I love me some dark academia, and this book is dark! (Trigger warnings: death, murder, rape)

Starting off innocently enough, I didn't think this book would be so heavy. But the more I read, the darker and heavier it got. I had some theories throughout and some were close and others were not, but it didn't matter because I was hooked and needed to find out what would happen next.

I really enjoyed this twisty thriller and I can't wait to read more from this author. This book is one that will be burned in my brain for a long time!

5 stars for a fantastic thriller

I heard the author speak about Flicker In The Dark and was hooked.
When I saw the book and its cover I knew I wanted to read it.
Students, a murder and missing people add up to a fast paced roller coaster ride.
Highly recommended for fans of thrillers.

Willingham returns with a new mystery filled with unexpected twists and turns.

Margot is a sophomore trying to find her people after losing her best friend a year earlier. The freshman year she imagined was crushed when Eliza died. Pulled into an instant group by Lucy Sharpe, Margot’s sophomore year is all the things she hoped for, close friends, parties, and an off-campus house. But Lucy is missing and everyone’s past is coming back to haunt them.

Told in past and present chapters the mysteries compound and unfold. It’s a good satisfying conclusion, but not as good as Willingham’s first book A Flicker in the Dark.

Margot is finishing her freshman year at Rutgers, a school she was supposed to attend with her best friend, Eliza, before she died.

When Margot decides to move in with three other girls she barely knows, things slowly start to get weird. During a drunken party Lucy asks, "if you could get away with murder, would you do it?" And now it all feels dangerous. Secrets are revealed, pasts get exposed, and loyalties are tested. A psychological thriller that explores the excess of college parties, the toxicity of greek life, and the power dynamics of friendships.

(Honestly, she should have roomed with Maggie and her matching throw pillows.)

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Stacy Willingham knows how to write a book that keeps you wanting to read. Only If You're Lucky started off really strong and fizzled a bit toward the end. Overall it was entertaining enough to keep reading but I was left feeling a little disappointed with how things ended.

3.75 STARS- I liked this alot!

Thank you Netgalley, Minotaur Books, and the author for an #ARC in return for an honest review!

Stacy Willingham's writing must be crack because I fly through her books every single time. Its entertaining and engaging. If you are looking for a book to keep you hooked from the word go... then pick this one up.

I think what was different about this novel compared to others from this author, is that this was more a YA story/vibe. So if you are expecting something like All The Dangerous Things, then you might not like this as much. The college experience and dark academia setting was imaginable and fun. I think I have semi out grown the "crazy college' theme. I could have used more details regarding the main characters. The characters were immature and I had a hard time relating to them but it didn't completely take away from the story, personally. Some details felt predictable and repetitive which is why this was not a 5 star rating. The twists though.... dang!🤯 I did not see all that coming. I physically gasped., even though it was quite out there tbh. Toxic female friendships. Can you ever trust anyone fully? What about yourself?

I had fun reading this and I will continue to read anything Willingham writes ✍🏻

Read if you like:
🕯️fast paced
🕯️murder mystery
🕯️morally grey characters
🕯️alternating timelines
🕯️dark academia vibes

Loved this book! I have loved all of this authors work so far! Very talented! A definite unputdownable book! Look forward to more releases by Stacy!!

This book really didn’t disappoint in ensuring that you had know idea who did what, when, how, or where. Sometimes you think you are kind of sure what the answers are and BOOM YOU DO NOT. What a wild turn of events that occurred here. The way that the author set up the present vs past and had these girls girls making me guess wtf was up the entire time…. She really did a good job. The unraveling of absolutely every last detail at the end of this was everything that I needed. Good job Ms. Willingham- well played!

I was so excited to read another of Stacy Willingham’s books - I have loved the previous ones by her. However, this one fell short of my expectations. I felt as though I figured the twist out midway through, the mystery was enough to keep me needing to finish the book, but the characters were not likable, it felt drawn out, and for the ending to fall flat and be relatively easy to figure out, it wasn’t worth the hype.

Overall, it was just okay…grab it from the library.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"Only If You're Lucky" by Stacy Willingham is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of friendship, trust, and hidden secrets. With her signature suspenseful writing style, Willingham crafts an intricate narrative that keeps readers on edge. The story follows the unraveling of tightly held secrets, leading to an explosive climax that questions the reliability of those we think we know best. Characters are well-developed, and the plot is filled with unexpected twists, making it a compelling read for fans of the genre.

I liked this book even if the ending didn't quite pan out the way that I wanted or hoped. The beginning was definitely stronger than the end for me but it did keep me interested and hooked.

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I didn't dislike this book per se - I just found it to be a bit of a drag getting through it. I know the intention was for it to be a psychological thriller but it seemed to lack a lot of the thriller aspect, and even when things that should've "thrilled" happened, it just seemed to fall flat. I'd still read her other books though as I did enjoy the writing, maybe it was just the concept that fell flat for me.

This was so painful to get through. It had all the makings of a great suspense/thriller but something was just off. I think the pacing.. it just felt incredibly repetitive and I just straight up didn't care about a single character. The ending was just okay. I really should have dnf this one but I love this author!

Thank you netgalley for the earc in exchange for an honest review.

Only If You're Lucky is a story about the things you may do if you think you can get away with it. We Margot who has quietly moved through her first year of college after losing her best friend right after highschool graduation. Then Margot meets Lucy who convinces her to move into a house with a fee others girls. Here the story begins to weave through the secrets, lies and mystery surronding these characters.

Like many others, I found the pace to be slow - difficult to stay engaged at times. It alternates timelines with past and present and these are seamless and easy to follow but I was left wanting more. The last twenty per cent of the book really did pick up and there were some great twists and unexpected turns.

This is a story that is loved by many and it would be one that I would encourage others to try - especially if you have loved this author in the past - it just didn't work for me.

Only If You’re Lucky is another fantastic addition to Stacy Willingham’s lineup of psychological thrillers. It stands out from her other books with its strong dark academia vibes and a more character-driven plot.

The story kicks off with what seems like a perfect life, but as things start to fall apart, you quickly realize everyone has their secrets. This book will definitely pull you in with its mix of suspense and unknowns. Willingham does a great job of keeping you hooked with lots of twists and turns.

Out of all her books, I enjoyed Only If You’re Lucky more than All the Dangerous Things. The plot is more intricate and the characters feel more fleshed out. Plus, the dark academia elements (think secretive drama and a mysterious atmosphere) are really well done.

That said, it doesn’t quite beat A Flicker in the Dark for me. That one still holds the top spot with its intense suspense and emotional punch, but Only If You’re Lucky comes close and is definitely a page-turner.

If you're into psychological thrillers and love a good dark academia setting, you’ll want to check this one out. Willingham’s storytelling keeps getting better, and this book is another win for her.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the eARC!

Enter Lucy Sharpe - a charismatic, bold, enchanting college freshman that seemingly has it all - the girl gang, the looks, the attention from boys. And then there's Margot - a shy, cautious, introverted college freshman that avoids trouble at all costs. However, Margot has been fixated on Lucy and her friends the whole semester, and her opportunity to start a new life comes out of the blue when Lucy approaches her at the end of year inviting Margot to move in to their off-campus house. Margot hesitantly agrees, leaving her old roommate behind, and is introduced to Lucy's two best friends - Sloane and Nicole. While the friendship between these three girls is already deep rooted, Margot quickly finds herself intertwined in what she thinks is a dream come true. What she has always wanted. Especially since her best friend Eliza died three weeks after high school graduation. All is good and well until Lucy Sharpe goes missing and one of the fraternity boys from next door that the girls spend time with is murdered. But how lucky is lucky really?

I am a big fan of Stacy Willingham, so when I saw this become available on NetGalley, I was thrilled! Overall, I was very impressed with this book, and thought it was a wonderful mix of friendships, lies, manipulations, secrets, and more. It definitely caught my attention from the get-go, and had me guessing throughout. It's a worthwhile mystery/thriller that I would recommend to anyone, and I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from Willingham.

Thank you to St. Martins Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

***A tantalizing thriller about the nature of friendship and belonging, about loyalty, envy, and betrayal—another gripping novel from an author quickly becoming the gold standard in psychological suspense***
****
Lucy Sharpe is larger than life. Magnetic, addictive. Bold and dangerous. Especially for Margot, who meets Lucy at the end of their freshman year at a liberal arts college in South Carolina.
Margot finds herself living in an off-campus house with three other girls, Lucy, the ringleader; Sloane, the sarcastic one; and Nicole, the nice one, the three of them opposites but also deeply intertwined. It's a year that finds Margot finally coming out of the shell she's been in since the end of high school, when her best friend Eliza died three weeks after graduation. Margot and Lucy have become the closest of friends, but by the middle of their sophomore year, one of the fraternity boys from the house next door has been brutally murdered... and Lucy Sharpe is missing without a trace.
****
Thank You NetGalley for an ArC of this title.
This one was a slow start for me, i couldn't connect with any of the characters to start with. The story picks up the further you get into the book. it switches between the past when Margot first moves into the off campus house and to the current time when Lucy is missing.
The ending definitely surprised me that's not where i thought the book was heading.
In my opinion i prefered flicker in the dark to this one but still a good paced thriller..

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press and Minotaur Books for an e=arc of this novel. Thanks to NetGalley too.

This is a thriller about friendship, loyalty and betrayal.

I think my expectations were a little high since I've always enjoyed this author's books. This one was more of a slow-burn and not as intense as her other mysteries.

I'll continue to read her books and this one was okay. Just a little too slow for my reading taste.

"Only If You're Lucky" by Stacy Willingham is a gripping psychological thriller that explores the dark side of female friendships and college life. The novel follows Margot, a shy college sophomore, as she becomes entangled in a web of mystery and obsession surrounding her charismatic friend Lucy Sharpe.

Willingham's writing shines in her ability to create a tense, atmospheric narrative that keeps readers guessing until the end. The story unfolds through dual timelines, skillfully weaving together the events leading up to and following a brutal murder on campus and Lucy's mysterious disappearance.

The author excels at portraying the intensity and complexity of female friendships, particularly in the college setting. The characters are well-developed, with Margot serving as an unreliable narrator grappling with her own past traumas and current uncertainties.

While the first half of the book focuses heavily on building relationships and setting the scene, the second half picks up the pace with a series of unexpected twists and revelations that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Some readers may find the heavy focus on college party scenes and substance use off-putting, as it doesn't resonate with everyone's college experience. However, these elements contribute to the overall atmosphere and character development within the story.

"Only If You're Lucky" stands out for its exploration of obsession, secrets, and the sometimes toxic nature of close friendships. Willingham's clever plotting and ability to deliver surprising yet plausible twists make this a satisfying read for fans of psychological thrillers.