Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

One of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus

26 reviews

abicaro17's review against another edition

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

4.0

Once again a fun read! As a sequel, this book was fighting any preconceived notions from One of Us is Lying. I can say that this book, although not as good as the first, is a solid sequel. One of Us is Next brings in Brownyn's sister Maeve, a computer genius, Maeve's ex boyfriend and current best friend Knox, a law intern, and Phoebe, a waitress at the restaurant that everyone hangs out in. As a new gossip fueled game, Truth or Dare, starts up 18 months after Simon's death and creates drama and danger. I really enjoyed the new characters in Phoebe, Knox, Maeve and Luis. I think this is a true strong point in this story. I appreciate how this story keeps the basis of the first story while changing almost everything else. The original characters are involved but it's not about them, the location is the same but there are new ones too, and the mystery is entirely different as well. My problem is that I didn't care as much. The beauty of the first book is that Simon dies in front of the original four and its pretty much the first chapter. This means that the mysterious death is the forefront and the game is more secondary. It is the reverse in the sequel. I feel like this means the story is harder to get into and is less of a meaningful twist. I think the first was hard to follow and although this book stops short it is a fantastic mystery either way. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Grief, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Antisemitism, Blood, Addiction, Chronic illness, Death, Bullying, Cursing, Alcoholism, Cancer, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Alcohol, Racism, Sexual assault, and Stalking

janahy55's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious relaxing fast-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? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, Stalking, and Death of parent

Moderate: Bullying, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship

hypofocus's review against another edition

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

4.0

A great follow up to One of Us is Lying! I was just as invested this time around. McManus has the multi-POV style down to a science. Great pacing, great POV switching, great trickling of info and wonderful payoff come reveal time!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual violence, Addiction, and Death

Moderate: Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic friendship, and Bullying

dramagirl2003's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

the drama! the suspense!! the plot twists!!! I loved every chapter!!!! 
when I realised the MCs were different this time I was slightly apprehensive, but I was hooked from the first page!! I loved the appearances from characters in the first book

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Death, Murder, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Bullying, and Medical content

Minor: Suicide and Sexual assault

there's not really any sexual content, just making out

violetbentbackwards1036's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Vomit, Medical content, Cancer, Sexual assault, Death, Alcohol, Cursing, Murder, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Violence, Misogyny, Bullying, Addiction, and Death of parent

taque's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death of parent, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Death, Murder, Cancer, and Toxic relationship

libraryghost's review

dark 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Grief, and Alcohol

Moderate: Death of parent, Mental illness, Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Vomit, and Sexual assault

Minor: Mass/school shootings

tbs250's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Stalking, Infidelity, Violence, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Death

Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Sexual content, and Bullying

Minor: Toxic relationship

melodyseestrees's review

challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

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

2.5

This book is very slow for the first 60%. There is a lot of focus on drama unrelated to the underlying mystery and characters that don't matter past the initial burst of drama. There is somehow not enough focus on any of these characters to pull off a red herring maneuver. You can basically figure out the plot by the 70% mark aside from a few details that were mishandled, in my opinion. There is also a romance between a 17 year old and someone who is old enough to have graduated college.

There is a character blatantly introduced at the 90% mark. He is mentioned two to four times throughout the book but only in passing as the "intense guy." To no one's surprise he is one of the three culprits and not at all a red herring. There are three culprits: Emma, Owen, Jared Jackson. Jared Jackson made a deal with Emma in a revenge board. Emma did this through the use of her sister's phone as she had conveniently lost hers. Emma admits this all from the hospital bed where she is suffering from the effects of alcohol poisoning. When Emma backs out by ghosting on Jared, Owen (the little brother) steps in, steals the pseudonym, and pursues revenge against Brandon for the death of his father. Emma and Phoebe agree to act like Jared fabricated Owen's messages to protect him.

The reveal right at the end of the book is a very cheap gimmick and though it was executed properly, it feels unrealistic to how someone of that age demographic would respond to the info they'd acquired.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Bullying, Violence, Blood, Sexual assault, Death, Alcoholism, Murder, Vomit, Child death, Chronic illness, and Cancer

Moderate: Sexual harassment, Child death, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, and Stalking

Minor: Suicide, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Death, Homophobia, and Racism

There is a subplot of a bomb but only one person is injured and they survive but will have scars. There was also a subplot of a corrupt police officer who framed and blackmailed someone for drugs.

sophiabooks6's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

This book was very entertaining and I loved reading it! While the first book, One of us is Lying is better, I found myself very interested in the characters and trying to guess what would happen next. The ending is a bit confusing but it's still very much worth the read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Toxic relationship, and Cancer

Moderate: Sexual assault