Due to unforeseen circumstances in my life, just catching up with reviews. Very exciting YA read. In fact, I forgot it was YA. I found it pretty engrossing, much like the Hunger Games & Harry Potter was for me. Well developed characters, fast paced, gripping

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest review. I had high hopes for this book, as the premise sounded wonderfully dystopian and in a refreshing setting. A stagnating cruise ship holding now a fractured piece of humanity--sign me up!

The writing was engaging enough, however the jumps in the character point of views was confusing, with the characters written too similar sometimes for me to discern where I was in the story, and who was narrating. I also wished to know more about the world at large and its context, as I feel it would have given a lot more grounding to the story. By the end of the story, however, I felt the end was a bit rushed, out of sync with the rest of the story. I wanted to like this more, but between the jumping POV and oddly paced plot, I couldn't keep up and wished for something different. Additionally, I felt this was a difficult book if thinking about it as a YA novel. There are other dystopian books that do it better for me, whose plot structure are clearer and characters are better developed.

Overall, an interesting change of pace but ultimately not for me.

This book is very slow and not at all as good as the synopsis made it seem. I didn't like the characters, they were all very annoying. This could have been a slam dunk but it was a miss for me.

What a fascinating dystopian story! I found myself really loving this book the more I read. The story peaked my interest for sure from start to finish. This book gave me chills reading about what these characters had to go through. The characters were not bad at all. I liked them as well!

The idea of having to live on a boat because higher ups were in fear of a virus breaking out was wild. For years people just went along with it because it’s all they knew or were born into it. The Rebellion finally fighting back was so intense. I kept hoping they wouldn’t get caught or the higher ups getting wind of their plans. The pacing of the story didn’t seem too fast or slow. Once May had Esther bring that info to the Rebellion the story definitely picked up.

I like how this book ended a lot. Some of them got out, Arcadia has fallen, but people lost their lives. And that was something they’d have to live with. They were successful for ending the boat, but at what cost? People still did not make it off alive. Literally had me reflecting and re-reading that last page. So heartbreaking, chilling, but also hopeful for the future.

I'm so glad I was offered an advanced copy of this because I love Dystopian YA and probably wouldn't have found it otherwise. I LOVED it. I tore through the pages and couldn't wait to find out what happened to Esther, May, Nick, and horrible Hadley. My only complaint is that the conclusion felt kind of rushed and I wanted more BUT I think it's a series so hopefully there will be another release soon. I will definitely watch it.

4.5 stars

This felt like an early 2010s classic dystopian book in the best way possible. It took a while for me to get hooked, but once I did I could not put this down. I loved the different point of views, and the world was interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC of this book!

This is a story about a ship.

I really enjoyed this super unique dystopian! The ship setting created a really interesting sense of isolation & I enjoyed the character interactions. The author did a good job of creating nuanced antagonists, which I always really appreciate!

Thank you so much @netgalley & @sourcebooksfire for the eArc.

The premise of people being forced to live aboard a cruise ship for more than 40 years due to a lethal virus spreading around the world is what pulled me to this book. It's dystopian in a recent and relevant way, and I was curious to see how Daniels handled it.

For the most part, I think the book worked. Esther is the goody tw0-shoes who only thinks about getting off the ship to attend med school. Her older sister, May, is a cadet who is also a rare person who is on her way off the ship to join the military. Alex is Esther's ambitious boyfriend who will be joining her in med school. Nik is supposed to stay on the ship as a worker, but is secretly a part of a large and growing rebellion.

The 'world' of the Arcadia is well done. Daniels answers questions about how they get food, medical supplies, clothing, and get rid of waste. She has gangs, black markets, an oppressive and violent military, and a murderous malcontent running that military who is doing his best to make the Arcadia the next one the government will blow up.

The book opens with Esther taking a chance by reading a piece of propaganda and then being chased by the Coalies (the military) and narrowly escaping. She doesn't take risks so she's scared out of her wits and hides what she did from everyone. May and friend Nick turn out to be the keystone to the rebellion's plan to save the people of Arcadia. Alex is not the golden boy that he appears to be, and shows his true face soon enough. Adults who seem to be part of the system are not, and a much larger group outside the Arcadia is leading the rebels.

The book is definitely an adventure, and the story moves quickly. I came to dislike Esther. She's selfish, whiney, and ridiculously obtuse. She refuses to see what is right in front of her. When she finds out about May, all she thinks about is how it will impact her life. She barely spares a thought for her parents or the reasons behind the rebellion. She makes the wrong and selfish decision over and over again, and as a result, people die.

My dislike of Esther aside, I enjoyed the book. The ending sets you up for a sequel, and I would like to read it. If that sequel delved into the origin of the pandemic and United States' initial actions, that would be even better. I spent this book wishing I knew more about how everything got to the miserable place it was in The Stranded.

Overall, a good dystopian entry that I will be buying for my library.

I haven't read and liked a dystopian story in about ten years. In my old age, I don't like characters with crazy names or extreme world building that really requires a lot of brain work just to picture it. At first it was a bit hard to get into because of how many POV's we start out with. However, once you get used to the change of views it really starts to get interesting.

What I really liked about The Stranded is how realistic this future could be for us. After COVID, it isn't hard to imagine people being stranded on cruise ships so they can't come into the country and infect others. It's also not that hard to imagine the complete abuse of power by officials.

Esther's growth really stood out to me. She went from just living her life in a bubble to having everything turned upside down within a few days. Everything she thought she knew wasn't real. Once the curtain fell she had to choose to break down and cry over it or put on her big girls pants and take charge.

My favorite side character was, hands down, Enid. I can't wait for the second book to see how her character develops and hopefully becomes more of a main character.

Man, I haven't read a thriller this gripping in a while. I loved this, especially given the past few years, the premise was believable, the characters well rounded, and the plot tight as a bow string. Definitely recommend.

I thought this spin on the dystopia was great. Between the internal conflict of Arcadia and the external conflict between Arcadia and other settlements, there is a lot of antagonization to explore. I thought that the world building was well done without having too much filler. You are able to quickly get a sense of what the world looks like in this state. The main characters were pretty well done and I enjoyed them.

A solid YA/New Adult dystopian Sci-Fi novel that definitely reminds readers of Snowpiercer and a few YA series from a decade ago. It includes a unique setting and atmosphere that's just realistic enough to be plausible. I love the background story and hope the readers learn more in the next book. It's action-packed, fast-paced, and is told from the viewpoints of multiple characters. The nove incorporates several interesting characters, MCs and supporting ones alike. For YA dystopia fans looking for something new.

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Absolutely engrossing dystopian story. Reminds me of a mix between Snowpiercer and the Thousandth Floor series. I was just so fascinated by the ship and the lives/details of those who live there. I NEED there to be another book!

I really enjoyed this near future dystopian with elements of sci-fi story. I definitely agree with other reviewers who got Divergent and Hunger Games vibes. This was a great YA debut, and I’m glad I read it. I’m looking forward to the next entry in the series.

My thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I liked this book. A lot. In fact, I plan to recommend it as one of the four titles we will use in our summer reading program next summer. In this program, all of our high school students have the option to pick one title for their summer reading. I think this book will make a great addition. It has action, romance, vengeance, betrayal, and a fantastic setting - everything a high school student could want. That is not to say it is perfect. The villain is a little too one-dimensional and the resolution dealing with him is a little too abrupt. I also felt like the background information on the virus and devastation in Europe could have been better detailed. Most readers will want to have a better understanding of why the Arcadia is in the position it is in. However, these a minor quibbles. For most, this will be an enjoyable read and they will eagerly wait for the sequel, which the ending clearly hints toward.

Snowpiercer meets the Hunger Games? Sign me up! I immediately wanted to read this book based on this one line synopsis as I love both of those. A luxury cruise ship is turned into a refugee camp after being driven from Europe after an apocalyptic war. The Arcadia has been stuck in the ocean off the coast of the Federated States for the past forty years; not being able to make landfall. We follow Esther who is working to get off the ship and become a medic for the Federated States and a chance to live a semi-normal life. However, she is sucked into a rebellion that is happening on the ship and she needs to decide what team she will choose. Will the Arcadia be liberated or will everything crash and burn?

I definitely enjoyed this book! I loved the dystopian feel and I enjoyed the fact that I could see this happening in real life. This is a multi perspective story which I always enjoy as well. The character development is a little lacking in my opinion but I do understand that it is a YA book and those tend to not have as much development. I am excited to find out that this is going to be a series and there is going to be another book coming out soon. If you do enjoy The Hunger Games and/or Snowpiercer, then I highly recommend checking this book out.

*Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.*

I received a digital ARC from Sourcebooks Fire through NetGalley.

I appreciated the premise of this book, but the story fell flat for me. There were too many characters to keep track of. I wish there was more about their lives on the ship. There was a lot of action, but I did not care about the characters enough.

A fun YA dystopian story! The cover alone caught my attention, thank you Netgalley and Source Books Fire for my gifted copy for review!

For forty years, residents of the Arcadia have been prohibited from making landfall. It is a world of extreme haves and have nots, gangs and make-shift shelters.

Esther is a loyal citizen, working flat-out to have the rare chance to live a normal life as a medic on dry land. Nik is a rebel, planning something big to liberate the Arcadia once and for all.

When events throw them both together, their lives, and the lives of everyone on the ship, will change forever . . .

Imagine being trapped on a cruise ship, living in constant fear of being arrested and the trouble that comes along with that. Great descriptions of how places on the ship transformed from luxury cruise line to a city. From the cafe to the market, very easy to imagine what it would look like.

I loved hearing the POV from several characters. A normal citizen, the rebellion, the citizen secretly helping the rebellion, and the villain. Knowing all sides just added more to the story. All the wild technology and action keeps you up turning pages!

I wish there was more background information on the virus. Like, are we talking Outbreak, Walking Dead, Covid? I just wanted more on what happened when the virus hit, what it caused, and why they were being isolated on the ship for 40+ years. Maybe that will come out in what I’m hoping will be book 2. Daniels leaves this one with quite the cliffhanger!

The Stranded is a good choice for readers who want lots of nail biting action, gut dropping thrills and plenty of unexpected danger. Short chapters propel the action; a solid plot twist keeps the pages turning; and the strong braided narrative, including the villain’s voice: a sadistic tyrant himself a prisoner, keeps readers compelled. Appropriate for grade 7-12 collections with no excessive violence or adult situations to prevent both teens and middle grade readers from enjoying this thriller. Adult readers will see through some plot holes and immature decision making but teen readers looking for escapist adventure will love this high intensity near-future dystopia. Teen library and High School Library collections will want multiple copies of this tense, gripping story full of secrecy, threats of violence, betrayal, revenge, secret plots, and dramatic rebellion. The world building and conclusion will have readers clambering for another volume.

Summary: The Arcadia has been stranded off the coast of what used to be the United States for over 100 years. Plague virus and destructive warfare have rewritten the North American map, decimated Europe, and trapped thousands on the ship permanently. Nik and Esther are fighting to survive, escape and secure a future off the ship. But nothing is predictable, everyone is untrustworthy and no one is coming to help them.

Thanks #Netgalley #SourceFireBooks for the opportunity to preview this title that publishes 1.3.23

Overall this was an interesting return to dystopian for the YA genre. I had trouble rating it for a few reasons, among them that it is impossible not to compare this to the Hunger Games dystopian wave and I was not aware this was a duology going into the story.

While knowing this is a two part story gave context to some of the pacing issues, I would have liked a more clear resolution to this first installment, rather than ending on a cliffhanger.

Overall the strengths of this novel were the concept and the conflict that kept me reading. The worldbuilding was interesting, but feel story of atmospheric to me. I enjoyed the character, but didn’t feel as attached them as I wanted to be, especially given what they experience in the course of the book.

I will likely read the sequel to see how the author concludes the series, but this isn’t a stand out title for me.