Author: C.L Taylor
Genre: YA Mystery/Thriller
Format: E-Book Advanced Reader Copy
Published: 21st January 2021
Pages: 288 
Rating: 3 Stars

Goodreads Synopsis

Lost meets The Hunger Games in the thrilling new young adult novel from C.L. Taylor, the Sunday Times and million-copy bestselling author.

Welcome to The Island.
Where your worst fears are about to come true…

It was supposed to be the perfect holiday: a week-long trip for six teenage friends on a remote tropical island.

But when their guide dies of a stroke leaving them stranded, the trip of a lifetime quickly turns into a nightmare.

Because someone on the island knows each of the group’s worst fears. And one by one, they’re coming true.

Seven days in paradise. A deadly secret.

Who will make it off the island alive?

CAWPILE

Characters – 6
Atmosphere – 7 
Writing Style – 5 
Plot – 6
Intrigue – 8 
Logic – 6
Enjoyment – 7

Overall: 6.4 

Review

Trigger Warnings: Sexual harassment, panic attacks, loss of a sibling, grief, loss of a parent and, PTSD.

This review contains spoilers. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, HQ via Netgalley, however, this in no way influenced my opinion. Thank you to HQ for providing me with a copy.

So, I requested this on NetGalley after seeing the cover and reading the synopsis, last year I started to enjoy Mystery/Thriller novels more so I was excited to read this, unfortunately, I was a little disappointed. As soon as I read the prologue of this novel, I was drawn in because of how ominous it was and after the ending, you can see how it ties into the story. One aspect of this enjoyed was how addictive it was, I couldn’t put it down as I just had to find out what happened next. Now, let’s talk about the characters, I actually quite enjoyed Jessie’s character and exploring her backstory. Sadly, I didn’t really like the character of Danny, he was very irritating to me and his relationship with Honor was very toxic. I did like the other characters in the novel, especially Jefferson. Unfortunately, I guessed the twist a few chapters before the reveal, while I didn’t guess the specific I noticed that Danny was the only one seeing things like the snake. While I saw it coming I thought it made for an interesting but heartbreaking twist as we discover why Danny is seeing things. The pacing of this novel felt a bit all over the place to me, something big would happen then things would get boring again, and this resulted in the story feeling a bit disjointed. Another issue I had was that the ending felt very rushed, the fact their parents showed up just as the final reveal was taking place was a little coincidental in my opinion. 

Overall this was a decent YA Mystery/Thriller novel with interesting but predictable plot twists and frustrating main characters.

Buy, beg, steal or borrow this! (Don't actually steal it):

Lost meets Hunger Games meets Lord of the Flies...

Six teenagers, Jessie, Danny, Honor, Milo, Meg and Jeffers, have known each other since they were babies - their parents were part of the same antenatal group.  Although they're not as close as they used to be, they all meet up once a year when their parents organise a group holiday.  This year they're all in Thailand and, as it's Jeffers birthday, his dad has organised the teenagers to stay for a week on a private island with a guide as part of a survival adventure. 

The Island is beautiful, white sand beaches and their guide Anuman is friendly and competent at showing them how to build shelters and forage for food.  The first night they spend around the campfire, telling ghost stories and each other their biggest phobias.  But then the following day something happens to Anuman, the boat is damaged and all their phobias start to come true.... Is there someone else on the island or is one of their group responsible?

The book is told from two of the group's perspective - Jessie and Danny, with the exception of one chapter.  It's a fast paced tale which I found utterly addictive, sneaking in a chapter whenever I could.  The characters are realistic and it really did keep you guessing almost until the end.  The ending was perfect and, completely unlike me, I actually can't fault it at all. I absolutely loved it, it's the best book I've read in years and I'm giving it 5 stars!

#cltaylorauthor #netgalley #theisland #isurvivedtheisland

Review posted to Amazon, Waterstones, Instagram, Goodreads and Facebook book groups.

I recently read The Island. Originally I liked this! But I’ve had a few days to reflect before writing this and actually I think the only thing I did like was final 50 or so pages 🙈
That said it kept me reading. It wasn’t boring but it was just a bit meh. It’s YA and I think teens aged 13-15 would probably really enjoy the creepy island vibes and the teen relationships. 
The ending was good, it wasn’t what I expected it would be - always good! 
I liked it overall but I much prefer this authors adult thrillers 👍🏼

Thank you to @netgalley & @hqstories for my gifted copy.

I am a big fan of C L Taylor having read all of her previous books. Although this is a YA book, don’t let that put you off reading it as it is a brilliant psychological thriller. Told from two perspectives, this had plenty of twists and turns which kept me guessing throughout. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I am so envious of our YA community today. Working as a Senior School Librarian I get to see first hand the excitement books can have over them – if of course they find the time to read amongst endless schoolwork or scrolling on their phones. They have such amazing books to read and The Island is a perfect example of this. When you are fighting against social media, gaming and all the other distractions that come with modern life, well the stories have to be gripping. Oh my goodness, The Island certainly is that. And please don’t think you have to be a young adult to enjoy it. I am 40-something and absolutely loved it. I literally could not put it down and stayed up reading way into the night.

Jessie is one of six teenage friends who meet up every year for an annual holiday – something of a tradition for their parents since they met through their antenatal group over seventeen years ago. This year they are in Thailand and as a special birthday treat for Jefferson, the camping and outdoor nut of the group, the teenagers are off to spend a week on an Island with only a guide for company. No luxury hotel, no internet and no mobile phone signal. It should be the adventure of a lifetime but not all is as it should be and tensions are running high within the group.

The first night passes with stories around the campfire and talk soon turns to their greatest fears. The next days things take a turn for the worse when their guide is taken suddenly ill and dies. Strange events begin happening and the adventure soon becomes something of a nightmare as they are no longer sure if they are alone on the Island. Someone seems to be messing with them, making their worst fears a reality and paradise soon becomes hell. It’s not long before the friends begin to become suspicious about each other.

Reading this I can see why Cally has sold so many books. Characters are brilliantly built as the story moves along, the tension is palpable and you really can’t stop reading. It was incredibly engrossing from start to finish with a seamlessly executed plot. With books that are targeted towards our younger readers it’s incredibly important to be able to feel a connection with the difficulties the characters are facing and I think the various emotions and underlying issues within the group can be identified with by pretty much anyone. Also when thinking about the premise of this story, imagine your worst fear coming true and that happening when you are far away from all you know and love. Imagine not knowing who you can trust or which way to turn. The atmosphere created from the situation is absolutely brilliant and makes for a very exciting read indeed.

I will be most definitely adding this to my Library book shelves at school as well as recommending to my own family and friends! It will be perfect for the many lovers of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson. Thank you so much to the team at HQ for inviting me to take part in this blog tour and supplying me with a copy via Netgalley. I shall definitely be reaching for Cally’s backlist of novels now. Absolutely brilliant!

Wonderful coming of age hormonal teenagers drama

It was supposed to be a fun birthday getaway on an island alone with just them and a guide 

But things turn downhill quickly, and they begin to question their friendships as well as their sanity 

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for ARC

I really couldn’t get into this book , maybe it would appeal to a younger reader . I only got 25% in . I love this authors books but unfortunately not this one

Brilliant. I am reading more YA novels this year and I LOVED this one!

Set on a remote jungle island where six teenagers are on a seven-day adventure break. I found this an exciting and enjoyable read from the start. I would love to have been able to read in a single sitting but my day didn’t go to plan however I did find myself reading it at any possible opportunity (yes, imagine kindle in hand at all times!)

I had an idea who was behind the strange goings on but not enough to spoil the read – just enough to keep me reading, and to speed up the reading to see if I was on the right track. I found myself completely absorbed and could picture the setting very well thanks to the authors descriptions.

These are six teenagers who’s parents have been friends for years so they have been thrown together for an annual holiday each year. The friendships have changed as the toddlers become children and then teenagers and this history is woven into the story.

C. L. Taylor writes highly addictive books that I have enjoyed and I was so excited to find this YA Thriller when I have committed to focusing on YA/MG reads this year. As a thriller it is up there with the best of them and I will be watching out for more from this wonderfully talented author.

Many thanks to C.L. Taylor, HQ Young Adult and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I strayed unaware into this Young Adult themed offering from C L Taylor, so it unsurprisingly wasn’t quite what I expected. As a reader securely established in my seventh decade I guess it’s fair to say I’m unlikely to be representative of the author’s target audience. However, it seems to this reader, at least, that there was likely to be something in the unusual plot that would engage an audience grappling with the transition between teenage years and the responsibilities of adult life. Having said that, I have to express general unease with the concept of a ‘young adult’ readership. My own experiences, and observations of the reading habits and enjoyment of younger generations in my own family, point rather more firmly to older children and young adults being catholic in their reading tastes, rather than proceeding stepwise through early learning, children’s fiction, teen fiction, young adult etc before finally graduating to adult fiction.
Grumble over, it is only fair to report that Ms Taylor’s signature features are present and correct: skilful storytelling; the maintenance of a steady and engaging pace in the unfolding  narrative; and a need on the part of the reader to keep turning the pages long past the intended lights out moment. Recommended.

A group of six seventeen-year-old friends, whose parents met at anti-natal classes. They have known each other since birth and their families have taken an annual holiday together ever since. For a birthday treat one of the parents books an exclusive jungle island survival experience for the teenagers. 

Once on the island the cracks on their relationships begin to show, as the very different teenage personalities and previous life experiences bubble to the surface. After a death on the island the story takes a more sinister turn. The teenagers don’t know whether somebody else is playing foul or if it is one of their own group. In either case, they are stuck on the island living a nightmare and fighting for survival.

I have read most of this authors books and really enjoyed them, but this is her first YA book that I have read. For me, this book started off quite slowly. I found that it didn’t really pick up pace and grip me until I was over halfway through reading it. At this point it became a white-knuckle ride and I was compelled to see how the story would end. It definitely had a very interesting ending which I wasn’t expecting.

This was my first CL Taylor book, I requested the ARC because it sounded really interesting.  I have to say, I stayed up til 2am on Tuesday to finish it.  I literally could not put it down.

The setting really draws you in, and maybe we have been in the house too long, but this island sounded like heaven to me 😂 it isn't long before things start to go wrong though and you are left guessing what is going on.

The book is obviously YA which does make it an easy but thrilling read.  I would recommend it if you are looking for something quick to read but there are a few triggers in this book; mental health issues and death just to name two.

Thanks to HQ and netgalley for the advanced copy.

Ok, so this was my first YA book, and I wasn’t that impressed to be honest. 

Taylor's writing was good, and I think if I read one of her usual fiction books I would have thoroughly enjoyed, however I found the story of the 5 teenagers on an island quite dull. It had so much potential, the synopsis sounds exciting, the plot could have been riveting, but it just fell flat and very unrealistic and very naive. I don’t think this book was a thriller as much as mystery/teen romance. I didn’t feel any suspense, even when the author wanted you to. 

I will give it the benefit of the doubt and say that if you are a young teenager and trying to get into reading, you might very well enjoy this read. However, it's just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Welcome to The Island. Where your worst fears are about to come true… It was supposed to be the perfect holiday: a week-long trip for six teenage friends on a remote tropical island. But when their guide dies of a stroke leaving them stranded, the trip of a lifetime turns into a nightmare. Because someone on the island knows each of the group’s worst fears. And one by one, they’re becoming a reality. Seven days in paradise. A deadly secret. Who will make it off the island alive? 

The story is told in the POVs of Jessie and Danny, bar one chapter later on in the POV of another member of the friendship group. It was interesting to read the unfolding story from various viewpoints, gaining deeper understandings of the characters’ thoughts, feelings and motivations. That said, with Danny’s chapters, I didn’t feel as much of a connection with him as a person compared to Jessie’s. That may be the idea, that we see more into Jessie’s head and Danny is more reserved but it would have elevated the story more if we got inside Danny’s head just that little bit more. The other characters were each included and shown well - never just in the background, always having their moment to shine, which I appreciate. Some stories have others characters involved merely to progress the storyline of the MCs, but I felt this wasn’t the case here. 

Reminds me of Lord of the Flies more than anything except they’re older and have a little less tendency to turn on each other. I do feel it was a little repetitive at times - something happens to one person, they recover, something happens to another person. I wished to have more to this book - especially with the synopsis being so intriguing. The ending was interesting - definitely a twist I was and wasn’t expecting - but again, I felt like it could have been more. It almost felt like a cop out not having more happen in the climax, hence my rating of only 3 stars. As a YA book, we could’ve had more violence or more build up of fear which I would’ve expected from a story such as this. If it did, it would have been an easy 4 stars for me. 

Overall, The Island is a book that makes you grateful you’re not stuck on a desert island somewhere, that’s for sure. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

The all new addictive YA thriller from C. L. Taylor, the story follows six families who holiday together every year. This time they’re in Thailand and the six teenagers are taking part in a week long survival trip on a remote island. When their guide dies suddenly the teenagers are stranded and the trip quickly takes a dark turn. As the group attempt to survive they quickly learn someone on the island knows their worst fears – but who is making them come true?

This was such a fast paced read and I raced through it in just over a day. I always love C. L. Taylor’s books and this one is no exception. Full of twists and turns, I didn’t guess the ending until it was revealed. Taylor has such a great writing style that it’s really easy to get absorbed in the story. I really adored the premise of this one – the idea of a once in a life time trip gone horribly wrong and the sinister notion of whether they are in fact the only people on the island.

The characters were well developed and I liked some of them and hated others. They made for a fascinating group and it was really interesting seeing the dynamics change as they fought to survive and grew suspicious of each other. Like the other C. L. Taylor books I’ve read there’s a tense, unsettling atmosphere that continues to climb right to the very last page.

If you’re a fan of C. L. Taylor or you love compelling YA thrillers, this is absolutely a must read. This is my fifth read by this author and I cannot wait to see what she does next.

The blurb describes this book as Lost meets The Hunger Games. I found myself comparing it more to Bear Grylls The Island.
C.L Taylor is a master of her work . Fir me, this was a perfect book, I didn't want it to end.
It was exciting, intriguing and full of thrills. Also to me the ending was unexpected but good.
I would recommend this book.

Every year six families had gone on holiday with each other since they had met at anti-natal classes. Some of the now teenagers had siblings. Not. all the families could meet every year, either because of finances or for some, family tragedies. The six families had gone to Thailand this year, but the teenagers had all changed over the years, had their distinctive characters and styles. Each year they became more like strangers to each other.
Jefferson is all about survival skills so for his birthday this year, his parents have hired a private island for the six teens to go to for a week, with an experienced guide too. After playing a campfire game of what their phobias are, their guide becomes very ill and dies. The youngsters are left to fend for themselves with no way to contact the outside world. But things are going to take a dangerous turn. Who else is on the Island?
This is a great YA thriller that will get set your imagination alight trying to work out why mysterious things are happening. The teens have to overcome their worst nightmare situations. The Island is both a beautiful and deadly with the group falling apart with each other. Hormones are on the boil and rational thinking.
The days are ticking down until they will be picked up, that is if they can survive until then. It is a fabulous Y. A. novel.
I wish to thank Net Galley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

This was my first time reading anything by C.L Taylor, and I wasn't disappointed!

I thought this book was structured really well, the plot progressed well, and was paced in a way that the author managed to build suspense without being boring or repetitive.

I liked the concept of the novel - a group of teens (17 years old) left stranded on an island where they not only need to survive until rescue, but they must also outwit whoever has overheard them speak of their phobias and is making them come true. 

The story unfolded well and there were enough hints and red herrings to keep me engaged. Also, I didn't guess the outcome which is always a plus point. However, whilst I didn't guess the ending I was a little disappointed with it, I would've liked to have seen things end differently - this is most probably personal preference though, it didn't take away from the overall story too much.

There are some trigger warnings to be aware of - death, harassment, phobias, bullying, PTSD but they are all handled sensitively and actually bring a lot to the story. With this being a YA book, I think shedding a light on these issues is so important, and I was impressed with how Taylor did it. 

My only criticism lies with the characterisation. I don't feel as though they were all as developed as they should have been - Jeffers and Meg in particular. What I did learn about them left me wanting to know more, and this wasn't suspensful or mysterious, rather annoying because they felt half finished.

Overall a good read, with enough positives to convince me to check out more of the author's work. I would recommend. I would rate it 3.5/5

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book*

I am a huge huge C.L Taylor fan and have read pretty much all her books, now i am the first to admit i don't read alot of Y/A but this one i must admit properly peaked my interest, the premise sounded gripping, thrilling and something i would enjoy - throw in its written by one of my favourite authors and i was ready to delve in.

Marketed as Lost meets Hunger Games, we meet six teenage friends who are about to embark on a survival style holiday on their own island, its meant to be a great chance to unwind, experience something new and have a great holiday together without the adults around. However - when their guide dies, and leaves them stranded things take a turn for the worse.

Someone on the island knows the groups biggest phobias and one by one these are coming to life, and seven days is really a long time when you have to fend for yourself and no way to leave. Who will actually survive this deadly island.

I loved this, it was so thrilling, it had elements of Lord of the Flies too which i adored, (i never watched Lost so i can't compare but still) I sometimes find when you have a few main characters it's a struggle to get my head around them all but these all had clear characteristics and each chapter was told from a different perspective you got to discover their individual voices.

I found that i was hooked into this straight away and felt myself been taken on a twisty turny journey with everyone on the island, i felt myself concerned and worried for everyone. I also felt my trust been taken away from me and desperately counting down the days until they could all leave or be found.

Cally has created a beautiful but dark read that has a powerful impact, tackles some very dark topics but is still light enough to enjoy. Everything was handled sensitively but looked at complex issues. The characters were all real, flawed and tackling their own issues. A great read and i am so glad i got to review this.

First of all I would like to say thank you to Netgalley and the author for giving me a e-copy of this book. 

So this was the first book I have read from this author and the synopsis really intrigued me as it has one of us is lying vibes but on a remote island in Thailand! I personally really enjoy thrillers so thought I should give C. L. Taylor a go as people rave about their books - however this one just didn’t hit the mark for me. 

The book is told in 2 POV’s - Jess and Danny - and as much as I enjoyed having the different perspective in the copy I had, Jess’s sections were in firs person and Danny’s were told in 3rd which was weird. 

The story itself was quite dull. The but in the beginning where the guide died was about as thrilling as it got until I was like 5 Chapters from the end. I didn’t have a connection with the characters as they all seemed so 1 dimensional, and quite whiney so I didn’t really care what happened to them. 

Also because it’s a survivor storey and the same would happen in the days, sections of the days were missed so the plot twist at the end was just Meh.... as the story really jumped around at the end and I think we should have seen more through the 2 POV’s we were given. 

This story was alright but not my favourite.

I really enjoyed this book , that's essentially a locked room mystery - a group of teenage childhood friend take a survivalist trip to a Thai island , and things start going terribly wrong resulting in a bunch of stranded teenager fighting for survival in more than one way. I really enjoyed the dual perspective Voices in the book as well as the intertwined relationships. However I didnt feel particularly invested in the story, no matter how engaging it was , and I think that maybe due to complete lack of world building. However , I did fly through the book in a day. The storyline was engaging, with multiple mysteries to solve and a constant seance of impending doom and intrigue, it kept me hooked from page one. As far as YA mysteries go this was one of the best I have read however overall I dont think I was the correct reader.