I really enjoyed this story. Neena’s story is beautifully told. There is a lot of emotion and great characters. There heartbreak and also hope and the love of a family and friends. I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

A refreshing YA novel from the perspective of a Pakistani girl. I have quite mixed feelings but it tackles a very important topic. I just found it difficult to read.

A really brave novel that felt raw and real! Neena comes from a modern Indian family but when tragedy strikes the family they begin to fall back on more traditional ways. Like any other teenager, Neena is struggling to find her identity, and exploring new love but at the same time she has some very real pressures and anxieties which makes her life both challenging and confusing.
The author does a great job of getting inside the head of Neena and we live her experiences with her. She paints a rich family life and we feel the pain of loss, It was a compelling read and the reader is routing for Neena the whole way as she navigates through a tricky time in her life.

I found this book hard going initially but as I became more interested in Neena and her relationships I became more invested in the story. I know how depression can affect youngsters and felt that her slide into a psychotic episode was well portrayed.

A hard story to read but one I will recommend particularly with its positive outcome. Neena was a fighter who came through with the support of her family and friends.

DNF- 60%
Very generic book, that was a struggle to read- I ended up giving up just over halfway through.
There was nothing wrong with the writing, just the storyline was something that has been done multiple times over, and did not make me want to continue reading.
Strict parents, 'wild child', missing sibling, and wild friends. It also felt like the trope of "girl can only be cured with the guys attention" from what I read of it.

This story of Neena Gill's descent into psychosis as she shatters in the aftermath of the disappearance of her brother is beautifully written, and simply oozes with atmosphere. Neena is a sympathetic, totally relatable main character, and her chafing against her parents' strict rules is really wonderfully drawn. Neena's world is changing faster than she can cope with, and as she tries to deal with the loss of her brother and the changes wrought by that loss, as well as normal teenage upheavals and the difficulty of dealing with adolescence, it all gets to be too much for her. Thrown in on top of this, Neena tries to solve the mystery of her brother's disappearance, working with her brother's girlfriend, and is trying to do it all while her parents insist that she stay in and study for her upcoming GCSEs. With everything going on, it's no wonder that cracks start to appear, and Neena fractures into a million pieces.
I requested this book because I saw it compared to Emily Barr, Jennifer Niven, and Nicola Yoon, all of whom I have read and enjoyed. And yes, I can totally see why these comparisons have been made. The characterisation is finely drawn, the understanding of the author is visible in every word, and the depiction of mental illness, the causes, triggers, and impacts is beautifully portrayed.
That's why I found it quite odd that I actually didn't really like this book. Having given it the benefit of a few weeks' thought, I think this is a lot more to do with me than it is to do with the book. I don't think I was in the right mindset to read this, and if I read it at a different time, I would probably have liked it a lot more. Emma Smith-Barton clearly has skill, empathy, and a great grasp on characterisation, as well as a nuanced understanding of the unreliable narrator. Her debut is a finely wrought example which navigates lines of identity, heritage, mental health, family, siblings, adolescence and much more with depth, nuance, and deep, sympathetic understanding. If I had an actual complaint or criticism of the book, beyond 'this didn't work for me', I think it would be that Neena's relationship with her friend, who was so forgettable that I actually can't pull her name at the moment, needed more. She was a hugely important part of Neena's life, and played a pivotal role in the denouement, but very little page space was dedicated to her. I would have liked to see more of that.

Overall, though, this was a book with a lot of depth and promise to it. The combination of examining mental health and a British Pakistani main character was a really interesting one that I hadn't seen before - definitely something to advocate for. Loads of potential here, and although it didn't quite hit the spot for me, I'm 100% sure that many people will absolutely adore this.

The Million Pieces of Neena Gill

This was quite a strange book in many ways. It tells the story of a girl whose brother has vanished and the impact this has on Neena and her family. Neena perceives her family as being very strict, originally from India she feels she is not able to have the same freedom as her contempories and starts to rebel against her parents.
Neena is fifteen in the story and the book gave an insight into the turmoil some teenagers feel as they grow up and have all the problems that involves including meeting someone they care for as well as coping with exams. Neena also has to deal with the trauma of losing her brother which ends up tipping her over the edge. As the story unfolds we begin to understand the full extent of her state of mind. The subject of depression is dealt with well and we can feel the anxiety Neena feels over losing her brother. The book deals sensitively with issues which face many of us including drug use, depression and suicide, but this has been done with quite a light touch so the book itself is never depressing. Neena is an engaging character who has an innocence about her and it is easy to sympaphise with her situation. Her blossoming romance with Josh is beautifully described and I really wanted the book to have a happy ending.
This book was obviously aimed at teenagers which I hadn’t realized when I requested it. I am a pensioner but still found plenty to enjoy in reading this. It is a very good first book from Emma Smith-Barton. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

As a Debut author this was an amazing, heart wrenching novel that showed the difficulties of grief and how it effects every aspect of life.

The Mental health representation was what hit home most for me as it was emotional and sad, but also uplifting in showing that things aren't always as bad as they seem and theres always someone you can talk too.

I loved how the story developed especially the friendships between Neena , Raheela and Fi, Neena's relationship with Josh . As well as Neena's Journey of grief and acceptance within her religion, school and her family life.

This was a very emotional book - I enjoyed reading it and the characters were very well formed and described- I really felt for their situations and found myself really rooting for them. But saying that I’m wishing there was a bit more substance to their journey and the mental health aspect (even though if was very well written and would help many who read it) kind of took over just a bit too much for me.

I chose to read ‘The Million Pieces of Neena Gill’ mainly because I am all about representation, especially when it comes to the content I’m reading. So having an Asian protagonist was right up my street. Also this coupled with mental health, which has a strong stigma attached to it in Asian communities, was a breakthrough that I wanted to get behind.

Before I start, it’s worth noting the trigger warnings in this book because it does delve deep into issues relating to mental health. This book was a ride of emotions and I have to admit more than a few times I was very confuse as to what was going on. As a reader, witnessing Neena go through all these waves of emotions was hauntingly sad because I could see her hopelessly spiraling out of control without seeking help. In some ways it did remind me of ‘The One Memory of Flora Banks’ in that it really gets you into the mind set of the protagonist. It didn’t work for me the first time nor this time but I see what the intention is and I get it. It’s a very real and raw book that reflects grief, the issues with cultural expectations and how these can have a huge impact on mental health. For that I applaud it.

Overall, I wasn’t overly amazed by this book. I think the meaning and awareness behind it is what prevails the most. It’s not an easy book to read and the issues it touches upon are moving. But having said that, I support what this book represents and stands for.

What a deeply moving and emotional book. Neena Gill's life crashed around her when her brother Akash disppeared 10 months before. We meet her as she's trying to be the person that he wants her to be, outgoing, carefree and most of all happy. Are the expectations of others enough for us to become who they want us to be?

This book deals with very serious issues and it deals with them really well. To this day mental health is still a taboo, despite the fact that we all probably know someone who has dealt with it, even if they've never openly said. It's about overcoming preconceptions of mental health, not only in others, but also in ourselves. It's abotu when to use a crutch, and when to fight to stand on our own two feet. It's about accepting loss and about accepting our own limitations.

This book was really lovely, and I think everyone should read it.

This was the first book I've read from this author and I enjoyed it very much. It was very well written and the characters were well thought out.

Disclaimer: Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I am so grateful to NetGalley and the Publishers, Penguin Random House UK Children's, for providing me with a copy of The Million Pieces of Neena Gill by Emma Smith-Barton

"Our worst misfortunes never happen, and most miseries lie in anticipation."

This book was a roller coaster of emotions because oh my, I didn't see that twist coming! Neena has always been the good girl: good grades, parent-approved friends, no drinking, and absolutely no boyfriends. Her brother Akash is the opposite, he drives their parents mad with worry going out late to parties, drinking and doing drugs. But he is Neena's rock during the bad times, so when he disappears it sends Neena into a tailspin.

However this allows her to discover a new version of herself, but this new version is the opposite of what her parents want and her behavior starts to spiral more and more out of control. With two life-changing bombshells over the course of the book, Neena reaches breaking point.

But oh my, this book really did take me through the ringer and I was completely taken in by some of the plot lines, they were told impeccably. At times I did forget that Neena is only fifteen during the time of this book and some of the plot lines are... concerning, in what the Neena has to go through and she does get taken advantage at one point in the book.

The author has experience with Mental Health issues after someone close to her suffered with the same illness that Neena goes through, you can feel this throughout the book because that part of the plot is told with sympathy and with knowledge.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I definitely recommended it to YA's as long as you know you are going into a book that will possibly change your view on life.

I enjoyed this - a solid debut about a British Asian girl struggling to cope with her older brother's disappearance, with nuanced and thoughtful discussion of mental health issues and a strong narrative voice in Neena. It's an important addition to UKYA and a great choice for school libraries.

The Million Pieces of Neena Gill is an excellent first novel from Emma Smith-Barton. Fifteen-year-old Neena has always relied on her brother Akash, but now Akash isn’t around any more and Neena’s life has got a whole lot harder.

While it’s obvious from early on that all is not entirely right with Neena, it takes time, via her first-person narration, for the full extent of her disintegrating mental health to become apparent and this is portrayed with great sensitivity. It’s fairly unusual, and refreshing, to read a YA novel from the perspective of a British Pakistani character, as I’m not aware of many others (author Emma Smith-Barton, though it’s not necessarily apparent from her name, is of similar heritage).

A very good read which I would recommend to teenagers and adults.

Thank you to Netgalley for letting me read this before its publication date!

Wow. This book has really filled a gap in the BAME market: mental health. I am so happy to finally see some representation of a South Asian person dealing with mental health issues. I think the characters are incredibly well-written and truly show how, especially, Asian parents respond to mental health. There is one section specifically (not a spoiler) where the parents think about "praying away the bad" that got to me.

As someone who has suffered from depression for many years, this book made my heart warm and my struggles feel validated.

I can't wait for people to finally get their hands on this book and get to know Neena who is so relatable and beautiful.

Neena's brother is missing and she feels like everybody expects her to just get on with life. Raised in an Asian family, she's struggling to balance being a teenager with the expectations upon her and worry over her missing brother. I read this quite quickly and found it an easy but interesting read. It touches lightly on some cultural issues and has quite a strong focus on mental health. Definitely a worthy read!

Neena suffers from anxiety, but her big brother helps her. Until, that is, he disappears one evening. The whole family misses him, although Neena feels she is suffering most. About to take her GCSEs, Neena is experiencing typical parental pressure, combined with a desire to lead a life free of feeling guilty and being pulled in different directions. Emma Smith-Barton builds up the tension in Neena's life from this typical scenario, to one which becomes more extreme, but not wholly unusual. The reader can see how easy it is to slip into severe anxiety. Although not questioning events in the beginning, the reader begins to question Neena's viewpoint and I began screaming at someone to notice. They eventually do, but not before everything comes to a head. The best thing about this novel is that it is so typical of teenage life, yet it manages to deal with mental health issues in a sensitive way, with the reader seeing both Neena's side and able to see the objective view of her increasingly bizarre behaviour. All characters are totally authentic, and many young people will be able to see themselves in this book. This book will help many teens which is what is needed.