Viņa sāka pirmā

by Sian Gilbert, Šana Gilberta, Ieva Zālīte (Translator)

Kad četras bērnības labākās draudzenes no klasesbiedrenes Popijas saņem ielūgumu uz vecmeitu ballīti, viņas ir apmulsušas, jo nesaprot, kāpēc vispār tiek aicinātas. Skolas laikā četrotne pret Popiju izturējās nejauki – apsmēja, pazemoja un padarīja viņas dzīvi par elli, bet vai tas ir iemesls, lai atteiktos no ielūguma doties uz eksotisku Bahamu salu, uz kuru aizvedīs privātā lidmašīna? Tomēr, kad draudzenes nonāk svinību vietā un satiek Popiju, drīz vien kļūst skaidrs, ka nekas nenotiks kā cerēts, un viņām pagātnes nodarījumus nāksies rūgti nožēlot.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Audiobook, Suspense, Book Club

414 pages, Hardcover

First published June 13, 2023

About the author

Sian Gilbert is a thriller author in the United Kingdom. She is represented by Helen Heller at the Helen Heller Agency.

Her debut thriller SHE STARTED IT (June 13th 2023) was a Book of the Month Main Selection, and an Amazon Editors' Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense. Her second thriller I DID WARN HER (June 18th 2025) received a starred review from Booklist.

Sian's third novel, THE FIVE OF US, is coming August 2026.

Follow Sian on Instagram, TikTok and X: @sianmgilbert

Find Sian on Facebook:
Sian Gilbert - Author

Reviews

[Yun · Rating 3 out of 5]

She invited us all here for a reason. We're not just going to enjoy a holiday and then go home.

Every once in a while, I get the itch to pick up a psychological thriller. That exciting premise! The jaw-dropping twists and turns! And so I get my popcorn ready and prepare to be amazed.

But I should've known. Yes, this story was an entertaining diversion, but unfortunately it didn't really deliver in terms of surprises. And so yet again, my jaw remains firmly closed.

Four friends receive the invitation of a lifetime. The girl they used to bully in school is getting married, and she's inviting them to an all expenses paid holiday on a tropical island for her hen party. Of course these four women saw nothing strange or sinister about this request, and they accept the generous offer posthaste. But what happens when they arrive and things start to go wrong?

I found the beginning of this book riveting. But then as time went on, my attention started to flag. Part of the problem is that I had some trouble differentiating between the four women. They all have the same voice and the same self-centered vileness. And since the chapters alternate between each of their perspectives, I kept getting them and their secrets mixed up.

Also, not much happens for quite a while. There is the promise of secrets and impending doom, but nothing actually happens until more than halfway through. In the meantime, it's a lot of shallow drama and posturing, all of which isn't that exciting.

Then once we get to the twists and turns, I just wasn't surprised. Here's the problem—when there are only five people on the island, there's not that many ways this can go. Not to mention the beginning gives away part of the ending on purpose, and I've already seen similar things before in other mysteries. So all told, I saw every twist and turn in here coming from a mile away.

No doubt this was a decently fun way to spend a few hours. But how much you'll be surprised will depend on what you've seen before, and unfortunately for me, I've already seen it all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
✧ Connect with me ✧ Instagram ✧

This was a pick for my Book of the Month box. Get your first book for $5 here.

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh boy! Revenge is best served cold! Four best friends and meanest girls you want to throw darts at their faces get bachelorette party invitation which will take place at a private island in Bahamas. All expenses are paid! And wait for it: the bride is the same girl: poor Poppy Greer they’ve tormented and bullied through the high school years. But our mean girls have real memory problems that make them already forget how they treated their friend. They are extremely self absorbed opportunists. There’s no way they can say no to all expenses paid luxurious trip even though they haven’t heard from that girl for 10 years!

I don’t know which one of those women are more despicable, punchable, slap-able, spit-able! You want to chant “ kill those b*tches!”as you keep reading their POVs! Eshter seems like less dislikable one but I cannot say for the rest of them. I don’t how many times I literally cursed at Chloe or dream to slap Annabel against her face or pull Tanya’s hair! The author did a marvelous job by creating most despicable human beings remind us of Blair Waldorf meets Alison DiLaurentis ( quick correction: these four women are million times worse than entire fictional mean girl characters created for TV, they are like Voldemort and Maleficent’s bastard granddaughters !)

Tanya; popular event organizer, dating with a hot guy, Eshter; aspiring workaholic climbing the ladders at finance industry with the help of her privileged family, Annabel; married, stay at home, doing nothing about her college degrees and Chloe; powerful influencer, traveling around the world, living her dreamy life. They seem like they achieved their goals and have their own HEAs but looks can be deceiving!

When they get invitation from Poppy for her special hen party, they thought this was a joke at first but they have every intention to exploit this generous offer. Chloe can upload more social media videos on this holiday which may bring her more sponsorship deals and the other three want to take a break from their extremely busy lives!

Even though the island has no cell service, extra remote, they just focus on having the best of their lives, ignoring to focus on red flags!

Their high school friend Poppy welcomes them with open arms. They cannot believe in how she changed so much. She’s a doctor, looking pretty, powerful, confident. Not the same awkward, geeky, introvert, chubby girl they teased for years! And she has a full plan to spend their holiday with great activities to remind them of the past they’ve buried and never thought about!

They already with their own dirty secrets and if one of them comes out, the entire balance of their fake relationships can fall like dominoes!

When Poppy’s games turn into a different direction they cannot foresee, they realize she has another agenda! But they are four women who are already experienced enough to destroy lives! Four against one! Plus they know how to play dirty! Let the revenge games begin!

I loved the twisty ending, the And Then There Were None meets Gilligan’s Island theme and entire development of riveting revenge plot! I had so much fun!

Special thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for sharing this fascinating book’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest feedback.

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[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

JUNE 2023 BOTM CHOICE

”The problem with you, Annabel, is you’ve always felt like the past doesn’t matter because it’s over. You don’t think about how actions always have consequences. You’re too focused on yourself and not focused enough on other people.”

Be prepared for a cast of EXTREMELY unlikable characters, jumping around from present to past and back again, and drama drama DRAMA.

If you’ve been reading psychological thrillers for any amount of time, you’re probably familiar with that feeling of drab predictability that has settled over this saturated genre. I’m starting to think the issue isn’t as much authors not being able to shock us any longer with an outlandish surprise, but with authors not writing an engaging enough story where solving the twists makes us feel like a detective with a sense of satisfaction when we’re right, and the story being so compulsive that we cannot turn the pages fast enough because we want to see the villains pay for what they’ve done. While I saw every single twist in this book well in advance, it did not dampen my enthusiasm for reading and reviewing this book. Sure, maybe in the future there could be a more subtle dropping of clues along the way, but I truly could not contain my excitement in racing through to finish this book, as it was like watching a train wreck in real time.

This is a pretty dark book (I’ll include trigger warnings in a spoiler tag following this review), with a few graphically violent moments, but mostly disturbing content involving bullying in the past and a little in the present. We alternate between the present, where Poppy Greer has called her 4 past “friends” to be bridesmaids in her wedding and invited them to a hen party on a private island in the Caribbean after not speaking with them for 10 years, to the past where we see just how this group of 5 ladies’ relationships evolved over their school years. It’s heartbreaking and infuriating in many ways, and I love how the author doesn’t really try to redeem these self centered bullies; she just lays them out as she sees fit and waits for us to hate them just as much as we should. This was so refreshing, as I haven’t read a thriller in a long time where the villains weren’t attempted to be humanized in some fashion.

What happens when these women are all called to this island and, in true locked “room” fashion, stuck there for days with no way off? I guess you’ll have to read to find out. If you’re looking for a page turner to keep you up all night, this one’s it. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

Content Warnings (included, but not limited to): bullying, suicide, substance abuse, murder (stabbing, bludgeoning, mention of 2 separate overdoses), kleptomania, adultery, nepotism, cutting, a homophobic conversation, suicidal ideation, vomiting.



*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.

[L A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What an outstanding debut with over 11 hours for an audio, I finished it in 2 days. You should absolutely not miss this one! Call it Karma or Revenge either way be careful who you taunt and bully in High school it may come back to you in threefold. The narrators were also a stunning additive to this book making it into my top ten books this year! Great job to the author Sian Gilbert and Sarah Ovens, Anne-Marie Piazza, Lone Butler, Billie Fulford-Brown, Sarah Cullen and Ella Lynch...you made this an event to attend.
Poppy, an aspiring art student in high school was accepted into one of the top universities for art and more than ready to leave her bullies behind. Mean girls are in every school, but Poppy suffered more than any child could ever imagine at the hands of Annabel, Esther, Tanya and Chloe. Ten years later they are successful, still beautiful and popular! They all receive an invitation to a private island in the Caribbean to be hosted by Poppy...their target in school...for her bridal bachelorette party. Even though they haven't spoken to her since HS they aren't hesitant to accept due to it being an all expense paid trip to a luxury island.
This will anger you what Poppy endured in high school mainly revealed through her diary entries. As she simply stated I just wanted to do my art and make a few friends. The mean girls made her life miserable. They are unlikable, evil and ignorant of their cruel demented antics.
This book was a surprise and I enjoyed every angle of the girls' POV and Poppy's. What they did to her would make a saint mad. Not saying revenge is a way to handle your anger towards your enemies but this will seem justifiable.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Audio for this incredible eARC! This author is one to watch for...TALENTED!!

[Sam | reading.and.roaming · Rating 1 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that this was a highly anticipated book for me, so I’m gonna fly at this rage review.

SHE STARTED IT is described as LORD OF THE FLIES meets AND THEN THERE WERE NONE with Instagram and too much prosecco. Like…let’s go. Mess these chicks up.

Well. The chicks were messed up, let me just tell you. Not an empathetic character in sight. Im down with unlikeable characters, but they were all so awful and selfish with similar cringey inner monologues that I had a hard time keeping them straight. Like which one is the superficial Instagram influencer and which one is the stay at home wife with designer everything? And why do they hate each other again? (Spoiler :: all of these “best friends” have done horrible things to each other.)

The one character you’re supposed to root for is Poppy. Revenge for high school misery is supposed to be sweet. But I didn’t even really like her either.

And then there are her flashbacks, which are diary entries that give you the backstory on the bullying inflicted on Poppy by these teenagers from hell. These passages were supposedly written by young Poppy. So tell me why there were entire sections of dialogue and overly descriptive scene-setting. No. One. Writes. Like. That.

The murders you know are coming don’t take place until far too late in the story. There are a few moments that are meant to build tension that were just annoying. You’re really going to tell me that she screamed bloody murder because her makeup was all over the floor? Please.

And of course, we must discuss the twists. I needed all of my assumptions and guesses to be blown out of the water for the writing and the characters to redeem themselves. But alas, I was correct about them all, even the one at the end that’s supposed to knock your darn socks off.

So yeah. You want a good summer thriller? If you’re asking me, this is not it. Instead, try WHAT LIES IN THE WOODS, BATH HAUS, or THIS MIGHT HURT.

[megs_bookrack · Rating 4 out of 5]

**3.5-stars rounded up**

If one of your closest friends asked you to be her bridesmaid and then extended an invitation to an all-expenses paid trip to the Bahamas for the Hen Party, you would accept, right?

What if someone you were only slightly close friends with, but had grown apart over the years, did the same? You might accept, but think it was odd they were asking you, right?



Now what if someone who you weren't close with and may not have always been kind to asked? Would you still say yes?

Personally, I would say, hell yes in the first instance, a kind, I'll pass, for the second instance, and hide under a rock from the third, because that seems entirely off to me.



For Annabel, Esther, Tanya and Chloe, best friends since childhood, instance three becomes their reality when they are invited by Poppy Greer to attend her extravagant Hen Party in paradise.

The women are taken aback. They weren't that close with Poppy. None of them have seen her in years, but it is a free trip to the Bahamas. They may not have been best friends with her before, but if she wants to take them on lavish vacations, they could always change that, right?

I mean, honestly, what's the worst than could happen?



Traveling to the private island, the group are in good spirits. They're meeting their hostess there and the trip is off to a jubilant start. They're anxious to discover what Poppy is like after all these years. They couldn't even find a picture of her on her socials.

Upon reaching the island they find a new and approved Poppy. She's not the mousy-artist they remember, but a confident, beautiful woman. This could get interesting.



There's no doubt that She Started It is a propulsive read. I'm always here for the drama and what better setting than a remote island in the Caribbean.

We get everyone's perspective in this, including a past perspective via Poppy's diary entries. There were times I felt it was hard to distinguish between the various women's perspectives; they're all quite similar, but I did start to get used to it as the story progressed.

Additionally, I could have done with a bit more intrigue. It all seemed fairly obvious quite quickly what was going on and I wish that initial suspense could have been drawn out longer.



With this being said, those are small nit-picky things and may not bother other Readers in the slightest. At the end of the day, this is an entertaining read and strong debut.

My recommendation: Grab your popcorn, grab a cocktail, sit back, relax and enjoy the shit-show!

[JanB · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the category of better late than never here is my review...

A fun popcorn revenge thriller!

Four friends are invited to an idyllic island locale for pre-wedding festivities by their childhood friend, Poppy (although “friend” may be stretching it). They haven’t seen her for 10 years, and for good reason. The 4 women treated Poppy horribly, tormenting and bullying her, making her life a living hell.

But, hey, who turns down as all-expenses-paid trip to a tropical island? Certainly not these four! Told in alternating chapters from the POV of each of the women, we soon learn these women are a total waste of skin.

They are truly horrible people. Matter of fact, one is almost indistinguishable from the next (which is my only complaint).

Poppy is now a successful physician and preparing for her wedding. It’s soon clear that Poppy is playing games with her four friends, and I don’t mean typical bachelorette party games, although there’s that too.

I’m not a fan of mean girl stories but what kept me reading was the revenge aspect. As a reader I wanted these 4 to get what they deserved.

Revenge is a dish best served cold and this is a delicious treat. I picked up the breadcrumbs and guessed the twists immediately but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of seeing the story play out. This falls under popcorn thriller, so set aside the need for plausibility, and just have fun with it.

The cast of audiobook narrators were excellent. A buddy read with my friend Marialyce, this is one we both had fun with!

[Catherine (alternativelytitledbooks) - still catching up! · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Many thanks to Scene of the Crime, William Morrow, and Sian Gilbert for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 6.13!!**

"There's only the bride waiting for me, and she's covered in blood."

So begins the tale of four friends who get invited to a hen party on a luxurious Caribbean island: an all expenses paid trip, no less. Annabel, Chloe, Esther and Tanya can't quite believe their luck...and can't quite shake their confusion, either. The bride to be is none other than Poppy Greer, a woman they all bullied beyond belief many years ago, and none of them have seen her since...until now. The group of friends prepare for long wild nights, lots of champagne, and making more of those Instagram-worthy memories.

When they arrive and find the island is a bit more isolated than they thought, however, and no cell service is available...the tropical fantasy quickly starts to look more like a nightmare. After all, there's a REASON Poppy hasn't spoken to any of them for years...and she's had plenty of time to mull over the past. Will Poppy use this golden opportunity to get her long-awaited revenge? Or will the group of catty queens use the isolated locale and their collective anger to silence Poppy...for good?

With an opening line like that one... I have to admit I got sucked in right away, thinking that this would be a new twist on an old theme, a bright and shining debut from a wicked and twisted new voice in the thriller scene.

You know when you see someone you think is INCREDIBLY attractive from across the room and then by the time you make it over there, you realize your brain has played an incredibly unfunny joke on you and the person looks nothing at ALL like the dreamboat you thought you were going to meet?

Yep. This was that, in book form.

First off, these girls are of course catty. They're supposed to be, and I get that. But they are also PRACTICALLY identical in voice and action, to the point where I had to keep tapping the bar on my Kindle to see what chapter I was on to remember the name of the narrator...since we have to hear from ALL of them. 🤦‍♀️ I actually don't mind unlikable characters...but this felt like an attempt to emulate other authors with similar devices and a locked room story (*cough* Lucy Foley *cough*) and it just did not work. Until some of the big secrets were revealed, they just sort of blended together. And even then, I STILL had trouble remembering who was who and what was what.

Poppy also uses a diary to tell you about the past...and let me tell you, an AUTHENTIC diary it was not. In these supposed diary entries from her youth, she not only recounts long conversations word for word, but describes things as an author would...which made them feel less like a diary and more like the author pretending to write a diary. The 'voice' of Poppy as a youth was also just generally unbelievable, she tried to make her seem young, but it just felt off. Teenagers do NOT talk or write like that, and so many authors do this well that it stuck out to me even more.

The "big" and worst episode of bullying the girls participated in was even more ridiculous...I had trouble believe that ANY teenagers would do what they did to her. I won't get into specifics, but let's just say it was far more orchestrated and disgusting than any of these self-absorbed ladies would deign to participate in, no matter how much they disliked Poppy.

I put all my remaining hope in the BIG twists I was promised, and had read so much about in some other early reviews. And when I tell you I guessed the biggest twist in the first 15% of the book or so and was stunned to be right...it's no exaggeration. I know I've read a fair amount of thrillers by this point and in some ways I'm sure that helped, but early thoughts from many other seasoned thriller readers raved about how blown away they were by the twist, so I assumed I HAD to be wrong. There's no way it was that obvious.

And yet...that was it.

Having to wait till almost the end of the book to confirm what I'd figured out at the near beginning made this book feel about 20 times longer than it was...and honestly, since this was a debut it's hard to gauge whether Gilbert has the potential to play her cards a bit closer to the vest next time or if this is about as twisty as she is ever going to get. Throw in a bit of an eye-rolling ending that serves basically as a set-up for a sequel that I'm not sure anyone needs, and I was more than ready to move on.

And in this case, Gilbert may have Started It...but I was relieved to simply have Finished It.

3 stars

[Sydney Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Girls are SO fucking mean omg. I actually really liked this and I’m embarrassed I didn’t see the twist coming 🙃

[Tabitha - · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay. You know how I'm going to approach this? I'm going to just make a list of thoughts. No well written paragraph. Thoughts.

1. This was marketed as LORD OF THE FLIES. And if you follow me on insta or listen to the podcast (Novels & Nonsense) you know that I HATE WHEN YOU DESCRIBE IT AS THAT AND DON'T DELIVER. Lord of the Flies? No. It was a bunch of a-holes trapped on a secluded island.

2. And by "bunch of a-holes", I do mean all of them. Every single one. Not a redeeming character in sight. 🔭 You'd have to squint real hard to see a likeable aspect of any of them. All insufferable.

3. There is a part of the book written by Poppy that are diary entries letting you know how she was bullied by these brats, and they're written like a creative writing project where the teacher told you to use every descriptor in the book. Your diary???? Nah.

4. SO. REPETITIVE. Poppy was bullied, guys. HEY DID YOU KNOW POPPY WAS BULLIED? I think Poppy might have been bullied.

5. This was a short-ish book that felt never ending. Like everyone please just knife each other and let's go. I got stuff to do.

6. The big twist was obvious. *fart noise*

[Rachel Hanes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always love it when someone can finish what has been started, and this book raced to the finish line brilliantly! This was an intense, thrilling debut!

She Started It, is about a group of four women who claim to be best friends who have been invited to a private hen (bachelorette) party. The hen party is that of Poppy Greer, which they haven’t even seen her in 10 years. These women don’t care as it’s an all expense paid trip to the luxurious private island 🏝️

Once on the island, the women are reunited with Poppy. They never liked Poppy during school, in fact they went out of their way to torment and bully her. But people can change, right? So in order to get reacquainted, they start to play games. They play games such as Truth or Dare, they go on scavenger hunts, and they even lock their cell phones away.

We get to know each of these four women (Annabel, Chloe, Tanya, and Esther), with each chapter being told from one of their viewpoints. Each woman is more unlikable and despicable than the first. We also get to hear Poppy’s views and events from the past through some of her diary entries that she had written.

If you enjoy mean girl stories, I can assure you that this book takes it to a whole different level! Lots of twists and suspense in this book! A very entertaining read which I think most of my reader friends will enjoy!

Many thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow, and the author for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. Publication date: June 13, 2023. (Genre- Mystery & Thrillers, General Fiction).

[Destiny Sidwell · Rating 1 out of 5]

super predictable and these characters are insufferable

[JaymeO]

DNF at 33%

I promised myself this year that I would not spend time reading books that fail to engage me. This debut thriller was getting rave early reviews, so of course I wanted to read it for myself. I requested the audiobook which is narrated by Sarah Ovens, Anne-Marie Piazza, Ione Butler, Billie Fulford-Brown, Sarah Cullum and Ella Lynch. While the large cast reading is excellent, I just didn’t connect with the premise or the characters. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it to any of the twists or shocking ending. I am still curious, but not enough to finish it.

No rating

Expected publication date: 6/13/23

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the ARC of She Started It in exchange for an honest review.

[Southern Lady Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where to even start? The first thing I want to say about this book is if you are raising a child that bullies others.. you should 1000% be ashamed of yourself. Period.

THOUGHTS:
- This is one of those books that allows you to really pull back the curtain on what childhood trauma can do. When children terrorize other children, it never ends well.. and what happens when those people grow up? They're probably still awful hooman beings.

- Multiple POVs execution: the only problem with the other POVs was that I felt like they all sounded a bit similar. But then I realize that was probably also intentionally done to show how like-minded these women still were from their teenage years. You're supposed to grow up but if you don't do that, and you lack the capability to make new friends... it's probably a personal problem not everyone else!!

***She Started It was a BOTM add-on in August, and I’m so glad I started reading this weekend ! Right now, my Book of The Month tally is 30 Loves, 7 Likes, and 3 Loathed. Learn more about a Book of The Month Club subscription here. (It's not a referral link, just FYI. 😊 Just my thoughts on why I truly think Book of the Month Club is the best book subscription box!)

BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS:
#1: How would you react as Poppy's parents?
If you're a parent... are you asking your children probing questions about their day and monitoring these sensitive little souls? If you're not a parent.. how would you respond to seeing other children bullying a child? Would you inform both parents?

#2: Do you feel a sense of justice at the end? What are your thoughts on revenge?

#3: Did you predict the ending? (I did but not until wayy late into the book.)

Find Me On Instagram 🦋 || More Bookish Thoughts & Reviews Here 🖤

[Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been eyeing Sian Gilbert’s upcoming thriller, SHE STARTED IT, the moment I saw this breathtakingly stunning cover! Ummm, hello?! 😍😍 I’m happy to report that this book’s story is just as gripping as the cover too! The story centers around a group of friends, Annabel, Chloe, Tanya, and Ester—four long-term friends since high school—invited to a former “friend’s” hen (bachelorette) party in the Caribbean on a private island all expenses paid. They’re not only invited for this beautiful and luxurious trip, but they’re also asked to be bridesmaids. Poppy Greer has reached out after years of not speaking with them and they didn’t end on the best terms. Why does Poppy want to reconnect with these women after so long?

SHE STARTED IT made me tear up. Major triggers detailed below (may be spoilery), but bullying is definitely a core theme in this story. I resonated with this book so deeply and can relate to the narrative immensely. The mystery itself plays out pretty straightforwardly, but there’s definitely twists I didn’t expect at all! The dynamics between the five women and their journeys together was so immersive. This book is a must-read for anyone looking for a book similar to BIG LITTLE LIES or Jaclyn Goldis’ upcoming book THE CHATEAU. I loved it and will definitely recommend that readers prioritize this story when it comes out.

Trigger warnings include bullying, self-harm, and suicide.

[Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four childhood best friends—Annabel, Esther, Tanya, and Chloe—used to be as close as friends could be. But as the years have passed, life has gotten in the way and they’ve begun to see each other less and less. Despite this, however, the secrets they share from their youth have kept them cemented to one another—for better or worse.

So when their mutual friend, Poppy, contacts them out of the blue with an unexpected invitation to join her for her bachelorette party on an exclusive island in the Bahamas, each are rather surprised. After all, none of them have seen or spoken to her in almost a decade and their last encounter is hardly a happy memory.

Just the same, the invitation, which is accompanied by a first-class plane ticket and a brochure filled with pictures of the stunning tropical locale, is too enticing to turn down. Just the idea of white sand beaches, crystal clear waters, and bottomless cocktails has each of them packing their bags in anticipation.

After a first-class flight complete with separate suites and plenty of champagne, they land in a tropical paradise. But as they voyage out to the island, they discover that not only is it way more remote than expected, but that they will be alone with Poppy on its shores. Even more troubling, with no cell service and only one way off of the island, they’re going to be at the mercy of Poppy and one another.

Regardless, each of them are determined to make the most of this luxurious vacation away. That is, however, until their old “friend” Poppy begins to expose dark secrets that have been rattling around their group. Perhaps the individual the foursome have all considered to be the weakest is anything but. Even worse, the friendships, always considered to be unbreakable, start to shake at their very foundation. As the secrets come out and truths are laid bare, the idyllic trip turns into an unholy nightmare. Can they escape before the unthinkable happens? Or has karma finally come calling?

Just as an FYI, this is a mostly unpopular opinion here. When I read the synopsis after picking up She Started It, I thought it was going to be an epic locked room mystery that rivaled Phoebe Morgan’s The Wild Girls (which is a definite must-read). Sadly, this one couldn’t have been further from what I was hoping for. What exactly do I mean? Well, let me explain…

First off, the first 50-60% of the plot was a long, slow, repetitive reveal of the secrets being held amongst the group. Unfortunately, for much of that time, Gilbert hid them from the reader, which merely made for an incredibly confusing attempt at ratcheting suspense. Making matters worse, the identities behind the multiple POVs were so similar (all thoroughly unlikable characters that bordered on obnoxious) that it was darn near impossible to figure out who was talking. This resulted in me having to flip back to the start of the chapter over and over again to remind myself which woman was talking, which made for a truly irritating read.

The biggest headache, however, was the fact that I figured out every single twist miles before their supposed epic reveals. Given that this book has had quite the hype ever since its release, I was surprised how rote the entire supposed popcorn thriller felt. Typical in its delivery and without the action-packed storyline that one would’ve expected from a premise like this one, I was thoroughly disappointed. I mean, I’m not usually the most intuitive armchair sleuth, so if I could figure it out, well…

As for the pluses, however, this story did do one heck of an excellent job addressing the horrors of bullying. While perhaps the repercussions of such actions were decidedly over-the-top and required a definite suspension of disbelief, the pain and anguish resonated nonetheless. For this reason, if you’ve been the subject of such behavior, I strongly recommend giving this book a miss.

I also have to hand it to Gilbert for spinning an interesting take on a revenge tale. Granted, the specifics of it were somewhat tired and well-used, but I’ve always been a fan of people getting their due. For this reason, I personally think this entire book would’ve been much, much stronger if it had been told from Poppy’s POV rather than the other four. First off, it would’ve been considerably less confusing, but also we could’ve had an inside view of all of Poppy’s actions that preceded the weekend away. But I’ll stop myself from expounding further in an attempt at keeping the spoilers at a minimum.

All in all, I’m still pretty let down after closing the cover on She Started It. I do have to mention that it was nicely set up for a sequel, and despite my definite lack of resounding love for Gilbert’s debut, I will probably read a follow up if there is one. After all, I’m intrigued by the direction the next one one just might take. So while there was plenty that could have been improved upon, I ultimately give this one a hesitant thumbs up. Yeah, I know, it didn’t really sound like I would given my review, but much of the reasoning behind this was my ability to see behind the curtain for all of the twists and turns. Hopefully, the author will do a better job in her sophomore work so what kind of reader would I be if I didn’t at least give her a chance? Rating of 3 stars.

If you don’t mind potential spoilers, scroll for trigger warning.




















































































Trigger warning: homophobia, bullying, cutting, infidelity, fatal stabbing, blunt force trauma, suicide, mention of: drug addiction, overdose, spousal abuse, shoplifting

[Jayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished "She Started It" ......

and my jaw is still dropping.

TRIGGER WARNINGS:   Mean girls, mean girls, and more mean girls.

Plenty of "mean guys" and dead bodies, too.

This deliciously catty revenge thriller was intricately plotted and well-paced; offering both chuckles and gasps.

The book's beginning and twisty ending were very strong.   

The middle portion of the book would have benefited from additional editing but, overall, the book was a very, very impressive debut novel by author Sian Gilbert.

I listened to the full-cast audiobook read by Sarah Ovens, Anne-Marie Piazza, Ione Butler, and Billie Fulford-Brown.

All narrators did an outstanding job. 
4.5 stars.

[Bren fall in love with the sea. · Rating 2 out of 5]

“If anyone should be afraid up here, it’s me,” she says. “After all, I know what you’re all capable of.”
― Sian Gilbert, She Started It


I had a really hard time with this one.

It’s not that it’s not compulsively readable. It is. I read it in one sitting, and I barely skimmed a word.

No. It is very well written, and I will look for more of this writer’s books, because I have a feeling I would like them. I had a hard time for two reasons.

Implausible plot. And plot holes which I’ll count as one thing.

And the agonizing subject matter.

So before I go into my review, I must say that there are some trigger warnings with this. Cutting, bullying, suicide, may be a couple of other things I haven’t thought of.


Four women get an invitation to be part of a wedding of a girl they knew many years ago back in school by the name of Poppy.

The problem is that these women were not her friends. They bullied her relentlessly and that’s not a spoiler because you are pretty much told that from the beginning.


Nonetheless, for some inexplicable reason, all the women decide to be part of the wedding, and go to a deserted tropical island, to see a woman who most likely hates them.


See what I mean by implausibility?


Now let’s get to the good stuff. I love books that take place on islands, and I loved how the writer was able to kind of Weave a spell in the description of how very beautiful the island was. It sounded so languid and sumptuous, that I wanted to visit myself!


However, what really ruined it for me and I guess this is the third issue is the women themselves.

I’ve had this problem with other domestic thrillers. These women were completely unlikable from the very beginning, and they seemed to despise each other so I couldn’t figure out how they even spend five minutes in each others time because it’s evident that none of them can stand each other. It was really hard for me to envision them taking a cozy vacation together.


But I was able to shrug that off because I’ve had dysfunctional friendships and in fact, I’ve once belonged to a very dysfunctional clique myself. If there’s anybody who understands, unhealthy and toxic friendships, it’s me because of I’ve had far too many of them than I like to admit. . The problem is, I could not differentiate between the voices of the different women in this book.


I couldn’t find any personality in them. I mean other than the fact that they were all catty and rather psycho. But I couldn’t get beyond the surface to dig deep down and know any of them but then again, maybe there was just nothing to know.


As the book goes on, it gets more and more bizarre. Again, some of that I liked .

I want to stress that the writing was really good and I think that a lot of my Goodreads friends would like this book, particularly those who are not burnt out on domestic thrillers as I am, and people who can handle the heavy subjects I wrote about above.

We are taken into the past as we learn what happened to Poppy in school. It was very difficult to read about. I myself was bullied as a kid and I was bullied badly and so were many of my friends. A lot of people I know were bullied, but nobody I know was bullied like Poppy was.

It was incredibly painful to read about, deeply deeply deeply painful and I guess that’s why at the end of the day I just really didn’t like this all that much.

SPOILERS

The ending to me made no sense. I mean I can usually accept a little bit of an unrealistic plot, but seriously how on earth was Wendy going to get away with it?

All the police would have to do was DNA and talk to Annabel‘s mother who Annabel had been on the phone with.

I could go on, but basically one of the women tries to frame another woman for murder, and it ends like that, and I don’t see how that would’ve possibly worked.


At the end of the day, I guess I was looking for something a lot different than what this was. The women in the story were absolutely repelling

But I’ll tell you something , the author is very talented because she made me care fiercely about Yung Poppy.

Poppy by the way, as well as her sister Wendy are not cardboard cut outs. They have their own personalities and I did like both of them , not so much the group of selfish, spoiled bullying nut cases who showed up on the island.

[Sarah Moore · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book…ah….just wasn’t for me. I always feel like a big huge jerk when I write reviews that aren’t glowing, but maybe, hopefully it’s constructive? (My inner people pleaser is screaming)

First, four main POV’s is far too many. Especially when it starts and ends with two more separate POVS. There were multiple times I couldn’t recall whose chapter I was reading. The characters were all awful, and maybe that was slightly the point but to have zero development is awful?? Poppy’s diary was so sad, and probably the strongest writing in this story. Annabel I feel never got really the explanation of why she let her life get boring and dull and accepted a man who habitually cheated on her and just chose to shoplift? Especially if she was supposed to be the brains of the operation?

It also seemed a bit unbelievable that no one believed Poppy when she said she didn’t do all of those heinous things to her art project? Not even her parents? Were they truly blind to her having no friends for YEARS? Wendy never spoke up about her being bullied?? That really just seems like such a reach that this poor girl was all but abandoned by everyone till the bitter end? They really just basically kicked her out of school? Just seems a huge reach.

The twists were predictable and laid out completely bare if you were paying attention. It was off the bat that Robin mistook Annabel for the “bride” so I guessed quickly that she’d be the last person standing. I also guessed that it was Wendy and not Poppy by the mentions of becoming a doctor. Also why oh WHY didn’t anyone question that it could have been fake blood or stored up blood if they did believe she was a doctor?? Just seemed really obvious that nothing was ever said about that, they just automatically turned on each other. Also, all of their life troubles were pretty predictable as well.

Also my biggest wtf honestly was, why were all the weird italics about being the killer at the end of Esther’s chapters, specifically and only?? Why would we not assume it was her? That’s so weird? Was it supposed to be Wendy from afar somehow? That was just misleading and not in a good way in my opinion.

Overall I feel like this story could have been more, darker and twistier and really laid out to make it seem these girls deserved it. But they just seemed shallow and dumb and one dimensional. Not that bullies aren’t awful, but the 10 year jump just didn’t do it for me. Their lives already sucked so it just kind of fell flat to me. If it was a little more lord of the flies maybe and Wendy got to them sooner after poppy killed herself or first summer after university maybe that would be a better plot? Not when they already suck. I don’t know but now I’m rambling.

I was hoping for more and I think the petty high school drama angle just isn’t my vibe. I related more to poppy and was so sad about the bullying and stuff, but having overcome and grown up past my own experiences of being bullied all of this just didn’t seem like how it would really go.

I do feel like this writer has talent and potential I think this is a book to work from and hope that their talent can be refined through future projects.

[STEPH · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wedding invitation. The party of a lifetime for bestfriends; Chloe, Annabel, Esther and Tanya. Their darkest secrets revealed. A killer in their midst, picking them off one by one. Someone out for revenge. For something they did 10 years ago.

This is so heartbreaking and raw. I was trying not to cry but the amount of desperation and hopelessness of Poppy sent me into a dark dark place. It was awful-- her story was awful that I wished all her tormentors would die a horrible, long and painful death because they deserve what's coming for them. I didn't feel an ounce of sympathy for these people.

This reminded me so much of Lucy Foley's "The Guest List" and like that book, I loved this just the same. This is one of those times where I do not care about the twists as much because I was more invested with the characters.

I truly enjoyed this. Heads up for some trigger warnings. Poppy's diary will tear you inside out.

[Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was wild…crazy..and FUN!! Who loves a good revenge fueled thriller?? This girl..🙋‍♀️ …and a debut at that!! 👏👏

You have lost touch with your besties from high school… okay.. maybe just one… 🤷‍♀️… and Poppy was not your bestie… if fact… you made her life a living hell… 😈… so why oh why is Poppy asking you… to come to her bachelorette party.. 👰‍♀️…Hmmm 🤔🤔🤔

This was an all expense paid trip to a PRIVATE island 🏝 in the Caribbean!!! When Annabel, Esther, Tanya and Chloe get their invites… well they are bewildered… but heck why not??? 🥂🍹🍷I mean what could go wrong??? It’s just that doormat Poppy that they used to torment…what could she possibly do to THEM??? ALOT could go wrong… like ALOT 😂😳🤫🫢

My favorite parts were the flashbacks of why this all had to end like this 🤷‍♀️…this took mean girls to a WHOLE different level!! 😈 While I know it’s wrong… well She did start it… and well someone is going to pay. 😉…and sometimes karma is just a bitch! 😂🤷‍♀️

I seriously can’t wait to see what @sianmgilbert turns out next!!! Bravo for this fast, twisted revenge fueled thriller!!

🖤🖤🖤 Who has read this? Is it on your list?? Do you love a good revenge or mean girls book?? What are you reading?? 🖤🖤

[Marialyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can’ turn down an all expense paid vacation/hen party in a tropical island can you?

Honestly who cares if the future bride, Poppy, was formerly a girl you tormented through the school years? Let bygones be bygones is the attitude of the ladies invited to the soirée.

The ladies, and I use the term loosely we’re horrible to Poppy making her life a living hell. One of the ladies had even been her best friend. The span of ten years probably made dumb Poppy forget and anyway, now Poppy is a doctor so she probably has forgotten the past.

However, oh no, ladies! You have no idea what has been planned for you! A surprise for sure for the ladies and a few for we readers too!

Jan and I liked the devious nature of the story and felt the four “friends” deserved what fate had in store for them.

[Brigit · Rating 1 out of 5]

i could write an essay on all the things i hated about this book

[Frank Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a dark, juicy tale of revenge I simply couldn't get enough of, I absolutely loved it! To find out that this was Sian Gilbert's debut simply blew me away - I may have a new favorite author, everyone!!

Annabel, Esther, Tanya, and Chloe have been best friends since they were children. In the years since graduation they have drifted apart, but when they each receive an invitation from an old acquaintance, Poppy, to attend her bachelorette party at an extravagant resort on a remote and private island in the Bahamas they each accept the invitation without hesitation, especially since it's on Poppy's dime! The invitation does come as a shock as they haven't spoken with Poppy in ages, and they weren't exactly close with her whilst attending school. To put it bluntly, they each made it their personal mission to make Poppy's life a living hell, for no apparent reason other than their own deeply troubling and cruel enjoyment. But surely that's all in the past now, and they're eager to find out what Poppy has been up to. Has she blossomed from the shy, awkward, pathetic girl they once knew? Why has she reached out so suddenly, after years of silence?

When the women arrive on the island to discover they are in fact Poppy's only guests, the island is much more remote than advertised, with no cell phone service, or transportation available for the next several days, and Poppy finally arrives very much transformed from the weak victim to a confident and intimidating host, they quickly realize this trip may not be the dream getaway they expected. As the days go by with Poppy's demeanor become more sinister, and her antics become increasingly dangerous, and one of the women has been found murdered, they others realize they have been lured into a trap, and are in for the fight of their life! But is it Poppy behind all of this, or is it something, or someone else?!

Full of insanely unlikeable characters, and twists at every turn, I just couldn't read this compelling story fast enough. Reminiscent to Lucy Foley's The Guest List, this impressive debut is told in alternating timelines via Poppy's old diary entries, revealing just how horrible and brutally cruel the girls were to Poppy as she grew up, presenting the perspective of a victim turned bully herself. Or was it?? You will just have to read to find out! This will most likely be at the top of my Best of 2023 list, and I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys psychological suspense at its' finest!

[Sarah Buncy · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I posted that I was reading this, a few of you reached out to warn me in advance, letting me know it was a hot mess bred in a dumpster fire.

SO… this review just serves to confirm what we already know to be true…

That I have absolutely garbage taste, because… honestly I gobbled this up like a Wendy’s 4-for-4. I will scarf down a story about toxic rich bitches and vapid narcissists faster than a bucket of original recipe KFC and a 6-pack of Capri suns. They are my guilty pleasure. Nom nom.

Did I see all the plot twists coming? Yes. Did I hate every single character? Yes. Did it read like the first-draft of a mediocre telenovela? Yes.

Would I recommend it? Also yes.⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

I was afraid to post this, but I must live my truth. I have always been and will forever remain a semi-literate, goblin-girl with sticky fingers and trash opinions. I understand if you are vehemently appalled and need to Unfollow me. Do what you gotta do.

[Brent Burch · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise for this book sounded so appealing. Poppy invites her former classmates, who bullied her incessantly, to an all expenses paid hen party on an island in the Caribbean. What follows is a fairly typical story of revenge on Poppy's former tormentors. As the party progresses, they find out that they have really underestimated their former classmate, as well as each other.

The twist was also patently obvious. All in all something to read if you've run out of other books, but there are better alternatives out there.

[Mª Carmen · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5⭐️

Una novela que es exactamente lo que parece, thriller tipo película sesión de tarde de Antena tres.

Cuatro amigas desde el instituto se sorprenden al ser invitadas a la despedida de soltera de una antigua compañera que tiene cuentas pendientes con ellas. La despedida será lujosa en una isla paradisíaca y esa es la causa de que acepten. Por supuesto, que las cosas no serán como ellas esperan.

Capítulos cortos, ritmo sostenido e intriga moderada. Es muy predecible desde el minuto uno. Los giros no sorprenden por esta causa. La historia alterna en primera persona las voces de las cuatro amigas.

Los personajes son lo que cabe esperar en este tipo de novela. Están pensados para que ninguna de las cinco protagonistas caiga simpática, el problema es que al representar clichés muy manidos en el género me dejaron fría.

El desenlace, el esperado, como ya he comentado es predecible hasta decir basta.

En conclusión. Thriller manido que no sorprende. Es ideal para escuchar en formato audiolibro mientras se realizan otras tareas.

[Amanda Kristina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Outside a FM book this was the most idiotic and juvenile book I’ve read. And to be transparent I couldn’t even read every word. I had to skim the last 40% of the book because we all knew what the ending would be.

That’s it. If you think you’re not going to like the book, quit. Life is too short to read silly books.

[Kori Potenzone · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do I feel about what I just read?

Satisfaction

She Started It, hits on so many relevant topics that kids struggle with these days . Bullying, is no joke and awareness is needed.

Was this book incredibly well written? Yes. However, this book was just so much more than anyone will ever know and deserves a different type of recognition.

Accountability.

Although I believe revenge isn’t always the best plan and we should really leave it up to Karma, I have to say if I was was in a similar situation as our MC, I would most likely do the same.

Does this make me a bad person? Maybe. I’ll let my karma speak for itself.

My biggest question is… how is this a debut?

The talent shines within the pages. The fact that Sian Gilbert took such big risks with a first novel is admirable. The amount of respect I have for this author right now is something I can put into words.

I don’t have to say “I can’t wait to see what this author comes out with next” . I know without one doubt in my mind that I will be purchasing it .

Sian Gilbert, you have just turned my world upside down and I just became your biggest fan ♥️

Teaser :

The party of a lifetime is nothing like what they expected...

Annabel, Esther, Tanya, and Chloe are best friends—or were, as children. Despite drifting apart in adulthood, shared secrets have kept them bonded for better or worse, even as their childhood dreams haven’t quite turned out as they’d hoped. Then one day they receive a wholly unexpected—but not entirely unwelcome—invitation from another old friend. Poppy Greer has invited them all to her extravagant bachelorette party: a first-class plane ticket to three days of white sand, cocktails, and relaxation on a luxe private island in the Bahamas.

None of them has spoken to Poppy in years. But Poppy’s Instagram pics shows that the girl they used to consider the weakest link in their group has definitely made good—and made money. Curiosity gets the better of them. Besides, who can turn down a posh all-expenses-paid vacation on a Caribbean island?

The first-class flight and the island’s accommodations are just as opulent as expected...even if the scenic island proves more remote than they’d anticipated. Quite remote, in fact, with no cell service, and no other guests. The women quickly discover they’ve underestimated Poppy, and each other. As their darkest secrets are revealed, the tropical adventure morphs into a terrifying nightmare.

[Sherri Thacker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brand new author we need to keep our eye on! This is Sian Gilbert’s thriller debut and wow!! It is loaded with lots of twists and turns!! This grabbed me from the very first page and I loved all the twists and turns it had. A group of women who were friends a long time ago take a trip to the Caribbean for a bachelorette party. Only the girl who is getting married hasn’t spoken to these other “friends” since they graduated from high school. Things start happening and just keep happening. The twists at the end were the icing on the cake! I really enjoyed this book and look for many more great books by this new author. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release. To be published June 2023.