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Tracey Garvis Graves - and Anna and T.J. - return in this companion novella to the New York Times bestseller On the Island.

When twenty-three-year-old dot-com millionaire Owen Sparks walked away from his charmed life, he had one goal in mind: get as far away as possible from the people who resented his success, or had their hand out for a piece of it. A remote uncharted island halfway around the world seemed like a perfectly logical place to get away from it all.

Calia Reed wasn't part of Owen's plans. The beautiful British girl - on holiday in the Maldives with her brother, James - made Owen wonder if getting away from it all might be a lot more enjoyable with a carefree girl who didn't know anything about the life he left behind.

But Owen had no idea how much his carefully detailed plans would go awry. Nor did he realize that a decision he made would have such a catastrophic effect on two passengers who boarded a plane in Chicago.

And when Owen shows up at Anna and T.J.'s door with an incredible story to tell, everyone involved will learn just how much their lives are intertwined.

Uncharted includes an early look at Covet, coming September 2013.

160 pages, ebook

First published July 2, 2013

About the author

Tracey Garvis Graves

10 books6,693 followers
Tracey Garvis Graves is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary fiction. Her debut novel, On the Island, spent 9 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, has been translated into thirty-six languages, and is in development for a feature film. She is also the author of Uncharted, Covet, Every Time I Think of You, Cherish, Heart-Shaped Hack, White-Hot Hack, The Girl He Used to Know, Heard It in a Love Song, and The Trail of Lost Hearts. She is hard at work on her next book.


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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,122 reviews
Profile Image for Aestas Book Blog.
1,059 reviews75.2k followers
June 24, 2013


A must-read for any fan of On the Island!!

On The Island is one of my most favorite books. Ever. The beautiful writing, the depth of the emotional connection and the refreshing uniqueness of the story line made it easily stand out as a truly exceptional book. So, when I heard that the author was going to be releasing a spin-off novella, I knew we were going to be in for a treat!

**Note: this review is spoiler-free but Uncharted absolutely must be read after On The Island .

The story opens strong. Literally, not two pages in, I got full head to toe chills. The reveal that it starts off with immediately grabbed my complete and undivided attention. I mean – woah! Remember Owen Sparks? ‘Cuz boy does he have a story to tell!

It was so wonderful to reconnect with Anna and TJ again and seeing them literally living out their happily ever after, especially after everything they’d been through, just warmed every corner of my heart.

I really don’t want to spoil anything about this story for you but just know that it goes back and fills in the blanks regarding the one unanswered question from On The Island . It wasn’t a question that had left you hanging or anything but at the same time, you just had to wonder what had happened.

A lot of Uncharted is Owen telling Anna and TJ his story and revealing the connections between his story and theirs. Just as with On The Island, I was totally drawn in — unable to look away, unable to stop reading and desperately eager to find out more. The imagery is so vivid that you really feel yourself transported away.

Tracey Garvis-Graves’ writing is the perfect example of ‘showing, not telling’. She sets each scene beautifully allowing you to step right in and immerse yourself in the story.

It’s a quick read of about 150 pages, but they were 150 pages that I adored.

Uncharted answered a lot of questions and kept me totally captivated!

A must-read for any fan of On The Island . I loved it!


“Why are you crying?” he asks.

“Don’t worry, she says. “They’re happy tears. There’s nothing I love more than a good happy ending.”


Release date: July 2, 2013.

At the end, there is also a special sneak peak of Tracey’s next novel, Covet, which will be released in September, 2013.

ARC provided by publisher for review.



BLURB --> When twenty-three-year-old dot-com millionaire Owen Sparks walked away from his charmed life, he had one goal in mind: get as far away as possible from the people who resented his success, or had their hand out for a piece of it. A remote uncharted island halfway around the world seemed like a perfectly logical place to get away from it all.

Calia Reed wasn't part of Owen's plans. The beautiful British girl -- on holiday in the Maldives with her brother, James -- made Owen wonder if getting away from it all might be a lot more enjoyable with a carefree girl who didn't know anything about the life he left behind.

But Owen had no idea how much his carefully detailed plans would go awry. Nor did he realize that a decision he made would have such a catastrophic effect on two passengers who boarded a plane in Chicago .

And when Owen shows up at Anna and T.J.'s door with an incredible story to tell, everyone involved will learn just how much their lives are intertwined.

Uncharted includes an early look at Covet, coming September 17, 2013.


For more of my reviews, visit Aestas Book Blog

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July 21, 2013
You definitely need to read On The Island before you read this book. Otherwise, there would be too many things that you wouldn't understand.

I was very happy to find out that there is A LOT of Anna and T.J. in this book! I'm not sure why I thought it was mainly about Owen. Well, I guess there is a lot of Owen but there's also a lot about Anna and T.J. and I couldn't be happier.

We get to learn what happened to Owen on the island when he shows up at Anna's and T.J.'s house and tells them his story. He has some guilt about what he didn't do and felt the need to let them know. He also wants T.J. to help him with something.

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I really enjoyed Owen and again, for some reason, I didn't think I would. I had actually put this book off for a bit but I'm happy that I finally read it. It was crazy to hear what Owen went through and then compare things to Anna and T.J.'s experiences. But I thought the experience - and especially Calia was good for Owen. Gotta love that Epilogue!

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Mick. His relationship with Owen was something not to be missed. I think it gave greater meaning to Anna and T.J.'s son's name.

I loved hearing about Anna and T.J. and their family. I loved how they were "touchy-feely"...as they should be. It was great having Ben around too. I loved reading how he interacted with the kids.

It was interesting when T.J. ... and Ben went to help Owen. My heart went out to T.J. That had to be a surreal experience...or would be if he was real. :) I'm glad that everything worked out.

I would definitely recommend reading this if you loved On The Island, you don't want to miss this so what are you waiting for?


description

Favorite quotes:

♦ “So, do you have a brand preference?” I could hear him laughing. “Any special features you need me to look for?”

“I’m glad you think this is so amusing. I don’t care what kind you bring. I’m hanging up now,” I said.

♥ "I hope you are here to un-break my heart, Owen. I’ve been waiting so long for you to come and find me.”
Profile Image for Heather K (dentist in my spare time).
3,997 reviews6,251 followers
June 28, 2013
**4.5 stars**

This novella confirmed my earlier feelings about Tracey Garvis-Graves. This woman can write and create some pretty amazing characters! I adored this book.

Like many other readers, I was totally obsessed with On the Island. When I saw that this novella was available to review, I just about died. I just knew that this would be great and I wasn't wrong (thank GOD).

I don't want to give anything away but this novella answers some lingering questions that I had (and I'm sure many others had) after reading "On the Island." Plus, we get to revisit TJ and Anna and meet some wonderful new characters. Some authors ruin a fabulous book by publishing sequels that don't add anything to the characters' story. This is a HUGE pet peeve of mine. However, this isn't the case here. This book works beautifully with the first, and the new characters really touched me.

One of my favorite things about this author is that she can create a scene that is sexy without being too graphic. I have learned from reading many many books that this is an incredibly difficult thing to do. This book remains PG-13 while still giving me chills from the amazing chemistry between the characters. The intimacy that the author can create in just a few paragraphs showcases her crazy good writing skills. I also am amazed at how Ms. Garvis-Graves gets me in the characters' head-spaces so quickly. In no time I felt incredibly connected to the characters.

This book was just short of five stars for me because... well... it was so short. I could have used more story. Also, this book is not a stand-alone. It needs to be a part of "On the Island" to make any kind of sense. However, this novella is seriously wonderful and a must read for all the fans of "On the Island"!

**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
Profile Image for Georgia ♥ .
420 reviews1,172 followers
August 16, 2014
5 Anna & T.J + 3 Owen’s Story = 4 Island Stars

Breathtakingly beautiful, yet beautifully deceiving.


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Since we were children, we were warned that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. One’s man paradise is another’s living hell and there is nothing more heartbreaking than witnessing them meet and share their stories. One uninhabited island in the Indian Ocean brought so many people together. In life, pain and despair, it shaped their futures and changed their fates forever.

I don’t think I had ever the chance to share with all my friends here in Goodreads how much I loved On the Island. I read it before my time in Goodreads and it is one of those book that I saved in my Kindle and I keep re-reading. I always cry at the same pages and I hug my pillow tighter at others. On the Island, is the kind of book that will be staying with me forever and I dread trying to write a review about. I feel that whatever I put on paper (or on your screens to be exact) won’t do it justice. But that’s enough gushing over one of my favourite books, we are here for another reason. For one’s man journey to self-discovery.

description

“I don’t even know where to start,” I say.
“Start at the very beginning, Owen,” Anna says. “Tell us everything.” .

Owen Sparks is a Dot.Com billionaire, that one afternoon knocks on T.J and Anna’s door with one hell of a story to tell. His time on an island that he fell in love with and broke his heart and a much needed closure. A different version from Anna and T.J's time there, who were forced to fight for their lives.

If we hadn’t been in such a dire situation, would we have appreciated the beauty of the island the way that Owen had? Could we have felt the peace that he felt? It doesn’t matter, because we can’t compare our time on the island with Owen’s.

A shack built in the forest, a skeleton left on a cave, a chicken running around. Sound familiar? They should and this man now, holds all the answers.

Long ago, Owen had it all. Job, girl, money, everything, but his life was meaningless. So, he ran away to be alone and make sense of his existence. He chose a remote island, a dot on the map, in uncharted waters. There his wish kinda came true… Nothing was ever the same for him again.

Maybe it wasn’t about being alone. Maybe the answer wasn’t about hiding from those who wanted something, but about finding those who needed help but would never considering asking. And doing it alongside a beautiful girl who just wanted to save the world.

description

Yes, in this remote place he will meet a girl, he will fall in love and he will almost lose everything in a cruel twist of fate. But he will come back alive and he will give Anna & T.J the chance to relive their worst nightmares and heal some soul-deep inflicted wounds.

I feel like the only reason I’m alive to stand on this beach again is because of luck, or fate, or whatever you want to call it. I don’t feel invincible. I feel vulnerable, powerless.

Witnessing the force of nature will make the most arrogant man, beg on his knees for a chance to survive and you can’t help but stand in awe in front of the magnificence and sheer terror of it. There is no malice, just so much power that humbles and makes us realize how insignificant we are in Universe’s plan to infinity.

description

It was a joy and pleasure re-visiting my favourite couple, seeing their bond forged in almost Hell, standing stronger and so much love they have for each other and their family. Unbreakable and beautiful life. Amazing, in the simplicity they chose to live it.

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Owen, is a whole other story. My heart broke for him and for Calia. The girl that dreamt of traveling but always wanted to put down roots. Another couple that almost lost everything but tried and managed to survive. They just couldn’t outshine Anna & T.J. And somehow, I know I might be sounding prejudiced, they fell short.

This novella is must-read for everyone that loved the 1st book. Dramatic and beautiful, emotional, realistic and heartbreaking, you will certainly enjoy it. You will definitely appreciate it. And if you are like me, you will go back and you will read On the Island all over again.

There’s nothing I love more than a good happy ending.

description
Profile Image for Penny Well Reads.
842 reviews223 followers
July 29, 2018
I liked it, although I admit I was expecting something completely different.

I like the stories this author writes, but I am not a fun of the way she tells them. Her writing is too detached for my taste. Again, I needed more development of the situations and feelings, there were too many superficial details and very little show of emotions.

It's not much, a very simple story, but it was entertaining to read about Anna and T.J. again.


On the Island (On the Island #1)
Profile Image for Kristalia .
394 reviews647 followers
October 5, 2015
Final rating: 3/5 stars
Buddy read with my darlings Nab & Jerry aka 9 3/4 and Monisha

This is a story that comes after the book "On the Island", and is not meant to be standalone. When i saw that there is a novel about T.J. and Anna again, i was excited. Alas, this is not their story: this is story of Owen and his planned solitude on the island. His decisions were the key point and he regretted them the moment he heard about T.J.'s and Anna's entrapment on the island...

Owen is a wealthy young man whose family is careless and selfish.. And he decides to move to the island indefinitely to sort things out and to escape from the world. But this is not only his story... This is a story of "Bones" as well.

It was slow , dragging and i didn't particularly care about anyone in this novel, but it was nice seeing the duo again and i am glad to see more of their lives together. It shows how much their lives had been different, the contrast between survival and vacation on the same island, same conditions and same wild island. But overall, it was just nice novel.

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MY ON THE ISLAND REVIEWS:

On the Island (On the Island #1)
Uncharted (On the Island #1.5)


This review can be found on my blog: infinity-of-time.blogspot.com also known as...



Profile Image for Monisha.
50 reviews97 followers
July 29, 2013
SO, the BUDDY-READ continues with my fabulous buddies 9 3/4 aka Jerry, Kris and Nab!!!!
♥♥♥♥♥♥

3 "Just a very different Paradise" Stars

description

Uncharted gives us a glimpse of T.J. and Anna’s life while introducing Owen Sparks.

He who made millions in the dot-com boom and decided to leave it all behind and escape to an island around the Maldives.
He who has a connection with Anna & TJ and what they share together.


So, this is Owen Sparks story about his time on the island.

It is not a life and death situation like T.J. and Anna, but it is not without tragedy.


It was nice experiencing the island through Owen's eyes where T.J. and Anna were stranded through different events and with a different perspective.

Not constant struggle of survival, but planned seclusion.

On this island, he lived in paradise, falls in love but also suffered loss and tragedy.

When he finds Anna & TJ, he relays to them his story of his time on the island.
We feel his pain of being alone, and how he gains strength and confidence, while taking him back to a time he was happiest growing up.
We also learn who “Bones” was and how he came about to be on the island.

The book goes back & forth between Owen’s past to the present time.
We revisit Anna & TJ, their lives with their children and the reader is reminded just how much they have been through but also what a great life they have now.

I was actually looking forward to reading more about the "after affects" of TJ and Anna and their life together, but all it shows is just a Freaking-HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER.
No character growth at all.


Owen and his love interest Calia were "okay-ish" but I didn’t feel their connection as strongly as I did for TJ & Anna.

The writing was bland somehow, and it felt that the story was dragging in the first half, but then the ending was just r-u-s-h-e-d.
Needless to say, it fell flat for me.

It was contrived and a bit redundant but that doesn't make it any less interesting. The heart of this novella, after all, lies in the beauty of the island.

But the author does a good job intertwining, On the Island, with Uncharted. She gives us answers that were still left opened in the first segment of the series, On the Island.

It was an story of the realities that our hectic lives can bring us to such a breaking point, yet resiliency is always in sight.
This is the reality that we live in, and what it can lead us to.


Overall, this is a simple, quick companion novella to On the Island but not as magical as Anna & TJ’s story.


P.S: To fans of On The Island you will love this novella and you will get to check in on your favorite couple and read another story about the island, and yes, just a very different one.

My review for: On The Island


Profile Image for Gerasimos Reads .
326 reviews168 followers
July 26, 2015
I did a buddy read for this one with Kristalia, Monisha & Nab.
(Click on their names to read their review)


Uncharted is a short novella that accompanies On the Island taking place after the events of it. On the Island leaves a few loose ends and some questions that never get answered. This novella answers all those questions giving a definite end to the story. Since I really enjoyed On the Island and I was craving to see more of Anna & TJ and to get answers to all those burning questions I was excited about it. But unfortunately it is not as good as its predecessor.

Uncharted was dragging. The story in parts was repetitive and boring. It was definitely not as compelling as on the Island was. Even the setting didn't seem as beautiful. Moreover the characters for me were not as interesting and the story was very sad, which made me finish the book with rather a sour taste in my mouth and not a sweet one, as it happened with On the Island.

However it was nice to see Anna & TJ again and to get to know where they are with their lives now after the end of their story. But there was another thing I really liked about this novella and this is how the two stories (of On the Island & Uncharted) are connected.

So although it was not as enjoyable as On the Island, I would recommend it if you want to find the answers to some questions that are left after on the Island ends (such as whose bones are those in that cave, who built the cab etc.). If it was half its size it would actually be a pretty good companion. But with it the story that Tracey Garvis Graves wanted to tell comes full circle, so I don't regret reading it.
Profile Image for Karla.
987 reviews1,105 followers
September 19, 2013

4.5 Stars! I enjoyed going back to the 'Island' and viewing it from a different set of eyes!

Loved reading about Owen Sparks and his experience ‘On the Island' prior to Anna and T.J.'s time there! The author did a brilliant job weaving the two stories together. You know going in that this is not T.J. and Anna's story, but she gives the reader enough of a look into their lives, that it will leave you satisfied. All is good in their world and the love between them is strong!

I was captivated by Owen's story, what brought him to the island, all that he went through, and ultimately reading about his own HEA! I could picture him recounting what happened, sitting in T.J. and Anna’s living room, and was as fascinated as they were of his island experience. Much different from what they went through, but in some ways similar, moments of happiness and extreme sadness, not quite the torture they endured, but…well you’ll see. And in the end, it leads to his true love, just like T.J. and Anna!

On the Island was a smashing success for Tracey Garvis-Graves, but it was no fluke, the woman can write, and it’s quite evident yet again, after reading this book. She set out to tell us Owen’s story and that’s exactly what she did and she did it well. So, if you’re looking for a continuation of On the Island, don’t bother reading this. You do get a nice little dose of T.J. and Anna, but their story has been told, Uncharted is Owen’s, and his is a story worth reading!!
Profile Image for Jen.
1,655 reviews1,117 followers
July 6, 2013
I was so excited to hear that this story was going to be told. I fell in love with TJ and Anna when I read about them in the first book: On the Island. Their story had touched me in so many ways, and I felt like I had known these two amazing people personally. Needless to say, when this book came out, I was very eager to read it.
First, I will say that Tracey Garvis-Graves is a brilliant writer. She truly has a way with words, and is able to suck you into the world that she creates between the pages of a book. I won't ever pass up an opportunity to read a story that is written by her. My four star rating came as a bit of a surprise to me. I was loving every minute of reading about TJ and Anna and their life together as a family. When Owen Sparks turns up at the door with a tale to tell about his time on the Island, I was immediately curious about this mysterious man who built the shack that turned up on the Island. For some reason though, his story just became kind of boring for me. I did like some of the paralells between his stay on the Island and TJ's and Anna's. Truthfully though, there is no comparison between them. Owen chose to be there, and was able to control somewhat when he needed to leave. Anna and TJ were there not by choice but to survive.

"Eventually we did acknowledge the beauty there, just like Owen did. But we never once forgot how vulnerable, how powerless we were."

Their survival was amazing to me, and I absorbed every word, and feeling that they had; with Owen it just seemed like mundane tasks and frankly not a big deal. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy finding out some of the mysteries from Book one, it just fell a little short for me.
It is a book that is worth four solid stars though, because the writing is very good, and I am always a sucker for an update on my favorite characters.
I thought this quote explained the Island very well:

"....breathtakingly beautiful, yet beautifully deceiving.."

I will always hold the story of TJ's and Anna's survival close to my heart, and now I can put it to rest as there have finally been answers about the mystery of "Bones" and the curious shack that they found during their "Captivity" (as I choose to call it!) on the Island.
Profile Image for Crista.
810 reviews
July 9, 2021
I never once felt like On the Island was incomplete or missing one. single. thing....until reading this novella. Uncharted is brilliant, and effortlessly dots every "i" and crosses every "t'. This novella packs a huge amount of information in a tiny amount of pages, explains the unexplained, and singlehandedly brings this entire story full circle. This is a must read for fans of On The Island and really CAN NOT be read as a standalone.

Uncharted tells the story of a young dot com millionaire who grows weary of his wealth, celebrity, and fortune hunting relatives. He decides to sell his shares (of the company he helped build) and escape by inhabiting an uninhabited tropical island in the Maldives. His "island" is the same island that T.J. and Anna barely survived, and as the story opens, he has found Anna and T.J. and sets about telling them his story....and how both their stories are connected.

I was at first mildly interested in this story, quickly moved into a interested state, and I leave this novella completely captivated....once again. Ms. Tracy Garvis-Graves has some SERIOUS writing talent and from now on I will read anything with her name on it.

If you haven't read On The Island....please do so (and read this novella immediately afterwards)! It is like having a luscious desert following a 5 star meal:) Awesome.
Profile Image for Duchess Nicole.
1,270 reviews1,546 followers
July 24, 2017
Finally, years after reading On the Island, I sat down and devoured this little gem in one sitting. It ties up some loose ends while telling us a great story all on it's own.
Profile Image for Jennifer Kyle.
2,509 reviews5,352 followers
July 5, 2013
3 ~ 4 Uncharted Stars

description


*Must read On The Island prior to reading this novella*

Uncharted begins with a stranger on the doorstep of our T.J. and Anna’s house. His name is Owen Sparks who happens to be the prior inhabitant of the island before our favorite couple was marooned there.

Owen Sparks has a story to tell and a request to make…

Owen is a young and wealthy business man who gives it all up for seclusion and life on the island. He takes the island that our couple survived and showed the beautiful and happiness he found there. Once Owen starts to search for companionship he returns to the mainland by sea plane when necessary. (He had many luxuries that T.J. and Anna never had. One of which was the option to leave at any point.)

While on the mainland, Owen meets a free spirited young girl named Calia. Calia and her brother James join Owen on his island as his guests. Calia and Owen fall in love but sadly nature and the island brings heartbreak and destruction.

This story is a short read on my Nook it’s about 135 pages told mostly from Owen’s pov. I enjoyed this brief time with T.J. and Anna but this is Owen’s story for the most part without a cliffhanger but a nice hea.

”They’re happy tears. There’s nothing I love more than a good happy ending.”
Profile Image for DKristin.
494 reviews225 followers
July 7, 2013
Wow! This definitely took me back to the island! For a short Novella it was incredibly well written and I was able to get invested in the new characters right away. About 65% in I was a crying mess. Gosh that really hit me hard. I loved it.
Profile Image for Arlene.
1,191 reviews636 followers
August 14, 2013
On the Island is one of my favorite books of all time, so to have a chance to revisit these characters and go back to Maldives through this novella was an absolute treat!

Uncharted takes place about ten years after TJ and Anna were stranded on a remote island near Maldives. While on the island, they discovered a cave with human remains along with a shack that was once inhabited. What I believe is seven years after their rescue; a stranger comes to their door to answer the mystery behind the body and the shack.

I always wondered about the back-story to this part of the mystery, so it was a pleasure to see how Tracey Garvis Graves pieced together this puzzle. I enjoyed my time revisiting these characters that I absolutely fell in love with when I read their story, so to hear TJ and Anna’s voice again in Uncharted was exciting and fun.

In this novella, we meet Owen who was a successful business man at a very young age. Disillusioned with the constant pressures and demands of his success, he decides to make a life changing decision that will remove him from the empire he’s built for himself. He commissions a pilot to charter him to a remote island near Maldives and supply him with the necessary materials to sustain himself at a basic level. His time on the island was meant to be a journey toward self-discovery, but what he never anticipated was that it would also be marred with tragedy.

What was interesting about Uncharted was how quickly I juxtaposed Owen’s time on the island with Anna and TJ’s. It was sad to see how one person’s experience was afforded with all the luxuries and means to sustain, where as the others had to struggle from every aspect in order to simply survive from day to day. TJ and Anna didn't have supplies, water, or back-up food. However, both their stories had their fair share of difficulty. I feel the most heartbreaking part of their story was how closely entwined they were and how one simple action would have saved TJ and Anna from many long years of struggle on the island. To hear how one of Owen’s decisions deeply impacted TJ and Anna was difficult to learn, but in the end it always goes back to… things happen for a reason. ~sighs~

I feel the various perspectives that were presented in Uncharted added an element of emotional punch. To hear from Anna, TJ and Owen through their own voice as the story unfolded was very emotional and captivating. It was great to see how the characters have progressed after their ending in On the Island, but at the same time it was also interesting to see how Tracey Garvis Graves was able to weave a new perspective into the story-line without upsetting the integrity of the original novel. Well done!

Overall I hope Tracey Garvis Graves takes us to the island once again because I feel her creativity and emotional connectivity truly shines in this setting. Great novella that fans of On the Island will definitely enjoy!
Profile Image for Christy.
680 reviews
December 28, 2020
On the Island was one of my favorite books I read in 2020. Most of the time I have a very hard time remembering details of books I've read awhile ago, but this one I remembered most of everything. I've been wanting to read this companion novella for awhile now, and I'm so glad I did. It answered the questions about who was on the Island before T.J. and Anna, and really pulled the story together. Loved it.
Profile Image for Brenna.
578 reviews453 followers
July 7, 2013
3.5 stars

Uncharted is a spin off novella and should be read AFTER On the Island to avoid spoilers.

This book is the story of ‘Bones’ and the other previous inhabitant of the island, Owen. It is mostly Owen telling his story but there are also a few very short chapters from TJ and Anna’s POV.

It starts out with Owen showing up at TJ and Anna’s doorstep and explaining that he needs to tell them something. Immediately I was hooked and intrigued, there is some sense of suspense and mystery to Owen’s background and why he feels the need to tell his story. I wish that had carried on throughout, but sadly it didn't.

While I was initially very interested, I have to admit that this novella didn’t pack the emotional punch that On the Island did. Owen’s reasoning and choices for going to the island didn’t appeal to me or make me feel for him in a big way. I did enjoy that there was a love story aspect. I just didn’t connect to the characters as I would have liked to. I felt like there was a lack of spark and dialogue between them that I was really craving.

Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed this novella, it just didn’t WOW me. It’s obviously a quick read and I was interested enough. It’s always fun to get a glimpse of characters you already love living out their happily ever after, but I really felt like I didn’t need this book. It’s still a well written, solid story and I’m looking forward to Tracey’s next book for sure.
Profile Image for Evi.
107 reviews10 followers
February 1, 2019
I liked this book, it was OK. But I have to admit, before reading it I expected something better. However it was good to be back with Anna and T.J. a little bit, I loved their story, it became one of my favourite book.
Book #1.5 Uncharted is about Owen Sparks, who wanted to escape his life and he decided to go to an uncharted island around the Maldives. He wanted to get away from everything and think about what to do with his life in the future. He did what he planned and this started the chain of events that led to unexpected incidences.
If you've read On the Island and you curious about Bones and want to know what happened on the island before Anna and T.J. got there, you should give a chance to this book.
415 reviews124 followers
July 14, 2013

The pictures will show a place that's breathtakingly beautiful, yet beautifully deceiving.

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When a strange man comes knocking at their door and introduce himself as Owen, T.J. and Anna immediately want to know his and "Bones" story. Gradually they'll realize how much theirs and his story is entwined.
Two experiences in such different circumstances...

***minor spoilers ahead, proceed with caution***

Owen, was a dot.com millionaire, tired of people only viewing him has a source of money, not truly caring for him. Even his work, something he loved, didn't matter anymore.
So h packed his bags and plans to live in a desert island, bringing provisions and some comfort. And h would get more provisions every few weeks.

And it's inevitably to compare his first impressions of the island with T.J.'s and Anna story... and it's insane and heartbreaking to fully realize the differences. How could they appreciate the beauty of the island if they spent the whole time surviving it?
The disparities of the 2 stories, just made me kept thinking, if it were me, hearing such a different tale from mine. A story of a paradise that was a hell for them...

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Well, it wasn't all paradise...he does tell us how Calia and James went to the island with him, his love story, the tragedy that happened and the guilt that still consumes him.

But what made me feel a such an emotional turmoil, was the multiple "what if's" in the 2 stories, how so many things may have gone so differently. However, if that didn't have gone through it all, would they have found a way to be together?
Probably not...



So this novella, doesn't work has a stand-alone , you must read On the Island first...and if you haven't read that one, go RUN and READ IT!! It's amazing :D


For this one and more reviews go to:
A Bookworm Confessions
January 8, 2016
Uncharted was a quick read that filled in the gaps about Bones. If you need a refresher, Bones was discovered while Anna and TJ were stranded on the island. I wondered what had happened on the island before they arrived, and I'm glad I got to find out. Even if I wasn't able to connect to Owen Sparks or Calia Reed. While I enjoyed hearing about their story, I loved getting to catch up with Anna and TJ. It was fun getting to see where they were in their lives. But just like On The Island, I was left wanting more in regards to the writing style. So I'd only recommend this if you really wanted to hear the back story of Bones, or if you wanted to take a peak into Anna and TJ’s lives after how On The Island ended.

For more of my reviews, please visit:
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June 19, 2024
Нарешті тут ми дізнались чий то був скелет з 1 частини, я тільки після прочитання згадала про нього. Ця книжка була цікавою, і це про той же самий острів йде історія. Правда, тут у Джеймса був і літа��, і їжа, і можливість зв'язатися, це всього не було у героїв першої книжки, і отут дещо не дотягує.
Profile Image for Ashley.
521 reviews247 followers
February 25, 2019
Reviewed on: Ashes Books & Bobs.

Upon finishing On the Island, I was dying to know more about the mystery person who inhabited the space Anna and T.J. were stranded on before they came along. This novella ended up being the perfect companion to the story. I received the answers I hoped for and was able to catch up with the characters I had grown to fiercely love.

I was already missing the descriptions of this tropical place lost in the Maldives and the vivid pictures Tracy Garvis Graves was able to paint in my mind upon finishing On the Island only a day before. I was grateful for the chance to venture back to this unforgiving but exciting environment with new characters. Owen’s story was equally as interesting to me as that of T.J. and Anna’s. I think I could happily read 15 books written by Tracy Garvis Graves set on this minuscule island in the middle of nowhere and never get bored though.

I also cannot write this review without mentioning how incredibly nice Tracy Garvis Graves is. I’m thankful for her taking the time to listen to my excitement over the stories and her characters. She is hands down one of the nicest authors I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with and I cannot wait to meet her in person this summer! I’m a huge fan and am eager to start reading The Girl He Used to Know next week.
Profile Image for Kirsty.
386 reviews74 followers
July 6, 2013
If you loved On the Island there's no way you won't love this.

This is the story of 'Bones'. Who he was and how he came to be there. Told through the eyes of Owen, somebody else who had spent a large amount of time on the island. Once again, I felt like I was right there with them all.

I devoured every single word in a matter of hours. Being back in the world of that little island was beyond enjoyable. Despite the absolute horror that it caused three families, I couldn't help but find it comforting when Owen described his time there.

Even though this book was just a novella and relatively short, I felt so many emotions whilst reading. I went from feeling complete joy to absolute devastation, with tears and all. Tracey Garvis-Graves is extremely talented and I'll be sad to say goodbye to this series.
"Why are you crying?"
"Don’t worry, they’re happy tears. There’s nothing I love more than a good happy ending."

Profile Image for Feminista.
852 reviews1 follower
July 18, 2013
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

I finally got around to reading this lovely conclusion to the Island series.

We finally find out what happened to the last inhabitants of the Island.

Owen comes to T.J. and Anna's house to tell them the unlikeliest of stories, that shaped their path on the island. So many maybe's and if's could have happened, but no body can change what's really happened.

Buddy read with Kris, Pavlina, Basuhi, Jerry and Monisha.
Profile Image for Annie Brewer.
Author 14 books781 followers
Want to read
January 22, 2013
OMG really?????? Am I seeing right....there's more TJ and Anna???? OMG I can't fudging wait!!!!!! I. Love. Them...!!!!!! SQUEEEEEEEEEE *happy dance*
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