Intriguing, and kept me on edge from start to finish!

"One of Us Is Lying 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."

This blurb from GoodReads really boils down the essence of this book into a nice, concise statement.

When the four main characters are each found with a cell phone in their bag, they earn an afternoon detention. Oddly, the cell phones didn't belong to them, and while they are serving their time, one of the attendees, Simon, dies. It all appears to be a tragic accident, until the police begin investigating them for murder. The investigation uncovers some incriminating evidence. It seems Simon was planning to publish each of their darkest secrets under the guise of juicy gossip. This reveal turns them from witnesses into suspects.

This was such a great reading experience for me. The story pulled me in from page one, and I just wanted to keep reading and collecting clues. I did develop a hypothesis, which ended up being correct, (*pats self on back*) but that's half the fun when I read a mystery. I have seen that this was pitched as "Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars" and I have to say, that is a great description for this book.

"'She's a princess and you're a jock,' he says. He thrusts his chin toward Bronwyn, then at Nate. 'And you're a brain. And you're a criminal. You're all walking teen-movie stereotypes."

Each of the four main characters do fall into one of those typical high school cliques, but as the story plays on, we find out that there is a lot more beneath the surface of each character. They were all quite layered and well constructed. They all had such depth, and I thought McManus did a great job developing them throughout the book. I really enjoyed getting to know each of the characters as they dealt with the investigation and their secrets being revealed.

I know having your deepest, darkest secrets unveiled publicly is not a positive thing, but the outcome for these characters was. Each of them was forced to admit the truth ,and face the consequences of the fallout once others learned of it. One character found her inner strength and independence, while another was able to feel more comfortable in his own skin. Two found love, while most of them found acceptance on some level. Some developed a reinforcement or renewal of family ties, but all of them experienced growth, and it was a positive growth. All four characters were a better version of themselves at the end of this book, and I always find that the mark of great YA story.

Another great outcome, was that the four bonded together. This group of disparate teens became "the Bayview Four", and they were there for each other. In their quest to clear their names, they found friendship and more.

And yes, there is a romance. *heart-eyes* Sorry, not sorry, but I always want a little romance. I don't care what kind of book I am reading, a little romance is always a good thing. This was a wonderful and meaningful romance, and by no means took away from the overall plot. It was well integrated, and a ship worth shipping. Seriously, at one point, about 63% through the story, the heroine goes on this rant about why she wants to try dating the hero, and it is the cutest, most adorable thing ever. I liked her already, but I loved her after that outburst.

Overall: A riveting mystery filled with twists and turns, which had me hooked from page one.

Nearly every review you read about this book will compare it to The Breakfast Club, that iconic, coming of age, John Hughes film from the 80's - stereotypical high school students sentenced to detention. As with the characters in that movie, the characters in One of Us Is Lying are so much more than what they appear on the surface, and as this story progresses, their layers are gradually peeled away and you discover none are quite what they appear on the surface.

Early on I was sure I knew who'd killed Simon - and then I'd decide it was someone else. Which is one of the best things about this book - it keeps you guessing with its twists and surprises. With the story told in four different perspectives, each character's inner thoughts, viewpoints, and feelings regarding their lives and Simon are revealed. The character development is outstanding, with one character in particular undergoing a considerable transformation.

I couldn't quite buy into the way law enforcement was portrayed - leads not pursued, obvious questions ignored, and assumptions without investigation. Suspension of disbelief is required in some areas.

Clever, gripping, and unpredictable, this is a suspenseful YA mystery and one of my best reads this year so far.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Wow, this book is well done. I'm seriously impressed. It's been a long time since I wanted to keep reading something so much that I found random moments throughout my day to pick up the book. The premise is five people go into a classroom for detention, and only four come out. The person who was killed had serious dirt on the other four people in detention. Who killed him? This was fast paced and kept me on my toes. I had no idea how it would end until everything was revealed.

Cover:
I love this cover, with the cut out faces and sharpie it looks like a defaced yearbook and it is great.

Characters:
All the characters are unique, and their voices are distinct. I did find my self most drawn to Bronwyn's POV but since I relate most to her that's understandable. I like that they all begin to defy their stereotypes throughout. And that their is diversity sprinkled through without a big deal being made about it. Everyone has different home lives, and not every character is straight and white. I liked he side characters and sibling relationships a lot. And I like that the romances were varied, none the main focus, and nine were instalove or an instant fix to anyone's problems.


Plot:
There is foreshadowing like crazy and I loved it. The story is fast paced and intriguing all the way through, and lots of little details and side plots for each character really tie it together. I guessed part of the ending before he characters did, but not the whole think, and I like that it was able to surprise me. I had some issues with the legality of some of the police actions and certain things that seemed overlooked by adults irked me, but these were all things addressed later on in the story and it was good.

I was fully engaged throughout this entire novel. The description is spot on, and I was guessing till the end. Definite purchase.

**Thank you Netgalley, for giving me this awesome book, in exchange for an honest review.**

... I LOVED this book ...

It is by far the one of the best thrillerish/suspense novels I have ever read (LOL I've only read like three.) And is definitely one of my favorite releases of the year, y'all are going to LOVE this one ... hopefully.

Karen McManus, you my friend, are an absolute mastermind.

Plot:
One of Us Is Lying starts off with five high school students who have been placed into detention due to a cell phone scam. All five have been caught having phones that weren't their's and their real phones were in their lockers or never confiscated. It's apparent that their detention was a set up and hoax, and no one knows why. Then one student, Simon, goes to get some water during his detention time, and DIES. This all happens super fast, and you're instantly thrown into the crazy storyline.

We have a jock (Cooper), modern day Mean Girl (Addy), the typical nerdy goodie goodie (Bronwyn), and bad boy (Nate.) These four have all witnessed the death of fellow class mate, Simon and only one can be the killer. But they all have their own secrets. DUN. DUn. Dun. dun.

SOUNDS AWESOME RIGHT?? BECAUSE IT IS. These characters are so diverse and come from crazy different backgrounds and go through a lot of crazy crap due to the death of Simon. And just WOAH, this was a masterpiece. I honestly figured out the ending pretty early on in the story, but then a lot of things happen, and your opinion will change, and then go back and UGH I WAS EVERYWHERE TO BE HONEST.

The characters will pull you along the story though. They are such well thought out characters, and they seem so real and relatable. Nothing in this book seemed far fetched at all, because I could easily see this stuff happening in any high school. You get relationship drama, and just stupid teenagers. And honestly, I live for this stuff.

Something that made these characters great, is that the author breaks the boundaries of your typical high school students. The classic blonde girl who you expect to be shallow and dumb, is actually very intelligent and well rounded. She wasn't this idiot who ruined the story. The classic Jock is just ... just read it to figure it out because you won't be expecting the plot twist with him. The nerdy girl ... okay she was pretty much the typical goodie goodie. But the typical bad boy as well wasn't a complete jerk to everyone. He had depth and character, and he had a heart and I loved seeing the barriers being broke in this book.

There is some slight romance in this book but it was GOOD AND WELL PLACED. It didn't seem pushed and a horrid plot device. I will go down with my ship in this series, just saying. It was perfect.

Also, I know that this has been compared to the Breakfast Club .... and I've never seen that soo I definitely cannot say that it's true to that hype. BUT STILL READ IT BECAUSE IT'S SO GOOD. I cannot wait for everyone to get their hands on this when it comes out because it is a MASTERPIECE!!!!!

Mysterious "who dunnit" that will leave readers guessing. When the author of a high school "Gossip Girl" type blog dies, everyone wonders who might have killed him. Four students were with him when he died. Is one of them a killer? Once each of the four students' secrets start coming to light, readers will be anxiously turning pages to find out which one might be lying. Lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Definitely recommend!

This was done so incredibly well. It is not too often that I feel really wowed by a debut YA book but I came out of this feeling that way.

It totally is the Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars, so shout out to whoever came up with that. The main reason I think this book was so great is that the character development was so well done. In a story like this you need background, you need to understand the characters and you get that with this story.

All of the characters have redeeming qualities that really add to the guessing game of who the murderer is. I tended to keep hoping it was none of them simply because I liked them. For every negative quality you saw a good one, or a softer side.

Overall a really incredible debut. I think fans across genres and ages will really like this book. If someone is smart this will turn into a tv show or a movie.

This book hit most of my 'favorite' buttons: multi-POV, mystery, romance. I liked how the teen characters were realistic, but the drama wasn't over the top. I found all the characters likable too, which is a nice bonus. A minor complaint: for a character who played a fairly important role, Kris was woefully underdeveloped and one-dimensional (imo). But that really is my only disappointment. I read a ton of Agatha Christie as a young teen, and this reminded me a lot of her style and plots. Definitely recommended. :).

It took me a moment to get into this book, but I think it's because I read it right after I read This Is Our Story by Ashley Elston, which has a similar plot in that one person dies in a place with a group of people, and those people become suspects. The tone and mood of books are totally different, and my brain just couldn't reconcile it with the premises being so alike. Really, though, the books are nothing alike when you get into them.

I enjoyed that the characters in One of Us... are not exactly what they seem, although even their secrets are sometimes stereotypical. Like another reviewer, I wish we'd been given more about the friendships between to the characters than the romance between two of them; however, I did enjoy the romance part. I can't say that I guessed what really happened with the murderer, but I didn't really try to guess either. It was "nice" surprise.

All in all, One of Us Is Lying is enjoyable and gives the reader a nice mystery to figure out. If I taught older students, I would definitely recommend this book to them.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!

When I read the premise of One of Us is Lying I thought it sounded like a book I would really enjoy. I like books with an air of mystery. Books that keep me guessing. One of Us is Lying did both. I liked that the characters were well written, no easy feat when you have several main characters. They all had their flaws, but all had redeeming qualities too. I found myself rooting that each of them had nothing to do with what happened and quickly believed that none of them did. I really enjoyed being kept on my toes until the end trying to figure out whodunit. I found the premise of this book refreshingly different and think that anyone who enjoys YA fiction or suspense novels would love this book.

McManus weaves a tale that is impossible to put down resulting in a few too many nights past my bedtime! Four teens, all with plausible motive, are implicated in the murder of a classmate who is a less than likable character. The story of each of the characters unfolds such that you are never really sure who may have committed the crime. The resolution does not disappoint either, taking just enough time to satisfactorily tie everything together - even if you "think" you know who dun it. This is definitely a highly recommended must read!

I was very intrigued by the premise of this book. I was very invested until the end. As I read, I did some of the characters and situations cliche, but I did like the ending with Simon as the mastermind. I still didn't understand a lot of the logistics, like who planted the phones in everyone else's bag besides Addy, but overall I enjoyed the mystery and the twisted and turns.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book.
I never thought I would get approved and then I did and I died a little inside from the immense happiness burning through my veins.

DAMMMMMNNNNNNNNNNNNN

this is the book that you want to review right after you read the last word but you can't because you've read an arc and will ruin every single element for anyone who actually reads what i write in my reviews HA.

this book gave me many a clues but i wasn't fast you guys. i kept trying to think which one of them in that room did it.
And KUDOS to Karen M McManus on this brilliant debut.
It was everything I wanted and hoped it would be.

Mare~Slitsread

Wow!

So, I have to admit that I made a tentative—and correct—guess about the "whodunnit" at about the 15% mark. That's mainly because I'm suspicious by nature, but also I somehow had already fallen in love with the other four possible guilty parties. And, therefore, I just couldn't believe they'd done it. I couldn't figure out their motive, even as their secrets were being revealed. Things never added up.

But this was such an engrossing read! From the second Simon died to the very end, I was trying to work out if my guess of the culprit was wrong. Maybe somewhere amongst everything being thrown at me, the truth was there. And it was. It was intricately plotted, and while I did guess one piece of the mystery, there were so many other small details I couldn't have. Ever.

Also, I loved how the group's true personalities were exposed. They weren't who or what they had been presumed to be. All of them were misunderstood in ways. I think Bronwyn was my favorite, but Addy definitely came in a close second as she grew into herself. I found both to be strong female characters. I also loved the romances that played out (and how they came to light).

But this isn't just a thriller/mystery. One of Us Is Lying also deals with the high school experience in general. Cliques, popularity, friendships, grades, etc. and how it can all affect students. And, how each handles it all.

One of Us Is Lying is an absolute masterpiece of a debut! It's like Clue set in high school and I loved every single page.

Review will be published on May 22, 2017

I’m sure by this point we all know I have a thing for thrillers, correct? So of course when I read the summary for One of Us is Lying I knew that I just had to read it. It sounded exactly like my type of book so when I got approved for an e-ARC, I immediately jumped right in.

While I liked this book and the suspense while reading, it was so hard for me to keep the POVs straight since it alternates between four different point of views. Normally, I wouldn’t have struggled with this as much, but when you combine that many POVs with a timeline of events that I should’ve been paying attention to, it kind of threw me. I kept getting thrown out of the story because I kept having to think about which POV I was in. I think this may be the reason I didn’t get fully invested with the characters and this story.

However, the mystery aspect was absolutely wonderful. Around 30ish percent in, I had a suspect, but as it turns out, I was completely wrong. This normally doesn’t happen to me when I read thrillers so I loved that I got that shock value when all was revealed at the end.

In the end, One of Us is Lying has a clever storyline when it comes to the thriller aspect, although I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if I could have formed more of a connection with these characters.

This is a fast faced and uniquely written story that is bound to appeal to many readers. If you are a fan of Pretty Little Liars, this book would also be right up your alley.

One of the most likable things about this story (that should apply to all mystery and thrillers but unfortunately does not) is the fact that you can't correctly figure out "who dun it" until the very end. Kudos to the author for this because it is a seemingly hard feat in this day and age.

I highly recommend this novel to fellow readers and based on this one, I will certainly be reading many more of the authors books in the future.

NOTE: My full review of this novel will be posted on my website and all book retailers closer to release date.

“Some people are too toxic to live. They just are.”

Welcome to detention, where a princess, a jock, a brain, a criminal and . . . a gossip???? Wait, that’s not historically accurate . . . . .

Anyway, they've all earned a spot for violating one of the most serious rules of high school: NO PHONES IN CLASS. They’ve done the crime, now they have to do the time as well as write a 500 word essay about how technology is ruining American high schools. If they fail to do so, well you know the old saying: "Mess with the bull you'll get the horns."

Plans quickly change, however, when the gossip drops dead of anaphylactic shock. (He didn’t belong in the story anyway, right? The basketcase was the final member.) Now the four remaining delinquents are all suspects in his death when the questions of just how did peanut oil get in the disposable cups near the sink and what happened to all of the epi pens in the nurse’s station get raised. But there’s even more in store for these kids when the gossip’s dishy blog starts revealing secrets none of the four ever thought would get out.

First, kudos to whoever was in charge for finally getting a dang blurb right. This absolutely was “The Breakfast Club Meets Pretty Little Liars.” Per usual, I was not the target audience for this selection, but hey the sun shines on an old dog’s butt every once in a while because I thought it was such fun.

I suspect One Of Us Is Lying will become a bestseller P.D.Q. (that’s pretty darn quick for you young’ins) and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it optioned as a movie in the not-so-distant future either. If you read mysteries . . . like ever . . . . you'll probably see the end coming about 12 miles away, but the getting there is all the fun. Obviously this isn't a story that’s going to change anyone’s lives, but if you have a teen (or in my case a 30 year old male attorney boss) who enjoys all the guilty pleasures Pretty Little Liars has to offer on the ABC Family Channel, this will probably be a winner.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks, NetGalley!

Karen McManus is on my crap list right now. Not because her book, One of Us is Lying, was bad but because I had a ton of things I needed to get done today and had only planned to read for a couple of hours at the most. But NOOOOOOOO! She had to go and write a book so compelling, so intriguing, so damn addictive there was no way I could put it down until I found out who killed Simon.

The book is described as the Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars and there really is no better description. I got into PLL through the TV Show then discovered it was based on a book series and couldn’t wait to find out who ‘A’ was so I read the whole series. Only later did I find out the books and TV show weren’t the same but the essence of someone being behind the scenes and pulling the strings of a group of people like they are toy puppets remained the same which is part of what make McManus’ book so good. She just did it with a more diverse group of characters so you get a wider variety of issue that have to be dealt with adding to the intrigue.

Her plot line moves fast. Where it took Sara Shepard 16 books to flesh out her whole story, McManus did roughly the same in just this one. Thank god for that because between PLL’s TV show and 16 books, I’m not sure I have the attention span for a lengthy drawn out who the hell is the Big Bad behind the scenes arc again. It also goes to McManus’ credit that she can fully develop characters, including their back story, in such a similar fashion in just the one book. This story was incredibly detailed, thought out and planned perfectly from page one. I didn’t see the full arch of where she was going until it was revealed and almost dropped the book in shock. It was right up there with the big reveal in PLL – not the first A, but UBER A. It’s just that shocking. Once you know it makes perfect sense. There is just so much more I want to say about that but there is NO WAY I’m spoiling it because you deserve to find out like I did.

I have to give McManus a lot of credit because even though it IS very comparable to Breakfast Club and PLL she has her own stamp all over this, she took a theme that has been done before and made it hers to the point you walk away feeling like this is just going to be stuck in your head for a while.

Note to McManus – next time you write something like this give people a heads up they should clear their calendar because now I have a ton of stuff to do tomorrow to make up for not being able to put your book down!