I thought this book really delivered on the fear level and it was an interesting look at the media and how influencers are portrayed. i thought the story was interesting enough and the plot was engaging i wouldn't say i loved it but i did find myself interested enough and enjoyed it thoroughly.

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.

I struggled to get into the narrative of this book due to the unconventional interview format that was used. I also found it overly violent. Just not my cup of tea. I read a lot of thrillers and am not overly squeamish but I did not make it through this one. I did find the concept of people willingly participating in this type of grand experiment/art installation interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Selling Pitch:
Do you want to read a book structured like the transcript of a Netflix documentary? Do you like pop culture conspiracies? Do you value entertainment and a book’s ability to keep you turning pages over realism? Can you suspend disbelief for the course of an entire book?

Pre-reading:
I think this is going to be a garbage fire of a book, but hopefully, it's one of those so bad it's funny books.

Thick of it:
Okay, so podcast man is the murderer? (No.)

Also, tell me you only want to write dialogue without telling me you only want to write dialogue. Fully teasing, love the format. Good book dialogue is my favorite.

How have NFTs become this much of a thing? They’re so beyond stupid to me.

Could do without the Star Wars Adam Driver fanboy shit, but that’s my own bias.

Is glitch meant to be twitch? (It must be Instagram)

So a clean girl and a TikTok emo, got it.

Not a chad.

Should be “their lives” shouldn’t it? I know it’s an early copy, but hope this guy has someone to make these edits for him.

Bella Hadid. Chrissy Teigen. The names aren’t subtle lol, but it’s fun.

Okay, who doesn’t know the Cheshire Cat? That’s unbelievable.

I really like the organization of this book. Def reads like a Netflix doc.

Wait who the fuck is tony? The guy who helps Cal find the business card. (I never find out)

Also, how does anyone have the time or money to do all this? I’ll suspend disbelief because it’s entertaining, but it’s a big, big ask.

Ditto on the ppl wearing ski masks in the tropics.

But how can you fly without air traffic control? Did they just ground all other flights?

Joss is sure able to get an awful, awful lot of info on this guy. (This means nothing)

I feel like this book’s greatest criticism is going to be that there’s no way that this would happen, like people wouldn’t go along with it. But if you’re willing to suspend that disbelief, then it’s very entertaining. And I think that’s mostly down to the structure of it. It’s aggressively compelling and page-turning because you just want to know more. It has good tension too because you’re discovering alongside the characters, and it doesn’t have that annoying thing when you’re waiting for characters to catch up to conclusions that the reader has already drawn, or to get info that the reader already has.

Some of the POV switches are a little hard to identify, and you’ll be reading along like this makes no sense, and it’s because they’ve switched without any obvious tell. Obviously works better in film because you see something else, but it’s tricky to do in a book when it’s that rapid fire.

Idk how you trap great whites in the tropics. Do they even live there?

I’m still very much on my bullshit of Cal and Wyatt being the same person because they’ve only ever encountered each other alone or while he’s on drugs. (Amounts to nothing lol)

That’s a really dumb way to win. I don’t buy that she wouldn’t just shoot her anyway.

I’m annoyed that we don’t get to know how all the other contestants were related to her brother.

Mean girls reference.

This is too far-fetched to function.

Post-reading:
What a weird book. Again, I went in expecting a garbage fire. It was not that. I quite happily read it. Is it good-no, but it wasn't so bad that it was funny either. Just a fun concept, but very unpolished. I was weirdly on board for the first half and willing to suspend disbelief, but it really unraveled in the end. I think the book’s formatting and organization are super interesting and largely well done. It definitely reads like a Netflix documentary. The characters aren’t developed enough. It’s very flat. Similarly, the contest ends up not making much sense. If you’re going to market it as a murder competition, have the competition take longer than a day and a chapter or two. The book never felt like it had stakes. The first half of it was excellent in building tension because there were so many questions, but then it became pretty obvious that you weren’t going to get answers, and the few answers you would get would make zero sense. Give me a heavy edit with more psychological horror and flesh everything out. Right now it reads like a failed first draft. (But I would still be willing to read the other books in the universe. I’ve had a glance at them on Goodreads and the covers are so aesthetic.)

Who should read this:
Campy thriller lovers
Readers who just want to be entertained and aren’t worried about plot holes or if a book is possible

Do I want to reread this:
No

Similar books:
* The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton-wacky POV murder competition
* The Last Time I Lied by Riley Sager-murder artists
* Piranesi by Susanna Clarke-different book formatting, secret societies
* Crush in the Cascades by Lisa S. Gayle-Listen, I’m struggling for similar books, but also a reality show with romance

I requested this novel because the premise sounded SO INTERESTING!! Hunger Games mixed with the Fyre Festival?? SIGN ME UP! But overall, it was such a cringey book that I found myself praying for it to end. I would have given it a 1 star, but some of the dialogue was so funny that I gave it an extra star for the entertainment reasons. Everything was so unbelievable and hilariously dumb that I found myself laughing out loud at everything that happened and reading passages out loud to my friends to hear their reactions. However, I do recommend this book to anyone who wants a fun read, because I thought it was so outlandish that it was funny. But in terms of actually being a good book? Hmm... I would say no. I cared for none of the characters, and the plot just got more and more ridiculous and felt like a fever dream.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

Influencer Island starts off strong by introducing us to the major characters in the format of a podcast transcript which is something truly unique and gave the book a mysterious air right off the bat. I found myself getting completely invested in the events of the book and before I knew it, the cogs were turning in my head trying to connect all the pieces revealed.

At one point, I was so sure this was going to be epic that I was confused about the average rating being this low. But the last 20% or so of the book soured the whole experience tbh.

It felt like that part wasn’t written by the same author at all and it didn’t really make sense to me. I didn’t like that the author tried to absolve Wyatt and everyone involved of all guilt by trying to provide reasoning for all their actions and I feel like this would have been much better if the villains stayed just that, villains. This innate need of making everyone a hero is off putting. Also, I didn’t really get why Wyatt turning out to be a girl was significant? I mean does that make her actions any less horrible? I don’t think so.

It got so weird towards the end that I started doubting myself about whether the book was really that good at the start that I was contemplating 5 stars or I just didn’t understand it until the very end.

In any case, I am disappointed and was expecting a lot more from this book while picking it up.

I really wanted to love this book, but I just couldn't. I though the podcast way of writing would be just for the first chapter, so I kept reading. Once I finished the second chapter I was confused and lost interest.

It was a good story, I just found it had too many voices and just confused me. Would likely make a great audio book though

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and Greater Path LLC for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Influencer Island is a book that oozes potential. The premise is exciting, and the use of a podcast format instead of traditional prose is daring. Unfortunately, it just didn't quite land for me. If you're looking for a fast-paced read that tackles modern events with a more sinister twist, you'll probably enjoy this book.

<b>Plot Summary</b>
When elusive artist Wyatt James announces his latest project, Influencer Island, podcaster Cal seizes the opportunity to follow Carrie and Kiana's journey as they work to be one of the 10 lucky influencers chosen to attend. However, Influencer Island is far more sinister than it initially appears, and the journey ahead is nothing short of deadly.

<b>Format</b>
Ditching the traditional prose format, Influencer Island is written in the style of a podcast script. While I've definitely enjoyed books that use non-traditional or multimedia storytelling, this format didn't quite land for me.

For starters, in a podcast, it's easy to tell when the host is narrating the story versus audio clips of past news coverage or phone calls is being played. That doesn't quite translate as well in a written medium, and it was often difficult to follow the story as, especially in the first half, things would jump around between interviews, narration, news clips, and recordings, all within a few pages.

The pacing also took a hit with this format, especially in the second half of the book. Events that should have been given more attention were rushed through in the span of a paragraph as characters narrated what happened. It didn't leave enough breathing room to process emotions, motivations, or even aftermaths of decisions. The competition itself, I felt, took the brunt of this, as I desperately wanted things to slow down.

Finally, the format also seemed to become limiting in areas where the characters would narrate their actions, or things they had said to others, that would have better suited a traditional prose format. Overall, I couldn't shake the feeling that if the story was told from a multitude of formats (prose, newspaper articles, government reports, recording transcripts, etc.), and not just a podcast script, the overall plot would have landed much stronger.

<b>Plot Threads</b>
Rather than just sticking to a surface-level story about influencers, Influencer Island attempts to weave together a number of different plot lines concerning a variety of characters. While I was excited to see how everything came together, the end result felt a little messy, and I was left with a number of lingering questions as certain characters had their stories developed to a far greater extent than others.

<b>Assorted Musings</b>
• While the Fyre Festival comparison felt very apt, the Hunger Games comparison did not. Unfortunately, it felt like it was trying too hard to make that connection, as several blatant references to the Hunger Games were jarring.
• The overall commentary on Influencer culture was relatively well-developed and somewhat nuanced, but didn't have enough time to develop into a clearer thesis.

3.5 ⭐

So 3.5 seems like a meh kinda rating, right? You'll just have to trust me that it's actually not.

I loved everything about this book...except the ending. The cast of characters, although there are many, all have a place. The book would've felt incomplete without them. The writing style was absolute perfection, especially in the social media era. There was multiple storylines but not so many you are unable to keep track. However the ending was disappointing. I don't want to post any spoilers so all I can say is if you don't mind a bit of a flat ending, the rest of the book is worth it. There is a prequel, which I also read and gave 3 stars, but I don't feel it needs to be read first. With all of that being said, I absolutely plan to read the sequel and can't wait to read more from this author and I genuinely hope he keeps this series going!

After reading the description of Influencer Island, I was extremely excited to read it because I loved The Hunger Games and was fascinated by Fyre Fest. The format of this was very unconventional and unexpected. It is told through the lens of a podcaster in a podcast transcript format. I was initially excited for this uncommon format but quickly found that the way the story is told takes a lot of the actual drama on the island out of it. The way that we saw the competitors actions in live time in the Hunger Games is very different from how the story of Influencer Island is told, as the story is told after the competition is said and done and as a way to explain what truly happened on the island to the general public. I was disappointed that we didn't get to see the competitors time on the island because this is the perspective I was most looking forward to. This is also why this wasn't a 5 star read for me despite how intricate and interesting the ending was. The ending really saved this for me because I found the format to be a bit confusing with the contestants and Cals POVs bouncing back in forth so many times in the same page with no breaks or explanations. While I at first thought the format would lend a really unique style to this novel, I think it actually took away from how great this could have been. The ending explanations were really fantastic and deep and I felt like the rest of the book felt so superficial and surface level. This was a quick, unique read and although I felt it was lacking in many aspects, I still enjoyed it and would recommend it to others given its unique format. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Social media influencers all come together to compete amongst each other on Influencer Island, but what unfolds once everyone arrives is total chaos! You have the influencers that were found dead, and those that were still missing!
Cal Everett is a young reporter who hopes to get to the bottom of exactly what all happened on the Island!
The format of the book is told in episodes from podcasts. This was the first time reading a book solely in this type of format, although unfamiliar at first, it was very easy to follow along , an I ended up rather enjoying the way it was laid out!
This was very interesting, especially having more insight into the influence social media has on individuals!

Special thanks to NetGalley and greater path LLC for my arc in exchange for my honest review!

OMG what did I just read.This might the most fast paced and thrilling book I have read so far in this year.

The concept of gathering most followed influencers of the world on a remote island to fight for life and followers is captivating . In the current world social media is all we have in the name of social life.We follow and admire all these people we see via our screens without knowing what actually goes behind that perfect facade.

The book is written in a podcast format and I really wanted to listen to it. This is going to be a banger audiobook .

This book is a must read for all those who can digest violence, gore and horrors of humanity.

MAY FAME AND FOLLOWERS BE UPON YOU.
kmrutkin you are the one to watch .All my best wishes for you.
Netgalley thank you for providing the ARC of this amazing book.

📖 Influencer Island
✍️ Kyle Rutkin
💀 Horror

My rating: ⭐️⭐️💫

Thanks to NetGalley + Greater Path LLC for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Described as Fyre Festival meets Hunger Games, Influencer Island centers around a woman's mission to find out what happened to her brother who disappeared. Her journey for the truth leads her to apply for the competition that promises to make its winner infamous. But the contestants learn quickly that it will take more than selfies to win Influencer Island... or to even make it off the island at all.

I was incredibly intrigued by the premise of this book, and I actually like that it was told through the lens of a podcast script. I really enjoy stories that are told through unique formats (podcast scripts, emails, text messages, etc.). For me, the concept was there, but the execution fell a bit short. I thought the author tried to do too much by telling the Influencer Island competition story, Carrie's search for her brother story and Cal's search for the truth about his Father's story. I was intrigued by all three, but to try to tell them all together felt disjointed and there were several plot holes/decisions made by the main cast of characters that just made no sense. Not a winner for me, unfortunately.

🔪 Psychological horror/thriller
🔪 Multiple POV
🔪 Multiple timelines
🔪 Graphic violence
🔪 Told through podcast transcripts
🔪 Epilogue

#caitsquietplace #caitsquietplacereviews #cqphorror #cqpthrillers #greaterpath #netgalley

Thank you Netgalley, Greater Path LLC and Kyle Rutkin for the ARC.

While this is classed as a Horror (it wasn't), it's more of a mystery/thriller written as a podcast transcript style investigation. I was hoping for more blood, gore and horror in general. Don't get me wrong, this was a very unique way to write out this book and I did enjoy it to a degree, just not near as much as I had hoped.

This story takes place on a mysterious island, where the most elite influencers must go neck-to-neck in a challenge hosted by one of the most elusive and mysterious artists of the modern time. They know nothing about the challenge, and are not expecting what they have to face. We read the transcript of a podcast all about the horrors that these influencers must face on the island, while also figuring out the mystery behind the great Wyatt James.

While reading this, I was quite confused by the format. It's a podcast transcript, and most times there are two different stories happening on the one page. It took me a while to get into how to read it and how to follow along properly. Due to this, I did not really enjoy the first 30% of the book. However, once you get into to the groove of reading it, it does become easier to follow.

I thought the concept was absolutely fantastic. Think Hunger Games, but instead of unwilling teens you have fame hungry influencers. Really cool idea! However, the execution was just so-so. I thought things moved way too slow in the beginning, and way too fast at the end. I was left unsatisfied with the ending because I couldn't connect with the characters. It's hard to connect with characters when you're just reading a transcript.

I thought Cal was boring and whiny, and Carrie had no depth outside of the arc of her missing brother plotline. I just couldn't care! Despite this, it was interesting to read because the concept is kind of new and unwritten. I would definitely check out other books by this author in the future!

🤳 B O O K • R E V I E W 🤳

“When I close my eyes, I can still see them. I can still feel their warm blood splashing across my hands. Their frightened faces staring back at me. I did horrible things. Unspeakable things.”
•
•
🤳 Spoiler Free Review: Influencer Island by Kyle Rutkin
•
•
🤳 Synopsis:

“Welcome to Influencer Island, an experience for ten competitors to travel to paradise and compete for social media glory. Overnight, millions of users send off their submission videos, hoping for the chance to party with the biggest influencers and celebrities in the world.
Or so they thought…
By the time the contest went offline, over a dozen influencers were declared dead or missing. No winner was announced. The only hope for a conclusion lay in an unaired podcast produced by Cal Everett, a young reporter with his own mysterious connection to the murderous contest creator, Wyatt James.
As listeners will soon discover, James designed Influencer Island to be more than a battle of social media wits. If the contestants hope to survive, they will have to answer the question at the very heart of the competition: How far would you be willing to go for fame?”
•
•
🤳 Spoiler Free Review:

“How far would you be willing to go for fame and followers?”

What a fun read! I loved the format of this book- told through a series of interviews, that reads like a transcript. Fast paced, Influencer Island is constantly engaging the reader with multiple POVS and revolving story lines.

This novel is “Fyre festival meets Hunger Games”

Who will out last who in this dark psychological thriller- where the contestants will do anything for fame and fortune.

“Good luck. And as always, may fame and followers be upon you.”

A big thank you to @netgalley @kmrutkin & Greater Path LLC for sending me this in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Happy Pub Day to Influencer Island by @kmrutkin 🎉 📚 🎉

This style & sub genre reminds me of a darker, modern take on what Jackie Collins did for Hollywood thrillers.

Fresh take on the art world and how far people would go for a chance at fame. Really enjoying this bingeable book so far!

This would make a killer audiobook too because it’s written completely in podcast interview episodes!

Thank you 🙏🏼 @netgalley for the #advancedreaderscopy ♥️

#qotd: who is you favorite influencer? I’m a sucker for the Holderness Family

DESCRIPTION

FYRE FESTIVAL meets HUNGER GAMES in this dark psychological thriller about a social media competition that turns deadly.

Welcome to Influencer Island, an experience for ten competitors to travel to paradise and compete for social media glory. Overnight, millions of users send off their submission videos, hoping for the chance to party with the biggest influencers and celebrities in the world.

Or so they thought…

By the time the contest went offline, over a dozen influencers were declared dead or missing. No winner was announced. The only hope for a conclusion lay in an unaired podcast produced by Cal Everett, a young reporter with his own mysterious connection to the murderous contest creator, Wyatt James.

As listeners will soon discover, James designed Influencer Island to be more than a battle of social media wits. If the contestants hope to survive, they will have to answer the question at the very heart of the competition: How far would you be willing to go for fame?

I truly enjoyed this book. It is a fast-paced psychological thriller told in a podcast format. It is a very plot driven story pinpointing the shallowness of influencer culture. It focuses on the obsession given to certain individuals and the cult-like following that they can gain. It also reveals how the art world is trying to evolve using social media. The finale shows the dark side to our fixation to this media obsession. A lot to tackle in a 200 some page book. The characters could have been fleshed out a bit but using a podcast format makes this more of a social commentary. I have to say, though, I am a sucker for a good conspiracy theory plot so I quite enjoyed this book.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy in exchange for my review.

Influencer Island by Kyle Rutkin is like a Frankenstein’s monster of warped contemporary culture. The book is written as a podcast, and tells the story of what happened on “Influencer Island,” a reality show/art installation, set up by the reclusive artist Wyatt James, in which the top influencers from all over the world compete in deadly, gruesome challenges to become the most famous influencer alive. While on the island, it quickly becomes clear that every contestant is linked to the disappearance of contestant Carrie Andrews' brother.

There is much in this story that echoes pop culture—the insidious permeation of social media, the Fyre Festival fiasco, reality TV, true crime podcasts like Serial, Banksy (as inspiration for the character of Wyatt James), and so much more. It’s clear that the book is trying to make a point about how much we let social media control our lives and thoughts, but the narrative feels rambling, choppy, messy, and jumbled. The podcast-style format keeps all the characters at an emotional distance, which makes them difficult to care about. Without more description or inner monologue, understanding their histories is also difficult. The narrative voice doesn't feel believable, and the events of the plot stretch the bounds of credulity even more.

This book was a quick read, but the over abundance of characters, lack of emotion, strange narrative voice, and unbelievable plot made it fall flat for me.

With a fast turning of pages, Kyle Rutkin create a -not too far from reality- distopy. The podcast style it’s amazing, making the story addictive with all the information that every page adds to the plot.
The commentary that this books makes on Social Media leaves you thinking more of the question- Do you control Social Media or it controls you?
Thanks to NetGalley for this Earc in exchange for a honest review.