ammosley51's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
jillianlovesbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
4.5
love this series, seriously read it
itsheyfay's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, and Child death
Moderate: Gaslighting, Suicide attempt, Murder, Infidelity, and Violence
Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Ableism, and Drug use
margaretrose's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
3.5
functionallyava's review against another edition
2.0
Nate is my spirit character and is the only reason I’m still here. Also can I take a moment to be proud that I guessed who Truly Devious was?
caittilynn's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
savetheoctopus's review against another edition
4.0
Well this book was truly... truly... truly something else.
****** Spoilers**********
Oh my good friend Stevie! My love, my lifeblood and oh so cool kid detective, you've done it again. Maureen Johnson, you've won my heart with another gripping and humorous read. I'm not one for mysteries, because I always feel like they're either too simple or not a murder at all. I look at two can keep a secret and think, has this been simplified so that it can be easily grasped by my feeble brain, and then turn to STAGS (which was still an enjoyable read) which baited me in the first line by letting me think I was in for a murderous treat, but I only got two attempted murders (maybe one, I forget) and a suicide... But when I started the Truly Devious series (not knowing that this was the Maureen Johnson who wrote the Name of the Star, another favorite of mine) I found neither of these. Instead I had multiple complex murder/kidnapping things, and humor and spunk to go along with it. Although I hated the very ending of Truly Devious (and had some problems with this one as well... more on that later) I thought The Vanishing Stair did a great job of continuing that, something many sequels (besides The hunger games fail to do), and maybe it was even better than the first... I'm not sure.
Anyway, off to the downsides of this marvelous piece of literature.
Number one... I hate David. In book one, there was a bit of charm about him and his connection with Ellie and Hayes (really proud of knowing names this time around), but after they both croaked (and since roota the saxophone no longer graced the halls of minerva) he no longer was appealing... just whiny? And the added dimension of a too familiar and corrupt politician was somewhat unnecessary to me. I understand the need for romance, but why with a not-like-other-boys, woe-is-me, Ill-keep-secrets-from-you-and-hate-you-when-you-do-the-same, preppy jock? Why not have her fall in love with a dashing young Hunter or the love of my life Nate? All the possible relationships, so little time.
Number Two... The ending. I'm a stickler for endings, and when I finish a book, I either want everything wrapped up in a little bow or one (I have a pea brain that can't deal with too many questions) or two loose ends, but it seems like I ended this book with more questions than what I started with. Where is Alice? What about my boy Larry (rip to Larry's job I guess)? What about Dr. (God dammit I knew I would forget a name eventually)? WHAT ABOUT HUNTER? Ugh. It just felt messy and fast and suddenly it was over and I had absolutely no idea what was going on because too many twists and turns were coming at the same time.
Additionally, another question about the mysterious doctor. If she's dead, what was the point of all that. The mystery around her and the money? Is that going to just dissappear (spelling I know...) with her? I guess I'll have to read the next book in order to find out. Way to get me to take out my wallet Maureen!
Okay on to the positives!!
Goodness I wish you could give half stars on this thing because this book is really more of a 4.5... Anyway. When I opened this book and stamped it with my special book stamp on the dedication page, I read the nice little text on there. "To the murderinos". But where have I heard that word before... and SSDGM? Could that be Stay Sexy Don't Get Murdered? Once I saw the My Favorite Murder reference on pg 100 I knew it was! It turns out my girl Maureen has a great taste in Podcasts as well. Even though I'm on a bit of a MFM hiatus because I keep getting convinced that I am going to in fact get murdered, this made my little murderino heart sing!
Back to actual content. This book was just *chefs kiss* and besides david (who can go rot in lake champlain) I have almost nothing bad to say about this book. I love the Vermont setting, especially burlington and the lore of Ellington (please say thats the right name...) makes my heart sing. We've got some diversity points in this bad boy which we love to see. Finally some Non Binary rep in the form of Vi, which is way too uncommon in the books I read. Additionally Hunter was nice to see too!
I am willing to die for Nate (have I mentioned that yet), and Janelle the mechanic made my Raven Reyes loving heart sing. And of course, I love their little bickersome relationship. I don't know why, but it all just seemed so... natural. Of course Nate would hate everything and of course Janelle wouldn't and of course Stevie would mesh them all together in a wonderful sarcastic soup that the dialogue in this book is.
Now onto my girl Stevie. She's a pro sleuth and I love her to death (even though it took her a while to figure out the thing about the wire, even though she doesn't have handy flashbacks like we do. She's the witty and authentic main character that I wish I saw more often in YA. So three cheers for that and the fact that she's solved the case of truly devious, maybe? I guess we'll have to see what the next book has in store, because I'll definitely be reading it... no devouring it.
ha ha.
Truly, Devious
****** Spoilers**********
Oh my good friend Stevie! My love, my lifeblood and oh so cool kid detective, you've done it again. Maureen Johnson, you've won my heart with another gripping and humorous read. I'm not one for mysteries, because I always feel like they're either too simple or not a murder at all. I look at two can keep a secret and think, has this been simplified so that it can be easily grasped by my feeble brain, and then turn to STAGS (which was still an enjoyable read) which baited me in the first line by letting me think I was in for a murderous treat, but I only got two attempted murders (maybe one, I forget) and a suicide... But when I started the Truly Devious series (not knowing that this was the Maureen Johnson who wrote the Name of the Star, another favorite of mine) I found neither of these. Instead I had multiple complex murder/kidnapping things, and humor and spunk to go along with it. Although I hated the very ending of Truly Devious (and had some problems with this one as well... more on that later) I thought The Vanishing Stair did a great job of continuing that, something many sequels (besides The hunger games fail to do), and maybe it was even better than the first... I'm not sure.
Anyway, off to the downsides of this marvelous piece of literature.
Number one... I hate David. In book one, there was a bit of charm about him and his connection with Ellie and Hayes (really proud of knowing names this time around), but after they both croaked (and since roota the saxophone no longer graced the halls of minerva) he no longer was appealing... just whiny? And the added dimension of a too familiar and corrupt politician was somewhat unnecessary to me. I understand the need for romance, but why with a not-like-other-boys, woe-is-me, Ill-keep-secrets-from-you-and-hate-you-when-you-do-the-same, preppy jock? Why not have her fall in love with a dashing young Hunter or the love of my life Nate? All the possible relationships, so little time.
Number Two... The ending. I'm a stickler for endings, and when I finish a book, I either want everything wrapped up in a little bow or one (I have a pea brain that can't deal with too many questions) or two loose ends, but it seems like I ended this book with more questions than what I started with. Where is Alice? What about my boy Larry (rip to Larry's job I guess)? What about Dr. (God dammit I knew I would forget a name eventually)? WHAT ABOUT HUNTER? Ugh. It just felt messy and fast and suddenly it was over and I had absolutely no idea what was going on because too many twists and turns were coming at the same time.
Additionally, another question about the mysterious doctor. If she's dead, what was the point of all that. The mystery around her and the money? Is that going to just dissappear (spelling I know...) with her? I guess I'll have to read the next book in order to find out. Way to get me to take out my wallet Maureen!
Okay on to the positives!!
Goodness I wish you could give half stars on this thing because this book is really more of a 4.5... Anyway. When I opened this book and stamped it with my special book stamp on the dedication page, I read the nice little text on there. "To the murderinos". But where have I heard that word before... and SSDGM? Could that be Stay Sexy Don't Get Murdered? Once I saw the My Favorite Murder reference on pg 100 I knew it was! It turns out my girl Maureen has a great taste in Podcasts as well. Even though I'm on a bit of a MFM hiatus because I keep getting convinced that I am going to in fact get murdered, this made my little murderino heart sing!
Back to actual content. This book was just *chefs kiss* and besides david (who can go rot in lake champlain) I have almost nothing bad to say about this book. I love the Vermont setting, especially burlington and the lore of Ellington (please say thats the right name...) makes my heart sing. We've got some diversity points in this bad boy which we love to see. Finally some Non Binary rep in the form of Vi, which is way too uncommon in the books I read. Additionally Hunter was nice to see too!
I am willing to die for Nate (have I mentioned that yet), and Janelle the mechanic made my Raven Reyes loving heart sing. And of course, I love their little bickersome relationship. I don't know why, but it all just seemed so... natural. Of course Nate would hate everything and of course Janelle wouldn't and of course Stevie would mesh them all together in a wonderful sarcastic soup that the dialogue in this book is.
Now onto my girl Stevie. She's a pro sleuth and I love her to death (even though it took her a while to figure out the thing about the wire, even though she doesn't have handy flashbacks like we do. She's the witty and authentic main character that I wish I saw more often in YA. So three cheers for that and the fact that she's solved the case of truly devious, maybe? I guess we'll have to see what the next book has in store, because I'll definitely be reading it... no devouring it.
ha ha.
Truly, Devious