Reviews with content warning for Abandonment - The Cousins

Such a good book! I’ve loved all of Karen McManus’ books and this is no different. At first I struggled to get into it due to how at first the changing viewpoints was somewhat confusing but once you get used to it it definitely adds to the plot. So many twists and turns from the beginning and it gives a bit of the mystery away as the book progresses so you’re hooked but the ending is still a huge plot twist. Perfect summer read due to its beachy setting and McManus manages to make a slightly creepy fascinating mystery without it being horrible or too graphic to read.

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nnread's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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jbabbm's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Did some of the phrases/thoughts of the characters felt right out of an early 2000s teen movies? Yes.
Was the story actually interesting and completely sucked me in as the mystery developed? Completely.
Will check other Karen M. McManus books in the future? Totally, she certainly knows how to write a good mystery plot. I did see some of the things coming but she completely side-blinded me with the big reveal.

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mollyhood's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

3.75

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lriggi5's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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andtheotherstars's review against another edition

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mysterious slow-paced

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

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novi's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

I don't know why I didn't know this, but this is a young adult thriller. The reviews are right, the vibe is very similar with E. Lockhart's We Were Liars, but this one is more.....comfortable? It wasn't as eerie or unsettling as We Were Liars, but it's still so fun to read because the way the plot moves fast is satisfying and in each chapter we always learn something new about the story (or um, The Story, since that is the name of the family that this book is about). The twist wasn't as messed up as I hoped it would be lol the tone of this book is lighter that the cover made it seem to be, that's all I'm saying. I really enjoyed being with these characters and the pacing of the book is perfect. I couldn't put it down I really could've finish it in one sitting if I didn't have work to do.

This isn't a hot take or anything, but I just want to say that the last page felt really unnecessary lol like okay I get that the author wanted the readers to leave the book feeling uncomfortable, a bit haunted, or with a goosebumps, and I wanted it for myself too, as I was reading it, but sadly it wasn't strong enough.

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