What a whirlwind! This book is unlike anything I've read before. From the very first page, I was hooked by the intricate plot and the seamless transitions between multiple timelines. The author's ability to weave different periods together created a rich and immersive reading experience.

One of the most striking aspects of this book was the unexpected shift in the storyline about three-quarters of the way through. Just when I thought I had everything figured out, the plot took a surprising turn that left me reeling. I won’t give away any details, but suffice it to say, it was a game-changer.

This book reminded me of Listen for the Lie and One by One, both of which I have thoroughly enjoyed in the past. The suspense, the twists, and the complex characters in those books are echoed here, making this a standout read for me.

And then there was the ending—what a surprise! Just when I thought the surprises were over, the final pages delivered a twist that was both unexpected and satisfying. This book kept me guessing until the very end, and I loved every moment of it.

Okay, first, thank you to NetGalley for early access to this ARC. This book comes out on July 16th.

I really loved how this thriller started off. It is such a unique premise. Two high school best friends. After graduation, one moves away to NYC to attend engineering school, and live in a house her rich parents bought for her. The other best friend comes from a poor family, has no father, and has a sucky mother. But what brings the girls together is their love and passion for music. Madison sings and plays guitar, Vienna sings and is iconic on the drums. Once both are living in NYC, they form a band with all women members. They are soon getting gigs, performing at weddings, and grabbing some local radio recognition. After a networking event one evening, a snowstorm causes the band to get in a deadly accident in the middle of nowhere. The girls take cover in an abandoned cabin. Somehow only one of the band members survives the cabin stay. And you thought the car accident was deadly...


Okay... OOF. Like I stated, I really did like the unique premise of this novel. "Only One Survives" is such a generic name, though - there are so many books like this. I saw at the end of this ARC, the book title prior to settling on this one was "Their Last Gig" - I think that stands out so much more. Just from looking at the cover of this novel, you'd have no idea a big chunk of it centers around rock music and the band they form. And that is from both the title and the imagery.

Spoiler time! I really don't like an unreliable narrator, and that's why this book didn't work for me. I really don't like when a story is told, in first person POV, and then it turns out the narrator was just lying to us the whole time. It feels cheap to me. I really did like Vienna's character, and I will say I had no clue it was going to turn to her being the killer. I thought she was genuine and likable, which is rare in a thriller, so I give the author props for that. But the way it was revealed was just lame to me. I know that we have to suspend our belief in thrillers most of the time, but I do not believe Vienna nor Libby could get away with what they did and how they did it.

Overall, great beginning of the book, and great ending. But I couldn't get with Vienna being an unreliable narrator and her being able to do the atrocities described. I also couldn't get behind Libby's plan at the end, even though I was happy it worked out for her.

Loved DAISY JONES & THE SIX? The intricacies of a band, let alone a girl band, all come together in ONLY ONE SURVIVES. Vienna and Madison meet in high school, not on the best of terms, which ends them up in the principals office, but their shared love of music, guitars and drums has them becoming best friends.

A move to NYC, a beloved grandmother passing, and an alcoholic mother and deadbeat step father, has the two reuniting and forming their band, A car accident turns their whole world upside down just as they had hit the big time, but an isolated cabin may be the place where ONLY ONE SURVIVES.

I am absolutely obsessed with this book because it has all the
elements I love! My head was spinning from the combination of the
suspenseful plot and unexpected turns. The meticulously crafted dual
timelines skillfully convey the plot. The dynamic between Madison and
Vienna intensified the haunting feel of this story. This captivating
read is packed with suspense that will keep you on edge.

OMG, just WOW! What an amazing book! The character development and story line are truly awesome. This is an action packed book, with more OMG moments than I thought possible for a book. This is definitely going in my top 5 of 2024. I absolutely loved the way this was written, very different from most thrillers. Very refreshing, honestly. Most thrillers kind of go along the same lines, not this one....it goes all over and stomps on the regular thriller formula. I can't wait to read more from this author.
Thanks to netgalley, the publisher and mainly the author for than chance to read this amazing book.

I was fortunate to have received an ARC of Only One Survives by Hannah Mary Mckinnon from Netgalley.

This book reminds me a lot of the TV show yellowjackets. If you liked the show, you'll love this rock and roll version.

Vienna and Madison are opposites in terms of upbringing and lifestyle. The two become friends and form their own pop rock duo in high school, however Madison's parents don't approve of this and demand that they end their friendship. Despite their best efforts to keep the two apart, life keeps them together and their duo blossoms into a group of five band mates called The Bittersweets. When only 2 people survive the accident, a lot of questions are left lingering by the police and the court of public opinion.

I have to admit the beginning of this book was slightly confusing with the time shifts and did take a little to get into it, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. The secret confessions slowly seeping out between the pages had me hooked. This would make a great TV show if done from the documentarian Libby's perspective.

Wow, this one was a wild ride from the start! I’m just getting into arcs and am having fun requesting books from NetGalley. It’s exciting to get selected, especially to read (and enjoy) a book that hasn’t been on your radar yet. From the beginning you have no idea who you can trust. I enjoyed the flashbacks, I thought they were well done and kept you guessing as you learn more about Vienna and lives and relationships. An up and coming all female rock band, about to take the world by storm, derailed by a car crash in the middle of nowhere. It’s tragic, toxic and filled will unreliable, manipulative characters. I had a few nit pick things that kept it from being a 5 star read, however, if you enjoy a fast paced thriller & rock and roll, then buckle up and give this one a read.

.5⭐️ This book was just a wild ride from start to finish and I loved every minute of it. I loved the dual timelines and the story had me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

Vienna and Madison are best friends and form a band together, but when they bring other members into their band and begin to get some recognition, things get interesting. They get in a horrific car accident in the Catskills where several members perish and Madison suddenly disappears. Vienna comes under suspicion for killing members of the band, but what really happened that night?

This book had me turning the pages so fast to find out what was happening. I loved the back story of the characters. You think you know what is happening but you don’t. This was compelling, vengeful, and gave Daisy Jones and the Six vibes. The ending was chef’s kiss!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this e-book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Harlequin and Hannah Mary McKinnon for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my thoughts on her book.

This is the third thriller I’ve read by Hannah, and I’m always amazed at how unique each of her books is.

In this story, Vienna is involved in a car accident while her band is on the way to an event. Music has always been her passion and her solace, grounding her whenever she’s upset. The book spans two timelines: a few years before the accident and after the accident. Through these timelines, we get to know Vienna’s life and her deep friendship with Madison, her best friend. As the narrative unfolds, we also discover the origins of the band.

Once I started reading, I found it hard to put the book down, just as with her other novels. The story is filled with twists and turns. I had a small inkling about one of them, but I couldn’t predict how it would play out.

The plot is unlike anything I’ve read before, and it concludes in a satisfying way. I won’t give away any spoilers, but I appreciated how everything came together. The resolution felt natural and believable. I would rate this book 4.5 out of 5.

The Bittersweet is on the rise with their song Sweet Spot when a car accident in the snowy Catskills derails everything. One member dead, another member critically injured, the other three girls and a tag along documentarian all hope to find help and survive, but only Vienna and Libby survive. Madison has disappeared, suspected of murdering sisters Evelina and Gabi.

This was such a chilling, twisty book! The first half of the book, you're sympathizing with Vienna, who has lost her beloved Grams, has been kicked out of her house by her stepfather, and finally her life seems to be back on track when she and her high school best friend land a last minute gig at a bar that launches them into the music realm. But then the accident and the murders happen, but Vienna somehow manages to turn trauma into fortune and her damaged star is back on the rise....
And then the tone of the book shifts abruptly and it just gets delicious. I really enjoyed the heck out of this book--I've been reading too many thrillers lately where it feels like editors are like "hey there are these loose ends you should tie up. Put it in an epilogue" instead of actually going back and weaving the threads back into the story. This one instead just puts all those loose ends out on display and tells you exactly what is going on. Don't worry, this does not ruin the story at all, as it leaves room for even more intrigue and we follow along with Vienna's journey and watch her descend into paranoia and anger. I think Madison probably could have used a little more fleshing out and characterization on her on, vs what we learned from Vienna. I'm not really sure if Madison was the super jealous, controlling person we were told she was, or if that's just whar Vienna wanted us to know.
I also kind of really need someone to write (though I watched a book club with McKinnon and I think she said she wrote the song?) and perform Sweet Spot because it was hyped up so much in the book lol

Amazing read! This is my second book from this author and I loved every second of it. 10/10 recommend

I loved this book! I thought that I had the plot figured out but I was wrong. What a twist! And not just one! There were multiple!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

WOWZA!!! This profoundly compelling, extremely intense and darkly twisted psychological mystery thriller promises a rock and roll ride packed with a maze of toxic friendships, secrets and lies, jealously and betrayals, murder, and the cost of fame!! The gripping suspense, insane tension and shocking twists leave you guessing until the explosive finale! This is my first ready by Hannah Mary McKinnon and it exceeded my expectations, leaving me eagerly anticipating more of her work. I highly recommend this incredible read and it has secured its spot among my favorite thrillers for 2024!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

*4.5 stars rounded up to 5*

An absolutely addicting page turner that came at th e perfect time for me! Loved every minute of this interesting and fun fast paced read

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers, and Hannah Mary McKinnon for an ARC of Only One Survives. Before this book even finished, I was adding all of her other books to my wish list. OHMY this was fantastic. I was gripping my kindle so hard, I lost sleep, I couldn’t focus on anything but this book. What an AMAZING thriller. This had me going for a long time waiting for the shoe to drop.. and then the other shoe. I clued into one part and knew how this may end, but that did not take away from the story at all. I’ve already told anyone who will listen to grab this book as soon as it comes out. I loved Hannah’s writing and how it would go back and forth in time and the snippets from online postings and transcripts. This book will keep you on your toes and keep you from remembering you have responsibilities. This is one of those books I will think about for years to come.

Vienna Taylor, a self-learned drummer, all she cares about is making music. Music has been her life since her Gram introduced her to 70’s and on music. That gave her life when all other hope was lost when she lived with her mom and Rick. Vienna didn’t care much about fame, she just wanted to play drums and get lost in the music. Vienna met her best friend Madison Pierce in her senior year in high school and even though they didn’t start out on the right foot, they found they both love the same music and sound really good together. They found other members to join their band and they became an all-female pop rock band. They were gaining traction and they could see the stars in the near future. On their way to an event, their van lost traction and crashed due to the snowstorm. One member is instantly dead and the rest aren’t doing the best. They must find shelter because there is no way they can withstand being out in this snowstorm for a full night before they can even think of finding help. They find a cabin and once they think everything is going to be okay, a nightmare unfolds. One by one Vienna’s friends are meeting their end. But Madison is never found - she’s reported missing. Vienna can’t believe her nightmares and worries Madison took the fame to a new level. What really happened that night? She can’t possibly believe Madison would go this far for fame.

A gripping thrilling! I very much enjoyed the pacing and the plot of this book. I love stories set around bands and this was a different sort of band book than I’m used to but I loved it.

This book was great! I loved reading about a band and all the drama surrounding it. Fame can do crazy things to people. I was definitley kept on my toes with this one. The beginning of the books goes through the story of Madison and Vienna and how they became friends seeing them through high school and college and eventually the formation of the band The Bittersweet. They are heading to stardom and get invited to this big party and have to travel through a snowstorm. When their car veers off the path and one member ends up dead and another badly injured, Vienna and Madison venture off and find a cabin. We then get to hear from Vienna, the only surviving member and how she has been coping with this tragedy with Madison missing. There were some twists and turns here, I had some point figured out how this could end but I did not have all the details figured out. This was a great read!

My First Hannah Mary McKinnon book and it will not be my last. This was a solid read. Honestly, it fizzled for me in parts and I wanted more for the ending.

She did a great job with twists to entice you to want to continue reading. I would definitely read another book by this author.

“Even a small taste of fame will do stuff to you that you won’t like. It’ll change you, make you ruthless.” Diabolical is the word that comes to mind after reading McKinnon’s novel.
Toxic friendship, sociopath or caring friend with a jealous streak? When you think you know someone, but really don’t know them at all, it’s anyone’s guess.
McKinnon’s plot and writing is captivating and reminiscent of Megan Miranda’s thrillers. She spins two stories at once, until they swirl together, then back out again, and my jaw was on the floor more than once. The characters are just amazing, and I mean that in both a good way and bad! The music and girl band aspect kept me in mind of Daisy Jones and the Six, but this has a completely different tale surrounding it. This was an unputdownable thriller that I highly recommend for your summer reading list!

Wow! Plot twists make this a great read! I never expected the ending. It left me thinking, did I miss something somewhere? I would recommend this book to anyone that like suspense and a good psychological thriller!