Reckless Girls

What begins as a seemingly dreamy, once-in-a-lifetime getaway to a remote island soon pushes this group of friendly strangers to confront their truest selves – revealing that neither the island, nor the people they’ve grown close to, are quite what they seem…

My rating: 3.3/5 stars

In this moody, island-set thriller, twenty-something Lux leaves behind her grief-stricken life in San Diego to set sail to Maui with Nico, a charming stranger she’s only just met. Aboard his boat, ironically named after his ex, The Susannah, Lux feels, for the first time, like she’s finally escaped the weight of her mother’s death and the emptiness of a life with no real ties. A world of freedom and possibility has opened up and she dives in headfirst.

While scraping by in Hawaii, Lux loses her job and starts to question her impulsive choices. Nico, a wealthy kid avoiding the burden of his family’s expectations, seems unbothered by life’s responsibilities. His only plan? Keep sailing.

Then, by chance, Nico meets Brittany and Amma, two adventurous girls looking for a captain to take them to Meroe Island – an uninhabited speck in the Pacific with a chilling WWII past. Once a refueling airstrip for soldiers, legend has it that those stranded there turned to cannibalism to survive. The island is off-grid, eerie, and rumored to be cursed, but the intrigue is irresistible.

Nico agrees to the voyage, lured by the large payout Amma and Brittany offered to pay him, and Lux joins them at his urging. After a rough sail, they finally reach Meroe, only to find they’re not alone. Another couple, Jake and Eliza, have already staked out the shore.

What begins as an exciting adventure quickly shifts into something darker. The island is beautiful, but unsettling. Days stretch, tensions rise, and the group begins to unravel. Who can be trusted? What are they really running from? And how far will someone go to protect the secrets they brought with them?

Packed with buried truths, slow-burning dread, and shocking twists, this book left me reeling – and reaching for a glass of water.

If you’re craving a fast-paced, bingeable thriller with an atmospheric edge, this one’s a must-read.

Xo Gabrielle