This Is Not a Dead Girl Story

May 1, 2024
Grades 10-12 Jules' longtime crush, River, has been dead for a week, and now her cousin Remy (River's girlfriend) is missing. While the rest of Black Falls dismisses Remy as dead, Jules is not convinced. Alongside River's cousin and an old, splintered friend group, Jules starts uncovering truth by truth until she meets the explosive conclusion of her investigation. Following in the tradition of recent teen crime novels involving missing girls, Sweeney's (This One's for You, 2023) latest leaves plenty to digest and discuss. In addition to a compelling story, it delivers commentary on themes such as the responsibility of girls in situations of harm and abuse, grief, and girlhood friendships. Full of intrigue and small-town politics, the book holds up a mirror to the realities many girls face in relationships with boys and men. The plot offers a dangerous edge while maintaining a domestic sensibility heightened by Jules' age-appropriate angst. A perfect choice for fans of Sarah Everett's How to Live without You (2022) and Meredith Adamo's Not Like Other Girls (2024).

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

May 27, 2024
Sixteen-year-old Jules Green, her best friend and cousin Remy, and Remy’s 17-year-old boyfriend River live in Black Falls, N.Y. Jules views herself as frizzy-haired, strange-faced, and painfully awkward compared to Remy, who’s pretty, smart, and lovable. Jules is also secretly in love with River but has no delusions of them becoming more than just friends. As such, Jules, determined to move on, has sex with tall and handsome fellow student Bailey while at a party. Following Jules and Bailey’s encounter, the partygoers are informed that River has died in a car wreck that authorities believe was premeditated. Days later, Remy disappears, and while her friends assume she is also dead, Jules refuses to accept it. Aided by River’s mysterious 17-year-old cousin Sam, Jules begins an investigation. As cryptic clues and startling revelations surface, Jules is forced to confront hard truths she never knew about the people closest to her, even as she navigates a growing attraction to Sam, who seems to represent everything she loathes about her small town. In this propulsive pivot from Sweeney (This One’s for You), a smart and complex heroine contends with issues surrounding body image, sex, drugs, mental health, and justice. Major characters read as white. Ages 14–up. Agents: Melanie Figueroa and Taylor Haggerty, Root Literary.

June 15, 2024
A potentially deadly disappearance shortly after a mysterious death leaves the sole remaining member of a trio of friends desperate to uncover the truth. Sixteen-year-old Juliette Green and her 17-year-old cousin, Remy, have grown up together in Black Falls, New York, alongside River O'Dell, Remy's magnetic boyfriend--and Jules' best friend and secret crush. River's sudden death completely devastates the girls, even before it's ruled a suicide, and Jules' grief turns to shock and terror when Remy disappears one week later, leaving behind her phone without its SIM card. Edgy, mischievous Remy can't be dead--Jules just knows it--and she pulls Sam, River's cousin, into her quest when their paths keep crossing and he seems to know things. Perceptive, observant Jules forges ahead despite discovering unsavory information about threatening people in her and Remy's lives; the weight of all the secrets becomes suffocating even as Sam becomes indispensable and irresistible. When the teens are unable to count on the expected adults for help, they take matters into their own hands. This twisting narrative, which asks complex questions about power and autonomy, will keep even seasoned genre fans guessing while trusting them enough to avoid simplistic answers. Well-crafted suspense, emotionally compelling characters, and wild revelations will propel readers through some lulls in the action to an eminently realistic if slightly frustrating resolution. Main characters are cued white. A clever, dogged, and well-executed mystery that examines critical issues. (content warning, resources) (Mystery. 14-18)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 11, 2024

Gr 9 Up-All her life, Jules's world has centered around two people: her cousin Remy and River, the boy she is in love with. The three are best friends and constant companions, and they remain steadfastly close even after Remy and River start dating. So when tragedy strikes their small town of Black Falls, NY-first when River dies at a high school party, and then a week later, when Remy disappears-Jules doesn't know what to believe. All she knows is that Remy cannot also be dead. Along with River's cousin, Sam, and Remy's other friend group, Jules starts unraveling the clues that both teens have left behind. How many lies will she uncover before she can finally figure out what happened to both her best friends? This story unfolds deliberately, which might deter some readers, but the ones who stick around will be treated to a portrayal of a twisted small town and the dark truths and power struggles that haunt it. More than a mere suspenseful thriller, this book tackles grief, friendship, love, loss, girlhood, mental health, and abuse in a thoughtful way. The characters are nuanced and complex, and the emotions they feel and issues they encounter are gritty and realistic. VERDICT Readers who enjoy Elana K. Arnold and Courtney Summers will appreciate this thought-provoking suspense story.-Chelsey Masterson

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.