Member Reviews

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

I have read a few of Megan Miranda’s books and have really like them. I still liked her writing style but was not as drawn into this story as previous ones I have read.

Rating: 3/5

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When you open this one, here’s what you’re in store for:

➖suspenseful thriller
➖character-driven fiction
➖survivor guilt
➖unbreakable bonds of friendship
➖small town gossip
➖unreliable characters

“The Only Survivors” wasn’t my favorite Miranda book but I will say I was hooked, finishing it in less than 24 hours.

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The Only Survivors gathers the survivors of a deadly accident ten years later. The story unfolds in present day while alternating chapters reveal what happened at the accident. Stakes seem pretty low, some actions don't have clear motivations, and the story moves slowly.

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As a fan of Megan Miranda and the Outer Banks I was excited to read this offering from Miranda. The premise of this novel is that survivors of a bus crash in high school gather annually in the Outer Banks after tragedy strikes the group a year after their survival. The group pledges to ensure the survival of the remainder of the group. However, this year as a storm hits North Carolina and roads are washed out it feels a little too similar to what the group has endured and things just feel a little off. The book follows the group for one week in the Outer Banks while also flashing back to the original accident. Secrets come to life and questions of who to trust are revealed. Though I enjoyed the setting, it was not my favorite of Miranda's books. It held my interest, but I found myself drifting at times.

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While it starts slow this becomes quite the page turner. You will be invested in trying to figure out what happened that fateful night when 12 died and a few survived on a class bus trip. Each survivor’s memory is presented in their own chapter. Just when you think you know what happened a twist occurs.

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This twisty thriller keeps you on the edge of your seat until the end.
Survivors of a bus crash stick together until they start dying one by one.
There are only 7 left and one tries to escape. - secrets abound and everyone must keep them at all costs.

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3 stars. This book follows the survivors of a tragic accident that happened on a school trip ten years ago. The beginning was slow for me although it did pick up in the middle. I didn’t keep reading because I particularly cared about the characters or their stories, I wanted to know about the crash at the end.

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Compelling mystery with a twist I didn't see coming. Excellent storytelling and great use of shifting POV.

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I loved the structure of this, the way the plot unfolded and the interspersing of the night of the crash. The variety of characters was really refreshing; there’s one character everyone will relate to. There are lots of believable red herrings and this one definitely has a bittersweet ending. It also explores the question of “do we ever grow out of who we are as teenagers?” Highly recommend this mystery.

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This was quite the mysterious thriller! Intriguing, engaging and utterly fascinating. I enjoyed it very much!

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I liked the concept of this book - 9 survived a car accident a decade ago and they get together each year to be together on the anniversary of the accident. Only one of the 9 died a year after the accident... and another one recently died.

Except the premise revolved around this accident... and we didn't get a lot of information on it. The information was revealed slowly, in flashbacks from each of the seven remaining characters. Only it wasn't in order - it kind of was jumpy and really hard to follow because it was intermingled with the present. The present was told only in the point of view of Cassidy, who was kind of annoying.

I did predict a lot of the things that happened here. I thought it would be tough with so many characters, but you didn't really need to know them all (I still don't, even after finishing). It would have been better if there had been more distinction between the six. Overall, it was ok. Predictable and I just didn't like how the backstory was thrown in randomly and not coherently.

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Cassidy Bent tried to spend the last year of her life distancing herself from her fellow victims of a catastrophic accident. When she learns that one of them has unexpectedly died, she decides she needs to be with the rest of the survivors...that maybe it's not safe to be alone. This thriller is told in alternating chapters-the present day and a backwards account of the crash that took 12 of their classmates' and teachers' lives. The storytelling is really well done. There were a couple of twists that I saw coming, but a couple that caught me by surprise. A really fun thriller about identity and guilt.

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This felt like a bit more of a literary mystery than a thriller, and I really enjoyed the plot and the characters…I just struggled a bit with the pacing. And I wish there had been more to what happened at the end of the book, but I definitely did love the twists and the setting was so atmospheric!

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Any Book with Megan Miranda name on it goes straight to top of my pile! This book did not disappoint. She knows how to keep readers wanting more on the edge of their seats! A Beach read with friends that are filled with tension and distrust. What’s not to love.

Thanks Netgalley for this advance ARC copy. I recommend this book so much it’s hard to keep on the shelve.

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An amazing story! The author managed the character relationships perfectly and was able to put an abundance of twists into them that I never saw coming.

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Thank you for the copy of The Only Survivors. Megan has always been a author I can read books by and this one was good. The beginning started off a bit slow but finally picked up. It was nice to see the flashbacks to the past to make the present time to make everything come together. I def would recommend this one, the secrets, the mystery, all made for a great story!

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I usually love Megan Miranda's books, but this one was more of a miss than a hit for me. I found the plot to be repetitive, and could have cut down by a few chapters. I found the main character to be unlikable and naive, and I found the groups pact to come and "support each other" near the anniversary of the tragic event they all experienced together to be odd.

I think this book was trying to unfold in layers, which it sort of did, but I just kept getting a little bored with the book as a whole. I usually am "all in!" on Megan Miranda books, but this one left me flat.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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This was a 3 star for me. Took me a long time to get there and I found myself wishing it would end. While the premise of the book sounds amazing, the writing fell flat and I felt it dragged by.

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A group of friends who were involved in a horrific accident during a high school trip carry a load of survivor's guilt. Meeting up annually on the anniversary of the accident allow the friends an opportunity to keep tabs on each other, not only for support, but to make sure the others have stayed silent about what really happened that evening.

I had such high hopes for this one! I saved it for a vacation read in order to savor it, but I was sorely disappointed. For me, the storyline dragged and at the halfway point and story was still plodding along even when "thrills" started to be introduced, I finally abandoned the book.

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I absolutely love Megan Miranda and her books are always an automatic read for me. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book to me!

This was a rare miss from Miranda for me. The gradual reveal of the crime in question made it confusing to fully understand what actually happened. The book also had a very slow pace (not typical when I read Miranda novels) and I had a hard time finishing it.

The writing was very good, which kept me somewhat invested as I read. However, the plot was not interesting and I was disappointed that it did not hold my attention. She is one of my favorite authors so I am hoping her next book is a winner.

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