kawaii_rose's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I enjoyed reading this book, but I feel that Maureen Johnson is introducing too much conflict in Stevie and David's relationship. It would be refreshing if the author could shift her focus to the other relationship in the story, which is between Vi and Janelle, instead of always focusing on the main character and their love interest. She also didn't express what "kind" of asexual person Nate was, as if he was aroace, or just ace.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Murder
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Infidelity
Minor: Vomit
I enjoyed reading this book, but I feel that Maureen Johnson is introducing too much conflict in Stevie and David's relationship. It would be refreshing if the author could shift her focus to the other relationship in the story, which is between Vi and Janelle, instead of always focusing on the main character and their love interest.marioosa517's review
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Alcohol
Moderate: Vomit, Infidelity, Blood, Gore, and Cursing
Minor: Torture, Addiction, Excrement, Medical content, Death of parent, Suicide, and Homophobia
theoriginalbookdragon's review
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Violence, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Drug use and Addiction
Minor: Vomit
fionamatilda's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Death, Infidelity, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
luveloise3's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Violence
Minor: Drug abuse and Drug use
tori2629's review
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
4.25
The 5th book about true-crime obsessed, detective prodigy Stevie Bell. While the actual mystery of this one felt maybe a little rushed I guess? I still enjoyed it a ton! I didn't exactly guess the whodunnit, but I rarely do, so to me it was a decent reveal. I love how the mysteries that Stevie is solving take place in different time periods. 1930s, 1970s, 1990s, its a good variety.
MJ is great at writing quirky but realistic characters, and she definitely knows her way around true crime so, I feel like she's really found her niche here!! I have enjoyed her writing before, I liked Shades of London, and my Sister in Law Loved Suite Scarlett, but she MJ has a bad habit of leaving a series on a cliff hanger and not getting back around to writing/publishing the last book... so.... Fingers crossed for Stevie Bell!!
I feel like I'm in the minority for actually liking David, but I'm also a super weirdo who likes Logan the best out of Rory's BFs on Gilmore Girls, so IDK. Maybe I have a just thing for a subtype of "Bad Boys" and it's "Rich Rebels" (I just thought of that now, go me.) He genuinely cares about Stevie, he knows he's not who he was "raised" to be, and he wants to prove it. He screwed up big time at the end, but he's also having a bit of an identity crisis. All of the characters are freaking out about the future in their own way, (except maybe Vi, who seems to be pretty chill about it.) Janelle is WAY overthinking it, and making spreadsheet after spreadsheet, Stevie is absolutely avoiding thinking about it as much as possible, and Nate is secretly stressing and not telling anyone that he might just be the most freaked out of all. David's way of dealing with it is to be an impulsive idiot. It all checks out. I'll be ok with it if things get resolved in the next book... *AHEM. MJ.*
MJ is great at writing quirky but realistic characters, and she definitely knows her way around true crime so, I feel like she's really found her niche here!! I have enjoyed her writing before, I liked Shades of London, and my Sister in Law Loved Suite Scarlett, but she MJ has a bad habit of leaving a series on a cliff hanger and not getting back around to writing/publishing the last book... so.... Fingers crossed for Stevie Bell!!
I feel like I'm in the minority for actually liking David, but I'm also a super weirdo who likes Logan the best out of Rory's BFs on Gilmore Girls, so IDK. Maybe I have a just thing for a subtype of "Bad Boys" and it's "Rich Rebels" (I just thought of that now, go me.) He genuinely cares about Stevie, he knows he's not who he was "raised" to be, and he wants to prove it. He screwed up big time at the end, but he's also having a bit of an identity crisis. All of the characters are freaking out about the future in their own way, (except maybe Vi, who seems to be pretty chill about it.) Janelle is WAY overthinking it, and making spreadsheet after spreadsheet, Stevie is absolutely avoiding thinking about it as much as possible, and Nate is secretly stressing and not telling anyone that he might just be the most freaked out of all. David's way of dealing with it is to be an impulsive idiot. It all checks out. I'll be ok with it if things get resolved in the next book... *AHEM. MJ.*
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Blood
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Grief, and Drug use
ameliapond1434's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Panic attacks/disorders
huntress's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Blood, Gaslighting, Grief, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Drug use, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Murder, Violence, and Vomit
alliemikennareads's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
Yet another great mystery in this series, Nine Liars brings our beloved characters together yet again. This book has lots of coming of age tension, and a solid mystery that unfolds around a house in the English countryside. Maureen Johnson is the only person who has written multi-timeline mysteries in a way that I love, and I’ll continue to gobble up this series as more books come out. I appreciated the asexual representation and the coming out moment - it felt authentic but well done.
I wanted a little more resolution from this one on all fronts - the friendships seem much more background than usual, but it still carried the broader story arc along nicely.
I wanted a little more resolution from this one on all fronts - the friendships seem much more background than usual, but it still carried the broader story arc along nicely.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
booksmoviesandstories's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
fast-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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Murder, Violence, Toxic friendship, Drug use, and Alcohol