SUPER interesting and inventive world which is my favorite thing in speculative fiction!! Really looking forward to more from Sarah Daniels

An excellent debut YA thriller novel. I have gotten away from YA in the past year or so because I felt I was growing out of it so this was a refreshing read for me. I loved the dystopian setting and the Hunger Games feel. A great first novel for this author and I will be looking forward to more.

It was entertaining but not the best in this heavily populated genre. I put it down a few times but in the end did finish the book. Interesting concept, could have been better.

I lost interest in the story and didn't end up finishing it. I don't read a lot of YA, but I do enjoy the dystopian angle, but this was ultimately more action-y than world-building. I think others could enjoy it though.

I would Sourcebooks and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC.

I really wanted to like this book, but sadly I didn't enjoy it. It was slow paced and it took me a bit to figure out what was going on. We are just thrust into the story and get to explore the story without much background on what was going on. The concept was what drew me to this book, but unfortunately there wasn't much in the actual story that I enjoyed. I didn't connect to the characters or the story.

A fun, fresh take on the dystopian genre!

The story starts with a bang and only goes up from there. Daniels has created a cohesive, wonderfully contained world reminiscent of The 100. The pace is fast, the world intriguing, and I especially appreciated the themes of how constricting paranoia can be and the dangers of sacrificing freedom in the name of safety. We saw a lot of tech that’s been in other stories, but it all has a fun twist or unique compilation.

I’d highly recommend The Stranded for lovers of dystopia, ship settings, and uprisings.

Thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

-A

This has been out over a month now and there are lots of helpful reviews out there already, so I'll just recommend this to YA and sci-fi fans. This is a fun one.

Thanks very much for the free ARC for review!!

I enjoyed this book. There were a few things about it that were just kind of "meh" but overall it was an enjoyable read. This was definitely a slow start for me. It took me a bit to really get into the story. Normally, I don't mind books where each chapter is a different character, but for some reason, I had a hard time keeping up with these characters in the beginning. I couldn't get a feel for who they were and what their story was. It took about a third of the book for me to finally keep up with who was who and what was what. Right at the 50% mark was where I felt like the book really picked up and I couldn't stop reading.

Another part where this book fell a bit short for me, was character development. I thought the world building was actually pretty decent. You get a good sense of the breakdown of the ship and how things are run. Esther leaves a little to be desired. In the beginning, she's just a good girl, doing what she needs to do to get by and escape the ship life. When her world gets turned upside down, it's like she just goes blank. She has no concept of what's going on around her. Then at some point after halfway, she flips a switch and tries to be more of a bad ass. It was a drastic personality switch that I wasn't sure was believable. After that big time death, Nik just gets angry and hateful. He had seemed playful and kind of jovial before, but then that death happens and he suddenly wants to like, hurt everyone and be mean.

And then there was Alex. I just straight up did not like that character. I especially did not like that bit at the end with him. He claimed to have been in love with Esther, but the way he treated her! Nope. Not buying it. You do NOT treat someone you claim to love the way that he did.. I almost wished Nik had killed him at one point. He was shady as hell, and it just didn't seem to fit the kind of person that Esther would have been with. I know that she had her doubts about him and marrying him, but man... he was just a douchebag.

In general, I thought the story flowed well. Even with the slow, rather confusing start, the movement of the plot worked in the end. I felt like maybe the end of the book was a bit rushed. Maybe I'm just used to long books too, and this could have used a few more pages. Once it got moving though, it moved! There was no stopping it after the incident with May.

I'll definitely be picking up book 2 when it comes out. There was nothing that would prevent me from letting my 11 year old read this and it'd be something I'd recommend for a quick read or for people that like a good dystopian world. I'll be excited to see what happens in book 2 and we aren't on the ship anymore. The idea of the US being split into 2 countries was interesting and I want to see how she develops that concept.

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

The Stranded was a fun dystopian book to jump into. Now I've never been on a cruise ship before, or any boat really, so I have absolutely no idea how I would feel if I was trapped on one for years. Years people. Forty years to be exact but still, I have no idea what I would do if I was in that situation. So, it was definitely interesting to see what everyone would be like and how they would possibly escape.

Throughout the book, we get a fair amount of action which left me on the edge of my seat at times. There was definitely plenty of tension to go around as well. Whether it was between the soldiers and the rebels or with something else going on. All I really wanted to know is if Esther and Nik would make it off the ship or not. Seriously, it was constantly on my mind.

Besides that, I think the villain was okay. I can't really complain about Hadley. He was just okay in my eyes. Then again, I feel like the rebels weren't being very rebellious either. Like things felt too simple and I'm not exactly sure why. Still, it was entertaining to a point.

In the end, it did feel a bit rushed and kind of chaotic too. Somehow, I enjoyed it all and I'm very happy that I got the chance to jump into this. Will definitely be on the lookout for another book by Sarah!

I really enjoyed this book, I couldn't put it down. Definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys young adult dystopian.

An interesting idea but questionable direction.

“The Stranded” takes place 40 years after disaster where the only hope for survival is on former cruise ships as they navigate strict order and rebellion all the while keeping their eyes on the shore ahead.

There’s an even amount of strengths and weakness in this story and unfortunately I feel the scales tip to the latter in my over all feelings towards the book as a whole.

The characters are fine but fall into roles that once recognized make them somewhat predictable as the story unravels and while I was at first surprised at making the main character the sister outside of the rebellion it quickly became clear what was being set up to ruin that surprise and making it par for the course for what was to come.

I think the plot was different but I wish more info was given as to the why they ended up there, we get bits and pieces of expiation but without that the stakes involved in these plans and changing loyalties are somewhat muted because I’m not sure what they are truly fight for? Yes living under the thumb of corruption is awful but throwing in the shops and the fear of the land itself is still iffy to me making it all rather meh.

An okay read for a summer afternoon but not something I wish to pursue further.

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

This is a Young Adult novel set in a dystopian future where people fled land for a ship when a deadly virus hit the world 40 years ago. Sounds a bit too close for comfort ay? It's hard to imagine at this age (I'm 36) that a couple of teenagers could lead a revolution even though I readily ate that sort of plot up when I was younger (Harry Potter, Hunger Games, etc). This was a bit slower paced than I was expecting, and I felt the details of the world building/setting the scene were lacking a little, but not a bad debut.

"The Stranded" is a dystopian read that follows the passengers of the Arcadia, an ocean liner that has been sheltering refugees who sought safety after a biological war broke out forty years ago, one that killed millions in the first week. Border walls were erected, the union was fractured, and those who were on the ship were never allowed to leave. For the last few years, a resistance has been brewing and they are ready to execute their plan, no matter the cost.

Wow! This is truly a unique book to freshen up the dystopian genre, which seems oversaturated with the same storylines. The author delivers a fantastic, action packed plot. Told from multiple points of view, with well developed and strong characters, it was very easy to get lost in the pages and become fully immersed in the danger and adventure. This book encapsulates everything one would expect from a story set in 2094, including a changed landscape, futuristic dialect, fancy gadgets and amazing technology. Without a doubt, this is my favorite dystopian read of 2022! Please tell me there is a sequel planned!

I would like to thank Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for providing me an advance copy ahead of its January 3, 2023 publication date in exchange for an objective review.

I enjoyed the use of multiple POVs, the pacing and how the story both wrapped up nicely while allowing for the possibility of a future adventure.

I don't even know where to start with this book! I love YA dystopian novels and this one did not disappoint! The premise was so good and so original! Esther, May, and Nik are stuck on a boat, and have been since their grandparents boarded the ship 40 years ago. This novel was a quick read with lots of twists and turns. I loved that it switched between the main characters. I couldn't stop reading this book and I am dying for the sequel!

This book was so good! There are multiple perspectives told from four teens throughout the book about people who had been stranded on a cruise ship forty years before and not allowed to disembark due to a horrible virus.
After bio-weapons create a pandemic, thousands of refugees are stranded on cruise ships and not allowed back on to land. Forty years later, a group of rebels works to gain their freedom from the life they know. There was a high level of suspense and dystopian feel and would recommend this to anyone!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for a copy of this arc in exchange for an honest review!

This is my favorite read to date from NetGalley!!! The story follows four teens in a post-apocalyptic world surviving on z cruise ship decades after a pandemic has torn apart the United States. The balance of young love and riveting action that keeps you on the edge of your seat is perfection. You won't want to put it down! I got to the very last page and all I wanted was more, another book to see what happens next.

The events of The Stranded take place in a dystopian future. After bio-weapons create a pandemic, thousands of refugees are stranded on cruise ships and not allowed back on to land. Forty years later, a group of rebels works to gain their freedom. Esther was born on the ship Arcadia, and her one chance to escape to land is to be at the top of the class to become a medic. Unfortunately, things take a turn for the worse before she can do so. She's always been loyal to the Federated States, but after meeting rebel Nik, she realizes that things aren't what they seem. The intriguing premise of this novel pulled me in right from the beginning. Lots of action, set in a creepy dystopian world-- it's right up my alley. I greatly enjoyed this journey, and am excited to see what happens next.

I rarely find that I can’t finish a book and this was one of those rare cases. The setup was too slow.

What a unique & adventurous read! Amazing what can happen all on a cruise ship.

Dystopian adventure where generations of people are stranded on cruise ships begging the government to allow them to land. Trapped, enslaved, starved ...and no closer to being allowed on land, what would you do?

This book was excellent! Full of a wide variety of characters and heart-pounding action.

My only problems: lack of LGBTQ rep, a few typos and some slow bits.

Will definitely read the next book.