What We Did to Survive

Megan Lally

Mar 2026 · Sourcebooks, Inc.

About this ebook

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

A vacation in paradise turns deadly when four teens' sailing charter hits stormy seas in this propulsive new thriller from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Megan Lally!

Hannah is having an incredible spring break. A week at a resort in Mexico with her best friend Emmy and her family is perfect for de-stressing from senior year, even if it's awkward being around Emmy's older brother, Jackson, who she's had a crush on for as long as she can remember.

Still, the beach is gorgeous. So is the guy they meet in the surf. Except Hannah is now the third wheel in Emmy's vacation romance.

Eager to impress Emmy, her wealthy new boyfriend charters a private sailboat to make the most of their last day in paradise, and Hannah and Jackson are invited along. As the clouds roll in and the skies darken, their boat is the only one leaving the marina. And the further they get into open water, the more unsettled Hannah becomes. A storm is brewing onboard that's as deadly as the one racing toward them. Forget surviving graduation. Who will make it back to land alive?

Ratings and reviews

An extremely easy and addictive read, my star rating is based on assuming it was a book for adults - it definitely isn't. Would suit 12-17 age group depending on maturity. Does borrow a couple of ideas from other books - see the movie Adrift - but it was a lark. Good for early teen readers.

One of the best books I've read recently. It drew me in completely and had me in tears, believing it was all real too. Definitely recommend.

I like this book but it doesn't really have that 'thriller' vibe, for me the first chapter and the ending are perfect and provide a strong hook at the beginning but in the middle it's a bit lacking.

About the author

Megan Lally is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of That’s Not My Name. When she’s not writing dark and twisty young adult novels, you might find her barefoot at the ocean, drinking one too many lavender lattes, or arguing about the validity of glitter as a favorite color. (It’s absolutely a color, and it’s the best one.) She lives in the Pacific Northwest.