I was incredibly excited when I was approved for a galley for this new release—I hadn't read a mystery/thriller novel in a while but I had been watching many drama/mystery shows recently. 

I don't want to spoil anything, but I was sucked in as soon as I read the first page. Reminiscent of Pretty Little Liars, this novel revolves around the lives of a few students, plagued by a stalker-like character knowing their darkest and dirtiest secrets. I enjoyed the idea of The Breakfast Club & murder mystery combined, and I thought the ending was very creative, something I did not see at all. If you enjoy murder mystery/drama shows, like Psych or Monk, I definitely recommend this one. The only reservation I have is that the multi-perspective chapters just felt all the same, all of the characters seemed to have the same voice. 

Do I recommend? Yes! I thought the murder mystery was incredibly creative, and it's sure to make you read way past your bedtime.

This book reminded me a little of a book I read a few months ago called Secrets, Lies and Scandals, which I loved. There's something about a murder mystery involving teenagers that just doesn't get old to me. I was intrigued through the entire book to know what happened and I really found myself more connected to the characters than I had anticipated. This is a great read for not just YA fans but for all mystery fans in general.

4.5 stars

I was hooked. Kid dies during detention, four witnesses, and a whole lot of secrets. What a page turner.

Once again I’m so glad I went to high school before smartphones were invented, and most social media didn’t exist yet. Teenagers are brutal.

While most kids admit they didn’t like Simon, killing him is obvious a step too far. Author of the school’s gossip app, Simon has plenty of enemies. Though it’s the last four whose secrets he hadn’t revealed yet, who stood to lose the most.

Each has his or her secret. Some more shocking than others, though all equally life changing.

The police is relentless, and the suspects keep claiming their innocence. The media is on their case as well, though none are as harsh as their peers.

Bronwyn, Nate, Cooper, and Addy set out to find the real culprit. Honestly it’s sad when teens can do a better job than the professionals.

I loved how we’re kept guessing ’till the end. False leads, suspicious secondary characters, and the final reveal is awesome. I mean tragic, ’cause a kid died, but masterfully set up.

On Of Us Is Lying is a thrill ride, taking teenage drama, and angst to a whole new level. I loved every second of it. Impossible to put down!

*I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

One of Us is Lying begins with five Bayview high school students entering detention together, because of breaking a no cellphone rule. All five claim the confiscated phones aren’t theirs. After an hour one of the students is dead. Simon, the victim, writes and runs a school gossip app, so he had many enemies. Did one of the students in detention kill him, did all four together or was it someone else entirely? Who had such a terrible secret it was worth killing to keep Simon silent?

The Bayview Four (as they are dubbed in the press) are initially introduced as stereotypes - the Jock, the Brainiac, the Princess and the Bad Boy. As the story progresses it's revealed there is so much more to each of them than that and they all have something they'd desperately like to hide. I loved getting to know each of the suspects, finding out the secrets they want to keep hidden and how they individually deal with the accusations by the police and grow from their experiences as a result.

The story is told through multiple viewpoints and it's a testament to the author's writing ability that I was easily able to distinguish the different characters from chapter to chapter. I found the four main characters well-developed and very likeable, so I anxiously looked forward to the conclusion to find out who the killer was and why Simon was killed. This was a fun YA mystery, with an uncomplicated style I really enjoyed. Highly recommended.

♥ Quick Thoughts and Rating: 4 stars, but I might even boost it to 4.5–maybe even 5 stars–at some point. I'm just going off pure post-book-high at the moment, and my gut is telling me four stars, though I'm not quite sure what caused the deduction.

Highly engaging with an interesting plot and a dynamic cast of characters, One of Us Is Lying had me picking up this book with every free moment I had to spare. And for those times that I wasn't able to read it? You can bet your pretty little self that I was thinking about it and anxiously awaiting the moment that I could get back to it.


♥ Review: I'm not even going to try to deny the fact that this book totally had me at "The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars." I've been a sucker for both shows for as long as I can remember, and it might have even ramped up my expectations for what this novel would be, which is nothing short of wanting it to be as iconic and memorable as both of them. I think McManus did a remarkable job of capturing the spirit of both the movie and the show without falling back on stereotypes or tropes when she so easily could have. I don't think the novel would have suffered too terribly if she would have chosen to do that, but it definitely wouldn't have been anywhere near as great as it actually was because of the way she decided to spin this tangled tale.

I don't typically flock to mystery-suspense/thrillers because I usually cave and spoil myself by reading the ending first, but while I was anxious to learn the truth, I think the allure of delving deeper into the psyche of our four main suspects and their fellow classmates made it easier to stave off my need to know the big answer. Not only that, but I genuinely enjoyed the cast of main characters. I liked being in their heads and learning the many facets of each of their personalities beyond the stereotypical role others tried to shove them in. Not only that, but the summary itself would have the reader believe those superficial roles as well, and if you go into this book thinking their character won't expand beyond those restrictive confines they you'll be in for a very big shock. These individuals had many layers. Beyond that, I appreciated how this experience made each person reflect on themselves and the lives they were leading up until this point. This book had character growth in spades and it was a marvel to read.

As far as the plot and pacing, I was a nervous ball of stress practically the entire time (particularly every single time the focus of the investigation shifted to a new suspect), and while I had a few working theories–my main suspicion from the beginning proving to be accurate–Ms. McManus did an amazing job of dropping hints and red herrings around every corner; doing just enough to make me doubt myself at every turn. So that was some fine storytelling skills!


♥ Teaser Quote:
"Well." I'm quiet for a few seconds, weighing whether I'm about to make a giant mistake. Probably, but I plot ahead anyway. "I'd like to try. If you want to. Not because we're thrown together in this weird situation and I think you're hot, although I do. But because you're smart, and funny, and you do the right thing more often than you give yourself credit for. I like your horrible taste in movies and the way you never sugarcoat anything and the fact that you have an actual lizard. I'd be proud to be your girlfriend, even in a nonofficial capacity while we're, you know, being investigated for murder. Plus, I can't go more than a few minutes without wanting to kiss you, so–there's that."
Nate doesn't reply at first, and I worry I've blow it. Maybe that was too much information. But he's still running his hand down my leg, and finally he says, "You're doing better than me. I never stop thinking about kissing you."
– quote taken from the eARC of One of Us is Lying at 63%


♥ Rec It? Yes! You know the mark of a good book by the feeling you get of wanting to reread it immediately after you've finished it. Obviously it wouldn't be much for solving the mystery the second go-around, but more about absorbing all the little clues the author left for her readers along the way. Well, that and the fact that I pretty much fell in love with all these characters.

I can't believe One of Us Is Lying is this author's debut novel. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what new books of hers await me in the future.

♥ A very special thanks to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this title.

Five students wind up in detention and one winds up dead. Simon, pariah and bully who posts everyone's dirty drama on a blog post, has an intense peanut allergy. Someone spikes his glass with oil and the suspects of his murder are the other four students, brainiac Bronwyn, popular girl Addy, jock Cooper and bad boy Nate, who is suspect number 1 due to his being on probation. When the cops find unpublished blog posts that show Simon was about to expose secrets about the four suspects, the unlikely group begin to work together to uncover the truth. This was really a fun ride.

Fans & followers of @ashley_elston & @aprilhenrybooks will fall hard; thriller & mystery to the phenomenal end! "It was him! No, her! Them?" That was me the entire time I read the book; YA fans will love the realistic viewpoints and the non-stop mystery.

One of Us Is Lying is definitely the kind of story that keeps you turning pages late into the night. Every chapter hints at and slowly reveals new secrets that change what you know about each character in the room with Simon when he dies. I liked that each character had a lot more going on than it originally appeared, and each is a lot deeper than her classmates initially perceive her to be. Important clues come from surprising places, which again kept me guessing.

There was a point at which I thought I had the plot figured out and was pretty close. Honestly, by then, I was so invested in the story and so curious as to what would happen to the truly innocent parties, that I didn’t care if I turned out to be right.

If you’re a fan of the cult classic The Breakfast Club or murder mysteries in general, you need to add this one to your summer reading list. If you’re like me, once you read the first chapter, you won’t be able to put it down.

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus (4 juicy rumors)
Five students walk into detention; before it is over, Simon--who runs the schools gossip app--is dead. The remaining four all have secrets big enough to kill for. So who did it?

Breakfast Club comparisons have of course been tossed around by the publisher describing Karen M. McManus’s debut novel, but the similarities pretty much ends at four teens who rarely--if ever--spoke to each other before detention. They are repeatedly questioned by the police, who show them that Simon knew their secrets and planned to reveal them.

Then in a twist, someone claiming responsibility for the murder and to have been in the room where it happened starts posting on the app, sharing Simon’s final post and more. The four become social pariahs at school and predictably come together to support each other as they become a national media sensation, romance blooms--it is YA after all--and everyone takes a turn as the lead suspect in the months that follow.

The story (told from the time stamped point of view of each of the “Bayview Four”) unfolds in pieces, giving you just enough teasers to keep even people who rarely read mysteries but like gossip (like me) making guesses and wanting to know more. I suggest reading it when you need a break from romance (hey, it can happen) but don’t want to dive into something dark that will keep you up at night pondering the state of humanity.

(Posting Date TBD)

At the end of the day there really isn't anything wrong with this YA mystery/thriller. It has some twists and turns, it has the quintessential characters that one would expect from a YA whodunit, it has the twists and turns, it has the "Ah-ha!" moment where you think it's one person but it really turns out to be somebody else. Like I said, there's nothing inherently wrong with this debut and I think that's exactly what was wrong with it - it wasn't anything new. It followed the formula and told a perfectly adequate story, but I don't think readers socks are going to be knocked off, especially with the recent run of books that are very similar. Is this one I would still buy for a collection? Sure. Despite it's sameness, there is still an audience and the story itself is well written just not anything groundbreaking. If you're a die hard mystery/thriller fan then I'm sure you'll enjoy this one. However, if you're looking for something new, something different from the typical whodunit, I'm not sure this one will do it for you.

One of Us is Lying is a mix between the Breakfast Club and Pretty Little Liars. Five strangers walk into detention but only 4 walk out alive. The four have to work together to find the culprit, but the blame could easily be on one of them.

The book follows all 4 of the students who were in detention. They're stereotyped as the brain, beauty, jock and the criminal. But they are also so much more. The character arcs show how much they change in the weeks after the murder. One of Us is Lying also shows us insights into who they really are and the differences between public and private personas.

The characters were also likable and realistic. Unlike Pretty Little Liars, they dont do stupid things which will put themselves in worse situations. Their problems were also relatable, and their relationships felt real. Some of the issues tackled are social media usage, depression, sexuality, abuse, etc. There's so much packed into one book due to the vastly different characters involved.

The mystery of the book was so interesting and I didn't see it coming. It seems kind of obvious in hindsight, and I know a lot of people did guess. But I very rarely read mystery style books, and I often don't focus too much on the clues. That's my excuse for not figuring it out anyway.

Overall I really loved the book. There was exploration of different societal themes. The writing was good. Characters were likable and interesting. An all round good read. I would definitely recommend.

With how this book turned out I'm surprised I'm not hearing much people talk about this book. It was so interesting. I loved that there was enough mystery to suspect people. I loved that there was enough clues given over time to come up with a different motive and different suspected. I loved that I was able to get the perspectives of the four characters without it being too confusing or overwhelming. When it comes to multi pov I tend to find myself lost in the confusion but when it came to this book each character had their own distinct personality that I didn't have a hard time getting used to their own voices. I loved that ending and how it turned out and I totally was thrown off and wasn't expecting it. Overall it was such a fun read, and like it mentioning in the description it does have like a PPL (Pretty Little Liars) vibe going on so I think if you like PPL you will like this book.

Well-crafted and entertaining, this is a worthwhile and nuanced YA jaunt.

Synopsis: Pay close attention and you might solve this.

On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention.

Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule.

Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess.

Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing.

Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher.

And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.

Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention Simon's dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose?

Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.

- - -
This is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide.
The blurb for this book is definitely not wrong! One of Us Is Lying is a clusterf*ck of mystery—and I mean this in the best way possible. Everyone in this book indeed carries a secret!

Likes:

• First of all, I LOVE the premise and I love that the author actually delivered us a great mystery. You know the mystery is a good one when you literally cannot stop guessing. At at least three points in the book I thought I knew who the killer was, but then some clue threw me off. I jumped to someone else, then... again. Same thing. I was on my toes until the very end, and that's what I want in a mystery.

• Diversity. There is a gay character in the book, and this I appreciate. I think he was written very well and his being in the closet added a nice suspenseful touch to the book. I can't imagine going through what he did and still coming out on top.

• The characters. Keep in mind, this book is from the POV of four different people. It would be easy to get them mixed up if the author didn't do a phenomenal job of distinguishing them from one another with very specific and well-written personalities. Which, of course, she did. Very very well done! They were also quite relatable and lovable. It was easy to like each of them and want them to get through the situation at hand.

• Romance. Yes, there is a romance in this book. Now, it is subtle, but nicely done. Two of the suspects become very close and we get a hint of blooming feelings and stolen kisses, but it doesn't take over the story in the least. This book, at it's core, is a mystery—the romantic aspect doesn't change that. In fact, I think it enhanced it because... the two teens getting into a relationship during the investigation leaves a lot of room for distrust and questionable movies, etc.

• The ending. I had a love/hate thing going with the ending. I feel that the end of a book is, arguably, the most important part of the book. I always seem to criticize the end more than anything else. This is the case here as well. The part I enjoyed was the end/answer to the mystery portion. The big reveal of who the murderer was intrigued me! I'd definitely guessed who did it at that point, but there were pieces that didn't make sense until the actual reveal. Once that happened, it all came together perfectly. I think it was extremely well done and I am greatly impressed.

Now, my one and only dislike: (This will be spoilery!!!)

The other part of the ending... the part that had nothing to do with the actual mystery storyline. It was the romance. Oh boy! Now, the two teens who had a romance going... they sort of “broke up” after the killer was outed. The guy felt useless and like he wasn't good enough for the oh-so-smart girl. So, he ignores her and she starts to move on, yeah? Well, some months later, she is going about her life and he decides to make some grand gesture to get her back. It was cute, but so incredibly cliché! lol A bit eyeroll worthy, but again, still cutesy. I can't hate on it too hard.

So, overall, this book was a winner for me. I loved almost every single thing about it from the character development, to the romance, to the mystery. Aside from the tiny pet peeve about the ending, this book goes onto my favorites list. I definitely recommend it if you enjoy a good high school drama/mystery. Extremely well done!

This book can be one of those easy summer reads that we love bringing with us to the beach for various reasons:

(A) only 368 pages long, I read it in one sitting and didn’t even notice how time flew by;

(B) secrets on top of secrets keep you glued without any possibility to escape as all you want to do is find out what actually happened; and

(C) being a very light read, it’s exactly what we need during those summer relaxations days (although I must admit that I love reading fantasy during the summer… or dystopian… or sci-fi. i.e. I just like reading. Moving on!)

And those are all the positive things I have to say about it. Unfortunately…

I was debating for a long time whether I should give it a 2-star rating and call it bad, or if the same rating and a “not for me” description would suit it best, and I chose the latter.

Let’s make it clear – I love YA, I read it all the time be it fantasy, contemporary or any other genres and I am not planning to stop any time soon, however every once in a while I will stumble upon a YA book that just does not sit well with me, and the problem of this one was the writing. (Besides a few other things that I will point out in a second)

The writing was too simple for me, and even for a YA book. Writing is usually something I am not picky about, if it’s not what I am used to, after a few pages I will stop noticing it (unless it’s really bad). I can’t say that this one was bad, but the short sentences and lack of long words really made me struggle.

The characters is the other weak point of this book – very cliché portrayals of a brain, a princess, a criminal and a jock from a very cliché high school, something that we’ve seen many times before in books and movies. (A lot of people on GoodReads mentioned «The Breakfast Club») And I would have been completely okay with the clichés if the characters had some spices in them, but for me they felt very plain, making it difficult to connect or care about what might happen to them.

And finally, let’s talk about THE MYSTERY. I love mysteries! I talk about my love to them ALL THE TIME and my verdict is: “I’ve read much MUCH better mystery novels before”, to the point where the plot and the events weren’t thrilling, they just happened and left no trace of excitement.

“Not for me” stamp has been placed on this book !

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Five very different high school students walk into detention. They’re known for being smart, pretty, dangerous, athletic, or outcast. Within a few minutes of being stuck together, something seems off. It turns out science teacher Mr. Avery confiscated a phone from each of them, phones they claim don't belong to them. The problem: Only four students walked out of detention.

While four students are distracted, Simon collapses. 911 is called, the police ask questions, and meanwhile everyone in detention wonders what just happened. Was Simon targeted? He created an app that shares everyone’s juicy gossip. It’s not unreasonable to think someone wanted the gossip to stop, or maybe it was simply revenge.

Narrated by each student, readers are taken on a fast-paced whodunit ride. Each character has his or her own drama to deal with as rumors circulate, and mystery surrounds each suspect. Though these students know each other, this book asks how much do they really know? Readers will quickly learn not all is as it seems.

THOUGHTS: Mystery fiction fans will devour this book, puzzling the details as bits and pieces of the story are given. The multiple narrators add a compelling element as readers will want to know the next piece of the story. Don’t skip around, or you’ll miss out on some key evidence!

Well guys, I official don’t know how to review this book. I set on it for a day now and I think this will end up just me spilling my thoughts out the best way possible, without spoilers.
The book is about five teens that end up in detention together. Abby, the popular girl. Bronwyn, the good, smart girl. Nate the bad boy. Copper, the jock, and Simon the social pariah. Nothing too original. They end up in detention after a teacher confiscates their phones for breaking his rules. So despite the fact that after they present evidence that the phones are not theirs and this looks like a setup, the teacher refuses to believe them. Right, that happens…
So an incident occurs and Simon, the social pariah ends up dead. So despite the fact that the teacher was also in the room, the police are convinced that it was murder and the foursome is lying.
Which leads me to the title, it’s very misleading. All four of them are lying and Simon was about to expose them for their lies, but he dies (also, not a spoiler it’s in the blurb)
The book is also the first point of view with a section dedicated to each teen. So sometimes, when your mind wanders, and mine did often, you kind of forget who you are now reading. Especially since none of the teens really stood out.
So despite the fact that the police have no evidence and it’s blatantly obvious that the group was set up. They continue to grip at straws and drag these teens through the mud.
Which brings me to my next gripe. The adults in this book, are painted as major idiots. I get it, okay, teenagers can clash with adults. But this time I have to say, wtf?
The police? Idiots. The Lawyers? Idiots. The media? Idiots. The parents? Yeah, you get it.
It is just so damn frustrating what the cops/detectives put these teens through and the part where they violate Coopers personal rights made me so angry. Because one, they didn’t even bother looking elsewhere, they were so focused on destroying these young peoples lives. Like does that happen? Because the clues really kind of lead you that someone else might be involved, but they don’t even bother. So obviously they are completely incompetent and it’s up to the four to find the real killer.
So you can guess…
The cops did not solve the mystery in this book.
I love that for the teens that do end up reading this. The authorities are painted so damn badly in this, that it’s not only scary it just does not instill any sort of confidence in them or respect. See, that really bothers me.
Also
I hated the ending. No. I did not fully see it coming and when things were explained I was actually taken back by it. Because one, I was really angry and annoyed about how far one of the people involved in this let it get and the fact that another character in this continued their relationship with this person.
Like that person should have never let it get this far.
Second, the ending has been just horrible.
Which leads me to another issue.
I do not like the way bullying was handled in this book. I kind of felt like everyone was a bully in this book. The teens, the classmates, the media, the cops, the parents. Ugh. The treatment has been just horrible.
I can see the appeal of this book, so maybe I am over analyzing it. But, I do have to get one thing out there to adult authors who are writing YA books.
Stops making EVERY single adult in YA Books and IDIOT. You are doing no one a favor here, including yourself.
And dear god, if you’re going to deal with a form of bullying in your book. Deal with it better, cause this gave me a headache.
But I get the appeal and why so many people loved it. To me though, I felt there were quiet a few issues I wasn’t comfortable with.

This book was billed as The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars-- and well, that's some BIG expectations to live up to. I definitely didn't get any Breakfast Club vibes. Sure, they were in detention, and yeah, they were all into different things, but they were not that quirky fun group of kids who united despite their outward differences.

That's why I hate those comparisons-- because this book was good!! It didn't need giant expectations to try to live up to. It was a book about 4 high school kids getting framed for murder-- and as the reader, you can't trust anybody. They all narrate chapters and I was trying to be so cautious not to place my trust in any of them. Everyone seemed innocent, but SOMEONE killed Simon, and they were the only people in the room.

What I liked about this book: The nail-biting mystery. I didn't know who the baddie was and I suspected EVERYBODY.

What I thought was MEH: I didn't connect to any of the characters in any real way. I wasn't rooting for anyone, and I didn't have any that I didn't like. They were all super steady and nice-- I was wishing that there was a wild-card type thrown in. It made it harder to make any real guesses at the mystery, which is a good thing, but as a reader, I like to CONNECT with characters.

I was super excited to find an engaging YA mystery that kept me fully interested right until the last page. It's not a genre that has a ton of great mysteries, so I get happy when I come across one that is well done and keeps me guessing.

OVERALL: I definitely recommend this fun and twisty YA Mystery. It's not a book where the characters are memorable, but the mystery will keep you guessing-- and isn't that the whole point?

Now this is the kind of YA mystery I have been wanting to read. It an engaging plot development, a mystery with plenty of surprises, and characters who were pretty complex even if they did kind of blend together. It's got a great mystery that I think fans of YA mysteries will really enjoy.