Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this Arc!!

OMG!!!! This. This. This. This is a thriller!!! This!! Forget what you think a good thriller is and just read this! As soon as possible. I thought my teeth were going to break bc I was clenching my jaw so hard, ya'll! This is beyond.... I shall call it: a jawclenching, heart racing, thriller masterpiece.

Six people go on a road trip from Pennsylvania to the Gulf for spring break. Four of them are high school students and two are in college. One of the reasons they are in an RV to travel is because Red can't really afford a plane ticket so her best friend Maddy planned this trip with that in mind. It's a good group but there is immediate tension already because Maddy's pre-law brother, Oliver, puts himself in charge. (It's incredibly annoying).

When they arrive in South Carolina to stop for the night at a camp site, they get lost and wind up in the middle of nowhere. (And, as someone from SC, I can promise that getting lost in the middle of nowhere there is seriously the freaking middle of nowhere and it's so scary, lol) . However, this seems to be no random just getting lost, especially when all the tires and the gas tank are shot out. There is a sniper in the woods. They communicate through a walkie talkie. And, the sniper wants to know a secret that only one of them can tell. But who is it? And, what is the secret?

This book is incredible. The author really illustrates how basic humanity can be lost and turned into something horrifying and ugly in a situation like this that is so frightening and puts a group in such a vulnerable position.

I recommend this for all fans of thrillers!

Out November 29, 2022!

I could not predict anything that happened. The pace and “no one is safe” vibe was amazing. SO good!! I wish I could read it for the first time all over again

Great read! As you travel with six kids on their way to spring break you learn a lot about them, and wonder who has the secret?! Who to trust? Who’s telling the truth? Starts with a slow burn but ends with a bang!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you NetGalley, Holly Jackson and Delacorte Press for hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

Five Survive
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Pub date: November 29, 2022
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Red and her friends are on a spring trip break, driving in a RV. When they take a wrong turn, thanks to crappy cell phone service, the whole trip changes. They are trapped in an RV with someone watching in the dark. The only way to get out of the RV safely is by telling them the secret they want to hear. However, as the night goes on they realize everyone in the RV has secrets. Not everyone will tell their secrets and not everyone will survive
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So I am freaking out about this book! Not only is it my first ARC, shout-out @netgalley @randomhousechildrens @ho, but it was so freaking good! Red, the narrator, is so likable. She has been through so much and always thinks everything is her fault. I loved seeing her development throughout the eight hours trapped in the RV. She slowly shows that she is not someone who can constantly be walked over. As everyone’s secrets slowly come out, she realizes more of them connect to her life than she thought possible. This might be a YA novel, but it was all the fast-paced, whodunnit action of an adult thriller. It definitely caters to a younger audience with the ages of the characters, but I could not stop reading to see what happens. The ending was something I would have never seen coming. I seriously loved this book, so all of the stars. And let’s be real, I will be picking this physical book up when it’s out

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Thank you Net Galley for the ARC of this. I was initially very excited for this, but as I continued to read the more I realized how much I hated all the characters. The plot was so unbelievable that I was pissed fr the start. No thank you.

When I started this book, the whole thing started rough for me. I just kept wanting it to get better as far as action-wise. We have a group of teenagers in an RV, and the plan is to have fun though it all goes sour when they seem to have taken a wrong turn. Six friends, someone has a secret, and they all need to learn how to trust one another to see the next day. We got to see how these teenagers handle situations, and sometimes the ones you think to have your back may be the ones that are quick to throw you under the bus.
The book started to pick up around 30 percent, I would say. Once it picked up, I flew through the story wanting to know the outcome. I will say I did not see the twists coming at all. Like, when one twist hit, I was surprised. Then the next bomb dropped, and I was like, oh sh!! I love books like this. I can not wait for my students to read this; I am sure they will love it.
I learned this author has written a Good Girls Guide to Murder, so I plan on reading that if it is as good as this one.

I absolutely loved A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. Every single book. Even the last one which was a bit of a mess, if I’m being completely honest. So I was beyond thrilled to get an arc of Jackson’s newest book. Six teens trapped in an RV by a sniper, each with a secret they don’t want getting out, sounds intriguing, right? No. It was too much.

Here’s the deal, it took me a very long time to get invested in this book. I was probably 30% into the story before I started to care about it. That being said, I didn’t like any of the characters. At any point of the book. Ever. In fact, by 51%, I was so angry and annoyed, and ready to vote off the island, one specific character, that I wanted to throw my kindle across the room and DNF. But I pushed through, and as happened in book 3 of AGGGTM, I couldn’t stop reading. No matter how crazy, or confusing, or just flat out stupid ridiculous things got, I had to see it through. So, for that fact alone this book will get 3 stars from me… I guess? Honestly, I’m struggling with a rating here. The book kept me entertained, but I was enraged throughout most of it.

Ps: I loved book 3 in AGGGTM, and this book had very similar vibes, but something just didn’t translate as well. Also, open ended, up for interpretation endings? Not. A. Fan.

I thought this was a really interesting young adult thriller. I thought character development was a bit uneven, with some far more developed than others, but overall it was a quick and enjoyable read if you’re interested in YA fiction.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Red is on a road trip for Spring Break, with her best friend Maddie, Maddie’s older brother Oliver, Oliver’s girlfriend Reyna, Red’s other friend Simon, and her crush Arthur. Along the way they end up in a forest alone… thinking it is just a series of mishaps they soon find out it’s much more dangerous. Trapped by a mysterious shooter that wants the secret one of them hide, will they all survive?

Holly Jackson did it again! “Five Survive” was absolutely gripping. It had me on the edge of my seat the entire time! The setting was so creepy and claustrophobic. It added an extra layer to the story to make it even better. I was worried with 6 characters that it may get a little redundant, or I might mix people up but the characterization for each and every character was so well thought out and sculpted. I liked the way Holly Jackson interwove Red’s past with her present! The plot twists were sooooooo good. I genuinely had no idea where the story was going and around the 60% mark I thought the main conflict had been resolved, but I was so wrong. This book keeps giving until the very last page. I did feel that there were some slow parts for me, parts where it felt a little bogged down in details. But the intriguing parts kept me going through those and far outweighed the slow parts! I could not picture a more perfect ending for this book that the one that we were given and the possibilities of what could happen in the future are endless. I think this is a great follow up to the “A Good Girls Guide to Murder” series. If you enjoyed those or like mysteries in general, I highly recommend checking this one out! I can’t wait to see what Holly Jackson writes next. Thanks to Holly Jackson, Netgalley and Random House Children and Delacorte Press for the e-arc in exchange for my thoughts.

ARC REVIEW
Five Survive by Holly Jackson

⭐️⭐️⭐️

A nonstop ride to find out the truth.

☠️ Red is on a spring break trip with her friends, traveling in a RV. When the RV gets ambushed and a sniper demands a secret or everyone will die, the six passengers must scramble to fine a way to safety.

This was an interesting one. Here’s my thoughts.

☠️ interesting premise. The idea that the friend group is trapped in an RV was fascinating. But, it was a lot of talking at times. If you are a fan of movies that are set all in one location, than this is for you.

☠️ the characters were interesting. Not everyone in this group are really friends so seeing how they react to the situation and each other’s secrets was fascinating.

☠️ This was thrilling at times. Being stuck in one place with danger all around was cool. But I will say I wanted more terror from it.

All in all, this was an enjoyable YA thriller!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC book in exchange for an honest review.

Release: 11/29

Being a big fan of Holly Jackson's other works (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder), I was excited and nervous about this one. Excited because I get to read another book written by the author and nervous about whether I would enjoy it/ it would meet up to my expectations since AGGGTM set the bar really high in my opinion.

I'm very happy to say this book did not disappoint and was actually amazing, I read it in 7 hours in the same day. It was fast paced since the book takes place in one night and I loved the way it was structured, sections of the book divided according to the time- 8 hours, from 10pm to 6am. I also really liked the characterization of the 6 characters, it was so distinct and my feelings towards them were so strong, whether it was love or hate or annoyance.

I did think the ending was little rushed, just the very last part, I wish they had shown more of it instead of telling it. But I enjoyed the overall mystery and the conclusion. I had my doubts about the big reveals, but I wasn't able to guess some of them so the thrill and shock of the reveals were fun to experience!

In terms of comparison, I couldn't stop comparing my experience reading the author's trilogy versus reading Five Survive, but I don't think that is fair to the stories since they are very different even though they are both young adult mysteries. I did enjoy AGGGTM more than Five Survive but that had to do with the trope in the trilogy that I personally enjoy more (the detective/ solving the mystery vibe) which this book didn't have obviously because the story is different. So yeah, the book didn't live up to AGGGTM for me, but I also don't think that's something the book needs to do.

I highly recommend this book if you're in need of a mystery book. The book is coming out in December but it is set during spring break so I think it'll be perfect to read this anytime December to March to gear up for/ get excited for spring!

I know I"m late to the Holly Jackson game, but...wow. This one was intense. Six high school students become stranded in thier RV on the way to spring break. The catch--a killer is holding them hostage because one of them has a secret. Well....all of them have secrets, but he is looking for a specific one. This was a wild ride and not for the squeamish.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ebook ARC in exchange for my review.

Eight hours.
Six friends.
One sniper . . .
Five Survive.

Eight words and I was gripped and *needed* to read the latest Holly Jackson YA Thriller. I've read her work before and enjoyed it immensely. This is no different.

We have 6 characters stranded in an RV, tires blown out and a sniper waiting for one secret. Trust falls apart between the friends and the sides of people you thought you knew come out. They all have a secret, whose is the one that is worth dying over?

Red is a complicated main character. She's dealing with guilt and grief over the loss of her mom years ago. The beginning of the book was a tad confusing because of her jumbled thoughts. Does she have memory issues because of her mother's murder? Or was it always a thing? It is mentioned her mother helped her find misplaced/forgotten things.

There's one character in particular written in a specific way to get a strong reaction out of the reader. It's something I think Holly excels at. I had quite a few out loud clap backs to the character. I'm surprised none of the other characters did for most the book.

While the storyline ends up with tons of twists, it keeps the reader gripped the whole time. For me they all worked. It kept me reading, wanting to know how it would all end. How could five survive when none of them should given how the story progresses? Definitely worth a read.

What I didn't like: well, what was the curtain pattern?

Five survive

Entitled kids that never knew what was coming for them. But is it that simple? What is a secret so big that could cost one of them their lives and is there a mole amongst them?
One night. 6 people. One secret. But is a secret worth dying for?
And what happens when lives are on the line?
Loyalties are tested, friendships divided and trust lost.
Five may survive but souls were destroyed and lives will never be the same again.
I did thoroughly enjoy this book and the twists and turns at every corner. A good thriller has to leave you wanting more and this book did just that. Teenagers do hold secrets closer to the chest but I never imagined anything of this nature. Great read! 5/5 🌟

This book would make a great mini TV series. It happens over the course of 8 hours (roughly the time it takes to read the book) and let me say: it starts a bit slow but shit👏 hits 👏 the fan👏. I had about 30% of the book left to read when I was getting in bed last night and I was a little sad I wouldn't be able to finish it before falling asleep since I was already tired. I stayed up until about 3:30 am to finish it because I couldn't stop. I needed to know these kids' secrets and what the sniper was really after, and I was practically sweating multiple times when it felt like people were losing their damn minds. This book is the definition of a thriller, but I also found myself caring about these characters a lot and shocked by the plot twists. And the ending... bravo. This book is CRAZY and I think you guys will love it.

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy. All opinions are my own.

"If this book is on a jump value....we are at a ten out of ten. My husband called me and I jumped off the couch sending my Kindle flying."
Amy, while reading Five Survive


Welp, I loved Five Survive. LOVED it. Adored it. Just fantastic. If my brain was working I would add more adjectives.

This book caught me and literally had a hold on me. I had to finish. The writing was incredible. The story very unique. I did get a bit of the Saw movie vibe...but that worked for me.

I would highly recommend this one if you are looking at a great read. It is categorized as a YA...but it is basically a fantastic thriller with teenagers.

What I am getting ready to say is a spoiler. If you have read the book keep reading my review. If you haven't...do not proceed. Seriously. You have been warned.
Do not read any further if you don't want a spoiler...a big spoiler.
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Anyone else want to throw Oliver off that dang bus? No, just me? Talk about unlikeable character that I couldn't stop watching. I won't go as far to say I'm glad he didn't make it...but dang that kid grated on my nerves. The ending was my favorite because it tied up so well. Good won out over evil....my favorite kind of ending.

3.5 stars

Red and three of her friends are on an RV, headed from Philadelphia to the southern coast for Spring Break., with her best friend Maddy's big brother and his girlfriend joining them as chaperones. When they get lost in the woods, in the middle of the night, the lack of cell service seems like their biggest problem. Until a shot rings out and they realize that their trip has taken a very bad turn.

This is a perfectly nice thriller. The title is a spoiler that one of the six isn't making it back, which does a nice job of setting you on edge from the very beginning. And the tic-toc format with one chapter per hour also helps build suspense. Red's narration took me a while to get used to, she's suffered trauma in her past, which is revealed in bits and pieces as the story goes on. And since she's not the only one hiding things a few early revelations are obvious decoys.

The story does spin out of control a bit - reveal after reveal coming at the end, and a bit too implausible wild crimes (especially for teenagers). But thriller fans should find it enjoyable.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was honestly thrilled to be approved after reading Jackson's A Girl's Guide to Murder Series. Five Survive reminded me of other fast paced YA thrillers I loved- Diana Urban and Karen McManus fans will love this book.

Red Kinney and her close friends are road tripping from Philly to Gulf Shores, Alabama for spring break. They could have flown but Red is poor and has no money for airfare much less new clothes or luggage. Her best friend Maddy is joining her, along with friend Simon and newer friend Arthur, Maddy's older brother Oliver and his girlfriend Reyna who are 21 and in college. Oliver is a sort of chaperone to his sister's friends. Reyna is pre med and Simon is an aspiring actor, while Oliver wants to follow in his mom's footsteps to law. Catherine, who was Red's mom' best friend has taken on a surrogate mom role since her police chief mom was taken out execution style by an unknown assailant.

We meet the group several hours into road trip day 1 as they near South Carolina where the campsite is for the 31 ft tin RV. They get lost, lost internet connection and a tire goes flat somehow. This is when the real adrenaline starts and doesn't let up until the end. You think ok - they're changing out the tire, they're going to make it- but no- all 4 tires are shot out and the gas cap too so it leaks out on the ground. Then they discover the walkie talkie in the RV. A mystery person, a sniper has trapped the group there demanding the secret one of them is hiding. They have until 6 am and he will shoot anyone who tries to leave or help. As the claustrophobia descends as well as panic, a particular person starts unraveling. What is this secret and it seems everyone is hiding something.

I really couldn't stand the aforementioned character, he was truly awful. As they get closer to dawn and they come closer to some truths, and more desperate for escape and survival, the question remains, who will survive and who will not? Revelations that are tied to the past come to light. The end was depicted without first person voice - I wish we could have gotten the main character s point of view in the final chapter, however it will definitely leave you thinking- and that doesn't mean what you might think.
4.5/5☆ rounded up to 5 ☆ out 11/29/22.
TW for murder of a parent, mob violence, gun violence.

Holly Jackson's latest novel of suspense, "Five Survive," has everything a reader could want in a thriller and more! The tension, the blurred lines of reality from a potentially unreliable narrator, the emotional buildup and then unexpected twists, the mafia(?!)- it's all written so well that any time I had to put this book down, I kept thinking about it, wondering which friend could have a secret so important that the entire group was taken hostage.

I also love a fast-paced story that takes place within a limited time frame, so having each chapter begin with the time was a fun way to set the stage and also made the events more believable. Red is certainly the perfect choice for a narrator- honest in her own ways, yet naturally unreliable as there are always multiple sides to a story.

When Red and five of her friends take off in a borrowed RV to meet their friends down south for spring break, they have no idea what lies ahead! After a couple wring turns, they end up in a remote area with no cell phone service but they quickly realize that they may not have ended up here by accident when their tires and gas tank are shot out! Their stalker quickly makes it known that one of them has a secret and he will stop at nothing to make them reveal it!

Who will be the 5 to survive? Who has secrets, all of them or none of them? What's it worth to keep those secrets hidden? Five Survive has a great plot and Red was a likeable character. The story fell short in character development of the others though and there were a lot of dragging sections of the book. I would have enjoyed the book a lot more if it would have been faster paced but it definitely there were sections of page after page of nothingness. The big reveal and climax of the story were great though and full surprises!