cortanasreadingnook's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Toxic relationship, and Death of parent
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, and Gaslighting
nimzipow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I found this book to be well-paced and meticulously thought out, it kept me gripped right until the end. My order for the second and third books can’t be delivered fast enough.
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Emotional abuse
Minor: Death of parent
spill_the_tea's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Moderate: Grief, Suicide attempt, Cursing, Alcohol, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Car accident and Death of parent
siglerbooknook's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
The dialog was top tier. I truly enjoyed the quippy back and forths throughout the story.
The mystery aspect is entertaining, but you the reader are definitely just along for the ride. You aren't given enough pieces to solve it in advance.
The ending is a cliffhanger, so I'm glad I already have book 2. It is a great ending that leaves me wanting to dive into the next book. All the little puzzles are tied up nicely by the final pages and a new one has just begun.
I can't wait to see what the next book brings.
Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Classism, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Medical content, Terminal illness, and Homophobia
pich's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
i’ll still read the rest of the series, but i just felt like this book was quite lackluster. I definitely would’ve liked more detail with each of the brothers, and while I understand that this is the first book, a little more dimension to them wouldn’t hurt. The riddles and puzzles weren’t crazy—as I thought they would be—but this was an easy read so I didn’t worry about those too much.
Spoiler
the romance between Avery and the boys grew kind of uninteresting after a hot second, especially after it was revealed they both loved Emily. I think had romance been introduced in the second book, I would be rooting for one of the other more—right now, I really don’t have a preference.Graphic: Death and Gun violence
Moderate: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Alcohol
itsmemiana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I feel like I knew what was going to happen and then it wouldn't be that. and there were things that I was like "I feel like this person or thing is going to be important" and then I would be like "oh nvm, maybe it's not" AND THEN IT WOULD BE. and there were parts where I couldn't even put the book down because it got so interesting. I think this was a really good book.
I'm also low-key in love with Grayson and Jameson (and pretty much all the Hawthorne brothers but specially Grayson hehe).
I loved Avery although I do think she wasn't that good of a friend (specially to Max) through a lot of the book but I have a feeling she's gonna get better.
and I also think the grandfather of the boys was a lil creepy and weird lmao but that didn't affect my experience with this book at all.
ALSO THAT ENDING?????
can't wait to read the rest of the series.
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Blood, Gun violence, Medical content, Murder, Child death, Death, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Classism, Emotional abuse, and Toxic relationship
dev921's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Murder, Confinement, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Child death, Pregnancy, and Physical abuse
heoleen's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Enige minpuntje was dat de love triangle een beetje onnodig was.
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Car accident, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Classism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Abandonment, Blood, Sexual content, and Death of parent
bella_donna's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Gun violence and Death
Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Car accident
kennyscoffee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
3.25
Will I read the next book? Maybe but I might not finish it.
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Death of parent, Classism, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Racism and Car accident