The first 1/3 of the book was long, as the character development drug on. I knew something big was going to happen and spent most of the book waiting for the shoe to drop. The plot twist at the end was great but there were still quite a few open holes in a few characters plot lines. I really want to know what happened to the character that was left over at the end. It definitely screamed female-lead and empowerment, which I am all here for. I love that it showed a character finding herself.

The narrator was amazing! Her use of multiple accents and vocal tones, and how each flowed effortlessly into the next, was awe-inspiring. I am not a huge audiobook listener, but I fell easily into this one!

3.25
I really wanted to love this book after I loved the wife upstairs but I was a little disappointed in this one. The story follows Lux, a woman who lost her mother to cancer and is now on her own ,and her boyfriend Nico , a rich playboy who turned away from his family, as the take to college girls to a remote islands named Meroe Island. Once they arrive at this spooky island with a sordid past strange things start happening and drama begins.

I liked the second half of this book it really picked up while the first half was a little slow and didn’t draw me in right away. The characters in this book were so unlikeable though that I had a hard time relating to them and caring what happened. The epilogue section really kind of annoyed me I felt like it was not needed. I did listen to this book as an audiobook and I did enjoy the narrator. Overall this was a fun book but I just was expecting more since I loved The Wife Upstairs. I still plan on picking up more books from this author in the future.I would like to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

The life that Lux McAllister thought she would have with boyfriend, Nico, has not quite turned out.
When the pair are hired to sail two women, college friends Brittany and Amma, to a remote island in the South Pacific, Lux is excited to begin a new adventure. Wanting to travel to a place off the beaten path, Meroe Island seems to have the peace and traquility they seek. Upon arrival, however, the group soon finds out that they are not the only ones there. Jake and Eliza, along with their catamaran, seem to be everything that Lux is not. Just when she starts to relax and enjoy the peaceful surroundings, a suspicious stranger throws off the whole dynamic for Lux.

Throw a bunch of people together on a deserted island, with a little paranoia and suspicion, and you have Reckless Girls. I wanted to like this book and, though I did like the narrator's performance of the novel, I was not a fan. Although a lot of back story was given for the characters, I still never felt a connection. All of them seemed to have an agenda and none of the characters were all that realistic. The reader was told of the desolation of the island, but it really did not come to life. Reckless Girls was the type of book that might be better told visually, as the setting would be stunning for a movie. None of the characters were all that likable, except maybe Brittany. The narrator did a good job of portraying the story, but it was just not enough to elevate the novel for me. For these reasons, I would be hesitant to recommend Reckless Girls to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Audio Copy of Reckless Girls by NetGalley and the publisher, Macmillan Audio. The decision to review the audio version of this book was entirely my own.

These are all unlikable people. I am having a hard time with this one because there is no one to root for and truly nothing much happens until the end.

I liked and disliked this book so I am having trouble rating it, did the ending make the rest worth it? It made a 3 stars book.

Barrie Kreinik’s narration was well done and everyone had a distinct voice.

I will read more by Hawkins this one just won’t be my favorite. Read The Wife Upstairs for that one!

3 stars

I received this audiobook from the publisher Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for a fair and honest review.

This story follows Lux and her boyfriend Niko, who are asked to take 2 young women, Brittany and Amma, to the deserted Meroe island.

When they get there, they learn they aren't the only ones with this idea, as they run into Jake and Eliza, visitors from Australia who were looking to have their own vacation away from civilization.

Very quickly it becomes clear something is not right about this island. We get brief interludes - letters from previous travelers, things from the future - that let us know there is something maleficent about Meroe island. And Brittany and Amma have their own sordid tale that plays out. This is a classic locked room (locked island?) mystery.

I think my issue with this story is it really strays that line of plausibility. That people with all these secrets just somehow wind up on the same island. Still this was a very quick listen and kept me entertained. Things just get really jumbled towards the end of the book, as it feels like the author was trying to throw everything in all at once.

The narration on this audiobook was excellent. She does a great australian accent!

Thank you Macmillan audio for giving me an advanced review copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Rachel Hawkins does it again!! I was totally invested in these characters. Flipping the pages and listening along at record speed. Even though this was a slow burn kind of mystery it kept me guessing what was going to happen next. The suspense truly builds up throughout the book before the twist happen at the end of the book. Definitely worth the read! Go in blind and enjoy the ride!

A huge shout out to NetGalley & the publishers for an advance audiobook and ebook of Reckless Girls in exchange doe my honest review. 4 stars! And can we take a moment to admire this stunningly beautiful cover!! Absolutely stunning!

Rachel Hawkins has become one of my favorite authors! This book was amazing!!
The location and description made me feel like I was in that island and on that boat! There was mystery, character development and even romance!
This cover pulled me in and the story never let me go!

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins

Lux McAllister and her boyfriend, Nico, are hired to sail two women to a remote island in the South Pacific. It seems like the opportunity of a lifetime! What could possibly go wrong?

This was a good listen! I was kept interested the entire time as I wanted to know what was going to happen!

Thank you Rachel Hawkins, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audio to listen to this book in return for my honest review!

I listened to this book on audio via @netgalley and @macmillan audio. I loved the narration by @Barrie Kreinik, but the book itself was not my favorite thriller. It’s definitely worth the read and is a good escape from reality. I would classify this book as a drama/mystery rather than a true thriller. The plot was well thought out and I enjoyed the twists and turns, but the characterization could have been stronger.

This book gave me serious island vibes with blue skies, sunshine, and plenty of wine. The perfect get away… until it’s not. Filled with suspicious characters, it was fun to see this book play out!

While I loved The Wife Upstairs right from the start, this one took me a little while to get gripped. Now I am not a huge fan of the open sea, but who wouldn’t want an island vacation and getting paid to be there is a bonus.

Not quite, but kinda like a locked room mystery since we have a cast of characters on an isolated island when dead bodies start turning up. The island adds to the creepiness of the story and was a plus for me.

I think the book does a great job of being young and being able to fall so easily into new friendships and trust others. But what all of the characters fail to factor in is that they all have a secret so they might have wondered who else might also have secret(s).

Now I am not often fooled by the ending, but in a way this one did. Of course I did somewhat get a crazy vibe partway through the book and wondered about the twist. Is the book totally believable in its entirety? I say not, but then again a book about my reality would be boring.

I might have been a little more disappointed with the lag of the pace in the middle of the book if not for liking the narration of Barrie Kreinik. She kept me interested until the pace picked back up.

While this won’t make my favorite books of the year, I definitely enjoyed it and think it is an entertaining quick listen.

3.5 Stars!

I picked this one up because I loved the premise - six people stranded together on Meroe Island. When one goes missing and another turns up dead, all bets are off. I loved how we got multiple viewpoints as well as flashbacks to the past that gave you a little more info about each of the characters and loved how the island felt like a character itself. I listened to this on audio and loved the narration. It was a bingeable read that completely kept my attention. The last plot twist/ending though seems to be a point of contention among readers and I would tend to agree.


Thank you to Macmillan Audio for a review copy. All opinions are my own.

Meroe Island has a reputation. Amid the beauty, the island has a reputation of despair, murder, and cannibalism. The reputation of the island has kept many away, but it has also lured many to the pristine beaches. Lux and her boyfriend, Nico, arrive at Meroe Island by way of a charter. Two young women have paid Nico a lot of money to take them to Meroe Island. While on the island, they meet another adventurous young couple. The six of them are enjoying the rest, relaxation, and peacefulness that the island offers. But when another stranger sails in, the dynamics change and the isolation of the island gets to all of them. Six people visit the island. Will all six leave?


Rachel Hawkins had Agatha Christie on her mind when she wrote Reckless Girls. It had a very serious "And Then There Were None" vibe. One thing that struck me is that Lux and Nico were both incredibly young. The narrator had an "older" voice and it created some difficulty with me imagining their story. The author jumps around in timelines. Going back to Amma & Brittany's past. As well as how Lux and Nico met. There really wasn't anything about this book that was shocking. In fact, it was a bit boring. CLICK HERE FOR SPOILERS



Bottom Line - Rachel Hawkins had lofty ambitions when she tried to channel the great Agatha Christie. I think she fell short, but I can see where others would enjoy it.



Details:

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins
On Twitter
Pages: 320
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: 1/4/2021
Buy it Here!
Thank you to NetGalley for the book in exchange for a review.

What a puzzle! I loved this book! So fun.

Nothing more fun than a deserted island and then dead bodies popping up all over! I love locked room type mysteries. Never knowing who in the bunch to trust. Is anyone trust worthy?

I loved that there were segments from the past and wondered how it would all tie in together. It’s these types of books that make me scared to travel haha! I won’t trust a single person!


This was such an easy book to sail through. Such a quick read and the narrator was fantastic!

Robinson Crusoe meets Agatha Christie?
The tropical gothic thriller we didn’t know we needed. Atmospheric Hawaii then a deserted island 🏝 is the perfect anecdote to defrosting after a chilly winter and Christmas reads.

The MC is almost jarringly real and raw, and although Hawkins keeps her at arm’s length like her last one, it’s so satisfying when she finally starts letting you in on everyone’s little secrets.

I can’t even really compare this to anything because it was so refreshingly unique!

The twists were as delicious as a pina colada on the beach and the thrills just kept on coming. Unputdownable.

I wasn’t a big fan of The Wife Upstairs but this one knocked it out of the park, truly.

Thank you @netgalley & @macmillan.audio for the #advancedreaderscopy in exchange for honest review. @ladyhawkins is now a go-to auto-buy author for me!

#Recklessgirls #recklessgirlsbook #netgalley #audiobookstagram #bestbooks #fivestarreads #bookreview #bookreccomendation #readthisnext #pageturner #audiobook

This was a wonderful, fast-paced listen. The island/boating atmosphere was intense, and the voices of the characters were well done. I listened raptly while cooking for the holidays!

This book felt so over the top dramatic and I had been looking forward to reading more by this author after the wife upstairs but this was just awful

I loved the setting of this book. Meroe Island is a very creepy place, especially when a lot of drugs and alcohol are consumed by the characters. The beauty of it pulls the book's sailors in, but something also seems to be pushing them away. Perhaps they should have paid more attention to that feeling of rejection. The author writes many sequences imbued with foreboding well, and her descriptive language transports the reader. The confusion of the events that take place under the influence is very well written.

In the first half of the book, the characters are realistic if not necessarily sympathetic. The events at the end of the book, however, require that the reader pretty much ignore the personalities that have been developed. There's a big twist, as well, which some may not see coming. I listened to the audiobook, and while the reader was very good in many ways, she did forecast that twist through her voicing of the characters.

This fast-paced thriller is a good addition to the quickly growing list of locked-room (in this case, locked-island) sub-genre books that call to mind Agatha Christie's, "And Then There Were None." There are too many inconsistencies and dropped plot lines for it to be at the top of that list, however.

This was a decent thriller. It's about a young couple who are offered to take two women to an island on their boat. They obviously take up the offer for the money but once they get to the cursed island, craziness ensues.

I found the backgrounds of all the characters interesting but I figured out most of the plot twists fairly quickly--so once things were revealed I felt, meh. The ending was okay but the overarching theme I really liked.

I think if I read this physically instead of the audiobook, the plot twists would have been more surprising. So even though the audiobook is done really well I would suggest physically reading if able to for the full shocking experience.

Thank you to Netgalley and publishers for an audio copy of the book I'm exchange of an honest review.

Loved it! One of the best books by this author. So many twists and I didn’t see it coming. Very good!

Thank you net galley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

The audiobook narrated by Berrie Kreinik has done a great job in giving a thrilling experience. Though initially, I got Agatha Christie's 'And then there were none' vibes it's a different plot. The premise was interesting and I couldn't wait to know what will happen next. The story proceeds in multiple POVs and I loved the writing. I got the claustrophobic mood the island had created in their lives. The only thing that disappointed me was the ending. It was too rushed. I felt like the island didn't play any role at all.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.