A review by morethanmylupus
Only If You're Lucky by Stacy Willingham

mysterious reflective tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

I read a lot of thrillers and, as a result, the big reveals in these books have started to become more and more predictable. This book was full of those big surprises that I never saw coming. More importantly, most of them felt well supported in the book - if I had just interpreted those moments a little differently instead of going exactly where Willingham led me.

This is the kind of book that has an ensemble cast, but really revolves around a few key people: Margot (our  narrator), Eliza (Margot's childhood best friend). and Lucy (the mysterious cool girl on campus). We get a supporting cast of: Lucy's friends, the boy next door, and the frat boys next door. The book is mainly set in the present day, but we get some flashbacks to Margot and Eliza's childhood and their last summer together.

This one kept me on my toes despite being more of a slow burn thriller. The payoff at the end was absolutely worth waiting for.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
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