Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson

15 reviews

z_thatsit's review against another edition

challenging mysterious tense 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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Gun violence, Grief, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, and Mental illness

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Cursing, and Fire/Fire injury

readerette's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

So I'll read the next in the series to see if this plot can keep its footing, because it has potential. Stevie is relatable in her anxiety and hobbies. Her friends and schoolmates are not always relatable, but certainly intriguing (in a mystery book sort of way, since we see them through Stevie's true-crime-loving eyes). Harry Potter vibes without the magic, original Nancy Drew vibes including the recklessness of the heroine, and Agatha Christie vibes with just a little off-kilter application of drama (too much at the wrong times). 

The characters are not excessively whiny or inept, which is a pleasant change for me in my experience with YA. However, the relationship between David and Stevie is borderline alarmingly toxic for a YA novel. It's not abusive or anything, but as you find out more about him it can't really be a healthy relationship.

I don't think this needed to be a multi-book series, and if the author had kept it to only one or two books, I imagine I would have been more inclined to rate at a 5 because it would have been more concise and well-paced without so much meandering in the plot or in Stevie's mind and relationships. Instead this is going to be drawn out, and I can only hope Stevie remains believable and that this doesn't become a case of drawing out a plot for the sake of book sales.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Kidnapping, Death, and Murder

Minor: Infidelity, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Sexism, and Injury/Injury detail

emily_mh's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

The first thing I will say about this one is that it had really, really weird pacing. The best way to describe it is that it felt like one big set-up for the next book, as nothing was really solved or fully investigated. That being said, I really enjoyed reading this. It had so many of my favourite elements: secret tunnels, an isolated boarding school, hidden spaces, and a cold case. Also, Johnson described what Stevie was thinking and feeling really well, so that she felt like an actual person. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Death

Moderate: Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Violence

Minor: Ableism, Alcohol, Blood, Cannibalism, Car accident, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, and Vomit

bookishgoob's review

dark emotional lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

the beginning half was incredibly slow and i hated it until i realized that there was several books in this series and then it made sense. the atmosphere was being built. this book is a nice dark academia read. i’m starting the second book now.  the main character stevie is a little annoying and a little “not like other girls” which annoys me in books. also her obsession with true crime makes me gag. i hope she learns soon that true crime involves real people and that even though she knows a lot about police proceedings doesn’t mean it’s going to be like her podcasts. i like the building relationship between her and david. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic friendship, and Violence

effys's review

adventurous challenging mysterious tense fast-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? No

5.0

I am in love with this book, it had an amazing mystery and kept me hooked throughout. I really want to jump into the next book asap. 
I really enjoyed the characters in this book, they all felt real and their were characters I trusted and characters I was very suspicious of but the story kept me questioning whether my opinions were eighth or wrong. The story was interesting and I want to know more about it and the ending made me desperately want to immediately pick up book 2 to find out more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders