Thank you NetGalley, Stacy Willingham, and Minotaur Books for this ARC of Only if You're Lucky in exchange for an honest review!!
Description:
Only if You're Lucky follows Lucy, Margot, Sloane, and Nicole at the end of their freshmen year of college. Margot, a reserved freshmen, is approached by Lucy, a larger than life personality that you can't help but cling to, and asked to move into an off campus apartment with her, Sloane, and Nicole. Throughout the story, you learn that Margot's best friend, Eliza, who was planning on attending college with her, died 3 weeks after high school graduation. Margot is understandingly trying to find herself after her best friends death when she becomes friends with Lucy. But does she really know who Lucy is? And who killed the fraternity brother that lives next door and just so happened to be dating Eliza when she died too? How does everyone's stories intertwine?
Review:
I loved the academia setting of this story. The characters have strong personalities and I felt as though I really got to know them throughout the story. I would have loved a POV from Lucy, but I did love the "After" chapters sprinkled throughout the book. They made me want to keep reading to find out what was going to happen. However, this is a very slow paced book. I would have liked for more action. In my opinion, it seemed like nothing of significance happened in the middle section of the book and I personally felt as though 50 or so pages could have been cut out. I did like how the book wrapped up and didn't see most of the twists coming. Once you find out how everything is intertwined, you pick up on the breadcrumbs left throughout the book with the flashbacks, which I really enjoyed. Overall, I enjoyed the book and think others will as well as long as they understand that this is a slow burn.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for Goodreads.

Friendships. The past. Secrets. What could possibly go wrong? College is all about fun right? Not for these close knit “friends” whom seem to be close but are more strangers than anything else.

I really enjoyed this psychological thriller, the ride was wild and the double twist was epic! The characters were unlikable but you will feel the sympathy for some. Yes, it did take awhile to come to a conclusion but it didn’t steer me away. I recommend giving it a chance, you will definitely remember your college days. Thank you @netgalley for the ARC.

A twisty college thriller where everyone has secrets from their past. This was a fun read but all of the characters were very unlikeable which made it hard to form a sense of connection with the book. The concept of the story is unique and there’s plenty of mystery surrounding each character. The ending was interesting but felt rushed whereas the beginning of the book felt slow.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for the ARC!

I absolutely loved All the Dangerous Things so I was so excited about reading this one. This was a slow burn that took me awhile before I started getting into it. There are a lot of twists in this book that was very entertaining the closer you get to the end. I didn't see any of the twists coming which was so exciting. Even though this was not my favorite book I still enjoyed this book. I really loved the cover of this book. I would recommend this book because the twists makes the ride worth it.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for allowing me to read this ARC in advance for my honest opinion.

Stacy Willingham is an autobuy author for me! I loved the college party vibes but also they the learning about grief. There’s a lot you think you know and it just keeps surprising you! I liked the mix of characters, some you like, some you’re not sure of, and some you get annoyed. I thought I thought I had it figured out and then boom the end got me! I was definitely in my feels about what happened!!

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for my gifted copy!

This, I think was my favorite so far of Stacy's books.
I liked that it was different than her previous books. It was more a thriller than a detective book.
I think her writing is improved in this one. And I liked the pacing in this one.

I'm a sucker for drama, and this book didn't disappoint!

Before you read too much of my review (and maybe avoid it all together if you’re excited to read this one 🥴) know that I have seen some people like it, so you might too! I’ve also heard it’s better on audio…that the narrator makes it more entertaining, so maybe go that route.

The only thing I really liked about this one was the beginning. It started off with a great hook, and I was excited by the set-up. I loved that it started in the present, and then switched to the past to take you on the journey to piece the mystery back together.

Unfortunately, the way it was done made the pacing horribly off. There wasn’t enough present timeline to keep me engaged (it could have been used to bring in more suspense). And the past timeline had flashbacks to even more past, but I didn’t need ALL that detail.

I got bored very quickly, and started skimming. Too much inner dialogue from the main character, Lucy, that was redundant and repetitive. I don’t always have to like the characters in a thriller, but these toxic relationships were just gross.

And then the ending…I finished because I wanted to see how it all ended, and it was very underwhelming. I was surprised by most of it, but it just made me roll my eyes 🙄.

Read if you like:
SLOW burn stories
Toxic Relationships
Dark Academia

I loved Stacy’s other two novels, so I’ll still read her future books.

🔥ONLY IF YOU’RE LUCKY by Stacy Willingham🔥

📆PUB DATE: Today!
➡️Swipe for synopsis
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Format: E-book
Read if you like:
📓Campus thrillers
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Complicated friendship dynamics
📖Stacy Willingham’s previous books (A Flicker in the Dark or All the Dangerous Things)

Tuesday was publication day for Only If You’re Lucky and I wanted to share my thoughts in case you are thinking of picking this up! I’ve read all three of Stacy Willingham’s thrillers, and this one was my least favorite. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t good, it was just a lot slower and character driven than the others.

This book takes place on a liberal arts college campus after Margot has lost her best friend after high school graduation. Margot is singled out by Lucy, a popular student, who lets Margot into her friend group and life. There are a few different mysteries and storylines in this book, which was entertaining but didn’t allow for any of the storylines to feel fully fleshed out. The characters were slightly forgettable but the fast paced ending allowed the book to end on a high note. If you like more character driven thrillers, give this book a try.

Thank you @minotaur_books for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! It’s out today🫶

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary advanced reader copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

Margot is still reeling from her childhood best friend, Eliza's tragic death right before University but sets forth as one to do what they were to do together. Margot’s first year is spent, quietly doing her work and existing with her quiet roommate Maggie. But Margot cant help but notice Lucy, she has bewitching eyes and a noticeable presence. At the end of first year, Lucy announces that Margot should move in with her and her friends. Margot is drawn to Lucy and jumps at the opportunity. She quickly moves in with Lucy and her besties, Nicole and Sloane, they live in a house that is owned by and connected to a frat house by a shared shed.

The summer is spent connecting with the girls and guys next door in an alcohol and drug induced state. Lucy somehow reminds Margot of Eliza so much but she can’t figure out why, perhaps because Margot is always looking for someone to mold her, to show her who to be. When a new legacy to the fraternity is introduced to the girls, Margot is shocked to recognize him. By Halloween, things are off in the two houses and the next thing the girls know, one of the frat boys is dead and Lucy is missing. What is the truth, where is Lucy and who can Margot trust.

This was a good thriller, a quick read and enjoyable. I would definitely read more books by this author.

Thank you to Minotaur Books for the ARC of Only If You’re Lucky in exchange for an honest review!

Thriller. Margot has been sleep walking through her first week of college as she’s grieving the loss of her best friend, Eliza, who died in an accident a year prior. Until the beautiful and enigmatic Lucy randomly invites Margot to live with her and her two friends, Sloane and Nicole, in a house owned by the fraternity, Kappa Nu. Eager to put the past behind her and finally make some friends, Margot agrees. She can’t help but be drawn to Lucy, even though she’s mysterious and likes to stir the pot. But things come to a head when Levi, a Kappu Nu member and the last person to see Eliza alive, winds up dead and Lucy ends up missing.

This was a little flat for me. The middle section felt way too long and was hard to pay attention (how many party descriptors and weird Lucy interactions do we need?) and Margot came off as very immature. You don’t know what end of a cigarette to light? You don’t like your BFF hanging out with a guy because you want her to yourself so he’s “dangerous”? Grow up. That all being said - the ending had a pretty decent twist. If this book was 50-100 pages shorter I think I would have enjoyed it more.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.
This was only 3 for me! It was just ok! I had a hard time engaging in the story! If you want to revisit the nostalgia of your college days, or enjoy twists, perhaps this will work out better for you. Expected publication date: January 16, 2024.
Margot and Eliza were best friends and planned going off to Rutledge College together. That is, until Levi moved in next door to Eliza, causing a rift in the girl's friendship. He was with Eliza when she accidentally fell to her death. Margot went off to Rutledge on her own where she spent a nondescript year until she met Lucy who invited her to room with her and two other girls in a house next to and owned by a fraternity. There's something mysteriously alluring and dangerous about Lucy who fast becomes Margot's new best friend. And then Levi turns up as a pledge at the fraternity....

This was a slow burn that read a bit like a YA novel to me. The characters were in their first year of college, which is probably why it gave me that vibe. I definitely think this could have been shorter than 368 pages. Some parts dragged for me, but I stuck it out because I was curious about Lucy's character as well as what really happened to Eliza. I'm glad I kept reading because the ending had some really great and unexpected twists!

I loved this author's first two novels and will be anxious to read her next one!

Thank you, @netgalley, @stmartinspress, and @minotaur_books for the #gifted e-arc of this book!

3.5 stars

Only if You're Lucky
Author Stacey Willingham
Available now!

Thank you, @minotaur_books and @netgalley, for my #gifted e-arc of Willingham's latest psychological thriller! I was so excited to read it that I also ordered it for my BOTM pick!

This one is wild! There's always that one girl, right?! And that one girl always seems to show up at the wrong time... like when you're grieving the death of your best friends, right in the beginning of your college years when you're vulnerable and insecure enough to miss the waving red flags, just as you're ready to try and fit in and feel accepted by a new group of friends...

Enter Lucy - who came out of nowhere and grew Margot right in. What's not intriguing about her? She's gorgeous, mysterious, and everything that Margot is not. And now they're living together with two other girls in an off- campus house rented from a bunch of fraternity boys. Trouble.

And then, just when things start to feel comfortable, someone shows up from Margot's past, one of the fraternity brothers is brutally murdered, and Lucy is missing.

I was questioning everything and everyone and read this one like someone on a mission to get to the bottom of this psychological twisty mess! The end was wild! The whole book was wild, and I loved it!

Before I picked up this new thriller, I heard from a few people that it was more of a slow burn, and I’m glad I had that heads up going into it because it helped to manage my expectations.

This twisty thriller surrounding a tight-knit group of friends in college was full of shocks and surprises. Despite a lot of things going on, it is true that it was more of a slow burn. It took a while for it to unravel and at times I felt a little bogged down in all that was going on. I decided to listen on audio because I knew if it was slower, as people were saying, it would be hard for me to get into in print and I’m glad I went that route.

One complaint I have is I wished there was more character development. I know thrillers aren’t known for deep character study, but in this book, I didn’t feel like I knew any of the characters as people at all. It made it hard for me to connect to the characters or really feel invested in the story.

As far as thrillers go, it did deliver with shocking surprises and twists, especially at the ended but I don’t know if it was worth what it took to get there. If you do decide to pick this one up, I highly recommend it on audio. The narrator was great and I don’t think I’d have made it through in print.

Another suspenseful novel from Stacy Willingham! This novel follows a group of college-aged women. Lucy is the ringleader. Margot (the MC) is a bit shy. There's also Sloane and Nicole. They hang out with a fraternity a lot. Suspicions rise when one of the brothers winds up dead and Lucy disappears. This was not my favorite of SW's books! Only If You're Lucky is a bit more character-driven and dragged.

Margot meets Lucy Sharpe at the end of her freshman year. Margot is a bit of a rule follower so it is a shock when Lucy singles her out to become her friend. Lucy is charismatic and a bit dangerous and Margot is drawn to her like a bee to honey. As their friendship, if you want to call it a friendship, develops Margot realizes there is more to Lucy than meets the eye…MUCH MORE!

Margot, at first, seems to be a bit of a goody two shoes. But don’t worry, Lucy is the perfect counterpart, or is she. This is a tale full of secrets! And I mean BIG SECRETS!

I have read two of this author’s other books; All The Dangerous Things and A Flicker in the Dark . I have given both of these books 5 stars. This book fell a bit short for me. Now…this is just my opinion. This story is very slow moving. It could also have been about 100 pages shorter. That being said, I do enjoy a story with family secrets and this one has a doozy!

The narrator is one of my absolute favorites, Karissa Vacker. She is probably the reason I continued to read this tale. She is one of the bests!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝘼 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙥 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙮 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥.

Stacy Willingham has such interesting concepts with her thrillers, so far I’m not sure if any will be for me. However, I know her thrillers are so beloved so take my review with a grain of salt.

I mostly did this via audio, but I also had the ebook handy. I was immediately pulled into the story with the college setting and friendship group. As the story progressed, I began to lose interest.

I did love how the story focused on friendship and the setting was super tense. I could see why this story and author would work for other readers.

While the story was well written and the characters were strongly developed, there was a lot of inner monologues I didn’t care for. The middle also began to drag and got repetitive. It also read very YA at times and I didn’t care for the ending.

Overall, I wasn’t super obsessed with this book, but it wasn’t terrible by any means. It had its fun and intense moments. I could see others enjoying this more than I did.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!

I’m a huge fan of this author’s work and I was excited to be approved to read and review ONLY IF YOUR’E LUCKY.

Margot is starting her first year of college without her ride or die best friend Eliza who died in an accident the summer before. Margot is so grief stricken she barely manages to get through each day without breaking down. Soon she meets another student, Lucy, who she is instantly drawn to. Lucy is everything Margot wants to be. Outgoing, spontaneous, and carefree. Lucy invites Margo to room with her and two other roommates, Sloane and Nicole and Margot thinks she has scored a new best friend. What follows is a story filled with jealousy, obsession, toxic friendships and secrets.

This is Willingham’s best book yet! I really enjoyed the college setting and the dynamics between all three girls. Lucy had a magnetic personality and could convince anyone to do what she wanted. I liked how the chapters were set up BEFORE and AFTER and how the AFTER chapters always ended on a cliffhanger. I love cliffhangers and I couldn’t wait to see how everything tied up in the end. There were some twists towards the end that were shocking 😮.

I am normally not a fan of slow burn mysteries, but this author’s writing sucks me in every time. I have read all of her novels, and I cannot wait to see what she comes out with next!

Thank you @minotaur_books for gifting me this ARC.

Read if you like:

• Slow burn mysteries
• Stories centered around university life/college town
• Before/after dual timelines
• Unlikeable characters to root against

This a mystery novel about a group of friends and all the secrets they keep hidden. Before long all those secrets are going to come out and someone will end up dead.

I love reading novels like this that revolve around toxic friendships because it just gives more to the story and how anything can happen.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the mystery kept me reading and wanting more after every page. I’ve read all of Stacy Willingham’s novels so far and I will continue to read her future novels.