I've always wondered what was wrong with me: NOT QUITE DEAD YET.

Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's really fun to read a book with a different premise!

The idea is that Jet has seven days to solve her own murder. On Halloween, she's attacked at home and left for dead. While she awakes several days later, her injuries have left her with a brain aneurysm that will kill her within a week. Jet--who has always pushed things off until "later"--vows to find her killer.

Jet is the best part about this book. She's an excellent witty and sarcastic protagonist. She cracks jokes constantly, even with her impending death. While this is a mystery, it's quirky and layered. The story is tense, keeping you guessing at every turn. It's dark, chock full of family drama along with secrets and small town stories. Jet has a difficult relationship with her family, leading her to stay with her childhood best friend Billy. Their friendship over the week is its own story and adds extra warmth and nuance to an otherwise dark story.

I wasn't sure about reading a book where it was known the protagonist would die, but NOT QUITE DEAD YET is worth the read. It's complex, funny, and mysterious.


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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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You can't believe a word she says: A GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO MURDER.

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Pippa (Pip) decides to write her senior capstone project on the missing persons case of Andie Bell. Everyone in the town of Fairview believes popular Andie was murdered by her boyfriend Sal Singh, who then killed himself. The story still haunts the town five years later--including Sal's family and his younger brother, Ravi. Pip knew Sal, though, and he was always so kind to her. As she starts digging into the case, with Ravi's help, hoping to cast some doubt on the investigation, Pip starts discovering evidence that could exonerate Sal--and a lot of dark secrets that people in Fairview do not want dug up.

"'Because I don’t think your brother did it—and I’m going to try to prove it.'"

This is a dark and twisty thriller with an improbable but immediately likable protagonist. While I found it a bit unlikely that this high schooler could become such an excellent detective, I soon put my doubts aside. Pip is tough and determined and while some of the plot bordered on implausible, I was there for it, because I quickly fell for her, and for Ravi, Sal's younger brother.

“'It’s not just that he’s gone. It’s that…well, we’re not allowed to grieve for him, because of what happened.'"

Forming a partnership, the two dig deep into Andie's case, interviewing friends, family, and turning their town on its side. The result is an incredibly twisty and dark story-its sad, but sweet too. I loved the pluckiness of Pip; her friendship with Ravi; and the way the clues slowly unfolded, allowing us to see the horrible secrets and lies that led to what truly happened to Andie.

All in all, this is a quick read, full of twists and turns, and featuring a strong protagonist. 4 stars.

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