Title: Seconds to Spare
Author: Rachel Reiss
Published: May 12, 2026
Format: e-ARC
My Rating: 4.5 stars/5
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 discover the hidden clues, piece together the moving puzzle, and save everyone onboard –before it’s too late.
My thoughts from the Vault
Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book. I chose to review it and this in no way impacts my opinion of it.
When I read the synopsis while browsing Netgalley, I was immediately hooked. I knew I had to get my hands on this book and I was definitely not disappointed. I could not put this book down.
A modern day Groundhog Day that begins with Evelyn experiencing the plane begin to nosedive towards the ocean before a white flash brings her back 28 minutes before the plane lost control.
Despite never having seen Groundhog Day, I knew the overall premise and I knew I would enjoy this novel. It was thrilling, mysterious, and begging to be solved. I loved the characters and I really enjoyed seeing how the characters changed between the interactions as they forgot the past loops.
I found myself constantly thinking about continuing to read because the book had me that hooked. I didn’t want it to end but I also had to know how it ended. I highly recommend this novel to anyone looking for a thrilling mystery.
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