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rubyl28's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, and Grief
callidoralblack's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Grief, Death, and Violence
Minor: Suicide, Abandonment, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Murder
aseel_reads's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
I'm always so disappointed in the later books in this series. I loved the first three, with a long, good plot, but these one offs just miss the mark and have disjointed character arcs. Likewise, the reasoning behind the murder was just not that great
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Alcohol
rissaandherbooks's review against another edition
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, Drug use, Violence, and Medical content
Minor: Sexual content
skyfluff8's review
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Drug use, Gore, Body horror, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
sar_i's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
I would not call this book a standalone. It does deal with its own mystery that is solved by the end of the book but there are many things left unfinished and it ends on a cliffhanger.
There are ten new characters that are well developed and all have unique personalities and intricate relationships. This book heavily focuses on David and Stevie's relationship which almost takes precedence over the mystery over the course of the story and I wish that there was more plot that involved Vi, Jennell, and Nate.
The plot felt very well planned and the atmosphere was wonderful. It truly felt like you were inside Stevie's head.
Would recommend if you have read the first three books of Truly Devious.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Addiction, Death, Alcoholism, and Drug use
Moderate: Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, and Injury/Injury detail
camiclarkbooks's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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? No
4.0
Stevie Bell is back! The fifth installment of her “Truly Devious” series, “Nine Liars,” was another fun YA cold case murder mystery, though it lacked some of the charm of the previous books.
“Nine Liars” sees Stevie Bell struggling with her senior year of high school, unsure what she’s going to do next. Her friends are focused on college applications and her boyfriend, David, is at university in London, which leaves Stevie alone with her thoughts and worries, until David suggests she and her friends come to London for a study abroad.
While abroad, Stevie learns about a double-murder from the 1990s, that the police wrote off of a burglary gone wrong. A group of nine tight-knit best friends played a drunken game of hide-and-seek while on vacation at a country house. The next morning, two of them were found dead, murdered with an ax. A relative of one of the remaining seven friends believes that there is more to the story and convinces Stevie to investigate.
“Nine Liars” had a lot of promise to deliver more of the quirky Stevie Bell readers loved in the previous books in another destination murder like in “The Box in the Woods.” Instead, “Nine Liars” felt like a sitcom episode where the characters go on vacation.
The book spent a lot more time focusing on Stevie’s personal life, particularly her long distance relationship with David. Previous “Truly Devious” stories have shown us that when Stevie’s investigating, it’s all-consuming, usually to the detriment of her personal life. In “Nine Liars,” it’s essentially the opposite. While this is probably excellent personal growth for Stevie, it’s not the character readers love.
All in all, “Nine Liars” was a good YA mystery with the same clever twist reveals that the “Truly Devious” series is known for. However, the case was rushed and the characters felt flatter than their usual vibrant selves.
This murder mystery would have been stronger as a duology, but since Johnson recently signed a deal for two more Stevie Bell mysteries, it’s likely that “Nine Liars” will serve as a bridge to a new arc for the peculiar teen detective.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder and Death
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Alcohol
toffishay's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This was a weaker mystery than the others in the Truly, Devious series. A little harder to follow and more of a guess at the end. The travel through London dragged the story to me, but others might find that part interesting. The more social drama between Stevie and her friend group was interesting though; I would have liked to see more of them to offset how annoying Stevie is in this one! The book leaves off on a cliffhanger that I think will have me coming back.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Toxic friendship, and Death
Moderate: Violence, Grief, Infidelity, and Murder
Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Suicide, Medical content, and Death of parent
bookedandbusy's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I really enjoyed this book! I found it a bit slower paced than the previous books, but regardless it was an incredible book still! a lot was left up to debate so I’m wondering if there will be another book or if it’s just meant to be an open ending
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Suicide
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