The Half Life of Molly Pierce

by Katrina Leno

You take it for granted. Waking up. Going to school, talking to your friends. Watching a show on television or reading a book or going out to lunch.

You take for granted going to sleep at night, getting up the next day, and remembering everything that happened to you before you closed your eyes.

You live and you remember.

Me, I live and I forget.

But now—now I am remembering.

For all of her seventeen years, Molly feels like she’s missed bits and pieces of her life. Now, she’s figuring out why. Now, she’s remembering her own secrets. And in doing so, Molly uncovers the separate life she seems to have led…and the love that she can’t let go.

The Half Life of Molly Pierce is a suspenseful, evocative psychological mystery about uncovering the secrets of our pasts, facing the unknowns of our futures, and accepting our whole selves.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller, Mental Health, Fiction, Mental Illness

231 pages, Hardcover

First published July 8, 2014

About the author

Katrina Leno has written a few books. She has also read a few books. Ah, books. You know?

Reviews

[Lala BooksandLala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 9 of 30 for my 30 day reading challenge!

There's something so special about falling in love with an author's work a few books into their writing career, and then later on getting to backtrack and experience their debut & seeing how much it informed their future writing!

I was captivated by page one and just fell in love with the mystery and character dynamics. This was very reminiscent of one of my favourite books Unravel by Calia Read, and while they both deal with mental health stuff that I really can't comment on as far as good/bad rep goes, I can tell you that this storytelling style is something that really works for me. 4⭐ from me!

Shout out to the backlist readathon for finally getting me to pick up this title that's been on my radar for probably 5 years. 🙌

[emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

Life, probably, is about growth.

I have three relevant examples.

First: I used to give one star ratings all of the time. I would read books exclusively because they were popular, I would hate them, I would write a rant review, repeat.

And while you may be tempted to say, "emma, you still do that," and while in many ways you would be correct, I have this piece of evidence for you: I only gave five one stars in all of last year.

Which makes it extra impressive that just six days into 2022, I'd already given this one.

But onto the second example.

Which is: this is Katrina Leno's first book, and it is by a country mile her worst one. That expresses progress, if anything.

And finally: None of us have to read books like this anymore!!!!

In the early to mid 2010s, mental illness was consistently treated like a plot twist, a thriller trope, and, like, a death sentence. Young adult contemporaries had sad mentally ill teens moping around and being unlovable. Young adult mysteries had mental illness as crime motives. Young adult fantasies had mentally ill villains / mentally ill deus ex machina / mentally ill teens moping around being unlovable, too.

This book characterizes that period.

Now, you can pick up any YA contemporary and pretty much guarantee that 1-3 characters are depressed and anxious and zero of them are going to become anthropomorphic garbage cans because of it. No one in their Oscar the Grouch era, if you will.

When you pick up this book...no such guarantees.

The mental illness portrayal is the worst part of this book, but it is by no means the only complaint I have.

The second worst part is the romance. This is, like the mental illness rep, what I like to mentally refer to as "Mara Dyer-esque," meaning it's insta-love-y and features a lot of mentions of oddball combinations like black hair and green eyes or a British accent smack dab in the middle of Florida.

The romance is particularly bad because it is treated as our "escape" or "relief." It is the supposedly nice break we get from the main plot (which, since I didn't mention it, is our protagonist slowly realizing she can't remember huge parts of her life, and the reveal is she has dissociative identity disorder, which, as we all know, is handled perfectly by pop culture every time).

The third worst (and still, for those following along, very bad) part is the characters. I hate them very much.

We have the titular Molly, who manages to be either the rough equivalent of a rag doll in her ability to act and decide things or inexplicably belligerent to those around her.

We have a guy whose name I don't remember, but it's definitely like Jack or Ryder or something, who dies at the very beginning but still manages to befit his forgotten name (misogyny, egocentrism, being annoying) via flashbacks.

We have another guy whose name I don't remember, who is the brother of the first guy whose name I don't remember, and is called something like Miles or maybe also Ryder. He is very boring, and additionally commits one of my personal least favorite social transgressions: being someone who is too old to be in high school but wants to date a high schooler, for some reason.

We have two friends of Molly's who really only appear to remind Molly that she is not being a good friend to them, so that is as fun as it sounds. We have a brother of Molly's who appears occasionally to call her, like, a selfish b*tch, which seems a bit harsh even if I agree. We have a little sister of Molly's who is I think not yet or barely a teenager but is characterized like a soccer mom behind the wheel of a Honda Odyssey.

And that's our world.

The fourth worst part is the plot and structure. We begin with a character dying, who our protagonist doesn't know, but he knows our protagonist. Then the brother of this character shows up, and it seems like he knows her, too. Then she starts realizing that she doesn't remember stuff. Then flashbacks begin.

This book is very corny and flat, and the Sybil reference and the deus ex machina cure of DID at the stupid big reveal is the corniest, dumbest, worst bit of all.

Everything is relatedly very out of order, down to like. Paragraphs. It does not seem like a deliberate choice, and if it is, what global-scale geopolitical crime did 12 to 16 year olds commit in the 2010s to warrant this book being their punishment.

Basically how I feel is that if a book is confusing and I also hate the characters, I'm not invested, I'm just annoyed, and I'm going to throw a tantrum and write 2,000 words while doing so.

The fifth worst part, and the one that made me the saddest, is that this is unrecognizable to me as Katrina Leno. I haven't loved all of her books, but all of them have at least had the following things:
- writing that can easily transition between lovely and funny
- great friendships (and sometimes romances) with great banter
- some nice feminism

This had none.

It replaced it all simply with suffering.

Bottom line: It has been so long since I wrote a rant review. I think the anger and the throwback have reverted me to 19 years old again.

Add it to the list of this book's cruelties.

-----------------------
pre-review

it's a beautiful thing, liking an author enough to read books that sound completely uninteresting

update: it is not a beautiful thing. don't listen to me ever.

review to come / 1 star

[jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book. this book. this book.
i suppose i have a like/dislike relationship with this book.

i really liked the concept, it was quite clever, but i wasnt a fan of the execution.
i didnt connect with the style, but i completely understood why it was written and structured the way it was.
i appreciate the author tried to give hints about mollys situation along the way, but i felt the conclusion was too predictable.
the characters were pretty decent, but i didnt feel like i had a enough content to get to know them properly.
this was a super easy and quick read, but sometimes the pacing felt too rushed.

i literally have pros and cons for everything about this story - it makes me feel so contradictory. so like i said, i have a like/dislike relationship with this book. it was a good afternoon read, which i enjoyed overall, but its not a story that will stick with me for awhile. just kind of one of those books that falls right in the middle.

↠ 3 stars

[Chelsea (chelseadolling reads) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Katrina Leno with my whole heart but I STRUGGLED with this one. I had such a hard time staying focused on the plot and while the premise was interesting, it’s a story I’ve read a million times before. This wasn’t bad, but it just wasn’t for me.

TW: suicide, depression

[Giselle · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the get-go this was a very intriguing read. We've got a girl who's experiencing regular black outs where she finds herself at a completely different place with no recollection of the hours she's just lost. What's even weirder is how no one around her seem to comment on these disappearances. This is absolutely my kind of read. I love books that play with your mind and baffles you with bizarre, inexplicable happenings. The one thing with books like these though, is that it all comes down to the ending. This is where the book lost its flair for me. I was hoping for a deeper meaning, or at least a point to it all.

I was instantly compelled by Molly's voice and character. Not only is she mysterious with her missing chunks of time, but she's also easy to like. Her drive to get answers makes the story flow very well and the pacing steady. I also quickly found myself feeling sympathetic towards her situation. She feels as if she has lost control of her own life, and with no one to confide to, no one to understand what she's going through, this has to be incredibly lonely. This is made even worse when she realizes that people around her know what's happening, but are unable or unwilling to tell her for some strange reason. She's given a voice that communicates this helplessness very well. The book starts with a bang when we experience a deadly accident that opens a door into the mystery that is her life. It's this event that puts a crack into whatever's happening to Molly, and she starts to have visions or memories of her black-outs. This gives us the story in bits and pieces until we, along with Molly, figure out what has been happening to her. While we unravel the events that led to this accident, we slowly begin to understand why she feel as if the death of this stranger is much greater than it initially felt.

Having watched a few shows and read a few books dealing with a similar situation it was not hard for me to guess what was happening to Molly, but the point was not to keep us in the dark for a shocking ending so this didn't take away from my enjoyment of the book. The reason I couldn't love this one more was the lack of depth that it ended up having in the end. I expected a deeper reason for what was going on with her. Something that would have given a meaning to it all and made it memorable. "It just is" feels like a cop out, a missed opportunity. It could have been this great psychological look into mental illness but instead we're left with nothing but a brush off. It gave the whole story less meaning after all was said and done.

The Half Life of Molly Pierce gives us an engaging mystery that keeps your mind busy and your eyes wide, it also has a unique romance story that glimpses at the hardships faced by couples dealing with mental illness, but it's missing the few layers of depth that would have given this story the significance it needed.

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

*This may contain spoilers. It's really hard to review this without giving away anything. On second thought, this is actually very spoiler-y. The synopsis on my copy isn't the same as the Goodreads one, which I'm assuming is the one printed on final copies. But it's okay, I marked major spoilers (like half my review?!)(don't click on them if you haven't read this!). But still, read at your own risk.*

Even before reading this or hearing positive/negative reviews, I was interested in The Half Life of Molly Pierce because it deals with dissociative identity disorder. Random personal thing: I made a presentation on this topic for a class freshman year of high school, and it's one of the most interesting topics I've ever researched. So of course I had to read this - how could I not?

Molly often finds herself awaken somewhere she doesn't remember going, without any memory of how she got there or why she's there. She can't remember periods of time, whether it be hours or minutes. Slowly she begins to remember things, things about Mabel, her alter (think of it as a completely different person but who shares Molly's body), and what went on all those times she couldn't remember.

[Molly] wasn't whole enough on her own. She made me to fill herself out. She made me to stick into the corners of her body, to take up room, to be complete. This quote is spoiler-y. @_@

Molly Pierce is said to be reminiscent of the film Memento, which is accurate for the most part. If you've never watched the movie, it's basically about this guy with short term memory, so he tattoos things onto himself so that he'll always remember. The structure of this film is essentially why the film messes with your mind. It's played in reverse order (except when the scenes are in black and white). Similarly, as Molly uncovers more information, she remembers events backwards, from most recent to not-so-recent. (By the way, you should totally watch Memento; it's brilliant.)

You live and you remember.
But me.
Me, I live and I forget.
Except now.
Now I am remembering.
And I'm not sure what I liked better.
Being in the dark or being thrust unceremoniously into the light.

Molly is a great character. I loved her voice and I found it easy to connect with her. Her voice is so real and distinct, unlike those of many others. Her growth as a character is evident, especially because she starts off very sad and lonely, not feeling a reason to live. She changes gradually as she learns more about herself and in the end she's much more confident in herself and sees reason to stay alive.

The other characters were likable too, namely Molly's siblings. They were understanding and helped Molly in whatever way they could. That also goes for the therapist. Though I can't say the same for Molly's friends or Lyle and Sayer because... reasons. Molly's friends were kind of just there, not doing much. I understand that there isn't anything they could do, but still. Lyle and Sayer appeared mainly when Molly regains memories. They're... gah, I don't know. Lyle dies (this happens really early in the book, not a spoiler) and Sayer's just Sayer. Neither of them have anything particularly likable about them; I'm indifferent. And Bret. I wanted so badly for his character to be more developed, for him to appear more often, for him to have more of a purpose. I feel as if his few appearances were pointless to the story because he's more of a (really really really) background character. If only he was developed more... I really liked him.

My transition is fluid. If you're not paying very close attention, you miss it. (Another quote.)

And this is where I can go on and on about the writing. I loved it, if you couldn't already tell. It's fragmented but that's perfect because it's as if you're actually in Molly's mind, following every step she takes. Molly has such a unique voice and it's passed along beautifully with the writing. This book is also written in present tense, which I don't usually read (I think?) but present tense works so well here for obvious reasons. Past tense wouldn't make sense for this story at all. The above quote is in Mabel's voice. I loved that Molly Pierce is a dual point of view (kind of). It's not like those other dual POV books where each chapter is marked with the name of whoever's narrating. Definitely not. The narration alternates between Molly and Mabel, and it's subtle. Which, really, if you're not reading carefully, you miss the transition. Towards the end, it's much easier to tell who is who because of the events and memories told (you'll understand when you read it).

I didn't particularly like the reason why Mabel takes control. It's not exactly my place to say because I don't know everything about DID, but usually the reason is much more traumatic, such as abuse (Sybil? That's a good movie too, by the way. It's really interesting.). In any case, I could understand why Mabel did so, so that's okay. I can overlook it.

The ending is like the writing in a way; some people will like it, and some won't. Personally, I liked it. It gave closure, but I would have liked it more if it continued just a bit longer. Or maybe there should have been an epilogue... Nonetheless, the last few lines are so strong and powerful that I finished Molly Pierce satisfied.

Overall, Molly Pierce is full of wonderful things, from Molly to the writing to the psychological aspect. I highly recommend reading this book! It's truly an engaging and mind-boggling page turner. (And it's short, so it can be read in one sitting. Though I clearly didn't, because work ruins my reading schedules.)

One of my favorite passages:
I guess I do love him. I have to love him. The people we love get under our skin and crawl through our veins and find their way into our heart. They choke up our blood flow and mess up our breathing and tangle themselves through our bodies like wire. Like razors, like fire.
Do you see why I love the writing?

*All quotes are taken from an Advance Review Copy and may not be the same in the final copy.*

Thank you, Jeremy @ Novel Thoughts for the ARC!

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Molly's whole life has been full of holes. She will "wake up" somewhere else doing something else. The only one who consistently notices is her little sister Hazel, though her other friends and family slowly clue in over time. This is described as being like "Memento," but I don't see the similarity. In fact, in a lot of ways, Molly's DII just doesn't make a lot of sense. Still, following the story and trying to work things out is very entertaining. I quite enjoyed the story overall. It is not 4 star material, but it is definitely worth a look. Please note those with suicide triggers should avoid.

[Rana⚡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The people we love get under our skin and crawl through our veins and find their way into our heart. They choke up our blood flow and mess up our breathing and tangle themselves through our bodies like wire. Like razors, like fire.
We remember them even when we don't remember them.
We try and forget, but it's pointless.
Even amnesia. Even comas and brain damage and traumatic shock.
Whatever makes us not remember, we still remember.
Our minds flounder like fish but our bodies...
Our bodies remember.”

I'M SHOOK AGAIN!! Like, could someone give me a valid reason for why the best books are the most underrated ones?

*****
this book is so underrated definitely one of my favorites and the writing style was fascinating. cant wait to read the lost&found, hope its just as great

[Kaylin (The Re-Read Queen) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
Overall

Oh, this was lovely.

Warning, there is no way to talk about this book without being slightly spoiler-y. Even the synopsis here on goodreads gives some things away. That’s just how this book is. That being said, if you are a fan of psychological thrillers and/or introspective works, I recommend this. If that interests you, don’t read the rest of this review.

Admittedly, I might be a bit biased. I have been fascinated by Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) for 5+ years now, and have done rather extensive research on it in the past.

Pros

I will admit I was on the fence about the writing for the first 2-3 chapters, but after that I was sold. The author relies on a short sentence structure and repetition, and I can understand why some people might not like it. I however, really loved it. It reads almost like poetry in the way it flows, but the context was very visceral and straight-forward.

Not to say the descriptions weren’t there. They were and several were pretty spectacular. One in particular stands out as just being great sensory input that really set the scene, and that would be when Molly is reading and describes the fact that she can taste the salt in the air. Having been to the sea myself quite a few times, this sentence instantly took me there.

I loved the characters. Lyle especially was a really flawed and well-rounded character, and I found myself growing very attached to him. Again, he was certainly a flawed character and his treatment of Molly Mable was certainly not okay, but I don’t think it was supposed to be. I quite liked the comparisons between him and his brother, Sayer. I also love Molly’s family, especially Hazel.

Okay. I just loved Mable. In DID some research indicates that different alters take on different aspects of the hosts personality, and I think that’s the approach this book took. It seemed like Mable was the (for lack of a better term) the living portion of Molly. The portion that wanted to do things, had ideas and a general will to live. This comparison to Molly, who has always felt dissociated and distant--and doesn’t really want to kill herself, but doesn’t want to live, was pretty great.

I loved the realization that Molly had been going to commit suicide that day excellent, and Mable’s letter to Molly showcasing her POV of this was probably my favorite portion of the book.
I quite liked the descriptions of Molly’s depression. It was handled very well and I found it to be very personal and realistic.

The pacing in this book was phenomenal. The first chapter starts with a fairly literal bang, and it doesn’t really let up from there. The plot moves forward quickly as things are revealed about the characters, but it never seems overwhelming. I was worried about half-way through it would fizzle out and slow down drastically, and while it did slow, it didn’t feel forced or particularly boring.

I loved, loved, loved that Molly didn’t end up with Sayer in the end. There was much more focus on her becoming a whole and happy person than a romance. Even though it was a pretty great romance! I loved the characters and I loved the chemistry in their scenes together, but I’m so happy they didn’t work out. I also think Mabel and Molly were pretty fundamentally different, and perhaps it’s not far-stretched to argue that the girl Sayer loved no longer existed. Couldn’t help but feel sorry for him and all he lost, but I wouldn’t have wanted it to end any other way.

Cons

Erie and Luka. They weren’t present a lot, but they just seemed very under-developed to me. Though perhaps they didn’t really need to be.

Sometimes the names seemed a little ridiculous—Erie Moon? Sayer?

The main reason I can’t in good conscience simply give this 5 stars is because there was “nothing that causes” Molly’s DID. The book seemed to imply she was simply born that way… which is just… not true. Most research indicates that DID only exist in cases of rather extreme abuse. The entire premise behind the disorder is that a child (as it usually starts in childhood) will suffer abuse from a caretaker who is alternately loving and abusive. The theory behind the phenomena is that the child can’t handle this conflicting views of their care-taker, and through the psychological act of dissociation (basically you mind “being somewhere else”; think daydreaming) they are able allow themselves to somewhat pretend abuse didn’t happen. There are all sorts of theories as to why this dissociation can lead to branched off portions of the mind, but the fact is—it doesn’t just happen.

This was sort of shoddy science in a rather well researched book, and unfortunately I couldn’t just ignore it. To people who may not be as well versed in DID as I am, this may not be a problem. But I found the lack of a cause rather frustrating.

In Conclusion

One or two problems present, but pretty excellent throughout. A great debut novel from Katrina Leno and I will certainly be watching her for her future works.

[Maja (The Nocturnal Library) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Half-Life of Molly Pierce is quite an interesting read, different in some ways, painfully predictable in others. It would be a much better book with its cover stripped and its title changed into something generic. As it is, both these things are quite spoiler-ish, and we pretty much understand what’s going on from the start.

Nevertheless, the first half of the book is pretty exciting. Knowing what’s happening and knowing how it will all end are two different things, and Leno pulls us in easily with her somewhat peculiar narrative style. Molly’s voice is as strong as Molly is weak, her fatalistic attitude glaringly obvious from every single sentence. She is more than just depressed, she has more or less given up on life entirely, and only the mystery of hours and memories lost keep her going forward.

However, after a rather promising beginning, the story loses a significant portion of its charm in the second half. That’s when all the predictability really takes its toll – instead of fear and trepidation, we merely feel exasperated while waiting for Molly to catch up. At this point, even the romance becomes a bit unconventional, and it might make some readers uncomfortable, as it did me.

Leno’s writing style is unusual and quite memorable. Her sentences are short with an almost rhythmic quality, and her language is beautiful for its simplicity. There’s so much potential there, and so much to look forward to in the future. I think we can expect great things from this young author.

In the end, Leno’s writing and Molly’s fabulous voice make this a worthy read. Molly’s depression really struck a chord with me, and I felt that her thought process and the darkness that consumes her when she’s fully aware of herself were done rather brilliantly. As for the rest, it will largely depend on the reader’s preferences. Some might find the story far more enjoyable than I did, but either way, definitely give it a try.

[Mel Bärlin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Jfc I just read this excuse of a book and heads up: THIS BOOK USES DISSOCIATIVE IDENTITY DISORDER AS A FREAKING ROMANCE PROP AND GOT EVERYTHING WRONG.
We thought that a part of being an author was researching what you’re writing about but apparently Katarina Leno can’t google. I have Dissociative Identity Disorder, I share my mind and body with 35 other identities/alters and not a single one of us could have made it through this shitshow.
So here's some real facts from someone thats studied it and actually lives with it every day.

1. FALSE: Alters are made up.
- Alters are only created by severe, repeated childhood trauma because as children our personality and identity are more like parts that will have integrated at age 9 but trauma disrupts this process in order for the child to survive the abuse.
- In the book it's repeatedly mentioned that Mabel (Mollys "alter") is made up because Molly was lonley and couldn't handle her depression (thats it folks, thats what she has) and at one point Molly comes to the conclusion that Mabel is there to handle her romance (or some shit I can't find the exact quote). It's shortly mentioned by the psychologist that Molly "dosen't fit the mold" cuz she made Mabel up so atleast he got that right...

FALSE: You can create alters.
- Nope, every alter is there for a reason such as making sure they appear as normal, protecting the system from outside threats and hiding traumatic memories from the original/host/other alters*.
- Its mentioned a repeatedly that Molly created Mabel.

FALSE: Dissociative Identity Disorder is obvious.

- You might think that having multiple identities must be apparent but DID is meant to go undetected, to hide information, memories and feelings both from the outside world and from each other in order to survive therefor they are often able to pass as ’normal’ because dramatic switches between alters would put everyone at risk for further abuse so alters are often skilled at imitating the original.
- In the book Molly is the last one to know about her alter "Mabel", her family, best friends, the guy she's in love with all knew and hid it from her.

FALSE: There's usually just one alter.
- Statistically 10 is the most common but systems can contain fewer (just 1 is very rare) or more (up to hundreds).

FALSE: You can choose to remember certain memories.
- Memories are hidden for a reason and won't be revealed until the original/host is ready or because of triggers.
- Molly literally states that "I can let the memories in whenever I want" and "It's like its up to me. I don't have to remember if I don't want to. Today with Alex, I made that happen. I made myself remember. I was given a choice, and I made to choice to remember."... just no.

FALSE: Medications can make alters disappear.
- Omg Nope! Some medicines may supress alters but they don't go away.
- In the book Mollys psychologist actually threatens Mabel that he will make Mollys parents drug her without her consent, which is illegal, so that she'll go away.

FALSE: Alters can go away by themselves.
- No, alters can integrate but that is a process were all parts must be willing to do so and integrating an entire ”system” (= the collective identities in one body) will take years of theraphy.
- In the end Mabel disappears because she realized that she was "trying to take over" and wanted Molly to go date that lame boy by herself or something.

FALSE: Sybil is about DID.
- Sybil was proven fake and I honeslty don't know why a psychologist would want to introduce their patient to DID with this.
- Mollys psychologist just straight up gives her the book... Someone with DID needs actual trauma theraphy and the book Coping with Trauma Related Dissociation, which is made for patients to do in theraphy.

There's so many things that are wrong with this AND it's badly written so if you're looking for YA fiction go read something else and if you are interested in fiction about DID read "Set This House In Order" by Matt Ruff. If anyone wants more information about DID email us on mel.barlin96@gmail.com.
*I'd like to add that not all systems has a Core/Original = the person born in the body but instead has a host = the one that takes care of daily life.

[Jacquelyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hmmmm... what to say about this book. I had expected to at least enjoy this one but as you can see, this did not happen, unfortunately. There's something with short contemporaries that try to pack a punch that don't work for me (especially when they deal with some type of mental illness, I have noticed). The writing style was also something I totally did not like. It was all just so choppy and stream of consciousness which is something I am not particularly fond of. I didn't feel connected to any of the characters and the book just felt like an ultimate drag. I only had 30 pages left and I was asking myself if I should even bother to finish. I did finish in the end but the ending didn't leave me in awe or had me changing my mind. I think that this book definitely has potential for other people to enjoy it and maybe it was a case of it was me, not you but I don't know. I wouldn't recommend this one but with that said, I still am really looking forward to giving Katrina Leno's second book, Lost & Found a shot.

[rachel, x · Rating 4 out of 5]

➸ Trigger warnings for Dissociative Identity Disorder (theme), depression, suicidal ideation discussed, thwarted attempted suicide by drug overdose (on-page), blood depiction, hospital, emesis grief & loss depiction, death of a friend, death of a brother, car accident involving a truck hitting a motorcycle (on-page), death of a pet goldfish mentioned.

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[Catastrophe Queen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Half Life of Molly Pierce is an interesting novel. It centers around Molly who had the perfect loving family, great friends, and a top student ranking. But Molly had DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder) and she didn't know it.

Molly suddenly suffers from depression and tries to commit suicide; however, Mabel (her alter) intervenes. Mabel tries to make Molly better --- whole by trying to live a happy life that may fill the void of sadness Molly has.

But one day there's an accident that leads Molly to uncover the truth about herself. She finds out that everyone knows about her condition except herself. And as she tries to digest the weight of the revelations, she begins to take pieces from Mabel's alternate life to help her complete her own.

The story appealed to me and I liked the characters. I wish there were more details about Molly's depression though, but overall it was a good book.

[Keri · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I rounded up because this was extremely readable and not boring...just predictable. I figured out what was going on with Molly about 1/3 of the way through and then I just felt like the ending was anticlimactic/I was wanting more depth. A part of me feels like maybe we were supposed to be able to easily figure out what was up with Molly before she could figure it out herself. Either way, I was still compelled to keep reading and find out the exact events that led up to the accident where we start the book, and where Molly started to notice things within herself were off.
I liked Molly, she was a good MC, and some of the other characters seemed likable too, but none of them were developed enough for me to really feel invested or develop much of an opinion. On the plus side, there wasn’t really anyone I disliked.
I enjoyed the way the story was told in back and forth between present and past, with the reader figuring things out as Molly did, and memories coming to her kind of backwards. That gave the story an intensity that kept me reading.
When I got to the ending, I felt pretty underwhelmed. Not simply because the reveal came earlier and wasn’t super shocking to me, but more because I expected there to be more to it. More behind the reasons things were kept from Molly, more to how all of her issues began or resolved...just more depth. I feel like this book was alright but not memorable enough to stick with me and have an impact.

[booknuts_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Original Review found at: www.awesomebooknuts.blogspot.com

I really didn't know what to expect when reading this book, it was NOT what I thought it was, but as I read it then I began to understand what it was truly about. Which means this must have been well written because I thought this was just some contemporary/paranormal story. Nope.

Molly's story is confusing because you really don't understand what is going on and you really have to pay attention because things are off, and the whole time you're like... "what?" Then again it makes sense that the character and the story should keep you confused because it is about memory loss. I guess the author wanted you (the reader) to literally understand what the character was feeling. So everyone is confused. :)
However, at the same time the mystery of it all keeps the reader at the edge of their seat because it's a fast pace story. And from the very beginning this was a very intriguing read. I mean we've got a girl who's experiencing regular black outs where she finds herself at a completely different place with no recollection of the hours she's lost or how she ended up where she is currently at. Then to make this story even more intriguing is how no one around her seems to comment on these disappearances. I love books that play with your mind with inexplicable events.

I was able to instantly connect with Molly because of her voice and character. Not only is she mysterious with her missing chunks of time, but she's just a likable character which makes you feel for her. Molly feels like she can't confide in anyone and feel incredibly lonely as she struggles with understand what is happening to her and why she feels like her has lost control of her own life. It also doesn't help her when she starts to realize that people around her know what is going on and won't/can't tell her, again it adds a sense of mystery that keeps you going. Including the mystery boys that have entered her life and act as if they already know her but in her mind she doesn't know them at all. What's great about this story is Molly is driven to get answers which makes the story flow very well and steady. But, along the way Molly (and the reader) get bits and pieces filled in until we, along with Molly, figure out what has been happening to her.

However there was something about this story that I struggled with that made me give this a lower rating. It isn't necessarily the ending but more the depth of which Molly hod gotten herself in and then having to get back out. Maybe its the fact that I don't understand the reality of people like this in real life. Confused? I bet. It's really a well done but lack a bit of layers to add that extra depth this story needed, in my opinion.

Language: heavy (with several F words)
Sexual Content: mild
Drugs/Alcohol:mild
Violence: mild (an accident where there is mention of blood and a death of a character due to an automobile)

*Thank you HaperCollins for this book, which I got free in exchange for an honest review

[Ace · Rating 5 out of 5]

***Spoilers***

5 Stars

I read this for the Avengers Readathon Challenge created by Noura at Perks Of Being Noura I choose Black Widow, and I read this for the mystery challenge!!

I also read this for Mental Health May (2019)

This is about a girl who's missing minutes, hours, each day, and who's on a mission to find the reason. Bt this also has incredibly heavy depression and suicide themes, which I'll get to later.

I do not know where to begin.

The romance was..... fine. There was some possessive themes with one of the characters and I didn't like it, and although it was addressed, it was brushed off as being just part of who they were, which isn't exactly great for character development.

The sibling bonds were actually pretty good. I understand that Molly has depression and she felt so numb that she just couldn't with her siblings, but I fell for both of them, they're amazing!

-Charlie (younger brother) gives Molly the help she needs as she works through figuring out the past she's forgotten

-Hazel (younger sister) doesn't give up on her sister. She gets her the help she needs, and constantly reminds her that she's there to talk and she knows her. And she's 13, so obviously the MC completely ignores her most of the book

Mabel and Molly's relationship with each other was interesting. Mabel was willing enough to live half a life, just watching through Molly's eyes, at Molly's actions, and one day when Molly's at her lowest point, Mabel forces herself through to save her. Now, even though they never properly meet, the still influence the others life in major ways.

If I had read literally anyone else's review on this, I probably would've entered this book slightly more emotionally stable. I wasn't in a great place starting this book, and I'm still not, and I should've just waited, and stopped, but no, I kept reading. And god. I've been triggered so majorly. The depression, the suicidal thoughts. Honestly? I finished this, lay on my bedroom floor and cried. Cried for the character, cried for myself, cried for the hundreds of people IN MY COUNTRY ALONE, THAT COMMIT SUICIDE EVERY YEAR.

This book is so powerful, and I totally get the Katrina Leno hype now, and I strongly recommend this, but only in the strongest head space. ever.

Trigger and Content Warnings: anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, car crash, death

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked Molly in this book. She seemed really sweet and kind, but also lost and confused. In the book she blacks out and wakes up hours later in strange places with no memory of how she got there. As you progress through the book you learn about Molly's condition and why she has her blackouts and why she can't remember things. This book is very similar to What's left of me by Kat Zhang. The main difference is Is that Molly doesn't know Mabel exists until near the end of the book. They're like twins, and like twins they're as different as can be. I really liked Sayer in this book. He's so sweet and thoughtful and polite. He's the complete opposite of his brother Lyle, who I didn't like at all. Lyle is rude and very blunt in my opinion. I don't think Molly liked him that much either. I didn't understand why Molly was so depressed at first, but by the end I understood. But still, she had a great life, a brother and a very nice sister named Hazel, I loved her. Her brother Clancy was very nice. I don't get why she didn't feel whole when she had such a good life and a great family. But maybe some people are just that way. Not only that but her family was always reminding Molly to do things after she had her blackouts, which was very thoughtful. They knew that she would forget hours at a time and miss things. Alex her psychologist tries to give Molly subtle little clues and hints about what's wrong with her, as he obviously already knows in the book. This book was a very new and refreshing read, definitely worthy of five stars!

[Jaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd heard whispers of this book. That the voice was incredible. But I had no idea what the premise was until I received the ARC from my editor (who also edited this book). And I can't say much, because spoilers, but wow! I loved it. Beautiful crisp, direct writing. Incredible tension and mystery that kept me turning the pages waiting to discover the things that Molly was discovering. Smart, savvy dialogue between Molly and her friends and family. The first chapter! Holy car wreck. I mean, talk about an opening.

And the voice is so distinct. We're in Molly's head most of the time but it really works. I read this book in 3 sittings which would have been two if I hadn't had to go to work. I literally couldn't put it down.

Another valuable addition to the pantheon of YA novels addressing mental illness. This book's look into Dissociative Identity Disorder was something I hadn't seen covered in any of the YA books I've read recently. So I enjoyed learning about something new.

Highly recommend for those that love voice, issue driven YA, and great writing in general.

[Isa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5

Dieses Buch kann man nicht beschreiben, wenn man nicht spoilern will. Also meine Empfehlung: Liest es selbst und taucht ein in Mollys Gedankenwelt - und wieso sie ein "anderes Leben" führt, von dem sie nichts weiß, weil sie Blackouts hat.

Ich konnte das Buch nur schwer aus der Hand legen, es war spannend und meistens verwirrend, aber auf eine gute Art und Weise. Das Ende kam nach meinem Geschmack dann doch etwas zu schnell - hätte da gerne noch ein paar Einzelheiten reingebracht - aber ansonsten war es eine wirklich interessante Leseerfahrung, vor allem weil ich ohne das Traveling Book Project "Ich und mein anderes Leben" niemals gelesen hätte. Also vielen Dank :)

[Leni - From The White Cottage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ein sehr gutes Buch mit vielen Gedankenanregungen!!
Man kann nicht aufhören drüber nachzudenken!

[Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is three in the morning and I am not-so-quietly sobbing into my lap because this is exactly the book I needed at exactly the right moment telling me exactly the thing I needed to hear.

--

Sometimes books are good – great, even. They’re adventurous and breathtaking and twisty and turny. They surprise us and they blow us away. Their characters are like friends, leaping off the pages. Sometimes books are compelling and sometimes the writing is gorgeous and delicious. Sometimes they make your heart stop. They’re just that good.

And then sometimes, reading a book is a like looking in a mirror.

That’s how it was for me, reading The Half Life of Molly Pierce. It was like the author read my mind, knew exactly how I feel, and plucked the thoughts and experiences, the feelings, right out of my head and laid them out on the page so that I can look at them almost objectively and so that I could know that someone else gets it. Someone else understands the hell that is living with mental illness, the hell that is not having total control over yourself, the hell that is not knowing if your thoughts are your own. It’s like Katrina Leno cracked me open and spilled my insides all over her pages and turned them into something beautiful and worth considering.

I’ve read a lot of heartbreaking contemporary novels. There are a thousand examples of YA books about depression and suicide and self-harm. And I’ve connected to them, sure. But there aren’t many books about thought disorders, psychosis, dissociation. And what’s out there is almost always about a secondary character having these symptoms. This time, though, it’s the main character. Molly herself is the one living through this, she’s the one waking up with gaps in her memory, performing self-checks, and piecing together the empty spaces of her day. She’s the one who feels the guilt and shame of putting this burden on her family. She is the one with secrets – even sometimes keeping them from herself. Molly is the one who struggles every day just to pull herself out of bed and brush her teeth and wash her face. This time, it’s the main character, and because of that, we’re finally face to face with exactly what it’s like to live with – and be controlled by – a debilitating mental illness.

This book killed me, and not just because of the stellar plot or the characters I grew to love. What spoke to me was the realness of it, how authentic it was. Like I said, Molly could be me. I don’t have dissociative identity disorder. But I do know what it’s like to lose time, to feel like I’m losing myself. I know what it’s like to not know if I’m really thinking and feeling what’s going through my head. I know what it’s like to have a very tenuous grasp on reality. And because Molly knows what that’s like too, this book was invaluable to me. It validated me.

But even without this huge connection I felt to the book and to Molly, and of course the compelling and frenetic voice of the novel, I would have thoroughly enjoyed The Half Life of Molly Pierce anyway. This isn’t the thriller/mystery I was expecting – it’s not a total mindfuck with a twist ending. In the end it’s the story of a girl trying to piece her life together while living with dissociative identity disorder. But it’s also the story of a girl who witnesses a fatal motorcycle crash, and watches a stranger die. A stranger who somehow knows her, but she doesn’t know him. So there is a mystery there, and it was compelling and thoughtful and exciting.

And the characters felt so whole. Molly’s family wasn’t just background noise, cardboard cutouts there to serve a purpose. Instead they had their own lives to live, their own conflicts, and their own ways of dealing with Molly’s illness. Her brother and sister, Clancy and Hazel, both teenagers themselves, had their own personalities. And I loved that their family owns and runs a bookstore. I thought it was a great way to incorporate booklovers into the story without feeling like it was pandering to the audience or trying too hard. Molly’s best friends, Luka and Erie made the perfect companions for Molly. They were so understanding of her situation, they knew how to deal with her depression. But at the same time, they didn’t take those things as excuses and called Molly out on her bullshit when she wasn’t being the best friend she could be. And then there’s Lyle, the boy who died in the crash, and Sayer. I don’t want to talk to much about them, though, because I feel it’s best to get to know them on your own while you read. I didn’t feel as close to Lyle as I could have, but I felt like I understood him. I understood his anger and his rage. I didn’t particularly like how entitled he was, but at least that obnoxious part of him felt real. And Sayer? Basically, my heart broke for him.

In the end, this is an uplifting and heartwarming story. I don’t know too much about DID, or how the alters work, and if they really act and feel the way Molly’s did. I just don’t know how much of this was true to the illness and how much liberty the author took in that regard. But the ending is positive, though not a happily ever after, maybe a happy for now. I think if the author chose to end it any other way, the book would have suffered.

I don’t know what else I can say. The voice is compelling, the writing is sometimes flowery and over the top, but depicts what’s going on in Molly’s head perfectly. Katrina Leno treated mental illness with grace and respect and with honesty that we all need. I don’t think I could ever fully express how this novel affected me – I will reread it forever and know that there’s someone out there who understands me and what it’s like to live with what I live with. The Half Life of Molly Pierce was exactly the book I needed at exactly the time I needed it. I hope you all can find a book like that, too.

[Mercy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will try to write a review later but for now I'm only saying that this was a wonderful book. It was weird and half the book I keep wondering what the heck was going on but when I finally understood everything, it was worth it. I want to read all Katrina Leno's books now.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let’s just take a moment to sit in awed silence for The Half Life of Molly Pierce. There were just so many things I adored in this book. SO MANY. And I want to word-vomit them all over you but I’ll restrain myself. Okay? I’ll restrain myself.

The first thing I noticed about this book was the unique writing style. The whole story read like a flow of Molly’s thoughts: fluid, sharp, and very, very real. I have to say, though, that while I loved the writing style, it won’t work out for just anyone. Some might find the short and clipped sentences choppy and awkward, but personally, it fitted in well with Molly’s character. She’s very confused throughout the book, and the writing style really helped me sympathize with her. Oh, and the fact that many of my journal entries are similar to her thoughts probably helped with how relatable we were. Here’s just a short snippet:

It started a year ago and I haven’t told anyone about it, even though it’s only gotten worse. I can’t tell anyone about it because…There are a lot of reasons.

I’m scared they’ll think I’m crazy.

I’m scared they won’t believe me.

I’m scared there’s something really wrong with me.

And so far, I’m handling it. I’m dealing with it.

And:

Clancy never notices anything.

But Hazel.

She’s asked me about it.

I act like she’s crazy, which is the easiest thing to do.

Once I asked her if I ever seemed different.

She said yes.

But it was in a way nobody else would ever notice.

See what I mean?! In other cases I might have found it infuriating, but Molly was such a twisted character — her thoughts were broken, jumbled, messy, and I just loved how real the writing sounded.

Writing style aside, though, I found Molly to be more than just relatable. She could’ve been my twin or something (um, excluding the weird memory losses, of course). She felt lonely even with her friends, and she preferred to be alone instead of with anyone else. A total loner. I guess you could say that I went through what she felt as well: she suffered from depression, and the question of self-identity was constantly hanging over her head, because she couldn’t remember bits and pieces of her life. Because of all her problems, she was bound to sound angsty and emo-ish, but that never came across in the book. Never once did the narration sound depressing, in the contagious kind of way, and I felt that that was what made her so different from other characters. There were so many times I just wanted to hug her instead of telling her to snap out of it.

I know a few people who managed to figure out the mystery before it was revealed, but thankfully, I wasn’t one of them. So when the truth finally came to light, it was like a slap to the face and I was so intrigued and curious to learn more that I even Googled it. That, my friends, is good impact. I have to say, though, that how much you enjoy the book is dependent on this revelation. If you managed to guess it beforehand, it sadly wouldn’t be as exciting.

The only real problem I had with this book were the secondary characters. I felt that they weren’t as fleshed-out as Molly was, nor as interesting. I mean, it was nice to see that Molly had a very supportive family, but I didn’t really feel their presence. In fact, I don’t think it would’ve made much of a difference if there was family involved or not. The same went for the two love interests. While they were likable enough, I thought that they could’ve been more developed; even at the end of the book, I still wasn’t sure what to make of them.

But still, the lack of development for secondary characters was a fairly minor issue, and the good things outweighed the bad. The Half Life of Molly Pierce was one hell of a unique book that took me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I loved Molly and I loved her story — and I’m sure you will too. So do give this a go! You won’t regret it. :)


4 STARS

This review also appears on my book blog, Adrift on Vulcan.

[Crystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a strange book for me. These types of stories normally really pull me in, but there was just something about this one that really left me feeling kinda blah. Looking back at other stories like this I remember feeling that oh no what's happening and oh no she has a mental illness and its so sad. With this story though I didn't have those feelings. I kept waiting for them but they never really showed up. Okay well at the very end I had a little feeling but by then it was a little too late.

The story is really summed up if you read the back of the book which I was I hadn't done. Normally I skip the back because you never know what it is going to say and sometimes it is fun to just dive in and not know what's coming. Well this time I decided to read it and unfortunately the whole story was displayed on that back cover! I wish I could tell the powers that be to take it off. What makes these types of stories interesting at least to me is finding out what the hidden problem is. In this story Molly has big time gaps where she can't remember anything. She wakes up after several hours sometimes not knowing how she got home and what happened in the time she was blacked out. If you read the back cover then you know why this is and honestly if you have read similar stories then you can work it out, but I really wanted to work it out for myself. I didn't want to be told so anyway that was I guess my first problem. After finding out the whys of her black outs I kinda felt like there was no point reading on.

My second problem with this book was the writing itself. It was just too much. It felt like the author wanted to make her prose as pretty as possible and there were just too many things going on. I would have rather the author use the short amount of pages that she had focusing on the whys and the whens. I wanted to know why Molly felt like she had to create this person. I wanted to know when it started and what made her feel so depressed. I get that sometimes these things can't be explained but I wanted the author to at least try a little harder.

Molly was an okay character. I didn't really feel connected to her, but I didn't feel completely disconnected either. I felt more for her at the end when things all came to conclusion, but again I wanted to know more. I feel like I billion strings have been left dangling and I hate that when I read a story especially knowing this is a stand alone. The other characters I didn't particularly like with the exception of Hazel and Clancy. Molly's friends were just irritating and Sayer was just kinda there. I don't know if I really want what the ending implied I think it would be just too weird. The author does throw in a strange side character Bret and for me at least I wish that line would have been explored. Not sure what his purpose was as it stands so I wish that would have been developed.

All in all this wasn't a bad book. Yes I know I listed several things that I didn't like, but I did find somethings enjoyable. The end is what really helped me with my rating. I though the author did an okay job at wrapping it all up. I don't fully believe that things would have been that easy and I also don't believe that Molly would have been left by herself through everything. It felt like okay Molly is going through this but we can't let her know so we are all going to stay quiet and let her figure it out for herself. I don't know I would think as a parent this would be a lot harder to do. Anyway though I am going to focus on the ending and let this book go.

[Sana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across The Half Life of Molly Pierce in 2013 and since then, it's been my most anticipated book of 2014. Books about mental disorders intrigue me like nothing else does and since the cover promised a hypnotic, moving story, the slowly unraveling mystery in the chapters, fully delivered. Bizarre to the point of being inexplicable, The Half Life of Molly Pierce is a beautiful, beautiful debut that must not be missed out on.

The opening chapters set up a very strange atmosphere and from the get-go, I was pulled into the fragmented life of Molly. Having been in a constant state of depression of one sort or another, it's not easy for Molly to have a firm grasp on her life. Still, she tries. She tries to pretend that everything is normal despite waking up in strange places at stranger times. But when her mind begins to unravel after a puzzling incident, Alex won't say much and her friends don't pressure her into anything more than she doesn't want to do or say and her siblings just look at her strangely and her parents just let her be, Molly is unsure if she wants it to.

Molly is a complex character and it's not her mental disorder alone that makes her so. Her personality and her stream of consciousness are so engrossing and intricate that when it was all over, I wanted more. Her struggle is so concrete and she is so authentic and helpless. I felt deeply connected to her because, after everything is said and done, her humanness spoke to me through the pages.

Molly might not understand what's happening to her but having the support of her best friends, Luka and Erie, steadies her and for that alone, I could've hugged Katrina Leno. She created a friendship so real with lighter moments full of love and sarcasm and laughter and moments where everything is understood in a glance.

The secondary characters are so well done and their complexity is so enthralling that I wanted to be in everyone's mind. Every flaw of every character is plain to see and refreshing to read about. In this book, no one is perfect, just real. Clancy is such a clammed up but blunt character that I just didn't know what to make of him and Hazel's sharpness is so awe-inspiring. Lyle and Sayer are outstanding characters who make everything even more complex for Molly and Alex is so admirable. I also appreciated the family dynamics so much, the little familial moments.

The combination of stream of consciousness and laugh out loud moments work together to create an atmosphere that I won't be forgetting anytime soon. I finished The Half Life of Molly Pierce in less than a day because I wanted to go deep into the story and surface only when I was left staring at the last page in wonder. The Half Life of Molly Pierce is visceral, original, and breathtakingly beautiful page-turner of a book that I entirely fell in love with.

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
17-year-old Molly suffers from blackouts; periods of time where she has absolutely no recollection of where she has been, or what she has been doing.
When a motorcycle accident leads to a boy dying in her arms, Molly doesn’t understand when he tells her that he knows her – she’s never met him before in her life.
Slowly memories start coming back to her though, and Molly realises that there is a lot about herself that even she doesn’t know.
Why does Molly suffer from blackouts? And how did the boy on the motorcycle know her?


This was a really interesting book about a girl dealing with a mental health problem, when she doesn’t even realise that that is what she has.

Molly was a really interesting character. I liked how parts of her life were a mystery to her, as well as the reader, and I felt really sorry for her and what she was going through. I totally got why she was so scared and confused, and I also understood why it was so weird for her when she realised that everybody else knew what was wrong except her.

The storyline in this was really good, and I liked the way Molly’s illness was a real mystery. I was really shocked by the accident at the beginning of the book, and even though this was the trigger that caused Molly to begin realising what was happening to her, it was really sad.
It’s quite difficult to talk about this without dropping spoilers, so I won’t say much more, but this book was a real page-turner. The mystery over what was happening to Molly, and why everybody knew what it was while she didn’t was done well.
I thought the ending was okay, although it was a very difficult situation to resolve really, but things turned out fairly well. I did find the end of the book to be less gripping than the beginning, but I did enjoy this on the whole.
Overall; an interesting tale about a girl with a mental illness.
7 out of 10.

[Jen Ryland (jenrylandreviews & yaallday)]

I really enjoyed this. It was a little spare, but that was partly because of the length. And to be honest, I don't think the story that was being told needed more any more pages. It was a unusual sort of "finding yourself" story meets psychological suspense, beautifully told.

A HUGE plot point was spoiled for me by the blurb on the back of the print ARC (the Goodreads blurb is spoiler-free) and that's a shame -- it's much better going into this book without knowing much about it. Perhaps knowing what the twist would be made me resist it on a couple of levels: first, even given my limited and pop culture based knowledge of DID, I know that it is usually precipitated by some traumatic childhood event, and that didn't seem to be the case here. So she's been suicidal since childhood? I guess that's possible, but rare. Second, the fact that Molly/Mabel personalities fell in love with two brothers was a little love-rectangle-y. Third, I didn't understand the phone thing. Did Mabel have her own cell phone that she used? Or she never used a phone? Because that would have tipped Molly off, I'd think.

But since I really enjoyed this one overall I will not nitpick and will just go with it. I've been reading some great psychological suspense stories this summer. If you have enjoyed books like We Were Liars or Complicit, definitely give this one a try!

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great read for someone who hasn't watched a lot of soap operas or read a lot of psychological fiction. If you are like me and have indulged in both of those things, you will guess from page one what the big mystery is. But that didn't ruin the book for me. This was an intricate and intriguing read into the psyche of a teen girl. It also examined her relationships with friends and family while she is discovering her deepest secret. It's hard to review this book without giving anything away, but I would recommend this to fans of a good psychological exploration.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up this book because it sounded good. Well looks can be deceiving. This book is boring. Molly really had no voice and Mabel…Mabel who?. I hardly really heard her come into the story. Everyone else was uninteresting as well. I was surprised by the amount of language used in this book. The beginning chapter seemed to use the “f” word in almost the whole chapter. It was after I was about a third of the way done with this book that I realized my feelings were not changing and I was just going through the motions. I gave up on this book.