This book surprised me in a good way - I had no idea what to expect, but it was on my radar because I'd gotten an ARC and it took me a while, but I finally listened to the audio. The narrator is great in this book - she does a great job of bringing the story to life and distinguishing the characters and their emotions. The writing in this story is excellent and immersive.

My first reaction is that this book has echoes of the pacing and mystery elements of A Good Girls Guide to Murder (which I really enjoyed!) - just without the podcast angle. The teenage cast of characters, disappeared high schooler and the ensuing search/investigation with multiple layers of intrigue gave me the same vibes as the AGGGTM series. I thought the mystery elements were pretty well woven together and took a bit of a twist at the end that I wasn't fully expecting.

There's an element to the story that deals with a few heavier topics - consent at a young age, SA and the trauma that can manifest with negative emotions that can take over a person's life. You could tell this was personal to the author - and she confirms it in the authors note. The overall topics are generally handled with care, but there may be some trigger warnings for people - so I recommend checking those out if needed.

It felt at times that this book was trying to do just a bit too much - there was a lot going on and probably could have done with a little more editing to streamline some of the scenes. Overall, this is a really good debut and I'm glad I took the time to read it! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ALC of this book!

I could not put this book down. Jo-Lynne has such a strong character voice that I was sucked into her story immediately. Great read!

I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. It was hard to connect with the characters and it fell a bit flat for me. I did like the narrator though.

Thank you to the publisher, author and Net Galley for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley for this early listen of the audiobook. I enjoyed the narrator.

This story gave me Veronica Mars mystery vibes with real life situations.

I feel this is a book for teens to read in school as it deals with teenager/adult dynamic and how sometimes adults take advantage of their position in power and make kids feel like they are to blame for the inappropriate actions of the adult.

This need to be talked about more!

Also the story is about a missing ex-best friend and the lengths a girl (that everyone has turned their back on) can go thru to find out the truth.

Will definitely recommend.

It's been awhile since I've loved a MC as much as Jo. Maybe it was Adamo's writing or maybe it was the narration but I quickly fell in love with her and this mystery. Add this to your tbr, you won't regret it.
arc via netgalley

Bit slow, very much for teens. I didn't like the audiobook narrator that much and it made the book feel slower. Heavy themes but I questioned the realism.

*received for free from negalley for honest review* Would definitely reread! this was such a great read! Wish this was a series lol

This YA novel follows a determined teen who navigates high school drama, personal growth, and unexpected twists that kept me hooked from start to finish. She is so determined and reminds me of the girl you wanted to be or want your daughter to be.

One of my favourite YA reads this year, it’s packed with surprising turns and heartfelt moments. I really related to Jo. Overall, I gave it a solid 4/5.

This book was marketed poorly. It should not be labelled as a YA book. It sets a poor standard for teenagers today as far as drinking, drug and alcohol use, and has open door scenes.

Not Like Other Girls was a surprise for me. The title initially worried me...the last thing we need in 2024 is another book judging girls for being "Not Like The Other Girls" and wrapping us up into a once size fits all existence. What we need even less is a book doing that, targeted at young girls. But this WAS NOT THAT. It was quite the opposite. It exceeded my expectations. It was a well paced story that did an amazing job addressing really difficult and realistic situations, life events and hardships girls of all ages face, but usually don't get to really hear about, relate to and feel seen in until they're much older.

Jo is Not Like Other Girls, for a reason I never saw coming in this book, but that I think is really important to talk about.

I felt for Jo at many points and in my own ways, could relate to her and how she felt. It's written beautifully, emotionally and with an urgency that sucks you in and won't let you go. You have to finish it.

You hate who you're supposed to hate, and you know WHY you hate them. You root for the right people and it feels good.

The characters are so well developed and written that you can sense their character before they fully reveal and unfold which makes them feel real. I shared a lot of the same thoughts as Jo, I went on the journey with her. I felt her hurt, I understood it. I was angry with and for her. She was such an honest and realistic depiction of the teenage/YA girl...lost, angry, scared, confused, alone, misunderstood and feeling so alone while trying so desperately to feel and be seen when she can't fight for it entirely herself.

I think the missing case of Maddy really allowed Adamo to navigate hard topics with just enough distraction to digest the hard points. I was rooting for Jo, and I am so happy for her. Miles can go to hell.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury Audio for the ARC Audiobook, in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Jo. She's independent, brilliant, funny, friends with all the boys... that is, until one of those boys sends one of Jo's private photos to the whole school. And then her former best friend goes missing and Jo might be the only one who can find her. But when Jo starts thinking back on what happened between her and Maddie, it starts bringing up some memories and some confusing feelings.

Why does everyone dismiss Jo as a "bad girl?" Is she just a "slut" who always "causes trouble" or is she a victim of a high school culture that treats girls like they're worthless? Can she use her voice to fight back?

This is a young adult gem right up there with Speak.

What a great mystery!!! And even more than that, we explore themes of trauma and girlhood. This was a joyful read while also touching on some hard subjects.

I enjoyed Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo. The book had numerous twists and turns that sometimes made it hard to follow. Overall, this was a great read/listen. I appreciate the author's note regarding her own sexual assault. Thank you for sharing this.

WOW! What a story, the twists and turns of this book are unbelievable. As soon as you think you have a character or the story figured out, you find out another detail to the story that throws off your compass just a bit. I am one to guess the ending of books throughout reading the story however I never would’ve seen this ending coming. I am in awe of Adamo for the amount of characters, stories, and the complexities between them that are so well written throughout this book. On top of the fantastic story telling, this book carefully weaves current social issues through mysterious and entertaining characters. I highly recommend this book for all ages even though it is considered ‘young adult’.

Not Like Other Girls is a story that is exciting, funny, heartfelt, and heartbreaking all at the same time. The protagonist, Jo-Lynn Kirby, tries to unravel the sudden disappearance of her one-time friend Maddie Price, but that’s easier said than done: the people who might know something aren’t talking, especially to a girl like Jo who’s a social pariah after her nudes leaked to the entire school. Jo has to find a way back in, even if it means a fake romance. But digging deeper reveals darker truths about the people around her and about herself.

Jo is a very well-written character, with a great balance of humor, wit, charm, and vulnerability. She exhibits worldliness and naïveté in equal measure: she shows considerable street smarts interacting with others and can generally suss out their motivations and intentions. However, that worldliness is deceptive: it makes the people around her assume that she is more experienced in the ways of the world, and even allows Jo to deceive herself to some degree. It’s when that mask of experience slips and she begins to question events in her life that you truly see her for what she is: a scared, uncertain girl trying to make sense of what’s happened to her in the past and the present and how it will affect her future.

The other characters are also complex, exhibiting similar dual natures: Maddie Price for example, appears perfect and put-together but is really shallow and damaged beneath the surface. Miles Metcalfe is smart and sweet but that’s a front too. They show you can’t quite know a person even when you think you know them. Only Hudson Harper Moore seems exactly like what he seems, which is good because it provides Jo some stability.

The plot is compelling: Maddie’s disappearance provides the initial impetus for the story, but that quickly becomes one component of a much larger and more complex conspiracy that encompasses the entire school.

I rarely give five stars so the fact that I am giving it five stars attests to the quality of the story! Thanks NetGalley!

While this story touches on some sensitive topics, I think that it was important to share this side of a story. Not all survivors avoid intimate situations and I think it is important to bring that to readers. The mystery and romance wrapped up together well and did keep me guessing while still enjoying the story. The narrator was fantastic and helped me understand who was talking. Overall, it was an important story that readers should check out trigger warnings before if you are triggered by certain situations.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Not Like Other Girls was more than just a thriller, although you will be eager to get to the bottom of the mystery of the disappearance of Jo's ex best friend. turned mean girl. It is more of an exploration on why some girls are looked down on for who they are and used or abused by others. It is a heavy book to be honest but there are some lighthearted moments throughout and an interesting will they or won't they romance. The end of the book was somewhat unexpected and I think this book woudl appeal to teen and adult readers alike.

Absolutely loved this book and I can't believe it's a debut! Very witty and sharp and raw. The story focuses on a missing girl but it's so much more than that. Jo agrees to fake date Hudson in order to look for her former best friend which brings her back into the world that shunned her. It explores the expectations we have of teenage girls, the complexity of female friendships, and the path to forgiveness, not just others but ourselves. The narrator is excellent and really brought the book to life. Highly recommend.

Thank you Libro FM, Bloomsbury Publishing, and NetGalley for the ALC of Not Like Other Girls! All opinions in this review are my own.

This was a strong debut that is about so much more than a classmate going missing. While it did seem to lose the original storyline a bit in the middle, all of the loose ends get tied up by the conclusion. If you listen/read the author's note at the end, it explains how Adamo was able to make her characters so realistic and I give her so much credit for being able to write this story.

The audiobook narrator was an excellent choice! I haven't listened to a book narrated by Georgina Sadler before, but I really liked the voices she did for each character. Each character was able to sound different without sounding fake.

Overall, this was a great debut from Adamo and I can't wait to read more from her!

What a fantastic book. I could not put it down. This book hits on some very hard topics in a very realistic way. I think every one should read this book, particularly as teenagers! It is soo good!!! The internal thoughts of the main character are so enlightening, and wonderful in such a sad tragic way.