Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
71st out of 254 books
—
996 voters
34 Pieces of You
by
Carmen Rodrigues (Goodreads Author)
A dark and moving novel about the mystery surrounding a teenage girl’s fatal overdose.
There was something about Ellie... Something dangerous. Charismatic. Broken. Jake looked out for her. Sarah followed her lead. And Jess kept her distance, and kept watch.
Now Ellie’s dead, and Jake, Sarah, and Jess are left to pick up the pieces. All they have are 34 clues she left behind....more
There was something about Ellie... Something dangerous. Charismatic. Broken. Jake looked out for her. Sarah followed her lead. And Jess kept her distance, and kept watch.
Now Ellie’s dead, and Jake, Sarah, and Jess are left to pick up the pieces. All they have are 34 clues she left behind....more
Hardcover, 325 pages
Published
September 4th 2012
by Simon Pulse
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
3,000)
Just what in the world was the point of all of that? The characters were all so lackluster and I couldn't connect with any of them. The plot was all over the place. The alternating chapters made me dizzy and the three protagonists' voices blended together. And I didn't learn anything in the end, nor did the characters. And barely any of my questions were answered. If anything, I have even more questions.
This is like the dull version of Thirteen Reasons Why that lacks the gut-wrenching-ness that...more
This is like the dull version of Thirteen Reasons Why that lacks the gut-wrenching-ness that...more
So the premise of this book is that two 17 year old girls overdose on pills and one dies. The story is told between alternating narrators that include Sarah, the girl that lived, Jake, Ellie's brother, and Jessie, Sarah's younger sister. Timelines are all over the place. The marker in time is the night Ellie died in November. Then the three narrators take turns telling pieces of what happened to Ellie, secrets they carry, and guilt that burdens them. They all let Ellie down in one way or another...more
Full review and more at Steph's Stacks
Ellie is a girl on the edge. The type of girl that takes you out for the time of your life and brings you out of your shell. She also encourages you to make poor decisions and can cause you to lose yourself in the glare of her spotlight. She is an enigma, complicated and troubled. She is also now dead, due to a tragic night that is somewhat shrouded in mystery.
Through a series of cryptic clues, Ellie's friends try to put together the pieces of her life and d...more
Ellie is a girl on the edge. The type of girl that takes you out for the time of your life and brings you out of your shell. She also encourages you to make poor decisions and can cause you to lose yourself in the glare of her spotlight. She is an enigma, complicated and troubled. She is also now dead, due to a tragic night that is somewhat shrouded in mystery.
Through a series of cryptic clues, Ellie's friends try to put together the pieces of her life and d...more
Review originally posted on my blog http://hobbitsies.net/2012/08/34-piec...
Well, I typed up this very long review of 34 Pieces of You by Carmen Rodrigues and then I closed Microsoft Word, whoops. Devastated and what not. Which is kind of how I felt while reading 34 Pieces of You, ironically.
Because 34 Pieces of You is a brilliantly done book. The story is heartbreaking and touching in every possible way and the writing style itself is freaking beautiful and the way Carmen Rodrigues organized it...more
Well, I typed up this very long review of 34 Pieces of You by Carmen Rodrigues and then I closed Microsoft Word, whoops. Devastated and what not. Which is kind of how I felt while reading 34 Pieces of You, ironically.
Because 34 Pieces of You is a brilliantly done book. The story is heartbreaking and touching in every possible way and the writing style itself is freaking beautiful and the way Carmen Rodrigues organized it...more
Reminded me of Looking for Alaska. This book will hook you right from the beginning. But get ready for some sad, depressing and hurtful moments. Told from four perpective views. You will find yourself in a maze trying to understand the time frame but you will get it once you go through a few time slots. :p
I still have a lot of unanswered questions, though. Hmm. Anyway, I liked this book. Read it if you are looking for something to wake you up and appreciate your life more. *shrugs* If you are al...more
I still have a lot of unanswered questions, though. Hmm. Anyway, I liked this book. Read it if you are looking for something to wake you up and appreciate your life more. *shrugs* If you are al...more
Feb 03, 2013
Amberock72
added it
34 pieces of you is about two wild and crazy best friends who over doses on pills. One lives whose name is Sarah but the other dies whose name is Ellie. The death of Ellie turns everyone’s world upside down. Ellie had an effect on her close friends and family. She was a complicated girl who had been through hard times. The story is told by three narrators Sarah, Jessie Sarah’s little sister, and Jake Ellie’s brother. They all recount their times with Ellie and how she had an impact on their live...more
Dark, brooding, and turbulent, 34 Pieces of You is the disturbing tale of a young girl of dies (Ellie) and the three people left behind to piece together what happened, ultimately leading to her death. By the time I was done reading, Carmen Rodrigues had me all twisted up and I wasn’t entirely sure what I thought.
The story is told through 3 alternating points of view, and I have to admit, I wasn’t a fan of this. Sometimes alternating POVs work, but 3 was just a little much, especially when it wa...more
The story is told through 3 alternating points of view, and I have to admit, I wasn’t a fan of this. Sometimes alternating POVs work, but 3 was just a little much, especially when it wa...more
The inside cover starts with, "I have so many secrets, but I won't tell you." This is one of the many random messages left by Ellie, a girl desperate for help unable to ask for it. But this particular statement sums up each and every character in the book. The story is told through alternating perspectives: Jake, Ellie's brother; Sarah, Ellie's best friend; and Jessie, Sarah's younger sister. All of whom have secrets of their own that have and will continue to alter their lives. The story begins...more
I was in the mood to read something depressing and disturbing and 34 Pieces of You seemed to be the perfect choice, but this book took disturbing to a whole new level altogether. I love the book title and cover, but I'm afraid I'll have to say that that's where my like for the book ends.
34 Pieces of You is told from the points of view of three people directly in relation with Ellie, who dies because of a drug overdose, suicide or otherwise. Ellie's brother Jake, her best friend and neighbour, S...more
34 Pieces of You is told from the points of view of three people directly in relation with Ellie, who dies because of a drug overdose, suicide or otherwise. Ellie's brother Jake, her best friend and neighbour, S...more
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: A heart-wrenching tale about the ugly truth in a teen’s melancholy life.
Opening Sentence: It happened on a Saturday.
The Review:
I wasn’t instantly attracted to 34 Pieces of You by Carmen Rodrigues when I first picked it up. There is something about the cover that turned me away. But after reading several pages, I was quickly enthralled by the story. Rodrigues writes an emotionally dark story, chilling and powerful to the core.
In 34 Pieces of...more
Quick & Dirty: A heart-wrenching tale about the ugly truth in a teen’s melancholy life.
Opening Sentence: It happened on a Saturday.
The Review:
I wasn’t instantly attracted to 34 Pieces of You by Carmen Rodrigues when I first picked it up. There is something about the cover that turned me away. But after reading several pages, I was quickly enthralled by the story. Rodrigues writes an emotionally dark story, chilling and powerful to the core.
In 34 Pieces of...more
I liked the premise of this book but I've read similar books that were superior. 34 pieces of you reminded me slightly of books such as Thirteen Reasons Why and Hold Still. It just didn't have the same emotional pull as those two.
I think it was mostly because I didn't connect to any of the characters. Another thing I didn't like was all the different points of view. No one stood out as being particularly captivating and I didn't feel like I got to know enough about Ellie, the girl whose death wa...more
I think it was mostly because I didn't connect to any of the characters. Another thing I didn't like was all the different points of view. No one stood out as being particularly captivating and I didn't feel like I got to know enough about Ellie, the girl whose death wa...more
Technically it took me but three hours to finish this one (does that entice you at all?) This is despite the initially confusing jump between the pasts and presents of those three voices. Perhaps it’s because of the speed at which I got through this that I felt little invested in most of them (or maybe not.) All those 13 Reasons Why comparisons pushed me to read this except beyond the tragic deaths in both, I didn’t feel for this quite as much. In 13, Hannah recounts in specific and sometimes pa...more
4.5 stars
So many people said they read this book in just one sitting. I wasn't expecting that to be the case for me, what with all the homework and studying I should have been doing. But needing a break from Karl, Max and Emile I cracked open (well clicked open) Carmen Rodrigues' 34 Pieces of You and now here I am, a bit past midnight, emotionally drained.
There was not a single character in this story that I couldn't relate to in some way. The troubles they went through were real and some touche...more
So many people said they read this book in just one sitting. I wasn't expecting that to be the case for me, what with all the homework and studying I should have been doing. But needing a break from Karl, Max and Emile I cracked open (well clicked open) Carmen Rodrigues' 34 Pieces of You and now here I am, a bit past midnight, emotionally drained.
There was not a single character in this story that I couldn't relate to in some way. The troubles they went through were real and some touche...more
Carmen Rodrigues pens a chilling dark and emotionally powerful novel, that will deeply move readers beyond the telling. Remincent of Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why, 34 Pieces of You is a haunting mystery of a young girl's fatal overdose. Ellie is an exceptionally intriguing and complex character. There seems to be a dark cloud surrounding her, revealing something very broken and dangerous. She's full of painful depression and the absence of any hope to act as a healing balm for her fractured s
...more
Although you will read 34 PIECES OF YOU in one sitting, it is by no means a “light read.” I think there was every teenage problem imaginable packed into its pages, including: drug and alcohol abuse, cutting, sexual abuse, homosexuality/coming out, manic depression, divorce, absent parents, hospitalization, and overdose.
Fun, right? :/
In fact, I would not have picked this book up at all if it weren’t for something I read on Goodreads. (I’ve tried to go back and find who said this with no luck, but...more
Fun, right? :/
In fact, I would not have picked this book up at all if it weren’t for something I read on Goodreads. (I’ve tried to go back and find who said this with no luck, but...more
I started reading the book yesterday, technically i finished in 4 hours, not because it was an easy read, but because it was an amazing read. I just couldnt stop. This book is real, and true, and as tough as the topics are.. anyone who has lived thru there teenager years can somehow relate in one way or another. I found myself turning pages, and turning pages, and turning pages, eagerly wanting to dive deeper into the tender thoughts and raw emotions of each and every single character. If you wa...more
If you are looking for a fun, light hearted read then keep looking. This book was very dark and very emotional. Once started, it is not easy to put down though so just be prepared to spend some time with it and be warned that it is quite depressing.
The story starts out being told by Jess. Jess is Sarah's younger sister. Sarah is Ellie's best friend. Ellie is a very torn up character. She is simply a mess! The story starts with Jess describing the "accident" that landed her sister in the hospital...more
The story starts out being told by Jess. Jess is Sarah's younger sister. Sarah is Ellie's best friend. Ellie is a very torn up character. She is simply a mess! The story starts with Jess describing the "accident" that landed her sister in the hospital...more
This novel reads like The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chobsky meets Looking for Alaska by John Green. Told in the alternating voices of Jake, Sarah and Jessie, the aftermath of Ellie's drug overdose is explored. Is Ellie’s death an accident, or did she commit suicide? When Jessie discovers a box with 34 scraps of paper hidden under Ellie’s bed she hopes it may hold the secrets Ellie could not share, and help to reveal the reason for her death.
It becomes clear early on that Ellie has...more
It becomes clear early on that Ellie has...more
I honestly don't know where to begin with this book. Carmen was written one of the most heart-wrenching books I have ever read. Granted I haven't read many books dealing with a lot of the tough issues you see in this book, I have read a lot of emotional book and this one will without a doubt get your emotions rolling. 34 Pieces of You is so beautifully written and extremely captivating. With this being Carmen's Sophmore novel I didn't know what to expect not knowing anything about her writing, b...more
Ellie was beautiful...Ellie was smart...Ellie took too many pills...and now Ellie is dead.
This book gives readers an all too real snapshot of just what happens when someone commits suicide.
Though the pain may be over for the person in question; the wounds and devastation left for family and friends of the lost loved one never ends.
In most cases, the people left behind are asking themselves and all who will listen one question.
WHY?
"34 Pieces of You" will haunt all the secret places and darkest...more
This book gives readers an all too real snapshot of just what happens when someone commits suicide.
Though the pain may be over for the person in question; the wounds and devastation left for family and friends of the lost loved one never ends.
In most cases, the people left behind are asking themselves and all who will listen one question.
WHY?
"34 Pieces of You" will haunt all the secret places and darkest...more
This book is not for everyone, however if you have ever struggled with depression, suicide (from anyone you were close to not just yourself), or self harm this book is amazing. There are some triggers that can really set recovering people off though.
Spoilers
I connected with all the characters. Ellie with all her badassedness. Her friends, her secret lesbian lover, and every part of the sadness that remained in the characters.
The whole 34 pieces was kind of confusing and I was disappointed that...more
Spoilers
I connected with all the characters. Ellie with all her badassedness. Her friends, her secret lesbian lover, and every part of the sadness that remained in the characters.
The whole 34 pieces was kind of confusing and I was disappointed that...more
I much preferred the progression of a story like 13 Reasons Why or Trigger to the way this novel unfolded. I think it could have been a stronger novel had it just chosen one of two elements instead of both elements combined: multiple narrators and a flashback, flashforward sequence. It was enough to keep everyone straight, including characters like step-parents, college flings and all, but to add every element that could connect with youth was overwhelming: cutting, rape, homosexuality, drug abu...more
I saw that many were comparing this book to Thirteen Reasons Why. And while I knew many loved that book, I didn't. I didn't find myself caring about Hannah (the girl who committed suicide) in that book and so I was hoping that this book would be different since suicide is such a tragic and important topic. Unfortunately, I pretty much felt the same way about Ellie as I did about Hannah.
Yes, I get that Ellie had an extremely hard life and went through things that no person should ever have to go...more
Yes, I get that Ellie had an extremely hard life and went through things that no person should ever have to go...more
The story opens with the morning after best friends Ellie and Sarah overdose on drugs resulting in Ellie’s death and Sarah’s confinement to the hospital. The story bounces around in time and is told by three narrators (Ellie, Sarah and Sarah’s younger sister Jessie). Two other prominent characters are Ellie’s older brother, Jake, who has left for his freshman year of college and Jake’s best friend, Tommy, who has been dating Sarah off and on for a while. The storyline is hard to follow at first...more
Secrets can be toxic, can destroy you if you don’t take proper care of them. Some are too painful to ever speak aloud, some you can never outrun, forget, or move past.
Ellie has secrets. Secrets she’s kept hidden from her best friend Sarah, her brother Jake, and Sarah’s sister Jessie. Secrets that may have contributed to the “accident” the night that Ellie died. Was she trying to commit suicide? Did Sarah realize what was going to happen and did she want to die as well? Could Jake have saved Ell...more
Ellie has secrets. Secrets she’s kept hidden from her best friend Sarah, her brother Jake, and Sarah’s sister Jessie. Secrets that may have contributed to the “accident” the night that Ellie died. Was she trying to commit suicide? Did Sarah realize what was going to happen and did she want to die as well? Could Jake have saved Ell...more
I'm surprised it took me so long to read this novel, because it was deserving of a shorter read.
34 Pieces of You is, in a nutshell, Pretty Little Liars mixed with 13 Reasons Why mixed with Ellen Hopkins. I really can't place my finger on what exactly it is that this book brings to mind, but all three of those put together, really.
And I loved every second of it.
34 Pieces of You is primarily about a girl named Ellie. The novel focuses around her. And, oh yeah, she's dead. The book is told from thr...more
34 Pieces of You is, in a nutshell, Pretty Little Liars mixed with 13 Reasons Why mixed with Ellen Hopkins. I really can't place my finger on what exactly it is that this book brings to mind, but all three of those put together, really.
And I loved every second of it.
34 Pieces of You is primarily about a girl named Ellie. The novel focuses around her. And, oh yeah, she's dead. The book is told from thr...more
The comparison to Thirteen Reasons Why originally drew me to this book. I thought "Thirteen Reasons Why" was a very heartfelt, poignant novel. So, I was excited to read something that had the potential to be just as good. However, I am sad to say that this book didn't measure up. I found it very disjointed at times, which could be because of the alternating perspectives, however, there is no reason the story couldn't have flowed better.
I never could connect with any of the characters. There was...more
I never could connect with any of the characters. There was...more
34 Piece of You is a Dark & compelling novel of sex, friendship, attempted suicide, and the burden of secrets.
The story opens with Jessie explaining the accident that happened with Ellie (her friend) & Sarah (her sister) and is told in the points of view of Jessie, Sarah, & Jake (Ellie's brother). All three feel responsible for what happened to Ellie. Carmen does a wonderful job of getting into the minds of the three main characters and expressing their feelings of love, loss, guilt...more
The story opens with Jessie explaining the accident that happened with Ellie (her friend) & Sarah (her sister) and is told in the points of view of Jessie, Sarah, & Jake (Ellie's brother). All three feel responsible for what happened to Ellie. Carmen does a wonderful job of getting into the minds of the three main characters and expressing their feelings of love, loss, guilt...more
I wanted to read this book both because of its premise and because of the comparison to 13 Reasons Why. That book is one of my favorites, even though it's incredibly wrenching to read. This book ultimately fell short. I never felt like I really got to know Ellie and so I never really felt sorry that she was dead (beyond the obvious fact that it's always sad when someone dies, especially so young).
Also, I felt that the characters kept us at a distance. That may not bother some readers but it kep...more
Also, I felt that the characters kept us at a distance. That may not bother some readers but it kep...more
(Source: I borrowed a copy of this book.)
Ellie is dead, whether it was suicide or an accidental overdose nobody knows. Sarah did it with her, but she survived.
Ellie was a live-wire, but she also self-harmed, cutting herself, drinking too much, and getting high all the time.
Now she’s gone and it’s up to everyone left behind to pick up the pieces.
This book is an emotional journey of how the three people closest to Ellie perceived her and her actions, how they made things better or worse, and how t...more
Ellie is dead, whether it was suicide or an accidental overdose nobody knows. Sarah did it with her, but she survived.
Ellie was a live-wire, but she also self-harmed, cutting herself, drinking too much, and getting high all the time.
Now she’s gone and it’s up to everyone left behind to pick up the pieces.
This book is an emotional journey of how the three people closest to Ellie perceived her and her actions, how they made things better or worse, and how t...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crazy for Young A...: 34 Pieces of You by Carmen Rodrigues → Start Date: October 17, 2012 | 45 | 19 | Nov 09, 2012 04:16pm | |
| 34 PIECES OF YOU: Reading/Book Signing | 1 | 7 | Oct 24, 2012 10:30am |
Carmen Rodrigues is the author of 34 PIECES OF YOU and NOT ANYTHING. She earned her MFA in creative writing from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
For more, visit her at www.carmenrodrigues.com.
Or become a friend on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/thisismyhandstand.
More about Carmen Rodrigues...
For more, visit her at www.carmenrodrigues.com.
Or become a friend on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/thisismyhandstand.
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“And where does that minute go, that minute that separates life from death? I want those sixty seconds back.”
—
4 people liked it
“Mattie loves to read. Was born to read. I love to listen to Mattie read. The way her voice rises two octaves above everyone else's. The way the words collide-an endless train of sounds that doesn't require breath.”
—
3 people liked it
More quotes…
Jul 17, 2012 08:56am