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Never Coming Home
Jeder kennt Unknown Island – es ist das exklusivste Reiseziel der Welt. Weiße Sandstrände, türkisfarbenes Meer, Luxusunterkünfte … Nur geladene Gäste dürfen kommen und niemand über einundzwanzig. Plus: Es ist absolut kostenlos. Wer würde also nicht hinwollen? Über eine virale Kampagne werden die Türen des Resorts zum ersten Mal und exklusiv für zehn ausgewählte Influencer:innen geöffnet. Jeder kennt sie: Da ist die Gamerin, die Beauty-Bloggerin, das Rich Girl, der Superstar, der Nachwuchspolitiker, die Umweltaktivistin, der DJ, die CEO, der Sternekoch und der Sportler.
Was sie nicht wissen: Sie wurden nicht wegen ihrer Followerzahlen auf die Insel eingeladen. Jede:r von ihnen hütet ein tödliches Geheimnis, und es scheint, als hätte jemand entschieden, dass die Zeit der Rache gekommen ist. Unknown Island ist kein Urlaub, es ist eine Falle. Und es sieht alles danach aus, als würden diese zehn trotz all ihres Einflusses nie wieder nach Hause zurückkehren ...
Spannender Jugendthriller um 10 Influencer:innen auf einer einsamen Insel, die zur tödlichen Falle wird. Für Fans von «The I-Land» und «One of Us Is Lying».
Was sie nicht wissen: Sie wurden nicht wegen ihrer Followerzahlen auf die Insel eingeladen. Jede:r von ihnen hütet ein tödliches Geheimnis, und es scheint, als hätte jemand entschieden, dass die Zeit der Rache gekommen ist. Unknown Island ist kein Urlaub, es ist eine Falle. Und es sieht alles danach aus, als würden diese zehn trotz all ihres Einflusses nie wieder nach Hause zurückkehren ...
Spannender Jugendthriller um 10 Influencer:innen auf einer einsamen Insel, die zur tödlichen Falle wird. Für Fans von «The I-Land» und «One of Us Is Lying».
368 pages, Hardcover
First published June 21, 2022
172 people are currently reading
15557 people want to read
About the author
Kate Williams
5 books448 followersI'm the author of The Babysitters Coven trilogy (girls, magic, fashion, friendship, LOLs and dogs) and the thriller Never Coming Home (islands, influencers, bikinis, biscuits and gravy, and murder).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 852 reviews
December 27, 2022
Wow! 4.5 stars rounding up to 5 smartly retold; GenZ version of “And then there were none”!
I have to admit I had second thoughts before jumping into this idea about bunch of young influencers also the killers found themselves in a deserted island, dying one by one just like the original manuscript, at first! It could be lame, superficial, unrealistic and boring ! But thankfully this book is none of those! The characters’ dilemmas were told perfectly! I thought I would hate those kids! But I didn’t! Because the author honestly approached true nature of those characters: they are flawed, broken, lonely, suffering, in denial, lying to themselves and to the entire world!
Only one of them is extremely psychopath enough to plan this detailed scheme by providing enough financial source and brain storming to play this cat-mouse game!
I loved the smart and honest criticism of social media, the harsh realistic approach of influencers’ bubbly worlds. The way of revealing the culprit’s identity at the end was genius move!
Let’s give a quick summary of plot:
A place called Unknown Island launched a marketing campaign went viral to attract everyone’s attention. This is private island in an undisclosed location in the South Pacific entered the social media with its slick YouTube video featuring biggest models and influencers cavorting on beaches, laughing in pools, snorkeling, splashing, being sun drenched, aspirational! To be a part of this place you have to under 21 and inspirational social media phenomenon so you get your all expenses paid vacation ticket!
Ten young influencers were chosen for this trip and their names were declared the day before they took the trip!
Here are the list of candidates:
Emma Jane Ohana from LA-18, billionaire financier’s spoiled rich girl, a true crime addict
Justice Wilson from Mission Hills, Kansas :17 years old environmental activist, the child overachiever and competitive family
Robby Wade from Atlanta, 17 years old restaurateur, chef, YouTuber, carrying his knife collection everywhere
Xander Lee from Carrollton, Texas, 19, old collage football star, new social media influencer, becoming famous with his shirtless dancing videos
Chelsea Quinn from LA, transgender, 18, old beauty YouTuber, reckless driver, obsessed with her selfies
Margot Bryant, 20, NY based CEO of the non-defunct SHEmail, business oriented, ambitious
Graham Hoffman, 19, from Minneapolis, old political organizer, nerdy, confused
Manny de La Cruz, 19, producer, DJ from Miami with dreams of being a powerful musician, carrying guilt like an armoire
Frankie Rushh, 18, social mega star from New York, most popular It-girl of the group with millions of followers
And Celia Young who is mousy, smartest, youngest video gamer of the group ( only 16) from Alameda/ California
Those ten did something very bad in the past. Even they deny, they might be killers and one of them is so adamant to get the rest of them!
But who and why?
Overall: absolutely riveting, exciting, heart throbbing, smart retelling of the Agatha Christie
classic! Looking forward to read more works of the author!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s / Delacorte Press for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
I have to admit I had second thoughts before jumping into this idea about bunch of young influencers also the killers found themselves in a deserted island, dying one by one just like the original manuscript, at first! It could be lame, superficial, unrealistic and boring ! But thankfully this book is none of those! The characters’ dilemmas were told perfectly! I thought I would hate those kids! But I didn’t! Because the author honestly approached true nature of those characters: they are flawed, broken, lonely, suffering, in denial, lying to themselves and to the entire world!
Only one of them is extremely psychopath enough to plan this detailed scheme by providing enough financial source and brain storming to play this cat-mouse game!
I loved the smart and honest criticism of social media, the harsh realistic approach of influencers’ bubbly worlds. The way of revealing the culprit’s identity at the end was genius move!
Let’s give a quick summary of plot:
A place called Unknown Island launched a marketing campaign went viral to attract everyone’s attention. This is private island in an undisclosed location in the South Pacific entered the social media with its slick YouTube video featuring biggest models and influencers cavorting on beaches, laughing in pools, snorkeling, splashing, being sun drenched, aspirational! To be a part of this place you have to under 21 and inspirational social media phenomenon so you get your all expenses paid vacation ticket!
Ten young influencers were chosen for this trip and their names were declared the day before they took the trip!
Here are the list of candidates:
Emma Jane Ohana from LA-18, billionaire financier’s spoiled rich girl, a true crime addict
Justice Wilson from Mission Hills, Kansas :17 years old environmental activist, the child overachiever and competitive family
Robby Wade from Atlanta, 17 years old restaurateur, chef, YouTuber, carrying his knife collection everywhere
Xander Lee from Carrollton, Texas, 19, old collage football star, new social media influencer, becoming famous with his shirtless dancing videos
Chelsea Quinn from LA, transgender, 18, old beauty YouTuber, reckless driver, obsessed with her selfies
Margot Bryant, 20, NY based CEO of the non-defunct SHEmail, business oriented, ambitious
Graham Hoffman, 19, from Minneapolis, old political organizer, nerdy, confused
Manny de La Cruz, 19, producer, DJ from Miami with dreams of being a powerful musician, carrying guilt like an armoire
Frankie Rushh, 18, social mega star from New York, most popular It-girl of the group with millions of followers
And Celia Young who is mousy, smartest, youngest video gamer of the group ( only 16) from Alameda/ California
Those ten did something very bad in the past. Even they deny, they might be killers and one of them is so adamant to get the rest of them!
But who and why?
Overall: absolutely riveting, exciting, heart throbbing, smart retelling of the Agatha Christie
classic! Looking forward to read more works of the author!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s / Delacorte Press for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
October 18, 2024
When Unknown Island made its presence known via social media, it hit hard. An isolated, luxurious island vacation destination where young people, of a certain caliber and follower count, will get to stay free for a week at a time.
The claim is that an angel investor is funding the exclusive destination as a way for the best young minds to come together and share ideas. It's invite only and no one over 21-years old will be included.
The initial marketing push is strong and everyone wants to be involved. If they can't go in person, they'll be watching it unfold via social media.
Who wouldn't want a free vacation that the whole world is watching? The potential for publicity is off the charts. For some young influencers, this could be the opportunity of a lifetime. It's so good, they can taste it.
After the First Ten are selected, the chosen ones slowly and complicatedly make their way to the remote island location.
Once they arrive, they quickly discover something is off. The scene they find is not what the promotional materials advertised. What the heck is going on?!
It's soon exposed that these fresh-faced travelers weren't invited to Unknown Island because of their individual follower counts. They were invited for the terrible secrets they hold. Someone knows and is looking to expose them.
Worse than that, it seems whoever is behind Unknown Island is hellbent on revenge. Will any of them be able to make it home alive?
I really like what Williams did with Never Coming Home. She gave me a classic-feeling mysterious slasher set on an abandoned island with a plucky group of diverse and unlikable characters.
That's exactly the vibe I wanted going in and it's exactly what I got. There were a few places when it dragged a little for me, but overall it's a super fun Summer Chiller!
In addition to the fabulous horror elements, I enjoyed the underlining modern themes running through this one. It's social media taken to the extreme, but it was interesting to think about.
Of course I couldn't help but think of Fyre Festival with the set-up of this one. It definitely gives off that same sort of skeevy feeling. These poor kids was what I was initially thinking, but once the bodies started dropping, I stopped caring as much.
Williams kills were creative and a few definitely left me picking my chin up off the ground. She held nothing back!
This is the perfect quick read for a Summer Scare. I would definitely recommend it to people who love a good old fashion slasher. It checked all those boxes for me.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I had a lot of fun with this one and hope that Williams continues in this lane with her future work!
The claim is that an angel investor is funding the exclusive destination as a way for the best young minds to come together and share ideas. It's invite only and no one over 21-years old will be included.
The initial marketing push is strong and everyone wants to be involved. If they can't go in person, they'll be watching it unfold via social media.
Who wouldn't want a free vacation that the whole world is watching? The potential for publicity is off the charts. For some young influencers, this could be the opportunity of a lifetime. It's so good, they can taste it.
After the First Ten are selected, the chosen ones slowly and complicatedly make their way to the remote island location.
Once they arrive, they quickly discover something is off. The scene they find is not what the promotional materials advertised. What the heck is going on?!
It's soon exposed that these fresh-faced travelers weren't invited to Unknown Island because of their individual follower counts. They were invited for the terrible secrets they hold. Someone knows and is looking to expose them.
Worse than that, it seems whoever is behind Unknown Island is hellbent on revenge. Will any of them be able to make it home alive?
I really like what Williams did with Never Coming Home. She gave me a classic-feeling mysterious slasher set on an abandoned island with a plucky group of diverse and unlikable characters.
That's exactly the vibe I wanted going in and it's exactly what I got. There were a few places when it dragged a little for me, but overall it's a super fun Summer Chiller!
In addition to the fabulous horror elements, I enjoyed the underlining modern themes running through this one. It's social media taken to the extreme, but it was interesting to think about.
Of course I couldn't help but think of Fyre Festival with the set-up of this one. It definitely gives off that same sort of skeevy feeling. These poor kids was what I was initially thinking, but once the bodies started dropping, I stopped caring as much.
Williams kills were creative and a few definitely left me picking my chin up off the ground. She held nothing back!
This is the perfect quick read for a Summer Scare. I would definitely recommend it to people who love a good old fashion slasher. It checked all those boxes for me.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I had a lot of fun with this one and hope that Williams continues in this lane with her future work!
December 5, 2022
3.5 stars
This is an interesting YA take on And Then There Were None.
Unknown Island has positioned itself to be the next big thing. A splashy resort in a remote location, completely free--but accessible by invitation only to select people under the age of 21. No one knows who is behind the resort, but everyone who is anyone wants to be included. For the soft opening, Unknown Island has invited ten young people with significant social media followings. As they arrive on the island, nothing is as it seemed before they arrived. It's not well stocked, there's no staff, and conditions are very rustic, they have no phone service or internet. We discover why these specific people are there. Then one person dies. Then another. Cryptic photos are posted online via the only connection to the outside world. Can they get off the island alive?
I liked the journey, although as is usually my quibble with this type of book, there are just too many characters for me to get invested in them to care about whether they live or die. I was curious as to who was behind everything, and we do get adequate closure in the end. However it feels like a rush to pick off the characters, which sometimes felt like a checklist rather than a plot point because we didn't really get to know them very well.
Other than that, I did like the wrap up and the explanation for why things happened, both in their manner and the motives behind them. It made sense to me, and in a horror novel, this is a great feat. And make no mistake, this is definitely a horror novel. The manner in which each person dies are varied and quite gruesome. The reason why they were invited is revealed slowly, and we understand that most of these people are not so nice.
Overall, this is an intriguing deserted island YA horror novel that will keep you guessing until the end and should change the way you think about social media and what you post.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
This is an interesting YA take on And Then There Were None.
Unknown Island has positioned itself to be the next big thing. A splashy resort in a remote location, completely free--but accessible by invitation only to select people under the age of 21. No one knows who is behind the resort, but everyone who is anyone wants to be included. For the soft opening, Unknown Island has invited ten young people with significant social media followings. As they arrive on the island, nothing is as it seemed before they arrived. It's not well stocked, there's no staff, and conditions are very rustic, they have no phone service or internet. We discover why these specific people are there. Then one person dies. Then another. Cryptic photos are posted online via the only connection to the outside world. Can they get off the island alive?
I liked the journey, although as is usually my quibble with this type of book, there are just too many characters for me to get invested in them to care about whether they live or die. I was curious as to who was behind everything, and we do get adequate closure in the end. However it feels like a rush to pick off the characters, which sometimes felt like a checklist rather than a plot point because we didn't really get to know them very well.
Other than that, I did like the wrap up and the explanation for why things happened, both in their manner and the motives behind them. It made sense to me, and in a horror novel, this is a great feat. And make no mistake, this is definitely a horror novel. The manner in which each person dies are varied and quite gruesome. The reason why they were invited is revealed slowly, and we understand that most of these people are not so nice.
Overall, this is an intriguing deserted island YA horror novel that will keep you guessing until the end and should change the way you think about social media and what you post.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
December 1, 2022
"The future of humanity meets the future of travel."
I was not expecting to get so swept up in this one! As a huge fan of Agatha Christie, this is a worthy modern reimagining of And Then There Were None and Selected Plays with a modern, Gen Z twist to it. It's rare that a mystery can keep me changing my guess on who the murderer is for such an extended period, but that is precisely what this book did for me. I'm not young or hip, and likely never was, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment for this story. Please note, you'll have to wholly suspend your need for a plausible plot, but if you are looking for full on entertainment in the form of YA slasher tales, this is it.
I don't want to give anything away, but I feel it's necessary to include some thoughts on things that caused me to bump my review down from a 5 star. I'll include them in a spoiler tag as to give the reader of this review the choice on whether or not they'd like to view them.
There's quite a diverse cast in this one, and I was relieved that we didn't have the cliche "kill the POC characters first" trauma that is typically seen in the genre. A few portions are rather gory, so if that sort of disturbing content isn't your thing, I'd give this one a wide berth. Some triggers include but are not limited to: If you're looking for a campy, influencer filled slasher tale, this one might be worth checking out!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
I was not expecting to get so swept up in this one! As a huge fan of Agatha Christie, this is a worthy modern reimagining of And Then There Were None and Selected Plays with a modern, Gen Z twist to it. It's rare that a mystery can keep me changing my guess on who the murderer is for such an extended period, but that is precisely what this book did for me. I'm not young or hip, and likely never was, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment for this story. Please note, you'll have to wholly suspend your need for a plausible plot, but if you are looking for full on entertainment in the form of YA slasher tales, this is it.
I don't want to give anything away, but I feel it's necessary to include some thoughts on things that caused me to bump my review down from a 5 star. I'll include them in a spoiler tag as to give the reader of this review the choice on whether or not they'd like to view them.
There's quite a diverse cast in this one, and I was relieved that we didn't have the cliche "kill the POC characters first" trauma that is typically seen in the genre. A few portions are rather gory, so if that sort of disturbing content isn't your thing, I'd give this one a wide berth. Some triggers include but are not limited to: If you're looking for a campy, influencer filled slasher tale, this one might be worth checking out!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
May 17, 2022
4.5 stars - This is one of the best AND THEN THERE WERE NONE retellings I've encountered, and I loved the incorporation of the influencer element as the basis for the themes and the murderousness. This was squarely aimed at me and what I love in mystery thriller - loved it!
August 12, 2023
I didn't like this. Very underwhelming.
At first, I got curious with the idea of 10 famous influencers trapped in an island with no way out. As we're living in a world where social media is a very powerful tool, this was kind of catchy for me until it turned into something I would've ignored had I known that it would only waste my time. I could forgive the many POV's because I was able to keep up with every character.
I would've liked for the murders to be described more clearly but sadly, it was presented in a Reddit convo which was sly and lazy if you ask me, like, I think an explanation is owed to the readers rather than someone making a thread to make up for it, but—it's social media and I guess the author wanted to focus on that. Well. Social media is not what it seems. Everyone is fake happy and hiding their true selves. Behind the likes and the follows, nothing is perfect.
The ending was rushed and boring. Ugh. Let me get this book on my Read list so I wouldn't have to think about it, ever again.
At first, I got curious with the idea of 10 famous influencers trapped in an island with no way out. As we're living in a world where social media is a very powerful tool, this was kind of catchy for me until it turned into something I would've ignored had I known that it would only waste my time. I could forgive the many POV's because I was able to keep up with every character.
I would've liked for the murders to be described more clearly but sadly, it was presented in a Reddit convo which was sly and lazy if you ask me, like, I think an explanation is owed to the readers rather than someone making a thread to make up for it, but—it's social media and I guess the author wanted to focus on that. Well. Social media is not what it seems. Everyone is fake happy and hiding their true selves. Behind the likes and the follows, nothing is perfect.
The ending was rushed and boring. Ugh. Let me get this book on my Read list so I wouldn't have to think about it, ever again.
June 7, 2022
Never Coming Home is such a well-done story. Ten super swanky influencers are called to a highly exclusive new island resort called Unknown Island. Everyone is desperate for a ticket to this promised paradise to unwind and get away for a week. Picturesque white sandy beaches, sipping fancy cocktails poolside, what could be better? However, little do they know just what they are in for. Nothing about Unknown Island is what it seems as it becomes shadier and shadier by the second. Everyone is there for a reason and one reason alone and that is vengeful retribution. Someone, potentially among them, is a masterminder and a schemer who wants to take them down.
I really enjoyed how each character confronts their struggles, past, internal self-hate, and how social media can be so destructive and deceptive if used the wrong way or over-abused. We all post snippets of moments in time that don’t reflect the ongoing nature of life and challenge inherent within it. And by getting away from 24/7 connection, and specifically curated content, these characters are forced to face themselves honestly and intensely, as individuals and within their relationships, some platonically and others romantically, as a group. Some are fascinated by crime and unpacking mysteries, others can’t stand to be near such horror-filled atrocity for extended periods of time, but regardless, each person is tested and pushed to their limit.
I also, throughout, appreciated the underlying message that just because someone does something bad doesn’t mean they are always a wholly bad person or deserve to get unthinkably punished when complexity and moral gray areas exist. Justice is an admirable, much needed goal in certain instances, but so is recognizing that sometimes the fact that someone has to live with themselves can be just as difficult and painful.
I felt as unsafe and skeptical as the characters while reading as no one trusts each other or fears someone will turn on them at any given moment. The book was action-packed and tightly, consciously paced so that no one word felt wrong or wasted. There was much needed truth in these pages that felt energizing to get lost in, even if tragedy lurked at every corner that simultaneously sobered me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for my advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review!
I really enjoyed how each character confronts their struggles, past, internal self-hate, and how social media can be so destructive and deceptive if used the wrong way or over-abused. We all post snippets of moments in time that don’t reflect the ongoing nature of life and challenge inherent within it. And by getting away from 24/7 connection, and specifically curated content, these characters are forced to face themselves honestly and intensely, as individuals and within their relationships, some platonically and others romantically, as a group. Some are fascinated by crime and unpacking mysteries, others can’t stand to be near such horror-filled atrocity for extended periods of time, but regardless, each person is tested and pushed to their limit.
I also, throughout, appreciated the underlying message that just because someone does something bad doesn’t mean they are always a wholly bad person or deserve to get unthinkably punished when complexity and moral gray areas exist. Justice is an admirable, much needed goal in certain instances, but so is recognizing that sometimes the fact that someone has to live with themselves can be just as difficult and painful.
I felt as unsafe and skeptical as the characters while reading as no one trusts each other or fears someone will turn on them at any given moment. The book was action-packed and tightly, consciously paced so that no one word felt wrong or wasted. There was much needed truth in these pages that felt energizing to get lost in, even if tragedy lurked at every corner that simultaneously sobered me.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for my advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review!
July 10, 2022
I liked the idea of The Wilds meets Clue but the ending was not satisfying for me. I don’t feel like the motivations were enough for why each person were chosen. Only Frankie made sense…
August 4, 2022
maybe someday i will feel up to reviewing again...
June 2, 2022
Review coming soon.
June 12, 2022
This was intense! I was swept away from the beginning and it was one wild ride until the end. Ten enfluencers are invited to an exclusive island resort, with the promise of a luxurious vacation. But when they arrive, they find it is not what they were expecting. Then people start to die. Soon they begin wondering, who among them is the killer? Or have they all been set up?
I really enjoyed this. It kept me guessing the whole time, and my brain is still puzzling it out.
Never Coming Home will be released June 21, 2022.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this. It kept me guessing the whole time, and my brain is still puzzling it out.
Never Coming Home will be released June 21, 2022.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 21, 2022
This sleek and updated homage to Agatha Christie’s AND THEN THERE WERE NONE was a super fun beach read, full of satisfying twists!
July 7, 2022
10 social media influencers are invited to Unknown Island for an exclusive, free trip that is buzzing all over social media. When they get there there’s no internet, no staff, and the luxurious suites are just a shack. They realize they are all stranded and soon learn that they all have some sort of secrets in common. Soon they all begin to die one by one.
Honestly this sounded cool and I picked it up because it reminded me of Fyre Fest but it just wasn’t memorable. It ended up being a generic mystery story. There’s way too many characters just to be there and I couldn’t keep track of them. Plus the chapters were too long. There’s also no creepy atmosphere and I just didn’t care.
Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.
Honestly this sounded cool and I picked it up because it reminded me of Fyre Fest but it just wasn’t memorable. It ended up being a generic mystery story. There’s way too many characters just to be there and I couldn’t keep track of them. Plus the chapters were too long. There’s also no creepy atmosphere and I just didn’t care.
Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book.
August 2, 2022
Unknown Island is the world's most exclusive destination. Not just anybody can get in. It's doors are only opened to the ten most elite social media influencers.
All the contestants have big a following, even bigger dreams, and all of them have a reason for wanting to get away
Justice is an environmentalist who's desperate to escape her parents.
Manny is a Dj with aspirations to became a music producer. He's also desperate to stay relevant.
Frankie is a dancer with a massive Tik Tok following. Despite her other successful ventures, all anyone sees her as is the dancing girl. She's hoping this trip will highlight her other attributes and keep her from fading into obscurity.
Chelsea is a makeup guru with a huge YouTube following. But recent events have caused her to lose a lot of fans and, more importantly, a lot of sponsorships.
Emma Jane has a passion for photography, but has neglected it to post superficial bikini pics in attempt to gain more followers. Maybe that's why she's resorted to pills and partying. She's hoping trip will help to get her life straightened out.
Margot is the CEO of feminist email company for women (unfortunately named SHEmail). SHEmail isn't the success she thought it'd be, and she's hoping to make connections with the fellow influencers in order to grow her business and brand.
Celia is a famous gamer who was pressured to come by her parents to grow her audience.
Xander is a football players who's ready to leave it all behind to become a high-powered influencer. This trip is a chance for him to get more exposure and gain a larger following.
Robby is a high profile chef with his own YouTube channel and restaurant. He's just glad to have a vacation away from all the pressures of his profession.
Graham is the youth liaison for the trip with a history of dabbling in politics. He's hoping this experience will help him rise up the politic ranks quicker.
Unknown Island seems like the chance of a lifetime. But something feels off. Where are the publicists, marketing directors and cameras? It seems pointless to bring together the most influential teens on social media and not have exposure and press.
Things get weirder still when they realize the accommodations aren't as luxurious as expected (in fact they're downright shabby), there isn't any staff and -strangest of all- there's no internet connection. Wasn't posting pics, gaining followers and giving Unknown Island exposure the whole point of this trip? Paradise isn't quite what they expected and the real reason they were invited to the island will have deadly consequences.
This book is so intense! This is a high-stakes Survivor meets a Gen Z 'And Then There Were None.'
The island setting and it's dark history as a remote prison made for a perfect claustrophobic and tense read. My heart was racing the whole time, and I was glued to the page until the end.
There are a lot of characters, but there was never a point where I was confused. All of them had very distinct personalities, backgrounds and motives. I became attached to them all for different reasons. The manner of death for each character was unique and well done.
The social media angle was well incorporated....despite having an audience of millions, the contestants were still alone. Still helpless. Still completely misunderstood. I found to it to be a great allegory for the reality of social media and influencer culture.
All the contestants have big a following, even bigger dreams, and all of them have a reason for wanting to get away
Justice is an environmentalist who's desperate to escape her parents.
Manny is a Dj with aspirations to became a music producer. He's also desperate to stay relevant.
Frankie is a dancer with a massive Tik Tok following. Despite her other successful ventures, all anyone sees her as is the dancing girl. She's hoping this trip will highlight her other attributes and keep her from fading into obscurity.
Chelsea is a makeup guru with a huge YouTube following. But recent events have caused her to lose a lot of fans and, more importantly, a lot of sponsorships.
Emma Jane has a passion for photography, but has neglected it to post superficial bikini pics in attempt to gain more followers. Maybe that's why she's resorted to pills and partying. She's hoping trip will help to get her life straightened out.
Margot is the CEO of feminist email company for women (unfortunately named SHEmail). SHEmail isn't the success she thought it'd be, and she's hoping to make connections with the fellow influencers in order to grow her business and brand.
Celia is a famous gamer who was pressured to come by her parents to grow her audience.
Xander is a football players who's ready to leave it all behind to become a high-powered influencer. This trip is a chance for him to get more exposure and gain a larger following.
Robby is a high profile chef with his own YouTube channel and restaurant. He's just glad to have a vacation away from all the pressures of his profession.
Graham is the youth liaison for the trip with a history of dabbling in politics. He's hoping this experience will help him rise up the politic ranks quicker.
Unknown Island seems like the chance of a lifetime. But something feels off. Where are the publicists, marketing directors and cameras? It seems pointless to bring together the most influential teens on social media and not have exposure and press.
Things get weirder still when they realize the accommodations aren't as luxurious as expected (in fact they're downright shabby), there isn't any staff and -strangest of all- there's no internet connection. Wasn't posting pics, gaining followers and giving Unknown Island exposure the whole point of this trip? Paradise isn't quite what they expected and the real reason they were invited to the island will have deadly consequences.
This book is so intense! This is a high-stakes Survivor meets a Gen Z 'And Then There Were None.'
The island setting and it's dark history as a remote prison made for a perfect claustrophobic and tense read. My heart was racing the whole time, and I was glued to the page until the end.
There are a lot of characters, but there was never a point where I was confused. All of them had very distinct personalities, backgrounds and motives. I became attached to them all for different reasons. The manner of death for each character was unique and well done.
The social media angle was well incorporated....despite having an audience of millions, the contestants were still alone. Still helpless. Still completely misunderstood. I found to it to be a great allegory for the reality of social media and influencer culture.
March 31, 2023
A modern retelling of "And Then There Were None" with influencers that followed the original a little too closely while still managing to miss the mark. Strange pacing, an obvious twist, and characters so flimsy you could knock them over with a feather.
There were far too many POVs and insufficient character-building to distinguish between them. I hate this cliched portrayal of influencers that paints them as flat and vapid without any traits or complexity resembling an actual human being.
I also didn't love a thriller involving brutal murders of such young people (if I had known the victims' ages ahead of time, I would have skipped this altogether). I especially disliked the choice to kill off the one and only trans character first.
The book was easy enough to get through and very mildly entertaining (emphasis on *very mildly*), but it just didn't do nearly enough. It was convoluted, and I didn't enjoy the writing style, which focused on a whole lot of uninspired dialogue and not nearly enough action. Never have I had to endure so many drawn-out descriptions of extended periods in which several characters stay together in one room or area doing absolutely nothing. Then the ending slammed in abruptly like a sledgehammer, with a reveal that was so absurd I audibly groaned.
This one isn't worth the time it takes to read it.
Trigger/Content Warnings: ableism, queermisia, drug use, overdose, anaphylaxis, murder, gun violence, poisoning, suffocation, stalking, animal cruelty
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There were far too many POVs and insufficient character-building to distinguish between them. I hate this cliched portrayal of influencers that paints them as flat and vapid without any traits or complexity resembling an actual human being.
I also didn't love a thriller involving brutal murders of such young people (if I had known the victims' ages ahead of time, I would have skipped this altogether). I especially disliked the choice to kill off the one and only trans character first.
The book was easy enough to get through and very mildly entertaining (emphasis on *very mildly*), but it just didn't do nearly enough. It was convoluted, and I didn't enjoy the writing style, which focused on a whole lot of uninspired dialogue and not nearly enough action. Never have I had to endure so many drawn-out descriptions of extended periods in which several characters stay together in one room or area doing absolutely nothing. Then the ending slammed in abruptly like a sledgehammer, with a reveal that was so absurd I audibly groaned.
This one isn't worth the time it takes to read it.
Trigger/Content Warnings: ableism, queermisia, drug use, overdose, anaphylaxis, murder, gun violence, poisoning, suffocation, stalking, animal cruelty
You can find me on...
Youtube | Instagram | TikTok
You can join our book club over on Patreon...
PBB Book Club
June 27, 2022
this was oh so very clever!
July 10, 2022
Thank you to Penguin Audio and Kate Williams for my copy of Never Coming Home. It was about Unknown Island, a luxury island that you can only get to by invite and is totally free. The whole world is watching while the first 10 influencers are invited and arrive to experience this remote location. What they don’t know is why they were really invited, and what they all have in common. Everyone is hiding a deadly secret, and when the influencers start dying one by one, it starts to look like no one will survive this deadly vacation.
Thoughts: This book was a combination of teen And Then There Were None and Fyre Festival gone deadly. It did kind of seem like a rip off of a classic book with a new and more modern twist. However, it was so much fun, and even though you have to completely suspend your belief, it is maximum entertainment. There were so many fun and unique characters and I liked the representation in this book. It was an interesting angle with the influencer aspect and I really enjoyed imagining this as a Fyre Festival type situation.
This was a campy, teen slasher type book with tons of creative deaths (bees, stabbing, overdose, suicide, guns, etc). I don’t want to spoil anything, but the ending was so wild there was no way to believe the theories. I think it works well for YA, but if you don’t have to have a believable ending, it will be a wild and entertaining ride. Even though I didn’t like the ending, I really liked the story and wasn’t bored for a minute. 4-stars.
Thoughts: This book was a combination of teen And Then There Were None and Fyre Festival gone deadly. It did kind of seem like a rip off of a classic book with a new and more modern twist. However, it was so much fun, and even though you have to completely suspend your belief, it is maximum entertainment. There were so many fun and unique characters and I liked the representation in this book. It was an interesting angle with the influencer aspect and I really enjoyed imagining this as a Fyre Festival type situation.
This was a campy, teen slasher type book with tons of creative deaths (bees, stabbing, overdose, suicide, guns, etc). I don’t want to spoil anything, but the ending was so wild there was no way to believe the theories. I think it works well for YA, but if you don’t have to have a believable ending, it will be a wild and entertaining ride. Even though I didn’t like the ending, I really liked the story and wasn’t bored for a minute. 4-stars.
July 25, 2022
Fyre Festival meets And Then There Were None!
A quick and fun summer mystery. It's very Gen Z but as a Millennial on Twitter, I'm aware of it all lol
A quick and fun summer mystery. It's very Gen Z but as a Millennial on Twitter, I'm aware of it all lol
July 29, 2022
“The hardest secrets to keep are your own.”
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
Thanks to author Kate Williams for providing an ARC of Never Coming Home in exchange for an honest review.
⇢Never Coming Home in under 20 words
- Social media stars are invited to a luxurious island
- People start dying
- And Then There Were None vibes
- SUSPENSE !
⇢What I Liked
This was a unique and exciting YA locked door mystery! I don’t read very many YA mysteries that are standalone, they’re usually adult standalones or YA series, so this was a nice change.
First, I loved the locked door aspect. The characters were trapped on a terrifying island and that feeling of suffocation, felt very real. While there was some gore/blood, this didn’t feel that violent so I applaud that this book felt scary even without that.
“You’re not in Kansas anymore.”
⇢The Characters
The weaker side were the characters, while I grew to like some of them, others I just didn’t know for long enough to really care about them. And I feel like there was some missed potential there- there could have been cooler dynamics formed, people teaming up and whatnot. Or even if some kind of relationships had been formed before the island (besides the one) that would have worked too. I just wanted anything that would make the characters stand out a bit more.
⇢Overall
Overall, really enjoyable, I read this pretty quickly once I actually got into it so you can definitely finish it in a single sitting! (P.S. Try to figure out who the murderer is, its definitely possible to guess accurately!)
*4.25
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
my carrd ❦
May 16, 2022
This is what you would classify as a " book of the times" .
We are currently living in a world where influencers make more money than physicians and politicians. So what better plot than to put a bunch of privileged influencers on a deserted island. This book is jam packed with unlikeable characters and I loved every ounce of it.
This was a riveting, mind bending, psychological thriller that kept me engaged the entire book. There were no "slow periods" or any kind of repetitiveness. This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time and I quickly became addicted to "one more chapter" . I ended up devouring this in one sitting. I could not get enough.
This book is definitely going to be a favorite of mine and I can not wait to see what Kate M. Williams comes out with next. I have become a true fan.
We are currently living in a world where influencers make more money than physicians and politicians. So what better plot than to put a bunch of privileged influencers on a deserted island. This book is jam packed with unlikeable characters and I loved every ounce of it.
This was a riveting, mind bending, psychological thriller that kept me engaged the entire book. There were no "slow periods" or any kind of repetitiveness. This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time and I quickly became addicted to "one more chapter" . I ended up devouring this in one sitting. I could not get enough.
This book is definitely going to be a favorite of mine and I can not wait to see what Kate M. Williams comes out with next. I have become a true fan.
July 12, 2022
Ten young influencers are lured to an exotic, isolated, island that doesn’t lives up to its promise of luxury. One by one, they are picked off - killed - for crimes that they got away with. They were presented with their misdeeds upon arrival to the island.
It’s a moderately entertaining entertaining YA take of “and then there were none”.
It’s a moderately entertaining entertaining YA take of “and then there were none”.
August 14, 2023
In knapp 24h durchgelesen!
Dieses Buch war unterhaltsam & zum miträtseln - wie ich es liebe!
Das große Thema Social Media hat mir so gut gefallen, wir stecken da ja irgendwie alle mit drin 💭📱
Ein Stern Abzug gibt es für die Auflösung am Ende. Ich hätte es mir… etwas dramatischer vorgestellt. Die Auflösung ist etwas vage und meiner Meinung nicht der ganz große Knaller. Aber das betrifft nur die letzten 10 Seiten des Buches, bis dahin war ich ein sucker for the drama 🤭
Dieses Buch war unterhaltsam & zum miträtseln - wie ich es liebe!
Das große Thema Social Media hat mir so gut gefallen, wir stecken da ja irgendwie alle mit drin 💭📱
Ein Stern Abzug gibt es für die Auflösung am Ende. Ich hätte es mir… etwas dramatischer vorgestellt. Die Auflösung ist etwas vage und meiner Meinung nicht der ganz große Knaller. Aber das betrifft nur die letzten 10 Seiten des Buches, bis dahin war ich ein sucker for the drama 🤭
November 13, 2022
This is going to be spoiler-filled and brimming with hate
Look, I’m just going to cut straight to the point: nobody, and I mean nobody, should ever do a retelling of a classic thriller book. Thank you, Miss Williams for helping me realise that.
I don’t even know where to start (just kidding, I totally do. I’ve been planning my hate list in my head the whole week--yes, week, can you believe it?--I was labouring through this novel).
1. This was not a retelling. This was using the exact same skeleton as the much better classical whodunnit And Then There Were None and just changing the way the characters died and the major motive behind the murders (which, by the way, we didn’t even get?). This had so much potential, truly. The characters were endearingly flawed and, despite my hatred towards the plot, got past my defences and into my heart. Here’s my advice: if you have not read And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie and don’t ever plan to, read this book. If ATTWN is on your TBR, then do not waste your time by reading this. I really think I would have enjoyed this a bit more had I not already read ATTWN.
2. I know I already mentioned this above, but I have to elaborate further. The parallels drawn between Never Coming Home and And Then There Were None made this book so, so predictable. Consider the following:
➥The first person to die in BOTH novels is the insensitive jerk who openly admits to murdering their victim and not showing any remorse about it whatsoever (Chelsea, in this case). What makes it worse is that the way the victims died in both novels is exactly the same: a hit and run with no consequences faced by the guilty party. Original.
➥ The last two people on the Island, once again in both novels, are the star-crossed lovers, who both think the other is the murderer. The girl, who secretly has a gun placed in her possession by the actual murderer, shoots her would-be-beau and then decides to kill herself by means, I must add, was provided to her by the true culprit.
➥The way Celia pretended to die just so nobody would think she was the actual murderer? Yeah, that as well was recycled.
What kept me reading was the characters (especially Manny), honestly.
3.“Your eyebrows aren’t even on fleek anymore!”
“Haters gonna hate.”
“Unknown you’re tripping with this weirdness.”
I’m pretty sure the above says enough about how the author thinks Gen Z talks. I am almost certain she googled “trendy things teenagers say” and used the cringiest ones in this book.
4. Elaboration on #3, but is this how millennials see us? As internet-obsessed people who want to monetise on the “diversity trend” as the author put it? I have officially made up my mind that no book should ever, ever be written on pop culture. Just pretend it doesn’t exist.
5. I feel the only thing the author exceeded in was the beautifully flawed characters and their emotional backstories. You instantly found yourself rooting for everyone (even though the real murderer was painstakingly obvious) to escape. I also enjoyed the in-depth understanding of social media and PR in this day and age. It was so accurate (unlike the dialogue) and played up very nice (I especially liked the Reddit thread).
6. The ending? Trash. Trash, trash, trash. My sister heard me furiously stomping around my room, half-yelling, “trash” into the void, and thought I lost it. Because, after labouring through those ENDLESSLY LONG CHAPTERS, I was not even given a decent motive? Like? Okay, I understand why Celia suffocated Frankie, but the rest? Why put in all that effort for people she didn’t even know? At least say she craved justice or something (like in ATTWN--amazing, she copies everything except this).
Whatever, I’m just proud of myself for finishing this. Hopefully off to better books.
1.5 stars rounded up.
Look, I’m just going to cut straight to the point: nobody, and I mean nobody, should ever do a retelling of a classic thriller book. Thank you, Miss Williams for helping me realise that.
I don’t even know where to start (just kidding, I totally do. I’ve been planning my hate list in my head the whole week--yes, week, can you believe it?--I was labouring through this novel).
1. This was not a retelling. This was using the exact same skeleton as the much better classical whodunnit And Then There Were None and just changing the way the characters died and the major motive behind the murders (which, by the way, we didn’t even get?). This had so much potential, truly. The characters were endearingly flawed and, despite my hatred towards the plot, got past my defences and into my heart. Here’s my advice: if you have not read And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie and don’t ever plan to, read this book. If ATTWN is on your TBR, then do not waste your time by reading this. I really think I would have enjoyed this a bit more had I not already read ATTWN.
2. I know I already mentioned this above, but I have to elaborate further. The parallels drawn between Never Coming Home and And Then There Were None made this book so, so predictable. Consider the following:
➥The first person to die in BOTH novels is the insensitive jerk who openly admits to murdering their victim and not showing any remorse about it whatsoever (Chelsea, in this case). What makes it worse is that the way the victims died in both novels is exactly the same: a hit and run with no consequences faced by the guilty party. Original.
➥ The last two people on the Island, once again in both novels, are the star-crossed lovers, who both think the other is the murderer. The girl, who secretly has a gun placed in her possession by the actual murderer, shoots her would-be-beau and then decides to kill herself by means, I must add, was provided to her by the true culprit.
➥The way Celia pretended to die just so nobody would think she was the actual murderer? Yeah, that as well was recycled.
What kept me reading was the characters (especially Manny), honestly.
3.“Your eyebrows aren’t even on fleek anymore!”
“Haters gonna hate.”
“Unknown you’re tripping with this weirdness.”
I’m pretty sure the above says enough about how the author thinks Gen Z talks. I am almost certain she googled “trendy things teenagers say” and used the cringiest ones in this book.
4. Elaboration on #3, but is this how millennials see us? As internet-obsessed people who want to monetise on the “diversity trend” as the author put it? I have officially made up my mind that no book should ever, ever be written on pop culture. Just pretend it doesn’t exist.
5. I feel the only thing the author exceeded in was the beautifully flawed characters and their emotional backstories. You instantly found yourself rooting for everyone (even though the real murderer was painstakingly obvious) to escape. I also enjoyed the in-depth understanding of social media and PR in this day and age. It was so accurate (unlike the dialogue) and played up very nice (I especially liked the Reddit thread).
6. The ending? Trash. Trash, trash, trash. My sister heard me furiously stomping around my room, half-yelling, “trash” into the void, and thought I lost it. Because, after labouring through those ENDLESSLY LONG CHAPTERS, I was not even given a decent motive? Like? Okay, I understand why Celia suffocated Frankie, but the rest? Why put in all that effort for people she didn’t even know? At least say she craved justice or something (like in ATTWN--amazing, she copies everything except this).
Whatever, I’m just proud of myself for finishing this. Hopefully off to better books.
1.5 stars rounded up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2022
Picture it if you will: a modern Gen-Z retelling of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None intersecting with 2017’s disastrous Fyre Festival. If that doesn't make you want to read this suspenseful YA murder mystery thriller, I don't know what will!
Ten social media influencers are invited to an island that is supposedly nothing short of paradise. They are promised a luxurious all-expenses-paid experience and told they are there as part of a promotional campaign. But the island, while beautiful, is nowhere near the VIP experience portrayed on the website. And these influencers learn that they have been invited under false pretenses. They all have something in common, they are all keeping secrets, and the person seeking to do them harm could very well be among them.
I can’t get enough of the “strangers-brought-together-under-mysterious-circumstances-and-bumped-off-one-by-one” trope and it was a huge selling point when I was lucky enough to receive an early review copy of this book! This was such a fun read. There’s plenty of focus on the pressures of being in the public eye, putting up facades, the privileges and consequences that come with being a social media influencer, etc. The story is told from multiple perspectives, the cast of characters are diverse, the tensions are high, and the ending….(*shhh* Can’t spoil that).
NEVER COMING HOME is a perfect summer beach read, one I devoured like a bowl of popcorn! Readers who were already fans of Kate Williams' former Babysitters' Coven trilogy should keep this one on their radar this month because it is a gruesome good time!
(Special thank you to author Kate Williams and Delacorte Press for my early review copy!)
Ten social media influencers are invited to an island that is supposedly nothing short of paradise. They are promised a luxurious all-expenses-paid experience and told they are there as part of a promotional campaign. But the island, while beautiful, is nowhere near the VIP experience portrayed on the website. And these influencers learn that they have been invited under false pretenses. They all have something in common, they are all keeping secrets, and the person seeking to do them harm could very well be among them.
I can’t get enough of the “strangers-brought-together-under-mysterious-circumstances-and-bumped-off-one-by-one” trope and it was a huge selling point when I was lucky enough to receive an early review copy of this book! This was such a fun read. There’s plenty of focus on the pressures of being in the public eye, putting up facades, the privileges and consequences that come with being a social media influencer, etc. The story is told from multiple perspectives, the cast of characters are diverse, the tensions are high, and the ending….(*shhh* Can’t spoil that).
NEVER COMING HOME is a perfect summer beach read, one I devoured like a bowl of popcorn! Readers who were already fans of Kate Williams' former Babysitters' Coven trilogy should keep this one on their radar this month because it is a gruesome good time!
(Special thank you to author Kate Williams and Delacorte Press for my early review copy!)
July 28, 2022
How to best convey my thoughts on this one, hmm?
Turns out, responding to a question with a question, perfectly sums it all up:
Can I get a refund?
Turns out, responding to a question with a question, perfectly sums it all up:
Can I get a refund?
June 26, 2022
Never Coming Home is a fun, modern adaptation of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. Ten young, talented Gen Z American influencers (a Tik Tok superstar, chef, beauty Youtuber, college athlete, gamer, environmentalist, politician, DJ, socialite and CEO) are invited to Unknown Island, a new and famously exclusive travel destination that blew up overnight on social media.
Once the influencers arrive on Unknown Island (the name seems to be nod to the elusive host in Christie's novel), the accomodations seem to be more Fyre Festival than tropical paradise. The only 2 staff members on the island leave just as everyone else arrives, the bungalows are modest and flimsy, the kitchen is only stocked with junk food and there is no hot water, AC or wifi (how are they supposed to post?!).
Soon after their arrival, the influencers gather for breakfast and open evelopes containing a list of each one of their darkest secrets. That's when we start to learn more about each influencer and, unfortunately, when the murders begin.
I don't want to give too much away, but I thought the book was very well-done. There were definitely similarities to Christie's novel, but Williams definitely put her own creative twist on the story. I also found Williams' characters to be much more relateable, likeable and multi-dimensional. I was seriously rooting for as many of them as possible to leave the island, especially after two of them seemed to be heading toward a sweet romance.
Overall, this was a very fun, clever and quick summer read!
Trigger Warnings: Murder, suicide, bullying, overdose
***Thank you to Underlined and Delacorte Press for the ARC
Once the influencers arrive on Unknown Island (the name seems to be nod to the elusive host in Christie's novel), the accomodations seem to be more Fyre Festival than tropical paradise. The only 2 staff members on the island leave just as everyone else arrives, the bungalows are modest and flimsy, the kitchen is only stocked with junk food and there is no hot water, AC or wifi (how are they supposed to post?!).
Soon after their arrival, the influencers gather for breakfast and open evelopes containing a list of each one of their darkest secrets. That's when we start to learn more about each influencer and, unfortunately, when the murders begin.
I don't want to give too much away, but I thought the book was very well-done. There were definitely similarities to Christie's novel, but Williams definitely put her own creative twist on the story. I also found Williams' characters to be much more relateable, likeable and multi-dimensional. I was seriously rooting for as many of them as possible to leave the island, especially after two of them seemed to be heading toward a sweet romance.
Overall, this was a very fun, clever and quick summer read!
Trigger Warnings: Murder, suicide, bullying, overdose
***Thank you to Underlined and Delacorte Press for the ARC
August 7, 2022
Never Coming Home by Kate Williams ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Unknown Island has been promoted as an exclusive getaway for influencers. The first ten participants have been chosen. When they arrive, they realize the island isn’t what was advertised and someone had an ulterior motive.
It was like Final Destination meets Lord of the Flies but with influencers! My favorite part was the characters and all the different type Influencers. I liked learning their backstories and watching how they react to the events. I unfortunately, didn’t like the ending and it kind of left my experience on a negative note. It was a still a fun, quick, entertaining read!
“Shutting monsters in the closet doesn’t make them disappear. The things about monsters is that they’re patient. They can sit forever, just waiting for someone to open the door.”
Never Coming Home is available now.
Unknown Island has been promoted as an exclusive getaway for influencers. The first ten participants have been chosen. When they arrive, they realize the island isn’t what was advertised and someone had an ulterior motive.
It was like Final Destination meets Lord of the Flies but with influencers! My favorite part was the characters and all the different type Influencers. I liked learning their backstories and watching how they react to the events. I unfortunately, didn’t like the ending and it kind of left my experience on a negative note. It was a still a fun, quick, entertaining read!
“Shutting monsters in the closet doesn’t make them disappear. The things about monsters is that they’re patient. They can sit forever, just waiting for someone to open the door.”
Never Coming Home is available now.
July 2, 2022
Meh. I never would have read this if I’d known what was in store. The set up is beyond excellent. Influencers with deadly secrets stranded on an island and getting picked off one by one. I was thinking that this would be a modern who dunnit with the group or at least one person investigating the murders. And then … there was zero investigation. They all just meander around, surprised and stupefied when yet another murder occurs. After the third murder, it was just boring. The characters were all vapid and poorly written. I didn’t even care about one maybe romance.
The moral of this review is a warning. This book is not exciting and no one actually tries to solve a mystery. You just witness a slew of uninteresting characters getting killed and the killer just reveals all in a final Reddit post. The end. Now you don’t have to waste your time reading this.
Two stars instead of one because I actually finished it instead of DNFing.
The moral of this review is a warning. This book is not exciting and no one actually tries to solve a mystery. You just witness a slew of uninteresting characters getting killed and the killer just reveals all in a final Reddit post. The end. Now you don’t have to waste your time reading this.
Two stars instead of one because I actually finished it instead of DNFing.
April 18, 2022
Diez influencers son invitados a Unkown Island, una isla misteriosa en la que los dueños eligen a los invitados para que pasen una semana sin cobro alguno. Cada uno de los influencers lo ven como una oportunidad para crecer aún más sus audiencias, pero cuando llegan a la isla se dan cuenta de que no es para nada lo que les habían prometido.
La sinopsis me llamó la atención, y la primera tercera parte me entretuvo bastante. Es básicamente una reinterpretación de 10 negritos por Agatha Christie en el presente. La historia estuvo okay en general, pero no me importaba ninguno de los personajes y en un punto sentí que la historia se alargaba innecesariamente. Eso sí, el último 20% fue muy movido y no vi el final venir. Fue una lectura rápida y un poco entretenida para pasar el rato.
La sinopsis me llamó la atención, y la primera tercera parte me entretuvo bastante. Es básicamente una reinterpretación de 10 negritos por Agatha Christie en el presente. La historia estuvo okay en general, pero no me importaba ninguno de los personajes y en un punto sentí que la historia se alargaba innecesariamente. Eso sí, el último 20% fue muy movido y no vi el final venir. Fue una lectura rápida y un poco entretenida para pasar el rato.
April 25, 2022
Grabbed me early on and I couldn't stop reading it (figuratively), real life did interfere. Not a lot of likable characters; didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did.
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