e-ALC, 09:06:22
Narrated by: Amber Dekkers, Korey Jackson, Marcella Cox, Kevin R. Free, James Fouhey, Liz Femi, and Cary Hite
Release Date: June 2, 2026
Published by: HarperCollins
Read from: May 27-28, 2026
#3, Blackout
Source: Netgalley (I also received this as an ARC from the publisher via TLA. This did nothing to influence my review.)
Content Warning: Murder, Toxic Friendship, Drug Abuse, Vomit, Drug Use
For Readers of: Audio, Contemporary, Most Anticipated, Mystery, Own Voices, Racial/Ethnic Diversity (Black), Realistic Fiction, Series Companion, Thrillers, YA, Anthology/Collection of StoriesFor Thurgood Marshall Academy’s best and brightest–five friends who’ve been thick as thieves since kindergarten–this spring break is all about forgetting: they want nothing more than to wash away last year’s tragedy, and the human-shaped hole it left in their friend group.
It’s a hole the new kid, Anthony Brooks, seems to fit right into. So when he invites the Five to join him on a private island for a week at his dad’s luxury resort, they agree with zero hesitation. No one’s counting on a freak tropical storm swooping in and killing the vibe. And speaking of killing, they’re also ill-prepared for the mounting collection of dead bodies… including (another) one of their own.
As their dream trip unravels, everything they tried to leave behind–secrets, lies, betrayals, dead best friends–seems to be washing up on the shore of their lives for everyone to see. Will any of them make it out alive?
*MY THOUGHTS*
This was supposed to be my favorite of all these stories in this series. But for so many reasons this just didn’t work for me. It was still entertaining tho, so please go out and get this one too! You still need to read it!
As I said, some things just didn’t work for me. And being dropped off in the middle of the story was one of them. I HATE when I don’t get the background. It was more like they just dropped us off when the story had already started so we couldn’t guess the plot twist. It was almost like the synopsis was telling that part in the story. But because I didn’t read it (y’all know how I am. If it’s a trusted author I won’t read it!) I didn’t know what was going on. I know it’s a me thing tho, so take what I said with a grain of salt lol
The mystery was cool af tho. I liked the idea of it being set on a remote island. I hated that it was spring break instead of summer tho lol (Just because it was released during summer LOL) But it was cool to see everyone’s different personalities and how they acted together to figure out what was going on. And the way they all were, let me just say none of them were actually friends with each other lol What they were, was UNHINGED lol And the thought of all of this happening while there was a tropical storm happening? That was the wildest thing ever. I’ve lived through my fair share, and let me just say, they are nothing to play with. I can’t imagine trying to stay safe through one of those while also trying to stay alive. So basically this shit stressed me out lol
The ending was crazy af. I still don’t understand how it all happened but I know it was crazy. And the ending also had all the information that I wished the beginning had, so it felt a tiny bit like info dumping. And I KNOW it was a plot device, but it still was weird af. I didn’t feel as connected to the story as I could have been and by the end I was like “Ohhhh, I see.” I just wished it was flip flopped.
I waited so long for this book to come out and although I was entertained, it just didn’t go the way I thought it would. I wanted more, but I was also thoroughly entertained, so a win is a win.
Overall, I give this
