There's a hoping in my heart that says I'd brave the dark: FIVE SURVIVE.

Five Survive by Holly Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Red Kenny and her friends are headed on a spring break trip in a borrowed RV. It's Red; her best friend Maddy; Maddy's older brother Oliver; friend and classmate Simon; Red's secret crush Arthur; and Oliver's girlfriend Renata. On their way, the group gets lost and their RV breaks down in the dark woods with no cell service. Soon they realize they've been trapped there on purpose by someone who wants one of them dead. They have until dawn to escape: six friends, five will survive.

This is one of those rare books I enjoyed more than I thought I would--it's no classic, but it's a fun page-turner of a thriller. It's quite the locked room story, taking place entirely in the RV. There are so many secrets and lies, with tension building as the tale goes on. It's bloody and dark and keeps you guessing as you attempt to work out why everyone is trapped and who could be responsible. Oliver is such a classic bad guy that it's easy to point the finger at him, but there's a surprising amount of suspects. Everything winds up being a bit predictable but I still found this to be an enjoyable and suspenseful quick read. 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4 here.


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