I really enjoyed this book, it was well written with a compelling storyline and well developed characters. It was gripping and I couldn't put it down, I finsihed it in one sitting. It was twisty, tense and unpredictable. I would highly recommend.

Tom along with his new wife Heather and his children Olivia and Owen are on holiday in Australia. Desperate to see some wildlife they visit a small island just off the coast of Melbourne. Following a tragic accident the family are trapped on the island and hunted by the family that live there.

The opening chapter is tense and full of terror. The story then switches to the events leading up to the tragic accident; a family of American tourists exploring Australia. We learn about the dynamics of the family and the tensions between new wife Heather and her step-children Olivia (14) and Owen (12). All of this is just scene setting as it's the opening chapter that really sets the tone for the rest of the novel.

Trapped on the island the group are hunted by the extended family who own the island. No-one knows where they are, their phones and possessions have been confiscated. All the family have is the clothes they are wearing.

The family that live on the island are lawless and set the rules to suit themselves. Their vengeance is "an eye for an eye". As well as trying to stay ahead of the family the group of Americans are also dealing with an inhospitable landscape - heat, no shade, lack of water and no food. Basically the stuff of nightmares for any tourist who wants to get off the beaten track.

Survival for the Americans seems slim. What the family living on the island didn't factor in is that Heather was raised in a commune on an island. The skills she picked up as a child allow them to stay one step heated as they are hunted. Heather becomes a female version of Rambo. As they lurch from one near disaster to another your heart is in your mouth, you are willing the family on every step of the way, cheering each little victory in their fight for survival.

Firstly thank you Netgalley for this ARC
This is another brilliant page turner by this author.
I didn't think I would enjoy it as it seemed slow at the b eginning but then omg it was brilliant

The Island is the latest stand-alone novel from Adrian McKinty and it is an enjoyable survival against the odds novel that is enjoyable and very readable.

The author creates some interesting and some less interesting characters with the former allowed to grow and develop and although I did manage to work out the major twist(s) fairly early on I still enjoyed the book.

A recommended read.

High intensity opening pages, and it pretty much keeps it up for 90% of the book.
There's shocks and surprises along the way, and lots of resourcefulness.
I struggled to like any of the characters to begin with, but there was some redemption to be had with their actions.
It's fast paced, and a definite page turner.

I couldn't wait to read this, The Chain was one the fastest, highest tension books I've ever read.

The Island sees American tourists, Heather, her husband Tom and his two kids visiting Australia. Eager to see some wildlife they take a trip a private island, which soon turns into a desperate quest to survive.

I wouldn't especially choose a survival thriller, but this is a very good one, with plenty of threat, tension, surprises and sudden shocks and enough violence and pain to keep most thriller readers happy. There's some nice detail on the local wildlife and nods to Aboriginal cultural history too.

It kept me entertained throughout, definitely worth a look even if you don't especially like survival thrillers.

Thanks to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group

This is a fascinating survivalist thriller set on an Australian island which is ruled by one family who are a law unto themselves. American tourists Tom, his new wife Heather and his children Olivia and Owen get the opportunity to have a quick visit to look at the wildlife there, however things take an unbelievable turn when there’s a hit and run accident which is discovered and leaves them trapped on the island and at the mercy of the family.

I’m not a huge fan of survival reads so this took a bit for me to get into however by the end I was racing through it. The family are horrific and I would be terrified in that situation, I think the way Heather manages to cope on the island is made believable by her background and it’s a very well thought out and well constructed read. This is totally different from The Chain but it’s dark, at times disturbing and certainly keeps you on the edge.