3.75 stars

I really loved the premise of this book. I think it had so much potential and in many ways it delivered.
I think that the growth that happens with our FMC, Jet, is really well done. As she navigates the aftermath of her attack, she really finds herself and what’s important in life.
The mystery itself was really unique which I loved. The race against the clock as Jet’s life slips away from her.
The mystery was very well developed but I found it very predictable which was a let down as I was expecting a twist that I didn’t see coming. I never felt truly surprised or shocked at any of the reveals which is really what I hope for in a mystery/thriller.
But, the character growth was heart wrenching and beautiful and by the end of the book I was completely sobbing.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. Jackson’s writing flows effortlessly and easily immerses you into the story. Although, I was disappointed in some aspects of the story I still think that many will love this book.

Lastly and this may seem absolutely ridiculous but once I noticed it it bugged me so much was how many time the author wrote that someone sniffed lol. After clocking it so many times I really just needed to see how many, my kindle said 88 times! 88 times in a 400 page book. It’s just an odd description to add in so many times…

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

-- "I'm going to solve my own murder." --

Firstly I want to say thank you so much Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine, for allowing me to have an early Netgalley ARC of this book. I have really, really, enjoyed this book. So much so that this is now my new favorite Holly Jackson book (sorry Reappearance of Rachel Price. ) This book had the perfect amount of twists and turns that Jackson does best, along with a devastating ending and a tragic tale of two lovers whose paths will never align in a way that allows them to be together. All of which Jackson continues to perfectly blend into amazingly intricate stories.

-- "I'm no detective, but it probably wasn't aliens or Taylor Swift. She's very busy" --

The characters in this book held my attention entirely, with Jet's spitfire personality and Billy's kind heart, there was the perfect combination of mystery and tearful moments. "Jet" truly is my new favorite Holly Jackson protagonist, I adore her sheer will and determination to not only find out the truth for herself, but also prevent others from getting caught in the crossfire. She bravely decides to spend her last week on earth solving her own murder, finally learning that she is her own person and that her life is truly what she makes of it and not what others might expect of her. By the end she comes to realize that her life is truly starting to begin in her experiences with Billy. She regrets not living sooner, but more than anything she hopes that Billy and her family learn to live for themselves too.

-- A dead woman walking. And dead women had no use for fear. --

The tension and twists in this book held my attention the whole time, I truly could not put this book down once I had started it. Although I am saddened by Jet's death, I am happy that she finally learned how to truly live and that she eventually let Billy know of her feelings for him. (albeit a little too late) I enjoyed that Luke was the one to kill his father because I truly believe that the action helped prove that Luke truly did take Jet's advice and learned to live for himself and not live only for the happiness of what he thought would make him happy. (really what would make others happy.)

-- "That I loved her? That I'd loved her every single day since I was a little boy? That she was everything to me?." --

My favorite character (other than Jet) throughout this book was "Billy". The reason is actually quite simple, Billy remains a calm voice of support for Jet and is seen as the only person who is truly completely on her side throughout the whole book. Her family holds grudges and others around her mistrust her due to her family, and yet Billy continues to stick by her side through thick and through thin. He remains her home and her guiding light and the person who finally brings her killer to justice by the end of the book. I truly believe that he is the piece of this book that is necessary to truly interpret the narrative as a whole.

-- "That final week, not quite long enough, not quite dead yet." --

Now I'm going to go back to crying over this book, because it was just that good, and hurt that much....

Holly Jackson Book Ranking-
1. Not Quite Dead Yet
2. The Reapearance of Rachel Price
3. As Good as Dead
4. A Good Girls Guide to Murder
5. Five Survive
6. Good Girl, Bad Blood
7. Killjoy

#NotQuiteDeadYet #NetGalley

Jet has always felt the need to be more or do more but never actually gets around to doing it. That is until she is brutally attacked and left with what doctors say is a week to live. So finally she plans to finish something and that something just so happens to be solving her own murder.

Holly Jackson has a hit on her hands. I thoroughly enjoyed The Reappearance of Rachel Price and Not Quite Dead Yet was great as well. The book is fast paced and you’ll sit for what feels like just a few minute and realize you’ve read a large chunk of the book. You’ll have trouble putting it down and want to keep going. I thought I had it all figured out early on in the book and while there were things that definitely stayed true, Holly Jackson does an excellent job at twisting it and dropping enough other possibilities to keep you guessing as you go.

Definitely recommend this and can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House / Ballantine for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 rounded up! I went into this thinking I was reading a fun thriller before it hit the shelves but WOW I did not expect to emotionally connect to the main character so much. This was my first read from Holly Jackson and I’ll definitely be back for more.

Jet has just learned she has 7 days to live and is on a mad dash to find her killer while she still can. This book takes you on so many twists and turns while at the same time tugging at your heart strings with layer upon layer of family dynamics.

I really dislike the “pulled out of nowhere” twist, and so I loved how much Jackson took the time to tie the ending back to clues throughout the book and piece it together so well. I even found myself tearing up at the end! Very pleasantly surprised with how great this book was.

Another five star read from Holly Jackson! A little slow at first, but it picked up quickly and then I couldn’t put it down. The last few chapters shattered my soul. Thank you for the ARC!

I applied for this ARC from a beloved author of mine and was so incredibly excited to be selected to read this masterpiece early. I wanted to get as much of a blind reaction to this book as I could, so I avoided any content on this book until now and I am so glad that I did. I absolutely loved every moment of Jet's story. She was such a witty and relatable character to follow while completely heartbreaking at the same time. I wish I could experience reading her story again for the first time, but can't wait to hear how other's felt so I can feel like I have. Thank you Holly Jackson for another wonderful read.

Holly Jackson is the thriller queen. From the first page, Jet's story had me hooked. Holly's way of making a thriller much more character driven than plot driven is just as present in this book as it is in her others. Also the premise of solving your own murder and knowing you're going to die? So excellent! Truly the stakes were so high in this book! My only gripe that I have is that I felt like there were a lot of pieces to our characters missing. I wish it were a bit of a longer book for Jet to be more fleshed out. Her complex family dynamics were explored a bit, but it was hard to know exactly what Jet wanted out of life, exploring her old relationship with Billy, etc. There were also a lot of character names that blended together a bit and it was hard to grasp who was who. The plot twist was super well executed as well! Overall it was a tender, heartfelt, and solid story with slight imperfections. I would recommend to any fan of Holly's, she's a wonderful storyteller!

After reading Holly Jackson's YA novels and enjoying them, I was very curious to see what she would do with an adult novel. I can honestly say it was just as good, if not better, than her others.

Halloween night Jet gets murdered in her parent's home...well almost murdered. She wakes up in the hospital to learn she can either have a surgery with a 10% chance of survival or die in a week due to a brain aneurysm that is sure to be fatal. She chooses the 7 days to live and commits all of her time to solving her own murder.

I loved the premise of this as something I haven't heard before. Jet's story telling felt so real and I enjoyed that her personality was to keep things lighthearted which stayed consistent through the very end - I couldn't get enough of her constant side comments.

The town drama continues to form throughout this novel in a twisty, engaging, but also heartbreaking way. This was a book that I simply kept thinking about and wanted to know what the next secret would be.

My only struggle with this was the end. The plot twist is so good and the reveal I really did enjoy. I felt like there were a few loose ends that could have been answered with what happens to some of the supporting characters after the reveal happens.

Overall a super great, fasted paced read that keeps you engaged and constantly wanting more. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t realize when I started reading that this was not going to be Holly Jackson’s typical tween angst mystery. Filled with a lot of suspects to choose from and a few twists, I found this to be a great read. Very refreshing to read a murder mystery/thriller from the perspective of the person who should be dead already, but is instead granted an extra week. A few of the storylines were quite predictable, but overall, I really enjoyed this book.

5/5 stars

suspenseful and surprising. Jet actually dying was so surprising because we really didn't dwell too much on the premise. I wanted more of her normal self to showcased before the incident so the comparison would have been more noticeable. I like how her spontaneity and ambition was explained later to be a product of her people pleasing nature because of her sister. I liked the unraveling of the mystery and how her family is involved. I didn't like the pacing, the beginning was too slow and the entire reveal was in the last chapter. Holly Jackson's tropes are most relevant here.

I found the premise of this book intriguing, and the actual story did not disappoint. Jackson created a complex, prickly character that by the end, I was hoping a miracle would save.

A review that is a bit hard for me to write.

Things I liked:
I absolutely adored how fast paced this book was.
I loved the twist ending that actually made sense <spoiler>I would have never guessed it was Billy's father but hearing the explanation actually made a lot of sense.</spoiler>.
An overall interesting concept of seeing someone solve their own murder which is definitely a plus since the thriller genre can become a bit stagnant.

Things I disliked:
Jet felt very much like a YA character, not someone who was supposed to be 27.
And while I loved the twist at the end, I hated the resolution from that twist <spoiler>Luke going crazy and shooting Billy's dad. Like is JJ going to even be able to get out of prison since there still really isn't evidence that he didn't kill Jet?</spoiler>.

This book? Pure emotional chaos in the best way possible. It reached into my chest and gave my heart a good squeeze (in a good, book-lover kind of way!). Jet? At first, I didn't know how to feel about her. But as the story unfolded, she quickly became my spirit animal. If sarcasm and a knack for getting into trouble were Olympic sports, she'd win gold. And Billy? Bless his patient soul. Their bestie dynamic is the kind of ride-or-die I aspire to have in my life.

The twists in this book had me questioning my own sanity. I swear my jaw dropped so many times, I think it might be permanently dislocated. You are strapped in for a wild, and surprisingly poignant journey that doesn't let up until the final page. Prepare for all emotions. I laughed, cried, and even yelled at the book like it could actually hear me. Honestly, "Not Quite Dead Yet" wasn't just great, it was chef's kiss perfection! I had a blasty blast.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pub Date: July 22, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House/Ballantine and Holly Jackson for this advanced reader copy. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam and Holly Jackson for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.8 Stars Rounded to 4

"It's Halloween. Jet comes home from the fair and gets murdered, well, almost and yet now her days are numbered. She has about a week to live due to a brain aneurism she acquired from the attack and the only surgical option has her dead on the table 9 out of 10 times. She chooses the 7 days, after all she has her own murder to solve."

Funny! Thrilling! Tragic!
Jet's story feels so real. Maybe not every aspect but her journey, but her personality, her family drama, her messy love life, the small town where everyone knows someone's business, it all feels so real (a lot like my hometown tbh) and tragic and I think that's what really elevates the novel to the next level. We all know someone like Jet (or more than one someone), maybe not all the circumstances are the same, but we've all had people in our lives who are destroyed by their expectations, or who haven't done the conventional thing, or who have perpetually bad luck or have mental illness and ADHD.

It was really nice to see someone who felt raw and vulnerable but also not annoying or absolutely hateful, her emotions make sense for both her history and her current circumstances.

The bulk chunk of this book is murder mystery sleuthing. Which is great but nothing new and I don't want to give away any spoilers. It was well written, enough red herrings to be interesting, and the drama! Ugh the small-town drama was absolutely delicious!

The Ending is what killed me though (in a good absolutely devastating way). We all know what the books about and yet still the ending was done in a way I wasn't expecting and I was a mess, tissues highly recommended.

If tragic stories or whodunit murder mysteries are your thing I would definitely give this one a shot.

This was so good. Jet is given a fatal blow to the head, but she has a week before it kills her. She spends that time with childhood best friend and neighbor Billy trying to to find her killer. Such a great read as both a murder mystery but also a story of finding yourself.

Thank you to NetGalley for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Well. Fuck. 1:51 am, crying and snotting everywhere, trying to be quiet so I don’t wake up my husband. Holly Jackson has done it again. I honestly think Jet is my favorite protagonist she has written thus far, and the ticking time-bomb in her brain made for such an engrossing, fast-paced story. My one tiny minuscule microscopic complaint and the reasoning behind taking off half a star is that I was able to put the pieces together before they were “revealed”; HOWEVER, I managed this around the 91% mark, so like it was still a good twist. Figuring out the plot twist THAT late in the book is not something I usually would mark off for, but I hold Holly Jackson to a higher standard seeing as she has had my jaw on the floor with every other reveal so far. Basically, @Holly Jackson you have my heart and my wallet, I trust you with my life, thank you for yet another banger.

4.5/5 stars

Not Quiet Dead Yet was my most anticipated summer release, and it completely delivered. I was lucky enough to receive an ARC, but I’m still counting down to July 22 so I can finally talk to everyone about this twisty, heart-pounding mystery!

🕰️ Seven days to live. One chance to solve her own murder.

Margaret “Jet” Mason is the kind of character who stays with you. Known for putting things off—“I’ll do it later”—Jet suddenly finds herself with only a week left to live after a brutal Halloween night attack leaves her with a fatal brain injury. With her time ticking away, she turns detective, determined to find out who wants her dead. Paranoia, betrayal, and desperation set in as she tries to trust no one but her loyal childhood friend. It’s haunting, emotional, and impossible to put down.

If you loved A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, this is a must-read. Jet is smart, stubborn, sarcastic, and so easy to root for. Her best friend gives off total Ravi vibes—loyal, grounded, and the perfect emotional anchor to Jet’s chaos. I tore through this book in under 24 hours (responsible adult-ing was the only thing that slowed me down).

The premise is so original—I honestly can’t think of anything quite like it. If you know of a similar book, please let me know!

From the unforgettable characters to the perfect Vermont setting, to the relentless pacing and gripping plot—this was a five-star read all the way. 💀

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This was amazing. Holly Jackson's best book by far. I loved the way we got jet's perspective on new information, it felt like I was solving the mystery with her. The book was super fast paced and interesting, and I love how there were bits included that you wouldn't pay much attention to but if you did it was awfully sad. The ending had a nice touch with the letters, and I enjoyed there being a sort of "epilogue" with more information. This was devastating and I loved it. The characters felt well developed and rounded. The writing itself was also very flowy, and it never had me confused as to what was happening. Overall, I loved this as it is the most devastating yet best book I've read this year. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for allowing me this arc!

Jet is violently attacked by an unseen intruder on Halloween night and suffers a deadly head injury. Her doctor is certain that within a week, the injury will trigger a deadly aneurysm. Along with the help
Of her childhood friend Billy, Jet uses the last seven days of her life trying to solve her own murder!
What a concept! I love the idea and I appreciate Holly Jackson’s attempt here but certain aspects did fall a bit flat for me. The concept was great, I like the mystery and feel that it was solid. My main issue was that I know this was supposed to be an adult novel but read far more like one of her YA books. There is nothing wrong with that but I felt the main character of Jet felt far more 17 than 27. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a good mystery novel as soon as it comes out. 4 ⭐️ thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rounding up from 3.5

This was a very easy to read thriller that I was able to read very quickly. I didn't connect with or particularly like the protagonist Jet but she was surrounded by other characters who I connected to far more. The last chapter was full of twists and turns, I was shocked.
Would recommend this book to fans of previous books by Holly Jackson and people who enjoy easy to read thrillers.