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jelkebooks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I received a galley of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ugh, reviewing this is going to be difficult, because arguably this book was dogshit. However, I did read it in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down. I honeslty think the writing is absolutely terrible. The switching between scenes or different character's POV's just felt so chaotic. The writing was also just extremely simplistic and repetetive. It got a bit grating at times, especially at the start when the plot hadn't really started yet. There was also so much info-dump, most of which wasn't nececary.
I do think the mystery was very gripping though. It definitely isn't a great plot either. Characters just kept just giving everything to our main characters out of nowhere. Our two main characters were also just so incredibly stupid, and honestly it's good that the side characters just told them everything with no prompting because otherwise they would have never gotten anywhere at all. They have 0 researching skills, and it was absolutely shocking when I was told they had been taking a journalism class for 3 years now, because their journalistic "skills" were abysmal. The reveal at the end was also just not shocking at all. However, it still had me completely gripped, and I just didn't want to put the book down.
I also just really didn't like the two main characters. Cam and Blair were just insufferable. I mean, Blair was just annoying, Cam was the absolutely worst. Like I mentioned before they had 0 journalistic skills, they also had 0 interest in true crime they just decided to make a true crime podcast because it's a get famous quick scheme basically. I also think it was very obvious that this book was written by a man. Like, teenage girls do absolutely not behave like that. At times it also felt a bit cringe in the way the author tried sound young. I don't know if that makes sense? It just didn't really make this book work for me.
On top of that I also just think this book tried to say some meaningful things about true crime, the justice system, and all the issues within it but I just don't think it did so succesfully. The talking points just felt very basic, and also a bit forced into the book. It just didn't feel natural. I also just feel like it could have gone a bit more in depth if it really wanted to have something to say, because now it didn't really. So yeah, in conclusion I didn't think this book was good at all but for some reason I couldn't look away, and I will probably read more (woops).
Ugh, reviewing this is going to be difficult, because arguably this book was dogshit. However, I did read it in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down. I honeslty think the writing is absolutely terrible. The switching between scenes or different character's POV's just felt so chaotic. The writing was also just extremely simplistic and repetetive. It got a bit grating at times, especially at the start when the plot hadn't really started yet. There was also so much info-dump, most of which wasn't nececary.
I do think the mystery was very gripping though. It definitely isn't a great plot either. Characters just kept just giving everything to our main characters out of nowhere. Our two main characters were also just so incredibly stupid, and honestly it's good that the side characters just told them everything with no prompting because otherwise they would have never gotten anywhere at all. They have 0 researching skills, and it was absolutely shocking when I was told they had been taking a journalism class for 3 years now, because their journalistic "skills" were abysmal. The reveal at the end was also just not shocking at all. However, it still had me completely gripped, and I just didn't want to put the book down.
I also just really didn't like the two main characters. Cam and Blair were just insufferable. I mean, Blair was just annoying, Cam was the absolutely worst. Like I mentioned before they had 0 journalistic skills, they also had 0 interest in true crime they just decided to make a true crime podcast because it's a get famous quick scheme basically. I also think it was very obvious that this book was written by a man. Like, teenage girls do absolutely not behave like that. At times it also felt a bit cringe in the way the author tried sound young. I don't know if that makes sense? It just didn't really make this book work for me.
On top of that I also just think this book tried to say some meaningful things about true crime, the justice system, and all the issues within it but I just don't think it did so succesfully. The talking points just felt very basic, and also a bit forced into the book. It just didn't feel natural. I also just feel like it could have gone a bit more in depth if it really wanted to have something to say, because now it didn't really. So yeah, in conclusion I didn't think this book was good at all but for some reason I couldn't look away, and I will probably read more (woops).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship
Moderate: Misogyny
Minor: Cancer, Homophobia, and Suicidal thoughts
claudiashelf's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
❝ Marginalized people. Poor people, Native people, Black people, brown people, immigrants, queer and trans people. That’s who goes to prison, because that’s who the system is designed to hurt. ❞
I expected something more from this book, because I enjoyed the AGGTM series but turned out, that this book was a bit boring and just— OK. I can easily look over what will happen next, and what will be done next. Everything is easy to speculate. Although I agree that the plow in this book was committing but I still wish that this book was a tad longer to explore something so important because there are still plot holes even until I finished the book, even tho the last chapters were combusive. After all, Cam ( one of the MCs in this book. ) her outcome is something that I relish. Overall, will surely suggest this book for those who are inquisitive in the podcast-themed crime mystery genre, but still, if I can be honest, part of this story was missed for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder
directorpurry's review
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Car accident
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Homophobia, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
viertelvorvier's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Grief
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Chronic illness, Homophobia, and Rape
themoodreader's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Dementia, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
danileah07's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship and Gun violence
Minor: Homophobia
chymerra's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
4.0
The disappearance of Clarissa Campbell shook the town of Oreville, Washington to its core. Her disappearance also intrigued the nation. A beautiful cheerleader with her life ahead of her disappears after a bonfire captivates the nation. Twenty years later, there are conspiracy theories and finger-pointing, but the case has gone cold. That is when Blair and Cameron (or Cami) come in. As part of a project for their journalism class, they decide to start a true crime podcast exploring her disappearance. As they start digging, they discover more about the case than what was reported. And what they ultimately uncover might kill them.
When I read the blurb for Missing Clarissa, I wasn’t impressed with it. I should have known not to judge the book by the blurb (or the cover if I am going to go there). This book was a great read. It kept me up late reading it. I was concerned about Cami and Blair (and their investigation), and I wanted to know what happened to Clarissa.
Usually, I would write the trigger warning at the end of the review, but I felt that these trigger warnings might be triggering more people. The trigger warnings are:
- Adult/minor sexual relationships (off page-Clarissa plus other girls with her art teacher).
- Sexual assault (off-page).
- Murder
- Rape (off-page).
- Gun violence (Cami and Blair).
- Violence
- Murder
- Cursing
- Homophobia (off page, told by Clarissa’s boyfriend about what he did to a gay classmate).
If any of these trigger you, I recommend not reading this book.
What I liked the most about this book was how real it felt. The girls weren’t natural-born sleuths; they bumbled through the investigation with almost no tact (well, Cami did, Blair tried). They made enormous (and sometimes nearly catastrophic) mistakes. It made the book so much more enjoyable to read.
The main characters, Cami and Blair, were as opposite as they could get. Cami was brilliant, had no filter or tact, and tended to bulldoze her way through life. On the other hand, Blair was brilliant in her way, was cautious when approaching things, and moved along her lifepath cautiously. Their dynamic was perfect for the book. Together and separately, they clarified their investigation that made the book for me. Brilliant Cami made that final connection, and Blair figured out where Cami had gone and who she was with when Cami went missing.
I loved that the author made podcasts the book’s central focus (along with Clarissa’s disappearance). Again, Cami and Blair were not tech geniuses who knew how to set up their podcast. It was the opposite. Their podcast sounded like it was recorded in the bathroom, and they had zero editing skills. But even with that, they still got a decent following. I liked that the author included excerpts from the podcast at the end of the chapters. It tied everything together for me.
The main storyline of Missing Clarissa is the story of Clarissa’s disappearance. What I liked most was that it wasn’t cut and dry. It also showed that the investigation into her disappearance was bungled. I enjoyed watching it unravel as the girls tracked down witnesses, friends, and family. Each little bit of information gleaned was exciting. Of course, it did take a dark turn when the girls uncovered things about the sheriff, the former art teacher (who wasn’t as loved as he thought he was), and how that tied into the investigation. I wasn’t surprised at what was revealed (with the sheriff). To mess up an investigation that badly, there had to be outside forces in play. But I was surprised by what was revealed when they looked into the art teacher. I shouldn’t have been, considering the clues dropped and the sweep-it-under-the-rug mentality at schools in the 90s. What I was surprised about was the outcome of the investigation. I did not expect it to end as it did or the multiple investigations it spawned.
Several secondary storylines revolved around Blair, Cami, and their various relationships. I loved the one between Cami and her crush/soon-to-be girlfriend. Her coming out to her mom was hilarious. I was laughing my butt off that entire scene. Blair’s relationship with her boyfriend annoyed me. He was a jerk the whole book, and that scene towards the end gave me such satisfaction.
The end of Missing Clarissa was impressive. The twist on Clarissa’s missing person case and its fallout were well written. I did not see any of it coming. Several big revelations made me go, “No way.” It wasn’t a happy ending per se, but there was closure for many people and vindication for a man wrongly accused.
I would recommend Missing Clarissa to anyone over 21. There is violence, language, and nongraphic sexual situations. Also, see my trigger warning paragraph.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, NetGalley, and Ripley Jones for allowing me to read and review Missing Clarissa. All opinions stated in this review are mine.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Homophobia and Murder
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Clarissa Campbell disappeared in 1999 with no explanation, and hasn’t been seen since. Police never figured out what happened to her, and the town of Oreville, Washington hasn’t been the same since her disappearance. Since then, she has turned into a bit of an urban legend.
Twenty years later, high school juniors Blaire and Cameron decide to take on her disappearance for a high school journalism project: a true crime podcast. Determined to find out what happened to Clarissa, they start investigating her disappearance. Their investigation uncovers a slew of small town secrets. And there’s one that just might put them in danger…
Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Missing Clarissa by Ripley Jones to review! Teens and adults alike love a good mystery, so this book is sure to get a lot of buzz! Especially when one of the comp titles is A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.
For me, the mystery was the best part of this book. While the clues to what happened to Clarissa are pretty in your face, if you’re not paying attention, you might miss it. The pace of the book definitely picks up towards the end, as things snowball pretty quickly when Blair and Cam think they’re onto something. As mysteries usually do.
This book is pitched as a podcast book, but I wish that the podcast sections read more like a podcast transcript. Since podcasts are generally conversations between people, that would have made them read more like podcasts than monologues. However, you still get important information in them, and you get to see some interesting characters throughout.
The point of view of the book also threw me off a bit. Blair and Cam did have distinctive voices, but the third person made it difficult to gauge who’s mind we were in at certain times. Maybe more obvious chapters throughout would have helped.
All in all, if you’re a fan of fast-paced, true crime mysteries, you’ll definitely want to pick this up when it comes out in March!
Twenty years later, high school juniors Blaire and Cameron decide to take on her disappearance for a high school journalism project: a true crime podcast. Determined to find out what happened to Clarissa, they start investigating her disappearance. Their investigation uncovers a slew of small town secrets. And there’s one that just might put them in danger…
Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Missing Clarissa by Ripley Jones to review! Teens and adults alike love a good mystery, so this book is sure to get a lot of buzz! Especially when one of the comp titles is A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.
For me, the mystery was the best part of this book. While the clues to what happened to Clarissa are pretty in your face, if you’re not paying attention, you might miss it. The pace of the book definitely picks up towards the end, as things snowball pretty quickly when Blair and Cam think they’re onto something. As mysteries usually do.
This book is pitched as a podcast book, but I wish that the podcast sections read more like a podcast transcript. Since podcasts are generally conversations between people, that would have made them read more like podcasts than monologues. However, you still get important information in them, and you get to see some interesting characters throughout.
The point of view of the book also threw me off a bit. Blair and Cam did have distinctive voices, but the third person made it difficult to gauge who’s mind we were in at certain times. Maybe more obvious chapters throughout would have helped.
All in all, if you’re a fan of fast-paced, true crime mysteries, you’ll definitely want to pick this up when it comes out in March!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence and Violence
Minor: Cursing, Death, and Homophobia
morethanmylupus's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
3.75
True crime podcasts have become so common societal element since Serial's first season that books that are plotted around their creation continue to be compelling. I enjoyed this one about Cat and Blair and their search for the truth about what happened to Clarissa.
A lot of the book was more about their personal lives than about the mystery, which was compelling because it helped show how researching and making the podcast had positive and negative impacts on their lives. Of course, it was also frustrating as I was anxious to know whether the extremely obvious answer was in fact the right one (I'll let you find out for yourselves) and these personal life additions prolonged the book. I also appreciated that Jones called it out each time a character's race was white - rather than making it the assumed race and only calling out BIPOC where relevant.
If you enjoyed A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, you'll likely enjoy this one as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to review this book ahead of publication. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
A lot of the book was more about their personal lives than about the mystery, which was compelling because it helped show how researching and making the podcast had positive and negative impacts on their lives. Of course, it was also frustrating as I was anxious to know whether the extremely obvious answer was in fact the right one (I'll let you find out for yourselves) and these personal life additions prolonged the book. I also appreciated that Jones called it out each time a character's race was white - rather than making it the assumed race and only calling out BIPOC where relevant.
If you enjoyed A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, you'll likely enjoy this one as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to review this book ahead of publication. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Murder
Minor: Homophobia
sallenreads's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I've inhaled many a YA mystery in the last couple years, and MISSING CLARISSA is a fresh take on the genre. Like SADIE, it's framed as a podcast, with excerpts interspersed throughout the book. What I loved was how the process of researching Clarissa's disappearance and creating the podcast was also a means to critique the true crime genre, whether through Cam and Blair thinking through what their motivations for telling Clarissa's story were, or secondary characters explicitly sharing their issues with true crime on the page. This critique was woven in with a well-plotted mystery, as well as Cam and Blair's character development. Overall, MISSING CLARISSA is a strong addition to the YA mystery fold.
Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing a copy for review.
Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing a copy for review.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail