What do you think?
Rate this book
Seconds to Spare
Buckle up for a wild ride with this airborne locked-door thriller. Previously a Wattpad WEBTOON Watty Award winning story.
Eighteen-year-old Evelyn Werth is trapped in what feels like a never-ending nightmare. She's the only person onboard Aloha Airways Flight 1333 who’s stuck in a 28-minute time loop, one that repeats over and over again. During each loop, four things always happen:
1. The Internet goes out and the pilot warns of upcoming turbulence.
2. There are five minutes of moderate shaking.
3. A woman in the very last row collapses.
4. The plane tilts forward and begins to nosedive.
When Orion James –the cute boy who's been asleep the entirety of each cycle– wakes, it triggers an alarming change in the events Evelyn has come to count on. As the two grow closer and learn to trust each other, they discover there’s more to the loop than they initially realized. They must discover the hidden clues, piece together the moving puzzle, and save everyone onboard –before it’s too late.
Eighteen-year-old Evelyn Werth is trapped in what feels like a never-ending nightmare. She's the only person onboard Aloha Airways Flight 1333 who’s stuck in a 28-minute time loop, one that repeats over and over again. During each loop, four things always happen:
1. The Internet goes out and the pilot warns of upcoming turbulence.
2. There are five minutes of moderate shaking.
3. A woman in the very last row collapses.
4. The plane tilts forward and begins to nosedive.
When Orion James –the cute boy who's been asleep the entirety of each cycle– wakes, it triggers an alarming change in the events Evelyn has come to count on. As the two grow closer and learn to trust each other, they discover there’s more to the loop than they initially realized. They must discover the hidden clues, piece together the moving puzzle, and save everyone onboard –before it’s too late.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published May 12, 2026
14 people are currently reading
8795 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Reiss
4 books100 followersRachel Reiss is the author of YA thrillers. Her latest novel Seconds to Spare (out May 12, 2026) was previously a Wattpad WEBTOON Watty-award winning story, and her debut novel, Out of Air, received starred reviews from School Library Journal and Booklist. You can find her online at rachelreisswrites.com and follow her on Instagram @rachelreisswrites.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
April 24, 2026
5⭐️
this is going to sound freaking insane, but this could maybe be 6 stars??? IT WAS SO GOOD OMG
rtc!!
this is going to sound freaking insane, but this could maybe be 6 stars??? IT WAS SO GOOD OMG
rtc!!
January 16, 2026
I rarely give five star reviews, but I enjoyed this book that much!
You might think reading a book about the same 28 minute time span would get boring or repetitive, but that wasn’t the case. The book starts in the middle of the action right away as we meet Evelyn in her 192nd time loop. We see her try different things to break the loop but every time the same four things happen and then the plane crashes and the loop resets. But when Orion James wakes up for the first time during one of the loops, they start working together and things start changing. And when they realize that each loop is getting a second longer, they realize they won’t have unlimited tries to correct it.
This book kept me interested right from the beginning and I highly recommend it. I could see it becoming a movie with its mix of action and humor.
Thank you to #GoodReadsGiveaways and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for an arc of this book.
You might think reading a book about the same 28 minute time span would get boring or repetitive, but that wasn’t the case. The book starts in the middle of the action right away as we meet Evelyn in her 192nd time loop. We see her try different things to break the loop but every time the same four things happen and then the plane crashes and the loop resets. But when Orion James wakes up for the first time during one of the loops, they start working together and things start changing. And when they realize that each loop is getting a second longer, they realize they won’t have unlimited tries to correct it.
This book kept me interested right from the beginning and I highly recommend it. I could see it becoming a movie with its mix of action and humor.
Thank you to #GoodReadsGiveaways and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for an arc of this book.
January 2, 2026
This was a fascinating YA thriller that really captivated me! I had to know what they would find out next in their time loop and if they would get out alive! I loved the premise but the only down side was to be expected because it was a stuck in a time loop theme, it obviously took a while for the FMC to understand what was happening, so the first little bit of the book was a bit repetitive; although needed to understand the time loop!
It made me think of all the little things that seem insignificant that can mean the world or in this case, life or death!
Thank you Goodreads giveaway for allowing me to win this ARC
It made me think of all the little things that seem insignificant that can mean the world or in this case, life or death!
Thank you Goodreads giveaway for allowing me to win this ARC
May 11, 2026
I won an ARC of this book via Goodreads giveaway and I am giving my honest opinion.
This was an interesting read for me. I liked the story and how it’s written. Its easy to read and it’s a good pace. I found that the mystery kept me wanting to read more. It’s a time loop so of course things repeat, however, some things do change as the main characters try to figure out how to break out of the time loop.
I liked the ending because it shows the vulnerability of a human being and how it’s ok to not be ok with some things one experiences. It also shows how we can still move on with our lives and try to heal from the trauma.
This was an interesting read for me. I liked the story and how it’s written. Its easy to read and it’s a good pace. I found that the mystery kept me wanting to read more. It’s a time loop so of course things repeat, however, some things do change as the main characters try to figure out how to break out of the time loop.
I liked the ending because it shows the vulnerability of a human being and how it’s ok to not be ok with some things one experiences. It also shows how we can still move on with our lives and try to heal from the trauma.
May 2, 2026
Happy death day, YA airplane edition, kinda? A time loop is one thing (repeat the whole day time loop stories are done fairly often) but a time loop that lasts less than 30 minutes and ends with a plane crash is another. Almost 400 time loops alone, reliving the same 28 minutes over and over, ALL ALONE because is no one else aware of it, sounds like actual hell.
Until, she gets close to loop 400, and Rion, who had been sleeping in all previous loops, accidentally is woken up by Evelyn. After that, he becomes conscious and aware of each loop, and just like that, Evelyn is no longer alone in awareness! And a few loops after that, after over 385 for Evelyn, things actually slowly start to change in the loop. But, the whole time I was wondering, what even happens if they manage to break the loop? The plane nosedives, it doesn’t reverse time, so they all crash and die? It’s choosing between an eternity living the same 28 min over and over, or death?
To be honest, this whole book was giving lifetime movie, and not one of the stand out ones. The thing is, this kind of plot provides limitations. After so much of this, you do get a bit disillusioned. The entire book takes place on a plane, with the characters reliving the same scene over and over, and there’s not much character development. I mean, there’s not much you CAN do with character development or world building because the plot concept itself is very restrictive. It does start feeling repetitive and I got antsy by the 40% mark. And when you find out what all of this is actually over around the halfway mark, oh my gosh it is so anticlimactic and the most overdone crime plot ever. By 70% I was so disinterested I just wanted it to be over.
BUT! By the 80% mark it does get better and things ended very nicely. It was more like, a solid start, mehhh middle, and solid ending. The majority is fairly monotonous but things tie up nice. It was kind of a rollercoaster; I started out liking it, then I didn’t like it, then I did. I’ll go back to the lifetime movie comparison; it’s not exactly memorable, but I liked how it ended. If you need some sort of mindless beach read, I wouldn’t discount this one!
Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday for sending an advanced copy in return for my honest review.
Until, she gets close to loop 400, and Rion, who had been sleeping in all previous loops, accidentally is woken up by Evelyn. After that, he becomes conscious and aware of each loop, and just like that, Evelyn is no longer alone in awareness! And a few loops after that, after over 385 for Evelyn, things actually slowly start to change in the loop. But, the whole time I was wondering, what even happens if they manage to break the loop? The plane nosedives, it doesn’t reverse time, so they all crash and die? It’s choosing between an eternity living the same 28 min over and over, or death?
To be honest, this whole book was giving lifetime movie, and not one of the stand out ones. The thing is, this kind of plot provides limitations. After so much of this, you do get a bit disillusioned. The entire book takes place on a plane, with the characters reliving the same scene over and over, and there’s not much character development. I mean, there’s not much you CAN do with character development or world building because the plot concept itself is very restrictive. It does start feeling repetitive and I got antsy by the 40% mark. And when you find out what all of this is actually over around the halfway mark, oh my gosh it is so anticlimactic and the most overdone crime plot ever. By 70% I was so disinterested I just wanted it to be over.
BUT! By the 80% mark it does get better and things ended very nicely. It was more like, a solid start, mehhh middle, and solid ending. The majority is fairly monotonous but things tie up nice. It was kind of a rollercoaster; I started out liking it, then I didn’t like it, then I did. I’ll go back to the lifetime movie comparison; it’s not exactly memorable, but I liked how it ended. If you need some sort of mindless beach read, I wouldn’t discount this one!
Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday for sending an advanced copy in return for my honest review.
May 8, 2026
There’s something incredibly difficult about writing a time loop story that doesn’t start to feel repetitive, predictable, or stale after a while, but Seconds to Spare completely avoided that trap for me. Rachel Reiss took a really unique thriller concept and turned it into something tense, emotional, addictive, and surprisingly layered. Every time the loop reset, I still felt invested because the story constantly evolved in subtle ways, revealing new clues, new dangers, and new emotional stakes. I genuinely never knew what was going to happen next, which made this such a fun and engaging read.
The setup alone instantly hooked me: Evelyn is trapped onboard a flight that keeps replaying the same terrifying twenty eight minutes before disaster strikes. Certain things always happen, but as small details begin to shift—especially once Orion wakes up—the entire puzzle becomes more complicated and unpredictable. The story did such a great job exploring how tiny choices can completely alter the bigger picture, and I loved how the tension kept escalating with every reset. Even when events repeated, it never felt boring because the author kept finding fresh ways to raise the stakes and deepen the mystery.
I also appreciated how strong the character development was alongside the thriller elements. Evelyn felt believable and easy to root for, especially watching her desperation, determination, and emotional growth build throughout the story. The connection between her and Rion added another layer to the narrative without overpowering the suspense. Their dynamic brought some heart to an otherwise intense and high stakes plot.
This ended up being such a solid YA thriller overall, it’s fast paced, clever, tense, and emotionally engaging. If you like twisty mysteries, survival thrillers, or stories that play with timelines and “what if” moments, this one is absolutely worth picking up. It’s the kind of book that makes you think about how even the smallest decisions can completely change the outcome of everything.
May 10, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!! This book was so unbelievably perfect. The way the characters are written feels like such a breath of fresh air from characters I usually read about. The suspense in this story kept me going and I completely binge read this book! I think this book is perfect for anyone who loves thrilling stories with emotion and depth. I’m gonna miss reading about Evelyn and Rion because they were so perfectly curated for each other and their story is one of my favorites (i’m a sucker for thrillers with romance). You can clearly tell the author put a lot of thought into the details and structure of this story as I was always shocked and surprised with how everything connects! Also a thank you to NetGalley!
April 19, 2026
When I read Rachel Reiss’ debut novel I was blown away at the fresh and unique story. Seconds to Spare is no different. In a book market where plots often seem to all be a bit familiar, Second to Spare takes readers on a time loop journey. Throughout this trip, Evelyn and Rion grow both as individuals and together. The book not only has the mystery of how to break the loop but looks at topics like accepting death of a loved one as well as your own mortality. While our two main characters are 18, nothing about this reads like it’s YA but it’s still very accessible for readers of all ages.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the arc.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the arc.
February 25, 2026
Happy Death Day at 40,000 feet in the air is the perfect backdrop to a thriller that promises to make your stomach drop with each nose dive!
When Evelyn finds herself in a time loop upon her return flight to LA she makes do with the oddity, stealing candy from passengers bags, seeing a therapist in the back row and watching downloaded tv shows with nearby passengers only to start over again every 28 min right when the plan begins to crash. After a few hundred loops a passenger who has spent the entire even asleep wakes and soon joins her on this Groundhog Day nightmare trying to solve the mystery behind the loop and make it home in one piece but with the loops changing they find themselves running out of time.
I loved every second of this book! As a big fan of loop stories I think it offers a unique challenge of propelling a story forward without making it feel repetitive while still hitting the beats needed to keep track of where you are in this nightmare. Evelyn was so much fun and absolutely hilarious as you watch her take advantage of the reset and has her way with the snacks and personal details stolen from other passengers all the while dealing with her own grief. Rion is the first break in her cycle and through his eyes we see what that first time experience feels like where it is all new and unpredictable and frightening which goes against Evelyn’s more routine like attitude for it all.
The plot was fast paced and never once felt like space was wasted. Between Evelyn’s humor and Rion’s panic we race forward on the mystery of the events that lead to the nose dive and try to see if that makes a difference with the ending and with the added stake of it changing I couldn’t get through it fast enough to see how it would all play out. It’s truly a scary background where so much can go wrong in an isolated and finite space of an airplane but offers a good deal of fun when you can only really turn to the people with you for help even if they won’t remember it later.
Such a fun read and absolutely one I will recommend to anyone but maybe wait until you reach your destination!
**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
When Evelyn finds herself in a time loop upon her return flight to LA she makes do with the oddity, stealing candy from passengers bags, seeing a therapist in the back row and watching downloaded tv shows with nearby passengers only to start over again every 28 min right when the plan begins to crash. After a few hundred loops a passenger who has spent the entire even asleep wakes and soon joins her on this Groundhog Day nightmare trying to solve the mystery behind the loop and make it home in one piece but with the loops changing they find themselves running out of time.
I loved every second of this book! As a big fan of loop stories I think it offers a unique challenge of propelling a story forward without making it feel repetitive while still hitting the beats needed to keep track of where you are in this nightmare. Evelyn was so much fun and absolutely hilarious as you watch her take advantage of the reset and has her way with the snacks and personal details stolen from other passengers all the while dealing with her own grief. Rion is the first break in her cycle and through his eyes we see what that first time experience feels like where it is all new and unpredictable and frightening which goes against Evelyn’s more routine like attitude for it all.
The plot was fast paced and never once felt like space was wasted. Between Evelyn’s humor and Rion’s panic we race forward on the mystery of the events that lead to the nose dive and try to see if that makes a difference with the ending and with the added stake of it changing I couldn’t get through it fast enough to see how it would all play out. It’s truly a scary background where so much can go wrong in an isolated and finite space of an airplane but offers a good deal of fun when you can only really turn to the people with you for help even if they won’t remember it later.
Such a fun read and absolutely one I will recommend to anyone but maybe wait until you reach your destination!
**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
Read
March 30, 20263.75 🌟
Wholly entertaining but you have to love suspending realism for this one.
YA thriller with magical realism mash up lends its backbone to the sophomore novel by Rachel Reiss. Picture this: you’re on an aircraft, the pilot makes an announcement, a woman faints and the plane takes a nosedive. As you’re waiting to die, a flash happens and the loop begins again. Cue the pilot, the woman and the nosedive.
In the last couple years I’ve really started to enjoy magical realism as a perfect escape. And when done in an entertaining way, they can give the reader the fun of realizing how small things can alter the path they’re on.
As I said at the start. Entertaining. Bingeable but go into it knowing it’s YA magical realism to enjoy it.
Wholly entertaining but you have to love suspending realism for this one.
YA thriller with magical realism mash up lends its backbone to the sophomore novel by Rachel Reiss. Picture this: you’re on an aircraft, the pilot makes an announcement, a woman faints and the plane takes a nosedive. As you’re waiting to die, a flash happens and the loop begins again. Cue the pilot, the woman and the nosedive.
In the last couple years I’ve really started to enjoy magical realism as a perfect escape. And when done in an entertaining way, they can give the reader the fun of realizing how small things can alter the path they’re on.
As I said at the start. Entertaining. Bingeable but go into it knowing it’s YA magical realism to enjoy it.
December 31, 2025
I enjoyed this book so much it has taken me a pause before being able to write a proper review. Apologies for that, as I do greatly appreciate having been gifted the chance to read this as an ARC
This was a unique read that combined suspense, sci-fi, and introspection into a gripping story that was hard to put down. And romance, which I very rarely enjoy being part of the plotline. It was not a spoiler in this case, and I give high props to any author who can accomplish making me enjoy (cheer for even) young love.
I found it interesting how, from just the limited perspectives included, so many characters became well developed through just those two person's interactions and reports. It made me think of our impact on others in those small pieces of time, and the dynamic of shared space.
Overall, while it was also exciting, for me this was a "thinker", which I enjoyed. Lots of topics touched upon, particularly "the bag". I feel that was handled so beautifully. I loved the end also. This was amazingly satisfying.
This was a unique read that combined suspense, sci-fi, and introspection into a gripping story that was hard to put down. And romance, which I very rarely enjoy being part of the plotline. It was not a spoiler in this case, and I give high props to any author who can accomplish making me enjoy (cheer for even) young love.
I found it interesting how, from just the limited perspectives included, so many characters became well developed through just those two person's interactions and reports. It made me think of our impact on others in those small pieces of time, and the dynamic of shared space.
Overall, while it was also exciting, for me this was a "thinker", which I enjoyed. Lots of topics touched upon, particularly "the bag". I feel that was handled so beautifully. I loved the end also. This was amazingly satisfying.
February 26, 2026
A big thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I was so excited about this book based on the description and the few reviews it already had. After reading it through, I can say that it did not disappoint.
I thought the plot was great and I was engaged throughout. It kept you guessing the whole time and really showed that everything is not always what it seems. I love the idea of time lopes and having to figure out what is happening that you’re not seeing. I liked the writing style and never felt like it was repetitive or dragging. I would definitely recommend.
I thought the plot was great and I was engaged throughout. It kept you guessing the whole time and really showed that everything is not always what it seems. I love the idea of time lopes and having to figure out what is happening that you’re not seeing. I liked the writing style and never felt like it was repetitive or dragging. I would definitely recommend.
May 13, 2026
As a frequent flyer, this book was TERRIFYING! This was Groundhog Day on steroids. Evelyn gets caught in a time loop and begins to try to figure out why and how to get out of it. So much suspense before each reset, but also a great touch of comedy. Highly recommend!
April 27, 2026
Really wanted to love this one but…I didn’t. Time loops when done well can be so interesting, but this one just leaned on the repetitive side that didn’t keep me hooked. The backstory (not apart of the time loop) didn’t flow naturally into the story and I don’t think it really added much to the characters. Just not the one for me!
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc
March 22, 2026
This is a really creative idea. I really enjoyed this book mainly because I’ve never read anything like it before. Evelyn is stuck in a time loop that seems as though it’s going to end in a plane crash. She has no idea how to stop it even after having been looped through the same events almost 350 times. But then in one of her attempts to try to figure out what’s going on, she wakes up Orion who has been asleep for the entire plane ride. Something about his waking up sets off a chain of events where they may just be able to break the loop. Beyond being a really cool concept it’s also a message around taking risks and living your life and not getting stuck in your routine and never trying anything new. I really thoroughly enjoyed this. I’ve read it in a day and you would think reading the same sequence of events over and over would get boring but because it’s always growing in evolving it’s super engaging.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Loved this! Seconds to Spare centers around a time loop, and subtly invites reflection for readers to think deeply about the choices we make daily, and how we can easily become stuck within our own familiar routines or loops that we fall into. Stayed with me way beyond the last pages. It's packed with thoughtful insights, love, humor, and characters that are easy to fall for - you can't help but root for them! A really wonderful read, thank you to Wednesday Books for the ARC!
January 5, 2026
Such a cool concept that I think was executed wonderfully!! You get attached to the main characters easily and I found myself flying through this book in search for answers. Ending was satisfying and the last page was so realistic lolz
January 21, 2026
I was lucky enough to have won an ARC of this from a giveaway, and started reading it right away. I really wasn't sure what to expect, having never read the novella it was adapted from, but this book really exceeded my expectations. I couldnt put it down, every page had me hooked. I love the unexpected twists. They were (in my opinion) well done, and i didnt see them coming. I like the very realistic parts of dealing with grief and mental health, the way Evelyn was, eventually, able to get over the things that happened with her father. The way Orion was able to make it to his 19th birthday. And, of course, the very real aftermath and trauma of everything that happened after the fact. It wouldnt have made sense if the two of them were just.. over everything?? In the end, when they decide to instead have a long roadtrip, it was so cute. I am so happy that they stayed together even after the loops
I also love Evelyn and Orion (theyre so cute pls 😭💗🙏)
I also love Evelyn and Orion (theyre so cute pls 😭💗🙏)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
"I'm twenty-three minutes in. Only five minutes left."
With anything else, that could very well be a good thing. But for Evelyn, it's anything but. The sense of impending doom seeps into every fiber of her being. The Boeing 737 is going down... and Evelyn is there to experience it again. And again. And again.
194 times? That's a lot.
Scratch that... 265. Oof.
Evelyn is trapped in a twenty-eight minute time loop aboard a crashing airplane. Every time the plane goes down, the loop resets and she's forced to relive those same moments again. But each repetition reveals small differences- new conversations, new discoveries, and new questions about what's really happening.
What makes Seconds to Spare compelling is how each loop adds new information and raises the stakes. Tiny shifts create massive consequences. My mind was reeling from the number of twists and the amount of mystery unfolding. I genuinely didn't know where the story was going next.
Even with how tense the premise is, the character interactions bring a bit of humor and lightness that keep the story from feeling too heavy. Those moments made the characters feel more human and grounded. It gave the reader room to breathe between the more intense moments.
Time-loop stories can easily become repetitive, but the author avoids that completely. Each loop introduces variables- new bits and pieces that reshape the narrative. I never got bored once.
Then the secondary POV kicked in, which I absolutely did not anticipate. Orion- the boy who slept- suddenly became the one adding further mystery to the story. And it was such a good addition to the plot. His perspective works really well alongside Evelyn's, and seeing that fresh angle (that moment of initial OH NO) was genuinely fun. It added another layer to the story and made an already fast-paced narrative feel even more intense.
One idea that really stuck with me was the line:
"Tomorrow is only a concept."
It's a haunting thought, isn't it? Time kind of creeps up on you in life regardless. But... when you're stuck reliving the same twenty-eight minutes hundreds of times, the future stops being something you move foward to. It becomes theoretical. That thought toyed with my brain for a bit.
Another theme that stood out was the idea of anomalies- those tiny deviations from what you expect to happen. Sometimes they mean everything, sometimes they mean nothing, but they always carry the possibility of changing the outcome. For Evelyn, they might even be the key to normality.
The story also raises an interesting question: what happens when you've exhausted every possibility?
"There were no what-ifs left to explore, no maybes, no fantastical dreams or all-night adventures. One day I woke up and realized this is it."
I loved how the story explores that idea- not just through Evelyn, but through the people connected to her life. It kind of forces both the reader and the MC herself to reconsider the value in life and what motivates you day-to-day.
Lastly, there's the idea of guilt and self-worth. Evelyn carries a heavy emotional burden throughout the story. She constantly tries to brush it off, but she never really escapes it. (And I love the way Rachel Reiss kept looping this back in. Very creative.) The loops force her to confront guilt, morality, and her own sense of worth in ways she can't avoid. She's not just trying to survive the crash; she's trying to understand herself.
I'm genuinely impressed with how the author handled the time-loop concept. Seconds to Spare had tension, momentum, mystery, philosophical undertones, and emotional weight that kept me hooked the entire time. It had me holding my breath. It was a piece of art.
At its core, this story asks a powerful question:
If tomorrow isn't guaranteed, what do we do with today?
And more importantly:
When you hit a wall in life... do you stay there, or do you find a way to move forward?
This one lingered on my mind long after the final page. A thoughtful, tense take on the time-loop concept.
Five stars.
"I'm twenty-three minutes in. Only five minutes left."
With anything else, that could very well be a good thing. But for Evelyn, it's anything but. The sense of impending doom seeps into every fiber of her being. The Boeing 737 is going down... and Evelyn is there to experience it again. And again. And again.
194 times? That's a lot.
Scratch that... 265. Oof.
Evelyn is trapped in a twenty-eight minute time loop aboard a crashing airplane. Every time the plane goes down, the loop resets and she's forced to relive those same moments again. But each repetition reveals small differences- new conversations, new discoveries, and new questions about what's really happening.
What makes Seconds to Spare compelling is how each loop adds new information and raises the stakes. Tiny shifts create massive consequences. My mind was reeling from the number of twists and the amount of mystery unfolding. I genuinely didn't know where the story was going next.
Even with how tense the premise is, the character interactions bring a bit of humor and lightness that keep the story from feeling too heavy. Those moments made the characters feel more human and grounded. It gave the reader room to breathe between the more intense moments.
Time-loop stories can easily become repetitive, but the author avoids that completely. Each loop introduces variables- new bits and pieces that reshape the narrative. I never got bored once.
Then the secondary POV kicked in, which I absolutely did not anticipate. Orion- the boy who slept- suddenly became the one adding further mystery to the story. And it was such a good addition to the plot. His perspective works really well alongside Evelyn's, and seeing that fresh angle (that moment of initial OH NO) was genuinely fun. It added another layer to the story and made an already fast-paced narrative feel even more intense.
One idea that really stuck with me was the line:
"Tomorrow is only a concept."
It's a haunting thought, isn't it? Time kind of creeps up on you in life regardless. But... when you're stuck reliving the same twenty-eight minutes hundreds of times, the future stops being something you move foward to. It becomes theoretical. That thought toyed with my brain for a bit.
Another theme that stood out was the idea of anomalies- those tiny deviations from what you expect to happen. Sometimes they mean everything, sometimes they mean nothing, but they always carry the possibility of changing the outcome. For Evelyn, they might even be the key to normality.
The story also raises an interesting question: what happens when you've exhausted every possibility?
"There were no what-ifs left to explore, no maybes, no fantastical dreams or all-night adventures. One day I woke up and realized this is it."
I loved how the story explores that idea- not just through Evelyn, but through the people connected to her life. It kind of forces both the reader and the MC herself to reconsider the value in life and what motivates you day-to-day.
Lastly, there's the idea of guilt and self-worth. Evelyn carries a heavy emotional burden throughout the story. She constantly tries to brush it off, but she never really escapes it. (And I love the way Rachel Reiss kept looping this back in. Very creative.) The loops force her to confront guilt, morality, and her own sense of worth in ways she can't avoid. She's not just trying to survive the crash; she's trying to understand herself.
I'm genuinely impressed with how the author handled the time-loop concept. Seconds to Spare had tension, momentum, mystery, philosophical undertones, and emotional weight that kept me hooked the entire time. It had me holding my breath. It was a piece of art.
At its core, this story asks a powerful question:
If tomorrow isn't guaranteed, what do we do with today?
And more importantly:
When you hit a wall in life... do you stay there, or do you find a way to move forward?
This one lingered on my mind long after the final page. A thoughtful, tense take on the time-loop concept.
Five stars.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A mind-blowing combo of Groundhog Day and T.J. Newman’s Falling, Seconds to Spare was a fast-paced locked-room thriller with a poignant feel. Blending the well-drawn Sisyphian feel of the repeating time loops with ultra-high stakes and emotional depth, it not only kept me on the edge of my seat, but it easily avoided feeling repetitive at all. You see, by centering the plot around two flawed, compelling, likable characters, the tense, twisty storyline kept me enthralled. What really blew me away, though, was how well this debut YA novel worked for this adult reader. Weaving thought-provoking themes into the story such as love, resilience, morality, and fate, it was a stunning mashup of mystery/thriller, science fiction, and romance all rolled into one unputdownable tale. I mean, how could you not utterly love that heady mix?
I do have to say, though, that there was one thing that made me truly love this novel. You see, despite a riveting premise and plenty of action, the stars of the show were definitely Evelyn and Rion. Endearing and big-hearted, their dynamic had me grinning ear-to-ear. So in spite of the fact that the ending might’ve been just a tiny bit sickly sweet, this narrating duo were the best part of this one-sitting read. Yup. Thanks to the unpredictable plotting, the claustrophobic setting, and the character arcs that wove it all together just so, I couldn’t put this book down for even a second. Oh, the irony of that statement. So if you’re looking for a truly original novel, grab this one as soon as you can. A high-concept thrill ride, this time loop puzzle now just needs a sequel. After all, I need some more of these characters, please… Rating of 4.5 stars.
Other things I loved:
- Sarcastic banter
- Mix of heart, action, and humor
- Sweet love story
- Airplane setting
- Philosophical undertones
- Easy to follow sci-fi elements
SYNOPSIS:
Eighteen-year-old Evelyn Werth is trapped in what feels like a never-ending nightmare. She's the only person onboard Aloha Airways Flight 1333 who’s stuck in a 28-minute time loop, one that repeats over and over again. During each loop, four things always happen:
1. The Internet goes out and the pilot warns of upcoming turbulence.
2. There are five minutes of moderate shaking.
3. A woman in the very last row collapses.
4. The plane tilts forward and begins to nosedive.
When Orion James—the cute boy who's been asleep the entirety of each cycle—wakes, it triggers an alarming change in the events Evelyn has come to count on. As the two grow closer and learn to trust each other, they discover there’s more to the loop than they initially realized. They must find the hidden clues, piece together the moving puzzle, and save everyone onboard—before it’s too late.
Thank you Rachel Reiss and Wednesday Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: May 12, 2026
Content warning: violence, chronic illness, heart attack, blood, murder, gun and knife violence, grief, mention of: death of a parent, abandonment
I do have to say, though, that there was one thing that made me truly love this novel. You see, despite a riveting premise and plenty of action, the stars of the show were definitely Evelyn and Rion. Endearing and big-hearted, their dynamic had me grinning ear-to-ear. So in spite of the fact that the ending might’ve been just a tiny bit sickly sweet, this narrating duo were the best part of this one-sitting read. Yup. Thanks to the unpredictable plotting, the claustrophobic setting, and the character arcs that wove it all together just so, I couldn’t put this book down for even a second. Oh, the irony of that statement. So if you’re looking for a truly original novel, grab this one as soon as you can. A high-concept thrill ride, this time loop puzzle now just needs a sequel. After all, I need some more of these characters, please… Rating of 4.5 stars.
Other things I loved:
- Sarcastic banter
- Mix of heart, action, and humor
- Sweet love story
- Airplane setting
- Philosophical undertones
- Easy to follow sci-fi elements
SYNOPSIS:
Eighteen-year-old Evelyn Werth is trapped in what feels like a never-ending nightmare. She's the only person onboard Aloha Airways Flight 1333 who’s stuck in a 28-minute time loop, one that repeats over and over again. During each loop, four things always happen:
1. The Internet goes out and the pilot warns of upcoming turbulence.
2. There are five minutes of moderate shaking.
3. A woman in the very last row collapses.
4. The plane tilts forward and begins to nosedive.
When Orion James—the cute boy who's been asleep the entirety of each cycle—wakes, it triggers an alarming change in the events Evelyn has come to count on. As the two grow closer and learn to trust each other, they discover there’s more to the loop than they initially realized. They must find the hidden clues, piece together the moving puzzle, and save everyone onboard—before it’s too late.
Thank you Rachel Reiss and Wednesday Books for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: May 12, 2026
Content warning: violence, chronic illness, heart attack, blood, murder, gun and knife violence, grief, mention of: death of a parent, abandonment
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
If you like time loop chaos, high-stakes thrillers, and characters slowly losing it (in a fun way), “Seconds to Spare” by Rachel Reiss is such a fun ride.
The premise alone hooked me immediately: Evelyn is stuck on a plane that crashes every 28 minutes. And then resets. Over and over again. Think Happy Death Day but at 40,000 feet with way more turbulence (literally and emotionally).
At first, the repetition is exactly what you’d expect from a time loop story. Evelyn has to figure out what’s happening, so yeah, those early loops can feel a little repetitive, but it makes sense. Once things start shifting and she begins experimenting with the loop (including doing whatever she wants because consequences reset), it gets way more interesting. Watching her steal snacks, snoop through people’s lives, and slowly piece things together was honestly so entertaining.
Then Rion enters the picture, and that’s when the story really takes off. He’s the first person to wake up inside the loop with her, and their dynamic adds a whole new layer. Evelyn is kind of used to the chaos by this point, while Rion is understandably panicking, and that contrast works really well. Their relationship builds naturally, and I actually liked the romance. It didn’t feel forced, which is rare for me in YA thrillers.
What really kept me hooked, though, was the mystery. Every loop reveals something new, like some small details that seem insignificant at first but end up meaning everything. It turns into this puzzle where every second counts (literally), and I was constantly trying to figure out how they could possibly break out before the next crash.
That said, there are a couple things that didn’t fully land for me. The timeline can feel a little off when you think too hard about it, like how much Evelyn manages to do in what’s technically just over a week of repeated time. And some side characters’ reactions (especially the more aggressive ones) felt a bit over-the-top. But honestly, those didn’t take me out of the story too much.
What I did love was how much depth this had underneath the thriller concept. It’s not just about escaping the loop; it’s about grief, trauma, taking risks, and not getting stuck in the same patterns in life. There’s this quiet emotional core about vulnerability and healing that really hits by the end.
And the ending? Super satisfying. It balances the emotional payoff with the resolution of the mystery in a way that actually feels earned.
Overall, this is a fast-paced, creative, and surprisingly thoughtful YA thriller. It’s one of those books that’s easy to binge in a day but still leaves you thinking afterward. If you’re into time loops, survival stories, and a little bit of existential panic with your romance, definitely add this to your list.
If you like time loop chaos, high-stakes thrillers, and characters slowly losing it (in a fun way), “Seconds to Spare” by Rachel Reiss is such a fun ride.
The premise alone hooked me immediately: Evelyn is stuck on a plane that crashes every 28 minutes. And then resets. Over and over again. Think Happy Death Day but at 40,000 feet with way more turbulence (literally and emotionally).
At first, the repetition is exactly what you’d expect from a time loop story. Evelyn has to figure out what’s happening, so yeah, those early loops can feel a little repetitive, but it makes sense. Once things start shifting and she begins experimenting with the loop (including doing whatever she wants because consequences reset), it gets way more interesting. Watching her steal snacks, snoop through people’s lives, and slowly piece things together was honestly so entertaining.
Then Rion enters the picture, and that’s when the story really takes off. He’s the first person to wake up inside the loop with her, and their dynamic adds a whole new layer. Evelyn is kind of used to the chaos by this point, while Rion is understandably panicking, and that contrast works really well. Their relationship builds naturally, and I actually liked the romance. It didn’t feel forced, which is rare for me in YA thrillers.
What really kept me hooked, though, was the mystery. Every loop reveals something new, like some small details that seem insignificant at first but end up meaning everything. It turns into this puzzle where every second counts (literally), and I was constantly trying to figure out how they could possibly break out before the next crash.
That said, there are a couple things that didn’t fully land for me. The timeline can feel a little off when you think too hard about it, like how much Evelyn manages to do in what’s technically just over a week of repeated time. And some side characters’ reactions (especially the more aggressive ones) felt a bit over-the-top. But honestly, those didn’t take me out of the story too much.
What I did love was how much depth this had underneath the thriller concept. It’s not just about escaping the loop; it’s about grief, trauma, taking risks, and not getting stuck in the same patterns in life. There’s this quiet emotional core about vulnerability and healing that really hits by the end.
And the ending? Super satisfying. It balances the emotional payoff with the resolution of the mystery in a way that actually feels earned.
Overall, this is a fast-paced, creative, and surprisingly thoughtful YA thriller. It’s one of those books that’s easy to binge in a day but still leaves you thinking afterward. If you’re into time loops, survival stories, and a little bit of existential panic with your romance, definitely add this to your list.
Review of advance copy received from Author
"Let's do the time warp again"..... - Richard O'Brien
Is it a time warp or a time loop? Either way it was thrilling, riveting, shocking, tension filled, and hard to put down! Rachel Reiss blew me away with her debut book, Out of Air. I was very excited when she provided me with a copy of Seconds to Spare! I was once again blown away by her writing, her well thought out plot, the pacing, and the thrilling moments.
Eighteen-year-old Evelyn Werth never thought when she boarded her plane that she would be reliving a a 28-minute time loop where four events always happen without fail. Each time she tries to do different things to try and stop the plane from nosediving. She is never successful but tries her best each and every time.
Orion James has been asleep for each and every time loop until he wakes and becomes trapped with her, fully aware that they are experiencing a time loop over and over again. As the team up and attempt to save everyone on board, they begin to put the pieces together, but will they figure out what is going on in time??????
Whew! This was such a great book. I loved the tension, the dread, the suspense, the impending danger, and the mystery. This book gave me serious Twilight Zone vibes, and I loved every second of it. I loved the mystery and the way Evelyn and Orion put the clues together.
This is a YA mystery thriller, but readers of all ages will love this one. I thought Rachel Reiss did a tremendous job of repeating the time loop without making each loop tedious or boring. I enjoyed each loop and how Evelyn and then Evelyn and Orion tried to save everyone on board. Certain things repeated but this never bogged down the book or the pacing.
Wonderfully written, well thought out, perfectly paced and hard to put down!
4.5 stars
Thank you to Rachel Reiss, St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Is it a time warp or a time loop? Either way it was thrilling, riveting, shocking, tension filled, and hard to put down! Rachel Reiss blew me away with her debut book, Out of Air. I was very excited when she provided me with a copy of Seconds to Spare! I was once again blown away by her writing, her well thought out plot, the pacing, and the thrilling moments.
Eighteen-year-old Evelyn Werth never thought when she boarded her plane that she would be reliving a a 28-minute time loop where four events always happen without fail. Each time she tries to do different things to try and stop the plane from nosediving. She is never successful but tries her best each and every time.
Orion James has been asleep for each and every time loop until he wakes and becomes trapped with her, fully aware that they are experiencing a time loop over and over again. As the team up and attempt to save everyone on board, they begin to put the pieces together, but will they figure out what is going on in time??????
Whew! This was such a great book. I loved the tension, the dread, the suspense, the impending danger, and the mystery. This book gave me serious Twilight Zone vibes, and I loved every second of it. I loved the mystery and the way Evelyn and Orion put the clues together.
This is a YA mystery thriller, but readers of all ages will love this one. I thought Rachel Reiss did a tremendous job of repeating the time loop without making each loop tedious or boring. I enjoyed each loop and how Evelyn and then Evelyn and Orion tried to save everyone on board. Certain things repeated but this never bogged down the book or the pacing.
Wonderfully written, well thought out, perfectly paced and hard to put down!
4.5 stars
Thank you to Rachel Reiss, St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Seconds to Spare by Rachel Reiss ✈️⏳💥
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. 💛
This one absolutely commits to its premise, a 28 minute time loop on a plane, repeating over and over again, and it was genuinely hard to stop turning pages. Even when the loop structure brings some repetition (it has to), the story keeps finding ways to stay tense and fresh as Evelyn tests new variables, watches tiny details shift, and realizes the rules are not as stable as she thought. 🔎🧩
Evelyn is a great YA lead for this setup. She is exhausted, hyper-observant, and carrying the mental weight of reliving the same terror again and again. The book does a solid job showing how time loops are not just a puzzle, they are trauma, and survival becomes both physical and psychological. 😮💨💔
The moment Orion wakes up and disrupts the pattern is where the story really clicks into a new gear. Their partnership adds momentum, warmth, and a new layer of stakes because now Evelyn is not alone inside the nightmare. I also liked that the mystery element stays central, it is not only about stopping the nosedive, it is about understanding why this is happening in the first place. 🧠⚡
By the end, I appreciated that the book leaves room for emotional aftermath. It is action-forward, but it does not pretend something like this would be easy to shake off, even if you survive. 🌙🩹
What I Loved
• The high-concept, high-tension airplane time loop ✈️⏳
• The puzzle-solving momentum, with meaningful changes each cycle 🧩🔎
• Evelyn’s resilience, and the way the story shows the mental toll 💛
• Orion’s presence raising the stakes and shifting the dynamic 🫶
What Didn’t Work for Me
• The early loops can feel a bit repetitive while the story establishes the pattern 🔁
• A few explanations felt like they moved quickly near the end
⭐ Star Rating: 4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you like YA thrillers with claustrophobic settings, a looping timeline, and a steadily escalating “we have fewer chances than we think” dread, this is a really fun ride. ✨
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. 💛
This one absolutely commits to its premise, a 28 minute time loop on a plane, repeating over and over again, and it was genuinely hard to stop turning pages. Even when the loop structure brings some repetition (it has to), the story keeps finding ways to stay tense and fresh as Evelyn tests new variables, watches tiny details shift, and realizes the rules are not as stable as she thought. 🔎🧩
Evelyn is a great YA lead for this setup. She is exhausted, hyper-observant, and carrying the mental weight of reliving the same terror again and again. The book does a solid job showing how time loops are not just a puzzle, they are trauma, and survival becomes both physical and psychological. 😮💨💔
The moment Orion wakes up and disrupts the pattern is where the story really clicks into a new gear. Their partnership adds momentum, warmth, and a new layer of stakes because now Evelyn is not alone inside the nightmare. I also liked that the mystery element stays central, it is not only about stopping the nosedive, it is about understanding why this is happening in the first place. 🧠⚡
By the end, I appreciated that the book leaves room for emotional aftermath. It is action-forward, but it does not pretend something like this would be easy to shake off, even if you survive. 🌙🩹
What I Loved
• The high-concept, high-tension airplane time loop ✈️⏳
• The puzzle-solving momentum, with meaningful changes each cycle 🧩🔎
• Evelyn’s resilience, and the way the story shows the mental toll 💛
• Orion’s presence raising the stakes and shifting the dynamic 🫶
What Didn’t Work for Me
• The early loops can feel a bit repetitive while the story establishes the pattern 🔁
• A few explanations felt like they moved quickly near the end
⭐ Star Rating: 4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you like YA thrillers with claustrophobic settings, a looping timeline, and a steadily escalating “we have fewer chances than we think” dread, this is a really fun ride. ✨
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Wednesday books for an advance copy, all opinions are my own.
Last year I absolutely loved Out of Air so I was SO excited for this one to cross my email! First off, the cover is GORGEOUS. Second, I love a good time loop story!
I do not recommend reading this while on a plane.
I do, however, recommend reading this book. Weiss does a good job with the time loops, they never felt too repetitive, despite having repeating elements. The main character goes through 400 loops throughout the book, but we only get to see key ones that are essential to the story. The elements that are repeated are all essential to the story, so they all play a part in one way or another.
Then we have a bit of romance between the characters, which is very sweet. They both help each other process feelings they don't want to tackle, and together they are able to figure out the time loop. This is a two person team, they both noticed something the other missed! Plus, the addition of another character really amps things up, so my anxiety was definitely increasing along with the duration of the loops.
The characters do deal with grief and long term medical issues - which again do play into the larger story at hand.
Overall, this book kept me on my toes and I enjoyed the journey the whole way through. I loved the characters, and even the ones in the background are worth getting to know. Time loop fantasies are a favorite of mine, and I think Weiss does this well. This book isn't even out yet and I am already excited to see what the author does next!
Content warnings: medical trauma, loss of a loved one, grief, murder, violence, blood
Last year I absolutely loved Out of Air so I was SO excited for this one to cross my email! First off, the cover is GORGEOUS. Second, I love a good time loop story!
I do not recommend reading this while on a plane.
I do, however, recommend reading this book. Weiss does a good job with the time loops, they never felt too repetitive, despite having repeating elements. The main character goes through 400 loops throughout the book, but we only get to see key ones that are essential to the story. The elements that are repeated are all essential to the story, so they all play a part in one way or another.
Then we have a bit of romance between the characters, which is very sweet. They both help each other process feelings they don't want to tackle, and together they are able to figure out the time loop. This is a two person team, they both noticed something the other missed! Plus, the addition of another character really amps things up, so my anxiety was definitely increasing along with the duration of the loops.
The characters do deal with grief and long term medical issues - which again do play into the larger story at hand.
Overall, this book kept me on my toes and I enjoyed the journey the whole way through. I loved the characters, and even the ones in the background are worth getting to know. Time loop fantasies are a favorite of mine, and I think Weiss does this well. This book isn't even out yet and I am already excited to see what the author does next!
Content warnings: medical trauma, loss of a loved one, grief, murder, violence, blood
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the early reading opportunity!
Although this was a 3 star read for me - the author is fantastic at writing and this story could easily be a 5 star read for someone else!
The book itself doesn’t necessarily read like a YA other than the 18 year old FMC definitely sounds young. We hear her POV while stuck in a timeloop on a plane for over 400 consecutive flights. After over 300 loops, Rion (the cute boy from the airport), is pulled from his deep sleep a few aisles ahead and then enters the loop with Evelyn. At this point, Evelyn knows just about everything about everyone on board. She just doesn’t know why she’s reliving the same 28 minutes consecutively.
There’s a little bit of repetition on some passenger info, but there’s only so much you can say from the same 28 minutes of the same flight happening over and over. Despite the traumatic experience of being stuck on the loop, there was actually quite a bit of humor in this one! There’s also so many little pieces to put together - I definitely loved the mystery aspect of this one and trying to figure it all out. By the time they figured out the flight attendant’s location and the black duffle bag and Rion’s familiarity with some of the other people on the flight… I was so invested.
The problem is, there’s no real reason for the loop. I mean, I guess the “little bang” (big bang) type of moment of their initial handshake…. But why that many loops? I don’t know. I really wanted to love this one, but the lack of reasoning is hard for me to move past. The grief is so strong in this one. The loss of a parent.. The news of a big medical diagnosis.. There’s so much these young adults are facing and it just tears me apart emotionally. But it somehow got a HEA. The very end was absolutely perfect!
Although this was a 3 star read for me - the author is fantastic at writing and this story could easily be a 5 star read for someone else!
The book itself doesn’t necessarily read like a YA other than the 18 year old FMC definitely sounds young. We hear her POV while stuck in a timeloop on a plane for over 400 consecutive flights. After over 300 loops, Rion (the cute boy from the airport), is pulled from his deep sleep a few aisles ahead and then enters the loop with Evelyn. At this point, Evelyn knows just about everything about everyone on board. She just doesn’t know why she’s reliving the same 28 minutes consecutively.
There’s a little bit of repetition on some passenger info, but there’s only so much you can say from the same 28 minutes of the same flight happening over and over. Despite the traumatic experience of being stuck on the loop, there was actually quite a bit of humor in this one! There’s also so many little pieces to put together - I definitely loved the mystery aspect of this one and trying to figure it all out. By the time they figured out the flight attendant’s location and the black duffle bag and Rion’s familiarity with some of the other people on the flight… I was so invested.
The problem is, there’s no real reason for the loop. I mean, I guess the “little bang” (big bang) type of moment of their initial handshake…. But why that many loops? I don’t know. I really wanted to love this one, but the lack of reasoning is hard for me to move past. The grief is so strong in this one. The loss of a parent.. The news of a big medical diagnosis.. There’s so much these young adults are facing and it just tears me apart emotionally. But it somehow got a HEA. The very end was absolutely perfect!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
**4.5 stars**
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for providing a free review copy of Seconds to Spare! All opinions are completely my own.
Imagine you’re on a plane, flying over the Pacific Ocean, when the unthinkable happens… the plane goes into a freefall. Then imagine being stuck in a 28 minute time loop, repeating this scenario over and over hundreds of times. In Seconds to Spare, this is reality for Evelyn.
I really liked this book! As you can imagine from the description, this it’s packed with a range of emotions, from desperation and confusion to pure adrenaline. The descriptive nature of the book kept it very immersive, right down to the sounds you could hear in the background. Despite the 28 minute time loop, I was impressed that the story didn’t feel super repetitive. At first we’re getting snapshots from various loops that Evelyn experiences, with different conversions or actions. Then another character, Rion, wakes up for the first time and we start to experience more consecutive, full loops, but by then things actually started to feel more linear despite the key events that repeat each loop. There were a lot of side characters since we meet many of the other passengers on the plane, but I was able to keep track of the important ones without much effort. I liked Evelyn and Rion and seeing how they both evolve and grow over the course of this crazy scenario. I couldn’t help but root for them to survive and find a way to break the loop. I thought their emotions were portrayed very well in a way that made me feel like I was experiencing them. This book was a wild ride for sure, and I look forward to seeing more from the author in the future!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for providing a free review copy of Seconds to Spare! All opinions are completely my own.
Imagine you’re on a plane, flying over the Pacific Ocean, when the unthinkable happens… the plane goes into a freefall. Then imagine being stuck in a 28 minute time loop, repeating this scenario over and over hundreds of times. In Seconds to Spare, this is reality for Evelyn.
I really liked this book! As you can imagine from the description, this it’s packed with a range of emotions, from desperation and confusion to pure adrenaline. The descriptive nature of the book kept it very immersive, right down to the sounds you could hear in the background. Despite the 28 minute time loop, I was impressed that the story didn’t feel super repetitive. At first we’re getting snapshots from various loops that Evelyn experiences, with different conversions or actions. Then another character, Rion, wakes up for the first time and we start to experience more consecutive, full loops, but by then things actually started to feel more linear despite the key events that repeat each loop. There were a lot of side characters since we meet many of the other passengers on the plane, but I was able to keep track of the important ones without much effort. I liked Evelyn and Rion and seeing how they both evolve and grow over the course of this crazy scenario. I couldn’t help but root for them to survive and find a way to break the loop. I thought their emotions were portrayed very well in a way that made me feel like I was experiencing them. This book was a wild ride for sure, and I look forward to seeing more from the author in the future!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"Do we all live within our own loops, afraid or unable to break out of them?"
Ev is trapped in an anxious flier's worst nightmare: an endless flight over the Pacific that ends in disaster. She's the only passenger aware that they're trapped in a time loop, reliving a 28-minute cycle that restarts after the plane takes a nosedive—until Rion, another teenage passenger, suddenly wakes up. But when the loops get longer and the inevitable crash gets closer, it's up to them to solve a mystery where the stakes are 35,000 feet high.
This thoroughly imagined thriller is claustrophobic but quite humanist, as Ev collects knowledge about her fellow passengers' lives over the course of hundreds of cycles. Air travel creates the kinds of transitional spaces that beg a Hopper-esque curiosity about the lives of the strangers around us, but actually getting a chance to learn about those strangers, free of social niceties, invites intimacy. The first few loops we experience with Ev are handpicked over the course of hundreds, and Ev's familiarity with everyone almost feels like waking up into the time loop yourself, disorienting but appropriate for the concept. Tension successfully amps up as the loop is disturbed and Ev and Rion discover the horrific culmination of events that leads to the crash. I constantly found myself switching to my calculator app to track the duration of the experience, trying to imagine the horror of going through over seven days worth of loops—never sleeping, never being remembered, and trying everything and anything to troubleshoot a way out. Perfect for fans of Lost, Passengers (2016), and the Twilight Zone...maybe not so perfect for anyone who already dreads flying!
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing an ARC to review.
Ev is trapped in an anxious flier's worst nightmare: an endless flight over the Pacific that ends in disaster. She's the only passenger aware that they're trapped in a time loop, reliving a 28-minute cycle that restarts after the plane takes a nosedive—until Rion, another teenage passenger, suddenly wakes up. But when the loops get longer and the inevitable crash gets closer, it's up to them to solve a mystery where the stakes are 35,000 feet high.
This thoroughly imagined thriller is claustrophobic but quite humanist, as Ev collects knowledge about her fellow passengers' lives over the course of hundreds of cycles. Air travel creates the kinds of transitional spaces that beg a Hopper-esque curiosity about the lives of the strangers around us, but actually getting a chance to learn about those strangers, free of social niceties, invites intimacy. The first few loops we experience with Ev are handpicked over the course of hundreds, and Ev's familiarity with everyone almost feels like waking up into the time loop yourself, disorienting but appropriate for the concept. Tension successfully amps up as the loop is disturbed and Ev and Rion discover the horrific culmination of events that leads to the crash. I constantly found myself switching to my calculator app to track the duration of the experience, trying to imagine the horror of going through over seven days worth of loops—never sleeping, never being remembered, and trying everything and anything to troubleshoot a way out. Perfect for fans of Lost, Passengers (2016), and the Twilight Zone...maybe not so perfect for anyone who already dreads flying!
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing an ARC to review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Seconds To Spair by Rachel Reese, 17 year-old Evelyn is on a flight from Hawaii to LA but unfortunately for her she keeps reliving 29 minutes of her flight and she’s already done it over 300 times. she’s already analyzed the Constance in those 29 minutes but she has yet to see how any of that can help her get to 30 minutes. then because of something Evelyn does the cute boys she chatted up before the flight who’s been sleeping this whole time wakes up. Not only does Orion wake up but he will prove the only other person who remembers these 29 minutes and him being conscious changes things just a tad bit. The only problem is once Evelyn tells him about the time loops, he immediately stopped speaking to her. Can they work together to get not only till the 30th minute but LA in one piece or are they destined to live this time loop over and over again? I was so excited to read this book it had so many high ratings and it was on a plane it was a time slip everything I love and I did find it OK but my first question why is the 17-year-old on a plane going to Hawaii to pick up her dead dad‘s ashes, alone… Does no one love this girl? I did feel it was getting a little repetitive but right when I started thinking that Ryan woke up and they got a little bit better and then the ending which IDK kids saving the day I guess this is written for teens and me being a grown adult I just think as if having said that if you like a good teen mystery especially a locked room on an airplane mystery then you definitely need to read this book. It did hold my attention but some things was just a tad bit silly. #NetGalley, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview,
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received this book from Netgalley, and I managed to finish it in the time allotted. It's a fast read and engaging. It is one of those thrilling locked room mysteries that you get involved with, trying to figure things out.
Here Evelyn is on a plane going home from Hawaii after picking up her father's ashes. There had been a family estrangement shortly before his unexpected death, and Evelyn hasn't come to terms with either. She finds herself seemingly stuck in a time loop. About midway through the flight she finds herself repeating the same 28 minutes. Each loop she tries something different, hoping this time the loop doesn't reset, even if it means the plane might crash. She has talked to all of the other passengers, except for Orion James, who is asleep during the loops.
Orion, or just Rion as his friends and family call him, is returning from a visit to Hawaii. He has a heart problem. The trip was supposed to relax him, but notification of an appointment for potential heart surgery has kind of made that difficult. He and Evelyn first meet in the airport terminal, before realizing they will be on the same flight. Rion is asleep for most of the 400 or so loops Evelyn has gone through. Then, one of her attempts to end the looping wakes him up. He stays awake for the remaining loops.
Two things happen after Rion's awakening. The loops get longer, by only minutes, but still longer. Evelyn is no longer alone. She has someone to bounce theories off of and make plans with. Do both of those things help solve the problem? You will have to read the book to find out.
Here Evelyn is on a plane going home from Hawaii after picking up her father's ashes. There had been a family estrangement shortly before his unexpected death, and Evelyn hasn't come to terms with either. She finds herself seemingly stuck in a time loop. About midway through the flight she finds herself repeating the same 28 minutes. Each loop she tries something different, hoping this time the loop doesn't reset, even if it means the plane might crash. She has talked to all of the other passengers, except for Orion James, who is asleep during the loops.
Orion, or just Rion as his friends and family call him, is returning from a visit to Hawaii. He has a heart problem. The trip was supposed to relax him, but notification of an appointment for potential heart surgery has kind of made that difficult. He and Evelyn first meet in the airport terminal, before realizing they will be on the same flight. Rion is asleep for most of the 400 or so loops Evelyn has gone through. Then, one of her attempts to end the looping wakes him up. He stays awake for the remaining loops.
Two things happen after Rion's awakening. The loops get longer, by only minutes, but still longer. Evelyn is no longer alone. She has someone to bounce theories off of and make plans with. Do both of those things help solve the problem? You will have to read the book to find out.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is outside of my general genre of reading but I loved Out of Air so I was really looking forward to Seconds to Spare - and it did not disappoint.
I imagine it's difficult to write a story that takes place in essentially one room, and even harder to rewrite the same 28 minute (but not) stretch in a way that keeps the reader engaged. I found myself unable to put it down because I really wanted to solve the mystery and see if I could catch on to anything (I didn't really lol)
Evelyn and Rion are two passengers on a plane from Hawaii to Los Angeles - they're also the only two on the plane aware that they're stuck in a time loop before the plane is about to crash. They obviously try all kinds of things to the break the loop and are met with varying levels of success each time - I really enjoyed seeing their characters develop and their relationship with one another deepen each time through.
I wouldn't classify this as a romance per se, but there are definitely romantic undertones throughout the story between the two main characters. The mystery of the time loop is front and center of the plot with two sort of side plots regarding why Rion and Evelyn were in Hawaii in the first place.
The ending was a bit meh, but honestly, I feel that way with basically all mystery/thriller endings so I'm pretty positive that it's a me thing lol.
If you like the vibe of Final Destination (w/o the gore and the premonition part is looped) along with some parts that have a Doctor Who episode vibe (I'm thinking the Midnight ep specifically) it's probably worth a read for you!
I imagine it's difficult to write a story that takes place in essentially one room, and even harder to rewrite the same 28 minute (but not) stretch in a way that keeps the reader engaged. I found myself unable to put it down because I really wanted to solve the mystery and see if I could catch on to anything (I didn't really lol)
Evelyn and Rion are two passengers on a plane from Hawaii to Los Angeles - they're also the only two on the plane aware that they're stuck in a time loop before the plane is about to crash. They obviously try all kinds of things to the break the loop and are met with varying levels of success each time - I really enjoyed seeing their characters develop and their relationship with one another deepen each time through.
I wouldn't classify this as a romance per se, but there are definitely romantic undertones throughout the story between the two main characters. The mystery of the time loop is front and center of the plot with two sort of side plots regarding why Rion and Evelyn were in Hawaii in the first place.
The ending was a bit meh, but honestly, I feel that way with basically all mystery/thriller endings so I'm pretty positive that it's a me thing lol.
If you like the vibe of Final Destination (w/o the gore and the premonition part is looped) along with some parts that have a Doctor Who episode vibe (I'm thinking the Midnight ep specifically) it's probably worth a read for you!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews