I enjoyed Thin Air SO MUCH!! I'm obsessed with books that feature boarding school/rich teens and then add the private jet which was a great location and I was hooked from the beginning! The competition aspect was the perfect idea because these kids are really shady and competition is exactly what they should have to go through. I liked the message that the book gave that not everything is at it seems and everything that was shared between them was taken out of context. I definitely got the vibes of the Escape Room movies and those are some of my favorites. I literally will never be able to guess a thriller book correctly so I thought the twist was successful. And I LOVED Liam!

Thank you Netgalley, Penguin Young Readers Group, and Razorbill for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

(Public version of review has eliminated mild spoilers included here.)

Emily is on a plane to France to compete for a scholarship—one she desperately needs as she and her mother live out of her mom’s car. The problem is that she’s not supposed to be there. And once the plane leaves the ground, dark secrets are revealed. People are killed. And this becomes a game not of wits, but of survival.

Thin Air began somewhat expectedly: the MC steps into this scholarship already acquainted with a handsome, charming crush and at least a couple of suspicious characters. Multiple inner conflicts are set in place immediately, and mildly weird happenings are enough to put the reader and the MC on edge, and then the threats appear. Oft-used plot points were hit. (The minute I heard about a food allergy, I knew the character was about to be poisoned.) I had to do some disbelief suspension (to me, aspects of this scholarship seemed too sketchy to be legit), but still, this was fun to follow, if familiar, and the pacing kept us moving along nicely.
Then—about a third of the way through the contestants’ darkest secrets were revealed, and my jaw hit the floor. It was absolutely brutal. I knew I needed to find out the ending as soon as I could.

I’ll admit, the book dipped a bit for me for the next third. At moments, the fast pacing worked against the story because it felt like there wasn’t enough time to let the murders. Don’t get me wrong: the murders were absolutely addressed and impactful to the reader and MC. Soon after it’s done, though, we’re shoved forward to the next stage of the scholarship competition or relationship development, while I was still reeling and couldn’t follow the change of attention (and sometimes mood).

In addition, the multiple conflicts may have oversaturated the story. We had the life situation, the mother, the best friend, the guilt, the MC’s dissatisfaction with her personality, the love triangle, the unsettling boyfriend of the best friend, the scholarship, and the murders. That’s a lot to tackle on an eight-hour plane ride, and I think the story would have benefitted from trimming a few and laser focusing on a couple core.

Then we got to the last third. Let’s just say I was literally checking behind me in the dark while reading that. I have not been that affected by a scene in going on a year.

I was duped. The twists were fantastic. I could not figure out what was going on. My heart was racing. There were moments when the casual, sometimes humorous writing style took me out of it for a brief second (as throughout the book), but then we were back, and I was anxious.

The big reveal came—and that also dipped a bit for me. Moments of foreshadowing came to light, but they felt rather sparse, so the culprit seemed to come out of nowhere, more of an unexpected surprise to me than a gut-punch shock; the choice of person was fantastic but would have, I felt, been stronger with more foreshadowing, more involvement, more interweaving versus explaining using the trope where the heroes record the villain willingly explaining the plan and crime. Following, the final chapter had that element of “having moved on to the next thing” that I didn’t quite click with that quickly.

Don’t forget though—this book made me scared of the dark for a few minutes. The suspense and danger scenes are absolutely exquisite, and I absolutely recommend this book for a fun book with some chilling moments.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book!

Thin Air is a locked room (plane) mystery. 12 boarding schools students are en route to Paris to participate in a competition for a college scholarship. People start dying and the reader is left to figure out who is the killer. Overall, this was a fine book. I didn't think anything really set it apart from the multitude of other titles with a similar premise. Since there are a lot of characters, we don't really get to know any of them very well. Emily, the main character, is potentially unreliable as the narrator and makes some choices along the way that make it kind of difficult to root for her. I guessed the reason for the torment of the students fairly early on, though not exactly who was behind the killings. I do think the story is fast-paced enough to keep the attention of teen readers!

A great mystery/thriller. Locked room mystery but on a plane? I'm in.

There are many characters in this book and I think I really like most of them. There is angst. and a lot! I mean teenagers stuck on a plane? Definitely teen angst.

It was a quick read that I think you will enjoy if YA mystery/thrillers are for you.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review!

Emily has the chance of a lifetime, taking part in a contest that will not only take her overseas but if she wins it’ll literally change her life…but taking part in the contest may just her her life. The premise for Thin Air intrigued me but once I found out how Emily made her way into the competition I was totally hooked. This is an excellent ‘locked room’ adventure in a unique location featuring a good cast and a memorable story. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what author Kellie M. Parker comes up with next. I’d like to thank PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Razorbill and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Thin Air.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R2N7PU5FOEWFBU/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

This review is based on an uncorrected e-galley of this novel.

This novel was definitely very YA, but I loved it anyway. I felt like the plot hooked me from the very beginning and I binge read the entire novel within a day. A must read!

Fast-paced and thrilling, I finished this book in one day. The premise was really compelling, and cinematic, I had a good time reading it. The pacing was pretty good for most of the book, but I will say the conclusion wasn’t satisfying, and felt quite rushed. The killer didn’t really make a lot of sense to me, their motive was actually kind of weak, and left a lot of plot holes. I feel like the last couple of chapters actually took away some of my enjoyment of the book, which is disappointing. The book is still a worthwhile read, and I would read more from the author, it just felt like the killer’s motives weren’t that strong or realistic.

This served escape room vibes…..thirty three thousand feet…yes, 33,000 feet in the air, on a plane. OMG this his was SO fun!

We had mystery, thriller, high stakes, not-too-young YA, locked room vibes but on a plane and a riveting read…I couldn’t put it down.

Things I love:
-Mysteries
-Thrillers
-High Stakes
-Teen Drama
-Escape Rooms

Things I do not love:
-Feeling claustrophobic

Thin Air checks all the “things I love” boxes without venturing too far into making me feel trapped by the high stakes. Sometimes I have to bail out half way through chapters if I get too worked up or worried about what is going to happen next, but this pacing and tight plotting of this book kept me hooked up and not looking for an escape hatch.

This is YA locked-room thrilling at its finest!

This one really took off for me (lol get it?). I had a new prime suspect every other page! I do think you need to do a little suspending of your disbelief in some scenarios, but honestly that’s what reading’s really all about right??

In true "YA" fashion, there were times I wanted to strangle some of the characters, but knowing this was YA, I can understand they’ve still got their underdeveloped teen brains making decisions. 🧠

I recommend this to anyone looking for a fast-paced, not-too-deep thriller that includes some serious paranoia! Also….obsessed with the cover!

okay you guys... you need to RUN to pick up this new
YA thriller that releases TODAY!!
read this if you like:
* locked door mystery... on a PLANE¥
#* YA thrillers w characters you actually care about
# One of Us is Lying (Thin Air was better! S)
* cute little romance side plot
# very character driven (& in a good way imo!!)
i had SO much fun reading this super quick, on-the-edge-of-your-seat book! coming in around 300 pages it's perfect for your end of the year goals & a book i literally did not want to put down!
this is a YA novel but never felt ~ too~ young like some can tend to be. this book had me guessing the whole time & the author did such an amazing job with keeping tensions high!! it had me guessing right up until the end!
definitely go get your hands on a copy of this one!
huge huge thank you to @penguinteen for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
• : #penguinteenpartner

Absolutely enjoyed this thriller, especially the setting on the plane, and the continued sense of dread - such a page turner.

This was a simple but good YA plane thriller. I think most people will enjoy it, just don't read it on a plane 🫣

3 1/2 stars. A YA locked room mystery/thriller on a private plan flying to Paris with 12 high school boarding school contestants competing for a prestigious scholarship when people start dying. Emily has her own secrets but she will have to find out everyone else's to be able to figure out who the real culprit is before she is the next one left without a parachute...

It grabbed my attention right from the beginning. It was suspenseful and a good mystery. The characters may seem like your stock teenagers that you will find in many stories but they have unexpected depths. Yes, there was teenage drama and angst, some romance, but nothing steamy or explicit and some questionable decisions. Overall, an enjoyable book I think for anyone of any age.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

I was excited to read “Thin Air” and had high expectations for the book.
Characters are headed to Paris find themselves vying for a scholarship but find themselves trapped with secrets and an unknown killer. The premises of the book was intriguing; however, I found it hard to get into and had difficulty connecting with the characters. I do enjoy YA books, however, this one feel short, maybe because I did not feel the connection with characters, or the overall plot, however, I could see others enjoying this title.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group, Penguin Young Readers Group, and Razorbill for providing me the opportunity to review "Thin Air” prior to publication. I am appreciative and leave my review voluntarily.

Synopsis

Eight hours. Twelve contestants. A flight none of them might survive. A flight to Paris full of teenagers seeking opportunity turns deadly in this suspenseful, locked-door YA thriller. Perfect for fans of Diana Urban, Karen McManus, and Jessica Goodman.

Seventeen-year-old boarding school student Emily Walters is selected for an opportunity of a lifetime—she’ll compete abroad for a cash prize that will cover not only tuition to the college of her choice, but will lift her mother and her out of poverty.

But almost from the moment she and 11 other contestants board a private jet to Europe, Emily realizes somebody is willing to do anything to win. Between keeping an eye on her best friend’s flirty boyfriend and hiding her own dark secrets, she’s not sure how she’ll survive the contest, much less the flight. Especially when people start dying…

As loyalties shift and secrets are revealed, Emily must figure out who to trust, and who’s trying to kill them all, before she becomes the next victim.



Review

This is the first time I'm reading Kellie M. Parker work, and I can see myself reading more of her work. This book from the beginning I couldn't put it down, it has a solid pacing, the requisite amounts of twists and turns. I found the ending satisfying. I recommend this book to whoever is looking for a thrilling story to whisk them away for the weekend.

Thank you to Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group, Razorbill and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be release on October 17.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Kellie M Parker for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Thin Air coming out October 17, 2023. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Eight hours. Twelve contestants. A luxury flight thousands of feet in the air with no escape. A flight to Paris full of teen seeking college opportunity turns deadly.

Seventeen-year-old boarding school student Emily Walters is chosen for the chance of a lifetime—she’ll compete abroad for a cash prize that will cover not only tuition to the college of her choice, but will almost guarantee that her mother and she will be pulled out of poverty.

But almost from the moment she and 11 other contestants board a private jet to Europe, Emily finds out that someone will do anything to win. Even if they have to resort to murder. Between keeping an eye on her best friend’s flirty boyfriend and hiding her own dark secrets, Emily is not sure how she’ll survive the contest or the flight. Especially when people are picked off one by one…

As the contestants choose their groups and secrets are revealed, Emily must figure out who she can trust, and who’s trying to kill them all. Will she find the killer before the oxygen mask drops?

I’m obsessed with this book! I thought I was getting too old for YA books and in some ways, I’m way too old. But I loved this book so much! It was the perfect amount of mystery and high stakes thriller. I thought overall the characters were fleshed out and they all had their secrets. Some of the references felt more directed toward older people, which was perfect for me, haha. I’m not sure if the YA age group will understand some of the references of the old tv shows and so on, but I loved it. There were some things that weren’t really explained, but I don’t care. The killer on the loose plot was so good! I thought it was perfect!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA survival thrillers!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
4.5/5 STARS

Genre: YA Thriller

Similar Books:
Lying in the Deep
One of Us is Lying

Synopsis:
8 private school teens are flown on a luxury plane to Paris for the chance to win a scholarship when someone starts killing the contestants on the plane.

This was a great YA thriller! Think escape room on a private plane. There are riddles and games to solve plus teen drama. Each contestant has secrets of their own and everyone of them is a suspect. This book will keep you guessing until the very end.

Thank you Penguin Teen for the ARC! ✈️

If Agatha Christie had written angsty teen locked door mysteries it would be this book and I loved every single page of it. Are the characters insufferable at times? Yes. Is it unbelievable at times? Also Yes. Is it a mile-a-minute thrill ride that will have you questioning every character in this book? A resounding Yes.

Thin Air is that kind of story that has you thinking about the mistakes you've made in your life, the things that you have no idea if they'll come back to haunt you or not, the things that you wouldn't even tell your best friend about, and it was fantastic.

I will say I never guessed who our mastermind was, I literally thought of how every single other person on that plane could have been behind it all but the real evil lunatic escaped my radar completely.

Thank you to Penguin Group and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this e-book, I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my
own.

Thin Air is a fun YA mystery. It’s a bigger cast of characters but very easy to keep track of. Each character came alive. As a closed door mystery, this was very successful.