Book Review: Five Survive by Holly Jackson
by The Book Pup on June 19, 2026
Blurb for the book (on Goodreads):
Eight hours.
Six friends.
One sniper . . .
Eighteen year old Red and her friends are on a road trip in an RV, heading to the beach for Spring Break. It’s a long drive but spirits are high. Until the RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere. There’s no mobile phone reception and nobody around to help. And as the wheels are shot out, one by one, the friends realise that this is no accident. There’s a sniper out there in the dark watching them and he knows exactly who they are. One of the group has a secret that the sniper is willing to kill for.
My Review
⚠️ CONTENT WARNING BEFORE WE START: 🦊⚠️
Okay, now let's dive in! 🦉📚
Five Survive is a solid thriller that kept me REALLY engaged and hooked. It's a solid 4-star read—pretty good, entertaining, well-crafted. However, it is missing that teeenyyy extra something that would make it truly outstanding (though I loved it regardless). 🌲✨
The book started out GOOD! 🐱💚 Holly Jackson knows how to hook you immediately. The setup is compelling—friends trapped in an RV by a sniper? That's instant tension and a great premise. The early chapters establish the situation well and pull you into the claustrophobic nightmare these characters are experiencing. 🚐🎯
Jackson's structure is excellent! 🦋📖 The pacing, the way information is revealed, the gradual escalation of danger—it's all very well done. You can tell she's a skilled thriller writer who knows how to construct a compelling story. The mechanics of the plot work smoothly. 🌿⚔️
Arthur caring for Red was really sweet! 🦌💕 Their dynamic added some warmth to an otherwise bleak and tense situation. Arthur's protectiveness and genuine care for Red created some of the book's more touching moments amidst all the terror. 🌸✨
On another note, after SOME events happened (no spoilers! 🦊🤐), the situation felt like all hope was lost, like they were ALL going to die. 💔🌙 This is where the book might lose some readers. That overwhelming sense of doom and despair drags on for a significant portion of the story, and it can feel... heavy. Really heavy. 🥀
I can handle that kind of hopelessness in thrillers, but I can absolutely see why some readers would find it annoying or exhausting (this is where your tolerance level in books matters!). 🐺
Oliver became a REALLY BIG JERK and basically the main villain at one point. 😤🦉 Without spoiling specifics, his character transformation was frustrating (though that means Holly Jackson is just being the amazing writer she is, cause that's the emotion she is going for!). The way he acted, the choices he made. He went from being leader of the friend group to someone you actively root against. 🎭💔
I didn't really like Red as a protagonist. 🐱😐 She's fine, she's functional, but she didn't grab me the way I wanted her to. For a character we're spending the entire book with in such an intense situation, I needed to connect with her more deeply. She felt a bit flat or distant in a way that kept me from being fully invested in her survival. 🌙🐾
BUT—everything else in the book made up for it! 🦋✨ The plot, the structure, the tension, the mystery of what the sniper wants and who's hiding what—all of that worked well enough to override my issues with Red as a character. Jackson's skill at crafting a thriller shines through. 🌲💫
Now, let's talk about the ending. 🦊📖
Some people might call it bittersweet, but I actually disagree! 🌸💚 Yes, there's a note at the end that leaves some things to your imagination—but not really at the same time? (If that makes sense!🐾) Without spoiling anything, the ending wrapped things up well and implied pretty strongly that the main character will get her happily ever after. 🦌💕
It's not a cliffhanger or an ambiguous "you decide what happens" situation. The note provides enough closure and hope that you can finish feeling satisfied rather than frustrated. It's more open-ended than a traditional "and they lived happily ever after," but the implications are clear and positive! 🌙✨
So why isn't this a 5-star read? 🦉🤔
Honestly, it wasn't quite "life-changing" material for me. 🌲💫 It's a good thriller, well-executed, entertaining—but it didn't blow me away or stick with me the way truly exceptional books do. It's solid, but not extraordinary. 🐺📚
But based on my experience and enjoyment? It's a 4-star book. Really good, worth reading if you like tense thrillers, but not quite reaching that top tier. 🌸✨
If you're a Holly Jackson fan or love claustrophobic, high-stakes thrillers where characters are trapped and secrets unravel, definitely give this a shot! 🦊💚 Just go in prepared for the intense hopelessness in the middle sections, and maybe don't read it right before bed if you're sensitive to tension. 😅🌙
4/5 pawprints 🐾🐾🐾🐾
You can find the book on Goodreads here!
Who I think this book is for: Holly Jackson fans 🦉📚, readers who love claustrophobic thrillers 🚐🎯, people who enjoy high-stakes survival stories 🌲⚔️, fans of mysteries where secrets are slowly revealed 🦋💫, and anyone who can handle prolonged tension and hopelessness 🐺🌙
Not recommended for: Readers sensitive to intense, distressing situations 😰💔, people who get frustrated by long stretches of hopelessness 🥀, anyone who needs protagonists they can deeply connect with 🐱, or readers who prefer lighter, less claustrophobic thrillers 🌸
Cheers, and happy reading! 🐾✨🌙
The Book Pup
P.S. If you're new to thrillers like me, this is a solid one to try! Just maybe have something lighter lined up for afterward. 🦋
P.P.S. That ending note was really good—open enough to feel realistic but closed enough to feel satisfying! 🌲💚✨