One Of Us Is Next by Karen M. McManus

Everyone knows the sequel is normally not as good as the original, right? Exceptions have been made, but for the most part we know what's coming. Especially in this day and age. I think every movie coming out is a sequel, part of a trilogy, or a remake of someone no one asked for. And at some point I think it's leaked into how I feel about books. I can read a great mystery or romance, then BOOM! It ends on a cliff hanger and then I realize, I've been bamboozled! It's part of some series I'm doomed to read till we get to the over drawn out end. So when I first read One Of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus, I LOVED it. It was fresh, a great mystery, and the ending actually surprised me. It was a YA mystery like none before. Then I saw a sequel was being written. I groaned, rolled my eyes, and knew it wouldn't be near as good as the first one. So I saw it was at the library and placed my hold. I wanted to read it but I was keeping my expectations in check. Last night I read it in about 3 hours. Karen did not come to play with us. I was quite impressed and that sequel is just as good as the first.

One of Us Is Next takes place about a year after the events of the first book. The main characters from the first book play a small part in the new novel but it has a new set of victims. So let me just say, in the beginning of the novel it has a list of all the characters and how they relate to each other. That list was very helpful in understanding who all the new characters were and jogging my memory to remember all the old characters. I'm not going to say too much about the plot because I want everyone to read both books in order. Bayview High is still reeling from the murderous mess of last year due to Simon's gossip app. Things are thought to be done and back to people not dying/being humiliated publicly. But something new is here and it's not an app. It's a new truth or dare game. But when the dares turn into murder, things go from bad to worst. Phoebe is first and and her truth shocks the whole town. Should've picked the dare huh? Maeve is the second target and she makes the same mistake and her truth ruins one of her most important relationships. By the time Knox becomes part of this twisted game, all hell is breaking loose. Maeve remembers how bad things got last year with her sister ,Bronwyn, and the app. Maeve knows she must take matters in her own hands. Because the game is just now getting started and it's a whole new set of rules.

Okay so I know it's a little strange that I'm writing a review for a sequel. I mean if you haven't read the first novel it doesn't make sense to read the second? But I would disagree with that for this one instance. One of us Is Next takes place a year or two after the first one and it is a whole different cast of players. I normally find young adult mysteries to be...somewhat lacking in everything. Lacking in competent characters, strong plot lines, believable mysteries, and anything else to have me actually enjoy reading a mystery novel. But this series completely threw me for a loop. I was shocked that the plot was so intriguing and I couldn't guess the who did it till the end almost. So I'm trying not to give the plot away because the less you know the more fun the book is. This is a review for the sequel but I would love for everyone to read the first and the second book. They are fresh, fun, and actually mysterious. I refuse to say too much more because I do not want to risk spoiling too much. But please read this book! Read the first and the second because they are fun and everything a good young adult novel should be! GO! Read it! You won't regret it!