Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

Nine Liars by Maureen Johnson

5 reviews

marioosa517's review

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adventurous dark mysterious reflective sad 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

4.0

I really enjoyed this. It was going to be 4.5 stars, and then the ending.
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kenzaett's review

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adventurous emotional lighthearted mysterious reflective tense fast-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

4.25

Oh wow. This book made me feel so much! Whilst book 4 in the series wasn't my favorite, felt too rushed and obvious - this one, with the setting in London, so many new characters, and a deep exploration into the real personalities of our favorites, was a much better "sleuths abroad" Version than A Box in the Woods (I might be biased though because I, too, studied abroad in England😅)
The mystery was hard to solve, I couldn't get behind it until 80% of the book, which might have just been because we didn't know the characters as well... But I love how they were all fleshed out, had different identifications... I loved how Stevie and Izzy grew together, and I understand why people have been hating David for the past 4 books (I didn't, I just found him very... ambiguous). This book was very emotional. More so than the mystery focused, thrilling, scary triology - there was a current threat and danger, this one just explored an older case and there wasn't much danger posed to the kids. There were many more mature themes, which I liked, as the characters grew up along the readers over the course of the books. And I got annoyed by Stevie. A lot. I understand Janelle. I understand Nate. She still needs a lot of maturity, a lot of growth. She's still processing who she is and who she wants to be, and can't make peace with the idea she has to go to an actual school and not just rely on solving whatever mystery finds her during her adult years. All the other ones have something to their own, rube Goldberg machines whilst having good grades, a book out whilst still applying to 71 colleges, even David, who's doing "as little as possible" and feels inadequate next to Stevie... But she doesn't seem to want to move on from her successes, and that might just inevitably become her downfall. But I don't think there's another book planned to explore that. And that's okay. I feel like Stevie's chapter is over - I thoroughly enjoyed the series over the past few weeks, but I'm okay not continuing, and letting my own imagination run for what happens next. 
I'm not as "trapped in this universe" as I've felt with other triologies, and I definitely find that this is also a good standalone, without having to read everything in order and beforehand. Thank you, Maureen, for this adventure.
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rissaandherbooks's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

5.0

I still loved this book, but it just wasn't the same as the others in the series.
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betweentheshelves's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I don't think this is the strongest book in this series, but I liked the idea of Stevie going abroad to solve a mystery! It's a fun way to expand the series, and I'm assuming that there will be another book because this one kind of just feels like it ends. The mystery is solved, but the drama in Stevei's personal life is not.

I will say, I don't like David as a love interest. Personally, I don't think he and Stevie have good chemistry and I think Stevie can do better. But that's just my opinion! The mystery in this one was a good twisty one, which is one of the main reasons to read this series, anyway.

All in all, a fun addition to the series, and I'm sure that will be another coming at some point!
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jillkaarlela's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.5

Maureen Johnson strikes again with a great Ya mystery!! I loved the whole London Country house Murder vibe, it was definitely such a cozy mystery!! The murder was also well woven into the original stories and characters while still being new and fresh. I love how the books 4-6 have their own standalone murders, it keeps it new and interesting!! (Although I definitely loved books 1-3). I think “box in the woods” (book 4) might be a tiny bit better, and the plot of this one was a tiny bit more predictable than book 4, but this one was still great. I love how Maureen Johnson is exploring different settings with book 4-6, as the first 3 books were boarding school mysteries, but book 4 and 5 were completely different yet somehow worked so well. (Book 4 was a summer camp slasher-esque setting, book 5 was a London country house Cozy mystery) even with these complete setting shofts, Johnson still manages to make the story fit so effortlessly. It’s very rare to see further books in a series/spinoff series that are as good as the original, but these definitely hold up in quality to the originals. I am excited to see what setting Johnson explores next, but whatever it ends up being, I know it will be great. 

Just like the previous books, you will probably just want to binge the whole thing in one sitting. If I wasn’t working and at school, I definitely would’ve done that!! Just get some tea and hang out by the fire with this Maureen Johnson twist on a cozy mystery! 

We got to see a lot of the character growth of the main characters as they are getting ready to graduate and start their lives apart from Ellingham. We got to see all of their relationships grow deeper and more complex as the individual characters grow and change, which I love. I have loved this journey of growing and maturing with the characters over the past few years! 

Again, like I have said in every book, I love how prominent and unapologetically Stevie’s anxiety and panic disorders are portrayed. Stevie is such a well developed, complicated, flawed but still extremely lovable character. I love how we get to see all sides of her and how her brain thinks through mysteries but also how it copes with these mental health issues. Such amazing mental health awareness, as well as so much LGQBTQIA+ rep, which is amazing!! 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the sixth (but hopefully not final) Truly Devious book!! 

Age rating: 13+, closed door, just violence 

Thank you Netgalley for providing this ebook advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. 
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