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Breakout: from the New York Times bestselling authors of Blackout and Whiteout
Trapped at a luxurious resort off the coast of Florida, a group of elite teens are about to have a spring break they will never forget … but not all of them are coming home. The star-studded team of authors behind New York Times bestsellers Blackout and Whiteout returns with a thrillerfull of intrigue, betrayal, and heart-stopping romance.
For Thurgood Marshall Academy's best and brightest–five friends who've been thick as thieves since kindergarten–this spring break is all about 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?
From the bestselling, award-winning team behind Blackout and Whiteout—Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon—comes a thriller that begs the is it possible to outrun the worst thing you've ever done?
For Thurgood Marshall Academy's best and brightest–five friends who've been thick as thieves since kindergarten–this spring break is all about 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?
From the bestselling, award-winning team behind Blackout and Whiteout—Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon—comes a thriller that begs the is it possible to outrun the worst thing you've ever done?
366 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 2, 2026
About the author
Dhonielle Clayton
43 books2,713 followersDhonielle Clayton is a New York Times bestselling author of The Marvellers series, The Belles series, Shattered Midnight, co-author of Blackout, Whiteout, The Rumor Game, and of the Tiny Pretty Things duology, a Netflix original series. She hails from the Washington, D.C. suburbs on the Maryland side. She taught secondary school for several years, and is a former elementary and middle school librarian. She is COO of the non-profit We Need Diverse Books. She is the President and founder of Cake Creative and Electric Postcard Entertainment, IP story companies creating diverse books for all ages. She’s an avid traveller, and always on the hunt for magic and mischief. Find her on Instagram: @brownbookworm.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
June 20, 2026
A solid YA thriller with plenty of secrets and twists. I enjoyed the characterization in this one—each of the teens is well-fleshed out with realistic motivations. I wasn’t totally surprised by any of the reveals but I was entertained.
Audio was inconsistently narrated imo (some narrators more skilled than others)
Audio was inconsistently narrated imo (some narrators more skilled than others)
May 29, 2026
What a group of authors! This book is basically about a group of rich kids with powerful parents who’ve known each other since kindergarten, who go on a spring break trip and people start dying. Not the most original concept but usually works! The opening chapter is especially strong. This is the definition of a beach read (engaging, high readability factor) perfect for summer.
Despite this being for a younger audience, certain parts of this book were impressively written. The only thing is, it isn’t really consistent. Which, when you have a big group of authors collaborating on one book, consistency of writing style is hard, so that’s to be expected. It’s never jarring or super obvious, but for example, the intro chapter was so impressively written and the ones following were more generic. Not in a bad way, or anything unlike 95% of everything else out there, but when you have such an expertly written first chapter, you kind of have expectations for how the rest will go, so it feels a bit disconnected when it’s not. But again, this is understandable with so many authors!
I do agree with the other reviews saying there’s too many different POVs. It’s not just with the core group of teens but even random people working the grounds there have a random chapter in their POV. Some of the chapters do show a bit of the darkness and corruption taking place behind the scenes with the staff, and some did make a good addition. But others felt too much like filler. There was also too many time jumps, going from week before to present and without any real pattern. It felt a bit disjointed.
Was this anything ground breaking? Not really. Was the ending something super shocking? Not really. But it was a fun beach read and exactly what you’d expect if looking for a YA thriller. Not a stand out, but an afternoon well spent if you need a fun and mindless beach read!
Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.
Despite this being for a younger audience, certain parts of this book were impressively written. The only thing is, it isn’t really consistent. Which, when you have a big group of authors collaborating on one book, consistency of writing style is hard, so that’s to be expected. It’s never jarring or super obvious, but for example, the intro chapter was so impressively written and the ones following were more generic. Not in a bad way, or anything unlike 95% of everything else out there, but when you have such an expertly written first chapter, you kind of have expectations for how the rest will go, so it feels a bit disconnected when it’s not. But again, this is understandable with so many authors!
I do agree with the other reviews saying there’s too many different POVs. It’s not just with the core group of teens but even random people working the grounds there have a random chapter in their POV. Some of the chapters do show a bit of the darkness and corruption taking place behind the scenes with the staff, and some did make a good addition. But others felt too much like filler. There was also too many time jumps, going from week before to present and without any real pattern. It felt a bit disjointed.
Was this anything ground breaking? Not really. Was the ending something super shocking? Not really. But it was a fun beach read and exactly what you’d expect if looking for a YA thriller. Not a stand out, but an afternoon well spent if you need a fun and mindless beach read!
Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.
June 27, 2026
3.5* The modern day ‘And Then There Were None’ vibes were strong with this one. Despite the ending feeling somewhat unsatisfying, this was overall a very entertaining read. Unsurprisingly, considering the names attached, it was brilliantly written and intensely gripping. I found myself having finished this book in no time at all. I definitely felt more invested in the story, rather than the characters who melded into one another at times but despite this, I still had a lot of fun and would definitely be excited to read more in this series!
July 9, 2026
Will you guess the plot? Yes.
Will the characters annoy you at times? Yes.
Does it feel a bit unfinished? Yes.
But its a fast read.
Will the characters annoy you at times? Yes.
Does it feel a bit unfinished? Yes.
But its a fast read.
June 27, 2026
Too many povs, too many unlikeable characters & too much inconsistency. I love all these authors individually (especially Tiffany D!) but this book just didn’t do it for me. I was glad when it was finally over.
June 10, 2026
My theory was part right, like I knew it would be! (I had known there would be more to it than I’d figured out.) The authors described these characters as “messy” and whooo is that right?! I was hooked to the story and wanting to figure out everything that happened. I do have some questions that weren’t quite clear to me. Also, I think I like exactly zero of these characters! Y’all were the worst, in like a “This is a train wreck and I can’t look away!” kind of way. Murder mysteries aren’t my jam, but it’s nice to change up my reading and give something new a try every once in awhile. Overall, I’d say go ahead and grab this one if you like Whiteout and Blackout, but know the vibe is soo different.
July 22, 2026
3.875 ⭐️ I should’ve known with Tiffany D Jackson as a writer this book was going to end with me regretting all my thoughts during the book. I figure out most the twist except for that last one! Had me feeling bad for the girl… SMH Tiffany said.. SIKE.
July 25, 2026
This is a decent YA thriller that will probably have the most appeal within the intended age group.
I didn't realize that this was the third book in the YA thriller/romance series that is being collaboratively written by an ensemble of bestselling authors: Tiffany D. Jackson, Dhonielle Clayton, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon. Instead of having each author pen their own book, they split up the chapters within each novel. An author takes control of a character's voice before shifting it to someone else. I was worried that this approach might lead to some choppy dialogue or a scattered narrative, but it ended up being pretty seamless. Each book can be read as a standalone.
Breakout follows six wealthy, privileged teens from an elite high school who climb aboard a yacht heading to a private island resort. The group is still dealing with the fallout from the death of one of their peers one year prior. The dream getaway quickly turns into a nightmare as a freak storm approaches and cuts the group off from the mainland. When the bodies start to pile up, it becomes apparent that everyone has dark secrets and the killer is probably one of their own.
Many thanks to Libro.fm for the ALC. The audio was a little hit or miss for me, but I appreciated that it had a full-cast narration. It really helped give each character a unique voice and allowed me to tell them all apart. A solid read for teens and tweens who are ready to suspend disbelief and enjoy thrillers with lots of emotional drama. 3.25 stars
I didn't realize that this was the third book in the YA thriller/romance series that is being collaboratively written by an ensemble of bestselling authors: Tiffany D. Jackson, Dhonielle Clayton, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon. Instead of having each author pen their own book, they split up the chapters within each novel. An author takes control of a character's voice before shifting it to someone else. I was worried that this approach might lead to some choppy dialogue or a scattered narrative, but it ended up being pretty seamless. Each book can be read as a standalone.
Breakout follows six wealthy, privileged teens from an elite high school who climb aboard a yacht heading to a private island resort. The group is still dealing with the fallout from the death of one of their peers one year prior. The dream getaway quickly turns into a nightmare as a freak storm approaches and cuts the group off from the mainland. When the bodies start to pile up, it becomes apparent that everyone has dark secrets and the killer is probably one of their own.
Many thanks to Libro.fm for the ALC. The audio was a little hit or miss for me, but I appreciated that it had a full-cast narration. It really helped give each character a unique voice and allowed me to tell them all apart. A solid read for teens and tweens who are ready to suspend disbelief and enjoy thrillers with lots of emotional drama. 3.25 stars
March 19, 2026
Thank you Quill Tree Books and Netgalley for the eARC!
Spring break was supposed to be a reset… not a body count. 😳🌴
Five friends. One tragedy they never got over. And a brand-new guy who fits into their group a little too perfectly…
When Anthony invites them to a private island getaway at his family’s luxury resort, it feels like the escape they’ve been desperate for. No drama. No memories. Just sun, ocean, and a fresh start.
Until the storm hits. ⛈️
And then… the bodies start showing up.
One by one, secrets they buried last year start washing ashore—lies, betrayals, and the truth about the friend they lost. And now? It’s happening again.
Trust no one.
Leave nothing buried.
Because this island? It remembers everything.
Who’s making it off alive… and who was never meant to? 👀🔪
Twists, turns, and surprises at every part of this story. LIke one of the characters says: "Nobody really knows anybody else because we are too busy trying to manage what other people think." Clayton/Jackson/Stone/Thomas/Woodfolk/Yoon knock it out of the park with this nonstop, heart pounding and sometimes "heart-wrenching" story of betrayal, deceit and oneupmanship. A very interesting cast of characters, compared to the characters in the two previous books by these amazing writers. The reader never knows who to truly trust. It's five, or six, if you count Ant, extremely unreliable narrators, who are so full of animosity against one another that they cannot see the trouble brewing right in front of their faces. If you like stories in the vein of One of Us Is Back, this one is for you!
Spring break was supposed to be a reset… not a body count. 😳🌴
Five friends. One tragedy they never got over. And a brand-new guy who fits into their group a little too perfectly…
When Anthony invites them to a private island getaway at his family’s luxury resort, it feels like the escape they’ve been desperate for. No drama. No memories. Just sun, ocean, and a fresh start.
Until the storm hits. ⛈️
And then… the bodies start showing up.
One by one, secrets they buried last year start washing ashore—lies, betrayals, and the truth about the friend they lost. And now? It’s happening again.
Trust no one.
Leave nothing buried.
Because this island? It remembers everything.
Who’s making it off alive… and who was never meant to? 👀🔪
Twists, turns, and surprises at every part of this story. LIke one of the characters says: "Nobody really knows anybody else because we are too busy trying to manage what other people think." Clayton/Jackson/Stone/Thomas/Woodfolk/Yoon knock it out of the park with this nonstop, heart pounding and sometimes "heart-wrenching" story of betrayal, deceit and oneupmanship. A very interesting cast of characters, compared to the characters in the two previous books by these amazing writers. The reader never knows who to truly trust. It's five, or six, if you count Ant, extremely unreliable narrators, who are so full of animosity against one another that they cannot see the trouble brewing right in front of their faces. If you like stories in the vein of One of Us Is Back, this one is for you!
July 9, 2026
I really wanted to love Breakout. Like… this author lineup? I was already sold. And don’t get me wrong, I had a good time, but this one landed at a 3 stars for me.
The setup is so my vibe: rich teens, private island, secrets, a storm rolling in, and bodies starting to drop?? Yeah, I was locked in. The drama, the mess, the tension in this friend group… that part hit. You can feel each author’s touch. But… the POVs started doing a little too much. I get why it was structured that way, but it felt like I never got to fully settle into any one character before we were switching again. Instead of adding depth, it kind of pulled me out of the story at times.
And the ending? That’s where it really slipped for me. After all that buildup, I needed more. More time, more fallout, more something. It just wrapped up way too fast for everything that was going on.
I’m still going to show up every time for Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon, no question. And if you like messy friend groups, high-stakes drama, and a thriller you can fly through, you’ll still probably enjoy this one.
It just didn’t hit as hard as I wanted it to.
The setup is so my vibe: rich teens, private island, secrets, a storm rolling in, and bodies starting to drop?? Yeah, I was locked in. The drama, the mess, the tension in this friend group… that part hit. You can feel each author’s touch. But… the POVs started doing a little too much. I get why it was structured that way, but it felt like I never got to fully settle into any one character before we were switching again. Instead of adding depth, it kind of pulled me out of the story at times.
And the ending? That’s where it really slipped for me. After all that buildup, I needed more. More time, more fallout, more something. It just wrapped up way too fast for everything that was going on.
I’m still going to show up every time for Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon, no question. And if you like messy friend groups, high-stakes drama, and a thriller you can fly through, you’ll still probably enjoy this one.
It just didn’t hit as hard as I wanted it to.
June 19, 2026
Breakout is a compelling collaboration that exemplifies the power of collective storytelling by some of the most talented Black authors working today. Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon come together to craft a riveting thriller packed with intrigue, betrayal, and heart-pounding romance, all set against the luxurious yet ominous backdrop of a private island off the Florida coast.
What impresses most about this novel is how seamlessly these authors' voices intertwine, creating a cohesive narrative that is both engaging and emotionally charged. Each chapter feels authentic to its respective voice, yet contributes to the larger, suspenseful tapestry of the story. The collaboration highlights not only their individual strengths but also how powerful they are collectively—delivering a story that is as intense as it is thought-provoking.
The story itself is a rollercoaster of tension, mystery, and secrets. A group of talented teens, all connected through their past tragedies and present secrets, find themselves trapped on an island during a freak tropical storm. The stakes escalate quickly as bodies begin to pile up and the line between friend and foe blurs. The sense of danger is palpable, and the mystery behind each death keeps you guessing until the very last page. I appreciated how the narrative explores themes of trust, betrayal, and the scars of past trauma, making the suspense feel even more visceral.
As someone who loves reading works by Black authors, I found Breakout to be a shining example of how Black voices can lead in the thriller and mystery genres while also highlighting the complexity of their characters beyond stereotypes. The characters are multi-dimensional, flawed, and relatable, which adds layers to the story’s emotional depth. This book is a prime example of how diverse voices can elevate genre fiction, and I sincerely hope we see more collaborations like this in the future.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the story, I am giving it 4 stars because there were moments where some plot twists felt slightly predictable, and I wished for a bit more development in certain character arcs. Nevertheless, the pacing is excellent, and the tension never wanes, making it a page-turner from start to finish.
Breakout is a masterful blend of suspense, romance, and social commentary, brought to life by an all-star team of authors who showcase the richness of Black storytelling. It’s a thrilling, emotionally resonant read that I highly recommend. I look forward to more collaborations like this from these talented writers—they truly know how to keep us on the edge of our seats.
What impresses most about this novel is how seamlessly these authors' voices intertwine, creating a cohesive narrative that is both engaging and emotionally charged. Each chapter feels authentic to its respective voice, yet contributes to the larger, suspenseful tapestry of the story. The collaboration highlights not only their individual strengths but also how powerful they are collectively—delivering a story that is as intense as it is thought-provoking.
The story itself is a rollercoaster of tension, mystery, and secrets. A group of talented teens, all connected through their past tragedies and present secrets, find themselves trapped on an island during a freak tropical storm. The stakes escalate quickly as bodies begin to pile up and the line between friend and foe blurs. The sense of danger is palpable, and the mystery behind each death keeps you guessing until the very last page. I appreciated how the narrative explores themes of trust, betrayal, and the scars of past trauma, making the suspense feel even more visceral.
As someone who loves reading works by Black authors, I found Breakout to be a shining example of how Black voices can lead in the thriller and mystery genres while also highlighting the complexity of their characters beyond stereotypes. The characters are multi-dimensional, flawed, and relatable, which adds layers to the story’s emotional depth. This book is a prime example of how diverse voices can elevate genre fiction, and I sincerely hope we see more collaborations like this in the future.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the story, I am giving it 4 stars because there were moments where some plot twists felt slightly predictable, and I wished for a bit more development in certain character arcs. Nevertheless, the pacing is excellent, and the tension never wanes, making it a page-turner from start to finish.
Breakout is a masterful blend of suspense, romance, and social commentary, brought to life by an all-star team of authors who showcase the richness of Black storytelling. It’s a thrilling, emotionally resonant read that I highly recommend. I look forward to more collaborations like this from these talented writers—they truly know how to keep us on the edge of our seats.
June 20, 2026
Thurgood Marshall Academy was ruled by a clique of the richest, brightest, & well-connected students nicknamed 'The Six': six friends who did everything together until the death of one of the group last year, Keisha, which caused seismic fractures of the friendships. Noelle is now on the outside after the betrayal of talking to a reporter about Keisha's death, River feels torn over whether or not to make a move on friend (& Keisha's boyfriend at the time) Quintin, whilst Sydney & Dwayne are drawn to each other but their families' rival politics make it impossible to be together.
The only person keeping the group together at the moment is newcomer, Anthony Brooks. Anthony is dating Noelle but invites the whole group to celebrate spring break at a newly refurbished hotel on an island owned by his father. They expect fun, sun, & partying not a tropical storm & several deaths. As things start to unravel, the secrets everyone is keeping rise to the surface & some of them could be deadly.
This is a YA mystery thriller with a diverse cast & multiple authors, unfortunately it was way too easy to work out what was going on. The multi-author aspect partly worked although it felt quite choppy to read rather than flowing in natural narrative. It was kind of fun though to see the fall out from the previous year take its toll on each one of them as none of them were particularly sympathetic characters so I wasn't rooting for any for them.
The main issues were that I felt that the murder side of things was a little unrealistic (), & the reveal was obvious. It's adequately entertaining but I found it lacking in some areas.
SUMMARY:
Plot: OK - It was way too easy to work out what was going on.
Writing Style: Good - The multi-author thing meant that it felt quite choppy to read rather than flowing.
Enjoyment Level: Moderately High - Reveal was obvious & all of the characters were very unsympathetic so I didn’t root for any of them tbh.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Farshore/Electric Monkey, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
The only person keeping the group together at the moment is newcomer, Anthony Brooks. Anthony is dating Noelle but invites the whole group to celebrate spring break at a newly refurbished hotel on an island owned by his father. They expect fun, sun, & partying not a tropical storm & several deaths. As things start to unravel, the secrets everyone is keeping rise to the surface & some of them could be deadly.
This is a YA mystery thriller with a diverse cast & multiple authors, unfortunately it was way too easy to work out what was going on. The multi-author aspect partly worked although it felt quite choppy to read rather than flowing in natural narrative. It was kind of fun though to see the fall out from the previous year take its toll on each one of them as none of them were particularly sympathetic characters so I wasn't rooting for any for them.
The main issues were that I felt that the murder side of things was a little unrealistic (), & the reveal was obvious. It's adequately entertaining but I found it lacking in some areas.
SUMMARY:
Plot: OK - It was way too easy to work out what was going on.
Writing Style: Good - The multi-author thing meant that it felt quite choppy to read rather than flowing.
Enjoyment Level: Moderately High - Reveal was obvious & all of the characters were very unsympathetic so I didn’t root for any of them tbh.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Farshore/Electric Monkey, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
June 22, 2026
Breakout 🌴⛈️Review ✨ Thank you Partner @epicreads and Harper Audio Childrens for the gifted copy and audiobook!
Breakout
by Dhonielle Clayton; Tiffany D. Jackson; Nic Stone; Angie Thomas; Ashley Woodfolk; Nicola Yoon
Narrated by Amber Dekkers; Korey Jackson; Marcella Cox; Kevin R. Free; James Fouhey; Liz Femi; Cary Hite
out now!
Five friends hoping to leave behind a year marked by tragedy accept an invitation to spend spring break at a luxury resort on a private island. But when a tropical storm cuts them off from the outside world and bodies begin turning up, their dream vacation quickly becomes a nightmare.
As secrets, lies, and old betrayals surface, the group must confront the past they’ve been trying to escape—before they become the next victims.
My thoughts 💭:
This was such a fun audiobook and definitely kept me on my toes. I listened to this one on audio, and the cast did an amazing job bringing the story to life. With multiple perspectives, timelines, and a fairly large cast of characters, this is a book that requires your attention but the payoff is there. There were several times I thought I had things figured out only to have the story throw me another curveball. One thing I always enjoy is a story about rich people behaving badly, and this book delivered on that front. Between the secrets, betrayals, privilege, and drama, there was never a dull moment. Then you have a remote island setting and a growing body count, making it a recipe for an entertaining thriller. If you’re looking for an audiobook that is twisty, suspenseful, and packed with drama, this one is definitely worth picking up. Just make sure you’re paying attention!
Happy reading 🎧📖🔪🌴⛈️
Breakout
by Dhonielle Clayton; Tiffany D. Jackson; Nic Stone; Angie Thomas; Ashley Woodfolk; Nicola Yoon
Narrated by Amber Dekkers; Korey Jackson; Marcella Cox; Kevin R. Free; James Fouhey; Liz Femi; Cary Hite
out now!
Five friends hoping to leave behind a year marked by tragedy accept an invitation to spend spring break at a luxury resort on a private island. But when a tropical storm cuts them off from the outside world and bodies begin turning up, their dream vacation quickly becomes a nightmare.
As secrets, lies, and old betrayals surface, the group must confront the past they’ve been trying to escape—before they become the next victims.
My thoughts 💭:
This was such a fun audiobook and definitely kept me on my toes. I listened to this one on audio, and the cast did an amazing job bringing the story to life. With multiple perspectives, timelines, and a fairly large cast of characters, this is a book that requires your attention but the payoff is there. There were several times I thought I had things figured out only to have the story throw me another curveball. One thing I always enjoy is a story about rich people behaving badly, and this book delivered on that front. Between the secrets, betrayals, privilege, and drama, there was never a dull moment. Then you have a remote island setting and a growing body count, making it a recipe for an entertaining thriller. If you’re looking for an audiobook that is twisty, suspenseful, and packed with drama, this one is definitely worth picking up. Just make sure you’re paying attention!
Happy reading 🎧📖🔪🌴⛈️
July 23, 2026
3.5 ⭐️ Ok this was a quick read I enjoyed it. It was a lot of POVs and characters 🥴 yall know me when it’s too many ppl on the group chat lmao i get overstimulated 😫🤣 now Although this book came out before, it just felt like I was reading The Nolan Wells case. I was just all over the place and really deep in thought with the magnitude privileged kids can go to cover up a crime. *sigh* overall i predicted the ending but not the twist before. This was a great YA I’d recommend to entry thriller readers.
June 22, 2026
3.5 overall
I agree with a lot of the reviewers in that there's some places the writing is a little inconsistent. But man, the opening line of this book? Beautiful.
I hated everyone in this book. Which, you really shouldn't like teens. They're all selfish and exhausting, and that comes across here.
The ending is rushed and there's a few things that don't make sense, but overall enjoyed.
I agree with a lot of the reviewers in that there's some places the writing is a little inconsistent. But man, the opening line of this book? Beautiful.
I hated everyone in this book. Which, you really shouldn't like teens. They're all selfish and exhausting, and that comes across here.
The ending is rushed and there's a few things that don't make sense, but overall enjoyed.
June 5, 2026
I loved the idea of this book! Six teens go to a secluded island for spring break because…you know, they’re rich…but people start dying and a literal storm is on its way.
The I also LOVED that every character is Black. There are six main characters and a dual timeline, so quite a bit to keep track of, especially since I was listening to the audiobook. The full cast made things easier to follow, but it did take some time to get my bearings, so to speak. None of these characters are really likable, but this is never an issue for me. Makes things juicy and is real.
There’s a lot of teen drama and angst, which fits well in a YA book. I also was intrigued by the mystery surrounding past events as well as the current one. I was surprised by some of the reveals, BUT…
…the ending, imo, is a mess. Everything feels frantically resolved. There’s a big twist in the epilogue, which…I don’t know, maybe is a me thing, but for one this big it felt far too late. I really think this book suffers from pacing issues, which is probably the result of six authors. Also, because there are so many writers assumedly writing a designated character, the story feels a bit disjointed at times, which is a reasonable issue but an issue nonetheless.
I was really enjoying the story, but ultimately I think the ending fumbles. I was looking forward to everything coming together, but was still left with questions because things weren’t cleanly wrapped up.
🎧I love a good full cast audiobook! I didn’t have issues with most of the performances, but certain narrators sounded to me like adults vs teens, so maybe were not the best fit for their role. Even so, I sill think it’s worth listening to if you can handle an audiobook with lots of POVs.
The I also LOVED that every character is Black. There are six main characters and a dual timeline, so quite a bit to keep track of, especially since I was listening to the audiobook. The full cast made things easier to follow, but it did take some time to get my bearings, so to speak. None of these characters are really likable, but this is never an issue for me. Makes things juicy and is real.
There’s a lot of teen drama and angst, which fits well in a YA book. I also was intrigued by the mystery surrounding past events as well as the current one. I was surprised by some of the reveals, BUT…
…the ending, imo, is a mess. Everything feels frantically resolved. There’s a big twist in the epilogue, which…I don’t know, maybe is a me thing, but for one this big it felt far too late. I really think this book suffers from pacing issues, which is probably the result of six authors. Also, because there are so many writers assumedly writing a designated character, the story feels a bit disjointed at times, which is a reasonable issue but an issue nonetheless.
I was really enjoying the story, but ultimately I think the ending fumbles. I was looking forward to everything coming together, but was still left with questions because things weren’t cleanly wrapped up.
🎧I love a good full cast audiobook! I didn’t have issues with most of the performances, but certain narrators sounded to me like adults vs teens, so maybe were not the best fit for their role. Even so, I sill think it’s worth listening to if you can handle an audiobook with lots of POVs.
July 13, 2026
Very action packed
July 6, 2026
This book was a really slow burn. I only liked the last 30 mins of the book. It was really difficult to keep up with all the characters and the story was kind of choppy. I liked the idea behind the story but not the plot or the delivery.
June 12, 2026
There's a reason these authors are at the top of their game. This book is Unputdownable. I devoured it. The absolute talent! Seriously one of my favorite reads this year!
June 23, 2026
They usually write related short stories so I was curious how this novel was going to go and they nailed it!! Everything I love about each of them came through in this novel without lacking coherence to form a whole new identity/thing I love about their collective! Highly recommend
June 19, 2026
My Selling Pitch:
Absolutely idiotic YA thriller
On my do not read list.
Pre-reading:
I picked this up because I heard good things about Tiffany D. Jackson’s writing, and I figured this would be a good way to get a taste of a bunch of different authors.
(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
I know I’m probably reading too much into it, but if it’s storming and the detective’s already sunburned, he didn’t just get there.
It’s already reminding me of Five Survive
You know, it’s really annoying that his name is Quintin, which means five, but then his nickname is Quatro, which means four.
YA quirky writing is EXHAUSTING.
Really hate when YA books sexualize teenagers like this. He’s 17. Don’t tell me about his tight end.
Hungry hummingbird is diabolical.
I wonder if someone’s gonna get concrete shoes?
I thought there was a pretty big argument that comparing skin color to food is offensive. I don’t share this belief, but I’m surprised all six of these authors are chill with it.
So much of this book is overwritten cringe. What do you mean, guava-colored pillows? Like grow up.
I fucking love hamachi crudo, but you can’t make a meal out of it.
As a reminder in memorial is redundant as hell. Just say in memorium of Key.
This reads like bad Gossip Hirl/ Pretty Little Liars fanfic.
I have a hard, hard time believing cops would be allowed to speak to these nepo babies without a lawyer present.
I know this is written by multiple authors, but holy fuck, I find this writing style obnoxious. Especially these River chapters. Channel her mother, fuck offff.
They’re rich enough that he has an iCloud backup of his phone. Be so for real right now. Also, there’s no way he doesn’t have blackmail stored on multiple devices.
I don’t like this book. I’ve totally checked out.
So help me god, if there’s a secret baby in this book because of her heterochromia, and they’re like look, she got one eye from one parent and one from the other!
And why does the general manager have the same sunburnt nose as the detective? Coincidence? I think not! (I am wrong.)
I wonder if that’s a nod to The Westing Game’s Turtle.
So she’s a ripoff Bailey Sarian gossip column for her school.
I’m supposed to believe a luxury resort like this doesn’t have a security feed on the pool?
I feel like they set it up where you can only drink from your one cup to pointedly poison someone.
Really harping on the sunburn.
Sausage casing dresses is never complementary.
Acab, baby.
They have obliterated these crime scenes to the point that they’re either not crime scenes or everybody going to jail for obstruction.
Why isn’t it the mess manifest not manifest the mess? Like don’t be stupid.
That is not how the cloud works.
Noelle and River’s characters are way, way too similar. All the characters feel like they have the same generic voice. This book is very bad.
I feel like his necklace has to be a matched set to Key’s bracelet because she’s his secret sister or something.
What is with all the fuckass Christianity in this book?
Oh, come off it. Just write she’s knocking on the door. Stop virtue signaling. You sound ridiculous.
You’re attempting to be a pro football player and you can’t break open a suitcase?
You kiss someone else the night your girlfriend dies? You’re a bad person.
I feel like Anthony isn’t dead and is the one murdering the hotel staff, but I don’t know how he faked his death. But like this has to be some And Then There Were None shit.
Why are we so fixated on his sunburn?
Oh my god, the repetitive writing is making me wanna put my head through the wall.
I’m so over this book. It’s very something’s gonna happen and then nothing actually happens. Everything is completely unbelievable. There’s no functional adults.
The timeline mishmash isn’t adding tension. It’s just unnecessarily convoluted.
But we know Prescott survives to advise her when talking to the cops so-
This is an incredibly idiotic whodunnit.
OK, I said she was related to him. I just thought it would be a closer relation than cousin, but like I’m counting that as correct.
So what was the dirt they got on Dwayne’s dad?
So they don’t release a minor from the hospital without the parents talking to the doctor.
A pool drowning looks very different from towel smothering on autopsy. I’m sure her loaded doctor parents would never get a second opinion about those results. God, this book is stupid!
Post-reading:
Incredible that you have six authors working on this book and not a single one of them or their editors knows how the cloud works. Um, this is too stupid to function. If you throw away any scrap of logic, this is technically readable. It reads like bad Pretty Little Liars or Gossip Girl fanfic. It’s wannabe Holly Jackson. I’m not convinced a single one of these authors has ever stayed at a luxury resort. I think they watched an episode of Zack and Cody and made their villains.
Stylistically, you can spot when different authors take over. One of them needed to be banned from foodie figurative language. The characters are bafflingly flat and all end up reading exactly the same. River and Noelle are the same character to the point it’s laughable. Jumping around in the timeline does nothing for the book’s tension. It’s exhausting to read. It’s unnecessarily convoluted for a mystery you’re gonna open and guess the gist of.
And I can’t stress to you enough how illogical villains’ motivations are. There is not a single functional adult in this story. It’s so beyond the suspension of disbelief, you’re gonna immediately check out.
I literally don’t have a single nice thing to say about this book. I think it’s an embarrassment of a thriller, and if I went solely off of this writing, I would not seek out a single one of these authors again. I don’t think you should read this. Even if you can tolerate a generic whodunnit, this is piss poor work, and stop pushing your toxic religion in YA books.
Who should read this:
Bad YA thriller fans
Ideal reading time:
Summer
Do I want to reread this:
Fuck no
Would I buy this:
No
Similar books:
* Five Survive by Holly Jackson-YA revenge thriller, mystery, family drama
* The Drop by S. R. Masters-revenge thriller, college friends
* Thin Air by Kellie M. Parker-YA revenge thriller, mystery, high schoolers
* She Lies in Wait by Gytha Lodge-crime procedural, revenge thriller, mystery, high schoolers
* And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie-OG revenge thriller mystery
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Absolutely idiotic YA thriller
On my do not read list.
Pre-reading:
I picked this up because I heard good things about Tiffany D. Jackson’s writing, and I figured this would be a good way to get a taste of a bunch of different authors.
(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
I know I’m probably reading too much into it, but if it’s storming and the detective’s already sunburned, he didn’t just get there.
It’s already reminding me of Five Survive
You know, it’s really annoying that his name is Quintin, which means five, but then his nickname is Quatro, which means four.
YA quirky writing is EXHAUSTING.
Really hate when YA books sexualize teenagers like this. He’s 17. Don’t tell me about his tight end.
Hungry hummingbird is diabolical.
I wonder if someone’s gonna get concrete shoes?
I thought there was a pretty big argument that comparing skin color to food is offensive. I don’t share this belief, but I’m surprised all six of these authors are chill with it.
So much of this book is overwritten cringe. What do you mean, guava-colored pillows? Like grow up.
I fucking love hamachi crudo, but you can’t make a meal out of it.
As a reminder in memorial is redundant as hell. Just say in memorium of Key.
This reads like bad Gossip Hirl/ Pretty Little Liars fanfic.
I have a hard, hard time believing cops would be allowed to speak to these nepo babies without a lawyer present.
I know this is written by multiple authors, but holy fuck, I find this writing style obnoxious. Especially these River chapters. Channel her mother, fuck offff.
They’re rich enough that he has an iCloud backup of his phone. Be so for real right now. Also, there’s no way he doesn’t have blackmail stored on multiple devices.
I don’t like this book. I’ve totally checked out.
So help me god, if there’s a secret baby in this book because of her heterochromia, and they’re like look, she got one eye from one parent and one from the other!
And why does the general manager have the same sunburnt nose as the detective? Coincidence? I think not! (I am wrong.)
I wonder if that’s a nod to The Westing Game’s Turtle.
So she’s a ripoff Bailey Sarian gossip column for her school.
I’m supposed to believe a luxury resort like this doesn’t have a security feed on the pool?
I feel like they set it up where you can only drink from your one cup to pointedly poison someone.
Really harping on the sunburn.
Sausage casing dresses is never complementary.
Acab, baby.
They have obliterated these crime scenes to the point that they’re either not crime scenes or everybody going to jail for obstruction.
Why isn’t it the mess manifest not manifest the mess? Like don’t be stupid.
That is not how the cloud works.
Noelle and River’s characters are way, way too similar. All the characters feel like they have the same generic voice. This book is very bad.
I feel like his necklace has to be a matched set to Key’s bracelet because she’s his secret sister or something.
What is with all the fuckass Christianity in this book?
Oh, come off it. Just write she’s knocking on the door. Stop virtue signaling. You sound ridiculous.
You’re attempting to be a pro football player and you can’t break open a suitcase?
You kiss someone else the night your girlfriend dies? You’re a bad person.
I feel like Anthony isn’t dead and is the one murdering the hotel staff, but I don’t know how he faked his death. But like this has to be some And Then There Were None shit.
Why are we so fixated on his sunburn?
Oh my god, the repetitive writing is making me wanna put my head through the wall.
I’m so over this book. It’s very something’s gonna happen and then nothing actually happens. Everything is completely unbelievable. There’s no functional adults.
The timeline mishmash isn’t adding tension. It’s just unnecessarily convoluted.
But we know Prescott survives to advise her when talking to the cops so-
This is an incredibly idiotic whodunnit.
OK, I said she was related to him. I just thought it would be a closer relation than cousin, but like I’m counting that as correct.
So what was the dirt they got on Dwayne’s dad?
So they don’t release a minor from the hospital without the parents talking to the doctor.
A pool drowning looks very different from towel smothering on autopsy. I’m sure her loaded doctor parents would never get a second opinion about those results. God, this book is stupid!
Post-reading:
Incredible that you have six authors working on this book and not a single one of them or their editors knows how the cloud works. Um, this is too stupid to function. If you throw away any scrap of logic, this is technically readable. It reads like bad Pretty Little Liars or Gossip Girl fanfic. It’s wannabe Holly Jackson. I’m not convinced a single one of these authors has ever stayed at a luxury resort. I think they watched an episode of Zack and Cody and made their villains.
Stylistically, you can spot when different authors take over. One of them needed to be banned from foodie figurative language. The characters are bafflingly flat and all end up reading exactly the same. River and Noelle are the same character to the point it’s laughable. Jumping around in the timeline does nothing for the book’s tension. It’s exhausting to read. It’s unnecessarily convoluted for a mystery you’re gonna open and guess the gist of.
And I can’t stress to you enough how illogical villains’ motivations are. There is not a single functional adult in this story. It’s so beyond the suspension of disbelief, you’re gonna immediately check out.
I literally don’t have a single nice thing to say about this book. I think it’s an embarrassment of a thriller, and if I went solely off of this writing, I would not seek out a single one of these authors again. I don’t think you should read this. Even if you can tolerate a generic whodunnit, this is piss poor work, and stop pushing your toxic religion in YA books.
Who should read this:
Bad YA thriller fans
Ideal reading time:
Summer
Do I want to reread this:
Fuck no
Would I buy this:
No
Similar books:
* Five Survive by Holly Jackson-YA revenge thriller, mystery, family drama
* The Drop by S. R. Masters-revenge thriller, college friends
* Thin Air by Kellie M. Parker-YA revenge thriller, mystery, high schoolers
* She Lies in Wait by Gytha Lodge-crime procedural, revenge thriller, mystery, high schoolers
* And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie-OG revenge thriller mystery
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Read
March 30, 2026A multi pov YA thriller on an island no one can leave, where everyone has secrets. This was exactly what I wanted it to be!
The teens are all from elite or rich family’s, their parents politics and reputation having defined their lives. They’re the popular kids from the academy so this spring break is supposed to give them a chance to forget; their lives, their troubles, the tragedy of last year. So when the newest addition to the group, Anthony, invites them to his fathers private island luxury resort, they’re all for it. Unfortunately, the simmering tension isn’t their only problem. A tropical storm hits and people start turning up dead.
They characters all have secrets to hide so when things take a turn, we get to see them scramble and make poor decisions. The group is already fraught with problems and I enjoyed uncovering their dynamics and secrets. They were all pretty unlikeable and the story kept me on my toes as I was never sure what they’d do next. I liked the addition of the ‘present’ chapters with the police trying to work out what happened on that island and ultimately the reveal of who, what, why. It brought it together well.
Overall, an enjoyable ya thriller. I might have liked a little more concern about the bodies and less self involved worry about their secrets getting out but it fit their personalities and priorities. And the very end was really great, it changed how I saw some of the story and really finished the book off well.
Proof copy received at an electric monkey event. All thoughts are my own.
The teens are all from elite or rich family’s, their parents politics and reputation having defined their lives. They’re the popular kids from the academy so this spring break is supposed to give them a chance to forget; their lives, their troubles, the tragedy of last year. So when the newest addition to the group, Anthony, invites them to his fathers private island luxury resort, they’re all for it. Unfortunately, the simmering tension isn’t their only problem. A tropical storm hits and people start turning up dead.
They characters all have secrets to hide so when things take a turn, we get to see them scramble and make poor decisions. The group is already fraught with problems and I enjoyed uncovering their dynamics and secrets. They were all pretty unlikeable and the story kept me on my toes as I was never sure what they’d do next. I liked the addition of the ‘present’ chapters with the police trying to work out what happened on that island and ultimately the reveal of who, what, why. It brought it together well.
Overall, an enjoyable ya thriller. I might have liked a little more concern about the bodies and less self involved worry about their secrets getting out but it fit their personalities and priorities. And the very end was really great, it changed how I saw some of the story and really finished the book off well.
Proof copy received at an electric monkey event. All thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really wanted to love this one because I enjoy so many of the authors involved, but no matter how hard I tried, it just never fully came together for me.
I was thankful to receive a complimentary eARC from HarperCollins Children’s Books via NetGalley several months ago and started it right away. Unfortunately, it wasn’t pulling me in, so I set it aside for a bit. No big deal, I’m a mood reader and sometimes timing is everything. As publication day crept closer, I picked it back up again, hoping it would click, but I still struggled to stay engaged. Then the audiobook was offered up through Harper Audio via NetGalley and you know I immediately requested it and was thankfully approved.
Attempt number three worked the best because I tackled it as an immersion read. That finally helped me get over the invisible hump and into the heart of the story. Unfortunately, while the experience improved, it still wasn’t by much.
The biggest issue is that the book feels incredibly disconnected. You can absolutely tell it was written by multiple authors and, unfortunately, that lack of cohesion really shows. The writing styles vary wildly from chapter to chapter, and there never feels like there’s a strong enough thread tying everything together in a meaningful way.
I also struggled with the audiobook casting. This is a YA story centered on teen characters, but most of the narrators sounded far too mature for the roles, which really skewed the overall experience for me. It was narrated by Amber Dekkers, Korey Jackson, Marcella Cox, Kevin R. Free, James Fouhey, Liz Femi, and Cary Hite, all of whom delivered their performances well, but simply felt miscast for the age of the characters.
That said, there were elements I enjoyed. When I switched back to reading portions physically once I was more invested, the characters felt far more age appropriate on the page. The dialogue sounded natural without relying on overly trendy slang, which I appreciated.
I also really liked the representation of wealthy, messy, and unapologetically vapid Black teens. That perspective felt refreshing and added something unique to the story. At one point, I was genuinely invested in the buildup and excited to see how everything would come together. Unfortunately, the payoff just wasn’t there. The ending felt rushed, predictable, and underdeveloped, almost as though the authors hit a word count limit and had to wrap everything up before fully fleshing out the conclusion.
So in the end, my feelings are pretty mixed. I think younger readers may still find aspects of the story enjoyable, but when the writing itself feels uneven, it frustrates me because young readers deserve strong storytelling to grow with as well.
Overall, I was definitely disappointed because I went in with such high hopes. Maybe next time.
I was thankful to receive a complimentary eARC from HarperCollins Children’s Books via NetGalley several months ago and started it right away. Unfortunately, it wasn’t pulling me in, so I set it aside for a bit. No big deal, I’m a mood reader and sometimes timing is everything. As publication day crept closer, I picked it back up again, hoping it would click, but I still struggled to stay engaged. Then the audiobook was offered up through Harper Audio via NetGalley and you know I immediately requested it and was thankfully approved.
Attempt number three worked the best because I tackled it as an immersion read. That finally helped me get over the invisible hump and into the heart of the story. Unfortunately, while the experience improved, it still wasn’t by much.
The biggest issue is that the book feels incredibly disconnected. You can absolutely tell it was written by multiple authors and, unfortunately, that lack of cohesion really shows. The writing styles vary wildly from chapter to chapter, and there never feels like there’s a strong enough thread tying everything together in a meaningful way.
I also struggled with the audiobook casting. This is a YA story centered on teen characters, but most of the narrators sounded far too mature for the roles, which really skewed the overall experience for me. It was narrated by Amber Dekkers, Korey Jackson, Marcella Cox, Kevin R. Free, James Fouhey, Liz Femi, and Cary Hite, all of whom delivered their performances well, but simply felt miscast for the age of the characters.
That said, there were elements I enjoyed. When I switched back to reading portions physically once I was more invested, the characters felt far more age appropriate on the page. The dialogue sounded natural without relying on overly trendy slang, which I appreciated.
I also really liked the representation of wealthy, messy, and unapologetically vapid Black teens. That perspective felt refreshing and added something unique to the story. At one point, I was genuinely invested in the buildup and excited to see how everything would come together. Unfortunately, the payoff just wasn’t there. The ending felt rushed, predictable, and underdeveloped, almost as though the authors hit a word count limit and had to wrap everything up before fully fleshing out the conclusion.
So in the end, my feelings are pretty mixed. I think younger readers may still find aspects of the story enjoyable, but when the writing itself feels uneven, it frustrates me because young readers deserve strong storytelling to grow with as well.
Overall, I was definitely disappointed because I went in with such high hopes. Maybe next time.
June 18, 2026
Breakout follows five friends from Thurgood Marshall Academy as they head to new kid Anthony Brook's Dad's luxury resort on a private island resort for spring break, hoping to leave behind the tragedy that shattered their group the year before. But when a tropical storm traps them on the island and bodies begin turning up, old secrets, betrayals, and unresolved grief quickly rise to the surface.
One of the things that initially drew me to this book was the incredible collective behind it: Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon. I've not yet read *Blackout* or *Whiteout*, but after finishing *Breakout* I'll definitely be checking them out. The collaboration works surprisingly well, with each POV feeling distinct and authentic despite the sheer number of voices involved.
There is an enormous amount of mess, drama, angst, secrets, and shifting loyalties (exactly the kind of thing that makes for an addictive YA read). The mystery kept me turning the pages and I enjoyed seeing how the past and present storylines informed one another.
I also appreciated seeing an all-black main cast at the centre of a mainstream YA thriller. The characters felt varied and well represented, with different personalities, motivations and flaws. None of them are particularly likeable, but they felt believable, and I was invested in uncovering what each of them was hiding.
My main criticism is that with multiple perspectives, I sometimes wished there had been more room to fully develop each individual storyline. The large cast is one of the book's strengths, but it occasionally comes at the expense of depth.
YA murder mysteries are very much flavour of the month with the young people I work with, thanks to the popularity of books like A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and One of Us Is Lying, and *Breakout* fits comfortably into that space while bringing its own unique perspective. Tense, dramatic, and packed with twists, this is a compelling addition to the YA thriller genre.
One of the things that initially drew me to this book was the incredible collective behind it: Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon. I've not yet read *Blackout* or *Whiteout*, but after finishing *Breakout* I'll definitely be checking them out. The collaboration works surprisingly well, with each POV feeling distinct and authentic despite the sheer number of voices involved.
There is an enormous amount of mess, drama, angst, secrets, and shifting loyalties (exactly the kind of thing that makes for an addictive YA read). The mystery kept me turning the pages and I enjoyed seeing how the past and present storylines informed one another.
I also appreciated seeing an all-black main cast at the centre of a mainstream YA thriller. The characters felt varied and well represented, with different personalities, motivations and flaws. None of them are particularly likeable, but they felt believable, and I was invested in uncovering what each of them was hiding.
My main criticism is that with multiple perspectives, I sometimes wished there had been more room to fully develop each individual storyline. The large cast is one of the book's strengths, but it occasionally comes at the expense of depth.
YA murder mysteries are very much flavour of the month with the young people I work with, thanks to the popularity of books like A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and One of Us Is Lying, and *Breakout* fits comfortably into that space while bringing its own unique perspective. Tense, dramatic, and packed with twists, this is a compelling addition to the YA thriller genre.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3 stars
The greatest asset of this writing team is the combined star power and reputation they possess as individuals and now as a group after several joint efforts. Simultaneously, all of this acclaim comes with high expectations. I anticipate anything I read from some of these folks - including a couple of my all-time YA favs who are in this group - is not just going to be good. It'll be exceptional. That's why it's a bummer that this is just okay.
One huge barrier I experienced with this book is a fault of timing, not of these writers or anything else. Immediately prior to this book, I read a forthcoming YA novel centering on a murder mystery within a wealthy family. That book is so well done, so it was tough not to compare at times (especially when randomly a character with that afore-referenced author's name appears in this book)! So timing was not on this book's side. Aside from that, all of the challenges are inherent in this book.
There are a lot of characters, and I'm confounded by the choice to give some of them nicknames - even more for us to track. Overall, by doing too much, this book is not doing enough. Too many characters, too many details, not enough distinction between characters at times, multiple timelines, and an obvious point person... It's not BAD, but it's also not good, and that feels tough for this group of exceptional creators.
Would I read this again? Yes because I won't miss anything some of these folks generate. Do I think the short stories that evolve into a unified front (a la _Blackout_ and _Whiteout_) present a more exciting and impactful structure for this collab? Yes. I hope the next effort gives me more of that.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
The greatest asset of this writing team is the combined star power and reputation they possess as individuals and now as a group after several joint efforts. Simultaneously, all of this acclaim comes with high expectations. I anticipate anything I read from some of these folks - including a couple of my all-time YA favs who are in this group - is not just going to be good. It'll be exceptional. That's why it's a bummer that this is just okay.
One huge barrier I experienced with this book is a fault of timing, not of these writers or anything else. Immediately prior to this book, I read a forthcoming YA novel centering on a murder mystery within a wealthy family. That book is so well done, so it was tough not to compare at times (especially when randomly a character with that afore-referenced author's name appears in this book)! So timing was not on this book's side. Aside from that, all of the challenges are inherent in this book.
There are a lot of characters, and I'm confounded by the choice to give some of them nicknames - even more for us to track. Overall, by doing too much, this book is not doing enough. Too many characters, too many details, not enough distinction between characters at times, multiple timelines, and an obvious point person... It's not BAD, but it's also not good, and that feels tough for this group of exceptional creators.
Would I read this again? Yes because I won't miss anything some of these folks generate. Do I think the short stories that evolve into a unified front (a la _Blackout_ and _Whiteout_) present a more exciting and impactful structure for this collab? Yes. I hope the next effort gives me more of that.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Harper Audio Children's, Quill Tree Press, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to listen to and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I will admit, I had to rush through this one due to when I was approved and the publication date. But it wasn't a hardship to do so. I enjoyed this YA title but it wasn't my favorite. I read the short story collection from these authors when it was available so I was interested to see how they would incorporate all their voices into one story.
The audio is well done. All the narrators did their characters so well and really kept me wanting to listen. I was worried there would be too many voices for me to really enjoy the story but there were not. I appreciated having the different narrators as it made it easy to differentiate the POVs.
I love a book with multiple POVs. And for a book written by 6 different authors, this one was done really well. I never felt overwhelmed with the switches to the different characters and I appreciated how the voices were all very different and unique. It helped me connect more to the characters. I also enjoyed the diversity of the characters.
The plot was fun and interesting. I love a good mystery that incorporates other elements, in this case romance. The atmosphere was also good. I really felt like I was there with the characters. Lots of drama, a cool island and boat, a storm rolling in, and secrets galore. I was a bit disappointed in the ending. So much build up and little reward. It just didn't come together for me as I felt like it should.
Overall, this was fun. I think the age group it's intended for will enjoy it enough but it just didn't pack the punch I was expecting.
I will admit, I had to rush through this one due to when I was approved and the publication date. But it wasn't a hardship to do so. I enjoyed this YA title but it wasn't my favorite. I read the short story collection from these authors when it was available so I was interested to see how they would incorporate all their voices into one story.
The audio is well done. All the narrators did their characters so well and really kept me wanting to listen. I was worried there would be too many voices for me to really enjoy the story but there were not. I appreciated having the different narrators as it made it easy to differentiate the POVs.
I love a book with multiple POVs. And for a book written by 6 different authors, this one was done really well. I never felt overwhelmed with the switches to the different characters and I appreciated how the voices were all very different and unique. It helped me connect more to the characters. I also enjoyed the diversity of the characters.
The plot was fun and interesting. I love a good mystery that incorporates other elements, in this case romance. The atmosphere was also good. I really felt like I was there with the characters. Lots of drama, a cool island and boat, a storm rolling in, and secrets galore. I was a bit disappointed in the ending. So much build up and little reward. It just didn't come together for me as I felt like it should.
Overall, this was fun. I think the age group it's intended for will enjoy it enough but it just didn't pack the punch I was expecting.
June 6, 2026
An advance copy of this book was provided to me for free by the publisher.
Twisty, suspenseful, and impossible to put down, Breakout will keep you guessing from beginning to end. After spending the last year grappling with the death of their part-time friend/ part-time adversary, a group of well connected and financially privileged high school students embark on a chaperone-free tropical spring break. Their fractured friend group is put to the test when a destructive tropical storm interrupts their trip, just as bodies start to pile up.
Centered on complicated characters who all have explosive secrets, I really enjoyed grappling with clues of the underlying mystery woven throughout the storyline and trying to determine if anyone was a reliable narrator. I really enjoyed how this book explores the pressure to live up to parents' expectations and how that pressure impacts each character's decisions and fosters the need to keep secrets from those closest to you. These shaky relationships heighten the volatile nature of their friend group and force them to stay close, if only to ensure their past stays buried.
Each character is trying to break out both literally and figuratively, and I enjoyed how the authors showcase that tension until the final reveal.
🎧 Audiobook Commentary:
Narrated by Amber Dekkers, Korey Jackson, Marcella Cox, Kevin R. Free, James Fouhey, Liz Femi, and Cary Hite, the full cast vividly brings each character to life and helps you better understand their emotions and motivations. Each narrator complements their character, and I recommend reading via audio to experience their performances.
✨ If you love twisty stories full of complicated characters, Breakout should be on your reading list.
Twisty, suspenseful, and impossible to put down, Breakout will keep you guessing from beginning to end. After spending the last year grappling with the death of their part-time friend/ part-time adversary, a group of well connected and financially privileged high school students embark on a chaperone-free tropical spring break. Their fractured friend group is put to the test when a destructive tropical storm interrupts their trip, just as bodies start to pile up.
Centered on complicated characters who all have explosive secrets, I really enjoyed grappling with clues of the underlying mystery woven throughout the storyline and trying to determine if anyone was a reliable narrator. I really enjoyed how this book explores the pressure to live up to parents' expectations and how that pressure impacts each character's decisions and fosters the need to keep secrets from those closest to you. These shaky relationships heighten the volatile nature of their friend group and force them to stay close, if only to ensure their past stays buried.
Each character is trying to break out both literally and figuratively, and I enjoyed how the authors showcase that tension until the final reveal.
🎧 Audiobook Commentary:
Narrated by Amber Dekkers, Korey Jackson, Marcella Cox, Kevin R. Free, James Fouhey, Liz Femi, and Cary Hite, the full cast vividly brings each character to life and helps you better understand their emotions and motivations. Each narrator complements their character, and I recommend reading via audio to experience their performances.
✨ If you love twisty stories full of complicated characters, Breakout should be on your reading list.
June 23, 2026
It wasn't bad, but it wasn't as great as I wanted it to be. With so many authors, it can make writing feel a bit disjointed, and that was the case here. There were a lot of small chapters from random POVs of the resort staff as well, which I feel added to the book, but because there were soooo many POVs, including the six MCs, it got confusing sometimes. None of the characters were likeable, which makes sense considering they're spoiled, rich teenagers who each have secrets, but if you're the kind of person that reads books to root for the main character, then you'll probably be disappointed. Despite its flaws, the book was compelling enough that I was planning on rating it a 4 star. But then the ending came, and it was all so rushed at that point. Essentially, the ending needed to be fleshed out much more. If it had been, it would still have been a four stars.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Quill Tree Books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. I always enjoy a good mystery within a mystery and this one had me hooked! Last year during Spring Break Keisha died, she was part of Thurgood Marshall Academy’s The Six. Six friends who’d been together since kindergarten and were all filthy rich. Now there’s only five and Noelle is the outcast after she gave broke the pact the five of them had made after Keisha’s death. Anthony Brooks is new to school and he’s made it his mission to get to know these five friends, Noelle’s even his girlfriend. Now these six are off on another Spring Break adventure, this time at Anthony’s father’s island resort where they’ll have the island to themselves as the resort is being partially renovated. Soon they are hit by tropical storms, all communication and electricity is gone from the island, and to top it off someone else is dead. It’s Déjà vu for the five friends, but who did it? As the already fractured friend group beings to fracture even more they’ll have to decide who can they trust? Especially when they all have secrets, secrets they’ll do anything to keep. As more people die it becomes clear that someone is out to get them, maybe someone who’s determined to find out what really happened to Keisha. What are the friends hiding? And can they make it out alive? Thrilling and kept me guessing! I loved the morally greyness of this group of friends! Lots of secrets, lies, mistrust, and betrayal in this one! Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon do an excellent job of keeping the twists coming right up until the very end!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First things first -- unlike the other books by this group of authors, this is NOT a romance. However, it is a very twisty and well-written thriller/suspense/mystery novel that I think many teens will get into. It's about a group of six Black kids called "The Six" who attend school together and come from powerful and wealthy families. Together they go on spring break to Ant's father's resort on an island. However, as soon as they get there, the tropical storms start hitting, and everything spirals out of control. The story is told from multiple points of view -- and not just the teens but also the staff at the resort where they're staying. I will say the switching of not only perspectives but also going back and forth in time is going to be tricky for teen readers. There's a lot to keep track of -- not just the present storyline but also the past that led them there, namely the death of one of the original six, Keisha. As the story unfolds, we're forced to question who we can trust as narrators, just like the characters are questioning who they can trust, especially as one of them ends up murdered. I think readers who enjoy these authors, thrillers, suspense, mystery, or a forced proximity/trapped with a killer trope will like this one. Certainly the authors' notoriety will lead many to pick up this title. Though it was different from what I thought it was going to be, I still enjoyed it and look forward to recommending it in my high school library. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
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