Rating: 3.4/5

"The Island" is the fourth novel I have ready by Sarah Goodwin and, overall, I think it is the best of them. Both the title and the official synopsis are a little misleading, however. Having read the acknowledgements section, it would seem that the book was originally planned to be entitled, "The Festival", which would have been more appropriate, I feel. It is also not clear from the marketing blurb that the underpinning theme of this novel is coercive control, in a variety of forms. In fairness to her, the author does forewarn readers that there may be triggers within the story and she directs you to her note at the end of the book for further details relating to this.

I have consistently found something appealing about Sarah Goodwin's novels, but I have also been frustrated by them. Each of the previous three books have started promisingly, before seeming rushed in the latter half. In "The Island" the author has made a decent job of addressing this and a more consistent standard is maintained throughout. There are a few convenient plot developments and behaviour that seems a little out of character, but it is generally within the boundaries of fictional acceptability. On the whole, Sarah Goodwin does manage to maintain the reader's interest and deliver a satisfying read with plenty of suspense. I still think there is better to come from this author, so I am sure I will be back for her next offering.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

A festival getaway and a missing passport… this tense thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat! A totally jaw dropping ending you don’t see coming!

Bravo, Sarah this is a smash hit!

Perfect for those who enjoy:
- Tense destination thrillers
- Festival fiction
- Jaw dropping endings
- Domestic thrillers

With thanks to Avon and Netgalley for an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

Thank you Net Galley for this read.
This was my first read from Sarah Goodwin and I did really enjoy it.
Jody and her friends Carla and Ari win tickets to THE festival of the year in Greece when they get there things are not as they seem, the whole place feels off.

This book was interesting and mysterious but it seemed quite slow with not too much happening throughout a lot of it and then was very rushed at the ending.

A ‘locked room mystery’ set on a heat-ravaged Greek island was always going to be a tall challenge, so I approached this thriller without overly exacting expectations and ready for the implausible. The novel starts with the presentation of protagonist Jodi, who suffers from anxiety and has moved back in with her university friends Carla and Ari in an effort to overcome her challenges. When the friends win free tickets to a coveted Greek music festival, Jodi very reluctantly decides to travel with them, but despite the holiday feeling and hilarity all around her, it does not long until her new surroundings unsettle her: items that go missing, a man who looks uncannily like her unwholesome former partner, a missing girl who resembles her … could it be that Jodi, despite her mental anguish and increasingly paranoid demeanor, is in fact the only lucid character as things go from bad to worse?

A tensely plotted thriller that remixes all the staples of a good thriller, this book will make an excellent summer read, for those of us lucky enough to be able to travel, and for those of us staying behind! Thank you so much to NetGalley, Avon Books UK | Avon, and the author, Sarah Goodwin, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

One of my favourite books of recent years was Sarah Goodwin's debut novel, Stranded. Because of this, I always eagerly await her new novels!

The Island begins with 3 flatmates, Jody, Ari and Carla winning tickets for a new summer music festival in Greece. Despite troubles back home, especially in the case of Jody, the girls are excited at this amazing opportunity. However, on arrival, the festival is far from glamorous and its then events begin to escalate to the point where the girls wonder if they'll make it out alive....

I loved the individual characterisations of the girls, especially Jody, her nervousness, low mood and eventually fear is brilliantly portrayed, as is the relationship between the girls. Sarah has a certain clever way of giving her books a real sense of place and she does this here, I could easily picture and sometimes even almost smell the festival!

The tension is nicely built and escalates throughout, keeping me turning the pages for more.

Another great read from this author, definitely recommended, as are her previous 5 books.

Huge thanks to Sarah Goodwin, publishers Avon and Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really thoroughly enjoyed this book. Eye opening book for music festivals specially for young girls.

Jody, Ari and Carla have won tickets to a festival on a private Greek Island.
It doesn't live up to expectations and soon the girls are fearing for their lives.

Unfortunately this is a similar scenario to a book I recently reviewed for Netgalley.

A thriller set during a festival on a Greek island. A decent beach read but the narrative pace disengaged me from the story.

This is the 6th book I've read by Sarah Goodwin and can really say I've enjoyed them all. All very different themed psychological thrillers.

Jody has recent left an abusive relationship has moved in with her friends Ari and Carla. They win some tickets to attend a festival on an island in Greece and they cant wait to get there. All is not as it seems and Jody's not sure if she wants to take part but doesn't want to disappoint her friends. it becomes clear on arrival that things are not quite as promised when they get there but they all decode to make a go of it.

The author gives great descriptions of the location so you really feel you are there which helps build up the tensions.

My only complaint about this book is the title. There are already so many books called The Island and I feel "The Festival" would be far better suited to it.

Another great summer hit from Sarah.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Definitely not my favourite Sarah Goodwin book. I was. looking forward to reading it but it’s very slow and repetitive.
Not a book I would recommend.
Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I found this book very slow with not much happening. It wasn't exciting and in fact I skipped through some of it after half way. Sorry I don't like to leave a negative review but I have to be honest with how I felt about the book.

3.5 ⭐️
Unfortunately the end was too rushed and far fetched after the rest of the book was so slow.
Enjoyed it (I love a thriller set on holiday/abroad) but probably wouldn’t remember it enough to recommend it.
Thank you Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

As a festival fan I was looking forward to reading this book. I was not disappointed, it's a really clever story and very well written. I loved it.

I love Sarah Goodwin novels and this is no exception. A great place to go - a festival and of course its on an island and things go very wrong.
A thriller that was a lot of fun
The cover is really stunning!

A book based on the ill-fated Frye festival sounded like a great idea. And it still does. Not this one, though, because despite the description it really isn’t based on that festival at all, plus it’s poorly written and has such a ridiculous ending that everything that came before it doesn’t even matter.

If you care, Jodi,Ari and Carla are roommates who have won tickets to the music festival of the summer, set to take place on a Greek island. It’s going to be super exclusive, filled with influencers and celebrities (there are none of either of these, by the way, and once they arrive the girls don’t seem concerned by the fact that there aren’t any. The fact never comes up.). When they arrive it’s a bit different than advertised. Then things get worse.

So, as I said, the description doesn’t really match what happens in the book, and the book leaves a lot to be desired. You could have your easy-to-please teen read it if you want to warn her off music festivals, I guess. I’ll give it one star extra for that possible service as a PSA.

From the very beginning, The Island sets the scene with an intensity us thriller lovers live for. The author's description of the festival was written in such an atmospheric way that it felt like you were actually there. You're immediately thrown into the tension and wanting to know how we got here. In true psychological thriller fashion, the book turns slow burn as the backstory is laid out and ends in a climatic and pulse-pounding crescendo. It doesn't feel too drawn out though and keeps you engaged/hooked throughout. This is my first book from this author, and I really appreciate her writing and how she describes the settings and people. The verbiage helps you picture the scene perfectly while not being overly wordy. That's a talent many authors struggle with.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was brilliant, really exciting and creepy and I couldn't put it down until I found out what would happen! Another fantastic book from Sarah Goodwin.

Jody moves in with uni friends after the break up of an abusive relationship, trying to take her mind of her situation Ari tells her she's won tickets to an all expenses paid festival on an island in Greece. Despite not feeling the vibe, she goes with them. But once on the island, nothing is as advertised and Jody's anxiety and paranoia come back to the forefront as she sees her ex everywhere.
I found this a quick and easy read, however it's not my favourite book by the author, Stranded still takes my top spot but its an ideal holiday read, but only if you're not on a concrete "beach"

Another gripping thriller from Sarah.

In the Island we follow Jody who has recently left an abusive relationship. When encouraged to join her housemates at an exclusive first time festival in Greece, the friends hopes that it'll provide a fresh start, prove false as they discover that the Island is home to monsters even worse than those Jody had hoped to leave behind.

Containing a number of triggering subjects including coercive and physical abuse, we watch as Jody and her friends relationship is pushed to the limit as Jody's behaviour appears to become more erratic and paranoid in her quest to hide from her fears.

Challenging your perceptions about the true nature of people you know and love, as well as those who you just meet, this is a book which may leave you thinking, once your pulse rate returns to normal.

I loved the sound of this book. However I found it to be so slow that I switched off. The characters were okay, but it just lacked punch for me .I wanted more to happen earlier in the book, so that I got caught up in it more.