Red is on a road trip for Spring Break, with her best friend Maddie, Maddie’s older brother Oliver, Oliver’s girlfriend Reyna, Red’s other friend Simon, and her crush Arthur. Along the way they end up in a forest alone… thinking it is just a series of mishaps they soon find out it’s much more dangerous. Trapped by a mysterious shooter that wants the secret one of them hide, will they all survive?

Holly Jackson did it again! “Five Survive” was absolutely gripping. It had me on the edge of my seat the entire time! The setting was so creepy and claustrophobic. It added an extra layer to the story to make it even better. I was worried with 6 characters that it may get a little redundant, or I might mix people up but the characterization for each and every character was so well thought out and sculpted. I liked the way Holly Jackson interwove Red’s past with her present! The plot twists were sooooooo good. I genuinely had no idea where the story was going and around the 60% mark I thought the main conflict had been resolved, but I was so wrong. This book keeps giving until the very last page. I did feel that there were some slow parts for me, parts where it felt a little bogged down in details. But the intriguing parts kept me going through those and far outweighed the slow parts! I could not picture a more perfect ending for this book that the one that we were given and the possibilities of what could happen in the future are endless. I think this is a great follow up to the “A Good Girls Guide to Murder” series. If you enjoyed those or like mysteries in general, I highly recommend checking this one out! I can’t wait to see what Holly Jackson writes next. Thanks to Holly Jackson, Netgalley and Random House Children and Delacorte Press for the e-arc in exchange for my thoughts.

ARC REVIEW
Five Survive by Holly Jackson

⭐️⭐️⭐️

A nonstop ride to find out the truth.

☠️ Red is on a spring break trip with her friends, traveling in a RV. When the RV gets ambushed and a sniper demands a secret or everyone will die, the six passengers must scramble to fine a way to safety.

This was an interesting one. Here’s my thoughts.

☠️ interesting premise. The idea that the friend group is trapped in an RV was fascinating. But, it was a lot of talking at times. If you are a fan of movies that are set all in one location, than this is for you.

☠️ the characters were interesting. Not everyone in this group are really friends so seeing how they react to the situation and each other’s secrets was fascinating.

☠️ This was thrilling at times. Being stuck in one place with danger all around was cool. But I will say I wanted more terror from it.

All in all, this was an enjoyable YA thriller!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC book in exchange for an honest review.

Release: 11/29

Being a big fan of Holly Jackson's other works (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder), I was excited and nervous about this one. Excited because I get to read another book written by the author and nervous about whether I would enjoy it/ it would meet up to my expectations since AGGGTM set the bar really high in my opinion.

I'm very happy to say this book did not disappoint and was actually amazing, I read it in 7 hours in the same day. It was fast paced since the book takes place in one night and I loved the way it was structured, sections of the book divided according to the time- 8 hours, from 10pm to 6am. I also really liked the characterization of the 6 characters, it was so distinct and my feelings towards them were so strong, whether it was love or hate or annoyance.

I did think the ending was little rushed, just the very last part, I wish they had shown more of it instead of telling it. But I enjoyed the overall mystery and the conclusion. I had my doubts about the big reveals, but I wasn't able to guess some of them so the thrill and shock of the reveals were fun to experience!

In terms of comparison, I couldn't stop comparing my experience reading the author's trilogy versus reading Five Survive, but I don't think that is fair to the stories since they are very different even though they are both young adult mysteries. I did enjoy AGGGTM more than Five Survive but that had to do with the trope in the trilogy that I personally enjoy more (the detective/ solving the mystery vibe) which this book didn't have obviously because the story is different. So yeah, the book didn't live up to AGGGTM for me, but I also don't think that's something the book needs to do.

I highly recommend this book if you're in need of a mystery book. The book is coming out in December but it is set during spring break so I think it'll be perfect to read this anytime December to March to gear up for/ get excited for spring!

I know I"m late to the Holly Jackson game, but...wow. This one was intense. Six high school students become stranded in thier RV on the way to spring break. The catch--a killer is holding them hostage because one of them has a secret. Well....all of them have secrets, but he is looking for a specific one. This was a wild ride and not for the squeamish.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ebook ARC in exchange for my review.

Eight hours.
Six friends.
One sniper . . .
Five Survive.

Eight words and I was gripped and *needed* to read the latest Holly Jackson YA Thriller. I've read her work before and enjoyed it immensely. This is no different.

We have 6 characters stranded in an RV, tires blown out and a sniper waiting for one secret. Trust falls apart between the friends and the sides of people you thought you knew come out. They all have a secret, whose is the one that is worth dying over?

Red is a complicated main character. She's dealing with guilt and grief over the loss of her mom years ago. The beginning of the book was a tad confusing because of her jumbled thoughts. Does she have memory issues because of her mother's murder? Or was it always a thing? It is mentioned her mother helped her find misplaced/forgotten things.

There's one character in particular written in a specific way to get a strong reaction out of the reader. It's something I think Holly excels at. I had quite a few out loud clap backs to the character. I'm surprised none of the other characters did for most the book.

While the storyline ends up with tons of twists, it keeps the reader gripped the whole time. For me they all worked. It kept me reading, wanting to know how it would all end. How could five survive when none of them should given how the story progresses? Definitely worth a read.

What I didn't like: well, what was the curtain pattern?

Five survive

Entitled kids that never knew what was coming for them. But is it that simple? What is a secret so big that could cost one of them their lives and is there a mole amongst them?
One night. 6 people. One secret. But is a secret worth dying for?
And what happens when lives are on the line?
Loyalties are tested, friendships divided and trust lost.
Five may survive but souls were destroyed and lives will never be the same again.
I did thoroughly enjoy this book and the twists and turns at every corner. A good thriller has to leave you wanting more and this book did just that. Teenagers do hold secrets closer to the chest but I never imagined anything of this nature. Great read! 5/5 🌟

This book would make a great mini TV series. It happens over the course of 8 hours (roughly the time it takes to read the book) and let me say: it starts a bit slow but shit👏 hits 👏 the fan👏. I had about 30% of the book left to read when I was getting in bed last night and I was a little sad I wouldn't be able to finish it before falling asleep since I was already tired. I stayed up until about 3:30 am to finish it because I couldn't stop. I needed to know these kids' secrets and what the sniper was really after, and I was practically sweating multiple times when it felt like people were losing their damn minds. This book is the definition of a thriller, but I also found myself caring about these characters a lot and shocked by the plot twists. And the ending... bravo. This book is CRAZY and I think you guys will love it.

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy. All opinions are my own.

"If this book is on a jump value....we are at a ten out of ten. My husband called me and I jumped off the couch sending my Kindle flying."
Amy, while reading Five Survive


Welp, I loved Five Survive. LOVED it. Adored it. Just fantastic. If my brain was working I would add more adjectives.

This book caught me and literally had a hold on me. I had to finish. The writing was incredible. The story very unique. I did get a bit of the Saw movie vibe...but that worked for me.

I would highly recommend this one if you are looking at a great read. It is categorized as a YA...but it is basically a fantastic thriller with teenagers.

What I am getting ready to say is a spoiler. If you have read the book keep reading my review. If you haven't...do not proceed. Seriously. You have been warned.
Do not read any further if you don't want a spoiler...a big spoiler.
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Anyone else want to throw Oliver off that dang bus? No, just me? Talk about unlikeable character that I couldn't stop watching. I won't go as far to say I'm glad he didn't make it...but dang that kid grated on my nerves. The ending was my favorite because it tied up so well. Good won out over evil....my favorite kind of ending.

3.5 stars

Red and three of her friends are on an RV, headed from Philadelphia to the southern coast for Spring Break., with her best friend Maddy's big brother and his girlfriend joining them as chaperones. When they get lost in the woods, in the middle of the night, the lack of cell service seems like their biggest problem. Until a shot rings out and they realize that their trip has taken a very bad turn.

This is a perfectly nice thriller. The title is a spoiler that one of the six isn't making it back, which does a nice job of setting you on edge from the very beginning. And the tic-toc format with one chapter per hour also helps build suspense. Red's narration took me a while to get used to, she's suffered trauma in her past, which is revealed in bits and pieces as the story goes on. And since she's not the only one hiding things a few early revelations are obvious decoys.

The story does spin out of control a bit - reveal after reveal coming at the end, and a bit too implausible wild crimes (especially for teenagers). But thriller fans should find it enjoyable.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was honestly thrilled to be approved after reading Jackson's A Girl's Guide to Murder Series. Five Survive reminded me of other fast paced YA thrillers I loved- Diana Urban and Karen McManus fans will love this book.

Red Kinney and her close friends are road tripping from Philly to Gulf Shores, Alabama for spring break. They could have flown but Red is poor and has no money for airfare much less new clothes or luggage. Her best friend Maddy is joining her, along with friend Simon and newer friend Arthur, Maddy's older brother Oliver and his girlfriend Reyna who are 21 and in college. Oliver is a sort of chaperone to his sister's friends. Reyna is pre med and Simon is an aspiring actor, while Oliver wants to follow in his mom's footsteps to law. Catherine, who was Red's mom' best friend has taken on a surrogate mom role since her police chief mom was taken out execution style by an unknown assailant.

We meet the group several hours into road trip day 1 as they near South Carolina where the campsite is for the 31 ft tin RV. They get lost, lost internet connection and a tire goes flat somehow. This is when the real adrenaline starts and doesn't let up until the end. You think ok - they're changing out the tire, they're going to make it- but no- all 4 tires are shot out and the gas cap too so it leaks out on the ground. Then they discover the walkie talkie in the RV. A mystery person, a sniper has trapped the group there demanding the secret one of them is hiding. They have until 6 am and he will shoot anyone who tries to leave or help. As the claustrophobia descends as well as panic, a particular person starts unraveling. What is this secret and it seems everyone is hiding something.

I really couldn't stand the aforementioned character, he was truly awful. As they get closer to dawn and they come closer to some truths, and more desperate for escape and survival, the question remains, who will survive and who will not? Revelations that are tied to the past come to light. The end was depicted without first person voice - I wish we could have gotten the main character s point of view in the final chapter, however it will definitely leave you thinking- and that doesn't mean what you might think.
4.5/5☆ rounded up to 5 ☆ out 11/29/22.
TW for murder of a parent, mob violence, gun violence.

Holly Jackson's latest novel of suspense, "Five Survive," has everything a reader could want in a thriller and more! The tension, the blurred lines of reality from a potentially unreliable narrator, the emotional buildup and then unexpected twists, the mafia(?!)- it's all written so well that any time I had to put this book down, I kept thinking about it, wondering which friend could have a secret so important that the entire group was taken hostage.

I also love a fast-paced story that takes place within a limited time frame, so having each chapter begin with the time was a fun way to set the stage and also made the events more believable. Red is certainly the perfect choice for a narrator- honest in her own ways, yet naturally unreliable as there are always multiple sides to a story.

When Red and five of her friends take off in a borrowed RV to meet their friends down south for spring break, they have no idea what lies ahead! After a couple wring turns, they end up in a remote area with no cell phone service but they quickly realize that they may not have ended up here by accident when their tires and gas tank are shot out! Their stalker quickly makes it known that one of them has a secret and he will stop at nothing to make them reveal it!

Who will be the 5 to survive? Who has secrets, all of them or none of them? What's it worth to keep those secrets hidden? Five Survive has a great plot and Red was a likeable character. The story fell short in character development of the others though and there were a lot of dragging sections of the book. I would have enjoyed the book a lot more if it would have been faster paced but it definitely there were sections of page after page of nothingness. The big reveal and climax of the story were great though and full surprises!

Okay, let’s start by saying that my expectations with this book were extremy high. Sky high. As everyone knows, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is one of my favourite series of all time and one of the things I like the most about it are the characters.
Which is exactly what disappointed me with Five Survive. I did not like Red as a main character and I am not even sure she was written to be an unlikeable character. Definitely an unreliable narrator, and that part was handled very well, but I do wonder if her unlikeable-ness was intentional or not. It felt more like to make her unreliable, she became unlikeable, but I do prefer when questionable narrators are characters you love, because it makes it way more interesting and fun to read, in my opinion.
The other characters weren’t very well characterised, unfortunately. They didn’t feel like people, they felt like masks. Once again, I am not 100% sure whether this was intentional or not, but it’s hard to care for characters that don’t feel like real people. The only one that was very well constructed, in my opinion, was Oliver. I hated him and his purpose was to be hated, so that’s definitely well done. Holly Jackson is really good a writing horrible men.
What I did like was the thrilling aspect of this novel. The stakes were extremely high and the enclosed space of the RV served the purpose really well. It was suffocating and the movements of the characters in the space were depicted really well. It felt like you were trapped there with them, and that was definitely awesome, I love when that is the case.
The plot was not my favourite ever, as I don’t like stories with a particular kind of “villains” (I’m not gonna say, because I don’t want to give anything away, but that’s totally a me thing), but the plot twists were placed at the right moment and revealed in the right way. I do think that some things were a bit predictable, but some other plot twists I was not expecting at all and I was pleasantly surprised by a couple of them, which rarely happens.
The writing style was amazing as usual. As I said, the thrills were there and Holly Jackson never disappoints in that regard. The book is compulsively readable, the chapters are very short and every section — one for every hour — ends with a cliffhanger that makes you want to know more. I couldn’t put the book down, despite not liking the characters, that for me is saying a lot, since I am a character driven kind of reader. I believe this book would work perfectly as a thriller movie or even a mini series, with one episode for every hour that they spend in the RV, and I really hope some producers pick it up. I would watch the hell out of it and I think there are too few YA pure thriller movies/TV series, so that would be nice.
So, all in all, this was a good thriller and had I had lower expectations I would have liked it more. However, it remains a solid thriller recommendation and I hope that the author is already working on some new ideas, because I will read anything she ever publishes.

HOLLY JACKSON YOU DID IT AGAIN. five survive is another thrilling, page-turning hit that kept me up until the middle of the night (literally).

I can only give kudos to Holly, for she is a master of her craft: she knows exactly how to keep you glued to the page, guessing and thinking up all sorts of theories that seem just right… but then she will go and surprise you again and again with so many twists and turns that will have you holding your breath. it doesn’t matter if you guess something right, she will still find a way to shock you to your core. and I absolutely love that.

what a wild ride this book was. 10/10 would recommend!

thank you to PRH International for the arc!

Six friends on a road trip for spring break in a borrowed RV. When the RV gets a flat tire and there is no service, the group quickly changes the tire to get on their way again. Once they start moving however, all four tires are shot out and they realize there is a sniper trying to kill them. Will they survive the night?

I have loved all of Holly’s books, so I was excited to dive into a new world! First of all, if the sniper could have just taken out Oliver from the beginning, I think it would have been a much more enjoyable experience for the rest of the group. Basically, I really hated Oliver, but I understood why he needed to be there. I spent so much of this book trying to figure out what the secret the sniper wanted was and who was the keeper of that secret! In true Jackson fashion, this one had me from page one!

I lost count of the amount of times I said “OH DAMN!” in this book! This book gave me so much stress and anxiety and I enjoyed the hell out of it! It was fast paced and ominous and terrifying. It gave me One of Us Is Lying vibes, but with a broken down RV in the middle of nowhere and gunfire. I legitimately wasn’t sure what the big secret and twist was going to be and it was a GREAT surprise! Character wise, it took me a bit of time to warm up to Red. She kind of had this Eeyore “Oh thanks for noticing me” vibe and it bothered me. But as the book went on, her strength and smarts really shine through and I ended up really liking her. This book is set in and eight hour timeline and characters were fully fleshed out, all the different relationship dynamics and the pecking order once the attack begins. It was incredibly hard to put down. If you liked A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, I think you’ll really enjoy Jackson’s next book. Just maybe go do something relaxing afterwards!
TW: gun violence, death

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review!

Wow, ok, where to start. I've yet to read Holly Jackson's other books, so I wasn't sure what to expect from Five Survive, but man am I glad I read this one. First of all, it's nothing like a YA book you're expecting. It's so graphic and fast paced. Sure, the characters are a little naive, and some of the underlying storylines are a little juvenile (ahem, just hold the girl's hand already). But overall, Five Survive is a stellar read. The last 25% of the book comes at you at break neck speed, I seriously couldn't put it down and needed to know how it ends. The twists and turns and shocking twists in the last few chapters are so good. I am a little disappointed in the final chapter because it leaves you wanting more, but a lot of good books do. Young or old, add this to your TBR now.

Red and five of her friends are lost on an isolated road in rural South Carolina on their way to spring break when their RV breaks down because of a flat tire. It doesn't take long for them to realize it wasn't an accident. There's a sniper out there in the dark who wants a secret out of one of them. Oliver and his girlfriend Reyna are the chaperones for this spring break trip, but when it's revealed that there's a secret the sniper's looking for, they start to crack. Maddy, Red's best friend, seems to be on the verge of speaking up, but never does. Simon is either drunk or acting, but his behavior seems to wax and wane and it's too hard to tell if he's lying or speaking the truth. Arthur, the only one who doesn't judge Red based on her past is determined to see things from Red's point of view. As tensions rise with every shot of the rifle, the atmosphere inside the RV becomes increasingly dangerous. This thriller is a satisfying mystery for any fans of Mindy McGinnis or Holly Jackson's other books.

Holly Jackson really knows how to create addictive suspense in her writing, and FIVE SURVIVE is just another example of this. This thriller takes place over the course of one night, with six friends trapped in an RV with a killer outside who will let them go if one of them gives up the desperate secret they are hiding. It's told through the eyes of Red, probably the most damaged and least privileged person there, still reeling from her mother's murder and blaming herself for the outcome, but who has other secrets she's hiding from her friends as well. I liked how we slowly got to see all of these characters go from unbelieving, to unwilling, to desperate, and how Jackson carefully lays out the pieces of evidence as to what is going on and brings it all together in believable ways. I did find Red's inner monologues a bit monotonous at times, and some of the antagonistic character moments are VERY two dimensional, but none of it ever comes off as unbelievable. The twists and turns are well earned, and once it kicks into high gear it really doesn't stop until the last pages. I took this book on a trip to Lake Superior and it was the perfect kind of lakeside reading.

FIVE SURVIVE is another fun thriller from Holly Jackson. I recommend it for thriller fans of all ages!

⭐️: 3.5/5

Six friends decide to take an RV down the east coast from Philadelphia to their beach destination. When a wrong turn is made and the RV gets stranded in a remote area with a flat, they’re disappointed. Their disappointment quickly turns into fear when they realize that getting stuck was no accident, and they are being targeted by a gunman, because one of them has a secret that the gunman will kill to know. Six go in and only five survive.

I was such a fan of the A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series, and was hoping to love this book just as much. Although the mystery within the book and the dynamics between the characters were interesting, and the book held my attention, the magic was just not there. I didn’t really relate to the main character very well, since her internal monologue was almost annoyingly fragmented, and her grand references to “the plan” got tiresome, to the point where when we learned what “the plan” was, although it was a relatively large reveal, I felt a little apathetic to it all. I think this book could have benefited from either a change in POV or a format change throughout (like how in AGGGTM, we get a format change to interviews or other evidence sometimes), which could potentially help the monotony. It dragged through the middle, since there’s only so much an author can say about how scared six kids are, and there’s only so many plans they can make using the contents of an RV. In the end, I enjoyed this book enough to recommend it to others who enjoy YA mysteries/thrillers, but don’t expect it to be as good as AGGGTM.

Thank you to @netgalley and @delacortepress for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!!