Watch Me Disappear

by Diane Vanaskie Mulligan

Lizzie Richards isn't excited to be starting over at a new school for her senior year, but she's trying to take her mother's advice and make the most of it--the only way she can: By disobeying her strict parents' rules.

Lizzie's father has moved the family around every few years to advance his career, so she has never had a chance to develop the kind of "BFF" relationships she thinks most kids have. She's bracing herself for another lonely year at her third high school when her neighbor Maura gets sick of watching her little brother when she could be partying.

Thanks to Maura's plotting, Lizzie becomes everyone's new favorite babysitter. Seeing her opportunity, Lizzie decides to break her mother's rules by using Maura's computer to create a secret Email address and Facebook account. She is quickly friended by Missy, a fellow transfer student as eager for a friend as she is.

Things are looking up for Lizzie until Maura's ex-boyfriend Paul sets his eye on Missy. Caught between her new best friend and the neighbor whose friendship promises instant popularity, Lizzie doesn't know what to do--because she's fallen for Paul, too.

A realistic teen romance with its share of laughs and drama, Watch Me Disappear is a captivating debut.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Fiction

187 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2012

About the author

I am the author of three novels. My most recent, What She Inherits, was published in January, 2017. My first novel, Watch Me Disappear (2012), was a finalist in the Kindle Book Review's Best Indie Book Awards in the Young Adult category in 2013, and my second, The Latecomers Fan Club (2013), was named a 2014 IndieReader Discovery Award winner. In 2015, I released a brief guide book to self-publishing called The Sane Person's Guide to Self-Publishing.

Reviews

[Mitsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

So realistic a portrayal of high school, a teenager could've written it. Lizzie is a young senior, who is attending her third high school. She is an excellent character. I'm sure we've all known a Lizzie when we were in high school. The other kids are great, too. It's high school! Read this and remember....

So well written, funny, surprising, and reminiscent. It's wonderfully fascinating to see Lizzie learn, grow and change. Her parents are just perfect. I love their transformations throughout the story, too. Lizzie's friends? Well, she learned a lot from them. :) From beginning to end, I marveled at how realistic it all seemed. The ending was so well done, I felt a sense of loss.

Yes, would've liked to read what happens to Lizzie and the kids after. Of course, the ending is so spot on perfect no series is needed. :)

Excellent book and well worth taking the time to read - no matter what your age. :)

I love it.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watch Me Disappear is a book about acceptance. It is about finding it in others and finally learning that sometimes you have to accept yourself and what your actions have brought. Lizzie is easy to identify with. She is a flawed character who makes actual discoveries about her own nature and the complicated and contradictory natures of her peers, those seeming stereotypes who are as different as her own. Watch Me Disappear is a book in which not everything lines up as expected, and is that much more satisfying because of it. I would recommend!

[Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

How often do you come across a YA story in which senseless, tasteless teen romance is not the main idea of the book? Can you remember the last time you read a novel where the characters didn't blindly throw themselves at each other? They actually think things through before doing them, such as what could happen in a relationship?

If you like books with intelligent characters and a bit of romance, I highly suggest you read Diane Mulligan's Watch Me Disappear. I think you'll like it.

We are introduced to the main character, Lizzie, when she moves yet again to a new school. She is going to attend senior year at her third high school. Not knowing a single person, she is worried about senior year. Lizzie meets her next door neighbor Maura, who is one of the most popular girls at school. Maura can be a bitch, but she and Lizzie become friends, a bit hesitantly perhaps. After creating a forbidden Facebook account, Lizzie also meets another new girl named Missy. They become friends, and yet again, Lizzie feels self-conscious next to the tall, beautiful Missy. When Lizzie starts senior year, she is happy that she has already gotten to know some people. Craving attention and acceptance, Lizzie stops paying attention to what used to matter to her (doing well in school) and starts striving to fit in with the popular crowd. Her life takes a massive fall when she loses two of her best friends, and doesn't get into the college of her dreams.

This book is very realistic. I could relate well to Lizzie, because her problems seem very similar to some of mine. She wants friends, and doesn't care about romantic relationships. I feel the same way. At this point in my life, I would prefer to have a lot of friends instead of a girlfriend. I think Lizzie tries so hard in school because she doesn't have much else. Not trying to sound self-pitying, but I also try hard in school because I'm not athletic, popular, attractive, etc. Another very relatable part of the book is Lizzie's strict parents. They are very overprotective, and so are my parents! All parents say they want the best for their kids, but sometimes they can be too much. One time, my Uncle said to my mom: "You're not helicopter parents; you're Black Hawk parents!" Lizzie mentions that she was really judgmental, because she had always seen her mom judge people. Same with me. Lizzie calls girls in little pieces of clothing "slutty bitches" because of her mom, and my mom does the same thing. But don't worry; I don't call people slutty bitches.

The romance in this book is very laid back. Lizzie wants a relationship, but she also realizes that there can be a lot of negative aspects of teenage love. When she meets a guy, Paul, she doesn't throw herself at him. She is hesitant, and I think that is because she doesn't want to be hurt or rejected. There is a reason for her not so trustworthy feelings toward Paul, but I won't get into that because it's a spoiler.

Watch Me Disappear is a very original novel in the way that it isn't trying to throw huge ideas at you. It is a true to life story about an average girl that changes dramatically in high school. Some people don't like contemporary romance-heavy books, but this is not one of them. I was very pleased with this book, which by the way, was self published.

Author blog (very informative posts): http://www.dvmulligan.com/
Amazon page (buy the book! $10 dollars for paperback. Only $3 for Kindle copy! Support indie authors!): http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1478...

[Melysah Bunting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watch Me Disappear by Diane Vanaskie Mulligan is a story about a young adult trying to make the most of her senior year in high school. Lizzie Richards is a sheltered girl who has moved around all of her life. What happens when she moves to town where the girl next door is out of control, a new BFF steals her crush, and she starts disobeying her strict parents’ rules?

Lizzie loves to eavesdrop on Maura by listening to her phone conversations out on the back patio. That is how she stays in the loop. One day Lizzie creates a secret Facebook page. Her mother would totally kill her if she found out. Lizzie meets Missy on Facebook during the summer. Once school starts all kinds of crazy things happen.

I love this story. It reminds me of the Judy Blume and other middle grade books I loved as a kid. Only this is a story about an older girl. The characters were like typical high school friends and foes. The humor was genuine. The pace was spot on. I am sure a lot if us can relate to either having strict parents like Lizzie or being totally wild like Maura or having your mother as a best friend like Missy. It is quite well rounded.

I enjoyed the antics of Lizzie and Maura. The stress of high school relationships was all to real. It is all about the journey of growing up.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very entertaining read. Not your typical story in that there are lots of things that happen to the protagonist that you would think will go her way but don't. I like that Lizzie in the end realizes that things aren't always just black or white.

[Sanjana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Watch Me Disappear was not the book I expected it to be. I was expecting another sappy, high school drama, that sounds just like the lectures you hear in school about how to keep your grades up, pick good friends, and stay away from harmful substances. Fortunately, that's not what I got. What Mulligan actually wrote was the story of a relatable young girl named Lizzie Richards. Lizzie has moved around most her life, and has moved again to a new school for her senior year. A fresh start? You could say that, but is her senior year really something she'll be proud of?
My absolute favorite thing about the book was the characterization. The characters are so multi-dimensional and aren't just stereotypes like your average high school story. They all have so many layers to their personality that you never would of guessed. Like Maura, the happy, pretty, popular girl with all the happy, pretty, popular friends. But what is she hiding? Is she really that happy? ""She's one imbalanced girl, if you know what I mean."" (Pg. 74, Watch Me Disappear, Diane Vanaskie Mulligan) And the main character, Lizzie. Is she the good little girl her parents see her as? Or is she a secret wild child? ""Exactly. Kids with the strictest parents are usually the ones who let it all out when they step outside their parents' grasp."" (Pg. 56, Watch Me Disappear, Diane Vanaskie Mulligan)
The storyline was the next thing that really stood out to me. Except I'm very divided about it. I really loved the story, it was unpredictable, and the ending caught me off guard. I was expecting a resolve in all the conflicts at the end of the book. But instead the book lets it stand, and as Lizzie goes off to college there really is nothing she can do about all her high school drama. And I guess that is the way real life works, but books don't usually end like that. "My mom says that if you aren't at least a little embarrassed when you look back on your high school years, you haven't grown up. For once, I suspect she's right." (Pg. 175, Watch Me Disappear, Diane Vanaskie Mulligan) The thing I didn't like was some of the loose morals of the characters. The thing that bothered me the most was underage drinking. The book did a good job emphasizing the dangers of drinking and driving, but many of the characters drank a lot. And underage drinking has become a huge problem, and to people who are easily influenced might have their opinions swayed by this book. I can see why the author felt it would match the theme of the story, so I am still able to enjoy the story. But I disagree with the actions of a lot of the characters.
Overall, I really liked this book. I am not a fan of realistic fiction, but this book was a real page turner. I finished the whole thing in 3 days, not because it was small, but because I spent all of my free time reading it. But since I'm such an opinionated person, some parts of this book were less enjoyable for me. This does affect my view of the book, so others might like it better. But it was not a bad a read, and I don't regret reading it. I really was a very thought provoking book.

Sanjana Kargi
8-RED
Book Review #6
Realistic Fiction
180 Pages

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story really had me from the very beginning. Maybe it was the very nature of the main character and her cynicism that I can completely relate to or maybe it was just the story itself. You know how some people always think the grass is greener on the other side, that is until you get there. People are very fickle and can never decide exactly what they want and this is very true of teenagers. At least that’s my experience and it goes without saying that it is the same in this book.


We meet Lizzie who has recently moved to a new town the beginning of summer, so here is her chance to reinvent herself and make some friends before she starts her senior year in high school. But with her parents being extremely strict it’s hard to try and be social with everyone she wants to be. Her neighbor seems very two faced but her mom wants her to be like her just because she’s popular. But even popular people like Maura have their secrets. Then there is the ever perfect and outgoing Missy who she meets online. Things are great between them, that is until Paul gets in the middle.

Paul is someone who befriends Lizzie but in her eyes it’s only so that he could get closer to Missy. No one but herself knows how she feels about Paul and again I can completely relate to Lizzie and this love she has for a boy who just doesn’t see her in the same fashion. When her heart breaks, so does mine. That’s how much into the character I am. She’s a cynic, who tries to fit in with the popular kids, but is that really what she wants?

Sometimes when you lead a sheltered life and your are given just that small taste of freedom things can get out of control before you know it, and when you are young this tends to happen more often. There are so many secrets teenagers keep between themselves and others but there are always deeper lying issues that sometimes need to be brought out into the forefront.

I used to think the line between good and bad was so clear-cut. That’s what my parents always taught me. But senior year, I saw the good in people I once saw as villains, and I saw an awful lot of bad in myself. You just never know what’s beneath the surface until you start poking at it. I used to be jealous of kids who had a normal high school experience, but now I see that no one does. There is no such thing as normal. That’s pretty reassuring when you think about it.

Overall this book was a really great read; I couldn’t put it down and was so intrigued by the main character where I just found myself rooting for her so many times. But she is more like a real person where she doesn’t know what she wants and therefore sometimes misses out on things that could have been. Again I sympathize with this character and I can’t wait to read anything else by this author because I respect the way the characters were written.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of a book tour in exchange for a fair and honest review. I rated it 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

Oh where do I begin.....well, I've just started into reading more YA or New Adult books and the title for this book intrigued me. I remember high school and while it's a fun experience for some people, I really felt as if I had quite a bit in common with the heroine - Lizzie - of this story so I wanted to give it a try. With plenty of laughs, a lot of insight and likable characters, Diane Vanaskie Mulligan reminded me about the best and worst of living through the high school years.

A senior in high school, Lizzie Richards isn't looking forward to starting at a new school. A kid who's gotten used to moving around a lot, she's a little distraught at the limitations put on her life by her parents - no private computer, no Facebook and for some strange reason her parents insist on meeting the parents of her friends. Babysitting for the neighbor's little boy, and inadvertently checking on their teenage daughter's room, Lizzie suddenly finds herself sneaking behind her parents backs and creating her own Facebook profile -and making new friends.

As the school year advances, and Lizzie becomes more involved with school and some of the people she's met online, she begins to realize that life isn't always as we imagine it to be. The popular girls aren't always who we think they are and sometimes they're just as insecure as the rest of us. Sometimes they're also really good at being mean. Add in raging hormones and the opposite sex and high school can become the place where we begin to shape who we will be when we really grow up. Ms. Mulligan did a really great job developing Lizzie's character and I really liked how she grows up throughout the year - while Lizzie makes plenty of mistakes (and which of us didn't wish we could go back to high school and change who we were) it's her ability to grow that lets us know she'll turn out okay.

The secondary characters were well done and all contributed to the story. From Lizzie's parents (her relationship with her mother cracked me up!) to her best friend Missy, they all gave Lizzie plenty to think about. Adding in Paul and John, two boys she finds herself attracted to, gives Lizzie even more to learn. Then there's Maura, her sometimes nemesis and sometimes friend, who lives next door.

Will Lizzie learn who she really wants to be as she gets ready to graduate from school? And will she learn to like herself as she is and how to both have friends and be a friend? You'll have to read Watch Me Disappear to find out. I think Ms. Mulligan did a great job with this story and I know it's something I'll want my nieces to read when they get a little bit older.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that the author did a great job of portraying high school life. Even though high school for me was many years ago, I remember feeling like Lizzie did, especially when it came to being the wallflower or the third wheel. Fortunately, I didn't have to start a new school my senior year like she did. Lizzie's parents are protective to the point of smothering and I think they could have lightened up on her a little earlier than they did. In spite of that, she was able to make some friends, like Missy and Paul.

Missy was a great friend to Lizzie. Even though Lizzie thinks Missy is just about perfect, and feels frumpy next to her, Missy never does anything to make her feel that way. She is very accepting of Lizzie and appreciative of her friendship, as she is also new to the school. Missy soon has a boyfriend, Wes, and though they try to include Lizzie, she often feels like a third wheel.

Maura is Lizzie's next door neighbor, and the girl that her mom would like to see her be friends with. Lizzie's first impression of Maura though is not a good one. She sees her as shallow, non-appreciative, self-centered, and doesn't understand why her mother cannot see this side of Maura. Slowly, though they have a rough start, Maura and Lizzie begin a fledgling friendship. Lizzie doesn't really trust Maura, but a part of her would like the easy popularity that Maura has.

Well, somewhere along the way she also became friends with Maura's ex-boyfriend Paul. She knows that Paul has a crush on Missy, but he genuinely seems to enjoy hanging out with her. Before she knows it, she has developed a crush on him. With all his phone calls, invitations to dances and parties, and hanging out at her house a couple of times a week, is it any wonder that she would fall for him? When things sour between Wes and Missy, Lizzie realizes that Paul is going to jump in to be her shining knight.

I liked this book for all the memories of high school, both good and bad, that it invoked. It showed that things aren't always what they appear to be on the surface and that generally everybody harbors the same insecurities, they just don't always manifest in the same way. I think most any teenage girl would enjoy this book, and while they may not believe that everyone has the same insecurities, it might get them to look at situations from a different angle.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Watch me Disappear is a young adult novel detailing the life of high school senior Lizzie Richards who has just moved to Massachusetts and transferred into another new school. Lizzie struggles to fit in and find a crowd where she feels comfortable while also trying to gain a little independence from her extremely controlling Mother. Lizzie manages to find a good friend in Missy who is also a new student and starts falling for a boy named Paul. However, things get complicated when Missy also shows interest in Paul which places a wedge in the friendship.
I really enjoyed this book and felt transported right back to high school with the different cliques and struggles associated with that period in life. My parents raised my siblings and I to be very independent and this independence fostered responsibility in each of us. As a result, my parents have never had to be controlling so I felt suffocated right along with Lizzie when dealing with her Mother. I mean a 17 year old that is not even allowed to have their own email account? Really? As the novel progressed, Lizzie's parents began to give her more freedom and I rejoiced along with her.
As the novel comes to a close it becoms clear that this book is less about Lizzie finding the perfect love and more about finding herself. The final chapter of this book touches on everything that one learns after graduating high school such as the things in life that really matter instead of what we all find important at 18. This book was so well written and I would definitely read more from this author.
I was given this e-book by the author but this in no way affects my rating/review of this book. All opinions are my own. I would like to thank the author for giving me the privilege of reading her work.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was supplied to me by the author in ebook format for an honest review.

This book is very honest! Even though I get very angry with some of the teenagers of this generation, the author nailed it when describing everything, examples: swearing, loser guys that sit around all day and do nothing, fighting over boys, skipping school, social networking, drugs, sex, etc. Although as a parent most people would say, I don't want my teenager to read this book, but the truth is that teenagers of today either already act like and do these things daily or are exposed to it daily.

There are several good lessons that are taught in this book such as:

1. Swearing a lot makes you sound ignorant.
2. Don't put a guy/girl before your friends because they will still be there when the guy/girl is long gone.
3. Skipping school leads to nothing but poor grades.
4. Don't do drugs! They are bad no matter who tells you otherwise.
5. Parents should ALWAYS know what they're children are doing and where they are.
6. Parents shouldn't restrict every want from their children neither should the provide every want.
7. Loser guys who do nothing all day will likely always be that way.

I thought these lessons learned were worth the read. It is aimed at teens & YA readers and that's who I feel would benefit most from reading it even though the language is pretty bad at times. It's probably no worse than what all teenagers say away from their parents. I felt the author gave a gripping story because I didn't want to put it down. Had to see what happened next, even though I wanted to reach through the book, grab some of the characters (yes Lizzie too) shake them, smack them in the head and ask what they were thinking. Haha. Kinda like I do with a couple of my nieces.

[Aimee (Getting Your Read On) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to admit that this wasn't one of my favorite reads. I had a hard time finishing it. I didn't really like Lizzie very much so I guess that set the tone for the book for me. None of the characters really drew me in to where I felt a connection to them.

I sometimes felt bad for Lizzie. Her parents are overly strict and she has very little social grace. I think we can all relate to her feelings of wanting to fit in and have friends. We all go through that to some degree or another in our lives. A good self esteem can be hard to come by especially if your home life doesn't build that.

I would say that this book seems a bit young, the characters mostly act juvenile and sound very immature, but the book is filled with underage drinking and drugs as well as sex, sexual innuendo and talk so it definitely isn't a book to put in the hands of young teenagers. There was also plenty of swearing.

I'm not sure there was really a plot to this book but here are some messages I took away from this book:

~drinking, drugs and skipping school will hurt your grades and your chances for getting into a good college not to mention it is just plain stupid

~putting a guy before your best girlfriend is also stupid

~boys who sit around in sweats all day, drinking and farting, still living with their mothers are losers

~high school is tough

~parents need to build their children's self esteem (but not by giving them everything they want and not by depriving them of everything they want)

I know that many people have read and enjoyed this book. I'm just one girl with one opinion out of many. Please check the tour schedule below and see what other people are saying about this book.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought that Watch Me Disappear looked like a fun coming of age story where we would see some good character development and growth for the main character, Lizzie, but sadly that just what it turned out to be for me.

Lizzie is the new girl in school, and she wants to reinvent herself and start over fresh at this school. We really aren't given much of her background information to know why that is. The only thing that we do learn about her is that she has very strict parents. She isn't even allowed to go on the internet, so when she becomes a babysitter for a brother of one of the most popular girls at school, she sneaks onto her computer and makes a secret facebook account. Interesting idea for the story, but I had a problem with the characters. I couldn't connect with Lizzie. I felt like she was too immature. She was whiny and kind of self absorbed. And my biggest problem was that she didn't grow at all throughout the story. It felt like it was a younger ya story. But not completely because it dealt with some older concepts of parties and drinking and drugs.

I also thought that there were too many ya stereotypes. You had the overly strict parents, the "mean girl", the new girl who is trying to be popular. The story had the potential to be interesting, I just had a problem connecting with the characters. I know a lot of people who argue up and down that teens are self absorbed and immature and and whiny 24/7 and so having that in books makes them more realistic. This might be the book for those people. But for me, it didn't work. It was just too much. I had trouble getting through the story. Watch Me Disappear wasn't for me. That is not to say it won't be for others. I can see people who like younger feeling ya high school stories that might really enjoy it.

[Katrina Welsh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Watch Me Disappear is heavily based on its characters and their relationships with one another. I have to be honest, I didn't really like Lizzie and there's bound to be some problems if I didn't like the narrator of the book. I thought she was very vain, jealous, petty, up herself and most of the time, she wasn't even aware of doing it because she was so sheltered by her parents and I guess she doesn't know any better. Not only that, I can't really pinpoint my feelings towards all the other characters. They do something that makes me think, "Hey, good for you. You're awesome." Then there are moments where I just go, "Oh, shut your trap." There was Paul. He was cool for most of the time. He became good friends with Lizzie because he wanted to be closer to Lizzie's friend who he's got a crush on. That's definitely douche-y but they really did become good friends and it's not like she didn't know about his intentions. And he was really nice and sweet and funny. Missy is Lizzie's first best friend but once she got herself a boyfriend, she dropped Lizzie faster than a hot potato. Maura is Lizzie's neighbour and she's quick to judge her as a mean- vapid and mean. But she soon learns that everyone has got their own story and their own hard battles to fight. I didn't like the all the characters all the time but they were flawed with realistic faults that can be easily found within ourselves and in countless others.

Watch Me Disappear shows the desire we all have to have be normal, to fit in and to have friends. It shows the mistakes and bad decisions we have to go through to learn ourselves. Sometimes, those mistakes cost you a lot more than you realise and you can't undo them. All you can do is live through those mistakes.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway, so thank you Diane Mulligan!

Honestly, the book was ok, but I think it could have been better.
I'm not sure how to feel about Lizzy. At the beginning, she's a fairly good person, but she lets her friends influence her too much and she goes with the flow of high school life. I just don't think she is a realistic character, because I'm in high school and I know no one like her.
Missy is another character who bothers me. She is not faithful at all to Lizzy and shuts her out. She is oblivious to Lizzy's feelings, which is completely unlike a best friend. (Unless this is on purpose, but it's hard to tell.) She isn't consistent, her character is kind of random. She should have a set personality, it seems like her personality is different every time she opens her mouth.
The story overall was ok. It wasn't really filled with action or secrets, it is just a story about a year of high school in Lizzy's life. It could have been more interesting.
It was kind of a pain to get through, as there is nothing exciting happening, and I did not enjoy the writing style very much, which makes it hard to like the book. There was only narration about the plot and almost no creative literary devices to make reading and describing more fun.
Also, the title "Watch Me Disappear" had nothing to do with anything that happened in the book. I was waiting for the "Aha!" moment when the title makes sense, but it didn't happen.

I think this book just wasn't my cup of tea, but some people may enjoy it much more than I did, so give it a chance!

Again, thank you Diane Mulligan for your giveaway, it was exciting to discover a new book this way!

[Vibina Venugopal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is again a high school novel... An easy breezy read through Lizzie's life taking us through a cascade of events of high school..Lizzie hates to start all over again as a senior in a new school..With a highly ambitious father she is been on the run from school to school coping up with his peaking career...As the days progresses Lizzie enjoys her new life, her school, new friends, she even manages to make some friends online , her days becomes brighter as she is involved in more school events..Slowly and steadily Mulligan opens up to the learning process of life that begins in high school..Some lighter and sunnier times with a mix of melancholy hard times, betrayal, friendship,...
The best part is Lizzie's character grows as the novel progress...From a shy girl to a girl with a go get it attitude she learns through making mistakes and correcting them...Maura Lizzie's neighbor was an interesting character with a shade of grey, while Missy, John and Paul were absolute delight ... Lizzie's relationship with her mother had all rage of adrenaline with tonnes of love..
There were times when I stopped my reading to look back at my own school days (though it was quite different from this)...Mulligan's language is simple and easy to follow...
All in all Watch me Disappear goes for a delightful swift read...

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story had promise and potential yet it just never made it. Lizzie and her family moved at the start of her senior year of high school. She was forced to become friends the girl next door, Missy. One night by babysitting she became serious and ended up going through Missy’s computer. Needless to say Missy figured it out and it became her mission to make Lizzie’s life miserable.

I took that as a sign that something was bound to happen. You know the turning point where you know good or bad, this is the where the action starts. Well, boy was I wrong! Nothing ever happened! It was just a basic story of a year in the life of a high school student. You know parties, going to the mall, hanging with friends. This wouldn’t be wrong, it’s just that I always had a feeling like something was coming ahead but just never did.

I wanted more of a story; I wanted the author to experiment more with the characters. I felt the author was taking us into one direction, yet the storyline ended up going totally another way. It wasn’t all bad, I just hate when I feel like it’s going a certain way yet it never did. I just felt underwhelmed that’s all.

[Stephanie Ziegler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I could not put this book down. I felt like I was reliving my younger years.

The book is written in Lizzie's point-of-view. It is fast reading and is exactly like a teenager's mind. Pure honesty of mind versus speaking words that people only wanted to hear.

The title, Watch Me Disappear, applies not only to Lizzie, the main character, but to Maura as well. This book teaches important lessons through Lizzie, but pay attention to Maura. Sometimes issues are far greater and easier to hide than my best friend stole the boy I like.

I felt so many emotions reading this book. Happiness reflecting on my first kiss, anger remembering the popular girl who made my middle school years hell, pity and sadness knowing what these kids were going through and no one recognizing any of it to help. My mother is a mirror of Lizzie's mother. And I was Maura. I felt great empathy and understanding and I hope this book opens the eyes of teens and their parents.

Until next time, live life one page at a time!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this book from the author and wasn't sure what to expect, given that I tend to read more non-fiction these days. But I found myself quickly absorbed into the life of the main character, Lizzie, and the trials and tribulations of being 17-years-old and trying to adjust to a new life after having moved to Massachusetts the summer before her senior year of high school. I appreciated Lizzie's resourcefulness in making new friends and cheered for her when she surreptitiously begins to gain independence from her overly controlling mother. As the book progresses, Lizzie becomes increasingly self-aware, and it's interesting to see how her friendships develop and change, much like in real life! I would recommend this book to any young adult, who will be able to relate so well to the characters, or to an adult of any age who is looking for a good book to get lost in while you are relaxing on vacation (or trying to escape from real life for a bit!).

[Abbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Damn. I liked Lizzie's blunt sarcasm and easy-going manner. Yes, her parents were very strict but they let up eventually. That wasn't really the main problem.

This book revolved around Lizzie's transformation from friendless wallflower to best bud sidekick. But I hated the other characters. Maura was problematic, she needed serious help. Maladaptive behavior much? But it didn't really end the way I wanted for her. Missy? One thing I know about people is that if they are too nice and too perky they have deeper problems than they are letting on. And I just hated Missy. She was just so fake for me. Then there was Paul. I'm sorry but he was an asshole. No doubt. I wanted him to get mugged or something. Ugh.

Basically, I thought the descriptions were stereotypical and unrealistic. I did not like the ending and I would not recommend this book even to my worst enemy. I wanted to rate this with 1 star but I liked Lizzie so I added an extra star.

[Chuck Abdella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a superb novel. I was hooked during the first chapter and I believe I'd read 50 pages before I even looked up. I just could not put it down. Ms. Mulligan does a nice job of presenting standard high school stereotypes (e.g. the popular girl, the valedictorian, the charmer, the bookish shy girl) and then smashing those stereotypes. Her characters are complicated and defy categorization, and the plot is filled with a pitch-perfect understanding of adolescent interactions. You find yourself rooting for her anti-heroine, Lizzie, in spite of yourself. This main character is equally sympathetic, vexing, cringe-inducing, and ultimately endearing as she grows during 1 year at her new high school. "Watch me Disappear" is highly recommended for anyone who enjoys well-written fiction. My only complaint was that the book ended and I wanted to follow the adventures of Lizzie, Missy, Paul and the rest for a longer time!

[Melonie Kydd · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I was reading this book, I noticed that it did touch on the topics of peer pressure, eating dosprders, young love/infatuation, bullying and abusiverelationships. The author did a good job addressing tbese topics; however it would have been nice to see a more in depth look at topics and issues as well as having a more hardy life lesson for characters.

The enotions of the main character were well played and writen and did have depth to them; along with an edge. A look deeper into secondary characters lives and true emotions would be good too (could lead to continuation of story).

I did enjoy the book and would reccomend it to anyone with young daughters who are about to enter the crazy world of high school.

[Kristine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little on the boring side, this book was one that I kept wondering why I kept on reading. Perfect daughter turning into inperfect daughter back to perfect daughter just didn't seem to keep me interested. But I did finish the book, probably won't read it again, but would recommend it to anyone who wants a small insight into a teenager who has never broken the rules and then has a moment of breaking the rules to see what it is like. Could be that some mothers out there could get a few ideas about teeneage girls from this book while other mothers would just say that this sort of thing doesn't happen. I'll leave it up to you!

[GTR33GURL · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm glad I got this book for free but the time I took to read it I'm annoyed at where to start I thought the book had potential I thought Lizzie was very sheltered and her parents were overboard strict the book didn't flow very well and it left me wondering where exactly this was going and what was the message I thought it was a love story but it wasn't more a pinning for a friend but never getting said friend and it ended a bit abruptly for me there was a sort of not really HEA there was so much more the author could of accomplished with this story but hoping to give some insight to how I'm feeling after reading this book and disappointed I wanted Lizzie to get the guy just my opinion

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watch Me Disappear is a book about acceptance—finding it in others and, ultimately, learning that sometimes you have to accept yourself and what your actions have wrought. Lizzie is easy to identify with—a flawed character who makes actual discoveries about her own nature and the complicated and contradictory natures of her peers, those seeming-stereotypes who are as multilayered as she. Watch Me Disappear is a book in which not everything lines up as expected, and is that much more satisfying because of it.

[Jen Minkman · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a book with a title like 'Watch me Disappear', I expected something more intense, somehow. This is an interesting book (it did keep me reading) but I felt as if there was never any big revelation or conclusion at the end of it; it sort of meandered on and on. I thought the portrayal of Lizzie as a selfish teenage girl was done quite well. This did make it hard for me to connect with her - she was so incredibly judgemental about everything (but the good thing is that she actually realizes this).
All in all, it was a nice-enough read, but not a total pageturner!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect what I started this, but I absolutely loved it. Lizzie is starting senior year at a new school and has never quite fit in. She is very real and very honest. She calls herself out on selfishness and being quick to judge, acknowledging that she's disappointed in herself. She goes through making and losing friends, popularity and all that entails. She actually reminds me a lot of my high school self, and a lot of people could probably relate.

[Francesca · Rating 1 out of 5]

I may have liked this book when I was younger but being that I'm in my late twenties, it seemed too juvenile for me.

I love reading YA books - it's one of my favorite genres. But sometimes I stumble upon a YA book where the main character comes off sounding younger than he/she's supposed to be. That was the case with this one. I just couldn't get into it and didn't really like the main character. Therefore, about 25% in, I'd had enough and decided to not finish it.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diane pens "Watch Me Disappear" in a plot that portrays a coming of age story for teens. Her characters were interesting, well developed and highly relate-able. In a story line that flows smoothly, you will find yourself wrapped up in the messages. Highly recommended for all YA and adults alike.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the author which was provided for an honest review.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is a book any teenager can relate to - trying to fit in, making new friends, falling in love. I was just a little disappointed by the ending. I didn't feel as though the story was completely finished. Sometimes that happens with books and I am one of those that enjoys the epilogues at the end to give the characters some sort of ending - whether it is a happily ever after or not. The ending left me wondering.