3.5⭐️ rounded down
This is one of those books that leave me really torn and especially wish Goodreads had a better rating system.

Thank you NetGalley and Viking Books for the Arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is hard to write without spoilers but I am going to try..

To start with the positive, this is a very fast paced book as in it’s 9:30 am, I’m finished and while I read the first 10 pages last night, I continued at 6:30 this morning. While I easily figured out the culprit (there were actually multiple) it didn’t bother me as it was well written and not in your face.

I liked the flawed narrator Jules as while she tried to sort things on her own, she easily lets go and doesn’t double down on trying to continue once her mother turns a key piece of evidence to the police. In so many YA books the teen detectives just reinforce efforts to circumvent the police which is a tired trope. Jules doesn’t fall victim to that and has good reason to not run to them immediately.

She also realist shares information with several people. It is a natural unfolding of what a typical teen would do. While it maintains the trope of the awkward sidekick to the popular girl, it doesn’t get bogged down by it. Her friend group whom she doesn’t think she connects with outside of her cousin Remy, actually like her and do not treat her poorly. It was refreshing.

The book had some good messages about body autonomy and how girls should view taking power over their bodies and such through the voice of reason, Jules mother. She of course isn’t always around as she of course worse overnights as a nurse (YA authors really need to start giving other professions to the Moms other than Nurse or other healthcare professional or the deadbeat parent trope)

The mystery aspect which has several subplots is decent as many things need to unfold, keeping the reader engaged.

Now for the other side of the coin.

The repetition of certain things wanted me to
Pull my hair out. The obsession Jules has for certain characters crosses the line of being a mental health issue that needs to be addressed. While she does learn things in the end, she has a lot of things that need to be dealt with insofar as her self worth and d emotional attachments and they are just left out there. This book which clearly was written as a self discovery type journey and to focus on certain historic issues, did a poor job of the resolution of those things. That is frustrating when dealing with a YA book that can leave impressions on a teen.

The book focuses on the girls taking control of things but fails to talk at all about the very real potential criminal consequences of their actions. I won’t mention what they did as not to spoil but what they did was 100% a crime. Failure to even mention that seems irresponsible of the author.

Also, tension is built up with certain characters being angry that they need to get paid. Some of them wanting that doesn’t make sense. Maybe they thought they should get their money back but that wasn’t made clear. And those that should have indeed been paid, the plot thread just seemed to disappear even after some strong “this must happen” type language. However, the girls were never out any money so it just seemed like a random thing to throw in to get action started and once it served it purposely it was abandoned without another word.

Finally, the ending. All I’ll say was it was just an awful way to end a book. It felt like a word count was met and they said “ok, time to stop.” It was Just bizarre.

With all that said, I do recommend reading it for those that like the genre. The description of the book doesn’t do a good job in telling you what you’ll get involved but for those that like crime type YA where the kids try to figure things out without the police, this may be for you when it gets published in August 2024.

Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

This may not be a dead girl story, but it is absolutely a gripping one. Kate Sweeney’s This is Not a Dead Girl Story follows our main character, Jules, through grief, betrayal, mystery, and a carefully spin web of lies.
As someone who is incredibly picky when it comes to mystery books— This one does it beautifully. The characters are unique, relatable, and I couldn’t get enough of it.
The story, while it started slow, hooked me. Once I had started it, I couldn’t put it down until the very last page. This book concluded with a fast yet phenomenal ending that left me in deep thoughts about life. I simply cannot recommend this book enough, it was raw, emotional, and the darker topics were handled with a care that I’ve personally found few to achieve.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

This is Not a Dead Girl Story is a first person POV YA small town mystery following Jules, a high school student whose whole world is her cousin, Remy, and childhood friend, River. When River dies and Remy goes missing, Jules learns that she never really knew either of them and tries to figure out what happened to Remy.

This was a lot more introspective than I was expecting and moves at a slower pace. It really contributes to the small town atmosphere and makes the story feel more personal as Jules wrestles with her complicated feelings towards herself, her body, her relationships, and her life. There is a vulnerability that I think many can relate to, especially if they were awkward as high school students.

Jules is a very quiet character, rarely speaking and is even stated to barely talk to others. I really liked this choice for this story because it creates a juxtaposition between Jules and Remy and their friends while also showing a strong voice and a look into Jules’ inner world.

Remy is later revealed to be involved in an Only Fans-style website that is supposed to be only available to people at their high school. She made this as a way to take back control of her body and got several other girls involved, creating an entire system that she controlled. This plot element feels extremely relevant to today’s world as we discuss bodily autonomy in the age of the internet and the ways different people make different choices for their bodies while exploring the dangers of teen girls being involved in these kinds of websites and how predators come in all ages.

I would recommend this to readers of mystery who prefer explorations of the impact of technology on our lives, fans of YA who like slower pacing and more introspective works, and those looking for a YA small town mystery.

Nothing is what it seems in Black Falls, NY. This YA tale of mystery, secrets, and murder took me by surprise and had more depth than I expected for a YA book. While I am much older than the intended audience, I still found it to be a fun and easily binged read.

Thank you for the ARC.

This is Not a Dead Girl Story is another book about a missing popular, teenage girl and the people she leaves behind who are desperate to find her. The first thing that sets this book apart from other books with similar premises is the way it's written. The prose and detail of this book are absolutely gorgeous. I highlighted countless quotes and paragraphs.

"He told me about the way wildflowers drop their seeds at the end of the summer and then they just wait there all winter long, in the dark. He made it sound like the most romantic sacrifice anyone has ever made. I was sure my love was like that seed, waiting for him under the soil."

Even though River is dead and Remy is missing, the two of them along with Jules, are the three main characters. There's another quote at the beginning that I love, describing them as a triangle. River is the top of the triangle, the north star and most important and Remy and Jules are parallel and opposite of each other. The love that Jules has for the both of them is obsessive, co-dependent, and borderline toxic. Now, she's alone and desperate to hang on to any crumbs she has left of them, such as spending time with River's cousin, Sam. Jules had such an idolized, pedestal view of River, but as she learns more about him and Remy, and what secrets they were hiding from her, she realizes both of them weren't as perfect as she thought they were.

Sam and Jules work together to figure out what happened to River and Remy, and get some help from Remy's friends as well. Who are also Jules friends, kind of. But not really. I loved the small side plot of Remy's friends seeking out their own revenge. The girlies getting revenge against the men the wrong them is one of my favorite book tropes. "Give me back my girlhood, it was mine first" or whatever Taylor Swift said.

Overall, really enjoyed this book. The descriptive writing and prose was my favorite thing about it. I have read and enjoyed Kate Sweeney's other two books, but this one was by far my favorite. I look forward to reading whatever she reads next in the future!

This is Not A Dead Girl's Story
By: Kate Sweeney
Publishing Date: August 6th, 2024

"This Is Not a Dead Girl's Story" is a thought provoking journey of grief, true self, and coming of age. Through a haunting story, the author tells a tale that challenges society expectations and challenges the idea of loss. I loved experiencing Jules, the main character journey towards self-discovery, it is both heartbreaking and uplifting. With its raw honesty and emotional depth, this novel is going to resonate with readers.

I can't help but imagine how this story would have changed my perspective during my teenage years. The wisdom and heartfelt storytelling are going leave a lasting impression on all readers, making it a must-read for teenagers and adults.

Thank you Netgalley, Kate Sweeney and Penguin Group/ Penguin Young Readers Group for all allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, it had that mystery element that I wanted and thought the true crime element was wonderfully done in this story. The characters felt like they were supposed to and enjoyed the overall feel with them in this story. I thought it was interesting to think about Remy as a person. Kate Sweeney has a great writing style and can’t wait to read more from them.

* Thank you NetGalley & Penguin Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. *

This Is Not a Dead Girl Story is a complicated book about complicated girls, and how uncomplicated men treat them. A few days after her boyfriend dies, Remy goes missing - her cousin/best friend, Jules, is left to pick up the pieces after the two most important people in her life are gone.

I loved Jules, and how she struggled with viewing herself, her body, her friendships, her life. Despite having an empowering mother, Jules still struggled with being a girl in this world, and often fought the urge to be the Good Girl that didn't hurt or anger anyone or say no. Everywhere she turned was a man who wanted something from her, wanted to take something from her. And it was painful, witnessing the realization that these adult men, some who swore to protect her and others, were going to continue hurting her and other girls if she didn't stop them.

In a lot of ways, This Is Not a Dead Girl Story hurt my feelings. I still loved it. You should read it.

"To anyone who has experienced girlhood, whether by choice or not. May this book help you find a little joy and violence in your heart."

This book was so good! I really liked seeing how they figured everything out, the story came together so nicely while still leaving room for the reader to try to figure things out. I also loved the ending, it was so sweet and it wrapped everything up nicely.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book ahead of time in exchange for a review. You should read it!

As a true crime fan, this story was exquisitely executed. It was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and Sweeney did not disappoint. Aside from the perfectly paced-plot, this book does a great job of not only telling a (possible) "Dead Girl Story" but also asks what makes one of these stories and who gets the tell it. The addition of the Fawn plot is so timely and something teen readers desperately need to see in YA literature.

This book is about friendships and secrets and the things you don’t tell anyone (even those close test to you).
Jules, Remy and River are best friends but after a night of partying, River is dead leaving Jules to help Remy through it while navigating her own grief. Days later Remy is missing and Jules is alone in trying to find answers.
There are a lot of things in this book that I did not see coming and others I was appalled by. I feel strongly that this book should have trigger warnings as it’s aimed for the teen/YA groups. This book deals with drug abuse, grooming, SA and other topics that I believe some may want to know about before picking this up. That being said, it was a good and quick read and would recommend it for the right reader.

I absolutely loved the premise for this book and was deeply intrigued going into it. Unfortunately, I couldn't connect to the characters or the plot and I had to DNF. Seeing as how that's very subjective I still think many readers will love this.

Thank you so much to Penguin Teen for the opportunity to read this book.

I hate to be an early negative Nancy but as reviews should be I'm going to be honest about my reading experience. I did not enjoy the book.

I was expecting a different kind of story (though that in itself is not really an issue--that's fine). The story felt a little shallow in places where it should have had more depth (the reveals and ending specifically--there would have been a lot more consequences for the girls. That kind of thing doesn't just go away.) I just wanted more meat on this book's bones. I didn't particularly care if Remy was dead or not and found the thriller aspect dull.

I don't think the book is terrible or bad. It just wasn't for me. A lot of readers will certainly enjoy and relate to the story more than I did.

This book was not what I thought it would be (lately, it feels as if this has been happening a lot, perhaps because YA books are now exploring mystery from new and unexpected angles).

Yes, there’s a mystery at the center of this story. River O’Dell, a seventeen year old, is dead. Following his death, Remy Green, his girlfriend and most-popular girl in Black Falls, NY, has disappeared—are the two events related? Is Remy also dead? Was she abducted? Or has she run away?

Yet, the mystery of Remy’s disappearance becomes just the entryway to a bigger secret, a convoluted new world, filled with lies and deception where nothing is what it seems. No one is as surprised at discovering this new world, living under her nose, as Jules, Remy’s cousin and best friend—or so Jules has believed, until now.

Jules, Remy and River grew up together and had been best friends since childhood. But Jules has a secret. She’s been in love with River since she can remember. Yet, River fell in love with Remy, and he and Remy have been the perfect couple for years now, long enough Jules now knows River will never like her as she does him.

Until his death, Jules always felt as if it didn't really matter that River didn't love her the same way because having him in her life was good enough, much better to have him as a friend than not at all. But now he’s dead. And Remy, the other constant presence in Jules’s life, is also gone.

Things only get worse as Jules discovers her cousin was involved in something dark. “Everyone wants to get paid…” people around Jules murmur when they think she can’t hear them. Paid by who and for what? Jules has no idea. All she knows is that nothing makes sense, but Remy is at the center of it all.

Jules has always thought of herself as an outsider. Growing up, only Remy understood her, and only she understood and knew the real Remy. That’s how Jules made sense of the world. Now, faced with this other Remy she never knew existed, this dark persona involved in shady dealings, Jules realizes her world was never real, meaning, Jules has always been alone, slowly giving up parts of her life to maintain the illusion of a world—and a Remy—that never existed.

To make things worse, Sam, River’s cousin and lookalike, is in town and will stay here for the summer. Sam may look like River, but they couldn’t be more different. River was an athlete, the perfect student, the wonder son. Sam, in contrast, is a taciturn jerk who never thinks things through before speaking his mind, hurting however is around.

As reality shatters around Jules, the old broken pictures of it start to form new and bright images. It’s in this recreation of the people and the world she thought she knew—past the lies and the fake—that Jules finally gets a chance to figure out who she is beyond her relationship with Remy and River.

Is in this exploration that Jules faces her prejudices about her body, her beauty, friendship and love. Is in this new light that old, seemingly forgotten friendships are rediscovered and a new chance at love is born.

I liked this part of the book a lot. This is, I think, the heart of the story. This exploration of what it means to be seventeen and a woman in a place where those two things turn you into an object to be desired or to be broken. Where those two things are seen as reasons to be always afraid. I like how Jules faces her own fears and the fears of others and how is the teens in the story who actually provide the meaning for each of these words. I like the constant push, albeit seriously misguided at times, of the girls to be less afraid, to find their power, their place of resistance.

The actual solving of the mystery is a bit of a letdown, but satisfying enough, if you don’t mind the series of coincidences needed for it to happen.

My one point of contention is that some of the events and the resolution of them, everything that relates to online activity, are too quickly swept under the carpet with none of the minors facing consequence for their actions (semi-spoiler ahead: which is totally unrealistic because anyone who profits from the distribution of lewd pictures of minors, even if they are minors themselves, are participating in an illegal activity, hence subject to legal punishment). I do understand that an uncomplicated ending makes for a more satisfying read, but since this book is a YA, I think it would be important to make sure the actual consequences of the actions depicted in the story are shown, or at least discussed as such.

As a whole, I like this book, the characters feel realistic enough and their interactions plausible enough to keep me guessing and intrigued.

Jules strikes a great balance between passive and active, giving her personality a great patina of realism. Sam is just delightful and honest and the perfect love interest. If anything, I think my total dislike for Remy and how much I loathe her by the end of the book, is a testament to how well written she is, because only well-rounded characters , those who had dimensions and deep, are capable of eliciting deep emotion in the reader (even if I think the emotions Remy elicit in me are not the way most readers will feel about her).

A solid four-star read, but a three-star if what you want is a more pure-mystery kind of story.

This is Not a Dead Girl Story is a fast-paced rollercoaster story dealing with grief and changing relationships in the small town of Black Falls. Jules, River and Remy have always been best friends until River suddenly dies in an apparent accident. As Jules is dealing with her grief, Remy seems shutdown and distant. Eight days after River dies, Remy is now missing, her phone found in the woods and the SIM card missing. Jules believes that Remy is not dead, but where is she? Jules must work with the River's cousin, Sam to see what Remy was truly hiding and what happened to her.

This was a fast-paced story that kept me guessing until the end. Although this was different than I was expecting, I did enjoy this book. It was so full of drama and secrets that you didn't know what was going to happen next. I enjoyed Jules as a main character and enjoyed seeing her character grow as she learns the secrets her friends were hiding before the events that left one dead and another missing. If you are looking for a good mystery, I highly recommend this book.

This Is Not a Dead Girl Story comes out on August 6th.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group (Penguin Young Readers) for the opportunity to review This Is Not a Dead Girl Story. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This Is Not A Dead Girl Story - Kate Sweeney: Comes out August 6th, 2024
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— This is not a dead girl story. This is not a horror movie or true-crime podcast. This is my life. —
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Jules Green, her cousin Remy and River O’Dell grew up together in Black Falls, New York. They lived, they loved, they disappeared. River was the first to go. He was found dead with no obvious cause of death. His girlfriend, Remy, ran away shortly after the funeral and rumors sparked up all over the small town that she too was dead. When River’s cousin, a bad boy by the name of Sam comes to town, all hell begins to break loose as he and Jules begin to uncover the truth. What really happened to River? Where did Remy go? What secrets was she hiding? Will Jules and Sam be able to find her?

Or is this really a dead girl story?
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In reading the description of this book, it felt like it was right up my alley… and it was! This book is everything you could look for and more in a ya mystery/thriller. It was fast paced and hard to put down (I read the whole book in one day)! It was easy to fall in love with the characters in Sweeney’s book! The characters are all described so vividly and they feel real. The only disappointing thing is that the book doesn’t offer much closure for the readers. I won’t spoil anything but I definitely recommend getting this book when it comes out!
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4/5 stars!

This was a good book, with some twists I didn't see coming. The ending felt a little rushed but I greatly enjoyed it.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this review copy

Book:
THIS IS NOT A DEAD GIRL STORY by Kate Sweeney
Thank you to PenguinTeen and Netgalley for this arc. Out: August 6th

Review:
5⭐
The prologue of THIS IS NOT A DEAD GIRL STORY instantly pulled me in, continuing to do so as I read the next chapter and so on and so forth. When I tell you I was utterly dumbfounded,  reading each chapter of this pragmatically, emotional-rollercoaster of a story, I was ...literally my eyes went wide, and then wide again as the story went on. It was honestly so heartbreaking. This book was emotionally riveting, and oh so gripping as the mystery unfolded. Seriously, my suspicions were high throughout this book---it seemed like everyone was hiding something, and I wanted to unravel it at the seams as I read it. THIS IS NOT A DEAD GIRL STORY was  full of drama and secrets. This book contains themes that don't get enough representation, and I applaud the author for writing such a tale. This book is a must read for anyone who wants a dramatic mystery that focuses on real problems throughout a fast-paced thriller. Preorder and add to your tbr today.

What I Liked About It:
*everything

This book started showing us all these characters just to have one taken too soon. This reminded me of the death of my childhood friend and the piercing silence that arrived when he died. I also feel like we did not have enough time with this character but I guess that is the point.

This book took me on a ride that I thought I expected but I never did, it was so crazy I loved it so much and it hold as special place in my heart as the first arc that I completed and loved. I would recommend this book to anyone and I will be buying it when it comes out!

Favorite quote: "It turns out people thinking you are perfect is the worst thing that can happen"

Rated it 5/5 stars!