Survive the Night

Yes! I didn't think it would be possible for Riley Sager to disappoint me and so far I have been right! This book is probably my first closed “stuck-in-a-car” kind of trope and even though originally I wasn't sure I was going to like it, I really ended up loving how Sager executed the whole premise. I am starting to get more and more certain that I know what the big reveal is going to be or who the bad guy really is and let me just say, when it comes to Sager's books I literally know nothing. I was really taken by surprise and the ending left me stunned and shaking my head in awe. I mean, talk about a quality author. Forever a Riley Sager fan.

To begin with, Survive the Night is about a girl named Charlie, who is grieving over the murder of her best friend/roommate by a killer fittingly named “The Campus Killer”. She wants to get as far away from her university campus as possible so she accepts a ride share with a stranger, who ends up having a lot more secrets that she could have ever imagined. I seriously loved this plot, it had so many different levels and I never grew bored of it because it was super fast paced and exhilarating as I felt as though I was riding in that car along with the two characters. I didn't think the car-trip trope would be my thing but I absolutely devoured this book and it was seriously, suspense-central all throughout. I can see similarities between this book and No Exit but for me I think this one is everything that I wished No Exit was. The suspense lasted a lot longer and many questions we had to wait for the whole book to be done in order to find answers for. I liked that way more.

Secondly, the characterization was amazing, as always. The main heroine, Charlie is very complicated and flawed and yet she changes and develops into a different person as the book progresses, in accordance with the experience she is going through and I think that is very realistic. She definitely felt very real to me and I loved her little quirks, like her obsession with movies, having had that same obsession myself. I also really enjoyed all the movie references and seeing different things that were unique to each and every character, which made them all separate individuals who stood out in their own ways.

Finally, the writing style is exceptional, as it always is in my opinion when it comes to Riley Sager. Perfect writing style for a thriller, straight and to the point without being choppy or cutting out important aspects like setting the scene and painting us a picture of the action as it is happening. While with some books I have a hard time getting through the writing, Riley Sager never disappoints me in that area or any other area for that matter. It's just so smooth and flowing, like a breath of fresh air.

In conclusion, I would recommend this novel to any thriller lover out there or even someone who likes a very fast-paced and suspenseful read. I have heard mixed reviews about this book so far but in my opinion it was amazing and I don't think you'll be disappointed if you give it a try. I still love Lock Every Door the best but this one might now be my second favorite. Can't wait to see what else Sager comes up with!