It’s another TWISTY MCTWISTFACE!!!

Omg this book!!! My two loves in life… music and books (ideally with despicable people, murder, and some thrills thrown in) and #OnlyOneSurvives has it ALL! I raced through this one. It was utterly addictive. The twists were immense and the characters… omg TOXIC! HMM knows how to write naaaaasty people.

I love a book that has me second and third guessing myself. The unreliable narration was spot on.

I can’t say any more as I risk spoilers (and you definitely don’t want them for this one!) Basically, READ THIS BOOK!!!

Thank you Netgalley & HTP Books, Mira, for an eARC of Only One Survives by Hannah Mary McKinnon! A major 5/5 book that will 100% be in my favorites of 2024.

Wow! This is a book I'll probably re-read in audio format once released, I loved it THAT much. This story follows Vienna and Madison, two best friends who decide to start a female rock band in the big apple and find themselves in the spotlight. That is, until on the way to an event, the band's van crashes in a blizzard - Leaving one dead and the rest of the group injured and/or completely lost in the middle of nowhere.

They take shelter in an abandoned cabin and everything spins out of control as the bandmates die one by one, with Madison vanishing. Vienna is the last one standing.

McKinnon delivers a twisty tale that is both entertaining in the music/band aspect, and suspenseful and thrilling in the entirety of the rest of the plot. It's definitely a book that you can binge in one sitting (probably not with the lights out), and I'll be recommending to all other thriller lovers!

I really enjoyed this book! This was binge-worthy and I could not put this down. This book was easy to get into and I loved the dual timelines. This was a layer thriller with many, many surprises! Add this to your TBR for a thrilling read.

"Only One Survives" by Hannah Mary McKinnon is a gripping and intricately crafted thriller that will leave readers on the edge of their seats. McKinnon skillfully sets the stage for the story, gradually revealing its complexities in a compelling manner. The narrative unfolds in two distinct parts, with the connection between them becoming clear as the plot progresses. Readers will find themselves pleasantly surprised by the unexpected twists and turns that keep them guessing until the very end. McKinnon's writing style evokes shades of Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart," adding a chilling layer to the story's atmosphere. The incorporation of social media elements adds a modern touch, enhancing the story's realism. With its fast-paced plot and descriptive prose, "Only One Survives" is a must-read for fans of suspenseful thrillers. I highly recommend preordering a copy of this captivating novel.

Binge-worthy and addictive in the extreme, Only One Survives had me hooked from the very first word. Perfect for fans of Daisy Jones & The Six but with a heaping dose of murder as well, the perfectly crafted plot reeled me in and didn’t let go. I mean, the characters were divine and the twists were superb. And with non-stop suspense and sharp writing that allowed me to visualize every scene, I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.

From the top, the dual timelines meant I became deeply invested in Vienna and Madison’s toxic dynamic as I was granted a front seat to the makings of their friendship and their potential meteoric rise to fame. Add in the supporting cast, and the full picture was simply sublime. From a few thoroughly unlikeable characters to a sweet, little granny, they rounded out Vienna and Madison to perfection.

The plot, however, was what had me riveted to the pages. Part one presented the building blocks. Part two provided the jaw-dropping, gasp-inducing twist. So big, in fact, that my family looked at me like I was losing my mind when I quite literally shrieked “No, she didn’t!” out loud. Dark, intense, perfectly plotted, and with an eerie setting, this entire book won me over hook, line, and sinker as it hit just the right chord. Yes, yes, I know. That pun was completely intended.

Let me tell you, writing this review wasn’t easy. With a twist that rivaled The Silent Patient or The Last Mrs. Parrish, not spoiling the plot was a chore. But fear not, I’ve done my best. Just know that if you love the idea of crazy talented girl bands and fame-hungry characters, this is most definitely the book for you. And let’s not forget, it included my all-time favorite trope—that of a locked room murder mystery. All in all, it definitely hit my “Sweet Spot” by the time all was said and done. Rating of 4.5 stars.

Thank you to Hannah Mary McKinnon, HTP Books (MIRA), NetGalley, and Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

This was a lot of fun to read, especially because I was in a girl band many many, years ago. This book was a little nostalgic... without all the murder. I really enjoyed how this was written. I loved the Past and Present chapters, and the mixed media that was incorporated. It made the book so easy to get submerged in. I especially enjoyed Vienna and Madison's history

I did a double table when I moved on to Part 2, and you will too. This is such an intricately layered thriller and full of surprises! I promise you'll read this in one sitting.

Great book. This started off reminding me of Daisy Jones and the Six. I loved all the different perspectives from each band member and Libby. I wish Vienna had survived and Libby could've continued to have some control over her, while she continued to rise to fame.

Put murder and a band in a book and I’m gonna freaking read it. I loved the rock n roll vibes and the interesting band dynamic in this book. It always fascinates me how the inner workings of a band change as the group grows and this book definitely showed those growing pains. Throw in a car accident and people disappearing/dying and you won’t want to put this one down. I also had one really freaking good theory throughout the whole and then the twist had to just completely annihilate it 😂 But, I always love when a thriller completely blows my mind and this one did just that. Definitely pick this one up if you want twists, rock and roll and of course some murder

3.5 stars. What is the price of fame and what lengths might someone go to in order to achieve it? Social media, as well as other forms of media in general, take this to a whole new level as we see in this twisty novel written by Hannah Mary McKinnon. Vienna is a high schooler in a new school and quickly becomes an unlikely friend of Madison. The two come from totally different backgrounds but share of love of music and decide to join together to make a band. Their friendship has some flaws and is a complicated one. Down the road they add others to their duet. When the band travels during a storm to get to an event, tragedy ensues. The author bounces between “the time of the accident”, “before the accident “, and “after the accident “. Social media enthusiasts weigh in on their theories about what happened. The tragedy turns into a whodunnit and why with a twist. I don’t want to give anything away, so I’ll just leave that with you.
The story reminds me of something you’d see in a Black Mirror episode with a mystery and technology added in. I do feel like your technology part made this a bit different than other books similar to this and made me think about how the modern world has changed things. I wish there was a little more mystery in the second half of the book and a few more twists. The book as a whole was pretty easy to get through.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Publishing for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

This was a really fun read, fast paced and super twisty.
The story introduces us to Vienna and Madison who meet in high school and eventually start a band. They and their band mates are involved in an accident, and after the accident Madison is missing.
It is written in a few different timelines, which I like. We get a lot of backstory on Vienna and Madison's relationship and forming their band and the additional members that join them. We then have the story of the accident as well as the of the aftermath of the accident.
I really enjoyed the story overall and would recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review an early copy of this book.

Didn't most of us want to be in a band in high school? To be popular and have fans and a following and everyone talking about you! Vienna has had a rough growing up, she can never do anything right according to her mother and pretty much has raised herself so when they move once again and she gets into it with another girl on her first day, she knows things haven't changed for her. Little does she know this event will change her life forever in meeting her eventually best friend Madison. The two bond over their love of older music and decide to form a band. As fame happens overnight for them, they realize that maybe they can and will make it in the music industry after all. Taking advice of others, they add a few more members to the band and Bittersweet is born and success is on the way, it is all they could have ever dreamed off, but when a bad accident in the middle of a snow storm happens, Bittersweet is just that.... bittersweet due to a horrible tragedy, but was it? As the police start questioning Vienna and digging into what happened, and the time frame things seem as blurry as the blizzard was. What really happened that day and why would someone risk everything they worked to achieve? This was a fun, twisted read and I enjoyed all the different parts as well as the interrogation parts that were included through out. Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the complementary ebook and to Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for the tour invite. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

Only One Survives is a prime example of a book that completely throws you for a loop when you realize everything you thought you knew was so wrong, and I’m here for it! Vienna is quite a character with so many complicated facets and I really enjoyed getting to know the real her. This is one I’m going to be thinking about for a while after reading it.

Hannah Mary McKinnon is a must read author for me. Without fail, she manages to make you believe one thing and then suddenly you doubt everything. That is how a thriller should be. I was thrilled, I was surprised, I was shocked and I was mortified. There are some pretty nasty characters in this book and they will make some awful decisions throughout. The atmosphere was eerie and creepy and unpredictable, especially when reading this in December with snow pulling up. The characters were fabulous, love them or hate them. So buckle up for a wild ride and watch out for Hannah Mary McKinnon!

The night that The Bittersweet’s car slides off a snowy road and over a cliff in upstate New York brings the overnight sensation to an end, or does it? The all-female band, which had recently become a social media phenomenon when their single "Sweet Spot" went viral, had just been signed by a record label and was about to head into the studio to record their first album. But on the way to a party with all the big recording people, their van slid off the road, leaving one band member dead and the rest trapped in an abandoned cabin as a snowstorm came in. By morning, only Vienna was alive and her best friend Madison is missing. Speculation on social media devolves into a frenzy of fans divided between those who believe Vienna is a victim and those who believe she is a murderer.

The book follows the accident and its fallout on social media with two time-frames, before and after the accident, telling the story of the formation of The Bittersweet beginning with Vienna and Madison, and the recruitment of the other three band members.

Hannah Mary McKinnon delivers again with a twisty tale that’s perfect for fans of Ruth Ware’s ONE BY ONE and Taylor Jenkins Reid’s DAISY JONES & THE SIX.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance review copy.

Thank you to ThrillerBookLovers Promotions, MIRA, #partner, for an advanced e-copy of Only One Survives in exchange for my honest review.

Hannah Mary McKinnon is one of my go-to thriller writers and she has delivered another thrilling, twisty read that I think might be her best work yet! This one is dark, devious and so addicting you won’t want to put it down once you start. Definitely add this one to your summer reading list now…you aren’t going to want to miss it!

It’s hard to say much about this one without getting into spoiler territory, so forgive me for being vague here, but trust me when I say this one shocked me in the best way. I loved how she managed to have me switching alliances about these friends and never in my wildest dreams did I expect this book to go where it did. I love reading about female friendships and just how they can take over our lives. The structure of this story really works well here – having the car accident as the focal point and then alternating from either before it or after it.

Exploring themes such as toxic female friendships, jealousy, and the price of success, this book is entertaining and completely binge-worthy! The twists are expertly placed and just when you think all they have been played, one more is dropped to really shake things up. If you are a thriller lover, this one is must-read for sure!

Sharing the spotlight can be murder …

Hannah Mary McKinnon has crafted a spectacular thriller about a rock group, The Bittersweet, that will evoke memories of your teenage years and early twenties. I was transported back in time by reading the girls’ school experience and the bands/songs referenced.

McKinnon’s story not only showcases the author’s immense talent at crafting a spectacular, twisty, and creepy story but also at penning the beautiful lyrics featured in Bittersweet’s songs. I went back and re-read some of the lyrics and was amazed at how they gave insight into Vienna’s thoughts. McKinnon’s ability to intertwine the main and subplots with blog posts, news articles, radio transcripts, and social media comments is astounding.

I enjoyed the spotlight on friendship, peer pressure, and dysfunctional relationships, as much as I liked McKinnon’s characters (yes, even the fantastic villains and no, not their actions), the wonderful character development, and her twisty plot. I had to reign in my indignation, ease my discomfort through the creepy parts, and read slowly and reread to make sense of the ‘nothing is as it seems’ plot. It was interesting to see the parallels between the transition of EmVee to Bittersweet and the growth of the girls and stardom.

As someone who has worked with teens for years, I could almost imagine the body language and facial expressions of Vienna and Madison ‘that day’ in the school office. I smiled, re-read it, and nodded as my smirk grew. I’d seen it many times before. McKinnon aced it.

I’m really looking forward to Fall 2024 when the next Holly Cassidy romcom, ‘The Christmas Countdown’, is published.

I was gifted this copy by Harlequin Tade Publishing, MIRA and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I was really excited to get a copy of this ARC as I enjoyed isolated setting. This was a solid read that I enjoyed. I enjoyed the main characters being in a pop rock group as I feel that’s not a common thing seen in books. Overall it was a quick and fun read. I do feel like the ending could’ve used a bit more work as it all seemed very rushed or just not well written maybe. The story wrapped up fine but I wish it was just explained a little more. Overall I would recommend this book to others especially those who enjoy an isolated thriller plot line.

Only One Survives is a gripping thriller told in alternating timelines, weaving together elements of a coming of age story along with a locked room mystery. It’s packed with twists and turns and unbelievable jaw dropping moments!

Vienna and Madison couldn’t be more different but their love of music is what connects them. Their friendship is toxic on a good day and it’s this relationship that makes this book super twisted and suspenseful!

Vienna’s upbringing was a struggle living with her self-centered, single mother who lived paycheck to paycheck. Fortunately, she had a close relationship with her music-loving grandmother to support her. Madison, raised by wealthy parents, was expected to follow in their successful footsteps. They did not approve of her friendship with Vienna fearing she was a bad influence.

There’s so much to unpack in this book but hard to wrap up in a spoiler-free format! I love when storylines surprise me and this one did just that! Just when I thought I had an idea of where the book was going, the author dropped another shocker! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

If you enjoy toxic friendships and a whiplash whodunnit, this one is for you. I found it to read very quickly, I liked that the characters were flawed and that without giving it away, it wasn’t some big, teary-eyed happy ending. It really had me fooled for a while! Thank you to Thriller Book Lover Promotions and Harper Collins and Mira Books for my eARC. 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 will be published July 16th.

Thank you to Hannah Mary McKinnon, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

A great fast paced thriller about two best friends in a girls rock band. After an accident on an icy road leaving one of the members dead and another injured, the girls hide out in a remote cabin. All but one ends up dead or missing. The storyline goes back and forth between time to tell a story with a twist at the end. This book is suspenseful and exciting. Definitely excited to check out more from the author.