Some drawings I made of the five survive characters because theres literally NO fanart and Ive been obsessed with this book for like 3 years almost guys please we need more fanart!! I tried making the designs as accurate as I could to their descriptions in the book but also its just how I envison them in my head. (Also I got lazy on most of these AND I drew them using my computer mouse so forgive me if it looks bad lol) Anyways made a tumblr acc just for this !! I'll probably draw more too
MAJOR SPOILERS FOR THE BOOK FIVE SURVIVE BY HOLLY JACKSON! You have been warned and now be wary! (you should read it and then come back and look at this after you will thank me I promise it's so good!)
But what if he was Arthur Moore. What if he was, what if there was never a dead spot and never a terrible navigation team. What if they all just got to the campsite and lived happily ever after. (in this situation red's mum was killed by the mafia and she was never needed as a witness)
I quite literally JUST finished the book but I already have fanfiction ideas???
Anyway the book made me want to fold myself into the corner and cry, I did.
I almost finished it in a public space but I didnt it's okay, no sobbing in public this time.
I SWEAR Holly Jackson is like a god upon earth or something every book she has written has left me with a gaping chasm in my soul once I finished it (this makes me very nervous to finish tRoRP) but I can't stop reading her books, I dont even like horror or mystery that much.
I really really really really hated Oliver but I didnt want him to DIE. I feel aas though I should have taken "Five Survive" more literally thinking back on it.
also istg Red's mind is my mind. You don't understand how connected to her I felt (hence the sobbing when I thought she'd died). I always have stuff written on my hand so that it stays in my head.
WHAT IS IT WITH HOLLY JACKSON AND CLIFFHANGER ENDINGS. Like why did she have to NOT do the pier 68 scene. like bro.
Since I've read all of Holly's books, I'm going to rank them! Disclaimer: This is my opinion. If we don't have the same opinion, then respect that. Let's go!
Warning: this may contain spoilers for all books published by Holly Jackson. If you don't want to be spoiled, then scroll away.
6. Killjoy (2021)
I found this story cute! Very fun and fast-paced. I loved seeing how it all started and loved seeing the friend group's dynamic again. I just found this to not be the best out of all of Holly's books (granted this is a novella, but it's not my fave). Also, too much Ant Lowe in my opinion. I would have preferred more Jamie Reynolds. Also, I personally think Connor and Zach should've kissed but oh well.
Overall, fun book! If you wanna go back to where it all started, then this novella is worth it.
5. Five Survive (2022)
Guys... I have a reason why this book is ranked so low. I'm going to start by saying that I did not hate this book. I found the story intriguing and was engaged once the action started. For her first standalone, this book was really good and exceeded my expectations. My main problem with this book was that I found that I could care less about the characters. Personally, I found Red Kenny to be a weak protagonist in comparison to Pip and Bel and, not to mention how I could care less about Red and Arthur. Red and Arthur are cute, but honestly, I could care less if they got together or not.
Again, I don't hate this book. For Holly's first standalone, it was really good. However, I found that I didn't really care for any of the characters.
Overall, good book! Wish I connected more to the characters because the premise is incredible.
4. Good Girl, Bad Blood (2020)
All books in the AGGGTM series are five star reads in my opinion, but I find this the weakest book in the trilogy. Honestly, I love this book with my whole heart. Coming from being Connor Reynolds's biggest fan, I love how much he appeared in this book and how he aided in finding Jamie.
I think this book suffers from what I've dubbed "Sequel Slump" - meaning that the first book is so good that the sequel "slumps" in comparison. In this case, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder is so good that this book just "slumps" in comparison, and I think it's because it takes a while for the mystery to officially begin, since we're taken through a quick recap over the previous book's events and then the memorial.
Also, I personally think that Connor and Zach should've kissed. Connor going to Zach's house to play Fortnite after the memorial? Very fruity to me (joking... or am I?)
Overall, love this book. Wish it got more recognition in the fandom.
3. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder (2019)
LOVE THIS BOOK. This book is fast-paced, thrilling and mysterious. It has a healthy dose of mystery and romance, along with characters I truly felt interested in. Pip's an amazing protagonist who fought hard to prove Sal innocent and find the real killer under the guise of her EPQ, all as she got the guy (Ravi Singh) in the end.
I loved that this book kept me guessing until the very end. I was suspecting everyone (Max, Jason, Naomi, Elliot, etc) and was genuinely surprised finding out Elliot killed Sal. Holly had written him to be such a likeable person that I couldn't believe he would kill Sal just so he could frame him as Andie's killer. AND BECCA? Never would've guessed it. Holly Jackson knows how to write compelling thrillers and I love that for her.
My only real complaint is again, Zach and Connor should've kissed. Connor honey I get that you liked Pip, but Zach Chen is literally right there. You boys are soulmates and I pray that the show recognises that (along with LauCara).
Overall, AMAZING BOOK. Deserves all the hype!
2. As Good as Dead (2021)
AHHHHH I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH. THIS BOOK IS HOW YOU END A TRILOGY GUYS. From the beginning, I was hooked by the mystery of Pip's stalker. This book broke my heart with Andie's email - poor girl was so scared of her father and died trying to escape him. I really like how this book doesn't give Andie a full redemption arc, rather it explains her actions. It really humanises Andie - a girl who grew up in a toxic environment and died trying to save herself and her sister.
My heart shattered when Pip broke up with Ravi. AND HIS SUGGESTION WAS TO MARRY SO THEY COULD GET SPOUSAL PRIVILEDGE??? RAVI FUCKING SINGH WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME???
The ending? EVIL. FUCKING EVILLLL BUT I LOVE HOLLY EITHER WAY. In my heart, I believe Pip got back together with him and they married. They also got another golden retriever in my mind after they got married.
Only complaint was WHERE WAS ZACH CHEN? CONNOR AND HIM SHOULD'VE KISSED WTF. Not to mention Lauren and Cara... Love my girl Steph though. Hoping that Lauren and Cara are a thing in the show though since we don't know much about Steph.
Overall, BEST BOOK IN THE TRILOGY GUYS.
The Reappearance of Rachel Price (2024)
HOLY FUCKING SHIT.
THIS BOOK... I WILL ONLY SAY ONE WORD: BRILLIANT.
When Holly Jackson said that this book was her favourite, I can see why it is. While I struggled to get into it from the beginning, once I read past 100 pages, I was hooked. Bel Price is such a complex protagonist that I could find myself relating to. All the characters were just so complex and you truly don't know who's lying until the very end, when we find out (spoiler alert) that Charlie (Bel's dad) had ordered his father to kill Rachel.
Not to mention how insane the sibling plotline was??? I NEVER WOULD HAVE SUSPECTED THAT CARTER WAS RACHEL'S BIOLOGICAL DAUGHTER. My heart broke when Rachel spoke about how Patrick took Carter away from her when Carter was only two weeks old. The Price family are truly disgusting - Rachel, Bel and Carter deserved so much better.
Also, I preferred the romance between Ash and Bel over Arthur and Red. Ash is such a fun character and I was genuinely sad when him and Bel weren't endgame. I believe that one day, in the near future, they reunite and get together officially.
Overall, LOVE THIS BOOK. If you haven't picked this up yet, then do so now!
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That's it! If you wanna talk, then my inbox is open :) - Em
I JUST FINISHED FIVE SURVIVE BY HOLLY JACKSON AND WHAT THE ACTUAL AVOCADO CINNAMON TOAST FUCK WAS THAT 😭😭😭
HOLLY JACKSON I LOVE U BUT I HATE U 😭
(Spoiler alert 🚨)
IT STARTED WITH JUST 6 HAPPY TEENS ON A CAMPING TRIP AND ENDED WITH 1 DEAD, 2 FATALLY INJURED, 1 RESORTING BACK TO CRIME, AND 2 TRAUMATISED, LIKE WHY 😭
i mean ngl oliver, that bitchass, definitely deserved to die like bro was mentally psychotic 💀💀💀
But poor maddy and simon. They didn't deserve any of it! They weren't even involved in the whole gotti business but still maddy got terribly wounded and simon, scarred for life 😔
Normally i despise cheaters, but reyna is definitely an exception. girlie realised her mistake, and after the confession she wasn't useless like most others who confess about their cheating. she actually tried stopping oliver from ripping apart everyones jaw and also without her idts maddy AND arthur wouldve survived, so huge props to her (and tbf, who tf wouldn't cheat on a bf like oliver??? legit before the confession he was so toxic to her, even more so than andie bell from agggtm 💀)
lastly red and arthur. GODDAMMIT I SHIPPED THEM SO HARD. poor red and her ptsd moments 😭 kudos to holly for perfectly capturing disassociation and ptsd, like her depiction was mindblowingly accurate! and yea, while arthur is guilty, i still feel sorta bad for him. most of all, I feel horrible because redxarthur couldve been so beautiful bUT NO 💔
Those who don't know, I am obsessed with Holly Jackson's books. Pip and Ravi my hearts! I took up Five Survive by Holly Jackson at 6:14 pm today and ended it by 3:12 am.
SPOILERS BELOW
And my thoughts:
FUCK YOU OLIVER. I WOULD HAVE PHYSICALLY STRANGLED YOU!
Red needs a Pip in her life.
First the text and now the letter. Holly stop.
The mfn twist! I loved that woman at the beginning, you fucking bitch.
Arthur, my love, you might not be Ravi but you'd be best friend with him in another universe obsessing over how smart your girls are
I thought I hated Max Hastings the most but boy Oliver, you made him look like a fucking saint.
Maddy a real one. Sad that she doesn't have any family left with her mother and brother dead but at least she has Red, Simon and Reyne.
Simon, sir, I love you with all my heart. The realest one among all. I love your lame jokes too.
Reyne, girl you deserve better.
Haah! This book was.....mindfucking good, not as good as AGGTM but a twisted fuckery that I will always think off.
AGAIN, RED SHOULD MEET PIP ATLEAST ONCE. THEY WOULD BOND SO HARD.
Okay, so three things that is three things that are bugging me.
1. Why was the curtain pattern mentioned so much?
2. Why was the RV being 31 foot mentioned so many times?
