Star Survivor

A very VERY interesting book. I don't think the cover does it justice. Star Survivor is a fake reality show that is rigged from the get-go. The stars actually relax in a 5 start hotel when not shooting and eat delicious meals made by a chef. Emily (social media influencer for moms), Zoe (ultra famous move start) Toby (well known author) and June (beloved Tv star) are nervous but looking forward to being in the program. That all changes when the helicopter needs to drop them early due to storms. Suddenly they are on an island all alone. Or are they?

This is more than a popcorn adventure and follows the stars through the harrowing time on the island as well as what happens after. I enjoyed this so much and I think you will too! It's a vacation-gone-wrong mixed with social media commentary and general domestic thrills!
#thebookguild #starsurvivor #lisabrace

Everything in this book is about appearances and with that the cover had me fooled into believing it was an easy read, uplifting, and nothing too demanding. Ha, boy was I wrong – in a good way: I almost cried with the scene of June tied to her empty, plastic, milk bottles.

Indeed, it was a funny book, but way more than that, as it is about the abuse and trial by media, women being celebrated and berated for their looks, and how we should be speaking up when possible.

June tells herself that if she'll survive she's gonna be more kind (less demanding) to herself, so I'm trying to stick to that theme :) I think we all could do with that sort of self-compassion.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

The newest reality tv show, Star Survivor, is ready to film. Four “stars”, children’s book author Toby Masters, mumfluencer Emily Chase, morning TV host June Sharp and Hollywood megastar Zoe Stenson are flying on a helicopter to a remote island where they will pretend to be fighting foe survival. Off camera, there will be golf carts, gourmet meals and luxurious accommodations. So when, during a wild storm, their copter can only hover over the island so they can jump to the ground, they aren’t worried. Now alone on a deserted beach, they spend time looking for hidden cameras, waiting for the golf carts and getting to know each other. Emily is first in awe of Zoe’s success but the two quickly bond. June, the oldest of the group, holds on to her vanity possessions (designer caftan, Manolo heels, as long as possible. They all aren’t sure of Toby, whose reputation as a womanizer proceeds him. He broke his ankle when he landed on the beach and doesn’t even seem to be a contender for the Star Survivor title. However, after waiting and waiting for the golf carts that never arrive, the four realize they are not on reality show island. They are deserted and alone far from civilization and will have to work together if any kind of survival is possible.

And that’s only the beginning of this impossible to put down thriller that skewers how we think about success. As their trappings slowly fall away, the real Toby, June, Emily and Zoe find their true selves. There is so much to come in their stories that I (spoilers!) can’t reveal. I can say I haven’t read anything quite like it and you will fall in love with these four characters! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, The Book Guild and Lisa Brace for this ARC.

You’ll enjoy this book if you like shows like “survivor” or “shipwrecked”.
Four celebrities get dropped on the wrong island and actually have to survive on a wild island.
Zoe, about 25, huge movie star.
Emily, around 30, a mommy influencer.
June, around 60, a morning show host
And Toby, mid 40, writer of popular children’s books.
The three women are pretty well fleshed out, but Toby is just really unlikeable. A playboy who objectifies a lot of women and sleeps with them.
The book goes a little darker than I had expected but is still a fun kind of beach read book.
The first and second half feel a bit disjointed in this book unfortunately.
The end feels very rushed, and I wish that was more fleshed out.
All in all I did enjoy it and it was a quick read.

I enjoyed this I love how unique it was don’t think I’ve ever read a book like it before.
I loved the characters they were so well written.
This had everything suspense romance fab characters a different plot.
Super creative and fun a nice easy read that I was unable to put down

Star Survivor is the story of four celebrities on their way to film a survival reality TV show when the question of if they CAN survive is thrown into question. These four celebrities must question everything they thought they knew to have any hope for survival.

Star Survivor is the best book I've read this year. It's incredibly engaging and kept me invested at every twist and turn. The characters are mostly very charismatic and even in the parts of the story that I predicted while reading, I was engaged. For a book managing four different perspectives and stories it still works to successfully give all of the main characters some development and purpose. Overall, this book is great for a mystery and would be a great beach read for summer.

5 Stars

Enjoyable and easy to read, the perfect beach read!

Being marooned on a tropical island, four celebrities fight for survival in what should have been a cushy gig as participants on a reality tv show but ends up as something quite different when they are dropped off on the wrong island in a freak tropical storm.

We follow the viewpoint of each of the four – world-famous actress Zoe, children’s author Toby, morning TV host June and mumfluencer Emily – while they try to come to terms with their situation and fight to survive on whatever food they can find. Forging new friendships along the way, they all have to rely on each other despite their obvious differences, and hope against hope that they will be found in time.

This is not the type of book you think about for days after finishing. However, I thoroughly enjoyed myself while reading it and was happy to find that the characters were fully rounded human beings with different levels of emotional maturity, but all willing to change and grow.

The writing is good, and I enjoyed getting to know each of the characters. Even the articles from various newspapers worked well, and I don’t usually like those. The author’s journalistic past, however, ensured that they were relevant and on point.

I loved this book! The characters, the plot, their interaction on the island.
The characters are relatable and I felt really identified with them, specially with how we all are judge from the outside by everyone. The story was funny and such good read!

An A list actress, middle age to presenter, disgraced author and mum influencer are travelling to an island via helicopter, ready for the start of ‘Star Survivor’. A show where they will look like they are surviving on a deserted island whilst secretly staying in hotel quality accommodation. Due to a freak storm they end up on the wrong island, one with no TV crew, lodgings or supplies. Now the four stars do have to learn how to survive, and quickly.

The first half of the book is about the helicopter trip to the island and subsequent survival. The next quarter is about the reaction once they are found with a six month time hop for the last quarter. I enjoyed the first part, as we got to know the characters and the island changed a couple of them for better. Once they are found it was disappointing how quickly the bond with one islander was ended. I kind of wasn’t sure where the tale was headed either almost half the book left, but it turned it to quite an interesting and unusual tale. Overall I liked it.

****SPOILERS**** The premise of this book was so intriguing: four celebrities are supposed to go on a reality TV show (essentially, UK Survivor), but their helicopter crashes into a deserted island, where they must survive for months until their inevitable rescue. Post-rescue, the group is forced to readjust to life in the real world, with some shooting to A-list fame, while others are forced to deal with the unseemly revelations that came out during their absence. On paper, this sounded like an interesting concept, but, unfortunately, it didn't deliver. The pacing was all over the place, the dialogue felt stunted, and the character-building was both patchy and contradictory. It tried to do too many things in too short of a book, and I was left wanting more in some places and much, much less in others (unnecessary, random, out-of-place sex scene popping up 90% of the way in, I'm looking at you). The bones were there, and I really think this could have been something good, but I didn't love it. Maybe it's just not for me. On the bright side, it was a quick read.

Four celebrities, who would otherwise never been seen together, are left to fend for themselves on a deserted island under the disguise of a reality TV show, Star Survivor. Promises of rest, relaxation, and pampering quickly dissolve as Toby, June, Zoe, and Emily soon realize they are in true isolation. Will these four unlikely friends band together to survive not only the elements, but one another? With their high profile status’ stripped, they must learn to work together while also overcoming their own struggles of self identity and worth.

Lisa Brace’s descriptive writing will draw you in from the start. It’s easy to fall in love with the deserted crew and root for their survival. Twists and turns along the way keep the pace of Star Survivor engaging; just when you think you know where the story line is headed, a new surprise pop up. Although fiction, Brace’s novel makes you question what you thought you knew of reality TV and gives a refreshing take on, “celebrities, they’re just like us”.

The plot of the reality show facing danger and potential death was very exciting especially with the suspense and tension throughout.

Imagine a certain top celebrity show. A group of stars are left on a deserted island to take part in a reality TV show called Star Survivor. Zoe Stenson is a Hollywood star, Toby Masters and author, Emily, Chase and influenza and June Sharpe, a TV celebrity.
Whilst they think they’ve signed up for a show where they will be living in five star luxury. Once the cameras aren’t rolling. They know that during the day they will live in the wild.

Things start to go wrong when they’re in a storm. The helicopter leaves them at the wrong south Pacific Island The bags they have taken with them are no use. There is nothing there and they have to live as they signed up for as survivors. They hope the world is looking for them, but as the weeks go on hope begins to fade.

What is happening at home? Are they being missed? Is the production company in trouble? Why are they on the wrong island?

I don’t really want to say too much and give the plot away, but it’s safe to say that this is a fantastic holiday Read. I really like the characters , and the way that they were bought together. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to see an ARC of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and The Book Guild for providing this book, with my honest review below.

I really enjoyed Star Survivor which brings a mix of intrigue and a great premise. Four celebrities, one of which, Zoe, far outpaces the rest find themselves stranded on the wrong island while en route to a reality show. After quickly reconciling that they aren’t going to be whisked away to luxury digs after pretending to be roughing it on the island, the foursome finds commonalities in that they are all running from something.

They eventually piece together that their accident may not have been a true accident, and while this portion of the book went by quickly it was my favorite part. I love survivor novels and mystery, and this brought the perfect blend of both. While some character studies and some of the plot that could have been expanded on, I enjoyed this quick read that pulled me in and wouldn’t easily let go!

This wild ride was not what they signed up for. I still don’t know how I feel about it. I didn’t love it I didn’t hate it. It was interesting how once they realized this wasn’t part of the show they banded together to survive. I liked how they kept in touch when getting back to their new normal lives. Thank you to netgalley for this free advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion

This was fun but the ending felt very rushed and kinda anticlimactic.
Good premise though - liked how the opinion of the characters could be seen to change in the paper depending on how long they’d be lost! depending

⚠ contains spoilers

Zoe Stenson, June Sharp, Toby Masters, and Emily Chase are set to star in the reality TV show Star Survivor, pretending to survive for cameras. However, they are accidentally left on a deserted South Pacific island, forcing them to switch spotlights for spearfishing and beach finds.

A debut novel (I believe) this good? SIGN ME UP! 🤩Finished this in 24 hours because its THAT fast paced. I enjoyed this book, although I couldn't figure out who was talking to who at times 😅 I'm not a fan of a third person POV but I ATE THIS BOOK. That's one thing about a human eh? You only get to say YOLO if you are in a brink of death and if you're lucky to get out alive, you do things differently after and if not? You live with regrets. I enjoyed the friendship formed in this book especially that they are in a different age group with different personalities. One is putting on a facade because she doesn't want to taint her popularity, one is a mother losing her shit because of potty training, one who is famous with girls and one who entered because she recently broke up with her ex husband. I liked how strong their characters are. The way they do a living in unique ways.

It is true that you will not see what you are capable of unless its from another human watching you. Like Zoe who questions her capability because she is usually dictated on what to do but her personality really shows when she was chosen to decide on what to do next.

I did not see the plot twist tho 😅 I was not expecting that. Toby ending with *toot* really made my jaw drop.

Let me start off by saying I really enjoyed the first half of this book, the idea was extremely interesting and I’m an avid watcher and lover of all kinds of survival shows and movies, this however I think is one of the issues.

If you know anything about survival, I mean anything, you know the number one rule is you have to BOIL any water you find. You can’t just drink it straight from the pond! After I read this I couldn’t stop thinking about it and I’m sad to say it took me out of the story. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, who was going to get sick from drinking the unboiled water ??!! It just seems like such a basic thing for survival to completely gloss over.

Other than that I enjoyed the multiple POVs this book had, even if some of the characters seemed like they weren’t as interesting or like able as others, they eventually became enjoyable.

I give this book 3 stars because I enjoyed most of it and I think it’s definitely worth a try if you enjoy a funny survival story (even if they are ignoring basic principles of survival) and if you enjoy reading books about celebrities. Had a touch of romance at the end but I wouldn’t call it a romance per se.

Thanks to NetGalley and The Book Guild for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

Star Survivor tells the story of four unlikely celebrities who find themselves in an unusual shared predicament! They have all agreed to participate in a "survivor-esque" type reality show for various personal reasons. However, not long into their journey it becomes clear that something has gone terribly wrong. These unlikely friends will have to band together to survive and will learn a lot about each other and themselves along the way!

Just once things seem to be somewhat resolved, the four main characters are left with more questions than answers. Will they be able to figure out the truth of what happened to them?

This book was a lot of fun and would make a great beach read! I loved the concept and the characters. However, sometimes I found myself getting a bit lost in the conversations between the characters as they jumped around in the first half. This could partly be due to adapting to some of the UK slang and language. While I enjoyed the second half, it did seem to jump around the timeline a good bit and maybe didn't flesh out some of the different story arcs of the characters as well as it could have. However, this is overall a quick fun read!

Thank you to Lisa as well as NetGalley for providing me with an arc of this book! It was such a fun and engaging read and I am so beyond in love with the plot. I’m one of those people who love the idea of someone being stranded and just having to survive! This is the story of the four protagonists who are lost at sea following a tv show they were supposed to be on, now listen these four could not be more different. I loved Toby more than anything I think his character was such a cool and unique character who was really dragged through the mud, I did want to protect him as well as all of the other characters. This is the story of them having to adjust to their new lives on this island and having to work together, again did I mention these people are so different and I couldn’t see their paths crossing if this event had not have happened.

I really think that for Lisa’s debut novel oh my gosh this was a great, fun and engaging read and I truly recommend it if you’re a fan of “shipwrecked” or just like the idea of seeing these characters having to come together in order to survive!

digital arc was kindly provided by Netgalley and Book Guild Publishing

I didn't realise that I was gonna be this invested with the lives of four people this week. Wew.

Synopsis<
An actress, a mommy-blogger, a children book author, and a talkshow host were stranded in an uninhibited island. Initially, they were about to join a celebrity survival show, but instead, must try to stay alive for real.

What I like
The plot led me to believe that this could be a mystery, but, boy I was wrong. Yes, there was a mystery subplot there, but mostly, it was about how the four protagonists (Zoe, Emily, June, and Toby) navigated themselves with their newfound lost lives and after.
Half of the book they were gone, the whole world thought they were dead already, so then when they were found, the world, of course, also imploded. With joy. For some, I reckon, not so.
I was so intrigued with them, especially Toby as the only guy out of the four, and the (arguably) had his name smeared so much. I didn't mind the subtle (maybe) romance subplot or even the I-found-myself subplots for all characters.
Everyone found that what they wanted didn't always what they needed, and the courage inside of them to do what's right for themselves, not what is expected of them.
Although I could do with the mystery subplot more, I think the ending was best left as it is.

What I dislike
I need more time for them to get stranded, you get me? The whole time they were missing for weeks/months, but it didn't really felt like that. Could be the time skip.

Final thoughts
Partly funny, very much engaging, it's a great read overall.

alright. this book was real good. i super enjoyed it. the characters are chef's kiss. the plot is mr. darcy level fantastic. the writing is tortured poets department wonderful. all the things and more for this book. read it!!!

An unexpected 4.5 stars (this book was sent to me in exchange for my honest review.) Sooo… when I started reading Star Survivor, I was expecting a light, fluffy book about 4 celebrities who thought they were traveling to play survivors on a show, but were accidentally dropped off on an actual deserted island. As I got further into the book, I was surprised to find, not a story about whiny, privileged celebrities stumbling around with the runs from drinking unfiltered water, but, instead - real people working together actually surviving. The characters were well thought out, likable, and relatable. The story was very well written and I really enjoyed how new information was introduced and how the characters grew from their experiences. This book was not what I expected - in the best way.

Thanks, Net Galley!
After a reality show twist, celebrities are forced to survive on a deserted island. After the show, all of the characters return to their lives while facing consequences around what was revealed during their reality debut. This story unravels the how and why behind their truths and actions.
I enjoyed the premise of this book and thought there were some really great plot twists. However, some scenes were not well thought out and were straight up awkward (i.e. the sex scene). The character development also lacked, and I didn't feel a connection with any particular person.
This is a fun vacation read if you need something quick and entertaining.

The concept of this book was good, celebrity survivor, however, it failed to deliver. While the four celebrities are on their way to take part in a survivor-esque tv show, their helicopter crashes, and they need to work together to survive for real until they can be rescued.

For me, I found the characters to lack any real depth, none of them were fleshed out enough. The dialogue was forced and the pacing all wrong.

That said, if you like the TV show “I’m a celebrity get me out of here”, you might enjoy this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in return for my honest review.

With thanks to Netgalley, for the review copy - I loved this book!

The book focuses on what, at first, appears to be a celebrity survival programme set on a luxurious island. But it quickly becomes clear that something has gone horribly wrong.

Much of the storyline focuses on the lives of Zoe, Emily, June and Toby - the four self-obsessed celebrities - as they learn to survive, with some vivid and honest description; and also as they change their perceptions of themselves and of each other.

If you enjoy a tense thriller, you'll enjoy this book!

“You scroll, you click, you find other people like you, having the same awful day or week or month or year and you say ‘yes, that’s me, I’m having the same time as you. Thank god it’s not just me. Thank god I’m not doing it all wrong.”

Major thanks to the author & NetGalley for this ARC 🫶🏼

Where do I start? The beginning. I loved the writing style and that you jump right into the set up for the initial “disaster”. Was done well, but I did struggle to find myself fully engaged with this part of the book. It seemed to me, like being stranded on an island has been done so many times and for that reason I struggled.

By chapter 6, the 58% part I was sucked in and didn’t put it down until I was done. Reason being, everything seemed so realistic. This could very much happen to any current celebs/influencers on a brand trip. As much as how they survive is interesting, it was the recovery of each character and their relationships that I truly loved. The reveal of who Toby ended up kissing that night, Emily being able to chase her true dream after being forced to monetize her return, June coming out to herself and her want to direct. This book ended up an easy 4 star for all these reasons.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had a hard time getting into this book. There were some good parts, but overall it wasn't my favorite.

I'm sorry to say that this just wasn't the book for me. It wasn't bad at all, I just couldn't find myself getting invested in the story or the characters.

I was really excited to read this book. The plot sounded interesting - celebrities are chosen for a Survivor-style TV show with the caveat that the show is rigged - the "winner" has already been chosen, and the celebrities need only film during the day and will be staying at a resort between tapings. The first bump in the road comes when four of those celebrities are transported via helicopter and told to jump onto the island because due to bad weather, the copter can't land. It doesn't take long for the celebrities to realize they've been dropped off and stranded on the wrong island. Sounds like a great hook. However, this part of the story was resolved within the first half of the book, leaving me thinking, what now?

The middle of the book was extremely boring, and then it picked up a bit towards the end when the book became more of a mystery. This part fell flat for me. It felt like an afterthought and didn't mesh well with the rest of the story.

Keenly Observed..
As celebrities prepare themselves for a stint on the world renowned reality show Star Survivor, the last thing they expect is for things to go badly awry…from the get go. Being dropped in an unexpected fashion on the island is bad enough- but when they realise that it is the wrong island and that they are entirely cut off, how on earth will they survive? More to the point, will they begin to realise the important things in life? With a deftly drawn and keenly observed cast of characters, a well imagined setting and plenty of unexpected moments and surprising turns, this is both enjoyable and entertaining.

Thank you to @NetGalley and The Book Guild for my gifted copy of 'Star Survivor"!

I absolutely LOVED this exciting and entertaining mystery thriller! It's sooooo good! UNPUTDOWNABLE!

Four celebrities: a famous author, a very well known and sought after young actress, a TV host and an instagram mom-fluencer get stranded on a deserted tropical island instead of their destination, Star Survivor UK. The four celebrities learn how to truly survive -- forage for food, fish, build shelter and chop wood for weeks upon weeks waiting to be rescued. They are starving, weak and at the end of their ropes when all hope is found.

Back to civilization, the famous author's ghost writer comes forward and ruins his professional career. The actress continues to be highly sought, The TV host has been replaced by a younger host but completely revamps her life and Emily, the influencer now has 20 million followers and a best-selling book.

Their lives have been completely changed, then interesting facts start to surface. Were they intentionally abandoned on that island to die? Why or who could do such a thing?

What a fun summer read! Light and fun overall. I could have done with some more depth between the characters but the story was good! Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review

This cover initially drew me into this book, the further I dug into the book I noticed the cover doesn’t do the book justice at all. These four stars are meant to be on this reality show but a storm happens and they are left on the island to find their luxury hotel on their own. But weeks pass by…..

This has to be one of my favourite locked room mysteries as I flew through it in a couple of days. I’m so glad I read it.

Thank you to NetGalley, The BookGuild and the author for the eARC for an honest review of the book.

I really loved the idea of this book and it did not disappointment
The characters were well rounded and each played their part of the story well. I woukd happily reccomend

I really enjoyed reading this, it had everything that I was looking for in this type of book. It had a great overall feel to it and was what I wanted based on the description. The characters felt like they were supposed to be there and I enjoyed the overall story going on. Lisa Brace has a great writing style and I’m glad I got to read this.

Star Survivor was given to me by Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I enjoyed the book. Star Survivor started with an engaging survival story but midway turned into a suspense book about the dark side of the entertainment industry in these social media era. A good read overall

As a lover of reality TV (including shows like Survivor), the premise of this book was intriguing. Four celebrities, set to star on a reality TV show are dropped on the wrong island. Toby, Zoe, June and Emily all had their reasons for doing the show, but end up being put to the test of survival in a different way than any of them anticipated. It was interesting to get to know their stories and watch them grow.

The first half of the book was fascinating as the quartet navigates island survival life, but I found the second half to be less fleshed out. The story takes an interesting turn, but I was left scratching my head and wanted more character development. The end left me scratching my head and felt a bit convoluted / contrived.

Thanks to The Book Guild and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a light read that's a bit of a cross between Shipwrecked/I'm a Celeb. 4 random celebs are sent to star in a new reality show that sees them trying to "live" on an island without their daily comforts but a freak storm means they are stranded and have to learn how to survive.
There's not much in the way of depth to the characters, and the end felt a bit rushed, whereas the 2nd half seemed a bit long and waffley.
Some parts didn't make sense either almost as though it hadn't already been mentioned a few chapters beforehand, and some of the spelling, punctuation, and grammar should've been checked!

All in all, it was a light read. Would be ideal for a holiday read. Thanks to @netgalley for the chance to review

Fun beach read that follows 4 characters who are taking part in a reality show like Survivor. But when they are accidentally dropped off on a real deserted island, we follow their attempts to stay alive and be rescued. Although this book went a little dark, I really enjoyed it!

Thank you Netgalley and The Book guild for the ARC!