This book was pretty good, I was expecting it to end differently. Many of the characters were unlikeable.

BOOK REVIEW

Only One Survives
By Hannah Mary McKinnon

Plot: All drummer Vienna Taylor ever wanted was to make music. If that came with fame, she’d take it—as long as her best friend, guitarist Madison Pierce, was sharing the spotlight and singing lead. And with their new all-female pop rock band gaining traction, soon everyone would hear their songs.

In order to survive the frigid night, after their van careened off an icy mountain, with one band member dead and another severely injured, they take shelter in a nearby abandoned cabin. But Vienna’s dreams devolved into a terrifying nightmare as, one by one, her fellow band members met a gruesome end…and Madison simply vanished in the night.

Review: I cannot stop thinking about this book! Hannah Mary McKinnon writes with a strong purpose and direction that brings this story to life! I felt myself freezing, hurting, hiding, and gasping for air alongside each character. It was an action-packed, exhilarating ride that grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go until it’s too late…for everyone. The character of Vienna is so complex, given her backstory, and yet in everything I still rooted for her. Her relationship with her Mom, Grams, Madison, and Libby were all so different. 
McKinnon also kept me guessing with each new chapter, each new twist, and the countless red herrings that just when I thought I had it figured out, I was fooled once again. Well-played McKinnon, well-played! (Not an easy thing to do with this expert thriller reader!

RUN and grab this book! This is perhaps the best book of 2024 and (my guess) will quickly rise to the top of the best-seller list! McKinnon has solidified her place as one of the top thriller writers of our time!

Only One Survives is out July 16th, 2024! Thank you to Hannah Mary McKinnon, Harlequin Trading Publishing, and NetGalley for an ARC copy of Only One Survives in exchange for my honest review!

New author for me. Will definitely read more books. Good characters and story. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Book Title: Only One Survives
Author: Hannah Mary McKinnon
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing - MIRA
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: July 16, 2024
My Rating: 4.3 Stars
Pages: 400

This is a story of friendship, jealousy, and the overwhelming desire for fame.

Story starts when Drummer Vienna Taylor and her best friend, guitarist Madison Pierce as well as Isabel Risotto, sisters Gabi and Evelina Sevillano members of the band “The Bittersweet’, are excited about signing a big recording deal. They are treating themselves to a girls-weekend in the Catskills. As the group drives through the night, the light snow turns into a blizzard and they find themselves lost on remote country roads and things get worst when their SUV’s tires slip on the ice which resulted in a terrible accident leaving one member dead and another severely injured.

Vienna and Madison know they need to find shelter from the blizzard and set out to find shelter. They find an old abandoned cabin. The others join them. However things continue to go bad for them. Evelina is not doing well she has Diabetes and needs an insulant shot- which has disappeared. Her sister Gabi cannot find the insulant and know she needs to seek help. Strange things continue. Vienna has been attacked and finds herself locked in the basement with Libby who is injured. She is able to help Vienna climb through the basement. Vienna searches the house and Madison is suspiciously missing.
Story goes back and forth between – ‘Before the Accident and ‘After’.

First part tells of the background of Vienna and Madison. We learn that their friendship developed In Portland, Maine when they were in a High School band. Madison goes to New York to attend NYU and majors in engineering. Vienna follows but doesn’t major in engineering. They form a musical duo’ EmVee’ and become a hit; they decided to expand the group and thus became “The Bittersweet”.

As the story continues it appears Madison has an evil side.

The “After the Accident’ POV seems to go on too long which made me think ~ hmm there surely is more to this!
As the story gets closer to the end I found my head spinning.



About the Author ~Hannah Mary McKinnon ~ Is also known as Holly Cassidy who writes romantic comedies.

Ms. McKinnon was born in the UK grew up in Switzerland, and moved to Canada in 2010.
Unsurprisingly loves chocolate, mountains and cheese, and books, of course.

Her novel, “Time After Time”, a light-hearted romantic read, published in 2016, after which she moved to the dark side. (I am
delighted she did!)

She has six internationally bestselling thrillers- of the six I have read four
I read “The Neighbors, Sister Dear, Never coming Home, and The Revenger List.
For a Reader’s Guide and more information visit
https://hannahmarymckinnon.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-01-29-ONLY-ONE-SURVIVES-Bookclub-Kit-Final.pdf
https://hannahmarymckinnon.com/

Thank You NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing - MIRA for this WOW eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for July 16, 2024.

Let your suspension of disbelief dangle to the max with this entertaining thriller by Hannah Mary McKinnon. Only One Survives offers a new twist on the locked room trope, with a roller coaster ride of twists and turns this reviewer never saw coming.

McKinnon writes well and her unique characters are interesting and compelling, though not especially likable. The pacing of this novel is spot-on. There are timeline and POV changes to keep readers' alert. No plot point spoilers here, so you'll have to read the book for specifics, but I doubt you'll find a book quite like this on your reading list.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin MIRA for providing an advance copy of this book to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page on release day. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

Wowee Zowee. This one is a thriller.

Vienna Taylor is famous. She's the last surviving member of The Bittersweet, an all girl rock band. The band had a tragic accident and Vienna (and journalist Libby) are the only two who made it out. Vienna's best friend, Madison has disappeared.
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Vienna Taylor is also a self-absorbed, vindictive person.
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This book is told in two parts. One, we read about the aftermath of the accident and the past history of Vienna and Madison's friendship. We also read about the early days of the band and how they were only going to get bigger.

Two - We follow Vienna as she tries to pitch a memoir and deals with the fallout of fame. We also learn more and more about what happened in the cabin post-accident.

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I really enjoyed the twists and turns this story had and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun read. My ONE criticism....the music references. Imagine Dragons? Pink?....This is not something people would be playing in Bushwick. BUT that's just my own stuff. :)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Daisy Jones if it was serial killer-y and that’s the tea.

Read this and have a good time. Approved!

This story gives off Daisy Jones and the Six vibes…with a tragedy. A band was on the way to a party when a tragic accident happens. Only one survived , three are dead, & one is missing. Nothing goes as planned and it is so much fun to read. Couldn’t put this story down, I wanted to watch/read the train wreck that is Vienna’s life.

This plot is so over done. I'm so over the locked room people getting picked off one by one. They are either all exactly the same which ruins the thrill, or they are so far fetched that it makes the story absolutely awful. Luckily this one was the first one, but I still can't believe I wasted so much time on it.

In Only One Survives by Hannah Mary McKinnon readers go through a wild ride. For a few chapters I forgot I was reading a murder mystery because I was so focused on the success of this girl group. Then a car crash brings tragedy and everything unravels. I didn’t know who to trust or who to believe. I enjoyed the book and couldn’t wait to see how the villain would get away with it. However I think it would have been even better if the big reveal hadn’t been made until the very end. Thank you NetGalley, Hannah McKinnon and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC.

This was a fun ride and a fast read. It begins with a car crash of female bandmates and ends with a whole lotta death. What happened? Who's responsible? What's the price of fame?

The book primarily focuses on the two leaders of the band, Vienna and Madison, who met in high school.

I didn't love the compressed timeline for the band's rush to fame --the flashback scenes of them forming the band happen so quickly we're not really invested in the other women, so they seem kind of interchangeable when the car crash happens (in that respect it's NOT like Daisy Jones and the Six). However, Vienna and Madison are fascinating characters and I enjoyed their story.

My main beef with this book is something I can't really discuss much due to spoilers. I'll try to describe it in terms of the writing...

There's a set up happening in the book, but it's easy to see coming because the author leaned into it a little too heavily from a character development standpoint, painting in broad strokes rather than nuance. For me, this telegraphed her intentions a bit too much. But I watch closely for these kind of clues when reading a book, others readers online didn't seem bothered by it.

Overall, though this was a great, twisty read. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley, the author, and the publishers for allowing me to read this ARC.

During a winter storm, up-and-coming pop rock band The Bittersweet spin off the road in tragic accident that leaves one dead and one injured. However, by the night’s end, only one band member has survived. Only One Survives follows that band member, Vienna Taylor, in her life before and after the accident.

This is a tricky book to write about without giving away any spoilers, but I’ll do my best! I went through a bit of a journey with this book – for about the first half I was hooked! There’s a hard shift toward the middle, and the second half began to drag quite a bit for me personally. However, the author brought it around at the end with a twisty, satisfying resolution. I am glad that I stuck with it through that second half and enjoyed it overall!

Thank you to Netgallery and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an early release copy of Only One Survives by Hannah Mary McKinnon, this book will be available for purchase on July sixteenth of 2024.

What a read! Only One Survives had me hooked from the start! I really liked our characters and their little quirks, there are toxic friendships/relationships in here but they were written in a way that made them interesting to read about. The writing was detailed, and everything felt well fleshed out story wise. I enjoyed the addition of the blog/podcast elements and loved the before and after the accident chapters, These chapters really allowed us to get to know each of characters.

I throughly enjoyed Only One Survives my only complaints would be that towards the middle of the story our main character Vienna was difficult to read and during the second part it seemed like the story was dragging on.

Overall I would really like to see some more from Hannah Mary McKinnon!

WOW what a read! I've been in a bit of a reading slump lately but this one ripped me right out of it! Told between alternating timelines, we see the journey of Vienna and Madison's friendship evolve between high school and their early 20s. At first, the timelines felt a little confusing and disjointed, but we quickly learn of their importance and how they play into the later story. With so many twists and turns, as soon as I felt that things were going to wrap up, there was still so much to be revealed!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book - the characters were well-written and it had plenty of shock without feeling too forced. While at some points I felt there was too much going on, I truly felt like it was necessary for everything to come together in the end - lots of clever planning on McKinnon's part! I feel like I can't say too much more without giving things away, but the long read is well worth it. Thanks for the ARC!

Wow... Just... WOW!

Let me tell you, dear readers, this book is an absolute game-changer in the realm of mystery and suspense novels! From the very first page, I was utterly captivated by the gripping tale of The Bittersweet, an all-female pop rock band on the brink of stardom, whose dreams turn into a chilling nightmare.

As the story unfolds, we're thrust into the heart-pounding chaos of a tragic accident that leaves the band stranded in the treacherous wilderness of The Catskills. The vivid descriptions and expertly crafted tension had me on the edge of my seat as Vienna, our determined drummer, and her best friend Madison, the lead guitarist, grapple with the aftermath of the crash.

But what sets this novel apart is its masterful blend of mystery and psychological suspense. As Vienna and Madison struggle to survive the night, surrounded by darkness and uncertainty, the true nature of their harrowing ordeal begins to unravel. With each twist and turn, the author keeps readers guessing, skillfully weaving a web of deception and betrayal that left me gasping for breath.

And oh, the characters! From the fiercely loyal Vienna to the enigmatic Madison, each member of The Bittersweet is brought to life with depth and nuance. Their complex relationships and hidden agendas add layers of intrigue to an already mesmerizing narrative, keeping me guessing until the very last page.

I must commend the author for her impeccable pacing and spine-tingling suspense. As the tension reached its peak, I found myself holding my breath, desperate to uncover the truth behind the band's tragic fate. And the ending? Jaw-dropping doesn't even begin to cover it.

Many thanks to the publisher, NetGalley, and the author for this pulse-pounding read! I simply cannot wait to dive into more of this author's gripping tales.

Trigger Warnings: violence, death, betrayal, deception, survival

This was a great book that I had trouble putting down! My feelings towards the characters changed throughout the book, and I loved the time hops as events were revealed. Will definitely be looking for more books by this author!

Think Daisy Jones & the Six but with murder and mystery. Vienna and Madison meet, instantly connect, and start a band. One snowy night, the band members are involved in a devastating crash. Throughout the book we are trying to piece together what exactly happened that night. So many twists and turns, it kept me on the edge of my seat!

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing & NetGalley for the ARC!

In Hannah Mary McKinnon's gripping novel, "Only One Survives," echoes of "Daisy Jones and the Six" resonate, but with a darker, more sinister twist. Think, "Yellowjackets." The narrative unfolds in reverse, starting from the day of the crash and unraveling the events leading up to it, unveiling a tapestry of secrets and deception.
Vienna Taylor's passion for drumming and music reaches new heights when she teams up with her closest friend, Madison, to form the punk rock band "The Bittersweet." Their debut single ignites a promising journey until tragedy strikes on a trip to the Catskills, leaving Vienna as the lone survivor after their car veers off the road.
As Vienna grapples with the aftermath, accusations emerge from a faction of Bittersweet's fanbase, suggesting she may be responsible for the deaths of her friends. But could she truly be capable of such horrid act merely for fame? Vienna emerges as a complex protagonist, entangled in a toxic, codependent dynamic with Madison.
McKinnon expertly crafts a story brimming with suspense, each page laden with unforeseen twists and revelations. The tension escalates with each chapter, culminating in an unexpected finale. The dynamics of an all-female band provide a fertile ground for drama, but McKinnon elevates it to dizzying heights, delivering a riveting tale that refuses to be set aside. "Survives" is a compelling narrative that grips you from start to finish, a testament to McKinnon's skill in weaving intricate plots and multifaceted characters.

Only One Survives, Hannah Mary McKinnon
Pub Date: July 16, 2024

Hannah. Thriller. Pop Rock Band. 80’s to the 00’s nostalgia.
As Pat would say: Hit me with your best shot!

Only One Survives centres around 2 young women, Vienna and Madison, and their shared dream of forming a band. Starting as EmVee and then expanding to include 3 additional members to become The Bittersweet, an all-female rock pop band with an edge.

Hannah infuses her latest thriller with tonnes of nostalgia including pop and rock references along with a taste for the music industry, and visions of striking it rich and hitting musical fame. The cost of celebrity becomes clear when differences in opinion and direction come up, causing strife and tension. All the while, secrets from both Em & Vee’s past come to a head when their car careens off the road in a winter storm. Leaving the members stranded and for some, dead. And that’s only the beginning of the end for The Bittersweet.

This thriller rocked! (pun intended). There were twists and turns, multiple time-lines, interesting perspectives including narration from band interviews and podcasts with comments from those online. This served readers by adding depth, intrigue, cloud the obvious, and added doubt to what was presented.

Unreliable and unlikeable narrators and characters are fun, and Hannah did a great job of making Vienna both and keeping me interested to see what would become of her and The Bittersweet. And, of course, it wouldn’t be a true Hannah thriller without one last detail right at the end which I loved.

Why tie things up with a bow when you can go out with a bang?!

Thank you so much to Hannah Mary McKinnon and Mira Books for my gifted copy.

Vienna, a gifted drummer and her best friend from high school., Madison, who happens to be a talented vocalist and guitarist have their differences, in views and in upbringing, but together they form a girl bad that starts to get a taste of the fame they both crave. Their dreams are brought to a halt when the band is involved in a tragic car accident up in the Catskills during a blizzard. We see the drama and suspense unfold in Hannah Mary McKinnon's, Only One Survives.

I think that this was a phenomenal book. It had me hooked from the different POVs, the different timelines and even the aspect of news reports and radio transcripts. I think that Hannah Mary McKinnon did a wonderful job on the story and the character development. There were little eggs that were dropped throughout the chapters that made you back and up double check what you just read. There were so many twists and unpredictable turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved it. I do think that the ending was just a little too long, it dragged a bit for me. Once we got to what happened, I think it could have been about 50 pages shorter. Other than that, I really enjoyed this twisty, thriller.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA, and Hannah Mary McKinnon for the eARC of Only One Survives. Publication Date for Only One Survives by Hannah Mary McKinnon is 16 July 2024.