The Half Life of Molly Pierce

by Katrina Leno

[shannonmiz]

Full review here.

The beginning of this book absolutely catapults the reader right into the story. There's no meandering, no waiting for the story to begin, you are just in it. And, as a result, wondering what the hell you are reading, in a really, really good way.

I love when I don't have a clue what is going on, when I am delivered information in bits and pieces, but in a way that completely captivates my attention. I had absolutely no intentions of putting this book down until I learned the whole story.

Molly's presence seemed so real, so lifelike. While reading, I felt as though I was actually going on the journey with Molly, not just reading along. The relationships she had with her family, friends, therapist, and even acquaintances seemed so honest. And, shedding light on mental health issues is another huge plus for me.

As for the plot itself, all I will say is that it keeps you guessing. Granted, I did figure it out before it was revealed, but not by a lot. And the mystery doesn't stop when the "big" reveal happens, there is much, much more to discover.

My only qualm with this book was some of the believability of the actual mental health situations. Not that they weren't very real and gripping, more that the way the people in Molly's life handled them weren't as realistic. I can't say much more without giving away plot points, but I will say that mental health issues, in my experience, are often isolating and lonely, and very few people seem to be concerned at all, much less willing to help. But, maybe that is an additional thought to take away while reading this book: wouldn't it be better if more people were willing to aid in mental health recovery? Also, I am not sure that an actual therapist would have treated the situation in the way that he did. And, the outcome achieved in the book is extremely rare, if not unheard of. Though, it is fiction for a reason I suppose! And the best part was that she was taking steps to get better, in a positive way, which is truly an awesome example to show young people dealing with pretty much any mental health illness.

This book is a definite must-read for anyone who enjoys psychological mysteries, great character development, and really just a beautifully written book about dealing with mental health, relational issues, and life issues in general.

*I received this book in exchange for review for blog tour