Enjoyable dystopian adventure. I enjoyed the strength and weakness of the characters. Hated the bad guys and I rooted for the passengers of the Arcadia. Stuck on an ocean liner due to a virus that has killed most people on land. Esther and her family have been on the ship forever. Esther is studying to be a medic and the chance to get off the ship. Her older sister May is training as military and will also be getting off the ship. But conflicts are many and Coalies are there to torture and kill anyone that looks guilty of causing trouble. I felt the ending could lead into another series.

This is a YA story in which the setting is on ship during a pandemic. This pandemic has put all of the world's population on large shipping vessels and they are stranded for forty years. The occupants of the ship have to follow the rules of the Federated States and be loyal citizens. These vessels are large and are considered so huge that they are divided into sections like a city and communities. This book is narrated by several characters in the book like: Esther, Nik, Hadley, and May. On this vessel the Arcadia there is a group of revolutionaries that are seeking to get drugs from the Federated States army for the wounded members of gangs and trying to find a way to get back on land and have freedom.
This story starts off slow and the reader has to follow the various narrations. The final 65% of the book things start to pick up and the lives are lost and the war between the members of the revolution against the army of the Federated States that once to keep control of the stranded.
I would like to thank Sourcebooks Fire publishers and Net galley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book. I'm looking forward to the second book in this series.

Where do I start? I really enjoyed the premise. I can see how this was inspired by the cruise ships that were quarantined at the beginning of the pandemic. While this was a very unique idea I fell that the author could have done more with this concept. Made this more of the focus and plot. Other than the setting there really wasn't much to do with the virus.

The characters needed to be developed better. I didn't really care about most of them. Hadley, as well as a few other characters, was an over the top Disney villain. I would have liked to see more shades of grey to his personality. Someone we can empathize with his dilemma's. Or maybe this book would have been better from just one persons POV. The story rotates between 3 central characters which may have contributed to not feeling like any of the characters were developed as well.

The pacing was slow even though the author was constantly throwing the next plotpoint at us. The last part of the book was more action packed and enjoyable.

I do not plan to continue on with this series. I think this is a young adult book that is best read by true young adults.

***Advanced copy obtained by Sourcebooks Fire via Netgalley***

I'll be the first to admit dystopian is not my go-to genre, but I'm so glad I took a chance on this one.

The cover drew me in and the story kept me there, a cruise ship full of passengers looking to have the luxury vacation of their lives, then.... the world changes overnight and that cruise ship is now a floating city that will keep "the exposed" away from land and keep everyone else safe.

Throughout the story we see glimpses of the best and worst of humanity, the best and worst of the world, and the best and worst of ourselves, putting myself into Esther's shoes, wondering what I would have done in her situation, this book plays with your brain in ways that I thoroughly enjoyed.

In something that is a blending of Divergent, The Hunger Games, and Station Eleven this book makes you want to know more about our characters and the Arcadia, who survives, where they go, and what happens next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an advance copy of this E-Book, I have voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I completely got Snowpiercer vibes from this book, but on a boat. In fact I actually pictured Chris Evans in this book. (as Nik of course, or at least an older Nik)

As familiar as this was to Snowpiercer, there were also some key differences as well. This seemed more desperate than the train and there was such a huge sense of urgency in this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!!

Landfall

Exciting and page turning, this story holds your attention throughout. It is a dystopian story about a nation after a deadly virus. Survivors are stuck on ships out in the ocean, while the Federation is on the land and very few leave the ships. People are born there and die there.

Rebels form a plan called Landfall to take back the ship and sail to freedom beyond the Federation lands. However, this plan goes terribly wrong.

The characters May, Nik, Alex, and Esther young people on different sides. The villain was Hadley the head of the Coalies a savage police force , The rebels were led by Enid, and the Gangs or below ship units were lead by Silas. The Captain even gets in on the action.
Some of the characters within the story and their adventures will live, some will perish, some will switch sides and at least on is a traitor.

If you want an action packed story this is the one for you. I recommend this story.

Thanks to Sarah Daniels for writing the story, to Sourcebooks Fire for publishing it and to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Wow! This book was so interesting! I found myself binge reading this one because I wanted to know what happened next! I've read a lot of dystopian stories....and sometimes they feel a bit cookie-cutter when it comes to plot. The premise of this book was different enough that I really got into the story!

The Arcadia used to be a luxury cruise ship. But for 40 years it's been the home of refugees who aren't allowed to step onto the mainland. The POV alternates in this story between a girl struggling for the life she dreams of, a rebel and the villainous captain of the ship. Normally I really don't like POV changes, but for this story it works well. It adds dimension to the plot and expands the characters, rather than creating confusion.

I'm not going to say much about the plot past the basics as I don't want to spoil anything. This story definitely kept my attention from start to finish. I kept finding myself contemplating what living on a ship for years and years would actually be like. I don't think I would like it! And I could definitely see the problems depicted in the book actually happening to people forced to live like that as refugees. Very interesting premise! This is the start of a series. I will definitely be reading more!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Sourcebooks Fire. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

The stranded was a fast-paced dystopian thriller that I wanted to like more than I did. I felt the characters were a little underdeveloped and the plot had great potential but just never made it there for me.
I wanted to know more about the virus that had changed this world, but there wasn't a lot about it. Perhaps in the next installment, as I see this is a duology or series.

I was not so sure about this book when I started it, but quickly got sucked into the plot as I kept reading past page 50 or so. I think it ended well with the opening for the sequel, but not in a major cliffhanger in my opinion.

This book was such a ride. You go between 3 different points of view to figure out what is happening on the ship. And while this isn't totally a genre I read often, i can say I am looking forward to the next installment.

“The Stranded”(Stranded #1 of 2) by Sarah Daniels ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: YA Dystopian Thriller. A refuge settlement on a ship in the Atlantic. Time: October 20, 2094-November 13, 2094. Days at Sea: 15,934-15,954.

Former luxury cruise ship Arcadia is home to the stranded. For 40 years, refugees have lived and died on it after being driven from Europe by the apocalyptic Sickness Wars. It’s divided into haves and have-nots, gangs and shelters. They can see the Federated States’ coastline (a piece of the fractured USA), but it doesn’t want them.

Trust no one. Violent events throw 4 young Arcadia residents together as long-laid plans move toward completion. Esther’s a medic studying for a place in a land university. She did what had to be done, and her actions left a trail of destruction. Nik is an impulsive rebel, working since childhood to liberate the Arcadia. May (Esther’s sister) is a military cadet, but where do her loyalties lie? Nik and May’s rash actions resulted in ship-wide chaos. Alex is Esther’s boyfriend and fellow medic. He wants Esther at any cost. Will he go too far to ensure Esther and his safety?

Author Daniels builds a chilling world aboard the rusting, molding Arcadia.(I really wish there were floor plans of the ship’s main decks.) She fills her book with young and old, secure and insecure, evil and innocence, life and death, double crossings and betrayals. She skillfully builds and builds the tension until readers are on edge for a showdown. She creates flawed characters trying to make sense of a world filled with cruel rules.

If you liked The Hunger Games series, you’ll want to read this book. Part 1 of a duology, it’s a gripping, dystopian vision that will haunt me until the sequel comes out, so it’s 5 stars from me! Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Fire, and author Sarah Daniels for this early ebook copy.

3.5 Stars

The Stranded is a plot-driven dystopian novel that moves quickly despite the main characters never being fully realized.

The story is told through three alternating points of view: medic trainee Esther, rebel Nik, and head of security Hadley. And though the story is told by this trio, they feel more like helpers to the plot rather than the characters driving it forward.

That’s not to say that The Stranded is bad.

People being forced to stay on a cruise ship because of a virus is something we witnessed during the Covid pandemic, and the depths to which author Sarah Daniels explores this aspect feel very real. Her descriptions of the boat and daily life on it are also excellent.

It’s clear from the ending that there’s at least a sequel to The Stranded in the works. I’m hopeful that in it, Daniels will fully realize her characters’ potential. The Stranded is not the best dystopian novel I’ve read, but it’s entertaining nonetheless. I recommend checking it out from the library prior to purchase.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Cruise ships sail out of ports full of passengers eagerly anticipating their vacations. While out to sea a virus hits worldwide cities, killing many. As the virus cloaks the globe, cruise ships are denied entry into all land ports and travel the seas looking for asylum. Skip ahead a few generations and these ships are still denied entry and have to survive on help from the countries they are anchored near. Many citizens aboard this ships have never left the boats.
What makes this story all so real is the fact that at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic this was the case with several cruise lines. Can you image never going home again and continuing your life and growing your family aboard a boat with limited supplies that is crumbling into the sea. The storyline reminds me of the show Snowpiercer with the different levels of hierarchy of passengers.
The book ends in a way that could open up to a series, one that I would be interested in reading!

In 2051, the luxury cruise ship Arcadia set sail right before biological warfare started up and a deadly virus decimated Europe. Their only hope of reaching dry land is what's left of the USA, now called the Federated States. But for 40 years the passengers have been prohibited from leaving the ship... the fear of the virus re-emerging too strong.
The story has the distinct POV: Hadley, the leader on the ship, doling out harsh punishment to anyone that steps out of line, Esther, a 16-year-old medic in training hoping to live a normal life on land, and Nik, the Rebel determined to get everyone to land and end the Arcadia.
I found the concept of a whole generation of people of all different classes being born and living their lives aboard this ship to be really fascinating. I think some of the characters could have been given a little more background, but I really enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Forty years after a war and deadly epidemic, the Arcadia—a former cruise ship turned refugee camp—is still refused a landing in the Federated States. This floating colony of wealthy passengers, military, underprivileged, and gangs have been living together, carving out their version of society within the increasingly cramped confines of the Arcadia, just waiting until the day they are deemed “safe” to go ashore. But even though it’s been decades since the virus was last detected, they remain onboard with increasingly limited resources.

The Stranded follows the alternating points of view of several young characters including a medic in training, a commander in the military-esque heads of the Arcadia, and a rebel. As a result of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, Ester (the medic) finds herself drawn into the wave of a rising rebellion. The result is a dystopian thriller with high stakes and a fight against oppressors at every step.

I was very excited with the premise of The Stranded—I mean, why have I never read a dystopian book with a cruise ship as the new colony? It’s also timely given recent worldwide topics (i.e.- a pandemic, escalating tensions, and a wall). Unfortunately, I wasn’t as drawn into this story as I’d hoped I would be. I didn’t really feel a connection with any of the characters, so it was difficult to be swept away in their stories. It was a slow build, and I didn’t feel like my emotions were engaged by the writing. Sarah Daniels did do a tremendous job in setting the scene onboard the Arcadia. She describes this world with such clarity that it’s not hard to imagine you’re standing on the upper level or down in the lower decks with the characters.

One of the things I did like was the captain’s updates throughout the book that let the reader (and passengers!) know just how long it’s been since they boarded the Arcadia (in thousands of days!). For old-school Trekkies, it’s reminiscent of “Captain’s Log, Star date…”.

I’m bummed that I didn’t enjoy this book more, but there is likely a lot for others to enjoy. It just wasn’t for me.

The Stranded comes out January 3, 2023.

*I received a copy of The Stranded from Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is a good YA Dystopian Sci/Fi Thriller set on the Arcadia, a luxury liner that set sail 40 years ago after being driven from Europe by an apocalyptic war. Since that time, it's been a refugee camp anchored off the coast of the Federated States. The story centers on Esther a loyal citizen, working to have the rare chance to live a normal life as a medic on dry land, and Nik, a rebel planning something big to liberate the Arcadia once and for all. Of course, nothing goes as planned, and the oppressors of the refugees acts despicably toward them, requiring the rebels to alter their plans.

This is a pretty long YA dystopian book (464 pages) and while there were a few slow places, the author did a pretty good job in worldbuilding life on the Arcadia and moving the story along. What the author left a mystery was how the European war started and why, and almost everything about the fractured U.S. The book ended on a cliffhanger, so I'm guessing we'll learn more about all of that in book 2.

I really liked Esther. She is smart, determined and prickly. She's got a chip on her shoulder and doesn't have a problem speaking her mind. She is loyal to her family and friends, much to her detriment on occasion. Nik is clever, loyal and a smart-aleck. I loved the relationship he and Esther developed after they got unceremoniously shoved together. The duo had more bravery than smarts at times, but they'd do anything for their loved ones. The book has plenty of action and for the most part was well paced. It's an easy read and I think it hits almost all the notes we look for in a YA Dystopian book.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire. All opinions are my own.

Great book, engaging and fast paced. I saw somewhere someone else had likened this book to the Hunger Games in it's dystopian-ness, and they were not wrong. I enjoyed the closed atmosphere of the boat, but it was also somewhat confining and gave me a sense of the claustrophobia of being on board the need to "end the boat:" basically. I loved the differing viewpoints from people - I enjoy when a book has insight from various characters because it helps develop the story and the author here did a great job of making the story come to life in that way. However, it hit a little close to home for me because of the unsettled nature of our future as a planet at this point. Perhaps that is the entire point of reading a post-apocalyptic book, in which case, this young adult novel is perfect to help young people understand the ramifications of the actions of our global governments going forward. A great read, and I would highly recommend!

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When war ravaged Europe, those traveling on the cruise ship Arcadia were left without a home. Generations later, people still inhabit the cruise ships, desperate to find refuge in the Federated States. Esther is training as a medic, if she passes her tests, she will have a chance to leave the ship and train on dry land. Nik, a member of the rebel underground, launches a leaflet campaign with Ester's sister. Hadley is the security commander of the ship. Desperate to have the ship decommissioned, he will do anything to maintain law and order.

I really enjoyed this book. The world was well developed and nuanced. The characters were fascinating and realistic. The plot moved forward and a nice pace, keeping me interested and engaging. I look forward to reading more from this author. Highly recommended!

Imagine living your whole life on a cruise ship. One that very much mimics life on land. The poorest live (if you can call it living) in the dark and dangerous bottom of the ship, while those with money and power live on the upper decks. Hard to imagine that this is the only life some of these passengers have ever known. For 40 years they have been denied the right to dock and leave the ship and try to make a life on land.
There are several POV‘s and characters that tell the story. Esther who wants to be a medic, Nick who is very involved in the rebellion that’s brewing on board, and Hadley the commander of the Arcadia(and not a good guy). Each perspective provides necessary facts regarding life on this once luxury ship.
If you enjoy dystopian books, this might work for you. My only small complaint was at times it felt a bit too long. I was invested in Esther and Nick’s chapters and found myself yelling at my Kindle during Hadley‘s chapters. Don’t ask me why, I mean I knew this wasn’t a happily ever after story. When is dystopian ever sunshine and kittens? I was however sucked into the very descriptive life on the Arcadia and how sadly even in this type of environment, the haves versus the have nots still exist. I thought it ended abruptly but then I read that a second book is planned. I wish I had paid attention and saw that little factoid first as I would not have expected everything to wrapped up neatly.

OK ultimately it’s the people in the ship against the people on land the people on the ship or basically treated like Spanish people and Black people are treated in America but on the ship it’s also divided into the kind of have’s and the definite have Nots. Esther is a kind of halves and she’s also training to be a medic and hopes to go on land her sister may is a part of security but secretly she is also a part of the resistance and those are mostly the have Nots. One day the resistance throws propaganda pamphlets and Nick who is a part of the resistance gets shot. This is win a big-time jerk name Silas and nicks mom kidnap Esther to get her to help Nick so he doesn’t die. Because in this world they put poison on bullets and even if the gun shot doesn’t kill you the poison will but there’s an antidote and Esther knows what it is. At first Esther and Silas fight because Silas being an ego driven jerk thinks he’s just going to throw around 16 Esther an boss her around and chill do what he says but he quickly learns different. Although his pride is hurt Nick‘s mom puts her foot down and Silas step‘s back . Esther does agree to help though after looking at Nick and seeing his poisonous wounds but when she goes above deck to get the medicine needed for the antidote, her best friend notices her and tell her she’s late for class and not wanting to give the resistance away she must ignore her Guard‘s and promises to come back with the needed medicine. Everyone is angry at Nick for throwing the pamphlets. They had a bigger plan in place until he may have ruined it. When Hadley who is like the worst conservative Republican you can think of and he runs things on land and implement rules on the ship. The captain is like a Democrat but one who knows what he’s doing and thinks Hadley is Bing too old the bearing and too happy to implement more restrictions on the ships population. They must reduce daily calories they can no longer read on deck and should he change any more rules He will let the captain know. “ oh yes” and now the captain must start going around with a tiny bot that will Play back in real time everything he does.. So it’s not just the people on the ship feeling The jerk Hadleys bootheel and the captain isn’t happy about it. There is a rumor going around that another ship carrying other refugees sunk but he tells the captain when he needs to know he’ll tell him. All these things are important and remember Silas well he’s put a hit out on Esther. This makes Nick very angry and Maye doesn’t even know yet that her sister is the one who helped him. Everything will come to an explosive conclusion and I can only hope there’s going to be another book not because this was a cliffhanger, but because this was so OMG awesome! Please forgive this lame review there is so much more to this story than what I stated but I would have to write a booklet Novela myself to explain the whole story to you just know if you love science fiction alternate universe is great world building with likable and even lovable characters then you need to read “the stranded“ by Sarah Daniels you will not be disappointed this isn’t even one of my favorite genres and I absolutely cannot wait to read more from this world.. I received this book from net galley and source of books fire but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.