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.

Thank you @penguinteen #partner for the gifted copy of this eARC!

If you love a young adult thriller this one was a solid one! I was immediately drawn into the mystery of what happened to Remy who disappeared just 8 days after her boyfriend passed away. Such off and eerie circumstances in this town which left Jules, Remy’s cousin, devastated and looking for answers. It could be her despair or maybe her connection but something tells Jules to not stop digging for clues as to what happened.

This book definitely took a turn in a way I wasn’t expecting. I enjoyed the dark side of this book as it really captured my attention! Kate did a great job setting the stage and being in the mind and behaviors of a seventeen year old. The thoughts, decisions, dilemmas and ultimate choices made felt very fitting. This book and the drama surrounding this small town community was raw and full of twists and surprises. This was a first for me in reading Sweeney and I will absolutely be back for more!

This is a hard one to review. As the title suggests, it isn't a book that glorifies true crime cases about dead girls. But rather so much more. I also don't want to give so much away because I think it's best to go in blind.

Fans of Courtney Summers' Sadie will certainly enjoy this book (and Like that this one had a relatively happy ending).

Thrilling, fast-paced mystery! Great read! Ending surprised me. Make sure to check the trigger warnings before reading

This story really intrigued me based on the synopsis, but honestly it fell flat in the end. I was hoping to be a lot more engaged with the characters and I just wasn't.

Thank you to the publisher/Penguin for an e-arc of this book.

So -- I have middle of the road feelings about this. I'm not quite sure what I was hoping for, but this book didn't strike the right notes for me.

I think the book is well written, and it is definitely engaging, I just felt like it was lacking something.

I don't mind books when the plot points are obvious, but I felt this one was a little too blatant. And yet, at the same time, I liked many of the reoccurring themes in this book, especially how focused on women's empowerment. I think that aspect is still super important - these are feelings all teens have and the way Sweeney did it works so well.

She communicates such an important message in this book, and I think that is the best part of the book.

This was such an interesting book- I swear, every time I read a small town murder mystery book I’m surprised by how good they are!! It’s so nice when the characters are so used to their surroundings that they can delve really deep into the why and how of the murders, yknow??

While I think the authors writing is well done...I found myself drifting in and out of this story because of the slow pacing. I felt like we were stuck in mourning for so long and dealing with Jules emotions rather than actually trying to find out what happened to Remy and River.
By the time things started happening it was almost so late in the story that I wasnt fully invested anymore.
I do think the message of the story is important and good but the overall delivery was lacking for me. Too much repetitive aspects and a lot of talking about things but not doing much.

Thank you penguin random house for this ARC all my thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first book I've read by Sweeney and I really enjoyed it. The message in the story really resonated with me. Jules is best friends with her cousin Remy, and River, the boy down the way that she grew up with but is also madly in love with, albeit an unrequited love. Remy and River are the golden couple, but the three are all best friends. But, this friendship has some deep secrets.

Without warning, though there may have been some missed signs, River ends up dead. Then, after a period of grieving, Remy disappears. Jules doesn't know how to cope with these loses. However, she is positive that Remy is not dead too. She has to be okay. Because, after all, this is not a dead girl story.

This mystery was really great. I appreciated the development of Jules' character and the progression of the plot. I recommend this story and look forward to reading more books by this author.

I loved this one! I finished this one in a single sitting as it was the perfect mix of suspense, spooky, and mystery. Right after losing one of her best friends, River, Jules' other best friend and cousin, Remy, has gone missing. With the help of River's cousin, Sam, they investigate and refuse to settle until they have answers.

I really loved Jules' character development and her relationship with Sam - it was the perfect balance of new friendship and romantic chemistry to keep things interesting! The story led up to a decent twist, but the ending kind of fell apart because it felt too unrealistic and out of left field. That being said, I really enjoyed Sweeney's writing style and ideas and will be on the lookout for more from her! Thank you for the ARC!