Not Like Other Girls - by Meredith Adamo (Paperback)

About the Book

A girl risks everything to find her former best friend in this Morris Award-winning mystery about girlhood, trauma, and what we deserve.

Book Synopsis

William C. Morris Debut Award Winner

A girl risks everything to find her former best friend in this Morris Award-winning mystery about girlhood, trauma, and what we deserve.

When Jo-Lynn Kirby's former best friend--pretty, nice Maddie Price--comes to her claiming to be in trouble, Jo assumes it's some kind of joke. After all, Jo has been an outcast ever since her nude photos were leaked--and since everyone decided she deserved it. There's no way Maddie would actually come to her for help.

But then Maddie is gone.

Everyone is quick to write off Maddie as a runaway, but Jo can't shake the feeling there's more to the story. To find out the truth, Jo needs to get back in with the people who left her behind--and the only way back in is through Hudson Harper-Moore. An old fling of Jo's with his own reasons for wanting to find Maddie, Hudson hatches a fake dating scheme to get Jo back into their clique. But being back on the inside means Jo must confront everything she'd rather forget: the boys who betrayed her, the whispers that she had it coming, and the secrets that tore her and Maddie apart. As Jo digs deeper into Maddie's disappearance, she's left to wonder who she's really searching for: Maddie, or the girl she used to be.

Review Quotes

"A superbly crafted, timely, and enthralling mystery that unflinchingly examines the painful realities of being a teenage girl. Meredith Adamo's debut is a stunner." --Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times bestselling author of GIRL IN PIECES and THE AGATHAS

"Brave, witty, and razor-sharp, Not Like Other Girls is a gut-punch of a debut." --Jessica Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of THE LEGACIES and THE COUNSELORS

"A deep dive into the complexities of being a girl. . . . Heartbreakingly real, with a flawed narrator who attempts to untangle the braid of herself--the good, the bad, and the ugly." --Mindy McGinnis, author of A LONG STRETCH OF BAD DAYS and THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES

"Whether crafting authentic and immersive narration, spinning a sweet and sexy fake-dating storyline, or building a suspenseful and twisty mystery, Adamo proves herself to be absolutely an author to watch." --BookPage, starred review

"Adamo breaks through the teen-sleuth genre with outstanding takes on themes of consent, power, and the devastating end to friendships. . . . Effective and compulsively readable, this is a must-read." --Booklist, starred review

"Edgy and authentic, this stunning gut-punch of a novel unravels the complexities of teen girlhood, toxic friendships, and trauma. . . A timely, suspense-building thriller and a powerful story of healing." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

About the Author

Meredith Adamo (she/her) is an author based in North Carolina, but she's originally from Rochester, New York, which is her favorite place on the planet. She likes to write books about girls who make you laugh and break your heart-ideally on the same page. Her debut Not Like Other Girls was the winner of the William C. Morris Award and the Southern Book Prize for Young Readers, and a Target YA Book Club pick. Her non-writing interests include collecting vintage bakeware, crocheting the ugliest blankets you've ever seen, and grocery shopping. Connect with Meredith @mere_adamo on Instagram and meredithadamo.com.