Ok, I had to sit on this book/review for a minute because I couldn’t find the right words! However, I found them, and I will say that this was one of the campiest, unhinged and chaotically funny books I’ve ever read?! I don’t think I’ve ever experienced something quite like this when reading a Thriller but I had a lot of fun nonetheless, especially when I encountered all of the explosive plot twists.

I think Hawkins did a great job on the atmospheric tone. Like truly spot on. I’m a summer baby and love the beach, so this made me want to book a flight to my dream vacay spots like St. Lucia or Aruba or something because wow! I could feel the sweltering, thick heat, envision the crystal blue waters, the stark white sand, and the dangerous jungle. As for the characters, most of them were unlikable in my eyes, but I really liked Lux and absolutely hated Nico, lmao. 

As for the plot, I thought it was solid. But this definitely felt more character-driven, so if you’re not into that then you might not care for this one. I felt like we didn’t get any real action until the last 30% of the book, so this is a true slow burn. But I enjoyed it! I liked getting invested in the characters to a degree, as well as learning more about Meroe Island and all of the spooky(?) lore wrapped up into it. The ending did throw me off a bit, and there were some plot holes that I would love answers to, but I know we’re not going to get them so 🙃

Final Thoughts: Overall, this was fun! It won’t be for everyone, but if you ever wondered what a Love Island season from hell would look like mixed with Lord of the Flies, The Bling Ring, and S*icide Forest elements, naturally as one does then this is the book for you!