The Only Survivors is a slow-burn thriller that gave me Yellowjackets vibes. It focuses on a group of high school students who survived a freak accident from a school trip. Now in their annual reunion, they found that deaths started catching up and they've received anonymous threats.

This is my first Megan Miranda and I really like The Only Survivors. I especially enjoy the structure of the book. The dual timeline followed a 7-day timespan in current day and a 7-hour recounts at the accident. Unfortunately I thought the final reveal and the ending wasn't quite as tight as the rest of the book, and the motive of the villain didn't really click with me.

Despite the unsatisfactory ending, I still really like this book and will definitely be reading more Miranda's books!

Thank you NetGalley and Marysue Rucci Books for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great thriller, and of course the cover is gorgeous. There were enough twists and turns that even though I saw a few of them coming, there were several that I did not or was wrong about, which I liked. It was interesting that the flashbacks of the night of the tragedy were told in reverse, but I completely understand why the author chose to unveil the truth in that way. These characters have been carrying huge burdens and survivor's guilt since the accident and have all coped with it in different ways. The book really emphasized that trauma is not something you can ever really "move on" from and that it will continue to impact your choices and relationships for the rest of your life. The ending of the modern timeline was pretty cliché and I was honestly a little bit annoyed by it, but the reveal of the cause of the accident made it all worth it. This one will definitely keep you guessing and you won't be able to put it down.

Thank you to Netgalley and Scribner Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.


***There was a problem with accessing this title through the Netgalley app. I was able to load it onto my ereader from my computer, but I could not find the title with all of the others on my app.***

I am not quite sure what I just read. The entire book was a suspenseful buildup to the ending, but when I got there it hardly seemed worth it. A small group of young people survives a horrific accident where several other classmates perish. The surviving group decides to meet up every year for reasons that are not clear, and I felt strung along hoping there would be some kind of reveal. There is a twist at the end that didn't quite justify the hours I spent reading. Although I am usually a fan of this author, I'm afraid this one fell short for me. I'm giving it three stars because it was a page-turner, for the most part. Recommended, but with reservations.

Thanks and appreciation to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Only Survivors is engaging, nail-biting tense, and full of unreliable narrators. The story switches back and forth between present day and 20 years ago when all the characters were in a horrific accident during a school trip, and they were the only survivors from the accident. Every year since then, the group has somewhat reluctantly gotten together for a bit of a reunion weekend because they realize that no one else understands what exactly they went through those hours they spent in nature after the school vans careened into the raging waters. Now it seems that someone, and possibly someone within their group, is trying to ensure that no one ever knows the real story of what happened with the only survivors that fateful day. Cassidy has no clue who she can trust. Buckle up for a story to unfold at breakneck speed. It also packs a punch of an ending that will leave you gasping. Great writing from Megan Miranda, one of my go-to thriller authors.

I love Megan Miranda’s books, and this one was no exception.

There were nine survivors of the horrific van crashes. Then eight. Then seven. As their numbers dwindle, the remaining survivors continue to meet once a year on the anniversary of the crash, but this year seems especially fraught. Something is going on, and if they don’t figure out what, more survivors may find themselves dead.

This was such a good book. Miranda always uses flashbacks brilliantly and she does so again here. The book is absolutely taut with tension and suspense, and I could not put it down. I definitely recommend this book.

10 years ago, 9 teenagers survived a tragic accident in high school. Teachers and fellow students died in a car accident on a stormy night. Those 9 survivors meet up on the anniversary each year to make sure everyone is doing well. Cassidy is one of the 9. After the first anniversary, their group went down to 8 after one member committed suicide. This year, Cassidy was going to skip. She can't get doing this. That is, until she finds out that one of the other 8 survivors died, 3 months before, of an overdose. She decides that she needs to check in. While being on the beach with the other 6, Cassidy is getting suspicious. Amaya disappears and they can't get ahold of her. What is happening?

The non-linear timeline of their current trip and the date of the accident has multiple stories unfold. What actually happened that night? And why are notes being left at the house now? Where is Amaya? What actually happened to Ian? Will they find out?

I enjoyed this story, it just wasn't my favorite thriller. I guessed the twists, so I guess I was hoping for a bit more, or a darker reason behind it all? I felt like that fell flat for me. Overall, Megan Miranda is one that I will read continuously.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Megan Miranda's latest novel is an intense, slow burn thriller!

A story of nine survivors of a tragic accident during their senior year in high school. The accident left the survivors with guilt for the losses of their classmates and teachers. Amidst the guilt, everyone seems to be harboring their own secrets. For ten years they meet at The Shallows, a cabin on the Outer Banks. As the survivor pact dwindles in numbers due to one suicide and one overdose among the group, the seven remaining become increasingly untrusting of each other as their secrets bubble to the surface. Who can be trusted? Is one of them a killer?

There were lots of twists throughout the story which will leave you guessing until the very end!

Thank you to NetGalley and S&S/Marysue Rucci Books for my ARC.

This one gripped me from the start and was told in two time periods - then and now - from the perspectives of several accident victims that survived a horrific trauma together in their teens. Years later they are engulfed in a game of cat and mouse where someone is dredging up the past and what really happened the night their school vans went into the river.

This was seriously one of the best books I’ve read all year. I feel like I'm about to contradict myself, but it was a slow-burn type of story but it also kept me hooked at the same time. There were so many twists and turns throughout it, and the author really made me think about morality and what it means to save someone and why. I liked how captivating it was from the very first chapter, and loved that the ending came as an almost complete surprise. I haven't read anything by Megan Miranda before, but I will definitely be binging her previous works in the near future.

Ten years ago 9 high school students survive a tragic bus crash into a ravine. Several other students and teachers did not survive. They come together every year on the anniversary of the crash at a beach house in the Outer Banks. Now there’s only 7 survivors and one has mysteriously left. They all made a pact and have kept secrets from that fateful night. They aren’t necessarily friends but are bound together by what they went through together. Cassidy isn’t sure who she can trust.

I liked this one but didn’t love it unfortunately. It was a slower pace and had so many characters. Some of the twists at the end I saw coming but some I didn’t. I just didn’t understand the point of some of it. The atmospheric feeling was done really well. There was a sense of foreboding but the ending fell a little flat for me.

Megan Miranda's books seem to always be a complete hit or miss for me. Unfortunately, The Only Survivors was a bit of a miss for me. It started off great and grabbed my attention. Halfway through, I started losing interest and I found myself eyeing the pile of new books on my bookshelf. I didn't give up though, I powered on through it. The story did pick up towards the end, but by then I was annoyed with some of the characters and while it all came together in the end, some things were eye rollingly (is that a word?) convenient. I didn't hate this book but I didn't love it either. I think her fans will still enjoy it, it just wasn't for me. I keep chasing this high she provided with All The Missing Girls, and that's a hard one to beat. I'll keep on picking up her books though and hoping for another one as good as ATMG.
Thank you to Megan Miranda, NetGalley, and Scribner, S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. 3.5 stars.


The characters were reasonably well-developed but I just didn’t really think anything interesting was happening. It moved a bit slow. I was prepared to give it 3 stars until the end. The end threw me for a loop in a way I wasn’t expecting, and I thought it was really stunning.

Only the Survivors
3 Stars
Out Now
Thank you @netgalley for the gifted eARC!

I tried with this one, but have mixed feelings. The setting was awesome! There were multiple secluded scenes that were tense and page turning. The read itself was so entertaining.

Where this book fell flat for me was the mere fact I could see right through literally every plot twist apart from the very last 2 pages. I found myself struggling to finish the last 50 or so pages because it was just a matter of everything unfolding that I already solved. I was just hoping to be caught more off guard.

This isn't a favorite for me, but it wasn't bad by any means. It was a good starter thriller and I think it will make a great vacation/beach read.

I plan to read all the missing girls, which is on my shelves currently, as I've heard amazing things!

The Only Survivors is both an easy read and a page-turner.

The story is well-paced and will keep you intrigued and I kept telling my husband about it since we have watched outer banks.

Miranda makes masterful use of different points of view, and flashbacks to keep you on the edge of your seat! Just about every assumption you make will be wrong as new information is provided and hairpin twists make your head spin.

It was an enjoyable book that I recommend.

While I think this plot may blur with some of the other thrillers I've read this year, it was highly enjoyable while reading. Megan Miranda just does not miss. While this plot as a whole feels like "read that before" she has enough unique twists/turns/characters to make this feel fresh and well worth a read.

Megan Miranda is hit or miss for me and her last few have just been way too slow. Literally nothing happened in this book for the first 80% or so. Just people thinking someone is watching them. There were a few "twists" at the end but one I predicted and the other one wasn't enough to save it.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a compelling and emotionally charged read. The author does an excellent job of portraying the aftermath of a tragic event and how it can impact people's lives for years to come.

The story follows a group of survivors who come together each year to commemorate the anniversary of a deadly school service trip. The characters are well-developed and relatable, each dealing with their own personal struggles and traumas. The tension builds throughout the novel as the group realizes that something is not quite right during their annual reunion.

The setting of the Outer Banks adds an additional layer of tension and danger as a storm approaches, and the characters must navigate their way through the weather while dealing with their own internal conflicts.

Overall, this book is a gripping and thought-provoking read that will stay with you long after you finish the last page. The author tackles important themes of grief, trauma, and the power of friendship and community to help us heal. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a poignant and engaging read.

High hopes. I had high hopes for this one. The premise is so great, survivors reconvene every year on the anniversary of a high school incident that left them the only ones still living. The setting is atmospheric and there's a mystery around every corner. Perhaps too many? It grew a bit tiresome waiting for something to truly be revealed that was detrimental to the plot.

Plus, there were too many characters/motives to keep track of. The story seemed to drag on, and I felt it would've held my attention more if it were clipped a bit shorter.

Overall, it's a great book for those who love slow burning, atmospheric mysteries.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I got this book as an ARC. I truly enjoyed it and it kept me wanting to pick it up to read more. I did have my suspicions about the twist and guessed most of it, but not all.

Overall, I loved that though I have read similar storylines this felt fresh and kept me guessing. I will look for more of Megan’s books as this was my first.

Well worth the read as long as you realize you won’t want to stop reading until it’s finished!

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕆𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕊𝕦𝕣𝕧𝕚𝕧𝕠𝕣𝕤 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date: April 11th 2023
Genre: Atmospheric Mystery

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
10 years ago, a school trip turned deadly and left only nine survivors. After one of the survivors turns up dead 💀 they reunite at a beach house 🏠 to commemorate the anniversary of the accident.

Megan Miranda can create an atmosphere 🌲 🌊 🚌.

Miranda alternated the narrative between the present and the THEN. The chapters in the present were narrated solely by Cassidy and THE THEN (past) were narrated by all the survivors. There were a ton of characters but having these chapters helped me understand who everyone was.

As always Miranda immersed me into the atmospheric setting and I felt like I was there during the 🚌 accident and also that I was a 🦌 deer!

As an earth 🌍 and nature 🌲 enthusiast 🫂 I really enjoy Miranda’s books!