, an entertaining read.

So many twists and turns! I was guessing up until the very end. Amaya is invited to Kaavi’s over-the-top wedding in Sri Lanka. These two have quite a history but topping the list of problems is the fact that Kaavi’s groom is Anaya’s ex-boyfriend. Amaya wants to stop the wedding from happening. When Kaavi goes missing and is presumed dead, the prime suspect is Amaya. But as the story unfolds, the list of suspects grows. This one will have you wondering who to believe. Thanks NetGalley!

YAASSS!!!

Now, this is how you do it, my friends! What a compelling, engrossing, and wholly unexpected mystery.

The moment Amaya receives an invitation to her former best friend Kaavi’s wedding she is floored. Hurt, surprised, but most of all shocked.

The reason? Kaavi is marrying Amaya’s ex-boyfriend. Talk about a slap across the face!

Distraught, Amaya only has one thought: Stop the wedding.

It is then that this book takes off like lightning.

Pulse-pounding, wild, and utterly suspenseful, this twisty tale got me!

Amaya and Kaavi’s history is rich and is not what it seems.

What made this book even more intriguing was the atmosphere and the descriptions of Sri Lanka, where part of the novel took place.

This was a buddy read with Kaceey that both of us enjoyed.

Thanks to Elisha at Berkley Publishing Group for the arc via NetGalley.

You're Invited is an addictive psychological thriller about a bride that goes missing and her childhood best friend is accused. It makes sense being that she has a motive - the bride who she hasn't spoken to in five years is marrying her ex boyfriend. Soon it becomes clear that numerous guests have reason to want to get rid of the bride. The Sri Lankan setting is beautifully written. The characters are unlikable. This is a riveting read from start to finish. Highly recommended!

Book Review: You’re Invited by Amanda Jayatissa
You’re Invited is a contemporary whodunnit about a bride that goes missing on her wedding day and the former childhood friend that is immediately suspected of foul play.
Amaya is a single and business owner in L.A. that enjoys fun brunch outings with her friends and anonymous rendezvous in hotels with an mysterious man. Although she’s no longer in touch with her ex best friend Kaavi she secretly follows her in social media and is shocked when Kaavi announces her engagement to Amaya’s college boyfriend Spencer. When an invitation to Kaavi’s elaborate wedding festivities in their hometown of Columbo, Sri Lanka shows up Amaya gets on a plane with the intent of stopping the wedding. Told in a mix of first person POV’s of Amaya, Kaavi and the transcripts from the special investigation the reader is given only part of the story up until the true motivations are revealed in the last few chapters.
What I enjoyed most from this book was learning about Sri Lankan high society and culture. The descriptions of the food, gowns and jewelry were all so beautiful and I wished my copy came with photo examples. I did feel like the book took a long time to reveal anything and I got impatient toward the end to wrap things up. There were a lot of scenarios I wasn’t sure I bought completely but overall I enjoyed the mystery.
3.5 stars

I listened to the audio version of You're Invited on my 6 hour drive back from vacation. I thought it was a bit slow in the beginning, but after about 15%, I got sucked into the story. It made the drive fly by. This is a book that is best going into it not knowing a lot. The synopsis doesn't begin to cover everything. There are so many surprises and twists.

The story is told through Amaya's eyes and goes back and forth in time. Amaya is kind of an unreliable character. I spent the entire book changing my mind about whether I could trust her or not. I don't know a lot about Sri Lanka or its culture, but having the book take place in this setting was a nice change of pace. I really enjoyed this one. It's the first I have read by this author. I know I'll be seeking out other works in the future. I highly recommend this one.

“Is there anyone present who is against this marriage taking place? Speak now or forever hold your peace.”

STOP THE WEDDING!✋🛑

Amaya is speechless. She just opened an invitation she never expected to receive. Her former best friend is getting married to her former boyfriend. Ouch! Not exactly something you see everyday…or is it?🙈

Oddly, when Amaya arrives at the wedding no one seems to want her there. And everyone questions why she’s there in the first place.

But when the bride vanishes, tough questions are sure to shake free the secrets that have been hidden for years. Told in multiple timelines and perspectives from before and after the bride goes missing.

I toggled between the digital and audio versions. And enjoyed both equally.
The multiple narrators in the audio did a fabulous job with all the characters.

A buddy 🎧 with Susanne.

Thanks you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing

I went into this book not really knowing what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. It's a decently paced mystery thriller in a vivid and memorable setting, and you can't ask for a much better summer read that that.

I could not put this book down. Absolutely loved it!! At first I kinda felt like a story like that has been told too many times already but I was so wrong!

So to start off, I did enjoy the setting and learning about Sri Lankan culture and customs. The plot itself was interesting, but did not pick up until more than halfway through, and by that point I already lost most interest. Also, all of the characters are completely unlikeable who complain and whine too much, and I could not relate or connect to any of them. I was initially intrigued by this, but the this whole book fell short.. I also feel this could have been about 50-75 pages shorter.

As a Sri Lankan-American, I don’t often get to see stories where characters who look like me and have similar experiences to me depicted. I think this story was a little slow to start and getting used to Amaya’s voice took a moment, but once we got about half way through it was a ride. This story has dark turns and twists that make you second guess everything and I think that Jayatissa wrapped everything up well in the end. If you are looking for a good thriller to get you into spooky season, this thriller set amongst a wedding is a must-read! Also, if you are Sri Lankan, you should definitely give this a read, because I felt seen and saw a lot of my own family dynamics playing out on the page!

Thanks so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for giving me access to this book. This book was a slow start but caught my attention by the time the main character went to Sri Lanka. Psychological thrillers are a favorite of mine so I was looking forward to it. There was a lot of twists! I feel like there may have been a bit too many but still enjoyable book.

(I was asked by Netgalley and Berkley Books to review an ARC of You're Invited. This is my unbiased review )

From the moment I was first introduced to the writings of Amanda Jayatissa in My Sweet Girl I was intrigued. Her storytelling and the Sri Lankan background was just so unique and something so new to me. I found myself fascinated and curious by the twists and turns she took with her characters and her writing.

I truly enjoyed My Sweet Girl so when I was invited to read and review the ARC of You're Invited I jumped on the opportunity.

Jayatissa again takes the reader into the Sri Lankan lifestyle of the rich and well known in You're Invited. You're Invited introduces the reader to Amaya, a woman torn and troubled by past events she cannot let go of. Matters only become worse when she is invited to the wedding of her best friend. A best friend that she has not spoken to for five years. To make matters worse, her best friend is marrying her ex-boyfriend.

Amaya takes it upon herself to end the wedding no matter the consequences or repercussions. So when the bride goes missing, suspicions land on Amaya... but she isn't the only suspect.

The extravagant wedding comes to reveal that Amaya isn't the only one hiding a secret, the bride herself, Kaavi has her own secrets to carry as does the groom and some of the guests.

Needless to say You're Invited is a whirlwind event of suspicion and questions. There were some trivial pieces of the story that were never fully explained yet it doesn't take away from the book or the reader's experience. You're invited is a captivating read that kept my attention and left me wanting more. I needed to know what happened next and the unfamiliarity of Sri Lankan customs just added to the uniqueness of the story.

Sure there may be bits and pieces of the story that some readers may find a slight discomfort with (emotional and physical abuse, S&M interludes, and general family struggles) but to me this only adds to the intrigue of the story. While You're Invited may not be for everyone I did enjoy this thriller. Until next time, Happy Reading!

Holy Moly what did I just read!!
This book is so addicting & riveting. I loved every bit of
it and how ruthless some of the characters are was so
messed up. Truly an enjoyable read. The big ending
reveal was a big fat holy shit Highly recommend
this new twisted thriller! It won't disappoint
Thank you @berkleypub for the E-ARC

https://www.instagram.com/p/CgxSNBGv-fv/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

Not for me. To be fair- I didn’t get that far in this one so it might get a lot better. I just have zero interest in the beginning and couldn’t bring myself to read it to see if it was worth the great reviews I have seen.

Ooh time goes by and if i don't write the review right away...sigh. I'm trying to be better. The best i can do right now is give a star count...