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Lucky
Alternate cover edition of ASIN B08BZDG1Z8.
A compelling and thrilling road-trip novel about a talented grifter named Lucky whose past comes back to haunt her.
What if you had the winning ticket that would change your life forever, but you couldn’t cash it in?
Lucky Armstrong is a tough, talented grifter who has just pulled off a million-dollar heist with her boyfriend, Cary. She’s ready to start a brand-new life, with a new identity—when things go sideways. Lucky finds herself alone for the first time, navigating the world without the help of either her father or her boyfriend, the two figures from whom she’s learned the art of the scam.
When she discovers that a lottery ticket she bought on a whim is worth millions, her elation is tempered by one big problem: cashing in the winning ticket means the police will arrest her for her crimes. She’ll go to prison, with no chance to redeem her fortune.
As Lucky tries to avoid arrest and make a future for herself, she must confront her past by reconciling with her father; finding her mother, who abandoned her when she just a baby; and coming to terms with the man she thought she loved—whose complicated past is catching up to her, too.
This is a novel about truth, personal redemption, and the complexity of being good. It introduces a singularly gifted, complicated character who must learn what it means to be independent and honest…before her luck runs out.
A compelling and thrilling road-trip novel about a talented grifter named Lucky whose past comes back to haunt her.
What if you had the winning ticket that would change your life forever, but you couldn’t cash it in?
Lucky Armstrong is a tough, talented grifter who has just pulled off a million-dollar heist with her boyfriend, Cary. She’s ready to start a brand-new life, with a new identity—when things go sideways. Lucky finds herself alone for the first time, navigating the world without the help of either her father or her boyfriend, the two figures from whom she’s learned the art of the scam.
When she discovers that a lottery ticket she bought on a whim is worth millions, her elation is tempered by one big problem: cashing in the winning ticket means the police will arrest her for her crimes. She’ll go to prison, with no chance to redeem her fortune.
As Lucky tries to avoid arrest and make a future for herself, she must confront her past by reconciling with her father; finding her mother, who abandoned her when she just a baby; and coming to terms with the man she thought she loved—whose complicated past is catching up to her, too.
This is a novel about truth, personal redemption, and the complexity of being good. It introduces a singularly gifted, complicated character who must learn what it means to be independent and honest…before her luck runs out.
ebook
First published April 6, 2021
About the author
Marissa Stapley
13 books1,202 followersMarissa Stapley is the NYT bestselling author of the novels Lucky (a Reese's Book Club pick), The Last Resort, Things to Do When It's Raining, and Mating for life. Her fiction has been published around the world and her journalism has appeared in magazines and newspapers across North America. She has taught creative writing and editing at the University of Toronto and Centennial College, and lives in Toronto with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 6,421 reviews
November 19, 2021
Lucky is an entertaining and enjoyable book about a girl named Luciana "Lucky" Armstrong, a con artist/grifter who buys a winning lottery ticket and has to figure out how to cash it in.
The book goes back and forth between the past and the present, showing Lucky's upbringing by her con artist father and the mess she finds herself in currently by trusting the wrong people. I liked her character and was rooting for her success throughout, even though she's not such a good person and does cheat and swindle people for her own profit.
Although it's an engaging story, there's also some food for thought here about nature vs. nurture and how Lucky had life stacked against her from the beginning. I felt terrible for her as a child--just as she would create connections or find a bit of stability, her father would ruin things for her and they would have to move. I got angry with him and his selfishness over and over again. Yet when he goes to prison, she unfortunately continues along with the bad people he was connected with because she doesn't feel as if she had another choice.
Overall this is a worthwhile read. No real surprises, but an intriguing character study with a few likable ones.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
The book goes back and forth between the past and the present, showing Lucky's upbringing by her con artist father and the mess she finds herself in currently by trusting the wrong people. I liked her character and was rooting for her success throughout, even though she's not such a good person and does cheat and swindle people for her own profit.
Although it's an engaging story, there's also some food for thought here about nature vs. nurture and how Lucky had life stacked against her from the beginning. I felt terrible for her as a child--just as she would create connections or find a bit of stability, her father would ruin things for her and they would have to move. I got angry with him and his selfishness over and over again. Yet when he goes to prison, she unfortunately continues along with the bad people he was connected with because she doesn't feel as if she had another choice.
Overall this is a worthwhile read. No real surprises, but an intriguing character study with a few likable ones.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
December 25, 2021
The author is the lucky one. There is no doubt about it.
Unfortunately this one did not work for me.
I started with the ebook and after 25% switched to the audiobook, and listened while cooking and cleaning for this Christmas evening.
I also did not enjoy the audiobook.
I know that I did not have to finish it, but I did. But if I had stayed seated I would have abandoned at 35%.
This one meant absolutely nothing to me. Not even as a distraction.
I won’t go over all the faults, but two: lack of depth and background.
There is one positive part: it’s short! 252 pages and 68k words. An average reader needs no more than 6 hours.
I’m sure that it’s going to be a hit with the younger public and I won’t be surprised if it is made into a TV series or movie.
There are plenty of 4 stars, so please do not mind me.
Unfortunately this one did not work for me.
I started with the ebook and after 25% switched to the audiobook, and listened while cooking and cleaning for this Christmas evening.
I also did not enjoy the audiobook.
I know that I did not have to finish it, but I did. But if I had stayed seated I would have abandoned at 35%.
This one meant absolutely nothing to me. Not even as a distraction.
I won’t go over all the faults, but two: lack of depth and background.
There is one positive part: it’s short! 252 pages and 68k words. An average reader needs no more than 6 hours.
I’m sure that it’s going to be a hit with the younger public and I won’t be surprised if it is made into a TV series or movie.
There are plenty of 4 stars, so please do not mind me.
December 15, 2021
A quick read, Lucky is the story of a girl named Lucky and her journey of trying to evade arrest, finding her long-lost mother, and struggling with her morality. It poses questions surrounding the nature of goodness. Is our fate set in stone? Are we doomed to repeat our parents mistakes? Lucky explores these ideas and more. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Despite her criminality, Lucky is such an enigmatic character who you can’t help but root for. Additionally, the story is remarkably compelling; I did not want to put this one down. The suspense really kept me going, and I loved reading the flashbacks to Lucky’s childhood. There isn’t anything negative I have to say about this book. Go read it!
December 13, 2021
I’m glad this was only 230 pages. When you read over 100 books in a year, it’s easy to tell the good writing from the bad. This book felt forced. It was kind of corny. Almost like the creators of a hallmark movie tried to write a drama/thriller. Another Reese’s book club fail for me.
But I finished it. Because it was 230 pages.
But I finished it. Because it was 230 pages.
October 30, 2021
This is a Suspense/Contemporary Fiction. This book has two storyline one is Lucky now, and the other one is Lucky's childhood. I guessed one of the twists from the beginning, but it did not take away from the story. This was a fun book, and the writing in this book was so great. I really enjoyed the characters in this book even through most of them have done some not so good things. I really loved the ending of this book. Great read. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Simon Schuster) or author (Marissa Stapley) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
December 17, 2021
This is a story about Lucky, a female con artist and how she became that way. The story has an alternate timeline, going back and forth from the time she was a baby to her upbringing by her grifter father and into adulthood. I thought the story moved smoothly between the past and present but felt it would have been more effective if told in a more linear style.
I knew I was supposed to empathize with Lucky but was never fully engaged by her character. She lived a childhood where her father taught her to lie, trick people, change her appearance and identity, and steal. They were always on the run, moving quickly to evade the law. They were never in one place long enough for Lucky to make friends or go to school. She struggled with morality and longed for traditional, settled family life.
Despite her early experiences, finding that she could quickly gain her victim's trust and their money, she was naive. As she matured, she trusted the wrong people, made bad choices, and was readily conned herself. Once she moved in with her first boyfriend and lover, he turned out to be a greater con man than her father. They were both wanted by the police. They accumulated a large sum of money through various illegal swindles. One was a false investment set up by Lucky. It worked like a Ponzi scheme that took retirement funds from the elderly, and when it collapsed, her boyfriend absconded with all the ill-gained money in their accounts. Lucky always held the delusion instilled by her father that they only took money from the wealthy who would never miss it.
Her boyfriend was on the run with their money, and Lucky was alone. Her father was now in prison, betrayed by a powerful female criminal mastermind for whom he worked. Lucky had bought a multi-million dollar lottery ticket and discovered she was the winner. She has no way to cash it in without giving away her true identity and going to prison for a string of past crimes. From clues she had learned from her father when he was drunk, she decides to search for the long-lost mother she never knew. While searching, she carries out more cons and finally meets the woman eluded to by her father. Maybe she can convince her to cash the lottery ticket for her? She is also being watched and endangered by the criminal mastermind who employed her father. The police have long sought this woman, but they have never been able to apprehend or charge her.
I thought we needed more backstory and character development for the nun who handed over baby Lucky to the man claiming to be her father. This nun had a sufficient hidden stash of money to gladly support and educate the baby's mother. Was her money the result of fraud?
This story ends with Lucky's remorse and redemption due to a hurried and unbelievable intervention and ending. Without the circumstances set up in this rushed ending, I had to wonder if she would have continued her life of crime without this conclusion.
I knew I was supposed to empathize with Lucky but was never fully engaged by her character. She lived a childhood where her father taught her to lie, trick people, change her appearance and identity, and steal. They were always on the run, moving quickly to evade the law. They were never in one place long enough for Lucky to make friends or go to school. She struggled with morality and longed for traditional, settled family life.
Despite her early experiences, finding that she could quickly gain her victim's trust and their money, she was naive. As she matured, she trusted the wrong people, made bad choices, and was readily conned herself. Once she moved in with her first boyfriend and lover, he turned out to be a greater con man than her father. They were both wanted by the police. They accumulated a large sum of money through various illegal swindles. One was a false investment set up by Lucky. It worked like a Ponzi scheme that took retirement funds from the elderly, and when it collapsed, her boyfriend absconded with all the ill-gained money in their accounts. Lucky always held the delusion instilled by her father that they only took money from the wealthy who would never miss it.
Her boyfriend was on the run with their money, and Lucky was alone. Her father was now in prison, betrayed by a powerful female criminal mastermind for whom he worked. Lucky had bought a multi-million dollar lottery ticket and discovered she was the winner. She has no way to cash it in without giving away her true identity and going to prison for a string of past crimes. From clues she had learned from her father when he was drunk, she decides to search for the long-lost mother she never knew. While searching, she carries out more cons and finally meets the woman eluded to by her father. Maybe she can convince her to cash the lottery ticket for her? She is also being watched and endangered by the criminal mastermind who employed her father. The police have long sought this woman, but they have never been able to apprehend or charge her.
I thought we needed more backstory and character development for the nun who handed over baby Lucky to the man claiming to be her father. This nun had a sufficient hidden stash of money to gladly support and educate the baby's mother. Was her money the result of fraud?
This story ends with Lucky's remorse and redemption due to a hurried and unbelievable intervention and ending. Without the circumstances set up in this rushed ending, I had to wonder if she would have continued her life of crime without this conclusion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2021
Completely implausible premise. Unsure why I kept reading. Reese, what were you thinking …
March 16, 2021
Entertaining, fast-paced, & compelling!
LUCKY by MARISSA STAPLEY has an original and interesting premise with a fabulous heroine that held my interest right from the very start. I was immediately hooked and intrigued in finding out what would happen to Lucky and that winning lottery ticket.
MARISSA STAPLEY delivers an intriguing, well-written, and plot-driven tale here that is told in equally compelling timelines. The converging alternate dual narrative is probably one of my most absolute favourite storytelling techniques. When both storylines begin to merge it is so darn exciting and makes the book absolutely unputdownable! I was totally invested in Lucky’s character and was rooting for her all the way.
I was thoroughly entertained and found this to be a very good, fun, enjoyable, quick and easy read. The ending was packed full of nonstop action and things were tied up neatly. I thought the whole story came together really well for an exciting and satisfying end.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada, and Marissa Stapley for my review copy!
LUCKY by MARISSA STAPLEY has an original and interesting premise with a fabulous heroine that held my interest right from the very start. I was immediately hooked and intrigued in finding out what would happen to Lucky and that winning lottery ticket.
MARISSA STAPLEY delivers an intriguing, well-written, and plot-driven tale here that is told in equally compelling timelines. The converging alternate dual narrative is probably one of my most absolute favourite storytelling techniques. When both storylines begin to merge it is so darn exciting and makes the book absolutely unputdownable! I was totally invested in Lucky’s character and was rooting for her all the way.
I was thoroughly entertained and found this to be a very good, fun, enjoyable, quick and easy read. The ending was packed full of nonstop action and things were tied up neatly. I thought the whole story came together really well for an exciting and satisfying end.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada, and Marissa Stapley for my review copy!
April 11, 2022
I’ve had mixed luck with Reese Witherspoon’s book club picks. But the premise of this one piqued my interest. Lucky is a grifter. Her father was a grifter and brought her into the family “business” at a young age and taught her all the tricks of the trade. But now she’s grown up and he’s in prison. And Lucky’s luck has run out. Her boyfriend, Cary, has abandoned her and she’s wanted by the law. She’s got a winning lottery ticket, but she can’t cash it in without being caught.
Lucky was an interesting character. The story is told in two timelines - the present day and her youth. We get to see how she became the woman she is. She seemed to have more guilt as a child than she did as an adult. She had viewed herself as a bit of a Robin Hood, stealing from the rich. As her face is plastered on the tv screen and the stories of her victims are given, she realizes that’s not the case. I give Stapley credit for being able to make her appealing despite her numerous crimes.
This is a short book, so you’d think it would just zip along. But it’s uneven and there are parts that drag. I found the ending of the story too full of coincidences to be believable and everything comes together a little too simply.
Soneela Nankani is the narrator and did a decent job.
Lucky was an interesting character. The story is told in two timelines - the present day and her youth. We get to see how she became the woman she is. She seemed to have more guilt as a child than she did as an adult. She had viewed herself as a bit of a Robin Hood, stealing from the rich. As her face is plastered on the tv screen and the stories of her victims are given, she realizes that’s not the case. I give Stapley credit for being able to make her appealing despite her numerous crimes.
This is a short book, so you’d think it would just zip along. But it’s uneven and there are parts that drag. I found the ending of the story too full of coincidences to be believable and everything comes together a little too simply.
Soneela Nankani is the narrator and did a decent job.
August 4, 2022
This was a pretty entertaining thriller! 🤗 The ‘on the run’ combined with the ‘mysterious background’ kept my attention and kept me in wonder. 👍 Definitely worth checking out.
April 4, 2022
3 stars
Lucky was raised by her con-artist father living their life constantly moving. When her father is sent to prison, Lucky spends the next several years with her boyfriend who also scams people, with Lucky’s help. When Lucky’s boyfriend goes missing and it appears all of his crimes are going to be put on her, she runs. But she soon discovered she has a winning lottery ticket worth millions, but if she claims the prize she too goes to jail. This sends Lucky on a search to find someone in her life she trusts enough to help her cash this ticket.
I have to confess I read this book because I liked the cover. Had I known it was about a con-woman and her life I probably wouldn’t have picked this one up. This is the perfect example of I liked this book, but it didn’t stand out to me. I didn’t like any of the characters, and for a girl who conned people most of her life Lucky seemed pretty gullible. I will say, despite the fact that she did horrible things, I was rooting for her to make it out of her situation nice and clean so she had that going for her. This book was more of a character study than one with an actual plot to follow but I enjoyed the ride for the most part. But I wasn’t impressed overall.
Lucky was raised by her con-artist father living their life constantly moving. When her father is sent to prison, Lucky spends the next several years with her boyfriend who also scams people, with Lucky’s help. When Lucky’s boyfriend goes missing and it appears all of his crimes are going to be put on her, she runs. But she soon discovered she has a winning lottery ticket worth millions, but if she claims the prize she too goes to jail. This sends Lucky on a search to find someone in her life she trusts enough to help her cash this ticket.
I have to confess I read this book because I liked the cover. Had I known it was about a con-woman and her life I probably wouldn’t have picked this one up. This is the perfect example of I liked this book, but it didn’t stand out to me. I didn’t like any of the characters, and for a girl who conned people most of her life Lucky seemed pretty gullible. I will say, despite the fact that she did horrible things, I was rooting for her to make it out of her situation nice and clean so she had that going for her. This book was more of a character study than one with an actual plot to follow but I enjoyed the ride for the most part. But I wasn’t impressed overall.
January 2, 2022
No 26yo raised in the art of the grift would be this soft and naïve.
December 18, 2021
An enjoyable quick read without any real surprises. The ending felt rushed and too neat against the backdrop of Lucky's messy life.
May 11, 2026
I kept thinking while reading Lucky that Lucky Figueroa may have one of the most ironic names in fiction. From childhood onward, luck is something promised to her by grifters and thieves, never something she actually gets to keep. Raised by the man she believes is her father, she spends her life drifting from place to place, helping con kind and vulnerable people while secretly craving the ordinary things most children take for granted—stability, honesty, and roots.
The novel moves between timelines, showing both the frightened child learning how to survive and the adult woman still trapped by the same instincts. Lucky knows how to disappear, manipulate, and reinvent herself because it’s the only life she has ever been taught. Even when she tries to escape, she remains surrounded by people who treat deception like a profession instead of a moral failing.
The hook of the story—a fugitive winning the lottery while already on the run—is as entertaining as it sounds. Suddenly Lucky is being hunted for entirely new reasons, and the book turns into a tense chase layered with old betrayals, family wounds, and the question of whether someone raised in lies can ever really build an honest life.
Some of the ways the timelines and revelations connect feel a little too convenient, but the story moves fast enough that I rarely minded. What kept me invested was Lucky herself. Beneath all the manipulation and bad decisions is someone who has spent her entire life searching for peace and never quite believing she deserves it. By the end, I couldn’t help rooting for her to finally outrun both her past and the version of herself she was taught to become.
The novel moves between timelines, showing both the frightened child learning how to survive and the adult woman still trapped by the same instincts. Lucky knows how to disappear, manipulate, and reinvent herself because it’s the only life she has ever been taught. Even when she tries to escape, she remains surrounded by people who treat deception like a profession instead of a moral failing.
The hook of the story—a fugitive winning the lottery while already on the run—is as entertaining as it sounds. Suddenly Lucky is being hunted for entirely new reasons, and the book turns into a tense chase layered with old betrayals, family wounds, and the question of whether someone raised in lies can ever really build an honest life.
Some of the ways the timelines and revelations connect feel a little too convenient, but the story moves fast enough that I rarely minded. What kept me invested was Lucky herself. Beneath all the manipulation and bad decisions is someone who has spent her entire life searching for peace and never quite believing she deserves it. By the end, I couldn’t help rooting for her to finally outrun both her past and the version of herself she was taught to become.
July 6, 2026
at 230ish pages this is a quick poolside read! wanted to read this ahead of the tv series on Apple TV this month and i think they nailed the casting—i can picture Anya Taylor Joy and Drew Starkey as the main leads perfectly 👏🏼
this was fun and easy. i liked the plot—a girl wins a $360M lottery ticket on a whim but can’t cash it in bc she’s a wanted fugitive 😳 whoops!
overall though i wanted a bit more from the book. i felt like we needed to go deeper into the back stories with the characters to emotionally connect with them more. i was digging the past and present POVs and wanted even more! and the ending was so quick??? what happened w the dad? and with Steph/Darla? and the nun/her mom?! i needed 2-3 more chapters and an epilogue flashing forward at minimum!! hope we get that in the show.
TLDR: a quick easy read and soon becoming a 🎬!!
this was fun and easy. i liked the plot—a girl wins a $360M lottery ticket on a whim but can’t cash it in bc she’s a wanted fugitive 😳 whoops!
overall though i wanted a bit more from the book. i felt like we needed to go deeper into the back stories with the characters to emotionally connect with them more. i was digging the past and present POVs and wanted even more! and the ending was so quick??? what happened w the dad? and with Steph/Darla? and the nun/her mom?! i needed 2-3 more chapters and an epilogue flashing forward at minimum!! hope we get that in the show.
TLDR: a quick easy read and soon becoming a 🎬!!
December 26, 2021
I thought this book started off well with an interesting premise, but it ended up just being fine. The ending was wrapped up too quickly and too neatly for how much trouble the main character was in.
January 13, 2022
Looking for a totally bingeable caper with a terrific main character? Check out
Lucky
, the newest book from Marissa Stapley.
Lucky. That’s what her father always told her she was. A grifter for as long as she can remember, she’s always been able to stay one step ahead—sometimes just barely.
Now, she and her longtime boyfriend have pulled off a major multi-million-dollar scheme, and are ready to start a new life in Dominica with new identities, and they won’t have to grift anymore. But of course, her boyfriend disappears, leaving her with nothing but their names and faces being shown repeatedly on the news, so their time is up.
Or is it? As Lucky tries to come up with a plan to start over, she also has an interesting dilemma: the lottery ticket she bought is worth $390 million. But of course, if she comes forward to claim her prize, she’ll be arrested for her crimes. She needs to figure out a plan—and it’s going to require confronting her father, who got her started in the grifting life long ago, finding her mother, who abandoned her as an infant, and dealing with some people who have double-crossed her, including the man she thought she loved.
The story shifts between the present and the past, giving glimpses of Lucky’s life with her dad as well as the road that led her to her current situation, being abandoned and double-crossed.
I thought Lucky was fun and I couldn’t put it down. I saw one major twist coming, but it didn’t detract from how much I enjoyed the story and Lucky’s character. I wouldn’t mind another book with her at the helm!! (Plus, the Britney Spears song is in my head, and that’s a good thing!)
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2021 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2022/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2021.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Lucky. That’s what her father always told her she was. A grifter for as long as she can remember, she’s always been able to stay one step ahead—sometimes just barely.
Now, she and her longtime boyfriend have pulled off a major multi-million-dollar scheme, and are ready to start a new life in Dominica with new identities, and they won’t have to grift anymore. But of course, her boyfriend disappears, leaving her with nothing but their names and faces being shown repeatedly on the news, so their time is up.
Or is it? As Lucky tries to come up with a plan to start over, she also has an interesting dilemma: the lottery ticket she bought is worth $390 million. But of course, if she comes forward to claim her prize, she’ll be arrested for her crimes. She needs to figure out a plan—and it’s going to require confronting her father, who got her started in the grifting life long ago, finding her mother, who abandoned her as an infant, and dealing with some people who have double-crossed her, including the man she thought she loved.
The story shifts between the present and the past, giving glimpses of Lucky’s life with her dad as well as the road that led her to her current situation, being abandoned and double-crossed.
I thought Lucky was fun and I couldn’t put it down. I saw one major twist coming, but it didn’t detract from how much I enjoyed the story and Lucky’s character. I wouldn’t mind another book with her at the helm!! (Plus, the Britney Spears song is in my head, and that’s a good thing!)
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2021 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2022/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2021.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
December 29, 2021
My reaction every time Reese announces a new book club pick . . . .
I have tried to quit her, but I just cannnnnnn’t *insert sadface* because even though several of her choices have missed the mark for me, my brain keeps telling me there’s always that next Paper Palace coming up soon.
Lucky is a grifter by trade who has been left penniless and on the lam by her boyfriend/partner in crime thanks to a Ponzi scheme gone wrong. And to make matters worse, she’s sitting on the winning ticket for a $390 million lottery that she can’t claim. The story follows Lucky on her journey to try and clear her name.
So, this one wasn't terrible and I’m most definitely capable of leaving all semblance of reality at the door in order to have a good time . . . . to an extent. But when you are literally America’s Most Wanted with your face plastered all over the national news and you go to effing San Quentin prison to visit your incarcerated Pops??? That right there kids is what we call . . . .
I also was expecting more "grit lit" vibes and less of the feel good variety. However, it was still a quick read and I found myself really enjoying the “before” segments. Soooooo, will I finally be able to stop myself from requesting all of these selections to my already overwhelming TBR????
I have tried to quit her, but I just cannnnnnn’t *insert sadface* because even though several of her choices have missed the mark for me, my brain keeps telling me there’s always that next Paper Palace coming up soon.
Lucky is a grifter by trade who has been left penniless and on the lam by her boyfriend/partner in crime thanks to a Ponzi scheme gone wrong. And to make matters worse, she’s sitting on the winning ticket for a $390 million lottery that she can’t claim. The story follows Lucky on her journey to try and clear her name.
So, this one wasn't terrible and I’m most definitely capable of leaving all semblance of reality at the door in order to have a good time . . . . to an extent. But when you are literally America’s Most Wanted with your face plastered all over the national news and you go to effing San Quentin prison to visit your incarcerated Pops??? That right there kids is what we call . . . .
I also was expecting more "grit lit" vibes and less of the feel good variety. However, it was still a quick read and I found myself really enjoying the “before” segments. Soooooo, will I finally be able to stop myself from requesting all of these selections to my already overwhelming TBR????
January 7, 2022
I really don’t think Reese read this.
April 3, 2022
I really was hoping for more from this book. The summary made me grab this book from the library, however, the book itself didn't grip me like I expected it to do. Not as thrilling or suspenseful as I expected it to be. Still, a decent read. I enjoyed the back in forth between present time and her younger years to kind of wrap it all up to make you understand who she is and why she is that way. I enjoyed this book, but took a bit longer to read because it wasn't exciting like I expected it to be.
January 10, 2022
Likeable Lucky
Lucky is a very likeable female con-artist. She may not always be on the right side of right, but her eternal optimism shows her heart is in the right place even when her head makes the wrong decisions. I can 1000% see this as a movie, that I would most certainly watch. Very good book.
Lucky is a very likeable female con-artist. She may not always be on the right side of right, but her eternal optimism shows her heart is in the right place even when her head makes the wrong decisions. I can 1000% see this as a movie, that I would most certainly watch. Very good book.
July 1, 2022
3.5 stars - I thoroughly enjoyed the ride, but what was with the ending? It felt extremely rushed. Plus, the way everything somehow perfectly fell together just felt like lazy writing. The first 3/4 of the book were wonderful.
January 14, 2022
Really enjoyed this!! ❤️ Review to come
February 13, 2022
Ok, was this book 100% realistic and believable? Absolutely not, but was it a quick read and fun ride? Absolutely yes. This was the light, distraction reading I needed in my life this weekend and for that I recommend it! The story is told in two timelines of Lucky - present day and her childhood. I loved both, but especially the childhood timeline with Lucky being raised by a con-man but refusing to completely use her soul to the game. Lucky finally has a ticket out of the game for life because she has a winning lottery ticket for over 300 million dollars, but the only problem is she’s current wanted by the FBI for her and her partner’s latest schemes.
February 16, 2022
A thrilling page turner that can't be put down!
Highly recommend!
Highly recommend!
July 16, 2022
Lucky is a tale of a grifter who has just pulled off a million-dollar heist with her boyfriend. She's ready to start a new life, with a new identity - but things go sideways. Lucky finds herself alone for the first time, navigating the world without the help of either her father or her boyfriend. When she discovers that a lottery ticket she bought on a whim is worth millions, her elation is tempered by one big problem: cashing in the winning ticket means she'll be arrested for her crimes.
The writing in Lucky is competent and readable, if unremarkable. The plot is relatively predictable, but still engaging. The ending was satisfying, if not surprising. All in all, Lucky is an enjoyable read that could have been better with a touch more originality.
3.75 out of 5 stars.
The writing in Lucky is competent and readable, if unremarkable. The plot is relatively predictable, but still engaging. The ending was satisfying, if not surprising. All in all, Lucky is an enjoyable read that could have been better with a touch more originality.
3.75 out of 5 stars.
August 18, 2026
This was such a promising premise, and it almost delivered.
Meet Lucky, she's in her late twenties and has a winning lottery ticket. She could be the luckiest person on the planet, except if she cash's it in, she will also be handing herself into the police. Lucky is a wanted woman.
This is a short book and the pace is fast; I was enjoying the ride for the most part. Lucky's life is absorbing and for such sparse writing, it's very visual. On the whole, I believed in her and her circumstances.
Sadly, the way the booked wrapped up was too rushed, too perfect and too convenient which didn't fit the messy upbringing and life of our protagonist in my view.
This was such a great idea, I can see why it's been adapted as I imagine on screen it works even better - I just hope they tweaked the ending.
Four stars
Meet Lucky, she's in her late twenties and has a winning lottery ticket. She could be the luckiest person on the planet, except if she cash's it in, she will also be handing herself into the police. Lucky is a wanted woman.
This is a short book and the pace is fast; I was enjoying the ride for the most part. Lucky's life is absorbing and for such sparse writing, it's very visual. On the whole, I believed in her and her circumstances.
Sadly, the way the booked wrapped up was too rushed, too perfect and too convenient which didn't fit the messy upbringing and life of our protagonist in my view.
This was such a great idea, I can see why it's been adapted as I imagine on screen it works even better - I just hope they tweaked the ending.
Four stars
December 9, 2021
Review published in: https://diagnosisbookaholic.blogspot....
As Britney Spears would sing…This is a story about a girl named Lucky, but poor Lucky does not live up to her name and things keep going from bad to worse in her life. She’s a con artist and a grifter. She hasn’t known any other life. Her dad involved her in his schemes since she was a child and after he’s sent to prison she continues associating with shady characters. After her latest heist is discovered she goes on the run with a winning lottery ticket that could change her life but, how can she cash it in when that would mean coming out of hiding?
Lucky was quite the unconventional heroine. You know what she does is absolutely reprehensible but, at the same time, you can’t help feeling sympathy for her and root for things to go her way. It hard to blame her cause, after all, that’s everything she’s known all her life.
The story is told in dual timelines. In the present we follow her while she’s on the run trying to find a way to cash in the lottery ticket and, in the past one, we learn about her upbringing, from her childhood until her father is arrested and sent to prison. I found the father/daughter relationship really interesting. His behavior was so selfish time and time again, but Lucky always ended up being loyal to him despite her misgivings. It was so sad to see how she could not live the normal live of a child, with friends and some kind of stability. Even when they were in a good place, it was disheartening to see how he would always put first his next con before his daughter’s well-being.
The story moved at a good pace, not having a single boring moment. The ending was quite nice, with a perfect mix of action and emotional moments, all the plot lines coming together in a really satisfying way.
Lucky was a quick, easy and enjoyable read. It was my first book by Marissa Stapley, but I will surely check out her other work.
As Britney Spears would sing…This is a story about a girl named Lucky, but poor Lucky does not live up to her name and things keep going from bad to worse in her life. She’s a con artist and a grifter. She hasn’t known any other life. Her dad involved her in his schemes since she was a child and after he’s sent to prison she continues associating with shady characters. After her latest heist is discovered she goes on the run with a winning lottery ticket that could change her life but, how can she cash it in when that would mean coming out of hiding?
Lucky was quite the unconventional heroine. You know what she does is absolutely reprehensible but, at the same time, you can’t help feeling sympathy for her and root for things to go her way. It hard to blame her cause, after all, that’s everything she’s known all her life.
The story is told in dual timelines. In the present we follow her while she’s on the run trying to find a way to cash in the lottery ticket and, in the past one, we learn about her upbringing, from her childhood until her father is arrested and sent to prison. I found the father/daughter relationship really interesting. His behavior was so selfish time and time again, but Lucky always ended up being loyal to him despite her misgivings. It was so sad to see how she could not live the normal live of a child, with friends and some kind of stability. Even when they were in a good place, it was disheartening to see how he would always put first his next con before his daughter’s well-being.
The story moved at a good pace, not having a single boring moment. The ending was quite nice, with a perfect mix of action and emotional moments, all the plot lines coming together in a really satisfying way.
Lucky was a quick, easy and enjoyable read. It was my first book by Marissa Stapley, but I will surely check out her other work.
August 31, 2026
It felt like a cartoon
March 9, 2022
This is one of my favorite covers of the year!
Full review to come!
5 ⭐️.
Full review to come!
5 ⭐️.
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