WOAH!! This was phenomenal work! I’ve never listened to a audiobook with so many believable twists!! Get the book or audiobook NOW! Very relatable characters! Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review!

It’s been months since Blair and Cam solved the mystery of a girl’s disappearance in their hometown and the two are still reeling from the fallout, determined this will be their last endeavour both in podcasting and sleuthing. Then Mattie Brosillard, a freshman at their school, approaches them, asking for help with another mystery. Her sister, Lola, who disappeared five years ago, has suddenly reappeared…except Mattie is convinced she isn’t their sister despite everyone else believing she is. Blair has been offered a book deal and thinks this could be the perfect story. Cam, on the other hand, wants nothing to do with it. She has an early acceptance from MIT and has no desire to repeat all the trauma incurred in the hunt for Clarissa. Still, Blair promises there will be no podcast and Cam reluctantly agrees, worried that, if she doesn’t help, Blair will go ahead on her own despite any possible danger.

The Other Lola is the sequel to Ripley Jones’ entertaining YA thriller, Missing Clarissa, and I enjoyed it a lot. This story is more character driven and is a bit slower as more time is spent fleshing out the characters. Welearn more about Cam and Blair’s backgrounds and Mattie, pronouns they/them, is a very sympathetic character. In many ways, this seemed more like a coming-of-age story than a thriller with themes of change, identity, loss, and family. But don’t get me wrong, the mystery is intriguing and kept me guessing throughout.

I listened to the audiobook which was beautifully narrated by Ines del Castillo.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review

The Other Lola brings us back to Cam and Blair from the author's "Missing Clarissa". After what happened with the podcast and the trouble they found themselves in, the girls decided they needed to stay away from that kind of stuff in the future. But when a girl comes to them and says that her sister Lola disappeared five years ago and suddenly returned, they're intrigued. Even more so when the girl says she doesn't believe it's really her sister. Nobody believes her, but she wants Cam and Blair to help her find the truth.

All the original players are back - the teachers, Cam, Blair, Irene, Sophie... It was a great sequel. It could also be used as a stand-alone story. Just know that it will ruin the first book. However, the plot of this one is fully separate, as Missing Clarissa fully wrapped itself up.

I'd recommend this for anyone who enjoyed the first book in the series. I'd be willing to read another one, but I'm not sure if there's really a way to make it work.

Why did I request this book? I didn't realize I didn't like the first book. I had forgotten. It came back instantly. Shallow characters. Slightly better writing, but still like reading one of my student's work. The two don't make much growth from their experiences in the last book. Nobody has any depth and the plot is pretty predictable. I will be more careful next time.

The Other Lola is a follow-up to the 2023-release, Missing Clarissa. These are YA-Mystery stories following two main characters: Blair and Cam. In Missing Clarissa, Cam and Blair investigate the disappearance of popular cheerleader, Clarissa Campbell, who went missing from their small town of Oreville, Washington, 20-years before. It starts as a project for their high school Journalism class and ends up being a viral podcast, as well as a life-endangering pursuit of amateur sleuthing.

At the end of the Clarissa case, Cam and Blair had sudden fame, but with it, a lot of unwanted attention. They vowed to never do it again; to stick their noses in where they don't belong, to make a podcast, none of it. Then they meet Mattie, a Freshman at their high school. Mattie shows up on the literal doorstep, begging for the girls' help with an unsettling family situation.

Mattie's sister, Lola, disappeared mysteriously five years ago. The thing is, Lola has returned. She's not talking about where she has been all these years, and Mattie is convinced she's an imposter, but no one else believes Mattie; not her mother, not her brother, Luke, no one. Blair and Cam, Blair in particular, are moved by Mattie's story. They seem so passionate about it. It couldn't hurt to help them out, could it? Look into it a little...

Before they know it, the two are neck deep in another dangerous investigation, but with secrets between them, how will they ever be able to get to the bottom of someone else's twisted family drama?

I was intrigued by this initially, and did enjoy following Cam and Blair during the investigation. For me, it wasn't quite as compelling as the first book, but yeah, still a solid story. The audiobook has great narration and I would recommend that format. I was able to fly through this story and I did find that the narrator helped to keep me engaged, even when I was rolling my eyes a little bit.

I felt like, and I could be misremembering, but for me, personal issues for Blair and Cam took much more of a front seat in this one than the first book. In a way, this almost felt like a straight YA Contemporary story, with a slight mystery happening in the background. By this I mean, the mystery almost took a back seat to Cam and Blair's interpersonal dramas. With this being said though, I do really enjoy both Cam and Blair as characters and I love their friendship.

So, it's not like I was disappointed with those aspects of the story, it just seemed more difficult to get as invested in the mystery surrounding Lola because of it.

Additionally, there were things at the end that I found unsatisfying; that just didn't make sense. I am mainly referring to the events following the big reveal, so sadly, I can't comment more without giving the ending away. Overall though, I still enjoyed Cam and Blair, their friendship and the idea of two smart high school girls taking on the world and solving mysteries. That's a fun concept, which is fairly well executed within these stories.

There are hints that there could be more with these characters in the future. I would be interested in picking up future books, if that turns out to be the case. Thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Thank you Netgalley & Macmillan Audio for an ALC of The Other Lola by Ripley Jones. I was excited to see a follow-up to Missing Clarissa, following teen podcasters Blair & Cam. This one is definitely a YA novel but with serious themes throughout. Loved the LGBTQA+ and non-binary representation in this one - It's well done by Jones!

Cam & Blair are still reeling from the fallout of their podcast re: Missing Clarissa when Mattie approaches them, begging for help. Her sister Lola disappeared mysteriously 5 years ago and is now back - But Mattie is convinced that this Lola, is not her sister.

Great narration on this one, easy to binge!

*Giving This Audiobook arc I received from Netgalley 4.5 Carrots! *
I thoroughly enjoyed this quick-paced adventure through Another Cold Case with Blair and Cam! Fresh off the Success and Heartbreak of the first podcast from Missing Clarissa, they've decided that it was more than they planned for and that they should leave it alone. No more podcasts for them. They're just focusing on graduating high school and moving on with their lives.
Until an underclassman approaches them with the oddest question. How do you prove someone isn't who they say they are? Especially if everyone else believes them? Is The underclassman just crazy, or is the story so much deeper than they ever could have imagined?
Thoroughly enjoyed the pacing and the narration of this audiobook it was so full of life and suspense!

Mini synopsis: after a successful (& stressful) podcasting adventure, blair & cam have decided no more podcasting & no more meddling. But when Mattie desperately reaches out, they feel compelled to help.

Okay first off! This is a sequel to Missing Clarissa so you’ll want to read that before this book, otherwise you might be a little confused. These books are just fun! To prepare for this sequel, I reread the first book. And while ridiculous, it was so much better on the reread! The second book delivers with more blair & cam! And honestly the characters are the best parts of the books! We got more of cam’s mom & her new bf, Sophie, & a new character, Mattie, who fits perfectly in with the gang. I’m very weirdly attached to the characters more so than the actual plot lines. This time, local girl Lola, went missing & has reappeared. Her sister, Mattie, thinks the new Lola is a fake. That’s the mystery here, more of a question but 🤷🏻‍♀️ the book moves slowwwwwly but the last third the pace is kicked into overdrive. So. Much. Happens. It’s exciting! But I wish it would have happened sooner. For a book with Lola’s name in the title, she’s hardly ever in the scenes with the other characters. Again for me, I’m fine with it bc I have a good time with cam & Blair. Quite honestly, this would play out so well as a tv show! I kinda hope we get another book JUST SO I can have more time with the girls & their found family!

#TheOtherLola:⁣
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Thank you @macmillan.audio @wednesdaybooks partner for my gifted copy!⁣
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I finished my audiobook on my walk today, so might as well take a picture to document it.⁣
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The Other Lola can be read as a standalone, but honestly, Missing Clarissa was so good, why wouldn’t you want to read it? Blair & Cam are off on another Nancy Drew mystery. This time, Mattie is convinced their sister is not who she says she is. Lola goes missing for 5ish years then just comes back up. Mattie can’t afford DNA testing, (plus mom is a little more into appearances and isn’t going to ruin this moment) so they enlist the help of B+C to get this imposter and find where the real Lola is.⁣
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Inés del Castillo is one of the best in audio, so yes, audio was fantastic. I was able to finish in about two days just listening while exercising or doing chores. Lines were delivered perfectly and really had me laughing with Irene.⁣
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I was really wondering where we were going to go. I felt like the journey to get there was a while, but the end was very abrupt, if that makes sense. I don’t feel like the dots were connected in a way that flowed. ⁣
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Overall, a bingeable read, but not as gripping as the first. Regardless, whatever these two decide to do, I’m gonna be there listening and reading.⁣
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Out tomorrow 3/12! ⁣
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QOTD: What do you do to relax/unwind?

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This was a fun listen, and I enjoyed it as much as the first one. A bit predictable but still really good, and the narrator did a good job.

This is a fun sequel to MISSING CLARISSA. Cam and Blair seemed to learn from their mistakes investigated Clarissa’s disappearance and had some trauma from the ordeal. Lola’s character is actually very minor in the plot and the focus is more on her sister, Mattie, who was the most interesting character. The narration was strong. THE OTHER LOLA felt more YA than the first so I think this would be perfect for teens who love a good mystery (but be mindful there is some drug use mentioned throughout).

I had no idea this book was part of a sequel. I saw the front cover, and title, and read the description, and I was sold on that alone. Even without reading the first book, I was still engaged and understood what was happening. During the book, when they referenced anything from the other case they dealt with, they would give you a little context before jumping further into the story. I think this is why I could understand what they were talking about. They didn't bring the other book up too much, but when they did, it was enough context to help me understand what they were mentioning. I now need to read the first book!

Cameron and Blair are best friends who have solved a cold case. They had a podcast where they recorded everything. They went through a lot with this podcast and had decided to close that chapter to finish working on their Senior year and to move on from the trauma that came from doing the podcast. Well, that was until Mattie came to them asking for help. Cameron and Blair, at first, were not sure about helping they had very different opinions. Cameron did not want anything to do with it, but Blair did. She wanted to use this to help her take a leap into the writing world and publish a book. After some talking and convincing, they both agreed to do this for Mattie, but they agreed there would not be another podcast.

Mattie is a teenage girl and the youngest of her siblings. Her sister Lola disappears, and no one knows where she is. Mattis is convinced she is dead, and everyone else thinks she ran away. Lola was a wild teenage girl who enjoyed parting and going against her mother's wishes. No one bats an eye at her missing due to the trouble she had been in, and she has run away before. So, no one thought this was alarming.

As the story unfolds, you start to learn about each person and their secrets. Matti saw the best in everyone, but she slowly started to learn this was not the case. The storyline was engaging, and the different plot twists made it even more engaging. I could have sat down and listened to the book in one day, but unfortunately, I couldn't, which made stopping the book hard. I wanted to get done with my day or whatever I was doing to listen to my book.

Thank you, NetGalley, for letting me listen to the audio and reviewing the book. Thank you, Ripley Jones, for creating a book that was, engaging and well-designed. I can't wait to read more books from you. I will be going back to read the book before this one! Thank you, Macmillian Audio, for yet another great audiobook! Ines del Castillo delivered the book perfectly. Her tone of voice was calming, passionate, and mellow.

I really enjoyed Missing Clarissa so I was very excited to read this second book about Cam & Blair. It seems they’ve had a bit of a role reversal after the events of the first book. Cam is now more reserved & cautious while Blair is more pushy and confident in her abilities. Mattie is a fun addition to the characters and she convinces Cam & Blair to help her prove her long lost sister is not actually her sister. The unravelling of the mystery was fun and I thought the ending was great.

The narrator was fabulous & I’m glad it’s the same narrator from Missing Clarissa.

Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio & Wednesday Books for a copy of this audiobook,

While I apparently missed the fact this The Other Lola is a sequel to Missing Clarissa Ripley Jones did a good job of keeping me engaged.
Lola having been missing for five years suddenly reappears. Everyone believes it to be Lola except her sister Maddie. With the help of Cam and Blaire, Maddie is able to uncover what truly happened to her sister.
While I enjoyed the audiobook I felt at times there were too many shifts.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ARC.

Mattie shows up on Cam's door one day asking for hers and Blair's help to find her missing sister. The plot twist is that her sister, Lola has recently shown up after being missing for 5 years, but Mattie is the only person convinced this Lola is not who she says she is. Mattie is the only person convinced that this Lola is not her sister. Cam and Blair don't even believe her right away but agree to help her.

Cam is still suffering in silence from PTSD from the last mystery she and Blair solved. As the story unfolds, she slowly begins to open up to people about the PTSD she is struggling with.

In the end they are able to solve the mystery of "the other Lola".

This is my first read by Ripley Jones. I found the book to be ok. It was well written, but my issue was more Cam and Mattie's personalities. I found them to be overly abrasive which drove me crazy. There are strong willed people and then there are Cam and Mattie who are basically just rude and only see things from their own perspective.

I would still recommend this book to a friend. Others might not have issues with their personalities. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to listen to the arc of this book!

2.5 ⭐

I wish I would have been able to enjoy this more, unfortunately the writing reads more as a middle grade rather than a YA. Cam is not my favorite character to read from I much prefer Blair's POV.

The plot itself felt as though it was lacking, the twist was a bit obvious from about the half way point.

I'm sure people who really loved Missing Clarissa will love this book just as much.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGally for an advanced audio copy of this book.

As a second book in this YA mystery/thriller series, Ripley Jones did not disappoint. It is hard not to love the characters in this book and follow them through their journey to figure out who is the imposter claiming to be Matty's older sister, Lola. This person looks like their sister who disappeared five years ago without a trace, but Matty can feel deep in their soul it isn't their sister.
This book draws you in and doesn't let you go until the very end.

I won a physical ARC of the book on Goodreads, so when I see the ALC come up on NetGalley, I figured it would be an easy way to enjoy the book and leave a review. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that it was YA. I know a lot of "older" adults enjoy this genre, but as a 40 year old mom of 4.....I just had trouble connecting. I also wish I had known that this book was a followup to another book, I am going to check that out so I have a bit more backstory, but this one was just okay for me. The narration was solid.

Although I did not read the first book by Ripley Jones, I had no problem picking up this book and knowing what was happening. Cam and Blair are somewhat popular now in their small town following their hit podcast, where they solved a cold case and found the body of a murdered Clarissa. So when a freshman at their high-school, Mattie, approaches them asking for help investigating the disappearance of their sister, they are not surprised, but they ARE reluctant to get back into the trenches they just emerged. However, as they find out more information from Mattie, they realize that this story may be completely different from Clarissa's, and against their better judgement, they get involved with helping Mattie figure out their sister's disappearance.

Overall, this was an enjoyable novel that reminds me a little bit of "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder". That being said I think the story line was a little difficult from time to time to follow. But I was taken by surprise at the ending outcome, so I do appreciate that. The characters were well-developed, and their support of one another was endearing for sure. The final outcome was both heart-breaking and somewhat far-fetched. Overall, if you are interested in young-adult mystery novels, I would suggest this novel for something different.

I loved Missing Clarissa.

With that said I wanted to LOVE this book. I liked it but not nearly as much as the first book.

Cam and Blair were NOT the same Cam and Blair from Missing Clarissa. There was so much self doubt and hiding from one another. They were not in sync like before. I wanted book 1 and their experiences to bring them together not be the cause of their divide. I know in real life this happen and it just is but I just hated this for them.

Why is Luke so likable?? I did not want this story line for him.

Also what? Rich families. The worst.

This one though was okay just not what I was expecting. and slow.