This was an absolutely wild ride! It was thoroughly far fetched but I couldn’t put it down. It was so entertaining.

Wow. Talk about a wild ride. The story is told from 3 points of view (Jenna, Nico and Donnie). The story centers around this group of friends who grew up in a group home, where they suffered unspeakable horrors. Now, someone is trying to kill each of them. They must figure out who is seeking revenge before it is too late.

Just when you think you have things figured out, the story twists again. If you like suspense, this book is perfect!

I have a lot of thoughts, but mainly this took me over a month to finish and I hate when thrillers have epilogues.

After speaking with Alex with a book club in 2022 for his release The Night Shift, which I loved, and hearing him be so excited for this 2023 release, I was excited to pick it up.

Unlike The Night Shift, this one was not fast paced throughout (it did take me a month to finish it). The first 50ish percent was all switching POVs, building the history between all of the characters, and action packed scenes that did not scream thriller novel.

With all of the history building Finlay gave us, I would've hoped for an ending that didn't come completely out of left field. While there were small building blocks on the ending, there was nothing to give substance to the idea that the mastermind was the mastermind.

I think this would make an excellent action movie, but would be more excited to read a thriller on Jenna's past as an assassin.

What Have We Done
By Alex Finlay (@alexfinlayauthor)
Format: eARC (thank you to @netgalley and @minotaur_books for the advanced reader!!)
Pub Date: 3/7/23
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

Review:
This book was SO good! I loved the various points of view, and that it had short chapters. I loved how each chapter made me want to keep reading, and how there were pieces of the past woven within the chapters. The ending (epilogue) was so good! I spent every chapter with a HIGH heart rate. 😆

I have enjoyed Alex Finlay's books in the past, and so when I saw that this one was up for request, I immediately jumped on requesting it.

I enjoyed this book a lot, but did find some of the characters stories to be more interesting than others. I found Jenna's story to be one of the most interesting, and the chapters that I most looked forward to while reading this book. I felt like the other characters were a little more "boring" but they did all come together in a spectacular way.

This book is in no way a "believable" book, but once you got past how far fetched the situation was, it made for a very entertaining read. I was guessing throughout the book, and the ending was not at all what I ended up guessing!

Thank you to the Author, Publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

25 years after Jenna, Donnie, and Nico escaped from the Savior House, they reunite to figure out who has been trying to kill them all, and was the death of Ben, another Savior House survivor, another victim. Could the hired hit be revenge for the crime they committed as kids? And if so. Who is responsible?

This book was told from multiple POVs (Jenna, Donnie, and Nico) which I love to see. It also switches perspectives from current day and back at the Savior House to give more insight. I thought the story was super interesting. The ending wrapped up a little rushed, but I still enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for my host Review.

Jenna, Donnie, and Nico were all residents of a group home called “Saviour House” during their teen years. After a few teenage girls went missing, the home was shut down and the three friends were sent their separate ways.

Enduring their fair share of trauma in their early years, the three have experienced their own successes in the twenty-five years since they have last seen each other. The common thread that reunites them is the death of one of their own and the realization that someone is trying to kill them.

In an effort to be free of their past, they must revisit the one place they hoped to never return.

This is the first Alex Finlay novel that I’ve read, and it didn’t disappoint. I was constantly trying to figure out what was going to happen next and enjoyed the different perspectives from which the story was told. Would definitely recommend to others!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel. #NetGalley #WhatHaveWeDone

Twenty-five years ago, five teenagers buried a secret. Now, the past comes back with a vengeance.

DNF: 51%
I was really excited for this book, but sadly it just wasn't for me. I really tried to get into this, but every character and plot point just felt like a massive cliche. It didn't feel like a mystery or a thriller, just like a bad, low-budget action movie. The prologue gave away the secret, and then everything else felt really obvious. I didn't connect well to any of the characters. I'm sure other people enjoyed it though, and don't let this bad review stop you from giving it a try.

One night 5 foster siblings stand over a grave and ask themselves, “What have we done?” Years later, one of the friends is dead, and the others have had their lives targeted. Each do their part trying to figure out why now, and wondering if it’s connected to their big secret.

This was my first by the author and I did not enjoy it. It was firmly at a 3 stars for most of the reading experience, but the ending brought it down to a two. I did like how short the chapters are, it made the story go by quickly with the different POVs. This story was equally too confusing and convoluted and too simple. I didn’t expect the twists, but they were lacklustre and made the entire story feel unnecessary because it wasn’t a huge reveal. I liked Jenna’s character but too much of her backstory was unexplained, it just didn’t feel real. On the other hand, I got too much backstory for Nico and Donnie. The story is fairly sad, but I didn’t feel any thrill or mystery reading it. It was boring and too long, I was excited for it to be over. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free preview in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a huge Alex Finlay fan. Lately I’ve been disappointed by books by authors I have previously loved but not this time. This book was very action packed. Multiple mysteries. Badass women.

Five foster siblings are targets of a hit woman. They’re a judge, a TV producer, a washed up rock star, a tech mogul, and a retired contract killer. All have to come together to figure out who put the hit out on them and why.

My only minor complaint was the twist at the end was a bit underwhelming. I didn’t really see it coming but I was just like oh okay. The final scene though *whoa* I was about to riot the last 5 minutes of the book but it was so good.

Ultimately, I’m a fan and think this would make a great show or movie.

Very engaging and keep's the reader reading along. When your past catches up with your present and determining your future. Five kids did something 25 years ago as they meet up for a reunion they are determined to survive. You read a lot about the present to understand their current lives and the threats against them and how they plan on going on the offensive. Jenna, Nico, Donnie, and Ben were friends in an abusive and terrifying group home. Jenna is now a successful stay-at-home mom after years of obtaining skills most suburban stepmoms don't have. Nico has a career in television and a terrible gambling habit. Donnie became a famous musician with a substance abuse problem. When the three of them have attempts made on their lives, and they learn that their friend Ben, a judge, was killed, they come together for Ben’s funeral and to the Savior House that left them each damaged and with a horrible secret they worry might be revealed. The story is told from the alternating points of view of the three surviving members of Savior House. The mystery is compelling, and I didn’t see who was responsible until the very end.
Would definitely recommend this one.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher.

If action is what you’re looking for, look no more. This latest creation from Alex Finley is a total thrill ride from start to finish. The story is told from three different points of view. Each perspective is original and kept me engaged. Three long time childhood friends are forced to reunite because someone is trying to kill them. keeping a secret, they proved to be deadly. I can definitely see this as a limited series on Netflix. I loved every over-the-top minute of this intense thriller. Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for my copy.

I think I’m the last-est person to review this book 🫣 This being one of the most anticipated books of 2023 did not disappoint me!! With past and present timelines surrounding an event, and multiple povs, What Have We Done packs a punch both as a thriller and as a realistic fiction! I love stories that have characters carrying secrets and bonus points if the characters have different lifestyles. I was expecting the story to be more intense, so taking off one star. Its still a hit with me.

Alex Finlay just keeps getting better & better!! This book is a total package and a suspenseful ride from start to finish.

Thank you Minotaur for the gifted eARC!

It was.....ok. I couldn't even tell you why it was just ok, I'm just middle of the road on it. The pacing was really good but where was just something. I couldn't keep everything together when I first started but that was a me problem and not the book problem.

I think this is my favorite of Finlay’s novels to date. It starts out with a bang and mostly keeps the pace going throughout. The twists aren’t that surprising but honestly that didn’t lessen the enjoyment for me. This is a fun popcorn thriller that would be great to read by the pool with a glass of sangria.

On a roll with my NetGalley thrillers thanks to my kindle and baby girl playing independently 🥳

Loved how fast paced this was and with short chapters! I was a little confused on the premise the first half but the second half made up for it. Feels like it was written as a screen okay so if you love action movies this is for you.

This is my second Alex Finlay novel and I will keep reading them! I can’t bring myself to read Every Last Fear because I know the plot will scare me!
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#bookstagram #booklover #bookobsessed #thrillerbooks #netgalley #kindlebooks

I just read this, and I Really enjoyed this book, I read it in two sittings. I'd definitely recommend this to someone who enjoys thrillers

This book was a little chaotic in the beginning. It grabbed my attention but I wasn’t invested until about 25% in. The twists were interesting and there were ones that weren’t easily guessed. It was wrapped up nicely at the end but left me feeling a little off (perhaps from reading late at night). Overall, an interesting read and one that kept me up until 2am to finish.

I went into this one blind, and knowing nothing except a few of my friends liked other books by Finlay.
I could not put this down! It hooked me from the start and was a fast paced thriller. My only complaint was sometimes I found the transitions between timelines to be a bit convoluted, but that could totally have been me just not paying close enough attention.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my ARC eBook in exchange for my honest review.

WHO SHOULD READ IT:
Fans of the mystery and thriller genre. If you like 'Stand By Me' and stories that originate in secrets of a youthful friendship that their adult versions must come back together to deal with.

REVIEW:
'What Have We Done' by Alex Finlay is a fun mystery thriller. The action is well paced and keeps you page turning. This was a one day read for me!

The premise brings together a group of childhood friends who have largely lost touch. They all came together as young teenaged in a group home. Now, in present day, one is dead, and the rest are being targeted.

I enjoyed how the characters were written and the story was formatted. Though we bounce around to the various characters each is quite distinct. This includes chapters that follow the bad guys. I enjoyed this touch because sometimes it's nice to not have to always try to determine who they are. That being said, there are certainly enough twists and turns and parts to the story that seeing most of the bad guys early on is not a problem.

The story itself is interesting and the author drops plenty of bread crumbs fur the story to come together in a logical way. There are some twists and reveals (of course) and they are well placed and timed. Fans of the genre will certainly guess quite a few elements before the big reveal but if you are in it fit the ride then that is not a problem.

This book does add, in my opinion, add one too many twists, but that seems to be a hazard of the genre.

Overall, a great murder mystery action-packed thriller that you could easily pictorial on the big screen.

⭐⁣ OVERALL RATING:⭐⁣
⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Love it & Recommend - Great book, lots to love, well written, and I really liked it. However, I may have small problems with it. I will recommend and want to share with others.

❤️ ROMANCE RATING: ❤️
🤝 | No romance at all. Mentions of love between spouses and a teen askng for relationship advice from a parent.

🔥 STEAM RATING: 🔥
🧊 | No sexy stuff at all - Some nudity but not in a titilating manor.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for access to this ARC in return for an unbiased and voluntary review.

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