DNF - within the first couple lines of the book I knew that this would not be something I would find enjoyable. It's laughable to read about someone feeling 'at ease' with a shadowed figure on the side of a roadway in the middle of the night, in a part of a country in which you are unfamiliar - to boot. The writing style felt very choppy & drawn-out but, then again, I didn't make it very far. I'm sure others will enjoy this book but this is a case wherein I am not the target audience so I am removing myself from the race, so to speak.

**Huge thanks to Netgalley, Adrian McKinty and Little, Brown & Company for approving me for an ARC of this one!**

This book wasn’t on my radar until recently when a fellow reviewer posted about it. I figured I’d give it a shot, see if I would get approved for it, and to my utter surprise – I WAS! Now, I’ve never read anything from McKinty before, but have had his novel ‘The Chain’ on my ‘To Buy List’ since it came out. Not sure why I’ve not gotten around to both buying it and reading it, life I guess, but I was intrigued to see what he’d unleash on us with this one, ‘The Island.’

Now, the description itself doesn’t give us anything you’d consider groundbreaking or differentiating between a lot of the dark fiction books I read. Family goes on a vacation, things take a turn, those that live need to find a way to survive at all cost.

That’s fine, I’m ok with a common horror trope set up – BUT – this isn’t a horror novel. This is marketed as an action/adventure/thriller story, one that is already in development for HULU and because of that, I went in with my “gore-meter” already dimmed and my “extreme events” mindset dampened.

What I liked: I think the shining light in this story is the main character, Heather. Heather grew up on a small island near Seattle, living in an art commune. Eventually, she moves to the big city and while there, falls in love with Tom. Tom is a recently widowed doctor, now a single father of two teenaged kids. Doesn’t matter, they love each other and get married. That is all backstory, stuff we learn about, but it is key to why Heather’s story arc is the highlight. She transforms from a meek, worried, secondary spouse, to a take charge, survive at all costs provider and it was great to read.

The story itself follows the family as they head to Australia for a conference that Tom is speaking at. While there, they do some sightseeing and it’s on one of these excursions where they bribe their way onto a private island to try and see some wildlife. Something happens, they try to flee, but are stopped and from there, the story morphs into “we need to get off this island” territory.

McKinty does a great job of creating tension between the two kids and Heather throughout the first quarter, but there is a subtle shift when the trio is separated from Tom and the two kids understand Heather is their only hope to survive.

I thought the ending was good, if abrupt, and the pseudo-epilogue after was a touching closure to the story.

What I didn’t like: No matter how many times I reminded myself that this was a mass-market thriller, it still became a bit underwhelming at times with how dampened and polished some events felt. Some of the characters were too one dimensional (I hated Tom from the start, and the entire scene of him having a toddler meltdown over the rental company not having the specific Porsche SUV for him pushed me close into DNF territory he was such a knob) and stereotypical.

Why you should buy this: Don’t get me wrong, McKinty serves this up really nicely and the writing is a ton of fun. He has one of those writing voices where you don’t realize you’ve read as much as you have, because it flows so well.

I think for those who’ll see this on the bookstore shelves or grocery store lanes, this will be an exhilarating ride, but for those who enjoy a bit more of a visceral, descriptive island survival story, you’ll be underwhelmed.

Overall, a solid adventure story, if not a bit too commercial in spots.

Heather Baxter married Tom, a widowed doctor with young kids after moving from a small community to Seattle. Tom is supposed to be going to a work conference in Australia and the kids manage to guilt-trip him into taking everyone with him. After all, who doesn’t want to see Koalas and Kangaroos, right?

While on this failure of a vacation trip, some locals listen to their complaints of not seeing a single cool animal since they landed. They offer to take them to their strictly no-visitors and very private island, where apparently they are plagued by Koalas, for the fine price of $900.

Everything looks sketchy but the kids want to see the koalas, and as soon as they set foot on the island, a nightmare begins. The kids hate Heather, no matter how hard she tries to please them, and when the Baxters are forced to separate, Heather is stuck with the kids, which seems like a recipe for disaster.

Heather must save herself and the kids. Between the Australian heat and the persecution of the locals, the chances of survival are starting to look grim. Heather knows that she has been underestimated her whole life. Now she must prove everyone wrong if she wants to see the light of another day. She must step up and be the mom the kids clearly need, even when that means doing the unthinkable to keep them all alive.

The book is action-packed from beginning to end. It had me with white knuckles while holding my iPad. The tension is palpable and you want to scream “LOOK OUT” because of course we can see the danger from a mile ahead and the characters seem oblivious to everything. I seriously enjoyed this book. I was going to rate it 3.5 stars but as I was thinking back to how much I enjoyed reading it, I'm bumping it to 4 stars. My only issue is the ending… After having about 6 mini heart attacks, the ending was too abrupt for my liking. I wanted to see more. Yay for a happy ending but come on!!! After having us be part of the chase, you’re just going to cut it short right on the best part? UGH!!!!

Maybe I was expecting a bit more like The Chain, but I am pleased with the outcome of the book.

Thank you Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for the opportunity to read the very new and upcoming book of one of my favorites.

The Baxter's are looking forward to relaxing time in Australia. Dr Tom Baxter is going to be key note speaker at an event so he takes his wife-Heather and his kids-Olivia and Owen. Then they get a chance to go to a private island . They pay to take the ferry and will have 45 minutes on the island.

This is where family fun takes a turn as in 45 minutes time their lives will be forever changed. This adventure has turned into a game of cat and mouse fighting for survival. There is one crazy pyscho family who lives on the island and they live by their own rules. Don't mess with Ma! Not everyone will make it back to the mainland.

I loved how Heather changed to become one fierce mama bear and fight for the kids. I liked seeing her devise a plan and learn to adapt to the island.

A year ago, Heather married a surgeon named Tom. He was recently widowed, and his two tween kids—Olivia and Owen—are not happy about their new stepmother. Attempting to try to bond with them, Heather suggests they accompany Tom on a business trip to Australia. One thing leads to another and soon the four of them and a Dutch couple are trapped on a small, deserted island with a murderous family determined to kill them.

Suffice to say that The Island is kinda absurd. The characters are all fairly simple. Heather has a unique backstory that gives her the uncommon survivalist skills to perhaps survive. The evolution of the relationship between Heather and the kids was predictable. Tom’s backstory was mildly surprising but only just. And every time the story dropped a clue about how the book would end it landed like a neon anvil screaming “this is a clue that will be very important for the ending!”

But lots of absurd things are fun, and The Island is certainly fun. The plot kicks off with a dramatic flash forward and rarely takes its foot off the gas. The Dutch couple added an interesting dynamic, and what happens to Hans was creepy cool. There’s death and mayhem, who’s the cat and who’s the mouse flips more than once, and loads of adrenaline. The Island is in development to be a series on Hulu and I would totally watch it. Recommended. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

3.5/5 stars

An American family on vacation in Australia come across locals that live on a small private island. The American kids want to see koalas. They want the full experience and all of the pictures for proof. They are promised just that of course, if they pay.. but are told to visit quickly as it is normally off limits to outsiders. Get in and get out. An accident happens as soon as they arrive and it’s pretty much just straight up page to page chaos from then on out. They’re fighting for their lives and a way out.

This book is CRAZY. A high intensity, fast paced read. If you like survival in the wild type plots, I’d recommend it. I would have loved a little bit more character development and backstory on the weirdo family living on the island.There were points when I was reading and I was asking myself is this really happening or is this a fever dream? I think that’s the point because everyone becomes exhausted, starved and dehydrated due to the heat. Definitely check this one out if you’re down for an absolutely wild ride. I think this will make a really incredible series so I’m excited that Hulu picked it up!

Content warning: Some animals die and it hurts my heart.

Thank you NetGalley, Adrian McKinty and Little, Brown and Company for this eARC

This book is A FANTASTIC, NONSTOP THRILL RIDE. I could not put it down and had to keep turning pages. Expected publication is May 17th and if you are looking for an action packed thriller set on a remote island of the coast of Australia where there are no rules and survival means doing whatever it takes... READ THIS BOOK

This book is WILD!

What is supposed to a fun Australian vacation quickly turns into a nightmare when Heather Baxter, along with her new husband Tom and his kids Olivia and Owen, trek to a secluded island to see some exotic animals. The island is owned and operated by a tight knit family and when there is an accidental, Heather must do anything to survive.

I am always partial to thrillers that can give me an intense feeling of anxiety, and this was one of those books. Since there isn't an inherent mystery like in so many thrillers, it was really difficult to figure out where the story was going to one moment or the next. Heather's internal struggles about becoming a new step-mom along with her will to survive is a really great juxtaposition within the narrative as a whole. It's really easy to connect with Heather and root for her as the story continues.

There were a few additional perspectives that I could have done without as they were short interludes that I didn't feel added much to the story and one of the gave away what I'm sure could have been a really interesting twist. Overall, thought, this is a great thriller worth checking out.

I was excited to see another McKinty book on its way into the world! The Island is about a young woman who has married an older man with two teenage children. The family has taken advantage of a medical conference in Australia and turned it into a family vacation. The children refuse to miss out on a chance to see some of the local wildlife up close and beg their father. for the opportunity. Unfortunately that wildlife isn't the only living thing on the Island.

This is a fast-paced read. You think you know what is around the corner, but you will be wrong. It's all part of Adrian McKinty's charm. He delicately weaves action and dialogue together to keep you reading from start to finish.

Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced reading copy.

I wasn't sure how a book this long could take place in one tiny location, but there was enough drama and suspense to sweep me away! Another great Adrian McKinty novel. He definitely knows how to build the suspense. This book was very "Deliverance" like - I could picture these characters very well. A great read!

What begins as a family day trip quickly spirals into a fight to survive after a car accident leaves a young stepmother to fight for her and her teens' lives against the inhabitants of a remote island.

Gilligan's Island, but make it darker.

Um... I don't know about this one guys. The beginning of the book really captured my interest. Newlyweds on a vacation with their teen children in Australia decide on a whim to day trip to an isolated island accessible only by ferry after their paths cross with some rough looking dudes (but why tho? They wanted to see some koalas ::shrug::) Their tour guides weren't exactly welcoming and warned them they could only stay for a short time because "Ma" wouldn't like them being there.

Well, dude accidentally hits and kills a woman with his car and things spiral from there.

I don't know, after a really compelling beginning this book kind of unraveled for me. Things started out propulsive, but lost momentum in a big way and the motivation behind a lot of things got kind of muddled for me. I really wanted to know more about the island's inhabitants, like, for example, what is their favorite movie and why is it Deliverance?

Thank you to the publishers at Little, Brown and Company and Netgalley for this e-ARC of The Island.

This was my first Adrian McKinty novel, but it won’t be my last by a long shot. I really enjoyed this fast paced thriller with a great female protagonist!

The Island revolves around a family of four; Heather, her husband, Tom, and Tom’s children from a previous marriage, Olivia and Owen. Traveling to Australia for a medical conference that Tom is involved in, the family tags along to explore the Outback and local culture. Visiting from the Seattle area, Australia is new to all of them. The kids are desperate to see some koalas and kangaroos, so one day they head to the outback but find nothing but birds. As they rest at a small food stop, they come across some men who tell them about a local island full of creatures. And thus begins the endless trouble the family will encounter.

I really loved this fast paced read. I was instantly pulled into the plot, and the short chapters and different POVs made for an amazing read. Told mainly from Heather’s perspective, we learn that Heather is not who she first appears to be on the outside. I loved her grim determination throughout out the story, and the twists were ones that I didn’t see coming. I can’t wait to see what McKinty comes up with next!

The Island releases May 17th in bookstores everywhere and will be made into an original series on Hulu!

The Island is the second book I’ve read by Adrian McKinty. I really admire the unique storylines this author utilizes in a genre that is often full of twists on similar ideas. The Island involves a lot of action/chase sequences. I personally would have liked this book better if there had been less of these elements, but if that’s something you enjoy, this book will likely be right up your alley. At times, it was hard to follow who was narrating the book, and I had a hard time keeping track of some of the characters. Overall, The Island kept my attention and was an entertaining read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown and Company for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

What a great read! Excellent thriller! I’ve read The Chain by Adrain McKinty and thought it was an unbelievably great thriller- The Island is as good, possibly better.

First of all, the setting, a remote island in Victoria, Australia habited by a group of crazed isolationists. I’m not sure you could have found a locale more ripe for murder and mayhem.

Then the players, Tom and Heather, neither quite what they seem, take their children to this island to spot some native wildlife. Contrary to all good sense! When you have to bribe the ferry operator that’s probably not a sign that this is a welcoming place. When Tom kills an island “clan” member in a vehicle accident they make another mistake and try to hide the body. Once they are found out and held captive, Heather realizes desperate measure are necessary if they are to survive. She and the kids go on the run trying to stay alive and find a way off the island. Surprisingly, Heather is better equipped to fight than she appears. Tom may be different than he appears also.

Heather, Olivia and Owen forge a strong alliance, but will it be strong enough to survive being hunted by the islanders? You really have to read The Island.

Thank you #NetGalley and #AdrianMcKinty for this great ARC.

This was one of the best books I have read this year! The Island is a fast paced, edge of your seat thriller! Very descriptive....to where I felt like I was there experiencing The Island with all of the characters. I can not wait to read another book by Adrian I love his style so much!

Heather and Tom recently got married and Heather just became the step mom to Tom's 2 children. They are in their teen years and are pretty difficult especially because they miss their mother whom has passed away only over a year ago. Tom decides to take the family with him on his business trip to Australia to "reconnect " make them happy and spend time together. They get to Australia and it isn't quite what the kids expected. They hadn't seen a koala a kangaroo or any of the animals you would expect to see visiting Australia from Washington USA. So of course the kids are whiney and want to see more of what Australia has to offer. A man over hears the kids complaining and tells them about this private island that he lives on just across the fairy. But again mention it is private to him and his family only and closed off to the public. Tom ends up offering a decent amount of cash to be taken to the island with his family and take a few pictures and make a few life long memories. Then a terrible accident happens as they are heading back to the fairy and it may have cut those "lifelong memories" short because now the whole family is in serious danger. Tom and Heather try to hide what had happend and it only made circumstances worse for them and their family. Now who makes it off the island alive? If you like thrillers like I do... this book is a must read!

The Island scared me to pieces and I enjoyed every minute of this exciting, unpredictable ride. i enjoyed the author's previous book "The Chain" and this one is different but written with the same intense pacing and interesting characters. Tom and Heather are a married couple traveling in Australia with Tom's two children, Olivia and Owen. Heather is Tom's much younger wife who is not liked well by his two children since their beloved mother died only a year previously. Heather is trying to prove herself to the kids and the whole family wants to enjoy their visit to Australia. On one of Tom's free days the kids complain they haven't seen any typical animals like Koala Bears or Kangaroos and they are overheard by a man on a ferryboat headed for a private island. The man tells them that Dutch Island is privately owned but for a fee they can drive around and see animals if they don't stay too long. The family is joined by a tourist couple ,Hans and Petra.

Once they get to the island, an accident happens and the family must be on the run for their very lives. The island is populated with a large family run by "Ma" a very crazy and original character. I won't say much else but the family members have to find strengths and resources they never thought they had. At times I was holding my breath at the possibility that some danger would befall this group, Fun book, quick pacing and original concept. Some of it might be a bit unbelievable but that is the fun in this kind of book. Thank you Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Wow…this one was intense! I loved The Chain so I was excited for this. This is one of the most fast-paced books I have read. The scenes literally leap off the page. Its atmospheric, creepy and gave me Hills Have Eyes vibes but set in Australia. I can see why Hulu optioned this for a series. It is going to be so good!

There are so many twists and turns I have whiplash. It also has quite a bit of different themes mixed in for a thriller. The book is full of man vs. nature scenarios which really amped up the suspense. It has a sprinkle of domestic suspense and some gore too. I also really enjoyed our main character, Heather. She was brave, intuitive and a fighter. She felt realistic to me and her thoughts were understandable. I could not even imagine how I would be in this situation.

I will point out that there is some animal violence in the novel, which I never like and I know, can be triggering for readers. If you are like me and have any phobias of creepy crawly things (anthills, beehives and things in mass quantities) this might give you the heebie jeebies.

All in all this was pretty freaking epic and I can’t wait to see the series! Thank you to @netgalley for my advance copy!

Well hmm. I don’t know really how to explain this book. In my mind I pictured the bad guys from the Goonies (maybe mixed with some hillbillies) chasing down people in a The Most Dangerous Game/Hunger Games style. That is literally what I can come up with. 🤷‍♀️

Heather, and her new husband Tom, take his kids to Australia where they end up getting onto a private island. After commiting a crime, the inhabitants of this island (the Goonies bad guys) are determined to kill the family. The family must try to escape even though there is no way off the island.

I will say this book was filled with intense action. The whole book was tense and I was in a state of flipping pages to see how it would turn out. I do not know if I totally buy the plot or notice any deep developement among the characters, but the book was entertaining. Add in some pirates and you’ve got the makings of a great movie.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for granting me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this action packed thriller! Very fast paced! This thriller was keeping me keyed in the whole time! I could not turn the pages fast enough and didn’t want to put it down. I love books that are set on an island where the characters are having to try and survive from maniacs! So thrilling! I loved The Chain by this author as well.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

After LOVING The Chain by McKinty, I had high hopes for The Island. Sadly, I DNFed. It was too far fetched and unbelievable, and the writing was surprisingly juvenile. I am walking away feeling pretty disappointed :(