liralen's review
2.0
It's spring semester, Devon's back at Keaton, and somebody's trying to kill her.
The first book had Devon up against a prescription drug ring on campus. I wasn't a big fan, mostly because so much of it seemed implausible to me. Most of the issues I had there are no longer applicable -- Devon isn't a (the) peer counsellor (to whom students spill all while also calling her a narc), and things feel a lot darker to her now. She doesn't trust in the process so much, given everything that happened in [b:Escape Theory|15797800|Escape Theory (Keaton School, #1)|Margaux Froley|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1353033241s/15797800.jpg|19257621].
But the book feels kind of...like filler? I'm not sure what word I'm looking for, but it feels like a warm-up to the next book. Devon doesn't solve a mystery here so much as she spends the book trying to figure out what the mystery is. She doesn't go to boarding school (or school at all) so much as it's the vague background for the book (showing my bias here, though -- I picked up the first book precisely because it was set at boarding school). The recurring characters get very little introduction, presumably because we're supposed to remember them from the previous book (which...nope), so they can be a little hard to get behind.
Meanwhile, a lot happens action-wise, but not so much plot-wise. I sort of wonder whether the entire book could have been condensed into a couple of chapters that made up the premise of whatever book comes next. (Again, I'm probably showing my bias here; I have no idea how many books are planned for this series -- or if this is the last one, for that matter -- but I get frustrated by trilogies, in particular, where it feels like the second book is only there to get to the third book.)
I was in the minority on [b:Escape Theory|15797800|Escape Theory (Keaton School, #1)|Margaux Froley|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1353033241s/15797800.jpg|19257621], and I expect I'll be in the minority here as well -- but again, not really one that worked for me.
I received a free copy of this book via a Goodreads giveaway.
The first book had Devon up against a prescription drug ring on campus. I wasn't a big fan, mostly because so much of it seemed implausible to me. Most of the issues I had there are no longer applicable -- Devon isn't a (the) peer counsellor (to whom students spill all while also calling her a narc), and things feel a lot darker to her now. She doesn't trust in the process so much, given everything that happened in [b:Escape Theory|15797800|Escape Theory (Keaton School, #1)|Margaux Froley|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1353033241s/15797800.jpg|19257621].
But the book feels kind of...like filler? I'm not sure what word I'm looking for, but it feels like a warm-up to the next book. Devon doesn't solve a mystery here so much as she spends the book trying to figure out what the mystery is. She doesn't go to boarding school (or school at all) so much as it's the vague background for the book (showing my bias here, though -- I picked up the first book precisely because it was set at boarding school). The recurring characters get very little introduction, presumably because we're supposed to remember them from the previous book (which...nope), so they can be a little hard to get behind.
Meanwhile, a lot happens action-wise, but not so much plot-wise. I sort of wonder whether the entire book could have been condensed into a couple of chapters that made up the premise of whatever book comes next. (Again, I'm probably showing my bias here; I have no idea how many books are planned for this series -- or if this is the last one, for that matter -- but I get frustrated by trilogies, in particular, where it feels like the second book is only there to get to the third book.)
I was in the minority on [b:Escape Theory|15797800|Escape Theory (Keaton School, #1)|Margaux Froley|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1353033241s/15797800.jpg|19257621], and I expect I'll be in the minority here as well -- but again, not really one that worked for me.
I received a free copy of this book via a Goodreads giveaway.
herlifewithbooks's review
Scholarship girl investigates the secret, probably dastardly doings of her prep school classmates and their super-rich families. Veronica-Marsy. I didn't read the first installment, so I probably didn't appreciate it as much as I could have, but I can say fairly assuredly that it you should probably read the first one to figure out who's who and what's at stake.
Also, here's a thing I don't like: detectives who find secret, bizarrely expository diaries that obviously contain very important mystery clues (annoying enough).... and then NOT READING IT ALL AT ONCE. Gah.
Also, here's a thing I don't like: detectives who find secret, bizarrely expository diaries that obviously contain very important mystery clues (annoying enough).... and then NOT READING IT ALL AT ONCE. Gah.
readtolive's review
4.0
What can I say? I am a sucker for high school drama. Only, something about Devon just draws me in more than most.
Escape theory was such a roller coaster ride, and Hero Complex is more of the same. There is action, adventure, romance, and even a bit of family drama.
The auther once again managed to capture the essence of high school life, along with the drama that goes with some family dynamics that will hit home for a lot of people reading it. This is a fun, fast read that will keep the readers on their toes and guessing until the very end. I never saw the plot twists in this one coming.
While some of the sequences and scenes will seem to the less discerning reader as just filler, once you reach the end you will realize that it was all necessary. It all played into the suspense that made this such a good read.
I highly recommend this series, and cannot wait to see what comes next. I really hope there is another book.
Escape theory was such a roller coaster ride, and Hero Complex is more of the same. There is action, adventure, romance, and even a bit of family drama.
The auther once again managed to capture the essence of high school life, along with the drama that goes with some family dynamics that will hit home for a lot of people reading it. This is a fun, fast read that will keep the readers on their toes and guessing until the very end. I never saw the plot twists in this one coming.
While some of the sequences and scenes will seem to the less discerning reader as just filler, once you reach the end you will realize that it was all necessary. It all played into the suspense that made this such a good read.
I highly recommend this series, and cannot wait to see what comes next. I really hope there is another book.
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