The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
j_squaredd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Car accident, and Alcohol
Moderate: Drug abuse, Vomit, Suicide, and Child death
foldingthepage_kayleigh's review
- 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
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
- 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
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."Â
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, overdosebookedupandie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Suicide
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol and Vomit
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Car accident, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Blood, Toxic relationship, Violence, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Vomit, Addiction, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Drug use, and Drug abuse
mshaner2133's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Suicide, Car accident, Murder, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, and Child death
Minor: Gun violence
aileron's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Suicide, Car accident, Child death, Murder, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Stalking and Drug abuse
Minor: Gun violence and Vomit
booksbytheglass's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
this was such an atmospheric read with a fantastic cast of characters!! I loved every minute of this one - it kept me guessing until the very last page and kept my mind spinning the entire time!Â
ten years ago, nine teenagers survived a terrible accident, leaving thirteen of their classmates dead. now completely off the rails, the remaining seven of them gather during the anniversary and of course, paranoia ensues 🙃
told from alternating POVs from past to present, I loved how you didn’t know exactly what happened during the big accident until the very last page. it kept leading and leading and leading the reader on until it all clicked at the end and had me screaming HOLY SH- at 2am 😳
while I did guess the secret antagonist from the beginning, I didn’t mind because I loved figuring out the little easter eggs scattered throughout the novel and squealing when it was finally revealed 🤠(aka my favorite type of thrillers ever)
the ending plot twist still had me reeling though. megan miranda really got me this time 🫡
a huge thank you to netgalley and simon and schuster for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!!Â
rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: argentina chardonnayÂ
Graphic: Child death, Car accident, and Suicide