siobhanward's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I had to go back and check, but this is now my highest-rated of Miranda's books. I'm glad I held out, because while many of her books were decent, this one crossed the threshold into really good. I really liked the survivors tropes and how Miranda unraveled the mystery in the book. The premise was just believable enough that it felt like some parts of the book could have really happened, which definitely kept me on edge. I'm really happy to have read this - it's absolutely my favourite of Miranda's works that I've read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, and Car accident
Moderate: Blood and Murder
ejsimpson's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Stalking and Murder
jmkendall0218's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Car accident, Grief, Murder, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Death
beckyremillard's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Toxic friendship, Blood, Car accident, Gun violence, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, and Death
ali___cat's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident and Death
Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, Grief, Murder, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide
foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Gun violence, Violence, Suicide, Addiction, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Drug abuse, Death, and Child death
Moderate: Alcohol, Kidnapping, Vomit, and Sexual content
kelly_e's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Title: The Only Surviors
Author: Megan Miranda
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: April 11, 2023
T H R E E • W O R D S
Atmospheric • Layered • Predictable
📖 S Y N O P S I S
A decade ago, two vans filled with high school seniors on a school service trip crashed into a Tennessee ravine—a tragedy that claimed the lives of multiple classmates and teachers. The nine students who managed to escape the river that night were irrevocably changed. After one of the survivors dies by suicide on the anniversary of the crash, the rest of them make a pact: to come together each year to commemorate that terrible night.
Their annual meeting place, a house on the Outer Banks, has long been a refuge. But by the tenth anniversary, Cassidy Bent has worked to distance herself from the tragedy and from the other survivors. She’s changed her mobile number. She’s blocked the others’ email addresses. This year, she is determined to finally break ties once and for all. But on the day of the reunion, she receives a text with an obituary attached: another survivor is gone. Now they are seven—and Cassidy finds herself hurling back toward the group, wild with grief—and suspicion.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Having only read one Megan Miranda book previously, I was drawn to her latest release because of the stunning cover. I picked this one up hoping for an entraining palette cleanser and it was certainly that.
What I like:
• the setting. Miranda does atmosphere really, really well. Here the Outer Banks, particularly the house, are a character all their own. It felt creepy and suspicious.
• the structure. Told in dual timelines, this one has a unique structure with the present timeline moving forward linearly, whereas the past timeline was told in reverse. This structure worked really well in helping create suspicion.
What I didn't like:
• the large cast. It took some time to sort everyone out, and because there are so many characters I never got a good sense of who each was. It made connecting or liking any of them pretty much impossible.
• the unreliable narrator. Given I never got a good sense of any of the characters, I really never felt connected to Cassidy (who narrates the present timeline), so I just didn't care at times.
A slow burn and slightly predictable thriller, The Only Survivors isn't a story that will stick with me long-term, but I did enjoyed my reading experience at the time. I can definitely see it being popular this summer, and I'll continue to explore this author's work for the entertainment value alone.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Megan Miranda fans
• readers who enjoy locked-door mysteries
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"There's a moment, when your mind rebels against what it knows to be true."
"There are things you have to do to survive, and there are things you have to believe too - and this was one of them."
Author: Megan Miranda
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: April 11, 2023
T H R E E • W O R D S
Atmospheric • Layered • Predictable
📖 S Y N O P S I S
A decade ago, two vans filled with high school seniors on a school service trip crashed into a Tennessee ravine—a tragedy that claimed the lives of multiple classmates and teachers. The nine students who managed to escape the river that night were irrevocably changed. After one of the survivors dies by suicide on the anniversary of the crash, the rest of them make a pact: to come together each year to commemorate that terrible night.
Their annual meeting place, a house on the Outer Banks, has long been a refuge. But by the tenth anniversary, Cassidy Bent has worked to distance herself from the tragedy and from the other survivors. She’s changed her mobile number. She’s blocked the others’ email addresses. This year, she is determined to finally break ties once and for all. But on the day of the reunion, she receives a text with an obituary attached: another survivor is gone. Now they are seven—and Cassidy finds herself hurling back toward the group, wild with grief—and suspicion.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Having only read one Megan Miranda book previously, I was drawn to her latest release because of the stunning cover. I picked this one up hoping for an entraining palette cleanser and it was certainly that.
What I like:
• the setting. Miranda does atmosphere really, really well. Here the Outer Banks, particularly the house, are a character all their own. It felt creepy and suspicious.
• the structure. Told in dual timelines, this one has a unique structure with the present timeline moving forward linearly, whereas the past timeline was told in reverse. This structure worked really well in helping create suspicion.
What I didn't like:
• the large cast. It took some time to sort everyone out, and because there are so many characters I never got a good sense of who each was. It made connecting or liking any of them pretty much impossible.
• the unreliable narrator. Given I never got a good sense of any of the characters, I really never felt connected to Cassidy (who narrates the present timeline), so I just didn't care at times.
A slow burn and slightly predictable thriller, The Only Survivors isn't a story that will stick with me long-term, but I did enjoyed my reading experience at the time. I can definitely see it being popular this summer, and I'll continue to explore this author's work for the entertainment value alone.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Megan Miranda fans
• readers who enjoy locked-door mysteries
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"There's a moment, when your mind rebels against what it knows to be true."
"There are things you have to do to survive, and there are things you have to believe too - and this was one of them."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident and Mental illness
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Addiction, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Grief, Child death, Suicide, and Violence
Minor: Stalking, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Cursing, and Vomit
sibling death, PTSD, overdoseashleyaselin's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
shutupiamreading's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
If you're looking for a good locked-room mystery, this is for you. I loved the atmosphere of the beach house and the setting in the South, and there is just the right amount of creepiness and mystery. Also love how well Megan Miranda does the reverse chronological timeline!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Addiction and Drug abuse
theinstabookworm's review
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
THE GOOD: I didn't guess the twist.
THE BAD: I wanted more suspense and shock factor. The tension between the characters was frustrating to read because the reader can feel that none of them want to be there but feel like they have an obligation to be there for this annual reunion. The tension slowed the story down and dragged it out, which is probably the opposite effect of what it wanted to do.
THE BAD: I wanted more suspense and shock factor. The tension between the characters was frustrating to read because the reader can feel that none of them want to be there but feel like they have an obligation to be there for this annual reunion. The tension slowed the story down and dragged it out, which is probably the opposite effect of what it wanted to do.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse