Beach Bodies: Part One by Ross Armstrong

Beach Bodies: Part One Reviews

• 
  8stitches 9lives

  I thought this sounded quite unusual and given its unique premise and the beautiful summer imagery on the cover I decided to try it. It's also written in three separate parts — the first instalment is released on 7 June, the second on the 5 July and the third and final part on 26 July, the perfect time for summer reading. It reminds me of shows like Love Island crossed with a show such as Castaway or Shutter Island with the shallow materialistic types taking part who care more about what they look like than any intellectual pursuits. There is quite a large cast, though, and not all are developed sufficiently.
  
  It's an easy, non-taxing read and actually has much to it than I initially imagined. It's great entertainment and a fun way to spend a few hours at most, as you seriously whip through it. Rather than being overtly sinister, it is quite underrated and the darkness lies just beneath the surface creating an intense atmosphere. Some people have mentioned that it is obviously trying to profit from the hysteria surrounding ITV2s Love Island, and I agree as it comes a mere 4 days after the 2019 version began, but why shouldn't Mr Armstrong be allowed to pick the perfect time to release this summer/beachy read?
  
  I think that although this is apparently aimed at the thriller market, those who watch shows such as Love Island and enjoy fluffy women's fiction would maybe get more out of this than the crime audience; I don't think it's quite dark or dastardly enough. Having read this now I also feel that stretching it out into three instalments may drag the story out making it tedious. I will probably pick up the second part to see if it goes anywhere, but it isn't exactly on my must-read list. I think this was a little too fluffy for me. Many thanks to HQ Digital for an ARC.
  
  
• 
  Andrew

  Review taken from
  NetGalley.
  
  ***eProof gifted by UK Publisher, HQ Digital via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review/reaction.***
  
  I must admit, right off the bat, that it's hard to review a story that is going to be released in instalments. Our opinions on this first part might not continue over to the second or the third.
  
  But this first part was a fun, light and fluffy beach read. I read it very quickly and it wasn't that hard for me to switch my brain off to, perfect for when you are sunning yourself by the pool or on the beach (pardon the pun).
  
  However, I can't help but not feel that this is a very obvious cash-in due to the success of ITV2's "Love Island". And while I have nothing against the show or how this practice has been done multiply times before and will happen in the future, it didn't set easy with me for some reason. Plus, I half expected this to be a little darker than what I was expecting.
  
  For a light, fluffy beach read, this ticks all the boxes. Fans of Love Island will devour and hungry for the next instalment, but for me, it's very much a "It's not you, it's me" kinda situation.
• 
  Kath

  Firstly, this is not a complete story, it is the first installment, the subsequent parts being released episodically - pretty much akin to watching a tv show and having to wait for the next episode. I'm not sure exactly how I feel about this yet as my memory is rubbish and I will probably have to re-read the previous parts when the next comes out. But, if they are akin to this, then that shouldn't take long to play catch-up.
  So, we follow a bunch of people on a island-based tv show (love island anyone?!) arriving at the action 5 weeks in, at the scene of a brutal murder. We then play catch-up to what has gone on previously in the show and also follow the characters before they get to the island. It's a bit of a locked-in mystery as the complex is heavily protected so maybe, just maybe, the killer is among them...
  For a short "book", there is a lot going on. There is good character definition and development and the story appears to be getting on with itself nicely. I'm not the biggest fan of starting a story I can't finish (trilogies aside) but I have read and enjoyed this author's other work before which is why I was willing to give this a go. Parts 2 & 3 coming monthly-ish thereafter does seem like a long time to wait, maybe a fortnightly release could have been better?
  I guess, in a nutshell, the part contained within this episode has piqued my interest to carry on with the story but I would have preferred not to wait as long as I have to.
• 
  LJ (ljwritesandreviews)

  So another ARC which has been gathering dust on my NetGalley shelf for far too long.
  
  I actually remember requesting this years ago because I liked the premise; A group of reality TV wannabes trapped on an island with a killer. I've read a few books like this and while it's no longer the most original idea out there, I am still a fan.
  
  Beach bodies was a fast-paced read. While there is a gruesome murder, it still felt on the lighter side of things.
  
  There was a good array of characters, some a little more developed than others, and plenty of intrigue to set it up for further instalments.
  
  The book ends on a cliffhanger, which irked me a little. I just don't understand why the story couldn't just have been one. I just feel like it would have been a bit more satisfying that way. And as far as I can see, you can't even buy it as a box-set, which again I don't understand.
  
  I have to admit I'm very tempted to buy the other books in the series just to see what happens in the end as the not knowing is bothering me a bit.
  
• 
  books_recommendedbyYazz

  Beach Bodies - Part One by Ross Armstrong
  
  For fans of Love Island the characters in Beach Bodies will not disappoint. This is the first in a three part series and it introduces the characters and plants the seed of the story plot. It lacked the thrill factor I was after but this may well ramp up in part two.