One of Us Is Lying (One of Us Is Lying #1) by Karen M. McManus - Restarting April 5th 2024

[Lane]

25%

(view spoiler)[ An interesting twist on the whodunnit scenario with a completely unsympathetic murder victim. I think it's Addy because she seems the most scared of losing something. Her dependence on Jake is extreme. Nate doesn't seem that scared of getting pegged. Cooper clearly has more than one secret that not even Simon knew about. And Bronwyn seems scared to lose Yale, but seems to focused on other things to really worry about Simon. I think Simon himself planted the phones though as some little game to get them all there and then reveal he knew their secrets. (hide spoiler)]

[Lane]

50%

(view spoiler)[ I actually like the relationship between Nate and Bronwyn. He needs some stability and she needs so fun. I no longer think it was Addy. But I think Maeve is definitely involved. And Cooper seems to be the only one denying his allegation, so I wonder what his real secret is. (hide spoiler)]

[Lane]

75%

(view spoiler)[ I'd like to point out it's not a constitutional right to not be outed by the police, it's just in general a terribly crappy thing to do. Happy Addy finally has a backbone and Luis really came through surprisingly. I was not expecting him to be the good one in that friend group. Still think it was Maeve. (hide spoiler)]

[Lane]

83%

(view spoiler)[ Okay I finally have someone I think did it - TJ. Apparently Addy's book made it into his backpack, which I think he put there so he would have a reason to come to her house to hang out. Which seems innocent, but everyone's phones were put in backpacks and it seems like a trend. And Addy told Jake the donut thing but TJ and Jake were still friends at that point and he might have told TJ that as well. And TJ would have a reason to want to hide the truth about him and Addy. And it would make sense he really though Cooper was juicing. (hide spoiler)]

[Lane]

Finished

(view spoiler)[ I was really thinking it would be more intricate than Simon just killing himself, but I guess this is Thirteen Reasons Why murder mystery edition. I really don't like revenge suicide plots much. (hide spoiler)]

[Raven]

Starting the book now. Hope it's fun :)

[Raven]

22% (view spoiler)[ So far, so good. I love mystery books with highschool settings. I am wondering who killed Simon though. Everyone seems to have secrets, except Nate- his affairs seems quite open. Also, I hate Adelaide's mom! Keeps on hitting on every guy she sees, ugh. (hide spoiler)]

[Raven]

40% (view spoiler)[ I wonder what secrets Cooper is hiding though? Who's this Kris person? Also, I just ADORE the relationship between Nate and Bronwyn. They are too cute. Also, I feel maybe, Simon suicided. Or maybe, his friend Janae killed him? But I am not sure though. I am glad Adelaide and Jake broke up, she was depended on him, like he was her life. I love how supportive, her sister Ashton is. (hide spoiler)]

[Raven]

60% (view spoiler)[ GODDAMN THAT PLOT TWIST! I AM SO SHAKEN! But I feel I saw it coming, but still it was an excellent one. I feel bad for Cooper though, it will be worse for his secret to come out. I love books which represent LGBTQIA+ community. Also, I feel none of them did it. I feel Maeve must be involved somehow. (hide spoiler)]

[Raven]

82% (view spoiler)[ This plot twists are killing me, THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD. I never expected Jake to be a suspect though. Why I feel Simon was gay, and had a thing for Jake? (I forgot who he was best friends with.) (hide spoiler)]

[Raven]

Finished (view spoiler)[ God, that was good. That was too good. I rarely like books like this, but I loved it. I loved Addy, she was totally badass. Also, I don't feel sorry for Simon. Depressed or not, you have no right to mess with other people's lives. That's sick. I felt most bad for poor Nate, it was the worst for him. The end was just perfect. (hide spoiler)]

[Isha]

Just started reading and am finished with Chapter 1. I can already see that someone definitely set this all up. I wonder who and why...

[Isha]

Chapter 1-3

(view spoiler)[There is definitely some kind of conspiracy happening! I kind of feel like someone besides the four kids are involved in Simon's death. It just feels to convenient that all the EpiPens were gone when they needed them AND that car crash happened making the teacher go outside. And the phones being put in their bags. Seems like a set up. Hmmm.... (hide spoiler)]

[Isha]

Chapter 4-8

(view spoiler)[I love getting to find out all of their secrets. I'm not the biggest fan of Jake right now, and actually hope TJ and her end up together. Also, shipping Nate and Bronwyn right now! My gues for the killer is someone on the outskirts. Maybe Jake? Or Simon's friend (the goth girl)? (hide spoiler)]

[Isha]

Chapter 9-11

(view spoiler)[ I still don't know how I feel about Addy's character. Out of the four, she's my least favorite. I will say, I feel bad about how her 'friends' are treating her. On another note, I love Nate and Bronwyn together! And as far as Cooper and Kris goes, I feel like it's more than what we should be expecting. The question is.. what? (hide spoiler)]

[Ryn]

A little late to the *apparently nonexistent) party because my book was not in on time but WOW it started off great! It really is like the Breakfast Club... with this insane, sort of horrible twist. (view spoiler)[ I didn't expect to actually be in the room in a character's perspective when Simon died; I figured they were just going to find him at the end so anyone could have done it and no one was talking. But they all acted like it was a shock to them too. So one of them is lying inside their heads to the readers or something else is going on. (hide spoiler)] We all packed too many books into the start of the month, hahah... but don't miss this one guys... it looks like it is going to be ah-MAZE-ingggg

[Joi]

I just finished it and I loveeeeed it. The "reveal" kinda made me mad but I still enjoyed it.

[Isha]

Chapter 12-17

(view spoiler)[I take back what I said before. I'm starting to really like Addy. Now, I find Cooper to be the most suspicious. I still don't know what he's hiding and still no update about who Kris is. And OMG. BRONWYN AND NATE. LOVE THEM TOGETHER. They are definitely my favorite perspectives to read. I'm also glad they are finally talking about how suspicious the day Simon died was. It took them long enough! (hide spoiler)]

[Isha]

Chapter 18-23

(view spoiler)[I totally saw Cooper being Gay coming. I had a feeling that Kris was going to be his boyfriend. I love how Bronwyn, Addy, Nate, and Cooper all come together at the end of Chapter 23. I wish there were more elements of the actual investigation and them trying to figure out who did it. Up until now the book has just been about their secrets. (hide spoiler)]

[Kate]

Isha wrote: "Chapter 1-3

[spoilers removed]"

One thing I've noticed about these kinds of stories is that the (view spoiler)[most obvious suspect is the one who turns up innocent. So somehow, I don't think Nate did it. And I really hope not. But yes, the phones were definitely a setup! (hide spoiler)]

[Isha]

Chapter 23-End

(view spoiler)[OMG when Nate got arrested I got soooooo mad. I knew he didn't do it though, it's way too obvious. The big reveal was kind of shocking but not in the way that I expected. Simon's reasoning was a bit petty but I could get past that. The thing that was annoying was how Jake was just willing to go along with everything. And the very end between Nate and Bronwyn made me scream at the book. Thankfully the epilogue made it all better! Great book! (hide spoiler)]

[Kate]

End of Part Two (Chapter 10-18)

(view spoiler)[So many secrets getting revealed, but I didn't think any of those were enough for Simon's death. It even seemed like getting accused of murder was a blessing in disguise for these 4. Addy finally having the balls to stand up to Jake, Cooper having the guts to break up with Keely, and the Nate and Bronwyn love story!! I have a couple of people I suspect, but not really strong enough so I'm excited to move forward with the story. (hide spoiler)]

[Kate]

End of Chapter 29

(view spoiler)[I appreciate Addy trying to be brazen and all, but it almost cost her her life. Jake is creepy. Being controlling over Addy is already a signal that something's not right. (hide spoiler)]

[Kate]

The end

(view spoiler)[I wasn't expecting that reveal. Glad things are not only back to normal, but better than it was before. Bronwyn and Nate's love story is my favorite in this book so ending on that positive note made me happy! (hide spoiler)]

[Ryn]

Wow, if I ever have to teach about unreliable narrator again, this book is going to be at the top of my list. So very fun. It's interesting to me that (view spoiler)[ Addy and Bronwyn both fessed up immediately to the accusations Simon made in his post. Nate and Cooper didn't. Nate is the obvious scapegoat, so maybe not him so that leaves Cooper. But of course it doesn't FEEL like any of them did it, except Addy the brainless who knows all about peanut oil. I can't really feel like any of them did it; the whole thing feels like a setup but who? Maeve? Mr. Avery? I haven't had this much fun with a mystery in ages (hide spoiler)]

[Ryn]

@Isha (view spoiler)[ I sorta suspect the goth girl friend too. Hadn't thought of Jake but that's not a bad idea; he's arrogant enough to be writing the Tumblr posts. (hide spoiler)]

[faith]

joining in on this buddy read!

[Stormy]

Start this about an hour ago

[Stormy]

(view spoiler)[ I knew Simon was going to die now we're guessing game of who killed him we will just have to wait and see to (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Stormy]

(view spoiler)[ I'm finding that is a bit difficult remembering who is who but I'm sure this will get easier as the book goes on (hide spoiler)]

[Stormy]

(view spoiler)[ this is definitely a setup how could all the EpiPen to go missing and with the kids are having phones what were there is somebody definitely set them up to be in that tension room and also for them cars to run into each other to get the teacher out of the classroom (hide spoiler)]

[Ryn]

Okay, maybe I should have been ready but I TOTALLY did not see coming that (view spoiler)[ Coop was gay. Definitely has something to hide but why wasn't that what Simon went after? And is he on the juice or not? He keeps denying it but who knows who is telling the truth and who isn't. He's got a lot of chutzpah looking people dead in the face and lying about it if that's what he's doing. I'm getting a little confused among lawyers and reporters, but the author's doing a good job of defining the main characters well enough that I'm not having really any trouble keeping them straight. (hide spoiler)]

[Ryn]

Fin
You know... there was one point earlier when I said to myself (view spoiler)[ maybe he offed himself, and then I just sort of shrugged it off. Pegged Jake writing the Tumblrs though :D I didn't really care for the ending with Nate and Bronwyn even with the epilogue but I'm glad it worked out for them. It's kind of nice from a YA standpoint that none of the characters we like actually did anything wrong, so we can hate the "bad kids" with impunity. Although I'm having a hard time buying Jake. 1. He's such an "ideal" boyfriend and then does a complete 180 into psycho. I also had a hard time buying that he already knew Addy had cheated and kept his cool so completely and well until she told him and THEN lost his mind. It seemed out of character that he could keep it a secret so well; it implies some sort of serious crazy that's hard to reconcile with this absolutely perfect front he seems to have going. (hide spoiler)] Still really enjoyed this book -- I haven't had so much fun with a mystery in ages, and it's such an easy sell to basically anyone... "Five kids walk into detention... only four walk out." Sold.

[Ryn]

PS Was it slightly (view spoiler)[ a copout that Simon offed himself? I did like the creative twist on the school shooter idea, especially since it basically failed completely -- all of the kids he went after came away stronger. And I thought the tweet from Yale to Bronwyn was really cute. (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

Joining a little late since I finally got my copy after being on hold since march 22nd

[Amanda]

1-6 (view spoiler)[okay im looking for clues everywhere.so far it seems like everyone has secrets... a lot of people have motive. (hide spoiler)]

[Stormy]

Sorry everyone I can't finish this work I hate how it jumps from character to character and that just confuses me as I can't remember who's who

[Amanda]

End of part one (view spoiler)[ So... i kinda feel bad for each of the characters.. like i really see how their lives truly are. Still dont see who would have killed him.. maybe Bronwyn or Cooper? Bc those two had the most to lose. Although cooper thought his post would be worse than what it was. Idk! (hide spoiler)]

[faith]

20% // pg. 72
(view spoiler)[the book’s been super engaging so far!! though it’s kind of hard learning everyone’s names since there are four perspective and they all have a lot of friends.

i’m suspecting Abby as the killer. she’s apparently “the only one who never did anything” while Simon was dying (which was sad, by the way), and two of the characters suspect her. she was also in the nurse’s office, but she pretended not to remember. and the only other character i’m suspicious about is Bronwyn, but that was when Abby was narrating, and i don’t know if i can trust her or not. (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

End of part 2 (view spoiler)[ holy shit. Okay so I dont think addy did it bc her life is actually better now without jake in it. And holy shit i didnt expect cooper to be gay! It's gotta be one of the other 3 besides addy. Jake was really a controlling asshole. I feel bad for addy because so much of her identity was wrapped up in him and now she has to figure out who she really is but im also super proud. Oh and nates mom is alive?! I dont think he knew. She had the mental illness so shes totally the type to fake that. (hide spoiler)] sidenote-- i have been so annoyed that ive had plans since i started this because this is the kind of novel you can read in one sitting.

[Amanda]

End of 21 here are my notes and highlights so far.

59%(view spoiler)[
Once my heart finds a comfortable pounding rhythm, I remember how it almost beat out of my chest when I confessed to cheating on Jake. I’d never felt so trapped in my life. I thought I’d feel the same way in his living room today, waiting for him to tell me again I’m not good enough. But I didn’t, and I don’t. For the first time in a long time, I feel free.

Hell yeah girl. You're free of that controlling asshole. (hide spoiler)]

59%(view spoiler)[
The four of us ended up almost in a line, walking toward the back entrance. The whole thing barely took a minute—just enough time for one of our classmates to record a phone video that wound up on TMZ that night. They ran it in slo-mo with the song “Kids” by MGMT playing in the background, like we’re some kind of hip high school murder club without a care in the world. The thing went viral within a day.

Lol (hide spoiler)]

60%(view spoiler)[
It’s not like I wanted her dead. But I thought she probably was, or would be soon. And it was easier than saying, or thinking, the truth. She’s a coke addict who ran off to some commune in Oregon and hasn’t talked to me since. So when people started asking where my mother was, I lied. By the time it hit me how fucked up a response that was, it was too late to take it back.

That is so twisted i almost wonder if he did it now (hide spoiler)]

61%(view spoiler)[
“The first seven years of the Joshua tree’s life, it’s just a vertical stem. No branches,” she told me while we were hiking. “It takes years before it blooms. And every branching stem stops growing after it blossoms, so you’ve got this complex system of dead areas and new growth.” I used to think about that, sometimes, when I wondered what parts of her might still be alive.

(hide spoiler)]

62%(view spoiler)[
“Wanna go upstairs with us and trip for a while?”

Ignorance on the authors part here.. acid lasts for 8 to 12 hours and is very infrequently a party drug. Learn drug culture if youre going to include it in your story (hide spoiler)]

62%(view spoiler)[
Thing is—it was this lie I told because it was easier than the truth. And because I half believed it, anyway. I didn’t think she’d ever come back. Then once you say something like that, how do you unsay it? You look like a fucking psycho at that point.”

yeah, good point. Not exactly the time you want to look like a psycho..
(hide spoiler)]
63%(view spoiler)[
“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.”

Damn that's cute. Weird time to start a relationship tho.. (hide spoiler)]

65%(view spoiler)[
“How’s Bronwyn handling all this?” Nope. Every time I think about Bronwyn my body reacts like I’m back on the couch in her media room—heart pounding, blood rushing, skin tingling. I’m not about to turn the one good thing that’s come out of this mess into yet another awkward conversation with my mother.

Ya i get it now.. (hide spoiler)]

66%(view spoiler)[
Leah stares right back, and I can’t make out the expression that crosses her face. It’s almost…triumphant? “Obviously I do.”

suspecctttttttt (hide spoiler)]

67%(view spoiler)[
Janae’s hand shoots out and locks around her wrist, almost knocking her phone from her hand. “How would you know that?” she hisses,

Suspect number 6... (hide spoiler)]

68%(view spoiler)[
Janae clears her throat and says, “Could I have something to drink?”

She's totally going to look through your shit. (hide spoiler)]


Damn this is getting so good.

[faith]

40% // pg. 144
(view spoiler)[i’m suspicious of everyone now!! they’re all acting so shady, but only for a sentence or two each so you have to pay really close attention. but i have a new theory that it might have been Simon’s friend Jadea. apparently, she was his only friend, so she might have been able to see his post about the four mc’s and planted the cell phones.

it also could have been Bronwyn, though. i feel like she has the most to lose. she could not go to her dream college, and she has a reputation as the “good-girl,” too. and her sister Maeve is apparently good at hacking, so she could have seen Simon’s post before it went up. Bronwyn is definitely smart enough to have orchestrated this whole thing.

one thing that really has me curious is how Simon finds all of his information. Abby/TJ and Bronwyn apparently never told anyone about their secrets, so i have no idea how he could have found that out. (hide spoiler)]

[faith]

60% // pg. 216
(view spoiler)[still suspecting Bronwyn now, especially because of the post that Simon made about Maeve. it might be Janea, still, but probably Bronwyn. there aren’t very many scenes where she’s as attracted to Nate as he is to her, or as many scenes with Abby as Abby has with her, so the relationships might not even mean anything to her.

also, apparently Cooper is gay. (or bisexual?) so it’s probably not him because now he has an actual secret since he claims he didn’t take steroids. and Simon didn’t seem to know about this, plus his future wouldn’t really be affected by the steroids anyways, so he doesn’t really seem to have a motive for the killing. (hide spoiler)]

[Amanda]

Finished. (view spoiler)[ that ending was bull. So anticlimactic. I was ready to give this 5 stars for the way it had me playing detective. I am so annoyed. Oh and everyones life is better after being accused of FUCKING MURDER? When both Nate's parents were sober I was like, yeah, this is not real life. La dee fuckin da and rainbows. Nope. Not buyin it buddy. Ugh. (hide spoiler)] anyway here's my review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[faith]

80% // pg. 388
(view spoiler)[so Nate just got arrested? but the police won’t tell us why. maybe they found out about his bad parents or something? or about how Simon published something about someone close to Nate. i still don’t think it was him.

also, Simon doesn’t seem like a very nice person. at the beginning, he seemed like a funny, Leo Valdez-type person, but now that all this media coverage has gone out, he’s kind of bad?? he told a school shooter to use grenades instead of a gun, and didn’t even offer condolences or ANYTHING. he also ruined a lot of people’s lives like Maeve’s and Leah’s. (leah is kind of a legitimate suspect now, too) (hide spoiler)]

[faith]

finished.

[Sanah]

Chapter 1-2 (view spoiler)[ I like the multi-perspective aspect of the novel and how the four main characters have a backstory that connect with the other characters. The premise of the novel was really interesting and I already love this! (hide spoiler)]

[Sanah]

Chapter 4-6 (view spoiler)[ The suspense is killing me. I feel bad for Addie because her mom is crazy and her boyfriend is really possessive. Also Nate and Addie are really suspicious, but my money is on Addie killing Simon. She has the most to lose by Simon posting about her and it's usually never the bad guy (Nate in this case) (hide spoiler)]

[Sanah]

Chapter 10 (view spoiler)[ Everyone has so much to lose and the stakes are super high. Also Bronwyn and Nate seem like they'll end up together. Also kinda happy that Addie and Jake broke up. Not the way/why it happened, but Jake was really possessive and acted like he was in charge of her. She seems super guilty too... (hide spoiler)]

[Sanah]

End (view spoiler)[ I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT. Simon is a literal evil mastermind. He killed himself and got Jake and Janae to keep his legacy on basically. Also Jake should be locked up forever for trying to kill Addie and basically manipulating her, knowing what she did. Also Kris and Cooper are actual goals. Loved this book so much (hide spoiler)]