I didn't enjoy this author's previous book, so I was apprehensive about this one - but I actually ended up having quite a good time! I felt hooked in from the beginning, and although I think I might've preferred if we had switched between POVs a little more often (I kind of ended up forgetting about the other main character when we were in one's POV), I do feel like the format was interesting. You really do have to suspend your disbelief for this one - it's very far-fetched - but if you can do that, I think you can have a good time with this! Two unreliable narrators, suspense, good character development; there's a lot to like with this one!

This book had a really promising premise and I really enjoyed the third quarter - I found that the most gripping. The big twist about half way through was really well executed and creative

Really likeable book about two girls who switch lives for a summer. Whilst it was interesting seeing how the lead characters adapt to each others lives and there are some gripping bits of back story I felt that the beginning and end of the book were much stronger than the middle sections.

Rating: 3-3.5/5 ⭐

Synopsis (GoodReads):
Stealing someone's life looks impossible too, but hey. Watch me.

Two girls meet on a train journey. One of them - privileged, chaotic - is heading to an exclusive Swiss rehab centre following months of partying and living wildly. The other - who couldn't be more different - is down to her last penny, running away. When they get off the train they are both pretending to be the other. Just for a short period, of course. Just until the rehab stint is over . . .

Review:
✨Thank you to Penguin Random House UK Children's & #NetGalley for this #ARC! This review was voluntarily written by me.
✨#TheOtherGirl is a tough read for me, hence it is tough for me to write this review.
✨I can say that this book managed to hook me in in the first half and suddenly it went downhill even until nearly the end.
✨This is because Tabbi’s POV interested me in how she deals from having a lot of money to no money, and I see how she keeps trying to improve herself with switched identities.
✨However (spoiler alert!) I started to lose interest during Ruby’s POV. Even when Tabbi’s back, the momentum is already lost.
✨Between Ruby and Tabbi, both of them are not my favourite characters. In my opinion, this is not good because for me, this book is a character-driven story. Hence, it is tough to finish the story when both characters have a lot of baggage for their age. But if I must choose between one of them, I choose Tabby.
✨There’s a lot of profanities used in this story which is concerning for these characters’ ages but understandable based on their situations. For the writing, it is easy to understand what happened and what these two girls were thinking. I’m not really sure about the plot, especially near the end.
✨The message in this story is we need to acknowledge our wrongs and keep trying our best to atone for it, and improve ourselves in the process.
✨The ending for me shows that these two do not mature enough even with their life experience. I know this is a YA novel so the main characters are teens, but with their experience, they are still not mature enough. It is a little bit disappointing.
✨I do recommend these for anyone who wants to read a YA mystery/thriller where all main characters are problematic or have done something really bad. I know I’m not really enjoying this story, but if you choose to read this book, I hope you will enjoy it more than I do.

Tabbi is a privileged rich girl who is heading, under protest, to an exclusive rehab centre in Switzerland. She meets Ruby on the train there & although they don't look that much alike, there's enough of a similarity for Tabbi to hatch a plan. She decides to befriend Ruby & persuade her to swap lives for 6 weeks - Ruby gets an all expenses paid break & Tabbi gets 6 weeks of freedom, but will Ruby be gullible enough to fall for it? It seems she is, & they swap identities but Tabbi soon finds out that Ruby's life is far from uncomplicated & she may not have been telling the whole truth either.

This started off great with a good pace & a premise which hooks the reader from the start. I also liked that the two points of view were split in two sections of the book rather than alternating chapters. It was all rather far fetched, but as the story progressed it went from 'suspend your disbelief' to 'absolutely no way that happens' territory towards the end. Just one example is the character supposedly contained inside a retreat for rehab, who is not allowed to leave the grounds, is suddenly allowed to go have cosmetic surgery which has been arranged at a moment's notice. The epilogue was also a step too far. It was a shame because I enjoyed two thirds of the book before it became too much. 3.5 stars (rounded up)

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Penguin Random House UK Children's, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Tabitha and Ruby meet on a train in Europe. Tabbi is headed to a rehab facility in Switzerland, Ruby is InterRailing her time away from her life in Norwich. They decide to switch identities, neither realising the secrets the other is running away from.

This was superb. I love a travel themed story and I love Emily Barr’s writing so the odds were always favourable for this becoming one of my favourite reads of the year; but I also have to say this is one of the stand out books in Barr’s YA offerings. I was expecting a supernatural element after some of her last books, but was relieved that The Other Girl wasn’t that at all. It’s quite a long book but I flew through it and couldn’t wait to pick it up again each time I put it down.
I really enjoyed that it was written from each girl’s perspective, and not alternate chapters (which always irrationally confuses me) either. It’s such a fun story taking the reader all over Europe.

A few factual errors – trying to write these with no spoilers - international flights don’t go into Kiruna unless they’re charter flights – you can only fly there from Stockholm, and the town you’d go into from the Scilly Isles is Penzance, not Camborne. I appreciate this is niche, and most people wouldn’t notice - I only picked up on these as I’m Cornish and used to work in Kiruna!
Also one of the Japanese side characters switches name which had me rereading over a couple of times – I’m sure this will be picked up by an editor though. Looking forward, as always, to buying a copy of this and for the next Emily Barr book to be published!

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book. Having enjoyed Emily Barr's writing previously I was very excited to read her new novel. I enjoyed this book very much, although not as much as some of her previous titles. I found the characters fascinating and thought it was a really interesting take on the identity swap plot.

First of all thanks to NetGalley & Penguin for this eArc. I confirm all thoughts regarding this book are my own and honest opinion.

The Other Girl - written by Emily Barr, first caught my attention with the cover. I thought it was eye catching and intriguing and after reading the blurb I thought this sounded like it had the potential to be a really good story, as it followed two girls from completely different worlds and privileges.

At first I found the writing to be a little clunky. As this was an arc, there was quite a few errors in the text and grammar and at times things were a little difficult to follow when it came to conversations or replies to things/texts/emails. However I did find the story grabbed my attention as we dove straight into the swap from the beginning which was good.

I did find the pacing quite slow, which meant it took me a while to get into but once I was in, I was invested and had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen!

This was mainly in first person from both girls’ perspectives, so we get their inner dialogue/thoughts which at times was a little chaotic, but I felt this was done purposefully in writing style to portray their ages and mindsets. It was certainly interesting to compare both girls backgrounds, thoughts and differences but also some of their similarities. Tabbi’s mind was especially interesting as we begin her journey with her as an alcoholic/drug user and a past she is trying to run from - with a secret she is desperately trying to forget and run from, but as the story evolves, so do her thoughts, and her memories begin to catch up with her.

Although Tabbi’s big secret was predictable, (as it was hinted upon a number of times throughout), there were still a few twists and turns in the story I didn’t see coming!

The swap and things that followed were a little far fetched but I did enjoy the book overall. I was all set to give it at least 3.5 stars, but sadly the epilogue ruined it for me. I really did not like how it ended and thought after everything that had happened, that ending was a mistake and unbelievable.

Overall this was a good story and found it interesting from a psychological perspective. I would read more from Emily Barr.

I loved this book, the identity swapping really shows how we don't know what people have going on underneath their exterior. Overall a really engaging and fast paced read.

The Other Girl by Emily Barr is a fast-paced, twisty YA thriller that I couldn’t put down. It starts with two girls meeting on a train,one rich and chaotic, off to a fancy Swiss rehab; the other broke and running from her life. On a whim, they swap identities “just for a little while”… but things spiral fast.

The story is addictive, with flawed but fascinating characters and just the right amount of suspense. Every time I thought I knew what was happening, something flipped. I loved how it explored identity, privilege, and desperation, all wrapped in a gripping plot with some dark twists.

It’s the kind of book you stay up late reading because you need to know how it ends. Super entertaining, cinematic, and full of surprises, definitely recommend it if you’re into YA thrillers with bite.

The drama! I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to. I liked how real the character felt and the story had me gripped from the start. Highly recommend

This identity swap thriller was full of surprises! Loved the story and the characters! Will read more from this author in future. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book before release

A life swap thriller absolutely filled with drama. It was a little too far-fetched for my tastes but I have enjoyed many other books by Emily Barr so I stuck with it and I am glad I did.

Both girls have very interesting back stories to explain why they would ever make a switch in the first place and there are a lot of twists and revelations to keep you gripped.

Not my favourite read from the author but still enjoyable.

I love a good identity-swap, and this one came with a lot of mystery attached! Without giving anything away, as the girls' lives and lies gradually unravel, the reader is kept on their toes until the very end!

Ever wanted to swap your problems for somebody else's? You might think twice after reading this book! I found it absorbing and pacy and the characterisation is brilliant.
While it depicts alcohol and substance abuse in a way that'd make you want to run a mile from either, I did have a concern that it seems to show a teenager able to disappear, travelling in Europe, and somehow stumble into a job and new and better life, as if this is a feasible thing to do. For that reason it is four instead of five stars from me.

The Other Girl follows two strangers who meet on a train—one desperate to avoid being sent to a high-end rehab in the Swiss Alps, the other running from her own problems with no money and nowhere to go. What begins as a chance encounter quickly spirals into something far more complex, as they agree to swap lives—just for a bit.

I was completely gripped from the first chapter. It’s a clever twist on the identity-swap storyline, and I genuinely couldn’t put it down. I raced through it, constantly wondering how things would unravel. It’s one of those books that’s almost impossible to review without giving anything away, because the joy really is in all the twists and turns. That said, I ended up really liking two characters I didn’t expect to connect with at all.

This one feels like it’s made for the big screen—great locations, strong visuals, and plenty of tension.

The Other Girl by Emily Barr is out in May 2025. Definitely worth picking up—fast-paced, full of surprises, and thoroughly entertaining.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Puffin Books for the ARC.

Two teenagers meet on a train and both have their reasons to want to escape their lives, so they decide to swap - just for the summer. At first both are finding it a novelty living such a different life to their own, but then, things start to get more complicated.
I found the storyline addictive and really enjoyed the two main characters
A compelling read

Rating: ★★★½

The Other Girl by Emily Barr offers an intriguing premise: two girls meet on a train—one affluent and heading to a Swiss rehab, the other broke and fleeing her past. They decide to swap identities temporarily, leading to a suspenseful tale of deception and self-discovery. 

Barr’s writing is engaging, and the initial setup is compelling. The story delves into themes of privilege, identity, and the consequences of our choices. However, as the plot progresses, some twists feel a bit predictable, and certain character motivations could have been more deeply explored.

Overall, it’s a solid read that keeps you hooked, even if it doesn’t fully capitalize on its promising concept. Fans of psychological thrillers with a touch of drama will likely enjoy this one. 

I enjoyed this much more than I expected to! The characters were likeable but humanly flawed and the plot was engaging. The only negative was that I felt the very ending was a bit cliched but I was prepared to overlook that for how much I enjoyed the rest of the book!

This book had a really promising premise and I really enjoyed the third quarter - I found that the most gripping. The big twist about half way through was really well executed and creative.

I did find the writing style a bit challenging at times - there were lots of instances of being told how the character felt, rather than actions/thoughts/revelations/reactions doing that heavy lifting. I also found the ending at odds with the best part of the book and quite unrealistic - I could see we were going for a full circle moment but it negates lots of the character and world building the author had created up to that point.

I thought about 12% I might not finish the book but I’m glad I did! I just would have preferred slightly more complex character thought processes, a more engaging 5-15% and an ending that was better aligned with the characters we came to know.

2/5 stars