Wow! I absolutely LOVED this book. I won't lie, the title and cover seemed pretty generic and I thought I might like the contents but I was so wrong. This was not a generic book. It was absolutely outstanding and I was gripped from the beginning, I didn't just like it I loved it! The drip feeding suspense was immense and so well done throughout. I found it so difficult to put this book down and spent more than one night awake till 2am still listening to the audiobook.

I didn't read the synopsis until I had finished, and I'm pretty glad of that. Just delve in and enjoy your time on the island.

The only negative thing I have to say about the book is the very end felt a bit abrupt and I would have liked a bit more depth in this. But it didn't spoil the over all book. It's definitely up there in my top 5 of 2021!

Thank you to Netgalley for my advanced reader copy in return for my honest review.

Seven people engage in a social experience of being shipped to a remote island and left to fend for themselves for a year for a reality tv programme. Seven people from different backgrounds, ages and beliefs - what could possibly go wrong! The end result is shocking and shows the nasty side of human nature.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was so slow! Nothing happened for the first third of the book. I was bored out of mind.
I was expecting an intriguing survival of the fittest with a mystery aspect. Instead, all we got were whiny characters who couldn't stop whining.

Thank you to @SGoodAuthor and @AvonBooksUK for this advanced audio copy of Stranded in return for an honest review.

Description 🔖

Eight strangers arrive on the beautiful yet very remote island of Buidseach for the challenge of a lifetime; to stay and survive on the island unassisted for a whole year. What starts off as the individuals creating friendships and working as a team descends into fractured relationships and the making of enemies.

Everyone is counting down the days until the boat arrives to rescue them, but when the boat doesn’t turn up, things turn even nastier. One of the islanders turns up in a small fishing village desperate to tell her story but she’ll also have to explain why eight people went to the island but only three returned.

General Thoughts 🤔

When I first started this book my initial thoughts were “oh it’s a little bit like Lost”. Then it kind of turned into Hunger Games and then Castaway and I finished it thinking it was like a mish mash of all of them with it’s own unique spin. It was an interesting storyline that did make for thrilling and tense reading at times, however I personally felt like it lacked a little bit of depth. I put this mostly down to the characters rather than the story.

Characters 👭👬👫

When there are eight characters stranded on an island, I would have thought that a lot of the book would have to be about those characters, otherwise the book kind of turns into more of a survival guide than a story. Although there was lots in there about the characters at that present time and their relationships with each other, in order to add some meat to the bones, I felt that I wanted to know more about their backgrounds, where they had come from and how they’d ended up there. I think that this would have allowed me to feel closer to the characters and understand them a little more.

Writing Style ✍️

I enjoyed that the prologue was pretty much the end of the story. This meant that my focus wasn’t so much on how the story would end but more about how it would get there. I liked that a lot. The author has done a great job of pacing this book so that it remains tense and at times a little bit difficult to read (in a good way). When things started to go badly for the main character it was really quite chilling.

Conclusion & Scoring 🎖️

Overall this was a good read with a great plot line. On reflection I think my feelings about the characters is quite personal to me and I’m sure that other people don’t feel the same. I thought that Stranded was well written and entertaining and I would recommend this book.

Loved this! I had never heard of the author and the cover isn’t particularly exciting so I wasn’t expecting much. I was wrong. I haven’t been so into an audiobook for a while. I usually just listen whilst I’m getting ready in the morning, but I had this on constantly as I wanted to know what happened.
I would say, don’t read the synopsis. Just listen/read without the spoilers.
Lots of interesting characters. Some likeable, some not. Gripping, exciting and well worth a read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the audioARC of this book.

I really enjoyed Stranded it’s the first novel I have read by Sarah Goodwin but I’m sure it won’t be the last,
The book is told through the narration of Maddy one of 8 people who have volunteered to spend a year on a remote Scottish island, fending for themselves as part of a reality tv show, But as with all reality tv the contestants are chosen for their different personality traits and they start to gang up on Maddy, and when everyone signed up no one ever anticipated the way it would all end.
Now there are a few plot holes but these can be forgiven as the rest of it is well thought out and I look forward to seeing what Sarah Goodwin will bring out next.

What an exciting atmospheric thriller. I really enjoyed listening/ reading it and found it difficult to put down. Brilliant debut from Sarah Goodwin.
The book revolves around eight strangers stranded on a remote Scottish island for a TV show. Reality TV is not my usual choice however think this book was a very good atmospheric read/listen. Enjoyable fast-paced story, great descriptions of the remoteness and wilderness that builds the atmospheric tension. The characters were not that likeable during their time on the island but you would expect to see changes living with strangers over time and personality clashes. If you are looking for a great read, thriller and a great twist at end then this is for you. It is a book of human behaviour, survival, friendship and lies.
I'll definitely be looking out for any other books by Sarah Goodwin.
Only criticism is I wouldnt read blurb before the book as it does give away some of the story however I still really enjoyed it
The audio book is narrated by Esme Sears who was brilliant at keeping the suspense and pace flowing.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I enjoyed this audio version, so much so, I was listening to it in the small hours as I was desperate to know what happened next.

The details were graphic in some parts and excellently written by the author and at one part I was squirming.

The narration was very good too.

OMG this is definitely my favourite books so far this year, and incredibly it is a debut novel! It is a stonkingly good thriller. Eight people sign up for a reality show where they are to spend a whole year on the island of Buidseach, a remote, uninhabited island, surviving with limited resources. Think Bear Gryll's The Island/Survivor/Castaway/Lord of the Flies!

The book hooked me right from the start when a woman turns up on the mainland, carrying a shotgun and asking for help. It is such a tense listen, disturbing and gripping, and I listened far past my bedtime because I needed to know what happened. It is utterly immersive and fascinating to see to see the deterioration of the group dynamic. The protagonist, Maddie, isn't particularly likeable. She is socially awkward and has lived a very sheltered life.but I couldn't help rooting for her. The rest of the characters are all pretty dreadful. I loved the descriptions of the island, and how the weather affected life there.

Sarah Goodwin is now on my must read author list and I can't recommend this book highly enough! Buy it now!

The audiobook is brilliantly narrated by Esme Sears who made a brilliant book even more incredible.

I was completely drawn in to this story, which sees Maddie, our main character, take part in a social experiment for a TV show, living on a remote Scottish island with seven strangers for a year. Maddie’s specialist interest is botany, and while she’s foraging for food the others are building shelters, fishing and trapping rabbits… and starting cliques and engaging in backbiting and finding a group scapegoat. It feels like watching a really intriguing reality TV show, with lots of sympathy for Maddie, who has always been a bit of a loner and an outcast. I had no idea where the story was going, but was engrossed by the rising tension and impending doom, and the description of life removed from civilization.
The audiobook is very well read and a joy to listen to.

Eight strangers stranded on a remote Scottish island for a TV show. We know the ending: only three return, What really happened? Fabulous fast-paced story looking at human behaviour and survival, friendship and lies. And a fabulous twist at the end.

The story involves a group of strangers living together on a remote Scottish island for a tv show. Then it all goes horribly wrong.
The protagonist is called Maddie , she is socially awkward and introverted so it’s surprising why she would apply to take part , but her reasoning behind it explains it well. The group is a mixed bunch and as in all groups a leader is born and the rest of the group follow on.
The story is well written and has depth , although it is a slow burner. I didn’t find any of the characters likeable and I certainly wouldn’t want to be stranded on a remote island with any of them.
I enjoyed the narration , it brought the story to life .
I found it an average read.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK Audio.

A brilliant concept for a story, which is well written and highly entertaining to read. This is most certainly one of the best books I have read this year. From start to finish I was totally wrapped up in the story, finishing it in record time. The Characters themselves were pretty much unlikeable, but this effectively illustrates how relationships deteriorate when clashing characters are forced to live in close proximity to each other. I don't watch telly but if this was a real programme I would definitely make an exception and it most certainly would make a great movie.

The only small criticism I have is about the publisher synopsis, which I mistakenly read when I was already some way into the book and wished I hadn't, since it contains some spoilers for what is to come.

A massive thank-you to NetGallery and HarperCollins UK Audio for allowing me to have a copy of the book, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommended

A woman called Maddy and another three women and four men, are chosen to go on a reality tv show, which is set on a remote island in Scotland. They have to stay there for one year and use their instinct and survival skills to stay alive. How will they get on?

I loved this book and it really drew me in. I loved the adventure of it all, the suspense, the setting, the wild natures of each different character and I found the story really interesting and exciting. I felt like I was there on the island with them all, watching them and interacting with them even.

The narrator of the book was very good and she kept me entertained. Highly recommended!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Avon Books for allowing me to read/listen to this thoroughly exciting unputdownable book.

Stranded is a mixture of Bear Grylls survival TV shows/Hunger Games/Lord of the Flies/The Castaways by Lucy Clarke and The Island by CL Taylor, so if you like any of these, you should thoroughly enjoy this read, though there's a lot more to it than that and was only disappointed when it reached the end.

Th audio book is narrated by Esme Sears and I cannot fault her at all. She was a brilliant narrator and had the exact voice I would have imagined for the main character - Maddy, and kept the pace of the book and excitement flowing perfectly. A real spine tingling chiller.

The premise sounded great, and I loved the fact they were going to the island for a whole year, not just the 12 weeks they often do on the Survivor shows. This is a real test for 8 strangers to live together on an island in Scotland for a TV show/experiment. However I can imagine this being made into a very entertaining movie.

My only negative point is that I think the blurb gives away a bit too much of this book. If you're new to it, don't read the whole blurb. Stop at the first two paragraphs as is much more exciting if you don't know how many leave. Luckily I only read the first two paragraphs and there's a lot more tension if you don't know in advance how many leave.

I'll definitely be looking out for any other books by Sarah Goodwin, as if her writing and descriptive text is as good as this, I'll be in for a treat.

Started off as a fly on the wall reality TV show of young people stranded on an island with two cameramen. They have to survive by building shelter, hunting food, keeping safe etc starts off predictable but then descends into arguments and stealing from each other. The group break up and when the boat doesn’t arrive to don’t collect them, things get far worse. I didn’t like the characters so maybe this is written for young people who like these reality tv things, not really my thing but did finish it to end. Thank you #NetGalley for the audiobook to review.

Wow! I absolutely loved this audio book and devoured it over 2 nights.

I was immediately drawn into this clever, dark intriguing story and honestly did not want it to end.

To say, it is a cross between the shows Survivor, Castaway and Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None does not really do it justice. The story on the island is cleverly interspersed with chapters giving snippets of what
happened afterwards and this is done well.

The intricate details of the groups efforts to survive by building a shelter, foraging and growing crops is brilliantly portrayed and I loved this element of the story. This then turns to unimaginable horror and fear, as the bullying and gas lighting begin and we share Maddy's every struggle and terror, willing her to make it through. The tension and increasing menace is palpable and the more I listened, the more anxious I became!

The remoteness and wilderness of the island is brilliantly described, enabling me to clearly picture it as I was listening. The narrator, Esme Sears, was excellent, effortlessly portraying the different characters and especially Maddy's increasing fear.

This is an accomplished atmospheric thriller and it's hard to believe this was the author's debut novel. I would highly recommend it to everyone and will be eagerly awaiting her next book.

Thanks to publishers Harper Collins UK Audio and Net Galley for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Imagine Lord of The Flies, but with adults meets Big Brother. Sounds like a nightmare right? And that would be the correct assumption, at least in Stranded. Told from the perspective of one of the 8 people left to fend for themselves for a year a nightmarish tale unfolds. Friends become enemies, paranoia breeds contempt, bullying and violence.

The narrator of the story is Maddie, a woman used to feeling like an outsider. Whilst the story is from her perspective the author has made her quite an introspective person. One who questions her own actions and motives, thus allowing us to see there are two sides to every story. But also clearly letting us see poor Maddie is stuck with a bunch of a-holes. God I have very rarely been so angry with the behaviour of fictional characters. Because they really are awful and sadly very realistic!

This kept me listening every night into the small hours. I have a habit of dozing off no matter how good an audiobook is. There was absolutely no chance of that with this book. It's tense and enthralling throughout.

This was the first time I've heard Esme Sears narrating, and I was surprised to see she hasn't done many audiobooks yet. After this I'll be surprised not to see her name many more times.

An easy 5 stars for a superb thriller.

I’m a huge fan of the reality tv show Survivor so this really caught my attention but wasn’t sure if it would hold my attention in story format but I enjoyed this way more then I thought I would. Told in the past and present which is easily identifiable. Really well written story with such unlikeable characters but I really did like the main character Maddie. She had it all and even in extreme circumstances she held her own. It had me gripped for 3/4’s of the book but for the last 1/4 I found it lost it’s way a bit and I was urging it to move on quickly. It picked up again and all became clear. Overall a really good listen along with the author having an engaging voice that kept your attention. Would definitely recommend…

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins UK Audio for the opportunity to listen and review this ARC thats due to be published on the 16th of Sept.

I’ll get right to it. Stranded is problematic.

Not for me as a reader, but rather as a reviewer. How can I get this book into the hands of as many people as possible despite its generic cover and title, unknown author, and spoilery synopsis? Let me give it my best shot.

Of the 155 books I’ve already read in 2021, Stranded is in my top five across all genres. It is also my favorite “thriller” of the year so far. The thing about the cover that grinds my gears is that it looks like Mundane Police Procedural #17, where in reality this book is a well-crafted, standalone, literary fiction novel that happens to have an increasingly suspenseful plot.

Readers follow the single-person perspective of Maddy, a young woman who signs up to participate in a reality series that drops eight people on an island off the coast of Scotland for a year to chronicle how they craft a society together. What follows is an insightful - and maddening - look at human behavior that proves that Sarah Goodwin isn’t just here to deliver cheap thrills.

I listened to the audiobook and spent 11 hours in nature and deteriorating conditions with Maddy and felt rage at characters I haven’t experienced in quite some time. Of all the Survivor/Naked and Afraid/Castaway comparisons swirling in my mind, landing on an adult, modern Lord of the Flies feels the most appropriate. (It’s okay if you hated that “classic.” I did.)

If you’re still with me and are considering adding this to your To Read/Must Buy shelf, please do me a favor and skip the publisher synopsis. I read it for the first time when I was at the 80% mark, and it still managed to spoil what was yet to come. This one descriptive bit is worth sharing for its truth in advertising though: “A gripping, twisty page-turner about secrets, lies and survival at all costs.”

My thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio, Avon Books and the author for the advance listening copy via NetGalley. I enjoyed (new-to-me) narrator Esme Sears’s singular performance and would recommend it for people who prefer the audiobook format.