Mishka's Reads 2025 (In Progress!)

Five Survive By Holly Jackson

Rating:

.5

Five Survive is a gripping YA thriller that follows six friends on a road trip gone horribly wrong when their RV breaks down, and they realize they’re being hunted. The story is packed with tension, sharp dialogue, and a plot that keeps you guessing from start to finish.

I thought the characters were incredibly well-written, each with distinct personalities and secrets that added depth to the story. The fast-paced structure made it hard to put down, and I appreciated that it didn’t follow the usual thriller formula—it felt fresh and unpredictable. The only part that gave me pause was the final plot twist. While it added shock value, it left just a few unanswered questions.

Still, this was an exciting, well-crafted mystery that I’d recommend to readers 13 and up who love intense, edge-of-your-seat reads with unexpected turns.

Mishka's Reads 2024 (Total of 26 Books)

Shatter Me By Tahereh Mafi

Rating:

Shatter Me is a dystopian novel that follows Juliette, a young girl with a lethal touch, as she lives under an oppressive regime. I would recommend this book to readers aged 11 and up, as it is easy to follow and features high-paced action that is both appropriate and engaging, making it a page-turner.

I love the clever protagonist and the love triangle that creates tension and banter. Each of the characters has a lot of depth and backstory that can make anyone question who the actual antagonist of the story is. This book is amazing, but compared to some of the other books in this long series, I would rank this only 4 stars out of 5 (which is still a great rating!).

If you are someone who enjoys series like the Hunger Games or Divergent -- with complex main characters and dashes of romance -- Shatter Me and the rest of the series would be great for you!