Actually, I don’t read many Young Adult books. But I was pleasantly surprised when I started reading this book by Kate Castle! It made me think about myself and when I was 17. What a long time ago now! I didn’t read much when I was that age, but I think I would have been very excited if I could have read a book like this. I would probably have either fallen in love with Ellery or wanted to be her. Win-win in any case.

Girl Island tells the story of Ellery Holmes, a girl who often finds herself on her own. She works hard on the farm where she lives with her brother and mother. After winning a sports scholarship, she goes on a trip to the Maldives. When the plane that was supposed to take her and her companions to their destination crashes, the tour group is stranded on a desert island. This is where the game of survival begins.

When the two boys from the party swim to an island further away to see if they can find help there, the girls are left alone. The girls’ true nature soon emerges. They all have their own personality with accompanying character. But how one or the other reacts in difficult situations is quite different and ultimately shows the true nature of a person.

In addition to Ellery’s survival story, there’s her love connection with Skye Cipriani. She knows Skye from back in the day when they had a close friendship and were about to be more than just friends. However, due to a traumatic event, they lost touch with each other. This adventure helps them to glue back the bond they used to have.

I also really liked the friendship between Ellery and Delia Dawkes. Delia is someone who shows how important it is to be seen. And to have someone like Ellery who actually sees you. There are also a number of characters that show how bad someone can be or become in a predicament. I always find it very interesting to see what choices someone makes, or how someone turns out, in such a situation.

All in all, Girl Island is a riveting book. I was halfway through in no time, and I didn’t even realize it. It was so exciting and so well written. I now also have the feeling that I know how to survive on a desert island 😊. Kate Castle has a wonderful writing style that draws you into the story. And it won’t let you go until it’s over. Kate Castle is a new author, and I am very much looking forward to her next book.