This would be a great book club pick. The overriding mystery falls short, but it's just a vehicle to talk about privilege, slut shaming, the failings of adults, and the long road to healing. Gives strong Veronica Mars vibes.

made me feel painfully seen abt reckoning w/ my own prior experiences of sexual harassment & how those in power/authority watched it happen and condoned the behavior w/o saying anything lol 

“I’ve never been very good at describing Not Like Other Girls. Seriously, my go-to line used to be, “oh, yeah, it’s a fun little mystery with fake dating,” which is technically true but not totally accurate…This is a book about a friend breakup between two teenage girls and how navigating that loss is so distinctly devastating. This is a book about first love. It’s a book about being seventeen and restless in your hometown. It’s a book about privilege and power and entitlement. It’s a book about sexual assault”

I loved this so much more than I expected to, pls check TWs!!!

This book had a lot of potential but it truly wasn't where it needed to be. It lacked focus and there were too many subplots. Repetition and the inability to stay true to the character was also something I struggled with here. There were so many moments where Jo would say/think one thing and do the complete opposite, which wasn't really in line with her character. This book would have benefited from a cut of about 100-120 pages--the first 100 were the same thing over and over. It needed a heavier editorial hand. I will say though, the voice was so compelling and kept me turning the page. But I think this book felt very split in trying to be a mystery and trying to be a book about lost friendship, SA, and a girl finding herself. I really wish it had accomplished what it set out to do because I think it could've been a huge breakout. Regardless, this POV of a SA survivors is necessary in YA and I do think it was told with care.

This book was a really complete story to me. The mystery was interesting, the romance was sweet and felt true to the age group and Jo was a well written character who felt really relatable. I think my only critique is some parts could have been tightened up a little and the end could have used a little more

This book has lot more going for it though. While the disappearance of Jo’s former best friend Maddie Price kept me hooked, I think the themes of consent and sexual assault are what really make this book stand out.

We find out what happened to Jo slowly, over the course of the book and I think that was a really good way of handling it. It allowed the reader to discover what happened through Jo’s feelings and recollections, rather than be being told right away. This method really allowed for more emotional depth and exploration to me. By the end, the message is really powerful and I hope it resonants with people, especially those who need it the most.

Thank you to Bloomsbury and Bloomsbury Audio for the advanced copies in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Audio for early access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

This was a 5 star listen with twists and turns every moment and a powerful message of sovereignty and self worth! I am shocked that this is Meredith Adamo's debut novel, and I really hope we get to see more from her. 

"Not Like Other Girls" is a story about Jo-Lynn Kirby. I almost continued there, but, truly, this story, at heart, is about Jo - who she's always thought she was and who she's realizing she is and deserves to be. Jo-Lynn had been friends with Maddie Price, one of her only female friendships, until a falling out that neither will share the details of. Jo stays friends and "friends" with guys, and the other girls at school, along with Maddie, slut shame her and treat her like a pariah. Her parents don't see how Jo's changed, and she has lost her top grades to the point of landing on probation. And then Maddie goes missing. Jo feels like something isn't quite right with the explanation given, and she keeps digging until she discovers something big. 

Throughout the story, Jo's current/past relationships with people, including the grief she feels at the loss of her friendship with Maddie, are juxtaposed with the new relationships she makes as she starts to uncover secrets and schemes at her school. Adamo brilliantly captures what it feels like to lose a best friend - the lack of closure that comes from that, and the secret hope that maybe, just maybe it will get better. I've never felt that so honestly captured in a book before, and it is a testament to Adamo. 

Something I want to make sure to highlight is the pushback against the slut-shaming and the realization of the sexual assault that Jo has been put through - this is really important both narratively and as a message to society. If those are triggers for you, you may want to sit those out, but as a survivor myself, I felt very seen and proud of Jo. Adamo's note at the end of the audiobook in her own voice about her own experiences and why she felt she needed to tell Jo's story had me in tears. 

"Not Like Other Girls" comes out TOMORROW, April 30th! Get your copy wherever books are sold, and then come back and chat with me! I can't wait to be able to talk more about the twists and characters with someone!