The Stranded

3.75⭐️

I just finished this one and my first reaction was WHAT?!

This dystopian story is set on a cruise ship off the coast of the Federated States. For 40 years residence have lived there, not allowed to go back to land. In the future society there are constant drones watching their every move as the rebels attempt to take over the ship.

This was fast paced and I enjoyed it once I got into the second half of it. There were a lot of points of view and at first it took a while to make all the connections. The ending felt a bit blunt and I would have loved a little more.

The Stranded by Sarah Daniels captivated me from the first moment I read the description. I love a good dystopian tale, and it promised (and delivered) a unique story, that I thoroughly enjoyed! The world that the characters lived in was so fresh, the characters were good, and the writing was immersive and fantastic! I would give this story a perfect rating, except that at the end, it needed a few more things tied up before the end. However, that is a small thing that can be rectified by reading the next book. All in all, The Stranded is a thrilling, unique adventure full of fallible characters that you can’t help but love!

Thanks to Net Galley and Sourcebooks Fire for the arc. I will be submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion on Goodreads immediately, and on Amazon and Twitter after publication.

The Stranded is a dystopian novel set in a future where a virus spreads and caused pandemonium. The Arcadia was in Europe, and its passengers, plus many who hopped aboard to get away, became stuck onboard for 40 years, when the cruise ships turned into a floating quarantine prison, off the coast of what is left of the United States (called the Federated States.). There is a feud between the haves (those who had tickets on this ship) and the have-nots (the staff and those who jumped onboard without a ticket), so along with the other wars going on in this ship, we have a class battle going on, along with a battle between the innocent parties on this ship and the "Colies" or police aboard the ship who are there to keep things contained. There are other fights going on, as well, which keep the reader guessing.

The only way off the ship is by death or by the few people who study and become military or medics and go to the states to help out there. Esther and her sister Meg are two of these people, about to graduate and head off to land. Meg is the first of the two to graduate and leave, which is heartbreaking for her sister, who believes she will not see her again. However, things are not always as they seem. Not with Esther's boyfriend, or Nik Lahill who ends up being her sister's boyfriend, much to Esther's surprise. Esther is pulled into a world she did not know existed when her sister leaves the ship - perhaps more than she bargained for, but Esther is not one to shy away from a challenge. The book ends in somewhat of a cliffhanger, and it is clear that another book will follow, as it was set up well for a sequel.

I found I needed to suspend my disbelief, but the story was good enough that I was willing to do this and go along for the ride. This YA novel kept my interest, and I will be happy to pick up the second installment and see where Sarah Daniels takes the story. I think this was a great first novel for this writer.

If you enjoyed The Hunger Games and The Divergent Series, definitely give this book a read.

The year is 2094, and for the past four decades the cruise ship Arcadia has been anchored offshore, harboring a city of European refugees fleeing a virus that is now keeping them stranded at sea. Despite the fact that there have been no positive cases for thousands of days, only a select few people are permitted to leave the ship to live on the mainland. Sixteen-year-old Esther has her sights set on being a medic for the Federated States and is working diligently toward that goal even as she prepares for her older sister May to make her own way to land. But when resistance activities begin occurring on the ship with greater frequency, the chances of departure become ever slimmer, and it is unclear whether anyone will ever escape the confines of their sea bound home.

From the first moments, this book is riveting, especially coming off of the COVID-19 pandemic that brought the world to its knees. The narrative is presented through multiple points of view, which gives readers insight into just how complex and interconnected the many people living aboard the Arcadia have become. Though the dystopian future in which these characters find themselves differs from the present day, the author does an excellent job introducing readers to this world and making them feel a part of it. Action, deception, rebellion, and human relationships are all integral to the plot of this book, and it is a gripping debut in the young adult space. Fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent will readily fall for the similar intensity of this book and its overall message of doing the right thing, even when it is hard to do. This is a fantastic addition to library collections for teen readers.

A fairly compelling dystopian thriller with plenty of detailed post-apocalyptic world-building. Too much world-building, maybe. Most of the dialogue seemed to serve as exposition to lay out the rules and realities.

This book may be directed to young adults, but it should be listed as for all adults. I loved this book. I could not put it down. The story is of a people who had been stranded on a cruise ship forty years before and not allowed to disembark due to a horrible virus. People lived, had children, died, fought, loved all on this ship.
There is a rebellion. I was totally engrossed in the lives of the main characters. There are good guys, bad guys, in between guys, really bad guys and non stop action, adventure, fear, and suspense. Truly, when I am yelling while reading a book, you know I was drawn into it. My only complaint is that the book ended far too soon. I hope there is more to come.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire & NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this digital arc

On the Arcadia, a once sumptuously decked out cruise ship, hundreds of people struggle to survive. Their families have been on the ship moored off North America for forty years. After a war in Europe, the refugees were refused admittance to the Federated States. The leaders of this former part of the U.S. reward just a few of the ship's residents by permitting them to become medics or otherwise serve the Federated States.

Esther has been training to become a medic and escape the ship her whole life. Her older sister, May is to join the Army. May's secret boyfriend, Nik is plotting with others to end the standoff and allow the detainees their freedom. When Ester gets pulled into the plot, her boyfriend does as well. But he is loyal to the existing hierarchy and so things begin to go wrong.

The story ends in dramatic confrontations, on land and sea. Reminiscent of The Hunger Games (though with less crowd appeal), The Stranded is a sturdy entry into the field of dystopian literature

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a DNF for me at about 33%. It started off strong, with an interesting world, a female protagonist who isn't perfect, and POV chapters that fit against each other like puzzle pieces. HOWEVER, after the strong opening, the book started rambling, with an inconsistent pace, characters who didn't really have much depth, and a general lack of urgency. I did skip ahead and read the last few chapters, thinking that maybe they'd give me an incentive to go back and finish, but no.

In all fairness, the writing was technically solid and the story might be more engaging to someone who hasn't read a bunch of YA SFF - hence the 2 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Selling Pitch:
Do you want an ensemble cast dystopian YA that is 1984 on a Covid cruise ship? And if you don’t want that, why don’t you? Are you down for a series that will to be continued you?

Pre-reading:
When I logged this book on the various platforms, every single one had a different cover.

Thick of it:
Ha, this book has exactly 69 chapters. I'm 12. I'll go.

OK 2094, but will there be a Covid reference?

Well, I literally could’ve finished reading that paragraph and there would’ve been a reference.

How many years is that? Math. 🤷🏻‍♀️ (43.65 years)

Tell me you’re a narcissist without telling me you’re a narcissist. Accidentally reading your name in a book. Sim. Sam? Sim.

I am intrigued.

It’s giving 1984.

I don’t know what that sounds like.

I’m invested. This reminds me of Six of Crows just cause it’s bouncy and fast and tight.

Oh cool, so she’s dead. (Yup.)

Why is it such a staple of chase scenes that there’s some sort of cart in the way? I mean I love it. It’s such a dumb trope, but I love it.

Ending on cliffhanger chapters? Love it.

Thank you for in-text defining a word that no normal person would know.

Love the world-building in this.

I really like the premise of this book. I am mildly nervous about the fact that they’re reproducing on the ship, and there’s a limited gene pool, but I’m sure that will be explained. (Meh bit of a hinky there are 7,000 people aboard, and we’re only on the third-gen.)

These characters are woven together so satisfyingly.

Bane? Or Hannibal lol

Why did it take me so long to realize that it’s neaths like underneaths? I’m an idiot.

That’s gnarly. As of right now, this book would with make a fantastic tv show.

We love diversity in our dystopias.

Love that we get the villain’s perspective, although that kind of makes me think he won’t permanently be the villain.

Oh my god, that is dark.

Such interesting and timely political commentary.

That was a bad line.

I like Alex. I cannot wait for the book to make me regret this, because he is so obviously poised to become a villain. (Excellent work, book!)

I know it’s not supposed to be, and he’s definitely more threatening, but also Hadley gives the bowler hat guy from Meet the Robinsons. (And if you didn’t think it before, good luck unseeing it.)

Oh, that’s cute. It took exactly halfway through the book for them to be together.

Is it bad that I don’t want Esther and Nik together? I want him with May. (Still do, but that’s a wash.)

It’s Hunger Games. It’s 1984. It’s Meet the Robinsons. It’s Six of Crows. And it’s Covid, and I dig it a lot.

OK hi, it’s me. I’m the problem. Nik and Alex👀

I wish he wouldn’t keep comparing her to the sister.

This book gets real dark for a YA. We love to see.

This book is sassy and self-aware, and I love that.

Oh no, book. Chemistry everywhere book. (And do nothing with it book. Shame on you.)

Excellent set building. This is creepy.

Now kiss 😂👀 but like ooo my spicy boys.

I like them together. Please don’t make him get together with the sister. Like I know that’s where we’re headed, but I don’t like it. I like him and May. But also, I cannot see this bitch making it out of this book alive. (Yeah…)

Yeah, me too. You get one sister. (Nick Miller reading voice only.)

Alex gives me Noah Centineo vibes, and I don’t know why, but I will be sticking to it.

Also Avan Jogia for Nik.

Oh Alex, you filthy liar.

Well, don’t say it like that because now I don’t believe it, but also I don’t think she’s living.

This book’s villains are so good.

Oh fuck I knew she was dead, but I didn’t expect it right now. Oh, no.

How very Gale and Prim.

Bestie, how you gonna forget he put a tracker on you?

Oh, that’s not nice, Nikie Boy.

Can I please know the state equivalent that they’ve landed in just so I can picture the environment? I’m guessing like South Carolina or something. (You will never know.)

Virginia? Rhode Island? Not the Cape.

Yeah, don’t be a dumb monologuing villain. Fucking kill him.

OK, I’ve got some questions. Even if they don’t air-raid the ship, how do you get enough food on board without it looking like you’re prepping to be able to sail to Maine? 600 miles away. Assuming your ship travels at about 30 mph…OK never mind that’s literally just 20 hours. They can go a day or three.

Which states are part of the federated states and which ones aren’t? Please tell me. (I’m still irritatingly curious to know.)

OK, but he doesn’t need drones to stop the ship from moving? He could literally just start a fire. Also, why didn’t they destroy the control panel from the beginning? That seems a very obvious one.

Also, they like still have guns? Couldn’t they just shoot the engine and it would blow?

I feel like there are just so many more civilians and like it’s a ship. There’s limited space. I feel like they could just overwhelm all the guards very easily.

Why don’t they just mind scrub Hadley? (I don’t want no scrubs-I’ll go.)

Lowkey I kind of hope she’s not dead and they wipe her memories and now she’s a villain. (Sequel I’m just sayin)

No one will notice me? Bitch, they saw you leave. You think they don’t have your wanted face everywhere? What are you talking about? (Apparently, they do not. Which is wild.)

OK, you can take the sign down, but I guarantee the captain still has maps of the ship or like any of the security on their lil tablets. Probably with GPS turn-by-turn navigation.

This is one of the few times I genuinely do not know how the book is going to end. There are only a few more chapters. Where we going?

I don’t know what night he’s talking about. (I still do not. That is bad.)

Whoa. Heavy. Heavy. Excellent villain. Excellent villain messaging for a YA, but yeesh so dark!

I’ve never seen a male author use the phrase “ugly cry,” but we girlies sure do love it.

Duh, Hadley. Can’t leave the 16-year-olds alive in a YA.

Listen, if you keep saying it like that, I’m not gonna believe you, and I’m gonna go with my dumb idea that she’s been wiped to be a new villain.

I’m sorry, just like where did they get a helicopter and why didn’t they use it earlier? This book is going to be continued me and I’m going to be annoyed. (Yup.)

Yeah, I don’t really see what’s to prevent all the ship people from being arrested or killed on sight once they land. You know there are only so many exits out from the boat. I feel like the people could just sit on the shore and snipe them off.

I have, in fact, been to be continued.

Post-reading:
I feel guilty rating this because Goodreads doesn’t have half-stars. This book is a romp. It’s very good. It checks all the boxes for a dystopian YA. It’s not annoying. Do you know how hard it is for dystopian YAs to not come across as annoying? And yet I’m still not like wow, absolutely everyone should read this book. I think people should read it. I think the vast majority of people are going to enjoy it. I think it’s a very solid series. I would love to read the next book. I think it would make fabulous television. And yet I still think a little something is missing.

This book’s pacing is quick, she’s snappy. Somehow, I still feel like she could be a little faster. I think when you have these adventurous thrillers, you need that blisteringly fast, breakneck pace, so you don’t have time to question things. You just have to keep turning pages. I got questions. That’s a bit of a problem if you’re not going to answer them.

This book had the potential for oodles of chemistry. I think she fizzled out a bit. I wanted more. I think that’s the true star dropper for me, and I don’t know if that’s because it was a YA and they were trying to keep it clean, or a symptom of the characters being so young. But like please give me more spice so I can be invested. There was banter. There was no omg I can’t put this book down will they won’t they sexual chemistry. Instead, you’re almost begging the obvious romantic pairing to NOT get together. Give me problematic Hadley seduction. Give me some more raunchy romantic bits with Alex, so the switch stings more.

Granted, I think Alex is one of the most successful things about this novel. Because you do genuinely like him, and then you get that sneaky oh fuck I can’t like him. And that’s important for YA. We love a villainous boyfriend.

Also, I don’t know how I missed this or if I’m having a blind spot, but I cannot picture May and Esther. I don’t know if that’s maybe intentional/purposely vague so that the audience can see themselves or whoever they want as arguably the protagonist, but I do think it’s interesting because I got such clear pictures for the other characters in this book.

Yeah, I don’t know. Read this. I’m definitely curious about other peoples’ thoughts.

Who should read this:
Dystopian YA fans
Ensemble cast YA fans
YA romp fans

Do I want to reread this:
No, but I’m excited for the sequel.

Similar books:
* 1984 by George Orwell-I genuinely don’t know how you would read this book and not think of this one when it’s a surveillance state
* Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins-dystopian YA
* Divergent by Veronica Roth-dystopian YA
* Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo-ensemble YA fantasy romp
* The Disasters by M. K. England ensemble YA space romp

(3,5)

Truth be told, I haven’t read much lately and it’s been even longer since I dived into a YA story. And even though both the cover and the blurb were calling my name, I wasn’t sure about anything when I started this book. I was therefore more than pleasantly surprised when I found myself enjoying the story so much that I actually finished the novel (which seems like a true victory when in a reading slump).
I truly enjoyed The Stranded—the story was entertaining, the dystopian world was so enjoyable and while I didn’t love them, I did like the characters! Teenage me would have adored this book and adult me really liked it so I’m definitely marking my calendar for January 2023 to get a finished copy!

Sarah Daniels has given us a thought provoking and frighteningly real glimpse into a possible future for both the YA and Adult reading audience. In the manner of Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games and Hugh Howey’s Silo Series the author has created a dystopian microcosm set aboard a luxury cruise ship. The ship, Arcadia, set sail from Europe but before it reached its final port, a plague spread around the world, leaving many ships scrambling and without a debarkation point.

The ship has now been stranded at anchor for many years and the passengers have self-identified into classes. The above deck luxury passengers suffer want and needs but are still a step above the ‘Neaths. These are the gangs and criminals that live below deck. There are also the Coalies, a paramilitary group representing the Federated States, stationed aboard the ship to keep the peace. Unfortunately, they rule with an iron fist along with spy bots that give the passengers/citizens little hope for their life and liberty.

There are two major couples, sisters Esther and May, and their boyfriends Alex and Nik. They strive to free the passengers and find some way to reach the Federated States. There is Silas, a powerful gang leader. Hadley is a Coalie following orders to make life aboard the Arcadia more dangerous and stifling by the day.

The book is character driven and well written. I think that if shortened by good editing it would have been even better. Thank you to #Netgalley #SarahDaniels #fSourcebooks Fire for giving me this reading pleasure.

Loved this YA debut! The dystopian premise was original and intriguing, kept me turning the pages through the night! Would recommend.

I was shocked to find out that this is the debut book from this author! The description intrigued me from the start and I knew I just had to see what this book was all about. The Dystopian world Sarah Daniels has built is so creative and so unlike anything else I have ever read. I loved the multiple POV's, I wish more books included more than 2 as I fell it gives the reader a better, well-rounded view of the plot and all of the characters. This book brings to light topics of government, morality and social class issues all while still delivering an entertaining story with both action and plot twists to keep you on the edge of your seat. If you are a fan of dystopian reads than I highly recommend this book!

This was a great YA choice for anyone who loves a quick, dystopian thriller. Interesting premise that kept me curious.

4.5/5 (rounded up to 5 stars on here)

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
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The marketing of this book was “The Hunger Games meets Station Eleven” and that caught my attention immediately. I absolutely loved the concept of this book and how it was focused on a cruise ship where people have been living for decades. I have to say that the start of the book started out very slow for me, which is where the 4.5 stars comes in. There were so many character POV at the beginning that it was very confusing at times and you spent a lot of time trying to figure out how all the characters fit together. It also had so much information that you just felt overloaded at times. However, that being said, once I got to around 40% of the book, the pacing picked up so much and I didn’t want to put it down. It was action packed and you became so invested in the characters and just needed to figure out what was going to happen. After finishing the book, I read that there will be a second book to follow up this one and I can’t wait to see where that one takes the readers! Overall, I think that if you can get through the first part of the book, you will really enjoy it!
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This review will be posted to my Instagram blog (read_betweenthecovers) in the near future!

I want to thank NetGalley for an early copy of The Stranded by Sarah Daniels. I always enjoy dystopian young adult books. This one being set on a cruise ship where they have lived for many, many, many years, Forty years!! All because of a virus, sound familiar? The story is told from multiple points of view., including one that is the villain. An original take on a dystopian world. It was fast paced and action packed. I can’t wait for the next book to come out.

The premise of this book had me intrigued. Thousands of people living their whole life in a stranded cruise ship, denied landfall to the Federated States where they fled to after a war in Europe released a deadly virus. The deadly virus killed millions of people.

Their treatment gets worse and worse through the years. It gets to the point where even reading a book in a public place could get you killed.

You see things from multiple points of view and you begin to cheer for the rebellion and hope they will eventually get off this ship. It is an intense read and totally draws you in from the first page.

I was interested in the concept of this one: a YA dystopian book set on a cruise ship where people have been living for decades. Unfortunately, it failed to keep my attention and I think this was mainly due to the pacing and the characters. The beginning of the book is a bit overloaded with information, but not enough about the parts I wanted to know about! The stakes are high from the start, but I didn’t have enough time or background information to feel invested. The characters were also hard to connect with and I felt like I didn’t ever get to know them well. If this book had been a lot shorter, or if it were a standalone with a complete ending rather than a setup for the sequel, I think I would have enjoyed it more. There was nothing horrible about this book, but it wasn’t memorable and I won’t be reading the sequel. People who really love dystopian books and don’t mind jumping straight into the action may enjoy this one!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This brings me back to the classic dystopian era of the early 2010s. The appeal of dystopian fiction has lessened for me since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the parallels to our daily lives only increase. The Stranded is inspired by those early covid days cruise ships (and for the cruise-obsessed, you can note that Daniels uses names of currently operating major cruise ships), which is a new one for me. I would have Across the Universe by Beth Revis as a comp title - this is not sci-fi, but it has similar themes of a dying ship, hope of leaving, darkness, dubious morals.

HOLY WOW. I just read and read and read. I don’t even think I slept. This book is just gripping and the twists and turns. Esther is just trying to survive and Nik wants something better. Can either get what they want? Can anyone onboard? This book is outstanding and I can only hope that I can read the second book in this duology just as soon as humanly possible because I need answers and I just can’t stop thinking about what happened and what could happen next. I just want more please and thank you.