Member Reviews

Well this was a bit of a gripping thriller wasn’t it. I had no idea who was the culprit of this until right at the end. What a great turn, I couldn’t put it down and had to find out how it ended and who it was

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This was a good story but I just couldn't get into it as much as her others. This could be because it was aimed at Young Adults or because I have seen this storyline quite a lot lately on tv shows. I am sure though that younger people would like it more than I did. I still think that C.L. Taylor is an amazing author and I look forward to reading her next novel.

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This is a YA read but can be read by any age
It is a fast paced read with lots of twists and turns
I didn’t like the portrayal of mental health in this book

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I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

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Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

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The turn this book took was one I was not expecting, and I don't know if this was one of those thrillers where you're supposed to expect the twist. Because at some points this books was quite predictable and then a couple of chapters later I would be questioning myself and wondering what direction the book would go in next. This was so cleverly written and it kept me on my toes the entire time. the characters were pretty well fleshed out for a YA standalone and I really enjoyed reading this.

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Really enjoyed this! I was hooked from beginning to end and it took me in a direction that was very unexpected.

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This book was ok. Not as entertaining as I thought it would be. Didn't finish reading it as it didn't really hold my interest

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My first book, that I have read by this author, absolutely brilliant! Highly recommended, and I will definitely read others written by this author!

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The Island is the perfect book for anyone who loves a good thriller. I actually only recently got into thrillers, I used to think I was way too much of a baby to read them, as I genuinely do get scared of everything. I was so thrilled to discover YA thrillers. Thrillers that will keep you guessing, and on your toes, but a little bit milder so I can cope without terrifying myself.

The Island is dubbed as Hunger Games meets Lost, and as an avid fan of both, that is exactly what this is. I loved it. I loved The Island. It hooked me right from the very start, and I couldn't put this book down. It was absolutely fantastic. I was dying to find out how everything was going to work out.

This was my second read from CL Taylor, and let me tell you... I am officially a fan. I absolutely loved everything about it and I will be waiting on her next book.

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A good read but I was expecting an edge of your thrilling read & I got a slow burn with a predictable twist.

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Personally I much prefer C L Taylor’s adult books. This is a YA thriller told from alternate perspectives of 2 main characters. Great island setting and story, but this just fell a little flat for me.

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C.L. Taylor is an author I have read from before and this story did not disappoint, highly enjoyed and cannot wait to see what the author comes out with next.

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A fun and unique young-adult thriller from the mastermind CL Taylor. Another brilliant and twisty story and more twisted characters.

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Enjoyed this book! Keeps you guessing about what's going on. The twist is good. I always love reading books by the author and I'm looking forward to the next one!

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As a big fan of C.L. Taylor's I was really excited to read this book. Perhaps I should have paused when I realised that it was a YA/teen book
This was easy, quick read that kept me wanting to read more but it wasn't C.L. Taylor's best, for me.
It isn't necessarily bad but it definitely doesn't live up to her previous work.
It did remind me of another book that I read this year that featured adults instead of teens, so it's not necessarily the most original or memorable story.
But it is a fun Lord Of The Flies/The Island With Bear Grylls mashup, in a way.
If you aren't comparing it to her other work you may enjoy this more, particularly if you typically read YA novels.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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I liked this but it was far from my favourite from this author. Not her best work, but I enjoyed it regardless.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

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This was my first venture into reading young adult and I will admit to being a bit apprehensive. Whilst I didn’t totally love this book and found parts of it a bit slow at times it was all in all a good read. 3.5⭐️

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Jessie, Jefferson, Milo, Meg and Honor have been going on annual holidays together for as long as they can remember. This year, they have been treated to a survival weekend on a small private island in Thailand.

To begin with, their adventure is fun but when they find themselves suddenly alone with no way of getting back to the mainland, their time there soon turns into something more sinister.

I am such a big fan of C L Taylor and so I was excited to have a chance to read The Island. From the beginning, the tension and suspense builds and this compelling novel kept me reading well into the night. Time just seemed to disappear.

I liked the fact that it was told from both the point of view of Jessie and Danny. Everyone became less reliable as the story progressed. I continuously tried to figure out what was going on and who was responsible. I didn’t see the end coming.

Each of these characters are in some way relatable and C.L Taylor doesn’t shy away from dealing with some tough subjects including grief, loss, bullying and mental health. It wasn’t hard for me to empathise with these six teenagers.

It has also made me realise that I never want to go to a private Island or jungle. Ever! The setting is described so vividly, I did feel as though I was there with them. This book would transfer to being a movie very well. I could see each scene as it played out.

There really is not a lot I can say about the plot without revealing spoilers. I don’t want to ruin this fantastic physiological thriller for anyone. It’s one of the best YA novels I have read and can be enjoyed by readers of any age.

The Island is a gripping, compelling novel that had me on the edge of my seat from the first to the last page. I loved it.

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A group of teens with a variety of issues end up on a deserted island ... seem familiar? This is a good contemporary exploration of teen issues wrapped up in the excitement of unreliable narrators, tension and unexpected occurrences and the bow on top is the dreaded fear of an unknown predator lurking and observing them and throwing fireworks into the fragile relationships between the teen characters. . An enthralling read that had me hooked from the start with a cast of believable characters each with their own secrets, issues and worries. Skilled at misdirection , Taylor led me down wrong paths and round the island a few times before I finally realised what was going on . An enjoyable read.

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