This was such an intriguing concept, and Holly Jackson always delivers in twists, secrets, and horrifying plots (in a good way).

I think this might be the nature of this book specifically, but I never felt like I could fully get there and invest in the characters for this one. Their dynamics were really interesting but I never felt like I knew any of them. And, again, because secrets and lies are at the forefront of this book, I think that the deeper character development just became another casualty of that kind of plot. Except for Oliver. Oliver was THE most insufferable character I've read maybe ever. The dude made my skin crawl every time he spoke or did literally anything -- which felt very intentional and well done.

That said, the pacing of this book was so smooth and on point. I kept wanting to pick it up, even if just for small chunks of time while doing other things because I needed to know what was going to happen next. Although there were some things I guessed, and some things I didn't quite buy into, there were so many little surprises and turns taken along the way that I was so engaged while reading.

Listen, I love Holly Jackson and will read anything she touches but even though I didn't want to put this down, it didn't leave me quite as satisfied or shook I was hoping to be, given how her others have made me feel. It's still a solid thriller and the perfect mix of murder and intrigue.

Holy moly! You will devour this book once you start reading it! An entire book that is based on 8 hours worth of events. It is packed with non stop, page turning action. The basis is a group of friends are taking a road trip and the tire blows out in an area with no cell phone reception but they soon discover that it was not blown out but shot. No body is safe and anything can happen!

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and Holly Jackson for this ARC !

Read this book!
Not into YA? Read it anyway!!!! This was a 4.25/5 star book!

After loving A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder, I knew I had to read this one.
The story is different from anything I’ve read- a road trip gone very very wrong. I always love an eerie, secluded setting and this checked all the boxes.

There were some great twists along the way and the big twist at the end was so so good! I didn’t see it coming and the dots weren’t connecting in my head- so a win for me.
The whole story was paced really well and I loved that the chapters were broken up by hour so you felt like you were living in the characters timeline.

There were quite a few characters, and it took a hot second to remember who was who- but if a book has more than 3 main characters I’m always confusing myself.
All the characters had such different personalities and we got a decent amount of backstory (for some more than others), and I liked some than others, but I was super interested in reading about them all.

Parts of this book had me holding my breath- the setting was great and the descriptive writing added to the whole creeped out feeling.

I flew through this book- it was addicting, suspensful and I definitely recommend to anyone looking for a good thrill!

I would like to first thank Netgalley and Delacorte Press for sending me this E-arc in return for an honest review.

At first I was quite hesitant heading into the story if I would quite enjoy it. The premise was intriguing but not to the point I felt like I would love the story and mystery... But as I got through the story it hit me with a BAM! The twists and turns the story took as we try to figure out who has the secret, why they are being targeted, etc. Captivated me, and kept me in a grip with each page. The start of the book had the same feels of many thriller movies I had watched, where you knew something off was about to happen, I feel like we are given hints that soon something will happen, and then it does.

I loved some characters, and other characters made me just wish they got hit on the head with their choices. Holly Jackson does a good job of showing what it is like for a group of people to face being hunted in a small space, and how it feels to start going crazy. If you want to feel like you will go crazy from feeling trapped and hopeless, I highly suggest this book.

I still can't believe that ending!!

Hope there is a book 2.

Five Survive by Holly Jackson is an exciting, page-turning thriller that will keep you riveted to the edge of your seat. Jackson's well-crafted characters are realistic and engaging, with a fast-paced plot that never lets up.

Five Survive was a story of six friends on a road trip in an RV that get stranded, and soon it’s a fight to stay alive the next eight hours. Who of the five survive?

This book was one of my anticipated reads, and it wasn’t what I was expecting. The characters were personally a bit cringey, the plot seemed to twist all over and I just couldn’t finish. I’m hopeful to read her next books soon!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children’s for this ARC in exchange for this opportunity.

This would make an excellent tv series or movie. Very suspenseful and action packed. The plot is a smidge flimsy and the characters aren’t super memorable, but this hits all the right notes if you like high action books.

I loved the good girls guide to murder trilogy, and I was really excited for Holly‘s Jackson’s next book. I didn’t love this one quite as much, but I still think it’s worth a read. One thing I loved about her previous books was the mixed media approach, and that isn’t present in this book, I also generally don’t love books that take place over a super condensed period of time in this case eight hours. Those are just personal preference is though and I think this book will still satisfy Jackson’s fanbase.

Unfortunately, this was just ok for me. It is basically a locked room style mystery, with six friends held hostage by a sniper in their RV, that takes place over eight hours. And in those eight hours, a lot of it is spent trying to escape and outwit the gunman, and being bossed around by a character with huge rich white boy privilege.

All the characters were pretty one dimensional and just felt like they were there to take up space. The only one that was semi-likable was the narrator, Red, but even she was given weird quirks that I guess were supposed to make her seem unreliable, but never really explained anything.

What I did like were the twists and the eventual conclusion of the book, but it took a really long time to get there. I could have done without spending a whole night stuck in a RV with these people and wish the whole story had taken a different route.

Wow. I can't even explain the roller coaster of a reading journey this one is. I loved Good Girl's Guide to Murder but this one may be pulling in ahead of it. It was intense and full of so many secrets! It was so suspenseful from beginning to end as each secret was unraveled. It's everything I look for in a good YA Thriller. I definitely recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the chance to read this advanced copy.

This was a true thriller! I could definitely see it being turned into a movie or mini series in the next few years.

Each time I picked up the book, I had trouble putting it down. I felt true anxiety throughout the entire book in the best way. It was unpredictable and never slowed its fast pace for a minute once it started a chapter or two into the book.

This has kept me up much too late a few nights in a row from its addictiveness. I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys a classic teen thriller. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this book become as popular as her “A Good Girls Guide to Murder.”

What a great thriller. Heavy on plot, low on character development. It reminded me of a 90s teen thriller movie. Fun and something teens would enjoy.

Hold on to your hats, this thriller is a survival story in a broke down RV that is being ravaged by gunfire and someone who wants revenge but the teens in the RV have no idea (or do they?) why they're being targeted.

The hallmarks of the thriller are there with bits and pieces dropped about the characters' pasts, their families, and situations they've gotten themselves into. Now, who will actually come out of this unscathed.

It works so well (read like a fantastic April Henry book) because the pacing is breakneck, with the timeline being about 8 hours. It will fly off the shelves.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I have read all of Holly Jackson's books and was SO excited to get my hands on her newest release. I really wish this book was 100 pages shorter. The first half of the book was incredibly repetitive. We get it, they're trapped with a sniper outside. We could have moved past this quicker and gotten to the conflicts between the characters. For a YA book, this book had some pretty deep and dark topics. I had a hard time connecting with any of the characters. I was not stressed out or upset when certain things happened. The characters felt extremely shallow and maybe it was because there were too many characters to get to know on a deeper level.

I will say the ending of this book was great. I would have never guessed the twist to the story, but just wish it was overall a shorter book.

Holly Jackson does it again, once more keeping you on your toes with a thriller that has a dark twist!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC.


Description from NetGalley:
Red Kenny is on a road trip for spring break with five friends: Her best friend - the older brother - his perfect girlfriend - a secret crush - a classmate - and a killer.

When their RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere with no cell service, they soon realize this is no accident. They have been trapped by someone out there in the dark, someone who clearly wants one of them dead.

With eight hours until dawn, the six friends must escape, or figure out which of them is the target. But is there a liar among them? Buried secrets will be forced to light and tensions inside the RV will reach deadly levels. Not all of them will survive the night. . . .

I have not read A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson, but is on my TBR list. This is overall a quick book, but the first part of it is slow. There were times when Red got on my nerves. She is our only POV and doesn’t tell us everything, just like all the secrets that get revealed. In the end, I enjoyed it.

Overall: 4/5

A departure from my usual read, but an engaging and compelling YA mystery with a dark twist. Enjoyed the wrap up, but still want to know who else voted YES!

Thank you PRH audio for my review copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

This is down the middle for me. A very typical YA thriller. Not great, but not bad. There's a lot of bickering and going back who is who, but also there's a lot of suspense and action. In the end the motivations were kind of boring and nothing unexpected, though a bit of a twist saved this book for me.

This book is likely to appeal to readers who are already fans of Holly Jackson, but I don't think it's likely to convert those unfamiliar with her work. The beginning is slow and I had difficulty getting into the story; however, once it hit its stride it was enjoyable enough. It's a solid read for those who liked her previous books, or for fans of Karen McManus, and overall, a decent addition to most public library collections. I just was hoping for more of a stand-out.

Holly Jacksons Five Survives, will keep you on your toes, throughout the whole book. This book takes place over the span of 8 hours with a group of friends stuck on an rv, with someone out to kill them. if that doest automatically make you want to read it then the amazing post twits and witty dialogue sure will. I was nervous going into this book from just finish the good girls guide to murder series and it instantly becoming a favorite series of mine. Jackson changed my mind with ease while reading this. I got the same amazing uneasy feeling as I did while reading about Pip through the series. I can't wait to see what she's writing next. She has no bad books so i highly recommend this book. Then go and run to pick up her other amazing books which I hope you love just as much as me.