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xavia's review
4.0
What to say about this book?
It's premise is very interesting, and I can say with certainty that if anything like this happened in real life, millions of people would absolutely be tuning in to watch. Even if they shouldn't.
The format of the book is that of a podcast transcript, which means it takes some getting used to. There are parts where two threads are happening simultaneously, and there isn't a paragraph break between them. Still, I think this was an incredibly cool concept and the execution wasn't bad. I think adding in some of the tweets or comments between chapters would have also been a really cool touch.
The only thing that deterred it from being a 5 star read for me is the ending. I can't help but feel it was all rather mundane and nonsensical. The reasons for the island fell flat to me. I guess I can kinda see what we were going for, and it's clear all of these people are or were unhinged, but I was expecting something bigger, and I didn't get it.
Still it was a lot of fun. I'm interested in the other books in this vein.
It's premise is very interesting, and I can say with certainty that if anything like this happened in real life, millions of people would absolutely be tuning in to watch. Even if they shouldn't.
The format of the book is that of a podcast transcript, which means it takes some getting used to. There are parts where two threads are happening simultaneously, and there isn't a paragraph break between them. Still, I think this was an incredibly cool concept and the execution wasn't bad. I think adding in some of the tweets or comments between chapters would have also been a really cool touch.
The only thing that deterred it from being a 5 star read for me is the ending. I can't help but feel it was all rather mundane and nonsensical. The reasons for the island fell flat to me. I guess I can kinda see what we were going for, and it's clear all of these people are or were unhinged, but I was expecting something bigger, and I didn't get it.
Still it was a lot of fun. I'm interested in the other books in this vein.
nezimmer's review
3.0
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a free ARC copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
As much as this book does have it flaws I do recommend it. I had been in a bit of a reading slump before reading this and it was the perfect book to snap me out of it. The twists the plot takes keeps the story fresh and moving but it is also a books that is a reasonably fast read. It's other big selling point for me was that it perfectly captures the felling of horror I have when listing to a true crime podcast or TikTok at night.
I do wish that some of the characters where fleshed out more, lots of the concepts are fascinating and I would have wanted more about almost everything. The book could have been twice as long with all the parts that could have been fleshed out more. That's not to say that it is a bad book, it just left me felling like lots of interesting stories and plot got pasted up.
SPOILERS. All of the contestants are reveled to have been connected to the main character's brother's disappearance and death. unfortunately most of them die before we learn this and then we never find out how they are connected or knew him. Much of the Hunger games aspect felt rushed. In all honestly looking back it feels more like a saw trap disguised as the hunger games. END OF SPOILERS
This all is not to discourage reading this book I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was fun trying to find the clues about whats going on along the way.
One of my favorite things about NetGalley is how I'm able to read thing I would not pick up normally. This book is one of those books and for its flaws I am glad I got the chance to read it.
As much as this book does have it flaws I do recommend it. I had been in a bit of a reading slump before reading this and it was the perfect book to snap me out of it. The twists the plot takes keeps the story fresh and moving but it is also a books that is a reasonably fast read. It's other big selling point for me was that it perfectly captures the felling of horror I have when listing to a true crime podcast or TikTok at night.
I do wish that some of the characters where fleshed out more, lots of the concepts are fascinating and I would have wanted more about almost everything. The book could have been twice as long with all the parts that could have been fleshed out more. That's not to say that it is a bad book, it just left me felling like lots of interesting stories and plot got pasted up.
SPOILERS. All of the contestants are reveled to have been connected to the main character's brother's disappearance and death. unfortunately most of them die before we learn this and then we never find out how they are connected or knew him. Much of the Hunger games aspect felt rushed. In all honestly looking back it feels more like a saw trap disguised as the hunger games. END OF SPOILERS
This all is not to discourage reading this book I thoroughly enjoyed it and it was fun trying to find the clues about whats going on along the way.
One of my favorite things about NetGalley is how I'm able to read thing I would not pick up normally. This book is one of those books and for its flaws I am glad I got the chance to read it.
talkingchicle's review against another edition
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Fyre festival meets Hunger games? Yeah I can definitely see it. Loads of influencers apply to go out to an island and win the game in the hopes of gaining fame and fortune. What they don't know is that the price they will be being to try to win this is their life...quite literally. This is dark with so many twists and what was supposed to be a fun competition turned into a deadly game of cat and mouse, aired to millions of people around the world. In an even bigger twist all of the contestants are somehow connected.
I really liked the format of this. Its written as the scripts of podcasts episodes and includes stuff like interviews and audio clips. I liked the multimedia aspect of this. I also really liked the concept, it was cleverly done and although I had an inkling of some of the directions this books was going in I would have never guessed the end result. The thing that let this book down was the characters. On the surface some of them seemed quite interesting and complex but unfortunately they weren't really explored or fleshed out enough to give them any real depth.
If you're looking for a quick, fast paced read with twists and turns from the get go then you will probably enjoy this.
Fyre festival meets Hunger games? Yeah I can definitely see it. Loads of influencers apply to go out to an island and win the game in the hopes of gaining fame and fortune. What they don't know is that the price they will be being to try to win this is their life...quite literally. This is dark with so many twists and what was supposed to be a fun competition turned into a deadly game of cat and mouse, aired to millions of people around the world. In an even bigger twist all of the contestants are somehow connected.
I really liked the format of this. Its written as the scripts of podcasts episodes and includes stuff like interviews and audio clips. I liked the multimedia aspect of this. I also really liked the concept, it was cleverly done and although I had an inkling of some of the directions this books was going in I would have never guessed the end result. The thing that let this book down was the characters. On the surface some of them seemed quite interesting and complex but unfortunately they weren't really explored or fleshed out enough to give them any real depth.
If you're looking for a quick, fast paced read with twists and turns from the get go then you will probably enjoy this.
poppyjessica's review against another edition
4.0
This book was wholly unsettling. The ever imposing presence of the mysterious artist Wyatt James, with power and connections beyond anything the reader could dream of, is disturbing to say the least, particularly when he launches his version of the Hunger Games on 'Influencer Island'.
Rutkin structures the story as a podcast, opening with chilling flashes into the bloodbath this island competition descended into; the contestants were promised fame and fortune which was clearly a bit too good to be true. As the story unfolds, we skip from viewpoint to viewpoint, seeing the glitzy and enticing invitations shown to the world alongside the warmongering cult operating underneath this terrifying façade.
Alongside the story of the contest, we have Carrie Andrews, desperately searching for leads on her drug addicted brother who went missing as a rave, and Cal, who wants justice for his deceased father. For such a short book, there are layers of intertwined mystery - if you don't quite remember who some of the characters are and how they are connected, some of the later revelations may prove to be slightly bewildering!
Overall, I raced through this book in one sitting, disturbed by the levels of intrigue, violence and sometimes explicit gore. The story is really interesting but I honestly would have valued reading a version of this book at least one hundred pages longer so we could get some more fleshed out events and characters once on the island and more of the deliberate podcast style narrative. An exciting read but not one I will return to a second time.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rutkin structures the story as a podcast, opening with chilling flashes into the bloodbath this island competition descended into; the contestants were promised fame and fortune which was clearly a bit too good to be true. As the story unfolds, we skip from viewpoint to viewpoint, seeing the glitzy and enticing invitations shown to the world alongside the warmongering cult operating underneath this terrifying façade.
Alongside the story of the contest, we have Carrie Andrews, desperately searching for leads on her drug addicted brother who went missing as a rave, and Cal, who wants justice for his deceased father. For such a short book, there are layers of intertwined mystery - if you don't quite remember who some of the characters are and how they are connected, some of the later revelations may prove to be slightly bewildering!
Overall, I raced through this book in one sitting, disturbed by the levels of intrigue, violence and sometimes explicit gore. The story is really interesting but I honestly would have valued reading a version of this book at least one hundred pages longer so we could get some more fleshed out events and characters once on the island and more of the deliberate podcast style narrative. An exciting read but not one I will return to a second time.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
jenski_reads's review
5.0
I was enthralled by this book from the get go. It was fast-paced and captivating. I loved the podcast style writing, as I was reading I could actually hear the characters in my head as if I were listening to the podcast.
The storyline was filled with twists and turns that I did not see coming, and it really was ‘Fyre Festival meets Hunger Games’.
This story blew my mind. I loved it’s uniqueness. Fantastic!
The storyline was filled with twists and turns that I did not see coming, and it really was ‘Fyre Festival meets Hunger Games’.
This story blew my mind. I loved it’s uniqueness. Fantastic!
trisha_thomas's review
2.0
This one had so much potential. I loved the idea behind it. A bunch of influencers are invited to an island to see - what will each of them do to become THE most famous influencer of them all?
I didn't even mind the unconventional story style - it's written in Podcase or interview format where POV are interjected in to scenes with a name and then : and what they said (think Daisy Jones and Opal & Nev). It's an interesting way to tell the story and, honestly, I think it added to the suspense and dread.
But the build up was huge. The twist at almost the end just didn't quite live up to the hype the story had given me. It was almost there but just not quite and I ended up being disappointed. I did like a few of the really gruesome scenes like the sharks and the hunting showdown. They were great pulse-pounding, fast scenes that really drew me in. I just wish I'd loved the ending more.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
I didn't even mind the unconventional story style - it's written in Podcase or interview format where POV are interjected in to scenes with a name and then : and what they said (think Daisy Jones and Opal & Nev). It's an interesting way to tell the story and, honestly, I think it added to the suspense and dread.
But the build up was huge. The twist at almost the end just didn't quite live up to the hype the story had given me. It was almost there but just not quite and I ended up being disappointed. I did like a few of the really gruesome scenes like the sharks and the hunting showdown. They were great pulse-pounding, fast scenes that really drew me in. I just wish I'd loved the ending more.
A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
luckycharmedlovesbooks's review
3.0
This is my first Kyle Rutkin book and I now want to go back and read his others. This story was very gripping and fast paced, though I wish there was more detail to some of the scenes, especially some of the action scenes like the one involving the sharks. Overall, I loved the concept and really could see this one being adapted as a movie. It is a great take on social media and influencing, it definitely made me think and really kept my attention.
Thank you to Kyle Rutkin, Netgalley and Greater Path for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to Kyle Rutkin, Netgalley and Greater Path for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.
editor3242's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't have any expectations before starting this book, but I actually really enjoyed it. I was worried the non-traditional format would put me off, but as a regular podcast listener, it was easier to adjust to than I would have thought. Although, this would still make a STELLAR fiction podcast (reminded me of Limetown a bit while reading).
I really liked the unfolding stories that paralleled each other including the actual events on the island, Carrie's brother's disappearance, what lead the influencers and Carrie to separately be picked for the island, as well as Cal's surprise connection to the island and Wyatt.
While reading some of the more critical reviews for this book, formatting aside (which won't be for everyone), it struck me that as someone who enjoys pop culture and has an understanding of influencer culture, those things lead me to enjoying this book more than others because I was able to understand all the reference and source material and see through all the layers of the story. While quite graphic at times, there was still this tongue in cheek factor to the book.
The only reason I knocked a star off is because I felt the story fizzled a bit at the end and I wanted a little more of a grand standoff or climax in the lighthouse... something about it fell a little flat. Additionally, I was really intrigued by this illuminati-esque 'XIIX' group, and not much information was given to explain how they were involved, other than some of the members were involved in the island.
Overall, this was a quick but intriguing read and was a great commentary on the current culture. It almost reminded me of an indie film I saw years ago called Series 7, that was a similarly violent contest commentary on the rise of reality television. But the book never crossed the line into parody territory, which would have ruined the tone needed.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced read copy.
I really liked the unfolding stories that paralleled each other including the actual events on the island, Carrie's brother's disappearance, what lead the influencers and Carrie to separately be picked for the island, as well as Cal's surprise connection to the island and Wyatt.
While reading some of the more critical reviews for this book, formatting aside (which won't be for everyone), it struck me that as someone who enjoys pop culture and has an understanding of influencer culture, those things lead me to enjoying this book more than others because I was able to understand all the reference and source material and see through all the layers of the story. While quite graphic at times, there was still this tongue in cheek factor to the book.
The only reason I knocked a star off is because I felt the story fizzled a bit at the end and I wanted a little more of a grand standoff or climax in the lighthouse... something about it fell a little flat. Additionally, I was really intrigued by this illuminati-esque 'XIIX' group, and not much information was given to explain how they were involved, other than some of the members were involved in the island.
Overall, this was a quick but intriguing read and was a great commentary on the current culture. It almost reminded me of an indie film I saw years ago called Series 7, that was a similarly violent contest commentary on the rise of reality television. But the book never crossed the line into parody territory, which would have ruined the tone needed.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced read copy.
alana_rr's review
4.0
I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC and for allowing me to read this in advance. :)
Actual rating: 3.5/5
There's something very entertaining about reading a book about influencers fighting to the death... Guess I'm no different than the millions of people who tuned in for the competition on Gl!tch. lol
I would've liked to experience things from the POV of the characters as things happened but I understand that the amount of exposition given works better in a podcast format. Alternating between backstories, mystery solving and murderous fun at the island can be a bit chaotic but it also means the story is never dragging too much or there's too much action happening out of nowhere.
SPOILERS DOWN HERE
I didn't like much that like 3 of the girls were obsessed with Tuck. I wish there was something better connecting these girls than some dude. Cal falling in love with Carrie was unnecessary and from my point of view didn't seem to serve a real purpose in the story. I wish Wyatt's identity had been hinted at more often earlier in the book - Cal hits a wall in his investigations to uncover Wyatt's real identity and he kinda forgets about it after. So when it was finally revealed I was like "oh yea we were trying to find out who he was, weren't we?"
Despite these complaints, I would still recommend this book to anyone who loves thrillers, murderous island fun, and quick & entertaining reads.
Actual rating: 3.5/5
There's something very entertaining about reading a book about influencers fighting to the death... Guess I'm no different than the millions of people who tuned in for the competition on Gl!tch. lol
I would've liked to experience things from the POV of the characters as things happened but I understand that the amount of exposition given works better in a podcast format. Alternating between backstories, mystery solving and murderous fun at the island can be a bit chaotic but it also means the story is never dragging too much or there's too much action happening out of nowhere.
SPOILERS DOWN HERE
I didn't like much that like 3 of the girls were obsessed with Tuck. I wish there was something better connecting these girls than some dude. Cal falling in love with Carrie was unnecessary and from my point of view didn't seem to serve a real purpose in the story. I wish Wyatt's identity had been hinted at more often earlier in the book - Cal hits a wall in his investigations to uncover Wyatt's real identity and he kinda forgets about it after. So when it was finally revealed I was like "oh yea we were trying to find out who he was, weren't we?"
Despite these complaints, I would still recommend this book to anyone who loves thrillers, murderous island fun, and quick & entertaining reads.