Its so bloody binge-able you guys, like I finished it in a day and I wasn’t even intending to binge it I really enjoyed One of Us Is Lying. The mystery aspect of it was probably the most important for me, and I was pleasantly surprised by it. It comes together nicely and makes sense. You might be able to guess it before the reveal, but it’s still fun when the novel explains how all the other little details come together as well. As dictated by the premise, the characters, of course, have a somewhat stereotypical aspect to their personalities. However, McManus does a good job of poking and prodding their stereotypical molds into fuller characters than that. They’ve each got their own set of concerns and have discrete character arcs as the story progresses.

No but seriously, these are the type of characters, I wouldn't associate with at all when first reading about them, but like???? honestly, I'm willing to turn myself in if it means having them free and unharmed. i love them so much oh my god. I would warn that One of Us is Next is a more mature novel than One of Us is Lying (in terms of the presence of things like sex and drinking), so maybe proceed with caution if you are planning on getting this for a younger reader.

Aku suka romance tipis-tipis di buku ini, bikin aku ikut senyum tapi malah trust issue karena takutnya ketika mereka lagi jatuh cinta malah ketauan siapa pembunuh Simon The Characters. It is a rare day indeed that I find fleshed out, grounded, relatable characters that draw me in to a young adult narrative the way that these did here. My AHA moment may not have come during the big twist, but it certainly came in waves abounding throughout my experience journeying with these various high school kids. I was sure this would be another read with those stereotypical teenagers that give contemporary YA novels a bad rep; for crying out loud the stereotypes are printed on the inside of the book cover in the description! I think this was a clever move by the publisher and author; if other readers pull the same underestimation as I did, they will be more than pleasantly surprised at what they get out of this book. In referral to the wrapping up of characters and not the twist, the ending was one of the best I’ve seen in awhile. There is no gag worthy happily ever after where everyone is perfectly paired up in couples and they ride off into the sunset on their baby unicorns while the sun beats down on their pimple free faces…. No, while there are some upbeats moments, the ending is messy and real and I welcomed it whole heartedly. People made mistakes beyond the central narrative and there were consequences and some things were left open-ended in the way that makes you wonder what their eventual decisions lead to. I’m extremely pleased that the author chose to take some risky leeway with her writing direction and applaud her with a standing ovation. Before detention is over for the day, Simon is dead, and apparently, it wasn't an accident. It's not long before investigators discover that the next day, Simon was planning to publish items about Cooper, Bronwyn, Addy, and Nate—items which could potentially destroy all of their lives. Suddenly the four of them are the suspects in Simon's murder, and are pariahs among their fellow students, most of whom hated Simon until he died, then turned him into a tragic figure. romance: I thought it was tolerable, but instead of being a sub plot, it had a big focus on it and I feel as if it may have taken away from the actual story. Why did I end up caring about this romance more than the main conflict?? Though the way things played out with the romance, I didn't like (see summary).

What did I love most? As a thriller genre reader, this book was a breath of fresh air. It had such a unique storyline and honestly I did not guess the ending. I had no idea who was to blame for only 4 students making it out alive! Everyone had a reason to want Simon silenced, but who actually silenced him forever?!! The book itself I found very good. You stayed in suspense until the end of the book. And the story itself was also not predictable. By the way, if you need to catch up on the first book, see here for a full summary of One of Us is Lying (Book #1). That said, that this book, One of Us Is Next (Book #2), really does recaps anything you need to know from the previous book. So feel free to just jump into Book #2 even if your memory is fuzzy.) I’d seen these books everywhere I went and I thought nothing of them…until my friend gave me the first one to try. I’ll admit it’s not my first choice of book and I’m not one for ‘jumpy’ books but oh my lord I couldn’t put this down! Carrying grudges is destructive and usually only hurts the grudge holder. Value your friendships and talk issues through with your friends. Trust is the most important aspect of any kind of relationship. If you're having problems, no matter how serious, you don't have to go it alone. People in your life want to help you. Don't assume you know everything about people, and don't pay attention to or participate in gossip.At Bayview High, Bronwyn, Simon, Nate, Cooper, and Addy attend detention with teacher Mr. Avery after he found mobile phones in each of their school bags, against his strict no-phone policy. However, each of the students claims that the phones are not theirs and that someone has planted them there to get them in trouble. They hear a collision and some loud arguments in the school parking lot, and Mr. Avery leaves to investigate. Simon—creator of the 'About That' gossip app in which the personal lives of students at Bayview High are posted for the rest of the school to see—begins a speech about the stereotypical personalities of the other four students and how he, through his app, is the omniscient narrator. He drinks tap-water from a plastic cup and suffers a fatal allergic reaction due to his peanut allergy. The others attempt to help, but it is too late and Simon dies in the hospital.

Serrao, Nivea. " ' The Breakfast Club ' Meets Murder Mystery in ' One of Us Is Lying ': EW Review". EW.com . Retrieved 14 May 2019. i loved how entertaining this was. i appreciated the little twists and turns, here and there, that kept me on my toes whilst i was so focused on the big end reveal. i also thought this was especially impressive for a debut - stories like this are pretty common, so it quite ambitious to try to make it your own, but i thought mcmanus nailed this. it had great pacing, solid writing, an engaging plot, and interesting characters. and i also now have a new book boyfriend in the form of nate, so thats always a bonus! Goldberg, Lesley (15 August 2019). " 'Queer as Folk' Reboot, 'One of Us Is Lying' Move to NBCUniversal's Streaming Service". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 26 April 2021 . Retrieved 26 April 2021.When I read the HP books for the first time, I went into each one fully expecting Harry to die by the end of it (Mind you, this was when I was 12...but still, the series was CALLED Harry Potter and the ______, and I was on book 2). All 4 end up in detention with Simon Kelleher, the guy who runs a gossip app that ruins reputations with its secrets. All four of them have a secret to hide and would do anything to keep it hidden. But at what cost? Because by the end of detention Simon is dead, but who did it?

I would recommend this book to people who enjoy mysteries novels, even if you don’t typically read YA. The mystery in this book is not scary nor full of dramatic twists and turns, but it’s a puzzle that comes together piece by piece in a way that’s coherent and satisfying. There’s largely no major lose threads, and everything fits nicely. Even though some of the characters do terrible things, the book's main characters, Phoebe, Maeve, and Knox, are generally good kids. Sometimes they make bad decisions, like many teens do, but they care about their friends and family and try to help them. Many of the side characters are good people, too. Eli's work with Until Proven works to overturn wrongful convictions and helps former convicts get jobs. Positive sibling relationships are highlighted in the story: Maeve and Brownyn have a close, caring relationship. Knox's older sisters keep an eye on him and are active in his life. Phoebe worries about her sister Emma and monitors her well being, even though the two have a strained relationship. Even as salacious secrets get revealed, the students can't help but enjoy the game and its ominous warnings to " always take the dare" ... until a (new) dead body is found in Bayview.

Keely Soria: Cooper's ex-girlfriend, who he pretended to like so he wouldn't be found out for being gay.