The early days of YA dystopian series was the real beginning of my reading journey. Sure, I knew how to read before then but I feel like the early 2010s was the first time I really understood what it meant to choose my own books and read because I wanted to.

THE STRANDED sounded like it was going to be right up that alley so I was so excited to read it.

Unfortunately, it did not match my expectations. I think part of the issue I had was not knowing if it was a series or standalone. Assuming a standalone, I set certain expectations in my mind which did not hold true (as in things should or should not be developed because of timeline). I think the POVs were more confusing and did not add to the storytelling.

I’m not sure if I’d read the second book in this series. It’s already been 2 years since I read this book and I haven’t been compelled to pick it up.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was an interesting book. It took me awhile to get into it. Seemed like there was a lot of ??? but interesting. Takes place on a ship after a virus outbreak. A horrible commander of security and a rebellion group.

A dystopian young adult novel that has a unique premise. I went into this excited to see something different in which a popular genre of YA. Though I did enjoy it overall, it wasn’t anything too groundbreaking. Some of the characters were interesting but others felt flat. It ended up being a middle of the road read for me.

The Stranded had an intriguing dystopian premise—a quarantined cruise ship adrift after a global disaster—which really pulled me in. I loved the tense, claustrophobic atmosphere and the fast-paced plot, especially in the final chapters. The survival edge and rebellion setup have me curious to see where book two goes.

I really enjoyed this one. It was hard to put down. It kept me wanting more. The characters are amazing! And I love the title and the story line. Such an amazing book!

A thrilling dystopian YA set on a quarantined cruise ship after a global disaster. The atmosphere is claustrophobic and tense, and the stakes are high. Some characters feel a little stereotypical, but the fast pace and action-packed plot make up for it. Great for readers who love dystopias with a survival edge.

I really wanted to like this one. I love books set on boats but unfortunately it fell flat. I struggled to connect with the story and found that it dragged. Not my favorite.

I love reading the books of "after the end of the world as we know it" and The Stranded has everything a dystopian fan could want in a book. Imagine living on an aged luxury cruise ship that has for 40 years been the home of those not welcome in what's left of the United States. Life would include NO luxuries after this long period of time. The citizens of the Arcadia spend their time and efforts keeping their home afloat and planning how to gain permission to live on land. The plot is a mix of original and redone plot lines and characters that kept this reader engrossed as the story unfolds and the secrets are revealed. This is the first book of a planned duology so we'll get to see more of this world that was left to float forever.

I’ve seen a word used over and over in the reviews for this book, and that word is “underwhelming“. I heartily agree with this assessment. The book was just, I don’t know, kind of boring.
My biggest issue with the book was our fmc, Esther. She was just portrayed as so wholesome and law abiding, and I don’t really get that in a dystopian novel. I mean, this ship full of unvaccinated, essentially plague carriers, has been flushed down the proverbial toilet by the government. So the time for being polite has passed, honey.

Thank you to NetGalley & Sourcebooks Fire for this advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

This had an interesting premise, but I have to admit that it wasn’t really for me. I just had a hard time getting through it. I don’t think I will continue with the series.

I own this and intend to read it in the future I'm just clearing this off my board to reduce stress. I will update when I read/review.

'The Stranded' by Sarah Daniels is first in a YA dystopian series. Its premise is strong, its pacing is inconsistent, the cast is likable but lacking depth, and the villain is a caricature. It's fine just a bit overlong.

3.5/5 ⭐
This was a pretty decent dystopian novel. It started slow and was a bit hard to get into. The little clues and connections helped keep things interesting enough to keep going. The last few chapters of the book are where it really takes off and everything starts to spiral, and doesn't stop. I'm intrigued and would like to see what happens in book 2. I hope that we get more about the rebellion and definitely want to see how the characters develop from here. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a YA dystopian novel that had all the pieces to be a good story, but I was left feeling slightly underwhelmed. It had thriller vibes and multiple povs. Fast paced. But character developing was lacking.

A fantastic dystopian novel with excellent world-building and multiple POVs done perfectly. It blends typical YA drama with social and governmental issues post-virus outbreak. Though it starts a bit slow, the book is still a compelling read for fans of futuristic stories. Highly recommended!

I don't normally do dystopian books, minus The Hunger Games and maybe one or two others. However the setting of this one was really unique! The pacing and story were also both good. Would definitely recommend.

This was perhaps not my best choice to read shortly before we go on a cruise! It’s been decades since the passengers on the cruise ship Arcadia have floated near the coastline of the Federated States, left isolated because of possible exposure to a deadly virus. In that time, life aboard the ship has devolved to the haves and have-nots, to the upper and lower decks, to gangs and military police. Esther has never stepped out of line and is studying to become a medic with the hopes of being one of just a few citizens who are granted land access. But then she finds herself unwillingly drawn into a plot to rebel against the order of the ship, and is forced to make choices she never thought she’d have to.

I found my thoughts wandering a lot during this read, as the pacing was a little slow for me and I wanted more character development. I think this was definitely a case where the YA novel is more to be enjoyed by its age-appropriate audience

This was such a well-done novel and I have to give a huge shout-out to Sarah Daniels for the amazing world-building and the hard-hitting issues that were brought up in the novel. I love a good multiple POV book and this is delivered in the best possible way. I know some can find it hard to keep track of the characters and the storyline in multiple POV books but this was done immaculately. This book has all the typical YA hit points like drama and action, but ties in social issues and governmental issues that are faced after the virus outbreak. The only issue I found with this book is that it was a bit of a slow starter but I can look past that due to the book itself being so fantastic. If you love dystopian and futuristic novels I highly suggest picking up this book because you will not be disappointed.

This was such a cool dystopian novel, and I think it stands out from all the others because of the isolated setting. Being set on a cruise ship was such a unique addition, and I think it made everything more intense because you knew there was no escaping. The bad guys were always with you on the ship. I loved that this was multi POV, and another unique thing about this story was that we got the POV of the villain. Getting the POV of the villain in this story offered such a unique insight and made you read root against him. I loved that we followed multiple relationships in this book, and wow, was it a stab in the heart. I enjoyed the main characters, Ester and Nik, as well. This was such a cool take on the dystopian genre!

Wow, this was a really interesting futuristic dystopian book,. If you enjoy Hunger Games, Maze Runner then this will likely appeal.

I wasn't sure at first as had taken me a while to start the book, but the more I read, the more I enjoyed it and wished I'd read it sooner. I picked this up on Audible to catch up on my reviews and really enjoyed the different narrators, so look forward to listening to book 2 in the series,

The Arcadia, was once an luxurious cruise ship, now has become a refugee camp following a war and now floats near the coastline of the Federated States (part of the former USA) The ship has been prohibited from making landfall for 40 years and houses many people, far more than was originally built for, with all kinds of factors, gangs on board on the different levels.

This book is about Esther a trainee medic awaiting the chance to leave the ship and further her career on dry land but becomes involved with a rebel.

A really interesting book, which I could easily imagine as a movie or tv show. Its listed as a young adult, scifi, thriller, dystopian thriller but I think will be enjoyed by many adults if made more freely available or advertised more could become very popular.