The story seamlessly passes between the past and present, chronicling the rise and fall of the Bittersweet Band, founded by best friends Madison and Vienna. Tragedy strikes when their Tahoe SUV crashes in a middle of a snow storm, marking the beginning of a harrowing ordeal. The immediate aftermath is devastating, and the band becomes wrapped in a desperate bid for survival.
Who will make it out alive?
The band members responses to their dire circumstances give the narrative a raw, emotional depth. Each character's arc is meticulously crafted, allowing one to delve deep into their psyche, understanding their motivations, fears, and unyielding hope even in the face of impossible odds.

Only One Survives by Hannah Mary McKinnon

Pub: July 16, 2024


Original, unexpected and oh so addictive, Only One Survives is a must read!

I absolutely loved the book. @hannahmarymckinnon tricked me and kept me on my toes and I loved every minute of it.

A few spoiler free highlights:
🎵 Dual timelines - yes, please!
🎸 Canadian references 🇨🇦
🎵Fierce female characters - the ladies of the Bittersweet are smart and talented and BRING it whether they’re playing music or planning murders
🎸The ending 😮 That is all I will say. DM to discuss

✨QOTD: Do you have a favourite girl group? Read 👇 to learn about my personal connection to the story and kick a$$ girl groups.

Some of you know that my mum @onlyloveisreal.love was in one of the first all girls punk rock bands, The ‘B’ Girls, in the ‘70s and ‘80s in Toronto. They moved to NYC and were part of the whole 1980s punk rock scene at CBGBs, toured with The Clash, opened for Blondie…. and so much more. I grew up listening to their music, the music of that era and spending time several of the band members. Swipe ➡️ to see them in action!

The Bittersweet reminded me so much of the ‘B’ Girls, minus the murder, though it was a pretty wild time back then… This connection made the book come to life for me in a way I haven’t experienced before. Thank you Hannah for inspiring this trip down memory lane.

And Mums, I will not tell you who I pictured as each character… and hopefully I didn’t mess up any of the details 💕💕

Thank you @hannahmarymckinnon @_mira_books_ @htpbooks for the gifted arc and @thrillerbookloversthepulse for including me on the tour🖤

I could not read this book fast enough! It was so intense and kept me on the edge of my couch the entire time! I loved the authors writing style and how it kept me engaged the entirety of the story! I have not a read a plot like this before and would recommend to all my friends!

Only One Survives is a gripping, addictive thriller . I didn’t really care for the pop-rock group intro. The story is about a girl band, Bittersweet. On the way to an event, the Bittersweet's van careens off an icy mountain road during a blizzard—leaving one member dead and another severely injured. They seek shelter in a cabin to get to safety and seek out help. Honestly, the story line brought me back to Pretty Little Liars as this has a similar vibe to it, minus the pop-rock band. If you’re into twisty thrillers then give this one a shot!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher MIRA for an ARC in exchange for my thoughts.

This was my first read by this author. I’ve tend to find along new authors on NetGalley.
This book had lots of toxicity, with many twist and turns. The story is based on how far you would go to get what you want. There is also a friend/enemy relationship involved . Good read for those who like thrillers.

How far will you go for the price of fame? Are you willing to kill or die for it!
6 women set out on an adventure but a wintery crash ends in tragedy.
A story of friendship that goes thru so much but the music keeps them going. Until fame rears its ugly head.
A story full of twist and turns love and hate.
A good paced book that takes you from the past to the present but in an easy to follow manner.
A thriller that keeps you wanting to read more.
I can’t say too much without giving any spoilers.
If you like to read about friendships and music this book is definitely for you.
It started out a bit slow. But definitely speeds up to a good pace.
This is my first book from this author and I will definitely be looking for more of her books.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC

""𝑻𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒊𝒍 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆."
-𝑺𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒃"

Special thanks to @hannahmarymckinnon @thrillerbookloverspromotions @htpbooks @harlequinbooks @htp_hive & @netgalley for this #gifted eARC.

👉🏼 swipe for synopsis ➡️

MY REVIEW
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is my 1st Hannah Mary McKinnon book, and it CERTAINLY won't be my last.

👏🏼I👏🏼LOVED👏🏼THIS👏🏼BOOK!👏🏼

The story was very real life, and the TWISTS. My god, it's like it slapped me in the face and shook me awake cause I swore I had to reread it to believe it.

I mean, first off, who doesn't love music?! Then add some jealousy, plenty of lies, and an itch for fame & snow storm in a deserted mountain - you've got yourself a deadly equation.

Friends will do anything for each other, but when fame is involved - all gloves are off. Make sure you keep your eyes open, and your secrets to yourself.🤫

This is a must-read for 2024! Add this to your TBR NOW!!!!

PUB DATE:
Jul 16, 2024

QOTD ❓️⁉️❓️ Who is your favorite band/singer?

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#mysteryandthrills #thrillerbooklover #thrillerlover #booklover #bookcommunity #booklove #thrilleraddict #bookaddict #onlyonesurvives #hannahmarymckinnon #htpbooks #harlequinbooks #netgalley #musicsensation #leaddrummer
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Review of Only One Survives by Hannah Mary McKinnon

I have yet to be let down by any book by this author. She hits every single one out of the ballpark for me, and is absolutely an auto buy author. This one comes out in July and I was fortunate enough to get an advanced copy via NetGalley. I couldn’t wait to read it because as I said, she’s one of my favorite authors. I loved this one. The setting was creepy and the writing sensational. I loved that the main characters were in a band and love that aspect of rock ‘n’ roll. But I’m a true thriller lover, and this book spoke to me in that regard as well. The twist and turns never stopped coming with this one.

Synopsis:

Becoming the star is easier when the rest of your band is dead…

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…

Except, on the way to an event, the Bittersweet’s van careened off an icy mountain road during a blizzard—leaving one member dead and another severely injured.

In order to survive the frigid night, the rest took 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.

What really happened to the Bittersweet? Did Vienna’s closest friend finally decide to take center stage on her own terms?

She doesn’t want to believe it.

But guilty people run.

Book Review
Only One Survives
Hannah Mary McKinnon

Tropes
All girls Band
Past and present tense
Fame , dreams and drama
Toxic female friendships
Is it nature or nurture that breeds murderers?

Main Characters
Madison- spoiled rich kid who has an aptitude for music and a love to party, she loves attention
Vienna- wrong side of the tracks, escapes in her music, found her love of music from her grandmother


Thoughts
✅Like Daisy Jones and the Six but add the element of people dying/missing
✅Needs a spotify playlist
✅Love the refernce to hometown band “the Beaches”, Canadian locations
✅ Twist at the end
✅ An ending that makes you wonder “what if”

Overall
No spoilers so I am going to be vague… this book may be my favourite yet from this author. The dynamics of the friendship between Madison and Vienna easily captured my attention. I was so caught up in these complex characters and their shared experiences that I didnt see the obvious…. And that ending! Whoa.

Thanks to @mira @harlequintradepublishing and @netgalley for my digital ARC in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to my partners, Thriller Book Lovers The Pulse, Mira Books, and NetGalley, and the author. I appreciate the gifted eARC, and I am leaving this review voluntarily!

1. 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 - From the start, we see the differences between Vienna and Madison and the lives they lead. While they do become best friends, it is evident that neither one ever truly sees how the other lives.

2. 𝐉𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐲 - It was interesting to see how Vienna and Madison were jealous of each other in different ways. It was a great example of the minutiae of relationships and how no one is ever truly 100% in tune with someone else.

3. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐯𝐞 - I mean, I don’t know how many times this question came to mind…up until the end. Does anyone ever truly know what they are capable of until the opportunity presents itself.

4. 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐞 - We really get to see two sides to this with Vienna and Madison. Vienna just came from a place where she was pretty told she was never even wanted, and Madison comes from a place where she can have anything she truly wants - and yet, her parents are horrendous to her, too.

5. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐎𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐨𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 - Two points in this story surprised me. I didn’t see either of them coming, although I did know that something was afoot. It just never quite came to fruition in my mind until it was actually revealed - both times!

This book was disturbing and toxic. I loved it! The plot twists kept coming. You didn’t know which character to root for. Are  Vienna and Madison friends or frenemies? This book kept me guessing until the very end. This is the 3rd book I’ve read by this author and I have yet to be disappointed. My rating on StoryGraph 4.5 stars.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the complementary ebook in exchange for my honest review

I went into this with a little bit of trepidation, not another locked room mystery, a plot that has been very overdone. I was very pleasantly surprised by the turns this book takes. A look at toxic friendships and obsessive ambition. 4.5 Think this is her best book to date

this was so fun! Daisy Jones meets Final Girls, I did not see the twist in the middle coming. I liked the ending enough, was expecting a little more, but overall very entertaining.

Only One Survives is a thriller about a young all-female rock band that has suffered a devastating crash during a blizzard. From the title, we assume that only one person in the band will survive in the book. But who will it be? The book largely follows Vienna and Madison, best friends since high school, who come from very different backgrounds. It flashes back to the beginning of their friendship and leads up to their current predicament, crashed in the Catskills on the side of a mountain.

I definitely understand the comparisons to the show Yellowjackets. They are all ambitious young women struggling to survive in the wilderness after an accident. This story also focuses on complex friendships, where jealousy is ever-present even if it isn't spoken about. Though it starts out with the crash, this book is a bit of a slow burn. We see how the band comes together and gains quite a bit of success seemingly overnight. I really liked the foreshadowing in the dialogue early on in the book. The action really picks up and I had a lot of fun going on this ride!

Thank you Thriller Book Lovers, NetGalley, and the publisher for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

〰️Loved how the story was told through 2 parts
〰️action packed!
〰️FULL of vindictive women!
〰️Loved the girl band storyline!
〰️Twisty ride!
〰️Justified ending!💪🏼

Thanks to #NetGalley and #HarlequinTradePublishing for the book #OnlyOneSurvives by #HannahMaryMcKinnon. This book is amazing, scary and thrilling all in one. It makes you wonder who you can trust and what some people will do to achieve their dreams. I would highly recommend this book!!

I would have to say that even though I thought this book had a slow start and i got confused with the timeline this book ended up being really good!

I started out with this book unknowing if i would finish as it felt it had a slow start. After a couple of chapters and not so many flashbacks the story definitely picked up. the twists of this book and the shocks of how it ended definitely was not what I had expected. I had my mind set on a certain character as I feel whenever others read this book doing everything that had been done and kept that mindset for a while.

I am excited that I got to read this book early even though it had a slow start and I would suggest this book to others.

Had this book started about half way through, five stars. But it took me over a month to get there. I nearly DNRd it. But once I got to the middle, I couldn't put it down. I spent an entire day finishing it.

Two best friends form a duo that eventually turns into a band of five. A tragic accident leaves one dead. Suddenly they're all dead except Vienna. Twists and turns galore. Loved the ending!

Came for the murder mystery, stayed for the exploration of friendship and what it's like trying to make it big in New York City.

4.5 stars
High School best friends make a band of two with great success. To ride the success, they decide to add others to the band to add harmony and more instruments. It seems perfect! Then one night while traveling during a snow storm to a show far away, the car goes off the road and tumbles down a ravine. It kills one and leaves the others injured and freezing.

Winter or locked-in tropes are always entertaining to me. There’s no where to go because of the weather so the people usually stick it out wherever they are or make a run for it. Either way, most stories take that morbid turn. This story has just that. What was somewhat unexpected was that they were women, young and very successful. When each one slowly starts turning up dead, the mystery becomes mind-boggling!

The dual timelines gave great insight into the characters. We see the beginnings of friendships and learn their backstories. But the only thing Vienna has ever wanted to do is to be a part of music and have her friend Madison be there with her. This car crash is ruining her plans. She is doing everything she can to help the others. When I wasn’t reading, the mystery rolled around endlessly in my brain. I just couldn’t get it all to connect!

Then that twist! Ha, I was not impressed at first. But the more details I got, the more my astonishment grew. The genius complexity of each detail that went into the murders and plan was substantial. I could not read fast enough to see how it all ended. It was brilliant, cruel and startling.

I highly recommend this one to those that love faster-paced thrillers that involve best friends, unforeseen twists and will keep it ruminating in your brain for days.

Thank you to Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for the copy!