Reviews with content warning for Drug use - Only If You're Lucky

It was a very interesting plot but I struggled to get along with the “kids getting killed / murdered in South Carolina in suspicious situations” plot that seemed close enough to the Murdaugh case. I may be losing my interest in thriller novels because this is the second novel that I have finished and struggled to identify why we would encourage and continue to give a voice to the ending of a life with a “reason.”

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weyheyitsrachel's review

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dark emotional hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Stacy Willingham never disappoints! I loved her first two books, and I loved this one!
I will admit, the start of this book is a tad slow and comes off as being a bit juvenile as it surrounds teenagers and college. BUT it ends up being anything but juvenile. These college teenagers are wild and so many secrets come to life.
I did think the way this book is formatted came off as confusing at the start, but once I got into the groove, it all pieced together nicely. It jumps from "After" and "Before," and those two timelines end up connecting eventually and it's a big mind-blowing moment. LOVED it.
Stacy Willingham is one of my top thriller authors and I neeeeed more from her asap. The reveals and the twists in this one were great.
If you love reading about messed up characters and murder investigations, this is the book to try!

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blueskyvibes1point0's review

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

**Please make sure to check your trigger warnings before reading.**

Lucy Sharpe's larger-than-life persona draws in Margot, a shy and cautious college freshman. Despite their differences, Margot is intrigued by Lucy's boldness and agrees to room with her and two other girls off-campus. As their friendship deepens, Margot begins to break free from the shell that she has lived in since the death of her best friend Eliza, only for tragedy to strike when a neighboring frat brother is murdered, and Lucy goes missing, leaving Margot grappling with uncertainty and fear.

Ratings:

1. **Plot and Storytelling:** 4/5 While the story had well-planned twists, it started a bit slow for my taste, taking some time to fully engage me.

2. **Characterization:** 4/5 Lucy Sharpe is larger than life, thanks to Stacy Willingham's skillful character creation. However, I wished for more growth among the supporting characters.

3. **Writing Style:** 3/5 Willingham’s narrative crafted a convincing plot, but the initial pacing felt slower than I prefer for a thriller. It wasn't until about 60% into the book that it truly hooked me and picked up speed.

4. **Originality:** 4/5 The story was unique and engaging. It was a dark take on female friendships in an academic setting and I loved it.

5. **Emotional Impact and Resolution:** 5/5 This book delves deep into your fears, expertly weaving in themes of grief and other emotions. The ending wrapped up beautifully, answering my questions and leaving me shocked.

Overall score: 4/5

I do recommend this book and I would buy it again. If you’re a fan of Stacy Willingham I would add it to your collection.

If you liked this book I would check out “Twenty Years Later” by Charlie Donlea. It’s fast-paced with some good twists and an ending you won’t see coming.

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shelfreflectionofficial's review

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dark mysterious slow-paced

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

3.0

“I crave it more than I’ve ever craved anything: the kind of friendship that I once knew so well, not comfortable and contained but something messy and maniacal and real.”

This was my first Stacy Willingham book and it didn’t do much for me. However it seems like this book might deviate from her normal writing so I still plan to at least read A Flicker in the Dark.

The setting of this book was Rutledge College in South Carolina. But it reads like a series of college party scenes rather than anything remotely nostalgic or relatable to me. The characters and setting and events are everything that was absent of my college experience and it was not enjoyable for me to read.

I could maybe still enjoy the book if the suspense at least was there, but it was a slow-burn read told in ‘before’ and ‘after’ chapters giving small teases that manage to keep you interested. But I grew tired of reading about everything that happened when they were drunk or high or hungover.

I will say that the ending twists did save it a bit (I liked the accident, mistake, necessity aspect) but unless this is a scene you find interesting or engaging, I don’t think the twists are worth all that comes before.

Basic Premise

The book begins with the knowledge that we have a dead body— a frat boy pledge named Levi Butler— and a missing girl— a bold, brash, and unpredictable college girl named Lucy.

And that’s how the chapters divide- before and after.

“Levi is dead, Lucy is gone, and someone has to pay.”

Margot’s college experience doesn’t start the way she had planned it. Her best friend, Eliza, dies three weeks before they were supposed to attend Rutledge together.

Freshman year is a blur of grief and depression, but one girl— Lucy— sticks out, elusive and magnetic, the object of a lot of rumors, and a reminder of Eliza. At the end of the year when Lucy invites Margot to live with her and her friends Sloane and Nicole, Lucy jumps at the chance.

“being loved by Eliza was like a sudden hit of adrenaline— a gateway drug, something addicting and freeing that left you craving your next hit the second she stepped away. And if Eliza was adrenaline, that makes Lucy something even more. Something more addicting, more dangerous. Something that I probably shouldn’t be dabbling in— but at the same time, something impossible to refuse.”

But we find out that Lucy might have picked her for a reason. And Sloane and Nicole for that matter.

“nice Nicole and studious Sloane and malleable Margot.”

And so this book asks the question: How far would someone go for friendship and belonging? What happens in a house full of potentially toxic friendships?

“Sloane is trying to tell me that, if I’m not careful, Lucy will… turn me into something I’m not. She’ll twist me and mold me until I’m unrecognizable, transforming in her hands like soft, wet clay. She’ll shape me into whatever she wants me to be. Something useful to best fit her needs, a deliberate instrument of her own design. But here’s the thing Sloane doesn’t know: I want to be changed. That’s all I’ve ever wanted, really: for someone to scoop me up and tell me what I’m supposed to be.”

So where is Lucy and what really happened to Levi?

Comments

I didn’t really find any of the characters likeable. It’s just kinda unimaginable to me that someone could be so malleable and easily manipulated to do whatever someone tells them to do. Or even in this case, willingly being pulled in to something clearly not right.

I don’t find that kind of personality relatable or endearing; I find it annoying. Have your own mind.

I just find it not only hard to believe, but hard to read when someone is so taken in by someone who is clearly a toxic type of person; obsessive friendships are alien to me. And when it’s drawn out for so long and detailed as the primary aspect of the book, it’s exhausting.

I know the college party scene is probably part of a lot of people’s college experiences, but it had nothing to do with mine and reading about it was a bit repulsive. At least if there was something redeeming about it then its place in the book would have purpose and development. But it was just the perfect storm of dysfunction to facilitate more problems, manipulation, and stupidity.

There just wasn’t anything appealing to reading it. As I started it I was wondering if I was going to like it, and as I continued, my engagement level never really went up.

The title of the book comes from this line:

“You’re only young once, and only if you’re lucky.”

I liked the title, but I’m not sure if this is the strongest line. Does it mean you’re only young if you’re lucky? Haha. I think it means that hopefully you don’t die. But I just think it’s a bit clunky of phrasing and they should have picked a different title or tied it in stronger than this.

I did think it was interesting that the house the girls live in that’s right next to the frat house is based on Willingham’s own college experience and housing. The shed and the crawl space were the same, but the rest of the story, people, and relationships were fictional.

Recommendation

Most of my dislikes of this book had to do with the characters and setting. I didn’t have issue with the writing style and I did like the twists. I also appreciated that there weren’t a million f-bombs.

So I am definitely willing to read another one of her books. From what I can tell they deal with adults which is a better story line for my interests. I think I’m picky about college-related books. (Though I’m not sure I can read All the Dangerous Things because I have a hard time with child abduction/death type of stories)

‘Only If You’re Lucky’ was not for me, but could easily be a hit for others if they don’t have as strong of feelings as I do about the morally ambiguous character types and setting.

[Content Advisory: 18 f-words and 28 s-words, a lot of drinking, smoking, drugs, and the college party scene; moderate sexual content]

**Received an ARC via NetGalley**

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