Scan barcode
chewedgum's review against another edition
Karen McManus writes great books. The end.
bahopkins's review against another edition
5.0
I definitely enjoy reading Karen M. McManus books, and THE COUSINS didn't disappoint. Once more she gives reader a mystery centered around a group of teens who all have something to hide. As the title implies the three main characters are cousins, and they've been invited to spend the summer working on Gull Cove Island at the resort of their estranged grandmother--who disinherited their parents more than two decades prior via simple note "You know what you did."
Like other McManus stories, THE COUSINS offers several twists, turns, and "Ooh!" moments. The book is written in multiple POV, one for each of the cousins, plus one other that takes the reader from the present events back to the summer of 1996 when things went very wrong for many people on Gull Cove Island.
THE COUSINS is filled with deception, revenge, and family secrets that someone may be willing to kill for. For me, it was a quick read that hit exactly what I was looking for in the moment. It kept me entertained and engaged all the way to the final reveal. If you've read Karen M. McManus' previous books, definitely pick up THE COUSINS. It's also a recommended read for fans of YA mystery/thrillers.
Like other McManus stories, THE COUSINS offers several twists, turns, and "Ooh!" moments. The book is written in multiple POV, one for each of the cousins, plus one other that takes the reader from the present events back to the summer of 1996 when things went very wrong for many people on Gull Cove Island.
THE COUSINS is filled with deception, revenge, and family secrets that someone may be willing to kill for. For me, it was a quick read that hit exactly what I was looking for in the moment. It kept me entertained and engaged all the way to the final reveal. If you've read Karen M. McManus' previous books, definitely pick up THE COUSINS. It's also a recommended read for fans of YA mystery/thrillers.
sj_elli's review against another edition
3.0
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
This was a good, quick listen. Nothing too crazy. It wasn't the best thriller I've ever read but still entertaining. There is some dark stuff and a little twists and turns in there. I really liked the set up with the disowned rich kids having their kids go back and meet their mom.
This was a good, quick listen. Nothing too crazy. It wasn't the best thriller I've ever read but still entertaining. There is some dark stuff and a little twists and turns in there. I really liked the set up with the disowned rich kids having their kids go back and meet their mom.
charmpoint's review against another edition
3.0
It was decent ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. It's easy to read, very digestible and the plot twists are decent, you don't see them coming but when they get they you are like OH of course, should have noticed that sooner which is better then 'One of us is next' which's plot twist made me go 'no go back to the writing room and rewrite that, bad' or 'Two can keep a secret' which was otherwise good but ended on an uber weak plottwist that left me feeling 'this was supposed to be a plot twist? I figured this one in like chapter 1'
The weak point really seems to be the characters. I like Aubrey and Millys mom and it was wonderful seeing Aubrey come out of her shell and start standing up for herself, I really liked that part. Milly and Jonah...eh. Jonah at least has an arc to go through ish but i have no idea what Milly's story was supposed to be about. I really was more invested in her mother then here, honestly the story might have been better if it was just about the first generation not this. Also the romance was so boring and forced, like I would have preferred it much more if it wasn't there it just feels like its filling up space and its so not important. Also is this just me or is most of the chemistry here just 'they wanna make out n then they do'. Like I get these are teenagers and I, an adult am not the intended audience for this romance between teenagers but cmon, give them some fucking chemistry that isnt u just looking us in the eyes and say 'they like each other, they wanna mack on each other' PLS. Also why do I have to read they hate each other until they want to kiss each other teen romance in year of our lord 2020. Anyway I remember really liking the characters from one of us is lying but then from all other books i cant remember having any opinion on them at all. Maybe this author is just better at writing when she already has a base :/
I say all of that but it was a decent read, I was never really bored even if i disliked the romance and i finished it p quickly so. Expect a decent read and not to be blown away and you should be fine
The weak point really seems to be the characters. I like Aubrey and Millys mom and it was wonderful seeing Aubrey come out of her shell and start standing up for herself, I really liked that part. Milly and Jonah...eh. Jonah at least has an arc to go through ish but i have no idea what Milly's story was supposed to be about. I really was more invested in her mother then here, honestly the story might have been better if it was just about the first generation not this. Also the romance was so boring and forced, like I would have preferred it much more if it wasn't there it just feels like its filling up space and its so not important. Also is this just me or is most of the chemistry here just 'they wanna make out n then they do'. Like I get these are teenagers and I, an adult am not the intended audience for this romance between teenagers but cmon, give them some fucking chemistry that isnt u just looking us in the eyes and say 'they like each other, they wanna mack on each other' PLS. Also why do I have to read they hate each other until they want to kiss each other teen romance in year of our lord 2020. Anyway I remember really liking the characters from one of us is lying but then from all other books i cant remember having any opinion on them at all. Maybe this author is just better at writing when she already has a base :/
I say all of that but it was a decent read, I was never really bored even if i disliked the romance and i finished it p quickly so. Expect a decent read and not to be blown away and you should be fine
tessar97's review against another edition
4.0
Familie liegt nooit heb ik gelezen voor de thrillerleesclub en het boek heeft mij positief verrast. Positief verrast omdat ik de andere twee boeken van Karen McManus echt verschrikkelijk vind, om heel eerlijk te zijn. Maar dit boek vond ik echt heel leuk om te lezen!
Het verhaal gaat over drie tieners, Milly, Aubrey en Jonah en zij worden uitgenodigd om in de vakantie te komen werken op het eiland van hun oma. Hun oma, die zij nog nooit hebben ontmoet en de oma die hun ouders heeft onterfd, zoveel jaar geleden.
Eenmaal op het eiland is het allemaal maar vreemd en omdat ik vooral om mijn plezier lees, had ik de verschillende plot twisten niet zien aankomen en daarom was ik positief verrast. Ik vond de verschillende personages erg leuk om over te lezen, drie ‘normale’ tieners en in sommige karaktereigenschappen kon ik mij ook herkennen. Ook lees je af en toe vanuit Allison, de moeder van een van de tieners. Dit speelt zich in het verleden af en hierdoor krijg je af en toe achtergrondinformatie wat opbouwt naar de grote plot twist. Dit vond ik erg fijn lezen. Ook om vanuit alle drie de tieners te lezen, want hierdoor leer je ze echt kennen.
Is dit het beste mysterie boek dat ik ooit heb gelezen? Nee. Heb ik er zeker van genoten? Ja!
Het verhaal gaat over drie tieners, Milly, Aubrey en Jonah en zij worden uitgenodigd om in de vakantie te komen werken op het eiland van hun oma. Hun oma, die zij nog nooit hebben ontmoet en de oma die hun ouders heeft onterfd, zoveel jaar geleden.
Eenmaal op het eiland is het allemaal maar vreemd en omdat ik vooral om mijn plezier lees, had ik de verschillende plot twisten niet zien aankomen en daarom was ik positief verrast. Ik vond de verschillende personages erg leuk om over te lezen, drie ‘normale’ tieners en in sommige karaktereigenschappen kon ik mij ook herkennen. Ook lees je af en toe vanuit Allison, de moeder van een van de tieners. Dit speelt zich in het verleden af en hierdoor krijg je af en toe achtergrondinformatie wat opbouwt naar de grote plot twist. Dit vond ik erg fijn lezen. Ook om vanuit alle drie de tieners te lezen, want hierdoor leer je ze echt kennen.
Is dit het beste mysterie boek dat ik ooit heb gelezen? Nee. Heb ik er zeker van genoten? Ja!
desibooks21's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. It was full of surprises that I didn’t see coming. While it was a little slow in the beginning, it more than made up for it by the end. I just read over 100 pages of the book in one sitting, so that speaks for itself!
nvaldes17's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.0
ashction's review against another edition
5.0
Karen McManus does it again! Another outstanding, can't-stop-turning-pages mystery-thriller from a new queen of YA mystery.
The Cousins follows the grandchildren of the Storys, a wealthy family of island resort heirs whose quartet of siblings gets infamously disowned by their Grandmother in 1997, left only with a note that claims: You know what you did. But when, decades later, a mysterious letter arrives for the three Story grandchildren - Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah - inviting them to stay for the summer and work at the resort from Mildred, the grandmother matriarch herself, they all have their reasons to accept. But what greets them when they arrive is more than they bargained for, and the three cousins who barely know each other are thrown into a world of secrets and a mystery that all stems back to when everything fell apart.
I really liked McManus's One of Us is Lying when it debuted, but haven't picked up another mystery since. However, I'm a sucker for a deep family mystery full of twists and secrets, so I knew I had to read this one! The story is effortless; the mystery develops with the perfect amount of twists and turns, and even our main characters are not all they seem to be. Surprises lurk around every corner, and the end is almost pure mastery. I couldn't put it down this afternoon and was very glad I chose today to pick it up!
The Cousins follows the grandchildren of the Storys, a wealthy family of island resort heirs whose quartet of siblings gets infamously disowned by their Grandmother in 1997, left only with a note that claims: You know what you did. But when, decades later, a mysterious letter arrives for the three Story grandchildren - Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah - inviting them to stay for the summer and work at the resort from Mildred, the grandmother matriarch herself, they all have their reasons to accept. But what greets them when they arrive is more than they bargained for, and the three cousins who barely know each other are thrown into a world of secrets and a mystery that all stems back to when everything fell apart.
I really liked McManus's One of Us is Lying when it debuted, but haven't picked up another mystery since. However, I'm a sucker for a deep family mystery full of twists and secrets, so I knew I had to read this one! The story is effortless; the mystery develops with the perfect amount of twists and turns, and even our main characters are not all they seem to be. Surprises lurk around every corner, and the end is almost pure mastery. I couldn't put it down this afternoon and was very glad I chose today to pick it up!