On the island by Tracey Garvis-Graves

4.5/5 stars. What a great debut novel. This book held my attention better than any book I've read in a long time. There was intrigue, despair, love, loss, determination and maturity in this novel. I give it 4.5 stars and not 5 because in some spots the story would lag or just drag on but then it would always turn around.

The story is about a 15yr boy, T.J. who's cancer just went in remission right before summer starts and because he's missed so much school due to his illness his parents higher Anna, a tutor, who is to help him get back on track. To keep him focused, they all fly to Maldives for the summer but not together. T.J.'s parents fly out prior to him so that he spend his last weekend, before leaving for the summer, with his best friend which leave him and Anna to fly to Maldives together. They are so close. All they need to hop a sea charter to take them the last 2hrs of the trip but 1/2 way there, their pilot has a heart attack and dies, crashing them into the ocean. T.J. and Anna survive and make it an island where they end up living off the land for years. Some of their bags from the flight wash up on shore so they end up with some stuff to help them survive On The Island but nothing helps the despair they feel when a plane flies over and doesn't see them... Depression is becoming fierce and then one day they are hit with a tsunami which ultimately saves their lives.

Back home they are forced to come to terms with everything they left behind when they left and then some. There is a lot of feelings to sort through and a lot to think about. Can their love (born out of survival) last in the real world? Can it stand up to all the questions raised about their age difference? You'll have to read it to find out.

Recommend? Hell yea.