It's me, not you dear book. I think I should not be reading books that use a reality tv show as a setting. First, I don't watch those shows. Second, I don't watch those shows for a reason. The way too quick to relationship of two characters, all emotions and actions are over the top. It was just too much for my rather introvert non-dramatic self. As expected, I didn't like any of the characters. Maybe one, but even that was questionable and precarious. And it started to drag for me, which is weird considering how many ridiculous things were constantly happening. Perhaps this is the way these shows go? I was more interested in the subplot with the detectives and wish it had gotten more page space. But I can see how this story would entertain many others. The writing was good I just got annoyed with the story and characters quickly.

A very different kind of read for me and my very first from this author.. some parts fell flat for me, but still very interesting..

Thank you so much NetGalley and Sourcebooks for this advance reader copy..

The story was not that interesting to me, most of the characters were not likable. This one was just ok.

A really cool concept! It truly felt like I was watching a reality tv show. I don’t feel like it had any big twists though, it had interesting turns but nothing jaw dropping. And I found the storyline with the detectives a little odd. Also, all the characters suck, which is the point but I still feel the need to say it. Overall, this book is entertaining and I feel like a lot of people will really enjoy it!

4.5⭐️

Six celebrity contestants have been picked to appear on Iconic, a new reality show that would allow compete for a half a million dollars and to revamp their public appearance as needed. Contestants include a rockstar, an actor, an entrepreneur, a chef, an heiress, and a women's activist. As the six compete, secrets start to be revealed that could ruin lives. As the show meets it's climax, one of the contestants falls to their death on camera. With each contestant having a motive to want him dead and an island full of cameras, it falls to the local police to figure out if the death was foul play.

I really enjoyed this. I liked that the story telling wasn't linear and that it was told using multiple mediums. I liked that we see completely edited scenes shown to the world, what actually happened in the filming of that scene, confessionals from each of the contestants as well as the scenes playing out from the contestants POV. It really seemed to focus on the way that reality TV isn't always reality and allows for a lot of unreliable narration. It's easy to edit a scene to make someone look like a villain both in books and in film.

Rhys was such a great victim because he was also such a great villain. Each contestant had their own motive for wanting him dead and it was easy to believe any of them could have done it. Rhys being this conventionally attractive charming man made him a shoe-in for fan favorite and the show was edited to make him better. That's why when his true actions became apparent leading up to his death, it come across as so shocking. All around this book captured the way people tend to put celebrities or TV personalities on a pedestal with the assumption that they can do no wrong and how far the fall is when it's proven that they're human, too.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for Providing this ARC to me!

My first read of this author, and while I enjoyed it, things just felt a bit anti-climactic. The premise of a suspected murderer on a reality show sounds interesting, but the characters and unraveling just feel a bit flat. Still a quick read within an interesting setting. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Then Things Went Dark follows six fairly terrible people to an island where they'll compete for the fame they each feel they deserve, while secrets come up, tensions and anger mounts, and one person dies. Characters were a bit too unlikable for me, making it hard to care about who killed who and why, but that feels true to life for reality tv!

I received this DRC from NetGalley.

This was OK. I think the possible motivations should have been stronger to make it feel more like a mystery and make their actions more believable. The structure is set up so you know who dies at the beginning, and so the story switches between the past during filming and the present while the police investigation is happening. I think it would have been better if the characters felt more like people, instead of being kind of flat. I guess they're annoying because they're famous/influencers, but it would have been nice for them to be more well-rounded so you could actually care about them. The game show angle also felt a bit weak, and more elements of that could have been more integral to the plot. But still, my biggest gripe is lack of strong motive to kill this guy to make us feel like there are multiple likely suspects, although I did like that there were more subtle actions that could have contributed to the death. While reading, it felt a little like the first season of Big Little Lies, just with less characterization, and with a less satisfying ending.

Hmmmm. Well, this was certainly entertaining, but I’m not sure how well it hung together. Maybe a 2.5 rounded up to 3. I liked the way it was set up with each chapter being an episode of the show, but I couldn’t tell if it was like we were actually supposed to be watching the episode. Because there were the cutaways to the confessionals/talking heads, but then there were also moments where the characters are specifically thinking/talking about doing stuff out of view/range of the cameras/microphones, and idk if the omniscient narrator POV worked for me.

All the characters were kinda shitty in a believably reality TV way, and infuriating in the same vein. And I liked that casually most of them, even the detectives, were queer. The ending was just kinda meh though. Honestly pretty predictable, not a huge twist, and it also felt pretty abrupt. On here it says the book is over 400 pages and my ebook was only 255, so I wondered if I was missing parts of it, but maybe it’s that the text was super small, because it didn’t seem like I missed anything, but idk.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Six lonely, egotistical people. Thinking they are a vision of themselves that if only others could see, would like them. Reality TV? Or the reality that these are not necessarily nice people put on an island to win a prize of money…..or is it more the fame that will come being named the most “Iconic?” Each of them has secrets, all of them will lie and all will hate each other. Then they will all hate one, more than the others.
This was not a favorite for me. Shallow people trying hard to be someone they are not became tedious. I could not like any of them, nor did I like all the swearing. Perhaps this book will appeal to other readers, but it was just not for me. Thank you Netgalley and sourcebooks Landmark for an early copy. This review is my honest opinion,

I'd like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

When I read the synopsis of this book, I was immediately interested. The plot follows six influential contestants on a desert island competing for the title of "Icon." During the 17 episodes, we follow the contestants as they navigate competitions and each other, which ultimately leads to the murder of a participant (not a spoiler).

In principle, I was really intrigued with the reality-show / murder plot but unfortunately, the book fell flat for me. Each chapter includes a 3rd person narrator, first-person confessional, social media posts and investigation. It was just too much to follow, and I found myself mostly bored. The characters were terrible people, and their relationships - including a much too quick/intense romance - were not believable and developed much too fast. I didn't think the investigation pieces added any value to the narrative, and I would have much preferred more development between the contestants and/or social media posts.

If it wasn't for the ARC, I would have DNF'd this book, but I wanted to give it a fair shot. I am glad I did that because the ending was actually quite well done. I didn't see that coming and it was clever.

If you're a fan of messy drama, you may enjoy this book. If you're a fan of reality TV, it may leave you wanting more. If you enjoy a good murder mystery with a twist, this book will deliver.

Thank for NetGalley for letting me read the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars! | was really drawn in at the beginning and loved the plot of the reality show. There really weren't any characters I was fond of, and I think that was the point. It was an exciting read, but the ending felt anticlimactic for me. And I didn't get that satisfying feeling I normally get when reading mysteries/thrillers where everything clicks at the end.

I struggled to get through this read. I had high hopes for it based on the description. However, I found it was hard for this read to hold my intrest.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the ARC of Then Things Went Dark.

DNF @ 41%

I tried. I really tried. But at 41% I should care somewhat about what is happening but unfortunately I just didn't get the point of this entire book. What is the point of this show? What about the "points" and "challenges"? This is an isolated island reality show with a side of murder. It should be right down my alley. But man the execution was bad. The characters had no redeeming qualities. The show itself made no sense. The conflicts and arguments were pointless. Just....no.

6 contestants are tasked with staying on a remote island for a month. The object is to win the game by collecting points and be the most Iconic. The opening scene reveals one of the contestants has been found dead. A death millions of people experienced in real time via live stream. But no one really knows what happened? There are detectives involved and they are unsure if this is accidental or murder, so everyone is an automatic suspect. Each “chapter” is an episode/day of the show, followed by 3-4 social media posts by viewers as they watch the livestream and/or aired episodes, followed by present day interrogations.

No one in this contest is “iconic” (or close to it) and I couldn’t suspend enough belief to pretend. Everyone is basically a bland stuck up rich caricature. I struggled to follow the point of the contest. I didn’t understand/care about the point system or the ultimate goal. The challenges were very quick and superficial. The overall flow of the book was poorly executed. It was like the episodes were supposed to play out as if you were watching as a viewer, but the reader gets glimpses into all the players minds (sometimes I wasn’t even sure who was being narrated about until further into a paragraph). And then the end of each chapter had bits of a very brief investigation storyline, including random subplot drama with the detectives that I had no connection with. Even with the main characters I failed to connect with any of them or really care what happened. I read about tension and drama, but I didn’t feel any of it.

And O.M.G. the instant dramatic roller coaster of a romantic relationship 😬 They sounded like teenagers. It’s a game show/competition-who would believe anyone, let alone legit express true love after a few days?? Blabbering about spending the rest of their lives together after the show ends, when both of these characters are introduced to be notorious for a string of flings, never anything more. It would have been more believable if it was just hooking up and lust. It didn’t make sense for them to be in a full blown dating relationship. (They even had the “are we dating?” conversation!! I can’t understand this part at all.) At one point one of them thinks “what else is there possibly left for me to learn about them?” Umm literally everything about this person. Everything.

Ugh, I was determined to finish the book but it came at the cost of hate reading the majority of it. This was either my 4th or 5th “reality tv game show” book I’ve read this year. They seem to be on one end of the spectrum or the other for me.

I suggest reading this if you are looking for light reading packed full of superficial drama.

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC. This review will be shared on NetGalley, Goodreads, and Amazon.

Pub Date Aug 27 2024

DNF. I gave it about 30% and I just couldn’t get I to it. It felt all over the place and the characters were confusing.

I was so excited to read this book. Anything to do with influencers, social media or reality shows, they are my favorite. I really liked that each chapter is the episode of the reality show. I also thought the cast of the show, the influencer, musician, actor, etc were a nice touch. I would recommend to anyone who likes mystery or thriller books with a modern twist.

I really liked the premise of this book of contestants on a reality show and one of them dies. However, it did not keep my interest and I could not finish the book.

I was unable to finish this book and thus will not be posting a full review. I found it to be too derivative to books I've read recently -- not every influencer group should have a thriller written about them and this book unfortunately was no exception. The characters were not well developed and the execution on the premise was disappointing. Thank you for the opportunity.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC. This one was a miss for me. I was so excited about the premise but honestly it was kinda boring! I didn't like the writing and just too many characters to keep track of.