Margot is approached by Lucy, an outgoing and mysterious girl, who asks her to be a fourth roommate. The girls, plus Sloane and Nicole, start to get to know each other and hang out more. Margot reveals how her friend died a year ago and she thinks one of the guys they know did it. The story flashes back-and-forth between the past and the present, where the girls are being interrogated for the disappearance of Lucy and the murder she was being questioned about.

This book had me on the edge of my seat! Between the shirt chapters and cliffhangers, I had to know more. I haven’t stayed up reading a book in a minute, but here I am writing this after hours 🤪 there were some things I predicted and some things that came as a surprise, which is a balance I appreciate. I’m still processing the ending and how I feel about it, but overall, I really enjoyed this fast-paced thriller!

3.5 ⭐️ - overall I liked it and I paired this one with the audio!

𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐈𝐟 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 (Out January 16th)
Great Narrator (Obviously It Is Karissa Vacker 👑)
Dark Academia Vibes (Felt Really Similar To Other Dark Academia I have Read)
Easy To Follow (For Me)
A Couple Fun Twists (Listen And You’ll Know 🤭)
Sorority Girl Millennial Nostalgia (Millennial Through And Through 🙋🏼‍♀️)

I really loved Stacy Willingham's first book, and then liked her second one. I don't think this one was for me. I'm really hopeful the first one wasn't a fluke!

So Stacy Willingham can do no wrong!!! This book was AMAZING!!! I have loved all her others books and I truly could not put this down. Her writing is fantastic. I love the way she develops her characters as well as the plot. This was another amazing book that I finished in a day.

This thriller is dual timeline - one dealing with high school best friends and the other as young adults off at college for the first time. It’s the story of love in its many forms - and that people will do just about anything for love. The house in this one is sort of like its own character - and may be the richest character in the story. Many of the others fell flat for me - they weren’t very likeable. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this read.

This book started off great for me! I have loved all this authors past books and this one was right up there with her others. I ended up enjoying the first half more than the second, it started to feel a little repetitive and the twists weren’t very surprising

I was very excited for the chance
to read an ARC of this one as I really enjoyed the authors previous books, and also like the dark academia vibes. However, this one fell a bit flat for me and took forever to get through. The first 60-70% was just boring me, and by the time the action was finally picking up, I just wanted to finish the book. I think I may have liked it more if there were dual perspectives, as Margot was a bit boring to me, and I think Lucy, Sloane, or Nicole's perspectives could have been a juicy addition.

I have read Stacy Willingham’s other books, and jumped at the opportunity to read this one as well. It didn’t disappoint, and honestly it might actually be my favorite of hers. I’m a sucker for a good plot twist, especially when I can’t see it coming. There were SO MANY in this book! Stacy weaved together three different timelines making it all come together flawlessly at the end. The characters were relatable and the pacing was good. I don’t know if I really liked Margot by the end of the story and actually may be feeling a little bad for Lucy. I’m not sure. I need to think about that some more!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an early copy of the audiobook and the book! I listened and read along! I thought Karissa Vacker’s narration was fabulous.

Thank you to Stacy Willingham, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

So here it goes, I had so much hope for this book, but to me, it was so boring. I almost DNF'd it a bunch of times. There was no character development. I couldn't connect with the characters at all. It was way to slow.

But hey, I like the cover.

LOVED this! I'll read anything Stacy Willingham writes at this point. I was so excited when I saw she had something new coming out and this did not disappoint. As with all of her books, 5-star character development - I felt like I knew each person in the book like someone I had known for years. The plot was interesting and the pace was perfect - once it got going, I could not put this down. Just the right amount of twisty while leading you just enough - I think I figured out what Willingham wanted me to figure out exactly when she planned and was easily led astray as planned, too. Just great writing. Highly recommend to fans of psychological thrillers and anyone who enjoyed either of Willingham's previous books. 4.5 stars

"you're very vanilla...you can turn vanilla into anything right? its a blank slate. It's malleable".

and that basically sums up my review. It was ok. Didn't love it. Didn't dislike it. It was vanilla. If you are new to the author, then read her other 2 books first, they are favourites of mine. total 5 star reads!

I'll chalk this up to wrong time, wrong book for me. But I just felt like not a lot happened. Until the end, and then I was kindof expecting it to go that way.

BUT seriously, go and read her first two books. They are outstanding.

Thank you NetGalley! This is THE upcoming release I wanted to read and couldn’t believe my own luck when I received the email!

I love Willingham’s books. They aren’t perfect but they are close… and her characters! I went into this one with blinders… knowing only that it centered around twisty female friendships. And knowing that her books never disappoint. This was no exception.

Adjectives to describe what you’ll be reading when it’s released: dark, thought provoking, twisty, hypnotic…

This story revolves around unreliable narrator Margot (who is starting college after the death of her best friend) and a supporting cast of equally unreliable characters. Add in a frat house and frat brothers with shady pasts… You’ve got secrets and more secrets and lies galore! It is a slow burning dark and twisty read… about female friendships and a desire to fit in… and how far will any of us go to belong.

“All human beings, as we meet them, are commingled out of good and evil…”

3.5 stars, rounding up to 4
I liked this book and the house!…so creepy and loved it was almost like another character in the book. The story had great suspense but honestly once everything was wrapped up it fell flat for me. I mean all that for what?…the police were more interested in looking for a missing woman not a murder so…why??
Still a descent suspense.

I had a blast with this book. This was my first read by this author and I'm excited to jump start my journey by reading more of her works. I was in suspense the entire read. What a page turner! You become obsessed with the characters and what they're going to do next.

This one releases 1/16/2024! Put this on your TBR now! Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy!

Oh the good ol’ days of college - late nights drinking at the fraternity house next door, cramming for finals, murder … you know, the usual.

Only If You’re Lucky is a bit of a departure from Stacey Willingham’s other books in that it reads a bit more YA. The first half of the book is a slooooow burn but everything really comes together around 75% of the way through. I admit that I was genuinely shocked at some of the twists (while others were predictable).

I loved the focus on friendships, found family, and trust. This is a great read for those who like a slow burn, college settings, and twists that have you guessing until the last page.

A big thanks to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books for the advance copy

This was ok. So far I have yet to be completely blown away by Stacy Willingham's books even tho I have sought them out because the blurbs piqued my interest. They always seem like they're going to be delightfully juicy stories but then they veer off into predictable and nothing special.

I think this is probably my least favorite of the 3 books of hers I have now read, in this case it was just you r run of the mill thriller with typical characters and typical storylines. I barely even remember what went on, but they share similarities with so many other thrillers that it becomes impossible to keep them from all running together.

None of the characters were likable, they were all self centered and impulsive, they are impossible to empathize with or understand, everyone makes ridiculous and nonsensical choices.

It's your run of the mill young people thriller, girl gets murdered, secrets, no answers, nobody is talking, friends move on but don't, eventually they have all moved on with their lives and then of course, old secrets unearthed. Old mysteries become mysterious again & the ending reaches it's predictable conclusion,

This wasn't the worst book I ever read by any means, it was entertaining enough to keep me reading, but it wasn't"t anything special either. a solid 2.75, this is definitely my least favorite of the 3 that I've read.

3.5? 3.75? ⭐️

This was a highly anticipated book for me since I liked A FLICKER IN THE DARK and loved ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS, both by Willingham.

ONLY IF YOU’RE LUCKY worked for me with the setting and the vibes. These two played on each other really well and there was an unsettling feeling throughout the book. There were some great twists toward the end too that had me at the edge of my seat. I think Willingham did a great job with the power of influence and imbalance within friendships. There’s some really interesting parts/characters that are great discussion points!

What took away from OIYL for me was the repetition of dialogue and scenes. The ending just got a little too busy for me as well. I also feel super conflicted on the characters and am unsure if that is the point?

I do think this is worth a read! I absolutely felt the thrill and addiction of the story but it is not a new favorite of hers for me.

⚠️ TW apply.

Thank you Minotaur for the early copies!

ALRIGHT BESTIES. So you’ve already seen my author ranking so you know this one ranks between Flicker and All These Dangerous Things for me!! But it was very close with Flicker just SO different!

Think In My Dreams I Hold A Knife, very different from her past work! This one had a lot to unpack, it was more of an along for the ride thriller that def had some twists and turns but wasn’t a whodunnit format by any means. I personally LOVED how much went on and how elaborate the plot was, I would very much enjoy seeing how Stacy’s mind worked in developing the plot. Plus we love a campus thriller 🎓📚

I wasn’t sure how my cards were going to fall about halfway through but I HAD to know what happened next at all times which I definitely don’t always feel. Also I love that the frat house being a landlord was based on a real story, I feel like the best books have something cemented in reality 🌍

“If you knew you could get away with murder, would you do it?”

This is a devious story full of jealousy, female friendships, dark academia, and how we don’t always know those closest to us as well as we think we do.

I have three copies of this book. A physical copy, an eARC, and the audiobook. And as soon as I saw that @karissavacker narrated this I kindly put all but the audiobook to the side because #duh. It’s #karissavacker, audiobook narrator extraordinaire. And as anticipated, she used her talent for voices and emotion to bring this story to life!

Only If You’re Lucky unwraps like a present. It’s a tad slower paced, delving as much into the relationships between these women as the mystery aspect of the story. But the twists kept twisting and I throughly enjoyed it.

Notable quote: “I used to get so lost in these imaginary worlds, slipping into another skin every time I parted their covers. The musty scent of the pages curling beneath my nostrils like an elixir that ripped me from one reality and implanted me into the next. That’s the beauty of fiction, of words: when your life becomes too boring, too bland, too hard or depressing or chaotic or calm, they allow you to simply float away and inhabit another, try it on for size.” 😌🥰

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for the ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Only If You're Lucky by Stacy Willingham.

When the beautiful, mysterious, and enigmatic Lucy inexplicably befriends Margot during her freshman year of college, Margot is struck. Finally she belongs a crowd, and a sought after popular crowd at that. But then Levi enters the scene, a boy who Margot is convinced has something to do with the death of her best HS friend, and suddenly not all is as rosy in this intoxicating co-ed crowd, especially when Lucy goes missing.

I really tried to dive into this book, it has a strong start and a lot of elements that make a good psychological thriller. And there was a lot to enjoy, but it was still a bit too drawn out and muddled. Maybe had I read it, instead of listening to it, i would have had a different experience, but I could never quite fully sink my teeth into this story.