Thank you NetGalley and McMillan for the eARC and audio for Reckless Girls.

ONE ISLAND Beautiful, wild, and strange.
SIX VISITORS- Six stunning twentysomethings are about to embark on a blissful, free-spirited journey. 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.

First I must say I loved the cover art and it is what drew me in. I was underwhelmed with the characters but thought the plot was right up my alley. I love Rachel Hawkins but this one missed the mark.

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I very much enjoyed the audio version of this book. A lot of the twists were obvious and predictable, but it was fun to hear how it played out regardless and the story never seemed to drag.. There was one point where the main character’s predicament felt truly terrifying and I thought the author did a great job making the reader feel her terror! Overall I give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun thriller to read.

This was my first Rachel Hawkins book & will definitely not be my last!!! The story was captivating from the first page through the last. The narrator of this audiobook did a great job of expressing all the different feelings that each character was experiencing. Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for this audio version of Reckless Girls!

I was super into this book until the end. There is some glaring plot holes that I couldn't wrap my head around. I usually love this authors work, but I just could not get around the giant plot hole.

A huge thank you to Macmillan Audio and Rachel Hawkins for giving me an ARC of this audiobook via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I know when an audiobook is done through Macmillan Audio I am usually going to love it or at least absolutely love the narrator because they never fail me. With that being said I did absolutely love the narrator of this audiobook. She kept me invested in the entire thing and I felt like her voice was a perfect fit for this story. Now as for the book itself I did enjoy it but I had hoped for a little more than what I was given. The story starts off pretty quickly but then it seems to lag in the middle where all it is is just a repeat of events over and over, they're on the island, they have a party, they explore a little, and then go back to the beach or boats. It did pick up again towards the end of the book but it just felt a little stagnant there for a while. I did appreciate the added POV here and there because it kind of broke up the just sitting on an island bit and I really liked the emails, letters, and text that gave a little back story to the island itself. All in all the cast of characters wasn't bad, but I did take a huge issue with Lux the main character.

***spoilers below***

Now I was with Lux and liked her up to the point where Nico cheated on her with Amma. I get her feeling hurt and being upset by it because that is a completely valid response to finding your boyfriend in bed with another woman. What I had a huge problem with is the fact that she had all of this inner monologue about how much it upset her and how hurt she was about it and then she turned around and did the exact same thing with Jake behind Eliza's back when they were supposed to be close and she was even considering sailing away with them when they left the island. Like I said I can understand hurt and I know the title of the book is Reckless Girls but this is not a reckless act in my eyes it was a straight-up I'm going to do this because I'm hurting and I don't care who else gets hurt act.

I did enjoy the book and I would recommend it to my friends but I just wish the main character had been a little more likable than she was.

I went into this book really expecting some spooky and mysterious things to happen throughout. This didn't happen but I will say that I did enjoy this book. It keeps on giving as the story progresses, it just didn't quite give what I hoped for. I will definitely read more of Rachel Hawkins' books and I think she is a wonderful author.

Lux and Nico are boyfriend and girlfriend and Nico has a boat. He is asked to sail two young women to a remote island which gives Lux and Nico a great opportunity to get away from the mundane job and lifestyle they are currently in. Once on the island they meet some others who seem to be there for similar reasons. What they quickly find out is that nothing is as it seems with the others or the island! They come across some scary, unexplainable things as they trek the island and then things begin to fall apart between all of the new friends.

This book has some great parts to it and a good storyline however, I would have enjoyed more spooky, possibly haunted-type of happenings as well. Good book and overall I enjoyed it!

Thanks for NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC as I always appreciate being able to give a review.

This was the second book by Hawkins that I have read and it was a decent thriller! The audio was well produced and the narrator was a great fit. The story was one that I think would do well as a standard summer thriller about college kids on an island. The plot was predictable, but not in a bad way. It was very readable and enjoyable. Would recommend!

Reckless Girls is an interesting, modern-day take on Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None.

Rachel Hawkins takes care in the development of the goings-on on the island and like Lost each passenger has a unique backstory before they arrived on the island. I really liked this as it helped the reader understand the persons on board, no matter how despicable.

Lux was an unreliable narrator, therefore, creating a kind of chaos. Much like the film Memento, at times I was left questioning what was and wasn’t real.

Like fireworks on the 4th of July the first half of the plot included a lot of build-up to the grand finale.
While Reckless Girls was a quick read it took a while to get there. I felt that a little too much time was spent thrashing around the island and that the murders could have been sped up.

Reckless Girls had an M. Night Shyamalan ending. It caught me off guard but, if I had looked closer the clues were there, just like Bruce Willis’ fate.

Barrie Kreinik was an excellent narrator. Kreinik has a lovely tone that only enhances the reading (or listening) experience.

Rachel Hawkins has written a thrilling, psychological beach read that captures the reader from the first sentence.

Wicked. Gothic. Sinister. Wild.
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2022
Do not get on these girls’ BAD side. Watch your back. REVENGE. You know something sinister and evil is coming.

My nerves are shot after reading two very claustrophobic thrillers in isolated places with little way to get help PLUS not knowing the true identity of the people you are traveling with spells tragedy waiting to happen. Note to self: Travel alone is the safest way.

Lux and her boyfriend Nico are living in Hawaii. They live with many people (all twenty-something) with no money, and Lux just wants to travel on the boat to exotic islands and experience adventure.

She has dead-end job cleaning rooms at a swank resort. Nico is a rich, good-looking boyfriend who takes no money from his family, works at a marina, and has a boat that needs expensive repairs. She thinks fate has stepped in when she gets fired from her job (funny story here) and they get an offer.

Then next, two wealthy female college students (Brittany and Amma) want to pay Nico to take them to this mysterious Meroe Island in the South Pacific. They will pay big money and a way to get the boat repaired, and Lux can come along.

All sounds too good to be true, right? What sounds like a perfect getaway adventure on an exotic island turns into a nightmare from hell.

They find another rich guy, Jake, and his girlfriend, Eliza, upon arrival. They did not plan on sharing the island, but they seem cool, plus they have good food and wine. (so much more).

However, mix tons of booze, sex, drugs, and isolation with fellow travelers with hidden pasts and secrets— a disaster. An easy way to hide bodies.

Then another boat shows up with a guy named Robbie, and he is not so nice and causes more problems. Two weeks in and their radios stolen, all the facades start crumbling. Will anyone make it out alive?

Who will be the survivor?

Hats off to the author! What a complex, multi-layered crazy, witty, and suspenseful tale that I read in one day! You must keep reading to discover how all these characters’ pasts connect.

If you enjoy survivor stories and those mysterious islands with history and boat murders, this one is for you. A fun note is included from the author, and it sounds like she enjoyed writing this one as a dream from childhood.

Yes, the summary is right on. Those fans of Ruth Ware and Lucy Foley most definitely and fans of authors Megan Miranda and Lisa Jewell will enjoy this suspense thriller. In addition, if you watched or read Harlan Coben’s STAY CLOSE, you must read RECKLESS GIRLS.

Get ready for a wild journey and have your lifeboat ready. You may want to think twice about your next voyage.

I read the e-book and also listened to the audiobook narrated by Barrie Kreinik for an entertaining performance and listening experience for all the many voices. Get this one on your 2022 list. Highly recommend the audiobook and it gets 5 stars!

A special thank you to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for ARC audiobook.

#JDCMustReadBooks
@JudithDCollins

I really enjoyed this 'closed room' mystery. There are six main characters and a side character or two thrown in for fun. They are trapped on an island after something happens to their radios. When people start turning up dead you need to decide - natural causes? murder? Who among the group would commit murder? Who can you trust?

You have various perspectives in this story with a before and an after. It isn't explained exactly how the before relates to the after until later in the book. The relationships between certain people and the secrets each person has are slowly revealed a bit at a time keeping the reader engaged.

The characters do make some dumb decisions, but they are young, trapped on a gorgeous island, and alcohol/drugs are involved, so I think that is to be expected. Overall, I didn't find those poor decisions to be too unrealistic.

I thought the opening scene really grabbed the readers attention. The following scene was when Lux lost her job and I thought it was quite funny. So, for me, this book started out just right. I ended up reading almost the whole thing in one day and did not lose interest at all.

I had access to the ebook as well as the audio. The audio was narrated by Barrie Kreinik and was very well done. I felt the narration fit the story well.

I really enjoyed this book. Started out thinking it would be a calm vacation based book set in the South Pacific but discovered quickly it was a lot more sinister. I was covering my eyes & shouting “Don’t get off the boat!” * Thank you for my advance reader/listener copy*

Six strangers simmering with secrets sailed to the South Pacific… say it seven times fast …and now you’re as breathless as you’ll be when you finish this wild ride!

Reckless Girls starts with Lux McAllister and her new-ish boyfriend, Nico, getting hired to sail two college besties to a remote island in the South Pacific. Lux is grieving a recent loss, lonely, and longing for adventure. Brittany and Amma claim they just want a unique experience, but it doesn’t take long for Lux to realize their pair is hiding something and seeking an escape.

When the crew arrives at Meroe Island–infamous for not only its gorgeous, tranquil setting but also a history of shipwrecks, possible cannibalism, and other dark mysteries–they find they’re not alone. The strangers start out embracing their off-grid adventure together, basking in the serenity and escape they all craved, but the arrival of another sailor offsets the fragile balance. Cue the chaos and suspicion.

There are also epistolary bits woven in, from articles, to postcards/letters, and even social media post exchanges. It’s an interesting way to add mystery and intrigue and break up parts of the story. Lux was a dreamy main character. It was so empowering to follow her growth throughout the story. It’s the kind of growth that comes with learning from really crappy choices at times, but growth nonetheless. I love how often the title came into play, and feel like Hawkins gave us lots to think about with the choice. The way everything came together in the end was jaw-droppingly good, like any fabulous thriller should be!

I listened to about 65 percent on audio and wrapped up my reading with a digital ARC. The audio is about 10 and a half hours and it’s narrated by Barrie Kreinik, who seamlessly transitions between American English, British, and Aussie accents throughout the story. (She also narrates Sally Hepworth books!) This story plays out wonderfully on audio! Kreinik executes a kind of nonchalant tranquility during the quieter parts of the book, but ramps up the pacing to perfectly match the stride of the suspenseful ones. It’s out today, and a great one to start out the year strong! Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for a digital ARC and MacMillan Audio for an ALC through NetGalley Shelf.

If you're looking for a binge-worthy and unputdownable thriller set on an exotic South Pacific island and featuring a set of seemingly normal yet totally batshit crazy characters you need to pick up Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins.

Meroe island, the setting of Reckless Girls, is a gorgeous and mysterious island in the middle of nowhere. Meroe's dark history of cannibalism, shipwrecks, madness and murder adds to its appeal making it the perfect destination for adventure seekers looking to spend time in paradise that's a little off the beaten path.

Six free-spirited twenty-somethings, two friends, Amma and Brittany and two couples, Lux and Niko and Eliza and Jake find themselves on this gorgeous deserted island hoping to spend some quiet and relaxing time in paradise. Strangers at first, they soon develop a quiet camaraderie and their first week on the island is nothing short of perfect. Lazy sun soaked days spent exploring, swimming and chatting and bonfire nights with good food and wine. But how long would that perfection last? They've all been hiding something. When one person goes missing, secrets are unearthed, suspicions cast, there's drama, deception, and a lot of tension. Well placed flashbacks reveal darkness from the past, and just like that paradise turns absolutely lethal.

Despite plenty of scenarios being downright inconceivable and decisions of the characters being immensely stupid I couldn't stop reading because I had to know what happens. The conclusion too was completely unexpected though a little far fetched, not that I minded one bit though because I have to say, the entertainment factor in this was a solid hundred percent and I finished the book in a matter of hours.

I'd recommend you pick this up, cozy up on your reading chair, put aside that skepticism and be ready to be entertained the heck out of Reckless Girls. Very excited to see what the author has in store for us next!

I am a huge an of Barrie Kreinik's narration and really enjoyed how she voiced out the six lead characters and their POVs, making the audio experience a lot more fun.

This might be my new favorite by Rachel Hawkins.

This is a fast-paced read that had several fun and unexpected twists. I related to the women discussing the douchebag men who moved on to the next "toy" (including the women they dated) like nothing had value to them.

I listened to this as an audiobook, and the narrator did a phenomenal job of slipping between characters and scenes.

I love Rachel Hawkins's book, The Wife Upstairs, so I was looking forward to this next book. I tried to become invested in this book, but after completing 20%, I needed to DNF. Nothing happened in the plot, and it seemed fairly predictable. Maybe her next book will be better so I’ll give that one a try. Thank you for allowing me to have this ALC for my honest opinion.

#FirstLine ~ Sometimes I wonder if people on vacation think they're actually on another planet.

This book was SO good. I was engaged from that first line. I could not help but put younger me in the place of the characters. I was constancy thinking about how I would have handled myself throughout the course of this unforgettable story. This book was jam packed with adventure, thrills and intrigue, as well as a few twists and turns that I DID NOT see coming! The ending was, Whoa!!!! I think everyone needs to read this book! Reckless Girls would make a perfect book club choice. The audiobook was awesome . The narrator did a fantastic job bringing the story to life! She paced the book perfectly!

First off, how gorgeous is this cover!? I loved the cover for The Wife Upstairs and love the choice of continuity despite not being a series!

Although I found this to be a bit of a slow burn, I did still find it incredibly compulsive and intriguing!

I’m a fan of locked room mysteries and this totally was a refreshing switch up of a typical snowed in cabin being swapped for a creepy island with some eerie vibes and legends!

I enjoyed being whisked away to an island and ultimately found this to be a fun read! I’m interested to see what Hawkins does next!

Unfortunately, this book fell flat for a variety of reasons. Since it's released in the beginning of January, I was hoping that it would be a thrilling tropical retreat from my current cold, snowy environment. I was intrigued by the tropical, isolated setting, but felt like the characters were extremely unlikeable. Typically, I love flashbacks because they provide more insight / depth to characters, however, I feel like those parts seemed disjointed and added more confusion rather than clarity. I felt that the twist was predictable and not that exciting.

I will say that it did function well as an audiobook because there weren't too many details or characters to remember. I would definitely keep this book in mind to offer to library patrons for those that are in the mood for quick-moving, easy to read, and don't mind unlikeable characters -- but unfortunately, it just didn't work for me.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for an advanced ebook in exchange for an honest review. This book releases today (1/4)!

** Thank you Netgalley for my free ARC copy, for an honest review!

‘How could you be so reckless?
How could you be so reckless with someone’s heart?’

3.5 Stars for me!

Lux McAllister met her boyfriend Nico after a rough time in her life after the loss of her mother. Lux agrees to go with Nico to Maui on his boat, which was a dream to sail all of the tiny islands in the South Pacific. Two college girls show up and want to be taken on a tour of Meroe Island. They hire Nico, which he insists Lux go also.

Get six strangers on an isolated island that's rumored to be cursed, and let the fun and drama begin!

I enjoyed this story, however I enjoyed The Wife Upstairs a little more.

A remote island off the coast of Hawaii with a troubled and dark past, every character hiding something from the other, and no one is truly as they seem makes for one entertaining listen. ⁣
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I didn't overly love any of the characters, but honestly I don't think we were supposed to. It kept me entertained throughout even though I was screaming a few times at the stupidity of the characters. ⁣
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3.5/5⭐️