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oceanwriter's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
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
4.25
Picking up shortly after where Truly Devious left off, we return with Stevie to Ellingham Academy after making a deal with her worst enemy, Edward King. Things look a little bit different now that one student has died and another has gone missing. Going against all of the warnings, she continues investigating the Ellingham case as well as the recent death and disappearance. The plot thickens when there is another death. If she wasn't suspicious before, she is certain now that there is foul play. Is this the work of a fellow student? A faculty member? Or is it an outside job? Between riddles and bizarre behavior, Stevie has her work cut out for her.
Given we were introduced to the characters in the first book, there's no shortage of action and intrigue in the sequel. I ended up enjoying it even more than Truly Devious. We also get a deeper look into Stevie and David's complicated relationship, though David has been acting strangely since she left and returned. This becomes another mystery Stevie wants to uncover. However, she's yet to make peace with the knowledge of who his father is.
Once again, the book leaves off on a cliffhanger that is perhaps even crueler than the first. Be sure to have The Hand on the Wall ready because you aren't going to want to wait for the conclusion.
Given we were introduced to the characters in the first book, there's no shortage of action and intrigue in the sequel. I ended up enjoying it even more than Truly Devious. We also get a deeper look into Stevie and David's complicated relationship, though David has been acting strangely since she left and returned. This becomes another mystery Stevie wants to uncover. However, she's yet to make peace with the knowledge of who his father is.
Once again, the book leaves off on a cliffhanger that is perhaps even crueler than the first. Be sure to have The Hand on the Wall ready because you aren't going to want to wait for the conclusion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
mcc004's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
akirokis's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
Moderate: Death, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
achay91's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Alcohol
Moderate: Death
Minor: Kidnapping
aylin05's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Before i begin my review of this book i’d like to warn anybody who might care that the book ends on a MASSIVE cliffhanger so be prepared to immediately want to read the next book.
anyway, the book was wonderful as you’d expect from the first one. similarly to the last one, there’s a lot of just open and random details that were difficult for me to get through. BUT when things started to pick up at certain points i was absolutely ENTRANCED.
one of the perpetual problems i have with this series, though, is that there are A LOT of characters. There’s a whole number of characters that are from the past (from alberts time) and then even more from the present (from stevie’s time) so it’s a bit confusing when a random name pops up and you have to figure out if it’s stevie’s classmate in bio or her friends friends friend that she met at a party. fr tho i counted and there’s 28 characters that i can name off the top of my head.
anyway, overall, the book was the perfect sequel to the first book. so if you liked the first book you’ll love this one too. its the perfect captivating murder mystery and i’d highly recommend.
now i’m going to read the next one :)
anyway, the book was wonderful as you’d expect from the first one. similarly to the last one, there’s a lot of just open and random details that were difficult for me to get through. BUT when things started to pick up at certain points i was absolutely ENTRANCED.
one of the perpetual problems i have with this series, though, is that there are A LOT of characters. There’s a whole number of characters that are from the past (from alberts time) and then even more from the present (from stevie’s time) so it’s a bit confusing when a random name pops up and you have to figure out if it’s stevie’s classmate in bio or her friends friends friend that she met at a party. fr tho i counted and there’s 28 characters that i can name off the top of my head.
anyway, overall, the book was the perfect sequel to the first book. so if you liked the first book you’ll love this one too. its the perfect captivating murder mystery and i’d highly recommend.
now i’m going to read the next one :)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Kidnapping, and Murder
Minor: Child death, Drug use, Blood, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
esterslibrary's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
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
5.0
woah.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Kidnapping
dylpickles's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Death, Kidnapping, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders
thecourtofreading's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
4.0
i am having such a GOOD TIME WITH THIS SERIES. WHY DON'T I READ MORE MURDER MYSTERIES.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Alcoholism, Kidnapping, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Murder
veskumelooni's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Death, and Kidnapping
elskabee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I really struggled to remember anything that had happened in the first book even though I read it earlier this year so I really could have done with more of a recap of events at the start of this one.
I struggle with my feelings on this book because the first half was very slow and hardly any progress was made at all. Then the second half was actually quite good as we actually start to learn more info and it picks up the pace. Thank God!
I'm intrigued enough to continue the series still, but if it hadn't picked up at that halfway point I was fully ready to DNF it. So I guess it's on thin ice mostly due to pacing issues for me personally.
I struggle with my feelings on this book because the first half was very slow and hardly any progress was made at all. Then the second half was actually quite good as we actually start to learn more info and it picks up the pace. Thank God!
I'm intrigued enough to continue the series still, but if it hadn't picked up at that halfway point I was fully ready to DNF it. So I guess it's on thin ice mostly due to pacing issues for me personally.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Medical content, and Kidnapping
Minor: Alcoholism, Cursing, and Fire/Fire injury
Characters attend an anatomy class where dissection of animal specimens is described