Gods, I loved this book. It gave me so many flashbacks to early 2010's dystopian YA and I just cannot wait for the sequel that needs to happen. I need so much more of this world and these characters!

The premise of this book played on all of the things that I am absolutely terrified of, so of course I had to read it!! The constant background thrum of a pandemic, plus the setting of the cruise ship gave this book a wonderful, atmospheric setting. I could feel the complete claustrophobia of the ship, and that helped to ratchet up the intensity of the story.
This is an AWESOME dystopian-esque YA thriller. This is not usually my genre anymore (loved them as a YA, but have since moved to other genres), but I absolutely loved this book. I'm so excited to recommend it to my YA-reader friends when it's published.
My favorite thing about this book is the multiple POVs, especially since one of the POVs is from a (very very) bad guy. I think that's a really fun twist on the trope.
The only thing I'll say is that if you're looking to be completely satisfied with the ending, I would say that this might not be your book, or that we should wait to figure out if we're getting a book 2, because to me, the ending felt rushed and unsatisfactory.
Overall, this is a GREAT genre novel that is quick and enjoyable to read.

I loved all things about this book! I loved the connections between the characters, but also the turmoil. The book was paced well, and the characters were fully developed. The Stranded satisfied my want to read an enjoyable dystopian novel. What do you do when you get on a cruise ship...and then never get off and are left to raise your family there? Arcadia sounds like a living nightmare, but there are some strong-willed residents who are trying to make a difference. I couldn't help but root for a rebellion! Sarah Daniels did great right out of the gate!

This book has everything you want in a ya-distorts. The character development was great, I loved the various POVs you get to read from, I loved the imagery and the fight scenes.

The only reason I didn’t give it five starts is because I wanted more backstory to why they are in the position they are in, the virus is vague the reason they are on ships is vague.

Overall a great read.

Wow! I blew through this one in a couple of hours. Such a unique premise! I loved the setting of a cruise ship that everybody had been trapped on for 40 years! I loved learning about the government and this dystopian world. I thought this did a fantastic job of weaving in the real life issues that we are going through right now.

I loved that this was told from multiple perspectives and you could really understand the motivation of each of the different characters and tie it all together.

The ending of the book was such a page turner and kept me on the edge of my seat. So good!

Dystopian thriller set on a cruise ship? Yes, please! I devoured this one, and I truly think this might be one of the big YA up-and-coming books. It had it all-political intrigue, rebellion, romance, action-and I flew through it. The premise-when a catastrophic virus is spread throughout Europe following a continent-wide apocalyptic war, passengers on a luxurious cruise ship found themselves stuck, floating near the now-defunct USA. Decades later, they are treated as outcasts and are refused the right to make landfall by the government. The ship itself is also a world of gangs, upper crust, and have nots. Told through varying perspectives, our heroes AND villains, fight for their freedom and for control.
This was a great one and I cannot wait to add it to the library when it’s released in January 2023!

This was an exciting and action-packed book that had a new development in almost every chapter. Because of this, I kept wanting to read more. I also liked the alternating perspectives since that created some cliffhangers at the end of some chapters. However, one drawback of this technique was that I sometimes had to flip back to the start of the chapter to see who the narrator was because the voices of Nik and Esther were so similar. Most of all, I really loved how complex the characters were. Nobody was completely good or completely evil, and everyone had realistic motivations and conflicts. I also liked that this book avoided some of the more tired YA tropes, like a love triangle with the heroine in the middle. I’m excited to read the next installment in this duology!

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review your titles. I really not the opportunity!

I do appreciate it and continue to review books that I get the chance to read.
Thanks again!

WOW. The stranded is one of the best books I have read in 2022, It had everything from a post apocalyptic world to romance and let’s talk about characters, THEY ARE AMAZING, it was the most enjoyable part for me, watching them grow and change through the course of the story, I really hope there will be a sequel because I can’t wait to read more about them and this story which was so compelling I couldn’t tear my eyes off the page, I 100% recommend this book.

The Stranded follows two characters on the ship Arcadia, which was once a refuge for those fleeing an apocalyptic war. The ship is now located within sight of the Federated States, close enough to see its shining buildings but those on the Arcadia cannot leave the ship. This book is packed with heart-stopping moments that left me genuinely anxious. This is perfect for fans of post-apocalyptic and dystopian settings. The Arcadia itself is a fascinating look into a community that has existed for forty years within one “luxury” cruise ship. If you're a fan of books that feel insulated, thrilling, and dangerous, you’ll want to pick up The Stranded!

Not the kind of book I usuallly read - but loved it! Such an interesting take on the future. I read hundreds of books a year and this one definitely stood out. Highly recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5 stars

I am not generally a fan of dystopian novels but there was just something about the description of this one that drew me in and I had to give it a shot.

Told from the perspective of three residents on the once luxury cruise ship Arcadia, Ester, Nik, and Hadley share their perspective on a brewing rebellion and life constrained to the ship.

While interesting and a sort of unique take on a post-apocalyptic world, I wasn’t a fan of the short chapters and constantly changing viewpoints.

It was quite fast-paced which helped build the suspense and drive to know what happens. But I was also left unsatisfied with the ending. It felt very abrupt and left me with too many questions to be alright with.

It was a solid YA dystopian novel but just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Interesting concept of a cruise shin set in a dystopian era. The short chapters made it hard for me to develop the story for awhile. I would likely read the sequel as well to see what happens.

The Stranded by Sarah Daniels is a YA Dystopia following passengers of a cruise ship turned refugee camp that's been stuck at sea for 40 years. With 3 POV characters, Esther is the good girl, studying to earn a spot to get off the ship, Nik is member of a rebel group, and Hadley is the security leader and villain. The plot is action packed and fast paced, the world is bleak and dark, there's not heavy romance subplot. I'm loving the dystopian revival, this is the perfect book for the dumpster fire times we're in.

If you haven't heard of the Diamond Princess, let me regale you. The Diamond Princess is a cruise ship that began a 16-day cruise in January 2020 in Japan when the captain got word from the Hong Kong government that a passenger that disembarked had contracted COVID-19. Thus began a chaotic ordeal of quarantining and understanding the virus just like the rest of the world. Some passengers were stuck on that ship for 39 days.

Knowing that tidbit of info (I am sure there are more stories like this, like the one stuck in Italy at the onset of the pandemic), can you imagine never being able to get off that cruise ship? That's where this dystopian nightmare begins in Stranded.

Passengers of the Arcadia have been afloat for forty years. FORTY YEARS. They're not allowed to disembark for fear of the virus that has wiped out most of Europe and the world., despite having no cases for a long, long time. The book has three POV's, one of which is from a villain's point of view and is totally refreshing. I especially loved Esther since she wasn't exactly part of the rebellion upon the ship, but is thrown into it by her sister and a chance encounter.

I don't usually read an arc this early but with that cover and the synopsis, I just HAD TO. This book reminded me a lot of The Hunger Games and other early 2000 dystopian's with a bit of real-world virus stuffs going on that some might not be ready for. It is one of the most original stories I have read in a long time.

A fast paced and unique dystopian novel. I really enjoyed the characters and the various perspectives the story is told from. It seems to lead in ro a second installment which could be interesting based on how it ends.

The Stranded was an original story. Off the bat, I loved how it jumped right into the action. The characters and world building were developed very well. The alternating POVs tied together well, but I always struggle with a story when there's more than one POV; I prefer to connect with a sole character. The writing was engaging but the story seemed to be bogged down by inconsistent pacing, and occasionally either too much dialogue or too much description. I did not like how abruptly the story ended, it felt incomplete. An action-packed read deserving of 3 stars overall. Thank you to NetGalley for offering this title in their catalogue. The opinion expressed is my own.

Love Love LOVED this book. Again with reading this ARC I was definitely stepping out of my comfort zone. I don't typically hop on to the fan train of life post apocalypse but this book was different ! Being stranded on a cruise ship for 40+ years would be a nightmare but it touches so close to home having just gone through a pandemic in the real world and having to deal with the harsh consequences of such a deadly virus.

Esther is one of the main characters and although she was definitely a great lead, I felt like I REALLY enjoyed Nikhil Lall. Leader of the rebellion trying to finally get the citizens of the Arcadia back to land after being forced to live aboard a ship with limited rations and horrible living conditions. He risks it ALL after his father is arrested for helping to begin and lead the rebellion before Nik took the mantel alongside his mother ! His meeting with Esther was completely unexpected but the urge to protect her is INSTANT.

I was on the edge of my seat almost instantly after picking up this book ! I can't wait to read the second book following The Stranded. Sarah Daniels has totally GRIPPED me and I have to know what happens to Esther and Nik ! Thank you for letting me be apart of reading this before publication !

The Stranded is a dystopian YA novel featuring Nik, Esther, and Hadley. All three live on Arcadia, a ship that became a refuge during a bioterrorism war that destroyed the world as we know and left fractured nations in its wake. Esther’s grandparents were ticket holders and the original generation that was on the ship when the war broke out. Nik is a Neath, a definitely not law-abiding individual that lives below deck. Hadley is the head of security for the Arcadia and has burgeoning rebellion on his hands.

The language of the book is very straightforward, nothing flowery, so it’s approachable enough for teens and adult alike to read. The Stranded has some interesting political and social themes to explore and it explores them well. Personally, I’m more interested in the war that led up to The Stranded, but this is a well-done dystopian YA that many will enjoy. My understanding is that this is a duology, so I am looking forward to the conclusion! 4/5 for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the e-ARC and the opportunity to read and review The Stranded by Sarah Daniels.

After a virus plagued the world more than 40 years ago, the grandchildren of the original ticket holders of the Arcadia Cruise Ship, are either scheming to get off the ship in a professional capacity, or are running amok in the bowels of the ship inciting rebellion.
The story lacks intrigue and action. When I’ve 40% of it, I feel as though little has happened. At 60% I’m still wondering why I’m reading this.

Great setting, little action. Written for Young Adults. Not like The Hunger Games at all. More like a precursor to Water World

LOC 325 everyone = every one
LOC 344 on to = on to
Loc 422 on to = onto
Loc 4210 a sand dunes = dune