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Every Little Piece of My Heart
"Pratt's characters are rib-achingly funny, outrageous and entirely true to life." Metro
"A writer to watch." The Guardian
"A leading name in UK YA literature." The Bookseller
When Sophie receives a parcel from her best friend, Freya, she expects it to contain the reason why Freya left town so suddenly, without goodbyes and without explanation. Instead, she finds a letter addressed to Win, a girl Freya barely knew - or did she? As more letters arrive for more people on the periphery of Freya's life, Sophie and Win begin to piece together who Freya was and why she left. Sometimes it's not about who's gone, but about who they leave behind
Perfect for fans of Beautiful Broken Things and The Sun Is Also a Star.
"A writer to watch." The Guardian
"A leading name in UK YA literature." The Bookseller
When Sophie receives a parcel from her best friend, Freya, she expects it to contain the reason why Freya left town so suddenly, without goodbyes and without explanation. Instead, she finds a letter addressed to Win, a girl Freya barely knew - or did she? As more letters arrive for more people on the periphery of Freya's life, Sophie and Win begin to piece together who Freya was and why she left. Sometimes it's not about who's gone, but about who they leave behind
Perfect for fans of Beautiful Broken Things and The Sun Is Also a Star.
343 pages, Paperback
First published August 6, 2020
About the author
Non Pratt
11 books255 followersNon Pratt started her career working on non-fiction activity books at Usborne, before becoming an editor at Catnip Publishing. Her debut novel TROUBLE shortlisted for the YA Book Prize and the Branford Boase Award, with rights sold to the USA, Germany and Brazil. Her second novel, REMIX came out in 2015 and a novella, UNBOXED for Barrington Stoke in 2016. Her third novel with Walker Books, TRUTH OR DARE will come out in 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
October 29, 2020
To me, the book felt boring and slow and it just didn't spark my interest. I would put the book down and not really have the urge to pick it up again because I simply didn't find anything intriguing about the story.
August 2, 2020
Non Pratt is a name I keep seeing in my school library so when I had the opportunity to read an early copy of, 'Every Little Piece of my Heart,' I was really excited, especially as the cover is so very beautiful and the blurb super intriguing. The story certainly has an air of mystery surrounding it. In the opening pages we discover that a girl called Freya has left town and at the same time sent a parcel to a group of people, one person at a time, along with letters.
The story is about friendship, acceptance and understanding. It is coined as being quite funny which I did not personally feel but I very much liked the idea of one person bringing together a group of people who ordinarily may not have met. There is an abundance of characters in the narrative, too many for my tastes maybe which I think stopped me fully connecting with the story as a whole. The chapters are told from the perspectives of all the various characters. Win and Sophie are the two who the reader gets to know first and, hand on heart, I really wanted more from them and found myself longing to get back to their chapters whenever the narrative focused on other characters. They both had interesting back stories and real-life situations that they were dealing with and I definitely wanted them to have more page time. They had so much potential and I would have really like to see those characters and their relationship developed further.
I think teenagers who like to read about characters with real life issues and scenarios will probably enjoy the easy going narrative and will engage well with the story and probably will enjoy the aspect of multiple characters, their ‘high school’ drama and the air of mystery that the pages of this novel convey.
#YA #LGBT #realissues
Advance copy provided by NetGalley
The story is about friendship, acceptance and understanding. It is coined as being quite funny which I did not personally feel but I very much liked the idea of one person bringing together a group of people who ordinarily may not have met. There is an abundance of characters in the narrative, too many for my tastes maybe which I think stopped me fully connecting with the story as a whole. The chapters are told from the perspectives of all the various characters. Win and Sophie are the two who the reader gets to know first and, hand on heart, I really wanted more from them and found myself longing to get back to their chapters whenever the narrative focused on other characters. They both had interesting back stories and real-life situations that they were dealing with and I definitely wanted them to have more page time. They had so much potential and I would have really like to see those characters and their relationship developed further.
I think teenagers who like to read about characters with real life issues and scenarios will probably enjoy the easy going narrative and will engage well with the story and probably will enjoy the aspect of multiple characters, their ‘high school’ drama and the air of mystery that the pages of this novel convey.
#YA #LGBT #realissues
Advance copy provided by NetGalley
August 27, 2020
3.5 stars
Non Pratt can write YA contemporary and reel you in with real issues. EVERY LITTLE PIECE OF MY HEART was a story about friendships and misconceptions. The story centred on a group of friends, some more connected than others and what happened when one friend linking the others went away.
It was a bit mysterious with a parcel moving from friend to friend, with Sophie and the others trying to put the pieces together. This was an engaging story but I did put it down for a good few weeks before finishing it today. I think that was partly my mood but also it lost a bit of traction for me mid-way.
This story brought some great chronic illness rep that is definitely needed and often completely missing from YA in particular. I thought this aspect was particularly well written and sensitively so.
This might not be my favourite Non Pratt book, but it was still a strong and solid read.
Thank you to Walker Books for the early review copy.
Non Pratt can write YA contemporary and reel you in with real issues. EVERY LITTLE PIECE OF MY HEART was a story about friendships and misconceptions. The story centred on a group of friends, some more connected than others and what happened when one friend linking the others went away.
It was a bit mysterious with a parcel moving from friend to friend, with Sophie and the others trying to put the pieces together. This was an engaging story but I did put it down for a good few weeks before finishing it today. I think that was partly my mood but also it lost a bit of traction for me mid-way.
This story brought some great chronic illness rep that is definitely needed and often completely missing from YA in particular. I thought this aspect was particularly well written and sensitively so.
This might not be my favourite Non Pratt book, but it was still a strong and solid read.
Thank you to Walker Books for the early review copy.
December 18, 2020
[ARC Provided by NetGalley, my review is unbiased]
I'm also a book blogger
Very much like 13 Reasons Why but without the death, Every Little Piece Of My Heart explores the way four people think they know someone, only to find that for others, they see a completely different person. Freya left months ago, leaving her best friend Sophie and three others behind, never contacting them again. When a package arrives, Sophie thinks she's finally going to unwrap the answers she's been looking for, but instead finds more questions.
A contemporary book tends to be character driven, and I usually get attached to these characters and need to know that at the end of the story, everything is going to be okay. Lately though, I've been given such non-endings, and Every Little Piece Of My Heart goes further, making me frustrated and feeling like at least 3 chapters had been left out, right when we were nearing the conclusion.
I'm especially frustrated because although there was an undercurrent of romance with two of the main characters, I never got to see that come to fruition. Adding to my frustration was never letting Freya, the writer of these letters and the giver of these gifts, get her side of the story in. I had to draw a vague picture of her from the stories told by the people who knew her.
I'm also a book blogger
Very much like 13 Reasons Why but without the death, Every Little Piece Of My Heart explores the way four people think they know someone, only to find that for others, they see a completely different person. Freya left months ago, leaving her best friend Sophie and three others behind, never contacting them again. When a package arrives, Sophie thinks she's finally going to unwrap the answers she's been looking for, but instead finds more questions.
A contemporary book tends to be character driven, and I usually get attached to these characters and need to know that at the end of the story, everything is going to be okay. Lately though, I've been given such non-endings, and Every Little Piece Of My Heart goes further, making me frustrated and feeling like at least 3 chapters had been left out, right when we were nearing the conclusion.
I'm especially frustrated because although there was an undercurrent of romance with two of the main characters, I never got to see that come to fruition. Adding to my frustration was never letting Freya, the writer of these letters and the giver of these gifts, get her side of the story in. I had to draw a vague picture of her from the stories told by the people who knew her.
July 16, 2020
[Gifted]
No one writes British teenagers as well as Non Pratt. Authentic, effortlessly diverse and unashamedly thirsty, her characters jump off the page and into my heart. I really enjoyed the mystery of this novel, with four strangers (plus a precocious little sister) coming together over a mutual friendship with Freya, who we never really get to meet. They were a lot of fun, and it made me miss the final days of school before summer holiday, when nothing much gets done except signing shirts, gossiping and watching films in class.
No one writes British teenagers as well as Non Pratt. Authentic, effortlessly diverse and unashamedly thirsty, her characters jump off the page and into my heart. I really enjoyed the mystery of this novel, with four strangers (plus a precocious little sister) coming together over a mutual friendship with Freya, who we never really get to meet. They were a lot of fun, and it made me miss the final days of school before summer holiday, when nothing much gets done except signing shirts, gossiping and watching films in class.
May 28, 2020
*Netgalley very kindly provided me with a copy of this*
I can’t remember the last time I read a book about normal British teens and this was. So. BOMB. Like I literally loved it!
I loved all the characters, this had some great rep in it (but like casual rep which is the best kind, not forced rep) and the relationships between them were written really well. Plus it was a multi POV and I didn’t get bored with any of them!
I also loved the plot, not a new idea per se but with enough new elements to make it feel unique & different. Plus it was actually really funny (my favourite thing in books 😆) And to top it all off I actually really liked the ending, I know it’ll be probably be a marmite ending but I think it was a great way to end it.
Although all the GCSE talk gave me anxiety - plausible deniability right? 😂
I can’t remember the last time I read a book about normal British teens and this was. So. BOMB. Like I literally loved it!
I loved all the characters, this had some great rep in it (but like casual rep which is the best kind, not forced rep) and the relationships between them were written really well. Plus it was a multi POV and I didn’t get bored with any of them!
I also loved the plot, not a new idea per se but with enough new elements to make it feel unique & different. Plus it was actually really funny (my favourite thing in books 😆) And to top it all off I actually really liked the ending, I know it’ll be probably be a marmite ending but I think it was a great way to end it.
Although all the GCSE talk gave me anxiety - plausible deniability right? 😂
April 11, 2021
*4.5 Stars*
This book is very special to me, seeing a chronically ill teenager so accurately depicted was such a weirdly healing experience. I’ve never seen a character that represents even a slither of my life, and Sophie will therefore hold a space in my heart forever. She’s also sapphic, which made me cry a little, because a chronically ill sapphic character is something I’ve never seen and I just... loved it, okay? This book was also just really engaging, and I loved Winn as a character. My only complaint was I got a bit mixed up with character names and perspectives. I just loved this, okay?
This book is very special to me, seeing a chronically ill teenager so accurately depicted was such a weirdly healing experience. I’ve never seen a character that represents even a slither of my life, and Sophie will therefore hold a space in my heart forever. She’s also sapphic, which made me cry a little, because a chronically ill sapphic character is something I’ve never seen and I just... loved it, okay? This book was also just really engaging, and I loved Winn as a character. My only complaint was I got a bit mixed up with character names and perspectives. I just loved this, okay?
September 3, 2020
*4.5 Stars*
I was provided an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Every Little Piece of My Heart is a story about friendship. Months after Freya leaves her hometown without a word, her best friend Sophie receives a parcel that she's asked to pass along to another person. The parcel moves from on person to the next, a total of four people. And as it moves along, a new point of view is added.
I really loved this story. I was intrigued by the plot and really fell for the characters. I did like some of our points of view more than others but all in all, I found all the characters to be entertaining and well thought through. They really were complex and relatable.
I got so attached, I was really rooting for them, for the friendships as much as the other kinds of relationships. I even teared up a little to be honest. It really took me on a great journey and I couldn't recommend it enough.
I was provided an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Every Little Piece of My Heart is a story about friendship. Months after Freya leaves her hometown without a word, her best friend Sophie receives a parcel that she's asked to pass along to another person. The parcel moves from on person to the next, a total of four people. And as it moves along, a new point of view is added.
I really loved this story. I was intrigued by the plot and really fell for the characters. I did like some of our points of view more than others but all in all, I found all the characters to be entertaining and well thought through. They really were complex and relatable.
I got so attached, I was really rooting for them, for the friendships as much as the other kinds of relationships. I even teared up a little to be honest. It really took me on a great journey and I couldn't recommend it enough.
August 28, 2020
Every writer with each novel hones their craft. One of my joys in writing reviews of each of an author’s novels, in the order they’ve been written, is getting to see that development over time. (Meanwhile, my own review-writing skills have developed and changed over the years.) In Non Pratt’s case, Every Little Piece of My Heart showcases how her talents at characterization and particularly perspective have evolved over the years. With each novel, Pratt continues to tinker and imagine and play with how to tell stories from the point of view of diverse teenage characters. The result is invariably entertaining and poignant, and this latest book is no exception.
Every Little Piece of My Heart shares superficial similarities with Unboxed , an earlier novella of Pratt’s. Both books involve a group of teens coming together as a result of the absence of someone common to all their lives. Whereas Unboxed was about recovering a time capsule the main characters had intentionally buried, however, Every Little Piece of My Heart is about discovering secrets and relationships that were, until recently, buried. Sophie is grieving the decay of her best friendship with Freya, who moved to Manchester in the middle of Year 11. She’s hyped to receive a package from Freya, except it’s more of a quest: within her package is another package, addressed to someone else Freya knew, and so on. This game of “pass the parcel” brings these characters together in a way that should be sweet but isn’t, because of course, this is a Non Pratt novel.
Friendship has always been an important motif in Pratt’s work, which is perhaps one of the reasons her novels resonate with me. As an aromantic and asexual person, I am all about friendship being just as valuable and important as romance—and I think this is particularly true for teenagers, for that time in your life when (as I am given to understand) you are often making your first forays into sex/romance and prone to stumbling. Friends are the ones who are there to pick you up and help you figure out all the tough things happening while you are adrift on the sea of hormones and expected grades. Moreover, to me, books that talk about the end of a friendship—the heartbreak that comes with it—are so vital. So much is written about romantic break-ups, but friend break-ups—whether bombastic and sudden or quiet and gradual—deserve time in the spotlight too.
Freya reminds me of Margo from Paper Towns (I haven’t read the book but I enjoyed the movie). Both are subversions of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope, and the theme of both stories entails the main characters understanding how they projected their expectations onto this person. Sophie realizes this later in the story, realizes that Freya was always performing—even with her; indeed, Sophie realizes she was performing right back. In this way, although we get flashbacks with and letters from Freya, she is more of an abstraction, an idea rather than a character. She is also the manipulator behind the event that drives this entire plot.
I admire the deftness with which Pratt portrays this manipulation. On the one hand, this is the kind of adventure that is made for a YA novel: lost friend re-enters your life only to send you on a madcap quest that ingeniously helps you find your people. If Pratt had wanted to play this straight, it would have been fun and quirky and probably too sugary for me. Instead, Freya’s ingenious plan backfires, as the main characters resent the way they’ve been manipulated, and the letters she leaves each of them like so many little nuggets of truth and wisdom inspire ire rather than awe and appreciation. I love this, because it just so effectively subverts the movie trope of grand gestures working out perfectly as planned. Freya left, and we don’t ever fully get to hear her story, but her attempt to reach out and touch the lives of these friends one last time does not go as planned. She could have just picked up her phone or computer, called or texted or otherwise messaged everyone. But no, she had to make it a big thing, and the result is much messier and more complicated than she probably ever imagined it would be.
So in this sense, I love the reactions that each character has to their encounter with the others. I love Sophie’s careful and deliberate way of setting out to prove to herself that her chronic illness will not define her. I love Winnie’s reaction to receiving a giant Pride flag as her present from Freya, the complicated relationship she has with her sexuality and her feelings about possibly coming out to others IRL. I love Lucas’ gradual realizations about how he has let others define his role in friendships. And I love Ryan’s slow and silent heartbreak. Finally, because not to mention her would be a crime, I love Sunny, Winnie’s sister and the only character not connected to Freya. Her presence as a foil for everyone else is so delightful, owing to her personality being about three times her stature, and she’s just a wonderful character for everyone else to play off of—at the same time, I like that Pratt gives her an arc as well.
Does Freya’s plan work after all? Do these characters come together? I’m not going to spoil the ending (I love the ending, and particularly Sophie’s ending)—but I will give you the heads up that there is a welcome ambiguity here. It invites the reader not only to draw their own conclusions but to recall what it feels like, that potential hanging in the air when you are about to embark on a new relationship (or rekindle an old one), that hair-tingling sensation of excitement mixed with butterflies in the stomach. At least, I imagine that’s what people feel about romance, because it’s totally what I feel about friendship! I love that Pratt leaves us with Sophie having the option to take one of two paths, because either path is totally valid when we’re talking friendship. Plus, this is a way better Sophie’s choice than that other one!
I want to conclude by discussing the last act of this book and the way Pratt chose to write the scenes therein. Although earlier in the novel we are treated to your conventional “teenage party scene,” the last act is an impromptu day trip, and what I love about it is that Pratt expertly portrays teenagers doing nothing much at all, which is something I would like to see more of in YA. Time passes in this book, conversations happen, clothes are wrecked, but if you pay close attention you quickly notice that this is all happening at the same time that nothing is really happening, and that really reminded me of my adolescence and the way that a day could feel incredibly significant in some ways yet, if someone asked me to look back and recount what I did, I wouldn’t have much of an answer.
For fans of Non Pratt like my unabashed self, Every Little Piece of My Heart builds clearly and triumphantly on the themes and tropes that have percolated throughout her earlier works. From the messiness of real friendships to the fact that we seldom ever truly know someone, especially during the rocky years of adolescence, Every Little Piece of My Heart captures a small yet diverse slice of perspectives as it explores some of the most significant and important parts of adolescent life. I find myself so happy for these characters and what they’ve experienced yet also sad—particularly for Sophie—and my adult self layers atop that a kind of fatalistic awareness that … this is just how life is. For a reader closer to Sophie’s age, that feeling might instead just be one of deep sympathy and close identification. This is a book about realizing that sometimes the people you thought you were closest to will let you down in unimaginably mundane ways, and what you can do to pick up the pieces of yourself and move forward.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
Every Little Piece of My Heart shares superficial similarities with Unboxed , an earlier novella of Pratt’s. Both books involve a group of teens coming together as a result of the absence of someone common to all their lives. Whereas Unboxed was about recovering a time capsule the main characters had intentionally buried, however, Every Little Piece of My Heart is about discovering secrets and relationships that were, until recently, buried. Sophie is grieving the decay of her best friendship with Freya, who moved to Manchester in the middle of Year 11. She’s hyped to receive a package from Freya, except it’s more of a quest: within her package is another package, addressed to someone else Freya knew, and so on. This game of “pass the parcel” brings these characters together in a way that should be sweet but isn’t, because of course, this is a Non Pratt novel.
Friendship has always been an important motif in Pratt’s work, which is perhaps one of the reasons her novels resonate with me. As an aromantic and asexual person, I am all about friendship being just as valuable and important as romance—and I think this is particularly true for teenagers, for that time in your life when (as I am given to understand) you are often making your first forays into sex/romance and prone to stumbling. Friends are the ones who are there to pick you up and help you figure out all the tough things happening while you are adrift on the sea of hormones and expected grades. Moreover, to me, books that talk about the end of a friendship—the heartbreak that comes with it—are so vital. So much is written about romantic break-ups, but friend break-ups—whether bombastic and sudden or quiet and gradual—deserve time in the spotlight too.
Freya reminds me of Margo from Paper Towns (I haven’t read the book but I enjoyed the movie). Both are subversions of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope, and the theme of both stories entails the main characters understanding how they projected their expectations onto this person. Sophie realizes this later in the story, realizes that Freya was always performing—even with her; indeed, Sophie realizes she was performing right back. In this way, although we get flashbacks with and letters from Freya, she is more of an abstraction, an idea rather than a character. She is also the manipulator behind the event that drives this entire plot.
I admire the deftness with which Pratt portrays this manipulation. On the one hand, this is the kind of adventure that is made for a YA novel: lost friend re-enters your life only to send you on a madcap quest that ingeniously helps you find your people. If Pratt had wanted to play this straight, it would have been fun and quirky and probably too sugary for me. Instead, Freya’s ingenious plan backfires, as the main characters resent the way they’ve been manipulated, and the letters she leaves each of them like so many little nuggets of truth and wisdom inspire ire rather than awe and appreciation. I love this, because it just so effectively subverts the movie trope of grand gestures working out perfectly as planned. Freya left, and we don’t ever fully get to hear her story, but her attempt to reach out and touch the lives of these friends one last time does not go as planned. She could have just picked up her phone or computer, called or texted or otherwise messaged everyone. But no, she had to make it a big thing, and the result is much messier and more complicated than she probably ever imagined it would be.
So in this sense, I love the reactions that each character has to their encounter with the others. I love Sophie’s careful and deliberate way of setting out to prove to herself that her chronic illness will not define her. I love Winnie’s reaction to receiving a giant Pride flag as her present from Freya, the complicated relationship she has with her sexuality and her feelings about possibly coming out to others IRL. I love Lucas’ gradual realizations about how he has let others define his role in friendships. And I love Ryan’s slow and silent heartbreak. Finally, because not to mention her would be a crime, I love Sunny, Winnie’s sister and the only character not connected to Freya. Her presence as a foil for everyone else is so delightful, owing to her personality being about three times her stature, and she’s just a wonderful character for everyone else to play off of—at the same time, I like that Pratt gives her an arc as well.
Does Freya’s plan work after all? Do these characters come together? I’m not going to spoil the ending (I love the ending, and particularly Sophie’s ending)—but I will give you the heads up that there is a welcome ambiguity here. It invites the reader not only to draw their own conclusions but to recall what it feels like, that potential hanging in the air when you are about to embark on a new relationship (or rekindle an old one), that hair-tingling sensation of excitement mixed with butterflies in the stomach. At least, I imagine that’s what people feel about romance, because it’s totally what I feel about friendship! I love that Pratt leaves us with Sophie having the option to take one of two paths, because either path is totally valid when we’re talking friendship. Plus, this is a way better Sophie’s choice than that other one!
I want to conclude by discussing the last act of this book and the way Pratt chose to write the scenes therein. Although earlier in the novel we are treated to your conventional “teenage party scene,” the last act is an impromptu day trip, and what I love about it is that Pratt expertly portrays teenagers doing nothing much at all, which is something I would like to see more of in YA. Time passes in this book, conversations happen, clothes are wrecked, but if you pay close attention you quickly notice that this is all happening at the same time that nothing is really happening, and that really reminded me of my adolescence and the way that a day could feel incredibly significant in some ways yet, if someone asked me to look back and recount what I did, I wouldn’t have much of an answer.
For fans of Non Pratt like my unabashed self, Every Little Piece of My Heart builds clearly and triumphantly on the themes and tropes that have percolated throughout her earlier works. From the messiness of real friendships to the fact that we seldom ever truly know someone, especially during the rocky years of adolescence, Every Little Piece of My Heart captures a small yet diverse slice of perspectives as it explores some of the most significant and important parts of adolescent life. I find myself so happy for these characters and what they’ve experienced yet also sad—particularly for Sophie—and my adult self layers atop that a kind of fatalistic awareness that … this is just how life is. For a reader closer to Sophie’s age, that feeling might instead just be one of deep sympathy and close identification. This is a book about realizing that sometimes the people you thought you were closest to will let you down in unimaginably mundane ways, and what you can do to pick up the pieces of yourself and move forward.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
December 14, 2020
A wonderful YA book about friendship, connections and the everyday mysteries of life, this is beautifully told and a whole lot of fun. (14+)
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
April 19, 2021
If I'd read this 5-10 years ago I would have loved it, the characters are true to life and it's great in terms of representation. I was particularly excited to read it because of its queer and chronically ill characters (there's so little representation of chronically ill characters in books generally) but I felt that it kind of fell a bit flat and wasn't worth reading just for the representation. I wasn't interested in the generic storyline and found that I wasn't eager to pick it up again once I'd put it down. When I finished I was a bit like oh I'm done ok and moved on with my day where as most books I enjoy stick with me in some way.
June 7, 2020
Excellent chronic illness rep, LGBTQ+ rep, POC rep and just a very moving story about friendship, self identity and our perceptions of others. Non Pratt's best book to date I think!
April 18, 2022
very good book! however it did have a bit of a slow start, but the plot line is so good, and it’s just so interesting seeing it from different peoples perspective. i loved win’s side of the story and i loved seeing how all these different people got together just to work out where the LOTL is. it is rather cliché but sometimes that’s all you need.i also loved the little love trope between sophie and win, like they were polar opposites but made for each other, i actually think that cliché trope worked to an extent. it was so cute w the way it was written and i loved all the different perspectives omg
Want to read
April 23, 2021The real strength of this book is the characters, how real they felt and how well the messy, complicated nature of their relationships (romantic and otherwise) was brought to life in every scene and interaction. The dual timelines and the way the reader is gradually introduced to the various different secrets, events and misunderstandings that led to where they are in the present day were woven together beautifully. The highlight, for me, was maybe the way we come to see the various sides of Freya, the absent friend who holds the whole story together, and the MC Sophie learns that maybe neither of them were the person or best friend she thought. I also really appreciated the chronic pain rep - mine isn't specifically lupus so I can't speak to the detailed accuracy, but the way it affected everything Sophie did and every choice she made, the difficulty of deciding whether to own up to it and get help but risk dealing with preconceptions and misconceptions and the inevitable pity of the able-bodied, and especially the way she wavers between acceptance and anger, disappointment, frustration - all of that was very true to my experience.
Unfortunately, the one thing that didn't work for me was the central concept - the 'treasure hunt' parcel from Freya that kick-started the story and brought the four present-day characters together. Of course in books and films we accept things happening that would be very unlikely in real life, but this was just a stretch too far for my suspension of disbelief.
Overall rating 3.5 stars.
Unfortunately, the one thing that didn't work for me was the central concept - the 'treasure hunt' parcel from Freya that kick-started the story and brought the four present-day characters together. Of course in books and films we accept things happening that would be very unlikely in real life, but this was just a stretch too far for my suspension of disbelief.
Overall rating 3.5 stars.
August 6, 2020
This is beautiful, heartbreaking, uplifting and just, well bring tissues you will need them. I absolutely loved the authors note before the book and it’s just wonderful to read a book about someone with chronic illness being represented. I loved how much this emphasises and focuses on the difference that one person can affect others lives, the love, the friendship, very It’s a Wonderful life (I mean that in a very positive way, I love that film and the difference people make to the world, to people who love them is so massive it needs to be used and shown far more) I mean it’s not the same per se, but you get my point. Friendships matter, they mould is, make us and they are the family we choose for ourselves. This was beautifully written and a powerful story. I also loved reading about British people for a rare change. Fabulous and thoroughly recommended
May 24, 2020
This was good! I did really start to hate Freya by the end of the story, I felt like the ambiguous ending left a little to be desired because of this. However, the main character Sophie provided some excellent chronic illness representation, and I really loved how she was portrayed. It was a second string to the story rather than the main plot point, and the promise of a possible future romance between her and another of the central characters really appealed to me, although I wish it had been shipped fully by the end of the novel.
July 27, 2020
I was completely immersed in this friendship story. So much goodness happening, with diversity and authentic characters and situations and the mystery of Freya. Perhaps the open resolution will frustrate some readers, but it didn't lessen its impact on me.
May 2, 2020
The chronic illness representation in this book is so relatable! I don't have Lupus but I do have Fibromyalgia and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome so I have plenty of experience with chronic pain and fatigue. It was well-written and very accurate. I love the redemption arc for Ryan, I think he deserved better, but he was also pretty mean so I understand why no one liked him. Sophie is such a great character, she went through a lot and I really felt for her. Win was probably my favourite character, she came across as a very strong, kind, understanding person and I think everyone needs a friend like her. The ending was a little frustrating, I don't know whether I like that the ending was left open. On the one hand, I'm desperate to know what happens next, but on the other hand it's nice to imagine my own ending for the characters. I hope Win and Sophie are having a wonderful time together. I hope Sunny and Lucas are going on cute dates. And I really hope Ryan is having a better time, maybe spending time with his new friends and becoming a better person. Jules, despite being a minor character, was one of my favourites and I hope they are uni with fellow queer folks, living their best nonbinary life!
December 22, 2022
Overall, I liked this. I thought all of the characters were tangible and interesting. I liked the bonds they formed and was interested in what was gonna happen with the parcel Sophie received. Also a lot of important rep in this book!
I got to the end and felt somewhat unsatisfied - I really wanted more from it! Not necessarily a conclusion, just more. The book ended right when the characters were all on the precipice of change and I really would have loved to have seen how it changed them for the better.
I got to the end and felt somewhat unsatisfied - I really wanted more from it! Not necessarily a conclusion, just more. The book ended right when the characters were all on the precipice of change and I really would have loved to have seen how it changed them for the better.
July 23, 2020
Every Little Piece of My Heart is a story about friendship and loss. The story follows Sophie, who's best friend Freya has recently moved away from Leeds to Manchester. As far as Sophie is concerned, Freya may as well have moved to moon because Freya has been ignoring all of Sophie's texts, calls, likes and messages. Sophie really needs her best friend because she has recently been diagnosed with Lupus and she is hiding it from everyone. Just as Sophie begins to adjust to her new normal, with Lupus and without Freya, Sophie receives a parcel from Freya containing a bracelet and a name of a girl at her school; who Sophie doesn't know and who Sophie is certain Freya didn't know either.
The more Sophie plays Freya's game of human pass the parcel, Sophie learns that she didn't know Freya as well as she thought and she begins to question their friendship. The further down the layers she goes, and the more people she meets, the more she realises that Freya has been trying to control her life for a long time, even in her absence. Sophie decides to try and figure out who she is without Freya ands brings her new friends along for the ride.
Non Pratt's characters are immediately likable. Sophie such a strong protagonist and even the spectre of Freya is a fully realised character. It is with the character of Win, and her sister Sunny, that Non really stole my heart. Win is a shy, closeted lesbian, who is second generation Chinese. Sunny is the polar opposite of Win, outgoing and boy crazy with no problem inserting herself into her sister's adventures. Sunny also has no problem being the book's comic relief and their dynamic reminded me a lot of me and my sister.
Every Little Piece of My Heart is an amazing summer read, it is mysterious and intriguing but will leave you feeling loved and accepted.
The more Sophie plays Freya's game of human pass the parcel, Sophie learns that she didn't know Freya as well as she thought and she begins to question their friendship. The further down the layers she goes, and the more people she meets, the more she realises that Freya has been trying to control her life for a long time, even in her absence. Sophie decides to try and figure out who she is without Freya ands brings her new friends along for the ride.
Non Pratt's characters are immediately likable. Sophie such a strong protagonist and even the spectre of Freya is a fully realised character. It is with the character of Win, and her sister Sunny, that Non really stole my heart. Win is a shy, closeted lesbian, who is second generation Chinese. Sunny is the polar opposite of Win, outgoing and boy crazy with no problem inserting herself into her sister's adventures. Sunny also has no problem being the book's comic relief and their dynamic reminded me a lot of me and my sister.
Every Little Piece of My Heart is an amazing summer read, it is mysterious and intriguing but will leave you feeling loved and accepted.
July 20, 2020
The book is written in the perspective of four characters who each receive something from Freya who left town abruptly and each person was a part of her life in different ways.
I really enjoyed the writing style and the characters in the book, each character was written well with focus on their own feelings, their story and the impact of Freya. I did like the plot and the pace of the book, I also liked how I related to the disappointment the characters felt over the letters. At first I found the reveals boring and not as dramatic as I thought but that was how the characters felt too. The relationship between the characters was built well and the romance in the book was cute. I also liked the ending.
4/5
I really enjoyed the writing style and the characters in the book, each character was written well with focus on their own feelings, their story and the impact of Freya. I did like the plot and the pace of the book, I also liked how I related to the disappointment the characters felt over the letters. At first I found the reveals boring and not as dramatic as I thought but that was how the characters felt too. The relationship between the characters was built well and the romance in the book was cute. I also liked the ending.
4/5
January 11, 2021
good story, showing how 4 people can think they know someone, but see from eachother that their perspective of the person are different. i for one think such character as selfish but i understand the characters actions to a degree.
August 12, 2021
3,5*
Ešte stále rozmýšľam nad hodnotením keďže do polky mi kniha prišla zvláštna a nudila ma a všetko sa zmenilo až po prekročení polovice. Postupom času sa mi zapáčili postavy aj romantická linka a užívala som si príbeh.
Ešte stále rozmýšľam nad hodnotením keďže do polky mi kniha prišla zvláštna a nudila ma a všetko sa zmenilo až po prekročení polovice. Postupom času sa mi zapáčili postavy aj romantická linka a užívala som si príbeh.
September 9, 2020
4.5 stars
November 25, 2020
Sensitive, informative and a great story that encourages us not to judge on appearances, we all have things we are dealing with below the surface so be kind.
March 1, 2024
Really cute story on illness, friendship. I love the fact it was based around my hometown. The ending was a bit, I needed more. But overall enjoyable
April 25, 2024
i had to force myself to read this🤣😭
July 13, 2020
I love Non Pratt's stories so I was really excited to start this one. It's another brilliant contemporary YA told from the perspective of four very different but equally engaging characters.
Non captures teenage life in a way that will resonate with teen readers without feeling patronising. Sophie's refusal to think about her exams, the whole-life encompassing impact of friendships, family fallings out are just a few of the ways she creates authentic teenage characters.
It was interesting to read about a teenage character with a chronic illness and Non's author note at the end is really informative. It's clear that Non really did her research before writing Every Little Piece of My Heart, and I've finished it feeling more empathetic, and also having learnt a lot about Lupus. But Sophie is far more than just her illness, and it doesn't define her character. She is loyal and funny and in desperate need of a friend.
Every POV character was fun to read, and I was never disappointed when they switched. Win was strong and stable and she kept the peace. Her story will resonate with lots of readers. Lucas's toxic friendship with Kellan is something many teenagers will relate to as well - the conflict between knowing someone isn't a good friend for you, but wanting to keep them in your life because you're afraid of letting go. Ryan was different again, believing himself to be unloveable and pushing everyone away.
Although the shining star of Every Little Piece of My Heart wasn't a POV character at all, but Sunny. She was an absolute delight and impossible not to love. I also found it fascinating how much Freya dominated the narrative, despite her absence.
I loved the way the timeline flipped back and forth, so the story slowly fell into place. There's a great mystery element to the plot which will keep readers going late into the night.
This is a wonderful story of friendship, growing up, and being yourself. Every Little Piece of My Heart is a must-buy for school libraries this September.
Non captures teenage life in a way that will resonate with teen readers without feeling patronising. Sophie's refusal to think about her exams, the whole-life encompassing impact of friendships, family fallings out are just a few of the ways she creates authentic teenage characters.
It was interesting to read about a teenage character with a chronic illness and Non's author note at the end is really informative. It's clear that Non really did her research before writing Every Little Piece of My Heart, and I've finished it feeling more empathetic, and also having learnt a lot about Lupus. But Sophie is far more than just her illness, and it doesn't define her character. She is loyal and funny and in desperate need of a friend.
Every POV character was fun to read, and I was never disappointed when they switched. Win was strong and stable and she kept the peace. Her story will resonate with lots of readers. Lucas's toxic friendship with Kellan is something many teenagers will relate to as well - the conflict between knowing someone isn't a good friend for you, but wanting to keep them in your life because you're afraid of letting go. Ryan was different again, believing himself to be unloveable and pushing everyone away.
Although the shining star of Every Little Piece of My Heart wasn't a POV character at all, but Sunny. She was an absolute delight and impossible not to love. I also found it fascinating how much Freya dominated the narrative, despite her absence.
I loved the way the timeline flipped back and forth, so the story slowly fell into place. There's a great mystery element to the plot which will keep readers going late into the night.
This is a wonderful story of friendship, growing up, and being yourself. Every Little Piece of My Heart is a must-buy for school libraries this September.
July 6, 2020
This is the first novel that I’ve read by Non Pratt. And, after reading this I will be keeping an eye out for more of her books in the future. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an e-arc copy of this book!
The novel revolves around four unlikely friends who are brought together by an elaborate game of pass the parcel engineered by Freya: the girl who skipped town. Through this intricate game Win, Sophie and the other recipients try to figure out why Freya left.Whilst the plot is engineered by Freya, the main focus is on the four people she left behind. All four characters are incredibly complex and each provides valuable insight into Freya’s life. Through these characters we as the readers are able to build up a picture of Freya without actually meeting her.
I found that it was really interesting to read from the perspective of four very different people. The book takes four cookie cutter characters: the popular girl, the jock, the nerd and the outcast. And, throughout the story they are given more depth, highlighting the fact that people aren’t always as clear-cut as they initially appear.
Overall I really enjoyed this book, I loved the representation of chronic illnesses, and the LGBT representation. The diversity feels effortless and from the foreword you can see how much thought and care has gone into creating these characters.
The novel revolves around four unlikely friends who are brought together by an elaborate game of pass the parcel engineered by Freya: the girl who skipped town. Through this intricate game Win, Sophie and the other recipients try to figure out why Freya left.Whilst the plot is engineered by Freya, the main focus is on the four people she left behind. All four characters are incredibly complex and each provides valuable insight into Freya’s life. Through these characters we as the readers are able to build up a picture of Freya without actually meeting her.
I found that it was really interesting to read from the perspective of four very different people. The book takes four cookie cutter characters: the popular girl, the jock, the nerd and the outcast. And, throughout the story they are given more depth, highlighting the fact that people aren’t always as clear-cut as they initially appear.
Overall I really enjoyed this book, I loved the representation of chronic illnesses, and the LGBT representation. The diversity feels effortless and from the foreword you can see how much thought and care has gone into creating these characters.
June 23, 2020
Overall I really enjoyed this book! It felt like a grown up version of Pratt's previous work, Unboxed, and I liked how they handled the lesbian and bisexual characters. I also loved Sunny, I was worried she was going to be a throwaway character as ‘the baby sister’, but she was so good!! And funny!! Read this book just to meet Sunny!!
I had a few problems with distinguishing the male characters, which might have just been me, but I was convinced that Ryan and Kellen were the same person for a good 30% of the book. Obviously it’s cleared up at the end, but I wish Sophie had outright stated that Ryan and Kellen were cousins. (Also, were there two Aunt Helen’s? Or am I just stupid? There were a lot of Aunts in this book.)
I really loved Sophie and Win, I would almost call them the main protagonists. As someone with a Chronic Illness, Sophie felt very real, especially the overdoing herself. Also the mother who wants to help, but thinks that eating right and exercising will cure a chronic illness. No mother. I will feel better eating this Krispy Kreme than this bowl of Kale.
Win was also really great, and I enjoyed how her parents weren’t stereotyped into the typical ‘Tiger Mom’ roles. They really cared about her, and they accepted her being gay, and that wasn’t her whole arc! Incredible! A lesbian character with a stable homelife? We love to see it.
In conclusion, this was a really good book, especially if you’re looking for a YA low-stakes mystery. The female characters are well written, and there is a lot of accurate representation.
Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.
I had a few problems with distinguishing the male characters, which might have just been me, but I was convinced that Ryan and Kellen were the same person for a good 30% of the book. Obviously it’s cleared up at the end, but I wish Sophie had outright stated that Ryan and Kellen were cousins. (Also, were there two Aunt Helen’s? Or am I just stupid? There were a lot of Aunts in this book.)
I really loved Sophie and Win, I would almost call them the main protagonists. As someone with a Chronic Illness, Sophie felt very real, especially the overdoing herself. Also the mother who wants to help, but thinks that eating right and exercising will cure a chronic illness. No mother. I will feel better eating this Krispy Kreme than this bowl of Kale.
Win was also really great, and I enjoyed how her parents weren’t stereotyped into the typical ‘Tiger Mom’ roles. They really cared about her, and they accepted her being gay, and that wasn’t her whole arc! Incredible! A lesbian character with a stable homelife? We love to see it.
In conclusion, this was a really good book, especially if you’re looking for a YA low-stakes mystery. The female characters are well written, and there is a lot of accurate representation.
Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.
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