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MY REVIEW
This book reminded me completely of the series on Amazon Prime – The Wilds. 6 teenagers stranded on an island when their survivor specialist guide had a stroke and fell dead. Then came the sabotage of their boat, followed by each of them facing their fears. Would they get off the island alive? And how many would survive?
YA thriller debut by author C. L. Taylor, it was quite a journey of fun to read from the safety of my home. I used to love the Bear Grylls survivor episodes, and some parts of it reminded me of that. But the most intriguing was the group dynamics and their ebb and flow of emotions. The author managed to keep me hooked on to the minds of these teenagers.
I was quite intrigued by one of them, Jessie, who had gone through her trials by fire with guilt being her only witness and scars being her proof. Something in her called to me, and I was on her side, hoping she would leave the island without more scars. Facing the phobia, or having their phobia bite and hiss at them, made me realize that there was something more at play. Or should I say, someone else on the island.
As their problems increased, my interest in them raised too as the teens and their friendship was sorely tested. Too many characters in the beginning had me a bit muddled, but soon got used to them. The relationship angst between some of them got to be a bit tiresome.
Barring the relationship drama, I felt this made a good listening at 1.5x speed with narrators doing a bang-on job, giving me the right intonations. Overall, it was fast-paced and gripping, where each chapter brought its own suspense.
MY RATING
BOOK LINKS
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BOOK BLURB
Lost meets The Hunger Games in the thrilling new young adult novel from C.L. Taylor, the Sunday Times and million-copy bestselling author.
Welcome to The Island.
Where your worst fears are about to come true…
It was supposed to be the perfect holiday: a week-long trip for six teenage friends on a remote tropical island.
But when their guide dies of a stroke leaving them stranded, the trip of a lifetime quickly turns into a nightmare.
Because someone on the island knows each of the group’s worst fears. And one by one, they’re coming true.
Seven days in paradise. A deadly secret.
Who will make it off the island alive?
BOOK DETAILS
Publication Date: January 2021
I downloaded the audio version of the book from an online retail site, and this is my journey down its pages, straight from the heart. STRICTLY HONEST and UNBIASED.
All my reviews can be found here.
12 Responses
It sounds a familiar theme… Not sure if this one is for me, I rarely YA due to the teen angst, just too tedious.
Nice review Shalini. I am waiting for my library to get this one, but it might be awhile.
Sounds like a good read. Glad having too many characters didn’t make you enjoy the book any less. Great review!
This is a theme that became popular with Lord of the Flies and has proliferated with many more books, TV series, and movies. I don’t particularly like it, but I can see where it would grab the reader/viewer and not let go.
I have yet to get to Lord of the Flies. I have been seeing it in a lot of reviews. What is it? Book or TV series?
The book was written in 1954 by William Golding. It was made into a movie in 1963 and then there was a remake in 1990. (I looked all this up.😜) I read the book as a teenager and saw the movie (at school in the days when that was a WOW occurrence–the viewing was held after school) Given Hollywood’s proclivity for deviating from the original plot, I would recommend reading the book. The author won a Nobel Prize for a different book, I believe.
Oh my, a rich history. I need to check it out.
This plot is always good in creating tension. Fab review 👍
This one was fun but the teens were more bothered about drinking and making out instead of getting out of the island… 😂 😂 Their priorities are surely different. F*ck one more time before allowing the boogey man to get them
Buhaha… imagine priorities 😉
Hahaha
Good review. I like how you included a critique of the audio narration as well.