This was an enjoyable and surprising read. A young girl goes missing and it's up to her boyfriend and best friend to find her because the local police are not taking the family or the boyfriend seriously. In fact, they believe he is responsible for her murder. Twisty and thrilling with an ending I didn't see coming, I really enjoyed this debut thriller by Megan Lally.

Lally, Megan. That’s Not My Name. pgs. 304. Sourcebooks Fire, 2023

A 17-year-old teen wakes up on a dirt road in Oregon with no memory of who she is or how she got there. Local police bring her to the station where a distraught man named Wayne claims that she is his daughter, Mary. And he was documents to prove her identity. Drew and his girlfriend, Lola get into a big fight, and she disappears. Five weeks later, everyone in town, including the police think Drew did it. Drew is determined to prove his innocence and find Lola. Officer Roan wants to find evidence that Drew did it so town can put it all to rest. Who is the teen with no memory? Is she Lola or Mary? What really happened?

The plot is well-written, engaging, and a page turner. Told through two points of view, characters are well-developed, intriguing, and draw the reader into the story. Characters are cued as white. Wholly immersive, this is a must-read for fans of horror, thrillers, and mysteries. Recommended for most library collections. 5 stars, Gr 7 and up

Please Note: A copy of this book was given to us by NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are our own. No other compensation was received.

What do you do when everything thinks you killed your girlfriend and even the small town sheriff has quit looking for his daughter's best friend? Drew continues to spiral while not giving up. It is his fault she is missing, but he swears he did not kill her. Megan Lally draws you in and keep the pressure on to find Lola. This book is told in alternating chapters with Girl 1 who is found in a ditch--with a concussion and she doesn't know her name. He dad "saves" her and can prove she is Mary. But things don't quite add up and "Mary" starts to remember. Will Drew continue to look even with the sheriff after him? Will "Mary" be safe? What will Mary's father do next? This is already on my library's to purchase list! Students will LOVE it! Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the egalley.

This is a fantastic book; I loved everything about it. Both the sections written by Drew, a boy hoping to clear himself of suspicion in his girlfriend's possible murder and to find her alive and well, and "Mary," a girl who suffers from amnesia and is living with a man who claims to be her father, are beautifully written and equally captivating. The excellent writing and suspense kept me reading it any chance I got, and I felt a bit bereft when I finished it and couldn't keep enjoying it. A well-done twist rounds out this excellent novel by a very talented debut author. I very much look forward to reading more by her. I think it would be very appealing to YA readers, but as a (much) older adult, I thought it was one of the best books I've read this year. Highly recommended! Many thanks to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book.

Holy smokes, this book had me on edge. At the beginning I thought I knew what was going to happen but no.
Drew is looking for his missing girlfriend, Lola, she stormed off after a fight and no one has seen her since.
In another town, a young girl is found bruised and disoriented, she can’t remember her own name. Until her father comes to the police station and is relieved to have found his daughter Mary.
What follows is a very intense story that keeps you guessing.
I really enjoyed the different POV, I would get hooked on Drew’s POV just for it to change to Mary’s, and vice versa. I will definitely be looking forward to more books written by Megan Lally.
Thanks so much for the arc!

I really enjoyed this! The beginning really gripped my interest and I kind of sussed out what was going to happen or the twist but I enjoyed it regardless! very intense and gets you guessing about what will happen!

3.5 stars rounded up!

Thank you for NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC to review!

What a great surprise! YA fiction hasn’t been living up to my standards lately but this one knocked it out of the park! I was hooked from the beginning and finished in a couple of hours because I absolutely couldn’t put this book down and the ending! Wow! Probably my favorite thriller of the year!

Really enjoyed this. I couldn’t put it down. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5, quick read, multiple POV, YA thriller. There’s some cursing and the ending is more graphic than the rest, but overall I would say this is appropriate for mature upper middle grades as well. Drew’s chapters were more interesting than Mary’s, but the end really picks up pace. I don’t want to say much and give it away, but this was a solid debut and entertaining read with strong characters and a good story. I particularly liked the ending. In addition to being a thriller, I loved how the family and friend relationships were portrayed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

This YA thriller is a standout, especially considering it's a debut novel! "That’s Not My Name" captivated me from the outset with its masterfully crafted plot and multi-dimensional characters. The story offers a compelling blend of suspense and intricate development. The conclusion was a twist I didn't see coming, and the author's narrative choices only added to the story's strength. The dual narratives, each revealing a part of the central mystery surrounding Mary Boone and Lola, were brilliantly executed. I was genuinely taken by surprise!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing the e-arc. All opinions are my own.

She doesn’t know her name….so how can she know if she is safe?

A teenage girl wakes up in a ditch near a dirt road. She hurts all over, is bleeding, and not only doesn’t know where she is or how she got there….she has no idea who she is. She is found by a police officer, who takes her back to his small rural station to get her cleaned up, evaluated for injuries, and tries to help her remember something about herself so that he can contact her family. It’s no use….she remembers nothing. When a frantic man shows up at the station hours later, wanting to report his missing daughter Mary, it comes as somewhat of a relief to both the police officer and the girl. The man. Wayne, says he’s her father, and has proof….photos, a school ID, even her birth certificate back at the cabin where they were going to meet. The officer is diligent in checking everything out, and while the girl….Mary, it seems….has no memory of him, she is relieved that he at least knows her. As the days pass, though, something seems off. Is she really Mary, and is Wayne truly her dad?
Meanwhile, in a town at the other end of the state, a teenage boy named Drew’s life has imploded. His girlfriend Lola disappeared after they had a fight one night at their usual hangout spot. No one, not even her parents or best friend Autumn, has seen or heard from her since. As the weeks went by, and searches turned up nothing, everyone has come to the sad conclusion that Lola is dead. And with the exception of Drew’s fathers and family, everyone is also convinced that Drew killed her. The sheriff, Autumn’s father, is chief among those who want to prove Drew’s guilt. Drew is struggling with facing the enmity of people who used to be his friends and neighbors, and also with guilt for letting Lola walk home alone after their fight. In his mind, while he didn’t kill her, he is responsible for what happened to her. He is just about the only person who believes that she is still alive, and continues to post “Missing” fliers around town. He is frustrated that the sheriff has focused on him as a suspect, and refuses to investigate any other leads. A confrontation between Drew and Autumn changes Autumn’s mind about Drew’s guilt. Together with Drew’s cousin Max, they start doing some sleuthing on their own….and may just have found a vital clue.
This YA novel gripped me right from the start. Mary is scared and vulnerable, with no memory and nowhere to go. The officer who finds her is very careful before he releases her into Wayne’s custody, though, so she figures she must be OK. Even as my reader’s mind was screaming, “No, don’t go with him!”, it was completely believable that she went with him. Drew’s situation was horrible, but again highly plausible….the spouse/partner is always the most likely suspect, and the guilt he feels over Lola’s disappearance just looks like guilt to everyone else. Who amongst us hasn’t formed that kind of judgement about a situation we see on the news or read about in the paper? As what happened that night between Lola and Drew is revealed, and as Mary’s days with Wayne unfold, I started forming my own ideas about what happened to Lola. Will Drew and his friends find a way to find Lola? Will Mary regain her memory and, if so, what will it tell her? The story is fast paced, and the reader is kept guessing until the end. A great, quick read that I highly enjoyed. Readers of Holly Jackson, Karen M. McManus and April Henry should pick up a copy of That’s Not My Name and enjoy the ride. Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for allowing me access to an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a big surprise! I loved this book. Lots of twists and turns. Told by two Different narrators and alternating time lines. I will definitely check out more from this author.

Multiple POVs! ✔️
Short chapters! ✔️
Entertaining! ✔️

Megan Lally’s debut novel “That’s Not My Name” is a quick entertaining read!! I don’t want to talk too much about the characters so I don’t give anything away, but I loved the characters tenacity and motivation! The never give up attitude is my favorite part of a character.
The only thing I wasn’t a huge fan of was the fact that it is a little bit predictable during some parts, which doesn’t stop me from loving a book, just doesn’t have as much of the shock value.
This is not your average ending though, and I absolutely loved that!


If you love YA thrillers, I’d definitely put this on your TBR list! Can’t wait for her next book to come out!!

3 1/2 ⭐️ out of 5!

Megan Lally’s pacey debut thriller THAT’S NOT MY NAME is un-put-downable. The twisty dual narratives wind together toward inevitable collision, and I was along for every turn, racing forward in the most delicious creeping sense of dread. Then Lally hits you with a twist so shocking I screamed out loud and immediately had to text a friend about it. Absolutely brilliantly written and cuttingly paced. A debut like this leaves me hungry to see where Lally goes next!

I received and voluntarily read an advance copy of this title. All opinions are my own. The spooky yet satisfied feeling lingering after finishing, however, is entirely Megan Lally’s fault.

If you are looking for a YA thriller/mystery then I suggest you check out That's Not My Name. With a catchy title and stunning cover, its easily to be drawn in. Let me then tell you it has a really good mystery told from two points of view, Drew (A suspect in her girlfriend's disappearance - Lola) and the mystery girl who wakes up in a ditch, battered and bruised with no idea who she is. Told in dual time lines this makes the story fast paced and packing some punch. Are these two stories connected or just random coincidences? You'll have to read it to see.

As most YA thrillers go it's a little predictable to the older reader, which is why I've rated this as a 3.5 star. Yes I did work this mystery out fairly early on but this didn't take away from the story at all. The characters are strong, their voices will be heard by you. But this isn't just a thriller, this is also about friendship and other things I won't mention as that would be a spoiler. The ending conclusion and epilogue are powerful. Especially Drew's words in the epilogue.

I really enjoyed That's Not My Name, it was refreshing to read a YA thriller that had me racing through the pages. I believe this is a debut for Megan Lally and she's definitely one to watch out for in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for this ARC in exchange of an honest review..

This is one of the best YA books I've read this year! I can't say enough good things about it.
Seventeen year old Lola has been missing for weeks now. They have found no clues regarding her disappearance and everyone believes her boyfriend, Drew, is to blame. Drew has been handing out missing persons flyers and doing everything he can to find her, but everyone just thinks it makes him look more guilty. Until finally, they find a clue. A tip on the tip line comes through saying that Lola has been spotted a couple hours away. Drew, Autumn (Lola's best friend), and Max (Drew's cousin) go looking for Lola. What happened to her? Will they find alive?
Meanwhile, Mary has no memories of who she is or how she got there. But a man named Wayne is telling that her that he is her father and she is his daughter. Your name is Mary. He has her birth certificate, her school ID, and her social security card. She has to be Mary, right?

Megan Lally’s debut, That’s Not My Name, is a well-crafted thriller that’s perfect for fans of YA mysteries and includes strong themes of young people taking the reins when adults fall short.

This book had me hooked from the first chapter, and I devoured the entire thing in one sitting. Although there were a few thin spots in the plot, Lally’s characters are compelling, and the suspense is built up well, making it a strong debut novel overall.

The book revolves around two main characters, a teen girl, Mary, who wakes up injured on the side of a dirt road with no memory of who she is, and an accused young man, Drew, whose girlfriend, Lola, has disappeared after they had an argument. Their stories intertwine, leading to an unexpected conclusion that had me on the edge of my seat.

The epilogue was really well done, wrapping up the story beautifully and rounding up my initial 4-star rating to a full five stars.

While That’s Not My Name wasn’t an entirely perfect novel, it’s an impressive debut from a promising new author, and it deserves the full 5 stars just for how much it gripped me. Lally has a knack for crafting a compelling narrative and sympathetic characters, so I’m definitely looking forward to her next book!

This novel was so good!!!

That's not my name is a thrilling stoy told from various POVs.

To avoid spoiling the book to anyone, I'll only mention Lola and Drew. Lola goes missing, and the local sheriff believes her boyfriend Drew is to blame. Drew realises he needs to find Lola to clear his name, if things were only as simple as that...

The ending is amazing.

I would like to thank the publisher and author for my advanced review copy of the book. This is my honest review

This was such a beautiful and enjoyable read. I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre. Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

* Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEFIRE Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review."

That's Not My Name isn't a terrible book. The premise itself is interesting, and I liked the characters enough to push past some of the ... lag. The beginning of the book isn't the most interesting, and it took me a little while to really get into it. Honestly, Drew's POV chapters were way more interesting to me than Mary's. I kind of wished Mary didn't feature so heavily in the first part of the story - it took away some of my interest in the overall plot, and kind of distracted me.

The story really picked up around the 50% mark, though. I spent the first half of the book forcing myself through it and spent the last half of the book flying through it. I will say I wasn't really surprised by the ending, but it was a fun ride along the way.

I'd recommend That's Not My Name to anyone who enjoys quick, easy to read YA thrillers.