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!

I really had high hopes for this one. The synopsis sounded like it was right up my alley in terms of YA thrillers. What I got ended up feeling like a watered down, cliche, Lifetime movie about teenagers, but meant for adult audiences. I would not recommend this to teenage girls AT ALL! There were so many things going on in this one that just aren't appropriate for a young audience. Without giving spoilers, the plot twists were more like warnings, and things that need to be looked out for on the side of parents. Things that should be discussed with teenagers as life lessons for body positivity and safety purposes. But the lessons that were meant to be taught in the story never quite felt learned by the characters. The story had potential to be both entertaining and useful as a way to show teenage girls that they need to protect their bodies and theirselves while also realizing that they have power and that they are all beautiful no matter what, but it most definitely fell short and seemed to be teaching the wrong things. 😩

Thanks for the e-arc penguin teen.

This book was a lot darker than I was expecting, but I think that it is an important story for young girls to read. The pacing was definitely choppy in the beginning and it took me a while to really get into the book, but I am glad that I pushed through to finish it. I will say that I wish it wasn't as obvious who the letters were from; I mean I figured it out and I basically never figure out the twists, but I appreciated how Sweeney handled the reveal. I think that this was a very important story, but I wish that there had been just a little more outrage about the child pornography going on.

This book and its themes will stick with me for a long time. It wasn't the most perfectly executed story, but the themes that are present in this story are too important to be missed.

Wow. Okay. I don’t know how to rate this because what I did not expect in the year of our Lord 2024 was a teenage only fans style sex worker ring. I’m not sure how this one will go over with the crowd that is repulsed by sex scenes in YA books. To be clear there’s only one sex scene in this book to my recollection and it’s extremely tame and kind of sad. I’m just never going to get over the sex work for teenagers.

This really reminded me quite a bit of Sadie by Courtney Summers. However Sadie felt like an adult book written about a teenager while this one felt like a YA book with adult themes. I will say the last 15 ish % really took a hard right into Secret Life of the American Teenager territory as far as decision making skills were concerned. But it did really remind me that 16 year olds still have a decade until their brains are fully developed and they start understanding that their great ideas are not nearly as thought out as they would say.

I found myself getting annoyed with the main character, Jules, a lot honestly. I wanted to scream several times “ASK QUESTIONS!!!!!!” because there were at least a dozen times when people alluded to what was going on with Remy and Jules just said and did absolutely nothing. How exactly did she expect to find Remy while asking zero questions? Wild.

Also at the end when Remy was found she casually mentions that she talked to the FBI a week ago. EXCUSE ME?! So the FBI knew a missing 16 year old girl was alive across state lines on a farm and they just left her there and didn’t think to inform her mom or the local police? Mmk. Absolutely plausible 🙄

I don’t think the content warnings listed in the book are nearly enough. There is possible suicide, drug use and abuse, sexual harassment, violence, and grooming but there is wayyyy more than that. There’s literal CP, slut shaming, alcohol, body dysmorphia, child death, parent death, parental abandonment, grief, and toxic friendships and relationships. I’m sure I’m missing a few.

If I was a teen, I would eat this up. This is a great thriller for teens who love fast pace storyline, twists and turns, and first romances, I could easily see this being a series.

I'm ultimately very torn about how to feel with this book. While the writing is very well done and Jules' character feels especially real for a YA thriller protagonist, the rest feels very well-intentioned but ultimately lacking in actual catharsis. The highlight of the book is really Jules and her inability to figure out her own place in her community, her friendships, and her relationship with River and Remy. Her body issues and her constant comparisons to Remy feel very real and are portrayed really well. Sam also stood out as almost a mirror image of Remy; the two of them struggling with how others perceive them, especially when compared to their respective cousins. I loved their relationship and how it evolved over the course of the book. The mystery itself is what didn't quite work for me. The twists and turns all continuously keep coming, but nothing feels especially fleshed out within them, and the choices some characters make are completely baffling.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

'The way you said the word yes felt like Petals falling from your mouth." "You said yes to everything, and the world was full of flowers."

Thank you, THANK YOU to NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for this ARC. As quoted from above you can see how beautifully written this novel was. Sweeney's writing is full of so much imagery, I can place myself in the small wasteland that Cousins Remy and Jules and the completion of their trio River call home. From the start of the Book Jules is out with members of her town and law enforcement looking for Remy as she has gone missing. but that is just one thing that rocks the lives of these longtime friends. This book to me was like the tv show Twin Peaks, but so much clearer to understand. The book is just so bleak, and I mean this in an ABSOULTE POSITIVE way. Who always wants to read books that are fully of sunshine?
The title had me a tad thrown until it was used in a great way later on. I will definitely be checking out any book written by Kate Sweeney, she creates a world that I can get lost in. I would love to say so much more about the plot, but I really don't want to give away anything! I will leave you with another highlighted quote that just spoke out to me.

"I need to do something now to remind myself that I'm alive." "So I jump into the cold water of my fears.

*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!*

⊹₊♡⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Disclaimer: I got really lazy and slightly annoyed with how lame this book was while writing this review, and it shows. There were so many other things I could've gone over about why I didn't like this book, but I couldn't bring myself to actually critique it more than I already did.

⊹₊♡⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

❝I am changing. When you were here it felt like you were too. If we become different people, promise me you'll still be mine.❞

That quote doesn't really fit with the exact story line of the book, but I thought it was sweet anyways.

⊹₊♡⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Alexa... play Your Power by Billie Eilish

0:00 ♡──────── -4:06
↻ ⊲ Ⅱ ⊳ ↺

"Does it keep you in control?
For you to keep her in a cage?"

⊹₊♡⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

જ*⁀➷Includes:
➵sexual harrassment, violence
➵enemies to friends to lovers
➵drugs & alcohol use
➵depression & suicide
➵grooming
➵he fell first
➵ugly duckling

જ*⁀➷Summary In the Form of a Quote

❝The world is a soft place.
This is not a horror movie.
Remy is not a dead girl.❞

જ*⁀➷Themes
Not everyone is who they seem to be.
Grief changes people.

જ*⁀➷Characters

Jules
She was fine. She wasn't too bothersome. Sometimes, she teetered a little bit too close to pick me girl and that freaked me out a bit, but she usually stayed in the green. That was especially difficult because throughout the book we were reminded of how "awkward" she was. But it wasn't too overwhelming, you know? It was mainly her anxious thoughts that were awkward instead of her behaviors. Overall, she was just kind of irrelevant, and that's funny to me, because throughout the whole book, she was complaining about being in her best friends' shadows, but she never actually did anything about it except try to be more like them... I don't know. But I do know that she was so irrelevant that I even forgot her name a few times while reading the book.

There should be quotes here but everybody was lame! 🥰

Remy

Man, was she a bitch.
Like, she was barely even in the book and I still hated her so fucking much.
She's like Regina George if Mean Girls took place in New York and if viewers actually hated her character like they're supposed to.
She was so manipulative and toxic it scared me through the phone, holy crap. And everybody ate it all up.
Whatever. All I really have to say about her without spoilers is fuck you annoying ass prick.

There should be quotes here but everybody was lame! 🥰

Sam

He was mid. Like the rest of the characters (Except Remy i guess. That girl was a biiiitch). But I did root for him and (fuck I forgot her name again) the main character girl...
Also, petition to remove the name "Sam" from the minds of authors when coming up with names for love interests, because ew that's my dad's name.

There should be quotes here but everybody was lame! 🥰

River

I feel like I should give him his own special section in here, even though he technically died before the book even started. Because of how much (what's her name again? the main character?) thought of him, it felt like he was actually there, you know? So here you go.

There should be quotes here but everybody was lame! 🥰

જ*⁀➷Plot
Lord, I hate being mean in arc reviews but damn. I kinda... I kinda don't care? This was like if A Good Girl's Guide To Murder had massive budget cuts. And if a cup of grief was flung into the mix. Oh, I know, this should be called "We Have AGGGTM at Home." Like, that's the vibe I got.
And sometimes, similar books aren't a bad thing, but when they are so poorly done/written (hence the "budget cuts" comment), it feels like a waste of time, or a waste of a read.
I also felt like this book was misleading. The little snippet I read when I applied for the arc mentioned a lot more "true crime podcast" and "murder mystery" then was actually delivered. Essentially, this was just a story about a girl and her family/friends grieving the death of her best friend, with the occasional scandal here and there (also very agggtm coded).
I don't wanna say it, but I'm going to anyway. The plot was just too dull to be made into a book.

જ*⁀➷Quotes

SIKE!! Nah, like I said before, there really weren't any good quotes, sorry. 🥰

જ*⁀➷Rating

Characters: 2/5 ⭐

Plot: 1/5 ⭐

Quotes: 1/5 ⭐

Ending: 1/5 ⭐

Overall: 1.25/5 🌟 (Rounded down)

⊹₊♡⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

❝Every morning, I wake up when the sun is just rising and the grass is still wet wth dew. And I run. I run and run and run. And then I go home.❞

Hmm alright bud. Like I said. I don't exactly care.

⊹₊♡⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

This book is not the typical kind of book I read and not what I expected going in. I expected murder and mystery, secrets and lies. I did get all of these but more than realized. TW: grooming, sexual violence, (possible) suicide, alcohol and drugs, physical abuse. I hate to give spoilers but I just need to talk about the heart of this book, which involves the trigger warnings above. Spoilers at your own risk. Honestly, this book was just heartbreaking the whole way through. Our MC is Jules, who describes herself as awkward, though I act similar so does that mean I'm awkward or is Jules thinking about herself wrong? I choose to think the latter. River is dead. Remy is missing. What happened? Jules hears Remy's voice in her head as a coping mechanism and honestly, I love it and it is quite realistic for those grieving. I will admit that her obsession with River is a lot in this book and gets a bit old to read about, especially since he is with her sister. But, you cant help who you love. I get it. Again, I didn't expect the only fans esque type of stuff and though they try to make it sound empowering, these are still underage girls and it's not okay. And Remy's confession about the boys part in it? Definitely not okay and deserved some type of punishment. Absolutely disgusting and I would never be able to forgive her for her part in that. The grooming stuff was also not how I thought this book was turned but the author did it well, not making us read too much of this disgusting behavior, but enough to know it was wrong. Spoilers though, the man is not arrested so ew. I'm glad Jules seems to begin to find herself, who she is. I really enjoy her character development in this book. Her romance with Sam is a pleasure to read as well. It isn't instant, it takes time, she has to address how she feels about him vs river, and there is so much awareness in their relationship that I am fully here for it. I liked this book. There are things id change, and it's better than a lot of other books I read, but I wouldnt personally have it on my shelf just because it's a big triggering for me. That being said, I would recommend it if these triggers do not bother you because it truly was an interesting and captivating read.

A huge thank you to Penguin Teen for providing a NetGalley ARC of THIS IS NOT A DEAD GIRL STORY by Kate Sweeney. If you enjoy a fast-paced plot with an intriguing mystery and an emotional narrative, you'll love this thriller! It reminded me of everything I loved about Sadie by Courtney Summers and more! This is indeed not a dead girl story. It's about finding one's voice, dealing with grief, family struggles, and friendship. Jules experiences it all as she searches for her missing cousin Remy, while also coping with the grief of losing one of her best friends, River. The story is both inspiring and heartbreaking as secrets unravel and everything she thought she knew is turned upside down.

Please check trigger warnings before reading!

A quality young adult read. I thought some parts were a little rushed, and I was able to predict what was going to happen, but I still enjoyed the book.

This story is so powerful. Definitely check trigger warnings in the beginning. It starts when Remy disappears a few months after her boyfriend, River dies. As her cousin Juliette tries to find her she uncovers a thick Web of lies and deceit from her cousin and others in the town. This book kept me guessing as I followed to see if she would find Remy. Great story

Good drama with insight into the protagonist’s thoughts and feelings. Definitely not another dead girl story.

Thank you NetGalley! This was definitely different than other Young Adult novels I’ve read before. Very unique and I love the title

The main characters, who are teenagers are written very realistically. Their actions and behaviors really track with how I believe a real teenager would act. I will say, I wasn’t thrilled with the ending. I felt like it was abrupt and didn’t fit the rest of the book.

From the very first page of the prologue, I was immediately hooked with the story and wanting to know what happened. The author has a way of keep you interested with every page. There were twists and turns and so much mystery as you progressed further into the book. When a book can keep me guessing like this one did then it’s a winner! I did predict one part of the book, but the rest of the story had me guessing from start to finish.

Thank you to @penguinteen @penguinkids and netgalley for the ARC. #youngadukt #mystery #thriller #katesweeney #thisisnotadeadgirlstory

I think this is an important story. It’s a story mainly about friendship and grief under the guise of a thriller. I don’t think I was in the best head space to read this considering just recently I’ve been dealing with the loss of a friend of mine.

It's not often that I choose a book based on the comps alone, but this one had me hooked with "fans of Courtney Summers and true crime podcasts." Sign me up! This book truly lived up to my high expectations. I love a dark, mysterious vibe so this story definitely fit my mood. The main character Jules was the perfect foil to her popular-girl cousin, which really served her character arc. This was also elevated by her teaming up with a boy whose mysterious and troubled nature further enhanced the plot. I couldn't ask for more in terms of family secrets and page-turning reveals. Great read!

Thank you to netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers for allowing me to read this book. I really enjoy this fat paced twisty thriller.

This fast paced thriller dives deep into grief, self love, and friendship while providing unexpected twists throughout! There were great messages about body autonomy and mental health. The ending wasn’t as good as I’d hoped given how the rest of the story was told. But for anyone who loves a YA thriller where there’s little police involvement and the teens solve the crimes, this is a book for you!