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cover2covertx's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was a fun one & I'm always a sucker for a fun title. This book followed a classic YA mystery/thriller plot but with some very interesting twists and turns. We have Lauren O'Brian, the new girl in town with a secret who moves across the country right before starting a senior year. And then we have the love interest- Robbie Crestmont, one of two Crestmonts each with their own bad reputation surrounding the mysterious deaths of their girlfriends.
This story pretty much immediately captures your attention. It's been marketed for fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, and the author knows their audience well because the pacing and suspense of this book really has a similar flow to AGGGTM. I've read a few different YA mystery/thrillers that claimed to be a good read alike and fell short, but this one definitely has similar vibes AND can stand on its own! I was genuinely stumped about who the killer might be for quite awhile, even though I had my theories. The author leaves the perfect amount of breadcrumbs behind in the story without over-saturating the plot. I will say my favorite parts about this book are the side characters (especially John I liked what he added to the story) and the twists at the end. There's great closure & a satisfying ending. The author also switches POVs at the very end briefly which usually annoys me TO NO END but it was done SO incredibly well- it was worth it & added to the story for sure.
The only thing that keeps this book from 5 stars for me was some of the pacing at the end of the story. During a big climactic part, I felt like it was a bit rushed. I even had to flip back a few pages and re-read to make sure I didn't accidentally skip a page.
All in all, this is a solid 4 star read for me and I will definitely be looking out for more books from this author in the future!
This story pretty much immediately captures your attention. It's been marketed for fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, and the author knows their audience well because the pacing and suspense of this book really has a similar flow to AGGGTM. I've read a few different YA mystery/thrillers that claimed to be a good read alike and fell short, but this one definitely has similar vibes AND can stand on its own! I was genuinely stumped about who the killer might be for quite awhile, even though I had my theories. The author leaves the perfect amount of breadcrumbs behind in the story without over-saturating the plot. I will say my favorite parts about this book are the side characters (especially John I liked what he added to the story) and the twists at the end.
The only thing that keeps this book from 5 stars for me was some of the pacing at the end of the story.
All in all, this is a solid 4 star read for me and I will definitely be looking out for more books from this author in the future!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Body horror, Drug use, Drug abuse, Suicide, and Sexual content
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
commaflirting's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC!
The One That Got Away With Murder is like Pretty Little Liars, but darker.
This book was intriguing from page one. One of my favorite things about it was how the characters were introduced, you never got any background about them until they were cleared of murder (or unless Lauren, John, and Robbie were trying to determine if they were guilty). The (extremely complex) characters unfold with the plot, like an SVU episode (a show that has kept us on our toes for 2 decades now, so I'd say that's good company to have).
I only gave the book 4 stars though because I was left a little unsatisfied. It seems like all of the "villains" got off lightly. Is coach really preying after younger girls? And nothing else escalated put of the Donovan situation? Those two aren't that important for us to know, given that the book was supposed to be realistic and the reality is that not all of these situations get revealed to the public, but I'm nosy. My main dislike was the lack of motivation on Mark's part. During the overview of Mark's actions, he states that Lauren "was the chosen one" that he picked back in California, then a few paragraphs later, he states that Lauren would've lived had she not revealed Ainsley's drug habit. WHAT made Lauren so intriguing to him? And why did he get the urge to even kill Victoria in the first place?
Overall, this was one of the better books that I've read all year. I love when a character suffers, though I felt really really bad for Robbie by the end of the book.
The One That Got Away With Murder is like Pretty Little Liars, but darker.
I only gave the book 4 stars though because I was left a little unsatisfied. It seems like all of the "villains" got off lightly. Is coach really preying after younger girls? And nothing else escalated put of the Donovan situation? Those two aren't that important for us to know, given that the book was supposed to be realistic and the reality is that not all of these situations get revealed to the public, but I'm nosy. My main dislike was the lack of motivation on Mark's part. During the overview of Mark's actions, he states that Lauren "was the chosen one" that he picked back in California, then a few paragraphs later, he states that Lauren would've lived had she not revealed Ainsley's drug habit. WHAT made Lauren so intriguing to him? And why did he get the urge to even kill Victoria in the first place?
Overall, this was one of the better books that I've read all year. I love when a character suffers, though I felt really really bad for Robbie by the end of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Addiction, Murder, Suicide, and Sexual harassment
heathermarie08's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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? Yes
5.0
Thanks to NetGalley, I received an electronic copy of this ARC book in exchange for my honest review.
This debut by Trish Lundy is a young adult thriller that kept me guessing the entire time. It was a fast paced read with short chapters. You aren't sure who to like, who to despise or who to root for but I found myself wanting the main characters to be safe and have a happy ending. I strongly recommend you read this book to find out if that happened.
This book is well written and thought out, leaving you on the edge of your seat. If you are a fan of Holly Jackson and "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" I think you will enjoy this book as well.
This debut by Trish Lundy is a young adult thriller that kept me guessing the entire time. It was a fast paced read with short chapters. You aren't sure who to like, who to despise or who to root for but I found myself wanting the main characters to be safe and have a happy ending. I strongly recommend you read this book to find out if that happened.
This book is well written and thought out, leaving you on the edge of your seat. If you are a fan of Holly Jackson and "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" I think you will enjoy this book as well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death, Murder, and Bullying
Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Suicide
Minor: Eating disorder, Adult/minor relationship, and Vomit
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