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.

Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson delivers a thrilling and unique premise: Jet Mason has seven days to solve her own murder. After a violent attack on Halloween night, doctors believe she only has a week to live due to a catastrophic head injury. Jet, a 27-year-old from a wealthy family in Woodstock, Vermont, has been somewhat aimless, always planning to start her life "later." Now, with time running out, she's forced to confront her mortality and take action.

With the help of her childhood friend, Billy, Jet is determined to uncover the truth behind the attack. As she investigates, she's compelled to re-examine her relationships and surroundings, viewing everyone—from her family to her former best friend turned sister-in-law, and her ex-boyfriend—with newfound suspicion.

Jackson's first adult novel is filled with suspense, unexpected twists, and a ticking clock that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The story combines elements of a classic murder mystery with a contemporary, fast-paced narrative. Fans of her previous work, such as the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series, will appreciate her engaging writing style and knack for creating compelling mysteries. However, the shift to an adult novel allows Jackson to explore darker themes and more complex character dynamics. The protagonist's race against time adds a layer of intensity to the narrative, making it a truly gripping read.

Jackson is attempting to break into adult novels with Not Quite Dead Yet, but this still reads very much like her YA works. Other than it being a character in her twenties and the fact that there is a bit more profanity scattered throughout, there really isn't much that would make it stand out as an adult title. Which may work for some crossover YA readers who could be interested. Overall, I was disappointed with her writing. The sentence structure was very abrupt and disjointed and it took away from the narrative. There is potential with this title and the idea of a woman solving her attempted murder under a time crunch. I think the best part of the entire novel was Jet's relationship and reconnection with her childhood friend. I did find Jet's character to be very unlikeable. Which may have partly been intentional, but it made it challenging for me to even be on her side to want to know what happened to her. I do also think that she was far too glib about the concept of her dying. She would continually make unnecessary jokes or put off people who wanted to see her when she knew she had a limited window left. I found that to be a bit disingenuous and it actually bothered me on a personal level. There were some moments of suspense throughout which were mildly intriguing, but I will admit I did see the "big twists" coming. If you are a YA reader and a fan of her other novels, you may also enjoy this one. If you are an adult mystery thriller reader, I'd skip this one.

I really enjoyed the plot. It was fun trying to figure out who did it and the culprit was a surprise twist. I did notice a few issues that were a little jarring as a reader. For example, a lot of characters are "sniffing" in this book. I suppose the author prefers "sniffed" to "said", but there's a lot of sniffing which implies a dismissive vibe that is at odds with several scenes. There are also a few clunky sentences that could be worded better. The character development was pretty well placed. I had an issue with Billy's mother as I felt her character was not necessarily relevant for the characters or plot, but was used as a trope to buoy Billy's character development. For example: it is never really explained why Billy's mother left him behind. Both Emily and Billy's Mom feel like tropes added to give the M.C.'s a bit more tragic depth.

Not Quite Dead Yet was definitely a different, but unique story. Our main character Jet is hit upside her head causing a brain fracture. Miraculously, she survives, however within one week, she will succumb to her injuries due to an aneurysm. So Jet decides she’s going to solve her own murder. Honestly, I did have some of the twists figured out as some of the characters were sketchy as hell. However, the main final twist I DID NOT figure out and had me going WHAT?! Holly Jackson is an auto buy author for me and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion!

This book was so good but also totally bonkers. The twists were INSANE which is something one can always expect with a Holly Jackson novel. All in all...the description on the back fits the story.

Jet has been putting off living her life. It is a constant sore spot between her and her mother. But now that someone tried to kill Jet, she has no choice but to live. At least to live long enough to solve her murder. Because that's what happened, someone tried to kill Jet, it's just taking a little longer than they expected. There were a lot of twists and turns throughout this book, making it a fast read. I think fans of Holly Jackson's YA titles will enjoy this. It did feel a little juvenile compared to other adult thrillers. Almost like I forgot I wasn't reading about teenagers. I still liked the book and think it will find a wide audience.

Holly Jackson worked her magic again. This was a perfect debut for her entrance into adult thrillers. The premise of this book was so fascinating that I was hooked right away. I couldn't stop reading and was absolutely kept guessing until the very end. And of course, as is usual with Jackson's books, I audibly gasped at the big reveal! I can't wait to recommend this book to people upon its release!

I wasn’t sure Holly could top A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, but Not Quite Dead Yet was PHENOMENAL! What would you do if you could solve your own murder? I am not sure I ever thought about it but Jet sure did inspire me! If you’re looking for a book filled with courage, mystery, what to do in your late 20s quarter life crisis, messed up families and even a little love - this one is for you!

I was all over the place on this one. I sort of loved Jet and sort of found her annoying. I sort of loved the premise and sort of thought it was ridiculous. I was super engaged at the start, but then found myself wanting it to be over, but then was sad it was over. I don’t know.

I did consistently love the red herrings - I thought I had it all figured out a bunch of times and was wrong!

This wasn’t my fave by Holly Jackson (AGGGTM will forever be in that slot), but I liked this *much* more than Five Survive. I’m already excited to read whatever she writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC digital copy. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

Fast read. Interesting use of humor by the main character, Jet, as she attempts to solve her own murder. Believable emotions ranging from displaced blame, jealousy, friends to enemies, friends to friends, and more.

I’m still uncertain about the ending, which normally would bother me. But the book wasn’t about an ending; it was about living. Learning to live fully and make yourself happy, Using humor in dire circumstances. Realizing that true strength comes from love, not anger or power. And that a week can actually hold a lifetime of memories.

4 out of 5 stars and my respect to the author.

In seven days, Jet Mason will be dead. The 27-year-old heiress from a powerful Woodstock family has always believed she had time to start her life until Halloween night, when she’s brutally attacked and left with a fatal head injury. Doctors warn that a deadly aneurysm will claim her within a week. As her health declines, Jet begins to suspect those closest to her; her family, her ex, even her former best friend turned sister-in-law. With only days left and the help of her childhood friend Billy, Jet is determined to do the one thing she’s never done before: take control and solve her own murder.

Thank you NetGalley! I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller!

After being attacked on Halloween, Jet Mason has seven days to live, so the race is on to solve her own murder - before she dies. In this fast paced mystery, everyone is a suspect, and nothing is as it seems. Is the murderer a stranger? Someone from her past? Someone in her own family?

Holly Jackson's first adult novel is a hit! It follows Jet, a 27 year old girl, who is brutally attacked and left for dead. She lives but is told she only has about one week until an aneurysm in her brain bursts, meaning her attack will soon be a murder. She decides to use this last week of her life to solve her own murder. I loved the twists and turns of this novel, and the relationship between Billy and Jet. I thought the big reveal was wonderfully executed. My only complaint was that at times it felt like a bit too much was happening. I also didn't love Holly Jackson's writing style on this one, though I understand why she chose it. All in all, this was an excellent first adult title for Jackson.

This was okay. Holly Jackson writing an adult thriller was something I was really looking forward to, but unfortunately this was just as outlandish as her YA. Her writing is always quick and entertaining regardless of the plot though.

Holly Jackson never disappoints and this one was no exception. Not Quite Dead Yet was actually her first adult thriller, and while it did lag a bit at times, the concept was so unique that I couldn’t put this book down. Even though it is labeled as adult, I will definitely be adding this one to my high school library.