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_everysecondbook 's review for:
Truly, Devious
by Maureen Johnson, Maureen Johnson
(4.5/5 stars)
CW: Murder
"Don't steal the skeleton. His name is Mr. Nelson. Be nice to Mr. Nelson. He's here to teach you about what's inside of you, inside all of us."
This book was an absolutely fantastic YA mystery. Seriously, y'all are sleepin on this one, it's so great.
The story follows Stevie, a true crime "fanatic" (some might say aficionado), determined on solving the age old Truly Devious case of Ellingham Academy. She gets her big chance when she is invited to study at Ellingham Academy, a fully funded boarding school designed to help extremely talented individuals, develop their area of talent further.
This story goes back and forth between the present day, and the time during the Truly Devious murders. The writing is really great, and I am not usually someone to notice writing, but I found myself being able to imagine the world quite clearly. I found the characters to also be very well-written, I felt as though I was really getting to know them, which is great considering this is a trilogy.
The reason this is a 4.5 and not a 5 is because there is a romance that, to some, may feel slightly forced and unnecessary. I do not hold this opinion, but I understand that it could bother some people.
Considering this is a mystery, I don't want to say any more than I've already said, as I believe this is the kind of story that needs to unfold for the reader as they read it. I definitely recommend it as a good YA mystery. It's not too heavy on the YA aspect as I find some of this genre to be. It's truly a fantastic read.
CW: Murder
"Don't steal the skeleton. His name is Mr. Nelson. Be nice to Mr. Nelson. He's here to teach you about what's inside of you, inside all of us."
This book was an absolutely fantastic YA mystery. Seriously, y'all are sleepin on this one, it's so great.
The story follows Stevie, a true crime "fanatic" (some might say aficionado), determined on solving the age old Truly Devious case of Ellingham Academy. She gets her big chance when she is invited to study at Ellingham Academy, a fully funded boarding school designed to help extremely talented individuals, develop their area of talent further.
This story goes back and forth between the present day, and the time during the Truly Devious murders. The writing is really great, and I am not usually someone to notice writing, but I found myself being able to imagine the world quite clearly. I found the characters to also be very well-written, I felt as though I was really getting to know them, which is great considering this is a trilogy.
The reason this is a 4.5 and not a 5 is because there is a romance that, to some, may feel slightly forced and unnecessary. I do not hold this opinion, but I understand that it could bother some people.
Considering this is a mystery, I don't want to say any more than I've already said, as I believe this is the kind of story that needs to unfold for the reader as they read it. I definitely recommend it as a good YA mystery. It's not too heavy on the YA aspect as I find some of this genre to be. It's truly a fantastic read.