What a roller coaster! The cover pretty much covers the plot and the feeling of the book: Spooky theme part, darkness, and a bit of hope. I read this book so quickly but ended up furious; I now understand why many have a love-hate relationship with Natasha Preston, but it isn’t going to keep me from reading another of her books.

To me there’s nothing scarier than the thought of being trapped on a desert island. Except maybe if a crazy storm decided to add into the mix. This book had great pacing and kept me turning the pages. Loved all the twists and turned and highly recommend to anyone who loves a good thriller. Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an advanced copy!

I absolutely loved this plot. I read this one in a weekend because I couldn't put it down. It felt like a modern take on And Then There Were None and kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the surprise twist at the ends. I also enjoy that her books are open ending. It's a nice change up.

Thanks to Netgalley, Random House Childrens and Natasha Preston for this ARC. Have heard so many good things about this author , so I was excited when I got this book. It was my first book by this author, and didn’t know what to expect. From the very beginning, it was one thrill ride after another. I absolutely loved it. And then I got to the end. It ended so abruptly I thought what there must be more, and I kept turning the pages to find more. Lol . I was a little disappointed right then, but I read some reviews of her other books, when it was mentioned that this is how she ends all her books with cliffhangers. I thought about that for a while, and I thought, how unique. So I was disappointed no more . I am now able to pick up another book by this author After reading about her endings, And I’m looking forward to more..

I picked this one up because of the author and the cover. However, it did not capture my attention. Thank you netgalley for the early copy!

Natasha Preston did it again! A great story line that didn’t disappoint. This book is a fast read that keeps you on the edge of your seat wanting more.



Thank you Netgalley for this advance readers copy

I would give this book 5 stars. Even though it started off slow for me and took a while for me to get into the book I couldn’t put it down starting about half way. It really started picking up and getting good. This book is about influencers getting invited to a resort amusement park before the grand opening. When they found someone dead. They work together to figure out who the killer is and why they are killing.

I've been wanting to read one of Natasha Preston's thrillers since seeing them for the first time on the shelves at Target. I'm grateful to have received an e-arc to finally delve into books that receive so much hype! However, I've got to say I'm disappointed by any standalone book with an ambiguous/cliffhanger ending.

i found myself STRUGGLING to finish this book, probably because i felt absolutely no attachments to the characters whatsoever which is strange for me because i love natasha preston! this just felt like it wasn’t one of her best books.

3.5 Stars
All my assumptions were wrong and the story was pretty engaging. However it lacked any type of wow factor. The plot lacked originality and failed to fully deliver on the ominous mood the author was trying to set. Even worse is the abrupt and fatalistic end that reminds me of Jason rising out of the waters in Friday the 13th. The concept of getting a bunch of young people together to try out some expensive and fancy attraction is not new. I kept assuming this was some staged event the entire time and I think that’s the only thing that made this mildly more enjoyable for me than others. Personally I’m a sucker for almost anything fiction related mixed with an amusement park bonus points when there’s thrills and chills Involved. At times I was engrossed in the story and did enjoy not knowing who to trust or where to look. I wish they got to explore the park more before shit goes down but alas this is a super quick read. Perhaps some more depth to the story is really what it needs. Even the background information feels flat and basic delivering only an OK read.

Captivating and thought-provoking, this book offers an immersive journey into a richly woven tapestry of characters and events. The author's masterful storytelling effortlessly transports readers to a vividly depicted world, where emotions run deep and conflicts keep the pages turning. Themes of love, resilience, and the human experience are skillfully interwoven, leaving a lasting impact. With its elegant prose and unexpected twists, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking both escapism and introspection

I will give anything Preston writes a try. This book was gripping and written in such a captivating way. I loved the different characters, not knowing who to trust and the eventual reveal. A great mystery!

I can respect an ambiguous ending but a cliffhanger ending to a standalone is universally disliked and based on the general consensus, that holds up for this one, too. Great setting, but that type of ending really bothers me and makes me feel like I wasted my time.

I have not read this author before, but I will now!

There is an amusement park on a secluded island, and several teenagers have been invited to be the first to see it! There is more than amusement on this island.....like murder!
I thought I knew where this was going, thought it predictable....wrong!!! I was surprised more than once!! Well written young adult thriller!

Natasha Preston's books are hit or miss for me -- some are fun and campy, others are slow and formulaic. I think this one unfortunately fell a bit more into the latter category for me, although I really do love the premise, the location, and the atmosphere. Some things in this were just a little bit too convenient in a sort of not very believable way, which pulled me out of the story and kept me from being fully engaged or invested in what was happening.

Interesting premise about a group of influencers invited to an island to create hype, but things soon start going wrong, and people die. Who is doing it? And why? With an ending you won't see coming, The Island is a fast paced, enjoyable read!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children's, Delacorte Press for the ARC!

Actual Rating: 3.5 ⭐

The premise of this was good. I really like the idea of a bunch of influencers secluded on an island where there's a pretty cool gothic theme park and hotel. I was so ready for it. To be honest, Preston did not disappoint. This gave me all the movie Scream vibes. I got a fast paced thriller with a lot of murder and a fun setting. You're definitely taken on a rollercoaster ride with this one. The fact that Paisley was a true crime influencer really had me sold. I thought that was pretty cool.

Although the plot was promising, I found it started to get repetitive. You might be saying, well of course it is a thriller. Yes, but the location and how murders were happening started to feel like a record skipping over and over again. I started feeling a bit bored at that point. In addition to the repetitive turn the story took, I was also able to piece together who the killer was. However, I was thrown off by the other twist that happens when the big reveal is made. Once everything is revealed it does feel a bit rushed and like things were thrown together quickly to end the story. Now the most disappointing part to me was the ending. The way it left off I was like C'MON SERIOUSLY! I thought I was going to be given more, but was left at a standstill instead. It really was so disappointing. I want a refund for that ride because it didn't go anywhere.

Needless to say, I did enjoy my time on this island. This was a fun quick read that had me turning the pages eager to find out more. I'd definitely recommend it if you're looking for something fast paced that will help cleanse your palette or get you out of a slump. This was my first Preston book and it won't be my last.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review! 🖤

This is a great mystery YA about teens trapped on an isolated island in the middle of a storm where they can't reach civilization or call for help. All characters were invited to this amusement park giving Clue or Knives Out vibes.

The book kept me guessing and turning the pages until the end. The killer could be anyone, even one of the teens invited to the island...

It was well paced and the characters read realistically. Overall, it was a great read.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I've read by the author.

The Island is an intriguing story with interesting characters. It's a real page turner that will keep you thinking. It's a real crafty mystery novel. You won't see the ending coming. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

I really loved the premise of this so I was really excited to start it. However, the execution really just did not do it for me. It felt shallow and hard to connect to. The characters needed a lot more development because I had a really hard time feeling for any of them or connecting with them in any way. The ending twist was surprising though. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.