Have you ever gone on a vacation where it seems that everything has gone wrong? I guarantee you that your vacation has never been as bad as the Baxters' trip to Australia. The Island was a unique take on a vacation gone horribly wrong. Several times I was internally screaming "NO, NO, NO" at some of the decisions made by the characters, which I loved because people don't always make the best decisions when they're away from home. They'll do anything to see the sights and have that once-in-a-lifetime experience. The Island was filled with action, suspense, and thrills, with a bit of horror. Parts of the story reminded me of a mix of an X-Files episode ("Home") and a horror movie about the Outback that I've seen. My heart was actually racing while reading some parts of this book. The Island is going to make an amazing limited series on Hulu! I can't wait to read more from this author.

I think lots of readers will like this one, but there were so many lines that just made me cringe. Like this one early on in the book,

“He couldn’t fix a gearbox like the Goose Island men, but he could make you a cup of hot chocolate and read you poetry on a rainy afternoon or put the kids to bed early on a Saturday night and lock the bedroom door and bang your brains out.”

Can this really be what a male author would think a woman would want? After I read this line, I knew this was not going to be good for me. The book was full of action and intrigue and was a true Thriller- but it was weird to me. I didn’t believe that characters would change opinions as quickly as they did and I didn’t buy that the main character was conveniently military trained by her father and island streetsmart.

This is just my opinion-my take on this one. I have seen plenty of great reviews- so it could very well be that this book just didn’t hit me right, hence the middle of the road rating. If I could give it a 2.5, I would have.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the ARC to read and review. Pub date: 5.17.22

Absolutely loved this one! It was action packed from start to finish and I could not even imagine where it was going to go. It had so many twists and turns that it kept me guessing until the very end. I loved Adrian McKinty’s The Chain so I knew this one would be wild, but it still managed to blow me away! Would highly recommend checking this one out for those looking for a thrilling, horrific nightmare vacation read! Thanks very much to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. Honestly, I could not get past chapter 2 in this one. The way the kids speak to each other is so cheesy and ridiculous. The part about the lady asking Heather if she needed the bathroom because she didn't trust a fart was just too much..

I… honestly I’m not surprised. I found The Chain to be ludicrous, but I wanted to give the author another chance. Yet here we are again with outlandish story lines and simplistic writing. The relationships don’t make sense and there’s way too much trauma happening. This is supposed to be a thriller, but it just contains some pretty harmful content about animal abuse and almost sexual assault. I don’t understand how this book could make me so frustrated when it has so many good reviews. I really did try, but this author is not suited for me,

Deliverance meets The Troop meets Crocodile Dundee meets Rambo. Heather is on vacation with her new husband and step kids when things go horribly, horribly wrong. After an accident the locals start their pursuit of the family and things go crazy. Be prepared for non stop action and a wild ride.

I LOVED this book OMG. It was extremely fast paced and got my heart pounding! The Island follows new step-mom Heather to 2 teens having a hard time softening up to her after she marries their dad Tom after the passing of their mom a year earlier. Tom has a business trip in Australia and decides to take the entire family and make it a vacation as well. Wanting to impress and cheer up the kids, Tom manages to talk his way (and buy) onto a secluded isolated island, home to only the natives of that island. After some events take place, they find themselves trapped and deserted on the island with angry natives who want to kill them.
Managing to break free from captivity, Heather and the kids, now separated from Tom are literally running for their lives. Intense and horrific situations ensue. The things they went through were unimaginable. I gasped so many times. All I can say is read this book if you are looking for a thriller that grabs you in immediately and holds you hostage like the family in the story until you devour every chapter! This was a 5 * read. Thank you to Little Brown Company and NetGalley for the EArc and the chance to review it!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced readers copy of The Island! This book is published May 17th 2022! Everyone should go out and run to get a copy! This was a gripping thriller to get me out of a slight reading slump. I loved the badass female lead, Heather. What a crazy ride, and once the action started, I had a hard time putting the book down. Thanks again NetGalley for the book!

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I was really looking forward to reading this and have heard amazing things about the author (I have not read any other titles by him). The premise was great, there was a fast pace throughout the book, and the suspense was there, however, there were quite a few things that made this hard to get through, in my opinion.

The writing style seem very simplistic at times which surprised me. Sentences were short and basic such as, "...she ran and ran and ran." The tone was all over the place, switching from extremely intense and gory to very light within a page. The secondary plot line with Tom's ex-wife seemed underdeveloped and while I understand the purpose, it didn't seem like it played as much of a role as it should have. There was also the parts about Heather's friend in the states that seemed irrelevant and even in the end, it amounted to "I had a text about Star Trek."

This book was very violent and gory. It made me extremely uncomfortable at times especially when the villains wanted to rape a teenager and the MC. The abuse was over the top and unbelievable. There was no real reason why the villians in this "Deliverance" type of setting were as evil as they were. The MC, Heather, went from a young massage therapist turned housewife to an army combatant without a real explanation besides, "my dad taught me about guns." It was all just... a lot. Another aspect that didn't work for me (without giving too much of the plot away) was the kids' relationship with Heather in the beginning vs the end of the book and the relationship with their dad.

I've heard great things about this author's other works and will definitely try another book by him, but this just wasn't it for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown and Company, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date. This is no way affected my reviews and all opinions are my own.

McKinty is an Irish writer, who now lives in Australia. His previous novels include two mystery series ('Sean Duffy' and 'Michael Forsythe') and his most recent release "The Chain", which was a bestselling thriller. This new release is another thriller. Set on a small island inhabited by a large family off the coast of Australia, it features the character of 24 year old Heather who is the new wife of a doctor and now stepmother to his two kids (12 and 14) . When they have a car accident and a member of the family that owns the island is killed, they find their own lives at risk as the family decides to take revenge. Heather finds herself trying to survive and keep the kids safe as they hide from the family and try to find a way off the island. This is a violent, action packed and entertaining thriller and is a wonderful recommendation for fans of this type of book. I really enjoyed it.

To be honest, if a book makes me stay up until 1 am finishing it, it typically gets at least four stars because if I don't get enough sleep, my life is a nightmare, but I am more than happy to give this book five stars. The first thing I want to say is that if you liked the movie You're Next, you'll probably like this book.

I loved the entire scenario of trying to escape an inescapable island, fighting for survival, etc - you can always pick up some good survival tips just in case you're ever in the zombie apocalypse - but I truly enjoyed watching Heather change and grow throughout the experience. Heather is 24 and married to a doctor in his late thirties/early forties who she loves, but he comes with 2 kids (ages 12 and 14) whose mother died only a year ago and aren't exactly loving their new stepmother. Seeing how their emotions and personalities come through from the beginning of the book to the end is very moving and there are a couple of twists and surprises in there.

But ultimately, Heather's inner dialogue is what made this book what it is. She's realizing what her life was, how she came to be married with a family so young, how she got to this insane place considering she was on a vacation with the most secure of people - a respected doctor with two kids and plenty of money. It was a fast read and I highly recommend it.

<p>the island- Adrian McKinty #island #adrianmckinty #netgalley #LittleBrown&amp;CoPublishing

the island- Adrian McKinty

The trip they shouldn't have taken!
Tom has a conference in Australia, so he asks his new wife and 2 children to come with him. Heather and the kids, Owen and Olivia have never been out of the US so they decide to go along.

On a morning off, Tom and the family go see the sites, the kids really want to see animals, especially koalas. I felt bad for the kids because their mom had died recently, and they weren't too keen on their stepmother, and dad works so much that the kids really were hurting and grieving.


They come across a couple, Hans and Petra who are not locals, but are friendly enough.

They meet the O"neill brothers who offer to ferry them to Dutch Island in exchange for a huge fee but the animals, koalas, kangaroos, oh the kids were so excited they begged to go.

Tom reluctantly agrees so they all ferry over.


And, bam here we go!


This is where the action starts, so, how to share the adrenalin flowing story?

Accidents, mishaps, separations, and a race for survival ensue.

I had to gasp and catch my breath a few times and I had some reactions to this story indeed!


I will say there were some really highly unlikeable characters in this book.

The book had the action, the ick- factor in parts, but I kept reading because I had to know who survived if anyone at all would be the last one standing.

I finished the book in basically one sitting, taking a few short breaks to try to get some scenes out of my head.

This book is not for the squeamish! There are guns, and animals and people who get hurt for sure so be careful, if this bothers you as much as it did me, you might want to skim those parts.

I really enjoyed the setting and I liked how some characters grew and changed, quite a bit.


Some scenes did not seem realistic or plausible to me but it's fiction so I just went with it and kept reading thill the end.




Thanks to Little, Brown and Company via Netgalley for a copy to read and review.

3 1/2******

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

After reading The Chain a few years ago, I knew I had to read whatever Adrian McKinty put out next. The Chain was a non-stop thriller, written at a break-neck speed from page one, and it was a book that I had a hard time putting down. The last third became a little too absurd for me, but I had the feeling that this author would continue to improve in his plotting and characterization.

And I wasn't wrong.

Unlike The Chain, The Island gets off to a slow start. We meet Heather, a massage therapist just married to Tom, a doctor, and stepmom to Tom's 14 year old daughter and 12 year old son. The family has a chance to visit Australia when Tom is invited to be a keynote speaker in Melbourne, so they turn the opportunity into a family vacation. We spend the first few chapters getting to know the characters and their relationship dynamics.

It's about 5-6 chapters in when the story starts to take off. When the family gets a chance to board a ferry to visit a tiny inland inhabited by a single, extended family, they jump at the chance to see koala bears in the wild. But soon a horrible accident happens and the family finds themselves in situation they never believed possible.

From that point on, the story played out like an action adventure thriller. I was not surprised to learn that this book was optioned for television before it was even published. The writing was so cinematic and the plotting was high-stakes. It's a roller coaster of a ride, that's for sure!

But in between all the action, I was pleasantly surprised at how well I was able to get to know the characters. They were nicely fleshed out and I found myself caring about them. Even the villain characters, who at times did seem a bit over-the-top, felt like they could really exist given the situation.

The pacing was perfect, providing some much needed downtime to reflect in between the crazy action scenes. I was never bored and found myself genuinely shocked at the twists in several places.

I'd highly recommend The Island if you are looking for an exciting read with lots of action, a plot with lots of twists and turns, and an unputdownable book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Little Brown and Company for the advanced digital review copy.

This was pretty fantastic. A family on vacation in a foreign country end up on an island with a massive inbred family who aren't subject to any laws but their own??? Sign me up! Gave me X-Files Season 4 Episode 2 "Home" vibes -- if you know, you know. I nearly gave this 5 stars but I didn't because I wished there was a bit of mystery to it but it's straight thriller (which is great but I'm picky). Highly recommend this!

This book was so good, I didn't want to put it down to see how they could get themselves off this Island and alive. This is book is a wild, fast paced, unputdownable thriller.
At first I was like come on, you go to a private island when these guys seem sketch but then I looked back I'm like okay I actually get it. How could you know they are a law onto the selves! Even though you know its a bad idea. Heather for me was the best, Her skill and ability to think under pressure just had me sucked in. I needed to know how they could get out and what would happen to her new family and the dutch couple that went to the island too. You could feel the tension through this whole book and I loved it!
The imagery of the island and running to escape and hiding as someone comes for you was fantastic. I kept racing through the pages to see how things were going to turn out of this or that plan would work for them.
4.5 Stars
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and Netgalley for my early copy for review!

A trip to Australia sounds like a dream, but for the Baxter family it ends up being a nightmare.

When Dave takes his new wife Heather and his two children with him on a business trip to Australia, he anticipates focusing on his work conference and allowing his family to go explore. However, the kids are begging to go see koalas with their dad and make the most of their vacation. Dave and Heather learn about a secluded island that they can take a ferry to for some sightseeing- the kids will be thrilled and they’ll be in and out and back in time for his conference.

Once on the island, the family is given instructions on where they’re allowed to go and a timeframe for their return on the ferry. Dave is driving their rental car, veers off the designated roads and gets entangled in some major drama. The family that lives on the island now won’t let them leave and they are thrust into an absolute nightmare scenario!

This was a wild ride from start to finish. It is one of those books you pick up and you’re literally biting your nails and on the edge of your seat. I’ve heard it is already being adapted into a Hulu series and I cannot wait! Thank you Netgalley and Little Brown & Company for this ARC- this one is available 5/17/22.

At first I thought I was going to dislike this but it ended up keeping me turning the pages and really caring about these characters.

closer to 3.5 stars. was entertaining but not his best work. the relationship with thew husband and wife are a little far fetch. not a lot to say about this one.

Heather’s life has done a 180 as of late. She’s married a rich, handsome widower and become a step-mom to two reluctant tweens. The newly formed family has traveled to Australia and is doing some sightseeing and have managed to stumble onto Dutch Island — a remote place controlled by Australia yokels who have no respect for human lives other than their own.

This was a fun thriller, but it definitely dragged in the second half. Some of the twists seemed a bit heavy-handed and forced, but this was a decent book over all.

Thank you Little, Brown and Company and Netgalley for providing an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

******UNPOPULAR OPINION*****

It is such a shame and disappoint to give a less than stellar review to an Adrian McKinty novel because I enjoyed The Chain so much. This book was hard to read in so many ways. I usually do not mind books with violence and strong topics in either fiction or nonfiction, but when there is part of the plot where villains want to rape a young teenager and there is senseless animal abuse, it is a story I cannot condone and will never recommend. I do not feel I am being over sensitive, I just do not like when there are overdone vacations novels when the trip goes wrong and it turns to violence and horror for the main characters. That type of story has been done over and over and over again. Rant over.

Beyond disappointed. I am willing the writing gods to let his next book be better than this one. Cannot and will not recommend this.

Thanks to Netgalley, Adrian McKinty and Little Brown and Company for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 5/17/22