yikes. this was a rough read, and i'm baffled by all the positive reviews on here.

i was super interested in the premise: a bullied teen is running through a carnival corn maze and suddenly finds herself on a remote jungle island. the island is populated with warring clans of kids from different decades, all of whom are trapped on the island, never aging or growing up. cool mystery, right?

unfortunately, the only things i can praise about this novel are that it has an intriguing premise, and that it has short, easy chapters. considering it's such a creative concept, the cliché-filled execution is so disappointing!

here are just a few of the issues i had:

‣ our protagonist, olive, is ridiculously immature for an older teen. her immaturity doesn't match the brutal descriptions of violence throughout the book. and her narrative voice is cringy as hell, which is especially painful because the told-not-shown writing remains stuck within her rambly internal monologues for most of the book. the characterization is very weak, for olive herself and all of the supporting characters, many of whom feel like flat caricatures.

‣ olive's big struggle prior to showing up on the island is that she's a victim of bullying. i appreciate the anti-bullying message, but it's written in a completely unbelievable way. the only reason the bullies target her is because of her embarrassing name?? but they go so far as to physically hold her down and put a used tampon on her / shave part of her hair? what?? the bullies are one-dimensional, it's far too dramatic and contrived.

‣ as i mentioned, olive's narrative voice is rambly as hell, but there are also tons of info dumps and boring paragraphs of exposition. the interesting things are glossed over, and instead there are pages and pages of unnecessary filler dialogue. olive says over and over again how beautiful the island is, but i never felt immersed in the setting. it's just... not well-written.

‣ there is forbidden instalove with a dark brooding older teen who has an eyepatch!! oh god, i would not have read this book if i knew about the weak romance element. so many gratuitous descriptions of his minty breath and sweat beading down his back. eww. the romance is almost as contrived as the bullying, and seems to be based on lust more than love. at one point the eyepatch boy confides to olive about his suicide attempt, and she starts an internal monologue about how she doesn't know how to respond because she hasn't dated much and "boys just aren't my forte." what the fuck? this book does not know how to handle the serious topics it raises.

‣ all of the above points are frustrating, but this final thing is serious and harmful. on an island full of kids, the only person of color is a small brown girl named "bug." her backstory is that she's an orphan who lived on another tropical island far in the past. she didn't know how to speak english when she arrived on the island, but she has legendary survival skills that she bestows on the other kids in her clan. yes, the one brown kid is the exoticized one who is at home in the jungle and doesn't want to return to her old life. she's a cute character, but giving this background to the only character of color is downright racist.

i really wanted to enjoy the castaways and its beachy lord of the flies / peter pan vibes, but it's poorly written and extremely disappointing. olive does show growth by the end of the book, and there's a nice found-family theme, but those can't redeem the fact that her character and the story itself are so unbelievable and unlikable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest (and belated) review.

The Castaways reminded me a bit of the TV show Lost, but it is a really unique read.

Olive is severely bullied by some of her classmates and while running away from one she is mysteriously transported to an island. There she meets a group of fellow castaways who are all from different places and times in history. The group she befriends is at odds with another group of castaways, so there is more than just finding a way home at stake.

I liked the author's writing style. She did a great job creating interesting characters and a story that kept me glued to the page to find out what happens next. There were some plot points that felt a bit rushed, especially one relating to Will. Overall, though, I thought it was a great YA read.

This book was . . . bad. The writing was clunky and disjointed; it felt like reading a story written by a middle school student and it might be impressive for them but as a published novel, it just didn't work for me. Wouldn't recommend.

I was super excited to read this book because it kind of sounded like a mix of Lost and The 100! It definitely did not disappoint and I fell in love with the plot, characters, and that cover is just stunning! Great read!

At first I will admit I thought this was going to be a sort of cheesy attempt to be like LORD OF THE FLIES, but in truth I ended up really liking it! There was a lot of depth to the characters, plot, and themes that I wasn't expecting. It reminded me some of NIL by Lynne Matson, which is a series I love, so that is a point in its favor for sure. I loved how the teens worked together in their 2 separate camps to figure out what was happening to them. The "fights" between the 2 groups were actually frightening at times, and towards the end I was on pins and needles to see how a certain meeting between them would play out. I was glad that Ms. Fleck had a twist up her sleeve to help elucidate that people are not all good or all bad, but that we are instead very complicated. I think had this twist not been there, the story wouldn't have had the depth that made it so string.

The realization to which the kids finally come, that which may just help them leave this godforesaken place, is quite powerful, and I think the book ended on a perfect note. I would actually be really happy if Ms. Fleck wrote a follow-up to this so we could see how the kids fare after the end of this book!

Thanks as always to Entangled Teen and NetGalley for the early copy of the book. This is my honest rating and review.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

This was unexpected! I love a good Young Adult novel and ecspecially the ones that have a unique concept with a little fantasy or science fiction element to them. This was certainly a unique concept with the Castaways Carnival and the corn maze. I liked the characters and the resolution. It was a fun read and would definitely recommend.

I feel like this one covered a lot of ground other recent books/series already have.

I like the way this novel is written and the direction of the plot.

I was reading it and stopped when I was at 30ish% of the book onlh to find out when I could go back to it that I didn't want to. In all that time I just hadn't warmed up to any character, and most of those on the island were similar between them. I had enjoyed the book when they were on the institute, but even for me there were lots of things that didn't made sense (and I tend to go with the book and not question things): so kids keep disappearing on the corn maze but they don't close... a peter panish island? really? Coconut bombs? A war on the island going on for centuries and only one person dies? until our main character arrives and kills another and feels regret but she had to do it to save a little one and herself but I buy it all the same I buy the romance?
The narrative was nice, but the book didn't make sense, although you can see is about bullying and abuse and power over others.

I think I really started getting interested when I was about a third of the way into the book. The Trio is an absolute nightmare in terms of bullying. The characters on the island really drew me in and I got a little emotional at the end.

Magnetic book cover + engaging story = the perfect read.
I loved The Castaways, debut novel by Jessika Fleck and I absolutely recommend it! Well written, strong / positive characters and a truly empowering message make this book a "must read".

Holy mother of everything, I loved this book so much. I didn't expect that at all.
There will probably be some vage spoilers cause I need to write about this book and some things that happened.

The story is seriously amazing and really creative. The writing is so great and really transported me in the middle of this world.

I loved Olive, the main character, right from the start. She got bullied REALLY bad. Like, the trio of girls that bullied her, took things to an insane level.
Later on the island we get many more characters. Characters that I loved from the first moment they showed up, Bug, Tilly (I didn't pick up the book for a day after THE THING happened) and Charlie. The rest of them were all just there and I didn't care that much.

I also didn't care much about Will and Olive as a couple. Cause I cared much more about the family dynamics. Before the island I loved the relationship between Olive and her little brother Lucky. On the island I loved Olive and Bug and Charlie, cause it reminded me so much of her moments with her brother. Also the whole family feel of the group, that just found there way on the island and who had to figure out how to life there.

I loved the character growth in the story, cause that was what I really cared about in the book. They all had their history, they all went through something terrible. They all grew so much on the island. I just. I'm getting the feels just talking about it. Especially Olive, cause we got the story from her point of view, so we could really see her growth. (The thing she did at the end of the book, back in school. I just. I felt like a proud mama)

To make things really short, I loved the book and I highly recommend it.

So much fun! I really enjoyed this book. It started off a bit wobbly to me, but when I passed around the 30% I was so glad I gave it a good chance. I enjoyed the side characters and the adventure of the island. Bigger review to come

Olive Gagmuehler, a bullied teenager, decides to go to the pirate-themed Castaway carnival that’s just come back in Texas. Unfortunately, her bullies gang up on her at the carnival. Left with no other option, Olive runs away into the maze where teenagers have been known to disappear until she lands on a lost island. Two groups of teenagers and kids, the Lions and the Panthers, are at war on that mysterious island, unable to go home. Olive joins them and tries to survive in the wild as well as break the island’s curse keeping them here. But is it really a curse or something much bigger than them that intends to teach them to face their demons?

There are few negative points in that novel, so let’s start with that! The first one is nothing major, only a few typos and mistakes here and there. It was not enough to be annoying, but another round of proofreading would make The Castaways almost perfect. The last point (I told you there were few) is the lack of plot about the mysterious island throughout the book. Sometimes it even seemed as though the kids were not living away from their family and friends, stranded like by magic on that island with no apparent way home. Although I understand the author meant to keep the mystery surrounding the island, I feel like this particular topic could have been tackled more times during the story. Instead, the characters appeared to forget or at least not think a lot about being in an unknown place with perfect strangers. Perhaps their questioning could be present? That’s what I would have loved to read. It would also make for a more realistic situation as I doubt we’d easily go about our business, forgetting how far we are from home and to question ourselves about how we can get home.

Now, how about we talk about the positive points (which are legion)? Let’s go! I found the subtitles to be enticing – it was original and gave a sense of foreboding, which I appreciated. The chapters are generally short, which makes for a fast read. The idea of mixing bullying with a magical island full of warring teenagers and kids is marvellous! Plus, the story’s got quite a lot of action. Just when you think you can start to relax, something unexpected happens and has your blood boiling with excitation! This book contains poignant bullying; it was well-done (unfortunately, I speak from experience so this story particularly moved me) and is laced with a lesson to stand up for oneself, a good surprise! It shows that bullying is eternal, it’s always been there and will keep on being unless we stand up to it. In my opinion, this book managed to show the effects that bullying can have on people, mostly on teenagers. As for the characters, the author made me care about them and more particularly about Olive’s dangerous yet adventurous situation. They’re all different and I could well imagine the teenagers, a feat in itself! The characters seem alive, which was fun to read. As for Olive, the main character, she is a strong heroine (more than she knows) and likeable. I could easily identify with her. Her development as a character was interesting to watch; it was done through highs and lows, just like in real life.

If you’re looking for realistic reactions as well as both inner and external conflict (beautifully conflicted Olive and others), look no more! The Castaways is a gold mine of realism, conflict, and solutions. Not only was this book thrilling, but it was also a pleasure to return to every single time. There were twists and turns I wouldn’t have expected and a pinch of humour that was more than welcomed in the midst of all these emotions. Speaking of emotions, they were well-woven in the tale, which will have you caring for the characters in no time! And they feel real, at least for Olive. By the way, there is a sweet romance in the story and even though I’m not overly fond of romance, I must admit this one was cute in its own right. It didn’t take the space required for the action. Did you know that the main character, Olive Gagmuehler, is somehow ill? She suffers from hyperventilation, which was probably caused by her being bullied. I found the idea of having her suffering from some kind of illness was different and a good move. I connected with her more easily and it makes us want to help her somehow, which only proves my point of the characters being unique and alive in our eyes. The basic needs and survival situations were respected – there was the matter of hygiene, odors, bladder, and else. The descriptive imagery used was great and the vocabulary was diverse. I felt as though I was once again a teenager, stranded on that island with those other kids. Last but not least, the ending wraps up the book quite nicely. It’s like a present with a cute bow on it.

The Castaways is a book I thoroughly enjoyed. It made me experience all kinds of emotions on that roller coaster ride and even managed to make me cry towards the end (and I rarely cry in books nowadays). It is perfect for fans of Peter Pan (yes, the classic story!), Lord of the Flies, and the Red Queen series because of the non-stop action and unexpected twists.

I give The Castaways a rating of 5 out of 5. It was that fun and really got me deep in the emotions, which I loved! I even have a hard time deleting it from my Kindle Fire to make room for other books – but really, I think I’m going to keep it. Who knows, I might just re-read it one day, something I like to do with books that left their mark on me. Honestly, I wanted to read more of it and I still do. While recommending this novel to other readers, I will definitely look forward to Jessika Fleck’s upcoming works.

The Castaways is a harrowing tale of adventure, self-discovery and romance in a mix of Lord of the Flies, Hunger Games, and The Maze Runner.

Olive Gagmuehler is running from bullies at the Castaway Carnival when she falls through some window and finds herself in tropical paradise. Except for the escalating war between factions of teens. And the coconut bombs. And startlingly dangerous cliffs. The teens are all from different eras, different countries, but all were running from something when they found themselves slipping onto the island where they must focus on survival. In this war zone, Olive struggles to control her fears, making friends with the Lions, and maybe falling in love.

The novel has an interesting premise and is a quick, well-written read. The dynamics between characters, particularly the secondary characters, where my favorite aspects of the novel, and I enjoyed how creative the story premise is. The characters are a little clichéd, and the character development did not feel as deep as I would have expected or wanted given the rather traumatic and emotional rollercoaster the characters were going through. But overall, it was an intriguing read and I was entertained by the romance despite it being a little cheesy.

Despite being classified as YA, please note that there are a few fairly descriptive scenes of cruel, traumatic violence and bullying, even from the very beginning that even had me gagging a little. So while I do recommend this to readers interested in an adventure novel about teens with a bit of a Survivor twist, there are some scenes not suitable for all younger readers.

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for a fair review!

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆
Olive has been the victim of constant bullying at school. Very early on, there is a scene in the girls’ loos where Olive is being assaulted by the bullies and it was so disgusting I had to force myself to continue reading. Soon after, at the local carnival, one of the bullies chases Olive through a maze and she winds up going from a corn field in Texas to a tropical island in the blink of an eye.

The mystical doorway which sent Olive to the beautiful island has disappeared and she is stuck. She meets Will and his gang, the Lions, and they take her in. She soon learns they are not the only group on the island and that another group of kids, Duke's Panthers, wants to take over.

I confess the truth of the history of Duke and Will's feud was no surprise when it was eventually revealed, nor was how the story turned out, but that might just be a function of my age and the amount of books I read. Even though I found the story predictable, I still had a fun time reading and following Olive's journey and it even had me in tears towards the end.

Castaways is a good modern twist on Lord of the Flies (which I hated). I think today's teens would be able to relate to Castaways.

Recommended for ages 13+

Olive is constantly picked on by a few mean girls at her school. She tries to avoid them but she had promised to take her brother to the Castaway Carnival. At the carnival there is an infamous corn maze known for all the kids who go missing in it. When Olive runs in the maze to escape her tormentors, she ends up on an island with all the other missing teens.

She ends up in the middle of a war where she has to try to win over her comrades all the while falling for the leader of her clan. Will she be able to help them win the war no matter the cost?

I really enjoyed this book. It is like a mix of Mean Girls, Lord of the Flies, and The Hunger Games. I wasn’t sure how well the premise of the book would work but it really works! I’d highly recommend to any young adult lovers.

I requested a review copy of THE CASTAWAYS on a bit of a whim. It sounded interesting, but I wasn't quite sure that it would keep my interest. Thankfully it did.

Olive's life is anything but perfect. She is bullied daily at school and although she has a great home life, it ways heavily on her. She runs from her bullies after being cornered at the carnival and tries to get lost in the corn maze, but ends up on an island with a bunch of other kids from different places in time. Olive slowly puts together that everyone there, no matter where they came from, was running away from something. This discovery leads to others and brings forth some life lesson messages. I liked how in the end, they all wanted the same things and worked together to achieve them instead of just taking the easy way out.

I enjoyed the characters in THE CASTAWAYS. They were all interesting and well developed. The storyline was interesting and easy to follow. So why did I give it 3 stars? THE CASTAWAYS was a little too juvenile for me at times and the romance was just so-so.

If you're looking for a fast-paced, easy flowing story with interesting characters and some twists and turns thrown in, THE CASTAWAYS might be for you!

I gave it 3/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.