Ever since her mom passed away Lux’s life has been in limbo. She’s moved to Hawaii with Nico, her boyfriend with promises of sailing the open seas to anywhere their heart desired. Except they haven’t exactly been sailing, and instead she’s stuck on the island with what feels like no way out. That is until Nico meetings Brittany and Amma, who offer to pay him $50,000 to sail them to a deserted island and join them on their two week long off-grid vacation. Of course him and Lux jump at the chance to bankroll their sailing adventures, and who wouldn’t want two weeks free to do anything. Only problem is that another boat has beaten them to Meroe Island, and it might not be quite the paradise they were all expecting.

There are quite a few POVs and jumping timelines in this book and Hawkins does put the majority of the focus on the female characters, which makes sense once you go through the story. Realistically though, the glimpses into the past didn’t make a ton of sense to me as you were reading the book and for 90% of the book I could have done without them. Lux was probably my favorite character to learn about and she certainly is positioned to be our main focus. While Hawkins does a great job of developing the characters and giving them back stories, I didn’t connect with any of the characters, and maybe I’m just getting old but they make such dumb mistakes and I had a few eye roll moments. Next thing ya’ll know I’ll be yelling for the kids to stay off my yard.

This is a fun thriller and was one of my most anticipated for January 2022. I will say that I rounded up to ★★★★ from 3.5 because it was such a fast read. However, it’s not going to make any ‘Best of’ lists for me, as I found it to be a bit forgettable after finishing. Don’t get me wrong, it was a fun read, but it’s not one that sticks with you especially if you read tons of thrillers. Bonus points though for it having an interesting twist and it being such a fast read.


Reckless Girls comes out January 4, 2022. Huge thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my advanced copy, in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof_books.

Reading Between the Wines book review #127/115 for 2021:
Rating: 4 🍷 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book 🎧: Reckless Girls
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Genre: General Fiction (Adult)
RELEASES on January 4, 2022! GET YOUR COPY!!

Sipping thoughts: The Wife Upstairs was a really good book and so was this one. I did not know what to expect and where the story was heading. It is one of those stories that once everything is revealed you are like, duh! Why didn’t I see that coming or figure that out! One thing is for sure, I did not like hardly any of these characters throughout the story.

Sipping synopsis in seconds: Boyfriend/Girlfriend. Sails boat with 2 strangers to remote island. Everyone is just strange. Background stories sound a little sus. Flashback to before and after. Wait there more people on this island. All 6 hang and party. I know there isn’t another person on the island. Why is he so weird? Missing person. Missing items. A dead body. Lies revealed. Flashbacks make sense. Mayhem.

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley and @StMartinsPress and @ladyhawkins for an advanced copy of @RecklessGirls.

#RecklessGirls #StMartinsPress #RachelHawkins #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

Let's sail to a beautiful, yet deserted island with a dark past and creepy vibes. What could possibly go wrong? Hmm...

Yet, when Meroe Island's newest visitors arrive, they find themselves not alone. With nowhere to go and not much to do, eventually the secrets, betrayals, and possible motives come to light.

Classified as a suspense thriller, I kept waiting for something (literally anything) to happen. Outside of one twist near the ending I did not foresee, the suspense, the build-up, and action I anticipated after reading the summary never came. Interesting enough, the book was fast-paced and held my attention.

The characters left me wanting more backstory, more depth, given their actions were often predictable and unlikable. Between the unnecessary swearing and lack of respect for his girlfriend, Nico won the prize of most hated character.

In hindsight, maybe it is best to go into this book blindly. Do not read the summary. After all, that is exactly what these reckless girls did.

I don’t know if I’ve ever felt more tension-filled reading a book before! Reckless Girls is riveting! Flipping between the Before, Now and ending in The After, it follows Lux, Brittany, Emilia, and Amma as they adventure to a remote island with Lux’s boyfriend Nico and Emilia’s boyfriend Jake. I loved the primal-ness of this, and the setting was just perfect. One second it felt like paradise and then a nightmare. I loved the Now is in Lux’s POV but the Before sections are glimpses into everyone’s past. It is tense and eerie. Even surrounded by people, Lux feels like an island of her own and I just loved getting her perspective throughout. I loved how complex everyone felt, all hiding something while living intimately on this remote location. There were some predictable bits, but I really was into this! There’s suspense, friendship, betrayal, and loss on this slice of eerie paradise and I couldn’t put it down!

Lux and her boyfriend Nico are hired to sail two women, Brittney and Amma, to a remote island in the South Pacific. When they arrive they meet Jake and Eliza who are piloting his luxury catamaran. At first the six enjoy the wonders of being "in paradise" but their vacation quickly turns into something much darker. Hawkins tells the story from multiple viewpoints and uses flashbacks to unearth the secrets that each character hides. I liked the backstories and the revelations of how the characters fit together. There was also an interesting twist that totally surprised me. The conclusion of the book was a bit too abrupt for me. The language was sometimes unnecessarily rough but overall it was a good read. I thank the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this ARC.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book, but it went a little downhill from there.

What I liked:
• Alternate timelines and glimpses into the characters’ pasts.
• Fast paced story (I read the book in less than 24 hours).
• The deserted island setting.

What I didn’t like:
• The ridiculous, far-fetched ending.
• The love triangle bit.
• The creep factor didn’t really happen for me until right at the end and then it was over.

This was an entertaining read, but not one that will stick with me.

I received this book from NetGalley publishers and very glad I got the opportunity to read it.
I haven't read many of this authors books will need to start..

Eager to escape tragedy in her personal life, Lux jumps at the chance to join her boyfriend Nico, who’s been hired to sail college bffs Brittany and Amma to the remote Moroe Island. The four become fast friends, and when they arrive to Moroe, are surprised to see another boat moored on its shores. Its owners are a rich couple, happy to share the island and their extensive resources, and everything is idyllic until a stranger disrupts the balance in paradise. Suddenly, someone is missing and someone else is dead. Will anyone escape Moroe alive?

If you were hooked by Rachel Hawkins’ previous release, The Wife Upstairs, Reckless Girls won’t disappoint! It’s a locked room mystery, set almost entirely on the shores of a remote island. Rife with red herrings and allusions to secrets being harbored by each of the characters, you’re never quite sure who to trust and what their motives might be.

I know I say this often (should I have tshirts made???) but every single one of the characters was unlikable, particularly Lex. She makes dumb decisions (following Nico to Maui in the first place is just the first of many) and I found myself disliking her more and more throughout. As the group dynamic collapsed, I honestly wouldn’t have been shocked (or disappointed) if they all died.

The ending was a bit too far of a reach for me, and I’ve read a few reviews that said similar. It’s unexpected, so Reckless Girls earned an automatic three stars, but I’m not sure it’s the direction I would have chosen

Overall, we recommend Reckless Girls for a before-bed read! Warning: You might find it unputdownable!

I don’t read many thrillers but I really enjoyed Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins. The fast pacing kept me engaged as I tried to work out what was coming next.

The story is told in multiple POVs. Before is where we get the back story of all the ‘Reckless Girls’. Now is told from Lux’s POV. In the after is the epilogue.

The twists and turns kept me guessing on a few things. On other things, I was able to figure it out as I read. Both didn’t take anything away from my enjoying the story.

Reckless Girls is out on January 4,2022. Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

"From Rachel Hawkins, the New York Times bestselling author of The Wife Upstairs, comes Reckless Girls, a deliciously wicked Gothic suspense, set on an isolated Pacific island with a dark history, for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware.

ONE ISLAND

Beautiful, wild, and strange - Meroe Island is a desolate spot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a mysterious history of shipwrecks, cannibalism, and even rumors of murder. It’s the perfect destination for the most adventurous traveler to escape everything... except the truth.

SIX VISITORS

Six stunning twentysomethings are about to embark on a blissful, free-spirited journey - one filled with sun-drenched days and intoxicating nights. But as it becomes clear that the group is even more cut off from civilization than they initially thought, it starts to feel like the island itself is closing in, sending them on a dangerous spiral of discovery.

COUNTLESS SECRETS

When one person goes missing and another turns up dead, the remaining friends wonder what dark currents lie beneath this impenetrable paradise - and who else will be swept under its secluded chaos. With its island Gothic sensibility, sexy suspense, and spine-tingling reimagining of an Agatha Christie classic, Reckless Girls will wreck you."

I love it when authors explore other locals where the Gothic can reside!

I had high hopes going into this one after loving The Wife Upstairs, but I admittedly was a bit disappointed by Reckless Girls. I love a thriller that jumps around in the timeline and the description throughout the book really made you imagine the island. I get that the ending was supposed to be super twisty and shocking, but frankly I found it chaotic and not in a good way. It was still a fast paced and fun read.

3.5/5

Creepy, slow burn suspense novel that has you gripped until the end. Story is divided between current situation on the island and flashbacks providing background on some of the characters. I wasn't surprised at the "reveal" but more like it confirmed my suspicions.

Unfortunately this wasn't my cup of tea. I enjoyed certain aspects of the story, mainly the low level creepiness from the beginning, but there were too many plot holes that kept me distracted. Also, there wasn't one character that I liked, and definitely have zero interest in spending any time with them on a deserted island.

I kept thinking there was going to be some connection to The Island of Dr. Moreau since the island is called Meroe Island. Kept waiting for the mutant animals/humans to show up.

The cover is beautiful, but doesn't fit the tone of the book and I think it will confuse readers looking for a summer beach read.

WOW what can I say about this amazing book? Rachel Hawkins is one of my go to authors so when I was offered Reckless Girls I accepted without reading the description! I went in with no idea of what was going to happen and I loved that! Rachel writes such engaging stories that once I start reading I can not stop until I devour the whole book. Rachel fills the pages of Reckless Girls with secrets and surprises. I love love loved the way the story was told in parts by flashbacks. Sometimes flashbacks can get confusing but it was totally Rachel's jam!

The Reckless Girls tells the story of Lux, and her boyfriend Nico, hired to take two college friends to Meroe Island, a very remote, uninhabited island in the South Pacific. Lux had been lured to Hawaii by her boyfriend, with the promise of sailing and adventure. Instead, she had gotten a dead end job and a broken boat that Nico (despite being rich, and having easy access to money if he wanted it) has chosen to deny his family's wealth and make it on their own. Lux is disappointed with her life, so when the opportunity to take Amma and Brittany to Meroe comes up, both Nico and Lux jump at the chance to go. Boat fixed, they are on their way to Meroe. However, nothing ends up how any of them expect.

Reckless GIrls is engaging, and instantly pulls you into the story. Most will be able to identify with Lux, dreaming big, but life falling short of what she wanted. She is witty and vulnerable, feeling, at times, that her boyfriend is losing interest in her. We can all relate. We also can relate to the need for adventure and doing something new that draws Lux to this trip. The characters are relatable, and it is easy to understand their motivations and why they do what they do.

This book is full of surprises, with almost all of the characters hiding their own secrets, and having their own agendas. All is unraveled through a series of flashbacks, first with Amma and Brittany's relationship then with Eliza and Jake's (the mysterious Australians that are also vacationing off the beaten path at Meroe Island). The flashbacks shed light on the motivations and the back story of the characters, information that is essential to understand why some of them did what they did.

Overall, this is a worthwhile, page turning read, that will have you saying "just one more chapter!!" until you are done. The fast pace made it an easy read, and I would highly recommend for those who like domestic thrillers, and those who enjoy books where not everything (or everyone) is what they seem.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

You can always count on Rachel Hawkins for a suspenseful ride and a twisty ending! Lux McAllister is drifting since her mom passed away. She decides to follow her boyfriend, Nico"s, dreams instead. Sailing to Hawaii & working at a hotel to pay for his ship's repairs so that they can sail the world together. But they've ended up in Maui a bit longer then Lux would have liked. When Niko is offered a ton of money to sail Brittany and Amma to Meroe Island, an isolated tropical paradise, they jump at the chance for adventure. But Meroe Island isn't what it seems. And they're not as isolated as they thought they'd be.
Jake and Eliza, a golden couple, are already there. And as much as Lux wanted the isolation, she gravitates to these new friends. She is finally at peace. Until a creepy stranger shows up out of nowhere and throws their tenuous group into a tailspin.
The ending is so good, it's almost criminal. :)

*Thanks to MacMillan and NetGalley for this ARC.*

I read one of Rachel Hawkin's series for younger readers, so when I saw she was writing thrillers for adults, I was excited! And I think she's honestly the perfect choice for this genre, her writing has always read as a little "dishy" if you will, and that style really lends itself well to the "thrillers with girl/wife in the title" genre. So yeah, I was not disappointed! It's definitely got some elements of And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie happening, except the characters and the way they interact is very "now'. It did take a while for the bodies to start piling up, but a flashed-forward beginning keeps the tension high. Honestly, the best thing to compare it to might be White Lotus - it definitely has social commentary around privilege that made The White Lotus so fascinating and there's that "who is the proverbial coffin" mystery happening. Anyway, I think fans of the genre will like it, and it's a good read for those of us (like me) who don't read thrillers too often! 4 stars - I really liked it.

The synopsis for Reckless Girls sounded like it would be a few misfits, some with dead-end lives and some with a golden parachute that when put together get into some mischief that makes for a fun read. A stint on Meroe island sounds like a dream trip but when you add a few strangers and unwanted guests into isolation, things are bound to go off course. While Reckless Girls is an easy read that kept me entertained and engaged, the plot was slower than I expected; picking up towards the very end. I really enjoyed The Wife Upstairs and was hoping Reckless Girls was going to be another fast-paced, 'what is happening 'type of read. If you're looking for an easy read that keeps you entertained Reckless Girls comes out January 4, 2022 and would be a fun post-holiday read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early read of this book!

Lux is living with her boyfriend Nico in Hawaii. They are trying to earn enough money to fix his boat and set out on an adventure at sea, but things are going slowly. Until two young woman – Brittany and Amma – approach them and offer to fix their boat in exchange for a ride to a near-by deserted island that they read about in an adventure magazine. Despite some misgivings, Lux and Nico can’t pass up the opportunity to get their boat fixed. But when they get to the island, there is another boat there already. Four becomes six, which at first seems fine. Jake and Eliza are friendly and fun and willing to share their booze. They spend their days hanging out on the beach and exploring the small island. Then another boat approaches but this new guy doesn’t fit in. Suddenly, someone is dead and someone is missing and it becomes very clear that more than one person on the island has been keeping secrets. This is a fast-paced read and I especially enjoyed the play on the “locked room” mystery set on an island. Reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, if you liked Lucy Foley’s The Guest List or Ruth Ware’s The Woman in Cabin 10, then give Reckless Girls a try.

📚 ℝ𝔼𝕍𝕀𝔼𝕎 📚

Reckless Girls
Rachel Hawkins
Pub Date: January 3, 2022
@stmartinspress

I can’t believe I am starting on my 2022 ARCs. It seems like we still have tons of time but it’s quickly approaching a new year. Thank you St. Martins Press for my advanced copy of Reckless Girls in exchange for my honest review.

I didn’t hate this book at all but I felt it lacking in areas.

Things I liked:
I’ve expressed many times that the locked room trope is my favorite among thrillers. While this isn’t a typical locked room, the isolated island and unreliable characters gives it the feel of it.

I liked the timeline and how we get flashbacks of the past to shape the present.

I however felt the writing was geared to more of a ya audience which makes sense since she was previously a ya author.

I am no prude and use my fair share of vulgarity but it felt like a lot of curse words were thrown in just because she wanted to use them. It didn’t feel authentic.

I hate that it was mostly a miss for me BUT it did move very fast and can easily be read in a day.

I loved so many things about this book - the setting was amazing, it was fast paced and kept me turning the pages quickly. However, at one point I looked down at my ereader and saw that I was 70% through and none of the major plot points from the synopsis had happened yet! I found the end to be kind of haphazardly thrown together and the final act had me rolling my eyes. Overall I really enjoyed the experience of reading this book, but the ending just left me a little disappointed. 3.5 stars rounded up!