Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus

305 reviews

kirstencholewa's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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? Yes

4.5

This story draws you in and keeps your attention to the last page!
At times it did feel a bit forced from a diversity perspective. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Death, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

Minor: Body shaming, Gun violence, Sexism, Sexual content, and Mass/school shootings

clover_ways's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Drug use, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol

azileotulp's review against another edition

dark funny 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

4.75

I'm gonna say right now that this was soooooo close to being a 5-star read for me. In all honesty, it probably should be because I only had one minor issue that is totally petty and that no one else probably cares about, but I personally can't overlook it. (I'll be discussing that under the spoiler tag later though.)

I do have to say that this was such an engaging mystery. Sadly, I did have part of the ending spoiled for me because one of the reviewers here doesn't know how to use spoiler warnings, but even with that spoiler, I was still able to enjoy it. It was just as much fun to try to figure out why the person responsible did what they did.

I also loved the characters so much. Usually in books with multiple perspectives, there's always that one character's POV that I'm just trying to get through before I can get back to the more interesting characters. This book wasn't like that at all. Even the characters I originally didn't like at first (who I did grow to love throughout the story, by the way) had such compelling perspectives that I was always excited to read them. And I have to say, I am such a Bronwyn and Nate fan...

Which brings me to my only problem with this book. Like I said... it's petty, but I don't even care. Yes, Bronwyn and Nate do end up together in the end, which I'm so happy about, don't get me wrong. But that little period of time at the end when it seemed like they went their separate ways? That hurt. Especially when I started reading the epilogue set 3 months later and saw that Bronwyn was dating Evan??? I actually bursted into tears. That period of uncertainty just went on too long for me, especially after having read another mystery novel where the protagonist and her love interest do actually go their separate ways. I won't say which book that was, but it genuinely made me sick, and I was so scared it was going to happen again. So, like I said, petty reason for not giving the book 5 stars, but amazing author should have thought about that before scaring me like that.

I do also want to talk a bit about my baby boy Cooper.

I had no idea this book had a prominent LGBTQ+ character, but now I'm happy I decided to read it during Pride Month. Y'all, I feel so connected to Cooper and I'm going to be thinking about him for months. We're both southern gays with homophobic fathers, and we have such similar queer experiences. What really got me was that ride home with his father before he came out to his family. When I came out to my mother, I was also fretting over it while in the car with her, and as soon as we parked, I told her. His story just resonated so deeply with me, and I'm so sorry I was hating on him at the beginning for being a cheater. (Yes, he did still cheat, but I favor gay people and his ex seemed to forgive him by the end. Leave me alone.) I love you, Cooper, and I'm sorry I ever doubted your good nature.

All in all, I truly adored this book. I was captivated the entire time I was reading, but especially those last seventy or so pages. I was gasping, shrieking, throwing up (okay, slightly exaggerated on that last one, but I did gag once). I can't recommend it more.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Cursing, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Outing

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Confinement, Gun violence, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, and Car accident

While I didn't add "eating disorder" as a content warning, one character is described multiple times as becoming much skinnier and seems to lose about 10 pounds in a short period of time. This is most likely due to stress rather than body issues.

14silja's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death and Death

Minor: Bullying, Cancer, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Murder, and Outing

imogenbeth's review against another edition

emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Outing, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Suicide, and Murder

Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Mass/school shootings, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

thequiltyreader's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

3.5

It was OK. Typical YA high school book and it felt a little immature at times - using language and sexual references that didn't add to the overall story, or at least I didn't feel like it did.

It had the stereotypical characters and in a stereotypical manner they are thrust together into a situation they have to work through.  I did however find myself playing along with the story and trying to unpick what had happened as the story developed.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail

rachelfayreads's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, and Outing

kcohrs19's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child death, Death, Drug use, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Mass/school shootings, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

cararowen's review against another edition

dark emotional funny 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Homophobia, Stalking, Outing, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Minor: Ableism, Alcoholism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Confinement, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Alcohol

jackieyvette's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was good actually. Put it off for so long, but have been in such a reading slump I thought why not? 
I loved all 4 of the main characters pretty equally and all of their stories and growth were well done. 
I 1/2 guessed the big reveal from the very beginning, but it still worked out just fine for me. 
Possibly unpopular opinion though (idk this fandom), this should have been a standalone book. Idk what the other 2 are about and will 100% not be reading them. Most things don't need a sequel and it's about time media (books, movies, shows, etc.) got that. 


Crying score: none.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Death, Toxic relationship, Murder, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Cancer, Homophobia, and Mass/school shootings