Thank you to Harlequin & NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Only One Survives is like a mashup of Yellowjackets and Daisy Jones & the Six but just an ok version. This started very promising, an all-girls band is on the way to an interview during a severe winter storm when there is a horrible accident. Three band members are dead, one is missing, and only one survives, is it a horrible accident or foul play? This got me hooked right away but unfortunately, I feel that the length of this novel is part of its demise.

Only One Survives is a duo timeline, we see the band members directly after the accident and we are following Vee, our main character, recounting her life and the form of the band The Bittersweets. I enjoyed the dual timeline shift but it started to drag, I even remember having to re-read some chapters cause I zoned out and wanted to get back to the present time.

The twist was another shock to me, I did kinda see it coming but it was more of how it was delivered. There wasn't a build-up to it which irked me. I think if it was revealed differently the story would have had a bigger impact on me as a reader. I was still shocked, I had to re-read the passage over again to make sure I didn't confuse myself.

Only One Survives also utilizes interviews and podcast narration throughout the book. I think reading this with your ears might be better for this kind of story.

Wow!
I did not want to put this book down!

An up an coming all female band gets in a tragic accident on their was to big party during a snow storm. If that's not bad enough bad thing start to happen after finding shelter in a abandoned cabin.

Told by the point of view of the only surviver in past, time of the accident, and after.

This is a must read!

I’d been looking forward to diving into this book but didn’t find it enrapturing. I persevered to the end but overall I was disappointed.
I’m a fan of her writing but this was not my favourite Hannah Mary McKinnon book.
Thank You to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Hannah Mary McKinnon for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Only One Survives follows Vienna, a drummer in an up-and-coming pop rock band called The Bittersweet. One night while traveling, The Bittersweet is in an accident in a secluded area where three of the members of the group are killed, two are presumed missing and only one is identified as found. Only One Survives follows three different timelines, the night and day after the accident overlapping with the before the accident and after.

I wanted so much to like Only One Survives. I found myself glued to the page for the first half of the book. I enjoyed following Vienna and Madison's friendship from years before the accident but wasn't as interested in the occurrences of the actual accident. I felt so bad for Vienna and the situations that happened in her life- between abusive parents, her grandmother's health declining, and how many struggles she had otherwise.

I also really enjoyed the use of multimedia in this book. The mix of interviews and posts were used expertly and were fun to read.

However, there is a very revealing twist about halfway through that changed my mind about Vienna. I went from having high hopes that she would survive and become the artist she dreams of to hating her. I felt that there was no one left to cheer for, as none of the characters were likeable.

While the events that unfold after the accident kept me interested, Vienna seemed too much like a victim to me. She does horrible things but only worries about herself- I felt lead to expect her to be someone else up until the major twist.

Overall, the writing is compelling. I really kept reading to see what twists were in store next and I didn't expect the end twist at all. I do want to try another book by McKinnon. However, this one sadly did not work out for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

After two excellent experiences with her writing, Hannah Mary McKinnon is firmly on my list of must-read authors. I've been eyeing her newest title Only One Survives ever since I first heard about it, and this was even before spotting the Daisy Jones And The Six comparison and the bad weather/remote setting trope... It's easy to understand why I couldn't resist an invitation to read this story, and I'm happy to announce that it definitely lived up to expectations for me!

If you enjoy reading about the inner workings of a band a la Daisy Jones And The Six, this story will more than deliver. True, it is not just about the band itself and the main focus is on the (quite dysfunctional and honestly toxic) friendship between the original members Madison and Vienna. True, it is also very much a crime thriller with everything that happens after the car accident in the present... But it is still very easy to understand that comparison, as the Bittersweet members give you a very similar vibe and the story isn't afraid to show you both sides of fame.

Only One Survives is divided into two parts as well as different points in time. The story switches between the present and everything that happens and the past as it shows how Vienna and Madison first meet and how they end up forming the Bittersweet. I confess that the first part didn't always fully convince me, as there was quite a lot of focus of family drama, abuse, parental pressure and dysfunctional relationships in general especially in the flashbacks. I much preferred the present timeline, as I always have a weak spot for a remote setting and a bout of bad weather to spice things up. BUT. The second part was simply brilliant, and made you doubt everything you had just read. SO unexpected, and it completely redeemed the story for me. I never saw it coming!

There is quite a lot of focus on the characters and their development, and there is no doubt that especially Vienna and Madison have major flaws. Their friendship is so incredibly toxic, but also fascinating to read about at the same time. You cannot help but feel for Vienna as it seems like everything in her life works against her... Madison is not as easy to warm up to, but I do appreciate the role she plays in the plot. And Vienna! Boy, my feelings were all over the place when it comes to her, and especially after certain things are revealed in part two. One of the most clever character developments I've come across lately, that's for sure.

If you are looking for an engaging, fast-paced and suspenseful psychological thriller that mixes drama and dysfuncional relationships with music and a dose of crime, I can highly recommend Only One Survives. It only reconfirmed my love for Hannah Mary McKinnon's writing for me!

Hmmm… so this book follows the band The Bittersweet who gets into a crash in the middle of nowhere and now there’s only one survivor, a founding member of the band named Vee.

First off, I was disappointed that this book is marketed to adults because frankly it read very much like a YA novel not only because of the characters ages but the way it’s written was very simple. I had a very hard time getting into a story about teenagers/young adults.

Truthfully I almost DNFd it purely because it felt like a YA novel. Had I known it would basically be YA, I would not have requested it.


Another issue I had with it is that I didn’t feel I was given enough information about the characters to care about their well being. We get snippets of a rough home life and the dynamics between Vee and Madison but nothing substantial enough for me.

Finally.. the ending… sigh..

Spoilers ahead…

If you’re a potential reader stop reading now!

I do not like being gaslit by an inner monologue. We are in Vee’s head the entire book and she is gaslighting everyone in the story, as well as us as the reader and herself too?? Claiming her innocence in her own head? Then that means are supposed to believe that she’s just so insane that she believes her lies? But that’s not even true because she eventually admits everything to us as the reader. Really feels like was the story was coming to ahead without proper set up for a twist so it took the easy way out even though it’s truly makes zero sense. To be completely honest, that twist felt like an insult of my intelligence.

Sorry if that was too harsh but truly, such a lazy twist.

4 ⭐️ If you like thrillers this is one for you! It has more twists and turns than the Top Thrill Dragster! I did not see this one coming. Really enjoyed the surprise ending as well!

First we have high schooler Vivienne, poor, abusive household, not many friends, but a genius on the drums. She is befriended by Madison, rich, popular, controlling parents and a talented guitarist. Eventually they form a band and bring in 3 more band mates and hit it big on social media! The band Bittersweet has an upcoming record deal and are on their way to fame and fortune!

The second half of the story focuses on a tragic car accident and the death of 3 of the girls and the disappearance of Madison. Can Viv hold up to all the publicity, scrutiny, and notoriety trending on social media as the only one to survive?

This story is all about friendship, jealousy, mental illness, abuse, and celebrity,. What price fame? How far will some go to be on top? What is friendship really worth?

Thanks NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC for my honest review.

Vienna and Madison meet in high school and become best friends. They are completely different. Madison's family is very rich. Her parents are also very controlling. Vienna just moved in with her new step father along with her mom and grandma. They make Vienna work and take a huge chunk of the money she makes. Both drink way too much. Madison and Vienna start a music duo. They bonded over the older music they both loved. When Madison started college in NYC, she invited Vienna to live with her. Madison is partying and not doing well in school. Vienna works as much as possible and starts to practice on the drums she bought. The duo plays a few last minute songs at a bar (cafe? I can't remember) and they were a hit. Both decided that they wanted to focus more on music. Vienna decides that they need a full band even though Madison doesn't agree. She wants the focus and money on her. But after meeting three other girls that play, their new band was formed. The Bittersweet are really starting to take off when they get into a car accident in a snowstorm. One member died. The rest (along with Libby the documentarian) find an abandoned cabin the take shelter in. Other members start to die while they're there.

The book takes place in multiple timelines. The reader gets to go back and see how Vienna and Madison's friendship started. There is before the accident, the day of, and after the accident. The pacing is decent. It felt a tiny bit slow at times, but overall, it worked well.

I gave this book 4 1/2 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my earc.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It revolves around a group of five ladies from a band called The Bittersweet on their way to fame. This book was a page-turner, and I wanted to know what happened at the cabin and after the car crash. As things began to unfold, the story showed how a little bit of fame can change a person you thought you knew. I didn’t see any of the plot twists coming, and I couldn’t put this book down. I was 100% invested in this story. At first, I was worried about keeping up with the multiple characters, but the way the author set it all up flowed so well.

This was my first book by this author, and I can’t wait to read more of her work.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, for this advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

Now this was a psychological thriller! This is my first read from Hannah Mary McKinnon and I'd definitely like to read more of her thrillers.

This book follows 2 girls who form a duo that turns into a popular 5 member band. After a tragic car accident, greed and vindictiveness take over and the reader is left wondering who really survived and who has the malice to reduce the number of band members for their own personal gain.

There were two twists. One about halfway through and another at the end. I was worried after the first one because there was still another half of the book left and I wasn't sure that there was enough story to warrant that. I was wrong. There was so much more! I read this book cover to cover in one sitting because I just had to know where this was going to end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Pub date July 16, 2024

I loved this book! It is told in two halves. Just when you think you know what’s going to happen, it goes another direction. Who is the good guy? Who is the bad guy? Soooo good!

Interesting read, I went in not knowing anything about the story and really loved not knowing what to expect. It was a fast read and perfect for summer reading. If you love books set around bands and music, along with thrillers this is the one for you.

This book is exciting and heart stopping! It’s a great ride! I loved how it was told in different timelines! The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars was that I was hoping for a different ending. However, I understood it. I would suggest that you forget the title as you read along. I did, and it made for an even more exciting story! There’s a lot of lessons in this well crafted book, and I recommend it! Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

The story was told by Vienna, and I honestly from the beginning felt bad for her. Her mother couldn’t care less about her, and that annoyed me. On the flip side, her best friend Madison had overbearing rich parents. Immediately you are thrown into the accident which I appreciated. Then the story is told to show Vienna and Madison’s friendship. There was also mixed media which I love in a book, it really makes me feel like I’m reading real comments and interviews.

I was intrigued by both stories, how the girls met and their upbringing as well as the accident and how they’d survive. Their friendship was a bit toxic to say the least, and I wanted to see how the story would play out. I had my suspicions as I read, but still I was a little shook by the reveal. This is perfect for readers who enjoy isolated settings.

If you think you have this book figured out, just wait until you get to Part 2. It was a twist I didn't see coming and I loved it. The story is told from Vienna's POV before the accident and after the accident which gives us insight into how the band was formed and the transpiring events that follow.

Vienna and her best friend Madison started a bad together when they were teenagers. An impromptu video of them went viral and people wanted to find out to EmVee was. They both get a taste of fame. A few years later, while Madison is in college, they decide to put together a "real" band and recruit 3 other women calling their new band The Bittersweet. As the group is driving to a gig in the Catskills, they get into a horrific car accident. Things go downhill from there.

Mixed into the story are various new stories, blogs, and podcasts. There is a dark side to fame that is fully explored in this book. A twisty thriller that keeps you guessing. I love books with interesting characters, a good overall plot, and a twist I don't see coming. This one hits them all!

This book combines the dynamics of Daisy Jones and the 6, but with a murder mystery that unravels at a fast pace.

The book is about two best friends- Vienna and Madison- who comes from two completely different upbringings but come together to form a band in high school. After they graduate, Madison persuades Vienna to come to NYC and from there the girls for a new band with 3 additional members called The Bittersweet.

The story alternates between Vienna and Madison’s relationship in high school eventually leading us to the present, where the girls were involved in a very serious car accident and several are dead. Through these dual timelines, one learns so much about their motivations, fears, and desires. I truly enjoy thrillers that give us good character development, because it helps me connect and understand the why.

Secrets begin to appear and about half way through the book, there is an amazing twist. The build up is so tense, that you are anxiously awaiting to see how this will all play out.

The beginning was a little slow for me, but once I got a few chapters in, I couldn’t put it down. I loved the relationships of the girls in the band, learning how upbringing influenced each of them, and the secrets that began to unfold after the fatal car crash. The book is tense and thrilling. Highly recommend!

4.5 stars rounded up!

**AUTHOR'S NOTE about ONLY ONE SURVIVES**

If you’d told me a couple of years ago that I’d write a thriller about a pop-rock group, I’m not sure I’d have believed you. At that point I hadn’t touched an instrument in decades. I still can’t read music, and my vocals are so horrendous, my eldest son asked me to stop singing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” when he was three. I’ve honoured our agreement ever since.

The very first whisper of an idea for ONLY ONE SURVIVES came from an abandoned house a few miles from my home. I drove past it one frigid afternoon, and saw the words "Come Play" written in red paint on the front door, which I found deliciously creepy. The image stuck with me, and I attempted to build a story featuring an abandoned lodge and work colleagues, but it didn’t sit right.

While chatting with my friends, authors Jennifer Hillier and Samantha M. Bailey, about the plot, Sam floated the idea of making the group of people a band. It gave me an immediate "oooh" moment followed by "one of them thinks the band’s worth more dead than alive."

Writing a thriller featuring a female band I named The Bittersweet felt fresh and cool, and while the story shifted quite significantly compared to my initial work colleagues idea, the abandoned house remained a constant.

Although I love music, I don’t typically listen to any when I’m writing as I get distracted, but in between working on the novel I played a lot of tunes, and it was fabulous. Just like books, songs whisk me away in an instant. Nothing lifts my mood faster than one of my favourite songs. This is why I included many different artists in the story, and perhaps while reading the novel they evoke your own memories or help you make new ones.

I always say I write to entertain, and I hope I achieved that again with this book. I'm excited for you to get to know The Bittersweet.

Don't forget to grab your free bonus material (reader letter, playlist, lyrics, book club questions, interview) from https://hannahmarymckinnon.com

Happy reading!

Hannah Mary McKinnon

Thus book delineates the toxic roller coaster of a relationship between Madison and Vienna. It’s a page-turner that will jeep you guessing and that’s what a great thriller is all about! Excellent!

Twisty! I had a feeling I knew where the story was going then a twist.
Ending was a little "eh" in my opinion but a pretty solid story.

Hannah Mary McKinnon does it again!

This one was a fabulous thriller about a rock band who get into a car accident and things quickly go downhill.

I could not put this one down. I honestly didn’t know who to trust. The twists were insanely good and I was left like 😱 especially during part two.

The girls were incredible characters. I loved their dynamics together. Trying to figure out who to trust was so much fun because I kept getting it wrong😂. That is how good McKinnon is. Her twists are spectacular!

The ending was epic. It was intense and wild. I felt it was the perfect way to end it.

I can’t wait to buy the paperback for my collection.

@hannahmarymckinnon I love you!