With a society stuck aboard a ship after a plague and waiting for permission to leave, Daniels tackles the themes of revolution, how far to go for your future, and the willingness of those in power to keep the status quo. Not a happy book by any means, but one that will propel you to keep reading!

While I was a little leery about reading a dystopian novel about a global pandemic, this novel utilized the subject in a way that did not tap into COVID-fatigue at all; the context was fresh, inventive, and each character's voice was vibrant and engaging. While some chapters alternate first-person perspectives, the decision to put the villain's perspective into third-person was one that kept me invested and raised the sense of urgency within the novel. I will eagerly await the follow-up!

I start with the comment that I wanted to love this book. It sounded original and different. However, it fell flat for me. I wanted more world building. It took me a third of the book to realize that Hadley was an adult, though I will say that he was an excellent villain. As a matter of fact, he was really the only character that I really connected with.

This post apocalyptic/pandemic novel was very well written and very enjoyable. The writing was elevated, and the characters well rounded. This was more of a YA novel and I didn’t quite believe that a 16 year old revamped a huge ship engine or was becoming a doctor. But the story of rebellion was fun and I look forward to the sequel that I can anticipate coming. Good effort for a first novel.

Book received for free through NetGalley

The combination of a situation I could see, in all reality, happening and characters I immediately feel for combine into this real feeling dystopian that could easily continue past the end of the book. Glad I came across it.

** Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this title in exchange for a fair and honest review**

Generations of people stuck on a cruise ship because they happened to be on board when the world went belly-up. Gangs and factions have formed, no one goes to the lower decks and somewhere a rebellion is forming. Some people are frustrated and want to leave the boat and take their chances on land. Others are determined that this will never happen and will go to any lengths to crush the rebels.

An interesting read with some good twists, definitely sets itself up for sequels.

This book was a little disappointing to me because I really thought the premise would interest me. Alas, I stopped about halfway through because I couldn't really get invested in the characters. I might try to pick it back up eventually but overall this book just wasn't for me.

The Arcadia is a ship that's been floating off the coast of the Federated States for the past 40 years. No one is allowed to leave the ship and there is strict enforcement of the rules to ensure everyone complies.

You are thrown right into the action of this book with not a lot of background information at the beginning. As the book progresses you learn more about the ship and the virus that led to the passengers being confined for the past 40 years. Once you learn more the story starts to piece together, and you get a better understanding of the plot.

The chapters alternate perspectives between several characters. You have Esther who is studying to become a medic, Nik who is part of a rebel group, and Hadley who is the leader of the government. I enjoyed that one of the perspectives you follow is from the villain of the story.

The pacing of the book was pretty steady throughout with a fast-paced ending that leaves you on a cliffhanger. There is mix of politics, rebellion and betrayal.

I'm usually a big fan of YA dystopian and miss the days when it was more popular. However, The Stranded didn't really keep my attention. The idea was interesting, but the execution wasn't the greatest. I wasn't a big fan of any of the characters except for Esther, so the parts that weren't in her POV were a little boring for me. I might give it another try at some point, maybe if there's a second book.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest review. I really, really enjoyed this book.

YA dystopian story about a cruise ship that has been at sea for 40 years. (I'll leave it at that)

A real page-turner, the action-packed book had me on the edge of my seat! I couldn't wait to see what would happen next, this is a definite must-read book.

I thought "Stranded" had a very unique premise. The characters living on the ship and the struggle between classes (lower, upper, gangs, enforcers, etc) kept the plot moving along. It was a little hard at first to get into the numerous POVs in the book (2-3 first person views and 1 third person view), but it wasn't long before I could keep them all straight. I did appreciate that one of the POVs was from the antagonist on the ship. It was interesting to see things from both sides of the conflict in the story. I thought the world-building off of the ship on the mainland could have been more detailed, but I'm guessing that will get more fleshed out in the sequel. It took me awhile to get into it, but after finishing it, I do think I'll read the sequel when it comes out to see how the story progresses.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy for me to read and review.

I haven’t read a lot of YA books, especially dystopian future ones, but I was drawn to the premises and the ship cover.

The story captivated me and the world came alive with the descriptive pages. I can see this becoming the next big YA series.

I had really high hopes for this one but I was a little let down. I still would recommend though to my audience!

The Stranded sets sail with a heart-racing YA dystopian novel where a ship has been forced to remain at sea for over 1,500 days after a virus ravages the mainland, leaving the cruise ship inhabitants to create their own hierarchy of survival.

I was really drawn to the description and concept of this book. It sounded almost like a Hunger Games, Maze Runner, Divergent hybrid set on sea. The interconnecting characters and storylines were really interesting as well, with a lot of it setting up a brand new, but familiar, world.

One of my main issues was that this book hits the ground running - but it doesn't tell you where it's heading. It took far too long to understand what was going on and what everything meant. I also didn't feel particularly connected to the characters, as points of view changed. It left me to wonder if this would have benefited by focusing on one character the entire way through. I also would have loved a preface explaining the virus, people, and situation leading us to this point.

The Stranded had a lot of promise, but it just wasn't the book for me. Sarah Daniels has a lot of promise though and I'm excited to see if she ever ventures into thrillers and horror because I would love to read it!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with a copy for an honest review.

LOVED THIS ONE! I'm a big fan of YA and dystopian novels to begin with, so to have both genres in one was awesome. This book was well-written and the story was compelling. This novel also resonated with me because of its commentary on the treatment of refugees. The characters were fleshed out well enough for me to either despise them or root for them-which doesn't always happen. My only gripe is that the book ended very abruptly. I felt like there could have been a few pages of a conclusion.

All in all, I really enjoyed it.

Thanks to Sarah Daniels, Sourcebooks Fire, and Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this novel. This has a very interesting premise, though ultimately the writing style was not for me. Overall, a very solid YA novel; recommended for those who enjoy YA and particularly dystopian YA.

What the heck!?!! That was crazy! I haven’t ever read a book that set out on the sea! I’m so happy I read this book. The writing was so amazing!

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire, Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All views and opinions expressed in this review are purely my own and not affiliated with any brand.

This was an awesome book!! Sarah Daniels created such a compelling dystopian world that draws you in right away. The action in the book had me on the edge of my seat! I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. The characters in the story are relatable and intriguing. I truly hope there will be a sequel.

I was actually quite looking forward to reading The Stranded based on the blurb—it’s been a while since I’ve done a YA dystopian novel, but those can always be a fun journey. However, I never found anything compelling in this novel. I found the world-building to be lackluster and unimaginative to the point that I was either confused about logistics or just thought it was lazy in handling details. And none of the characters really jumped off the page for me, which feels essential in this genre. A disappointment for something I had high hopes for.

A page turning, action packed, edgy debut dystopian novel by Sarah Daniels. This is one of those books that placed in the right hands can turn a non reading student into a reader.

It did take me a couple chapters to get into, as I navigated understanding a new world with “coalies,” “comgloves” and “neaths” on a massive ship that has been stuck off the coast of the “Federated States” for decades due to a virus that nearly wiped out all of Europe.

I really enjoyed how each chapter was told from alternating first person perspectives of the characters. The writing is layered and the connections between the characters slowly unravel as we learn more and more about them and their lives onboard the Arcadia.

I don’t normally read dystopian but I may have to reconsider after this one and I sure hope there’s a sequel.

Recommended for Grade 7 and up. Mild language, violence and themes.

Preorder now or find it in stores January 2023!