I thought this book was good, but a bit disappointing.

The little romance with Ash felt wrong and that they would have worked better as just friends. The small references to Sam also felt a bit out of place. I had hoped Ramsey would ended up being a “bad guy” and not given that final copy of the footage to Bel, but he didn’t.

I did still enjoy this book though, just not as much as I had hoped. I enjoyed hearing the story of Rachel Price’s life as part of the “big reveal”. It was fun to come up with my own theories about what happened.

I really enjoyed this book and how the story unfolded. I still feel icky about the mom and I felt it was mostly predictable in a way. If you're looking for inconsistencies you'll figure it out pretty easily.

It’s been a long time since a book gave me the reaction that this one did. I mean I was talking out loud to the book, I was stress eating girl scout cookies, I was constantly updating my friend on where I was in the book, and I was even PACING. This book did a number on my mental health lol

Ok so the reason I was so excited about this book was because it was by the incomparable Holly Jackson. But besides that, I fell in LOVE with the idea that there was a cold case/unsolved mystery about her mom and the fact that there was a documentary surrounding it. Like this is literally the type of thing I would watch on tv. So I’ve been waiting not so patiently for this to come out. And as soon as I saw it, I listened to it immediately. And I was not disappointed. The writing style is classic Jackson, which means the plot is all over the place lol It is a slow burn, but it didn’t feel like that. I actually enjoy her writing and knew there was going to be something off the wall that was about to happen. And sure enough, it was.

With that being said, I guess a small, infinitesimal part of the person responsible. And let me just tell you, even with that one good guess I got, it was still mostly wrong lol And I never once got the why lol I don’t think I could come up with a story like this in my wildest dreams. And let me just say, EVERY CHARACTER is a suspect at least once throughout the story. That’s not up for debate. If you read this and say that you guessed right, you’re lying. I just can’t believe you because this was crazy lol She had to have been laughing at us while she wrote this, like “how can I eff them up even more?”

I don’t want to say too much more because I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone. But let me just say, you have no idea what’s to come lol And just the other day I was complaining about a thriller that was a slow burn and how it made me bored. I thought it was because it was a slow burn. But nope. It must’ve been the writing style. And the reward of the weird part at the end helped to keep me glued to the book. The further you get in the book, the crazier it gets. Definitely was a book that I will be adding to my collection.

3.5/5

why must authors write mysteries that low key don't make sense...

as a huge lover of holly jackson's books, i nearly passed out when this arc showed up in my email. i read it this weekend, literally in two days so i can definitely say that if you enjoy the fastpacedness of holly's other books you will enjoy the writing of this one. all the characters were very well crafted and i really liked them. bel was reminding me so much of pip, like they're twins fr. the relationship between bel and ash was also giving me the same vibes of early days pip and ravi, so i obviously loved that. my issues with this story were in the storytelling and overall plot.

the thing with mysteries is is you're going to make them have outlandish plots you have to have really good writing so that it's easy for readers to believe the story. holly jackson has done really good with that in the past but this story not so much. the plot twist and especially the ending was just so unbelievable. there is simply no way they would've gotten away with the ending of the book. besides the fact of the documentary that was being filmed and what the workers of that knew, you still have sherry. her ending is wayyyy to open ended and almost rushed for literally anyone to believe it. there was just so much that came out in the third act and honestly it didn't make the most sense.

even though this wasn't a favorite for me i still was entranced. i sort of think the book would've been better if the mystery stayed outside the family of maybe just involved one member. while the writing was harder to believe in this book it wasn't bad. i still really like holly's books and will read other new books she has. just make sure you're ready to suspend you beliefs when you pick this up.

*thank you NetGalley for the ARC*

4.5

The Reappearance of Rachel Price follows 18 year old Bel who has lived most of her life not knowing what happened to her mom. Her mom Rachel disappeared 16 years ago. The family agrees to do a true crime documentary to try and solve the disappearance of Rachel. Soon Rachel reappears and has an unbelievable story about what happened to her. People can’t tell if Rachel is lying or telling the truth. Bel wants to get to the bottom of it. Once the truth is finally revealed it could have serious consequences for the family.

I am such a big fan of Holly Jackson. I have loved all of her books. I really enjoyed this one. I thought several times I had this book figured out. The plot twist was wild. This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Holly Jackson knows how to write a good thriller. I would highly suggest this one and all her books. This was so good.

Thank you Delacorte Press, Holly Jackson, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this advanced copy!

All I can say about this book is holy shit! Every time I thought things were going to settle down there was a new twist thrown in. This book was absolutely insane in such a good way. I literally loved every second of it. I will say it does have quite a few similarities to AGGTM, which isn't bad, but it did make the ending a little predictable and I hope Holly Jackson doesn't get stuck writing the same thing over and over again.

All of the characters in this book are written so well. Each character is so well thought out and has so much depth to them. Each character ends up being a character you both love and hate at the same time. I will say that I do feel bad for quite a few characters in this book and feel that some of them did get an ending that they might not have actually deserved all the way, if you know you know. I understand they weren't necessarily a good character, but they weren't the villains I feel the other characters made them out to be. So I did feel bad for them.

Overall, this book was so good and I can't wait to pick up a physical copy!

DNF 20%

This is my first time reading this author, so I have nothing to compare her writing to. If this is how Ms. Jackson tells her stories, I won't be trying anything else.

When I tell you this book is slow, it is SLOW. The Reappearance of Rachel Price just drags...on and on and on. It took me a couple of weeks just to reach 20%. I was completely bored out of my mind. I'd read a little, then put the book down for days, before trying again. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. I kept waiting for this to pick up. Maybe it does further into the book. I don't know. Hell, I even skimmed to the end. Even that didn't intrigue me enough to keep pushing through.

To be honest, I hated being inside Bel's mind. Her voice was annoying (very dry and repetitive) and there wasn't anything interesting about her or her mom's disappearance to want me to find out more. The secondary characters weren't any better. They were all just meh. As another reviewer described-they were all flat.

Which really sucks because the premise sounded awesome and I was hoping for a new author to love.

Giving 1 star because I don't have a choice. Otherwise, it would be 0 stars.

The Reappearance of Rachel Price is coming April 2nd!! Get excited for Holly Jackson’s newest book!!
“The name Rachel Price is almost synonymous with mystery. Because her disappearance was like a puzzle, and it’s human nature to want to solve a puzzle, don’t you think?”
– Holly Jackson, The Reappearance of Rachel Price
What’s it about?
18-year-old Bel has lived her whole life in the shadow of her mom’s mysterious disappearance. Sixteen years ago, Rachel Price vanished and young Bel was the only witness, but she has no memory of it. Rachel is gone, long presumed dead, and Bel wishes everyone would just move on.
But the case is dragged up from the past when the Price family agree to a true crime documentary. Bel can’t wait for filming to end, for life to go back to normal. And then the impossible happens. Rachel Price reappears, and life will never be normal again.
Rachel has an unbelievable story about what happened to her. Unbelievable, because Bel isn’t sure it’s real. If Rachel is lying, then where has she been all this time? And – could she be dangerous? With the cameras still rolling, Bel must uncover the truth about her mother, and find out why Rachel Price really came back from the dead . . .
Summary from The StoryGraph
Why I Started This Book
I’m a huge fan of Holly Jackson, and I couldn’t wait for her upcoming release!
My First Thoughts
Holly Jackson immediately made me fall in love with Annabel, “Bel,” Price! The story jumped right into the mystery, and I loved it!! I was a little thrown because this novel is written in third-person, and most of the books I’ve been reading recently were written in first-person. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, it just took some getting used to!
My Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
This book was super good, and I absolutely loved it! Ultimately, it just didn’t quite live up to my 5-star book standards, hence the 4 star review.
What I loved
The idea and the plot is super unique! Sometimes, YA mystery novels can get a little cliche and repetitive. This definitely isn’t the case for this book! I have never read a mystery quite like this one, and I absolutely loved the whole story!
This book is mildly creepy in a mostly good way. It gives the very tiny horror/creepy factor without having an outright scary book. This makes the book great whether you like or dislike horror!
The Reappearance of Rachel Price gives major A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder vibes! It remained me so much of AGGGTM without the book feeling like a copycat, which I really loved and appreciated!
I loved the little references to Covid. There was a couple of times that Covid was mentioned, and I love how it played a very tiny role in the story!
The side characters are really well developed and well written! I loved how Holly Jackson didn’t skip on amazing side characters, and that they really added a lot of depth to the story!
There are a couple of little references to other books that made me smile! While they are small and insignificant to the plot I still loved them!
This book is filled with so many ups and downs in a mostly good way! I was constantly unsure of how I felt about the plot, and I was on a rollercoaster of emotions!
What I Disliked
There was nothing I really disliked about this book!
Book vs. Movie
Very sadly, there is no movie for this book.
Should You Read It?
Yes! I would highly recommend this book for any reader, especially if you love YA mystery! If you want more amazing YA mystery thrillers after reading A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder then read this!
Conclusion
The Reappearance of Rachel Price is an amazing and unique YA mystery. It has great characters that are very well developed and written. There are also a couple of little references that I absolutely loved! You should definitely read this book if you like YA mystery!

I loved this story. So much so, I’ll be buying this when it comes out and setting it alongside the rest of my Holly Jackson books.

Thank you to Holly Jackson, NetGalley, and Random House Children’s Delacorte Press. This has been a real treat.

Contrary to my other binge reads, I actually take my time for novels I truly enjoy. I’m sorry if this review was later than expected.

The premise of a found missing person is a fresh take I’ve never encountered before in the mystery genre. Sure there are plot twists in other novels where a previously murdered victim was found alive, but this novel in particular centers around a reappearance as the main plot device.

The story rotates around this ‘why’: Why did she come back? Why now?

These few whys are compelling enough to drive the reader to look for more clues, more questions, and more hints.

Following the daughter, Bel, who has been caught up in the fallout of a found mother, proves to be a sound choice in first person perspective.

She is arguably the most affected character who would be rocked by this news. Her brashness culminating from youth and circumstance, gives her enough drive to seek out answers that would otherwise be brushed aside.

A crossroads between being an adult and a child, her relationship with others is defined by their obligations in regard to kin or case. Family members discount her exuberance. Police with pity.

Her position gives life to the other characters, humanizing them through their words and actions.

Intriguing throughout, it would be amiss to say that there are any dull moments within the book. The action only heightens near the end. A satisfying read that settles itself cleanly. I was not disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s and Delacorte Press for providing this book, with my honest review below.

The Reappearance of Rachel Price was a great thriller and mystery novel for both teens and adults that reminded me a bit of some true crime stories. Bel’s mother Rachel disappeared when she was a baby. As Bel is filming a documentary looking at the mystery Rachel suddenly reappears, but Bel is suspicious of both the timing and the circumstances when Rachel’s story isn’t adding up. With a dash of romance to take the pressure off the family drama, this novel read quickly but had the best twists and build up.

Highly recommended for both adults and teens, I enjoyed getting deeper into the mystery and the conclusion paid off in spades.

I was so excited to see a new release from Holly Jackson and I was not disappointed!

16 years ago, Bel's mom disappeared without a trace. Twice. She has since lived in her mother's tragic shadow, and her Dad has been her rock.

When her family gets offered compensation for their participation in a true crime documentary, Bel is forced to relive the events leading up to that fateful day. As they are about to start wrapping up, her mother comes back from being presumed dead...but something about her story doesn't sit right with Bel.

Bel decides to take it upon herself to get to the bottom of her mother's disappearance. She soon learns that she cannot trust anyone, especially her parents. Everyone in her family is hiding something. Sit back and enjoy the chaotic unraveling!

If you enjoyed Good Girl's Guide to Murder, this one is right up your alley. Red herrings galore, you will be questioning everything up until the very end. Thank you Holly Jackson, NetGalley, and Random House for the advanced copy!

Intricate, carefully plotted, and quite clever! A thrilling mystery from Jackson that keeps the reader guessing! While I wasn't a fan of the main character, Jackson made the character's motivations clear and allowed for the reader to empathize. I appreciated that the novel explored grief, trauma, and familial relationships while also being a compulsive mystery!

This book was so incredible! It was one of my most anticipated releases of 2024, and getting to read it as an ARC was so exciting. I have loved every previous book written by Holly Jackson, and this book was no exception. I don't think anything could ever top AGGGTM because that book is one of my favorites of all time, but this book comes pretty close. So easy to give 5 stars to this book!

I really had no idea what the twists were going to be at any point in this book, but once I got to them all I was able to think back to what I had already read and see how perfectly it was set up. This is definitely a book you will want to read in one sitting (like all of Holly Jackson's books).

I really enjoyed Bel's character. She was so guarded and cynical and funny, but you could tell how badly she wanted to let her walls come down and it was so great when they finally did. I also really enjoyed Carter and Ramsey as side characters as well.

My favorite quote that really sums up the book (spoilerish) -

"The people who love you, the ones who really cared, they would always come back. Sometimes, they even came back from the dead."

*ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Holly Jackson does it again with this phenomenal YA thriller.

I was sitting on my seat from the very start of this book and the ending left me SHOCKED. The characters were well developed, they felt so real and relatable. This book was atmospheric and had an undertone of eerieness that made reading it at night set the mood even more!

This has easily become one of my favorite books of 2024, if not of all time.

Thank you so much Random House Children, Holly Jackson and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. It is much appreciated

I haven't even been able to stop going crazy long enough to write a review for this book. Every time Holly Jackson convinces you of one thing she absolutely flips it around and leaves you spinning trying to sort out what is true and what isn't alongside the main character. Bel is an incredible narrator and main character for this story as we watch her entire world flip around her. I am always absolutely amazed by Holly Jackson. The ending of this book compared to her others felt like a bittersweet gift for us, we finally see Bel in a happy home but she also took away the person who helped her through it all. I am going to need a belash novella so I can know peace...

Every holly jackson book is an EXPERIENCE, I just eat it all up. The begging is a little slow but it picks up and is fantastic, you always want to know more and unravel the mystery. It’s just so good and I wouldn’t expect anything less. All the characters are so interesting, especially the main character and her choices through the story, also I love all the little crumbs of a romance she gives us.

4.5⭐️!! Ahhh I was so excited when I saw this book was announced and read the synopsis and I must say it did not disappoint!! I eat up Holly Jackson’s writing every time. I loved the storyline of uncovering not only the disappearance but also the reappearance of someone. This book was so fast paced had so many twists and turns. I literally stayed up until 3am to finish this book because I simply could not go to bed until I knew what was going on. I thought I had part of the twist but nahh she still got me. The last like 20% of the book was absolutely WILD. I really loved the a good girls guide to murder trilogy and I think if you enjoyed that you would enjoy this too!! I found the main character to be so interesting and not what I was expecting. Her snarkiness towards literally everyone and how confrontational she was so hilarious. Bel’s banter with Ash was one of my favorite parts of the book. I ate up the literal crumbs of romance. The way things ended though?? Ms.Holly Jackson… we better be getting more.

I would definitely recommend this of you’re looking for a fun, fast paced, twisty thriller!!

This book kept me guessing the entire time. This was one of the only times when I didn’t guess the ending and it was perfect in every way. It was also a fun concept to incorporate a film crew into a mystery novel! Jackson wrote all the characters in such a way that you didn’t know who to trust, and it made the book so thrilling. I can’t wait to see what Jackson writes next!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I don’t think I could give this book enough stars!

Absolutely devoured this book. Kept me on my toes. The twists and turns that this book made kept me wanting more and I never could figure out which way I needed to lean towards!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book!

HOLY SHIT JBDHFEALSFBLQEJRFHOQEHF i think i just lost my mind this was too good!!!! holly jackson never misses and i love her for that.