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Seasick
There's a killer on board a luxury yacht, and two former friends must team up to figure out which of their privileged classmates has a penchant for murder before they become victims themselves.
Ex–best friends Naya Morgan and Yana Bunpraserit have always felt like outsiders in their small Oklahoma town. But this year, everything changes when they’re inducted into an exclusive society of Yatesville High’s top recent graduates. Unimaginable opportunities await them, starting with a celebratory yacht trip to Bermuda. Despite the likely onslaught of microaggressions and backhanded compliments from their peers—in addition to their own rocky past—Yana and Naya are ready for an epic voyage.
Then one of their classmates is brutally murdered, leaving them stuck at sea with a killer. Yana and Naya may have avoided each other for years, yet as the body count rises, rekindling their friendship might be the only way they’ll both survive.
Ex–best friends Naya Morgan and Yana Bunpraserit have always felt like outsiders in their small Oklahoma town. But this year, everything changes when they’re inducted into an exclusive society of Yatesville High’s top recent graduates. Unimaginable opportunities await them, starting with a celebratory yacht trip to Bermuda. Despite the likely onslaught of microaggressions and backhanded compliments from their peers—in addition to their own rocky past—Yana and Naya are ready for an epic voyage.
Then one of their classmates is brutally murdered, leaving them stuck at sea with a killer. Yana and Naya may have avoided each other for years, yet as the body count rises, rekindling their friendship might be the only way they’ll both survive.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published June 11, 2024
88 people are currently reading
8317 people want to read
About the author
Kristin Cast
115 books9,397 followersKristin is a #1 New York Times and #1 USA Today bestselling author who was born on an Air Force base in Japan and grew up in Oklahoma where she explored everything from tattoo modeling to broadcast journalism. After battling addiction, Kristin made her way to the Pacific Northwest and landed in Portland. She rediscovered her passion for storytelling in the stacks at dusty bookstores and in rickety chairs in old coffeehouses. For as long as she can remember, Kristin’s been telling stories. Thankfully, she’s been writing them down since 2005.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews
July 3, 2024
"Death in Nile"-style murder mysteries set against a sea backdrop never get old! Especially when one of my favorite fantasy authors (yes, I'm talking about Kristin Cast) ventures into a genre switch, crafting a YA twisty whodunnit mystery aboard a super-luxurious yacht. I can only say yay and go in blind to enjoy the premise!
There are numerous unlikable characters in supporting roles in this book, emanating suspicious vibes and harboring scandalous secrets, including cheating in school admissions, using doping in sport competitions, and kleptomania. The leading characters are two diverse ex-friends with very similar names that might confuse your mind; Naya and Yana (at least they didn’t reunite with their long-lost friend Anya! Worst joke alert! I’m zipping my mouth now!) Naya Morgan, a diversity inductee, changes her social circle by befriending Taylor, a typical spoiled brat meets trust fund baby, estranging herself from her best friend Yana Bunpraserit, even though both of them come from the middle class, always outsiders of their hometown Yatesville Hometown. Naya is light-skinned, while Yana’s family is immigrants from Thailand (not Taiwan, just like some ignorant bullies think).
When the exclusive society of Yatesville and a mysterious benefactor named Seraphina Yates pick inductees, both Naya and Yana are invited to attend a luxurious yacht trip sailing to Bermuda. Naya thinks her luck has changed, and Yana finds an intriguing note warning her that some students on the yacht might be involved in a cheating in admission scandal. As an aspiring future journalist who at least earned a scholarship with her efficient work at the school newspaper, she accepts to dig into the mystery, even though the very annoying modern-day version of Lady Whistledown, Everly, who likes to pour poisonous rumors into her gossip column, is one of the attendees stirring the tense atmosphere.
But one thing Yana didn’t count on was finding herself in the middle of a murder mystery. There’s a killer on the yacht adamant to keep their dirty secrets buried deep.
Overall, it's definitely one of my fastest reads, finished on my way back from Vegas to Los Angeles (nope, I wasn't the one driving the car! Please relax!). The conclusion is predictable, but it is still well-executed. Even though I hate the guts of most of the characters and thought, let them kill each other and close the book, the intriguing mystery plot kept me engaged. I'm rounding up my three-and-a-half stars to four murder mystery stars!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
There are numerous unlikable characters in supporting roles in this book, emanating suspicious vibes and harboring scandalous secrets, including cheating in school admissions, using doping in sport competitions, and kleptomania. The leading characters are two diverse ex-friends with very similar names that might confuse your mind; Naya and Yana (at least they didn’t reunite with their long-lost friend Anya! Worst joke alert! I’m zipping my mouth now!) Naya Morgan, a diversity inductee, changes her social circle by befriending Taylor, a typical spoiled brat meets trust fund baby, estranging herself from her best friend Yana Bunpraserit, even though both of them come from the middle class, always outsiders of their hometown Yatesville Hometown. Naya is light-skinned, while Yana’s family is immigrants from Thailand (not Taiwan, just like some ignorant bullies think).
When the exclusive society of Yatesville and a mysterious benefactor named Seraphina Yates pick inductees, both Naya and Yana are invited to attend a luxurious yacht trip sailing to Bermuda. Naya thinks her luck has changed, and Yana finds an intriguing note warning her that some students on the yacht might be involved in a cheating in admission scandal. As an aspiring future journalist who at least earned a scholarship with her efficient work at the school newspaper, she accepts to dig into the mystery, even though the very annoying modern-day version of Lady Whistledown, Everly, who likes to pour poisonous rumors into her gossip column, is one of the attendees stirring the tense atmosphere.
But one thing Yana didn’t count on was finding herself in the middle of a murder mystery. There’s a killer on the yacht adamant to keep their dirty secrets buried deep.
Overall, it's definitely one of my fastest reads, finished on my way back from Vegas to Los Angeles (nope, I wasn't the one driving the car! Please relax!). The conclusion is predictable, but it is still well-executed. Even though I hate the guts of most of the characters and thought, let them kill each other and close the book, the intriguing mystery plot kept me engaged. I'm rounding up my three-and-a-half stars to four murder mystery stars!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
January 12, 2025
**3.5-stars rounded up**
I'll be honest, I think the trick with Seasick is going into it with the right mindset.
If you are expecting deep prose and super compelling character interactions, you may want to look elsewhere.
If however, you're like me, and you're just here for a good time, this could be a lot of fun for you.
To me, one of the things I appreciated about Seasick was that it didn't seem to take itself too seriously. This is like B-Horror, which I am a huge fan of. It feels campy, and in spite of the mega-yacht setting, it feels low budget.
The plot and characters were outrageous, nevertheless, it was a wicked good time. I loved seeing that body count pile up, as I tried to figure out who was behind it.
This story follows a group of recent high school graduates, who after being inducted into a prestigious society in their small Oklahoma town, set out on a celebratory yacht trip to Bermuda. For some, a trip of a lifetime.
As the Reader, you're clued in from the start that it's going to end up being a total bloodbath, but it was fun watching that whole drama play out.
Estranged best friends, Yana and Naya, team up to figure out who the killer aboard is, before they fall victim themselves.
I mean, that's it. It's pretty simple, but it was a blast, NGL. This is like a made-for-tv movie with a ton of hot actors trying to survive a Slasher. It def gives those vibes.
The yacht setting was fun, because it feels claustrophobic. There's literally no means of escape. These kids are trapped, and one way or another, they need to fight in order to survive, whether they like it or not.
I did enjoy a lot of the teen drama, but that's sort of what I'm into. So, boys and girls behaving badly is like candy for me. I was eating it up.
Will this go down in history as one of my favorite YA Horror/Thrillers ever? No. However, can I walk away happy I read it and feeling like I had a really great time? Absolutely!
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Campy Teen Screams and books set on boats. This is filled with catty drama and ridiculously fun kills. There's a whole bunch of Readers for this out there, and you know who you are!
Thank you to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was a wild voyage!
I'll be honest, I think the trick with Seasick is going into it with the right mindset.
If you are expecting deep prose and super compelling character interactions, you may want to look elsewhere.
If however, you're like me, and you're just here for a good time, this could be a lot of fun for you.
To me, one of the things I appreciated about Seasick was that it didn't seem to take itself too seriously. This is like B-Horror, which I am a huge fan of. It feels campy, and in spite of the mega-yacht setting, it feels low budget.
The plot and characters were outrageous, nevertheless, it was a wicked good time. I loved seeing that body count pile up, as I tried to figure out who was behind it.
This story follows a group of recent high school graduates, who after being inducted into a prestigious society in their small Oklahoma town, set out on a celebratory yacht trip to Bermuda. For some, a trip of a lifetime.
As the Reader, you're clued in from the start that it's going to end up being a total bloodbath, but it was fun watching that whole drama play out.
Estranged best friends, Yana and Naya, team up to figure out who the killer aboard is, before they fall victim themselves.
I mean, that's it. It's pretty simple, but it was a blast, NGL. This is like a made-for-tv movie with a ton of hot actors trying to survive a Slasher. It def gives those vibes.
The yacht setting was fun, because it feels claustrophobic. There's literally no means of escape. These kids are trapped, and one way or another, they need to fight in order to survive, whether they like it or not.
I did enjoy a lot of the teen drama, but that's sort of what I'm into. So, boys and girls behaving badly is like candy for me. I was eating it up.
Will this go down in history as one of my favorite YA Horror/Thrillers ever? No. However, can I walk away happy I read it and feeling like I had a really great time? Absolutely!
I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys Campy Teen Screams and books set on boats. This is filled with catty drama and ridiculously fun kills. There's a whole bunch of Readers for this out there, and you know who you are!
Thank you to the publisher, Delacorte Press, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was a wild voyage!
June 18, 2024
Seasick by Kristin Cast, Pintip Dunn is a young adult mystery/thriller book. The story in Seasick is basically a take on the old locked room/yacht type of mystery and is one that does alternate the point of view between the characters.
Naya Morgan and Yana Bunpraserit used to be best friends being the only diverse students in their small Oklahoma town but have since grown apart. Now however both girls have been invited on a private yacht cruise to Bermuda after inducted into an exclusive society of Yatesville High’s top graduates. Once onboard the yacht though things take a dark turn when one of their classmates is brutally murdered.
Kristin Cast and Pintip Dunn are both authors that I have read and enjoyed in the past so seeing the cover of this new young adult thriller have the yacht on it and cruising being a huge love of mine I couldn’t pass this one by. For the most part this was a solid locked room mystery and I did enjoy the fast paced action of the book. The story did end up feeling a tad unbelievable overall though if you think back on the wrap up and generally not being a fan of the two characters having such similar names which had me scratching my head a few times early on to distinguish them I ended up with a rating at three and a half stars.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Naya Morgan and Yana Bunpraserit used to be best friends being the only diverse students in their small Oklahoma town but have since grown apart. Now however both girls have been invited on a private yacht cruise to Bermuda after inducted into an exclusive society of Yatesville High’s top graduates. Once onboard the yacht though things take a dark turn when one of their classmates is brutally murdered.
Kristin Cast and Pintip Dunn are both authors that I have read and enjoyed in the past so seeing the cover of this new young adult thriller have the yacht on it and cruising being a huge love of mine I couldn’t pass this one by. For the most part this was a solid locked room mystery and I did enjoy the fast paced action of the book. The story did end up feeling a tad unbelievable overall though if you think back on the wrap up and generally not being a fan of the two characters having such similar names which had me scratching my head a few times early on to distinguish them I ended up with a rating at three and a half stars.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
August 21, 2024
Fun campy locked boat 🛥️ (heehee) murder mystery. Enjoyed the fact that the authors weren’t afraid to kill.
BUT naming your two main characters Yana and Naya is CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. I at no point remembered which was which. Also the French boyfriend made me gag every time he spoke #banfrenchmen
BUT naming your two main characters Yana and Naya is CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. I at no point remembered which was which. Also the French boyfriend made me gag every time he spoke #banfrenchmen
June 20, 2024
A perfectly twisty YA locked room thriller on board a ship stranded at sea that has the body count quickly piling up as dark secrets are uncovered and the teens fight to survive a killer set on revenge. This was great on audio and perfect for fans of the books Cursed cruise and Lying in the deep. Many thanks to PRHAudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
May 30, 2025
The real question is who allowed a Naya and Yana in the same book.
2.5 stars 🛥️
2.5 stars 🛥️
January 29, 2025
Note to self: stay off boats!
May 25, 2024
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
This book is such a great mystery! My heart was racing as Yana and Naya worked to survive while trapped. Running in the dark, hiding from a murder, and trying to figure out who to really trust, all of it kept me on the edge of my seat! There are plenty of suspects with secrets and you want to read more to chip away at them.
If you’re looking for a great YA mystery check out this one!
This book is such a great mystery! My heart was racing as Yana and Naya worked to survive while trapped. Running in the dark, hiding from a murder, and trying to figure out who to really trust, all of it kept me on the edge of my seat! There are plenty of suspects with secrets and you want to read more to chip away at them.
If you’re looking for a great YA mystery check out this one!
July 7, 2024
This might be the worst murder mystery/ young adult book I've ever read in my life. It feels like a first draft. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME! Not even being harsh, just honest.
My main complaint is how unrealistic everybody's reactions are to the murders. Like, five of your friends were just brutally murdered and you're on the yacht with the killer, yet you're making out with your boyfriend and cracking jokes? In what world would that ever be anyone's reaction? Literally, after the first death, everybody acts like nothing happened. I mean, I feel like after death #2, they would have the sense to all lock themselves in their rooms, or at least stay together as a group. Why did people keep breaking off?
Obviously not everyone has the same reaction and not everybody's like me, but after the second death, I'm out. I would have made the group walk me to my room, checked every single nook and cranny, and locked myself in there. I would have pushed a chair under the door handle and took out any weapons I could find. I would maybe stay in there with my bunkmate, but if they weren't somebody I fully 100% trusted, then I would lock myself in alone and stay awake for the next 24 hours until we docked.
Obviously Naya's bunkmate was (spoiler) the killer, but if Naya had locked herself in the room too, then there's no way the killer could kill her. Because then it'd be obvious who it was since it was just them two in the room.
Plus, the person who ended up being the killer was so unrealistic. There's absolutely no way any of this would have been possible, and even if the killer's plan had worked, there would be no way for her to get off the boat and be considered innocent. There were literally multiple witnesses to her actions, and proof. There's no way that if her plan had worked out, she wouldn't be arrested ASAP. And when the killer is revealed, it's (spoiler) the main character's BEST FRIEND, and her reaction is just chill? Like what ??????? I don't even remember one character crying ONE TIME.
Another complaint: I'm all for diverse characters and whatever, but they didn't need to bring up the fact that Yana was Thai and Naya was biracial in EVERY SINGLE SENTENCE. They always found a way to mention their race, but it was so out of place. They could've mentioned how out of place the girls felt in Yatesville without bringing it up literally every other sentence.
As for predictability, I can't lie, I thought of like three people before thinking of the actual killer. Reasoning behind it: they would need to be strong, and the authors kept mentioning how the boys were all athletes. The actual killer was so unrealistic that I was disappointed at the reveal. There was NO WAY she could've been the killer, there were way to many plot holes.
I wish they had more time confronting the killer about her actions. Asking her why, seeing if she regretted how things turned out. I also wish it didn't just cut from Naya and Yana killing the killer, straight to 6 weeks later (spoiler) at Serafina Yates' mansion.
Also, the two of them being best friends and coming together was the main description of the book, yet that was only part of it for the last like 50 pages or less.
You can tell they just looked up "Gen z slang" and threw it into the book. Like saying NPC at times when it wouldn't even make sense. Also, the main characters' names are Naya and Yana, which makes it confusing switching between their POVs.
Honestly, everything about this book sucks. It caught my eye in target but I WISH I hadn't bought it and hopefully I save you the money, too...
My main complaint is how unrealistic everybody's reactions are to the murders. Like, five of your friends were just brutally murdered and you're on the yacht with the killer, yet you're making out with your boyfriend and cracking jokes? In what world would that ever be anyone's reaction? Literally, after the first death, everybody acts like nothing happened. I mean, I feel like after death #2, they would have the sense to all lock themselves in their rooms, or at least stay together as a group. Why did people keep breaking off?
Obviously not everyone has the same reaction and not everybody's like me, but after the second death, I'm out. I would have made the group walk me to my room, checked every single nook and cranny, and locked myself in there. I would have pushed a chair under the door handle and took out any weapons I could find. I would maybe stay in there with my bunkmate, but if they weren't somebody I fully 100% trusted, then I would lock myself in alone and stay awake for the next 24 hours until we docked.
Obviously Naya's bunkmate was (spoiler) the killer, but if Naya had locked herself in the room too, then there's no way the killer could kill her. Because then it'd be obvious who it was since it was just them two in the room.
Plus, the person who ended up being the killer was so unrealistic. There's absolutely no way any of this would have been possible, and even if the killer's plan had worked, there would be no way for her to get off the boat and be considered innocent. There were literally multiple witnesses to her actions, and proof. There's no way that if her plan had worked out, she wouldn't be arrested ASAP. And when the killer is revealed, it's (spoiler) the main character's BEST FRIEND, and her reaction is just chill? Like what ??????? I don't even remember one character crying ONE TIME.
Another complaint: I'm all for diverse characters and whatever, but they didn't need to bring up the fact that Yana was Thai and Naya was biracial in EVERY SINGLE SENTENCE. They always found a way to mention their race, but it was so out of place. They could've mentioned how out of place the girls felt in Yatesville without bringing it up literally every other sentence.
As for predictability, I can't lie, I thought of like three people before thinking of the actual killer. Reasoning behind it: they would need to be strong, and the authors kept mentioning how the boys were all athletes. The actual killer was so unrealistic that I was disappointed at the reveal. There was NO WAY she could've been the killer, there were way to many plot holes.
I wish they had more time confronting the killer about her actions. Asking her why, seeing if she regretted how things turned out. I also wish it didn't just cut from Naya and Yana killing the killer, straight to 6 weeks later (spoiler) at Serafina Yates' mansion.
Also, the two of them being best friends and coming together was the main description of the book, yet that was only part of it for the last like 50 pages or less.
You can tell they just looked up "Gen z slang" and threw it into the book. Like saying NPC at times when it wouldn't even make sense. Also, the main characters' names are Naya and Yana, which makes it confusing switching between their POVs.
Honestly, everything about this book sucks. It caught my eye in target but I WISH I hadn't bought it and hopefully I save you the money, too...
July 23, 2024
rating: 4.5 stars
I judged a book by it's cover and that's the only reason I bought it.
I love reading murder mysteries and this one was no different. at the beginning, the writing style was a little hard for me to get into but once I got the hang of it, it was great.
I wish the authors would have picked different names for the two fmc because Naya and Yana are too alike for me, especially since the book kept switching perspectives.
as usual, I didn't guess who the murderer was. 😭
I judged a book by it's cover and that's the only reason I bought it.
I love reading murder mysteries and this one was no different. at the beginning, the writing style was a little hard for me to get into but once I got the hang of it, it was great.
I wish the authors would have picked different names for the two fmc because Naya and Yana are too alike for me, especially since the book kept switching perspectives.
as usual, I didn't guess who the murderer was. 😭
July 16, 2024
I received a free digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Full review to come, but here are my initial thoughts:
As far as YA thrillers go, this isn’t the worst one I’ve ever read, but there are plot holes. Also, while the killer was predictable, there is no way they were physically able to do everything we are to believe they did. It just literally is not possible. Especially considering the fact how many times it was stated that it took so many of the students to move this dead body or that injured body.
Also naming the main characters Yana and Naya was obnoxious. We only get the story from their points of view, which is fine, except I repeatedly had to remind myself which one was telling the story at which point.
The pacing was also really off. Yana magically falls for Gabe, even though he ditched her at prom supposedly because she wouldn’t have sex with him. But it literally took five minutes for them to suddenly be in love with each other again.
I love a good locked room mystery. This just wasn’t it.
As far as YA thrillers go, this isn’t the worst one I’ve ever read, but there are plot holes. Also, while the killer was predictable, there is no way they were physically able to do everything we are to believe they did. It just literally is not possible. Especially considering the fact how many times it was stated that it took so many of the students to move this dead body or that injured body.
Also naming the main characters Yana and Naya was obnoxious. We only get the story from their points of view, which is fine, except I repeatedly had to remind myself which one was telling the story at which point.
The pacing was also really off. Yana magically falls for Gabe, even though he ditched her at prom supposedly because she wouldn’t have sex with him. But it literally took five minutes for them to suddenly be in love with each other again.
I love a good locked room mystery. This just wasn’t it.
May 21, 2024
This was a fun, twisty, whodunnit mystery that takes place on a luxurious yacht. I enjoyed the locked-room aspect and the overall premise. This book is told through two point of views, by Yana and Naya. There were quite a few characters that were hard to like, but I think that added to the mystery surrounding the overall plot. If you like stories about secrets, lies, and murder this might be one worth checking out.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy.
May 31, 2024
Seasick by Kristin Cast & Pintip Dunn
Thank you so much PRH Audio + Delacorte Press for the free audiobook.
Blurb:
There’s a killer on board a luxury yacht, and two former friends must team up to figure out which of their privileged classmates has a penchant for murder before they become victims themselves.
✨ My thoughts:
Ahh! This book is so stinkin’ fun, it’s the perfect read for warm days. I can’t wait to get my hands on a finished copy. Catherine Ho and Imani Jade Powers did a great job bringing this story to life. It’s fast paced and holds your attention all the way through. If you’re not hooked from the beginning, you’ll be happy how it all comes together, I promise! If you enjoy whodunnits, this one is a good one to get your hands on. I also love the cover so much, it perfectly sets the tone for what you’re about to read. You should 100% judge this book by its cover. Seasick is our 6/11/24, don’t miss it!
Happy reading 📖
Thank you so much PRH Audio + Delacorte Press for the free audiobook.
Blurb:
There’s a killer on board a luxury yacht, and two former friends must team up to figure out which of their privileged classmates has a penchant for murder before they become victims themselves.
✨ My thoughts:
Ahh! This book is so stinkin’ fun, it’s the perfect read for warm days. I can’t wait to get my hands on a finished copy. Catherine Ho and Imani Jade Powers did a great job bringing this story to life. It’s fast paced and holds your attention all the way through. If you’re not hooked from the beginning, you’ll be happy how it all comes together, I promise! If you enjoy whodunnits, this one is a good one to get your hands on. I also love the cover so much, it perfectly sets the tone for what you’re about to read. You should 100% judge this book by its cover. Seasick is our 6/11/24, don’t miss it!
Happy reading 📖
April 28, 2025
Deeply unsatisfied
June 29, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
3.5/5 STARS
Genre: YA Thriller
This is a locked room thriller on a yacht. It fell a little short for me. A little too much teen drama and the transitions were a little choppy at times. The concept was good it just wasn’t for me. I wanted it to be more like Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban.
3.5/5 STARS
Genre: YA Thriller
This is a locked room thriller on a yacht. It fell a little short for me. A little too much teen drama and the transitions were a little choppy at times. The concept was good it just wasn’t for me. I wanted it to be more like Lying in the Deep by Diana Urban.
June 10, 2024
This is an easy to read writing style and while the body count is high, with some blood and guts it still felt very young in tone.
I had a really hard time with the MC names Yana and Naya - super similar names for the only two POVs which was very confusing; it didn’t help that they were so similar in their thoughts too. I struggled to remember which POV it was until the inevitable angsty boy crush thoughts would tell me who it was. And on that note - the romance aspect was a weird choice here. You just found two of your classmates brutally murdered corpses and you are instead focused on the fact that you are holding hands with a boy and omg what does this mean?!? Like girl no. That is not your priority 🤦🏼♀️ Between that and the let’s talk about our relationship issues right now instead of worrying about a murderer chasing us, it was just ridiculous. I’m not sure why every YA author thinks a romance angle is necessary; but it was not a good fit here.
There were some pacing issues in this one. It starts off really slow and takes awhile to get going. Once people begin to die it picks up, but there are parts that drag out, especially with the repetitive dialogue. The backstory for the characters was pretty weak - the former BFFs reason for not being friends was downright silly and eyeroll worthy.
It definitely is on the angsty and melodramatic side, even for YA. There is a large amount of vomit talk along with other thriller filler - lots of hair tucked behind ears, cringe pet names from BFs, smoothing down of clothes, etc. A lot of the “suspense” is just internal thoughts the characters have questioning everyone and everything over and over. The characters make nonsensical decisions, even for YA it was just some poor choices for little to no reason.
I predicted the who, but it also didn’t really add up. There are a lot of plot holes that are glossed over that I found frustrating. One in particular it’s like the authors realized it was an issue and tried to explain it away but the math ain’t mathing there. The end features a Scooby Doo villain reveals all monologue which is one of my least fav things in a book.
I had a really hard time with the MC names Yana and Naya - super similar names for the only two POVs which was very confusing; it didn’t help that they were so similar in their thoughts too. I struggled to remember which POV it was until the inevitable angsty boy crush thoughts would tell me who it was. And on that note - the romance aspect was a weird choice here. You just found two of your classmates brutally murdered corpses and you are instead focused on the fact that you are holding hands with a boy and omg what does this mean?!? Like girl no. That is not your priority 🤦🏼♀️ Between that and the let’s talk about our relationship issues right now instead of worrying about a murderer chasing us, it was just ridiculous. I’m not sure why every YA author thinks a romance angle is necessary; but it was not a good fit here.
There were some pacing issues in this one. It starts off really slow and takes awhile to get going. Once people begin to die it picks up, but there are parts that drag out, especially with the repetitive dialogue. The backstory for the characters was pretty weak - the former BFFs reason for not being friends was downright silly and eyeroll worthy.
It definitely is on the angsty and melodramatic side, even for YA. There is a large amount of vomit talk along with other thriller filler - lots of hair tucked behind ears, cringe pet names from BFs, smoothing down of clothes, etc. A lot of the “suspense” is just internal thoughts the characters have questioning everyone and everything over and over. The characters make nonsensical decisions, even for YA it was just some poor choices for little to no reason.
I predicted the who, but it also didn’t really add up. There are a lot of plot holes that are glossed over that I found frustrating. One in particular it’s like the authors realized it was an issue and tried to explain it away but the math ain’t mathing there. The end features a Scooby Doo villain reveals all monologue which is one of my least fav things in a book.
February 2, 2025
i used to be a huge fan of PC Cast and Kristin Cast’s series HON. I read the first nine books and really enjoyed them. This of course is much different than a school of vampires, but we still have a little bit of the bloodthirsty teens in this one.
Seasick is about elite high school students who are taking a trip on a yacht to Bermuda. However one of the students is a gossip columnist and the rest of the students have a ton of secrets that she’s either revealed or strongly hinted at. This eventually leads to her murder and slowly the other students start getting murdered as well.
The pacing of the book was relatively fast. However i found a hard time connecting with the characters and keeping them all straight. The guys especially seemed kind of generic and were very easy to get confused. At one point a guy and girl are found murdered and I really struggled to remember who they were and what their death would mean.
i think part of the issue is that I’m just not a big fan of “super elite” thrillers anymore and especially super elite high school thrillers. Overall, this wasn’t bad, but it’s not something i think I’ll likely remember for long.
***thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Seasick is about elite high school students who are taking a trip on a yacht to Bermuda. However one of the students is a gossip columnist and the rest of the students have a ton of secrets that she’s either revealed or strongly hinted at. This eventually leads to her murder and slowly the other students start getting murdered as well.
The pacing of the book was relatively fast. However i found a hard time connecting with the characters and keeping them all straight. The guys especially seemed kind of generic and were very easy to get confused. At one point a guy and girl are found murdered and I really struggled to remember who they were and what their death would mean.
i think part of the issue is that I’m just not a big fan of “super elite” thrillers anymore and especially super elite high school thrillers. Overall, this wasn’t bad, but it’s not something i think I’ll likely remember for long.
***thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
January 8, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Even though this was a YA book I still enjoyed it.
I love “locked room” mysteries and thrillers and this is definitely one of those.
Definitely worth the read.
Even though this was a YA book I still enjoyed it.
I love “locked room” mysteries and thrillers and this is definitely one of those.
Definitely worth the read.
June 2, 2024
Former best friends Naya Morgan and Yana Bunpraserit always felt out of place in their small Oklahoma town. When both are inducted into the exclusive society of Yatesville High's top recent graduates, they're offered a chance to go on a yacht trip to Bermuda. Only something sinister is underfoot. Along with secrets, someone is targeting the graduates. After one of their classmates is brutally murdered, Naya and Yana have to put aside their differences to solve who is killing them if they want to survive.
What worked: Fast-paced, who-done-it murder mystery with a Gossip girl vibe. Only in this case, secrets have a deadly cost. Yana and Naya haven't been friends since middle school. Naya now hangs with the 'cool' kids and Yana is more of the outcast. When one of their classmates is murdered after promising to share a 'secret', the girls realize they have to work together to find out who the killer is.
At first, the gossipy, mean girl vibe shows the divisions between Naya and Yana, but they're not that different. Naya's best friend Taylor is wealthy and is passive-aggressive in their relationship. Taylor is everything that Naya wishes-rich, confident, and having connections. There's Gabe, the boy who ghosted Yana at Prom who has his secrets. Etienne, the French exchange student, and Naya's boyfriend. Brett, the star swim star. Amelia and Derek who rumor has it helped her get into Harvard. Finn, Taylor's boyfriend, who isn't all he seems.
Who is the killer? Why are they targeting the graduates?
This Clue-like mystery is guaranteed to keep readers flipping the pages to find out who is the killer.
I really enjoyed having two diverse protagonists who share how they feel like outsiders in the mostly White small Oklahoma town.
Captivating thriller where two former friends pull together to solve a murder mystery abroad a luxury yacht before they become the next victims.
Original post: https://www.yabookscentral.com/seasick/
What worked: Fast-paced, who-done-it murder mystery with a Gossip girl vibe. Only in this case, secrets have a deadly cost. Yana and Naya haven't been friends since middle school. Naya now hangs with the 'cool' kids and Yana is more of the outcast. When one of their classmates is murdered after promising to share a 'secret', the girls realize they have to work together to find out who the killer is.
At first, the gossipy, mean girl vibe shows the divisions between Naya and Yana, but they're not that different. Naya's best friend Taylor is wealthy and is passive-aggressive in their relationship. Taylor is everything that Naya wishes-rich, confident, and having connections. There's Gabe, the boy who ghosted Yana at Prom who has his secrets. Etienne, the French exchange student, and Naya's boyfriend. Brett, the star swim star. Amelia and Derek who rumor has it helped her get into Harvard. Finn, Taylor's boyfriend, who isn't all he seems.
Who is the killer? Why are they targeting the graduates?
This Clue-like mystery is guaranteed to keep readers flipping the pages to find out who is the killer.
I really enjoyed having two diverse protagonists who share how they feel like outsiders in the mostly White small Oklahoma town.
Captivating thriller where two former friends pull together to solve a murder mystery abroad a luxury yacht before they become the next victims.
Original post: https://www.yabookscentral.com/seasick/
January 29, 2025
this one was okay… [mild romance spoilers at the very end, not actual mystery spoilers]
i can always give a star for diverse voices which the authors shared was a goal of this book, and there were points where the suspense was killing me. however, i spent a big chunk of this book not being able to really immerse myself into it and needing to flip back to remember why something was relevant. in short, not my favorite but not necessarily a waste of my time, either. for lack of a better description, it kinda feels like one of those streaming thrillers that you put on because you can’t really decide what to watch? and you enjoy it in the end but it’s not like your life was changed or anything. the romance between Yana and Gabe was cute, i did find myself rooting for them. Étienne and Naya not so much but i was glad to see the healthy dynamic of Étienne being willing to accept help and change for the better.
also (and this doesn’t play into my rating at all, just my general thoughts on the book): i somehow knew that the murderer was all along. the motives? i couldn’t have fathomed it. how they did it? also couldn’t have told you how that would come out. but I just knew from very early on - probably before any murders actually took place - that that character was going to be the murderer. i can’t explain it.
i can always give a star for diverse voices which the authors shared was a goal of this book, and there were points where the suspense was killing me. however, i spent a big chunk of this book not being able to really immerse myself into it and needing to flip back to remember why something was relevant. in short, not my favorite but not necessarily a waste of my time, either. for lack of a better description, it kinda feels like one of those streaming thrillers that you put on because you can’t really decide what to watch? and you enjoy it in the end but it’s not like your life was changed or anything. the romance between Yana and Gabe was cute, i did find myself rooting for them. Étienne and Naya not so much but i was glad to see the healthy dynamic of Étienne being willing to accept help and change for the better.
also (and this doesn’t play into my rating at all, just my general thoughts on the book): i somehow knew that the murderer was all along. the motives? i couldn’t have fathomed it. how they did it? also couldn’t have told you how that would come out. but I just knew from very early on - probably before any murders actually took place - that that character was going to be the murderer. i can’t explain it.
June 18, 2024
This YA thriller had lots of intense and suspenseful moment's. Lots of mystery and constantly trying to figure out who the killer or killer's are. I really couldn't figure out a definitive killer since everyone could be guilty when more deaths were happening. Friends turn on each other and romances are tested. Everyone is trying to figure out the motives and find evidence to prove the why's and how's.
Some of the twists I guessed, but I still enjoyed how things played out and there were many twists that surprised me throughout the book. This felt like a movie and there were even references to scary movies. I think this would be an awesome book to make into a movie, would be very entertaining.
In the author's note, it was interesting to hear that Naya and Yana were based on themselves and their experiences being biracial and Thai American and the challenges to belong and be accepted growing up and for the characters to be "proud of their roots."
This story was action packed with some humor to break up the tense moments. I recommend this book and it was a fun, easy read. Thank you Netgalley and the author's for an arc copy, all opinions are my own.
Some of the twists I guessed, but I still enjoyed how things played out and there were many twists that surprised me throughout the book. This felt like a movie and there were even references to scary movies. I think this would be an awesome book to make into a movie, would be very entertaining.
In the author's note, it was interesting to hear that Naya and Yana were based on themselves and their experiences being biracial and Thai American and the challenges to belong and be accepted growing up and for the characters to be "proud of their roots."
This story was action packed with some humor to break up the tense moments. I recommend this book and it was a fun, easy read. Thank you Netgalley and the author's for an arc copy, all opinions are my own.
June 10, 2024
ARC Review: Out June 11th
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Seasick by Kristin Cast and Pintip Dunn. Thank you to NetGalley, random house and delacorte press for my free advanced readers copy! My opinions are my own!
Someone is killing off spoiled, privileged, rich kids one by one. Oh, also, there is no way out because they’re all STRANDED in the middle of the ocean on a mega yacht!
Such gory, HIDEOUS deaths behold these young adults, inductees into an exclusive society with full-ride scholarships to any college and endless opportunities!
Who is killing everyone off and who will be the next victim in this SLASHER thriller?
🔪
My thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed this TWISTY slasher fest!
It was TEETH GRITTING, jaw clenching and very entertaining! I really couldn’t put it down.
Fans of Rachel Harrison, RL Stine’s Fear Street and Lisa Unger will enjoy this read!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Seasick by Kristin Cast and Pintip Dunn. Thank you to NetGalley, random house and delacorte press for my free advanced readers copy! My opinions are my own!
Someone is killing off spoiled, privileged, rich kids one by one. Oh, also, there is no way out because they’re all STRANDED in the middle of the ocean on a mega yacht!
Such gory, HIDEOUS deaths behold these young adults, inductees into an exclusive society with full-ride scholarships to any college and endless opportunities!
Who is killing everyone off and who will be the next victim in this SLASHER thriller?
🔪
My thoughts:
I thoroughly enjoyed this TWISTY slasher fest!
It was TEETH GRITTING, jaw clenching and very entertaining! I really couldn’t put it down.
Fans of Rachel Harrison, RL Stine’s Fear Street and Lisa Unger will enjoy this read!
June 7, 2024
When Yana finds herself selected for an elite society (and a trip on a megayacht to boot) after graduating high school, she’s surprised but also jumps at the opportunity. However, when bodies start dropping, she must reconnect with her old friend Naya to figure out who the murderer is before it’s too late.
SEASICK by Kristin Cast and Pintip Dunn is a wild and bloody YA thriller!
I loved the yacht setting and the mixed media of the Rumor Has It blog, which slowly revealed character secrets.
I did find the story to be outlandish and a bit rambling as it progressed. There was a lot of promise, but the ultimate development and growth of the characters was lost.
Thanks to Delacrote for an early copy for review!
Publication Date: June 11
SEASICK by Kristin Cast and Pintip Dunn is a wild and bloody YA thriller!
I loved the yacht setting and the mixed media of the Rumor Has It blog, which slowly revealed character secrets.
I did find the story to be outlandish and a bit rambling as it progressed. There was a lot of promise, but the ultimate development and growth of the characters was lost.
Thanks to Delacrote for an early copy for review!
Publication Date: June 11
August 21, 2024
while this was a total cover buy, one of my favorite premises is vacation murders (i’m looking at you, white lotus <3).
this was good. pretty enjoyable. nothing stellar or fancy. i can’t really but it into words, but i was constantly reminded that this was a ya thriller. and listen, i love ya thrillers, but i think the characters and their baggage was a little too ya for me. everything was also very surface level and read like a tik tok get ready with me video, idk. i can appreciate what both authors were doing by writing characters that fit their identity, but it screamed “self insert” within the first few chapters. like i’m almost positive characters were named simply because of tv shows (finn & naya from glee, derek from greys anatomy).
this was good. pretty enjoyable. nothing stellar or fancy. i can’t really but it into words, but i was constantly reminded that this was a ya thriller. and listen, i love ya thrillers, but i think the characters and their baggage was a little too ya for me. everything was also very surface level and read like a tik tok get ready with me video, idk. i can appreciate what both authors were doing by writing characters that fit their identity, but it screamed “self insert” within the first few chapters. like i’m almost positive characters were named simply because of tv shows (finn & naya from glee, derek from greys anatomy).
July 8, 2024
*2.5 stars. the book was written pretty decently and it was VERY entertaining. BUT, at a point it for absurd because of how many murders there were. and then at the end it wasn’t really a satisfying reason why. that being said, although throughout the book not so much so, in the end everything does tie together and every mystery is solved. so if you just want an entertaining, hard to put down book, this is for you.
April 4, 2025
Man YA thrillers are something else hehhehehehe. I think this one was a bit of a wild one for me but it was a solidish read hehehhehe. I think it is crazy though how you could go about deal with tons of murders and kinda not need any kind of break in life after. But yes I get it, it’s a book. But it was a quick read so not mad about it.
July 26, 2024
Finished reading on //2024: Will add my review soon.
Updated with review //2024:
Updated with review //2024:
November 16, 2024
not a bad read! fabulously paced. a little predictable and on the nose at times but still, not a bad read. 3.5 stars!
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