Eh.

I enjoyed reading this. It was fun the whole time. But it is largely forgettable. I did cry! That is always fun!

Oh my god the dialogue. Ok. I get that wow this is her first book aimed at adults woo! But like that apparently just means dropping the fuck word at least once a page. It doesn't help that most of this book feels like characters talking at each other and little else.

The mystery was pretty predictable. Some of the characters kind of feel like they were forgotten about. Like what was Sophia's deal????

I liked Jet, I really did. But she is just so quippy and snarky and ugh. It is giving CW show.

I don't know, there is not much to say here. A pretty average book. Definitely check it out! It was the first thing I read by Holly Jackson, so her fans might get more enjoyment out of it. Still, a fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

I read this in one day. I was so happy to be picked to receive this ARC, and it did not disappoint. I was worried initially about having a MC whose personality was “I’m a disappointment”, but it immediately turned around with Jet. I found myself being unable to sleep and unable to do other things because I was so interested in knowing WHAT HAPPENED! I will say I guessed the killer, HOWEVER only pages before it was revealed as I noticed things lining up. The book was amazing, I flew through it, I loved it, and I miss Jet. Holly Jackson has done it again!!!

ARC review
Publication date 22 Jul 25

“Not Quite Dead Yet” by Holly Jackson is a murder mystery thriller.

Thank you very much Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the advanced digital copy of the book (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

Holly Jackson is an auto-buy/read author for me and I read all her books.
So I am very happy that I was able to read this book early.

What I like is that the premise for the book is original. Or at least I did not read any book before with a character trying to solve their murder.

Jet is the daughter of a rich family and at 27, she thinks that she has all the time in the world to live her life.
But on Halloween night she is attacked in her home and suffers a head injury that will cause a deadly aneurysm in the next week.
There are so many potential suspects even if Jet was actually a collateral victim.
The whole book is so intense and caused some anxiety.
I understand that the idea is to live your life while you can, but Jet's story is heartbreaking.

My favorite part is that she had help in her investigations.
Billy is her childhood friend and the one that found her after the attack.
He made the most of the time that she had and helped her with anything she asked.
What I did not understand is her family's behaviour, especially her brother.

There are many twists and secrets revealed and I did not except the ending.
Still, some things were predictable, or at least I figured them out a lot faster than Jet.

Overall it is a good book but is made me sad.

okay, so, i’m traumatized! i’m actually going to need holly jackson to step off my neck. this is twice now that she’s reduced me to a sobbing mess on my couch, and i’ve had quite enough!! jesus!! (this is a positive review).

enough about me crying, and more about this incredibly unique premise. when i first read the description i wrongfully assumed we were kind of getting supernatural with it, but jet is actually a medical marvel (/neg) who’s up, walking, and talking for a week (and one week only) after someone attempted to murder her – and she decides to use that week solving her own murder! talk about an insane setup. i was so invested in the mystery that i kept a running list on my phone of clues and theories that i had about who the killer was. i wasn’t right about the final reveal, but i did guess some things along the way, and i had a ton of fun trying to figure it out!

i love the way holly jackson writes her female characters, and this book was no exception. jet was so much fun to read about – i loved her snarky attitude, and i especially loved her interactions with her childhood best friend, billy. i don’t want to give too much away, since this is (of course) best read blind, but man, that ending was a killer. if you’re like me and the end of good girl, bad blood destroyed you emotionally, get ready for a whole new world of hurt. my head is still pounding from crying as i type. join me in suffering in july!

I’m really confused by some of the other reviews because while the style of Holly Jackson’s writing is consistent with her YA titles, that doesn’t make it sound or read like YA in a negative way.

You have 27 year old who was stunted in development. Her behavior is consistent with how a New adult would act. That’s the difference between good and not so good writing. The FMC that Ms Jackson created does have a lot in common with some of her young female protagonists from earlier works but when you look at the character development, that behavior is completely consistent.

Anyway, this was a fun ride with such a unique premise. Did I figure out many of the twists, yes. Did I care? Absolutely not because it wasn’t about the who or how but about the why.
Ms Jackson crafted together a layered plot that’s fulfilling and has some nice shock value.

This book comes out on July 22, 2025 and if you’re a thriller lover, get this on your TBR asap.

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary eARC from Bantam through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Jet Mason has seven days until she dies and she is determined to solve her own murder. Jet is the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in her hometown, but at 27 she really doesn’t know what to do with her life, but she is only 27, so she has time, right? The night of Halloween, Jet returns home, where she lives with her parents, and is attacked and left for dead. Miraculously she survives the brutal attack, but is told she will die within the next seven days due to a brain aneurysm caused by being struck on the head.

With this knowledge, she decides she will solve her own murder. She reconnects with her childhood best friend, Billy, who helps her look for clues, drives her around, and allows her to stay at his apartment. Will Jet be successful to find out who killed her before she dies? Read this fast-paced book that has some twists and turns to find out.

I love Holly Jackson's YA novels, and this novel for adults did not disappoint. There were so many times that I thought I had this story figured out only to find I was wrong. I love it when that happens! Readers will fall in love with Jet and her childhood best friend, Billy. Even though Jet knows how her life will end, she doesn't know how her story will end, and it was a delight finding out with her.

As a massive fan of her YA mysteries (thrillers? not sure the exact genre) I was thrilled to try her first adult thriller, and I must say I wasn't disappointed. The concept of her solving her own murder in a way that isn't paranormal is so (pun intended) thrilling. I've read a fair amount of "solving my murder as a ghost" stories, but never one like this. It's rare to have a fresh concept with the amount of books I read!

I will admit, as someone who is afraid of death and what comes after- and thus what is the point in anything and I have to make everything I do count and be worth it- being in the head of someone who is for sure dying in 7 days was harrowing to say the least. Reading the book actively unsettled me, partially because of the content, partially because I think in her situation I would be comatose in fear the whole time.

This book was so entertaining and I couldn't put it down. I think I still liked her YA works more, despite being nearly 30 now, because I can get the joy of a mystery without having to insert myself as the FMC and feeling existential dread.

This took me a second to get into because I REALLY did not like the main character at first, but she (and her dry humor) rubbed off on me. I love the premise of this thriller. There were enough suspects to keep the story really interesting. Basically, Holly Jackson killed it as per usual!

This book had a pretty original plot that I could get down with. The main character is violently attacked, and an aneurysm will kill her in seven days. Then she decides that she’s going to basically solve her own murder. I loved the characters and the story was insane. There were a lot of different plot twists and interesting directions. I definitely recommend putting this one on your TBR.

Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this ARC. This will be out in July of 2025

I’m not sure I have words. Holly Jackson is a thriller genius, and her first foray into adult was an absolute smashing success. I loved Jet, her dark, dry humor? Never wavering in the face of the end of her life. The cast of characters was well-developed and made it incredibly difficult to pinpoint the killer. I adored Billy and how much he loved Jet, willing to do whatever it took to help her solve her murder before she died. This book had my heart in my throat the entire time, and I’ll be thinking about it for a WHILE. Highly recommend!

I haven't read any of Jackson's YA books, but I really enjoyed this adult mystery from her. Enough twists and turns to keep me guessing, and I cared about the main character so much that the ending got me a bit teary eyed.

This was a ride. Entertaining and suspenseful and the pace really picked up at the ending. I read it in one day. I'm not sure that I love how it ended, but it fits the story.

First of all, thank you so much to NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I have loved each of Holly Jackson's books that I've read, so I was so excited to be approved for this advanced reader copy. That said, I feel conflicted about my feelings about this book. On one hand, it had me HOOKED. I could not put this book down, which was great because I have been in a reading slump for what feels like forever, so to be sucked into a book was great. But I just feel like it didn't hit the same as Jackson's YA books, and I can't quite explain why. I consistently forgot that Jet, our main character, was 27 years old. She and the other main characters just came across as younger to me. What I liked about this book, though, were the twists. They kept me guessing, and I am typically someone who can see a plot twist coming. I did feel a little disappointed by the end, it just seemed like it happened really fast. However, I have been thinking about this book since I finished it, so that bumped up the rating for me.

Holly Jackson has yet to fail me. Even when I guess the twist, which I did with this one, I was still really engaged and wanted to see how everything wrapped up. I also did tear up at the end, which is saying a lot because I never cry when reading.

The storyline was great! I love the twists and turns. We were given just enough information to suspect one person, then another, and so on. There were a lot of shady things going on in this community! The main characters were great and I felt a lot of emotion for them. I encourage you to read this story to see if you can figure out who is guilty and of which crime!

Holly Jackson’s latest adult novel attempts to transition her signature YA mystery style into a more mature space, but with mixed results. While the story delivers suspense, twists, and a compelling ticking-clock premise, it retains much of the tone and structure of her young adult work, which may appeal to crossover readers but will likely disappoint seasoned adult mystery fans looking for mature, adult dialogue.

The plot—centered around a young woman solving her own attempted murder—offers a promising premise, though execution falters with disjointed prose, overused narrative tics like excessive "sniffing," and underdeveloped side characters. Jet, the protagonist, comes across as unlikeable and surprisingly flippant about her condition, making it hard to root for her. Her reconnection with a childhood friend does add some emotional grounding, and there are moments of intrigue leading up to a twist ending.

However, as someone in the medical field, the depiction of Jet’s pending aneurysm required a major suspension of disbelief. The casual approach to such a serious condition is incredibly unrealistic and at odds with the urgency the plot was trying to build. The medical nuances of this condition and the reality of what that week would look like is at odds with how the book portrays this condition. This disconnect weakened the narrative tension and is frustrating for readers looking for a more grounded portrayal of medical stakes, as it does take you right out of the story.

Ultimately, Not Quite Dead Yet shows potential but lacks the polish, realism, and maturity expected in adult thrillers.

Look for this on shelves July 22!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the complimentary eARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC of Not Quite Dead. This book was very suspenseful. It follows the story of Jet who is attacked on Halloween night. She survives but is left with serious damage. Doctors tell her that she will likely suffer a brain aneurysm by the end of the week. This gives Jet 7 days to find out who tried to murder her. This book had many twists and turns and a shocking ending. There are a lot of characters introduced in the first chapter, so it was a little confusing keeping them all straight and the dialogue seemed a little juvenile even though the characters were in their late 20s and older, but overall it kept me interested and entertained. This book releases July 22nd.

I absolutely loved Not Quite Dead Yet and could almost not put it down. The premise is that the youngest daughter of a family, Jet, has come home to live with her parents. She is never quite able to finish anything. Then she is brutally attacked at her home and finds that she only had a week to live. So she decided to solve her own murder. Throughout this long week, Jet finally grows up, finds purpose, and sadly has a reason to really live. It is well written with well developed characters. I will admit I'm not 100 percent a fan of the ending but I was okay with it. I highly recommend this, especially for Holly Jackson fans!

I was excited to get my hands on this since I had read her previous book, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and loved it! However, I have to admit I was a bit disappointed with this one. It definitely hooked me from the very first page but overall, I found it a bit far-fetched and not that believable. The main character, Jet, survives a murder attempt on her life but is given only a few days to live after sustaining a grievous injury in the attack. She becomes obsessed with solving her own murder before her time runs out. The ending itself is a bit predictable however there is a bit of a twist at the end that is surprising. The writing was humorous at times which I did enjoy.
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.