I was very excited to get an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley because I loved the author's first book. This one was very good and I enjoyed the plot. The story is told from multiple points of view and in different time lines but it was easy to follow. It was a bit of an outlandish premise in the end but it was still fun and there were several times where I felt anxious to find out what happened. Definitely worth the time to read.

I didn’t overly dislike this one, but I can’t say I really liked it either. It was just “meh”. Some of it was predictable, and some of it came out of left field. The characters felt underdeveloped and lacked motivations (a rockstar with drug and alcohol problems - so cliche with no depth).

The good was that this was a relatively quick read, but I can’t say I would recommend it. I’ll give it 2.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the copy in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed What Have We Done by Alex Finlay, especially the first half. I thought it was an interesting twist on a whodunnit and was surprised by some of the twists and turns along the way. I feel like the writing felt a bit rushed and the ending tied everything up far too quickly. Even still, I would recommend this as a good plot-driven read that would be great for a day of reading at the beach.

4/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and Alex Finlay for allowing me to read and review this book.

This book follows three POVs with a fourth one thrown in a couple of times. Even though there are only a few POVs, there are many more main characters that play huge parts in the story.

It all starts at an orphanage where our main characters meet. However, the main timeline of the story is these same characters fifteen years later when their pasts come back to haunt them.

The dual timeline and multiple POVs makes for an interesting thriller. You get to see many different sides to the story, but you are still left trying to figure everything out along with the characters. You get to see the past as sort of flashbacks within the characters POVs. You also get to see how their past shaped them into who there are in the present timeline.

I really enjoyed trying to figure everything out along with the characters. You don't know who to trust and who not to. You don't know whose POVs you can trust. You are left wondering until the very end, when everyone, including the characters, find out what is truly happening.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves multiple POV thrillers and anyone who likes finding everything out along with the characters.

3.5 Stars
Alex Finlay has become a personal favorite of mine since reading Night Shift. This book was different, yet did ask the question of how things that took place years ago can impact your life today...and what in the hell are you going to do about it...especially if you thought it was hidden.

wow, i didn't see that ending coming. Pulled me in and did not let go. Alex Finlay keeps getting better and better.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an e-ARC in return for an honest review.

Overall, this was a quick read. The story jumps in so quickly that you don’t have time to connect with the characters. If you are looking for an action packed thriller from page one, this is a book for you. The story revolves mainly around 5 people who grew up together and did something they can never take back. Fast forward 25 years and the consequences of their action start to come to play. You never know who to trust and find family in people you may not expect.

This was an absolutely wild ride! It was thoroughly far fetched but I couldn’t put it down. It was so entertaining.

Wow. Talk about a wild ride. The story is told from 3 points of view (Jenna, Nico and Donnie). The story centers around this group of friends who grew up in a group home, where they suffered unspeakable horrors. Now, someone is trying to kill each of them. They must figure out who is seeking revenge before it is too late.

Just when you think you have things figured out, the story twists again. If you like suspense, this book is perfect!

I have a lot of thoughts, but mainly this took me over a month to finish and I hate when thrillers have epilogues.

After speaking with Alex with a book club in 2022 for his release The Night Shift, which I loved, and hearing him be so excited for this 2023 release, I was excited to pick it up.

Unlike The Night Shift, this one was not fast paced throughout (it did take me a month to finish it). The first 50ish percent was all switching POVs, building the history between all of the characters, and action packed scenes that did not scream thriller novel.

With all of the history building Finlay gave us, I would've hoped for an ending that didn't come completely out of left field. While there were small building blocks on the ending, there was nothing to give substance to the idea that the mastermind was the mastermind.

I think this would make an excellent action movie, but would be more excited to read a thriller on Jenna's past as an assassin.

What Have We Done
By Alex Finlay (@alexfinlayauthor)
Format: eARC (thank you to @netgalley and @minotaur_books for the advanced reader!!)
Pub Date: 3/7/23
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

Review:
This book was SO good! I loved the various points of view, and that it had short chapters. I loved how each chapter made me want to keep reading, and how there were pieces of the past woven within the chapters. The ending (epilogue) was so good! I spent every chapter with a HIGH heart rate. 😆

I have enjoyed Alex Finlay's books in the past, and so when I saw that this one was up for request, I immediately jumped on requesting it.

I enjoyed this book a lot, but did find some of the characters stories to be more interesting than others. I found Jenna's story to be one of the most interesting, and the chapters that I most looked forward to while reading this book. I felt like the other characters were a little more "boring" but they did all come together in a spectacular way.

This book is in no way a "believable" book, but once you got past how far fetched the situation was, it made for a very entertaining read. I was guessing throughout the book, and the ending was not at all what I ended up guessing!

Thank you to the Author, Publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

25 years after Jenna, Donnie, and Nico escaped from the Savior House, they reunite to figure out who has been trying to kill them all, and was the death of Ben, another Savior House survivor, another victim. Could the hired hit be revenge for the crime they committed as kids? And if so. Who is responsible?

This book was told from multiple POVs (Jenna, Donnie, and Nico) which I love to see. It also switches perspectives from current day and back at the Savior House to give more insight. I thought the story was super interesting. The ending wrapped up a little rushed, but I still enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for my host Review.

Jenna, Donnie, and Nico were all residents of a group home called “Saviour House” during their teen years. After a few teenage girls went missing, the home was shut down and the three friends were sent their separate ways.

Enduring their fair share of trauma in their early years, the three have experienced their own successes in the twenty-five years since they have last seen each other. The common thread that reunites them is the death of one of their own and the realization that someone is trying to kill them.

In an effort to be free of their past, they must revisit the one place they hoped to never return.

This is the first Alex Finlay novel that I’ve read, and it didn’t disappoint. I was constantly trying to figure out what was going to happen next and enjoyed the different perspectives from which the story was told. Would definitely recommend to others!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel. #NetGalley #WhatHaveWeDone

Twenty-five years ago, five teenagers buried a secret. Now, the past comes back with a vengeance.

DNF: 51%
I was really excited for this book, but sadly it just wasn't for me. I really tried to get into this, but every character and plot point just felt like a massive cliche. It didn't feel like a mystery or a thriller, just like a bad, low-budget action movie. The prologue gave away the secret, and then everything else felt really obvious. I didn't connect well to any of the characters. I'm sure other people enjoyed it though, and don't let this bad review stop you from giving it a try.

One night 5 foster siblings stand over a grave and ask themselves, “What have we done?” Years later, one of the friends is dead, and the others have had their lives targeted. Each do their part trying to figure out why now, and wondering if it’s connected to their big secret.

This was my first by the author and I did not enjoy it. It was firmly at a 3 stars for most of the reading experience, but the ending brought it down to a two. I did like how short the chapters are, it made the story go by quickly with the different POVs. This story was equally too confusing and convoluted and too simple. I didn’t expect the twists, but they were lacklustre and made the entire story feel unnecessary because it wasn’t a huge reveal. I liked Jenna’s character but too much of her backstory was unexplained, it just didn’t feel real. On the other hand, I got too much backstory for Nico and Donnie. The story is fairly sad, but I didn’t feel any thrill or mystery reading it. It was boring and too long, I was excited for it to be over. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free preview in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a huge Alex Finlay fan. Lately I’ve been disappointed by books by authors I have previously loved but not this time. This book was very action packed. Multiple mysteries. Badass women.

Five foster siblings are targets of a hit woman. They’re a judge, a TV producer, a washed up rock star, a tech mogul, and a retired contract killer. All have to come together to figure out who put the hit out on them and why.

My only minor complaint was the twist at the end was a bit underwhelming. I didn’t really see it coming but I was just like oh okay. The final scene though *whoa* I was about to riot the last 5 minutes of the book but it was so good.

Ultimately, I’m a fan and think this would make a great show or movie.

Very engaging and keep's the reader reading along. When your past catches up with your present and determining your future. Five kids did something 25 years ago as they meet up for a reunion they are determined to survive. You read a lot about the present to understand their current lives and the threats against them and how they plan on going on the offensive. Jenna, Nico, Donnie, and Ben were friends in an abusive and terrifying group home. Jenna is now a successful stay-at-home mom after years of obtaining skills most suburban stepmoms don't have. Nico has a career in television and a terrible gambling habit. Donnie became a famous musician with a substance abuse problem. When the three of them have attempts made on their lives, and they learn that their friend Ben, a judge, was killed, they come together for Ben’s funeral and to the Savior House that left them each damaged and with a horrible secret they worry might be revealed. The story is told from the alternating points of view of the three surviving members of Savior House. The mystery is compelling, and I didn’t see who was responsible until the very end.
Would definitely recommend this one.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher.

If action is what you’re looking for, look no more. This latest creation from Alex Finley is a total thrill ride from start to finish. The story is told from three different points of view. Each perspective is original and kept me engaged. Three long time childhood friends are forced to reunite because someone is trying to kill them. keeping a secret, they proved to be deadly. I can definitely see this as a limited series on Netflix. I loved every over-the-top minute of this intense thriller. Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for my copy.

I think I’m the last-est person to review this book 🫣 This being one of the most anticipated books of 2023 did not disappoint me!! With past and present timelines surrounding an event, and multiple povs, What Have We Done packs a punch both as a thriller and as a realistic fiction! I love stories that have characters carrying secrets and bonus points if the characters have different lifestyles. I was expecting the story to be more intense, so taking off one star. Its still a hit with me.

Alex Finlay just keeps getting better & better!! This book is a total package and a suspenseful ride from start to finish.

Thank you Minotaur for the gifted eARC!