Darlene Ryan

Having run away from a controlling step-father and an indifferent mother, Maddie is on the street. One night she meets Q, another street kid who's very different from those she's met before. Q shows Maddie how they can work together to survive. But soon Maddie and Q are responsible for six-year-old Dylan, and the daily problems of street life threaten to overtake their fragile alliance.
This is strong, well-written book. It presents a realistic exploration of difficult topics — show more homelessness, family violence, poverty, mental illness, to name just a few — without being bleak. That's not to say that this novel is upbeat: it's not. The author presents homelessness as a desperate choice and explores the many ways that people end up there. Still, the story remains human, with characters living on the page rather than becoming props in a didactic social commentary.
Maddie is a likable protagonist, but she's also realistically drawn. Although she tries to keep herself clean and tries to get to the library to keep up her education, she also carries a weapon to protect herself from some of the unnamed problems she's encountered in the past. When Q and others enter the plot, we see Maddie demonstrate responsibility and maturity; but because the story is told in first-person narration, we also know how fearful, resentful, irritable, and sometimes petty she can be.
My major quibble with the book was the conclusion. The story comes to its ending suddenly. Some loose ends are wrapped up perhaps too patly, and I was not convinced that Maddie was really going to make it in her new situation — she has grown as a character, yes, but her story is not finished. Overall, though, PIECES OF ME is a strong, compelling book. show less

Darlene Ryan's Five Minutes More is just another example of edgy teen literature that is ready to dive right in and make a splash to change the genre for the better. The raw honesty in D'Arcy's narration will make the reader sympathize with all of the horrible, rotten things she has to go through, at the same time thanking the powers that be that you're not the one dealing with it. It's painfully obvious that Darlene Ryan wrote this book from the heart. It's such a unique, but relevant, show more topic, dealt with a heartbreakingly real way. It almost seems like each and every word was handpicked to create a haunting poignance. The characters, just like the writing, is honest to humans, and I particularly enjoyed reading about Seth's breakdown aimed at D'Arcy, veering sharply away from the 'cute and cuddly' typical love interest stereotype found in young adult fiction. While I felt that the ending was somewhat rushed, I also found it reverberating for days after I finished the book in it's raw power. Everything comes full circle in this amazingly written snapshot of D'Arcy's life. I am ranking this book with the likes of Thirteen Reasons Why and Just Listen in that I believe every teen should, at some point, read and fully appreciate this wonderful piece of literature.

Rating: 5/5 show less

Every now and then I read a book that just tears my heart open. As a teacher I have had students who were abused or were homeless. It seems to be a problem that is growing daily. Darlene Ryan has crafted a story that we could watch on the news any night. Maddie comes from an abusive home. Her step-dad is the abuser and her mother sides with him. I really disliked the mother for this reason. Maddie decides it would be better if she ran away. Out on the street she meets a boy named Q. She show more agrees that they stand a better chance of surviving on the street if they work together. Things are hard but manageable at first. One day they agree to watch a homeless couple’s six year old boy. Unfortunately the parents never come back for him. I was so angry. I kept wondering how they could just desert him. Now Maddie has to try to make them all a family. She wants to make sure that Dylan doesn’t have the kind of parents she had. Q starts to have some issues that break the trust that Maddie placed in him. She finally realizes she can’t do this on her own. This is a hard story to read yet once started it is hard to put down. Your heart breaks for all of the kids out there like Maddie. This is definitely a book that I want on my shelves in my classroom. show less

The last few books I read have been slightly disappointing. So, I went into this one with mixed feelings. Those feelings were quickly sorted into complete love for something so simple and brilliant. Pieces of Me is a dark book, that deals with actual problems. I've never dealt with homelessness, nor have I seen it up close and personal. This unconditional love that Maddie has for the boys, even Q, is so heart warming that I couldn't help myself from crying most of the time while I was show more reading. She gives up everything for the kids, even putting herself last just to make sure they were taken care of. Pieces of Me is a great book, and I'm so glad I got the chance to read it. show less