Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read this advanced copy for review.

I thought I had this one figured out but it flipped the script in the best way. Twisty thriller that will keep you on your toes. I enjoyed this read!

4 / 5

Wowza what a wild ride. I loved all of the twists and turns. The story was so thrilling and I kept thinking I had it figured out then Hannah would twist it all again.

Such a good read that I enjoyed! I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

Only One Survives by Hannah Mary McKinnon is a cautionary tale about the true price of fame!

There is a lot I want to say about this thriller, but it's better to go in blind! McKinnon's dedication, "For music & thriller lovers, everywhere" says all you need to know; this one is Daisy Jones & The Six meets... meets... meets… I don't know what it meets because I have never before read another thriller that had such a well laid out smoke screen as this one does!

The characters McKinnon writes! My goodness! Let's start with the Bittersweet... McKinnon created a band out of thin air with influences and five distinct voices lending to her books rock 'n roll drumbeat. Now shifting tracks... I am simply obsessed with McKinnon's evil characters which can somehow also gain my empathy. I'm beyond impressed with the skill needed to create such utterly heartless characters. But are they actually heartless? After all, their actions could be justified.

It's atmospheric, gruesome, and believable!

It's corrupt, vindictive and humbling!

And I loved every second of this thriller that struck the perfect chord!

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and MIRA for the complimentary copy to read and review.

Only One Survives by Hannah Mary McKinnon is a great mix between a rock-and-roll story and a survival/suspense book. This book started off strong with the introduction of "bad girl" Vienna and "good girl" Madison getting into a fight at school on the first day of their senior year. This cements them as besties and when they discover their mutual love for '90-'00s pop rock music, they decide to start their own musical duo called MV. As we read on, we find out that they've made it as a band and added a few additional members before making it big but while they're on their way to a gig in the middle of a snowstorm their van crashes and leaves tragedy behind. The girls manage to find a desolate cabin in the woods and things go from bad to worse.

While I enjoyed the premise and it was fresh and unique to me. I haven't read Daisy Jones and the Six, nor have I watched Yellowjackets, both of which I've seen comparisons to. I truly felt like it was obvious and the twists/reveals were too easy to figure out. The part where they were trapped in the cabin ended so quickly and the last part of the book seemed to be quite repetitive and didn't hook me as much as the first part of the book.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Bittersweet is an all-girl rock band. Drummer Vienna Taylor & guitarist Madison Pierce had taken their high school dreams of becoming famous full-time musicians to new heights with the addition of 3 band members. With a hit single and a record deal, things are looking up. But when the Bittersweet's van crashes in a remote mountain road during a snowstorm, several band members are injured or killed. The survivors find shelter in a remote abandoned cabin.

Then Vienna is horrified to see each of her fellow band members meeting a gruesome end, with Madison vanishing into the night. A few weeks later, Vienna is keeping incognito in a new apartment.

Vienna's plans to publish a memoir may reveal what really happened to the Bittersweet. But all her fans ready to learn the truth?

A twisty, mind-bending read.

As I was reading this I was so intrigued by the story and I think she does such an amazing job of gripping you, which is a must have for me in a thriller. Although, there were some triggers in this book I wasn’t ready for so unfortunately I couldn’t dig into it as much as I would have loved to. I will definitely read another one of hers asap.

Get on for a wild ride! This one is a rock n roll fantasy gone wrong! 5 stars for showing the ugly side of the climb for fame.
A lot of flawed people with harsh upbringings reach for fame and fortune and our protagonist, Vienna Taylor fits that model to a tee. She is growing up poor, has a horrible mother and stepfather who use her while they go out drinking. The only person she can trust is her beloved grandmother who has dementia.
She becomes besties with Madison Pierce who seems to live the opposite life coming from a rich, two parent family. Madison seems to always get what she wants and has overbearing but attentive parents. They form a band together and start to get lots of attention. They have started the climb to fame!
The book opens with the aftermath of a horrible car accident that happens to a girl band in the Catskills Mts in a winter storm. The chapters flip back and forth between the past and present. We learn the history of the band and the evolution of Vienna and Madison’s relationship.
One by one people start dying. Is it all a result of the car accident and unyielding winter conditions or is of them a killer? This book delves deep into the dark side of fame and the ruthlessness it takes to make it to the top.
I started to suspect I had things figured out about 3/4 the way through the book. A few of the details of what happened in the second half of the book were way over the top and I had to suspend reality quite a bit. It was still worth finishing and definitely chilling.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade publishers for this exciting ARC.

WHAT A WILD RIDE! This was my first book my Hannah Mary McKinnon and I can’t wait to read more! This story had my head SPINNING - unsure of who was lying, who was telling the truth and questioning everything and everyone. So what happened to The Bittersweet? There’s only one way to find out - grab your copy today!!!

This is my first read from this author and it wont be my last!! This is such a fun action packed thriller, filled with lots of twists!
The book’s premise of an all female pop rock band is a pretty cool one. The story goes on into the craziness that occurs through the night when the band has an accident and ends up in a cabin. Then the drama begins! The story bounces around from past to present, but in a good way! It’s a very suspenseful and entertaining story!
I really enjoyed the writing style of the author. I will definitely seek out more of her books!

Thank you to NetGalley for an ecopy of this great story!

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows a girl band as they get stranded in the winter. They don't know who they can trust.

This book was not for me. I really struggled with the way this book was written with random flashbacks. I also felt like the characters were not likeable and I just didn't care about what happened. I also feel like the twists were very unlikely and I had a hard time believing them.

I hope others love this one.

Unfortunately, this was not my faith by this author. I felt like the entire plot was way too far-fetched. I think if you have a knack for suspending reality and wanting some thing out of the box and you may enjoy this one.

Such a fun, wicked read even if I found the twist a little deceitful to the reader. It still worked and I was hooked!

Rating 3.5
It started out great. I was hooked in the beginning about at 70-80% or so it fizzled out. Some of the twists I did not see coming but some were predictable. I did not like the ending and the person who was messing with Vienna was easy to figure out for me. Overall, it was ok but not memorable.

This was not expected. The first 50% felt boring and annoying at times. I was thinking my review would say the main character and her ignoring Madison's behavior became annoying. Well, get to 50-60%, and the story isn't boring. Parts of this reminded me of Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, which I gave 5 stars. I’d give this 3.50-3.75 stars. I’ll round up to 4 stars. The second half was wild, but the first half felt like it dragged a bit. With me even thinking of dnfing, but I'm glad I didn't.

Loved this book. It had some great twists and plenty of suspense. When the all-female band Bittersweet drives off an icy mountain, trouble begins. Who do you trust?? I had to stay up late into the evening to finish this story, I just had to know how it ended. Boy, was I surprised at the turn of events. I would highly recommend this book to all who enjoy a good suspenseful thriller.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trading Publishing for the advance reading copy.

McKinnon's Only One Survives masterfully combines the intensity of rock 'n' roll with the tension of a thriller. This novel takes you deep into the dark side of fame and friendship, keeping you on edge with its gripping, unpredictable storyline. The characters are raw and real, making their struggles and fears palpable. If you're into stories that mix music, mystery, and suspense, this book is a must-read.

Hannah Mary McKinnon always delivers with a twisty tale that keeps you guessing. Her latest novel is classic Hannah. Loved the premise of a girl rock band. As the story progresses you are questioning everything and everyone. I love how this story unraveled and how it makes you feel lots of different emotions. It had some great spooky vibes to it as well. Always enjoyable picking up her books!

This was a really cool read. I enjoyed the structure of the story going between present day and before/after the accident. The band aspect of the story was unique and interesting for a suspense read. I was shocked at the mid story twist and from that point on I was totally hooked trying to figure out how this would all end. Towards the end of the story as things started to unravel, I got a feeling of unease as crazier and crazier things started to occur. I also enjoyed the different mediums such as news articles and interviews. This story was gripping and I really enjoyed it. The ending was great!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for my copy of this ARC which published 7/16/24.

🌟 Just finished the most gripping read, and I’m still buzzing from the rollercoaster of emotions! 🎸✨ "Only One Survives" takes us on a wild journey through fame, friendship, and the incredible strength of women. Vienna and Madison’s bond is electric, and let me tell you, their drive to succeed is contagious! From their heartwarming beginnings to the tragic moments that test their friendship, every page pulled me deeper into their world. 📚💖

If you’re looking for a book that combines intense twists with unforgettable characters, this is it! It’s like an 80's rock anthem that you can’t help but crank up to full volume! 🎶💥 I dove into this story and found myself lost in the highs and lows, and trust me, you’ll want to carve out some time to get fully immersed. Go grab a copy and let me know what you think! Happy reading! 📖✨ #Books #Fiction #MustRead #BookLovers #BittersweetBond