Reviews tagging 'Drug use'

The Box in the Woods by Maureen Johnson

47 reviews

literarymuses's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

I've come to the conclusion I will pick up anything having to do with the Truly Devious Series. I am so deeply attached to these characters and am constantly wishing for more books in this series. That being said I loved seeing the Ellingham crew in a different setting such as a summer camp and being able to see Stevie work her detective magic again never fails to bring a smile to my face. I thoroughly enjoyed the build-up of this mystery and the reveal left me ferociously reading until 3 am. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Death, and Murder

Minor: Drug use

coolbeancat's review

adventurous dark funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Medical content

Minor: Antisemitism, Blood, Car accident, Gore, and Homophobia

yvonne_cl's review

adventurous challenging dark lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Alcohol

abbycdefgxyz's review

adventurous funny 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? It's complicated

4.5

This book was nearly perfect. The story was very good and it all got explained in the end. However, it felt like there was no time for the reader to try to put the pieces together to figure out the mystery until the last chapter of the book where the mystery is being explained. The reader didn’t have many of the facts until then.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Drug use, Alcoholism, and Alcohol

thedandybrambler's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I finished the final book in the original Truly Devious trilogy around this time last year, and did so with a sense of disappointment. Maureen Johnson manages to wrap up an interesting, winding mystery into to the lives of funny, diverse and complex young adults. The Box In The Woods was not only a brilliant read because it allowed me to dive back into the lives of Stevie, David, Janelle and Nate but also or because it is genuinely an interesting mystery, but also because it’s wide array of LGBTQ+ characters is rare in any book, especially when their sexuality or gender orientation don’t become their overriding personality trait. Johnson has created an array of complex, well rounded well adults who are a pleasure to read about, regardless of what mysteries they’re solving. 

But perhaps the best part of finishing this book is that

Nate finally finishes his

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Blood, Body horror, Car accident, Child death, Death, Drug use, and Gore

Minor: Hate crime, Homophobia, and Slavery

vlntnmz's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Death, Drug use, Medical content, and Panic attacks/disorders

breezer's review against another edition

adventurous funny mysterious 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? No

3.75

Enjoyed being back with the characters but missed Ellingham and the reveal really came out of nowhere. So much love for Nate!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Gun violence, and Murder

Minor: Infidelity

meow_gal's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny informative mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Car accident, and Drug use

stardustandrockets's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I don't know if I'm bad a guessing who dunnit in mystery novels or if Mauree Johnson is that good at keeping me guessing the entire time (probably the latter, but I may need to read more mysteries to find out), but I didn't see the murderer coming. I had zero ideas.

That being said, a few parts were a little choppy as far as how Stevie came up with her info and put everything together, but I felt that way with the other three books as well. I really enjoyed the summer camp vibe even though Stevie didn't partake in much of it (she was too busy trying to solve a murder). There was a lot less of the past POV entwined with the present, but that makes sense all things considered. I do hope we get more Stevie Bell mysteries (I enjoy the characters the most, especially David), but the ending was nice for this stand-alone book. No cliffhangers like the first two.

Highly recommend reading this one (and Truly Devious) if you're a mystery fan or trying to find your way into the mystery genre.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Drug use, Car accident, Child death, and Violence

Minor: Homophobia, Gun violence, Grief, Medical content, and Suicide

Nazis, anxiety

junefish's review

adventurous funny mysterious tense fast-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? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Child death, Death, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Drug use, Medical content, and Gun violence

Minor: Homophobia, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Infidelity