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bella_cavicchi's review
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-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
I love the Truly Devious series. The books don't always hit the mark, but I don't really mind. Give me teen detectives solving cold cases! Why not! That said, I felt that the murder of the 90s far surpassed the present-day narrative here, and so my one complaint (if big) is that I wanted to spend the whole book in the Nine's company. It may also be my Cambridge/London bias...
A delight to devour all the same.
A delight to devour all the same.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Blood, Murder, Violence, Death, Sexual content, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Infidelity, Alcohol, Addiction, and Medical content
agiraffereads's review
Okay, so I'm probably gonna get a lot of hate for this. But I'm gonna say it anyway because this is my opinion on the book.
I liked the general idea, the mystery is intriguing.
But I was so annoyed with the details. This is supposed to be a young adult book, but the main people being investigated by the MC, which are the nine liars, are all sleeping around with everyone in their group, which the book clearly states. Also there are multiple gay/lesbian couples, no hate on that in general, just it gets quite a bit of attention (yes I knew there was one lesbian couple from the main series) and then at some point one of the other side characters has this whole talk with the MC that he is asexual and is like explaining it, etc. I just hate that it has to take up so much of the story that the mystery is just on the background. This is a young adult book for petesake. Idk in my opinion a ya book does not need this much attention on stuff like that. It felt like propaganda for the lgtbq+ community and not like the mystery book it claims to be. Hate me all you like for being honest but I was excited for the mystery, and it did not deliver.
I liked the general idea, the mystery is intriguing.
But I was so annoyed with the details. This is supposed to be a young adult book, but the main people being investigated by the MC, which are the nine liars, are all sleeping around with everyone in their group, which the book clearly states. Also there are multiple gay/lesbian couples, no hate on that in general, just it gets quite a bit of attention (yes I knew there was one lesbian couple from the main series) and then at some point one of the other side characters has this whole talk with the MC that he is asexual and is like explaining it, etc. I just hate that it has to take up so much of the story that the mystery is just on the background. This is a young adult book for petesake. Idk in my opinion a ya book does not need this much attention on stuff like that. It felt like propaganda for the lgtbq+ community and not like the mystery book it claims to be. Hate me all you like for being honest but I was excited for the mystery, and it did not deliver.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Addiction, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Drug use, Violence, Murder, and Death
guessgreenleaf's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Blood, Alcohol, Addiction, Infidelity, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders
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
kenzaett's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-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
4.25
The mystery was hard to solve, I couldn't get behind it until 80% of the book, which might have just been because we didn't know the characters as well... But I love how they were all fleshed out, had different identifications... I loved how Stevie and Izzy grew together, and I understand why people have been hating David for the past 4 books (I didn't, I just found him very... ambiguous). This book was very emotional. More so than the mystery focused, thrilling, scary triology - there was a current threat and danger, this one just explored an older case and there wasn't much danger posed to the kids. There were many more mature themes, which I liked, as the characters grew up along the readers over the course of the books. And I got annoyed by Stevie. A lot. I understand Janelle. I understand Nate. She still needs a lot of maturity, a lot of growth. She's still processing who she is and who she wants to be, and can't make peace with the idea she has to go to an actual school and not just rely on solving whatever mystery finds her during her adult years. All the other ones have something to their own, rube Goldberg machines whilst having good grades, a book out whilst still applying to 71 colleges, even David, who's doing "as little as possible" and feels inadequate next to Stevie... But she doesn't seem to want to move on from her successes, and that might just inevitably become her downfall. But I don't think there's another book planned to explore that. And that's okay. I feel like Stevie's chapter is over - I thoroughly enjoyed the series over the past few weeks, but I'm okay not continuing, and letting my own imagination run for what happens next.
I'm not as "trapped in this universe" as I've felt with other triologies, and I definitely find that this is also a good standalone, without having to read everything in order and beforehand. Thank you, Maureen, for this adventure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Vomit, Blood, Alcoholism, and Cursing
Minor: Kidnapping, Sexual content, Outing, Addiction, and Drug abuse
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
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
thewoodlandbookshelf's review
adventurous
dark
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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Addiction, Vomit, Grief, Death, Murder, Suicide, Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug use, and Alcohol
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