That’s Not My Name Book Review
That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally book review and recommendation with NO SPOILERS
Date: 5-31-25 Post Written By: MK Overall Rating: 8.9/10
Book Cover Rating: 8.1/10
(My personal opinion)
Title: That’s Not My Name
Author: Megan Lally
Pages: 297
Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Thriller
Subplots: Mystery
Romance Level: 0.5/3
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
First Published: 2023
Number of Editions: 14
Awards Won: Oregon Book Award Nominee for Young Adult Literature, Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fiction
Goodreads Rating: 4.06/5
# of Goodreads Ratings: 129,404
Amazon Rating: 4.3/5
# of Amazon Ratings: 20,000
Movie/TV Show?? : No
Book Type: Standard
POV Type: Dual, First Person
Pacing: Fast
Generally: Missing person, isolated in remote cabin, blamed for crime
Blurb:
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.
My Review
Main Characters:
Drew- Drew is a senior in high school from Oregon. He is passionate, driven, and will do anything for those he cares about. He was the caption of the swim team, but was recently asked to step down.
Mary Boone- Mary is a 17 year old girl from McMinnville. She is a homeschooled shut-in who doesn’t like spending time outdoors. She likes bright colors, and isn’t allowed to wear certain types of clothes. She doesn’t remember anything about her past after waking up injured in a ditch.
Lola Scott- Lola is a missing person who went to school with Drew, Autumn, and Max. She is energetic and loves the people she cares about.
Wayne Boone- Wayne is Mary’s dad. He seems loving, but is also strict. He cares deeply about Mary, and wants to do everything he can to make her great.
Autumn Roane- Autumn is Lola’s best friend. She is driven, sometimes reckless, and passionate. Her father is the sheriff.
Max- Max is Drew’s cousin. He is fun-loving, supportive, and doesn’t take things too seriously.
These characters were fairly straightforward. They had GREAT character development, and emotional depth. But, they weren’t too compelling, and some of their actions felt a little out of control.
Character Rating: 7.1/10
Setting:
This book takes place in McMinnville, Oregon, and a small, rural cabin.
Wow! This was a great setting. The rural cabin added to the tense, isolated atmosphere. It almost had a claustrophobic feeling to it. The physical setting wasn’t quite as GREAT as the atmosphere, but it was still well described, and detailed.
Setting Rating: 9.2/10
Plot:
I’ve read my fair share of YA thriller/mystery type books, and this one’s plot is DEFINITELY near the top of the list. It was fast paced, exciting, and left the reader on the edge of their seat. I couldn’t wait to hear what happened next. There was a certain juxtaposition between the isolated cabin, and town full of consequences. This plot definitely made the reader jump to certain conclusions that may or may not be accurate…..
Plot Rating: 9.6/10
Writing:
This was my first Megan Lally book, and I LOVED her writing! While it was a young adult book, it still had GREAT writing throughout it. It was well detailed, engaging, and I’m excited to read more Megan Lally books soon!
Writing Rating: 8.8/10
Ending:
Wow!! I was CONVINCED that I knew exactly how this was going to end. I was already prepared to be a little disappointed at the cliched ending. BUT, what I thought couldn’t have been farther from the truth. The twist absolutely SHOCKED me, and I’ll be honest, I actually really liked this ending. I usually have very strong opinions against any sort of sad ending, but this one felt satisfying to me (and it certainly wasn’t a particularly happy ending). There were a couple SUPER small loose ends, but nothing significant.
Ending Rating: 9.8/10
The Overall:
Overall, I really enjoyed this young adult, thriller book! It was my first Megan Lally book, and I was pleasantly surprised. This book had a fabulous, tense atmosphere, and certainly hooked the reader. While the ending wasn’t completely happy, it was still satisfying. The characters were fairly straightforward, but had emotional depth. This was a great book, and I see why so many people are loving it right now!
Overall Book Rating: 8.9/10
I would obviously recommend this book
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ChatGPT’s Opinion: That's Not My Name by Megan Lally is a fast-paced and emotionally gripping YA thriller that follows a girl with amnesia and a boy searching for his missing girlfriend, told through dual perspectives. The novel excels at building suspense and psychological tension, particularly around identity and trust. While it leans on familiar thriller tropes, its execution is strong, with a compelling central mystery and a sharp emotional core. It’s a solid debut that will appeal to fans of twisty, character-driven thrillers like Sadie or We Were Liars.
About the Author:
Megan Lally is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of That’s Not My Name.
When she’s not writing dark and twisty young adult novels you might find her barefoot at the ocean, drinking one too many lavender lattes, or arguing about the validity of glitter as a favorite color. (It’s absolutely a color, and it’s the best one.)
She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family and four chaotic animals.
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No Place Left To Hide
What We Did To Survive
View Megan Lally’s books on her website: Meganlallywrites.com
Or on Amazon: Megan Lally’s Books
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ChatGPT.com (ONLY for specified “ChatGPT’s opinion” portion of reviews and small information gathering)
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