I am going to start out by saying that Stacy Willingham always comes through with some amazing twists. However, this one just felt like it took SO long to get there. The first 70% of the book really dragged for me. I might have DNFd it but I had a feeling something good was coming so I kept pushing through. The last 30% really delivered and saved the story for me. The twists kept coming, my mind was racing trying to put all the pieces together & even then I still didn’t see most of what happened coming. It was an intense ending and made me feel SO much better about not DNFing.

Honestly the writing style was just not my favorite and I felt very bored for the middle 50%.
The ending almost made up for it but at the end end, I felt let down. I needed more, idk!

I looooved this book. The relationships between the college girls is so relatable and interesting. The twists in the book is definitely not what I saw coming. Margot’s best friend is dead. She starts college in the fall and befriends three popular girls and becomes their roommate. Now one of them is missing. I figured it was somehow connected but I was surprised with how. Definitely a must read book.

I liked this story of friendship, secrets, and lies as shy and studious Margot is befriended by outgoing and wild Lucy and invited into her group of friends and roommates. This twisty thriller is told in alternating chapters of before and after, revealing secrets and details bit by bit, keeping the tension high and leaving you flipping pages anticipating the next thrill. While the story lagged a bit in the middle, it was well worth pushing through to the shocking end. I truly didn't see it coming!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the best book I’ve read lately! Right from the start I was pulled in and intrigued. I couldn’t put it down. I love the duel timeline and it kept me reading to find out what happens next. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone! Definitely the best book by Stacey Willingham and look forward to more.

Margot is approached by Lucy, an outgoing and mysterious girl, who asks her to be a fourth roommate. The girls, plus Sloane and Nicole, start to get to know each other and hang out more. Margot reveals how her friend died a year ago and she thinks one of the guys they know did it. The story flashes back-and-forth between the past and the present, where the girls are being interrogated for the disappearance of Lucy and the murder she was being questioned about.

This book had me on the edge of my seat! Between the shirt chapters and cliffhangers, I had to know more. I haven’t stayed up reading a book in a minute, but here I am writing this after hours 🤪 there were some things I predicted and some things that came as a surprise, which is a balance I appreciate. I’m still processing the ending and how I feel about it, but overall, I really enjoyed this fast-paced thriller!

3.5 ⭐️ - overall I liked it and I paired this one with the audio!

𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐈𝐟 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 (Out January 16th)
Great Narrator (Obviously It Is Karissa Vacker 👑)
Dark Academia Vibes (Felt Really Similar To Other Dark Academia I have Read)
Easy To Follow (For Me)
A Couple Fun Twists (Listen And You’ll Know 🤭)
Sorority Girl Millennial Nostalgia (Millennial Through And Through 🙋🏼‍♀️)

I really loved Stacy Willingham's first book, and then liked her second one. I don't think this one was for me. I'm really hopeful the first one wasn't a fluke!

So Stacy Willingham can do no wrong!!! This book was AMAZING!!! I have loved all her others books and I truly could not put this down. Her writing is fantastic. I love the way she develops her characters as well as the plot. This was another amazing book that I finished in a day.

This thriller is dual timeline - one dealing with high school best friends and the other as young adults off at college for the first time. It’s the story of love in its many forms - and that people will do just about anything for love. The house in this one is sort of like its own character - and may be the richest character in the story. Many of the others fell flat for me - they weren’t very likeable. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this read.

This book started off great for me! I have loved all this authors past books and this one was right up there with her others. I ended up enjoying the first half more than the second, it started to feel a little repetitive and the twists weren’t very surprising

I was very excited for the chance
to read an ARC of this one as I really enjoyed the authors previous books, and also like the dark academia vibes. However, this one fell a bit flat for me and took forever to get through. The first 60-70% was just boring me, and by the time the action was finally picking up, I just wanted to finish the book. I think I may have liked it more if there were dual perspectives, as Margot was a bit boring to me, and I think Lucy, Sloane, or Nicole's perspectives could have been a juicy addition.

I have read Stacy Willingham’s other books, and jumped at the opportunity to read this one as well. It didn’t disappoint, and honestly it might actually be my favorite of hers. I’m a sucker for a good plot twist, especially when I can’t see it coming. There were SO MANY in this book! Stacy weaved together three different timelines making it all come together flawlessly at the end. The characters were relatable and the pacing was good. I don’t know if I really liked Margot by the end of the story and actually may be feeling a little bad for Lucy. I’m not sure. I need to think about that some more!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an early copy of the audiobook and the book! I listened and read along! I thought Karissa Vacker’s narration was fabulous.

Thank you to Stacy Willingham, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

So here it goes, I had so much hope for this book, but to me, it was so boring. I almost DNF'd it a bunch of times. There was no character development. I couldn't connect with the characters at all. It was way to slow.

But hey, I like the cover.

LOVED this! I'll read anything Stacy Willingham writes at this point. I was so excited when I saw she had something new coming out and this did not disappoint. As with all of her books, 5-star character development - I felt like I knew each person in the book like someone I had known for years. The plot was interesting and the pace was perfect - once it got going, I could not put this down. Just the right amount of twisty while leading you just enough - I think I figured out what Willingham wanted me to figure out exactly when she planned and was easily led astray as planned, too. Just great writing. Highly recommend to fans of psychological thrillers and anyone who enjoyed either of Willingham's previous books. 4.5 stars

"you're very vanilla...you can turn vanilla into anything right? its a blank slate. It's malleable".

and that basically sums up my review. It was ok. Didn't love it. Didn't dislike it. It was vanilla. If you are new to the author, then read her other 2 books first, they are favourites of mine. total 5 star reads!

I'll chalk this up to wrong time, wrong book for me. But I just felt like not a lot happened. Until the end, and then I was kindof expecting it to go that way.

BUT seriously, go and read her first two books. They are outstanding.

Thank you NetGalley! This is THE upcoming release I wanted to read and couldn’t believe my own luck when I received the email!

I love Willingham’s books. They aren’t perfect but they are close… and her characters! I went into this one with blinders… knowing only that it centered around twisty female friendships. And knowing that her books never disappoint. This was no exception.

Adjectives to describe what you’ll be reading when it’s released: dark, thought provoking, twisty, hypnotic…

This story revolves around unreliable narrator Margot (who is starting college after the death of her best friend) and a supporting cast of equally unreliable characters. Add in a frat house and frat brothers with shady pasts… You’ve got secrets and more secrets and lies galore! It is a slow burning dark and twisty read… about female friendships and a desire to fit in… and how far will any of us go to belong.

“All human beings, as we meet them, are commingled out of good and evil…”

3.5 stars, rounding up to 4
I liked this book and the house!…so creepy and loved it was almost like another character in the book. The story had great suspense but honestly once everything was wrapped up it fell flat for me. I mean all that for what?…the police were more interested in looking for a missing woman not a murder so…why??
Still a descent suspense.

I had a blast with this book. This was my first read by this author and I'm excited to jump start my journey by reading more of her works. I was in suspense the entire read. What a page turner! You become obsessed with the characters and what they're going to do next.

This one releases 1/16/2024! Put this on your TBR now! Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy!

Oh the good ol’ days of college - late nights drinking at the fraternity house next door, cramming for finals, murder … you know, the usual.

Only If You’re Lucky is a bit of a departure from Stacey Willingham’s other books in that it reads a bit more YA. The first half of the book is a slooooow burn but everything really comes together around 75% of the way through. I admit that I was genuinely shocked at some of the twists (while others were predictable).

I loved the focus on friendships, found family, and trust. This is a great read for those who like a slow burn, college settings, and twists that have you guessing until the last page.

A big thanks to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books for the advance copy