Agartha's Castaway (Trapped in the Hollow Earth, #1)

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Agartha's Castaway (Trapped in the Hollow Earth #1)

4.15 of 5 stars 4.15 · rating details · 52 ratings · 25 reviews

Dinosaurs, abduction, and a hidden civilization were never part of Casey Smith’s vacation plans. That is, until a freak storm tossed her and two best friends, Mike and Jack, out to sea. When they wash up on what they presume to be a mysterious tropical island... they soon discover that being lost... is the least of their troubles. In a jungle that teems with impossible cre...more

Kindle Edition, 436 pages

Published September 3rd 2011 (first published August 27th 2011)

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Sep 06, 2011 Patricia Puddle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: recomendations, children-s-books, y-a

What a great book for young and old. This story is full of adventure and fun. The characters are hilarious and the author has the dialogue and actions of teenagers so perfect. The MC, Casey, is very endearing, and is also like a young Lara Croft, but much funnier. Her two best friends, Mike and Jack, will have you laughing at their funny antics. There's also a love triangle and unusual prehistoric animals that will excite any reader. If you loved Jurassic Park, you'll absolutely love this book....more

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Sep 11, 2011 Elizabeth Svigar Stephen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Agartha's Castaway is crazy good - it's got all the elements that keep one engaged and reading right to the end. The end, I should say, which leaves you wanting more, promised in the next book. I love sci-fi, fantasy, and Y/A adventure, so this book is clearly right up my alley. And highly recommended.

Plot: Main character Casey, who is beautiful, bright and feisty, has gone on a boating holiday with her parents and two best male friends, Jack and Mike. During a severe storm, everyone is washed o...more Agartha's Castaway is crazy good - it's got all the elements that keep one engaged and reading right to the end. The end, I should say, which leaves you wanting more, promised in the next book. I love sci-fi, fantasy, and Y/A adventure, so this book is clearly right up my alley. And highly recommended.

Plot: Main character Casey, who is beautiful, bright and feisty, has gone on a boating holiday with her parents and two best male friends, Jack and Mike. During a severe storm, everyone is washed overboard, and the three teenagers end up on a strange and mysterious island; one that does not seem to follow the same rules of biology, evolution, physics, or chemistry as the one we inhabit. There, they must face many challenges - particularly of the animal kind, and of the love kind as well. And very interestingly so, I might add.

Setting: The strange and mysterious land, filled with creatures from the past such as dinosaurs and mammoths. One of the aspects of Peebles' writing that really grabs me is the beauty of her imagination which translates into lovely linguistic detail; the land where they ended up truly seems like an amazing place. I felt like I was there with Casey seeing/feeling/smelling it, and this had the effect of really making me wish I could go to Fiji... which it will probably do for you also, but if like me you cannot, you will feel a bit like you've been there after reading Peebles' descriptions. I might add that the mysterious land is not Fiji at all, but a wildly different place, but somehow the writing captures the aqua sense of the island chain as well as a foreign land journey.

Characters: I loved Casey, the main character, because the world is sorely in need of strong female heroines and she is most definitely strong. I also liked both the cerebral Jack and the sporty Mike, and I'm not sure which character I hope Casey picks in the end. They both seem to bring their merits; perhaps Casey will choose one or the other in the next book but it would change in later books, if this is a series.

Style: Very well done, and once again I must laud Peebles for her lovely, descriptive imagery. The journey the adolescents must go on is vividly described and wonderfully charted, and pulls the reader in almost unconsciously.

Overall Impression: Five stars. An enjoyable trip with three fiesty, fun main characters - especially Casey, who brings the story alive with her personality, wit and humanity. Highly recommended, for both adults and adolescents who are fans of sci fi, fantasy and action adventure.(less)

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Jun 21, 2012 Carl J. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Tries a bit too hard, but still entertaining, June 3, 2012

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This review is from: Agartha's Castaway - First book in the Trapped In The Hollow Earth Saga (Kindle Edition)
I downloaded this back in December and must've gotten an older version. My biggest complaints include the overabundance of pop culture references, the overindulgence of teen hormones and the overabundance of asides. Apparently, the file has been updated with some of this removed/fixed. Oh we...more

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Sep 05, 2011 Jayde Scott rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: really-funny, well-written, ya

Agartha's Castaway was a fantastic read, fast paced with plenty of action and adventure, great characters, the right amount of romance and lots of chemistry between the characters.

Casey's vacation with her parents and best friends, Mike and Jack, should have been the trip of a lifetime, not least since she's had a crush on prize-winning surfer and heartthrob Mike for ages. But instead of having a good time, Casey loses her parents in a storm and is stranded on what seems to be a deserted island...more

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Oct 29, 2011 John Wheatley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Classed as young adult adventure and fantasy, this novel bubbles with energy and vitality from the very start. Three seventeen year old friends, two boys, Mike and Jack, and a girl, Casey, find themselves shipwrecked into a strange world which combines elements of Jurassic Park, Lara Croft, and sci-fi in a recipe which provides unremitting excitement, thrills and peril. What is particularly impressive is Chrissy Peebles` ability to evoke the colour and detail of her imaginative world with the sh...more

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Oct 08, 2011 Hmr28 rated it 1 of 5 stars

I'd give this one a 0 if I could. The characters were one dimensional and too stupid to live, the dialogue was stilted and terrible, and the concept was ridiculous. I mean, come on, getting caught in a storm, getting (almost) drowned, exploring a forest, a beach, and walking 7 miles to a strange city, finding your way out of a cave, attacked by winged dinosaurs, t-rex, crocodiles, aliens (sort of), flying dinosaurs, giant spiders, falling into a sinkhole, getting attacked by plant eating dinosau...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Deveretti2011 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

Chrissy Peebles takes the read on a wild, fascinating, and entertaining journey in Agartha's Castaway. Casey, Mike, and Jack survive a horrific shipwreck only to end up in a land right out of the mind of a mad scientist or maybe Spielberg.

These poor kids come across so many things, plant and animal, that has not existed for millions of years together with a few aliens thrown in for good measure. They see so many beautiful things along with encountering so many dangerous, not possible, animals t...more

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Sep 07, 2011 June Bourgo rated it 5 of 5 stars

More than another young adult tale, September 7, 2011
A tale full of adventure, tension, humour, and surprise, with well-developed characters, the author did a great job mixing just the right amount of sadness and fear to an equal amount of humour and highs.

Modern day teens who find themselves in an ancient world all alone,the interplay and dialogue between this trio is so typically today, but the twists and turns of the unfamiliar and frightening world they find themselves in makes this an un...more

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Sep 26, 2011 A.G. Claymore rated it 5 of 5 stars

Chrissy stays true to the central law of YA novels and gets rid of the adults early in the opening act. The three young teenagers are free to explore an exotic but deadly new environment presented by Peebles through subtle use of imagery. I found myself immersed in the narrative, carried along by the excellent pacing and prose. Casey, the strong female lead character, struggles to keep her small group focused on survival even while discovering that feelings run deeper than anyone expected.
As th...more

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Oct 20, 2011 TK Rayford rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was impressed by this book's concept first and foremost. The author's knowledge of all things prehistoric really shone through in her creation of the wildlife preserve. After finishing the book, I really feel as though I've seen the dinosaurs, plants, and other wildlife that existed millions of years ago, if only in my mind's eye. I was really hoping that Casey would have chosen differently between the two guys though, so I'm holding out for book 2. Maybe she will change her mind! I can't wait...more

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May 31, 2012 Jess rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Nobody

Shelves: kindle, fantasy, ya-romance, science-fiction

I forced myself to finish this book. I literally FORCED myself to finish it. You have no idea how elated I was when the book was actually done at 89% on my Kindle rather than 100% for adverisements and excerpts and such, because that meant I was free of this fictional atrocity. Yes. It was really that bad!

So this novel is about three skippy, errant teenagers- the artistic yet sexy Casey and her two best friends, the smart yet sexy Jack and the sporty yet sexy Mike. The two boys are equal in skil...more I forced myself to finish this book. I literally FORCED myself to finish it. You have no idea how elated I was when the book was actually done at 89% on my Kindle rather than 100% for adverisements and excerpts and such, because that meant I was free of this fictional atrocity. Yes. It was really that bad!

So this novel is about three skippy, errant teenagers- the artistic yet sexy Casey and her two best friends, the smart yet sexy Jack and the sporty yet sexy Mike. The two boys are equal in skill, sexiness, and awesomeness, but Peebles had to label one of them the smart one to set them apart. But they are basically the same person and I couldn't tell them apart until halfway through the story. They are on vacation with Casey and her parents when a storm sinks their boat and the kids are shipwrecked on a crazy island called Agartha where crazy things happen. As they battle their way through a jungle full of prehistorics animals, giant bugs, and UFO's, they must also deal with the fact that Mike and Casey want to be an item while Jack is all "FOREVER ALONE AHHHH".

Now, I gave this story a fair chance. The characterization is utter crap but the imagery is gorgeous. They swim in waters that change rainbow colors, the sand glitters and glows under their feet, and Casey and Mike share a first kiss among a field of sparkling butterflies and flowers. But when the real scary stuff happens, things get ridiculously bad and they get bad FAST.

So there's a love triangle. And yes, that's important to the kids, I know. But they are literally thrown into this crazy jungle where dinosaurs and big cats and spiders are trying to kill and eat them, and they still have time to flirt, tease, and crack the same unfunny 90's jokes about smelly feet and drugs every ten seconds. Peebles constantly reminds us that Jack is so brainy and Mike is such a good surfer, AS IF WE CARE BECAUSE THEY ARE ON A DEMON ISLAND FROM HELL AND THE ADULTS MIGHT BE DEAD. I just don't care about their douchey love issues! I want answers, and a conclusion!

Also, these teenagers' sense of priority is so off it is a wonder they've survived this long. For example, they get stuck in a hole with these baby dinosaur eggs and there is a T-Rex coming. Casey and Jack escape and evade the T-rex but they don't want to be noticed. Mike is trapped in the hole, and the hole is quickly flooding and Mama Rex is returning. He calls for help. What does Casey think? She is "frustrated by his complaining when she had her own drama to deal with".

Really? Who says that? HE IS DROWING AND HE WILL BE EATEN BY A DINOSAUR, WORST ISLAND GIRLFRIEND EVER.

Another example: Casey and Mike are saved by this weird blonde alien named Orthon or something and he says that these cray aliens will kill all brunettes (?) so he gives Casey a bandana for her hair. Instead of hiding the giant target on her scalp and asking no questions, she "lets a few locks peek out to soften her features".

YOU ARE GOING TO DIE, YOU STUPID MORON. NOBODY GIVES JACK ABOUT YOUR DUMBASS FEATURES.

Speaking of Jack, he was kidnapped, and nobody cares because Mike and Casey just want to kiss and continually call each other babe. Barf.

Then randomly, as if this book couldn't get any more cringe-worthy, Casey turns all ditzy and tries to impress Mike, taking tips from Seventeen and getting giggly when Mike admits to cyber-stalking her. What a catch, maybe you'll make it home and he'll murder you in a violent jealous rage. That might be pushing it, but this book makes me crap bricks.

Yeah, don't read this. It is a humorless, stiff, lame, poorly-written, plotless, unprofessional mess. I only finished it because I have to finish books or else I get all titchy. I won't even consider the sequels and I will laugh at those who find this to be worthy fiction.(less)

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Dec 06, 2011 Ami rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A Great YA Thriller!

17-years olds Casey, Mike and Jack are best friends whose lives take an unexpected turn when their boat capsizes during a storm and they are swept away to a mysterious island.

They survive the storm and find themselves in a world with two suns, giant spiders and enough adventure to keep you thumbing through the pages as fast as you can.

Author Chrissy Peebles has created a spunky, charming heroine in Casey Smith. She is at turns fragile, frightened, brave, bold, loyal and heads...more

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Apr 16, 2012 Sue Owen rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a delightful romp into what could be. Even though it was all explained eventually it was nice to explore a world of possibilities as the characters moved from reality to could it be true to that’s impossible. I very much enjoyed the journey with them and was sad when it ended.

As an adult reader, however, I found the constant bickering between the boys became annoying beyond belief. As a teen reader, I would probably have found it cute. Peebles did an awesome job of portraying teens as th...more

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Dec 23, 2011 Sarah Snyder rated it 3 of 5 stars

Agartha's Castaway by Chrissy Peebles is the story of three friends who become shipwrecked on a rather strange deserted island. I have to say that the characters are rather one-dimensional. They are given stereotypes in the beginning and stay within those lines throughout the book. I found this to be true with Mike and Jack in particular. Jack is the brains of the operation and Mike is the jock. Jack acts with caution, while Mike brazenly jumps into dangerous situations without a second thought....more Agartha's Castaway by Chrissy Peebles is the story of three friends who become shipwrecked on a rather strange deserted island. I have to say that the characters are rather one-dimensional. They are given stereotypes in the beginning and stay within those lines throughout the book. I found this to be true with Mike and Jack in particular. Jack is the brains of the operation and Mike is the jock. Jack acts with caution, while Mike brazenly jumps into dangerous situations without a second thought. He is constantly getting the three of them into trouble. Hopefully, in the sequel, we will see them break away from this and develop into more dynamic characters.

While the plotline was a little farfetched at times for my liking, it was both thrilling and exciting. Peebles also does an excellent job with the imagery. Everything is described in such lush, descriptive detail that you can’t help but create a vivid, beautiful image in your mind.

I enjoyed Casey and her narrative - she’s feisty and determined. Although at times she did get under my skin. She’s was rather dense when it came to her interactions with Jack and Mike; mostly with Jack. Although, that can be attributed to what I believe is the target audience. If I had read this story as a preteen I probably wouldn’t have had any issues with Casey.

I can also say that I truly enjoyed the unpredictable nature of the plot line. While the characters were a little stereotypical, the plot was nothing of the sort. Peebles packs so much excitement and entertainment into this book that it’s unreal. Honestly, it seems like every other page brings some sort of challenge for the three teenagers. I would definitely say that Agartha’s Castaway is plot/action driven, rather than character driven.

I feel bad pinpointing and nitpicking Agartha’s Castaway, because I feel it is superbly written for a younger audience. It’s just that, as an older reader, I struggled with bits of it. Hopefully the sequel with have a bit more character development, then we will be treated to the best of both worlds. Peebles has already got the excitement, danger and action down. (less)

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Mar 18, 2012 Amanda Hendsbee rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book started off really promising. Then, a few chapters into it, it just became monotonous and predictable, and by the time I got halfway through it I was trying to decide if I even wanted to finish it. It's just one giant monster chase after another, and it gets old fast. Too bad, because the first two or three chapters show a huge amount of promise. Also, the endless pop culture references are really annoying. I don't need to be reminded what's on TV every other page. I won't be likely to...more

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Jan 09, 2012 Melisa Hamling rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-adventure

A totally different kind of adventure! You'll find yourself sitting on the edge, waiting for the next turn of a corner, your heart racing, legs pumping, fearing for your life as you run through this tumultious inhabitans. If dinosaurs aren't enough to scare you! I found myself right there with Casey and the boys,Mike and Jack, teaming up against the impossible, all while dealing with raging hormones.

A must read for those who love the thrill of a wild and dangerous adventure . . . with a twist!

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May 22, 2012 Miriam rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

This book is non-stop action. Seriously. There are various kinds of dinosaurs, saber tooth tigers, wooly mammoths, a huge storm, and a shipwreck. It really is "what are they possibly going to run into next"? I liked the fact that even though this was about 3 teenagers there was no swearing and sex, some light kissing is all. I did not enjoy being left hanging though. You're just starting to get a couple of answers and then the book ends. :(

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Oct 24, 2011 Sarah Williams rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is a fabulous adventure that will appeal to both young and old. It's fun and witty with a great combination of action, humour, romance and science fiction. The characters leap off the page and pull you into their experience. The author uses her skill as a writer to bring a magical world to life on the page, creating adventures and challenges for Casey and her two best friends to enjoy and overcome. This book is like a modern day Famous Five with dinosaurs. The book finishes with a clif...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Hate2beLate rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was just getting into it, and then it's over. Would like to read the entire series. Decent writing, not enough to see where it's all going, but interesting. I can see there are many ideas that could play into different scenerios. Will just have to read the rest and see!

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Mar 13, 2012 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-books-read, unfinished-series

loved the book hated the ending. Books should stand on their own two feet and have a reasonable ending. The reader should want to buy the next book to progress the tale not to finish off the last book.

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May 10, 2012 AH marked it as to-read

Shelves: kindle-freebies, first-in-series, own-not-read

Kindle free download 5/10/12.

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Oct 28, 2012 Dawn Edwards rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Chrissy Peebles has done a great job of creating suspense and using her imagination to weave a story that one can't put down until he has finished reading it. I have to admire Ms. Peebles' ability to create a story and write it as she does in this teen fantasy novel. The book is fun for both teenagers and adults.

This review is for the entire first book now available in 4 novellettes.

Dawn Edwards, Kindle Book Review
KBR is not connected with the author, publisher, or Amazon in any way

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Jan 24, 2012 Jay Merin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Author Chrissy Peebles weaves a gripping tale of adventure and romance set in a fantastic backdrop. With strong, vivid descriptions, compelling characters and a great sense of pacing, the story will pick you right up and easily carry you through to the very end. While the best audience is probably young adult this book can be easily enjoyed by anyone.

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Feb 17, 2013 Karen Ray rated it 2 of 5 stars

It wasn't my cup of tea.. But was all right. I read it because I loved the author's zombie chronicles series.

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Dec 05, 2011 W.J. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ive read this, but plan to read it again!

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May 19, 2013 Future Slayer Girl (aka: kitten) marked it as to-read · review of another edition

May 18, 2013 Lori marked it as to-read

May 15, 2013 Nandi Jennings rated it 5 of 5 stars

May 13, 2013 Morgan Higgins rated it 3 of 5 stars

May 10, 2013 Irene marked it as kindle-freebie-tbr · review of another edition

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About Chrissy Peebles

Chrissy Peebles, a practicing nurse, has always loved reading and writing fantasy from the earliest age she can remember. She plotted every single twist she could think of during bedtime stories for her children. When her little ones begged for more adventures, she felt confident enough to let her overeager imagination and sense of humor spill out into her first novel. She lives in Ohio with her h...more

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Agartha's Castaway (Trapped in the Hollow Earth #1)

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