Scan barcode
clevelandbookgirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Car accident, Confinement, Terminal illness, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Grief, Blood, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Suicide attempt
Minor: Suicide and Cursing
day_dreaming_vampire's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Confinement
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer
ravenpuff's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Bold
Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, Confinement, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Car accident, Death of parent, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, and Suicide attempt
ldystargazer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The plot twist was written very well and was shocking. I felt myself pulled in multiple directions throughout the book. The ending was satisfying.
Overall, not a bad book. Easy read that gives a good mystery twist.
Graphic: Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, and Car accident
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Cancer
sib_reads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This was my first Riley Sager thriller. As expected, this was a very fast-paced novel with lots of twists and turns, increasing towards the end of the book especially. It is set over the course of one night and there is a lot to unpack in such a short space of time. I didn’t realise that the book is formatted like a screenplay (maybe because it was an ARC and on kindle) until right near the end, but it is obvious that the author is penning a love letter to movies.
Initially I did not enjoy the ‘movie in my mind’ trope of the main character Charlie. However, I warmed to the idea more as the book went on and it was undeniably gripping to read from the POV of an unreliable narrator. I also enjoyed that this book tied up every loose end uncovered throughout. Every question had an answer by the end of the novel, though maybe there was slight over-explanations at points.
The ending of this book was full on crazy. There was so much action and drama, and so obviously it is easy to imagine this book as a movie itself. It was a very far-fetched concept but it surprised me how hooked I was.
In my opinion, you really can tell that this book was written by a man. The main character Charlie was so unlike any woman that exists in real life. She had no common sense and made some infuriating decisions the entire way through the book.
Even though this book did not blow me away (and even irritated me at points) I still could not put it down and read it all in one sitting. That is why I have gone with a mid-tier 2.5 star rating.
Graphic: Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death and Mental illness
Minor: Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Torture, Chronic illness, Confinement, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Abandonment, Alcohol, Cancer, and Car accident
bookishgoob's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Car accident, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Violence, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Torture, Suicide attempt, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, and Mental illness
colleensreadingadventures's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
A book with a road trip?! And on top of that a scary road trip with a possible crazy ass serial killer?! Be still my wildly thumping heart!! Unfortunately my beating heart soon turned to a sedated luuubbb duuuppp…..luuubbb duuuppp rhythm rather quickly after getting started on Survive the Night. Someone get me a defibrillator!
It’s 1991 Charlie is fleeing school after her best friend Maddy is murdered by the serial killer dubbed the Campus Killer. It wasn’t just her death that’s eating at her, it’s also the guilt that Charlie could have stopped it had she just stayed with her friend.
She meets Josh at the ride share board and decides to hitch a ride home even if it is dangerous to accept a ride from a stranger right about now. She needs to get off campus.
On the twisted night journey home Charlie’s movie addled brain takes hold and starts to notice things don’t seem to be adding up about Josh. Why doesn’t he want her to see what’s in his trunk and why does his Drivers License have a different name? Could Charlie be in the car with a killer? Is her movie induced brain seeing things that aren’t there? Throughout the ride home Charlie and Josh play a cat and mouse game and it’s anybody’s guess if she’ll make it out of the car alive.
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬:
-First of all Charlie’s delusions in the way she “saw” movies in her head really irked me. I thought it was a bit harebrained. Give the girl another mental disorder if you want to make her an unreliable narrator. Not something that sounds so completely made up.
-Charlie was also super weak in the beginning. I hate whiny, weak MC’s. All that woes is me crap just turns me off.
-The story was a bit slow and way to repetitive in the beginning for my tastes but it did pick up in the second half
-The ending really was a bit half cocked to me. A lot of it didn’t make sense and I found it frustrating.
-I pretty much figured out the whole scheme of things way too early.
𝐏𝐫𝐨’𝐬:
-Charlie got a back bone! It was late and she was still pretty stupid but she showed some guts and and I enjoyed her I’m done being a wimp bad-assery
-I liked the 90’s nostalgia. The music, the lack of cell phones or GPS. Charlie having to rely on a Pay Phone to get help.
-The second half was much better paced. -The premise itself was not bad. It just went sideways with the execution.
I absolutely loved Riley Sagers Final Girls. I keep trying to find that magic within his other books. Sadly Survive the Night was another sorely lacking. I still have a couple books to go before I determine it was a one off, but I truly hope not.
Graphic: Murder, Mental illness, Death, Car accident, Gaslighting, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Grief, Suicide attempt, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, and Confinement
Moderate: Gun violence, Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Terminal illness, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Medical content
kbergsten's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Car accident, Violence, Toxic relationship, Torture, Murder, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Grief, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness
biblio_jordyn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I am a HUGE Sager fan, and that’s saying something because I don’t have many male authors on my shelf.
So what did I like about this book?
This book was cool in that it made me feel like I was watching a noir style film.
There was an unreliable narrator, and while I feel like that trope has been played out a lot, Sager is able to keep it fresh with a spin I haven’t seen before.
This thriller pulls you in from the first page and then keeps you hooked for the whole ride.
The novel was fast paced, but didn’t seem rushed, kept me guessing and I loved every second. I mean, I read it in a day.
If you’re looking for a thriller with twists and turns that makes you feel like you’ve been transported to a noir thriller film? I would definitely check this out!
Graphic: Confinement, Mental illness, and Murder
Minor: Cancer and Death of parent
blakethebookeater's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Car accident, Gun violence, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Kidnapping
Moderate: Blood, Violence, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Death, Abandonment, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts