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blackthorn2221's review
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Death, Toxic friendship, and Murder
Moderate: Racism
greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Gun violence, Toxic friendship, Racism, Alcohol, Vomit, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
kassidyreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Toxic friendship and Alcohol
Moderate: Death and Racism
Minor: Gun violence, Bullying, Blood, and Vomit
vj_thompson's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
I love interview style books. Listening to the audio book version was also great. The voices match the age of the characters. I thought Petra’s voice actor was fitting for the character since she was supposed to be an analytical know-it-all. I would definitely recommend listening to the audio book version rather than reading this story. I tried reading at first but found it difficult and slow.
The thing is, I don’t know how I would rate this read. I also don’t know if I would recommend this to adult readers who like to read YA. I thought it was just ok. I’ve read better YA thrillers. Nolan’s character was VERY annoying and frustrating. There is always that one annoying character. I knew what had happened right as the author set up the Maylee’s disappearance. The author also had the characters make small observations but these were never answered.
One last frustrating thing was that the book didn’t get good until the 50% mark then again around 70%. It was slow pace until these points.
What I loved was John’s background about the “accident.” The author did a great job writing and depicting small town racism. It reminded me of what unfortunately happened in the small town I grew up in. The voice actor did a great job narrating this portion as well. I was very moved by how he spoke the words and felt every ounce of pain he spoke.
Graphic: Gun violence, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Racism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, and Classism
Minor: Bullying, Death, and Blood
daringreader13's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Classism, Gore, Hate crime, Outing, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Toxic friendship, Violence, Grief, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Vomit
noceur's review
- 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? Yes
3.0
okay for the actual review it was an okay book i was looking for something easy to read and it did the job. i liked how the story was told through police interviews. overall it was a pretty predictable fast paced ya mystery about some teens going camping and one of them goes missing.
Graphic: Death, Toxic friendship, Racism, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Gun violence
lizanneyoung's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
5.0
I was initially interested in this book because of the unconventional style of being told through police interviews. I love books that don’t follow a “traditional” format typically, and this sounded like a fun spin on the chapter-based narrative.
Tell Me What Really Happened was stunning. Each chapter is designed as an answer to an interrogation question, which was a nice touch. There are pauses noted as if the police are asking follow-up questions or providing additional information, but those questions or details aren’t given to the reader, so you try to piece it together alongside what happened to Maylee, the missing teen.
The inclusion of cryptozoology made me smile. I have always been interested in cryptids, and it was interesting to see that woven into the narrative and used in the way it was.
What really made me rate this book five stars was how it made me feel. I usually read late at night while my husband is asleep, and I found I couldn’t do that with this book. I was spooking myself trying to read in the dark as the four teens describe their time in the woods overnight. I applaud Sedoti for doing that to me.
It also evoked how I felt watching two of my favorite horror movies: The Blair Witch Project and Oculus. Teens frantically wandering the woods trying to find the people they came with, strange noises, the feeling of eyes on you, and a strange cabin all gave me The Blair Witch Project vibes. I half-expected the book to end with someone in the corner of a room. In trying not to give spoilers, I will simply say that the ending of Tell Me What Really Happened reminded me of the ending to Oculus in terms of the confusion felt by a character and the impact their environment had on their decisions.
I would be lying if I wasn’t surprised by the intentions for the camping trip. What did surprise me was how calculated and well-planned it was from the character’s point of view. Their expectations were realistic, even if it disappoints me that it would definitely work in today’s world.
Tell Me What Really Happened is a wonderful take on the YA thriller that left me slightly spooked in the dark but desperate to know what happened next and how the story would come to an end.
Graphic: Alcohol and Blood
Moderate: Racism and Gun violence
Minor: Bullying
thewizardofbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Murder, Gun violence, Alcohol, and Racism
mamawantsbooks's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
A group of friends decide to go on a camping trip when one goes missing. The story of what happened leading up to the disappearance is told through police interviews. Does anyone really know what happened to Maylee?
I know I’m not the target demographic for YA but I still like to read them every so often. This book is the first YA in awhile to grab my attention and not make me eye roll too much (I mean, I am in my 30’s soo) at the characters. This was a really surprisingly good thriller for the younger crowd. I also really enjoyed the misdirection for everyone. I mean, was it Bigfoot who took Maylee? Her boyfriend? Is there a killer lurking around the woods? Are the police being honest? Who knows! Keep reading and figure out the twists!
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Death, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Racism and Medical content
oracle_of_madness's review
4.5
One night camping in the woods, this odd group often finds themselves in disagreement over everything. Really, it was a bit funny at times. Each short chapter added information that created a whole picture at the end. But, I have to admit, I was completely shocked by how everything turned out.
This book is dark, mysterious, and full of tension. I wound up really enjoying this!
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Alcohol, Gun violence, and Racism