VBT# Blue Arrow Island - Brenda Rothert

 




VBT# Blue Arrow Island - Book #1 - Brenda Rothert - August 2025

There are few things in the book world that bring me more joy than discovering an author whose writing consistently delivers, and Brenda Rothert has become exactly that kind of treasure for me. After having the absolute pleasure of meeting her at RT2017—honestly one of my top five life experiences and what I still consider one of my best days ever—I knew she was not only a phenomenal writer but also the kind of genuine, down-to-earth person you'd want to grab coffee with. So when Blue Arrow Island landed on my radar, my excitement was through the roof.

From the very first page, I was completely hooked. Brenda Rothert wastes no time throwing readers into a world that feels disturbingly plausible—a dystopian reality born from a virus that decimated most of humanity. As I read about this plague, I couldn't help but think of COVID, imagining this as our world's potential dark future. It's a chilling thought that makes the story feel even more immediate and terrifying.

The premise is both horrifying and compelling: women are forced into procreation programs, and those who step out of line find themselves exiled to Blue Arrow Island. Our protagonist Briar quickly realizes this isn't just punishment—it's something far more sinister. The island houses two camps, and Briar begins witnessing disturbing behavior as people succumb to their most primal urges. Something is fundamentally wrong with this place, and her growing awareness becomes the driving force of survival.

What struck me most about this book was how skillfully Brenda Rothert blends familiar dystopian elements into something that feels fresh and urgent. If I had to describe it in shorthand, I'd say it's The Handmaid's Tale meets Survivor—combining the reproductive control themes of Atwood's masterpiece with the brutal survival elements of reality television, but elevated far beyond either comparison.

Briar's journey from confused exile to someone fighting for answers and survival is expertly crafted. Brenda Rothert doesn't just rely on the dystopian setting to carry the story; she develops characters you genuinely care about and creates genuine tension around whether escape is even possible.

For both seasoned dystopian fans and newcomers to the genre, Blue Arrow Island serves as the perfect entry point—accessible enough for beginners while offering the complexity that genre veterans crave. The pacing never lets up, the world-building is immersive without being overwhelming, and the stakes feel genuinely life-or-death.

I'm already counting down the days until Crimson Shore, the second book in this series, releases. Brenda Rothert has created something special here—a dystopian world that feels both terrifyingly possible and impossibly engaging. This is easily a five-star read that deserves a spot on everyone's TBR pile.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4px6TsH