Author: Riley Sager
Publisher: Dutton Books
Released: June 29^th, 2021
Received: Own (BOTM)
Warnings: Suicide, kidnapping, torture

Survive the Night is the latest novel written by Riley Sager (I’ll confess: I have way too many of his books stacked up on my TBR. It’s bad, guys). I grabbed it when it came up on BOTM, because it’s a thriller, and I can’t resist.

Charlie Jordan just needs a fresh start. Or rather, she needs to get back home. She needs to go anyplace other than where she’s seen as ‘the girl that let her best friend die.’ I can’t blame her there.

So Charlie doesn’t think twice about accepting a ride offer from Josh Baxter. Only, the longer the drive goes on, the more convinced she is that she’s actually trapped in a car with a serial killer—less than ideal.

“Women need to do that, you know. Look out for each other. There’s a special place in hell for those who don’t.”

So, I went into Survive the Night with high expectations. So maybe it’s my fault that I didn’t end up liking it. However, I do have a few key points to explain why I found this book to be a struggle to finish.

Charlie Jordan’s character is interesting, at first. I liked the trope of her seeing the world through a camera’s lens, whether she wanted to or not. I liked her less the more I read, though, as her decisions frustrated me so much.

I’m not sure if I should say what really killed this book for me, as it is a bit of a spoiler. Instead, I’ll say that every moment in this book went against all of the warnings I have heard all my life. Don’t get in a car with strangers. Tell people where you’re going. Know how to ask for help. Etc.

It made my skin crawl, and I don’t think in a good way. Especially when combined with that ending, which is decidedly unhealthy, again, I don’t know how much I should say. Let’s just say that it wasn’t the most feminist of endings, shall we?