The only reckless thing about this book was my choice to read it. Absolute snore fest with insufferable characters.

Ok, I have to admit that I knew/remembered NOTHING about this book. I just knew I liked The Wife Upstairs and was excited to read Hawkins’ new west adult thriller. And it did not disappoint!

What a damn good setting for a thriller, first of all. The island was balanced just enough between beautiful and creepy that I felt Lux’s moods when she was being affected by her surroundings. I also watch a lot of Survivor, so even when I was unimpressed by a character’s actions, I kind of understood how being abandoned with a specific group of people can really start to unravel your nerves/mental health and lead to problems. (Not that I approved of certain things, but they did also lend to the island’s lore of “bad things happen.”)

Lux and the other (mostly women) characters were all interesting and pretty well defined thanks to the flashbacks woven into the story. I was pretty shook when I started to realize how things were going to tie together. And that ending?? Damn Daniel. I almost slow clapped when I finished the book.

My biggest gripe is that the ending was kinda wrapped up too neatly. I don’t want to get into spoiler territory too much, but I don’t get how Lux could do what she did without being hunted down by the FBI or some shit. Maybe I read it too fast and missed some details, but wouldn’t a boat be missing? And where did Robbie’s boat go?? I have questions!!

Interesting read, enjoyed the plot twists and turns. I didn't really like the characters but then I don't think you were supposed to like them.

This book was one twisty ride! Meroe Island is a deserted island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean that has a long history. A trip to the island does not end the way a group expected -- and the plot twist is one that I did not see coming!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins is a twisted suspenseful who-dun-it novel that follows six twenty-something year olds as they explore a private island in a style reminiscent of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. While you automatically grow to like certain characters more than others, at no point do you truly trust of them... especially when people show up dead. The book had me guessing, and second-guessing myself, throughout. I couldn't put it down!

This one had all the makings for a good book! I absolutely loved the setting, but it felt entirely too slow. I was over 60% of the way through the book, and we still hadn't gotten to the thrill or mystery of it. I read it very quickly, but wish there was more to it!

I have a love hate relationship with Rachel Hawkins books. The concept always seems good, but the endings and what is supposed to be a twist/ thriller falls flat. This book is no exception. 6 people on a deserted island, everything seems great at first, until the dead bodies start piling up and some people are not who you originally thought. Luxe and her boyfriend Nico happened into the predicament when two girls on vacation in Hawaii asked to be boated out to this island. Luxe and Nico’s relationship is complicated and arguably not much of a relationship at all. Which is interesting at first, but starts to fall flat throughout the book. I kept hoping for more suspense since this is a thriller, but no part of this book had me waiting on the edge of my seat, by the end I was just glad to be done.

I enjoyed this read. It wasn't super believable, but it was still fun to try to figure out the next moves of the characters and decide who was "good" and who was "bad".

This was a suspenseful, heart-pounding ride with a dreamy setting that exudes the aroma of coconuts and palm tree breezes with murder and intrigue! I read this book in 2 days and found the pacing consistent throughout. I liked the characters and found them to be the right blend of appealing and suspicious. Full review can be heard on podcast The Book Reporters, episode 14, released 1/10/22.

WOW, okay...I am so sorry that I waited so long to read this one!
This was such a fun and quick read once I got into it! It truly kept me guessing and turning pages faster than ever.

I love anything where people are in close proximity, I think it's my favorite plot element of any book. So, I loved this one!

Many of us dream of getting away from it all for a while, hiding away where no one can find us. But when a group of twenty-somethings find themselves alone on a tropical island in Reckless Girls by author Rachel Hawkins, their dream vacation soon turns into a nightmare...

Full review published on NightsAndWeekends.com - and aired on Shelf Discovery

This book, oh man, this book! I haven't read any Agatha Christie, but I've seen some tv and film adaptations of some of her books, and maybe some other books that are retelling hers but this is the first that I know is an reimagining, and it was so great!

We know that there's something funky going on about this. It starts off with someone in the water, bleeding. Plus the synopsis. And I loved the way that it was told, we saw them at the time when they were coming to the island, and then interspersed where scenes from tantalizing moments of these characters lives before the island, and I loved how we saw these characters and their secrets build, it was so great! Especially since we were only ever in the girls' heads.

Sometimes I wanted to shake these characters. It is called reckless girls, and there are some questionable decisions made. But sometimes some risky choices have to be made, because the world doesn't treat them as well as it does the guys, who seem to just have everything handed to them, including Nico and Jake.

Oh, and the reveals, as they came! I read this book so quickly, that I didn't take the time to think about how the pieces could come together, and even though I had them, I'm pretty sure I couldn't have put them together until things were more clearly stated. So watching that ending unfold was fantastic!

I loved reading this book, and I need to read more of Rachel Hawkin's books!

This book appealed to me because of the Agatha Christie trapped on an island with a serial killer mystery/thriller vibe. I really enjoyed the author's modern retelling of Jane Eyre with The Wife Upstairs. This book did not live up to expectations. I didn't like any of the characters and found it hard to believe that MC trusted everybody she met without any suspicion of their intentions. I will still pick up the next book by this author. Thank you #NetGalley for my ARC.

OO these are my favorite. Beaches, drama, whodunnit? Can't go wrong... I mean, it wasn't the most shocking or twisty book. I definitely was able to predict some twists and turns. Did I enjoy reading it though? Yes!

Easy to read, and blessedly short because what a waste of time! Not a single person is likable! Definitely an island to stay away from. You have to really pay attention to the before parts, or sub plots in this book. I ended with too many questions and not really a desire to seek them out. Foolish people having indulgent spoiled fun. Not a happy ending.
More of a who done it than a thriller.
I'm feeling bit frustrated with Rachel Hawkins books, they get tons of pre-pub attention and the covers are fabulous, but they don't all live up to the hype.

I really enjoyed this book. I like Rachel Hawkins writing style. This book had a few twists and turns that kept me reading. The ending was a bit of a surprise.

This one started strong. The writing was engaging, and I was interested in where the story would go. I feel like she could have gone a different direction and it would have worked for me. Instead it was just a lot of talking at each other and drama that wasn't overly interesting.

Meroe Island has all sorts of bad vibes, but Lux and her boyfriend Nico decide to take two Hawaii tourists on an adventurous trip there. The foursome decides to party with another couple visiting the island, when a seventh stranger — and a grungy, sketchy one at that — crashes their party and Lux is reminded that she truly can’t trust anyone on this island and there’s no one who will be able to help her escape should she need to.

This one has resided on my TBR — mostly because I knew I wanted to take it on this trip but also because I’ve heard mixed reviews. Overall I thought it was ok — it’s one of the ones where you just have to accept that all the decisions made are going to be stupid and you have to hold yourself back from screaming, “well you’re the one who went to a remote dangerous island with strangers!!? What did you think would happen !?”

I do love an atmospheric thriller though so definitely would recommend a read if you’re still trying to ride the last ~wave~ of summer!

Oh my god, I picked this up meaning to read 50 pages and then go to bed and then I finished it in one sitting!!!!

I haven't read a Rachel Hawkins thriller before and I've had this e-arc for...over a year, oops. The main character, Lux, was really fun to read from and this is told in fractured timelines from different POV's - the way it all comes together is SO satisfying.

There's not really a mystery, per se, until the end of the book when some questions come up, but the atmosphere was so well done that you get a sense of pervasive dread from the island itself.

I loved the main themes of this book - <spoiler>taking back your power against shitty men (...not that I'm condoning murder)</spoiler> and people using backpacking to run away from their problems?? RELATABLE

I enjoyed the premise of this one, essentially a locked door mystery but out on an island. It had a few good twists but not too many that it overwhelmed. I do love seeing things all pull together however I was a bit underwhelmed with the ending. A solid 3 stars for me, which is good!