4 stars

Kate McLaughlin is putting out one banger after another, and this most recent effort is no exception.

Dylan, the m.c. (sort of - more on this soon), is 18 going on 19 and having some notably peculiar experiences. She's losing time, hearing a lot of different voices, and scaring both herself and her friends and family with her concerning and at times unintentionally dangerous behavior. While it's unclear WHAT is going on, it's obvious that something is, and readers get a heads up from the most basic synopsis that the answer is complex; Dylan has dissociative identity disorder (DID). Readers who are drawn in by this topic alone will not be disappointed. The greatest strength of this compelling novel is Dylan's experience, her internal system, and her attempts to manage the information and reality.

Having never read a novel featuring this subject, that alone was a compelling reason to jump in, but also McLaughlin really knows how to handle teens and their trauma: a skill proven repeatedly in all recent efforts. I did have some minor challenges with this one, namely surrounding a focal romantic relationship (as an important aside, can we move on from the term "actual sex?" Uuuuhhhh). Dylan's own mind is so fascinating that within her readers get a whole cast of characters, and it does seem that opportunities to develop some of the bonds between Dylan and distinct individuals get a bit lost as a result of her internal volume.

I continue to be a real fan of McLaughlin's and appreciate having the opportunity to read about this subject matter in this format. I'll be having a lot of fun recommending this one to students but with the TWs provided at the top of the book included.

I really enjoyed reading Pieces of Me by Kate McLaughlin and read the entire book in one day. It's definitely hard to put down once you start reading. I loved how we learn of Dylan's disorder at the same time she does, and I enjoyed how McLaughlin showed us the various personalities. I enjoyed their stories as much as Dylan's. While sometimes sad and upsetting, Pieces of Me captured Dissociative Identity Disorder and what someone experiencing it may be feeling.
I would highly recommend this book to my older students, as well as my adult friends.

A big thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

This author with her numerous pen names has always blown me away with her stories. And this one is no less amazing. She has a way of drawing you into the story and just making you care for her characters and their plights. I loved this one so much and felt so much as these characters went through their issues. This is an amazing look at someone with Dissociative Identity Disorder and what they go through. You could tell how much research the author did for this and it just made it so much more real.

4+ stars.
Pieces of Me was such a beautiful, yet difficult read and felt so real. It was a story that will definitely stick with me, with characters that were memorable and that jumped right off the page.
Imagine waking up and not remembering where you are or who the people around you are, even though you just spent the weekend with them. This is the story of Dylan and her discovering that she has DID (Dissociate Identity Disorder). She knows she has something wrong with her, but no one can pinpoint what it is that she has. After her mother takes her to a new doctor, runs more tests and finds her a new therapist, everything soon begins to fall in place and Dylan finds answers that she has been seeking.

I've read books about DID before, but they usually fall into the suspense category. This was not the same. I felt like I got to know the mental disorder and how it can affect not only the person who has it, but their loved ones as well. We also not only get to know Dylan, but her alters and how they came to be. DID usually arrives after a traumatic event, but Dylan, her brother Mark and her parents can't figure out any traumatic events she may have had since she had a pretty darn good life, besides her parents being divorced. Her parents are successful and they do fine financially, but there is still something missing to the whole of who Dylan is. That's where her alters come in and protect her from the past.

Pieces of Me was a book that I did not want to put down. I really liked who Dylan was as a character and I liked getting to know all the pieces of her (her alters). They show up and you get to know them as well. It was also nice to see Dylan had such a strong support system with her mother, her brother Mark (even if he had his moments), her BFF Izzy and Connor (Connor was the icing on the cake!). I think without those loved ones and the people that were there to hold her hand through all the difficult moments, things could've ended up very differently.

While the topic and content was quite heavy, I liked that Dylan gave us a little humor within it all. I also felt like the author did her research and while it is not textbook and clinical, it's obvious she balanced it all very well and gave us a story that was entertaining, but also taught us about a mental health disorder at the same time. I would definitely recommend this to any reader that likes a well told story with great characters, while learning a bit about mental health.

Have you ever blinked and found yourself somewhere without knowing how you got there? 18 year old Dylan wakes up in a stranger’s apartment, he’s calling her Lannie, and she’s been missing for three days. She doesn’t remember meeting him, or anything that transpired, and blocks of times she can’t account for are becoming more and more frequent.
Dissociative Identity Disorder isn’t fully understood, and as we follow Dylan’s journey to diagnosis, and subsequently trying to navigate her new life, we meet a number of her alters, discovering why they were created, and their individual roles.
While it is a fictional book, and McLaughlin notes that she does not personally have DID, her dedication to research into the disorder to make it as realistic as possible is admirable. The fast pace of the plot (diagnosis to the integration of some alters and managing to mostly control the system in just six weeks) seems a little unbelievable, and may be undermining to those who have spent months or years learning to live with their system. Overall, definitely recommend to gain a superficial understanding of DID, but I defer to those who do live as part of a system should they disagree.

Thanks to St Martins Press - Wednesday Books and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The novel explores themes of trauma, mental health, and identity. Lizzie's journey is both heartbreaking and inspiring as she learns to confront her past and reclaim her sense of self. The character development in this novel is strong, and McLaughlin does an excellent job of portraying the complexity of Lizzie's emotions and thoughts.
One of the strengths of "Pieces of Me" is the way in which it tackles difficult subject matter with sensitivity and honesty. McLaughlin does not shy away from the dark aspects of Lizzie's past, but she also shows the power of resilience and the importance of support from friends and family.
The writing in this novel is engaging, and McLaughlin's prose is both lyrical and accessible. The story moves at a steady pace, and the plot twists and turns keep the reader engaged from start to finish.
Overall, "Pieces of Me" is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that tackles difficult subject matter with sensitivity and honesty. The character development is strong, and the themes explored are relevant to contemporary society. This book is an excellent read for young adults and anyone interested in exploring the complexities of trauma and mental health.

I finished Pieces of Me, by Kate McLaughlin, fairly quickly. I enjoyed the way the others in her head were presented. Quite an interesting way to present DID. The story begins with 18-year-old Dylan, who wakes up one day in an unfamiliar apartment with people she doesn't know. She has been missing 3 days, with no ideas how she got there nor why they are calling her by a different name.

Soon enough, Dylan is diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder. She must learn to get along with the many people - versions of her?, that are inside her head. She quickly learns she has a secret from her past that her “ house in her head full of people” have been trying too protect her from.

Pieces of Me was a success at putting a creative spin on a mental health situation most of us have little or no experience with. I’m sure the fiction doesn’t even begin to cover the complexities of the situation, but it was a great story for someone who might want to explore more.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is a fascinating story about a girl who discovers she has Dissociated Identity Disorder and the challenges she faces while she works through it all. I enjoyed the story. It's clear that the author spent a lot of time researching this topic. It's not necessarily a deep dive but the read was quick and enjoyable. Good but not great.

Kate McLaughlin shines a light on Dissociative Identity Disorder in her latest book Pieces of Me. Eighteen-year-old Dylan wakes up to find herself in a place she doesn't know with people she doesn't recognize. Thinking maybe she had too much to drink the night before, she is stunned when she calls her mom to let her know that she (Dylan) is ok and mom says she's been gone for three days! She's lost some time here and there before, but never to this extent. Both mother and daughter are sufficiently freaked out by this to ramp up their efforts to get to the bottom of what's going on with Dylan.

Shortly afterwards, she is diagnosed with DID and begins treatment with a therapist to help her come to terms with it all. I found the book to be well written and riveting, It was interesting to get to know the different personalities within Dylan and discover their purpose in being created. I doubt that in true cases, the personalities are as easily reconciled as they are in this novel, or that the person with DID gets such strong support, but this is fiction after all, and a very good read.

Trigger warnings for sexual abuse of children and suicide attempts.

My thanks to Wednesday Books for permitting me to read a DRC via NetGalley. Publication is set for 4/18/23. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

This was pretty good! I don’t know how accurate this process is, of being diagnosed and working through Disassociative Identity Disorder (DID), but the representation of what it’s like for someone seems believable. I’ve honestly never known someone personally to know though.

This is a fast paced novel about a girl who comes to discover she has DID, and depicts what it’s like, and how hard it can also be on those around her. It’s pretty intriguing, and I hope it’s pretty close to a true representation.

Dylan wakes up in a strange person's bed, with no memory of the last few days. This isn't the first time she's lost time, but definitely the longest. The people she is with (Connor and Jess) say she hasn't been drinking too much or doing drugs, and they seem like good people, but Dylan is freaking out. And so is her mother and brother, who were worried sick about her.

Dylan is under treatment for borderline personality disorder, depression, and other mental illnesses, but doctors haven't been able to quite figure out what is wrong. But Dylan knows something isn't right - her brain just doesn't work the way it ought to. This incident sends her back to the doctor for more tests.

With her new therapist (and an assist from her best friend Izzy), Dylan explores the possibility that she has dissociative identity disorder. The voices she hears in her head? Alternate identities who helped her through a traumatic situation when she was young, and have been with her ever since. When one of her alters tries to commit suicide, it is clear she does have DID, and needs to find a way to deal with the trauma of what happened to her when she was young.

This book came with a lot of content warnings, for good reason. It discusses incest, mental illness and suicide very openly. But that openness is a wonderful thing, because there are people in the world who need to read this book and know they aren't alone.

Dylan and Connor become close as Izzy and Dylan's brother Mark start dating as well. Dylan's support team (internal and external) is fantastic. I wasn't surprised about who her abuser was, but that didn't take away from the feelings I felt when Dylan figured it out.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who knows someone with mental illness (not just DID) because of the realistic way people treat Dylan before and after her diagnosis. Families can learn from the great examples set in this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.

Dylan wakes up in a strange bedroom and doesn't know where she is or how she got there.  She also discovers that three days have passed and she has no memory of them.  She has lost time before but never for this long. When she is diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder, DID,  she must learn to live with the many people living inside her head.  She must also begin to process her childhood trauma. 

I feel like there are a lot of stories out there about DID but this is the first one I've read where the main character must come to terms with it and learn to cope with their many identities. I appreciate the amount of research the author did to bring this story to life.  I found Dylan to be brave and resilient.  I feel like the characters and Dylan's other identities were well developed.  While I went into this one thinking it was going to be more of a thriller, I found myself rooting for Dylan and all of her identities.  It almost felt like a coming of age story as Dylan learned to live with her mental illness. Add this one to your list today!

I have not read a book this fast in such a long time. I read this in just two days, because I could not put it down. I can't wait to look more into this author.

Dylan was just a great character, and I loved that each personality got a chance to speak and be able to read what they were thinking. I just wish the book was longer.

Enthralling, intriguing and emotionally exhausting. I was wrapped up in this book from the moment I started it. I’m a big mental health person and try my best to help destigmatize mental illnesses. Check content warnings and keep your mental health safe as well. All in all a phenomenal read

Dylan grew up with fairly wealthy, albeit divorced, parents and is close to her twin brother. She loves art, and, on the surface, her life seems great. But she's struggled throughout the years--with ADHD and drinking binges. Lately, she's "losing time," often waking somewhere with no memory of where she is or what she's been doing. When she realizes she's spent three days with a boy named Connor without any memory of it, Dylan knows she has to seek help. She's eventually diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder (DID), which starts to help explain why Dylan feels as if there are voices and people living inside of her. But the diagnosis is scary and sometimes Dylan isn't sure she can keep going.

I love Kate McLaughlin's books. This one wasn't quite as emotional as some for me--it's beautifully written, of course, as usual, and I definitely felt for Dylan, but it took me quite some time to get sucked into the story, when normally a McLaughlin book is something I read in practically one setting. PIECES has almost a clinical feeling to it; it covers DID so well that it often feels as if we are reading half fiction, half medical tome, especially as Dylan struggles to figure out what is "wrong" with her (I refuse to classify any mental health disorder as something wrong with a person).

However, the story picks up a lot when she is diagnosed. There's still a ton of explanation of DID, but once we get to meet the other people (alters) who make up Dylan's system, the story becomes more meaningful. DID is caused by trauma when the host is young and they splinter into their alters to protect themselves from what happened. Watching Dylan struggle to realize that something terrible happened to her as a child and then show tremendous strength to learn about DID and delve into that incident is pretty amazing. She's a very strong character and McLaughlin also does an excellent job of giving Dylan's many alters their own personalities as well, as we sometimes get their POV as well.

If this all sounds a little weird, it's really not. The book is very well-done and presented quite well. Dylan struggles to have a relationship with Connor, who turns out to be a remarkably nice person. She has a mom who wants what is best for her and a twin who feels jealous at the attention she receives. I do think some of this story was presented a bit through rose-colored glasses (and McLaughlin even acknowledges that in her author's note): Dylan has a boyfriend who is fully accepting, a family who supports her, and the financial resources to seek treatment. It may not be the most realistic portrayal of DID around. But it's certainly eye-opening, and I believe thoughtfully done (no shame, no mocking).

This is a quiet novel, with the only real plot Dylan's diagnosis and her working through to discover the source of her trauma. It's very dark at times, with a huge set of trigger warnings* (see the bottom of this review). But it's compelling and fascinating and well-done, with McLaughlin's typical laser focus on a topic.


*trigger warnings: suicide, child abuse/sexual assault, alcohol abuse

Kate McLaughlin offers a YA novel that follows a teenage girl who has been in and out of foster care. When she turns eighteen, she needs to navigate the challenges of independent living and faces a lot of challenges along the way. She struggles with secrets from her past that surface along with mental health issues. The topics of poverty, abuse, menta health and foster care are heavy topics but are portrayed realistically. This work will resonate with many as it touches on themes of trauma, identity, family and mental health in a realistic but sensitive manner. Although the topics included are deep, the writing style and approach to the topics are realistic and told in a simple way. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly can I just say how jazzed I was to read a book with a character who has dissociative idenity disorder. Part of the reason I wanted to read it in the first place was to see if finally someone would be able to write about someone who has this disorder without hollywoodizing it. And thank you to the author who didn't. You really feel for Dylan. To go through not remembering what happened and realizing that they were missing for 3 days. But also the struggles of having a new relationship and trying to keep secrets about who you are. I devoured this in one sitting and was not disappointed. I HIGHLY recommend this one!

Dylan finds herself in strange situations, waking up from blackouts and unsure what has occurred. Her friends and family support her through her DID diagnosis, where she slowly learns about herself and her past.

I really enjoyed this story, the writing, and the characters. Although I do not personally interact with anyone with DID, Dylan’s feelings and alters felt true to research I have seen. Her struggles and emotions felt real, which was a true testament to the strong writing. I enjoyed Dylan’s journal and writing, because we got to know each alter and how they contribute to her life / what purpose they serve. I also appreciated the resolution and Dylan’s strength at the end of the book. I believe it showed accurately that DID did not go away for Dylan, but she was able to learn, grow, and manage her challenges.

I think this book was only missing a slightly more dynamic storyline. There is more of a single, steady conflict throughout, as Dylan discovers memories of her own past through her alters. I did enjoy this steady conflict, but I found myself feeling stagnant around the halfway point. It did pick up again and I truly enjoyed it, but the story lacked any side plots, making it very reliant on Dylan and her alters only (which at some points I really enjoyed).

Would definitely recommend this one!

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Pieces of Me; when I read the synopsis, I just wasn’t sure how the author would portray a serious mental illness. I really enjoyed this book though and thought the author did well with being sensitive, but raw with such a heavy topic. Overall, a really great read!

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was invited to read this title by the publisher, but was reluctant due to her previous book Daughter. In Pieces of Me, the author explores DID- Dissociative Identify Disorder in the eyes of a young woman Dylan who is about to be diagnosed. I felt for her but character development was a little shallow as the dissociative identities took center stage. Also while it can be triggering to look into the how and why- DID is usually a result of childhood trauma, sexual abuse. She had a good support system. The book was well researched by the author. However, not an Own Voices book and not sure if I would continue reading mental health struggles as a plot point.