Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

You'll Be the Death of Me by Karen M. McManus

23 reviews

blankeechats's review against another edition

adventurous challenging medium-paced

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

3.5

My first book by Karen M. McManus, this wasn't a 4 star or higher just because I wasn't totally invested in the story. I feel like if it had been longer I definitely would have liked it better.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Addiction, Drug use, Mental illness, and Murder

Moderate: Death of parent and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Violence, Blood, Gun violence, and Alcohol

bluz19's review against another edition

mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

I actually really enjoy these books. They are very simple, they give like YA who-dun-it vibes. It’s your very typical high school drama but include murder. Imagine the one day you need a break from school and someone gets murdered and you just so happen to have a current vendetta all because they beat you out for class president. We get the point of views from all three main characters. It was interesting to see all of them develop throughout the story as secrets kept coming to light. As they tried to scoop out things, it was so interesting to learn about each one of them and what they held to be important. There are some twists in here where I definitely couldn’t figure out the ending. I feel like although there is murder, it is just a very light book overall. Don’t go into this book thinking there will be a lot of world building or very complex characters, or even thinking that it’ll be the biggest shock of your life. This is about kids trying not to be blamed for a murder of a classmate and thinking they can solve the entire mystery themselves. 
I really liked the moments of suspense and I knew exactly what I was getting myself into starting this book. It was a quick read that honestly kept my attention from start to finish. If you want a book with quick twists and turns p, keeps you guessing till the end, but doesn’t quite do too much in building a story outside of the mystery, then you’ll enjoy this book. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Drug use, and Child death

skyegbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Trafficking, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Death

Minor: Kidnapping, Addiction, and Stalking

libraryghost's review

mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood

Moderate: Addiction and Drug use

beth_s98's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The mystery and intertwining stories of the book were really well done, and it was an engaging read. However,

the way the story ended, with one of the main villains of the story triggering one of the main characters to want to go “scorched earth”

really annoyed me, and honestly took away from the whole story. It could have been ended without that as part of book one, and I would have been just as excited to read a potential book 2 if it ever was written. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Addiction

thecrescendos's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, Addiction, Infidelity, and Kidnapping

holliesatchell's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Addiction, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, and Murder

susanaubrey's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Murder, and Toxic relationship

z_thatsit's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use and Murder

Moderate: Violence, Addiction, Chronic illness, Death, Pedophilia, Cursing, Grief, Adult/minor relationship, and Racism

Minor: Child death, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Car accident

emily_mh's review against another edition

mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

If I was rating this solely based off enjoyment, it would be 5 stars. There were some definite issues with quality that meant I felt I should dock it a full star. But first, the positives! It was incredibly fast-paced and gripping, taking place over just a day (to this end, I thought it lived up to the Ferris Bueller’s Day Off gone wrong premise). Actual investigation took place, and the romance was actually believable (unlike the other two romances I’ve read of McManus). Finally, the situations and subsequent developments of the characters were really strong. 

In terms of negatives, the character personalities (despite their diverse circumstances) were all fairly generic. More significantly, it was a little messy.

For example, it didn’t really tie up who the Coach got to kill Brian.

Finally, while I didn’t hate the resolution, I didn’t love it either. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Murder, Child death, Death, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Ableism, Cursing, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Violence, and Drug use

Minor: Abandonment, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Medical content, Racism, Sexual harassment, and Vomit

Minor warnings for gentrification, loss of a loved one, death of a pet, divorce.