Wow! I just finished this book within a few hours and what a plot twist. I enjoyed this book a lot. However, the girls were so cruel to Poppy that it killed me to read the details. I really hated reading about all of the bullying. However, besides that it was super well-written and had me on the edge of my seat. This thriller is the perfect vacation read.

You will like this book if: you like mean girl drama and remote thrillers.

Plot: Four mean girls bullied Poppy relentlessly in high school. Now that they are all adults, they get invited to Poppy’s bachelorette party - an all expenses paid week-long private island vacation. On this remote island, the four former bullies realize they might have underestimated Poppy. Who will make it off the island with their reputations and lives intact?

Characters: There are a lot of characters that get thrown at readers right away, but they are all extremely well-developed, nuanced and differentiated. Poor Poppy getting bullied by four vicious girl classmates in high school. And boy the drama that unfolds on the island is juicy! Each character deals with the drama in different ways that aligns with their personalities… and their web of secrets. I felt like I knew them as people by the conclusion.

Setting: Mostly set on the island, I felt I was on a lush vacation with the rest of the girls. It made the drama and terror that much more exciting.

Conflict/Resolution: Once things get started they don’t stop. This thrilling book takes readers on an exhilarating, high stakes ride. The author places a breadcrumb trail leading up to the big reveal for the most satisfying conclusion that ties all of the details up in a nice little bow. Definitely an, “I don’t need sleep, I need answers,” kind of thriller.

Writing: Perfect balance of backstory, description and action to keep readers engaged and up to speed. Speaking of speed, the pacing is perfect. I felt I couldn’t read fast enough at the end to get to the bottom of things!

Overall/Other notes: Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow & Company for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Annabelle, Esther, Chloe and Tanya unmercifully bullied Poppy all through middle and high school. They made her life a living nightmare so when they receive an invitation 10 years later to be her bridesmaids, along with a week on an all expenses paid exclusive private island for her hen party, they’re surprised, but still want to take advantage of the trip. No one brings up the bullying incidents until Poppy starts dropping hints she might not have really forgiven what the girls did to her.
You have to suspend belief twice, the first being why’d they go on this trip in the first place and could they not see what was going to happen?. You torture the girl for 6 years, don’t see her for the next ten, and really think she’d want you for her bridesmaids. The second is the ending of the book. There’s too many ways to still be caught and not get off home free. But telling you why would ruin the ending.
But the writing is great, along with the books structure told through the eyes of all five women. A page turner that’s done very well.

"For fans of Lucy Foley and Liane Moriarty, She Started It is a hot, twisty summer debut thriller about a group of young women whose Caribbean bachelorette party takes a sinister turn. It’s Lord of the Flies meets And Then There Were None...but with Instagram and too much prosecco."

5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I don't give many 5 star ratings, but this one had me hooked! This extremely dramatic bachelorette party puts the "in a dark, dark wood" party to shame. I was hooked. This was a binge read.

I don't have a lot of drama in my life, but I felt like I was sitting in the bushes on this island watching these women spit fire at each other while they uncovered secrets and pointed fingers. It filled my drama-loving cup right up! The twists were good. The character development was perfect. You will absolutely want to read this when it is published on June 14, 2023!

SHE STARTED IT, was a book full of revenge. This book sheds light on problems that aren’t nearly discussed as much as they should be. I really enjoyed the suspense but off the back figured out the twist right away. There was no way that this shy/reserved girl turned into outgoing/conversable person within 10 years. Also, the main character doesn’t die off that quickly. Overall, really enjoyed the book.

Thank you Net gallery, and William Morrow for allowing me the opportunity to review this book!

Four women are invited on a free, fun, get away by an old childhood schoolmate, Poppy Greer. While they didn’t always get along in school, it’s been ten years, and Poppy seems to be doing well for herself. But they all have secrets, Poppy included.

The characters in this one were so utterly unlikeable it was fun to watch them struggle. Bullying as an adolescent is nasty but there is an understanding that the bully is still growing as well. To bully as an adult and not to show regret, these women were terrible. Yet that made the story even better. I did grow tired of their constant fighting toward the end but the conclusion was so rewarding I got sucked back in.

“Those bitches might have started it, but I sure as hell finished it.”

She Started It comes out 6/13.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with this ARC, in exchange for my honest review.

She Started It is a fast paced thriller that is told from 5 different perspectives. At first, I was thrown off by this and unsure if I was going to stay reading it because I don’t usually love multi perspective books, however, I am glad that I continued on. This story is fast paced and keeps you turning the pages wanting to know more. There is just enough mystery that you stay intrigued. I found the twists to be a little predictable, but overall the book was well written.

I received this book from William Morrow and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This statement is always true. I’m not given compensation to discuss a book and I’m not told how to rate a book. I am given a book in exchange for my opinions on it, and I am truthful in all my reviews whether I loved them or not.

This book is an absolute thriller, suspense, who-done-it book. This book is filled with so many twists and turns and plot changes. Just when I thought I knew who did it, even with the subtle hints, this book is just phenomenal.

Four best friends from high school are invited on a luxury private island for a hen party as bridesmaids for someone they have not seen in 10 years, since graduating high school, the girl they tormented. Despite some resistance, they decide to go. Annabelle, the housewife to a rich husband, Chloe, the influencer, Tanya, the event coordinator for celebrities, and Esther, the bank investor. Poppy was the center of their teenage torture and bullying.

Each woman starts disappearing one by one as they are being murdered. As each one is found murdered, accusations begin. first 5, then 4, then 3. then the last 2. And honestly, Sian Gilbert keeps you guessing till the very end. Just when you think you have it figured out, you don't. Secrets are revealed, alliances are made, but how deadly are these alliances.

The author does a great job with the narratives from each character's point of view, switching each chapter to another character. What I really liked about the switching narratives is that Gilbert did not miss a beat. She kept the conversations flowing without any repetitiveness. As one narrative ends and another begins, the story just continues without missing a beat.

This book flowed well, the characters were developed and well thought out. The theme carried through and it definitely was an engaging story and plot. I would re-read this again just to see if I missed any clues

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

𝘼 𝙝𝙤𝙩, 𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙮 𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙚𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙖 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙥 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣.

📍 Read if you like:
• Bachelorette Parties
• The Bahamas
• Secrets
• Lord Of The Flies
• And Then There Were None

This is the perfect summer thriller story filled with secrets and twists!

I enjoyed the idea of a bachelorette party in the Caribbean. We get multiple POVs from Annabel, Esther, Tanya, and Chloe - each with their own secrets. We’re also introduced to Poppy (the bride who invited the women).

Let me just say the four women who were invited are absolutely unlikable. They were each mean in their own way… so don’t expect to like them. Just enjoy the fun secrets they all spill.

I think the secluded Bahamas setting was so interesting. I wish I read this in the summer, it’s the perfect season. Also, I think the setting worked so well because it was isolated and left our characters trapped.

It’s hard to explain this one without getting into spoilers, but I’ll just say it was so enjoyable with the multiple POVs. We also get a glimpse of the past and the mean things they did to Poppy.

That ending was why I knocked down the rating. I think it worked so well with the story, but I predicted part of it. Also, it left me a bit confused and wanted a bit of a clear answer. I had some unanswered questions at the very end.

Overall, this is the perfect summer thriller filled with mysterious characters. There are so many twists that make the story worth it. Also, the secluded island was so fascinating and I found this to be such an enjoyable read!

She certainly did start it. Started me as a fan of her writing. This was a great thriller and Gilbert has a new fan in me.

This book was such a slow burn for me and I thought about DNFing it a few times but I was curious to see how it turned out in the end. Another disappointment. I would not recommend this book

This book explores what it would be like to spend time with worst queen bees from high school if they then grew up to lack any self-awareness, empathy, or common sense. The biggest "twist" of the story feels obvious early on, but I kept reading because there are layers and layers of secrets for every terrible character, creating a kind of perverse glee as each woman is punished. This is one of those books that will be complicated to recommend to readers because it's a revenge story and not much else. So if that's what you're in the mood for, you'll have revenge a-plenty.

If you are looking for a fast-paced thriller, look no further than She Started It by Sian Gilbert. Childhood friends reunite for the bachelorette party of Poppy, the least-likely of the group to have made it big as an adult. Poppy's bachelorette party seems to be a dream come true, but as secrets are revealed, their dream quickly becomes a nightmare. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-copy for review.

I loved this one! I devoured it and honestly couldn't get enough! This is the PERFECT summer thriller and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a beach themed murder mystery!

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars

Four women, Annabel, Ester, Tanya, and Chloe are still close friends 10 years after graduating high school. Out of the blue a girl they bullied in school invites them for a free hen party on a private island. Fun times do not ensue but lots of secrets are uncovered.

I could not connect with the characters.

The perfect book for when your sitting on your porch on a hot night with a cool drink. Just make sure your settled in because you won't want to put it down! Such fun writing, really well written and full of twist and turns with a "what-the-heck-did-I-just-read" ending!!

She Started It is a mystery/thriller in which revenge against high school mean girls is front and center.

Four girls viciously tormented Poppy in high school. The four girls have deep secrets that they keep even as they mature into women and drift away from each other.

Then comes the invitation for Poppy's wedding on a remote tropical island. All expense paid. They hop on the chance to go - despite the fact that their relationship with Poppy was once of cruelty. Each woman has a reason for going.

When they arrive they are stunned to see the changes in Poppy - the girl has matured into a physician with a great deal of money. What looks like a happy reunion becomes a game of revenge. The secrets become revealed and Poppy's revenge plan is revealed.

This is a real page turner. If that is what you are looking for, you won't go wrong with this book

This was my first from this author and the description really sold me! It did not disappoint. While I kind of figured out the ending by the middle of the story, I still wanted to keep going to find out all the details. Will definitely seek out more from this author! (Also this would make a really great tv show)

I loved this book! This one reminded me of a few others where its a group of people that used to know each other and then are thrown together for an event like a wedding (Ex. In a dark dark wood.) It goes to show you who your friends really are when it comes to their lives at stake.

Chloe, Esther, Tanya, and Annabel had been friends since they were kids in school. One day they all receive an invitation to attend a bachelorette party from classmate, Poppy Greer. None of these girls were nice to Poppy in school and they were not really friends at all. However, they all decide to attend because it is a free trip to a beautiful island for three days. What can go wrong, right?

SHE STARTED IT, was a revenge book at it's finest. These girls were so mean to Poppy, it's shameful. I loved the past and present time lines and a look into Poppy's diary. This was a well written book and I really enjoyed the twist at the end. I can see this book being a big hit.

Many thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for my ARC, in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.