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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Two Can Keep a Secret in Books
Jan 5, 2019
Great plot twists (1 more)
Great Characters
A Good Mystery!
When I read about Karen M. McManus' new book Two Can Keep a Secret, I added it to the top of my to read list. I loved her previous book One of Us is Lying, so I figured her new book would be just as good. Luckily, Ms. McManus did not let me down.
The synopsis of Two Can Keep a Secret really drew me in. I enjoyed they mystery behind who had killed the first homecoming queen, Lacey, and who was responsible for the current missing homecoming queen nominee as well as the mystery surrounding Ellery's and Ezra's aunt Sarah. Every time I thought I had figured out who the culprit was, another spanner was thrown into the works, and I would suspect someone else. This book definitely kept me guessing throughout, and I was wrong about who was responsible. The plot twist are great, and I can't say that I ever saw any of the plot twists coming.
The pacing starts out slow up until Chapter 14, and I found myself wondering if I had made a mistake with reading Two Can Keep a Secret. Once I got to Chapter 14, the pacing picked up, and I found myself fully immersed in what was happening. Not once did the pacing become too slow again. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next.
The characters in Two Can Keep a Secret were all believable and fully fleshed out although I would have liked to know more about Sarah. There was some closure to Sarah's disappearance, but I felt like more information would have been nice. My favorite characters were Malcolm, Ellery, and Katrin. I loved watching Malcolm's and Ellery's relationship bloom. There was just something about Kartin that I really liked. I also liked the character of Brooke.
Trigger warnings for Two Can Keep a Secret include some underage drinking, profanities, some sexual innuendos, violence, attempted murder, and murder.
Overall, Two Can Keep a Secret isn't as good as One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus. However, it's still a great read. It has some great plot twists and well written characters. I would definitely recommend Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus to those aged 16+ who love a good mystery.
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(A special thank you to Delacorte Press for providing me with a hardback of Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
The synopsis of Two Can Keep a Secret really drew me in. I enjoyed they mystery behind who had killed the first homecoming queen, Lacey, and who was responsible for the current missing homecoming queen nominee as well as the mystery surrounding Ellery's and Ezra's aunt Sarah. Every time I thought I had figured out who the culprit was, another spanner was thrown into the works, and I would suspect someone else. This book definitely kept me guessing throughout, and I was wrong about who was responsible. The plot twist are great, and I can't say that I ever saw any of the plot twists coming.
The pacing starts out slow up until Chapter 14, and I found myself wondering if I had made a mistake with reading Two Can Keep a Secret. Once I got to Chapter 14, the pacing picked up, and I found myself fully immersed in what was happening. Not once did the pacing become too slow again. I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next.
The characters in Two Can Keep a Secret were all believable and fully fleshed out although I would have liked to know more about Sarah. There was some closure to Sarah's disappearance, but I felt like more information would have been nice. My favorite characters were Malcolm, Ellery, and Katrin. I loved watching Malcolm's and Ellery's relationship bloom. There was just something about Kartin that I really liked. I also liked the character of Brooke.
Trigger warnings for Two Can Keep a Secret include some underage drinking, profanities, some sexual innuendos, violence, attempted murder, and murder.
Overall, Two Can Keep a Secret isn't as good as One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus. However, it's still a great read. It has some great plot twists and well written characters. I would definitely recommend Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus to those aged 16+ who love a good mystery.
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(A special thank you to Delacorte Press for providing me with a hardback of Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Alice (117 KP) rated Two Can Keep a Secret in Books
Mar 3, 2021
I AM SHOOK! When I went into this I wasn't loving it as much as One Of Us Is Lying and it took me a little longer to get in to but that's because the strength of OOUIL lies in the characters and I just wasn't as connected to the characters in this one but HOLY SMOKES THAT ENDING. Karen M McManus has such a gift for keeping you hooked on a story and still be left surprised by the ending. Let's just say this one was *darker* than OOUIL.
Ronnie (304 KP) rated One of Us Is Next in Books
Mar 22, 2020
Exceeded my expectatations
Karen M. McManus brings us One Of Us Is Next, the sequel to her best-selling book, One Of Us Is Lying. The book picks up at Bayview high where everyone is still reeling from the death of school gossip boy, Simon Kelleher a year ago, when a copycat decides to open up a school-wide game of lethal truth or dare. Choosing truth reveals your darkest secrets but dare gets fatally dangerous quickly.
One Of Us Is Lying is easily one of my favourite books of all time, so I was over the moon when I found out there was going to be a sequel. I was nervous that One Of Us Is Next wouldn’t live up to my extremely high expectations, but it exceeded them. It’s always risky for an author to revisit old characters in a new story, but Karen M. McManus does it exceptionally well. I found myself completely hooked by the book and I had no idea who was behind the game of truth or dare. It was great to see new relationships form throughout the book and watch broken relationships heal. I will admit that it took me a while to get through the book, as I struggled to remember who many of the characters were and what role they played in the first book.
One Of Us Is Lying is easily one of my favourite books of all time, so I was over the moon when I found out there was going to be a sequel. I was nervous that One Of Us Is Next wouldn’t live up to my extremely high expectations, but it exceeded them. It’s always risky for an author to revisit old characters in a new story, but Karen M. McManus does it exceptionally well. I found myself completely hooked by the book and I had no idea who was behind the game of truth or dare. It was great to see new relationships form throughout the book and watch broken relationships heal. I will admit that it took me a while to get through the book, as I struggled to remember who many of the characters were and what role they played in the first book.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated One of us is Lying in Books
Sep 6, 2018
The Pacings (2 more)
The Plot
The Characters
A Great Read!
I forgot how I came across One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus, but I'm really glad I did. This story pulled me in right from the start and never let go!
The pacing for One of Us Is Lying is fantastic. I was fully immersed in the story as soon as I read the first sentence. Never did the pacing falter. It was quick and enjoyable. This was one of those books where I wished real life could have left me alone so I could have finished it in one sitting.
I found the plot for One of Us Is Lying to be very interesting. I enjoyed how it kind of felt like The Breakfast Club movie, but it was much much more interesting. It was good to see a group of kids from different backgrounds coming together instead of blaming each other for once. Usually in young adult novels, there's so much bickering. That wasn't the case in One of Us Is Lying. There are a few plot twists. I did figure out who the murderer was very early in the book. I felt like it was kind of obvious. However, there was one major plot twist I didn't predict. I feel like this book does tie up all loose ends.
The world building was done very well. I thought the author, Karen M. McManus, did a great job in writing about a high school setting as well as a criminal setting. Everything felt very real. I felt like I was one of the teens being accused of murder. Everything felt personal to me which is definitely a good thing. I've never been interrogated by the police, but McManus made me feel like I was in the interrogation room each time was of the teens was questioned. I can't fault the world building one bit. It is solid.
I loved the characters in One of Us is Lying. I also loved how diverse a lot of the characters were. I think my favorite character, overall, was Cooper. Maybe it's because we're both southern, but I just loved him. He seemed so caring and sweet. I also enjoyed the other characters of Nate, Bronwyn, and Addy as well. It was nice to see the homecoming princess as not just a one dimensional person. All of the characters were thoroughly fleshed out. Character development was spot on.
Trigger warnings include death, drugs, some violence, and swearing.
All in all, One of Us Is Lying was such a fantastic read. I enjoyed it more than I thought I was going to. It's got a great cast of characters, an interesting plot, and the world building is fantastic. I would definitely recommend One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus to everyone aged 14+.
The pacing for One of Us Is Lying is fantastic. I was fully immersed in the story as soon as I read the first sentence. Never did the pacing falter. It was quick and enjoyable. This was one of those books where I wished real life could have left me alone so I could have finished it in one sitting.
I found the plot for One of Us Is Lying to be very interesting. I enjoyed how it kind of felt like The Breakfast Club movie, but it was much much more interesting. It was good to see a group of kids from different backgrounds coming together instead of blaming each other for once. Usually in young adult novels, there's so much bickering. That wasn't the case in One of Us Is Lying. There are a few plot twists. I did figure out who the murderer was very early in the book. I felt like it was kind of obvious. However, there was one major plot twist I didn't predict. I feel like this book does tie up all loose ends.
The world building was done very well. I thought the author, Karen M. McManus, did a great job in writing about a high school setting as well as a criminal setting. Everything felt very real. I felt like I was one of the teens being accused of murder. Everything felt personal to me which is definitely a good thing. I've never been interrogated by the police, but McManus made me feel like I was in the interrogation room each time was of the teens was questioned. I can't fault the world building one bit. It is solid.
I loved the characters in One of Us is Lying. I also loved how diverse a lot of the characters were. I think my favorite character, overall, was Cooper. Maybe it's because we're both southern, but I just loved him. He seemed so caring and sweet. I also enjoyed the other characters of Nate, Bronwyn, and Addy as well. It was nice to see the homecoming princess as not just a one dimensional person. All of the characters were thoroughly fleshed out. Character development was spot on.
Trigger warnings include death, drugs, some violence, and swearing.
All in all, One of Us Is Lying was such a fantastic read. I enjoyed it more than I thought I was going to. It's got a great cast of characters, an interesting plot, and the world building is fantastic. I would definitely recommend One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus to everyone aged 14+.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated One of us is Lying in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review </i>
Inspired by <i>The Breakfast Club</i>, Karen M. McManus has set the stakes high with her debut novel <i>One of Us is Lying</i>. Taking typical young adult themes and adding a mix of mystery has resulted in a gripping book that intrigues as well as entertains the reader.
Five high school students find themselves in afterschool detention, but only four of them leave alive. Simon Kelleher suffers a fatal allergic reaction after drinking from a cup laced with peanut oil. It is clear that someone intentionally caused Simon’s death, but who, and why? The remaining four students are the immediate suspects, but they all claim to have nothing to do with it.
The main characters are all walking teen movie stereotypes. Bronwyn is a typical geek, getting high marks in all her exams. Cooper, the jock, is destined to become an exceptional baseball player. “Princess” Addy is perfect and popular, looking down on anyone who does not fit in with her social group. And then there is Nate, the drug dealer who is currently on probation for his reckless and capricious behaviour. Naturally, it is Nate that is the most suspect, but as certain secrets come to light, the others begin to look just as guilty.
Simon was known for his gossip app that revealed shaming secrets of students at Bayview High. As the police investigation begins, it is discovered that the four suspects were due to have their failings exposed in the next app update, thus giving them each a motive. However, the four are adamant that they were not involved and are desperate to clear their name. So, simultaneously with the police inquiry, the Bayview Four dedicate their time to unearthing the real culprit.
As the four unlikely friends become closer, romance blossoms and personalities alter, leaving no one unchanged. Gone are the original stereotypes. Despite upsetting circumstances, Bronwyn, Cooper, Addy and Nate are given the chance to discover who they truly are, and not just what society labels them. Putting aside the potential ruination of their futures, Simon’s death has serendipitous results for the suspects, or rather, the victims.
Nothing is given away during the narrative until the closing paragraphs, leaving readers guessing all the way through. Admittedly, I did entertain the thought of true culprit toward the beginning of the story, but McManus throws in so many red herrings and possible motives that the main suspect is constantly changing.
Dealing with themes of drugs, alcoholism, suicide and homosexuality,<i> One of Us is Lying</i> covers far more than a general murder mystery story. Some authors forget about the characters’ lives, only focusing on the plot at hand, however, McManus was far more detailed in the backgrounds of the four students, making it possible to understand and sympathise with each character.
<i>One of Us is Lying</i> shows how unfair the justice system can be, and although the saying is “innocent until proven guilty”, it is not often easy when every little move is judged and analysed by the police.
With a satisfying ending, Karen M. McManus’ introduction to the literary world is a significant taste of potential works to come. With a deep insight into young adult minds, McManus successfully connects with the reader, drawing them into a world that is hard to shake off. <i>One of Us is Lying</i> is definitely a book to look out for.
Inspired by <i>The Breakfast Club</i>, Karen M. McManus has set the stakes high with her debut novel <i>One of Us is Lying</i>. Taking typical young adult themes and adding a mix of mystery has resulted in a gripping book that intrigues as well as entertains the reader.
Five high school students find themselves in afterschool detention, but only four of them leave alive. Simon Kelleher suffers a fatal allergic reaction after drinking from a cup laced with peanut oil. It is clear that someone intentionally caused Simon’s death, but who, and why? The remaining four students are the immediate suspects, but they all claim to have nothing to do with it.
The main characters are all walking teen movie stereotypes. Bronwyn is a typical geek, getting high marks in all her exams. Cooper, the jock, is destined to become an exceptional baseball player. “Princess” Addy is perfect and popular, looking down on anyone who does not fit in with her social group. And then there is Nate, the drug dealer who is currently on probation for his reckless and capricious behaviour. Naturally, it is Nate that is the most suspect, but as certain secrets come to light, the others begin to look just as guilty.
Simon was known for his gossip app that revealed shaming secrets of students at Bayview High. As the police investigation begins, it is discovered that the four suspects were due to have their failings exposed in the next app update, thus giving them each a motive. However, the four are adamant that they were not involved and are desperate to clear their name. So, simultaneously with the police inquiry, the Bayview Four dedicate their time to unearthing the real culprit.
As the four unlikely friends become closer, romance blossoms and personalities alter, leaving no one unchanged. Gone are the original stereotypes. Despite upsetting circumstances, Bronwyn, Cooper, Addy and Nate are given the chance to discover who they truly are, and not just what society labels them. Putting aside the potential ruination of their futures, Simon’s death has serendipitous results for the suspects, or rather, the victims.
Nothing is given away during the narrative until the closing paragraphs, leaving readers guessing all the way through. Admittedly, I did entertain the thought of true culprit toward the beginning of the story, but McManus throws in so many red herrings and possible motives that the main suspect is constantly changing.
Dealing with themes of drugs, alcoholism, suicide and homosexuality,<i> One of Us is Lying</i> covers far more than a general murder mystery story. Some authors forget about the characters’ lives, only focusing on the plot at hand, however, McManus was far more detailed in the backgrounds of the four students, making it possible to understand and sympathise with each character.
<i>One of Us is Lying</i> shows how unfair the justice system can be, and although the saying is “innocent until proven guilty”, it is not often easy when every little move is judged and analysed by the police.
With a satisfying ending, Karen M. McManus’ introduction to the literary world is a significant taste of potential works to come. With a deep insight into young adult minds, McManus successfully connects with the reader, drawing them into a world that is hard to shake off. <i>One of Us is Lying</i> is definitely a book to look out for.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Cousins in Books
Dec 21, 2020
Whenever Karen McManus releases a book, I feel obligated to read it since I loved her first book, One of Us Is Lying. I also read the sequel, Two Can Keep a Secret. When The Cousins was released, it was one of those books that I had to read. While it wasn't as good of a read as her first two books, it was still a decent book.
Mildred Story cut ties with all of her children twenty-four years prior. All of her children swear they have no idea what they did to be cut off. However, when Mildred's grandchild receive a letter from Mildred inviting them to stay and work on her island, her grandchildren are a little suspicious but end up going. However, when they decide to try to figure out the mystery, things take a dangerous turn.
The plot really reeled me in. I love a good mystery, so The Cousins was right up my alley. While the story did flow together really well, I felt that the pacing was a bit on the slow side. It wasn't painfully slow, but it made it where The Cousins wasn't one of those books where you can't put it down. I guess I was just hoping for more action. There were a few plot twists which were a bit unpredictable which was enjoyable. The setting and world building were done nicely. It was easy to feel like I was on the island with everything that was going on. I enjoyed the flashbacks from Mildred's children - Adam, Anders, Archer, and Allison. I felt like there were no cliff hangers and that all my questions were answered by the end of the book. I suppose McManus could make a sequel from this book, but I think that this book would be better left as a standalone.
The characters in The Cousins were written decently enough although I never really cared too much for any one character. I just had a hard time relating to any of the characters, so it was hard to really care for them. Milly came across as being too standoffish and stuck up a lot of the time. While I liked that she wasn't afraid to speak her mind, sometimes I felt like she went a bit overboard. Jonah was an alright character, but I felt like he lacked enough depth to really like him. I just felt like there was something missing with his backstory. Aubrey was an okay character too, but I felt like she wasn't much of a main character. I would have liked to see more of Aubrey because I felt like she didn't really add anything to the story and that her character was kind of pointless. Aubrey's character felt more like a filler in the book. I would have also liked to see more scenes with Mildred as she isn't in many. Knowing the whole story, I can see why she wasn't as present, but it would have been nice to at least have her in the book a bit more.
Trigger warnings for The Cousins include swearing, murder, death, minor violence, drinking (including underage), miscarriage, and teenage pregnancy,
Overall, The Cousins does have an interesting plot despite the execution. The world building is done fantastically, and the plot twists are plentiful. I would recommend The Cousins by Karen M. McManus to those aged 15+ that like mysteries.
Mildred Story cut ties with all of her children twenty-four years prior. All of her children swear they have no idea what they did to be cut off. However, when Mildred's grandchild receive a letter from Mildred inviting them to stay and work on her island, her grandchildren are a little suspicious but end up going. However, when they decide to try to figure out the mystery, things take a dangerous turn.
The plot really reeled me in. I love a good mystery, so The Cousins was right up my alley. While the story did flow together really well, I felt that the pacing was a bit on the slow side. It wasn't painfully slow, but it made it where The Cousins wasn't one of those books where you can't put it down. I guess I was just hoping for more action. There were a few plot twists which were a bit unpredictable which was enjoyable. The setting and world building were done nicely. It was easy to feel like I was on the island with everything that was going on. I enjoyed the flashbacks from Mildred's children - Adam, Anders, Archer, and Allison. I felt like there were no cliff hangers and that all my questions were answered by the end of the book. I suppose McManus could make a sequel from this book, but I think that this book would be better left as a standalone.
The characters in The Cousins were written decently enough although I never really cared too much for any one character. I just had a hard time relating to any of the characters, so it was hard to really care for them. Milly came across as being too standoffish and stuck up a lot of the time. While I liked that she wasn't afraid to speak her mind, sometimes I felt like she went a bit overboard. Jonah was an alright character, but I felt like he lacked enough depth to really like him. I just felt like there was something missing with his backstory. Aubrey was an okay character too, but I felt like she wasn't much of a main character. I would have liked to see more of Aubrey because I felt like she didn't really add anything to the story and that her character was kind of pointless. Aubrey's character felt more like a filler in the book. I would have also liked to see more scenes with Mildred as she isn't in many. Knowing the whole story, I can see why she wasn't as present, but it would have been nice to at least have her in the book a bit more.
Trigger warnings for The Cousins include swearing, murder, death, minor violence, drinking (including underage), miscarriage, and teenage pregnancy,
Overall, The Cousins does have an interesting plot despite the execution. The world building is done fantastically, and the plot twists are plentiful. I would recommend The Cousins by Karen M. McManus to those aged 15+ that like mysteries.
Uptown Oracle (24 KP) rated One of us is Lying in Books
Jan 13, 2018
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.
I received One of Us is Lying* by Karen M. McManus as an e-book from the publisher, Penguin Random House, via Netgalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Uptown Oracle Reviews
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.
I received One of Us is Lying* by Karen M. McManus as an e-book from the publisher, Penguin Random House, via Netgalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Uptown Oracle Reviews
Amanda (96 KP) rated People Like Us in Books
Mar 12, 2019
Ever watched that show Pretty Little Liars or Riverdale (RIP Luke Perry) and think to yourself, this is such a stupid teenager drama show...and yet I can't stop watching or I need to know what happens next? This book doesn't read like Riverdale, but it definitely reads like an episode or another book of Pretty Little Liars. I will say that it reads like that, and a little like Karen M. McManus' novel, One of Us is Lying.
So we have Katherine "Kay" at a boarding school called, Bates. She's there for a soccer and hopes to get an athletic scholarship. One night, her and her few friends come across a body, a student and things begin to unravel about Kay and now she's being blackmailed.
Here's Kay in a nutshell. She DID NOT come from money, though she is trying her best to dress and act the part - including being the bully. It's hard to say if she goes a long with most of the stuff her friends did and said, or if she is genuinely a 'mean girl'. Although, after a prank that was her idea comes to play, my sympathy for her slowly weakens.
She gets a link to this revenge blog and it works along with algorithm that if she doesn't get a student off the class roster (meaning getting them expelled) then information about her is leaked to the police that could put her in prison. How it works is the blog is a stove and it opens for a 'recipe'. The recipe is a poem and sometimes had photos or information that incriminates her friends. One of them, for example, hints that one of her friends cheats on her tests.
To add to the drama, Kay struggles with her romantic feelings for her best friend (though I often wonder why) Brie whom has a girlfriend. They've gone through the whole will they or will they not bit, and although Brie has a girlfriend, Kay still struggles. She also has conflicting feelings for her ex-boyfriend, Spencer, who cheated on her...oddly enough with the student they found dead.
Kay's life is one long soap opera. She harbors a secret about her brother's murder and her best friend's suicide (before she was shipped to Bates). Her and her group of friends makes me think of the reasons of why I didn't hang out with a group of girls growing up. They are catty and vengeful. Sometimes guys aren't any better, but I had more guy friends than I did girl friends growing up.
I dozed off on most of the book because Kay started babbling on about certain things that just didn't keep my interest. The more she told her story the more intrigued I did get, but in the end, I still couldn't really feel much for her. I'm not sure if that was the intention of the story - perhaps if it were, it wouldn't be told by Kay. The characters were not likable, but I think that was the point.
I didn't even care for Brie whom is basically the only NICE girl in the whole bunch. I can understand her being hurt by Kay (and Kay has said and done some things to warrant that), but at the same time, I wonder what it is about her that has Kay wanting her so badly.
I liked Nola for a moment because she was a computer nerd and liked literature, but that didn't last long at all. The only character I felt for was a cat named Hunter...poor kitty.
The story as a whole wasn't bad. Each side story came around in full circle and nothing was left out or left unresolved. I didn't even have a problem with how it ended, because honestly, how else would it have ended? Kay expresses regret for her actions and the things she has said, but if the story were to continue into a book two, I better see some major growth from everything she endured.
So we have Katherine "Kay" at a boarding school called, Bates. She's there for a soccer and hopes to get an athletic scholarship. One night, her and her few friends come across a body, a student and things begin to unravel about Kay and now she's being blackmailed.
Here's Kay in a nutshell. She DID NOT come from money, though she is trying her best to dress and act the part - including being the bully. It's hard to say if she goes a long with most of the stuff her friends did and said, or if she is genuinely a 'mean girl'. Although, after a prank that was her idea comes to play, my sympathy for her slowly weakens.
She gets a link to this revenge blog and it works along with algorithm that if she doesn't get a student off the class roster (meaning getting them expelled) then information about her is leaked to the police that could put her in prison. How it works is the blog is a stove and it opens for a 'recipe'. The recipe is a poem and sometimes had photos or information that incriminates her friends. One of them, for example, hints that one of her friends cheats on her tests.
To add to the drama, Kay struggles with her romantic feelings for her best friend (though I often wonder why) Brie whom has a girlfriend. They've gone through the whole will they or will they not bit, and although Brie has a girlfriend, Kay still struggles. She also has conflicting feelings for her ex-boyfriend, Spencer, who cheated on her...oddly enough with the student they found dead.
Kay's life is one long soap opera. She harbors a secret about her brother's murder and her best friend's suicide (before she was shipped to Bates). Her and her group of friends makes me think of the reasons of why I didn't hang out with a group of girls growing up. They are catty and vengeful. Sometimes guys aren't any better, but I had more guy friends than I did girl friends growing up.
I dozed off on most of the book because Kay started babbling on about certain things that just didn't keep my interest. The more she told her story the more intrigued I did get, but in the end, I still couldn't really feel much for her. I'm not sure if that was the intention of the story - perhaps if it were, it wouldn't be told by Kay. The characters were not likable, but I think that was the point.
I didn't even care for Brie whom is basically the only NICE girl in the whole bunch. I can understand her being hurt by Kay (and Kay has said and done some things to warrant that), but at the same time, I wonder what it is about her that has Kay wanting her so badly.
I liked Nola for a moment because she was a computer nerd and liked literature, but that didn't last long at all. The only character I felt for was a cat named Hunter...poor kitty.
The story as a whole wasn't bad. Each side story came around in full circle and nothing was left out or left unresolved. I didn't even have a problem with how it ended, because honestly, how else would it have ended? Kay expresses regret for her actions and the things she has said, but if the story were to continue into a book two, I better see some major growth from everything she endured.