I'm a huge fan of the Good Girl's Guide to Murder trilogy, which I think is the rare young adult mystery series that has the intricate plotting (over the course of the series) and character development that would please the majority of adult thriller readers.

Five Survive is completely different. It's a standalone, it takes place on a very short timeline, and its more plot-driven than character-driven. But it's a fun and truly suspenseful read.

If I have one complaint, it was that the end got a little info-dumpy as everything had to be explained in a short time, but I remain a big fan of Holly Jackson. I love that she writes YA but I wouldn't be surprised to see her tackle an adult book too!

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy for an honest review!

This book kept me hooked and slightly terrified? We follow 6 young adults traveling from Philadelphia to Florida. When the 6 of them are heading to their campsite as the halfway point, they get lost in the middle of nowhere Virginia. All of a sudden, they have no cell service and a flat tire and its midnight. All 6 get out of the car to fix the flat (this is the part where you scream, what are you doing!!!) They fix the tire, and then all 4 get shot out... what is happening?

The shooter tells them that one of them holds a secret and he will kill them all at 6 AM. Who has a secret and who is going to tell?

Each hour you find out new information on each of the 6. So who is shooting at them and what happens?? Read to find out.

I enjoyed this story as I was terrified and it made me want to keep reading. I think that I got confused at some points and so there were some gaps in the story, but overall, it was interesting. Somewhat predictable though.

Five Survive by Holly Jackson

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Eight hours.
Six friends.
One sniper . . .

Red and five of her friends are ready for a fun spring break at the beach. But when they get lost in their RV on the way, things take a sinister turn. Someone is out there, watching them. One of them has the secret he wants, and if they don’t give it to him, they won’t make it out.

I enjoyed the Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series (except the second half of the last book), so I was interested to read more of Holly Jackson. This book blew that series out of the water for me.

The blurb, plus the title, Five Survive, had me right away. My favorite trope is “people trapped together and one has a dark secret and/or is actually a killer,” so this book was right up my alley. It took me a bit to get used to Red's inner monologue, but the book is very fast-paced and once it really got going, it doesn't stop. I've been struggling to get through books recently, but I could not put this book down, and ended up staying up late just to finish.

The build-up is excellent, with tension slowly mounting. Almost all of the book takes place inside the RV, which adds to the tension and gives a claustrophobic feel. While some of the twists weren’t the most surprising, I still found myself gasping at times. That’s all I will say though, because I don’t want to spoil anything.

Overall, it’s a really good twisty thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, up until the very end.

Five Survive is a YA thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Red and five of her friends are traveling in an RV for Spring Break. However, disagreements arise when things don’t go as planned, and road trips always have hiccups. It’s not surprising that they get lost on the way to the beach, and then the RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere. What’s surprising is that a sniper is hunting them and their secrets…

I read this in one day. I couldn’t put it down, because I needed to know what was going on. The story was super fast-paced and the claustrophobic setting was cleverly written. My stomach was in knots the whole time I was reading. The characters were interesting, and everyone had secrets that they didn’t want to reveal which made everything so much more intriguing. Most of them were unlikable, but even so, it was easy to root for the survival of the majority of them. The tension was high as soon as the RV broke down, and when survival mode hit… It felt like anything could happen.

Holly Jackson’s writing and plot devices usually work for me, so it wasn’t surprising that I devoured this book in one sitting and enjoyed it a lot. Jackson did a great job keeping me guessing, and the setting was perfect to keep my anxiety high. Even though there were a twist or two that I figure out early on, there were some that I didn’t see coming. However, particularly one of the revelations was over the top. It didn’t affect my enjoyment, because I was already expecting a crazy twist, and the puzzle pieces fit. It did bother me that one specific aspect concerning the main character wasn’t explained, and was only used to add a level of uncertainty to a couple of events.

Overall, a thrilling, suspenseful, entertaining, action-packed, fast-paced YA story with shocking secrets and claustrophobic, tense moments.

I was very excited to pick up this book because I was curious to see what the author would come up with after a very successful series of books, and because, of the ones I have read so far I have really enjoyed what she has written. Five Survive was a little slower to kick in than I expected and whilst Red was a fascinating character she wasn’t the easiest to navigate the start of the story with, thankfully it didn’t take too long before I was completely hooked by what was happening.

I just loved the set-up of this, six friends shut in a small space, and a desperate need to find the secret that is the key to their survival, it made for some thrilling edge-of-my-seat reading. The book is broken up into sections by the hour and it really adds to the fast-paced nature of the story, as everything happens in eight hours of one evening. The tension was wonderful all of these elements come together to create a chaotic maelstrom of an atmosphere, as the characters slowly start to unravel and become their worst selves.

I won’t say too much about the plot but whilst some things felt obvious, I realised that I had no idea who was behind the danger they were in and what secret they were looking for. It made for some pretty shocking revelations as the puzzle pieces started to fit together and I could not have predicted how it ended. I feel like I maybe was left with some questions about things that had been included in the story but didn’t seem to have an explanation but that didn’t have a massive impact on my overall enjoyment.

The characters in this book are not really all that likeable but I felt entirely drawn to them because of their dynamic, you can tell there are some tensions from the start of the story but it gets worse as the events of the night unfold and there are some clear divides in the group, which makes for some intense reading. Maybe this makes me weird but I found it riveting as the threat becomes known that we got to see how each of the friends reacts to this and how it changes their relationships with each other, the shift back and forth between working together and then working against each other kept the suspense at an all-time high.

Holly Jackson knows how to create an emotional and engaging story, the sense of dread will definitely stick with me for a while, it is a dark story and it’ll take me a minute to get over, but this book has me very excited to see what kind of story she will come up with next.

Five Survive is a YA closed room (although its an RV) thriller.

Six students set out for spring break in an RV. They take a wrong turn and end up in a deserted area with no cell signal. They quickly realize someone is out to get them. Someone shoots out the tires and gas tank of the RV to prevent them from leaving. Communication with the shooter tells them that one of them has a secret that the shooter wants revealed.

Fast paced thriller that takes place over the course of one night. No one is safe. Someone has a secret. Friends turning on each other. You won't find me on a RV trip anytime soon.

A bit repetitive, closed room thrillers often are, in my opinion.
I'm not the intended audience as its YA which I must take into account.

I preferred the Good Girl's Guide to Murder series.

I’m not sure what I just read. I was a little annoyed with how it all shook out.

A wise friend told me this - maybe we just aren’t meant to read YA anymore.

To a high school student this book is probably perfect. To a woman in her 30s who reads thrillers all the time and is rarely stumped …. Ehhhh. Add to that that I’m an attorney who is married to a cop (both of our professions actually have some relevance in this book). Double ehhh

Here’s the pros - it kept me guessing for part of the time, I did enjoy the characters (and even deeply hated one of them), and the RV stuck in a forest thing was a good plot setting.

Real Rating 4.5

There is so much to unpack about this book. So much happened and I had no idea where it was going to go from the beginning. If you look at my place holder review on Goodreads, I’m basically asking if Holly Jackson is ok because man, this was dark. (I really need to learn to read the synopsis of books whether they’re auto-buy authors or not.)

The number one best thing about this book was the plot. It was so fast paced and I couldn’t put it down! I found myself listening to it no matter where I was and I was trying to read it everywhere. I was obsessed. Now it is told over a number of hours where they’re in a really tense situation so it has to be. But man, this was crazy. I had my shoulders near my ears the whole time. I can only imagine how I would have looked if I was reading a physical book. I would have looked maniacal turning the pages as fast as I was listening lol

And of course Holly Jackson’s writing style was amazing. Like I said I couldn’t put it down. I do wish some of the clues and final info came a lot faster than it was given tho. Or at least spread it out some. It was kind of like an info-dump. This book could have used some more red herrings or something throughout it. And the very end was jaw dropping. I was not expecting that. But I wanted something more to happen to that one person because….. They definitely deserved it.

The characters in this tho were terrible. I wanted to do nothing more than strangle all of them. From the main character to the character who had the smallest part. None of them were good enough. I did have some love for Red, but she really should have started speaking as soon as she knew something. It just seemed a little selfish when she didn’t. I know there is a lot more to it, but man, this was crazy.

The ending was cray cray tho. Although I wish some of the signs were spread out, it didn’t stop the details from being crazy. Because I was not expecting any of them. I was really in shock. Like how did Jackson come up with this? I really was nervous, like what happened to her? Because this was dark. Like last book in the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder dark. If you’ve read that series, than you know. But even still, I loved it.

The audio was crazy good too! The way the narrator was able to sound scared, hurt, confused, and crazy like one of the characters was, was amazing. And it wasn’t a full cast audio like Jackson’s other books, so that means all those changes and very different voices for each character was done by one person. And that just seems hella hard. I can’t imagine it being easy or keeping track of what you made everyone feel like, so that was just cool to me. I looked into her name and she has a long back list. I immediately added some of them to my TBR. (Yes sometimes I add books to my TBR because of the fact that the narrator was good. Today was one of those times lol

This book did nothing but confirm my reasoning for making Holly Jackson an auto buy author. It was actually thrilling and so, so good. If you’re a fan of thrillers, give this one a chance. I assure you, you will not be disappointed.

Holly Jackson has done it again! I love all of her books, but FIVE SURVIVE was such a short and spooky book that I devoured in one sitting! This is a great next book after the GGGTM series, and I can't wait for her future novels! Jackson constantly writes incredible and unexpected plotlines that unravel really reallly reeeeeallly slowly and then ALLATONCE! I love her writing style for mystery books and this book was no different!

This tightly-wound, plot driven thriller is exactly the type of book needed around the holidays. Six friends go on a trip in an RV, but when they become the target of a shooter who wants a secret that one of them has, the friends struggle with one another in a fight for trust, power, and survival. This novel is definitely very different from A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, but has it's own strengths that will make it hold it's own on the book shelves well. Give to fans of Karen McManus and Maureen Johnson.

Six friends take off on a spring break road trip. When their RV breaks down and they end up stuck in the middle of nowhere, they realize that maybe their breakdown in this location wasn't an accident. They have to find a way to survive the night with danger outside the RV and possibly an even bigger danger inside.

This thriller kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I couldn't read it at night because it made me too jumpy to sleep. I really enjoyed how this story unfolded piece by piece so that the reader was putting the details together at the same time as the characters did. There were a few twists I saw coming, but others that completely caught me by surprise. Highly recommend this one if you're looking for a twisty YA thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Delacorte Press for the ARC of this book.

After reading A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, I was really excited to read this one. There were some things that lived up to my expectations and some that didn't.
I read the first quarter of the book in one day. It immediately grabbed me and legitimately scared me. The 6 getting lost in their RV even before anything happened had me on the edge of my seat. I had an inkling that the first flat tire was not an accident and I was right. The scariest part to me was when they were all inside the RV and they heard "hello." I almost had to stop reading since it was night! After this, the pacing kind of slowed down. Since the whole thing took place in one night, it really dragged some things out. It took them forever to make one small decision and it took me several days to get through the middle of the book. I did read the last I think 30% in one day. Everything picked up and I was on the edge of my seat and couldn't read fast enough.
One of the things that bummed me out was that I didn't really like the characters. I disliked the main character Red. I wanted her to be someone I could root for, but I just was indifferent. Her whole character revolved around her guilt. The night her mom died, she called Red and asked to tell her dad something, but they were fighting so Red said "I hate you" and hung up. Then she got shot. So I think a lot of her character had to do with what that grief and guilt does to a person. I hated Oliver, I couldn't stand a word that came out of this mouth. I was very back and forth about Maddy, it really seemed like she was Red's ride or die but also seemed like she would always pick Oliver (her brother) over Red no matter what. The rest of the characters were ok.
The reason that these 6 characters were trapped here just threw me for loop after loop. We think we have it figured out, but then it's something else, but that's wrong too and then it's something else. I really can't say I saw any of it coming so it was a fun ride for me.
The very ending was a series of multi media type things which made for an interesting ending, but also didn't fully answer all the questions we had (not in a bad way). It left things to make up that could really go either way.
Overall, despite the characters not being my favorites, this book really kept my intrigue especially at the beginning and end and really was something that was a fun, yet scary mystery thriller book!

Five Survive is an exceptional YA thriller, surpassing my super-high expectations to deliver a riveting story expectedly playing with intense paranoia, suspense and earth-shattering secrets.

It is no secret that Holly Jackson is one of my all time favourite authors. Her ability to meticulously plot a razor-sharp thriller, packed full of twists and turns, is unparalleled. Every time, she knocks it out of the park and always manages to surprise me. Five Survive is no exception to this rule, providing a twisty standalone mystery that had me utterly glued to its pages.

The claustrophobia of the setting of the RV serves to heighten the already thickening tension that much more. When you know everyone is hiding something but they literally cannot move beyond these small confined spaces, the atmosphere is incredibly fraught. It is intense and makes for gripping reading, as every little moment counts. Tempers fly and explosive revelations are made. There is a point in the book where things really kick into a higher gear in a deadly, blood-soaked scene that is just heart-wrenching. You can see it coming but it still shatters your heart. For me, it was just how unnecessary it ultimately was and reminds you of the stakes at hand here. The countdown aspect of the story also served to heighten this further. I read the novel across eight hours, wanting to mimic some of that experience. You can feel your heart racing as time runs ever closer to the finale and the slowly revealed layers to the central mystery are jaw-dropping. There are so many factors at play here and watching them all come together is sensational.

The paranoia and increasing suspense are second to none. You start to question everything you are presented with and every character, including Red herself. I really enjoyed Red as a protagonist. Her sharply felt grief still affects every aspect of her life, constantly replaying previous events and having this consummate sense of guilt alongside it. Jackson’s portrayal of grief felt nuanced and realistic, showing that fluctuating circle of emotions and long-term effects. Red’s trauma presses deep into her bones, changing her perspective on life entirely. However, she is also determined, loyal and practically useful. Her skill set really feeds into the desperate attempts at survival. The coping mechanisms and defence strategies she has placed around herself are also broken down in really interesting and often unexpected ways. For example, some of the most shocking moments are deeply intimate and tie into the tangled web of interpersonal connections on this RV.

Of course, it helps that Jackson is deftly skilled at creating three-dimensional characters that all have something distinctive to draw you into them. You usually either love or hate them passionately. Every one of them is guarding a life-changing secret and their exposure completely flips the narrative on its head. You are thrown down so many different paths and Jackson’s juggling of these plot strands is fascinating. It becomes an enjoyable challenge trying to work out what will happen next and you will probably be wrong at every turn.

Five Survive is a relentless thrill ride from the queen of YA thrillers. This is easily one of my favourite reads of the year.

Eight hours. Six friends. Five survive

Roadtrip in an RV that breaks down in the middle of nowhere with no cell service? Yes please. This was a fast-paced, page-turning thriller that keep you at the edge of your seat. Very different vibes from A Good Girl's Guide To Murder which is one of my favorite YA trilogy of all time. I love Holly Jackson's writing, everything flows. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would since I was not liking the characters and I'm a character driven reader, however, it didn't change the fun of reading this at all.

Read if you like: Cat and mouse, friend groups, secrets and lies, trapped

This book takes place across eight hours, there are six friends, and one sniper.

Eighteen year old Red and her friends are on a road trip in an RV, heading to the beach for Spring Break. It’s a long drive but spirits are high. In true thriller book style the RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere. They now have no phone reception and nobody around to help.

The wheels are shot out, one by one, making this friend group realize this was no accident. There’s a sniper out there in the dark watching them and he knows exactly who they are. One of the group has a secret that the sniper is willing to kill for.

I screamed a little when I got this ARC. I loved the first two Good Girl's Guide to Murder books. This is a standalone thriller and did not disappoint. It grabbed me from the very first chapter. I do feel like it was a slow burn. It took a bit to get a good groove and have things laid out but it was totally worth it. The majority of this book is dialogue. They are all trapped in the same space so the close proximity causes issues within the group. None of the characters are very likeable but I think it was on purpose. It was a tad predictable. I still loved it.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author, Random House Children's/ Delacorte Press for the gifted e-book. ❤️

📖My Thoughts📖

It started as a fun relaxing road trip in an RV. What they didn’t anticipate, was the nightmare that would change everything.

Well this was one hell of a “ride” if I’m going to be honest here. Never did I expect to be completely glued to this book the second I started it, hanging on to every single word. It was full of twists, and was very gripping and intense. I didn’t want to tear myself away from it until I found out what happened. It’s not very often that I find myself completely engrossed in a book, but this one had me sucked right in. This was a fast paced thriller that to me, seemed to be the perfect length. I’m hoping upon hope that there’s a sequel, but even if there isn’t, I’m very satisfied with the ending. Holly Jackson did an amazing job writing this one! If you’re looking for a good thriller to read, be sure to grab a copy of this one! You won’t regret it!
Thank you Netgalley, Random House Children’s and Holly Jackson for the opportunity to read and review this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

You know a book is good when it leaves you in ruins. I just finished Five Survive an hour ago, and I was left traumatized and shocked, tears streaming down my face. I have never been one to read thrillers, but this one had me hooked. It had a bit of a slow start, but the second half made up for the slower beginning. I ended up binging over half of the book in one sitting, and there were so many twists and turns that I had whiplash by the end of it, totally shocked by almost every one.

Despite the fast moving plot, I feel like this book was very character driven. Each character was really well-written, and I never found myself forgetting who was who (which can be hard when there are six main characters in a standalone book). In a book where every character is under suspicion, I feel like Jackson did a great job showing different tells and casting the right amount of doubt on each character. Not every character was likeable, and everyone most definitely had flaws and secrets, and I got to watch how they all did under the pressure of an active shooter. I didn’t expect to become attached to the characters, but I found myself becoming more and more paranoid and scared as things happened and secrets were revealed.

What really stood out about Five Survive was the ending. The entire book had been building up the tension, and there was an explosion of secrets at the end that was shocking enough to make this book a five-star read. If you like thrillers and books with lots of shocking twists, I highly recommend this book, though you will probably be a hot mess by the end of it!

Thank you to Netgalley for the e-ARC of this book. I LOVED AGGGTM, so I was expecting something equally as binge-worthy and Holly Jackson DID NOT DISAPPOINT!!

I binged this book in 24 hours, I felt on edge and anxious while reading the pages and wondering what was going to happen next, and adding in the sniper really just gave me the EXTRA ANXIETY to the whole equation.

I have to say I didn't love how predicable parts of the ending were, some of the twists I saw coming, but others had my JAW on the floor!!

I can't wait to read anything and everything else Jackson writes!

Holy smokes y’all! Five Survive was one wild, crazy and suspenseful rollercoaster ride that I couldn’t put down!

I’m not able to write much for this review or I’ll end up creating a whole barrel of spoilers, but here is what I can say:

If you are looking for a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat while you hold your breath then this book is for you! When I say that it is an intense and emotional ride, I’m being deathly serious. It is a book you will pick up and then not put down till you turn the final page, because this is exactly what happened to me! Oh, and maybe don’t start it at bedtime like I did, since it took a while to get my heartrate back down.

So, go grab a copy, strap yourself in, and enjoy the ride!

Thank you, NetGalley and RandomHouse Children's, for this gifted ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Six young adults set off on a spring break trip in an RV and are besieged by a sniper who wants one of them to reveal their secret. It’s not a spoiler to tell you that five survive in this nonsensical trudge of a YA not-much-of-a-thriller.

The author made her name with <i>A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder</i> and sequels, but this veers unsuccessfully off into new territory. Red and her best friend Maddy, plus their friends Simon and Arthur are being chaperoned by Mandy’s obnoxious older brother Oliver and his girlfriend, Reyna as they drive their RV down to Florida for Spring Break, but one wrong turn and loss of signal and they find themselves in the wilderness. When a sniper shoots out their tires and gas tank, they have no clue what’s going on until he communicates that one of them has a secret that they need to confess.

The novel is set over the course of one tense night so it’s sort of in real time, depending on how fast you read. The six fracture over the best way to get through this ordeal but the sniper seems one step ahead of them at every turn. Oliver appoints himself the leader but it is clear he has favorites who he will protect at the expense of the others.

I found this long night to be quite arduous and wanted the gunman to hurry up and just tell us who he’s looking for and what their secret is, but for a not particularly credible reason (beside shortening the novel by a few hundred pages) he doesn’t. This is but one of my gripes with this novel and I’ve hidden the rest below behind the spoiler curtain. The resolution, when it comes, is a good twist but I was ready to wave the white flag and confess <i>my</i> secrets long before it came.

The characterization is limp. Red has a dead mother, Maddy is protective of her, Simon is theatrical, Arthur is nice, Oliver has wide shoulders and is a bully, Reyna is his girlfriend. Despite spending several hours in their company, we learn little more than this.

Because of the author’s highly rated previous novels, we’ll get this for my school library and I’ll make a better go of recommending it than this. But between us chickens, don’t bother.

Thanks to Delacorte and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

So let’s slip behind the spoiler curtain for a second for me to have a couple more gripes.

Arthur is communicating to his brother, the sniper, using Morse code! Somehow he manages to get a message out that Oliver is climbing out of a back window. In Morse. Red notices that Arthur is fiddling in his jeans pocket a lot but a message that length is A LOT of fiddling to the point that the other five would probably think he was up to something extremely icky.

There is some very dubious morality going on. Arthur merrily shares that his Mafia family kill people who have betrayed them or otherwise crossed them, but he seems to be fine with that and Red still seems to have a crush on him

Why on earth would an assistant DA offer $20k to a mentally unbalanced teenage girl in exchange for her claiming to have seen a Mafia boss shoot someone? And why this stupidly elaborate plan to get Red to confess her source when they could have just grabbed her and pulled her fingernails out?