A Captivating Debut with Unpredictable Twists!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Megan Lally's "That's Not My Name..." is an absolute gem of a debut novel that had me hooked from the very beginning. I was genuinely surprised that this was a debut, as the storytelling and suspense were masterfully crafted.

The story kicks off with a bang, immediately drawing you into the mysterious world of Mary, a teenage girl with amnesia, set against the intriguing backdrop of Oregon. The strong start had me compelled to read more, and I would have finished it in one sitting if I hadn't started so late at night.

The alternating perspectives between Mary and Drew added an extra layer of intensity to the narrative. The tension in the story is palpable, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. I found myself eagerly anticipating each shift in perspective, wanting to know what was happening on both ends of the story.

The author skillfully weaves a tale of suspense, love, and desperation. The characters, especially the teenage protagonists, are well-developed and relatable. While some adult characters lacked depth, the focus on the younger characters made for an engaging read.

The epilogue is a poignant and intense conclusion that ties the narrative together beautifully. It left me emotionally invested and satisfied with the overall journey.

The major twist in the plot caught me completely off guard. The clues were cleverly scattered throughout the story, but I failed to pick up on them, making the revelation all the more impactful. It's a rarity to be genuinely shocked by a plot twist, and Lally pulled it off brilliantly.

The alternating points of view worked seamlessly, providing a comprehensive understanding of the characters' perspectives. The inclusion of sidekicks August and Mark added depth and humor, breaking the tension at crucial moments.

In conclusion, "That's Not My Name..." is a thrilling and well-crafted debut that keeps you guessing until the very end. Megan Lally has showcased her storytelling prowess, and I eagerly await her future works. Highly recommended for fans of suspenseful mysteries with unexpected twists!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks, for this ARC.

Before I start my review I would like to give a TW. This is not a book for the faint-hearted YA as it includes some violent content.

I don't read a lot of YA, as most of the time adults are just stupid and I can’t relate to that (as an old person 🤣) and in this book, it wasn't any different. I get the point that in YA it has to be about young adults, but I just don't understand why adults always have to be such idiots. That said, it was a very good read. It was fast-paced and I read it within a couple of hours. The characters were very well-built and I loved the world-building and details. As a vivid reader, it was a little predictable, but the author did a great job with twists and turns, so I found myself turning the pages as I wanted to know where the story would take me. The dual POV was very well done and gave the characters more depth. You definitely will feel engaged with both main characters (Drew & Mary). The epilogue was brilliantly done. Even though I’m probably not the targeted audience I enjoyed this clever fast-paced Thriller. An amazing debut by the author and looking forward to read more of her books. Very well done!

Megan Lally’s debut thriller That’s Not My Name was a very readable, if slightly predictable, page-turner thriller aimed at the teen market. Cold and bruised, a teenage girl wakes up on the side of a dirt road with no memory of how she got there and has no memory. Luckily a police car passes and taker her to the station, not long after, a man claiming to be her father arrives. He provides her school ID, her birth certificate, and even family photos, even though the police officer is suspicious he releases the girl to the man and That’s Not My Name if off and running. It’s weakness is the very obvious fact that nobody believes this guy is her father, however there is alot of fun to be had in piecing everything together and even if the direction the plot takes is by and large telegraphed, there are twists and turns in the road and things do not turn out quite as obvious as you think they might.

The manner in which Mary grapples with amnesia was one of the highlights of the book, her father tells her what her favourite clothes, food and colours are, and who is she to argue. The anxiety builds nicely as Mary (is that really her name?) begins to question her father and suspicions arise when all her supposed clothing are in the wrong size. Meanwhile, there is a second narrative seen from the point of view of a teenage boy called Drew whose girlfriend Lola has disappeared and he is suspected of killing her. The narratives are clearly connected but not just as obviously as you might think, however, the plot could have done with a few other twists and turns. That’s Not My Name was an enjoyable read, held the attention nicely with well-drawn characters and enough investment to see how everything was going to pan out. AGE RANGE 13+

"That's Not My Name" by Megan Lally is a gripping debut thriller that takes readers on a suspenseful journey as the protagonist grapples with amnesia, a mysterious disappearance, and the unraveling of a chilling mystery.

The story begins with a teen waking up on the side of a dirt road, disoriented and with no memory of her identity. A passing officer takes her to the police station, where a man claiming to be her father arrives with convincing evidence, including her school ID, birth certificate, and family photos. However, the girl, named Mary according to the man, has no recollection of her past life.

As the plot unfolds, Lola, the protagonist, confronts the mystery of her missing memories and struggles to trust the man who claims to be her father. Simultaneously, a parallel narrative follows Drew, who is implicated in Lola's disappearance. The town, including the sheriff and Drew's friends, believes he is responsible for Lola's vanishing act. Drew must navigate the increasing pressure and danger as he searches for Lola to prove his innocence.

The novel keeps readers on the edge of their seats as they follow Lola's journey to uncover the truth about her past and Drew's desperate efforts to find her. The suspense is heightened by the uncertainty surrounding Lola's memories and the question of whether the man claiming to be her father can be trusted.

Megan Lally weaves a tale of intrigue and suspense, skillfully exploring themes of trust, identity, and the consequences of a mysterious disappearance. The novel is well-suited for fans of mystery and thrillers, offering a compelling narrative that keeps readers guessing until the final pages. "That's Not My Name" promises an engaging and suspenseful read, filled with twists and turns that will captivate fans of the genre.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

This was a fast-paced read told from multiple POVs. Who is the girl? Who is the father? You’ll have to read to find out the twist. I highly recommend this twisty tale. I think it will keep you interested from beginning to end.

4.5 stars. This book kept my attention throughout and I couldn’t wait to finish it! I would definitely recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this book! It reminds me of my favorite writer, the Queen of Suspense, Mary Higgins Clark. I was on the edge of my seat and totally surprised!

Overall I enjoyed this novel and found it engaging and fast paced. I liked the dual perspective of Drew and the girl and the flow of the story. The pieces made sense and weren’t outlandish or rushed. The characters were clever and I was not expecting the twist at the end.

** Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this title in exchange for a fair and honest review**

The blurb was enough for me to request this book and I wasn't disappointed.

A girl found in a ditch, who remembers nothing.

A boy searching for his missing girlfriend.

Her memories slowly resurface and she comes to question the validity of the man who claims to be her father.

He is under suspicion and desperate to find the truth.

And the twist. What a twist. A proper jaw-dropping revelation and I LOVED it.

5/5. We'll be buying this for our school library. I already have kids excited to read it.

Her name is Mary. Her name is Lola. That's not my name....
She wakes up not knowing who she is but he says he is father. He has proof.
Megan does a wonderful job telling the story from multiple POVs. In the cabin and the one left behind. I enjoyed the twists. I enjoyed the writing, she does an amazing job of making you crave another chapter. This book is a quick read because you can't put it down. I was a little annoyed by the forced agenda. It is definitely geared towards YA in the sense that the adults are evil and kids are smarter. I'm interested to follow Megan's career and see what comes from her next. I know I'll add it to my TBR.
Thank you to NetGalley, Megan Lally & Sourcefire Booksfor this ARC. This book comes out January 2nd.

It isn't that you don't realize what's going to happen, it's that there is barely a misstep throughout. Compulsively readable and overwhelmingly compelling.

“She thought she had her life back. She was wrong.”

Personal review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

And the winner for unpredictable endings goes to Megan Lally! I thought I had guessed everything about this book and it’s plot - I was wrong. This book was emotional and gripping, dark and twisty, and completely took me by surprise in the end. A Jane Doe wakes up in a ditch with amnesia, taken to a local police station, and claimed by a man who says is her father. A young teen is accused of killing his girlfriend, but authorities can’t prove it- he searches for her daily. This dual point of view novel takes us through the emotional and dark road to their two paths meeting up, in the most unlikely of ways. Thank you @netgalley and @sourcebooks for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. This book publishes in December of 2023.

Synopsis: Shivering and bruised, a teen wakes up on the side of a dirt road with no memory of how she got there―or who she is. A passing officer takes her to the police station, and not long after, a frantic man arrives. He's been searching for her for hours. He has her school ID, her birth certificate, and even family photos.

He is her father. Her name is Mary. Or so he says.

When Lola slammed the car door and stormed off into the night, Drew thought they just needed some time to cool off. Except Lola disappeared, and the sheriff, his friends, and the whole town are convinced Drew murdered his girlfriend. Forget proving his innocence, he needs to find her before it's too late. The longer Lola is missing, the fewer leads there are to follow…and the more danger they both are in.

This thriller was extremely well done. It has everything you’re looking for dread, that unsettling feeling, and just enough mystery and suspense to keep you up all night reading. I read this in one sitting! While I figured out the ending early on, that didn’t keep me from enjoying the story. I really liked how this one was dual POV. I will be honest, Drew’s character wasn’t my favorite. I felt like he was written as a ‘typical’ teenager and not how a teenager actually is. That did take me out of the story at points but the more I read the more I got used to it. Overall, I would highly recommend this story especially to teenagers. They will appreciate the characters and the pacing will keep them engaged until the end.

Thank you so much for my gifted copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Great job on your debut novel, Megan Lally! This was such an interesting story and a super fast-paced read. I found myself immediately engaged and holding onto my seat needing to know what would happen next. There were several clues and hints as well as red herrings that kept me guessing until the final pages. With the different POVs and timelines, Lally did a great job keeping things clean and easy to follow. I enjoyed this story very much, and I think it’s a great YA thriller! Definitely one you should add to your shelf!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. In Washington City, Oregon, Lola had gone missing. She was last seen with her boyfriend, Drew. They were at the boat launch in his car. They had a fight and he broke up with her. She got angry and got out of his car to walk home alone. That was the last time she was seen. Because she was last seen with Drew, he was accused of her murder.

The sheriff, Roane, had his mind made up about Drew. As far as he was concerned, Drew was a murderer. Although Drew begged him to investigate, he wouldn't budge. So Drew took matters into his own hands. He and his friend Max and their friend Autumn, who was the sheriff's daughter, snuck into the sheriff's office and downloaded tips from the tip line. There was a woman, Melanie, who called in a tip about a girl she had seen that she thought was Lola. So the three of them drove two and a half hours to meet her. She told them everything she knew, including the fact that Lola and a man posing as her father had gone to a thrift store. So they went to the thrift store and spoke with the proprietor who told them that they had gone to Alton. So the three of them went to Alton. They decided they should go to the police department to get them to investigate. Most of the police were out of the office on a call about a man who had gone missing. But they were able to talk to an officer and to tell him their story. He chose to believe them but then officer Bowman came in. He had picked up a girl on the side of the road a few days earlier and her father had come to claim her saying her name was Mary. This was the girl Drew and his friends assumed was Lola. But officer Bowman felt certain that it was Mary. So when the two officers were talking Autumn was able to get the address for the man who had gone missing who ended up living next door to Mary and her father.

Drew took off to the address where he saw a man, Wayne, Mary's father, carrying a bundle over his shoulder. Shoulder. Drew was able to see that it was a girl wearing Lola's jacket. He saw Wayne take her into the basement, so the first chance he had he went to the basement. He found a girl there whose name was Madison but she looked just like Lola. Her ankle was chained to a pole and Drew found a tool to break the chain to set her free.

The rest of the book was about drew and Madison's conflict with Wayne. I thought the author did a fantastic job telling the story. And I was impressed with the way in which the characters were developed. I gave this book five stars.

thank you netgalley and sourcebooks for the advanced copy of this book. this was so good! the atmosphere and the characters really put depth into the book. i was on the edge of my seat the whole time with so many scenarios going on in my head. perfect pacing and just overall well written.

I've been behind in my books this year and have been struggling lately with finishing books and this book cured me. Read this in two nights and I loved it! A girl wakes up in a ditch on the side of the road and can't remember who she is or what happened to her. Let the guessing games begin. Who is she really? What happened to her? Highly recommend to anyone that loves a good mystery and thriller.

If you like thrillers you NEED to read this.

The pacing, the characters, the plot, everything is perfect.

I honestly don’t know what to do with myself after this one. So fun, couldn’t put it down and read it in a day.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC of "That's Not My Name" in exchange for an honest review.
Everything you'd ever want in a suspense thriller is jammed into this whirlwind read. A character placed in ever increasing, excruciating jeopardy, a wrongly accused boy racing to rescue his missing girlfriend, for which the sheriff and entire town holds him responsible. And urgent parallel storylines that compel you to feverishly zip through the pages at record speed until (as you knew they would) converge into a breathless finale.
Not to mention a gasp out loud twist on top of everything else piled in here.
I'm wary of going into plot details, because it's best to plunge into a book like this with only a slight glimpse of its basic set-up. First, a teen is girl found injured and unconscious in a roadside ditch, then stricken with amnesia when she awakens. Her distraught father rushes to her side, equipped with valid, conclusive proof she is in fact his daughter Mary. In a nearby town, tormented teen Drew had inexplicably let his girlfriend Lola walk home on a remote road. So it stands to reason that her disappearance now renders him a prime suspect and town pariah.
All that's left for me to say......the suspense generated as these two separate stories race to collide dials up to unbearable levels. And I'd advise that no one start reading it in the evening unless they plan to stay up the rest of the night to finish it. And that's what I'd call a description of a 5 star thriller to go way high on your TBR list.

This one grabbed my attention from the very beginning and kept it for the entire book. The alternating perspectives between the young woman who lost her memory and Drew, a young man whose girlfriend is missing, enhance the suspense and intensity of the novel. I enjoyed this one immensely! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.