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Disconnected
Seventeen - year - old Milly is continually bullied by Amelia Norris. Day in and day out, Amelia torments Milly and even threatens to hurt her, but Milly can't tell anyone - not a soul. Why? Because Amelia is Milly - they both co - exist as one in the same body. Milly is so disconnected from her past that she feels compelled to find out what tru...
244 pages, Paperback
First published June 3, 2014
3 people are currently reading
951 people want to read
About the author
Lisa M. Cronkhite
8 books53 followersMidwest Author Lisa M. Cronkhite’s love for writing started when she was a teen, journaling of her torrid romance with her first boyfriend then and now husband of over two decades. She picked up writing again after her first bipolar episode and psychotic break when her doctor recommended it as a coping skill. Once again, with pencil in hand, Lisa dove herself into crafting poetry. Through the years, Lisa has published her poems in print and online magazines such as Poetry Repairs, Grey Sparrow Press, Sacramento Poetry Center, Poetry Salzburg Review and many more. Lisa also has short stories in magazines like Suspense Magazine and YA Fiction magazine Suddenly Lost in Words.
Her novels include Dreaming a Reality, Demon Girl and Deep in the Meadows. Disconnected is her fourth novel. Lisa is currently working on her next novel, Blackwood Lake.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
May 26, 2014
2.5 stars
ARC was provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.
My main reason requested this book on NetGalley was because I was intrigued by the blurb. I felt like there’s some kind of mystery in it, though I was also wondering whether it is about mental illness or not. And since mental illness is my kind of book, I was looking forward to get an approval to read it.
To be honest I was a little bit disappointed when I read a note for reader right before the story begins. It basically tells me what the story is all about and was kinda kill the element of surprise for me, though it wasn't that surprising either since I was already thought about it when I read the blurb. But still there was part of me that hoping that my guess about Amelia and Milly will be reveal a little bit longer, at least I didn't think that I will know it before the story begins.
And since I already knew who Amelia and Milly is, there isn't much that keeps me interested to their story. Add it with the way they tell their story, it's kinda repetitive to me. The same thing happens over and over. Hence, I got bored and have to put it on hold.
When I picked it up for the second time, a month later, I can finally connect with the characters. I felt it gets better and the mystery about Milly parents and their death interested me. At 70% the story finally picked up, it wasn't as slow as first part of the book. And then after that everything happen too fast and in a rush. The surprises and twist that I was so looking forward were really surprising me, however it didn't work well for me. I felt like the author keep everything at bay for most of the time and then suddenly realized that she's running out of page so that she has to tell me those surprises in one moment of truth. It overwhelmed me in a not so good way. I also couldn't buy Milly-Blake relationship. Blake doesn't have much story in first part and they didn’t interact much either but he suddenly becomes a big part of Milly's life in last 20% of the story. Instead of happy she finally found someone who can be with her, I was questioning her sense to trust him that easy.
I like reading about mental illness and I think Disconnected can be more than an okay book but the flow of the story can't make me give it more than 2.5 stars.
ARC was provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.
My main reason requested this book on NetGalley was because I was intrigued by the blurb. I felt like there’s some kind of mystery in it, though I was also wondering whether it is about mental illness or not. And since mental illness is my kind of book, I was looking forward to get an approval to read it.
To be honest I was a little bit disappointed when I read a note for reader right before the story begins. It basically tells me what the story is all about and was kinda kill the element of surprise for me, though it wasn't that surprising either since I was already thought about it when I read the blurb. But still there was part of me that hoping that my guess about Amelia and Milly will be reveal a little bit longer, at least I didn't think that I will know it before the story begins.
And since I already knew who Amelia and Milly is, there isn't much that keeps me interested to their story. Add it with the way they tell their story, it's kinda repetitive to me. The same thing happens over and over. Hence, I got bored and have to put it on hold.
When I picked it up for the second time, a month later, I can finally connect with the characters. I felt it gets better and the mystery about Milly parents and their death interested me. At 70% the story finally picked up, it wasn't as slow as first part of the book. And then after that everything happen too fast and in a rush. The surprises and twist that I was so looking forward were really surprising me, however it didn't work well for me. I felt like the author keep everything at bay for most of the time and then suddenly realized that she's running out of page so that she has to tell me those surprises in one moment of truth. It overwhelmed me in a not so good way. I also couldn't buy Milly-Blake relationship. Blake doesn't have much story in first part and they didn’t interact much either but he suddenly becomes a big part of Milly's life in last 20% of the story. Instead of happy she finally found someone who can be with her, I was questioning her sense to trust him that easy.
I like reading about mental illness and I think Disconnected can be more than an okay book but the flow of the story can't make me give it more than 2.5 stars.
March 28, 2014
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to like this book…. I did….. it had promise….but…. it was also BORING…..
Milly is an ordinary teenage girl. At least, an ordinary girl who lost her parents and has a voice inside her head that mocks her and wants Milly to hurt herself. Milly has to keep this voice a secret from everyone, even her grandfather, to avoid people from thinking she's crazy. She just has to keep quiet and deal with the voice the best she can, which usually means trying and failing to ignore her.
Yet when Milly's house burns down, she has to move into her aunt's house who she hardly ever talks to. It turns out everyone has been keeping secrets from her. Her aunt, her grandfather, even the cute gardener. It's up to Milly to figure out the secrets of her past and deal with Amelia before it's too late and Amelia takes complete control of Milly's body.
Well the description caught my attention and I could not wait to read this book. I just felt like the first 60% of the book was just dragging and the whole back and forth with Milly and Amelia was starting to get old. Don’t get me wrong, towards the end, the book did start to get good with some twists and turns in the plot.
Over all, disappointed read…. I would Skip out on buying this one…..
I really wanted to like this book…. I did….. it had promise….but…. it was also BORING…..
Milly is an ordinary teenage girl. At least, an ordinary girl who lost her parents and has a voice inside her head that mocks her and wants Milly to hurt herself. Milly has to keep this voice a secret from everyone, even her grandfather, to avoid people from thinking she's crazy. She just has to keep quiet and deal with the voice the best she can, which usually means trying and failing to ignore her.
Yet when Milly's house burns down, she has to move into her aunt's house who she hardly ever talks to. It turns out everyone has been keeping secrets from her. Her aunt, her grandfather, even the cute gardener. It's up to Milly to figure out the secrets of her past and deal with Amelia before it's too late and Amelia takes complete control of Milly's body.
Well the description caught my attention and I could not wait to read this book. I just felt like the first 60% of the book was just dragging and the whole back and forth with Milly and Amelia was starting to get old. Don’t get me wrong, towards the end, the book did start to get good with some twists and turns in the plot.
Over all, disappointed read…. I would Skip out on buying this one…..
January 23, 2018
4.5 RTC
June 5, 2014
A free copy of this book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Disconnected is the story of Milly who is trying to get on with her life after the death of her parents in a car crash, but is constantly hounded by Amelia, who may be either a separate person or just a voice in her head. When she and her Grandfather are forced to move in with her Aunt Rachel after their house burns down, family secrets begin to see the light and Amelia's presence in Milly's head becomes more and more dangerous.
I quite liked reading this book, although I've never really read anything before outside of the crime genre that dealt with mental health issues. Although the plot is fairly slowly moving and only really speeds up in the last quarter of the book, I really felt like I got a sense of just how hunted Milly constantly felt by Amelia's demands and rebukes. It was really interesting to read about her struggle to reclaim control of her mind and her actions, and I felt that Cronkhite really captured Milly's sense of losing time and not knowing what had been said or done while Amelia was in control.
That being said, there were a few things that the book threw up that I wasn't sure worked well. Milly's friendship with Beth - so important at the beginning of the book - just sort of fizzles out and is never fully resolved, and the twist involving Milly's complicated family at the end sort of comes out of nowhere. Although I did enjoy Milly's developing friendship with Blake that progressed through the story, I'm also not a fan of insta-love, so that left me a bit cold. If I look past that though, I did speed through this book and enjoyed reading it.
All in all, a good story about teenagers struggling with mental health issues, and something a bit different that I'd never read before. 3.5 stars.
Disconnected is the story of Milly who is trying to get on with her life after the death of her parents in a car crash, but is constantly hounded by Amelia, who may be either a separate person or just a voice in her head. When she and her Grandfather are forced to move in with her Aunt Rachel after their house burns down, family secrets begin to see the light and Amelia's presence in Milly's head becomes more and more dangerous.
I quite liked reading this book, although I've never really read anything before outside of the crime genre that dealt with mental health issues. Although the plot is fairly slowly moving and only really speeds up in the last quarter of the book, I really felt like I got a sense of just how hunted Milly constantly felt by Amelia's demands and rebukes. It was really interesting to read about her struggle to reclaim control of her mind and her actions, and I felt that Cronkhite really captured Milly's sense of losing time and not knowing what had been said or done while Amelia was in control.
That being said, there were a few things that the book threw up that I wasn't sure worked well. Milly's friendship with Beth - so important at the beginning of the book - just sort of fizzles out and is never fully resolved, and the twist involving Milly's complicated family at the end sort of comes out of nowhere. Although I did enjoy Milly's developing friendship with Blake that progressed through the story, I'm also not a fan of insta-love, so that left me a bit cold. If I look past that though, I did speed through this book and enjoyed reading it.
All in all, a good story about teenagers struggling with mental health issues, and something a bit different that I'd never read before. 3.5 stars.
January 26, 2016
this more about 2.5 stars...
I got this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review...
I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to love this book. It had a lot of potential to be a 5 star book, it just never got there. to me it seemed like the same writing over and over not really getting to any point until the end. it was like a whole book of someone talking to themselves which was quite confusing until you figured it out. I honestly thing this story could be cut in half. Then my friends it would be a 5 star read.
Milly has a split personality. Amelia the the bully in her mind. She is the only that tells her she is ugly and never good enough .she also is the one is trying to convince her to kill herself. Milly will write in her diary about how could someone like Amelia hate her so much, yet she is so abused with her. I was confused when first reading this book because it made it sound like Amelia was another person chasing her in school and that it she was a bully. I was hooked until i found it was an alter ego... this will go on for like 60 pages.. GAG ME..
Milly lives with her grandpa because her parents are dead. when a fire breaks out she is forced to live with her aunt Rachel. her aunt seems to hate her and her grandfather. Amelia makes her start digging and she found her aunts diary. things just didn't make sense. she found a grave in the garden and having dreams that seemed real. milly will start to find out what this mystery is but it will come with a price.
Milly will find out what friends are real friends and who are foe. Also, milly will find a new friend in places she never thought were possible. Milly will also have to come to terms with her new found disability and how to live with it.
I got this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review...
I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to love this book. It had a lot of potential to be a 5 star book, it just never got there. to me it seemed like the same writing over and over not really getting to any point until the end. it was like a whole book of someone talking to themselves which was quite confusing until you figured it out. I honestly thing this story could be cut in half. Then my friends it would be a 5 star read.
Milly has a split personality. Amelia the the bully in her mind. She is the only that tells her she is ugly and never good enough .she also is the one is trying to convince her to kill herself. Milly will write in her diary about how could someone like Amelia hate her so much, yet she is so abused with her. I was confused when first reading this book because it made it sound like Amelia was another person chasing her in school and that it she was a bully. I was hooked until i found it was an alter ego... this will go on for like 60 pages.. GAG ME..
Milly lives with her grandpa because her parents are dead. when a fire breaks out she is forced to live with her aunt Rachel. her aunt seems to hate her and her grandfather. Amelia makes her start digging and she found her aunts diary. things just didn't make sense. she found a grave in the garden and having dreams that seemed real. milly will start to find out what this mystery is but it will come with a price.
Milly will find out what friends are real friends and who are foe. Also, milly will find a new friend in places she never thought were possible. Milly will also have to come to terms with her new found disability and how to live with it.
June 10, 2014
Book Review originally published here: http://www.iheartreading.net/reviews/...
Disconnected is the story of seventeen-year-old Milly, who has a huge problem. She suffers from shizophrenia, and is being bullied by the voices in her head, the voice who is called Amelia. By some miracle, Milly manages to keep Amelia hidden from the outside world for the most part, although her grandfather, and later on, her aunt, are suspicious that something is wrong. But Milly grows more and more frustrated toward Amelia, who seems to be hiding something, and who is always up to no good.
When a fire burns down half of grandfather’s house, Milly has to go live with her aunt. Her aunt is a novelist, and Milly barely knows her, but she doesn’t really like her. At least, Amelia doesn’t. But the more time Milly spends at her aunt’s house, the more she starts uncovering secrets of the past, secrets that might explain what happened to her parents, and how she ended up with Amelia tagging along for everything she does.
Lisa M. Cronkhite combines the very real issue of mental illness with a delightful mystery that has so many twists and turns I was entertained from start to finish. I liked Milly, and heck, I even liked Amelia. The two of them combined form an interesting duo, and it’s not very often that mental illness plays a large part in a book, although it’s a pressing issue for those who suffer from it.
The story matter however, is quite dark, and not always for the faint of heart. I found the big reveal toward the end to be a fitting conclusion, but it all happened rather fast – a bit too fast to take in.
Nevertheless, an entertaining, thought-provoking read that’s great for fans of YA mystery.
Disconnected is the story of seventeen-year-old Milly, who has a huge problem. She suffers from shizophrenia, and is being bullied by the voices in her head, the voice who is called Amelia. By some miracle, Milly manages to keep Amelia hidden from the outside world for the most part, although her grandfather, and later on, her aunt, are suspicious that something is wrong. But Milly grows more and more frustrated toward Amelia, who seems to be hiding something, and who is always up to no good.
When a fire burns down half of grandfather’s house, Milly has to go live with her aunt. Her aunt is a novelist, and Milly barely knows her, but she doesn’t really like her. At least, Amelia doesn’t. But the more time Milly spends at her aunt’s house, the more she starts uncovering secrets of the past, secrets that might explain what happened to her parents, and how she ended up with Amelia tagging along for everything she does.
Lisa M. Cronkhite combines the very real issue of mental illness with a delightful mystery that has so many twists and turns I was entertained from start to finish. I liked Milly, and heck, I even liked Amelia. The two of them combined form an interesting duo, and it’s not very often that mental illness plays a large part in a book, although it’s a pressing issue for those who suffer from it.
The story matter however, is quite dark, and not always for the faint of heart. I found the big reveal toward the end to be a fitting conclusion, but it all happened rather fast – a bit too fast to take in.
Nevertheless, an entertaining, thought-provoking read that’s great for fans of YA mystery.
January 27, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley.)
17-year-old Milly has had problems with her alter ego ‘Amelia’ since her parents were killed in a car crash, but things seem to be getting worse.
Is there any way for Milly to get rid of Amelia? And what will it take to stop her self-harming?
This was an okay story, and well done to the author for writing this despite her own mental health problems, but I just didn’t find it all that entertaining.
Milly was an okay character, but like the title – I just felt disconnected from her. I felt kind of sorry for her, and I understood why she was having a tough time, but I just couldn’t empathise with her, and this really didn’t help me to get into the story.
The storyline in this was okay, and I liked the twists at the end. I did have some issues when Milly was told that her blood tests and MRI scan indicated that she had schizophrenia, because as far as I am aware, blood tests and MRI’s can rule out other stuff, but can’t diagnose schizophrenia.
There was some romance, and whilst the opening flirtation I kind of got, when the relationship suddenly fast-forwarded to love I wasn’t all that impressed, as it seemed to come out of nowhere for me.
The ending was okay, and like I said, I did like the little twist we got at the end, even if it was pretty bad for poor Milly. It was the best part of the book for me though.
Overall; an okay story, with an interesting twist at the end.
6 out of 10.
17-year-old Milly has had problems with her alter ego ‘Amelia’ since her parents were killed in a car crash, but things seem to be getting worse.
Is there any way for Milly to get rid of Amelia? And what will it take to stop her self-harming?
This was an okay story, and well done to the author for writing this despite her own mental health problems, but I just didn’t find it all that entertaining.
Milly was an okay character, but like the title – I just felt disconnected from her. I felt kind of sorry for her, and I understood why she was having a tough time, but I just couldn’t empathise with her, and this really didn’t help me to get into the story.
The storyline in this was okay, and I liked the twists at the end. I did have some issues when Milly was told that her blood tests and MRI scan indicated that she had schizophrenia, because as far as I am aware, blood tests and MRI’s can rule out other stuff, but can’t diagnose schizophrenia.
There was some romance, and whilst the opening flirtation I kind of got, when the relationship suddenly fast-forwarded to love I wasn’t all that impressed, as it seemed to come out of nowhere for me.
The ending was okay, and like I said, I did like the little twist we got at the end, even if it was pretty bad for poor Milly. It was the best part of the book for me though.
Overall; an okay story, with an interesting twist at the end.
6 out of 10.
December 30, 2017
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17 year old Milly has been bullied by Amelia Norris for as long as she can remember. Amelia always seems to be trying to bring her down, saying nasty and cruel things to her any chance she gets. Milly tries to ignore her, but unfortunately, there is no escape from Amelia's viscous words. Amelia and Milly are one.
The premise of this book was so intriguing to me and I was super excited to pick it up.I love mental illness books so was really looking forward to this one, but it fell extremely short for me. I found the book to be very repetitive and boring after awhile. I wasn't invested in any of the characters and didn't really care about what happened to them. The story was also extremely predictable. The relationship between Milly and Blake also really annoyed me... they saw each other maybe twice and then all of a sudden he's telling her that he loves her? Nope, I am not one for insta-love. The amount of slut shaming and hate I felt while reading this book was just too much for me. I really did not enjoy it at all.
17 year old Milly has been bullied by Amelia Norris for as long as she can remember. Amelia always seems to be trying to bring her down, saying nasty and cruel things to her any chance she gets. Milly tries to ignore her, but unfortunately, there is no escape from Amelia's viscous words. Amelia and Milly are one.
The premise of this book was so intriguing to me and I was super excited to pick it up.I love mental illness books so was really looking forward to this one, but it fell extremely short for me. I found the book to be very repetitive and boring after awhile. I wasn't invested in any of the characters and didn't really care about what happened to them. The story was also extremely predictable. The relationship between Milly and Blake also really annoyed me... they saw each other maybe twice and then all of a sudden he's telling her that he loves her? Nope, I am not one for insta-love. The amount of slut shaming and hate I felt while reading this book was just too much for me. I really did not enjoy it at all.
March 23, 2017
Disconnected
by Lisa M. Cronkhite
Poisoned Pen Press
The Poisoned Pencil
Teens & YA
Pub Date 03 Jun 2014
I am voluntarily reviewing a copy of Disconnected through the publisher and Netgalley:
This is a powerful novel for young adults dealing with a girl with duel personalities. Milly is not asking for much to get grades, to get to school on time and to lay low but Amelia is always there hiding her phone, loosing her homework and calling her names. Sometimes Milly wishes Amelia was dead but they share the same body.
Millys best friend is Beth, even her Grandfather doesn't understand her and her parents were both killed in an accidental fire or was it really an accident?
Will Milly be able to make it through this time or will the pressure of it all break her.
Find out in Disconnected
Five out of five stars.
Happy Reading.
March 11, 2017
Millie is seventeen years old. She has been living with her grandfather since her parents died. She and her grandfather then must move in with her aunt. Why? Millie is always being bullied No matter where she is. She is just wanting to not have to deal with her bully Amelia. Amelia is with her all the time because she occupies the same body. Millie finds her journal that she write in. Will it help her to remember? Millie cuts herself. She finally cuts and falls unconscious. Millie discovers Aunt Rachel's notebook where she wonders who her real family is. She thinks it is all a big lie. Is it?
The novel is a mystery when Millie tries to figure out how a fire started and burned down the house she and her grandfather lived in. It is a psychological thriller. At times while reading the novel it felt disjointed due to the narrative at times. The subject of mental illness and young adults is not discussed very much in real life. This book could help begin a discussion. While I read the book, I felt that Millie is so lost and doesn't understand what is happening. She is afraid to tell anyone as she does think she will get locked up in a hospital. This novel ends on a satisfying note.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
The novel is a mystery when Millie tries to figure out how a fire started and burned down the house she and her grandfather lived in. It is a psychological thriller. At times while reading the novel it felt disjointed due to the narrative at times. The subject of mental illness and young adults is not discussed very much in real life. This book could help begin a discussion. While I read the book, I felt that Millie is so lost and doesn't understand what is happening. She is afraid to tell anyone as she does think she will get locked up in a hospital. This novel ends on a satisfying note.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
August 12, 2016
I got this e-ARC throughout Netgalley from publisher in exchange of an honest review.
When I first read a description of this book, I was highly intrigued. Books dealing with mental illness of some sort will always have a high place on my to-read list. Also, I admit that cover is wonderful.
Although, I ended up being more disappointed than pleased. From the beginning, I realized this wasn't going to be some greatly written book with wonderful descriptions and whatnot - and I was fine with it. That wasn't what was really bothering me. I was likely to look past it and give this book a higher rating than I did if it weren't for things that started irking me to no end.
First, it was the plot - or lack of it, better to say. At least in the first 60% of a book. I could've easily read this in one day but it dragged to three because I was getting bored and annoyed. All we really get is Milly and Amelia. There are few characters dropping by here and there but mostly, we are inside of Milly's head and all we get to see is her and her other personality. I know it's hard to move the plot around when you're writing in first person, I get that, but it's still possible to have more plot than partying, hot new guy and a fire. I feel as though we didn't get to meet any characters properly by the end of a book and I felt at loss. I'll admit that the other 40% of a book were better and there was something more going on but it couldn't affect my rating any more than this.
Second is a love interest. I felt like a word 'hot' was used hundreds of times in the first part of a book. I get it, he's hot, don't need to point it out every time you see him or talk about him. You're annoying everyone around you, as well as reading. Apart from that, we don't get much of anything else. I'm not even sure what he looks like, except from 'hot'. Moreover, I feel as if the author tried a bit too forcefully to connect Milly and the hot guy before the kiss. Before that, they barely had spoken and then suddenly they're revealing their darkest secrets at the party where music must've been too loud and everyone around them were drunk. It was so unrealistic that I just couldn't buy it.
Then we also have the guy that Amelia is crushing on (Matt? I think? I don't know I forgot?). We also don't find out anything about him, except that he's a jock or something and he's, of course, wow-shit-damn hot. There could've been two interesting guys. Instead, we have shallow figures of both of them.
Third is slut-shaming and drink-shaming (how else do I call it?). In the first part of a book, I couldn't complain much. After that, there is a party and everything goes to hell. We get Milly complaining about people drinking and getting mad at her best friend for wanting to have sex. Okay, seriously, n o. You don't do that. It's fine, you don't have to drink and you don't have to have sex but don't go telling other people to do the same. There's nothing wrong with drinking occasionally. There is nothing wrong with sex. And, of course, Milly's hot guy is so perfect he doesn't drink either, never did, never will and thinks it's disgusting. I blame Kindle for deleting all my notes because every other sentence was highlighted and had exclamation points in notes to it. And then we have her best friend sleeping with a guy Amelia likes and she becomes this disgusting slut that has to mess with her guy when, in reality, Milly/Amelia didn't have anything to do with him! Okay, Amelia liked him but it wasn't like he was her boyfriend. Of course, she never forgives her best friend and it's the only friendship she ever had, just blown away because of a guy. Wow, really, you're a true friend.
Forth and last, it's the ending. I mean, come on! I was so ridiculous I thought I was reading the wrong book. I understand that the author wanted to make this huge plot twist that no reader would expect but I just couldn't buy it. Maybe it was too big for me. It was just too unrealistic, too ridiculous for me to believe it. Also, the characters' lack of emotion was a problem there too. Milly was getting mad at everything and anything and there was so much info-dumping through the whole book it just wasn't working for me.
I wanted to like this book, I really, really did but I just didn't. I'm not even sure that 2.5 stars is really what I want to rate this but I'll settle on it. Mental illness wasn't too badly explored, and the parts of a plot dealing with it, especially as we were nearing to the end, were good. I just wish that the other things were better.
When I first read a description of this book, I was highly intrigued. Books dealing with mental illness of some sort will always have a high place on my to-read list. Also, I admit that cover is wonderful.
Although, I ended up being more disappointed than pleased. From the beginning, I realized this wasn't going to be some greatly written book with wonderful descriptions and whatnot - and I was fine with it. That wasn't what was really bothering me. I was likely to look past it and give this book a higher rating than I did if it weren't for things that started irking me to no end.
First, it was the plot - or lack of it, better to say. At least in the first 60% of a book. I could've easily read this in one day but it dragged to three because I was getting bored and annoyed. All we really get is Milly and Amelia. There are few characters dropping by here and there but mostly, we are inside of Milly's head and all we get to see is her and her other personality. I know it's hard to move the plot around when you're writing in first person, I get that, but it's still possible to have more plot than partying, hot new guy and a fire. I feel as though we didn't get to meet any characters properly by the end of a book and I felt at loss. I'll admit that the other 40% of a book were better and there was something more going on but it couldn't affect my rating any more than this.
Second is a love interest. I felt like a word 'hot' was used hundreds of times in the first part of a book. I get it, he's hot, don't need to point it out every time you see him or talk about him. You're annoying everyone around you, as well as reading. Apart from that, we don't get much of anything else. I'm not even sure what he looks like, except from 'hot'. Moreover, I feel as if the author tried a bit too forcefully to connect Milly and the hot guy before the kiss. Before that, they barely had spoken and then suddenly they're revealing their darkest secrets at the party where music must've been too loud and everyone around them were drunk. It was so unrealistic that I just couldn't buy it.
Then we also have the guy that Amelia is crushing on (Matt? I think? I don't know I forgot?). We also don't find out anything about him, except that he's a jock or something and he's, of course, wow-shit-damn hot. There could've been two interesting guys. Instead, we have shallow figures of both of them.
Third is slut-shaming and drink-shaming (how else do I call it?). In the first part of a book, I couldn't complain much. After that, there is a party and everything goes to hell. We get Milly complaining about people drinking and getting mad at her best friend for wanting to have sex. Okay, seriously, n o. You don't do that. It's fine, you don't have to drink and you don't have to have sex but don't go telling other people to do the same. There's nothing wrong with drinking occasionally. There is nothing wrong with sex. And, of course, Milly's hot guy is so perfect he doesn't drink either, never did, never will and thinks it's disgusting. I blame Kindle for deleting all my notes because every other sentence was highlighted and had exclamation points in notes to it. And then we have her best friend sleeping with a guy Amelia likes and she becomes this disgusting slut that has to mess with her guy when, in reality, Milly/Amelia didn't have anything to do with him! Okay, Amelia liked him but it wasn't like he was her boyfriend. Of course, she never forgives her best friend and it's the only friendship she ever had, just blown away because of a guy. Wow, really, you're a true friend.
Forth and last, it's the ending. I mean, come on! I was so ridiculous I thought I was reading the wrong book. I understand that the author wanted to make this huge plot twist that no reader would expect but I just couldn't buy it. Maybe it was too big for me. It was just too unrealistic, too ridiculous for me to believe it. Also, the characters' lack of emotion was a problem there too. Milly was getting mad at everything and anything and there was so much info-dumping through the whole book it just wasn't working for me.
I wanted to like this book, I really, really did but I just didn't. I'm not even sure that 2.5 stars is really what I want to rate this but I'll settle on it. Mental illness wasn't too badly explored, and the parts of a plot dealing with it, especially as we were nearing to the end, were good. I just wish that the other things were better.
May 24, 2014
I so expected to enjoy this book. The cover, the summary… everything sounded attractive to me. Unfortunately, it was far, far from meeting my expectations.
Disconnected tells the story of Milly and Amelia who in fact are one single person. Amelia used to be Milly’s imaginary friend when she was a child, before turning into her tormenter after her parents’ death, constantly bringing her down and insufflating her with negative thoughts. Amelia is taking more and more space in Milly’s soul and body, but she has no way to get rid of her. In the same time, she also finds out that her parents’ death – officially in a car accident – hides terrible secrets about her family’s past. Pushed by Amelia, she will try to unravel the truth…
I was really eager to read this book. Everything related to psychology and especially dissociative identity disorders interests me much, I find the subject to be fascinating. Disconnected therefore had a good start, yet it quickly began to bore me. It is a very short book (about 200 pages) which could easily be read in a couple of hours if it was thrilling. But the problem is that it is not. The first two thirds only consist in Milly struggling with Amelia in all kind of daily life situations. It quickly gets repetitive and long, especially since the “identity disorder” aspect isn’t developed enough. We can’t see any evolution in Milly and her alter’s “relationship” (if I can say so). Her mental illness is detected by the people around her at the end of the book only (and they don’t even seem shocked to learn that she has schizophrenia), and even her stay in mental hospital doesn’t bring any evolution in her situation.
The author tried to enrich her storyline with a second plot about Milly’s parents, however it isn’t developed enough either. All throughout the book we see the heroine guessing that there’s something wrong about that car accident and trying (not so actively I must say) to unravel the truth. And then we’re given the solution all of a sudden within the last chapters instead of having the information given away bit by bit as Milly does her research, which would have enhanced the mystery and therefore the readers’ interest.
Also the characters are suffering from a big lack of depth. The book, written in the first person, focuses on Milly’s character as well as her alter Amelia’s, and really, really little information is given about the other characters. Beth, Grandpa George, Aunt Rachel, Blake… we know so very little about them, they almost are just names. And thinking about it, even Milly and Amelia aren’t so developed. I wouldn’t be able to give a precise description of them.
I didn’t get attached to any of these characters. In fact, I only lived the story from the outside, never really got into it.
There is a romance in the middle of it all (obviously, have you ever read a Young Adult book without any romance?), but it was the least useful and the least credible aspect of the story. It is going way too fast – I mean, Milly and Blake have barely seen each other three times and they already are madly in love, like they’ve known each other for ever. I doubt this would happen in real life.
In fact, reading Disconnected I felt like I was reading a first draft, not a soon to be published book. There are good ideas and I am certain that a very good book could come out of them, however as it is now, this novel was a huge disappointment. What a shame!
I’d recommend it to you if: If you, like me, have an interest in psychology, you might want to give it a try. But to be honest, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone sadly.
Disconnected tells the story of Milly and Amelia who in fact are one single person. Amelia used to be Milly’s imaginary friend when she was a child, before turning into her tormenter after her parents’ death, constantly bringing her down and insufflating her with negative thoughts. Amelia is taking more and more space in Milly’s soul and body, but she has no way to get rid of her. In the same time, she also finds out that her parents’ death – officially in a car accident – hides terrible secrets about her family’s past. Pushed by Amelia, she will try to unravel the truth…
I was really eager to read this book. Everything related to psychology and especially dissociative identity disorders interests me much, I find the subject to be fascinating. Disconnected therefore had a good start, yet it quickly began to bore me. It is a very short book (about 200 pages) which could easily be read in a couple of hours if it was thrilling. But the problem is that it is not. The first two thirds only consist in Milly struggling with Amelia in all kind of daily life situations. It quickly gets repetitive and long, especially since the “identity disorder” aspect isn’t developed enough. We can’t see any evolution in Milly and her alter’s “relationship” (if I can say so). Her mental illness is detected by the people around her at the end of the book only (and they don’t even seem shocked to learn that she has schizophrenia), and even her stay in mental hospital doesn’t bring any evolution in her situation.
The author tried to enrich her storyline with a second plot about Milly’s parents, however it isn’t developed enough either. All throughout the book we see the heroine guessing that there’s something wrong about that car accident and trying (not so actively I must say) to unravel the truth. And then we’re given the solution all of a sudden within the last chapters instead of having the information given away bit by bit as Milly does her research, which would have enhanced the mystery and therefore the readers’ interest.
Also the characters are suffering from a big lack of depth. The book, written in the first person, focuses on Milly’s character as well as her alter Amelia’s, and really, really little information is given about the other characters. Beth, Grandpa George, Aunt Rachel, Blake… we know so very little about them, they almost are just names. And thinking about it, even Milly and Amelia aren’t so developed. I wouldn’t be able to give a precise description of them.
I didn’t get attached to any of these characters. In fact, I only lived the story from the outside, never really got into it.
There is a romance in the middle of it all (obviously, have you ever read a Young Adult book without any romance?), but it was the least useful and the least credible aspect of the story. It is going way too fast – I mean, Milly and Blake have barely seen each other three times and they already are madly in love, like they’ve known each other for ever. I doubt this would happen in real life.
In fact, reading Disconnected I felt like I was reading a first draft, not a soon to be published book. There are good ideas and I am certain that a very good book could come out of them, however as it is now, this novel was a huge disappointment. What a shame!
I’d recommend it to you if: If you, like me, have an interest in psychology, you might want to give it a try. But to be honest, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone sadly.
August 10, 2014
Milly is troubled with a bully– Amelia. She’s constantly getting torn down by Amelia’s negative comments, and the bullying is definitely incessant, considering they share the same body. And Amelia has done more than just emotionally harming Milly, she’s hidden her whole life before the accident. After a mysterious fire, Milly and her grandfather move in with her Aunt Rachel, and the puzzle pieces of her past begin to fit together.
I have a couple setbacks with this book, but I also have many good things to say about it. Honestly, this is going to be a completely mixed up review.
First, the bad news. I almost felt like the plot line had too much going on. She has a split personality and she also can’t remember anything about her past and her family is hiding things from her and maybe what she thought happened didn’t really happen…. It was an overwhelming amount of information. But by the end of the book, I felt like the author tied everything in nicely and made sure it all fit into place. It just felt like too many things were happening during the book as a whole.
Also, the writing style is very simple. I felt like there needed to be more details and more time spent on certain scenes. Instead of having important scenes with transitional ones in between, the whole thing felt like it moved too fast. There was never one break in the story to give more information and connect with the characters. I think with more description, this could have been fixed.
And the characters. Oh, the characters. I don’t like either Milly or Amelia. Milly’s just insipid. I feel like she has no personality and was only nervous and strange all the time. And with those qualities, it makes me wonder how the grounds boy seems so interested in her. But everyone loves a romance, I guess. Despite the fact that they don’t go together at all, I like the subplot because Milly is actually happy with him and it’s a break from the drama. I think it could have been developed better, though, because they’re saying “I love you” after meeting twice. Her Aunt Rachael and Grandpa George, though, are well-rounded and interesting characters with an air of mystery surrounding them. I’d rather read about their lives than Milly’s.
On the other hand, the book always moved quickly and wasn’t boring. The mystery continued to unfold throughout the novel, and it was completely unpredictable without seeming unrealistic. I think the book should have actually been longer to account for more detail and maybe have a few lulls in the activity, but it’s definitely perfect for a fast read.
Also, the story line is completely unique. Milly’s split personality disorder makes everything that much more exciting. Sometimes, though, I wished the book would focus more on the mystery than her disorder, but I understand that with a mental illness, it never goes away. I would have liked to see things from Amelia’s perspective. I think that would have helped the reader understand Amelia’s motives for the things she does. Milly explains some of Amelia’s feelings, and writing it only in Milly’s point of view did keep me guessing.
I can’t say I absolutely loved the ending from the characters’ perspectives, but there can’t always be a happily ever after. In fact, it was very realistic yet also resolved the novel well so the readers weren’t stuck wanting more.
I found some parts I had to read over to understand, but for the most part, I enjoyed the originality, quick pace, and exciting plot that came along with the book. I didn’t love the characters or shortness of the book, and I do think it could have been developed better.
More reviews at Stealingpages.com
I have a couple setbacks with this book, but I also have many good things to say about it. Honestly, this is going to be a completely mixed up review.
First, the bad news. I almost felt like the plot line had too much going on. She has a split personality and she also can’t remember anything about her past and her family is hiding things from her and maybe what she thought happened didn’t really happen…. It was an overwhelming amount of information. But by the end of the book, I felt like the author tied everything in nicely and made sure it all fit into place. It just felt like too many things were happening during the book as a whole.
Also, the writing style is very simple. I felt like there needed to be more details and more time spent on certain scenes. Instead of having important scenes with transitional ones in between, the whole thing felt like it moved too fast. There was never one break in the story to give more information and connect with the characters. I think with more description, this could have been fixed.
And the characters. Oh, the characters. I don’t like either Milly or Amelia. Milly’s just insipid. I feel like she has no personality and was only nervous and strange all the time. And with those qualities, it makes me wonder how the grounds boy seems so interested in her. But everyone loves a romance, I guess. Despite the fact that they don’t go together at all, I like the subplot because Milly is actually happy with him and it’s a break from the drama. I think it could have been developed better, though, because they’re saying “I love you” after meeting twice. Her Aunt Rachael and Grandpa George, though, are well-rounded and interesting characters with an air of mystery surrounding them. I’d rather read about their lives than Milly’s.
On the other hand, the book always moved quickly and wasn’t boring. The mystery continued to unfold throughout the novel, and it was completely unpredictable without seeming unrealistic. I think the book should have actually been longer to account for more detail and maybe have a few lulls in the activity, but it’s definitely perfect for a fast read.
Also, the story line is completely unique. Milly’s split personality disorder makes everything that much more exciting. Sometimes, though, I wished the book would focus more on the mystery than her disorder, but I understand that with a mental illness, it never goes away. I would have liked to see things from Amelia’s perspective. I think that would have helped the reader understand Amelia’s motives for the things she does. Milly explains some of Amelia’s feelings, and writing it only in Milly’s point of view did keep me guessing.
I can’t say I absolutely loved the ending from the characters’ perspectives, but there can’t always be a happily ever after. In fact, it was very realistic yet also resolved the novel well so the readers weren’t stuck wanting more.
I found some parts I had to read over to understand, but for the most part, I enjoyed the originality, quick pace, and exciting plot that came along with the book. I didn’t love the characters or shortness of the book, and I do think it could have been developed better.
More reviews at Stealingpages.com
March 13, 2014
Category: YA Contemporary Mystery
Pre-publication manuscript obtained via Netgalley
Publication date - June 3rd, 2014
Poisoned Pencil, an imprint of Poisoned Pen Press
Reviewer's acknowledgement: My own debut YA contemporary crime fiction will be published by the same press.
Disclaimer: I do not consider myself a traditional reviewer, but can offer some expertise from an author's point of view. Thus my reviews are for writers wishing to stretch and build their writer's tool box.
From a writer's perspective, Disconnected by Lisa M. Cronkhite twists the natural writing order of tension and suspense. It twists the common concept of black and white space on the page. It twists the need for live dialog. In fact, the first 5% of the book and much of the remaining has only one character. Not, however in an Island of Blue Dolphins way--which was a favorite of mine growing up.
Writers can examine these first pages to study tension that traditionally is built between two characters through dialog. In Disconnected, this tension comes from one character with two split personalities. There isn't a great intent on Ms. Cronkhite's part to disguise the schizophrenia fact and thus the manuscript avoids a common pitfall for this type of book, i.e. surprise we're not two people only one.
What begins as dialog turns quickly to italicized interior thought for the 2nd character. Looking physically at those first pages, it appears initially to be exposition. As you read, you see the intermix of the two split personalities at work, building tension, and setting up the plot.
And that plot begins powerfully with the hatred, the bullying, and the meanness of self on self.
Also for the writer, this manuscript allows us to explore the reality and emotional trauma of mental illness and ways that an author can emotionally involve a reader; a reader that may have no connection in real life to someone so inflicted. Everyone has that voice in their head that pulls at our self-confidence, but in Disconnected that voice is equal (and sometimes more powerful) than the real life character. The balance is unique and intriguing.
In story lines, fully developed characters possess aspects of good and evil. In Disconnected, Ms. Cronkhite twists the expected schizophrenia simplicity, i.e. one character being bad and one good and instead molds them into two very real and touching individuals residing in one mind. Each expresses good and bad features as the book progresses. Perhaps one is a bit too good for my own tastes. In the end, of course, these two split personalities must learn to reside together, but it will be with help from dedicated professionals.
And Ms. Cronkhite manages this from a high school student's point of view.
For readers, the mystery angle gently works its way into the thread, but the ending involves a blast of intense subject matter including incest, alcoholism, suicide, and failure to protect your fellow family members as well as the guilt that comes with that failure.
There is a minor romantic thread, but the strength that carries the plot is mental illness.
It was a read that I found of value, as a reader and as an author. I expect YA readers wanting to stretch their perspective will enjoy it as well.
Pre-publication manuscript obtained via Netgalley
Publication date - June 3rd, 2014
Poisoned Pencil, an imprint of Poisoned Pen Press
Reviewer's acknowledgement: My own debut YA contemporary crime fiction will be published by the same press.
Disclaimer: I do not consider myself a traditional reviewer, but can offer some expertise from an author's point of view. Thus my reviews are for writers wishing to stretch and build their writer's tool box.
From a writer's perspective, Disconnected by Lisa M. Cronkhite twists the natural writing order of tension and suspense. It twists the common concept of black and white space on the page. It twists the need for live dialog. In fact, the first 5% of the book and much of the remaining has only one character. Not, however in an Island of Blue Dolphins way--which was a favorite of mine growing up.
Writers can examine these first pages to study tension that traditionally is built between two characters through dialog. In Disconnected, this tension comes from one character with two split personalities. There isn't a great intent on Ms. Cronkhite's part to disguise the schizophrenia fact and thus the manuscript avoids a common pitfall for this type of book, i.e. surprise we're not two people only one.
What begins as dialog turns quickly to italicized interior thought for the 2nd character. Looking physically at those first pages, it appears initially to be exposition. As you read, you see the intermix of the two split personalities at work, building tension, and setting up the plot.
And that plot begins powerfully with the hatred, the bullying, and the meanness of self on self.
Also for the writer, this manuscript allows us to explore the reality and emotional trauma of mental illness and ways that an author can emotionally involve a reader; a reader that may have no connection in real life to someone so inflicted. Everyone has that voice in their head that pulls at our self-confidence, but in Disconnected that voice is equal (and sometimes more powerful) than the real life character. The balance is unique and intriguing.
In story lines, fully developed characters possess aspects of good and evil. In Disconnected, Ms. Cronkhite twists the expected schizophrenia simplicity, i.e. one character being bad and one good and instead molds them into two very real and touching individuals residing in one mind. Each expresses good and bad features as the book progresses. Perhaps one is a bit too good for my own tastes. In the end, of course, these two split personalities must learn to reside together, but it will be with help from dedicated professionals.
And Ms. Cronkhite manages this from a high school student's point of view.
For readers, the mystery angle gently works its way into the thread, but the ending involves a blast of intense subject matter including incest, alcoholism, suicide, and failure to protect your fellow family members as well as the guilt that comes with that failure.
There is a minor romantic thread, but the strength that carries the plot is mental illness.
It was a read that I found of value, as a reader and as an author. I expect YA readers wanting to stretch their perspective will enjoy it as well.
May 27, 2014
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
I picked this up on NetGalley because I thought the blurb was interesting and I was looking forward to seeing how the author handled the story; however, the story was focused a lot more on the mystery of the main character's past than it was on her mental illness. I also wasn't entirely sure how accurate some of the information regarding her illness was, which made me a bit uncomfortable. I was overall looking for a book that would explore Milly's life with mental illness more than her past, so I was disappointed in that regard.
The mystery in the story was interesting initially, but over and over, the author piles up questions and potential leads without Milly actually attempting to follow those leads, and I found that really frustrating as a reader. Several times she comes across a clue, then seemingly forgets about it altogether while focusing on something unrelated, and then doesn't remember it until quite a lengthy period of time later. Things like that didn't really seem to serve much purpose to the story, especially when the clue just adds more questions to the pile. While those questions are eventually answered, it was pretty much done all at once instead of with a trickle of information and answers, so some readers might get frustrated with the book before reaching the payoff. I felt things could have been improved by stretching it out over a longer period of time so it was a bit less overwhelming. There was one major thing toward the end of the book that really bothered me because it wasn't really justified or explained in a way that satisfied me, but I won't get into it in this review since it's a pretty major spoiler.
The characters are a little bit lacking. I felt distanced from Milly throughout the novel, even though the story is told in first person. Her voice didn't seem 100% authentic to me and I struggled with that a lot throughout the book. I wasn't super invested in the romance angle of the story. When Blake was first introduced, I thought he was interesting, but he isn't in the book much, and therefore isn't developed much, either. I also found Milly's friendship with her best friend, Beth, to be kind of strange. We're told over and over that Beth is Milly's best (and only) friend, and that Milly is afraid of losing her, but from the start, Beth seems like a pretty bad friend, and the reader is never shown the "better days" of their friendship, so we're left wondering why they were friends in the first place. There was also some slut-shaming that was entirely unnecessary.
I liked a lot of the imagery in the book, and a lot of the descriptions of nature are beautiful. I appreciated that the book looked at mental illness through a teen's eyes, but I wished the book had been a bit less harsh when it came to some topics (such as the slut-shaming) and a bit better researched in others, considering the content. Ultimately, there was the potential for an interesting story here, but it fell short for me.
I picked this up on NetGalley because I thought the blurb was interesting and I was looking forward to seeing how the author handled the story; however, the story was focused a lot more on the mystery of the main character's past than it was on her mental illness. I also wasn't entirely sure how accurate some of the information regarding her illness was, which made me a bit uncomfortable. I was overall looking for a book that would explore Milly's life with mental illness more than her past, so I was disappointed in that regard.
The mystery in the story was interesting initially, but over and over, the author piles up questions and potential leads without Milly actually attempting to follow those leads, and I found that really frustrating as a reader. Several times she comes across a clue, then seemingly forgets about it altogether while focusing on something unrelated, and then doesn't remember it until quite a lengthy period of time later. Things like that didn't really seem to serve much purpose to the story, especially when the clue just adds more questions to the pile. While those questions are eventually answered, it was pretty much done all at once instead of with a trickle of information and answers, so some readers might get frustrated with the book before reaching the payoff. I felt things could have been improved by stretching it out over a longer period of time so it was a bit less overwhelming. There was one major thing toward the end of the book that really bothered me because it wasn't really justified or explained in a way that satisfied me, but I won't get into it in this review since it's a pretty major spoiler.
The characters are a little bit lacking. I felt distanced from Milly throughout the novel, even though the story is told in first person. Her voice didn't seem 100% authentic to me and I struggled with that a lot throughout the book. I wasn't super invested in the romance angle of the story. When Blake was first introduced, I thought he was interesting, but he isn't in the book much, and therefore isn't developed much, either. I also found Milly's friendship with her best friend, Beth, to be kind of strange. We're told over and over that Beth is Milly's best (and only) friend, and that Milly is afraid of losing her, but from the start, Beth seems like a pretty bad friend, and the reader is never shown the "better days" of their friendship, so we're left wondering why they were friends in the first place. There was also some slut-shaming that was entirely unnecessary.
I liked a lot of the imagery in the book, and a lot of the descriptions of nature are beautiful. I appreciated that the book looked at mental illness through a teen's eyes, but I wished the book had been a bit less harsh when it came to some topics (such as the slut-shaming) and a bit better researched in others, considering the content. Ultimately, there was the potential for an interesting story here, but it fell short for me.
August 6, 2016
Milly has always had an extra identity within herself named Amelia. Since the death of Milly’s parents, Amelia has seemingly turned on her, becoming Milly’s greatest adversary. Amelia constantly pours poison words into Milly’s mind; she puts her down, coerces her into self-harm, and taunts her about committing suicide. When circumstances force Milly and Grandpa George, her current guardian, to move in with her estranged Aunt Rachel, Amelia pushes and pulls Milly along to discovering the two adults are hiding something. A fragile Milly re-discovers some of her own history that Amelia has blocked from her memory as well as learns some ultimately very disturbing family secrets.
The main relationship in this book is not between Milly and her secret-keeping family, or her one “friend” (and I use that word loosely), or even her romantic interest – it’s Milly and Amelia. Amelia is both enemy and ally to Milly (mostly enemy). She swings from hiding things from Milly and discouraging her search for answers, to spurring Milly on and urging her to dig for more.
Following a mystery from the perspective of an unreliable narrator is always an interesting path and the story in Disconnected is no different. The clues are there, but the answers always feel just out of reach. Pieces of the puzzle are missing and the given pieces can’t be taken as set in stone, since what the narrator perceives as truth isn’t always so. In the case of this book, the main character suffers from a mental illness that causes her to experience blackouts and hallucinations, both which hinder her search for the truth. The writer handles this skillfully, as even though Milly may be lost, the reader never is and the mystery is well set and fascinating to follow, coming to a conclusion that is both satisfying and not predictable.
If I had one bone to pick with this book, it would be the we’ve-never-actually-been-on-a-date-but-we-talked-one-or-twice-and-now-I-love-you love interest. But I could see they’ve both suffered from devastation in their families and maybe that might cause them to cling to each other a little too much and a little too prematurely.
Overall, Disconnected had a good mystery and a satisfying ending. I would recommend this book to those who like psychological mysteries and unreliable narrators. I enjoyed the author’s writing style and would read other books by her.
*I received an ARC of this book to review. You can find this review and others like it at BookAndCoffeeAddict.com, along with recommendations for a fantastic cup of coffee.
The main relationship in this book is not between Milly and her secret-keeping family, or her one “friend” (and I use that word loosely), or even her romantic interest – it’s Milly and Amelia. Amelia is both enemy and ally to Milly (mostly enemy). She swings from hiding things from Milly and discouraging her search for answers, to spurring Milly on and urging her to dig for more.
Following a mystery from the perspective of an unreliable narrator is always an interesting path and the story in Disconnected is no different. The clues are there, but the answers always feel just out of reach. Pieces of the puzzle are missing and the given pieces can’t be taken as set in stone, since what the narrator perceives as truth isn’t always so. In the case of this book, the main character suffers from a mental illness that causes her to experience blackouts and hallucinations, both which hinder her search for the truth. The writer handles this skillfully, as even though Milly may be lost, the reader never is and the mystery is well set and fascinating to follow, coming to a conclusion that is both satisfying and not predictable.
If I had one bone to pick with this book, it would be the we’ve-never-actually-been-on-a-date-but-we-talked-one-or-twice-and-now-I-love-you love interest. But I could see they’ve both suffered from devastation in their families and maybe that might cause them to cling to each other a little too much and a little too prematurely.
Overall, Disconnected had a good mystery and a satisfying ending. I would recommend this book to those who like psychological mysteries and unreliable narrators. I enjoyed the author’s writing style and would read other books by her.
*I received an ARC of this book to review. You can find this review and others like it at BookAndCoffeeAddict.com, along with recommendations for a fantastic cup of coffee.
March 4, 2014
My copy was provided by Netgalley.
Milly is an ordinary teenage girl. At least, an ordinary girl who lost her parents and has a voice inside her head that mocks her and wants Milly to hurt herself. Milly has to keep this voice a secret from everyone, even her grandfather, to avoid people from thinking she's crazy. She just has to keep quiet and deal with the voice the best she can, which usually means trying and failing to ignore her.
Yet when Milly's house burns down, she has to move into her aunt's house who she hardly ever talks to. It turns out everyone has been keeping secrets from her. Her aunt, her grandfather, even the cute gardener. It's up to Milly to figure out the secrets of her past and deal with Amelia before it's too late and Amelia takes complete control of Milly's body.
First off, I'd like to thank the author for writing this book. It was very brave of her for talking about her own mental illness and how she overcame it to write this book. It takes a very brave person to announce this and she sends such a positive message to anyone who reads this book.
I liked the plotline of this book. I definitely wasn't expecting the end and all the twists and turns. This was a very refreshing read and I enjoyed it. I couldn't predict the mystery and I kept questioning what had happened to Milly many times, always changing my predictions. While the ending was a bit confusing, it kept me entertained and I couldn't wait until the big secret was finally revealed. I felt as if the book ended quite nicely and it made sense, tying up the loose ends and I felt closure from it.
The relationship with Milly and her "friend" was cute and I liked their witty banter. It was cute and different from what most writers do with the male characters. He wasn't making sexual innuendoes and he actually cared for Milly.It did seem a bit quick for my tastes. For most of the novel, their relationship was budding and it was sweet. But then they're suddenly saying "I love you" and it felt too soon, as if it came from nowhere.
I didn't really connect with Milly, probably because I had never experienced what she suffered through, but it was interesting to know her secrets and her fears and how she tried to overcome them, trying not to get anyone involved, and trying to do everything on her own.
The book was interesting with amazing twists at the ends. It kept me on my toes the whole time and I enjoyed it a lot.
Milly is an ordinary teenage girl. At least, an ordinary girl who lost her parents and has a voice inside her head that mocks her and wants Milly to hurt herself. Milly has to keep this voice a secret from everyone, even her grandfather, to avoid people from thinking she's crazy. She just has to keep quiet and deal with the voice the best she can, which usually means trying and failing to ignore her.
Yet when Milly's house burns down, she has to move into her aunt's house who she hardly ever talks to. It turns out everyone has been keeping secrets from her. Her aunt, her grandfather, even the cute gardener. It's up to Milly to figure out the secrets of her past and deal with Amelia before it's too late and Amelia takes complete control of Milly's body.
First off, I'd like to thank the author for writing this book. It was very brave of her for talking about her own mental illness and how she overcame it to write this book. It takes a very brave person to announce this and she sends such a positive message to anyone who reads this book.
I liked the plotline of this book. I definitely wasn't expecting the end and all the twists and turns. This was a very refreshing read and I enjoyed it. I couldn't predict the mystery and I kept questioning what had happened to Milly many times, always changing my predictions. While the ending was a bit confusing, it kept me entertained and I couldn't wait until the big secret was finally revealed. I felt as if the book ended quite nicely and it made sense, tying up the loose ends and I felt closure from it.
The relationship with Milly and her "friend" was cute and I liked their witty banter. It was cute and different from what most writers do with the male characters. He wasn't making sexual innuendoes and he actually cared for Milly.It did seem a bit quick for my tastes. For most of the novel, their relationship was budding and it was sweet. But then they're suddenly saying "I love you" and it felt too soon, as if it came from nowhere.
I didn't really connect with Milly, probably because I had never experienced what she suffered through, but it was interesting to know her secrets and her fears and how she tried to overcome them, trying not to get anyone involved, and trying to do everything on her own.
The book was interesting with amazing twists at the ends. It kept me on my toes the whole time and I enjoyed it a lot.
July 9, 2014
Favorite Quote from the Book:
My Thoughts:
I would first like to thank Maryglenn at The Poisoned Press who graciously sent me a copy of Disconnected to review.
As someone who is majoring in English, I am very familiar with grammar and mechanics rules and become frustrated when I see mistakes. Unfortunately, there are quite a few grammar and mechanics errors in Disconnected. At times, I found myself to be too distracted by these errors which detracted from story.
Additionally, I do not enjoy the “insta-love” in this book. I certainly don’t mind “insta-attraction,” but there is legitimate insta-love and love professions when the couple, Milly and Blake have not even had a first date. It is a little absurd to me as Milly is a mature and sensible protagonist in the book. Also, I wish that Cronkhite delved more into Blake’s story. He alludes to having personal issues which give him depth to his character and make him relatable to Milly. Unfortunately, Blake and their relationship do not delve much deeper than a superficial level.
Besides these issues, I find Disconnected to be an extremely enjoyable read. Recently, mental illness is becoming less “taboo” in our culture, and I appreciate Cronkhite exploring these topics in her book. It gives genuine depth to the characters while shedding light on this topic.
Additionally, I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and plot twists in this book. The mystery elements in this book are so intriguing that I could not stop reading it until I solved the mystery. The plot and writing style are so addicting! And, let me tell you, those are some MAJOR plot twists that are so unpredictable. These aspects correlate with the high rating that I ultimately give the book.
My Rating:
★★★★ 4/5 stars!
Recommendation:
I’d recommend this for those who enjoy mysteries and psychological thrillers.
“I am no longer in denial of the truth….After all that has happened, I am now looking ahead and into the future instead of searching for what happened…”
My Thoughts:
I would first like to thank Maryglenn at The Poisoned Press who graciously sent me a copy of Disconnected to review.
As someone who is majoring in English, I am very familiar with grammar and mechanics rules and become frustrated when I see mistakes. Unfortunately, there are quite a few grammar and mechanics errors in Disconnected. At times, I found myself to be too distracted by these errors which detracted from story.
Additionally, I do not enjoy the “insta-love” in this book. I certainly don’t mind “insta-attraction,” but there is legitimate insta-love and love professions when the couple, Milly and Blake have not even had a first date. It is a little absurd to me as Milly is a mature and sensible protagonist in the book. Also, I wish that Cronkhite delved more into Blake’s story. He alludes to having personal issues which give him depth to his character and make him relatable to Milly. Unfortunately, Blake and their relationship do not delve much deeper than a superficial level.
Besides these issues, I find Disconnected to be an extremely enjoyable read. Recently, mental illness is becoming less “taboo” in our culture, and I appreciate Cronkhite exploring these topics in her book. It gives genuine depth to the characters while shedding light on this topic.
Additionally, I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and plot twists in this book. The mystery elements in this book are so intriguing that I could not stop reading it until I solved the mystery. The plot and writing style are so addicting! And, let me tell you, those are some MAJOR plot twists that are so unpredictable. These aspects correlate with the high rating that I ultimately give the book.
My Rating:
★★★★ 4/5 stars!
Recommendation:
I’d recommend this for those who enjoy mysteries and psychological thrillers.
July 26, 2016
I received this novel from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The expected publication date is June 3, 2014.
This book is a YA book however is a little different than the majority of the books in the genre at the present time. This book deals with the journey of an eighteen year old girl who is suffering from mental illness.
The majority of this book reads like a monologue with the battle between Milly and her multiple personality disorder with her alter ego being the not so friendly Amelia. I was frustrated throughout the story as I wanted Milly to get help and get Amelia out of her head. I guess that is the whole point. Someone suffering from mental illness and does not know it does not know how to reach out for help or even know that there is something wrong. The reader experiences this from the outside in and I can't even imagine what it would be like to suffer what Milly was suffering from.
It is clear that Cronkhite is knowledgeable on the topic and I feel that she did a good job sharing this knowledge in the story. While the topic may be a little heavy for the YA audience it is written in a way that they would understand and be interested in the story.
I think this is a very good way to educate the YA audience about a relevant and more common than one would think disorder. Mental illness often carries a stigma with it and educating through fiction is a great way to bring the subject to the forefront so that people can get a better understanding.
Thank you Lisa Cronkhite for writing a relevant story about a topic that does not get enough discussion
This book is a YA book however is a little different than the majority of the books in the genre at the present time. This book deals with the journey of an eighteen year old girl who is suffering from mental illness.
The majority of this book reads like a monologue with the battle between Milly and her multiple personality disorder with her alter ego being the not so friendly Amelia. I was frustrated throughout the story as I wanted Milly to get help and get Amelia out of her head. I guess that is the whole point. Someone suffering from mental illness and does not know it does not know how to reach out for help or even know that there is something wrong. The reader experiences this from the outside in and I can't even imagine what it would be like to suffer what Milly was suffering from.
It is clear that Cronkhite is knowledgeable on the topic and I feel that she did a good job sharing this knowledge in the story. While the topic may be a little heavy for the YA audience it is written in a way that they would understand and be interested in the story.
I think this is a very good way to educate the YA audience about a relevant and more common than one would think disorder. Mental illness often carries a stigma with it and educating through fiction is a great way to bring the subject to the forefront so that people can get a better understanding.
Thank you Lisa Cronkhite for writing a relevant story about a topic that does not get enough discussion
March 10, 2014
Read more reviews on my blog, Words and Tea Bottles.
Disconnected follows the trend that started showing up in YA a while ago of rather introspective books that are more about the main character and how his or her mind works with the mental illness they have than really have a plot. In this way it’s kind of iffy, because the writing is unclear in a way that has nothing to do with Millie’s confusion over who she is and how Amelia is actually a part of her, not a separate person. The writing is murky and doesn’t feel complete in the way that a rough draft would, not because it’s told from the point of view of someone whose mind isn’t “right.”
This book differs from others of its kind because it does attempt to have a plot outside of Millie’s mental illness, but it’s a little… bizarre. It feels more like a soap opera than a YA book, but I suppose that that’s where the genre is sometimes heading, with its flare for dramatics and such. I will give the author credit and say she manages to do some foreshadowing that isn’t ‘drop it right in your face’ obvious, though, so she at least tried to connect the plot throughout the book instead of having it dropped on us at the end.
I really have nothing else to say, though. The book wasn’t necessarily BAD but most of it was unremarkable and didn’t stand out that much to me. So an eh book.
Disconnected follows the trend that started showing up in YA a while ago of rather introspective books that are more about the main character and how his or her mind works with the mental illness they have than really have a plot. In this way it’s kind of iffy, because the writing is unclear in a way that has nothing to do with Millie’s confusion over who she is and how Amelia is actually a part of her, not a separate person. The writing is murky and doesn’t feel complete in the way that a rough draft would, not because it’s told from the point of view of someone whose mind isn’t “right.”
This book differs from others of its kind because it does attempt to have a plot outside of Millie’s mental illness, but it’s a little… bizarre. It feels more like a soap opera than a YA book, but I suppose that that’s where the genre is sometimes heading, with its flare for dramatics and such. I will give the author credit and say she manages to do some foreshadowing that isn’t ‘drop it right in your face’ obvious, though, so she at least tried to connect the plot throughout the book instead of having it dropped on us at the end.
I really have nothing else to say, though. The book wasn’t necessarily BAD but most of it was unremarkable and didn’t stand out that much to me. So an eh book.
August 29, 2014
I have nothing but admiration for the author's goal: to help people to understand some aspects of mental illness that generally affect teens more than children. However, while her advocacy is admirable, I am concerned that this book by Lisa M. Cronkhite does not give an accurate picture, even technically.
Milly, our protagonist, is persecuted by an inner voice that is also "her," named Amelia (Milly's given name). Amelia is depicted as a very nasty piece of work.
Yet, when Milly/Amelia gets into a psych hospital, the staff seems confused about whether they are dealing with dissociative identity disorder (not a physiological illness) or schizophrenia (which is a physiological illness). Although it is possible that one individual could have both, the treatments for each are vastly different, and the confusion between them is not helpful in educating readers about "mental illness" -- a category that spans a wide range of problems.
The characters and plot were also "disconnected" -- from each other, and from the reader. Perhaps that was the point, However, I could have seen this being a far more gripping and empathetic novel if most aspects of it were not as seemingly random.
I think the goals of the author are laudable. I just wish this novel had done a better job of expressing them.
I received a copy of this book from rambles.net, an online reviewing magazine, in exchange for an honest review.
Milly, our protagonist, is persecuted by an inner voice that is also "her," named Amelia (Milly's given name). Amelia is depicted as a very nasty piece of work.
Yet, when Milly/Amelia gets into a psych hospital, the staff seems confused about whether they are dealing with dissociative identity disorder (not a physiological illness) or schizophrenia (which is a physiological illness). Although it is possible that one individual could have both, the treatments for each are vastly different, and the confusion between them is not helpful in educating readers about "mental illness" -- a category that spans a wide range of problems.
The characters and plot were also "disconnected" -- from each other, and from the reader. Perhaps that was the point, However, I could have seen this being a far more gripping and empathetic novel if most aspects of it were not as seemingly random.
I think the goals of the author are laudable. I just wish this novel had done a better job of expressing them.
I received a copy of this book from rambles.net, an online reviewing magazine, in exchange for an honest review.
November 11, 2014
Amelia has been trash-talking about Milly lately, tormenting her, and all Milly can tie it to, is Matt. Amelia believes she must be jealous of Matt. It all sounds rational except for one major component, Amelia is Milly. Amelia is Milly’s other personality, the negative one, the one who puts hurtful and disappointing images and thoughts into Milly’s head. She started out being an imaginary friend but after the accident, both girls changed and Amelia turned on her. It’s rather creepy at first how some events that are occurring Milly doesn’t remember doing them but she is most likely the culprit, it makes me wonder what actually is going on. She’s struggling to keep it all together battling with Amelia who’s constantly throwing out cruel thoughts whenever a chance opens up. Milly’s good at ignoring them at first but as the story progresses, Milly’s trying to uncover the truth about her parent’s so Amelia’s constant hammering starts to take its toll on Milly and eventually Milly folds.
I’ve always been fascinated by multiple personalities. I liked how the author started this one out being an imaginary friend who turned bad but I think she had that temperament because she was trying to help Milly uncover something. She pushed Milly and helped her, whereas everyone else wanted to hide things from her. This was a fast-paced book with the author keeping the tempo high.
I’ve always been fascinated by multiple personalities. I liked how the author started this one out being an imaginary friend who turned bad but I think she had that temperament because she was trying to help Milly uncover something. She pushed Milly and helped her, whereas everyone else wanted to hide things from her. This was a fast-paced book with the author keeping the tempo high.
March 13, 2014
Well, this book was interesting. The idea had promise. I tend to find books that delve into mental disorders to be fascinating, however this book was just not that good. The writing style was very disconnected (see what I did there?), it was like I was reading from a tweens journal. There was a lot of information that was not needed and seemed to just be thrown in to make the book longer or something. It was weird. The real meat and bones of the story, Millie's personality disorder was not really discussed that much. She never even told anyone about Amelia, that is the whole point of the book right? And her stay in the psych ward was super short.
I found the relationship between Millie and Blake to be nonexistent. There was no depth or emotion tied to the characters, we as the reader did not get insight into their personalities. It (meaning the relationship) left me scratching my head as did most of the book really. That weird twist in the end was out of left field. It didn't fit with the story at all, nor did it fit with the semi developed personalities of the characters involved.
I would say to potential readers to skip this novel but keep the author in mind. She is likely to produce something better with more experience. Her ideas were there, execution was not.
Check our more reviews on http://amidsummernightsread.com
I found the relationship between Millie and Blake to be nonexistent. There was no depth or emotion tied to the characters, we as the reader did not get insight into their personalities. It (meaning the relationship) left me scratching my head as did most of the book really. That weird twist in the end was out of left field. It didn't fit with the story at all, nor did it fit with the semi developed personalities of the characters involved.
I would say to potential readers to skip this novel but keep the author in mind. She is likely to produce something better with more experience. Her ideas were there, execution was not.
Check our more reviews on http://amidsummernightsread.com
May 23, 2014
We all have that little voice in our head - it fills us with self doubt and self hate and keeps us from making decisions that challenge us.
Now, imagine if that little voice also took CHUNKS OF TIME out of your life, left you in places you weren't before, talked with friends and family and strangers a like and sent text messages and phone calls - all with you having no memory of them
That is Milly's life.
She shares her life with Amelia. Much like our own self doubt voice, Amelia has no problem reminding Milly not to eat too much (referencing calling her "moo"!) and constantly putting her down. It was painful to read and I can't imagine living with that.
As you can suspect, it's tough for Milly to live a functioning life when things she does and says when she isn't aware (when Amelia is running the show) are constantly coming back to haunt her because she doesn't know what she's said or done.
The twists and turns in this story were complete surprises at the end. The middle did get a little slow, only because I wasn't too keen on the quick love interest but I did enjoy the slight distraction from just how awful things were.
all in all, I'm glad I read it but it was a tough read and unlike what I normally enjoy.
Now, imagine if that little voice also took CHUNKS OF TIME out of your life, left you in places you weren't before, talked with friends and family and strangers a like and sent text messages and phone calls - all with you having no memory of them
That is Milly's life.
She shares her life with Amelia. Much like our own self doubt voice, Amelia has no problem reminding Milly not to eat too much (referencing calling her "moo"!) and constantly putting her down. It was painful to read and I can't imagine living with that.
As you can suspect, it's tough for Milly to live a functioning life when things she does and says when she isn't aware (when Amelia is running the show) are constantly coming back to haunt her because she doesn't know what she's said or done.
The twists and turns in this story were complete surprises at the end. The middle did get a little slow, only because I wasn't too keen on the quick love interest but I did enjoy the slight distraction from just how awful things were.
all in all, I'm glad I read it but it was a tough read and unlike what I normally enjoy.
September 12, 2014
***I received a free copy in exchange for a review***
I loved this book. It was told through Milly’s first person point-of-view. She was the sane one while Amelia was crazy. Amelia was ruthless in her torture, so it made me feel bad for Milly. She was going through so much at a young age, that the bullying broke my heart. Beth was Milly’s best friend. As a reader, I wished she would have realized something was really wrong with Milly. It would have been cool for the friend to save the day.
My favorite lines: 1) “No one sees me. I’m invisible to everyone. Everyone but her.” 2) “Start over?” I say, standing up. “Nothing ever began.”
I really enjoyed the mystery aspect involving the family drama. Milly’s aunt and grandfather were hiding a tragic secret; Milly had to go as far as stealing her aunt’s journal to try and find answers. Throughout the book, I wondered if Milly kept seeing a ghost (the girl with dark hair) or if the girl was a stalker. The twists and turns were intriguing, especially the ending! I would have never guessed! I thought Milly would end up with her new crush, Blake. Maybe she does and maybe she doesn’t. You’ll have to read the book to find out.
I RECOMMEND this book to read.
I loved this book. It was told through Milly’s first person point-of-view. She was the sane one while Amelia was crazy. Amelia was ruthless in her torture, so it made me feel bad for Milly. She was going through so much at a young age, that the bullying broke my heart. Beth was Milly’s best friend. As a reader, I wished she would have realized something was really wrong with Milly. It would have been cool for the friend to save the day.
My favorite lines: 1) “No one sees me. I’m invisible to everyone. Everyone but her.” 2) “Start over?” I say, standing up. “Nothing ever began.”
I really enjoyed the mystery aspect involving the family drama. Milly’s aunt and grandfather were hiding a tragic secret; Milly had to go as far as stealing her aunt’s journal to try and find answers. Throughout the book, I wondered if Milly kept seeing a ghost (the girl with dark hair) or if the girl was a stalker. The twists and turns were intriguing, especially the ending! I would have never guessed! I thought Milly would end up with her new crush, Blake. Maybe she does and maybe she doesn’t. You’ll have to read the book to find out.
I RECOMMEND this book to read.
July 24, 2016
Milly is seventeen and just wants to have a normal day, a day without being bullied by Amelia. The title is fitting as Milly is disconnected from community, with a dysfunctional family and no friends. She's haunted by a girl she sees randomly as well as from her own dreams. And after a fire, her and her grandfather move in with her aunt, who seems to truly dislike her.
Milly copes with all the stress by writing in her journal as well as in cutting herself and it becomes apparent that Amelia wants Milly to be gone, as in permanently. The gardener she meets one day, Blake, has his own experiences with a mental disorders and it's through him that she finds strength to fight for her reality.
This is not an easy, fun or entertaining read. Schizophrenia is only part of Milly's problem and while well written, it's a darker tale that's told. There's guilt from failing to protect a loved one, suicide of a loved one, incest and secrets kept.
Milly copes with all the stress by writing in her journal as well as in cutting herself and it becomes apparent that Amelia wants Milly to be gone, as in permanently. The gardener she meets one day, Blake, has his own experiences with a mental disorders and it's through him that she finds strength to fight for her reality.
This is not an easy, fun or entertaining read. Schizophrenia is only part of Milly's problem and while well written, it's a darker tale that's told. There's guilt from failing to protect a loved one, suicide of a loved one, incest and secrets kept.
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May 17, 2014This was also posted on my book review blog here
This story is about Milly who suffers black outs and past demons that she is trying to figure out what happened. She is also bullied by a girl named Amelia. Amelia thinks the worst of Milly and she struggles with her harsh criticize daily and at times Milly tries to break free of Amelia and sometimes those lead to dangerous things.
I could not finish this book, sadly. It had so much potential. Dealing with depression myself I often read these kinds of books because it's a good thing for teens to read about and how a lot of them do struggle with this daily. Lisa had a great idea. Something was off. I wish I could put my finger on it, but this goes in my DNF pile.
This story is about Milly who suffers black outs and past demons that she is trying to figure out what happened. She is also bullied by a girl named Amelia. Amelia thinks the worst of Milly and she struggles with her harsh criticize daily and at times Milly tries to break free of Amelia and sometimes those lead to dangerous things.
I could not finish this book, sadly. It had so much potential. Dealing with depression myself I often read these kinds of books because it's a good thing for teens to read about and how a lot of them do struggle with this daily. Lisa had a great idea. Something was off. I wish I could put my finger on it, but this goes in my DNF pile.
August 2, 2014
This book isnt what I expected. I am going to start at the beginning. Disconnected is a great title to this story. She is so disconnected to everyone. Her family is dysfuntional. Her life is messed up. Things in her life are messed up.
Throughout the story, I wondered why did I start this? But I am glad I read it. Because it talks about a bunch of different disorders, anxiety and stress and bipolar. Also there are others. But I forget what they are. It taught me a great deal of all things some people go through.
The author of this story went through similar problems with this. And she overcame it. She wrote a very good story about being disconnected through everything. I enjoyed reading this story and alot of people would too.
Throughout the story, I wondered why did I start this? But I am glad I read it. Because it talks about a bunch of different disorders, anxiety and stress and bipolar. Also there are others. But I forget what they are. It taught me a great deal of all things some people go through.
The author of this story went through similar problems with this. And she overcame it. She wrote a very good story about being disconnected through everything. I enjoyed reading this story and alot of people would too.
June 29, 2015
I received a free copy of this book through good reads. I enjoyed the story… I enjoy learning about mental illness and I think it's important to realize that everyone struggles in a different way. Chances are good that almost everyone knows somebody with a mental illness of some sort.... It is sad that there is such a stigma attached to it. I think this is a great book for teens or young adults who may have difficulty identifying what their own feelings may mean..... And help them to realize that sometimes being abnormal is actually very normal for many..and that help is there when you are struggling to figure things out.. It's just that most of us don't know about it....
October 5, 2014
I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm a Psychology student and this novel really intrigued me. I love reading about the mind and the mental illnesses that can come with it. This is a good novel that explored this topic. The narrator has been through many struggles in life as both of her parents have deceased and she develops a bond with an "friend" but that friend is imaginary. The friend and the protagonist are the same, I noticed it right away.
A very powerful novel written greatly! Would recommend this to all.
I'm a Psychology student and this novel really intrigued me. I love reading about the mind and the mental illnesses that can come with it. This is a good novel that explored this topic. The narrator has been through many struggles in life as both of her parents have deceased and she develops a bond with an "friend" but that friend is imaginary. The friend and the protagonist are the same, I noticed it right away.
A very powerful novel written greatly! Would recommend this to all.
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