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callmesword's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
While I enjoy solving the mystery along with the detective when reading thrillers, the major problem I have with the genre (so far, maybe there comes a book that proves me wrong) is that I can never quite connect with the characters beyond a surface level. And this happens, once again, with The Box In The Woods.
I did like that we had more time with Nate, because, out of everyone in the gang, he's the one that is most interesting. However, Stevie was incredibly annoying this book and the romance, selon moi, was just absolutely blocking everything else. I suppose that, if i liked the couple better, I wouldn't have skipped the romance moments. But I did.
And not only that, half of the story seemed a little bit useless to solve this particular murder and to the novel in general. I didn't feel that it brought anything to the table.
I did like that we had more time with Nate, because, out of everyone in the gang, he's the one that is most interesting. However, Stevie was incredibly annoying this book and the romance, selon moi, was just absolutely blocking everything else. I suppose that, if i liked the couple better, I wouldn't have skipped the romance moments. But I did.
And not only that, half of the story seemed a little bit useless to solve this particular murder and to the novel in general. I didn't feel that it brought anything to the table.
r_happe's review against another edition
3.0
I received an eARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the change in pace from the old Ellingham murders/disappearances to the more recent slasher mystery in this book. There seemed to be more action in this book than the first three books and I really enjoyed that. I liked getting more time with Nate in this book, too! I didn't love Stevie and David in this book, however, and that's what brought down my rating. I'm just not really into Stevie's voice anymore, and David seemed more annoying than anything. It also felt like we weren't given a ton of clues to work with to figure everything out, which is always part of the fun when it comes to mysteries. Instead, Stevie solved it in her head in the background and, while the resolution was interesting, it wasn't very fun. This was a good book but not one that really grabbed me.
Rtc
I liked the change in pace from the old Ellingham murders/disappearances to the more recent slasher mystery in this book. There seemed to be more action in this book than the first three books and I really enjoyed that. I liked getting more time with Nate in this book, too! I didn't love Stevie and David in this book, however, and that's what brought down my rating. I'm just not really into Stevie's voice anymore, and David seemed more annoying than anything. It also felt like we weren't given a ton of clues to work with to figure everything out, which is always part of the fun when it comes to mysteries. Instead, Stevie solved it in her head in the background and, while the resolution was interesting, it wasn't very fun. This was a good book but not one that really grabbed me.
Rtc
soccer65's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
emmamorris_lovesreading's review against another edition
5.0
As good as the first three! I really and truly loved this installment!
lblanke724's review against another edition
5.0
Stevie Bell is back! After solving the mystery at Ellingham Academy, Stevie needs a good mystery to solve! In The Box in the woods, she is invited to a summer camp to solve some murders from 1978 . . . and she can invite friends! So, those of us who know Stevie and Janelle and Nate and David are excited to see "the band" back together. But, dear reader, if you haven't yet met Stevie, never fear! You can pick up The Box in the Woods, meet the gang, and then go back to read about their previous escapades. Johnson does a great job of making this stand-alone novel accessible to fans of Truly Devious and to new readers. I liken it to picking up an Agatha Christie novel or a Sherlock Holmes story. Yes, there are some throughlines that you pick up on if you read in sequence, but you can really enjoy them in any order. (Well, read the Truly Devious trilogy in order!) This actually makes me excited that we could see more of Stevie in other stand-alones!
Johnson's wit and attention to detail shine as Stevie and friends work to discover whodunit. When I say Stevie is my modern Nancy Drew, I say that as a high compliment! Grab a copy and enjoy!
Johnson's wit and attention to detail shine as Stevie and friends work to discover whodunit. When I say Stevie is my modern Nancy Drew, I say that as a high compliment! Grab a copy and enjoy!
iitaviinisalo's review
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Why is the dad suddenly nazi?!
Where tf did this come from!! I hates all men in this book. We also spent 100 pages on mystery that was useless. Plot was shit.
Where tf did this come from!! I hates all men in this book. We also spent 100 pages on mystery that was useless. Plot was shit.
jojosophie2001's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0