Hello!

I really think when I do my monthly wrap up , I am going to be hitting a personal record (which for the last month of the year) will be really cool! Recently, I noticed I had a bunch of borrows left on my Hoopla account, so I borrowed a bunch of graphic novels (including the last Giant Days, the one that is like a year later, but honestly I do not know if I am ready for that, like emotionally to say goodbye to these amazing characters) but I also borrowed some audio books. I knew I still had a bunch to do this month, in the way of work and getting ready for the holidays (wrapping gifts, mailing things, decorating, etc..) so audio books are perfect for all of that. One of the audio books I listened to (in nearly a day, I finished all but one hour of the book) was Five Total Strangers, I was addicted to this book, I needed to know what was going to happen next, I could not put it down.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Mira, is flying home for Christmas but during one leg of her flight the weather gets way to frightful outside and the plane experiences some turbulence. After they are safely on the ground and inside the airport, Mira learns that all the planes are grounded and she will not be making it home for Christmas. Mira, is worried but not in panic mode yet, as she is waiting in a line, the girl who was sitting near her on the plane offers to give her a ride home (even though it’s hours away), she tells Mira, she is going to rent a car and drive! Mira, declines at first but when she gets on the phone with her step-dad she learns that her mother and step-dad have separated and she knows she needs to be there for her mother. Mira, rushes to find this new ride home, and luckily catches the ride however, its not going to be just Mira and her plane friend. Its going to be five people, five people she has never met, but as long as she gets home things will be okay. But once the group gets out the road things are dicey, the snow is worse then they thought and there are accidents everywhere, its going to be a very long drive and Mira is not entirely sure everyone in her new travel group is here just to get home.

I was riveted by this book. At first I was honestly a little unsure but things picked up so quickly and we were in the thick of things before I knew it. Mira, was in the car, and the weather was crazy and the people seemed to have no idea of who the other was but they all agreed to get in the car with one another for different reasons (and it was wild). I honestly, never expected the twisty part of this story and I kept shouting out loud who I thought it was and I was always wrong (I got it right once but I immediately changed my answer because for some reason I was like noooo that is so not right). I absolutely enjoyed my time with this book! I know there is another thriller book about a long winter drive and now I really want to pick that one up as well (so if you know the title to that one please tell me, I have been unable to find it again since I read this book)! If you have Hoopla and are able to definitely give this a try, or just put it on your TBR cause it is a wild ride!

Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

***Thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

The first portion of the book was very chilling and the description of the snowstorm was frightening, like you were experiencing it with the characters, but I felt like the ending was very rushed.

I received this book from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is the perfect twisty creepy stalker thriller for an autumn or winter night. I ended up marathoning it when I couldn’t sleep (probably not my best plan, given how caught up in the story I became!) and really enjoyed it.

We follow Mira, desperate to get home to be with her mum in their first Christmas since her aunt died. She hitches a ride with people she meets at the airport, and they all become more suspicious and over exaggerated by the second. It becomes clear pretty early on that Mira has a stalker and they are with her, in some form, on this journey.

The whole story hinges on the fact that some weird stuff happens, the weather is massively against them, and we know the stalker is trying to engineer things so Mira feels she is stuck.

I did find the characters a little three dimensional, and we never really get enough background on anyone to really get to know them. However, that doesn’t really take away from the thriller element, especially if you read through in one go, it just means it probably wouldn’t hold up well to a re-read. We also end with a lot of unknowns, both about the other passengers but also about other people they meet on the way.

But honestly, at the time of reading, this didn’t affect my enjoyment at all - the pace and tension was easily enough to keep me reading along. 3 stars.

This book blew me away and I got serious holiday/cold/winter vibes. Trapped in the middle of nowhere with strangers and everyone has a motive and everything goes wrong. WOW! That ending!

Thank you to NetGalley, Natalie D Richards and Sourcebook Fire for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

Well if you are looking for a quick and easy, but thrilling read - this one is for you! I really didn't realize this was a YA novel because it was quite detailed and dark. I really enjoyed how quick this novel moved along and how there wasn't much fluff to fill the pages. It was quite a dark and twisty novel that leaves you wondering which of these sketchy strangers is up to no good. It was the perfect read for a dark and snowy day!

Natalie Richards has a way of crafting YA Thrillers that keep teen readers engaged and hooked into her books. I think it is because her characters are relatable and authentic--as an adult reader I cannot help but cringe at decisions made because I would not make them, but I am not a teen any longer. As an adult reading a YA book, we have to remember to take a step back and put ourselves back into a teen's mindset--do you remember how impulsive you were? Do you remember making bad decisions? Do you remember what it was like to crush on a guy or miss obvious signs of bad behavior when you can take a step back and observe from a safe distance away? Sure you can, because you have the life experiences to do so. That's what reading great books do for us--they help put us in situations without having to actually LIVE these situations to learn and grow from them. Richards is a master at doing that and it is because of this her characters always ring true and authentic even when I wish they would not make those choices!

Her latest features her trademark style of engaging writing style coupled with authentic believable characters that create a highly readable and enjoyable YA Thriller. I would not hesitate to put this in the hands of any of my students (grades 7-12th). Content warnings for drug use, drinking, and violence.

YA thrillers are getting so popular and it's so thrilling. Combining my two favorite genres to make this wonderful mixed genre is giving. me. life. So when I heard about Five Total Strangers, I knew I had to get my hands on it.

Christmas Eve. Mira is stuck at the airport because a massive snowstorm has cancelled her connecting flight. It's the one-year anniversary of her aunt's death, and worried about her mom's mental health, she's desperate to get home to her. So when her previous flight's seat-mate offers her a ride in the rental she's secured, Mira crams herself into the SUV with four complete strangers to venture her way across the state to make it home to her mom before Christmas. But something's not right with her fellow passengers, and soon things start going wrong and are getting increasingly worse with each passing minute. Is someone in the car purposely sabotaging the trip or are the all just unlucky coincidences? Is Mira ever going to make it home?

This book pulled me in almost immediately. The premise was reminiscent of another winter favorite No Exit (which I read in literally one sitting because I could not put it down) - winter weather leaves an unsuspecting MC stuck with strangers while trying to get home for the holidays. And while Strangers didn't leave me quite on the edge of my seat the way that No Exit did, I was still immersed in this story of desperation, fear, and complete anxiety.

There were definitely some snags in the storytelling - unexplained characters and events, unanswered questions, and a totally abrupt ending - but I was able to forgive those things because of how much I really enjoyed the book overall. Though a bit irritating and entirely irresponsible, I connected with Mira and could empathize with her situation. I can't say that I wouldn't have done the same thing in her situation, though I hope I wouldn't. The interweaving of these weird and creepy letters, and the small discrepancies with each character really had me biting my nails, because I literally had no idea who the hell the bad guy was. Seriously, up until the very last second of the book I didn't know who to suspect because they were all suspicious in their own ways. This was really one of the most suspenseful books I've read in such a long time, so I was more than happy to forgive the few things that irked me.

"I’ve learned to pay attention when the hair at the back of my neck prickles - when a carnal, bone-deep instinct tells me something is wrong. And that’s what my instincts are saying now." - Five Total Strangers, Natalie D. Richards

If you're looking for a thrilling winter read that isn't all ice-skating and hot cocoa kisses, I highly recommend picking up Five Total Strangers. It will definitely leave you second guessing whether or not to accept small kindnesses from strangers ever again.

I love the world-building, the way the author explained it, It was so easy for me to imagine myself with them in that car. The character building was also quite interesting, how they were from different backgrounds and the way their character unfolded while travelling for hours. The way the author tried to divert attention to different people also grabbed my attention. But the problem was pace, it felt unnecessary dragged, I wish it wasn’t that stretched and we get to know a little more detail in the ending.

This book was pretty great! There were a few parts I had to push myself through but ultimately I’d give a solid 4/5 stars. I loved the premise and strongly recommend this book!

We got our first snow of the season and I sat here and read/listened to two books about people stuck in too much snow. Maybe that put me in the mood, because I really did enjoy this book. Desperate to get home after her connecting flight is cancelled, Mira accepts a ride with her seat mate from the previous flight. Along for the ride are 3 other stranded travelers. Traveling through a snow storm that grounded all of the planes with people you don't know seems like a good plan, right?

I can understand the decision. Who hasn't been stuck and desperate? And a lot of us have driven through weather we definitely shouldn't have. I had flashbacks to the Vail Pass two years ago the entire time! There is room to excuse Mira's choices. She is really young, which she hides from her traveling companions. I think this is why I saw the book described as young adult literature. I will agree with Stephen King on this one. There really is no such thing.

These people are not normal and it becomes clear pretty soon that one is dangerous. I was on the edge of my seat while they got themselves more and more in trouble in the snow. I shouldn't have read it while my own college aged kids were driving in the thunder snow outside. But maybe that is a contributing factor in the tension. Didn't hurt. I'm not saying to send your loved ones out driving in the snow so you can enjoy a book a little more. That would be crazy. But if someone is out there anyway...

It wasn't really hard to figure out who they really needed to watch out for. The author did a good job of making everyone a little shifty and shady. Little hints throughout made me questions myself, but ultimately were just false leads. All in all, an author I need to look up and read more from.

A good story that keeps you on edge throughout! While it is not on my top for young-adult thrillers, I still think it's a good story that both teens and adults will enjoy!

Mira is desperate to get home for the holidays. When an approaching blizzard cancels her connecting flight, and seriously derails her chances of getting home, things are not looking good. And then Mira’s sophisticated seatmate, Harper, offers her a solution. Harper and her friends are driving the same way and will drop Mira off on their way.

When the road trip begins to go wrong – the roads become dangerous, and items are going missing – it looks like someone in the car is sabotaging the trip. Mira is growing increasingly uncomfortable. And to make matters worse, she has realised her fellow travellers are all total strangers. It’s obvious that her companions are all hiding something, but could one of them really be dangerous? With the weather worsening and night approaching, not to mention they are in the middle of nowhere, Mira has no other options but to stay with these strangers. Will Mira make it home safely, or is the nightmare only beginning?

Believe the hype. Five Total Strangers is an exciting new thriller from bestselling author Natalie D. Richards and it truly is thrilling from the very start. It’s fast-paced, action-driven and very tense throughout! I’m very tough on thrillers, because it’s a genre I am really invested in, so trust me when I say this one was worth it!

Early on I had a few issues with the story. Mira seemed a little too anxious a little too early on, and I wasn’t completely convinced by it, particularly because the approaching storm didn’t faze her at all – she actually dismissed the warnings until they were heading into it. I know this was to show her desperation – why else would someone that scared get in a car for a long drive with complete strangers? But I would have preferred a little less anxiety earlier on so that her panic at finding out no one knew anyone else in that car, and the many things going wrong felt a little more powerful. Aside from that though I thought it was fantastic! I really loved Harper’s constant switching between someone completely falling apart and someone who had it all together. That felt much more natural. I also loved how suspicious almost everyone made me.

And, dear reader, I got it wrong. I didn’t guess who! I have pretty much always figured out any plot twist to some degree in every book since childhood. It doesn’t matter whether its well written or not. I always guess the ending. And this time I didn’t. As I said, I was so suspicious of almost everyone that I didn’t guess the ending (unless five seconds before the reveal counts). And that both surprised and impressed me. That alone makes it worth the read! Honestly, guys, please check this one out if you love a good thriller!

Grab a copy today! http://nataliedrichards.com/books/fivetotalstrangers/

WOW! This book is a slow build and has a twist in the end that you just can't see coming. The story opens with Mira heading to visit her mother. She provides background context about the grief that her mother is experiencing during the holidays. However, there is a major snow storm happening, so Mira, despite her better judgment, decides to ride home with four strangers. As the story unfolds, the group experience one misfortune after another. At the same time, readers are given insight that one of the passengers happen to be a stalker of Mira. I highly recommend this book.

One of my favorite YA Thriller authors is Natalie D. Richards, and when I saw that she had a new release- it was no doubt that I would read it and enjoy it. The book starts with our main female character Mira heading to her mother's for Christmas after spending some time with her Dad. On the plane, she gets talking to her seatmate Harper and the pair click. The next thing the girls know, they are experiencing terrible turbulence which will result in their following planes being delayed or canceled. This reminded me of Dec 2013 when I and my friend Nina went to the US and got stuck at LAX and had five flights canceled in a row as the states had experienced a freak snowstorm. Mira goes along with Harper as neither of them wants to spend another night at the airport and soon meets up with three other strangers Brecken, Kayla, and Josh. The five of them end up renting a car together to make it to their final destinations. However, the journey is about to turn a bit crazy as neither knows one from the other and when five strangers are on edge to get home, then things are bound to get crazy. As it turns out one of them is a dangerous stalker, one has violent tendencies, one is running from something and the other is addicted to drugs, and of course, one is pretending to be older than they are. Throughout the journey, secrets will be revealed and some of those secrets turn out to be worth killing to keep others from revealing. Five Total Strangers is another great YA thriller from Natalie D. Richards and is the perfect mix of 90s horror films with a Christmas setting.

As a fantasy lover, it's kind of hard for me to pick up outside of the genre but when I do, it's something that intrigues me to the highest degree and Five Total Strangers did. This is a NA thriller that follows five strangers who decide to share a rental car to get to PA after all flights from Newark are cancelled. Now, you may be thinking this is a stretch but it’s Christmas and a blizzard, so time is of the essence.

The writing is so incredibly detailed and atmospheric. There were some scenes that had my heart pumping as well as my stomach doing flips from the sheer adrenaline rush. After one of the really intense scenes, I had to put the book down just so I could breathe and slow my heart rate down. This is literally the road trip from hell and everything that can go wrong does. In addition to the wild road trip, our MC (Mira) has a stalker and the letters from the stalker are dispersed throughout the plot, which adds even more tension to an already dire situation.

My major criticism is that the high octane pace comes to a crashing halt because the final reveal takes place in the last 30 pages or so and then the book then abruptly ends. Even though I'm giving this 3 stars, it feels more on the higher end of it. Still recommend!

**3.5-stars rounded up**

Mira lives in California, while her mother lives in Pittsburgh. It's Christmas and Mira wants nothing more than to be over on the other Coast with her Mom. Last year, her Aunt, her Mom's sister and closest friend, passed away. They both took it hard, but her Mom really struggled. Mira is concerned about her mother's mental health as she tries to cope with that loss around the holiday.

So, when her connecting flight from New York to Pittsburgh gets canceled due to inclement weather, Mira needs to find another way to get home to her. Luckily, the girl she was sitting next to on the plane, Harper, is renting a car, along with three of her college friends, Brecken, Josh and Kayla. There is room and they are heading in the same direction, so Harper offers Mira a ride. It would sure beat any of the other options, like sleeping at the airport.

Mira accepts, but she has her reservations. She doesn't know these people at all. As they hit the road, the weather gets progressively worse. They see a lot of accidents and even have a few close calls themselves. As you can imagine, the stress level in the car is ratcheting up. They're now at each other's throats and it's not pretty.

Anything that could possibly go wrong, does for this group. Conditions get to the point where they are barely able to drive at all. They make a few pit stops and yep, you guessed it, those don't go well either!

I had fun with this one, y'all. Richards did a great job or bringing your typical Teen Scream to the page. The cast of characters played well off of one another and it definitely kept me guessing. There's some uncertainty as to what people's motives are and I enjoyed that element a lot. The suspense continues to build throughout the story. Items start to disappear from the car and it feels threatening rather than accidental.

Although there were some plot holes, and I wasn't sold on the ending, I did have fun with it. I think if you don't take it too seriously, it's quite an enjoyable read. Thank you so much to the publisher, SourceBooks Fire and NetGalley, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. Blizzard Scares are some of my favorite scares, so I am definitely happy that I had the opportunity to read this one. It's perfect for this time of year!!

Five Total Stangers kept you on your toes and wanting more.

Mira is flying back from the West Coast to the East Coast for the holidays but a blizzard forces her connecting flight to cancel. She needs to get home because Christmas because it is the anniversary of her aunt, her mom's twin's death and after calling her stepdad she finds out they are getting a divorce. She hitches a ride with her seatmate from the plane and her friends only to find out once they get started no one knows each other and getting stranded in a blizzard with complete strangers with things getting stolen by someone is not how she expect this would go.

Five Total Strangers had plenty of suspense and atmosphere. When Mira gets stranded between flights in a blizzard, I could feel the cold and her frustration as she scrambled to figure out a plan. And one falls in her lap: the nice girl who sat next to her on the plane offers her a ride. Mira, who isn't old enough to rent her own car, and her up on that offer, along with three other random college students who are also stranded.

But soon, strange things start to happen and it seems like someone doesn't want this group of strangers to reach safety at all. Which one of the strangers is the culprit? Will Mira ever reach her destination?

I give Five Total Strangers a big thumbs-up for the suspense and twists but a thumbs-sideways for the conclusion, which left something to be desired.

Let me start this review with a disclaimer. I have read a tremendous amount of thrillers, both YA and adult, so I often have high expectations when it comes a story’s plot. When I read thrillers, I want to be surprised. I do not want to predict any of the major reveals.

That being said, Five Total Strangers met some of my high expectations. Although I started to figure out the big reveal during the last 1/3rd of the book, the novel’s pace still kept me interested. Five Total Strangers was a very atmospheric read. As story progressed, you could easily sense the increasing tension as the storm worsened and the characters’ mistrust of each other grew. This is one novel that you would definitely want to read by a crackling fire while snow falls outside.

Many thanks to SourcebooksFire and NetGalley for the e-ARC! All opinions are my own.

Title: Five Total Strangers
Author: Natalie D. Richards
Genre: YA, suspense/thriller
Rating: 3.8 out of 5

When Mira flies home to spend Christmas with her mother in Pittsburgh, a record-breaking blizzard results in a cancelled layover. Desperate to get to her grief-ridden mother in the wake of a family death, Mira hitches a ride with a group of friendly college kids who were on her initial flight.

As the drive progresses and weather conditions become more treacherous, Mira realizes that the four other passengers she's stuck in the car with don't actually know one another.

Soon, they're not just dealing with heavy snowfall and ice-slick roads, but the fact that somebody will stop at nothing to ensure their trip ends in a deadly disaster.

It’s difficult for me to read novels with characters that I don’t like or characters that make stunningly stupid decisions, so when Mira decided to hop in a car with four absolute strangers in the middle of a blizzard, that was almost it for me. She was on the flight with one of these girls, so I have no idea why she ever assumed the rest of the group even knew each other. But she did—and promptly got in the car with them. Awesome decision, that.

There are bad decisions everywhere in this novel, but Mira keeps ignoring all the glaring signs. Again, I find it hard to sympathize with characters who make stupid decisions. Especially repeated ones. And I knew there would be a twist in there somewhere, so the reveal wasn’t much of a surprise. Solid writing and description—the setting comes to frigid, miserable life—but in the end, this was just a step above “okay.”

Natalie D. Richards is from Ohio. Five Total Strangers is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Sourcebooks Fire in exchange for an honest review.)