The Island by Natasha Preston

To be published on February 28, 2023 by Delacorte Books

Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review. I do freelance content creation for Random House Kids but this is my honest opinion of the book.

Plot Summary for The Island by Natasha Preston 

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.

Review of The Island by Natasha Preston

Influencer plots are getting a little overdone for me, but it's possible that teen readers still enjoy them. I did think that The Island was a very solid YA horror book, with a lot of thrills and chills.

A group of teen influencers is invited to a preview weekend for an amusement park on a private island. The group includes vloggers and Instagrammers who cover video games, beauty products, true crime ... and books!

The group is welcomed by Malcom, who owns the island, and his small staff. But before long people start dying and (maybe even worse?), the cell and internet service to the island cuts off. 

I liked that the whole book was told from the perspective of a single first person narrator, Paisley, a true crime YouTuber. Paisley was smart and, of course, had all that knowledge about how to outwit a killer.

And I think teen readers and horror fans will like the fact that The Island really goes there with all the gore and terror. 

The only thing I did NOT like was the ending, which was not resolved enough for me!

The Island reminded me a lot of old school 80s horror movies I used to watch!

Definitely check The Island out if you are looking for a scary YA book.