This book had me on the edge of my seat! I loved AGGGTM but I had no idea how her new book was going to go after reading the premise. I was pleasantly surprised and pretty shocked by the ending. But the one thing I need to know is what the connection to the curtains was!! Im not sure if I missed it or not but I was concerned the whole time lol!

Yet another wonderful thriller by Holly Jackson! Great for YA and Adults both. Couldn't put this book down!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Click here for a full content review and a condensed version of my thoughts:
https://www.novelnotices.com/five-survive

Okay, what did I just read?

No, seriously, what was it? I am almost positive that it wasn't a thriller by THE Holly Jackson, because I was honestly more interested in Red's obsession with the curtain pattern than the actual plot.

I loved A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, but I didn't read the rest of the series because I heard they weren't as good. I don't know if I was just expecting the wrong thing, but I cannot express how much of a disappointment Five Survive was. The characters had moments of interest, but in the end they all fell flat. Half the time I didn't know whether I wanted to hug Red or throttle her. I understand the style Jackson was going for when she wrote Red's narration as a complete mess of scattered thoughts and random references to Phineas and Ferb, but it really just didn't work.

There were plot points that had me raising my eyebrows, wondering at the reasons and motivations for these characters, and just generally thinking some of the patching on the holes needed a little more working. If there were a few tweaks here and there, and a bit more explanation of some of the plot twists (which were, in fact, extremely underwhelming and underdeveloped), it could have been a solid read. But even if that all happened, I cannot get over the ambiguity of the ending. I'm sorry, but not even the author can be satisfied with how she left the story and the characters.

Overall, this was such a disappointment and underwhelming. I was so excited to have received an ARC, and I really hope Jackson's next work is more captivating.

Actual rating 3.75 stars!
This book was a really fast-paced, enjoyable YA thriller. The strongest points I liked were that it kept me guessing, developed the characters well in a short amount of time, and had high stakes that kept the plot moving and the reader guessing.
However, we're inside the main character, Red's, mind a lot and watching as she figures things out in her head in between moments of action. While this was done well, I admit from the synopsis I was anticipating multiple points of view. But by the end I can see why the author chose this character to be the central character and it ended up working really well.
This book also had a bit of a slow start, but once things start happening they go very quick. I admit I was also a little disappointed by the plot overall--I expected something a bit spookier than what actually ended up happening.
It may sound weird to say, but I also enjoyed the violence in this book. It wasn't over the top but it was gory here and there, but this just added to the high stakes and fast pace of the book.
The ending wrapped up well and was left just open ended enough to suit the plot, in my opinion. I would have liked to see an epilogue of the characters months after the events of the book, but I can see why the author chose not to do that, and the ending was done well with how it was written.
Overall, I recommend this book if you're wanting a quick popcorn read of a YA thriller with high stakes, interesting characters, and a good plot twist.

Holly Jackson does it again! She writes a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. It’s a great bridge between young adult and adult!

Wow. One word. Three letters. It truly fails to express how much I enjoyed this book.

Five Survive has been on my wish list of ARCs to receive because I very much enjoyed Holly Jackson's previous work. That being said, this novel far surpassed my expectations. An action packed thriller + a truly juicy mystery made for a great story all on its own. Although I anticipated both of the surprise twists in this story, I didn't feel that predictability was to the detriment of my reading experience. In fact, it enabled me to fully experience how harrowing the final hours were.

EVERYTHING in this novel was so well done. Action. Mystery. Exploration of grief, fear, and anger. All of it made me feel like I was trapped in the RV right along with them. What really made this a book that I cannot stop thinking about was how Jackson tackled the true insidiousness of our everyday monsters. The ways in which charm, money, and a pretty face can mask a villain just as surely as wooded darkness and a rifle---that really hit home for me. Fear brings out the worst in people, and sometimes the beast that is revealed is just as horrifying.

I would definitely read this again, all mystery revealed, and enjoy it just as much.

A huge thank you to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy of Five Survive by Holly Jackson. I really enjoyed the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series - it changed the game for the YA mystery/thriller genre. Easily could have read this in one-sitting, it's extremely fast-paced and takes place in one night. If I were to describe this book in one word: TENSE.

I absolutely loved the cat-and-mouse game and was frightened the entire time! The "they see you but you can't see them" element was chilling and made for a haunting read. Five Survive is about six teenagers (some more likeable than others) who end up trapped in a RV in the darkness with no cell coverage and limited resources to save them. While in this crisis, it was interesting to see what broke them, learn more about their backstories and friendships, and see how each character reacted in crazy scenarios.

The most terrifying part of the book was the sniper's involvement for sure. The only way they can survive is for one character to reveal their secret (the shooter doesn't specify who) so secrets are revealed throughout the night and readers have to pin point what secret the shooter desires, what's true, and lies!! The ending was very satisfying and loved the many reveals. I don't want to give anything away so please read this when it comes out in December 2022. I highly recommend!

Another wild ride from Holly Jackson!
6 friends in an RV on the way to Spring Break. What can go wrong? When they all have secrets-a lot.
I enjoy this author’s books because they are often unexpected and though slightly predictable, there is always a twist or two in there that take you by surprise. This book was no different. I had it mostly figured out but the ending was completely unexpected.
I did not enjoy Red being the narrator. Her thought process was a little hard to follow and this made the first half of the book a little hard to get through. By the second half, the book had enough action that I could overlook her disorganized thoughts and enjoy.
If you are a fan of Holly Jackson or any suspenseful thriller YA books, you will love this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Delacorte Press, and Holly Jackson for the advanced copy of Five Survive in exchange for my honest review.

Fans of Holly Jackson will be happy to know her writing prowess is on full display in her latest novel. I loved all the secrets that the characters were keeping, and when everything came to a head at the end I definitely didn't see any of it coming.

I've come to fully appreciate YA when it's done well, and Jackson has proven time and time again she is a force to be reckoned with in the genre.

The conclusion was just a tad too open-ended for my liking, but I was still satisfied with how the major plot points wrapped up.

Five Survive will be on US bookshelves November 29!

You have no idea how excited I was that NetGalley gave me an advanced copy of Five Survive, the upcoming novel from Holly Jackson. A small victory dance may have been danced in my kitchen when I saw the email. I loved her Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series and constantly recommend it to students. I was excited to see what story she would create apart from Pippa Fitz-Amobi.

I’m going to assume that you can find yourself a summary and I’ll just skip to my impressions: I have some mixed feelings. While my opinions are positive overall, I’m not as in-love with this book as I was with her series. I think the first thing to get over is that this is not A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. That’s a good thing. I think a fourth book would have jumped the shark for sure. But there was a tiny part of me that was disappointed that it wasn’t. I did think this was also very slow to start and even when the main action was happening there was still a slowness to the narrative. I think the main reason for that was that you are in the main character’s head A LOT. And all of that internal processing did affect the novel’s pacing.

That said, I do think that Jackson builds a lot of tension. I loved the guessing game that develops. As a reader I was constantly trying to figure out who had a secret and how everything was going to play out. I also thought that this high-stakes variation on a locked room mystery was a really interesting situation. I think the biggest problem this book has is that Jackson’s AGGGTM series was so popular and so well done that readers won’t be able to not compare this latest novel to it.

**Review will be published on my site and socials November 29th!**

WHOA.

Well this a riiiiide. One that I binge read in two sittings because I easily get wrapped up in thrillers. I am also easily spooked by anything remotely creepy or frightening so yes, I was reading with a light on.

For a book only covering 8 hours it was an adventure. A very interesting group of friends together just trying to get to spring break when BAM. All the things start happening. This book needed a fast paced and that pace was served. I spanned the spectrum on emotions towards all of the characters. Which to me was the kind of thing I like seeing in thrillers. I want to hug some characters and shake others. I even impressed myself with figuring out who were the five to survive (though there were pieces of the ending that were astonishing).

The plot is definitely intense at times and high stakes were achieved. There were big twists that took me by surprise and I loved turning the pages on this one. I’m not really a thriller reader, but Holly Jackson is one thriller author I will keep coming back to.

Overall audience notes:
- YA Thriller
- Language: some strong
- Violence: high
- Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a parent (recounted multiple times), executions (recounted), gun violence, attempted murder, murder, physical altercations, alcohol consumption, mob violence

Five Survive by Holly Jackson
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Genre: 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫
Format: 𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤
Length: 𝟒𝟎𝟎 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬
Trigger Warnings: 𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫, 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐩𝐭𝐬𝐝, 𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

📌Release Date: 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟗𝐭𝐡, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘑𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴?

✨Read this book if you enjoy✨
Mysteries / Everyone has a secret
Twist and Turns
Fast Paced Thrillers

It’s no secret that I am a Holly Jackson fangirl. I absolutely love her Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series. I was in disbelief when I was approved for this arc but I am so incredibly thankful.

Five Survive follows a group of six friends who are traveling in an RV on their way to a Spring Break trip. However, one wrong turn completely changes their plans. The group finds themselves trapped with a sniper determined to reveal a secret.

This book takes place 90% in the RV, I really appreciated the single location. Holly Jackson does a great job of keeping the tension throughout the book and also keeping you guessing. Everyone has their secrets and you find out that these characters are hiding more than you expected. Even though this book takes place over the span of eight hours, the characters get pretty flushed out. There were some characters that I would have liked to get to know better but overall I really cared about all of them. But there are definitely unlikeable characters, and boy are they unlikeable. In stressful situations you really see people’s true colors.

If you enjoy Holly Jackson’s books and mystery/thrillers then I definitely suggest you pick this one up. It’s a quick read and you won’t be able to put it down.

Thank you to NetGallery and the publisher for this eARC.

This was my first Holly Jackson book, and it won't be my last. Let me preface my review by saying, I'm a scaredy-cat and thrillers are typically not my first choice of books, but I'm glad I took a chance on this one.

Summary: Red Kenny, her best friend, 2 other high school senior friends plus her best friend's older brother and his girlfriend on their way to a Spring Break destination via RV. It's the middle of the night and they get trapped in an RV in rural South Carolina with no cell service and their tires blown out. The shooter wants a secret and one of the six in the RV are holding that secret, but who?

I finished this book in like 8 hours. I read until my eyes couldn't stay open anymore. The setting of this book was creepy (but not too creepy that someone like me could read it at night). The book was so fast paced. The only thing I didn't fully like was the ending. The very very long letter just for us to not know what really happens, and how the five who survive are doing afterwards.

6 friends take an RV trip to the beach for spring break in this edge of your seat thriller. They never see the events that unfold in the next 8 hours coming and neither did I. If you are looking for a read that will keep you guessing till the end, then you’ve found it in this book. I literally gasped “oh no” out loud.
Thanks to NetGalley for supplying this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

See my spoiler free review here: https://youtu.be/CpsiF8sDqY8

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House for the advanced copy.

As an older gentleman, I wanted to approach this book from the perspective of a 16 year old, just so I didn't judge a young adult thriller harshly.

Quick Premise: Six teenagers are traveling in a 31 ft. RV toward a Spring Break vacation. The story takes place over an 8 hour time period. So we have a high-paced thriller in a claustrophobic setting. The group ends up stranded and in situation where there are six characters, but only 5 of them will survive. Oh, and there's a sniper.

We have Red as the main character, a girl who is dealing with trauma related to the death of her mother, along with some self-esteem issues. Then we have Red's friend Maddy, along with Maddy's brother Oliver.

And, man oh man, did I hate Oliver with so much passion. Literally the most annoying character I've ever read in a book. And he has a big role in this book. I very much was hoping the sniper would have some sort of grudge for Mr. Oliver (and maybe he did, maybe he didn't, no spoilers here!).

Not a ton of character arcs here, but that makes sense for a book that covers eight hours. Most of the characters come out the same individuals they started as... well except for the one that didn't survive. The plot is pretty dang convoluted - some characters went through a lot of strange actions to achieve their goals.

If you are a fan of Holly Jackson, you're going to love this book. If you are into YA thrillers, you're probably going to love this book. We're going to see a lot of 4 & 5 star ratings here.

I’m so glad I was sent an ARC of this book by NetGalley this week, so I could read it for October! It was the perfect book to stay up late reading on a chilly fall night. It was fast-paced, unhinged, and disturbing. It kept me guessing at what was going to happen next, it had villains and morally gray characters, and was all set in one claustrophobic location.

The main character, Red, is struggling with traumatic events of her past while dealing with the very traumatic situation in the present. She felt very real to me because of her anxious thoughts and forgetfulness. Teenagers (and adults) really are that self conscious about what other people think, and as much as I hated the character of Oliver, I thought he was really well written. Like I could picture a guy like this, and I feel like I’ve met guys with this personality and gone to school with them.

There were so many times when Jackson’s writing gave me goosebumps and really set the spooky atmosphere. If this was a series, I would definitely read any of the other books. If it stays a standalone, I would be happy with that too.

One thing I didn’t like was Red’s name. I probably would’ve been fine with it if she was called Red because she had red hair or there was some story to explain it other than “it’s short for Redford, I was named after my grandpa.” The grandpa who is only mentioned to explain Red’s name and has no other bearing on the plot.

I didn’t love the first half of this book, but the second half redeemed it. It was fast paced and lots of secrets were uncovered! I love Holly Jackson’s other books and has really high hopes for this one.

Wow! This took me on a ride but it was SO good! Red lost her mother and had incredible guilt because her last words to her mother were “I hate you”, now on a spring break trip with her best friends where anything and everything goes wrong and one of them has a secret and they need to fess up. This book was crazy, at times it was a little slow but I enjoyed it. I absolutely hated Oliver and desperately wanted to end him myself but all in all, I enjoyed this read. Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity to read this!

Loved loved this book !!! This was written well ! Decent leghth chapters. Fast paced narration and great characters. There was a few twists I didn't see coming especially a few at the end that left me sadden for the gang . I highly recommend this wild , adventurous, who dun it type YA . I finished it in a couple of hours that's how intriguing and addictive this book was. Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for my complementary E Arc.

I absolutely loved this book! I love Holly Jackson’s writing and loved the good guide guide to murder series. This is another great book by her! I recommend this book! Thank you to Holly Jackson, Random House, and NetGalley for the eARC of Five Survive!