Book Review: Reckless Girls

My photo of Wilbur and Reckless Girls won't load! So here's something pretty and floral that reminds me of the cover. Photo by Kate Ota 2013

Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins is an adult (arguably new adult) thriller. I received it from Book of the Month as part of a three-month subscription. Set in Hawaii and a Pacific desert island, it focuses on Lux, a twenty-something and her boyfriend, Nico, who are hired to sail two girls to a desert island for a two-week vacation. If you’re getting "three-hour tour" vibes, you’re not far off. Rather than shipwrecking, they discover a fancy yacht already on the island with two people aboard. While they befriend them, there’s always a vibe of danger. When a third boat arrives, all hell breaks loose.
 
On the plus side, I didn’t see most of the twists coming. There were big and little twists, which kept things moving. I sped through the book (I read it in about 3 days) even though it wasn’t exactly light. I like that many of the characters were dealing with grief or loss, as that seemed an interesting theme for such beautiful setting.
 
On the downside, I didn’t care for Lux, the main character. She didn’t have much direction in her life, which is totally fine in a real person. In a character, not that interesting. I didn’t know what her goals were for most of the book, so the plot felt more like it was happening to her than because of her. She made very few choices throughout. In fact, if she wasn’t there, most of the plot still would have happened. There were also some major plot holes that I still can’t stop thinking about.
 
You’d enjoy this book if you like thrillers and are looking for one that’s not the typical domestic setting. If you’ve ever wondered how Gillian’s Island could have gone wrong, this is it. It’s not for you if you’re looking for an MC with agency or if you’re bothered by plot holes. Also not for you if you’re still recovering from major grief since that’s a big theme.
 
I’m going to review my experience with Book of the Month after I get all three books. For now, let me know if you read and enjoyed Reckless Girls. Am I being too picky with the plot? Did you like Lux? Let’s discuss in the comments!