Is there anything Karen McManus can't do? The answer is absolutely not because she can do anything she wants to! Her young adult novels are staples for a reason, they're compelling they're well written and the pacing is outstanding

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Unfortunately, this was not for me. I was unable to get past the first few chapters. I believe this is just an issue of my taste not aligning with the story. I recommend others try it!

Cal, Ivy, & Mateo were best friends all through middle school and in 6th grade, they all skipped out on a field trip together, and labeled that day of adventure as "the best day ever." Now the 3 are seniors in high school, and their friendships have all fallen apart.
The day after Ivy loses the election for student body president, she walks out of school only to find Cal and Mateo in the parking lot, and the three decide to skip once again and call this day the "worst day ever." The day goes from bad to worse when they witness fellow student, Boney, walk into an abandoned building but never come out. When the three go to investigate, they discover Boney's dead body and realize that they not only need to help find out what happened to Boney, they also need to prove that it wasn't one of them that committed the crime.

While this one wasn't for me, it certainly would appeal to fans of the edge of your seat drama kinds of YA. As a mom of two young adults and a teacher myself, I was too bogged down in the right and wrong to really enjoy the growth journey aspect to the plot. But I definitely recommend it to others!

Unfortunately was not able to get to this one to read on NetGalley before publishing, but I listened to the audiobook when it came out and enjoyed it. Karen McManus is another one where I seldom see the plot twist coming.

Karen McManus is truly a modern day Agatha Christie and her work speaks for itself. I love the rollercoaster ride that her stories take us readers on!

Three former friends team up for an adventure in Boston to recreate “The Greatest Day Ever” in middle school when they skipped a class field trip. Since getting to high school, these students have grown apart, but a murder investigation - with one of them as prime suspect according to gossip - brings these three back together. With hurt feelings, a lot of history, and a few years apart, these friends have much to catch up on, but will they reconnect or fall apart completely. Fans of McManus' other titles will love this Ferris Bueller's Day Off read alike.

This isn't my first Karen McManus novel, but it might be my last.  I think I'm just out of her target demographic.
I do believe that younger readers will enjoy this, but it just wasn't for me.

You'll Be The Death Of Me by Karen M McManus is another nail biting thriller! I don't know how she continues to create  such dynamic characters and plots that keep you on the edge of your seat! Wow! Happy Reading!

I don’t read much sci-fi but Crouch never disappoints! He takes all that science-y stuff and makes it readable & interesting but also human. There’s always an emotional undercurrent to the plot that captures me. This was about two siblings whose mother “upgrades” their genetic code w/o their consent bc she believes it is the key to saving humanity from itself. The siblings find themselves at odds with continuing their mother’s work and what ensues is a cat & mouse game of life between them while also essentially running from the authorities. Another Crouch win for me!

This is typical McManus--lots of twists and turns, several narrators, and red herrings.  As usual, she didn't disappoint.

I have read all of the author's books and this is my least favorite. I felt that it was missing some of the typical hook-inducing clues. that are normally throughout her previous writings. It did not grab my attention like her other titles.. I was expecting it to start off with the wow factor, instead it was a bit predictable, We still purchased it because our student readers will enjoy any of her titles.  We can't keep them on the shelf!

3.5*

I loved the whole mystery of this book. It jumps right into it and you as the reader are thrust into detective mode. That is one thing I enjoy about Karen's books is that you always will have a puzzle to solve.

That being said, I will say that some of them are kind of easy to figure out. I have now read 3 of her books and only one of them surprised me. I do take a bit of satisfaction in the fact that I can solve the puzzles though before they are revealed so that is fun. I also enjoy getting these stories told from different perspectives because it makes it more fun to put the pieces together.

This one ended with an opening that left it where there could be another so I'd be interested to see where it goes from here. There was one little twist at the end that definitely left an impression.

To start, I’ve read and enjoyed all the books Karen McManus has written. You’ll Be The Death Of Me, while a good read, is my least favorite. I found it hard to really connect with the main characters, Ivy, Mateo, and Cal. The plot was too far-fetched, especially the wrapping up of the murder and the ending. I wasn’t very invested in the murder, which happened quickly with no real connection being made for the victim. 

Overall, I found this to be a quick but ultimately forgettable read. I’ll still pick up the next offering, although I’ll hope for a little more depth.

I read about half of this book and then decided to skim through the rest. It just couldn’t really hold my interest. I’m bummed because I have really liked Karen’s past books.

I have never read any of this author's books that I didn't love.  However, this was very hard for me to get into.  I feel it just didn't start off with a bang, which her books usually do.  Although this was not my favorite of hers, I will always recommend any of her books to my patrons. What one person doesn't completely enjoy, many others will.

This was ok, a bit predictable, the author has definitely fallen into a "type" of writing style and genre.

Fantastic characters and narrators! The story kept me intrigued throughout. Very fun young adult mystery!

This is my third Karen M. McManus book, and my least favorite so far. I did find it entertaining enough, but I didn't find the plotting to be as successful in the previous mysteries of hers that I have read. The ending ramped it up and made me end the book enjoying it, but I didn't feel that the typically hook-inducing clues were dispersed well throughout. Overall, I thought it was fun enough and that fans of the genre and of McManus will find enough to like, but it wasn't my favorite of her work.

As always with Karen M. McManus' titles, this had me gripped, but the reveal was…meh? to say the least. It was redeemed by the ending and I'm sincerely hoping we'll get to see more from this trio.