Thank you to Net Galley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Not going to lie that the cover drew me in! This book is a combination of Frye Festival and the classic tale of Lord of the Flies. It sounded super intriguing. However, lots of satire throughout and the characters were so unlikable even the main character. I found myself forcing to finish the novel. It just didn’t leave a mark.

This book trapped me. I saw the cover and decided to read it before I even knew what it was about. The cover called to me like a devil lurking in the woods trying to capture my soul. I couldn't resist that sweet sound. After it clutched onto me, it dropped me down into the dark depths. I was done for. Hell is here and it's this book!

I'd read and adored Goldy Moldavsky's "The Mary Shelley Club" last year - it was one of my very favorites with its moody atmosphere and creepy murders. I had been hoping for more of that vibe with "Lord of the Fly Fest", and sadly did not get it. That's not really "Fly Fest"'s fault; it's just a very different genre: satire. "Lord of the Fly Fest" is a send up of Lord of the Flies, featuring influencers rather than young boys. Unfortunately, while the dialogue was fun, the overall plot left me cold - some of the satire was a little on-the-nose ("Hella Badid?" Really?) and it was filled with purposefully unlikeable characters. Even the protagonist who was supposed to be smart kept screwing up. It just didn't land for me.

Lord of the Fly Fest is definitely a genre bending book. It's weirdness is part of its satirical appeal. I couldn't stop laughing while reading the book, and that was not what I was expecting when I read the premise. This book creates parallels between some of the social media and reality TV stars that dominate our spaces today. Excellent read.

This book is a combination of the real-life failure that was Fyre Festival and the classic tale Lord of the Flies. It sounded like an interesting premise but was so on the nose with its references to modern social media/influencer culture it made me cringe. For example, the “world’s most popular supermodel” is named Hella Badid. Hella. Badid. Is this book a huge satirical take that went completely over my head?? I usually live for sarcastic humor so if it IS supposed to be satirical, it did NOT work for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the ARC for review.

This book is delightful. I spent about 80% of it howling with laughter, because it’s true that the most terrifying truth is “hell is other people.” I had a blast with all of the dunks on influencer culture, the doomed “fly fest” with references to fire festival, and even the podcast tidbits. It’s got just enough mystery to keep you going, and plenty of Scooby Doo energy. It is the PERFECT summer vacation read. Pure entertainment and unbridled joy and goofiness. 10/10 a really fun time

This was the weirdest and most amazing book I've read this year. I don't even know what genre to put it in, but I loved it. I laughed and was scared and just all emotions. Honestly will be recommending this one.

OK, I’m not sure what I expected from this book, but it delivered well above whatever it was.. I thought that the MCs personality was a breath of fresh air, it felt like a dry satire That I was more invested in than I thought I’d be. It was an interesting take off Lord of the flies and our current generation of influencers, and I would definitely read more by this author.

I would give this a solid 4 stars! I went into it thinking it was going to be a bit of like a feminist lord of the flies retelling and it was better than I anticipated! I thought the plot was really funny and how it drew on parallels to real celebrities and to events like the fire fest! I thought our MC was funny at times but really appreciated her reflection in the end!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan's Children's Publishing Group/Henry Holt for allowing me to read and review this title! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lord of the Fly Fest is a cross between Wilder Girls, the terrible Fyre Festival, a reimagining of Lord of the Flies with a huge dash of satire.

I really liked the humor and Rafi as our MC. There is a great amount of LGBTQ+ rep and the Influencers/all the rich and entitled characters were outrageously annoying but ridiculously written. I could feel the amount of eye rolling Rafi wanted to do while dealing with these people and trying to survive the island.

Rafi, an eighteen year old podcaster, puts her life savings into going to the Fly Fest, which is a music festival on an island. Rafi quickly realizes their situation is dire, when they realize there is no staff from the Fly Fest on the island, as she and few others try to figure out food, shelter, and their own survival.

The humor is very witty and reflected my own humor as Rafi deals with the dumbest of the dumb, who mistaken her as a staff member and threaten to sue her for not having available villas or better food. I haven't read Goldy Moldavsky's other books but I have their Mary Shelley book, which I'll need to put higher on my TBR after reading this.

Rafi is a relatable character who jumps off the page, someone I would quickly become friends with if I had met her in real life. I love Goldy's writing style and the pacing kept me glued to the very end.

I highly recommend checking this entertaining and hilarious story!

4.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher of this novel for the E-Arc copy. I am rating this book based on my own personal opinion and was not given anything in return. I am not leaving a entire review because I read so many at a time that I physically cannot right now.

I definitely think this book will have an audience, but unfortunately that audience is not me. I didn’t expect this story to take on the satirical, mocking tone that it does. I think many people will love this tone, I just couldn’t bear it.

Rafi flies to the Caribbean to attend the hot new Fly Fest, to cover for her podcast Musical Mysteries.
But the only mystery is who I killing all the influencer attendees?
Thanks Fierce Reads and Macmillan for the digital review copy.

This is a story about the picture vs the picture vs reality.

I didn’t know what to expect going into this, but it was hilarious. I appreciated the sardonic lens placed on influencer culture, and the reimagining of Lord of the flies through a modern context The absolute disregard for reality in the face of portrayed perfection was displayed in a comical light, but with enough of an undercurrent of reality to be unnerving.. making it a well rounded read!

Thank you so much Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

I have never read Lord of the Flies before so I'm not sure about this as a retelling, but I really enjoyed this book a lot. The chaos that was unfolded throughout was very fun to read and made you wonder what was going to happen next. It was a quick paced read and kept me engaged the whole way through! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

This book was remarkable! Lord of the Flies meets influencer culture meets...Fyre Festival? There's not much to say that won't give things away, but this book is a MUST READ, CAN'T MISS, KNOCKOUT! It was absolutely hilarious in the way only oldy Moldavsky can be and the characters, world building, and pacing of the book were utter perfection.

WOW...I don't even know how to explain this book. I don't even want to try because I feel like people need to experience this for themselves. It was incredible.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Goldy Moldavsky has a unique and original voice, however, I don't think it's the voice for me. However, I do think students who gravitate toward her brand of weird, twisty, and unsettling will really love this. I especially think it's fun for students who have already read Lord of the Flies. Definitely for fans of Wilder Girls!

Lord of the Flies with a girl protagonist and lots of influencers. It’s basically a fictionalized novel based on the Fyre Festival, and I’m here for it. The cover is killer too.

The influencers are annoying, but they are made fun of a lot as are podcasters. Teens sick of those will find joy in that. For fans of Beauty Queens by Libby Bray.

I was sucked in by the cover and the femme/queer retooling of 'Lord of the Flies,' but this book proved a bit too zeitgeisty for me. I didn't know the full plot description before requesting, so much of this is on me, but I don't love influencer MC's for whatever reason, and while a descent-into-wildness spin on the Fyre Fest is a hilarious premise, it couldn't sustain a whole novel for me. I'm sure others will love this, though, and I'm happy that it'll be out there.