Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - Only If You're Lucky

Our girl Margot has gone through some shit. Her best friend dies 3 weeks after HS graduation and she spends her frosh year at college in a depression. So when popular Lucy randomly invites her to live with her next to a frat house for soph year, Margot jumps at the chance. Things are amazing until their friend is murdered and Lucy goes missing. To me, this was a great combo of nostalgia and the yearning to belong, all while I was trying to solve the murder of the frat boy next door. Great beach read!

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enichols08's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

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bckteague's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

My favorite by this author so far. I overall found the protagonist more likable, interesting and nuanced than her other female leads. Due to the college setting it could lead a bit more YA.

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abbeyroad1410's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I have qualms with this book, but they are highly specific personal qualms and not at all related to the plot nor the writing style which were both excellent.
I will start with my issue first just to get it out of the way. As someone who has lived in South Carolina their whole life and attended a small, private liberal arts college in South Carolina, I can attest to the fact that no private college in South Carolina is set up in this way. Typically, the students are kept on campus and Greek Life is heavily monitored (trust me I fielded the calls from angry alumni regarding this). The school in this book more closely mirrored a large southern school like a College of Charleston. It makes sense when you read the acknowledgements and realize it was based on UGA. It simply took me a second to get over this.
On the other hand, this book has some of the most compelling main characters I have ever read. The women are morally complex, and they only get more so as their backstory is revealed. Margot, the narrator, seems like she is going to be fairly bland and have the story happen around her at the beginning of the novel. She even portrays herself this way, using terms such a malleable. However, by the end, reader learn she is more involved in her own story than you would think.
Additionally, Stacy Willingham does a good job of dealing with themes such as moral greyness, the fear of being left out or not fitting in, and jealousy. It also tackles the pressure of taking on responsibility of those around you without being asked. Her emphasis on these common fears and complexities of every day life makes the novel that much more compelling and frightening. It allows readers to see how anyone (including themselves) could easily take on the villain role.
Overall, this novel is thrilling and is worth the read just for the last few chapters alone. It is brilliantly written. However, if you went to a small, liberal arts school, you may need to work a bit harder to suspend your disbelief.

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ashleycote's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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