I tried really, really hard to enjoy this book. I got this on a day out with my aunt and was really excited to read it because I heard a girl talk about how much she loved it. Now, the same girl thought One of Us is Lying was good, so I don’t know why I listened, but I did.

Ellery and Ezra are twins who lived in California until their wannabe actress mom got put into rehab and they were forced to move in with their grandmother who lives in a small town named Echo Ridge. Echo Ridge was “put on the map” when a girl named Lacy was murdered a few days after she was crowned homecoming queen. The prime suspect in the murder investigation is a guy named Declan. Declan has a younger brother named Malcolm. Malcolm is a shy, introverted guy who just wants to be left alone and put out of the spotlight. Unfortunately, he gets pushed into the spotlight pretty often, and as soon as mysterious threats start and a girl goes missing, people assume it was him. Mainly because of his brother and the fact he was supposedly the last person to see her alive.

I was trying to think of something I genuinely liked about this book, and I spent days, weeks even trying to find something I thought was good but I honestly can’t. The most “redeemable” parts of this book were the Pretty Little Liars vibe, and how she somehow managed to make everything “click”.  Besides those two things I can’t think of anything to label as good. One of Us is Lying was definitely better and if you want to read anything by McManus please don’t read this.

There is too much I disliked about this book to put into words.  The plot was ok..ish but I felt like I was reading fanfiction and somehow nothing at the same time. the first 100 pages literally took me three weeks to read because it felt so slow. The next 223 pages were eh. Basically, the book from start to finish was slow, the “climax” was basically three pages of “will I reach the paper clip and the door in time?” and the “resolution” was some sort of party thing. It got confusing. The entire book Ellery was talking about how she is obsessed with true crime but she never really referenced cases like I hoped she would. Malcolm never really did anything other than sitting there and pointing out the obvious. I also feel like McManus really limited how much of the story we could have gotten. I know it’s exhausting writing from multiple perspectives because you have to get into the headspace of each character, but would it have killed her to let us see from Mia or Ezra’s perspective? In One of Us is Lying, she wrote from the perspective of like four or five people. Adam Silvera wrote from the perspective of two main characters while throwing in the perspectives of smaller characters to add to the story. There are so, so many ways she could have incorporated more perspectives and personalities.

The entire time I was reading this all I could think is: when will this end. I don’t normally use the word hate in my reviews, but I really hate this book. I recommend this to no one, ever, unless you want 323 pages of boredom and torture. I expected more.

 

 

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This book was not at all what I expected. Then again, I barely knew a thing about it when I got it. It was one of my good friends who repeatedly asked, and practically begged me to read it.

All the Bright Places is about Finch and Violet. Finch is known as a freak fascinated with music and death. Violet is a popular ex-cheerleader with a bright future in writing. The book opens with Finch up on a ledge he claims is six stories up at his school, for a while, he doesn’t realize there is a girl on the ledge with him. Violet becomes known as a hero for talking finch off the ledge even though they both know it was the other way around. This book explored the relationship that grows between them as they work on a project based on wandering their state.

First, I think there was a lot of good in this book. I really truly do, but I hate almost everyone in it. Violet, who I thought I was going to get attached to and really learn to love, ended up making me angry. I loved how they showed her grieving over the loss of her sister (not a spoiler since I’m pretty sure the information is in chapter one or two). Violets anger and grief definitely blinded her and kept her from making important connections and decisions throughout the story. I also really hated how everyone still treated Finch horribly after he was on a ledge six stories up yelling about wanting to jump. I don’t know if I’m reading the situation wrong, or if everyone is actually that stupid but, when someone says they wanna jump, and they are six stories up, they usually really wanna jump. Literally, everyone called him a freak repeatedly and many others ignored various cries for help. The distaste and hatred for all the characters was intensified by their complete neglect. There was a lot, and I mean A LOT of behaviors and  signs of depression. From obsessions with death to reckless behavior. It honestly worried me how much characters dismissed and over looked these things saying its “just how teens act.” Because no, “normal” teens are not thinking and reciting suicide notes constantly and writing them on sticky notes to put on their wall.

I generally try to start with positives but I figured why not switch it up. I loved how Violet grew with Finch. Together, Violet and Finch became better people. I also loved watching Violet get new and better friends. I didn’t love Violet, and I don’t exactly approve of her actions, but I honestly loved watching how new and old people in her life affected her and how she saw the world. I also really, really loved that Finch was a vegetarian. Maybe I’m just bias, okay, I definitely am but, having vegetarian representation in literature warms my heart.

In the end, I really did love this book. I look forward to reading Holding Up The Universe over the summer. I would recommend this book to any and all my friends that need a quick read that both disappointed and exceeded my expectations.

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Cover from goodreads