lauren_shilling's review against another edition
mysterious
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
3.5
This was the third book in the One Of Us Is Lying series, and it was honestly just fine for me. I didn't think it was bad, but I think it definitely lacked compared to the other two. The first book is absolutely a five star for me. I loved everything about it. The second book was around a four star, I think. I liked it, but it didn't live up to the original. This book, I think mainly suffered from having way too many characters. I understand the point of the story was to focus on all the characters from the previous two books and really bring them all together in the final story from Bayview, but I think it missed the mark a bit. We barely heard from a lot of characters, and the story was very unbalanced between them all. Overall, I just think it was too many, and this book either needed to find a better way to focus in on a few of them or to be longer to give each of the characters more time. That being said, Nate, Addy, Bronwyn, and Cooper are characters that I love dearly from the first book, so seeing them again in any capacity is always a delight for me. I thought their stories all wrapped up really nicely as well. I thought the story was good and engaging, but there was just a lot going on at once and I feel like it was tied together a little haphazardly in the end. A lot of the reveals came from a villain monologue that spans actual chapters, and I have to say, that did bother me a little bit. I loved the flashback chapters, but I feel like they could have been more spread out. Plus, two of the major plot twists are revealed within pages of each other when I feel like it would have been better if they happened further apart. Overall, though, I did enjoy it, and I would recommend that people who enjoyed the other two books in the series should read this one as well. It does eventually wrap up in a satisfying way, especially for our original Bayview Four, so I did really appreciate that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Kidnapping, Death, and Gun violence
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Cancer, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Addiction
maca_vr's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Death, Infidelity, Kidnapping, and Violence
Moderate: Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Body horror, and Blood
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Alcohol, and Drug use
bekah1210's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Kidnapping, Infidelity, Violence, Alcoholism, Death, and Addiction
Minor: Classism, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, Gun violence, Grief, Alcohol, and Cancer
kassidyreads's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infidelity, and Murder
Moderate: Stalking, Confinement, Violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Addiction, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness
avidreaderandgeekgirl's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-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
4.5
The Murder Crew is back! And so is an old foe. What will happen when old wounds are reopened?
This was my favorite of all three books. It was the least predictable. I didn't see who was behind everything right away. I also liked the message of the book. That toxic boys who are never punished become toxic men, who think they can get away with anything, and sometimes can and do.
There were still a few predictable parts, so I didn't give it 5 stars, plus, it just wasn't a 5-star read to me.
The narrators were excellent and really brought the story to life. I'd give them 4.75 stars.
This was my favorite of all three books. It was the least predictable. I didn't see who was behind everything right away. I also liked the message of the book. That toxic boys who are never punished become toxic men, who think they can get away with anything, and sometimes can and do.
There were still a few predictable parts, so I didn't give it 5 stars, plus, it just wasn't a 5-star read to me.
The narrators were excellent and really brought the story to life. I'd give them 4.75 stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Alcohol, Murder, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Sexism, Gun violence, and Violence
Minor: Addiction and Alcoholism
gurnoor's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Death
Minor: Alcoholism, Addiction, and Alcohol
jazzyjbox's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Amazing addition to the Bayview series!
The Bayview Crew are together again for the summer, but when a billboard advertises another game to play and Jake Riordan is released on bail, things start to get weird again.
I loved seeing the follow up from the first two books! Just when I thought Simon's influence was done with, here it comes again.
This one just reinforces my love of YA thrillers.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review!
The Bayview Crew are together again for the summer, but when a billboard advertises another game to play and Jake Riordan is released on bail, things start to get weird again.
I loved seeing the follow up from the first two books! Just when I thought Simon's influence was done with, here it comes again.
This one just reinforces my love of YA thrillers.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism and Addiction
Minor: Cancer
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-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
3.0
It’s been two years since the original Bayview Four had to prove they were innocent in Simon’s death. Then the next generation had to play their way through a deadly game of truth or dare. Now, everyone is home for the summer and ready to move on with their lives.
But someone else has different ideas. When a strange message shows up on a billboard in Bayview, at first no one thinks anything of it. However, when a member of the Bayview Crew disappears, they realize this is serious. A new game has surfaced. And everyone is a target.
Thanks to Delacorte and NetGalley for an advanced copy of One of Us Is Back by Karen M. McManus to review! I had to round out the trilogy, just to see how McManus ends it. Fans of the first two books will be pleased with this ending, giving everyone a send off in the most Bayview way possible.
You’ll find a lot of the classic Karen McManus elements in this book, with hidden family secrets, a few twists and turns, and of course, high stakes. I did like that as narrators, we got a mix of the original four and some of the characters in the second book. It added a nice variety, and help with the overall mystery of the story.
We also get some flashbacks in this one, which don’t make sense until the end of the book. I don’t think McManus will be returning to this set of characters, but I guess you never know! It did feel more final than the other two stories, though. Plus, McManus built on the character development from the previous two books, and I think that works to her advantage.
Do I think the story in this one was maybe a little far fetched? Perhaps, but I think that’s because this didn’t necessarily need to be a trilogy (but I get why it was). All in all, fans of McManus’s other books will still devour this story, and it acts as a good send off for these characters.
But someone else has different ideas. When a strange message shows up on a billboard in Bayview, at first no one thinks anything of it. However, when a member of the Bayview Crew disappears, they realize this is serious. A new game has surfaced. And everyone is a target.
Thanks to Delacorte and NetGalley for an advanced copy of One of Us Is Back by Karen M. McManus to review! I had to round out the trilogy, just to see how McManus ends it. Fans of the first two books will be pleased with this ending, giving everyone a send off in the most Bayview way possible.
You’ll find a lot of the classic Karen McManus elements in this book, with hidden family secrets, a few twists and turns, and of course, high stakes. I did like that as narrators, we got a mix of the original four and some of the characters in the second book. It added a nice variety, and help with the overall mystery of the story.
We also get some flashbacks in this one, which don’t make sense until the end of the book. I don’t think McManus will be returning to this set of characters, but I guess you never know! It did feel more final than the other two stories, though. Plus, McManus built on the character development from the previous two books, and I think that works to her advantage.
Do I think the story in this one was maybe a little far fetched? Perhaps, but I think that’s because this didn’t necessarily need to be a trilogy (but I get why it was). All in all, fans of McManus’s other books will still devour this story, and it acts as a good send off for these characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Death
Moderate: Bullying, Alcoholism, and Addiction
Minor: Cancer, Kidnapping, Domestic abuse, and Drug abuse
alli_the_bookaholic13's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Kidnapping, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Death of parent, and Death
cover2covertx's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Murder, and Death of parent
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Stalking, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Drug use, Cancer, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Classism, and Grief
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