I would normally do these at the beginning of the month but rest assured, I haven’t forgotten them; I just really wanted to read the Annie Graham series by Helen Phifer first. I’m talking about the 26 in 26 challenge, I let my ‘spin the wheel’ app do its thing and it choose the following two books;

– Five Survive by Holly Jackson

– To cage a god by Elizabeth May

The first one I read and just completed is Five Survive by Holly Jackson and this woman, this author can hit you in the face with all the twists in her books. I absolutely loved reading it; thrilling and deranged are the words coming to mind after reading this.

It’s spring break and due to the cost of going away by plane is too high for some in this friend group they decide to keep the cost as low as possible and travel by RV since one of them could lend it for free from a family member. Reyna and Oliver are the oldest and not quite part of the group, let’s just say they are chaperones.

Red and Maddy have been friends since they were babies, their mothers being best friends then. Tragedy struck a few years back when Red’s mother was killed in the line of duty and the perp was never caught. Red has a memory problem and forgets things quite easily; like packing a bag with all the essentials – having brought a suitcase with some things in them but forgetting half whilst Maddy is the total opposite and has put so many things in her suitcase, she definitely has extra. After hours of driving, switching drivers every two hours they are close but with the cell signal lost the navigation isn’t working any longer. Going down a narrow road, thinking it was the right one – it actually wasn’t and it’s to small to make a turn and go back.

When they changed a flat tire and the plan is to attempt a turn do they hear cracks and get the feeling that not one but all tires are deflating. When they have a look outside, another couple of cracks sound. Taking refuge inside the RV does the realization sat in that they are being shot at. They keep hearing a static sound, when they get close to the driver side window do they hear a voice – it’s a walkie-talkie attached to the side. When they collected it the voice on the other side tells them that one of the lot has a secret and if this secret is not given to this person within a couple of hours, they’ll die.

Oliver is Maddy’s older brother and is the person that steps up to take the lead on this, but with the hours passing and a couple of events happening he starts losing his marbles. Accusing people of being a mole and working with the sniper – giving up people just so he can get out safely. It’s not until hours later, when two people are dead and Oliver is getting agitated that Red thinks maybe her secret is the one the sniper is looking for, when she tells them her secret it becomes clear who the mole is and that when the secret is out as a whole does someone snap.

Will they survive? What are the secrets that have been shared? Who will die in the crossfire and who is the mole?

I’m giving this book a genuine ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars!