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crescent_just's review
3.0
I loved the unreliable narration but the mystery aspect was not very suspenseful in my opinion. I did enjoy it though. A solid book.
chlsgnzlz's review
2.0
2.49
i figured out who the proctor was on page 16, before the words 'the proctor' were even used. granted i didnt guess who they really were, but when i found out i wasnt shocked because i hadnt been invested because not enough information was given. just enough for it to be annoying not to know, not enough to figure it out or feel shocked by the outcome.
this book is pitched as one of us is lying meets crazy rich asians. i havent read either of them, but i know the plot of one of us is lying and ive seen the movie of crazy rich asians, so id say its very accurate. however, i would also like to add pretty little liars (at least the tv show, idk about the books) to that. this book has the plot and characters of one of us is lying and pretty little liars combined, just if they were crazy and rich and asian. its not a clever and original blend of these books like red queen is pretty original and clever blend of graceling, the hunger games, and the selection. at least while reading red queen i could enjoy it for what it was, even if it wasnt the greatest book ive ever read. while reading this, i couldnt stop thinking about its similarities to pretty little liars especially, but also the other two.
despite the entire unoriginality of this book, ill still probably read the sequel. id like to see where it goes. i wonder if it will also be entirely unoriginal.
i figured out who the proctor was on page 16, before the words 'the proctor' were even used. granted i didnt guess who they really were, but when i found out i wasnt shocked because i hadnt been invested because not enough information was given. just enough for it to be annoying not to know, not enough to figure it out or feel shocked by the outcome.
this book is pitched as one of us is lying meets crazy rich asians. i havent read either of them, but i know the plot of one of us is lying and ive seen the movie of crazy rich asians, so id say its very accurate. however, i would also like to add pretty little liars (at least the tv show, idk about the books) to that. this book has the plot and characters of one of us is lying and pretty little liars combined, just if they were crazy and rich and asian. its not a clever and original blend of these books like red queen is pretty original and clever blend of graceling, the hunger games, and the selection. at least while reading red queen i could enjoy it for what it was, even if it wasnt the greatest book ive ever read. while reading this, i couldnt stop thinking about its similarities to pretty little liars especially, but also the other two.
despite the entire unoriginality of this book, ill still probably read the sequel. id like to see where it goes. i wonder if it will also be entirely unoriginal.
hitbooksnotgirlz's review
3.0
Dark academia has always been my cup of tea, and this read had some really great elements which gave me high hopes. Unfortunately, I was left disappointed and underwhelmed.
ngreader's review
2.0
So I'm trying to be more conscious about reading books written by and/or starring Asian Americans since it's Asian American/Pacific Islander Heritage Month. This is the first one that I've finished....and I really didn't like it. It felt like it was trying to accomplish *way* too many things, Nancy was kinda of a blah protagonist (and that ending? thank u no), the mystery was WAY too rushed (though it probably doesn't help that I was comparing it to One of Us is Lying the whole time). I was hoping for more of a dark academia and this wasn't it.
*contains swearing, mentions of teacher/student relationship (yeah hated that too), kissing*
*contains swearing, mentions of teacher/student relationship (yeah hated that too), kissing*
amycoles's review
3.0
People were right when they said this was a cross between Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars! This story follows a group of friends at a private school on the Upper West Side who are anonymously being framed for the murder of their friend - the rich elite it-girl.
I would have loved this book if I were a teen - however, now that I've read hundreds of adult mystery thrillers, this one falls a tad flat. My biggest issues is that our main characters are largely 'reactive' to everything that's going on - they just get swept along with the story rather than taking charge and actually doing things (until the very end ;).
All in all, this was dramatic, fast-paced, stressful, and a little outlandish - but in the same way the Pretty Little Liars shows is outlandish - as in, it's addictive and binge-able.
I would have loved this book if I were a teen - however, now that I've read hundreds of adult mystery thrillers, this one falls a tad flat. My biggest issues is that our main characters are largely 'reactive' to everything that's going on - they just get swept along with the story rather than taking charge and actually doing things (until the very end ;).
All in all, this was dramatic, fast-paced, stressful, and a little outlandish - but in the same way the Pretty Little Liars shows is outlandish - as in, it's addictive and binge-able.
sabrinaslivingliterature's review
4.0
I read this book in 1 sitting staying up till 1am to finish it despite having to get up early tomorrow because I had to know what happened!
As someone who went to a sixth form obsessed with image with ridiculous standards I recognised so many of the emotions of the characters and things being brushed under the rug dependent on who the student was and the comments on mental health and these systems as well as privilege really stood out making this more than just a dark academia thriller.
Because this book is about secrets I cant say much without spoilers but it was fantastic an amazing page turner that had me gripped the whole way through.
The writing felt a bit juvenile in places but the plot and characters more than made up for it.
I would definitely recommend for fans of Pretty Little Liars, Elite and The Secret History and can't wait to read more by Katie Zhao!
As someone who went to a sixth form obsessed with image with ridiculous standards I recognised so many of the emotions of the characters and things being brushed under the rug dependent on who the student was and the comments on mental health and these systems as well as privilege really stood out making this more than just a dark academia thriller.
Because this book is about secrets I cant say much without spoilers but it was fantastic an amazing page turner that had me gripped the whole way through.
The writing felt a bit juvenile in places but the plot and characters more than made up for it.
I would definitely recommend for fans of Pretty Little Liars, Elite and The Secret History and can't wait to read more by Katie Zhao!
jgilge's review
3.0
This is a great addition to the teen-murder-mystery-thriller craze that is all over YA books. Good characters and easy to read.
cocopurplebooks's review
1.0
Started off with potential and then flopped towards the middle. This was really predictable. It felt like every other YA mystery book that I've read before. I really wish the mystery was done differently but it was the same old same old.
The characters are so underdeveloped and unlikeable. I thought each of the four main characters would have their own point of view throughout the story but the novel's only told through Nancy's perspective. I didn't really care much at Nancy. She's not likable but she's not a main character that you can secretly root for. Out of the four characters, Krystal and Alexander had the most potential and I think one of the two should've been the lead character rather than Nancy.
For a mystery/thriller book, NOTHING happens! Like the main characters secrets will get revealed, the whole school gossips about it for a day or two and that's it! The stakes aren't high and there's no point in revealing the main characters darkest secrets if there aren't no long term side effects of it. The reveal was half assed and rushed. I wasn't too surprised because I predicted it but it could've been done way better if time was spent in developing the characters and the mystery aspect of the story.
One of the few good things about this book is that it is very fast paced and easy to read. I'm just confused on what the plot of a second book would be about. Peter and The Golden Trio's dark secret? How is the author going to drag that little plot twist for one more book? I'm not interested in reading the 2nd book so I could care less.
The characters are so underdeveloped and unlikeable. I thought each of the four main characters would have their own point of view throughout the story but the novel's only told through Nancy's perspective. I didn't really care much at Nancy. She's not likable but she's not a main character that you can secretly root for. Out of the four characters, Krystal and Alexander had the most potential and I think one of the two should've been the lead character rather than Nancy.
For a mystery/thriller book, NOTHING happens! Like the main characters secrets will get revealed, the whole school gossips about it for a day or two and that's it! The stakes aren't high and there's no point in revealing the main characters darkest secrets if there aren't no long term side effects of it. The reveal was half assed and rushed. I wasn't too surprised because I predicted it but it could've been done way better if time was spent in developing the characters and the mystery aspect of the story.
One of the few good things about this book is that it is very fast paced and easy to read. I'm just confused on what the plot of a second book would be about. Peter and The Golden Trio's dark secret? How is the author going to drag that little plot twist for one more book? I'm not interested in reading the 2nd book so I could care less.
kaixia's review
3.0
This book was average in terms of mystery books. I felt it was very cliche, especially for the rich private school with smart Asian students trope.
The 'big reveal' was a little underwhelming, but the buildup was pretty good.
Not a great read in my opinion, wasn't terrible, but wasn't what I was hoping it would be. Also, the Asian reps were kind of stereotypical which was a major ick for me.
The 'big reveal' was a little underwhelming, but the buildup was pretty good.
Not a great read in my opinion, wasn't terrible, but wasn't what I was hoping it would be. Also, the Asian reps were kind of stereotypical which was a major ick for me.
em_brannigan's review
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This book was… not good? Or maybe I’m just too old for the genre, I don’t know. But the characters were one-dimensional, the themes were thrown right at the reader’s face and stomped in to make sure WE GET IT, and the reveal was yikes. This was a miss fs