Dropped!

Survival of the most popular on a remote island. Six teens are dropped on Adventure Island, the tropical setting of the internet reality show Dropped!, in which contestants try to survive while currying favor with viewers at home. The stakes are high: The contestant with the most audience approval at the end of five days wins $250,000 and a trip to Dubai. Dex is "awesome at social media," having grown up with a single mom who, seeking validation and a sense of community, has shared his life online since his infancy. Having experienced a humiliating breakup with his girlfriend (and a failed, livestreamed, drunken attempt at reconciliation that cost him followers), Dex feels pressure to win. Knowing that the cameras are always rolling, he teams up with stunning, savvy Amina, and the likes start rolling in. To keep up the momentum, Dex puts himself in increasingly dangerous situations--but is winning worth it if people get hurt? This short novel packs in a lot as it gently explores concepts that will resonate with teens growing up immersed in social media. Is a life curated for public consumption worth living? The engaging writing and quick pacing make this a fast and fun read sure to hook readers looking for compelling characters and situations but without a hefty page count. Names cue some ethnic diversity in the cast. A compact, existential, reality-show adventure with strong reluctant reader appeal. (Adventure. 12-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.