I read My Sweet Girl by Amanda Jayatissa last year and absolutely loved it so when I saw that she was coming out with another book, I had to jump on it.

You’re Invited is an intense thriller that follows Amaya who is determined to stop her ex- best friend and ex- boyfriend’s wedding.

This book started off a little slow at first but once it picked up, it was nonstop until the very end. I loved the different POV’s and the interview room chapters. This story does have some self harm and obsessiveness throughout so just be mindful of that.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I didn’t love it as much as My Sweet Girl but it was still a great read. Highly recommend picking this one up when it’s released on August 9th!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Berkley Books for the e-arc!

I liked that the story included the culture of Sri Lanka. It was refreshing to read something taking place somewhere I am mostly unfamiliar with and I liked the chance to somewhat learn about society there.

Another aspect that I liked is that the book didn’t reveal all its secrets at once and was more of a slow unraveling. The mystery is what helped to keep me reading when I started to feel bored or annoyed with the characters who acted like middle schoolers more than adults. I also appreciated the complex and dark leading character- she had an unhinged vibe that added some interest.

However, that’s about the only things I really liked. I was pretty bored for over half the book (it didn’t get better until around 75% in) the majority of characters felt childish and contrived and their actions didn’t make a ton of sense to me.

Also, I almost DNFd it because of the darn interviews with the detectives. Who talks the way these people do when they are talking to the authorities?! I know the author was trying to reveal more in a whodunnit way, but the things these people said felt so manufactured that all subtlety was smashed into tiny pieces and I just cringed the entire time I had to read through the interview portions.

Overall, this book did have some unique elements and plenty mystery, which I appreciated, but it wasn’t a favorite thriller for me.

2.5/5 stars rounded up to 3 for this review

Amaya has spent the last few years of her life as a shell of her former self. Obsessed with the life of her former best friend Kaavi, she's shocked to receive an invitation to Kaavi's upcoming nuptials. Amaya didn't even know her ex-friend was in a relationship, let alone ready to get married. Even more shocking is that Kaavi's fiancé happens to also be Amaya's ex-boyfriend. Amaya is determined to make sure the wedding doesn't happen. When Kaavi goes missing during the wedding festivities, it's natural to think Amaya (the ex bestfriend and ex girlfriend) is to blame. As the investigation into Kaavi's disappearance and potential murder deepens, more than just Amaya's secrets are being exposed.

I love a good interrogation story, and half of this book is told within these security interviews. Not only do they normally turn a story into a page turner, but I love getting the additional insight into other characters, we normally wouldn't get to 'talk' to.

The other half of the story switches between Kaavi's and Amaya's POV as they gear up for the wedding and during the events of the wedding celebrations. I didn't love Amaya's POV, she's unreliable, and her obsessive and self harm tendencies really made her out to be a darker, villianesque character. However, as the story evolves and we learn more about Amaya I really came around to her character, but I still never connected with her much. On the other hand Kaavi's character comes off as uptight and secretive, which given this is a thriller, isn't surprising.

Most of the book was just okay for me. It took me a while to feel invested in the story but once the wedding celebrations started, I found the pace picking up quite a bit. What I really enjoyed about this book through was the social commentary and cultural references to Sri Lanka. I don't know much about the country but I heard about their current economic issues right around the same time I started reading this book. The juxtaposition of the 1% in Sri Lanka portrayed in the book and reading about their economic collapse made the story that much more memorable for me.

I wasn't super impressed by the last chapter and felt that too many loose ends were tied together too quickly but still an entertaining page turner.3.5 stars round up to 4 stars.

You're Invited comes out August 9, 2022! Huge thank you to Berkley Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.  If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof_books.

This was soooo boring. I did not care for this one at all. It finally got a little interesting at the end, but still wasn’t great. I didn’t care for any of these characters, and just thought it was a dull read.

“I wasn’t superstitious, but it never hurt to wait for a good sign”

💭: Thank you so much to @netgalley and @berkleypub for sending me the ARC for @amandajayatissa newest book!

As soon as I heard Amanda was coming out with a new book, I was TOO excited. Her debut novel, My Sweet Girl, was one of my favorite thrillers in 2021 and I read it in under 24 hours.

I also really enjoyed this book! Although it didn’t quite *scare me* as much as her first book (which had a little bit of a paranormal aspect) it definitely kept me hooked throughout!

You’re Invited follows Amaya as she is invited to her old best friend, Kaavi’s, wedding to her ex-boyfriend Spencer. Amaya goes for one reason: to stop the wedding. As the book opens with Kaavi missing, the chapters follow how we got to this point and what exactly happened.

I loved the switching timelines as well as the character switch towards the end of the book!

Jarring

"I'll never be a victim."

You're Invited is an intense psychological thriller about a woman who is determined to stop the wedding of her ex-best friend to her ex-boyfriend.

When Amaya receives the news that her former best friend, Kaavi, is marrying her ex-boyfriend, Spencer, she is shaken up. She travels to Sri Lanka with a plan to stop the wedding.

All is not what it seems. Amaya is an unreliable narrator with some serious issues, including self-harming. Her voice is dark, obsessive, and unsettling. She made me very uncomfortable. As the narrative progresses and more is shared about her background, my feelings about her changed.

I didn’t like this book in the beginning. Amaya’s character is off-putting, and it took me some time to connect. However, once I reached the point when Amaya traveled to Sri Lanka, I became more and more intrigued. There are some good twists and turns, along with a surprising yet, satisfying ending.

What makes this book stand out from other thrillers is the Sri Lankan setting and commentary on Sri Lankan culture and traditions, which are elements that I knew little about. In addition, Amaya is a strong, developed character. I finished this book several days ago, and I am still thinking about her character. Her voice got under my skin more than I realized.

Overall, this is a solid thriller that took me on quite the journey.

Trigger Warning: Self-harm, BDSM

Thank you to Elisha Katz of Berkley Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I almost stopped reading this because the self-harm and obsessiveness of Amaya in the first few chapters made me extremely uncomfortable, but I’m glad I didn’t because this turned out to be an outstanding mystery/thriller.

Because of her fanatical social media stalking, Amaya learns that her former best friend is set to marry her ex-boyfriend. When she’s invited to the wedding in Sri Lanka, she decides she has to do whatever she can to stop it. This is the first novel I’ve read that set in Ski Lanka and learning about the customs there was fascinating.

When the bride goes missing during the days-long wedding celebrations, many are called in to be questioned, but the scorned ex-girlfriend certainly seems like the obvious culprit.

Told from multiple points of view at various timelines, nothing is as it seems. The uncovering of the villain is expertly unveiled. If you can stomach the self-harm aspects, the rest is great.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel, which RELEASES AUGUST 9, 2022.

The book that I finished wasn't the book I was expecting at the beginning. This page-turner will keep you wondering if you really know what you think you know, and leave you re-thinking your impressions of all the characters. Plot-driven readers will find this an extremely satisfactory story.

This sounded like it was going to be some juicy drama, and I couldn't wait to dive in! This one started slow, but I eventually got into the story about halfway. If you can hang in, you're in for a treat. Some fun twists and a great ending. I thought it was a pretty good mystery.

Amaya is invited to her ex bff, Kaavis', extravagant wedding in Sri Lanka. Kaavi is marrying Amaya's ex boyfriend, and the 2 friends haven't spoken in years. Amaya knows this man, and wants to stop Kaavi from going through with the marriage. But while there, Kaavi goes missing, (presumed dead) and it looks like Amaya could have something to do with it. You hear from all the guests, and you don't know who could be responsible, because they all have reasons to not have this wedding happen!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

I wanted to like this more than I actually was able too, very predictable and not necessarily a first purchase.

Amanda Jayatissa was the first Sri Lankan author I had read with her debut novel, MY SWEET GIRL. I enjoyed her perspective as an #ownvoices author and was excited to be back in the lush Sri Lanka setting with her upcoming release, YOU’RE INVITED.

Amaya returns from LA to her native Sri Lanka for the unexpected nuptials of her estranged best friend and college ex-boyfriend. Disaster strikes the lavish ceremonies when someone goes missing and foul play is suspected.

What worked for Me:
The Sri Lanka island setting and opulence on display
Getting a glimpse into Sri Lankan culture and customs
A wedding day disappearance

What didn’t work for me (but might for you!)
The graphic S&M scene at the beginning of the novel didn’t fit with the story and was completely unnecessary in my opinion
I found all the characters selfish and despicable; I really wanted someone to root for
The pacing felt off with a slow start and rush to the finish at the 85% mark

Expectations largely shape my reading, and ultimately this wasn’t what I expected. I’m glad the author is getting early buzz as this book was selected as a July Book of the Month Club pick. I hope knowing what to expect will increase your enjoyment of the story!

RATING: 3/5
PUB DATE: August 9, 2022

A big thank you to NetGalley and Berkley books for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review will be posted to www.instagram.com/kellyhook.readsbooks with attached link in advance of publication date

This one is a very smart and very fun thriller about the complexity of the dynamics between women. I will say that I think the format of the novel means that the novel’s cleverness ends up serving as a sort of twist, but it’s definitely worth it. We need more thrillers entirely populated by the most problematic girlbosses you’ve ever read about. A lot of editing issues in the first half but they iron out to the second.

ARC received via Netgalley—thank you to the publisher.

Why would your former best friend that you hadn’t talked to for ten years invite you to her wedding to your ex-boyfriend?

Amaya was very confused since Kaavi’s family forbid her to contact them over some incident years ago.
Amaya also couldn’t believe Kaavi was marrying Spencer. She knew she had to stop the wedding.

Both Kaavi’s mother and father were furious when they saw her…did Kaavi have some plan Amaya and others did not know about or was she just rubbing it in?

There is an undertone with all the characters that seems to hint that everyone is hiding something. So who really did stop the wedding by attacking Kaavi?

We follow the police interviews of each guest and hear comments that could incriminate any of the characters. No one held any resentment or gossip back during the interviews.

The book dragged on a bit, and didn’t get “meaty” until 40%, but I kept reading and guessing.

Some twists and surprises.

Be aware there are some disturbing habits the characters have. 3/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

This book is so smart and I could not tell at all when the twists were coming. It’s so intelligent, addictive, and riveting. Most of the characters are ruthless and opportunistic. The book is a great mix of secrets, lies, manipulation, gaslighting, and mental abuse. Don’t miss it!

Amanda Jayatissa is a thriller queen. I absolutely loved My Sweet Girl (it blew my mind!!) and couldn't wait to pick up Amanda's next book. You're Invited was gripping and had me flipping the pages to see what happens next. Highly recommend!

What an exciting premise, you have an ex-friend about to marry YOUR ex-boyfriend but knowing him as you do, you want to stop the wedding at all cost.

When Amaya learns through social media that her former best friend is set to marry her old boyfriend, she is so relieved to know she has an invitation to the wedding despite the falling out. Now she has to figure out how to put her plan in motion to stop this wedding! Will she be able to do it?

I enjoyed the ride. I was here for the fast-paced twists, turns, and more! This is a messy thriller with a fantastic ending that I didn't see coming.

I highly recommend this thriller and will read other works by this author. (Linda C)

"What could be worse than your ex-boyfriend marrying your childhood best friend? Getting accused of her murder… From the author of My Sweet Girl comes a dangerously addictive new thriller about a lavish Sri Lankan wedding celebration that not everyone will survive.

When Amaya is invited to Kaavi's over-the-top wedding in Sri Lanka, she is surprised and a little hurt to hear from her former best friend after so many years of radio silence. But when Amaya learns that the groom is her very own ex-boyfriend, she is consumed by a single thought: She must stop the wedding from happening, no matter the cost. But as the week of wedding celebrations begin and rumors about Amaya's past begin to swirl, she can’t help but feel like she also has a target on her back. When Kaavi goes missing and is presumed dead, all evidence points to Amaya. However, nothing is as it seems as Jayatissa expertly unravels that each wedding guest has their own dark secret and agenda, and Amaya may not be the only one with a plan to keep the bride from getting her happily ever after..."

Is it just me or do destination weddings and murder just go together perfectly?

In You're Invited, by Amanda Jayatissa, Amaya feels strange about receiving her invitation to her ex-bestie Kaavi’s wedding. First, the former friends haven't spoken in years, and second, Kaavi's engaged to Amaya's ex. But, after a personal invitation from Kaavi's family and encouragement from her new bestie, Beth, Amaya decides to return to Sri Lanka for the massive wedding celebration, and find a way to stop the wedding.

The wedding is a massive, multi-day party, creating a luxe background for Amaya's secret mission to stop the wedding, and not-so-secret mission to get her bestie back. The red flags start almost as soon as she arrives and Kaavi's family knows nothing about the invitation they sent her.

Sadly, I didn't discover You're Invited until after my influencers fiction roundup. but you know I just love when Instagram and social media is used to develop a plot and increase tension. Here, Amaya stalks Kaavi's Instagram, watching carefully for her favorite brands and hints of her personal life, and then leaving affectionate, supportive comments from a series of puppet accounts. It's great, when it starts, readers don't know if these alts are Amaya telling Kaavi all the warm, sweet things she really wishes she could say, or if she's just messing with her.

Later, Kaavi uses her influencer platform to, uh, tell her own side of the story. Or part of it. Or what she wants other people to see. I don't want to reveal any of the twists in this one, but there's some clever use of Instagram reality to obfuscate some facts. Of course beautiful Kaavi is an Insta influencer, which adds another layer on the performed perfection in her family. There's a clever use of texting and social media overall.

Everyone in Kaavi's life, everyone in Amaya's life, basically everyone at the wedding, was keeping huge secrets. I liked this because there was no shortage of suspects and motives, and I also liked how some of the secrets intersected. Everyone had a secret, but is an everyday cheating secret or a little financial irregularity....  or is it murder?

I felt like Amaya was fully developed and lively, while some of the other characters felt a bit flat, like their whole purpose was a specific piece of plot exposition. I'm afraid the investigation transcript scenes detracted from any character development of secondary characters for me.

Look, I know everyone's gonna reference Crazy Rich Asians with this one, and there is a good amount of upscale wedding drama, so I get it. But I'd also recommend it for fans of OTT wedding drama with a body in Dial A for Aunties, for the twisted family secrets of The Majesties, or the classic Agatha Christie Endless Night for a total WTF in a gorgeous, upscale setting.

Loved Jayatissa's My Sweet Girl (which won the International Thriller Award for Best Debut!) so was very excited to read her second book. She didn't disappoint. Jayatissa can weave a storyline that centers around very complicated and flawed characters whom I simply can't get enough of. I was left guessing up until the very end. I enjoyed the witness interviews and the Sri Lankan setting. Jayatissa is now an author on my "must read every book" list.

Holy cow, this was a good one!! I tore through this one in 2 days due to the superbly executed plot, and edge of your seat twists and turns. Lies, manipulations and secrets were just part of the fun in this book. The characters were very well developed, also.

Amanda Jayatissa is a new author for me. I will definitely look for more of her work in the future! I enjoyed the fact that this book took place in a different country. Getting to know a new culture was an added bonus. Many thanks to NetGalley and to Berkely for the ARC. I will definitely recommend this book to others.