This was a touching, difficult, wonderful story. It explores a lot of really tough topics while also piecing apart a mysterious disappearance of a former best friend. I loved the layers to this story, the characters and their struggles and I really appreciated the look at consent.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

You knew this girl in high school or maybe you were her.
Jo-Lynn is confident, popular, and well… perfect, that is until she isn’t. It only took one fateful event to turn everyone against her, leaving her emotionally devastated and unable to trust anyone around her.
When a past best friend goes missing, Jo struggles to work her way back into her crowd of former friends to get answers? 

Her former friends are just being cruel, including “Pretty, Nice, Maddie Price.” Then there is a breakthrough when Maddie desperately asks Jo for help one afternoon and then she goes missing. Jo knows the “friends” of her past know more than they are telling police and Maddie’s family. Will Jo be able to help Maddie, before it’s too late?


Not Like Other Girls is a well written young adult novel concerning the case of a missing teenage girl, but it’s so much more than that. The story delves into relevant issues facing young people today, including friend break-ups, sexual assault and harassment, and just bad and reckless behavior. 

As an audio listener, the large amount of back-and-forth story lines I found to be confusing at times. I did a lot of rewinding to understand what was going on.

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Although a bit complicated, the author presents a good message of self-worth for those who are not like other girls.

This is a very mature YA read.

I listened to the audio book for this and it was so good!
This story is a YA mystery novel that I surprisingly connected with and enjoyed more then I expected. YA can be a hit or miss for me but this one was a hit :)

Jo is struggling. Her ex-best friend comes to her claiming to be in trouble and then she disappears. Jo has that gut feeling that something is not right and sets out to find the truth. This book is all sorts of teenage drama! There wasnt a dull moment in this one and the ending was wild.

This story is told from Jo's POV and it was really fun to listen to on audio because it felt like she was having a conversation with you not exactly telling a story.

This book revolves around some heavier topics and has some trigger warnings so make sure you check them out but if you are into YA books with some mystery and some drama -- This one is for you!

This book draws on experiences of so many teens, especially those that have suffered at the hands of a cell phone. Students will be drawn to Jo because of the difficulties she’s had, but feel stronger and grow with her on her journey to find herself again. With the awareness around cell phones and social media, this book will resonate in high schools.

When Jo-Lynn Kirby ‘s former best friend—pretty, nice Maddie Price—comes to her claiming to be in trouble, Jo assumes it's some kind of joke. After all, Jo has been an outcast ever since her nude photos were leaked—and since everyone decided she deserved it. There’s no way Maddie would actually come to her for help.

But then Maddie is gone.

Everyone is quick to write off Maddie as a runaway, but Jo can’t shake the feeling there's more to the story. To find out the truth, Jo needs to get back in with the people who left her behind—and the only way back in is through Hudson Harper-Moore. An old fling of Jo’s with his own reasons for wanting to find Maddie, Hudson hatches a fake dating scheme to get Jo back into their clique. But being back on the inside means Jo must confront everything she’d rather forget: the boys who betrayed her, the whispers that she had it coming, and the secrets that tore her and Maddie apart. As Jo digs deeper into Maddie’s disappearance, she’s left to wonder who she’s really searching for: Maddie or the girl she used to be.

❤️ This story was so much more than I expected. I thought I was just going into a high school mystery. I did not expect the emotional dipiction of how girls are treated when they've experienced trauma. It was so bang on that I found myself nodding through a lot of the story. 

❤️The narrator for this story was the perfect voice for Jo. 👌🏻👏🏻

❤️ The characters were well flushed out and acted exactly how high schoolers would act. Jo-lynn was witty, likable, and real! Maddie was an annoying overachiver in the most believable, non highschool musical sort of way. Hudson was the perfect love interest for this story. He seriously could not have been written any better. The fake dating aspects were very well done, and the sleuthing was on point!

❤️ The story did drag a bit around the end, which is the only reason I can't give it 5 stars, but it did pick back up with a force I wasn't expecting! 

❤️Thanks to @netgalley and @bloomsburypublishing for allowing me to listen to this audio ARC!

I didn’t finish the book on time but what I listened to was very enjoyable. I will most likely buy it and finish reading it. I was half way done with the book. I really enjoyed the characters. I can’t wait to finish reading the book. Thank you to NetGalley for letting me listen to the story.

very good and insightful to damaging relationships and healing process between old friends. I felt like the novel wanted to get a message that even if struggles occur just be there for each other

This book was not at all what I expected but in the best way. I went into this book blind, and it didn't disappoint. This is not for the faint of heart. its rough. its gritty. its realistic. but its really worth the read.

This book was a really complete story to me. The mystery was interesting, the romance was sweet and felt true to the age group and Jo was a well written character who felt really relatable. I think my only critique is some parts could have been tightened up a little and the end could have used a little more

This book has lot more going for it though. While the disappearance of Jo’s former best friend Maddie Price kept me hooked, I think the themes of consent and sexual assault are what really make this book stand out.

We find out what happened to Jo slowly, over the course of the book and I think that was a really good way of handling it. It allowed the reader to discover what happened through Jo’s feelings and recollections, rather than be being *told* right away. This method really allowed for more emotional depth and exploration to me. By the end, the message is really powerful and I hope it resonants with people, especially those who need it the most.

Thank you to Bloomsbury and Bloomsbury Audio for the advanced copies in exchange for an honest review.

This well written young adult novel about the case of a missing teenage girl -- told from the perspective of her former friend -- is about so much more than that. The story delves into important issues facing young people today, including friend break-ups, sexual assault and harassment, and the bad behavior that sometimes occurs as a result of the pressure and competition that is the college admission process.

There were a lot of loose threads in this story, and quite a bit of flashbacks to help explain some of what was happening in the present story's context. But that amount of back-and-forth could be confusing and unsettling at times.

Overall, this novel was entertaining as a mystery, if sometimes overly complicated, and carried a good message of self-worth for those who are "not like other girls."

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a fair review.

Not Like Other Girls is an engaging debut that is a coming of age mystery and romance. This book had me hooked from the start, with Jo-Lynn journey from outcast to detective as she digs into the disappearance of her former best friend, Maddie Price.

I found myself constantly guessing what might have happened to Maddie. The fake dating trope was also a fun addition, and I really liked the chemistry between Jo and Hudson as they navigated their complicated history and worked together to find Maddie. I thought Jo’s character growth was well done, especially as she confronted the hurt and betrayal that led to her ostracism.

While the buildup was solid, some plot elements at the end felt a little out of place. Despite that, the overall experience was still enjoyable, and the underlying themes about how young women are treated and judged felt important and relevant.

Overall, if you’re a fan of YA mysteries with a touch of romance, “Not Like Other Girls” is definitely worth checking out.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Audio for this Advance Copy of Not Like Other Girls

One Line Review: Jo-Lynn was the girl I wished I could be in high school, confident, popular, and couldn’t do wrong… until she simply wasn’t. One fateful event turned everyone against her, leaving her emotionally bruised and unable to trust anyone around her. But when a past best friend goes missing, will she be able to work her way back into the fold of her former friends to get answers?

Synopsis: Jo HYPHEN Lynn had it all, and then didn’t. She misses the person she used to be, confident, popular, and able to excel in almost anything she tried to accomplish. The world dealt her a painful blow, causing her life to upheave itself. Her former friends are cruel, including “Pretty, Nice, Maddie Price,” until one moment changes it all. Maddie desperately asks Jo for help one afternoon and then goes missing. Jo formulates a plan when she realizes the “friends” of her past seem to know more than they are telling police and Maddie’s family. Will Jo be able to help Maddie, before it’s too late?

This novel navigates the trauma of self-sabotage when someone who is young cannot process what has happened to them… and I don’t know a single person in my life that wouldn’t relate to that on some level. Mix this in with the mystery of trying to help a missing friend, and you have a captivating story that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

My Thoughts: When I tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed this listen, I feel like that is an understatement. The pacing kept me interested throughout and was reminiscent of experience I feel almost everyone at that tender age can relate to. I absolutely did not expect to love this book as much as I did. What a fantastic debut for Meredith Adamo, I will be keeping an eye out for future novels!

This book follows Jo-Lynn while she navigates many obstacles in her high school years. Her and a girl named Maddie used to be best friends, Maddie becomes missing after speaking to Jo and telling her she needed her help, due to being in trouble. Everyone thinks Maddie ran away but Jo and a boy named Hudson take it upon themselves to find out what happened to her. During all this we find out something happened previously that caused the entire school to harass her and ostracize her.

I think Jo-Lynn is in my top 5 favorite characters of all time. She is so quick with her comebacks and that banter in this book was amazing. It’s not just a mystery, it’s coming of age, romance, and humor. This book is everything someone could need to read.

This was SO SO good!! It was mystery with romance and drama and I DEVOURED it. I felt for the FMC & all the girl drama that she went through. This book talks about all of the issues that teens go through in a way that makes it relatable to everyone who has been a teenage girl who wasn't accepted by the in group. Make sure you check the TWs!

Jo's former best friend Maddie goes missing she's determined to find the truth behind her disappearance.

Shared on Goodreads, Amazon, & Storygraph 5/2. Sharing on instagram feed & stories 5/2 or 5/3

⭐️rating: 4.5/5

I loved this debut! There’s so much encompassed in this book, so it’s a little hard to describe, but it was great! I didn’t have any expectations going in, but Not Like Other Girls was a perfect blend of YA drama, mystery, secrets, and romance.

You start off thinking it’s gonna go one way when being introduced to this young girl Jo-Lynn who’s been struggling recently, wondering how she’s gonna hopefully turn it around, and then a whole mystery starts to unfold, fully drawing you into Jo’s world. I was transported back to high school (but thankfully not in a bad way), feeling like I was right there with Jo, following along, and being reminded of what it was like when I was her age. Well, thankfully, minus the drama and secrets that ensued in this book.

It’s touching and Jo had so much growth. She’s gone through so much from the past and during the events of this book, and I enjoyed seeing how she worked through it all. There’s mystery and drama and secrets and scandals. There’s sweet romance with fake dating and first loves and some steam. And there’s a compelling story about a young girl who’s coming into her own and learning how to tell her own story.

The narration was also amazing! Georgina Sadler did an awesome job portraying all the different characters. It was a delight to listen to. Also, the author’s note at the end was very touching. I loved what Meredith included, telling her own story and bringing more insight into why she wrote what she wrote.

Overall, I very much enjoyed Meredith’s debut. Very well done! If any of what I’ve mentioned sounds interesting to you, I highly recommend! I hope you enjoy it too!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Audio for the advanced copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a great read on so many levels. I was enraged on Jo-Lynn's behalf at the treatment of her by pretty much everyone in the book. They truly had no clue who she was or how she became that person. The story of sexual assault is such a common one but so many girls and women don't eve realize what they have been through is actually sexual assault. It's heartbreak and so so so wrong. Meredith Adamo did a fabulous job bringing this plight to live on the page.

I wish I'd had more books like this growing up. It's books like this with real life issues that show young adults they're not alone in their life battles and that even their darkest times are not only relatable on a greater scale, but also something they can overcome.

Loved the mystery and slight romance aspects as well. Would definitely read more by this author.

Tysm for the ARC!

There is just something special about a YA thriller! This one was so captivating and the narrator did a fantastic job bringing this story to life.

The writing was fantastic and the story moved along in a great pace. I was hooked on the mystery and also how Jo was handling everything life had thrown at her. The story is told in such a way that it was like Jo was sitting there beside you, telling you her story. She was relatable right off the bat and I couldn’t help but root for her to get through to the other side.

The ending felt a bit underwhelming to me but I think it was more of a me problem than a story problem.

Grateful to have received a complimentary ALC copy to honestly review.

Aarrgghh – I detest reviewing books that I love and hate at the same time. The themes of this YA book are so timely and so important – a boy Jo considers a friend takes her phone and sends provocative photos of her to everyone and when she was 15, a 21 yo talked her into doing things she didn’t want to do which together makes her basically hate herself. But when her used-to-be friend Maddie goes missing, she is sure she didn’t just run away which most people think.
This debut author really hit the spot on these topics BUT shame on her editor for not having the very explicit sex scenes removed and replaced perhaps with “fade to black” which is more in keeping with a YA rating. Consequently, I’m very disappointed that I won’t be recommending this book.

So this is the trouble with girls like me.”

Not Like Other Girls
By Meredith Adamo @mere_adamo
Narrated by Georgina Sadler
5⭐️

No notes. This YA thriller was completely balanced between plot development and character growth. A girl is missing and her friend , or former friend, Jo-Lynn may be the only person who can find out what happened to her.

The mystery keeps heating up and you are sucked into the plot throughout the whole thing, but the star of the show for me was Jo-Lynn’s character development. She was on a coming of age journey while working through some serious trauma. Jo-Lynn had been ousted by almost everyone at her school including the missing girl, Maddie. Her brain was in a constant struggle between who she feels she is and who she is seen as.

I recommend in any format but the audiobook narration was excellent. The emotions of the story were perfectly portrayed by the narrator. I sometimes have a hard time with YA audiobooks because I can’t suspend belief enough from the adult narrating to imagine their voice as the age of character. Georgina did a great job.

This book gave Sadie by Courtney Summers vibes so I absolutely was the audience for this. Not Like Other Girls is gritty and dark but truthful to things real teen girls experience.

This hits shelves today. Definitely recommend picking it up.