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roxanne_blythe's review against another edition
adventurous
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
4.0
This book had a really strong start like I really was Seok-jin from the beginning. The truth or dare game was fascinating. It kept me engaged with the book.
And then, when it gets to the part one Brandon dies and it’s kind of alluded that it is a dare, it starts to become a different book. The truth, or dare game kind of just stops at that point and we’re left with trying to figure out who killed Brandon and who’s the person who was conducting the games and are these people connected?
Do you answer that question yes, all of those people were the same person. But I think that I did not enjoy was the fact that the person who was responsible wasn’t even a character we were familiar with it came as a surprise 80% of the way through the book. We didn’t know their name we know if they were a student. We didn’t know anything about this person and we just had to unfold the theory as we read, it wasn’t like a whodunit.
I think that part irritates me. I read the book, and I even said to myself that I really don’t have any suspects because there weren’t any suspects that I was familiar with it was just revealed to me, I didn’t like that.
Another thing is that he rushed like I did figure out Emma was behind it because her drinking was weird but I thought the reason for her drinking and her involvement was completely differently. I did not think that Brandon was responsible for her dad‘s death. I thought Brandon did something to her and him dying kind of triggered her again. And then, even then, like it didn’t make sense for me to have another suspect because again, I didn’t make any sense.
Look, if I read the book over again, I feel like I would feel the same way. Like there weren’t enough hints that Jared was a real person that we should be looking out for. Also his motivations for even like conducting this game were very weird like you have a well-paying job you’re out of high school like why would you get involved with this game? Like why would you take on each other’s engines instead of doing your own? Like that part also, didn’t make any sense to me like why this dude was so obsessed with Siman in the first place.
And then towards the end, because Emma claims that she stopped talking to Jared, but Jared says that she was still talking to him. It’s reveal that. Owen, their little brother was involved??? Motivations were murky to because is it because he found out about his dad? Was he protecting your sisters? We don’t know because it literally just ends with the girls protecting their brother and then that’s it.
I have really high hopes for this book and I was entertained up until like the last 20% of the book and then I was fucking pissed because literally nothing made sense to me. Also, Jared was weird because you wanna get back at Eli so you bomb his reception dinner??? Like I didn’t make any sense why can’t he bombed his office or you know not even bomb him like you know stock him and then shoot him in the face like I didn’t get to the Y he needed to use a bomb and kill a bunch of people. It was so absurd listening to the whole I’m covering of the bomb and how like they rescued a bunch of people and like OK at this point this book has clearly lost the plot.
I feel like if the book focused on the truth or dare game and it knocks had a dare and more people are dares and then I uncover it that way would’ve been interesting. Maybe Karen didn’t want to have two books be too similar, but I would’ve just said make one of the characters in the book, the clear suspect not some Rando.
All right, I’m reading a based off of how entertained it was. Like since it was only like a small portion of the book that pissed me off I’m only gonna take one star off because it was still a good book.
And then, when it gets to the part one Brandon dies and it’s kind of alluded that it is a dare, it starts to become a different book. The truth, or dare game kind of just stops at that point and we’re left with trying to figure out who killed Brandon and who’s the person who was conducting the games and are these people connected?
Do you answer that question yes, all of those people were the same person. But I think that I did not enjoy was the fact that the person who was responsible wasn’t even a character we were familiar with it came as a surprise 80% of the way through the book. We didn’t know their name we know if they were a student. We didn’t know anything about this person and we just had to unfold the theory as we read, it wasn’t like a whodunit.
I think that part irritates me. I read the book, and I even said to myself that I really don’t have any suspects because there weren’t any suspects that I was familiar with it was just revealed to me, I didn’t like that.
Another thing is that he rushed like I did figure out Emma was behind it because her drinking was weird but I thought the reason for her drinking and her involvement was completely differently. I did not think that Brandon was responsible for her dad‘s death. I thought Brandon did something to her and him dying kind of triggered her again. And then, even then, like it didn’t make sense for me to have another suspect because again, I didn’t make any sense.
Look, if I read the book over again, I feel like I would feel the same way. Like there weren’t enough hints that Jared was a real person that we should be looking out for. Also his motivations for even like conducting this game were very weird like you have a well-paying job you’re out of high school like why would you get involved with this game? Like why would you take on each other’s engines instead of doing your own? Like that part also, didn’t make any sense to me like why this dude was so obsessed with Siman in the first place.
And then towards the end, because Emma claims that she stopped talking to Jared, but Jared says that she was still talking to him. It’s reveal that. Owen, their little brother was involved??? Motivations were murky to because is it because he found out about his dad? Was he protecting your sisters? We don’t know because it literally just ends with the girls protecting their brother and then that’s it.
I have really high hopes for this book and I was entertained up until like the last 20% of the book and then I was fucking pissed because literally nothing made sense to me. Also, Jared was weird because you wanna get back at Eli so you bomb his reception dinner??? Like I didn’t make any sense why can’t he bombed his office or you know not even bomb him like you know stock him and then shoot him in the face like I didn’t get to the Y he needed to use a bomb and kill a bunch of people. It was so absurd listening to the whole I’m covering of the bomb and how like they rescued a bunch of people and like OK at this point this book has clearly lost the plot.
I feel like if the book focused on the truth or dare game and it knocks had a dare and more people are dares and then I uncover it that way would’ve been interesting. Maybe Karen didn’t want to have two books be too similar, but I would’ve just said make one of the characters in the book, the clear suspect not some Rando.
All right, I’m reading a based off of how entertained it was. Like since it was only like a small portion of the book that pissed me off I’m only gonna take one star off because it was still a good book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Sexual assault, and Cancer
margaretwaltemath09's review against another edition
mysterious
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? It's complicated
4.0
THE ENDING WHATTT
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Bullying, Cancer, Alcohol, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Stalking, Grief, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, and Mental illness
Minor: Sexual harassment, Vomit, Homophobia, Medical content, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Cursing
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.
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
christianbookgirlie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer
greatexpectations77's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.25
I really liked this, possibly more than the first book. It was twistier, and I really liked the narrator that read for Knox, who was a great cutie character.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer
Moderate: Alcoholism, Stalking, Bullying, Child death, Death, Toxic friendship, Chronic illness, Death of parent, and Murder
Minor: Medical content
elodiethefangirl's review against another edition
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Cancer
Moderate: Alcoholism
xgabrielle_hx's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Murder, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, and Medical content
Minor: Sexual content
aseel_reads's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
3.0
A solid ya mystery. Definitely felt that the ending was somehow super slow (I got the twist just before it was revealed and hated having to wait for it) and also rushed at the same time
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, Homophobia, Alcoholism, Grief, Murder, Sexual assault, Stalking, Bullying, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Cancer, Death of parent, and Infidelity
paronomaniac's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer and Bullying
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Suicide and Sexual assault