Let me start this review by saying that I love a great YA book, especially a YA thriller. This book, though, felt VERY YA! This reminded me of a teeny bopper thriller that you watch on HBO at midnight - filled with jump scares and a roll your eyes ending. One where you are yelling at the screen at all the stupid decisions the teenage characters are making but overall wasn't a waste of time because you still jumped a few times & it was still entertaining in the end.

What worked for me:
The premise! A locked room mystery type setting on a secluded island that a millionaire turned into an exclusive weird amusement park. Six social media influencers are invited to experience the theme park before it opens and post about their VIP experience to their followers. But is the island haunted? Is there a killer on the island? Will the influencers make it out alive? Such a fun premise!

I always love an amusement park setting and that really worked for me. I also felt the author did a good job of describing and differentiating the characters enough that I was never confused with the cast of six influencers - even though they were a tad generic with what type of influencer they were (beauty, true crime, gamer, booktokker, etc.), it helped to quickly get to know who was who. I also loved all the scenes that took place on the actual rides - I wanted more of this - and felt they really added to the atmosphere and creepiness of the plot. I did enjoy the mystery and the back and forth of guessing who the killer or killers were.

What didn't work for me:
Some of what I loved also frustrated me. The main character Paisley - the true crime obsessed influencer - asked a lot of great questions to try to get to the bottom of what was happening - WHICH WERE NEVER ANSWERED!!! For instance, once of my favorite scenes was on a ride that involved famous serial killers (and the killer on the island stalking the characters on this ride) - but Paisley kept asking, why would the millionaire who created this amusement park create a ride based on serial killers. YES WHY? That was never explained. I never really got to understand why that character created this park the way he did and I would have loved to dive deeper into that a lot more.

The reveal of the killer or killers was done in a surprising way but almost had a Scooby Doo "take off the mask" kind of feel that I found cheesy and just a tad over the top. And the last couple sentences of the book - nope! Not for me! I seriously flipped the pages a few times to see if I missed something or if that was really how the author decided to end the book.

Overall, this was enjoyable and fun to read and I kept turning the pages for sure. The plot and setting really intrigued me and kept me reading even though the characters' decisions drove me nuts for how smart the author made them out to be (including the adults involved too!). I do think this is a good book for traditional YA readers (warning that some of the violence is a tad graphic) and even though I had issues with it, I still think it's an entertaining read.

Thank you to NetGalley & Delacorte Press for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Six young social media influencers are invited to a private amusement park island before it even opens. The park is even better than they imagined and they all get to work making content for their social media. That is until they start missing one by one and a storm traps them on the island without power. Will they make it off the island alive?

This was another fabulous YA novel by Natasha Preston that I totally devoured. This book was a true roller coaster ride (pun intended) that kept me guessing. I loved the description of the island and think that it actually would be a super cool place irl.

The Island was an interesting thriller playing on the newest "influencer" trend courtesy of TikTok and social media. The action and intrigue started fairly early in the book, making it a quick and easy read that grabbed my attention immediately.

Having read other books by Natasha Preston, I knew what to expect and knew I would enjoy it, and she didn't disappoint. The plot was unique and the storyline was super fun, if not a tiny bit predictable. Even with that, it was action packed and full of twists and turns, and the writing style made me want to visit the theme park (without the murders, please).

I can't wait to read more from the author! Thanks to Netgalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!

I had to DNF at 50%. Personally, I’ve watched Natasha Preston’s writing style go downhill.

BUT, I can absolutely see my high school students loving this book. I was intrigued by the concept, a murderer on an isolated island with a creepy theme park. It’s perfect. I just found myself not as engrossed as I usually am in her novel. It was a solid 30% before the first body is found and that’s a bit too slow burn for me. I will absolutely recommend it to my students, I will keep a copy in my classroom library because I know my students will enjoy it!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Natasha Preston's thrillers!! This one was just as good, I could barely guess who it was. I'm not going to spoil but if you liked the vibes from the movie The Menu you'll really enjoy this book.

This one's premise is amusing. Six teenagers who are well-known on social media are invited to a private island that is home to a freshly built hotel and opulent amusement park.

The amusement park has a gothic motif with gargoyles and rides meant to frighten people, while the hotel is obviously intended for those who prefer luxury. Is this just a nice, free vacation that comes with being well-known online, or is there something else at work here?

This novel held my interest. I didn't want to put the book down. The primary character was enjoyable. There were a few clever turns. It would be a compelling film.

This was of one the authors books, that at first I had a hard time getting into, about 25% in it picked up the pace and became an amazing novel that I couldn’t put down!

An absolutely wild ride that will have you hanging on to every word. An isolated island amusement park filled with teenage influencers - what could possibly go wrong?? I loved all the twists and turns and kept second guessing everything! A fast paced edge of your seat thriller that is not to be missed!!

A group of teenage influencers at invited to check out an amusement park resort on a private island before it opens to the public. But things start to make a crazy turn when one of them winds up missing! I really enjoyed this one and loved the main character Paisley!

Thank you NetGalley, the author and the publisher for my ARC!

From start to finish I couldn’t put this down. It was hard to figure out who it was. I knew it had to be one of them just couldn’t pin it so that was a good one. I felt like the characters were strong. I was even sad when Ava died even thought I was annoyed with her most of the book. Didn’t really get to much from James though. I almost forgot him when I was going through the influencers in my head. The twist of Liam was good but having Harper in it! Omg. That was a heartbreaking twist. But to end it the way you did. It felt like you ran out of ink. I’ve read all your other books and the endings close it up but end one twist at the end. I felt like this didn’t end it at all. Was very sad about the ending. Overall the book would be amazing ( 5 stars) if the end closed more.

Natasha did it again! I knew she'd keep me on my toes like usual but this one really did. I felt like I was hiding on the island with her characters.

The Island was my first book by Preston, and I was disappointed. Preston's books are popular with readers at my library, and I had high expectations. I found the characters underdeveloped and I couldn't keep track of them. Also, I never connected or cared about any of the characters. The setting wasn't in-depth enough for me to understand the amusement park's layout. Plus, the "surprise twist" felt like it came out of nowhere and wasn't actually set up throughout the book. Fans of Preston's work may enjoy this book, but it didn't work for me.

This one was just okay for me. I have always been a huge Natasha Preston fan but her last few books haven’t blown me away. The plot was pretty good but I thought it could have sped up a little bit. There were so many main characters that it got a little confusing sometimes.

𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙨𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨: Six teenage influences are invited to a new remote luxury amusement park island. The owner is hoping they will post about the island and get interest up before opening weekend. Things start to go awry when someone goes missing.

This was a very fast read full of twists and turns. It’s a bit of a locked room mystery since all of the characters are at a special event at a fancy resort and amusement park on an island with no one able to leave or come. The main group of teens at this event are all influencers, and while that isn’t necessarily my favorite I did like that the narrator is a true crime/murder influencer. Empty amusement parks make perfect settings for stories, especially for horror/serial killer stories. Paisley is excited to get invited to an exclusive event for influencers at a new amusement park that has a gothic theme with an attached resort on an island. But once they all get there people start to disappear. And Paisley realizes just how far away from civilization an island can be.

This book!!

I keep saying why do I keep letting Natasha Preston do this to me?? Answer: I have no idea. The hold she has on me is real. I will continue to read every book she writes. While reading her books I will try to think of the least obvious ending of every story. Come up with every single conclusion that could possibly be. AND I will always be wrong. Always. Every time.

Read this book. Ask all the questions. When you are done reading you will still have all the questions. All the questions. I have so many questions! I need more. Yet I will still move on without any answers. Read the next book. And REPEAT.

Read it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this book.

Wow!!!! My favorite Natasha Preston book thus far super intense full of twists and thrills with a jaw drop end that I still can't believe!!! I just can't get over how good this book was if you want a real page turner and a good scare don't miss this fantastic book!!!!

Much thanks to #netgalley and #RandomHouse for allowing me to read and review this ARC
All thoughts and opinions are my own

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a DRC of this title. All opinions are my own.

I'll be honest-this one isn't going to win any major literary awards. BUT, with that being said, I do think that the kids in my building will EAT IT UP. They love any and all mystery/thriller books, and this one will definitely fit the bill. Six influencer teens are invited to spend a long weekend at a new amusement park/hotel on a remote island. And, after they show up, they start dying. But, no one else has come to the island and there's now way to leave. So, the killer has to be one of them? Or did someone sneak on to the island before they got there?

There is violence in the story, but nothing overtly graphic. There are no sexual scenes (just some kisses/talk of having a crush) and minimal language. Recommended for readers grades 7 and up, especially in collections where mystery/thrillers are in demand.

This insanely entertaining book is just pure escapist fun! Paisley is invited, along with a group of select influencers like her, to visit Jagged Island before it opens. This is a Gothic resort/amusement park for the wealthy, and the mysterious owner hopes that these teenagers will be able to spread the word to their millions of followers. Everything is described perfectly, from the lavish hotel to the sometimes creepy rides. Then, taking a page from a classic, they start dying one by one. Since Paisley is the narrator, we know she’s not the baddie but I had no idea who was. She is also a true-crime expert so her insight is valuable when things go sideways, making her one of the most resourceful in the group. At the beginning, I was expecting to loathe every single one of these characters and cheer for their demise, after all, they had to be self-centered to be influencers. I was surprised at how much I was rooting for them from the start. Yes, one of them met my expectations of a vapid teenager but the rest were complex and likable, especially Paisley. The book reminded me a little bit of the Truly Devious series, which is high compliment. I really enjoyed this roller coaster of a read.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Random House Children's, Delacorte Press!

This was my first Natasha Preston read and pleasantly found it very entertaining! Definitely fast-paced and had me on edge, especially the last half of the book. I did figure out some of the twists along the way, but not all!

That ending though…if I was reading a physical book and not on my Kindle, I would have thrown it across the room! 😂😂 Just had to leave us with a cliffhanger, huh?

All in all, it was a very enjoyable read! Definitely recommend!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s, Delacorte Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I am a sucker for a YA thriller, and this premise was so intriguing! I also love a private island and abandoned theme park setting, so this was right up my alley!

Six teen social media influencers, Liam, James, Will, Ava, Harper, and Paisley, are invited to an exclusive weekend on a private remote island amusement park (think Scooby-Doo 2’s Spooky Island - at least, that’s what I was picturing) before it opens to the public. In exchange, they’re supposed to make posts and videos about their VIP treatment to draw in rich customers.

However, on the first night, one of the teens goes missing, kicking off a game of cat-and-mouse with deadly stakes.

I’ve read a few books by this author, and I think this one has been my favorite, with the strongest storyline and the most interesting characters. I did piece together a lot of the reveal, but a few aspects did catch me by surprise.

The ending was much faster paced than the first half of the book, and I did fly through the whole thing rather quickly, taking only a couple sittings.

Like Preston’s other books, it does sort of end on a cliffhanger, which isn’t really my favorite. In my mind, it ended a few paragraphs before it actually ends.

If you like a quick read, YA thriller, or have enjoyed Preston’s past books, definitely check this one out!