Goodreads says, "What could be worse than your ex-boyfriend marrying your childhood best friend? Getting accused of her murder… From the author of My Sweet Girl comes a dangerously addictive new thriller about a lavish Sri Lankan wedding celebration that not everyone will survive. When Amaya is invited to Kaavi’s over-the-top wedding in Sri Lanka, she is surprised and a little hurt to hear from her former best friend after so many years of radio silence. But when Amaya learns that the groom is her very own ex-boyfriend, she is consumed by a single thought: She must stop the wedding from happening, no matter the cost. But as the weeklong wedding celebrations begin and rumors about Amaya’s past begin to swirl, she can’t help but feel like she also has a target on her back. When Kaavi goes missing and is presumed dead, all evidence points to Amaya. However, nothing is as it seems as Jayatissa expertly unravels that each wedding guest has their own dark secret and agenda, and Amaya may not be the only one with a plan to keep the bride from getting her happily ever after… "
Amaya Bloom lives in Los Angeles, miles away from her hometown and family in Sri Lanka. She had a falling out with her best friend, Kaavi, and now they don't speak. Amaya just stalks her via social media to find out what is going on with her life. While in their teens, Kaavi was quiet, but now she has become a social media influencer with a ton of followers and a successful charity in Sri Lanka. On one of her Instagram posts, she finds out Kaavi is getting married, but not just to anyone - to Amaya's ex-boyfriend, Matthew Spencer. Then an invitation to their wedding arrives. Should Amaya actually attend? Does Kaavi want to bury the hatchet and start over? Is this an olive branch? Amaya decides to attend the wedding, but not with the best intentions. She is set on messing it up, because she doesn't know how can she allow Kaavi to marry her ex. Amanda Jayatissa's You're Invited is the perfect summer thriller. It has a beautiful setting in Sri Lanka, an extravagant wedding, and a murder mystery that will keep readers flipping the pages.
Amaya isn't a likeable character, but she is one that kept me glued to the pages in You're Invited. She is a bit troubled. She has some questionable coping strategies, she engages in self-harm, and is often guided by symbolism in her life. So, obviously while reading You're Invited, I was wondering if she is a reliable narrator in the very least. She returns to her hometown in Sri Lanka and partakes in the many activities leading up to the wedding. While doing so, she has to face the very reasons she left Sri Lanka along with her fractured relationship with Kaavi. Jayatissa flashes back to months before the wedding, so we can learn about Amaya leading up to the event and things aren't looking good for her, especially after the horrible turn of the events at the wedding.
Jayatissa tells You're Invited in a thrilling way in that she includes various points of view including wedding guests and family members including transcripts from interviews with investigators, After each transcript, I kept wondering who was to blame for the crime leading up to the wedding and each person was looking more and more like a suspect or guilty about something. Jayatissa also included Kaavi's point of view, and let's just say she is withholding some secrets, too!
The setting of Sri Lanka was perfect for this thriller. I learned a lot about life in Sri Lanka, about the social classes, the wealthy, and their customs. I haven't read too many books that take place there, so that felt very fresh to me.
So, if you are looking for thriller to close out summer with definitely give You're Invited a try. Fans of Lucy Foley will definitely enjoy it. Between the mystery and the luxurious setting, I was flipping the pages. Have you read You're Invited? Do you enjoy thrillers? Let me know in the comments below.
I haven't been reading many thrillers, but ooh, this sounds good!
ReplyDeleteRight? I love a good thriller in the summer as a break from all my fluffy beach reads. Thanks for visiting, Angela!
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