this hooked me in! as a reality tv lover, i was so excited for a thriller twist on the genre. while the main character was fairly unlikable, she reminded me of tv players that i love to hate watch. the book is pretty heavy handed but i still support the overall writing.

One word to describe this book: addicting. It is one of those books where you feel like you were dropped into the pages. Half of the time I felt confused but was always intrigued. It is incredibly surprising and felt like reality tv in the best way possible, but with the added mysterious element it just made it so entertaining. I don't know if I have read a book like this before and I have a feeling that it will be AMAZING on audio.

This was such a compulsive read, I could barely stand to put it down. I've watched a lot of reality TV and this rang so true as something that actually could exist. All of the characters were unlikable in some ways, but also you get their motivations. I wish we had learned a bit more about the outside world. Which is more important to you - people or objects? Money or love?

This was not my favorite book I've read. I did want to see what happened but really dislike reality TV competition shows like this overall. Having it within a dystopian world definitely made it more interesting, however.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC copy for review - my opinions are all my own.

Super interesting premise - we start with the narrator waking up in a house in the middle of the desert. She knows she's on a reality TV show, and has watched enough previous seasons to have some idea what's coming... but maybe she doesn't. This is the story of that show - participants must couple up each night or be eliminated. Everything from water to designer handbags must be won by completing tasks sent by the show's producers.

I read this in two days. It was similar to the feeling of binge watching a show - hard to look away. Lots to think about here - and would probably be a great book club book! But, also similar to reality TV, the other characters were often flat and edited out - so we don't get to know them. And, the ending, for me, meh.

This book sucked me in from the first page and didn’t let me go til the last. SO SO goood!

Loved the way the story starts out with the readers “waking up” with the main character in this strange environment and seeing it for the first time together. We slowly figure out what’s going on and it just gets more unhinged from there.

If you read the synopsis and think “ah another reality show story”, trust me you’re wrong. What an amazing debut.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

‘The Compound’ is an addictive novel that really got me thinking about both the appeal and the untold influences of reality game shows – on the contestant and view alike. The story here centers around Lily and her fellow contestants on a televised competition game show [sort of a mash-up of Big Brother and Love Island, but produced a la Black Mirror]. If you love these shows, this is a real treat; and if you don’t consume these shows, it’s still a worthy read for all it has to say about the sociopolitical impacts of these programs.

I particularly loved that in an ensemble of unlikeable characters, Lily does not stand out. A true antihero, she is very clear about her motivations and realistic about how her looks will factor into achieving her goals. Her passivity is both fascinating and frustrating. The dark turn to the game, anticipated but nonetheless unsettling, pushes Lily into actions/reactions that make for compelling reading.

The story description alludes to a dystopian world that is full of war and environmental catastrophe – but since we stay within the Compound, we don’t see that world. It provides a bit of backstory for the contestants, but readers looking for more are likely to be disappointed. But it is a solid thriller that also casts a critical eye on the very construct that sets up its engrossing story.

This is a strong debut novel. It has some pacing issues, but is overall a quick read. And it got me thinking a lot about the social and cultural impact of reality television – how it defines beauty and portrays relationships, and especially concerning body image, gender roles, and mental health.

The Compound was an unusual read. It was not what I expected in many ways; the set-up was quite unsettling.
We are plunged into the action alongside Lily, who wakes up one day in The Compound. Her first action is to find the other girls placed in there with her, and then they wait for the arrival of the ten men who should be joining them. Though they all seem to understand why they are there, we are told little.
The basic premise is that the group are contestants on a reality TV show. Like Love Island they have to couple up. They complete tasks in return for rewards and they are not allowed to reveal any details about their personal lives. Viewers are treated to a daily show of the events within the compound, and the aim is to be one of the final inhabitants.
As we are introduced to the characters we see them through Lily’s eyes. It’s pretty clear that she is not the most cerebral of people. There’s a limit to how exciting you can make days of people completing increasingly bizarre challenges. Though there’s so much that’s irritating about this, it also has the capacity to draw you in.
The unravelling of people’s constructed personas was interesting. Exploring the psychological motivation behind actions was strangely compelling. The allusions to a dystopian world outside the boundaries of The Compound certainly made the experience sound more appealing. Of course I’d like to have known more about this, but their isolation was necessary for the success of the book.
Just how far will you go to achieve the things you want? At heart, what do we want? The Compound explores some of these issues. It doesn’t really offer any answers, but it was certainly a fascinating read. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review the book.

Wow, one of those books where you stare off in the distance contemplating what the meaning of life is.

I didn't think I would like this book as much as I did. But the second I started it I couldn't put it down! The book starts off as if you the reader are the one waking up and doing all these challenges. I have never read something so unique! It is almost like I was starving throughout the entirety of the book and the only way I could get sustenance was reading. I HAD to know what happened next, who was going to leave, what drama would unfold next.

I thought it was going to be dramatic somewhat trashy reality tv fiction but while it had that also took a very realistic view on consumerism, what you would do to get the rewards, is being alone worth having anything you could ever want? I liked Lily's POV, you saw the good, the bad, the boring and the dramatic.

I truly couldn't get enough, I feel like I just walked off the show myself.. however will I adapt back to reality??

This book was so interesting. I’ve read a lot of books set in the world of reality TV but this one was really different and I really liked it. I genuinely didn’t know what was going to happen next which makes me really like a book and want to recommend it more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy. The Compound follows Lily as she competes on a reality tv show similar to Love Island and Big Brother. There are ten girls and ten boys. In order to improve their living situation, they must work together as a group to complete tasks to get rewards that can range from food to jewelry. They must also couple up or risk being banished. I enjoyed the premise and wanted to know how it would end. It was a very slow burn of a book. It took me five days to read as I found myself struggling to continue in some spots. In the beginning there were too many characters to keep track of, but it was easier as the story progressed.

A reality TV competition with attractive young men and women turns dark as they compete for prizes and the chance to be the last one standing. The final competitor gets to ask for whatever they want, and they’ll get it. Unfortunately some connections are genuine while others aren’t as the contestants try to stay in the house as long as possible.

This was a very fast read for me, and it was fun but there was no big climax. Things kind of fizzle out and we’re not given a great resolution either, I wanted something exciting or crazy to happen at the end. But that never came. It was more a representation of consumer culture and how our main character cares more about nice things than genuine relationships with others.

This book is tailored toward a very niche audience who is into reality tv. The plot is straightforward but like I said no major drama or conflict.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the advanced reader copy

Lily wakes up in the middle of a desert compound with nine other women--and eventually nine men--as a contestant on a Survivor+Big Brother type reality show where everyone must pair up each night and the house must complete tasks in order to win necessary items like food and wood to make a front door. At first Lily is excited by the prospect of being on the show and potentially winning, but as the numbers dwindle, people's true personalities come out and Lily has to decide how much she's willing to sacrifice to win.

This book left me off-kilter from page one. It's disorienting to not be situated in an exact time or place--the book seems set in a near future, but it's unclear where in the world the story is takin place. Add to that the artificial nature of the set-up (all the women are drugged and placed in the house and the men are dropped into the desert to find their way to the house), and I had no idea what was going to happen from chapter to chapter. Lily is a fascinating character to follow as she is, self-proclaimed, one of the least talented or intelligent people in the house. Her value is in her looks, though even there she isn't the most beautiful person in the house. But what she lacks in value brought to the house she makes up for in her savage desire to win the game and potentially change her life. She seems willing to do almost anything to get ahead, though she does have boundaries and it was interesting to see which lines she wouldn't cross.

This was an unsettling but engrossing read (I had the feeling up staying up late to finish "one more chapter" too often); it's not the right story for everyone but for the right person it'll stay with you.

Content Warning: violence

The Compound is out June 24, 2025.

I featured The Compound in my June 2025 new releases video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6q31xhbo1tE, and though I have not read it yet, I am so excited to and expect 5 stars! I will update here when I post a follow up review or vlog.

The Compound is pegged as Love Island meets Hunger Games. That combination got my attention, but I should have paid more attention to the Love Island part. If you enjoy romance/couple-dom based reality tv, I think this is a great rec for you. There are slight dystopian vibes, but we never learn much about life off of the eponymous compound.

Lily is battling to stay on the compound for as long as she can, in fact it is her goal to win and set a record for staying the longest of anyone in past seasons of the show. The catch is, every "boy" and "girl" must be paired up in a bed at night or be eliminated. Someone doesn't want to share a bed with you? You're out. An odd number of girls or guys? Someone's out.

This book kept me reading but ultimately fell short of turning it's plot into something worth remembering or into meaningfully well shaped commentary on our materialistic society.

I was super excited to read this one based on the premise, and I was not let down by it.

My favorite part of this novel was how the reality show was set up. Throughout the book, I found myself thinking that I would probably watch the show in real life which led further thinking about how the way viewers react to a show impacts it. I think the book leans into this a lot by talking about what happened in past seasons and the expectations that it creates for the contestants, and with the prizes that are picked for the characters. I also think that putting the compound in the desert was the perfect setting for this novel. The juxtaposition between the unforgiving wilderness and the supposed paradise of the compound really lends itself to the book’s themes.

As for the characters in the book, I had mixed feelings. The main character, Lily, doesn’t do much other than observe for most of the book, unless she feels like she has to get involved (honestly, relatable). Even though there is a large cast of characters, we are limited to Lily’s perspective. I found this to be both a good thing and possibly a bad thing depending on what reading experience you want. On the plus side, Lily’s observant nature combined with the setup for the show meant you could never be quite sure whether someone did something for a personal task or not (contestants get prizes from completing personal tasks, but they can’t talk about the tasks with others). However, the limited perspective combined with Lily’s passiveness sometimes led to ‘lulls’ in the plot. Lily is satisfied to just live the easy life on the compound, she doesn’t have a larger goal than this to propel her story forward for most of the book. If you don’t like reading about passive characters, then you might not enjoy this book as much.

The other characters helped keep the book interesting, however, with their conflicting personalities and goals. And if that wasn’t enough, the producers are always nearby to bring people together and help keep things interesting ;). There are plenty of tense moments where I couldn’t put the book down!

As for the ending, I won’t say much other than it was left pretty open ended. I do think that it was a fine spot to leave off, but I didn’t find it the most enjoyable to read. This was probably the biggest thing that brought my rating down a star.

Overall, this book will give you a lot to think about. I would recommend it for its takes on capitalism, entertainment, and consumerism. Definitely keep in mind, though, that it is a heavier novel when it comes to subject matter!

Great concept and nearly flawless execution. I wish it went a couple steps darker than it did but still greatly enjoyed it. Will be recommending!

Okay so this is said to be like Love Island meets Lord of the flies. And as someone who loves some reality tv I was excited.

This is very slow burn.

It starts with a lot of contestants at the compound and they have to pair up and stayed paired to not get voted out of the house. And then have to do different challenges personal and group for different rewards until the last couple can outlast everyone and win the whole thing.
Definitely an interesting look at reality tv, consumerism and motivations.

And just like reality tv… a little hard to believe a with a few plot holes lol.

Thanks to netgalley and random house for an eARC

Reality tv in book form, but also interestingly addresses the idea of consumerism, community, and companionship. Definitely would be a great summer beach read

The Compound delivers a story that is hard to put down. I really enjoyed going into the novel with a vague understanding of what type of reality programing the characters were signing up for. I was worried for a time that the novel would read like a traditional reality TV show – not something I am a huge fan of. However, there was just enough mystery coupled to tug the book along, until it gets into a darker place which is teased in the beginning, when rules are lifted at the compound. I thought the concept was creative and unique - and just intense enough to not be every readers' cup of tea.

I personally enjoyed the satire on materialism embedded in the novel. There are hints at larger conflicts outside the compound, including some type of war, and climate-change produced devastation. I wish the author had leaned into these elements just a bit more in order to deliver a more dystopian-style story.

I can see this book being very widely read throughout the summer, it definitely has a beach read/book club feel. I was so excited to review and review this ARC sensing just how popular it will be. A huge than you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!