Review of Ski Weekend by Rektok Ross

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have been on a YA audio quick lately. This was another solid one that I recently finished listening to. It was fast paced and I enjoyed the story and the narration. It is a thriller but also a story of survival.

Sam is dreading her senior trip for ski weekend. She is going with her brother, his best friend, her friend who is her brother’s girlfriend, and a frenemy. She only goes because she wants to keep her brother in line as he is often accident prone. On the way their SUV crashes into a snow bank and they find themselves stranded with no cell service and limited supplies. Then her brother gets a severe leg injury which quickly becomes infected. Secrets and twists emerge but Sam is determined to save her brother and keep herself safe.

A big thank you to @netgalley and @blackstonepublishing for a copy of this book!

I listened to the audio narration by Katie Schorr who brought the characters to life with each voice distinct. I enjoyed the audio book a lot!

Ski Weekend is a fast paced YA thriller that can be easily read in one sitting. Crammed in an SUV, six high school seniors and their dog go on a road trip for their senior ski weekend. The fun doesn’t last long, when they decide to take a dangerous short cut using the back roads, when the main roads were closed due to a snowstorm. With frigid weather, no cell signal, limited food and water supplies, and the chance of being rescued diminishing by the minute, I just could not put this book down. The choices are to either stay in the SUV or venture out to get help. Either way, their chance of survival is doomed.

Ahhhh what a fun read!

Audiobook Review. Fantastic and suspenseful YA thriller. This is one that readers will have a hard time putting down. I will definitely be recommending this to my YA thriller fans. The narrator nailed the emotion in the characters' voices. Highly recommended.

1.5 Stars rounded up to 2

Well.

I am glad that this book has been enjoyed by other readers, however, for me it missed the mark. I was expecting a high stakes survival thriller and it did not deliver. The characters were a bit on the dull side for me and my attention wandered frequently.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a free audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ski Weekend Review!

Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for this audiobook in return for a honest review! Ski Weekend is out now!

This is a must read for the winter! I may be biased, but I have always loved winter survival stories, since growing up in Minnesota! Ski Weekend was a 4.25/5 ⭐️ for me! I thought this was a pretty perfect ya, full of drama, jealousy, and suspense! I’m not exactly sure how I feel about the ending, but otherwise it was great! It definitely kept me on my toes the whole time and I had no idea what was coming next!

Synopsis: 6 teens and their dog are headed towards the ski lodge for a Christmas weekend senior trip! When they decide to take a short cut, they end up getting stranded in their car. They must think of all the survival skills they can if they want to make it through the storm that is coming.

Disappointing. I found the main character irritating and the characters were stereotypical. There were also parts that were totally implausible (how does Stuart go from a badly sprained or broken ankle with gangrene to running through the woods with Sam at the end)? This book had the potential to be much more but just missed the mark.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review. I liked this book! I liked it a lot! it's a great YA survival thriller with characters both loveable and hateable. It has everything. This reminded me of a 2021 version of a spooky Breakfast Club and I loved it!

This was a tough one to read. I am not sure I like all the recent wilderness survivor stories. They are very stressful. This one had me on the edge of my seat. I couldn't get over how horrible one of the characters was.

The basic premise is that 6 teenagers get into an accident on their way to a ski weekend. A blizzard keeps them from being rescued and this is their story of survival.
I have to preface my review by saying that I was too old to read this book. This would have more appeal to the younger reader as the subjects of discussion while they were stranded would be more relatable to them.
That said, I do wish the author hadn’t tried to cover every issue that is socially relevant to teens. Just pick one and develop that. There were social issues, first aid/medical info, death and dying, anorexia, jealousy, religion, dysfunctional families, survival of the fittest---- the list goes on. It’s all here.
Same with the characters in this weekend from hell …. every ethnic group was represented and among them was the nerd, the jock, the blonde ditz (who turns out to be quite smart), the comic, the whiner and the necessary dog to tie it all up.
There were some surprises that I didn’t think the author would allow to happen in the story and I did a lot of head shaking at their “survival skills”. These were very remarkable teenagers………not sure even your average YA reader could see themselves acting so calmly in that situation.

This is the author’s DEBUT NOVEL (very happy for you atty.!) and wow! just wow! I usually don’t read young adult novels but this one really got all my attention. The characters were written well. They aren’t written as whiny i-hate-the-world kind of teens. I love how the characters are so diverse!
The story was easy to follow and was weaved nicely.
I also listen to the audio book and the narrator did an amazing job in telling the story. She really belted out some emotions here and there!

Ski Weekend
Rektok Ross
Six teens’ head to the mountains for senior ski weekend. Sixteen-year-old Stuart was driving the SUV. Sam had always felt she needed to look out for him, protect him and take care of him. She wasn’t looking forward to the trip, Gavin would be there although he no longer attended their school. Gavin and Stuart were best friends, but Gavin always seemed to be putting Stewart in situations where he was injured. Sam felt obligated to go along to keep Gavin and Stuart out of trouble. Lilly, an Asian, was Sam’s best friend and Stuart’s girlfriend. Brittany was a cheerleader and a Christian. Hunter was a football jock; he was African American. Champion the dog was along for the trip.
The teens were not deterred by the police roadblock; they decided to take the backroads. Stuart lost control of the SUV and they hit a snowbank. They had no cell phone service, very little food, the SUV was crowded, and it was bitter cold. Stuart was injured during a trek for help. Things weren’t looking good; their meager food supply dwindled, Stuart has an infection, it’s been days and no help has come for them.
The teens in this tale made stupid decisions. They ignored a warning that the main road was unpassable. Well, if the primary road was bad what did they think the secondary route was going to be like. Stuart was driving! He was a NEWLY licensed driver, the vehicle was not his, he had little experience. When they went for help and didn’t find it in one direction, I think I would have tried a different direction. Most of the time the teens under-estimated the danger of their situation.
Reader’s view the teens from Sam’s point of view. I found this interesting, we all form opinions and usually our judgement is wrong as was Sam’s. Being trapped in a SUV together helps you get to know a person. The dynamics of the relationships changed as the book progressed. The only characters I really connected with were Sam and Gavin.
I enjoyed the ongoing discussion on beliefs. There were several other topics broached although not in depth: racism, vegetarianism, bullying, judging, anorexia, and sexually active teens. The best character in the book was Champion. I love dogs and he was the best.

This YA survival thriller had me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it. I can see why it has won so many awards. Fair warning if you read it before a ski trip- you might want to wait until you get back!

Six teens and a dog go on a ski weekend but how many of them will return? When Sam, her brother and 4 friends go on a ski weekend, the last thing they expect is to crash in a snowbank with little food and no cell phone reception. What would you do to survive?

Thank you SparkPress and Blackstone Publishing Audiobooks for my copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I listened to this book and it made it that much more scary to read!

Ski Weekend is a survival thriller set in the Sierra Nevada of Northern California.

A carload of teenagers are headed to a cabin for a fun weekend of skiing. Sam is a senior at Seaside High. Her brother Stuart, is a sophomore. Also in the SUV are Lily, who is Stuart’s girlfriend; Britney, A very popular cheerleader; Hunter, a handsome flirt; and Champion the dog.

To their dismay they find that snow has the main road closed so Hunter suggests a detour. If the main road is impassable why do they think a side road would be better? Well they are teens and don’t want to miss out on fun. As you guess, very soon into the detour, the SUV swerves on black ice and lodges deep into a snowbank. And… There is no cell service. Thw teens pray that a search party will find them before they run out of food and gas. The vehicle is hopelessly stuck but the heater can keep them warm. Lily hit her head pretty hard in the crash but no one suspected a concussion. After sleeping, she slips into a coma. This is just the first of the challenges to remain alive.

In the cramped, stressful environment, the teens’ true selves emerge. The tension in the car mounts as the situation becomes critical and deadly.

I liked the diversity in the characters even though some were not very likeable.
This is a good survival story, but definitely written for the young adult reader.

I listened to the audio which had a most expressive narrator.

What I thought might happen and what happened are two very different things. And that is not necessarily a bad thing. When a group of teens decide to take a detour to get to their ski weekend meeting point, things end up going deadly wrong. I honestly expected a whodunnit type scenario with deep dark secrets and deadly mother nature nipping at their heels. Instead it took the road less traveled and became a game of survival as things go from worse to catastrophic.

I enjoyed this different variation on thriller. While I wouldn't say that I was on the edge of my seat, I did find myself sucked into the almost realistic atmosphere and growing disintegration of their situation. Champion was probably my favorite character. Is that bad? I can't help it. He was utterly everything a retriever is personified to be and well... I do prefer animals over people these days. lol. Hunter came in second with his southern drawl and boy scout background. The others didn't make or break it for me. Though I will say there is a brother/sister moment that really tugged at the heart strings.

There are a lot of things I didn't see coming in a good way. Some scenarios didn't fit for me but overall I enjoyed listening to Ski Weekend on audio. Katie Schorr is the narrator and I really liked her cadence and emotion (plus her different character tones). For those debating this YA Thriller, I would recommend snagging the audio to immerse yourself in.

Thank you Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to listen to this gifted ALC for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts are my own. I look forward to seeing what Ross cooks up next!

Ski Weekend is a YA Thriller from Rektok Ross.

"A group of teenagers head out together for a weekend of fun. A storm hits hard and the shortcut is full of danger. The SUV crashes and now the friends must figure out how to survive until help can come. But they might not all make it off the mountain..."

This story is full of stereotypes - the jock, the popular girl, the Asian that never stops studying and the kid with a medical condition. At least the dog is heroic. A lot of death for a YA book.

The audiobook version sounded like it was autotuned. It may not have had the final production yet.

The idea was good but would have like to seen different execution.

Well, this was quite a ride, and let me tell you, I am glad I do not live in snow after reading this. This was suspenseful, six teens and one dog set out for senior ski weekend, not all of them are the best of friends, and Sam feels like she has to watch out for her brother and his best friend Gavin to make sure they don’t do anything stupid. Turns out they don’t get that far after their SUV crashes into a snowbank, leaving them stranded with minimal food, no cell service, and temps are dropping. An attempt for help leaves Sam’s brother with a smashed leg and a fever that is not getting better. Things continue to turn dire as the winter elements starts to claim folks one by one, and I had to finish this to know what was going to happen and how they were going to get themselves out of this situation. The result was very satisfying and I won’t spoil it, but it was great, even though not everyone makes it out alive (that’s not a spoiler, it’s in the synopsis).

This was well written, the audiobook was good and helped contribute to the building suspense, it was just the right length, and the resolution was satisfying and did not have a bow wrapped around it which was appropriate for this story. The conflict between the teens was just enough drama for me, and I liked the emotional roller coasters they each went on, it was realistic I thought for the situation they found themselves in. This was a great read that I was able to get through in one sitting, and I would definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and BookSparks for the gifted copy and ALC to review!

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I think it did a really good job of showing just how much we have come to depend on modern conveniences and how quickly things can go south when those are taken from us. I did find the main character’s medical knowledge a little unbelievable, considering that she’s a teenager that only volunteers at an animal shelter.

This is a story that will make you pack extra snacks for the next time you take a road trip,

I’m torn on rating this book. On the one hand, I didn’t enjoy any of the human characters (the dog was great!)… but, I thought the story was compelling, unnerving & exciting. If you don’t need to like the people involved, and just want something that will leave you feeling very stressed- this is a good choice!

Thank you so much Netgalley & Blackstone Publishing’s for this eArc!

𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭!

Don’t you love to go into a story blind and end up hooked since page one?
Just wow, this is one of those books that it’s impossible to put down. A story about survival, friendship and family that was fast-paced, twisty, emotional and addictive!

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing audiobooks for this ALC.

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦: 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺, 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘚𝘶𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦, 𝘚𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘠𝘈.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

The good thing about yesterday was finishing this ALC ..it was spooky and terrifying and left me thankful I live in a state with no snow.

#skiweekend
@rektokross Publish date: 10/26
#superthankful🙏🏻 to @blackstonepublishing @netgalley
for my gifted copy.
4.5⭐⭐⭐⭐🌠 YA Thriller

Five reasons to jump and read this

1.The author really has you thinking in the beginning a serial killer was going to slash them all..the suspense was perfect.

2. We had a Breakfast Club assortment for the cast of characters, where the cheerleader and the Jock were typical in the beginning , they showed the greatest development of character. Survival brought out the best in them.

3. I have not held my breath in a YA thriller ever. . This author may have been working with teens under 18 but blood, death and terror was palpable. You felt the hunger, the cold, and the final scenes I cried with the main character.

4. Much like CoHo ..this author broke your heart and put it back together (almost) . You wanted to hug your significant other or kids at the end of the book.

5. This is a perfect start of winter/ end of spooky season book!!

There were many extra things the author unpacked like anorexia, mental health issues , and the oldest child syndrome which almost never gets brought up . Sam felt responsible for her brother, she needed to protect him, and when she couldnt it was crushing. Sam learned much about humanity and life in this trip and what was most important is living each moment to the fullest. This book makes the reader sit back and really evaluate what's important in the right now, because maybe that is all we have. One of the best YA thrillers of the year.

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#bookobssesedgirl #bookingtogether #bookaddicted📚 #bookstagrammers #bookcommunity #igbooks #igreads #ireadya #yathriller #bookishfollowtrain #bookreviewer #advancedreaderscopy #netgalley #skiweekend