As a relatively new stepmom to older teens... this book scared the beejezus out of me in so many ways. Not only did it get my mind spinning with anxiety over the interpersonal relationships but then you throw in the actual dangerous situations to make for uncomfortable but intriguing reading.

Fast paced, thrilling, non stop action, and yet, still one that could be better without the cheesy one liners that don't really help the story (wanting the top of the line rental porsche and the fit that they didn't get it, the millennial line, too many oddly placed bad lines period). I read this late at night and couldn't put it down. I really wanted to get to the last page to see where the author ended this nightmare, and was surprised by the ending. The Baxters are an American family vacationing in the great Outback of Australia, thanks to a conference Dr Tom Baxter is the keynote speaker at. Heather, the new young wife who was swept off her feet by Tom, but didn't know how to bond with the children, finds herself in a bit of a jam. Olivia, the young fourteen year old daughter who is overly anxious and the son, Owen, who has been diagnosed with ADHD and requires medication. All four of these characters are thrust into a good day gone bad situation of going to an island to force a result of wanting to see Australia's wildlife (KOALAS!!!) and it just turns so sour. What happens next is a wild chain of events that you just have to read to believe. I will definitely look for more written by Adrian.
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*

This book was extremely repetitive and not very thrilling. It had a great premise and great atmosphere but I wasn’t a fan of the execution. I’ll definitely check this author out again though.

The story took place on Dutch island off coast of Australia, but this was definitely no relaxing vacation. The setting was probably my favorite part of the story, as we got to experience a lot of different Australian wildlife.

Overall, this book felt really repetitive, drawn out, and wasn’t worth getting through the first 70% to get to any sort of thrill. The concept was great, but something about the execution didn’t strike me as very thrilling at all.

Thank you to Netgalley for my advance copy of this novel to read and review!

This novel moves quickly and is packed full of action which I believe will lend well to the tv adaptation to come. The writing didn’t end up being for me but it will certainly appeal to someone seeking a high octane thriller that doesn’t hold back on the survival aspects!

The Australia facts were really interesting and the character’s dynamic at the end was sweet but overall the story was quite predictable and over the top. This all tell, no show story had a really promising plot line but seemed entirely too convenient when it came to knowledge and talents which kept taking me out of the story.

big trigger for animal violence.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Little, Brown and Company for an e-book in exchange for my honest review.

Adrian McKinty's latest novel is a quick read with plenty of twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. "The Island" begins with Heather and Tom planning a trip to the remote Australian Outback with Tom's two children. Heather believes this to be the perfect opportunity to bond with her new stepchildren, away from "real world" distractions. However, things quickly take a turn for the worse shortly after the family arrives when a tragic accident propels the family into harm's way. Heather and Tom soon find themselves in the middle of a nightmare as they are forced to make a decision to protect their family. A decision with horrific consequences.

Tom and Heather soon find themselves in a terrifying game of cat and mouse with the locals, trying to escape the island with their family intact. Things only go from bad to worse when Tom is separated from Heather and the children. Now it's up to Heather to not only protect her new family, but to try and save Tom's life before it's too late.

While the story was quick, engaging, and hooked me immediately, the last 25% of the novel was a mess with jumbled details and a sloppy ending. Because of that, this book was only a 3-star read for me. While I wouldn't shy away from the read, I certainly would not put it at the top of my list.

The Island - Adrian McKinty
"It was just supposed to be a family vacation. A terrible accident changed everything. You don't know what you're capale of until they come for your family." Sounds super thrilling, right?! Well it is! What a trip this turned out to be. Tom Baxter has a conference in Melbourne and decides to brings his new wife and two children along. Desperate for some excitment, they begin some exploration and end up at a place called Dutch Island. This is where the edge of your seat excitment begins! I really enjoyed The Island. The characters were interesting as well as the storyline.

.The barbarians were coming. The only question was whether the barbarians were them or her.

This one was such a wild ride and I was there for it every step of the way! I’m not sure what took me so long to read it, but it was really action packed.

Synopsis:

Heather is on a dream vacation with her new husband,Tom and his two children, Owen and Olivia. They haven’t warmed up to Heather yet because they are still grieving the loss of their mother, but this vacation will bring them closer together faster than they ever thought possible. Their idyllic vacation in Australia, where Tom is scheduled to speak at a medical conference, is derailed when they decide to take an island excursion to see some of the native wildlife offered by a few sketchy locals. Once they are on the island events unfold that will change all of their lives and it becomes a test of survival.

My thoughts:

Adversity often brings out courage, strength, and leadership in individuals and that’s certainly the case with the main character Heather. The children who were cautious of her before learn to look to her for their survival and future. I love a book with a strong female character that saves the day! The book was very fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat.

This cat and mouse story crossed the line into ridiculousness. I didn't like much about it, but enough to see it through to the end. I definitely liked The Chain more.

Thank you to Netgalley, Little Brown & Company, and Adrian McKinty for an advance copy of The Island in exchange for an honest review. WHAT A BOOK! This one started out with a bang and literally had me shook while reading the entire thing. Its been a minute since I have finished a book in less then a day but this one did the trick for me. I had so much anxiety while reading this one and just had to know what happened. This one gave me Lord of the Flies Vibes but it was completely different. I found myself loving the main character and putting all my faith in her. I was very pleased with the relationships in this book and how they blossomed throughout the book. If you need a good thriller, look no further then The Island. I CANNOT WAIT to read more from this author in the future- this one is out now!

I had to DNF this one. I loved The Chanin but this one did not catch my attention and keep it.
I know a lot of people really enjoyed this one. But it was just not for me

Part thriller, part Rambo, part social (justice?) commentary, but FULLY ridiculous. After reading The Chain and being disappointed, I saw positive feedback and buzz on The Island and figured I'd give it a shot.

Maybe I don't get it, but it seems like the plot has been done before (Open Season, Kin, The Farm, etc), the story is full of coincidences, and the writing is mildly engaging but filled with unneeded information. I think I'll sit out the next McKinty novel, despite whatever positive buzz it's got going for itself.

Be ready to suspend disbelief and then suspend it some more. 2 stars is generous, but it's probably a 1.5 because I whipped through it pretty quickly. Whether that's because it was engaging, or it was simply a can't-look-away car crash feeling is up for debate. I love quick page turning thrillers that are fun reads, but don't require much thought or analysis, but the ridiculousness and cheesy dialogue took me right out of at least having fun with The Island.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Heather, her new husband,Tom and his two children are headed to Australia for a conference for Tom’s work. The kids really want to see native Australian wildlife, so Tom pays for passage to a private island. The only other people to accompany them are a couple from the Netherlands. Things take a dark turn when an accident angers the resident family on the island. Will they make it off alive? I gave this book a 4/5 stars because there were a lot of action packed moments where I didn’t want to put the book down and it had me hooked. However, there were just as many moments in the story that were somehow boring and didn’t keep my interest. Overall it was a decent book and if you like survival thrillers, I think you will enjoy it! #thrillerbooks #survivalbooks #bookreview #bookreviewer

Absolutely yes! I really enjoyed reading this novel. The characters were fun, it held my interest, and provided an escape from reality. I would definitely recommend!

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The thrill, the Chase and need to survive, will keep you on the edge of your seat while reading. Heather at 24 is newly married to Tom, an older accomplished surgeon with 2 children go on a trip together to Australia where he is the key note speaker at a conference. When things go horribly wrong after an accident occurs on a secluded island occupied only by one family.

Thank you to netgalley for an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I have been locked out of my netgalley account for a few months and was not able to see which books I had on my list, in order to properly read and review. I do apologize and am doing a 3 for neutral. Will update once I’m able to obtain a copy and read!

This is a story about the important of researching your vacation destinations.

Holy sh*t, this book is pure nightmare fuel. It hit on some of my biggest fears, which I can’t share without spoilers- but I feel like elements of it are universally terrifying. Someone please make this into movie so I can hide from what’s unfolding while peeking through my fingers? The concept of being somewhere unfamiliar, surrounded by unsafe people WITH preteens arguing with you? What could possibly be more frightening- and that’s before you get to the small details that made my skin crawl.

Thank you @netgalley & @littlebrown for the eArc! This one is available now, and I encourage you all to get it & join me in never visiting a remote island ever again.

This book felt like the equivalent of an action movie. Did it have any type of artistic merit? No. Was it highly enjoyable and a fun ride from short to finish. Yes, yes it was. The action starts almost from the very beginning, and the book continues with tense moments throughout.

I will say that since things start so quickly, I didn't really feel any type of connection to the characters until a good ways into the book, so it was hard at times to feel any sympathy for them. At first, the children just felt like spoiled brats to me and Tom an entitled rich man who seemed to look down on Heather at times because of their age difference and experiences. As it went on though, I was definitely rooting for them more and more to escape their situation, and we did learn things about them that made them more likeable.

There were a lot of parts that reminded me of The Hunger Games, I guess because it was about people being hunted. Anyway, a definite recommend if you want a fun, mindless read with lots of action and tense moments.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I really like the storyline and subject matter of this book! The Australian setting mixed with emotionally damaged characters and murder kept me intrigued and held my interest throughout. The book was relatively short, but I didn’t feel like it was lacking details or plot. There were some points where I felt like the action scenes were a bit rushed but other than that, it was all in all an entertaining read. There weren’t any twists that I didn’t seem coming but I didn’t mind, just want to see how they would escape from the island!