I must read all of her books! Looking forward to her latest book also! Karen McManus connects you to the characters and mystery -impossible to put her books down until the last page!

Karen McManus is an automatic read for me every time. I'm always shocked by the twist and gripped by the story

Was it OMG amazing, can't put it down, best book of the year? No. But it was perfectly pleasant and a good read between commitment books.

This book was on its way to being a 5-star read for me... until the end. So, first, why was it a potential 5-star read? I was hooked from the start. I liked how there was actually some exposition, some build-up before the murder happened. We got to know the characters of Mateo, Cal, and Ivy before the plot became the focus of the book. 5 stars! I also found the "investigation" portion of the book to be pretty believable. The actions that the trio took, the clues they followed, the logic they employed all seemed to me to be true to form to how teens would behave. And there were no 16-year-olds magically knowing how to do DNA analysis, sneaking fingerprints from crime scenes for comparison to samples they have managed to snag from their suspects, etc. This was just three teens asking questions, trying to come to logical conclusions, and making lots of irresponsible choices along the way. This might have been the most believable teen sleuth novel I've read. 5 stars!

But then the climax hit. Abruptly. Suddenly. Unexpectedly. And just like this book had a significant exposition, it also had a lengthy falling action/resolution... but not one that I felt like added much to the book. Within a few short pages, the whole crime was revealed, police arrived, certain characters were saved, and it was all over. Bam! I was incredulous for pages, expecting that to be a false solution and some other twist to pop up and shock us all. But nope. That was it. And then the last couple pages of the book.... And the then the actual last sentence of the book. I have never felt less satisfied by an ending in my life. Except for maybe the short story of "The Lady or the Tiger." I immediately searched to see if there was going to be a sequel, but there's not. That was TRULY the way McManus opted to end the book. NOT 5 stars!

You’ll Be the Death of Me by Karen M. McManus

Y’all. This book came out at the end of November and I am just now getting around to it 🙈 I’m horrified that it took me that long to get to it on NetGalley. But at least I finally did!

It also took me about a week and a half to get through it. I just struggled to get into the story, or care what happened to these characters. I was literally about 75% in before I finally found myself wanting to know what happened.

I felt like it was a little predictable, but I will still pick up the next one because now I want to know what happens next 😆

Thank. you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for the arc in exchange for my honest review. I'm so sorry it's been so delayed!

I really wanted to like the main characters but honestly I only liked one of the characters. I liked how the author explored the opioid problem among teens and in schools.

This is another fun title by McManus. I will definitely be recommending this to students who have enjoyed her other titles and those looking for a good mystery/thriller.
McManus does a great job writing plot-focused, thrilling stories that capture teens' attention. The one shortcoming I felt while reading this title was that the 3 main characters' voices felt very similar. Even with their names at the beginning of their chapters, I had a hard time keeping track of who was who. I liked the diversity within the book--one of the main character is a person of color and one of the boys has 2 fathers. I thought she also did a good job showing how kids find themselves loosing friends and then reconnecting years later--as this is something that can frequently happen with teens.
A recommended read.

Another great mystery from Karen McManus! Her books are always engaging and entertaining and this book was no exception. I didn't connect with the main characters in this book as much as I have with others, but I still enjoyed it. We will definitely be purchasing this book for our library! Probably multiple copies as her books are really popular with our students.

Welp, I did not enjoy this one. I’ve been on a good audiobook streak lately, but this one had my mind drifting. I struggled to stay in the story. It’s basically Ferris Bueller’s Day Off…but with a murder? But it took too long to tell the story and the story wasn’t that interesting. It did pick up a bit at the end, so it does get some points for just…being a book in a genre I love…but I don’t know that this will be one that I recommend as much as McManus’s other books.

However, I will be able to sell it to students looking for this type of book and we have already purchased several copies for the library. I do think this will be popular with my teens.

As a huge McManus fan, I don’t even know how to express my disappointment in this book.

McManus’s books are usually fun and thrilling and suspenseful. Books that you don’t want to put down. This book didn’t hit any of the marks I’ve come to expect from McManus.

Truthfully, the story just felt hollow. The characters were lifeless and had no chemistry with each other.

The mystery wasn’t at all gripping and the “plot twists” didn’t leave me feeling anything other than grateful that the story was over.

I can only hope McManus’s next book will see her back on form because she’s usually a favourite author of mine.

The tone of the final Good Girls installment is a noticeable departure from the first two book. Gone is the snarky, confident Pip. The traumas of the previous books has caught up with her; she’s coping with PTSD and a stalker. Ravi continues to be the amazing support he’s been all along. The second half of the book focuses on tying up loose ends-with shocking and controversial results. I found this to be a satisfying end to a fantastic series.

I mean, Karen McManus did it again! I really enjoyed this read. She writes good mysteries. It was a pleasure to be able to read one of her other books, I definitely think this was a good follow up to her last book, which wasn't the best for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Delacorte Press, & Random House for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

It was enjoyable enough, but also I don't think this one will stick with me. I wish there was more to say about it but unfortunately that's all I've got.

Another good Karen M. McManus novel. The book is about three former best friends - Ivy, Mateo, and Cal. They kind of fell out in middle school. Now in high school, they bump into each other in the parking lot and in a moment that will change their lives, they decide to skip school and go to the city - trying to recreate the joy of the day they first met. Along the way they uncover the dead body of Ivy's rival for student president. They flee the scene and spend the rest of the day trying to figure out what is going on. As they go, they unravel secrets long kept and larger works at play. As the day progresses they increasingly become more entwined in the danger. It was a fun read, and trying to guess who did the crime was part of the phone. This book definitely kept me guessing.

Karen McManus writes wonderful twisty mysteries with cool teen characters - these books are so popular with the students at my high school - I can hardly keep her books on the shelf (which is a great problem to have ;-))! We have a triad of friends, each with their own problems and emotional baggage, and the action is fast and takes us along with the main characters as they work together to solve the mystery. It wouldn't be a McManus book without some twists at the end, and this one is no exception. I have already purchased this for my high school and know it will be as popular as her others that we have. Many thanks to Ms. McManus and Delacorte Press for allowing me to read this book.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

I enjoyed this fast paced thriller. McManus does it again. This book is quick to pull you in and keep you engaged with lots of twists and turns till the end.
I think our students will enjoy this one and it will fly off the shelves.

Unfortunately - especially as a McManus fan! - I DNF'ed this book at 40%. Perhaps as a middle school teacher I just did not fit the audience on this one. However, I found the structure and characters to feel almost too formulaic at this point. Miscommunication/misunderstandings abound between the core group of female and male protagonists. Drama ensues. I was not motivated to find out what happened. I hope that McManus switches up her formula in the future.

Karen McManus did not disappoint with this book at all. The suspense and thrill kept me on the edge of my seat.

You’ll Be the Death of Me, by Karen McManus was a fun YA mystery with lots of twists and turns. The characters kept me engaged and thought it was paced well.

Young adult thrillers are one of my favorite stories to read and Karen McManus never disappoints. You’ll Be The Death of Me is a story of an unlikely friendship of 3 teens who all share the bond of experiencing a very bad day. The story was fast paced, twisty, and enthralling. I wanted more from the ending but still enjoyed the journey.