Book Review: The Island by Natasha Preston
Genres: YA, Mystery, Thriller, Fiction
Pages: 303
Format: Ebook
Rating: 
Goodreads summary: They said goodbye to their friends and family for the weekend. They weren’t counting on forever.
Jagged Island: a private amusement park for the very rich—or the very influential. Liam, James, Will, Ava, Harper, and Paisley—social media influencers with millions of followers—have been invited for an exclusive weekend before the park opens. They’ll make posts and videos for their channels and report every second of their VIP treatment.
When the teens arrive, they’re stunned: the resort is even better than they’d imagined. Their hotel rooms are unreal, the park’s themed rides are incredible, and the island is hauntingly beautiful. They’re given a jam-packed itinerary for the weekend.
But soon they’ll discover that something’s missing from their schedule: getting off the island alive.
Spoilers head
I have no idea what this book even was. I want my time and money back. Within the first 20 pages, I thought, Oh no, this reads like a Blumhouse movie, and to my disappointment, I was correct. I actually started getting trauma flashbacks to Fantasy Island. That’s a one-deer-star movie, and this was a one-deer-star book.
“Alexis, why didn’t you just DNF it if you knew you weren’t liking it?”
Because, dear reader, I have a chronic condition where I must see things through. I had to know how it ended. But at multiple points, I found myself thinking, Am I just reading Fantasy Island? The similarities were frustrating.
The False Promise of a “Jam-Packed Itinerary”
The summary claimed, “They’re given a jam-packed itinerary for the weekend.” Naturally, I expected an actual itinerary—maybe a detailed schedule packed with VIP experiences, luxury amenities, and TikTok-worthy activities since the app was mentioned so much.
Did we get that? No.
The only thing these teens had planned was riding rollercoasters. Excuse me?! This is supposed to be an exclusive, $6,000-per-night luxury resort. They’re supposed to be influencers, bringing publicity to the island. Yet, somehow, there’s no structured schedule showcasing all the amenities? There’s a spa that gets mentioned in passing, but the teens never go. What kind of resort doesn’t make full use of its selling points?
The Logic? Missing, Just Like Will
From the start, decisions made by the characters were baffling. Our protagonist, Paisley, reports on crime, so you’d think she’d have some critical thinking skills. But on the first night, she and Will decide to sneak around the resort after hours. She repeatedly tells us it’s against the rules and is paranoid about getting caught—but never once considers security cameras.
It’s a luxury resort. There have to be cameras, right?! She’s so nervous she takes the stairs instead of the elevator, yet it never crosses her mind that surveillance might exist? Then, when Will is late to meet her in the lobby, she just…waits in the dark? No text, no call—nothing. That’s like the first thing you do when someone is running late, is it not? But not her. She’s just there waiting, walking around.
The next morning, Will is missing from breakfast. Malcolm dismisses it as “He’s just sleeping in.” Everyone else shrugs and continues with their “jam-packed itinerary” of…more rollercoasters. Paisley is the only one remotely concerned, and when they finally start searching for Will, I kept thinking: WHERE ARE THE SECURITY CAMERAS?! Is that not the easiest way to find him?
Pages later, Malcolm finally suggests checking the footage—only to discover it’s been tampered with. But why did it take this long to even consider it?
The Island Has ONE Boat?
When Will’s body is found, the logical next step should be: Get off this island. Instead, everyone’s first instinct is to investigate. Sure, solving the mystery is important, but self-preservation should come first!
Then comes the most ridiculous reveal: there is only one boat transporting people to and from the island.
Just one.
This is a billionaire-owned luxury resort, and you’re telling me there’s no backup transportation? No extra boats? They do mention helicopters will be a backup option once the resort is fully open, but of course, the island’s communication systems have also been tampered with. So their only escape method is gone.
More Poor Decisions
With a killer on the loose, the group agrees not to split up anymore. Great! Sensible! Then, as soon as they find shelter, Paisley decides she has to go back out alone, in the middle of a storm, on an unfamiliar island, to find Reeve.
And everyone just…lets her.
No one offers to go with her? No one stops her? Also, people are dropping like flies, and somehow, Paisley is still managing to catch feelings for two boys. Girl, read the room. Now is not the time!
The Big “Twist” That Wasn’t
Near the end, the book presents a “shocking reveal” as if it’s brand-new information…except we literally just talked about it pages ago. Was this meant to be a dramatic moment? Because it felt more like an editing oversight.
Then, as their final escape plan, the teens debate setting part of the island on fire as a distress signal. And they actually hesitate.
“Guys, this is arson. Do we really want to do this?”
Are you trying to live or not?! At this point, three people have died. It’s literally life or death. Arson should be the least of their concerns!
The Ending? Blumhouse-Approved Disappointment
Of course, the ending was one of the worst parts—exactly what you’d expect from a Blumhouse movie.
Final Verdict
If you couldn’t tell, I did not like this book. I do not recommend it. The only silver lining? I read it in a day, so at least I wasn’t trapped in this nonsensical mess for too long.
