Thank you to NetGalley, Alex Finlay and St. Martin's Press for an ARC copy of What Have We Done.

The story alternates between three main characters; Jenna, Donnie and Nico. They are each attacked by an unknown assailant and have no idea why. The book alternates between what is happening in the present day and the past.

I loved this book and Jenna. She was strong and had a lot of depth. I could see a series of books with her as the main character.

The book is interesting, full of suspense, and twists and the ending is shocking. I recommend adding What Have We Done to your reading list.

This was my first time reading a book by Alex Finlay and I cannot wait to read more of his books.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this title.

I've read all that Alex Finlay has published, and I just love everything he's written! This title was another one that I couldn't put down. It's narrative alternately by 3 people who grew up in a group home together, and who share a secret about something they did during that time. The book opens with each of the characters running as assassins come for them. The characters were distinct, the hunt was suspenseful, and how each of them handles the situation was unique.

Book 236 of 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

In this fast-paced novel from Alex Finlay, we meet three characters—Jenna, Nico, & Donnie—who once lived together in a group home called Savior House as teens. Their parents either passed away or weren’t fit to parent. Unfortunately, the group home in which they’re placed was in a dangerous community full of heartless people. One brutal night bonded them together, but now threatens to be their ending. Twenty-five years later, Jenna, Nico, and Donnie all seem to have found success in life (in some ways), while still working to face the demons they ran away from at Savior House. Someone is after them all, and they’ve got to use all their survivor/survival skills to make it out alive.

This story is told primarily from Jenna, Nico, and Donnie’s POVs. I love multiple POVs & how it allows the story line to move quickly. We get a few chapters from other characters in the story, as well. Jenna’s chapters were, by far, the most interesting. She seemed to have found the most success in her adult life of the three. I liked that she had a reason to fight. Nico & Donnie’s POVs felt weak in comparison. I found myself wanting to get through their chapters so I could get back to Jenna. While I love multiple POVs, I wish Finlay had focused on Jenna more, simply because she was a fascinating and engaging character.

I’ve started to notice that Finlay is a fan of his stories having lots of characters. I remember feeling this way with one of his previous books, which made the audio difficult to follow. Thankfully, this was a hard copy/ebook, so it was a little easier to follow. That said, it still had a LOT of characters to keep up with. We had to follow along with what happened in the past & all of the side characters from their time at Savior House. We also had three main characters’ POVs, which included all of their families & other side characters. It was a lot to keep up with. I wish Finlay would narrow it down with the characters. It’s hard to keep it all straight when there are so many people. I felt like I needed a physical map of everyone.

This story line was fairly predictable, but still had a few elements of surprise. It also left me with some unanswered questions. Where did “the twins” come from? I know their role in the story, but how did they get looped in? Did I completely miss that? That was the biggest plot hole for me. To best enjoy this book, you’ll need to rid your mind of the “this could never happen in real life” mentality. It surpasses many levels of believability.

Overall, this was a good one, but I don’t think it measures up to The Night Shift. I wanted it to be a little more believable, have fewer characters, and focus more on Jenna. Lots of potential with this story line…just some things I’d tweak!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This book is set to be released in March 2023.

ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴡᴇ ᴅᴏɴᴇ
By Alex Finlay
Release date : 03/07/2023

From the book;
A stay-at-home mom with a past.
A has-been rock star with a habit.
A reality TV producer with a debt.
Three disparate lives.
One deadly secret.
Twenty-five years ago, Jenna, Donnie, and Nico were the best of friends, having forged a bond through the abuse and neglect they endured as residents of Savior House, a group home for parentless teens. When the home was shut down―after the disappearance of several kids―the three were split up.

My Review :
What have you done, Alex, writing a book that reads like an action-packed movie? There are two things I loved the most about this book. The females are badass and smartly portrayed—no damsel in distress between these pages. And the loyalty amongst old friends.
This book isn’t out until March, so ill shortly summarize it
Jenna is a retired sharpshooter who used to work for the government. Donnie is a failing drunk rockstar. Nico is just a mess. These three have such a bond from their days at a group home that even after 30 years, the trust and insight are there.
Someone is coming after them and their families. And they all go back to their roots to figure out who is trying to ruin them and take them out before they get taken out. The chapters are short. They are told from different POVs, going back and forth from present to past, which I loved.
Brilliant book. Totally see this as a Netflix movie 🎥🍿🎬
5 S҉҉T҉҉A҉҉R҉҉S҉҉ ҉⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


#alexfinlay #bookshelves #minotaurbooks #netgalley #netgalleyreader #thrillmemore #pageturner #suspensebooks #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstack #igreads #bookishproblems
#whathavewedone

A unique and chilling thriller about abused children in a group home and how their childhood affected their adult lives. From a tv star to a hit women to a judge this novel is refreshingly entertaining and a must read for all thriller fans.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for the ARC of this book!

In What Have We Done, we follow several adults who are reunited after decades apart when it becomes apparent that they are all being targeted for something they did 25 years ago. As kids, they were thrown together in a foster home and forced to experience unimaginable things in order to survive and cope with the trauma they experienced. Years later someone has discovered their secrets and is trying to take them out 1 by 1 to keep the full truth from being discovered.

I thought this book matched other Alex Finlay books in terms of exceptional writing and plot. Everything was easy to follow and I really loved the short chapters and fast pace of everything. It can be difficult to read multiple POVs and timelines on a Kindle but I thought this was well done enough that I didn't get tripped up too much. It wasn't overly deep and the character development was average. The ending also felt a smidge rush. Overall this wasn't my favorite by him but I still think it was a good read and kept you on your toes. I look forward to purchasing a physical copy when it's released!

NetGalley Review — my rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
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Lightweight disappointed in this Alex Findlay…I was expecting to be sucked in from the beginning like I was with The Night Shift, but it took till about halfway through to get me interested.
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Multiple narrators. Blackmail. Revenge. Cover ups. And a good ole “who dun it?”
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This book had the makings of a 5 star read, but fell a little flat with the character development. I didn’t even try and guess the plot because it wasn’t holding my interest.
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However, by the last third of the book, I was more invested in the story. It did come together really well by the end. I just wish the whole book had been like the second half.
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What Have We Done comes out March 2023 if you like action thrillers!
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Big thanks to St. Martins Press for this ARC!
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@netgalley #netgalley #whathavewedone #alexfindlay #arc

I loved his previous books, " the night shift and every last fear" I was very excited to read this but it was not for me. It was much less deep and psychological than his other books. It was primarily an action thriller with lots of violence. It was a fast moving story but again missing what I most look for in a novel I will try his next book and hope it is good as the prior ones

I think my students would like this book, esp the male students as it is non stop action and ultimately clear good guys and bad guys. I would have trouble recommending it, not much to discuss, ie eithical issues of trauma and justice

This was definitely a miss for me. I loved Night Shift so much. I was highly anticipating this read, but it fell literally flat to the point I had to push through.

3.5 stars, rounded down
What Have We Done is an action packed thriller. Told from the perspectives of three very different individuals, it tracks them as unknown assassins attempt to kill each of them. What the three do have in common, was time spent in an abusive group home for teenagers.
The three main characters are Jenna, a housewife who was formerly an assassin herself, Donnie, an aging rocker with a drinking problem and Nico, a reality tv producer with a gambling problem. There are two other individuals that were also at the home that are targets. It takes a while, but the five eventually come together.
I have enjoyed Finlay’s last two works, but this one is too unbelievable. The pacing is fast, with multiple changes between characters (including the contract killers) and present and past. The ending goes 90 mph and just when you think things have resolved, they haven’t. It’s a Die Hard kind of book. Not my style, but if you like that sort of thing, you’ll love this. (Having said that, I couldn’t wait to see how Finlay would resolve it all.)
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

thank you to netgalley for allowing me to read this before its official release in exchange for an honest review.

this book was chaotic and confusing and all over the place with multiple pov's and the timeline bouncing around from past to present and oh my god i enjoyed every second of it!! not a single dull moment and very fast paced. this book JUMPS right into action immediately and its a TINY bit hard to follow at first, simply because you have no idea whats going on! but its exciting and wild and i highly recommend!
p.s im always super good at figuring out the plot twists really early on, but this book was a rare exception. good luck readers!
5/5 stars!

A twisty, exciting ride that takes you on quite the adventure. Filled with a little terror, a background at a group home, secret, and loyalty, you will appreciate the surprises of What Have We Done.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this novel.

This book just keeps you guessing! I really enjoyed Alex Finlay's latest, What Have We Done. Thank you to SMP's Influencer Program, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for sending me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review ahead of publication.

Finlay knocked it out of the park for me with his previous novel, The Night Shift. This one came close to measuring up, but didn't quite reach the same level. The names of the different characters started to blend together quite a bit for me- I struggled remembering who was who and what their background was. Once I got about halfway through, I found a lot of clarity in the plot and story and didn't have that issue again.

Now for all of the positives... This book was very gritty! I really enjoyed the "chase" of the plot, the edge-of-your-seat feeling with the confrontational scenes, Once I had a clear idea of where the book was headed, I really enjoyed trying to untangle the web of mystery and twists. I also LOVED the ending of this one, it packed a punch in the end and was very satisfying.

For anyone considering reading this... if you enjoy thrillers or mysteries, this one is worth a shot, as well as Finlay's other novels. I give What Have We Done between 3.5-4 stars.

What Have We Done is the second book from author Alex Finlay that I have read. The first I went in blind, I was in a book funk and reading Every Last Fear brought me out of that said funk. So I figured I’d go into this book blind as well. Except I couldn’t. After reading the prologue and then finishing the first chapter, I was wondering where the author was heading (in a good way) and needed to know what this book was going to give me. I’m glad I did, it made me want to read faster just so I could figure out what was really going on and why. Normally I hate when books skip around in time or each chapter is about a different character in the book but just like in his book, Every Last Fear, the author does it well. Separating it enough to know who is who and not confusing the characters. I love that you read one chapter about someone but then have to wait a few chapters to get back to their story line or shock. But then you’re hooked on another characters storyline that you just keep being on edge waiting to put them all together. Nothing felt really rushed and there were quite a few good twists. Heck even the epilogue had me wonder what was happening in a wonderful heart pacing way.

This book was hard to finish, I loved Alex Findlay’s previous books and this one wasn’t up to the mark. I didn’t enjoy it

A fairly fast-paced murder and blackmail mystery told from the perspective of the killer and three adults who grew up together in a very dysfunctional orphanage. As adults, they are all being targeted by a sinister source from their past. The secret they have long buried is coming to light decades later and they have to work together to figure out what is happening to them and their families.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. I found it dragged a bit in the beginning but by the middle, the plot started to move along and I had to finish reading to find out the mystery. I liked the characters and found them engaging and genuine. I wish more of the story had the three interacting in person instead of waiting until more than halfway through.

Thanks to Alex Finally, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for an advanced eBook in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Alex Finlay for the eARC of What Have We Done!

Twenty-five years ago, Jenna, Nico, Donnie, and Ben did the unspeakable while living in Savior House. Now, it’s coming back to haunt them. Ben has been murdered, and someone is after the remaining members of the group. Will they make it out alive, or will they pay for their mistake?

This book captured my attention from the very first page! It was super interesting, fast-paced, and kept me guessing until the very end. Highly recommend!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.75/4 rating. This book was really fun! I have some minor qualms with it, so I'll get those out of the way first - I think some of the twists were fairly predictable (especially one of them - it seemed very telling that a specific character didn't have a POV chapter). I thought Jenna was easily the most interesting/compelling character of the bunch, which on its own is definitely not a con lmao, but I thought while she was so interesting to me the other characters felt very...flat in comparison? I wasn't really sure why I was supposed to care about them, or their friends' memories, besides the fact that we were TOLD we're supposed to care. I also think the very final epilogue scene felt rushed and unnecessary in all honesty - it seemed like a final dash at action that I think was not needed.

That being said, however, this book was a really fun time for me regardless. Like I said, I LOVED Jenna - honestly I'll take an entire book about her and her family, I wanted so much more of them! The writing was really well-done, and I think it was a solid, tight plot. I flew through this book and the author did just such a great job; everything was descriptive (without going overboard) and I felt like I could picture everything so well. I'm definitely going to check out more of their books in the future.

The premise of neglected and mistreated group home kids may not be a new theme but everything else about this convoluted mystery is fresh and original. This is my second book by this author and he sucked me in again.
The story alternates primarily between three characters from a squalid group home, Jenna, Donnie, and Nico. What have they done since somebody wants them all dead? Just some poor kids who’ve managed to leave the terrors of a group home behind. There were other kids at the home, friends even. Some grew up powerful, wealthy, even famous. Donnie is the boilerplate aging, washed up rock star. Nico is a star of a reality show and a heavy gambler. Annie disappeared from the group home way back then. Bennie is a respected judge. Jenna was the newest of their clique back at the home. Now she’s married, a stepmom, a former assassin.
An unpleasant environment with few good memories left scars. As someone threatens the lives they’ve constructed old secrets tear their lives apart. The truth of what they did takes wild turns and evil won’t stay buried. Who has the most to gain, is it revenge or something much more sinister? I raced through the story to find answers and was blown away with the outcome. Thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the plot!
Many thanks to NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy of “What Have We Done” by Alex Finlay and to St. Martin’s Publishing. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.