LOVED this one so much!!! I've been a huge fan of Holly Jackson because of the Good Girls Guide series and couldn't wait to read something new from her, and it didn't disappoint! This had all of the vibes from No Exit- super fast paced, intense, every chapter ending on a cliff hanger. All things that make for my favorite types of thrillers. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and couldn't put it down. I do feel like the writing style got a little too descriptive at times, and almost a little repetitive, but overall I loved the story and would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a fast paced thriller.

Please check trigger warnings before reading this book!!

I want to thank Random House, Dealcorte Press, and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book!!

I loved Holly Jackson's A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, so I knew I wanted to read this book. I did go into the book with high expectations because I love how Holly Jackson creates mystery/thrillers. Five Survive did NOT disappoint.

This book was everything I have ever wanted a thriller and then some. The story is told from the main character's, Red, perspective across one night. Red is wonderful character; however, she is a little bit unrealiable. I believe that is simply due to the nature of the story. I also think Red being unrealiable intesitfies the thriler aspect of the book.

I adored this book. Dare I say this book is better than A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. Go read this book!!

Five Survive is a thriller that had me on the edge of my seat when I reached the halfway point. I spent the first third of the book stumbling through the plot, trying to figure out what was going on, who all these characters were, and why I should care about them. However, once I got into it, I really got into it, finishing the whole thing in a night.
I've read A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, so I knew that Holly Jackson could write something intense. While this didn't reach the same level as those books (although I have yet to find another book at all that made me feel emotions like that trilogy), I still went through a rollercoaster while reading this book. I've rarely stumbled across an author that's as good at building suspense and making me feel for the characters as much as Jackson, A thriller is supposed to make me feel stressed out, to keep me guessing, and it did all that while also nearly making me cry (but perhaps that was because I stayed up way too late to finish).
This book is not without its flaws - the plot was a little one minded, especially when it came to most of the big reveals. And while it wasn't completely unpredictable, I was still shocked at a majority of the twists and turns (basically, I had a feeling I knew who the reveal would be about, but I didn't know what or why it would be). The "big events" were revealed through info dumps, since the whole thing took place over the course of just a few hours. Even so, I was never bored while reading the book and I was wholly sucked in by Red and her friends. The characters were (for the most part) compelling and interesting, although it did feel as though there was a lot left open.
As I mentioned earlier, this book made me go through the range of emotions. I can't remember the last time I stayed up so late because I physically could not let myself put a book down - every time I finished a chapter, it ended on a cliffhanger or it made me feel like I had gotten punched in the gut or I just had to know what happened next. This book was exciting and engaging, and I definitely would recommend it to someone looking for a more intense YA thriller. I will say - the only thing that feels YA about this book is the age of the characters, definitely check the trigger warnings before picking it up!
Overall, Holly Jackson proves herself to be a master of crafting a suspenseful story, and I'm anxiously awaiting her next work.

Holly Jackson truly went off with this one. What a wild and intense journey, full of twists and turns. Five Survive follows a group of friends who are roadtripping for spring break in an RV. Our main character is Red, a teenage girl who is traumatized by the death of her police chief mother. We also meet her best friend Maddy, and Maddy's brother, Oliver, who has very dark side. There's also Oliver's girlfriend, Reyna, and Simon, another friend (and theatre kid!). Last is Arthur, the newest and kindest of the group. When the tires of their RV are shot out, they must work together to make it out alive, or meet the demands of the sniper. Secrets are revealed, and it all become very Lord of the Flies-esque.

I read this in a day. It is nearly impossible to put down, and is never boring. This is the true definition of "edge of your seat". Red is a sympathetic character, and I felt real fear and anxiety for her and her friends. Its truly impossible to guess where this is going. I have never read anything like it, and I think it is a truly unique take on the young adult thriller genre.

Ultimately, Holly Jackson has changed the game for YA thrillers yet again. In a year of truly excellent YA mystery releases, this stands out. It makes Jackson's Good Girl's Guide to Murder look cutesy. I hope that YA mystery authors continue to keep up this momentum. Its a truly exciting genre to be a fan of right now.

When I first started this book...I was incredibly skeptical. A stuck-in-one-place thriller can sometimes be predictable or be slow paced; however, I really enjoyed Five Survive. It was well-paced and had distinct characters.

I did guess one of the big twists - I felt there were too many obvious clues along the way. However, I definitely wasn't expecting how everything tied together in the end. It was neat - without feeling too forced. My only complaint was I didn't love our main character - even in her narration she was shifty, complained too much, and just seemed so, so meek.

Thank you so much @DelacortePress & @NetGalley for giving me this eARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 29 November 2022)

SYNOPSIS | Red & five of her friends are road tripping during spring break when their RV breaks down in the middle of no where. When they go to investigate they realise that they have no cell service, their wheels have been shot out & they are being targeted by a sniper who wants a secret that one of them is hiding.

WHAT I LIKED:
- the stakes felt high as we learn what is going on & each of the secrets
- the story was split into each hour of their survival (it would make a fantastic adaption)

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- that the entire story takes place inside the RV (I haven't really enjoyed the past few locked room mysteries that I've tried)
- the title ruined the suspense as it spoils that only one of them is actually going to die
- that Red is actively keeping a secret (& referencing it multiple times) from the reader throughout the majority of the book & is written as an unreliable unlikeable narrator

This book was a wild ride that had me on the edge of my seat majority of the book!

Six friends set out in an RV on a road trip for spring break, and end up stranded, broken down, and isolated. Realizing they were intentionally trapped, panic and flight or flight starts to kick in, and true personalities are revealed. Everyone has a secret, and each one is slowly revealed through the book, adding to its intensity. Five survive…. Who will they be?

Holly Jackson weaved this story together beautifully, and I totally didn’t guess the way it all would play out! It was intense and I couldn’t put this down, but some parts were a bit repetitive for me, and I wanted more from the ending. Overall, I loved the story, and confirms that Holly Jackson will always be a must read author for me!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's for my ARC in exchange for my honest feedback!

Five Survive is an edge of your seat thriller that occurs over the course on one harrowing night for a group of 6 teens and young adults. Red and her friends are in their way to spring break in an RV when they take a wrong turn and get lost on a rural back road in South Carolina. When their tires are shot out, they realize someone lured them here and has trapped them in the RV. They attempt to make a plan to get out, but can they survive until morning?

Red and her friends are fully fleshed out characters, and as we learn their secrets we get to know more about what is motivating them. Of course everybody has a secret they don’t want to reveal, and some of these secrets are pretty twisted! I did not come close to guessing the ending of this one, and once I hit the middle of the book I absolutely couldn’t put it down. The author writes such intriguing stories, and this one was woven together beautifully. It did take me a bit to connect with the characters, and there were a couple things that were quite repetitive through the book. It is still a solid thriller that was an enjoyable read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Childrens- Delacorte Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

This seemed like it was going to be super fun and it was a quick read, don’t get me wrong. But I didn’t like any of the characters - for high school/college students they had SO MUCH GOING ON. Like, how could all of them potentially have a secret that someone was willing to kill them over? Just really implausible.

Six friends from Philadelphia rent an RV to go to spring break in Florida but somewhere in South Carolina, they become stranded with an active shooter targeting them. They can get out alive, but one of them has a secret the shooter wants. Which one is it? As the night progresses, secrets and confessions abound, but is it the right one? As tensions heat up, the friends turn on each other and, as the title implies, someone doesn’t make it out alive.

I think the most important thing to know is that this is a completely different vibe than the A Good Girls Guide to Murder series. This is straight up a fast-paced, one-night thriller. It was nice to see Jackson flex some different muscles, and while I don't think it's quite as good as her series it was enjoyable to read.

It took me a minute to get into it - I didn't love our MC, but once I hit the 30% mark it really started to pick up and I read the rest of it in one sitting because I just had to know what was happening. I did not see any of the big reveals coming, which is quite impressive.

Overall, a fun YA thriller. I don't think it will be for every fan of the series, but if you like YA thrillers and her series, be sure to pick this one up!

Oh my god. This book is INTENSE! I stayed up until 12:30 finishing it because I couldn’t put it down. Just wow. Fabulous read.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved that it was set over the course of one night. It was very fast paced with lots of twists and turns I didn’t see coming. I liked how even though the book took place over a short time, the characters were fleshed out well. I would definitely recommend this book.

3.75 stars!
This book didn't captivate me the way I was hoping it would. It was a GOOD thriller, and had twists that I wasn't expecting. I had a hard time connecting to any of the characters and I think that's why this isn't a higher rating for me. It was a fast paced read and very action packed as well. I also enjoyed the ending and felt like it tied up the book really well!
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's Books, and Holly Jackson for an advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

Stick with it, the pay off of this book is worth it. Holly Jackson captivated us with the Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series, and just know that this is not that series. But she’s earned her spot as a go to thriller writer for me. Five Survive started slow and I nearly put it down a few times, but at about 59% it hit its stride and I finished the rest in one sitting. Excellent - and I hope there’s a follow up coming soon.

WOW WOW WOW. I stayed up all night reading this and it was absolutely worth it. Five people survived and I was screaming at the end of it because some

This book is 100% pure, exhaustive, edge-of-your-seat kind of thriller. The entirety of it takes place in an RV with six teens and young adults on their way to a camping site. The claustrophobia of this 31 foot RV and the predicament they find themselves in had me finish this book in one sitting. I refused to go to sleep without knowing what happened.

I don't know how but somehow in a span of 400 or so pages, Holly Jackson fleshed out the six characters to a shocking degree. It felt so damn real and I was reacting to their behaviour and choices so easily. I was absolutely livid at some of the characters and overwhelmed with sadness for others.

Red is a fantastic character to have as the narrator. Her past and unreliability due to trauma makes the thrill even more heightened. The entire cast of characters were absolutely fantastic. In such a short amount of time Holly Jackson made them so real and I honestly could not guess what was going to happen next. The twists and turns were shocking and left me breathless. It was so interesting and not even for a second did my attention waver.

I felt like I was starting to piece things together every 10 pages and then Holly Jackson turned around and said not on my watch, loser.

Holly Jackson knows how to weave all the factors that make a good thriller in a way that feels new and leaves you feeling like you're in the story with them.

Holly Jackson is going to be my go-to author to satisfy that need for "holding on for dear life" and "clenching your insides" kind of thrill and entertainment when reading. I'm gonna be shouting off the rooftops about this one to everyone I now. This is going to the top of my list of thrillers.

I adored our MC Red and her perspective was perfect for this book. Jackson’s inclusion of characters that you love mixed with characters you would want to throttle on any day of the week. Five survive is a perfect thriller - fast-paced, high stakes and full of characters that you would die to save or die if they were saved. If you’re desperate for a book to become attached to whilst your heart drops at a turn of the page, Five Survive a great story and you should read it.

*thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I was extremely excited for this one unfortunately i didnt love it as much as i thought i would. The entire book takes place in one setting on an Rv with 6 characters who werent fleshed out properly so they seemed interchangeable and made it hard for me to care about the outcome . The ending was blah and left me feeling underwhelmed. Overall the story was fine but i didnt really feel it held a candle to her previous “ a good girls guide to murder”

4.5 !This book is very different than A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and not quite what I expected, but I had so much fun reading it!

Synopsis: Red and her five friends rent an RV for senior year spring break. Mid way through the night, their RV breaks down in a remote area with no signal. When their tires get shot at, the group quickly realizes that this is in fact no accident. They find a walkie talkie on the RV and after searching for a signal, a man on the other line shares that one of them has a secret, and until that secret is revealed, they’re trapped and will not make it out alive. Confessions start pouring out and accusations are made… but who is to blame?

Thoughts: This was one fast-paced wild ride! There were twists I didn’t see coming, when I was sure I knew the answers, and I loved the atmospheric, dark setting. I like how Jackson chose to tell this story just from Red’s POV. We learn early on that she has had a traumatic past with her mother’s death but do not know what in fact happened and how that has shaped her life. Getting her steam of consciousness as all the chaos occurred was a great way to watch the events unfold. I mainly read this book but listened to a few chapters on audio and definitely enjoyed that format as well!

Read if you like:
-Whodunit stories
-YA thrillers
-Dark, atmospheric settings
-Lord of the Flies vibes

DNF-21%
First, thank you for the complementary copy of the book I received in exchange for a honest review.

I wanted to like this book so much. The hook and blurb were so excellently crafted, and I kept thinking it would turn around but it never did for me. I tried really hard to force myself to finish, but I just couldn’t.

First of all, the writing isn’t the best. Well not even the writing, the editing. The amount of “said’s” on EVERY SINGLE page was so distracting. I counted 14 “she said” and “he said” on several pages in a row. Phone screen pages at that, so out of the approximately 80 words on a page 14 of them were “said.” That’s almost 20% of the words. There are so many other ways to indicate who’s talking, it could be ANYTHING else, and I found this so distracting. There was also problems with the flow—it was choppy—the tense, and the POV.

But aside from my issues with the writing, which I found incredibly distracting, the characters just weren’t likeable. They seemed whiney and unrealistic. The MC’s parent was a cop and she had good instincts to avoid the danger they found themselves in, but she never listened to them. Instead, she blindly followed the others while complaining in her head—as if they weren’t in a life or death situation but instead she was trying to decide whether or not to go to a party they wanted to go to. Also, there was a couple that the MC continued to call perfect, but the male in the relationship was a complete douche to everyone especially his girlfriend. The MC seemed to have no real agency and her opinions changed so frequently it was hard to keep up. There were a ton of breadcrumbs about some kind of tragedy in the MC life—her parent dying I think—but it felt like the MC was languishing and enjoying being a victim instead of attempting to move on or get past it. And while I get some circumstances in life are beyond your control, it felt like everything just happened to her and she did nothing about it but complain. Plus her reactions to things felt unrealistic for someone who had been through what she had.

Overall, I think this book had a great premise. I think it could be great with more development. And it’s possible some of the issues I had with the characters would have been worked out in the part of the book I didn’t read, but the writing/editing issues were such that I couldn’t power through and finish. Of course that’s all just my opinion, and if you don’t notice writing, editing, grammar issues, maybe you’ll like it or be fine with it., but for me, I just couldn’t do it

When I finished this book, one of my first thoughts was: Holly Jackson has got to stop with the romantic cliffhangers.

I have read all of her A Good Girls Guide to Murder books and while I will always have a soft spot for Pip, but the ending of the final instalment rubbed me the wrong way. So I approached Jackson's newest standalone with a fairly equal mix of eagerness and trepidation.


I’m going to be honest, 90% of Red’s secret was obvious from the moment the concept of secrets was mentioned. That being said, the little twist was satisfying and the ending tied up pretty much everything nicely.

It felt a bit more like Maureen Johnson’s last YA mystery book to me for some reason but there were definite parallels to AGGGTM: morally dubious ending/solution to the mystery, a romantic subplot/love interest who is intimately connected to the case at hand, and a female protagonist with a unique name and lots of anxiety whose best friend’s family is somehow embroiled in the core mystery (both them, their sibling and a parent)