Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

85 reviews

the_book_cat's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Murder

Moderate: Death, Kidnapping, and Child death

blank_space_forever's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Child death, Kidnapping, and Panic attacks/disorders

rainerasnic's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence

Moderate: Death and Child death

toffishay's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

I didn't love the main character, Stevie, in this first book, but I think that she gets better in future books. And I really liked the older and newer mysteries. I was drawn in and want to keep going and solve the mystery too :)

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death and Death

Minor: Kidnapping and Panic attacks/disorders

thevieira's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Death, Child death, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Blood, Mental illness, Grief, and Alcohol

sankta_aleena's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Kidnapping

emily_mh's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

The first thing I will say about this one is that it had really, really weird pacing. The best way to describe it is that it felt like one big set-up for the next book, as nothing was really solved or fully investigated. That being said, I really enjoyed reading this. It had so many of my favourite elements: secret tunnels, an isolated boarding school, hidden spaces, and a cold case. Also, Johnson described what Stevie was thinking and feeling really well, so that she felt like an actual person. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Death

Moderate: Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence

Minor: Ableism, Alcohol, Blood, Cannibalism, Car accident, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, and Vomit

bookishgoob's review against another edition

dark emotional lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

the beginning half was incredibly slow and i hated it until i realized that there was several books in this series and then it made sense. the atmosphere was being built. this book is a nice dark academia read. i’m starting the second book now.  the main character stevie is a little annoying and a little “not like other girls” which annoys me in books. also her obsession with true crime makes me gag. i hope she learns soon that true crime involves real people and that even though she knows a lot about police proceedings doesn’t mean it’s going to be like her podcasts. i like the building relationship between her and david. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, and Violence

kaydeechy's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

I love a good mystery and Truly Devious was just the book to start off 2022 on a strong note. 

Stevie Bell applies to Ellingham Academy and is accepted. Her ultimate goal is to solve the Truly Devious case, in which the wife and daughter of a rich philanthropist where kidnapped, his wife murdered, and his daughter never found. But, things become more complicated when one of Steve's housemates dies under mysterious circumstances. 

I loved the plot line of this book. It was while paced with twists well placed to keep the page turning and the reader hooked. I also love the diverse cast of characters. The only thing that could have made it better for me would of the language and relationships weren't so juvenile. You could tell this was a young adult read, which is fine, but sometimes it had me cringing. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Kidnapping, and Panic attacks/disorders

trulydevious's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Alcohol, Child death, and Kidnapping

Minor: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders