Oh my stars, I couldn’t put this one down. The action never stops, the characters are engaging and interesting and up to so much that you’re on the edge of your seat. I love it when a story keeps me guessing. I'm not giving much away, just read it, it's brilliant!
Romance, refugees, survival, corruption, resistance, tragedy, family, escape?

Thank you to the publisher @sarahdanielsbooks and @netgalley for the ARC of this book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Oh. My. Goodness!! This is everything you need from a dystopian YA book. It has strong characters, high action and sci-fi technology. It has definite Hunger Games/Divergent vibes.
Switching between POVs with a snappy, fast moving storyline. I was completely engrossed in the dystopian world the author created.

The characters are really well written and people who you definitely root for against the oppressive regime controlling them and there is some humor and warmth in the story which makes you feel for the characters when bad things happen to them.

This is a YA dystopian book set in the 2090s on a huge cruise ship called Arcadia that has been stranded in the Atlantic Ocean for 4 decades because of some virus war that broke out in Europe and Federate States thought they carried the virus so they quarantined them. Pretty interesting idea, and I again read a trauma-filled YA dystopian book, what is wrong with me?
Well, this book is written in 3 different POVs, Esther's, Nik's, and Hadley's. They're first-person except for Hadley's for some reason is the villain/antagonist of the story.
We start with the introduction of the ship and how things work, which are pretty awful as they can't go anywhere, cant do whatever they want, and can get arrested or killed for anything really, typical dystopian. Esther is a 16-year-old girl who is training to be a medic who can get out of the ship and study at some great school in the Federate States. She is a follower, never breaks the rules, and always believes in the Federate States. But one day on the board there is many leaflets with some news about some other cruise ship that's drowned. News and propaganda are illegal so she runs away before anyone catches her thinking she has anything to do with it. Nik is one of those who did drop those leaflets but as he runs away he gets injured, so some of the gang people kidnap Esther to help him as a medic. And I'd say that's when the story begins and all the connection of Esther with the rebellion against the ruthless leader Hadley.
It's a very complicated story divided into two parts, and it's pretty lengthy. Many times it felt like the story is kinda coming to the end but it didn't. I'd say it followed a different formula from the usual. Many characters felt like main characters even if thru didn't have their POVs like Esther's older sister May, or her boyfriend Alex but then it became obvious why. There were many plot twists and revelations, it was pretty action-packed, it had complex and 3D characters, and there was character development either for better or worse, it was just amazing! In the beginning, I was confused and didn't click with the story but by 30 percent in I got sucked. I loved the way the story was told and the different perspectives people had on authority or the collaborators. I liked how Esther grew as a character from a skimpy rule follower to playing a pretty important part in the rebellion. It was pretty amazing. There were many times when I felt like shouting, crying, and was mad at some characters. Id says the author did a very good job of making the readers be invested in it more naturally. It is very impressive considering how they're a debut author! The only thing I didn't like much was that it is supposed to be a duology and the next book doesn't come out until who knows when which is very frustrating because I am interested to know. I am interested to see how the story will play out forward and what will happen to Esther and Nik... and how they'll deal with the new traumas they got... I highly recommend it to YA dystopian fans who are looking for something a bit different and which isn't set that far in the future and with actually complex characters and with no overpowered different female characters.
And don't let the blurb fool you, it does this book no justice at all...

Thankyou to Netgalley and Sarah Daniels for giving me a proof copy of The Stranded to read.

I really enjoyed this YA adventure into the future. The characters energy and bravery showed throughout the book, the pace was fast and felt like I was within the story whilst I was reading. The mix of technology and dystopia was interesting too, never read anything like this and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Arcadia, once a luxurious cruise, has been home to refugees from an apocalyptic Europe for over 40 years. Esther is a trainee medic hoping to get chosen for a programme that will allow her to finally experience life on land. Nik is part of a rebellion, fighting for the freedom of the passengers.

I loved this book. It started off a little slower than I expected but once the full force of the action began, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. I chose this book because of the plot and it didn’t disappoint. The imagery of the ship and the passengers was well written and immersive. The main characters, Esther and Nik, were great. They were realistic characters who had flaws and made mistakes but they were strong and determined and I liked getting to read from both of their points of view.

There were moments that were sweet and heartwarming and then there were moments that broke my heart and made me despair for the passengers of the Arcadia and overall, The Stranded was a great read. It’s the kind of book where you truly root for the main characters and want them to win and that’s why it was such a good book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Children’s UK for letting me read this arc in return for an honest opinion.

This dystopian novel was a rollercoaster of a ride with disaster looming at every turn. The novel tells the story of a stranded cruise ship where people have been forced to isolate due to the threat of a virus. There is a rebellion on board and the three main characters narrate the events from their viewpoint.

The Stranded is a book full of vivid description. This is a new ‘world’ and at times I felt that the author really had her hands full trying to establish the setting. This made the pace at the start of the book slightly slow. There was little about the other characters on the ship which was a pity because I would like to have seen how the main characters interacted with their families and what might have influenced the decisions that they made.

It really worth sticking with it though, because the action ramps up towards the final third of the book. A few of the storylines haven’t quite been wrapped up so a sequel is highly likely! An enjoyable read if you are a fan of action-packed dystopian novels.

What an incredible book! It is so exciting! I was hooked from the very first page to the very last page. The plot twists are exception and the whole storyline is expertly mastered! I loved the multiple POVs and I thought they helped to give even more depth to this exceptional book! I was up until so late reading this book, I just honestly couldn’t put it down! I never knew what was coming next and I was so desperate to at the end of every chapter! Its a little bit different to my usual genres but I absolutely loved it! So thrilling and just an amazing read! You need to read this book!

I needed to read a good thriller hence picked up this advanced review copy. I loved it, it did remind me of “The Hunger Games” however in a more realistic, less gory, and actually quite relatable way given how current events unfold recently, the Pandemic and unrest in Afghanistan then Ukraine. It is mysterious and isn’t easily predictable. Initially I thought I would be lost in the many characters (in truth it wasn’t that many), that didn’t happen. I found myself hurtling (like a ship - pun intended) towards the end of the book, unable to be distracted from it. This is an unputdownable book. I was worried that there will be a cliffhanger, however, the author written the ending in such a way that satisfied my need for a closure yet leaving it open for a possible sequel. I hope I’ll have the privilege to read the advance review copy should there be a sequel too.

A great new addition to the YA dystopian genre! At first I did find it hard to understand the world Esther and the rest of Arcadia were living in, and the history behind how they’d ended up as refugees on cruise ships where we meet them, but as the story progressed I was invested in finding out what was going to happen! I thought the mention of a virus was really clever and very relatable, I wonder if it could have been more involved in the plot though! One of my main loves of the story was that it was revolving around a romance, May and Esther were interesting and strong enough that any romance was a background plot! From the ending, I’ve got my fingers crossed for a book 2!

The debut of Sarah Daniels The Stranded has had some advance hype with Amazon calling it “The unmissable YA debut of 2022” a quote which is distinctly over the top. However, The Stranded is a perfectly decent dystopian thriller which is reminiscent of many other books published since The Hunger Games first appeared way back when. In the fifteen years since Katniss picked up her bow and arrow YA fiction has suffered from every possible type of dystopia, from plague to nuclear war, via alien invasions and environmental catastrophes. The Stranded mixes a few of the tried and tested story lines, puts them in a 1984 inspired George Orwell blender and sets her dystopia on an ocean liner which has been at sea for years and due to a supposed virus cannot go ashore and the only world every character knows is on the ship. However, how do they know the narrative they are being fed is the truth?

The Arcadia has been at shore for forty years and many have lived and died on the water, following the rules of the regime as it tightens down on rules whenever there is any sign of rebellion, such as reading in public! As is often the way with these books the two main characters are real contrasts, Esther is a loyal citizen, working flat-out for a rare chance to live a life on land as she trains as a medic, but is pulled into the dangerous world of the underground. The other is Nik, who is a rebel, intent on liberating the Arcadia once and for all and soon things begin to kick off when an illegal leaflet drop suggests the passengers are being lied to. In some ways this was an interesting refugee story, but it took a long time to get going and as all of the action took place on the boat I found some of it drags and I found myself counting all the hallmarks of dystopian fiction all these books seem to have. It is also the first book in a series and could have done with more resolution, instead of setting up for the second, which I was not engaged enough to bother with. However, it was a solid debut and fans of Suzanne Collins and Malorie Blackman may well enjoy it. AGE RANGE 12/13+

What a rollercoaster of a book! Or should I say ship!!

I was lucky enough to receive an arc of this novel and I really enjoyed it. Dystopian fiction is one of my favourite genres and this one certainly fits. Arcadia is just a really interesting concept - living onboard a ship in quarantine because of a virus (something we have recently had a taste of) is enough but weave in a tense political atmosphere, and this book is unputdownable. I was also impressed with the love story between Nik and Esther, there was a decisive lack of cliches, which definitely is a good match within the genre. The split POVs worked well to really build the world as the characters had their own experiences, particularly at the beginning of the novel.

The only criticism I had was that it was quite slow to start and I found it a bit difficult to get into - however, my perseverance was incredibly worth it as the story really picked up and had me on the edge of my seat.

Bleak and dystopian - a perfect read for your next holiday! Perhaps not a cruise though.

This is one big rollercoaster of a novel. I loved it from start to finish and didn't want it to end. I'm so glad there's a second book! The writing is confident and engaging and I immediately liked the protagonists especially Esther - a big plus in my opinion. Although set in the future, it's scarily relatable. There are some dark scenes but also some lighter moments of humour which creates a great balance.. Loved it and will def read the sequel!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the characters were beautifully written and interacted well with each other. The narrative was well paced and I found myself hooked to read more.

The suspense built through the cliff hangers at the end of the chapters added to the desire to read on and find out what happened to the characters, whether they lived or died. It felt as if you were experiencing the narrative with Esther, slowly finding out how the rebellion came to be and how far they are willing to go.

I would have like to see more of the character’s relationships with each other. Such as Esther and her sister, or Nik and his mother. I feel this would have made the narrative more emotionally tying.

That said, I loved everything else about this book. I liked how the reader was fed information about the rebellion and the ships until the truth became clear at the end of the story. It felt as though you were experiencing the action alongside the main characters.

The Stranded -By Sarah Daniels
Rebellion,Corruption and the Coalies!!

The Stranded by Sarah Daniels is a standalone futuristic novel set in 2094.The story set aboard the Arcadia ship,where passengers have been stranded for years due to fears of a deadly virus.

My favourite character are Esther and May Crossland,they are both strong female’s who stand up for what they believe in.
All the characters felt real and you have real empathy for the passengers on the ship.
My favourite scene is when Esther decides to help the rebellion and finally everyone realises she is more like her sister May then they realised.
The book had me gripped from the beginning and I was rooting for the rebellion to succeed .
Despite not being a genre I usually read,I absolutely loved this book.it was fast paced and kept my interest the whole way through.A real page turner

This book is listed as a young adult but is suitable for the general adult market too and would appeal to anyone who likes futuristic books or fast paced thrillers.A brilliant futuristic page turner.
Bookworm rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

The Stranded is a dystopian story based after a virus has wiped out europe and left the remaining population to settle at sea on cruise ships in order for them to survive. The passengers dream of returning to land but after 40 years at sea with zero virus cases they are still denied access. I would highly recommend you read this if you enjoyed the hunger games or even the divergent series. Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Publishers for providing this ARC for review. All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

honestly, one of the best science fiction books I've read so far. the characters were well developed, and even though I found the romance a bit queasy because.. they're saving the world right? it was still lovely to read. the plot is quite similar to all the sci-fi books out there, but the way Daniels writes makes it almost an original trope

Great dystopian read. Will certainly read the next book. Admittedly it was a bit bleak in places but perhaps that was made worse considering the last few years of pandemic. All in all a good read just don't read it on your next cruise.

I was very intrigued by the synopsis and it took a while to get into, but I'm glad I stuck with it.
Living on a cruise sounds great. Til you add in the virus, the refugee status and the guards. The world Sarah Daniels paints is bleak, but filled with touches of hope and rebellion.
Esther and Nik are great characters. Their drive and passion is palpable. I really appreciate the omission of mushy cliche romance or love triangles.
The multiple points of view are well done, but I'm never keen on them.
The pace is slow to start, but the author is creating a whole world so it's to be expected. It picked up towards the end and leads well into the 2nd book.
Grab this book for a cruise maybe.... Or just a weekend read.

3 n half stars rounded up to 4 for this rollercoaster of a novel.

As someone who is currently binge watching Snowpiecer on Netflix as soon as I saw this book compared to that I just had to read it. Set on an old cruise ship, The Arcadia, which has been stranded on the coast line of America since the virus wars which decimated the rest of the world. The inhabitants are in quarantine until it has been determined that they don’t have the virus, but with other ships being slowly sunk will they ever get off The Arcadia?

After 15,000 and odd days stuck on this ship with no virus detected the rebellion are ready to take control of this ship for the freedom of everyone on board. What happens next is a thrilling action pack ride leading to quite a climax!

This is a story written through 3 points if view - Esther, a trainee medic who is desperate for her spot to get off the ship - Nik, a neathy who’s mum is part of the rebellion and Headly, the head of the Coalies who is just a pretty terrible person.

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

I was looking forward to read this book as the storyline sounded intriguing and just on the right sight of believable. Considering the recent pandemic, being stuck on a cruiseship for decades is maybe not es far fetched as it might sound. The claustrophobic setting and bleak outlook made an interesting backdrop for this story and this book was certainly worth a read. The concept was interesting and the characters likable, if not completely believable or relatable. The beginning of the plot and the world building was great and started at a good pace, however, the storyline remained predictable and the characters lacked depth. At the end it spiraled from unrealistic and far fetched into bat sh** crazy territory. The star crossed love stories were not quite believable and failed to convey any feeling to me. I doubt that I will pick up the sequel to this book, as by the abrupt and uninspired end I was past caring.
Fazit: The concept of the story and the promise of this new dystopian world were much more interesting than the execution in this book.