Reviews with content warning for Death - That Weekend (Barnes & Noble YA Book Club Edition)

I am having conflicted thoughts about this book. I want to really enjoy it, but there is something missing and I can’t name it. YA mystery books have always been a challenge for me because they aren’t enjoyable when you figure out what happens before the last 100 pages. I even tried to act ignorant and naïve, just so I could make it longer…. P.S. it didn’t work.

What I didn’t like:
First off, the characters were hard to relate with. I usually feel connected to a certain character, but there was nothing for me this time. I also did not like the huge time jumps that happened. I get it, you want to make it seem like they are at a standstill for information, but a half year jump is a little much. The ending felt a little rushed, and I felt myself having to reread a lot of sections to put it together.

What I did like:
The multiple perspectives in part 4 were a nice change from just the view of Claire. My favorite part of the whole book was the final twist (pg 309 and 315) that was a lot of fun, and I totally did NOT piece that together. The whole idea for this book is pretty good, but it is a tad cliche at some points, like I feel I read books like this all the time. Still, I enjoyed this enough to give it a 4 star rating.

I did not like how rushed they were with the finding of Mike Dorsey. Usually when they announce they “found the killer” it it is usually a false accusation, but it was true which was kind of disappointing. I wish there was more suspense in that aspect. I also wish that Claire got her memory back, and what ever happened to Kat and the FBI investigation and media??? There is a big plot hole that I am not satisfied with. But whateves I read the book, it’s done.

Content Warnings

in_love_with_bookish's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.0

Bookshelves: 2021, contemporary, mystery-thriller-suspense, young-adult

That Weekend by Kara Thomas was bad, really really bad. It was even worse than The Cheerleaders and that book was mediocre. I really need to be more selective with YA thrillers from now on.

Nothing is more terrifying than a villain who sees himself as a hero.

Since I spend some much of my precious time reading this atrocity, I will keep this review short. Everything about this book was underwhelming, messy, and disappointing.

The characters were badly written and they’re all extremely unlikeable; there is no one in this book that you could root for; they are all garbage with varying degrees. Even the ones we’re supposed to feel empathy or sympathy for are written in a way that makes it impossible to do so.

The story is messy and the execution feels choppy and all over the place. I saw some of the plot twists coming and it made for a predictable read. The only twist I didn’t see coming was just out there and so gross, it didn’t even cross my mind. I also think the book lacked nuances and stakes for me and that made it really boring. I didn’t connect to the characters and I didn’t care about what really happened.

So all in all, This was a colossal waste of time for me. I didn't have fun, I didn't care, I wasn't intrigued or invested or interested, Nothing moved me and it was just a broken empty experience from start to finish. I think I may stay From Kara Thomas YA thrillers from now on seeing as I never really enjoy them.

Content Warnings

maple_dusk's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Content Warnings

betweentheshelves's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

Plot twists on plot twists! Some of them were predictable, others were not. I definitely couldn't stop listening in the second half, there. I needed to know what was going to happen! Kara Thomas is definitely one of my favorite thriller authors, and this book just shows why.

Content Warnings