Member Reviews
Six strangers partake in a new reality show called 'Iconic.' A few of the strangers include a rock star, a chef to the stars, and an influencer. Each is trying to promote their own brand and garner favor with the audience. But all their positive intentions are set aside with their first challenge.
Given five notecards, each of the six are instructed to write down a secret no one knows or the worst things they've ever done. As if acknowledging the worst of yourself isn't bad enough, they're then told to nail their notecards into the walls of the set, secrets facing down. The host tells the contestants they will lose points if temptation or curiousity takes hold and they remove a card from someone else. Let the toxicity begin! As suspected....that first night, someone removes a card and reveals a secret. Things only get worse from there leading to the death of one of the participants bringing Interpol to their doors.
What additional secrets will be brought to life? And whose star will shine bright from the show and whose will crash and burn?
I'm always a sucker for people's dirty laundry being aired in a public way. While I don't watch reality TV (or TV, in general) it's fun to indulge in such trickery, selfishness, and nastiness in fictional books!
This was a solid three star read for me meaning, while it wasn’t a huge favorite of mine, I acknowledge the ingredients are there to be someone else’s favorite!
The Things went Dark by Bea Fitzgerald is not as exciting as a novel as I hoped it would be. Six celebrities are isolated island off the coast of Portugal, with cameras following their every move think reality TV. Since I am not a big fan of reality TV maybe this was not a book for me. All six characters are truly unlikable, it is interesting to see the behind the curtain of a reality show like that. Each have their own reason to be there. They are placed on an island for 3 1/2 weeks, and one ends up dead. Here come the big questions… Why and how was he killed? What was the motive?
The book alternates between the days the cast spends on the island, the aftermath, and when they are being interviewed by Interpol.
Thank you #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Then Things Went Dark is the story of six people who are competing for money and fame. They are not only competing against each other but also for the attention of the audience. The twist is that they are all stranded on a deserted island. The question is whether these six people will work with each other or against each other, and where do the boundaries start and end?
The setting and the atmosphere of this book on a deserted island are perfect for the story. That's the part I really liked. I had a little tough time getting into the story, though. It could be because of the style this book was written. The inner thoughts, the back story, and the present all collide with each other, which makes it hard to follow the progression. It also hindered the mystery element for me personally.
Having said that, the readers who like reality shows will probably like this book.
This is a story that grips you and pulls you in- especially if you love a good mystery and reality shows! It took me a minute to get all the characters straight but then I was hooked!
Six semi-famous people, all with something to prove, arrive on a desert island to film a reality show where they compete to see which of them is most “Iconic.” Three weeks in, one of them winds up dead.
This was like watching a reality show full of drama. It was set up so each chapter was an episode of the show. There was a lot of lying, back-stabbing, and all around despicable behavior. At some point, each contestant seems to have had a problem with the victim, but who has the motive for murder? I felt like the isolated island setting held untapped potential and the plot never became suspenseful or gripping until the end. It was still an entertaining read though and I recommend it for fans of reality tv!
Rating 3.5⭐️
It took me a while to get into the format of the audio, so I think this is better as a novel; the screenplay aspect of the audio made it confusing to keep track of the timeline between taping and airing. The text version was much easier to follow.
📚 PUBLICATION WEEK BOOK REVIEW 📚
Then Things Went Dark By Bea Fitzgerald
Publication Date: August 27, 2024
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📚MY REVIEW:
Oh my gosh, did I love this book!!
Then Things Went Dark is a dark and twisted thriller that is sure to be a favorite amongst fans of celebrity reality TV...like me.
This is the story of six famous people, all trying to redeem themselves or their reputations in some way, who sign up to compete in "Iconic," a live-streaming reality TV show. "Iconic" pits these contestants against one another in daily and weekly challenges for a chance to win a quarter of a million dollars, while they live together in a luxury villa on an isolated island off the coast of Portugal. The show is a mix of everything that makes can't-stop-watching reality TV so damn successful, and this whodunnit murder mystery makes the story even more riveting!
The reader learns early on in the book about the death of one of the stars of the show, whose death was streamed live online as it happened...And while the reader doesn't know exactly what happened, the details slowly eke out as the story is told through mixed media across multiple timelines. The chapters are divided into two timelines that read almost like they're shared from multiple POVs. Each chapter gives a detailed account of each episode of the show, laid out just like watching it unfold online in real time, complete with characters' confessionals and voice-overs of their perspectives...and then cuts to police interviews with each of the characters in which the detectives obtain details about the events and what happened leading up to the character's death.
I very much felt like I was reading a salacious, behind-the-scenes tell-all that could have just as easily been the latest Netflix limited series. All of the characters were extremely unlikeable - some to the point of even being vile and narcissistic - but this was like a reality show train wreck from which I simply couldn't look away. This book was a fast read, so well-written I could picture everything unfolding minute by minute. I loved the way Fitzgerald used the mixed media concept to cleverly combine modern technology and our societal obsession with reality TV in a way that felt somehow both vapid and poignantly tongue-in-cheek. And good luck trying to figure out the ending of this one -- I don't think you'll see it coming!
I couldn't put this one down and really enjoyed it from start to finish!! I highly recommend this fun whodunnit thriller, especially if you're a fan of reality TV. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
#ThenThingsWentDark #BeaFitzgerald #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #ARC #fivestarreads #greatreads #thrilleraddict #thrillerlover #bookreviews #bookrecs #bookrecommendations
Out now! Big thanks to the publisher for the early copy to read and review <3
I thought this was a big hot mess, train wreck, and I couldn't get enough. From time to time you (read: me) just need some mind-numbing, trashy reality TV and that's what we get here. Six contestants are sent to an island for a competition reality series. These characters all have secrets, big issues and WOW are they self-centered. Like I already said - this was a hot mess. I have some reasons below for why this is a 3.5 star for me and not a 4 but overall, I liked this and couldn't get enough! My biggest reason to binge so fast was to see if Araminta ever got her head out of her a** regarding her relationship with Rhys. (insert major eye roll). I also like that there is enough doubt on each character that we truly could see a reason for ANY of them doing the thing.
3.5 stars (not 4) because:
1. the police investigation felt lacking, like they were really just interviewing the contestants/ suspects and they know everyone is lying to their faces but there's never any description of any investigative work. I guesssss that is due to the crime happening when literally no one else was around and the lack of evidence available? Idk, just felt like those parts could have been more fleshed out (or, dare I say, even left out).
2. we don't get any resolution for all the characters issues/ lives/ situations. Not a huge deal but the entire book lays out all these stories and situations they are all dealing with in regular degular life then we get zero info as to what happens after the show.
3/ Side note: I don't understand why there was an extra storyline thrown in for the cops. That felt super unnecessary and distracted from their "investigation".
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebook Landmark for the eARC.
I have, without meaning to, been reading a lot of books set on a reality TV show. I think that this one was good, but its proximity to others that I have read made it feel like it did not stand out. I still enjoyed it, but personally should have spaced it out.
Then Things Went Dark is a locked-room mystery set on a remote island with a group of quasi-strangers who are being filmed 24/7 as part of a reality show competition. Only one of them turns up dead on day 17 and seemingly the entire world watched live. Except somehow no one really knows what happens, because mixed in with the accounting of what happened on a day by day basis are interviews of each contestant with the police post-incident. Was it an accident? Was it murder? As alliances shift, and people’s dark secrets begin to reveal themselves, the reader is left wondering not who killed Rhys, but who didn’t want to kill him? The suspense is gradually built day by day, until the incident occurs and the who and why is finally revealed. The characters are deeply unlikable, and at times the writing felt either too slow or too rushed, but overall the mystery and resolution were satisfying.
Then Things Went Dark is a fun twist on a thriller. Six celebrities join a reality show, but one is murdered. The reader is introduced to the concept of the murder from the beginning of the book, so you get to spend the rest of the time trying to figure out who done it.
Six players go on a new reality game show, "Iconic," where they attempt to resurrect fading careers and possibly re-emerge as better-known and even better-liked. The premise captured my attention as well as the writing style from the perspectives of the contestants and the social media fans. No one was especially likable and the whole show seemed quite contrived, but that seems to be the point. I just felt it got a bit bogged down with their uninteresting and superficial lives on repeat. I was hoping for more of a mystery throughout...and while that was the overall theme, it wasn't twisty or thought-provoking to me.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark Publishing for this ARC. All opinions are mine.
This is my first ever DNF. I was so excited for this one to come out after participating in the cover reveal on Insta ... everything about it sounded so good! However, I just couldn't get into it at all and after 20% in, I don't think I could tell you anything about what I read. Sigh. FYI: I won't be posting my review to any of my socials at this time ... I may try to pick this up again at a later date, but probably not.
I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this one going in, but I was so invested. Imagine Agatha Christie x Love Island x Survivor - that’s how I describe this one now. This novel follows 6 people living together on a deserted island for a new reality TV show called Iconic. It soon turns into a police investigation once one of the cast members ends up dead.
I liked how each chapter was a different episode from the show. I truly felt like I was watching this book. Every time something was italicized, I could just see them sitting in front of me on screen. At the end of each chapter, it switches back to the present during the investigation. The tweets at the end were also very fitting - as everyone needs to be up to date on reality tv and share their opinions.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It was a fun read, and different from what I would typically reach for!
This was... not good. I read the synopsis and thought I'd love it: 6 famous people get put onto an island where they compete to win a prize- like Celebrity Big Brother, really. But the characters were crap, they had zero growth, and literally nothing happened (other than a contestant died I guess). We didn't get enough background of each character so I just didn't give a shit about them. It also bounces to after the death, where they're with the police, and even then it's like we're expected to know these cops and how they are.
THEN THINGS WENT DARK had so much potential but was a big flop. Sorry :/
(Also this was a 'Read Now' on NetGalley so I don't feel too awful being honest here)
This book is about 6 people on an island that are on a reality TV show for a month. None of them really get along and they mostly drink, have sex, and bicker. One of the contestants gets murdered and the chapters alternate between episodes of the show and police interrogations. In the end it's all very anticlimactic.
This book was much longer than it needed to be for the little bit of plot that existed.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Are you a fan of those addictive, drama-filled reality shows? If so, "Then Things Went Dark" might be your next must-read book! The story follows six famous individuals who are dropped off on a remote island to compete for a cash prize. Their lavish accommodations hide their dark secrets, which the show aims to expose for viewers' entertainment. The tension reaches new heights when one of the contestants dies on camera, leaving the audience guessing whether it was murder or not.
As someone who isn't drawn to reality TV, I usually love the intrigue and drama in books. I was fortunate to receive the audiobook and ebook versions. I enjoy switching between the two formats; having the ebook handy for reference is a great perk. However, I didn't quite connect with the narrator this time around. The single narrator's portrayal of multiple characters didn't sit right with me, although she did an admirable job voicing them all.
Unfortunately, all of the characters fell under the "love-to-hate" category, but not in a remarkably captivating way. Despite this, I've noticed that the book has garnered many positive reviews. Take my feedback with a grain of salt, and give it a try to form your own opinion.
Thanks to Tantor Audio/Sourcebooks Landmark for providing ARCs of the ebook and audiobook through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
#thenthingswentdark #beafitzgerald #netgalley #audiobook #tantoraudio #sourcebookslandmark
This is one that will definitely entertain, even if it's taking on what's become well trodden ground at this point. Influencers head to a remote island on the promise of a show to increase their fame. They are all various levels of terrible people, and of course, as the title says... then things go dark. It is a little lengthy, but the juicy details keep pages turning.
A tale about a reality show that is based' on a secluded island and consists of 6 "icons". It isn't long before riffs start. I was a little put off by the sudden romance that within a few days turns into "love". Otherwise I thought the story was interesting and it definitely kept me engaged.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest option.
Honestly? I did not like this. In fact, I liked it so little I’m not sure why I finished it. Much like a bad reality show, I became invested against my will and could not turn away from the train wreck happening in front of me. But it was not, in anyway, worth powering through.
The writing was atrocious. The characters were underdeveloped and felt like caricatures. The structure was interesting, but not well done. The interludes with the detectives (who for some reason are secret scorned lovers??) felt forced and comical. Again, it was an addictive book in that I needed to know what happened, but I have so many regrets that I didn’t spend my time reading something actually worthwhile.