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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
By no means perfect, but this was actually an engaging read! Tight pacing, lots of intertwining drama and interpersonal conflicts that feel meaningful and not like they were slapped on like a sticker. You feel like you're reading a story and not a textbook (cough cough, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder). The twist was good too, and was foreshadowed well.
Highly recommend for anyone who wants a good YA mystery/thriller.
The only reason I gave this 4 out of 5 stars is because I felt like the author could have gone more unique with its characters and conflicts (the characters are somewhat stereotypical, but not the point of being flat and boring). Also, I felt like the mystery was sort of solving itself rather than the chaacters actively solving it, but it thankfully didn't make the story less engaging like it usually does. It's a damn solid read. Check it out!
Highly recommend for anyone who wants a good YA mystery/thriller.
The only reason I gave this 4 out of 5 stars is because I felt like the author could have gone more unique with its characters and conflicts (the characters are somewhat stereotypical, but not the point of being flat and boring). Also, I felt like the mystery was sort of solving itself rather than the chaacters actively solving it, but it thankfully didn't make the story less engaging like it usually does. It's a damn solid read. Check it out!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide
Moderate: Homophobia
This was sooooo good!! I tend to find mystery novels are a little predictable so I hesitated for a long time before picking this up. One of Us Is Lying exceeded my expectations by far. Once I had started, I couldn't put the book down. She managed to flesh out every relevant character and juggle four perspectives without confusing me or losing my attention. Each chapter threw out a different theory I had and it was honestly so much reading it. I felt everything the characters felt. I was frustrated when they were. And boy did I get angry when they were.
I’m torn. I found myself thinking about this book when I wasn’t reading and wanting to get back to it. The suspense was done well. But the characters felt a bit too much like high school stereotypes for me to feel fully invested. And I’m not sure how I feel about the final twist. I feel like mental health was used as an entertainment factor (sensationalized) rather than represented in an authentic, complex way.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
A cast of rotating characters tell this story chapter by chapter. An allergenic high schooler named Simon dies as a result of a peanut oil-laced water glass. The epi-pens in the school health office mysteriously go missing. A group of students in detention with Simon are prime suspects, and their various motives and alibis are shared.
I had a hard time really getting to know these characters or care much about them. The plot was intriguing, though, and I kept listening. There was too much teenage angst for me, and it wore on my nerves.
I had a hard time really getting to know these characters or care much about them. The plot was intriguing, though, and I kept listening. There was too much teenage angst for me, and it wore on my nerves.
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:
Yes
One of Us is Lying follows four high school students, Bronwyn, Addy, Nate, and Cooper on their quest to prove themselves innocent after being the only witnesses to another classmate, Simon's accident, which leads to his death. It starts off with almost a Breakfast Club type feel, as each of the kids is in detention after school and each one is mostly in their own section of the high school social order. Bronwyn is the "nerd" of the group, Nate is the misfit, Addy is the pretty popular one and Cooper is the superstar athlete. Simon runs the school gossip social media outlet and is mostly regarded as a type of social pariah, not really trusted but nobody really wants to be on his bad side either. While in detention Simon somehow has a massive allergic reaction to peanuts and circumstances align so that he cannot be saved. The book is a major who-dun-it with lots of twists and opportunities for each of the main characters to be guilty, as each one is hiding something. In the end, the group bonds together and are able to reveal who the true murderer was and exonerate each of themselves.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes