A mystery surrounding a missing girl and her cousin’s quest for answers.

This was a different kind of story in this genre. I thought the mystery was insightful and gripping.

Thank you Penguin group and NetGalley for the WRC.

I feel like I need to fully gather my thoughts, but I really loved this. This was such a powerful and heartbreaking story.

It was fast-paced and tense and it felt so freaking real. It’s the kind of book I wish I had as a teenager. The way Jules feels about the world, her body, how she doesn’t fit in, etc. was so raw and relatable.

This story had its slow points and its good moments, but overall it was just an okay read. It started off well and then about 50% through I got bored. Some parts in the chapters were a bit confusing with flashbacks and what not and it felt unnecessary. I’m just glad the ending was tied up in a nice bow and didn’t leave anything hanging or left open or ambiguous. Teen drama, jealously, romance, mystery, suspense, grooming and a nice little twist that I saw coming from a mile away. Still a good read but nothing overly exciting, at least not for me.

This is surprisingly dark for a YA contemporary book, but so well-done and complex, I'll be thinking about some parts for a while. Jules, our narrator, is not comfortable in her own skin, and only feels at home with her two best friends: River, the boy she's loved forever, and Remy, Jules' cousin and River's longtime girlfriend. Despite their beauty and popularity, Remy and River are the only people who truly see Jules. So when River dies tragically and Remy disappears a week later, Jules is shattered. Now everyone in their small town is convinced that Remy is dead, just like River, but Jules can't believe that, and is determined to find Remy. But the more she delves into Remy's life, the more she realizes she never really knew her friends at all.

I loved the atmospheric setting in this book, and could clearly picture the small town and the feelings the characters had about living there. It was a beautiful place, but full of drugs and lies and danger just as much as childhood memories and love. The reveals about Remy's secrets presented some interesting dualities and symbolism, but that didn't make me like her any more. I enjoyed Jules getting to know the popular girls/Remy's friends and realizing that as different as she saw herself from them, at their cores they were the same. I did see part of the twist coming of who knew what happened to Remy, but everything else was a surprise, which was great. Even what I saw coming fit so well that I couldn't be mad about guessing it. If you're looking for a YA thriller with emotional depth and modern concerns, check this out, but definitely look into triggers first. Thanks to Penguin Teen for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to Viking and NetGalley for this Arc! This sorry was so captivating and the plot kept me interested! There were times Jules was so annoying but she grew on me a lot! The plot twist I saw coming but I still enjoyed this story!

This was a fantastic mystery that had great pacing and at time had my heart rate going as I feared for the safety of a few characters. Sweeney does a great job of showing how we can put others on a pedestal and think nothing could be bad about them, when in fact we are all just flawed beings.

Some of the characters were a little flat, like the friend group, even when it felt like there could be more to them it wasn’t really explored. Jules felt like a glimpse into the mind of a teenager dealing with insecurities and the drama of youth, while also showing she could grow and learn from all of this. Overall I really enjoyed this story and it was a nice break from my usual fantasy reads.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @penguinteen and @netgalley for the eARC of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Jules, Remy and River, it’s always been these 3 against the world since childhood and in Jules’ perfect world, it would have always stayed that way - untouched, young and happy. So when River passes away suddenly during a bonfire party, Jules’ world is turned upside down. She has lost one of her best friends, and quickly begins to feel Remy slipping through her fingers. To make matters worse, Remy has now gone missing only a few weeks after Rivers' passing. Left alone to face the world, Jules is determined to prove that Remy is alive, and she will not be another dead girl story.

It took me a while to finish this book, mostly because I was nervous it was going to be a book similar to the Crank series or Speak, both of which I should not have read at such a young age. I still frequently think about those books and how they emotionally affected 13-15 year old me. This luckily turns out to not be like those books, but still deals with heavy topics - which the author has content warnings listed at the beginning.

Overall, the story is well written and goes about dealing with heavy topics in a way that young readers may find relatable. HOWEVER, there are things that the characters do in the book that I hope a young reader would never dream of doing. I’d recommend an adult reading this book before letting students read it. As an adult myself there were many times I felt uneasy and had to step away from the story and at times debated about not finishing it.

Oh, man. There's a lot to say about this book, but I'll keep it short. While the writing style was ultimately what made this book a DNF for me, I was a little wary after seeing the trigger warnings at the start. (To be clear, I'm glad that the author included them! But had I known the book would delve into some of these topics, I might not have requested it in the first place.)

After reading spoilers, I confirmed that my decision to stop reading was the correct one, but also that the content was perhaps more intense than the trigger warnings indicated. I try to avoid giving low reviews because most of the time books that aren't a fit for me are a fit for someone else. However, after seeing some references to content further in the book, this feels like an odd fit for a YA audience.

This Is Not a Dead Girl Story by Kate Sweeney is a compelling YA mystery that hooked me immediately!
This book was wildly engrossing and atmospheric.
This captivating and engaging style of writing added to this intense storyline.
I totally devoured this book and look forward to reading more of Sweeney’s work in the future!

Thank You NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This coming of age story is full of mystery and a tangled web of lies affecting a large part of a small town in upstate NY. At the center of the mystery is a missing girl named Remy, whose cousin is left to put together the pieces of what happened and unravel all the lies she's been told.

This YA book was well written and while I felt like I figured out things before I reached the end, I still enjoyed the story and most of the characters.

Thank you to netgalley for the free ARC, this is my unbiased opinion

I love Courtney Summers and true crime and couldn't wait to read This Is Not a Dead Girl Story. I read the first two chapters before deciding not to finish this. I did not like any of the characters, especially Remy. The story sounded interesting, but the characters mixed with the bad writing made this one a no for me. There were random memories inserted into the present text which made the story confusing. Thank you for giving me the chance to read this.

Startlingly powerful, This Is Not a Dead Girl Story was more explorative NA drama with an underlying mystery than YA thriller. From the deep well of grief to the thought-provoking themes tinged with darkness and despair, I am sure that I will be left pondering the topics for far longer than I could’ve ever expected. Especially the ideas about women’s bodies and how they’re viewed by society. Considering the current state of politics in our country, I’d say that it was more than relevant all things considered.

The biggest success in this heart-rending winner, however, was Sweeney’s masterful rendition of teenagers and their way of being. With true-to-life authenticity and a narrator that I couldn’t help but root for, I was pulled into a story that easily wrapped me around its little finger. After all, Jules was the perfect combination of bereft, lost, and resolute. The rest of the cast of characters did a marvelous job of filling out a small town rocked by two horrific events in only a matter of days. All told, it couldn’t have been better, even if it was somewhat light on the whodunnit for this mystery lover.

Despite that, however, I was won over 110% as one grim secret after another was laid at my feet. I was so wrapped up in it, in fact, that I sped through the book in only a matter of hours. From the harsh look at self-worth to triggers such as sexual exploitation, there was a definite dark thread running throughout. That said, it’s a book that I’m glad that I read—and one that you should as well. Perfect for a book club, this YA mystery/drama had many a topic that will spark conversation for both teens and adults. So go on. Grab a copy. Just maybe check out my list of triggers before diving in. Rating of 4.5 stars.

Thank you to Kate Sweeney, Penguin Teen, and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

I think that there’s novel was trying to do a lot of things, but it literally did none of those things! I kept forgetting the main characters name because she literally was no one. She was a girl who was tired of, and I was also tired of her obsession with her cousin Remy and her cousin’s boyfriend River.

it was very awkward when Remy went missing and Joel start wearing her clothes and it was even more awkward that Jules had a whole drawer dedicated to River. Did I mention that Remi and River were together? I feel like I should continue to say that.

I hate it. That was such a pick me. She was a very much kind of girl. I’m not as pretty as everybody else. Oh my God my body is so crazy. I’ll never be as pretty as these other girls with blonde hair.

and then claims that Jules is her best friend, but she literally kept her in the dark about a lot of stuff. Then Remy went to go live on a farm so all in all this just was not well written, and this should not be pandering towards a YA audience. this book feels too adult with a lot of adult topics that I know young adults know about, but this is just not conveyed in a young adult manner.

A lot of this novel is easily read by skimming bc only like 15% of the novel is important. River felt two dimensional probably because he was dead and I didn’t care about him. I wasn’t invested in Remy at all because she was literally so awful. all of the girls were trying to reclaim their bodies by starting a high school only fans and they all should have been indicted for distribution of child pornography, all of them involved. and at the end of the novel, jules doesn’t even give Remy the business about literally all of the awful things she did.

I couldn't get into this one. It was slower paced towards the beginning and middle. I did like it's darkness and the serious topics touched on.

“Remy Green is Missing” is a compelling and haunting mystery that subverts the typical “dead girl” trope in the most refreshing way. From the very first page, readers are drawn into the enigmatic disappearance of Remy Green and the emotional turmoil of her cousin, Jules. The contrast between the two girls—Remy’s magnetic presence and Jules’ awkward, shy demeanor—adds depth and complexity to the narrative.

Jules’ determination to find Remy, despite everyone else believing she is dead, is both heart-wrenching and inspiring. Her internal dialogue with Remy and the unfolding relationship with River’s cousin, Sam, add layers of suspense and emotional intensity. The small-town setting of Black Falls, NY, is vividly depicted, with its dark corners and hidden secrets providing the perfect backdrop for this thrilling story.

What truly sets this novel apart is its focus on unraveling the true identities and secrets of the characters, rather than just the mystery of Remy’s disappearance. “Remy Green is Missing” is not just about a missing girl; it’s about uncovering hidden truths and the strength of those left behind. This novel is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and mysteries, offering a perfect blend of emotional depth and thrilling twists.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
3.5/5 STARS

Genre: YA Coming of Age/Mystery

Synopsis: A teen boy is dead & one girl is missing. Is she dead too?

This was more a coming of age than it was a mystery. It was mainly about body image and teen relationships with a mystery sprinkled in. The mystery itself was ok and wrapped up very quickly at the end.
If you like coming of age, you will enjoy it. If you like more thriller/ mystery type books, this is not it.

There were parts of this book that I really enjoyed. And others that just felt kinda “meh.” I think it was the inconsistency that frustrated me the most. One minute I would engrossed in the book and the next it would just kinda lose me.

This story was way different than what I thought it was going to be. There were elements of a thriller this was much deeper than that. This is about all the things that go on right under your nose and yet you don't know it unless you step outside your own life to recognize it.

This is Not a Dead Girl Story' captivated me from the start with its intriguing mystery surrounding Remy and River. The characters were well-developed, and the plot twists kept me guessing. The author skillfully built suspense, making it hard to put the book down. However, I felt the ending was a bit abrupt and left me wanting more closure. Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed the journey and would recommend it to fans of mystery and suspense.

This is Not a Dead Girl Story is perfect for fans of Holly Jackson. If you like YA thrillers, this is a carefully crafted story you don't want to miss. Kate Sweeney combines elements of grief and young love in ways that I think the YA audience will really resonate with and appreciate. She also writes about complex young relationships and family. I have a cousin who is one year apart from me and I think the author did a good job of showing how growing up together can influence and change a relationship over time.

There are some YA thrillers that transcend audience and age. This is squarely a YA thriller and doesn't really age up. There is nothing wrong with that, I think the YA audience will really take to this and feel heard and seen and understood. It was just difficult as an adult to fully enjoy and appreciate like some other YA thrillers.