I was lucky enough to win an eARC of ONLY IF YOU'RE LUCKY by Stacy Willingham through a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thank you for the early look, and have a safe and happy autumn!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and Stacey Willingham for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for and honest review!
@netgalley
@stacyvwillingham
@stmartinspress
@minotaur_books

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication day: 1/16/24

My Summary:
I really enjoyed this one like all Stacy Willingham books I’ve read. She keeps your attention through the entire book with a thrilling plot and strong characters. If you love fast paced books and twisty psychological thrillers this is definitely for you. Don’t forget to read the Author’s note for a surprise I didn’t see coming. I highly recommend!

#read #readmorebooks #netgalley #staceywillingham #stmartinspress #minotaurbooks #bookstagram #thriller #suspense #bookaddict #bookworm #sorority #5star #tbr

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!
I have enjoyed all of Stacy Willingham’s books I’ve read so far - this was no different! The storyline was mostly set in the past with a chapter every few that was set in the current day. Those always left me reading faster to see what got them to that point! I felt like this book kept a pretty good pace, wouldn’t say fast paced but enough that it kept my interest without feeling like I was bored. There were several twists and I hadn’t expected a couple of them! The last several chapters had me a little shocked but not surprised. Overall I loved this book and would recommend if you enjoyed her other books!

This was SO GOOD. Stacy Willingham never fails with her twists! I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read the ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“One was an accident, one a mistake, and one a necessity to save us all.”

Stacy Willingham writes dark academia? I’m here for it. Pretty different from her other books (also 4/5⭐️ reads for me) this one is a dual timeline, twisty and detailed and not a slow burn but a satisfying burn.

If you want a college setting full of secrets and lies, unreliable characters, psychological games and building tension all leading up to some crazy twists… Then you’ll want to read this one.

Stacy Willingham is definitely one of my new favorites and I can’t wait for more from her!

Thanks to @netgalley and @stacyvwillingham and @minotaur_books for this ARC coming out January 16, 2024 in exchange for my honest feedback.

Swipe for synopsis on Goodreads. 💛 #pagesplantsandcoffee #bookreview

The story is a slow-paced tale aimed at a younger audience due to its college setting. It follows Margot, who is grieving her best friend Eliza's death and finds new friends in Lucy, Sloane, and Nicole. As their friendship deepens, Margot shares her past with Eliza and becomes concerned when Levi, Eliza's previous neighbor, moves in next door. The story involves games, truth-telling, and references to Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, exploring themes of belonging and the dual nature of people. While different from the author's previous works, it offers a character study and suspense, though not my favorite compared to her earlier books. If you're a fan of Willingham, it's worth a read. Looking forward to her next release!

Only If You’re Lucky was very different than her other two novels, which I really
enjoyed. This was a s l o w burn read. I felt like there was a lot of character development in the ways we think we are supposed to know them as we read. Lots of half truths, lies and wondering if we know the characters at all. It did not pick up until later in the book but once it did, it was twist after twist after twist! So many, that I could not stop until I finished reading. The ending made the slow burn so worth it!

Only If You’re Lucky is out on January 16, 2024!

I really enjoyed this book! I appreciated the juxtaposition of past vs. present and it made for a fast paced book. Honestly the themes of this book are very relatable, even if the content (I.e., murder) may not be. I think all of us have felt what it feels like to want someone who doesn’t want us. I felt myself rooting for the antihero at times because of this. I enjoyed the way the author tied up several smaller pieces of storyline into the main storyline and better yet the twists were not predictable.

This is my favorite Stacy Willingham book to date. The story was an enticing combination of Southern Gothic and Pretty Little Liars. College is such an insular experience and the relationships Margot formed with her best friends were so relatable - a near obsessive and possessive connection with people you’ve only just met but who also know your deepest thoughts. I usually can tell where a story is going but with this book, I didn’t see the major twist coming. My only complaint was the confusing combination of timelines - the “after” sequences didn’t feel completely necessary and made the jumps between high school Margot and college Margot almost more confusing.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for offering me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book!

If you enjoy stories about college kids behaving badly with underage drinking, frat parties, and secrets, this is a perfect choice. Margot quickly falls under the spell of Lucy Sharpe, and after a freshman year of hiding within herself, agrees to move into an off-campus house with her and two other friends. As the girls slowly unfold their secrets, boys from their past show up, someone dies, and Lucy disappears. The tension rackets up slowly and then the pace increases rapidly toward an unexpected denouement. I really enjoyed this read, especially the later chapters when I kept changing my mind about what I thought was happening. The atmosphere of the setting in the old house the girls are renting and the beach they visit, the descriptions of how depression felt to Margot, and the final answers were all so well written.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for my eARC.

This was my first book by Stacy Willingham and I will definitely be reading more of her work! I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the characters, the drama, and how you discover more of the truth as you read along. This is my ideal kind of book to read.

Only If You're Lucky is the first Stacy Willingham book I've read, after hearing so many great things about her previous books, and it was a very fun ride!
A slow burn, this is the story of Margot and her experience at college after the death of her childhood best friend. At school she meets a girl named Lucy and is instantly taken with her and the ways that she reminds Margot of her old friend. From there it's a story draped in mystery as we watch all of the twists and turns unfold. The book kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for this author in the future.
Please find attached my spoiler free youtube review that goes a little more indepth.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I may becoming spoiled by all of the psych thrillers I have read. This authors first two books were quite good but this one fell flat. The female friendship storyline felt too predictable. I struggled to finish

I was thrilled when I received an advanced copy for Only If You're Lucky, and this book did not disappoint! Right for the beginning, this slow burn novel kept me hooked and reading long into the night. Every single character was so perfectly written. I felt like I was just another college student living alongside the main characters, watching the thrills and chills unfold. I was fully immersed, and every twist was more shocking than the last. Stellar!

Thank you, Stacy Willingham, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book!

"In time, it may fade, but it'll never truly be gone - because if one goes down, we all go down, which might be the most steadfast act of friendship I've ever known."

This story is a dark and chilling look into female friendships, the lies we tell each other, and how much we may never know those closest to us. If you like slow paced, character driven thrillers, this is the one for you. I have loved this authors previous books and this one is no different. Willingham is clearly a talented author and she knows how to write a good thriller.

This one was a little hard for me, because I didn't truly get into the story until about halfway through. This is definitely a slow burn, but it ramps up speed and the pieces of the puzzle start coming together quickly. I still highly recommend this book, because this author is an incredible writer and the ending is wild, but be aware of the slow burn!

5 stars

This book tells the twisty tale of friendship between Margot, a shy college student grieving the death of her best friend, and Lucy, the bold and dangerous girl who lives down the hall. At the end of the year, Lucy singles Margot out and asks her to be the fourth roommate at her new house. Margot accepts and becomes a party girl, frequenting the frat house next door with her new roomies. When one of the frat boys ends up dead and Lucy goes missing, Margot finds herself in the middle of a police investigation.

Yes! I really enjoyed this book! It had me from the start and I couldn’t put it down. Although a bit of a slow burn, there are lots of twists revealed as the book goes on. I would definitely recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Stacy Willingham just doesn't miss! I've read every one of her books so far and haven't been let down. She's become an insta-read author for me.

Only If You're Lucky follows Margot as she navigates college life while still grieving the death of her best friend. Enter Lucy -- she's magnetic and popular and full of life. She invites Margot to live in an off-campus house with her and her two friends, Sloane and Nicole. Only it's not long before one of the fraternity boys next door ends up dead and Lucy goes missing.

This book is full of unexpected twists and turns and had me racing through the pages to figure out what was going on. Loved this so much and highly recommend!

📚 Review: Only If You’re Lucky 🍁
Wow!! What a book!! I loved it! Once I was about halfway through the book, I could not put it down. I had my interest the entire time.
I kept thinking I knew who was going to be guilty but I was wrong again and again. So many twists in this one, which I love. When a book has me guessing and I get them all wrong, then you know it’s good.
For those not familiar because it’s not out yet, this book takes place on a college campus. College friends living the life at school, partying and falling in love, until someone ends up dead. This book gave me In My Dreams I Hold A Knife vibes and I was totally here for it. It’s told in two timelines, Before and After. It’s just so good with so many twists. I really enjoyed this one a lot. This is my third Stacy Willingham book and it is definitely my favorite. For those who liked her first two books, you’ll see what I mean. As a writer, Stacy is definitely perfecting her craft with each book. 🙌🏻♥️ This was a great binge read and it was for sure ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars for me!

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress and @stacyvwillingham for this advanced ebook copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Pub Date: January 16, 2024
You’ll definitely want to pick up your own copy.

Have you read this book yet? Did you like her first two books?

Another solid 4.5 ⭐️ read from Stacy Willingham! Only If You’re Lucky tells the twisty tale of Margot and how she deals with losing her best friend Eliza right before they leave for college. Where it is a twisty and suspenseful ride, it is also a slow burn 🔥. However, the last 30% of this read are fantastic!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Absolutely amazing story! There were so many complexities to this story that I was kept on the edge of my seat, devouring the story! The twists were completely unexpected!