Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

I liked this book, but I am choosing to only give this book 3 stars as there is a lot of adult content (which didn't bother me) and this book is supposed to be marketed at 12 year-olds. Make it make sense!

I liked so much of this but I was also so confused about so much of this. This definitely reads a bit older than YA. One of the main characters is a sex worker. And I THINK they’re a teen? Or at least a young adult in their 20’s? They didn’t give specific ages, so just something to think about before you read this.

Ok so the story itself was fantastic. I loved the puzzle element. Her grandmother was weird af, but I really think it was cool that she was able to figure all that out. I will say it reminded me a lot of the Jennifer Lynn Barnes series. But just that part of it. It’s what got me stuck in this book and made me want to figure out what the puzzle was about. I was so into it I almost forgot to make my theories about the real thriller mystery lol

The mystery part of this was also good. I didn’t figure out whodunit, so this was definitely a good sign. I DID guess a part of it, but the main part I was wrong. But the way it happened and the motive behind it I didn’t guess, but it definitely left me LIVID afterward. I didn’t see some of that coming, and I’m kind of glad I didn’t because I think I would have been mad enough to throw it across the room. Don’t get me wrong, this seems like a light-hearted review, but the book itself is not. It’s heavy, but so so good.

I liked this so much more than I was expecting. I don’t want to talk too much about it to avoid spoilers, but there was something about that last chapter! I LOVED the ending, but I hated that it seemed so final. I hope that there might be more some how? Idk y’all read it and let me know so we can discuss! This one is going to stay with me a while, if for no other reason but to recognize what she was going through.

Overall I give this,

DNF @ 15%

I have been trying to get through this book for the better part of two months and I'm struggling. I think the two stories are just so disconnected at this point - and while I'm sure they will eventually come together - I'm not willing to see it through as I am not enjoying them.

I will note that it is extremely alarming that this book will be marketed to readers as young as 12 years old, according to the notes in the arc itself, while the first page contains multiple descriptions of graphic sex work and one of the main characters is a sex worker, who engages in this work throughout the entire course of the book. Would not allow my 12 year old to read this book, this should be marketed to older teenagers or adults because of this content.

This was a dark, but compelling book. It has a very cat and mouse feel to the story and keeps good pace throughout the whole novel. There’s a very interesting game/riddle element to the story that I wasn’t expecting, and I enjoyed watching Roxie try to figure it out. I really enjoyed that it was dual-POV, but I definitely would have enjoyed more chapters from Inez, as I found her character to be more interesting. The ending was well-done, and I enjoyed the surprise twist. Overall, if you like your murder mysteries to have a gritty edge and a treasure hunt element, you’ll probably really enjoy this one!

That Kind of Girl pulled me in from the start. Listed as YA genre, this book feels anything but.

Sixteen year old Roxie finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation after being hired to locate an individual by her classmate. Layered with unique storylines (Roxie is her classmates go to detective) and well developed characters, I was completely invested from beginning to end. The twists and dual POV’s weaved me through this maze-like mystery in record time.

I highly enjoyed this one and recommend it for your next quick summer read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Nancy Paulsen Books and the author for an early digital copy.

This was a fun murder mystery to read with a satisfying conclusion.

To think that a teenager with a gift for finding things is telling this story is astonishing! Roxie and I would be besties,

In an attempt to assist the school's it girl, Kirsten, Roxie finds herself caught up in a murder mystery. This book is just one twist after jaw-dropping turn after pearl-clutch. A civil situation is unfolding between the haves and have-nots, accompanied by hauntingly dark and beautiful poetry, and the discovery of treasures and secrets that can alter the course of the lives involved.

This was my first time reading from this author; it will not be my last.

Thank you, Netgalley, PENGUIN GROUP, Penguin Young Readers Group | Nancy Paulsen Books, Natalie C. Anderson, for the ARC of this entertaining book.

I'm going to be so honest when I say there was not a single point in this story when I knew what was going to happen next. Every time I thought I had it figured out, another twist or a new character would come into play. I wouldn't say I loved it, but I also didn't dislike it. It kept me interested at times, and at others I found myself putting it down for days at a time.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Roxie's character and point of view. She is very strong, determined and mature for her age. I also appreciated that this was a quick read.

Everything else about this book fell flat for me. I came into it expecting a cat and mouse game between the two main characters. Sorry for the spoiler alert, but they don't really even connect until 80% into the story. When they do team up, it's not as opponents but as allies working together to solve the murder.
I felt like this book was all over the place and was hard to follow. The scavenger hunt was slightly interesting but I didn't feel like it added much to the book.

This was quick and easy read. Filled with a lot of secrets and dark going ons. I loved learning more about Roxanne, however I wish it played a bit more role into her life now. The backstory almost felt like an unnecessary part of the book It did show more of how Roxanne came to be who she is, and her relationship with her uncle. And of course why she was sleuthing in this book, but it was almost like a "you have to feel bad for this girl, because xxxx." Inez was another interesting character, but I did want more of her. Especially since she did have a second POV. Almost like a red herring, always floating back into the picture.. but why else do I need to care about her?

Like I said, a quick and easy read, but nothing that will stick with me or one I'll remember to recommend. Maybe a younger reader that is new to mysteries would like this more than I did.

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy.

This was a great story. It kept me on my toes the whole time. Great character development as well. I think better for an older YA audience.

That Kind of Girl by Natalie C. Anderson will keep you gripped till the very end, with an unexpected twist. Anderson’s writing is amazing.
The characters are well developed and the pace of the book kept me turning the pages. I could hardly wait to see what happened next.

Short and Sweet Review

That Kind of Girl follows Roxie someone who prides herself on being a sleuth and finding items for her classmates. When popular classmate Kirsten pays Roxie a lump sum to find someone Roxie agrees to meet with Kirsten to learn more information. When Roxie shows up to Kirstens house she finds her murdered and Roxie becomes the prime suspect. We also have Inez who is a maid and a sex worker and everywhere she looks she finds dried blood and she knows she should get rid of the evidence before someone ties her to the body. Roxie isn’t exactly sure who she’s looking for but all the evidence points to one place and Inez is trying her best to stay one step ahead to avoid capture.

This is a book I didn’t enjoy. We have Roxie who has a reputation for being able to find things hired by popular girl Kirsten. Kirsten wants Roxie to find a girl who could possibly have her phone, when Roxie goes to Kirsten’s house to learn more information she finds Kiersten murdered. Roxie ends up being a suspect because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time and she also has a history with Kirsten. Inez is a maid and also a sex worker and at times I thought this book could be a New Adult just because of that fact and we also got her POV. The plot was okay but I thought it could have been better executed. My biggest problem with this book is that it was trying to come off as something complex but it just made things more confusing. Not only is Roxie trying to solve Kirsten’s murder but her great aunt also left her clues for a scavenger hunt and this was something I didn’t care for, I thought the murder and the Roxie trying to find Inez was enough. Inez also has some dark secrets she’s hiding. I didn’t care for either character, I didn’t connect with them and they sounded too similar to each other.

Overall, I really can’t say much about the book without spoiling it. I just know that this book wasn’t for me. The synopsis made it sound interesting but the book was the opposite and was one I had to push myself to finish.

Two teens, One murder....And both could be the killer. Sounds like fun doesn't it?
If you love YA mysteries with gritty vibes and twisty POVs, this book will devour your attention FAST. I could not put this book down once I picked it up. For anyone who is craving a mystery that will stick with you long after you close the book.

Two girls play a dangerous game of cat and mouse when a rich classmate is murdered and they become the main suspects... but who is the real killer? Roxie is a sixteen year old amateur sleuth and great at finding things for her rich classmates. When the queen bee of her school, Kristen, asks her to find the blonde girl who stole her phone, it's an easy case for Roxie.... but then when Roxie finds Kristen murdered and the police suspect Roxie... things are not looking good. On the outskirts of town there is Inez, a twenty year old part time maid and part time sex worker who keeps finding blood everywhere....and if someone finds the blood on hr things they could probably send her to jail. Roxie doesn't know who she is looking for while Inez doesn't know who she is hiding from... but Roxie has to clear her name and Inez needs to find a way to avoid the law and the men who hurt her. This book was odd to me, I didn't enjoy the pacing of the story or the way the story unfolded. I wasn't interested in either character and it just felt like a boring read to me. The premise was really promising however, in the end I just felt like it wasn't working for me.

Release Date: June 24, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Nancy Paulsen Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Roxanne is the girl you go to when you need something to disappear or be found. It's generally photos that shouldn't have been taken - will girls never learn? But when Kirsten needs Roxanne to find her phone from a girl she has never met, things quickly turn serious, and Roxie finds herself entangled in two murder cases.

The mystery in 'That Kind of Girl' is twofold - current and historical. Kirsten may have stumbled across a crime that needs to be paid for, but the death of Roxie's great aunt will add another dimension to the search for the truth.

A great read. Keeps you guessing, and the twists are unexpected yet believable. A step up for Young Adult writing; the author respects young people and their sense of justice.

I liked the premise of this book. I thought the twists were well done. I do think I missed a couple of subtle details and how they interacted with the overall picture, but it didn't impact the main parts of the book. I think if I had caught the details, I would have rated the book a little higher.

Overall, I thought this was a good book. I think the material had some dark moments for a YA book (see content warnings), and some of the situations were meant to invoke creepy feelings, which I think the book did well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group/Nancy Paulsen Books for the ARC!

That Kind of Girl by Natalie C. Anderson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🚫

Amateur detective Roxie finds her classmate murdered, right after the classmate hired Roxie to find someone she says stole her phone. Even stranger is the victim has a paper clue in her hand that matches the treasure hunt Roxie's late great-aunt has sent her on to find her inheritance.

As Roxie digs deeper, she's not sure if she's finding answers or more questions.

What I liked:
This dual POV kept me guessing - as soon as I felt like I had put all the pieces together, we switched POV, and the new perspective changed things just enough to keep it interesting. I liked how we dont know who the real victim and perpetrator is until the very end - it made me keep questioning the main characters and their motives, which kept the suspense going.

What I didn't like:
This was supposed to be a YA novel, but it definitely felt too gritty to fit that age category. Also, the main characters are supposed to be high school or early 20s, but a decent amount of their actions and behavior felt like they were people in their 30s, so it felt off.

A huge thank you to @netgalley for another great ARC opportunity #netgalley #thatkindofgirl #bookreview #booktropes #nataliecanderson

Upon reading other reviews, I can see that I am not the only person confused about a) the age of these characters and b) the age level of the book. The characters are all high school students and one is a sex worker. The characters all seem about 30 years old, but that's like all the 2010s YA I read back in the day, so I really didn't mind.

Content Warning: There are depictions of SA and the story revolves around that.

That said, I did enjoy this book, which to me had the vibe of a very gritty Inheritance Games, as there is not only a murder but a very fun and clever scavenger hunt element.

I enjoyed this mystery/suspense book, but am hesitant to agree with the designation of YA, as the characters and plot all felt "adult" to me. Aside from that, I was definitely hooked on the puzzle/mystery throughout the book, and how everything was going to be "tied up neatly" by the end of the book. It has well-developed characters and a plot that leaves you guessing, which is always a good combination for a thriller/mystery book.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

I really wasn’t a fan of this book. The main characters voices seemed way too similar, I think in part due to the author’s kinda choppy writing style. It was a lot of short sentences, telegram style, so it really didn’t flow that well.

There’s a lot going on in the book and it does bring up some important topics however I feel they could have been tackled much better than what they were. They didn’t seem woven into the plot as well as they could have been, rather just placed randomly.

As for the characters, I felt nothing for them. Unfortunately I can’t say much more about what I disliked without giving away spoilers, but I will say if you’re younger and like mysteries, you may like this. The book feels very YA to me, yet the one character is a sex worker, so just be aware of what you’re getting into…

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the E-ARC; the above review is my honest opinion left of my own volition.