Pieces of Me

McLaughlin, Kate. Pieces of Me. 2023. 368p. ISBN 9781250264343.

Dylan wakes up in an unfamiliar apartment. The residents claim they all know her, but she doesn't remember anything that happened over the last three days. At eighteen, this isn't the first time Dylan has experienced memory lapses, but this is certainly the most concerning incident. Working with a therapist, she discovers she has Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Parts of her mind have been taken over by specific personalities, and each personality can control Dylan's body and isolate the others.

Dylan struggles with confronting the multiple personalities within her mind, as each is grappling with a deeply buried traumatic past that they are desperately trying to protect her from. As she navigates this complex inner world, she builds a connection with a boy named Connor who always seems to be here, regardless of which personality currently controls Dylan. Dylan thus embarks on a journey of self-discovery, seeking to uncover the truth about her past and ultimately find healing.

Dylan's multiple personalities are distinct and masterfully developed, giving each a unique voice and purpose. While the journey to uncover the past trauma takes time, the compelling narrative will keep the reader engaged. Pieces of Me addresses the serious and complex nature of DID with sensitivity and informed research, offering a nuanced and authentic portrayal of DID and highlighting the challenges and complexities faced by individuals with the disorder while emphasizing the importance of support and understanding.

Feel-Good Productivity: How to Do More of What Matters to You

Abdaal, Ali. Feel-Good Productivity: How to Do More of What Matters to You. 2023. 304p. ISBN 9781250865038.

The focus on productivity in the last decades has increased significantly, with companies attempting to squeeze workers for ever more efforts, while workers and entrepreneurs feel that they are already working as hard as they can. Though the word productivity is now part of our lexicon, most people don't stop to think what it actually means to be productive. And, more importantly, is it possible to feel good while being productive, or is productivity linked only to hard work?

Dr. Abdaal, a productivity expert, explores the psychology behind productivity and he explains that being productive should be defined as being engaged in a meaningful activity. Since the activity represents something of value to you, you are willing to commit time and effort, and in the end it will feel both fun and you will have accomplished much.

In Feel-Good Productivity, Dr. Abdaal presents the three blocks we encounter when we try to be producting, including procrastination and a lack of motivation. He also discusses the three aspects of productivity that can energize you, and the three sustaining aspects of productivity that prevent burning out. Filled with actionable changes the reader can implement in their life, becoming productive does not mean working harder, but working smarter at something you enjoy.

They Went Left

 Hesse, Monica. They Went Left. 2020. 364p. ISBN 9780316490573.

The Second World War has concluded, and Germany was defeated. During the drive of armies to Berlin, soldiers encountered concentration camps, and freed the prisoners. These were often too sick or ill to be able to leave, so troops remained behind to guard them as they healed. Zofia Lederman and her family lived in a Polish town until it was conquered by the Germans in 1939. As Jews, their lives immediately changed for the worse. In 1942, they were required to come to the sports stadium for new identity papers. Instead, Zofia and her entire family were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau, the worst of the concentration camps. Her father, mother, and aunt were sent to the left side when they arrived, while Zofia and her 9 year old brother, Abek, who was tall for his age, were sent to the right. Only later did she learn that the left side was directly to the gas chamber.

Zofia was soon separated from her brother, and was transferred to a different concentration camp as the Russians got closer. Now 18 in the summer of 1945, Zofia's body has healed enough, and she leaves the camp hospital where she was staying to accomplish the impossible task of finding Abek. Zofia is convinced he survived the war, but with millions of refugees spread over the continent, the task proves daunting. Nothing will deter Zofia, however, as she made a promise to her mother to always take care of her younger brother. Traveling first back to her home, then inside Germany proper, Zofia searches for clues as to what happened to her brother in the last chaotic years of the war. Despite the heartbreaks that come from looking, Zofia retains the hope that she will find him. But in a world where there was so much tragedy, can her story ends like the fairy tales she used to love?

Providing the often forgotten perspective of those who survived concentration camps and had to rebuild their lives, They Went Left explore issues of survival, mental illness, healing, and forgiveness. Zofia went through a traumatic experience that nothing will ever heal, yet she must begin rebuilding a world for herself amid the ruins of her previous life. The extreme violence she experienced make her an unreliable witness to her own story, yet her hope remains present. Readers who appreciate Holocaust survival stories will easily find Zofia relatable and will support her quest for reunification with the only family member she has left.

Wuthering Heights

Brontë, Emily. Wuthering Heights. 2004. 444p. 895 mins. ISBN 0-7434-8764-8. Available at FIC BRO on the library shelves, as well as an eBook and an audiobook from Overdrive.

A young and rich lad, Lockwood needs a vacation from his busy life in the South of England, so he rents a house in Yorkshire. Desiring to pay his landlord, Mr. Heathcliff, Lockwood heads to Wuthering Heights, a lonely farmhouse in the foggy and damp moorlands. Upon his arrival, he discovers Heathcliff has surrounded himself with his miserable daughter-in-law, mean-spirited servants, and a lonesome youth.

A startled and sick Lockwood then hears the story of what happened at Wuthering Heights from his housekeeper Nelly, who was once the housekeeper of Mr. Earnshaw, the previous owner of Lockwood’s residence. She recounts how Heathcliff was adopted by Earnshaw and fell in love with his daughter Catherine, and how he was abused by Catherine’s brother, Hindley. Believing that Catherine did not love him back, because who could love someone so wretched as he, Heathcliff leaves the moors, much to Catherine’s dismay for she did in fact love him.

Heathcliff returns years later a richer man, determined to wreck the lives of those who mistreated him. Using his wealth and influence, Heathcliff begins to undermine the relationships of those around him, forcing Catherine’s daughter into an unhappy marriage with his weak son, and stealing her fortune. However, Heathcliff is never truly alone, with his own demons and the ghost of Catherine haunting the moors.

A psychologically violent novel centered on the selfishness of all concerned, Wuthering Heights remains a great literary example of a complex plot designed to exact revenge. Fans will also enjoy The Count of Monte Cristo, where a similarly wronged individual implements deadly steps to avenge himself.

The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone

Griffin, Adele. The Unfinished Life of Addison Stone. 2014. 256p. ISBN 978-1-61695-361-4. Available as an eBook on Overdrive.

Addison Stone was one of the most brilliant artist of her generation. Blazing a light through the art world, she exploded on the scene after her junior year of high school and moved to New York City, where she ultimately died in an accident unfurling artwork high above a bridge. Told by the people who knew Addison, as well as from her own words collected through interviews, the reader explores the tormented life of someone who clearly suffered from schizophrenia. We read about her rebel life and her unwillingness to bend to the rules. Her parents struggle through their marriage, and her brother, who loved her very much, tries to help. The only time Addison feels like herself is when she is working on her art.

Discovered by her art teacher in high school, she enters and wins prestigious state and national awards, and signs up with an unscrupulous art dealer. With more money than she knows what to do with, she moves to New York City where she encounters rich Zach, the son of one of her art dealer’s wealthier client, and they madly fall in love. The relationship strains, however, and Addison jettisons Zach for Lincoln, a fellow artist. Zach can’t let go, however, and he begins plaguing Addison’s life. She returns the favor by burning down his cottage in the Hamptons.

As her life struggles escalate, Addison sinks even further into mental illness, and Lincoln finds himself unable to help her. Addison is just too much, even for the people who love her. A rebel to the end, we will never know what she could have accomplished. Was her death a preventable accident, or was it murder? Neither Zach nor Lincoln are speaking, but after reading through countless interviews and careful documentation, the reader can only reach one conclusion ...

The Unlikely Hero of Room 13 B

Toten, Teresa. The Unlikely Hero of Room 13 B. 2013. 272p. ISBN 9780385678346. Available as an audiobook from Overdrive.

Adam Ross has problems. Lots of them. So many of them, in fact, that he meets with a support group once a week. The other kids in the group, like him, are dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorder, and for each one it manifests in different ways. For Adam, it’s crossing thresholds, having to count series of odd numbers, and performing actions in the same way every time. Adam’s home life is also hard. His mother and father divorced years ago, and his mother also suffers from mental health issues but Adam’s not sure how to help her. His father remarried, and he and his new wife have a son, Wendel but also known as Sweetie, who has panic attacks and needs his big brother to help him. Adam’s plate is full, and just making it through one day is tough enough.

That’s when Robyn joins his group. He is as drawn to her as a moth is to a flame, and it becomes his goal in life to protect her. His OCD can’t let him enjoy this growing relationship, however, and he is completely focused on what it would feel like to kiss her. Not that a girl like that could ever fall in love with a guy like him. He can’t even imagine what a normal relationship would feel like. The group, under the leadership of their therapist, adopts a superhero persona, and suddenly Adam becomes Batman, while Robyn is, well, Robin. As Adam learns to navigate a complicated relationship along with the daily challenges that being severely OCD present, he must also deal with the threatening letters his mother is receiving and the hoarding that’s turning their house into a dump. Can Robyn truly be the anchor that helps him get better? Can Batman really save Robyn? More importantly, can Batman save himself?