Thank you to Holly Jackson, NetGalley, and Bantam for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’m not usually a big thriller reader, but I absolutely love Holly Jackson’s writing—I devour her books every time, and Not Quiet Dead Yet was no exception. The twist in this story completely caught me by surprise, and I was on the edge of my seat all the way until the very last page.

I adored Billy and Jet—their friendship was so well-rounded and genuine, and Billy was the sweetest character ever. Poor sweet Billy deserved SO much more than the hand he was dealt in this story.

Jet’s relationship dynamics with everyone around her were layered and incredibly interesting to follow. I’m still curious about her history with Sophie, as I feel like that thread wasn’t fully revealed, it was minorly addressed- but not fully explored. I personally just really wanted a "who was in the wrong" confirmation, though I am leaning more towards Jet's narrative being the accurate one because she was pretty up front with her failures and apologies. On the flip side, her brother Luke was, in my opinion, totally irredeemable.

I know we were told from the start that Jet was going to die, but the romance reader in me fully expected there to be some break through and she would survive. Overall, this book had me absolutely engrossed—I had to know what happened next. Holly Jackson is officially an auto-read author for me, and this book just solidified that even more.

This book had such a unique premise for a thriller that really raised the stakes in solving the mystery. I love Holly Jackson’s characters and the way she writes them. Jets dry humor helped carry the plot despite the sad circumstances. I thought it was paced well especially given since it’s set in a small time frame. There were red herrings that pulled us all in one direction and it made me very confused as to what was going on (in a good way, like true thriller fashion). The end was sad! I wish certain people knew things before certain things happen… if you read the story you get what I mean haha overall it was a great read!

Did not finish- couldn't stand the story. *********spoiler alert!!!!!*********
Someone hits you on the head and you wake up in a hospital with a decision to make. You can leave with a a fractured skull and live your life which will last about 7 days due to the injuries will get worse until it kills you or you have immediate surgery which has about a 10% survival rate. While you are groggy and have a splitting headache, your extremely pushy and unlikeable mother demands that you have the surgery. This is the same mother who only hours before was criticizing you for being lazy for not doing the mother's work. Hmmm.. Dysfunctional relationship here?

Of course you leave and try to catch the person who "murdered" you including running down alleys and jumping fences with a fractured skull.

Did I say dysfunctional mother daughter relationship? I left out a brother who may or may not have killed before and who really isn't too happy with you right now?

It was all too much. Strongly aggressive personalities all over the place making dumb choices; I'll pass. There are only so many minutes to read and this was not worth it.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.

This was such an interesting and unique plot! I liked the two main characters Jet and Billy, and I especially enjoyed Jet’s sarcasm. The twists were well done, but I do feel there were a couple loose ends. Also the narrator of the audiobook was not my favorite.

Thank you so so so so SO much to Ballantine/Bantam for this e-ARC of one of my most anticipated reads of the year from one of my FAVORITE and autobuy authors in exchange for an honest review. What! Was! That! Holly Jackson is just a masterclass in suspense, thriller, and a little bit of horror. I really do think this book was the most anxiety inducing yet. The way I've been pitching it to my poor friends as I've been reading it is this: on Halloween, a woman is attacked and her head gets bashed in, and she's told that she will have a fatal aneurysm by the end of the week, and she decides to use that final week of her life to solve her own murder. Also, she's a twenty-something year old who keeps telling herself that she has plenty of time, and that life starts "later". Plenty of my friends/colleagues have added this to their list to read this fall. You're welcome! Please please please consider me for an e-ARC for Holly Jackson again. Word of mouth sells!

But to the review itself: it's a classic Holly Jackson book. I've, without fail, read all of Holly Jackson's books, and I am holding my breath by the end of each one, completely haggard in the end by it. So the note in the acknowledgments of this book to "breathe" was nice. I did no such thing, even as I am typing this review. I loved Jet as a character, and in true Holly Jackson fashion, I was holding my breath for the romance crumbs that was developing with her and Billy. I understand that it was a subplot, and perhaps it was meant to be incomplete given the nature of the book, but are we gonna ignore *that* at the end where they're both... Anyway. I don't know what to make about that. I could see the pieces forming together about who killed Jet and how it all made sense, but also... what? Well, it's not really a problem, in the end. If you know, you know. But I really enjoyed the mystery in this, and I feel like because this was supposed to be a thriller, and thus a fast paced book, Jet's existential crisis over literally DYING in a week was glossed over, because she quite literally needed to solve the mystery to move the plot. But still, I think that while Jet's character was amazing, stellar, hilariously girl boss, I think some of her rough around the edges moments that were softened by how scared she was to die could have had the spotlight a little bit more. I think that was the case for a lot of things in this book, too. Like the sister and her best friend thing was bulldozed over, the family as well, the best friend/sister-in-law. I think there were a lot of moving plots, and unless they were directly involved in the mystery at that particular time, it felt like the characters were falling to the wayside a little. Again, could just be because of the narrow nature of this book and its plot, but I think the emotional depth surrounding something momentous—end of life—was not properly balanced with the mystery, but it's understandable given that this book is a thriller, not women's fiction where it would more so explore these existential, meaning in life questions.

I really liked this premise and I think it delivered. I think the reveal made sense and wasn't necessarily anticlimactic because in the end, I understand how we get there, and how the story ended the way it did and why it ended with the characters it did. Again, it just felt like there should have been a little more pull and emotional impact. But overall, Jet has to be one of my favorites, if not my favorite protagonist written by Holly Jackson. I think this is definitely her spookiest work, her most thrilling story, and I think it was wonderfully done as a mystery/thriller/edge of your seat ride. I am so ready to devour her next one and let it be the only thing I want to do for the day as this one was, and all her previous ones as well.

This was my first Holly Jackson book. A quick easy read with likeable characters and some twisty moments. Some of it was predictable but didn't take away from the enjoyment of the story. Even though this was her 1st adult book, I think YA fans would enjoy this as well.

Wow what a unique thriller! I was really nervous going into this book based on the plot, because I thought it was going to be devastatingly sad counting down to Jet's last days. It was crushing, but there was humor and sarcasm and all around badassery that made this book hard to put down. On Halloween night, Margaret (Jet) Mason is brazenly attacked in her own home. She wakes up at the hospital and learns that she will have an aneurysm in 7 days. She vows to find the person who murdered her. She also uncovers more than just her own murder. There are family secrets that go back almost 20 years. I am a huge fan of Holly Jackson and thought that this was so unique. I'd recommend this to anyone who loves a murder mystery. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this eARC.

Thank you so much to net galley and the publisher for the arc! I feel sometimes it can be awkward for authors who write for a certain age demographic to adjust their writing to suit another, but Black does it flawlessly. This thriller had me gripped until the end.

Twenty-seven-year-old Jet has been stuck in life, unsure what her next step is. Though being a part of a wealthy family, the shadow of her sister's death is always hovering in the background and keeps Jet thinking there's always time to figure life out later.

However, one Halloween night, Jet is attacked and is left with only one week to live until an aneurysm takes her life. She has one week to solve her murder. Who was it? Was a family member? A friend? Ex-boyfriend? Or maybe someone she doesn't know?

As she teams up with a childhood friend, the reader is taken on a wild journey on solving a murder mystery and is left guessing!
What a fantastic premise for a story! I was hooked immediately and wanted to learn more about Jet, and the person who murdered her.

The characters within this story was fun to read about. I think Jet as a protagonist and storyteller was perfect. She was upfront, sassy, and filled with such determination to find out who would attack her. However, my ultimate favorite character was Billy! It made me so sad that their friendship had a break and that they weren't always together. His kindness, compassion, and honesty was amazing. Anyone with a Billy in their lives would be lucky!

Most of the plot was quick-paced and fun to read. I loved almost all of the shenanigans the two go through together, though I don't believe I would be able to do the same. Unfortunately, there were moments where I felt the plot was a bit flat. Though I did enjoy reading the book, it was sometimes a bit of a chore to pick it back up sometimes, especially when it didn't seem as if Jet and Billy were making much progress in solving the murder mystery. The other issues I found were the plot points that weren't explained or didn't have a real answer for. At the end, I was left with some questions.

Themes of trust, honesty, determination, friendship, and justice are some themes found within these pages.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and thought the concept was unique and interesting. I give "Not Quite Dead Yet" 4 out of 5 stars for its unique premise and pacing. I would recommend "Not Quite Dead Yet" to those who enjoy murder mystery with a character who knows she will die within a week.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher (Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam) for giving me the opportunity to read "Not Quite Dead Yet". All opinions are my own.

Not Quite Dead Yet is the latest book by Holly Jackson and her first "adult book".. The others are all young adult, (which to me basically means the characters are teenagers). I have only read one book previously by this author "Five survive" bur really enjoyed it so was looking forward to this and it has a good premise.

Jet, aged 27 on Halloween gets attacked and basically left to die, somehow she doesn't die and is in hospital with a brain aneurism and is given seven days left to live or have a very risky operation where the chances of survival are very slim. Instead she decides to try and solve her own murder in her last days of life.

I really enjoyed this book, but I would recommend you read this book rather than listen to the audio version. I'm not sure if the narrator got the memo or understood that the characters were mid to late twenties as the voices she used for the characters sounded very childish and definitely teenager like and was quite off-putting.

I really enjoyed the read, but not the audio version. It would make an interesting tv show and can be enjoyed by adults and I'm sure fans of her other work would also enjoy it too.

Not Quite Dead Yet is a gripping, twist-filled thriller with an unforgettable premise: Jet Mason has just seven days to solve her own murder before a fatal aneurysm claims her life. As secrets unravel and every friend, family member, and ex becomes a suspect, Jet’s race against time is both heart-pounding and deeply emotional.

𐙚⋆˚✿˖° SO APPARENTLY I SIGNED UP FOR HEARTBREAK
⭐️ 3.75 stars (and a side of emotional damage, thanks Holly 😭)

──★ ˙🧷 ̟ !!

Huge thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam for the e-arc via NetGalley 💌

Listen. Took me a whole week to get through this one (which for me is like, forever). Not because it was bad—it wasn’t—but because it felt a little… underwhelming compared to what I hyped up in my head. And of course, the universe had to clown me because I’d been ARC-sitting this book for literal months with ZERO spoilers on my feed, but the second I finally crack it open? Instagram serves me a reel casually spoiling who the killer is. Same thing happened with A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder when I knew about Max before even starting the series. Why does this only happen with Holly’s books 😭😭

─── ౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪

The concept ate. Jet has seven days to solve her own murder before she dies. Like, excuse me?? That’s insane stakes. And Holly does deliver on the ticking-clock tension. Jet’s dry humor had me cackling in one moment and then her looming death would punch me in the gut the next. That balance between comedy and raw grief is honestly Holly’s strongest flex here.

But… and here’s my biggest gripe… I never felt fully emotionally connected. Jet was chaotic and sarcastic (which I usually love), but there were times I felt like I was watching her through a glass wall instead of standing beside her. Same with Billy. I wanted to melt over their bond, I wanted to scream into the void at their little moments, but it never hit quite as hard as it should’ve. Maybe that’s on me for overhyping, maybe it’s the writing being a little emotionally distanced.

──★ ˙🧷 ̟ !!

Characters who stole my brain cells (and my heart):

✧ Jet: sarcastic queen of “I’ll do it later.” She’s selfish, messy, and facing death like it’s one big cosmic joke. I alternated between “ugh stop manipulating people” and “girl you’re iconic for this.”

✧ Reggie (the dog): deserves his own POV tbh. Protect him at all costs.

✧ Billy: cinnamon roll™ with hidden steel. The way he stayed with her through EVERYTHING?? Pain. Actual pain. He deserved better but also… I’m weak for him.

✧ 🥊 Luke, Sophia, Diane: all of them can catch these hands. I don’t even have the energy to unpack their toxicity.

─── ౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪

Little moments that lowkey broke me:

✧ The letters. Oh my god the letters. Reading through tears is an Olympic sport now.

✧ Jet and Billy’s “doomed but ride-or-die” energy. It wasn’t always soft, sometimes it was jagged and raw, but that’s what made it hit.

✧ The way Holly committed to the ending. She didn’t pull a cheap “surprise cure!”—she let it hurt. And weirdly, I respect her for that.

──★ ˙🧷 ̟ !!

Here’s the thing: pacing dragged in parts. Like, I’d put the book down and have zero motivation to pick it back up—which is not my usual Holly Jackson experience. Usually I binge her books in two days flat. This time, it felt uneven: sharp bursts of brilliance and then long stretches of meh. And don’t even get me started on the final reveal being crammed in the last few chapters—it felt rushed and kinda unsatisfying after the whole slow build-up.

But… Holly’s writing still hits. Even when the pacing annoyed me, I was never bored with how she wrote. She has that gift where even filler scenes feel alive. And thematically? Chef’s kiss. The “don’t wait for tomorrow” message hit harder than expected. Jet’s entire arc is one big reality check about how fragile time actually is.

𓇼🌊⋆★ Final thoughts: I liked it, didn’t love it, but it’s still Holly so the bar is high. It’s her most ambitious and high-stakes book yet, and while it stumbled here and there, I had a good time. I laughed, I cried, I rage-texted the void about spoilers, and in the end I still closed the book feeling like I’d been through it. Would recommend, just… keep tissues nearby and maybe avoid Instagram while reading 🤡

I love Holly Jackson books. Auto buy author for me for sure, especially after this one. Her books are clever and fun. And they’re just the right amount of complex. Not too complex, but I never see the twists coming! Highly recommend this author and this book!

Jet goes to the fair on Halloween. When she comes home, she’s attacked, hit over the head. It doesn’t quite kill her, but the aneurysm it’s causing will. She has seven days to figure out who murdered her. She’s snarky and realistic and gets the help from Billy, her childhood bestie. Turns out there are a lot more possible suspects than either of them would have thought.

If you’re looking for a happy ending with no tears - THIS IS NOT YOUR BOOK. If you're looking for something profound, then read on. This story is about Jet solving her own murder. Don’t expect divine intervention. This is exactly what this is about.
Jet never finishes things - there’s always time later until there isn't. There’s got to be something bigger her life is heading towards. - something defining. Sure, this story is about solving a murder, but it’s also about realizing that sometimes it’s not about the destination but the journey. Life can be comprised of small moments, and there is nothing wrong with that.
This book hits close to home. No, I’m not solving my own murder. Nor was I brutally attacked. But I know what it’s like to wake up after something traumatic and not know where I am or understand fully what happened, unable to place words that I know I know, the realization that nothing will ever be the same. Holly Jackson captures it all perfectly. Everything Jet felt was written so realistically that at first I had to stop to cry. I wasn’t sure if I’d make it through reading. I’m glad I did. The empathy and perspective Holly Jackson writes this with shows just how good a writer she is.

Jet, aka Margaret, has lived in the shadow of her older sister Emily's death for so long she barely remembers a time before that. Emily drowned in the pool and their wealthy parents have been grieving Emily for years. Jet tried to make up for her loss by becoming all the things Emily was hoping to become, a Dartmouth student, an attorney, and more.

But Jet has inherited her father's polycystic kidney disease which makes life more challenging for her. Her mother, especially, never thinks she's quite good enough. Her brother has always been a bit of a bully where she's concerned. And Jet was upset when her former best friend married her brother. At the age of 27, Jet's back home, having left law school. Her mother has no hesitation about displaying her annoyance with Jet. She insists Jet help out a bit to promote the family construction business and so Jet reluctantly attends the town's Halloween festival. But she leaves early and when she arrives home alone, is promptly hit repeatedly in the back and side of the head by a mystery person. Her childhood best friend Billy finds her and gets her help.

Jet wakes up in the hospital, remembering the pain and thankful to be able to move. But she celebrates too soon. The doctor tells her she has a brain aneurysm, one that has a VERY slim chance of being removed surgically.. If she doesn't opt for surgery, she'll likely be dead in a week. Jet opts to live the last week of her life instead of dying immediately. Over her parents' objections, she signs herself out of the hospital and moves in with Billy. Billy has loved her his whole life but knows Jet doesn't care about him the same way he cares about her. But, he's willing to do anything she asks.

Jet decides she is going to solve her own murder. She and Billy wander the town asking questions and putting themselves in danger. Family secrets are exposed and it's a wonder that Jet survives long enough for her fatal brain bleed to attack her. She and Billy finish the task they've set for themselves, just in time.

This work by Holly Jackson is hard to put down (I stayed up till 2 am to finish the book) and her fans won't be disappointed at the twists, turns, scares, and revelations. Recommended for everyone who enjoys a good mystery, some family drama, and her YA fans as well.

I am a longtime fax of Holly Jackson and could not wait to get my hands on this one. How can I not be intrigued by the premise of a woman solving her own murder?!

Overall, this was a quick, solid mystery with a great cast of characters and plenty of twists, turns, and secrets to keep the pages turning. I really enjoyed it and think you will too.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

A razor-sharp thriller with Jackson’s signature blend of dark humor and heart-stopping tension. It’s clever, addictive, and perfectly paced.

I love anything Holly Jackson writes so I knew when I saw this coming out I had to get my hands on it!!

This did not disappoint! This novel for me was second to the GGGTM series. The premis is so original and enticing, trying to solve your own murder in the 7 days you have left!!! Wild!

Without giving spoilers the ending had me floored!! I had an expectaiton and hope for the end that was rattled.

I think like many YA novels, I read them for the pace, I want something fast and suspensful! This was just that, the plot moved quickly without losing the storyline and characters.

Not Quite Dead Yet is Holly Jackson's first adult (read: non-YA) novel telling the story of Jet, who is mysteriously attacked in her own home. After the attack, Jet is essentially given a death sentence: she will not survive the damage done to her brain and will die within seven days. With the help of her childhood friend and neighbor Billy, she works through her friends and family trying to figure who - and why - someone wanted her dead.

Overall, this was a very quick read and I enjoyed it! Holly Jackson has a way of making even unlikable characters interesting and readable. However, this book did not seem much different as far as adult vs. YA when compared with her other books. I have enjoyed what I've read of hers and will continue to read in the future, but I wonder about the categorizing of this thriller!

This is a solid mystery with plenty of twists, turns, and secrets to keep the pages turning. I'm a fan of Holly Jackson's YA novels, and her adult debut did not disappoint! Even when I was at 99% finished, and the story still hadn't been wrapped up neatly. The surprises kept up till the last pages!