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.

Thank you for the digital copy, I ended up receiving a physical copy and will be reading and reviewing on my socials that way. Thank you again for the digital ARC.

I have to be honest when I say that I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book. Normally, I don't enjoy reading books about the topics discussed in "Pieces of Me" because they often make me anxious but I have got to say that this book was very different and I didn't once feel that way.

McLaughlin wrote a story that was beautiful, intense, and informative. You got only to know Dylan you got to know about her posse and you went on the Dylan's journey with her. You learned with her, you felt her emotions with her. You were rooting for her the entire time.

This is my first book by this author! I was not disappointed, and I know you will not be either! absolutely incredible!

5 out of 5 !!

Was intrigued by the description of this book, but a couple things turned me off:

The initial disclaimer and story in preface pages about dissociative personalities took away from the tension they could have been built in book. Maybe a dedication at the end would have been more appropriate?

And the writing seemed very juvenile and that of someone in either an undergrad fiction course or high school creative writing. Was too stilted and used I too much, though written in first person.

Dylan wakes up in a stranger’s house to discover that she had no memory of the previous three days. Later, she meets a stranger on a train who seems to know her intimately. All signs point to Dylan having Dissociative Identity Disorder. As she becomes aware of the many personalities inside of her, she struggles to remember the traumatic events that caused her disorder.

The book is divided into three sections, Me, Them, and Us, which nicely correlate with the evolving relationship between Dylan and her personalities. My interest in psychology, particularly abnormal psychology, drew me to this book and kept me invested in the story. The author dealt with Dylan’s disorder in a compassionate manner, making each personality their own unique entity.

The dynamics between the identities created conflict, particularly with those alters willing to go to extremes to keep Dylan safe. My favorites parts of the book were those that showed different personalities “fronting” Dylan’s body and seeing the perspectives of the various personalities through her journal and during interactions inside her mind. The trauma that created Dylan’s disorder was handled well giving enough clues to understand the depths of the abuse without making the story traumatizing to read. I enjoyed seeing how Dylan’s art filtered though her personalities, as each had their own preferences for media and styles.

At times the information delivered felt a bit repetitive and boyfriend Connor’s character frequently journeyed into manic dream boy territory. I liked how Dylan’s parents had Hollywood connections and her brother sought a career as a model and an actress. Dylan’s therapists were great characters, which I hope make appears in the author’s other works.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group, for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.

- thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc to review!

- i don’t know how to properly rate this book. on one hand, it was nice to see that the author researched intensely to depict DID in a nuanced light, and i can commemorate her dedication to research. on the other hand, though, i feel iffy, as this is not an #ownvoices novel, and reviewers with DID can confirm if this is harmful or not. regardless of that, i don’t have much to say about the book. it was nice seeing a supportive set of characters, and Dylan was a nice protagonist to follow— complex and all. the writing style flowed easily and worked well with the story, though it did have moments where i found myself blanking on descriptions.

- overall, i would recommend this read, but be weary, as this is not an #ownvoices novel, so respect the reviewers who have DID and what they say about this novel.

- content warnings: flashbacks to childhood sexual abuse, self harm (implied, talked about), vomiting, disassociation, sex, substance abuse,

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is such a difficult concept for me to wrap my mind around. Kate McLaughlin’s new YA novel Pieces of Me makes it a bit more manageable. This story about Dylan, a teenage girl who realizes that something unsettling is going on in her life when she wakes up in a stranger’s apartment only to discover she has been there for three days with no memory of the events of the weekend, is eye-opening and incredibly informative. Anyone who has ever been interested in learning about DID (previously known as split or multiple personalities) will appreciate the work that McLaughlin put into this book.

Pieces of Me takes readers through Dylan’s realization of her illness, the diagnosis, and her work toward recovery. This book is such an intriguing journey through mental illness - as Dylan learns about DID, so do we right alongside her. She has no idea of what to expect and neither do we. Because this book is packed with so much of the nitty gritty of living with DID, the writing does come off as dry at times because it is so technical - McLaughlin is literally educating as she “entertains” - but I still found this novel to be compelling, nonetheless.

McLaughlin handles a difficult concept with dexterity, managing to write distinct voices for multiple “characters” all embodied within the one character of Dylan. I was able to carve out in my mind space for all of Dylan’s alters without getting confused, which is saying a lot considering that many novels loaded down with numerous characters often feel like too much work to follow. That’s not the case here.

In all, this book, like McLaughlin’s other works, is an engaging exploration into a difficult subject. I have read other reviews that state that McLaughlin embellished the illness some, portraying it far closer to fantasy than reality. I am not familiar enough with DID to verify this, so I recommend that readers do their own research to distinguish fact from fiction.

Rounded to 4.5 stars.

CONTENT WARNING: anxiety, mention of depression, mention of bulimia, suicidal thoughts, blood, suicide attempt, mention of self-harm, mention of alcohol abuse, mention of child abuse/sexual assault

The summary sounded incredibly intriguing, and I’ve read two of her other books, so I already know that she doesn’t shy away from the difficult topics in YA fiction. Previous books have dealt with being the child of a serial killer and sex trafficking, and I felt like both topics were handled with care, so I was fully expecting this to be the same.

We’re introduced to Dylan as she’s coming out of what she views as a blackout. She has struggled with alcohol abuse in the past, but stopped drinking six months ago, so doesn’t have any explanation for why she lost time. It only gets worse when she calls her mother and realizes that she’s been missing for three days, not one night as she previously thought. As she’s processing this, stressors pile up. School and fighting with her twin brother, as well as the realization that she has absolutely no idea what happens when she loses time start to be a bigger problem for her, and she starts to actively take steps to get to the bottom of her missing time.

But digging only reveals bigger issues, culminating in a major event that lands her the diagnosis of Dissociative Identity Disorder, formerly known as Multiple Personality Disorder. She has no recollection of any trauma during her childhood, but is starting to have vague flashbacks of something happening when she was young.

As she learns more about the disorder and processes things with her therapist, she realizes that the voices in her head are her alters. I loved how this was portrayed, and how her inner system was explored. While DID was briefly discussed in my master’s program, I’ve never actually seen it in real life, and don’t know much about it. It felt like the author did a lot of research into this, and discussed it in a really careful and sensitive way.

The way therapy is portrayed in the story felt accurate, and the treatment providers were all so accepting and compassionate, the way providers should be. They worked with Dylan (and her alters) to create a safe and welcoming environment where she was given agency over her life and her treatment program, as well as offered the opportunity to make major decisions, allowing her to regain control over her body and her choices that were denied to her as a child. Her artistic talent is incorporated into her treatment as a therapeutic tool and coping skill.

And while I don’t know much about DID, I loved how it was explored in the story. Rather than being viewed as an illness to be cured, it was painted as a coping skill to protect an individual from an unhealthy and dangerous situation that was beyond their capability to manage at the time. And in treatment, the goal is decided by the individual—for some, integration is the goal, while for others, they learn to live with the system.

Finally, I especially appreciated how the importance of having supports was stressed throughout the story. Dylan is surrounded by people who support her on the journey of recovery, and while they’re each dealing with their own emotions, she learns to set boundaries for giving them space to process, and them giving her space to process as well. But through it all, they rally around her to let her know that she isn’t alone for any step of this, and they fully support her no matter what. This was a powerful story, and it’s written so beautifully, making Dylan and her family incredibly relatable.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for allowing me to read this novel. Firstly, I must say the writing style is phenomenal. Allow I have read novels like this before the author’s writing style did stick out to me. The cover is beautiful and I love what the author did with this story.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NETGALLEY for the ARC.]

I really enjoyed this book and getting to know Dylan. I love reading about Dissociative Identity Disorder as it isn't something talked about much and wish to see reviews from people with DID to see their opinions. To see Dylan come out top at the end was nice. Something I disliked a lot was the Google Search to figure out what she had, Like no, we don't look up stuff like that because 9 times out of 10 it will tell us we are going to die. Another thing is while I loved the support system, I wish there was some more pushback in a way. Seeing Mark getting angry was nice, because he also has feelings about the whole situation. Also with how her dad acted about Travis was another thing from me. I would be so mad if I was the dad and for him to act like that really dislike him.

I appreciated handling of mental illness. However, the attempt to give each "personality " its own voice was not well-executed and not believable. The book was jumbled and confusing. Subject matter was admirable; execution was poor.

Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ℙ𝕚𝕖𝕔𝕖𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕄𝕖
𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐜𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐧
YA Fiction
368 pages

Sʜᴏᴿᴛ Sʏɴᴏᴘsɪs

In Pieces of Me, an eighteen-year-old girl named Dylan suffers from blackouts. When she wakes up and realizes she can’t remember three days of her life, she scares herself and her family more than ever before.

With the help of her family, friends, and a new doctor, Dylan learns she has multiple personalities. Now she must figure out what caused her mind to split. What horrible thing happened to her as a child? As her personalities work up to remembering that event, she starts learning how to live with multiple personalities.

Mʸ Tᴴᴼᵁᴳᴴᵀs

How could multiple personalities not be interesting? Pieces of Me is a story you won’t soon forget. The personalities make for a smorgasbord of characters who are all there to protect Dylan. Her family, friends, and love interest are behind her all the way. They really are an amazing group of people.

The author researched this topic well. I can’t say as I know anyone with this issue, but the story is undoubtedly intriguing and different from the typical book. It delves into hidden memories, abuse, and how those things can affect lives. These could be triggers for some, so use caution.

I ploughed through this book pretty quickly. It grabbed my interest from the get go. Even when you think you have a good understanding of what is going on, new things pop up. I feel like I received an education while reading fiction, because I did. It is obvious the author made this story as valid as possible. I can’t imagine dealing with multiple personalities as the one with it or the people in that person’s life.

This was my first ARC since joining NetGallery and I have to admit that it’s as thrilling as you’d think to read something before it’s actually published.

Pieces of Me by Kate McLaughlin is a YA book set to be released in April that tells the story of one teen girl’s experience with Dissociative Identity Disorder, which has 18 year old Dylan increasingly losing time and finding herself in strange situations.

The story is written as a mystery in that the protagonist has to find out what was so traumatic in her past that caused her to develop this condition.

While I appreciate mental illnesses being highlighted in fiction because of how important representation is, I was distracted by how the character’s other identities were written, specifically when each became a narrator. I also struggled with how seamlessly Dylan’s treatment was initiated and how the mystery was resolved in that it didn’t seem particularly realistic.

⭐️⭐️

This book is emotional, raw and captivating but and well worth the read. It’s about an 18 year old girl named Dylan who wakes up in an unfamiliar apartment, but feels safe.

Dylan is later diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder.
I really enjoyed seeing how each Alter worked and seeing the difference in each one was really well written.

The authors extensive research in this topic really shows. Her key to detail is amazing! She had a unique take on mental health. The book was a page turner and I honestly couldn’t put it down!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.