Review: Flight 171 by Amy Christine Parker

Author: Amy Christine Parker
Publisher: Underlined
Publication Date: October  2022

Devon Marsh is haunted by secrets. Like the identity of the person who killed her twin sister, Emily, in a hit and run accident last Halloween, which Devon has vowed to uncover. Like the things Devon said to Emily just before she died.
But she’s determined to start fresh when she boards a four-hour flight along with her classmates for their senior class ski trip. Devon never could have guessed those secrets would surface in the most terrifying way when a supernatural creature hijacks their flight and gives the students a deadly ultimatum:

Choose one among them to sacrifice before the end of the flight. Or the plane will crash.

As the clock ticks down, the creature slowly unearths the passengers’ deepest, darkest secrets—and reveals that one of the teens on the plane is responsible for Emily’s death. The students must agree on a sacrifice, or there won’t be any survivors. But can Devon find a way to stop the creature, or will she give in to her anger and let revenge take control.

Flight 171 is a YA horror that takes place on a plane. It's told from Devon's point of view.  She has lost her twin sister in a car accident and is determined to find out who ran her over.  An evil presence on the plane will force Devon and all of her classmates to reveal secrets before time runs out and the plane goes down.  Devon hopes the killer will be revealed.

I'm a bit wishy-washy on this one.  I liked the level that the horror and gore reached for a YA.  It was just just enough to make my skin crawl, but wasn't over the top.  There is a lot of body horror in this book, so keep that in mind.  I also wasn't sure who the killer was until the end. 

What I didn't love were the characters.  They were all self absorbed and narcissistic  teens. If I was Devon, I'm not sure I could stand to be around them for a few minutes, never mind a 4 hour plane ride.  Despite that, I do think this is worth giving a try.  It would translate well into a guilty pleasure horror movie.