One of Us Is Lying
N**O
Great, Suspenseful YA Mystery
I think I went off on the wrong foot with this book; I wrongly and mistakenly assumed that this book wasn’t for me – boring, full of high school dramas and teenage angst which, to tell the truth, were not my thing at the moment.It indeed took a while for this book to grow on me. As I mentioned earlier, except for the first chapter where Simon, a notorious gossip mastermind of Bayview High, mysteriously died from a severe peanut allergy, I spent a huge chunk of the first half frustrated and feeling detached from the story. I knew the book was in the middle of build up, but what I thought endless, too detailed descriptions about the four suspects – the four students – and their backgrounds and emotional conflicts were a bit too much for me. I was expecting more of the mystery – whodunnit – elements (as this book is supposedly YA mystery), definitely NOT high school dramas involving drama kings and drama queens where they whine and go on and on about what they have done wrong. To be honest, I wasn’t remotely interested in such kind of stuff. It may sound harsh, but I was pretty close to giving up on this book.But I didn’t want to.So I tried to throw all my preconceived ideas about this book and start over with a clean slate, seeing this book as a mere YA contemporary rather than a YA mystery.And I’m glad to say, it worked. It actually took me another 20% of the book to get me fully invested in this book, it worked nonetheless. I think it was where a big secret of the Mr. Nice guy was finally out and how it leads to a debacle of his future, friendship and familial relationship. The grim undertone reeled me in the story in the true sense of the word – for the first time – and I realized this book might call for readers in the right frame of mind and being patient. Your opinions might differ from mine and you may have been hooked by this book straight away, but it wasn’t the case for me. It needed me to read this book with the same approach that I usually take when reading YA contemporary/romance.Anyways, from then onwards, I found this book pretty unputdownable; I enjoyed all the elements in this book. Friendship, budding romance, suspicion, and emotional struggles and guilt from what they have done. Such elements are really well-integrated and gelled with the main plot, and I definitely enjoyed the thrills and excitement as I was inching towards the end, as I got closer to the revelations to the whole plot.Although I might have made this book out to be devoid of the mystery elements earlier, it isn’t true. The disturbing and mysterious ‘Tumbler’ posts which were not ought to be published because of Simon’s death certainly got me curious to know who actually killed Simon. Was it either of the four students? Or is there an accomplice??The plot twist which I didn’t see it coming took me by surprise but this book doesn’t end there – there’s actually another important key to this murder case and I thought it was really well done. I read the last 30% in one sitting – I was kept on the edge of my seat, I couldn’t put it down.The characters, especially the main four characters are all well-fleshed out. Their issues, secrets and consternation from unexpectedly embroiled in the murder case are well delineated with the solid writing and alternating multiple POVs, getting me emotionally close to them. I especially enjoyed how the four characters begin to close ranks to get down to the bottom of the case, supporting each other despite the fact they were not really friends nor particularly close before it happened.When the story, or the situations surrounding the main character(s) spin out of control, multiple POV style works really well, giving readers enough glimpse of their emotional process and what is going on in their minds. It adds a lot of tension and intrigues, a sheer delight of reading. Karen M. McManus certainly pulled off in that regard.She’s also brilliant at messing with our emotions – getting our hopes up and then crushing them on the next second. I went through this agony especially in Bronwyn’s chapters. I personally Bronwyn and Cooper’s chapters are outstanding compared to the ones of the other two characters. I might be wrong, but I felt that way anyway.I appreciate this book ends on a light, hopeful note. The four characters have gone through their own nightmares and debacles, it has also made them stronger and be honest to themselves.This book left me with warm feelings, wondering what their future holds for them.Apart from the depictions of police procedural being pretty shoddy (I was like, ‘Come on, they couldn’t be this sloppy, could they?’), I am quite satisfied with this book.This is surprisingly emotionally charged, well-written book. I am glad I ended up liking this book in the end.Another lesson NOT to easily DNF a book; Story CAN pick up where you leave off.
J**S
great ya novel, a little disappointed in the ending though
quick read, solid ya novel with romantic subplot. i was a little disappointed in the ending. i dont want to spoil it though so see for yourself. it is appropriate for 13+ readers. i would give it a solid 8/10. i am very dramatic so this book did have me putting it down, picking it back up, mouth open, shocked.
A**)
I enjoyed this book!
This is YA mystery, but I quite enjoyed it. I did not figure out who did it, but I did guess some of the secrets before they were revealed. It was a really good book!
M**F
This novel reminded me so much of one of my favorite movies, The Breakfast Club
Engaging debut thriller!The description for One of Us is Lying is accurate. This novel reminded me so much of one of my favorite movies, The Breakfast Club. I haven't read nor watched Pretty Little Liars but now I know I want to.The story begins when five kids are sent to detention but only four leave the room alive. There's Bronwyn, Addy, Nate, Cooper, and Simon.Bronwyn is the good student. Her destiny is Yale. She's an overachiever.Addy is the homecoming princess who's dating the perfect guy.Cooper is the star athlete. The one being scouted by the major leagues.Nate, the drug dealer who's on probation already.Last, there's Simon who's a threat to everyone because he's the mastermind behind the gossip app who has destroyed several lives at Bayview High.When Simon dies, the rest of the kids are the main suspects.Is one of them lying? Did they plan it together? Or is it one of them the culprit? Worse, is someone else framing them?These are all valid questions which Karen M. McManus does a beautiful job at disentangling them.I was hooked from the first chapter. Surprisingly, I ended up liking all the suspects but my favorite one was....you know it...bad boy Nate.Nate has been given a bad deal. He comes from a broken home with an alcoholic father and a no-present mother. He has raised himself and he made the wrong decisions to pay the bills. He's in trouble with the law already. His future as a suspect looks grim.Bronwyn was my second favorite. She's smart and protective of her younger sister. Her character grows as I was turning the pages. Her loyalty and dedication towards another character won me over.Addy's life crumbles in front of her eyes when Simon's death affects her perfect relationship. She looks for solace in her family, specifically her older sister who supports her no questions asked. I was glad she had her. Addy's was the character that grew the most and who developed a backbone when she needed it the most.I was not sure what to think about Cooper at first. I thought he was shallow but I soon realized he was the one under the most pressure. He was hiding things that if known, could affect the rest of his life. Even when his future is threatened, he has time to do small things in support of the other suspects.One of Us Is Lying played in my head just like a movie. It had the perfect combination of suspense, intrigue and captivating characters. The plot, as well as the dialogue, was well developed and entertaining.I won't hesitate to read another book by Karen M. McManus.“Unless one of us is lying. Which is always a possibility.”Cliffhanger: No
N**R
amazing
Very lovely book. I really enjoyed reading it! Everything about the plot of the story allowed me to stick my eyes to the page and not take them off. 10/10 recommend!!
N**.
Good for YA Mystery Fans
I read One of Us Is Lying a while back, and while the concept really grabbed me — five students go into detention, but only four come out alive — the book didn’t leave a lasting impression overall. It had potential, especially with the Breakfast Club-meets-murder-mystery vibe, but the suspense never fully pulled me in the way I hoped.The multiple POVs gave each character their moment, but the voices often blurred together. The mystery was interesting enough to keep reading, though I found parts of it predictable. That said, it touches on some heavier topics that added depth, which I appreciated.If you enjoy high school settings, messy secrets, and light mysteries with drama, this could be a hit for you. For me, it was a decent read, just not one that stuck with me.📚 I received no incentive for this review — just sharing honest thoughts from a longtime reader.
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