Reviews

Uno di noi è il prossimo by Karen M. McManus

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tigerlilliereads's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

4.25

mehsi's review against another edition

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DNF 200 pages in, so a bit over 50%.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020. I was absolutely hyped and couldn't wait for my pre-order to come. It took amazon quite a long time, but I finally had the book. Then I started reading it, and while there were some points that were OK, mostly I was just rolling my eyes and groaning at all the stupid stuff.

I will be listing all that didn't work for me.

-I just couldn't care about Maeve, or Knox, or Phoebe. Well, out of those three I liked Phoebe the most. But Maeve was just so bland while I quite liked what she did in the previous book for her sister and the Bayview four. Knox was just meh. I don't know he just wasn't my type of character and I wasn't very enthused each time he got his POV.
-Slutshaming which had me shaking my head. Come on peeps. If a girl wants to have sex that is totally OK, just like if a boy wants to have sex. But for some reason if a girl is loving sex she is a slut. What the fuck, can we just stop doing that in 2020?
-What happened to Phoebe when she tried to break up with Brandon.

Spoiler

The assault. That he tried to rape her (as I am sure he would have gone way further if no one was at home). And how that it was just kind of there but then never talked about much. It felt very meh. It is such a horrific event, yet no one asks her when they see her next, see her avoid Brandon, see her be less like herself. It seems like it was just there as a set-up for what comes later (which I find out about when I read the last pages of the book). And that is just a no in my book.

-The ending and what was revealed there. What the actual fresh hell was that? Was that truly necessary?
-The truth or dares. Well mostly the truths.

Spoiler

Which were so lame that I was just cringing. One, Derek and Emma weren't together any more, and while I am sure there is some code between sisters to not have sex with exes, Phoebe and Derek have all the right to have sex if they want to. Phoebe wasn't cheating. Not at all. If it is broken up, it is broken up. Done. No need to go all dramarama about it.
Two, that Knox and Maeve have broken up due to Knox not getting it up. How is that a truth? I am sorry if it was truly that, sure, but we all know that they broke up because it didn't work out in other areas as well. And why did Knox get pissed at Maeve? Hello, she didn't intentionally spill it, she just talked to someone, that is what people do. We need to share, we need advice.

-The fact that the school is just recovering from what happened with Simon, with the 4 who got framed and still get looks from people, and now there is something new. Something that threatens to unbalance everything again and what do people do? Nothing. Really, nothing. Oh no our phones may get taken away. Oh no we may not use our phones any more at school. Oh no more rules. Oh fuckity kids, just tell someone before everything goes to shit again. But noo, those precious little phones. *groans*
-That Maeve was hiding a potential return of the cancer. While I can also understand her, I would be in tears if cancer returned to my body, I also wanted to shake her. At least confide in someone. At least tell someone. Because what you are doing now is superirresponsible. I get that your survival chances are low when you have cancer again, but if you don't talk to anyone about it? You are dead. :|
-I also found it seriously hilarious that Phoebe brought up gender stuff and rages that only she and Knox get shit about what has come out. Um, Maeve also got shit about it, several guys made raunchy and sexual remarks towards her, she has been bothered in very not so safe ways, as for Derek, I wonder if Derek even knows what is going on. Given the texts... probably yes. But maybe also no? We don't see much of Derek so maybe he is also getting shit. Who knows.
-Jules was just terrible. I am sorry, if you know that a guy has zero interest in you, even after you forcibly kiss him (which I would see as assault btw), then give up. It was just so annoying how she kept going on and on about him and was even thinking of ways to get between him and Bronwyn. What the hell girl. Just get another guy.
-Later on as truths (snorts) get revealed, there is tons of bullying. For a school with a zero-tolerance on bullying I found this enormously weird. Hello, if a school is so clear on NO on bullying why the hell were there no repercussions on anything? Just a few times that someone from the school stepped in. But that is it. Knox was getting his locker trashed, there are several other things happening to other characters, but did anyone of the school ever think, hey we should suspend some people? No. What a crap school.

Also something that I saw in another review and that I was definitely agreeing to. When I heard about the third book by this author I was already enthusiastically thinking of all the titles with the word Three in it. Instead we get One of us is Next... Which is a nice title, but not what I expected when I saw the new book.

Phew, I had to get that out of my system. I am really truly sad that this book turned out the way it did. I absolutely loved and devoured the other two books and I was looking forward to going back again and having another magnificent mystery thriller. Hopefully this author's next book is back in the vein of the other two books. Yes, I will be trying out her next book. BUT I won't be buying it until I know for sure I love it. As for this book? Maybe one day I will give it another go.... if I haven't already donated the book or put it in a mini library nearby.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/