⤿ 3.25 stars

This was overall a solid read! because i love holly jackson’s ya’s so much i was maybe expecting more, but that’s not to say this was a bad book at all 🫶 i loved the plot of jet being murdered… or, well, almost. after being hit with a hammer, she is left with a deadly aneurism and one week left to live, and to solve her own murder 🙂‍↕️
there were some twists in here and dark histories unveiled. one thing though is that i did wish we found out a bit sooner who the killer was, though it definitely took me by surprise. it just felt all too sudden with it all happening in the epilogue.

jet was a lovable character and i loved her wit, determination, and cleverness. if i was told i only had one week to live…idk what i’d do tbh. but jet got up and decided to do something. i admired seeing the way her brain worked and how she was able to figure things out from the little information they had. and of course, billy was adorable and the best side kick!

in all, i had an enjoyable time with this one even if it wasn’t personally the most remarkable in my opinion, and i would still definitely recommend this book! all of jolly jackson’s books i have read to date have been twisty and wonderful reads too!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of “Not Quite Dead Yet” in exchange for an honest review!

I’m traumatized even though I knew how it would end. I mean the ending had me crying and I don’t think I’ve ever shed tears while reading a book, ever. Every time I think about this book since I finished it has me unwell which just goes to show how incredible of a writer Holly Jackson is!

This book had me solving Jet’s murder with her. While I figured out who the killer was it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. Every piece of the puzzle clicked together so nicely in the end.

At first I thought Jet was a rude and blunt character who was a little bit of a jerk but as the story progressed she grew on me. Now that I know why she’s so rude I don’t blame her for it. Billy, her childhood best friend who helps her solve her own murder was her polar opposite in the best way possible. I loved their friendship!

Despite the tragic ending there were so many beautiful themes in between these pages! The beauty that can be found in being human and having your days numbered was one that resonated with me in particular. It was surprisingly heartwarming in a bittersweet sort of way.

I loved every minute of this book and hope Holly Jackson never stops writing traumatizing stories! (I’ll be sending her my therapy bills)

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin random house Canada for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was VERY excited for Holly Jackson's adult thriller debut but like many other reviewers, I felt that this gave off strong new adult/YA vibes with the FMC being a recent college grad who still lives with her parents, hangs out with her high school BFF and the narrator felt VERY childish too. Despite that though, the plot was twisty, there was EXCELLENT disability rep (the FMC has a TBI and has inherited polycycstic kidney disease from her father). If you like rich people behaving badly stories and twisty domestic thrillers with cold case crimes, I highly recommend Not quite dead yet!! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ACL in exchange for my honest review!

I loved this book and needed to keep reading! Not Quite Dead Yet gave me some of the vibes of A Good Girls Guide to Murder in the aspect of solving a murder, a fiery FMC and a partner in crime! I needed to know what happened next and Holly kept me reading!

As someone with my own brain issues, I really resonated with Jet’s journey, trying to do anything and everything while working through a diagnosis. I’m lucky to not have the same result as Jet but it is hard hearing your health isn’t what you hoped to be, and with so much more life to live.

I will say one piece was that I found Billy and Jet to be a bit juvenile. They’re in their last 20s but I got the vibe of teenager Pip. Other than that, LOVED IT!

Really interesting concept of someone surviving almost being murdered and having a week to attempt to solve their murder before they die.

I wanted to like this book more than I did. I love a thriller because of the fast pacing. I really enjoyed all the different characters Jackson had in this book and learning their backgrounds. But I felt like this book's pacing was a bit off. I would have appreciated more twists sprinkled throughout rather than most being right at the end of the book.

I'm definitely looking forward to picking up Holly Jackson's next adult novel.

⭐ 4.25/5

𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘠𝘦𝘵, by @hojay92 is a fast-paced mystery, with short chapters.

Holly Jackson is one of my auto-buy authors and I'm so incredibly grateful I got to read this eARC!😍

Just like all her other books, this one did not disappoint. Always so easy to read and to get into, it gets you hooked right away!

Although I guessed the plot twist, it was still very interesting and I still wanted to see how it was gonna play out! And I say I guessed it, but I did by like 80% of the book so it's still very well done! It's just that after a specific event it felt very obvious to me, so for it to not be for the main characters was a bit meh for me. But like I said, it's still very interesting and enjoyable! AND, I absolutely didn't guess the last page (IYKYK oh my my)

The pacing was perfect! Never a dull moment!
I also liked how the book ended. I didn't know what to expect or how she was gonna wrap everything up but I really liked how she did it!

I can't recommend Holly Jackson enough! She's one of the best and will forever remain an auto-buy!

📆 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘘𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘠𝘦𝘵 releases today! So go ahead and RUN to your nearest bookshop!

Thank you so much @penguinukbooks @netgalley and @hojay92 for this eARC ❤️

The premise of this one immediately grabbed me—how could you not want to cheer for someone on a ticking clock, racing to solve their own murder?

After waking up in the hospital from a brutal attack at home, Jet learns she has just one week left before she will die of a brain aneurysm. Her top priority before time runs out? Finding out who her murderer is. As a late twenties woman who hasn’t yet hit her stride, Jet is living with her parents back in her hometown after dropping out of college, but she never thought she’d made any enemies. Unfortunately, a blow to the head will make you give everyone a second look! Teaming up with childhood best friend— turned handsome guitarist—Billy, Jet dives into a series of misadventures while facing a looming deadline.

As a character, Jet took a long time to grow on me. She eventually did, but it was a slow burn—much like the book’s plot. The gravity of Jet’s impending death (something I feel most people would struggle to handle gracefully) never really lands, and the reactions of her friends and family didn’t feel quite genuine either. Though this is marketed as Holly Jackson’s first adult novel, Not Quite Dead Yet felt strikingly similar in tone and maturity to her YA series, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. Jet may be a decade older than those characters, but she winds up in the same kinds of situations, and it didn’t feel geared toward adults.

Despite my issues with the book, I enjoyed the ending and though it may not top my list, it’s worth a read if you’re intrigued by the storyline.

Holly Jackson, best known for her hit YA series A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, brings her trademark suspense and sharp character work to the adult thriller scene with Not Quite Dead Yet—and the result is a gut punch you won’t see coming.

The story centers on Jet Mason, a 27-year-old drifting through life in the shadow of her wealthy Vermont family. After a vicious Halloween night leaves her with a fatal brain injury and only seven days to live, Jet decides to solve her own murder before time runs out. With her childhood friend Billy by her side, what follows is a race through family secrets, small-town grudges, and the looming spectre of mortality.

Jet is the heart of the novel—raw, flawed, and darkly funny. Her voice leaps off the page, balancing regret and resilience in a way that feels painfully real. The slow-burning tension between her and Billy, the tangled family relationships, and the sense of urgency all combine to create a story that’s as emotional as it is suspenseful.

Jackson writes with the same crisp pacing and addictive style that made her YA books impossible to put down, but here she adds grit and a heavier emotional punch. The twists land at just the right moments, and the blend of family drama with the central mystery keeps the stakes sky-high.

What works? The premise is irresistible: solve your own murder before you die. Jet’s narrative voice is unforgettable, the emotional beats hit hard, and the pacing never lets up. If there’s a drawback, it’s that some readers might find the ending polarizing, and a few side characters don’t get quite as much spotlight. Suspension of disbelief is required in a few spots, but the payoff is worth it.

Jackson’s first adult novel is clever, heartfelt, and packs a real punch. If you want a thriller with brains, heart, and a protagonist you won’t forget, Not Quite Dead Yet delivers.

Really good!! I’ve never read anything by this author before and I enjoyed this a lot.

One minor thing I didn’t like though is why are they sniffing all the time lmao. It’s like “…” she sniffed. A creative choice but a strange one nonetheless.

I liked the ending and I liked that the story kept me on my toes; it didn’t feel like the author wanted to spoon feed us the mystery and reveals, but it also wasn’t totally out of left field.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

On Halloween night, standing in her home eating a themed cookie, Jet is attacked from behind - bashing her skull and leaving her for dead. Except she wakes up two days later in the hospital, so she isn't dead... yet. She can either opt for surgery that only has a 10% survival rate, OR she can wait for the inevitable aneurysm to form and burst in about seven days. She has a week to live before the trauma to her head kills her, and she wants to spend it solving her murder, so she can die with some closure.

I'm not sure I read the synopsis for this book - I just saw murder mystery by Holly Jackson and it was adult instead of YA, and I was sold. But truly, I read this book in two days - and it's 400 pages and I have a baby to take care of!!! I truly gravitated to this story at every reading opportunity I had, and maybe chose it over sleep, just a little. So many twists. I never suspected the killer - and I suspect EVERYONE - so I liked it that much more.

CW: murder, violence, death, blood, fire, hospitalization, mentions of suicide and alcohol abuse, gun violence

I was so excited to get to read this early and I enjoyed it even more than I expected that I would. The premise of Jet having one week to solve her own murder had me so interested, even if the book hadn't been by Holly Jackson. She really outdid herself with this one and I struggled to put it down when I needed to. This was definitely felt adult than her other works, but I liked it even better. The characters and world were so well fleshed out and interesting. I love a murder mystery where all of the characters have depth and are easy to keep track of and tell apart. While I predicted some parts, there were plenty of twists and turns and layers to keep me guessing and wanting to read more. I'm going to be thinking about this one for a while.

She’s been murdered. She’s got one week to live. She’s not wasting it being polite.

Holly Jackson’s Not Quite Dead Yet is part murder mystery, part emotional reckoning, and part chaotic gallows humor, and I devoured it like I had seven days to live. Jet, our dearly-not-quite-departed heroine, doesn’t just want justice; she wants answers, closure, and maybe to burn a few bridges on her way out.

Jet is the kind of protagonist you’d want to haunt your local coffee shop: snarky, whip-smart, and fully aware she’s running out of time, but still cracking deadpan jokes about it. Think Veronica Mars meets Final Destination, with a side of grief, smalltown secrets, and buried family truths that refuse to stay six feet under.

And then there’s Billy. Sweet, sincere, total green flag Billy. If Jet is the fire, he’s the steady flame. Their chemistry crackles, not in a cliché YA swoony way, but in a deeply earned, emotionally intimate slow burn that makes your chest ache a little.

Now, real talk: I clocked Jet and Billy in their late twenties, so I went in expecting something a little more mature in tone; maybe a deeper, darker emotional current to match the subject matter. But the vibe sits more squarely in upper YA territory, which isn’t a flaw, just a mismatch with my expectations. That said, it’s an easy, bingeable read with wide appeal- perfect for a weekend escape or beach day devour. In the end, it didn’t quite elevate the way I’d hoped, but it’s still a solid, clever, and emotionally charged thriller.

Twisty, tense, and surprisingly tender, Not Quite Dead Yet is for anyone who loves their thrillers with a pulse, a plot that won’t quit, and a heroine who refuses to go quietly.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #PenguinRandomHouse for the ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Book- Not Quite Dead Yet
Author- Holly Jackson
Release Date- July 22nd, 2025

2⭐️

Ok… I think I need to stop reading thrillers for a while 🤣😭. Yet another incredibly predictable book with zero shock value when it came to the killer. Is it me? Am I the problem?? Maybe my brain is just too dark for these kinds of plots…

If anyone else reads this, please let me know what you think. I’ve seen reviews saying the ending was so shocking and people were crying?! I genuinely don’t get it. I cannot relate.

Now onto the book. Man, I really wanted to like this one. Holly Jackson has a big fan base from A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. I read it, found it predictable, and wayyy too YA for my taste. So when I saw this was her adult debut, I got excited.

But honestly? It didn’t read like an adult book. The only “adult” parts were that there was swearing and the FMC was older—but even then, she acted incredibly immature. Jet was insufferable. She was rude to everyone (except Billy), and there were so many cringe moments that felt more middle school than adult fiction. Like… a 27-year-old making a “do-do” joke because someone said “do” twice in a row? What are we doing here.

As mentioned, I had no connection to Jet. She was just mean for no reason—including to a poor construction worker who literally did nothing wrong. I like to think I’m a pretty nice person, and reading about someone that abrasive was just… gross. Not enjoyable.

That said, I do think people who don’t read a ton of dark, twisted thrillers—or even watch those kinds of shows—might enjoy this more. But for me? I’m realizing I need a solid shock factor to get excited about a thriller, and this just didn’t come close.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada (Adult) for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Let me begin this review by letting everyone know that Not Quite Dead Yet finally broke my three months reading slump and also that I finished this book on a weekday at 1:30 AM sobbing to my pillow, Did i finish this book or did this book finish ME?

The writing was just like Holly's other books, so fast paced and engaging, and after just a few chapters I found myself getting attached to Jet and wanting the outcome of the book to change. The ending? Diabolical. I knew Holly would never chicken out and change the outcome but AT WHAT COST??????? I mean, kudos to you woman for sticking to it, but ouch. It got way worse than I expected. The way I couldn't see my kindle screen the last 5% of the book because of my tears. Holly Jackson when I catch you—

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada (Adult) | Doubleday Canada and NetGalley for this gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this enjoyable mystery/ thriller by Holly Jackson. This was my first book by the author, and I found the premise so interesting and original that I will look forward got her next books. It is scheduled to be published on July 22/2025. The premise was intriguing and original, and kept me captivated. The main characters were well-described and believable. The story was action-packed, suspenseful, with twists I hadn't anticipated, involving a desperate unravelling of secrets and lies.

The story begins slowly at a Halloween gathering where many of the characters are present. The narration reflects the words and behaviour of the main character, Jet Mason. She is ably supported by her longtime friend, Billy, who is likeable and the son of a police officer. Jet is the daughter of a wealthy Vermont family that owns the Mason construction business. She was rude, sarcastic, and frequently used profanity. She is twenty-seven but waiting for her life to begin. She uses the excuse that she will do something 'later', meaning that she has plenty of time to comply with the request, or it may never get done. She has avoided any significant personal commitments, has never been in love, a. concept she barely understands. There is always 'later'. Billy, a childhood friend, is always available to provide emotional support and help. He loves her, but she uses and manipulates him into dangerous situations.

On returning home from the Halloween gathering, Jet is alone in the Mason residence when violently attacked by an unknown intruder. Blows to her head cause a catastrophic brain injury. Doctors predict that in a week, she will be dead from a fatal aneurysm. As she realizes that whoever wielded the weapon caused her murder. She realizes that she wants to follow through and complete something for the first time. This involves identifying her killer and solving the crime in the short time that remains. The police have arrested her ex-boyfriend on circumstantial evidence, and neither Jet nor Billy believe him to be guilty. The murder weapon, a specific type of hammer, is missing. Billy diligently helps her sort out the possible suspects by reviewing timelines on a smartphone, conducting internet research, and consulting an old diary. Jets' family is dysfunctional, with a pushy, annoying mother. Her father seems kind, but is a non-entity. At dinner, her mother tries to persuade her to choose between a coffin and a burial urn, and she flees, moving in with Billy.

Jet's sister, Emily, died in what appeared to be a tragic accident, but was it murder? Some thought her brother, Luke, may have been involved. Luke has a temper and had been under the impression that he would inherit the Mason business. Jet and Billy discover that Luke has been committing financial fraud within the company. Luke's wife, Sophie, was once Jet's best friend. They learn that she is using illegal tactics to ensure her husband's success. A young man, who had been close to Jet, has been badly injured in a work-related accident, but he lies about the cause. They discover he is not listed in any of Mason's employee records, and so, not on their medical plans and is unable to afford the treatment needed to recover. It appears that sinister deceptions occurred within the Mason business. Many of the employees are suspects in the attack on Jet.

Is Jet, with Billy's assistance, able to carry on her investigation? She has the will and determination, but does she have the stamina to carry out her amateur procedural detective investigation? Within the week, she endures dizzy spells, double vision, and has lost the use of her right hand. Can Jet sort out the clues in the week and identify her attacker? Could her condition be the result of a misdiagnosis? Will a cure be found to prolong her life? Why does the pleasant and kind-hearted Billy stick around when she lacks the capacity to return his love? Although somewhat far-fetched, I was held in suspense throughout the book and was unprepared for the twists and secrets revealed at the end.
Recommended for fans of the author and those who appreciate a unique, intense story with plenty of twists and turns.

I really loved this book and I'm a huge Holly Jackson fan. This one shocked me with the content and the ending, but it was nice to have a book that didn't end the way you thought it would!

A big thank you to Penguin Random House Canada (Adult) | Doubleday Canada and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange of an honest review,

I DNF'd this one at 20%.
I really wanted to love this, as I'm sur a fan of her YA work.
Unfortunately the problem with this one (for me) was that it's written like a YA book, with a 27yo main character.
My brain couldn't get passed that unfortunately.
Of and saying "fuck" shouldn't be a character trait.

I'm sure the book as as fun and action pack as her other one, but I just couldn't do it.
So sad.

I love holly Jackson and was really excited to get my hands on this. It was like nothing I’ve read before which is rare for thrillers. I just found the MC a little bit unlikable.

Wow! The premise of this book was incredibly interesting and unique and usually when a book as such a great summary it isn’t executed well but I can’t say the same for not quite dead yet from the pacing to characters and the twists and turns everything about this book was to love. I was definitely in a reading slump and picking this books up got me right out easy 5 stars and will recommend.

Imagine solving your own murder. Most people are obviously not around to do that, but Jet knows she is going to die and is determined to find out who attacked her before she does. But that is tied up in so many secrets, many going back years and a police force that just want to close the case with an easy suspect.

It seems like it would be hard to connect with what Jet is going through but it is well written and you feel for her struggle to get answers while time ticks away and her health starts to fail. From leaving home because of family issues when many of us would just want to spend time with our loved ones (although I get that pressure, my sister passed as a young adult and it makes my mum act similarly).

I loved her sarcasm, the fact that she didn't just stay home, cuddle Reggie and eat chocolate (because I would 100% be cuddled up with my cats and chocolate) and that she found some time to live between investigating. But maybe a little less of the strenuous stuff. Not a doctor but it seems like it would have been super dangerous.

I wish things ended differently for Jet. That the police would be right, the person would confess and she could risk the surgery knowing she had answers and go on to actually do something with her life for her. But that ending? The letters? Bawling.

I would have loved to see a little more of the fallout as everyone picks of the pieces of their lives and the secrets all come out. The killer was on my shortlist but I had expected another twist because it is Holly Jackson, so it did keep me guessing.