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

3.5 stars- This book was equally as hard to put down as McKinty's The Chain, which I loved. McKinty does a great job painting protagonist Heather on this lush island and I think the setting for this book was the best part.
I would say that I preferred The Chain over The Island, just because I think The Island could have developed more of a backstory into Heather and could have had a more shocking twist. Overall another great book!

4.5 stars

Wow, what a wild ride! "The Island" by Adrian McKinty is fast-paced, and will keep you hooked until the very end!

This is the first book I've read by this author. I've had "The Chain" on my shelf for awhile now, and I am putting it at the top of my TBR list because I definitely need to read more from this author!

Whenever I read a book that's set in either Australia or the jungle, I am always weary of reading about my phobia - the terrifying danger noodle. This book got all the way to 75% without mentioning it (barely), but then I had to skim/skip chapter 38, so I wouldn't have nightmares forever. So, phobia warning: If you have a danger noodle phobia like I do (yes, I can't even say/type their actual name), SKIP CHAPTER 38!

Other than that - just fantastic!!

I loved Heather's character! What an amazing and strong female lead! I do wish the book answered the question I was wondering about during most of the book: Why did Tom re-marry so quickly? (Also, "after the year they've had" was repeated way too often. - Though this was an ARC, so it might be edited a bit in the final version.)

Definitely a well-written adventure novel that will keep you at the edge of your seat!

I don't know why it excites me so much when the main character has the same name as me, but it just does. She is definitely more resourceful than I think I would be in the same circumstances.

Tom (father), Heather (step-mom), Olivia (14) and Owen (12) embark on a trip to Australia together. The kids have been having a tough time since their mother died a year ago, and now they have a new step-mom trying to fill her shoes. Right off the bat Heather meets a guy who you think is sketchy, but it turns out his gift plays a big role in the coming days.
The kids beg Tom to bring them to see some animals and they find themselves on Dutch Island . With no cell phone service and some not so nice residents, this family soon realizes they have to get off the island now, but how?

Man there were some heart pounding moments. I felt like I was dehydrated and running for my life right along with them at times.
There were quite a few too many ❗ that seemed like they were yelling at each other when they were supposed to be hiding and not be found.

The kids were a bit annoying at times, but they've been through a lot so I'll give them a pass. I warmed up to them after a while. I have a daughter the same age as Olivia, so some insinuations of what could happen to her really made me shudder.

As a dog lover there were some scenes that I'd rather not have had to happen, but I'm chalking it up to doing what you have to do to survive.

I did like The Chain more than this one, but it was certainly a fast paced intense one that I'd recommend for those that enjoy stories about fighting to stay alive while being hunted by crazy people.

When young Heather married middle-aged Tom, she became a stepmom to two preteens. In an attempt to bond as a family, the son convinces everyone to go together to Australia during one of Dad's medical conventions. Relations are strained throughout the trip, so when they are offered a visit to a remote island where Australian wildlife is plentiful, Tom and Heather agree to pay the outrageous price to appease the children. Big mistake, as a car accident and subsequent problems increase the drama and mystery of the story. The writing is strong and the characters are believable, but the story is a bit too long. Overall, though, the thriller is satisfying and fun to read. Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing an ARC.

NOTE: My ARC had two copies of chapter 49. Hopefully, that error has been corrected before printing.

What In The Witches Brew! 😳😯🤯😳🫣🤯

Fluff Sakes! Dunk my Oreos!! Wholy Skittles!! This was like modern day Hunger Games meets Survivor! I'll admit, after the first two chapters read, I wasn't sure if I was going to like this novel but wholy cannoli did it change quickly & the suspense & thrill went from 0 - 100mph quickly like a convertible on the highway! My heart raced through the entire novel, I even had anxiety elevate & was honestly sweating at times. This novel ran like a full thriller movie and I didn't end up enjoying it, I ended up LOVING it! I'm still fanning myself to bring my core temp down!
Heather & Tom are fairly newly wed and they decide to make a working conference Tom has to attend, into a working vacation to Australia for them and Tom's two kids. But very quickly it turns into anything but a connecting good time. And very soon matters turn from bad to absolutely disastrous when they are allowed onto a Dutch island run by a clan of locals, that's usually off limits to outsiders, it becomes a deadly situation. Heather manages to escape with the kids and outdo their kidnappers but being stuck on this island and all the dangers within, she may have to do things she never imagined to survive and protect.
I cannot believe how much I loved this novel. I'm STILL thinking about it. McKinty sure knows how to keep the reader engaged and at times, breathless! You feel like you're actually there! I'm stunned at the endless craziness and dear heavens what a genius writing this. I seriously need some meditation and chamomile tea after this insane, twisted, freakin' incredible novel!

Thank you to NetGalley & Little, Brown and Company for this ARC.
Release Date: May 17, 2022

I give this 4.5 / 5 Lily's! 🪷

Predictable and completely unrealistic thriller where a family is on the run from an inbred collection of lunatics.

All the tropes are found within this novel that I had to force myself to finish. The characters were copies of every other story where someone finds extraordinary courage and is equipped with just the right talents and stamina to overcome the odds. With some kids to protect. The most interesting parts had nothing to do with the narrative but included facts about the Australian island and survival skills.

In addition, it is violent and includes all sorts of human and animal abuse. If this is your thing, then you might find the book to be just what you're looking for.

I'd requested it because I had enjoyed the author's The Chain. Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this e-book to read and review. I can't recommend it.