Reviews tagging 'Bullying'

Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo

17 reviews

ashyyy's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I didn't know what I was in for with this book, but it was such a pleasant surprise. I was sucked into a world that was familar, yet distinctly different, from my own. The characters felt real and the dialogue flowed without being cringey teenage banter. It was like I was watching a show unfold more than reading a single book.

Jo was such a powerhouse. The layers of her teenage problems and emotions were honest and real. The depcition of losing a close female friend in high school was written in such a raw way that it made me reminisce on my own experiences.

Tldr; I laughed, I cried, I gasped, I cheered. 
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dkamada's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

“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”
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bella_cavicchi's review

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challenging emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was phenomenal, a reminder that good YA is a powerful thing. In her author's note, Adamo writes that this is really a book about a friendship break-up, and she showcases the complicated mix of grief, anger, and sadness that follows (and that we rarely discuss!) beautifully.

Handing this to my students and friends alike, as I think we'd all do well to read it.
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lxmvc's review against another edition

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challenging mysterious tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I enjoyed the story, however I was really looking forward to it being focused on Maddie being missing where as instead that was a side plot to the main character. 

I felt like it took a little bit long to get into the juicy stuff about the main character investigating her friend’s disappearance and then it all came to conclusion resolved rather quickly towards the end of the book, it almost felt a little bit rushed. 
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ellaandcoffee's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes

5.0

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chapters_and_pages's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I pick this book up on a whim, and I’m so glad I did!

Jo’s been an outcast ever since nude pictures of her were leaked, but when Jo’s former best friend Maddy comes to her for help, Jo’s suspicious. But suddenly, Maddie is gone. Everyone believes Maddie’s run away, but Jo isn’t convinced. With Hudson, her old fling turned fake boyfriend, Jo is determined to get to the bottom of Maddie’s disappearance. 

I really liked Jo as a character, and I really felt for her! Between her shitty family and her so-called best friend, Maddie, she really suffered. Was she a perfect character? Of course not, she made mistakes did things she regretted and had to suffer the consequences of her actions, but nothing she did was ever deserving of the treatment she received. 

I really liked Hudson and his relationship with Jo. They weren’t perfect but they worked well together and saw each other for who they truly were. 

This book covers a lot of difficult topics, including sexual assault, revenge porn, kidnapping and more, so it’s definitely good to be mindful of the content before going in. 

I could not put this book down, it was so good, from start to finish and I’m so happy I read it and would highly recommend it!
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aromanticreadsromance's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
if you're going to read this book, PLEASE do yourself a favor and CHOOSE THE AUDIOBOOK. the narrator (georgina sadler) is FANTASTIC. she really makes the words come to life, and I think she's a huge part of why I mostly enjoyed this book (with a few caveats). don't listen to anyone who says the main character is "not likeable." I thought she had a great sense of humor and amazing voice. she was also really layered! I think you'd like this if you liked a good girl's guide to murder by holly jackson! but also check the content warnings before diving in, because there are some pretty heavy topics.
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betweentheshelves's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book has quite a bit going on, which isn't always a bad thing, but I do think it made this book longer than it needed to be. For me, part of it was the pacing; at times, I felt too bogged down by the details that it took away from the main mystery in the plot. 

That being said, the cast of characters were well done, and I appreciated the overall message of the book, especially for a teen audience. The relationships and connections Jo makes throughout felt real and authentic, and those are what brought me back to the story. 

All in all, not a bad mystery/thriller, but maybe one that moves at a bit slower pace.
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kencil's review against another edition

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4.25

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prioryofprose's review

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challenging emotional mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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