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The Memory Hit by Carla Spradbery (4-Jun-2015) Paperback
On New Year's Eve, Jess's life is her best friend is in the hospital, her boyfriend is a cheater. A drug-dealing cheater it would seem, after finding a stash of Nostalgex in his a drug that stimulates memory. In small doses, a person can remember the order of a deck of cards, or an entire revision guide read the day before an exam. In larger doses it allows the user detailed access to their past, almost like watching a DVD with the ability to pause a moment in time, to focus on previously unnoticed details and to see everything they've ever experienced with fresh eyes. As Leon, the local dealer, says 'it's like life, only better.' What he fails to mention is that most memories are clouded by emotions. Even the most vivid memories can look very different when visited.Across town Sam Cooper is in trouble. Again. This time, gagged and bound in the boot of a car. Getting on the wrong side of a drug dealer is never a good idea, but if he doesn't make enough money to feed and clothe his sister, who will?On New Year's Day, Jess and Cooper's worlds collide. They must put behind their differences and work together to look into their pasts to uncover a series of events that will lead them to know what really happened on that fateful New Year's Eve. But what they find is that everything they had once believed to be true, turns out to be a lie ...'A pleasingly dark teen thriller with fun, fresh characters. Spradbery is a debut author to watch.' James Dawson
Unknown Binding
First published June 4, 2015
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About the author
Carla Spradbery
2 books30 followersAfter working with teenagers for more than a decade, Carla decided to start writing for and about them. Having had a lifelong obsession with dark literature, it only seemed natural to write stories that would thrill, scare and maybe make her readers think twice about reading alone in the dark.
Carla lives in Hampshire with her husband and two children. She still enjoys working with teenagers, although she finds it harder and harder to understand why the music they like has to be quite so loud.
Her first novel, The 100 Society, will be published by Hodder in September 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 47 reviews
April 6, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Hachette Children's Books and NetGalley.)
“You, out of nowhere, find yourself in a drug dealer’s car, with a bag full of drugs? And you’re completely innocent in all of it?”
This was a bit of an odd story, about some kids who got messed up with dealing a drug that stimulated past memories.
There were a few different characters in this, Jess who discovered her best friend and boyfriend cheating, and Cooper who somehow got messed up with a drug dealer, when drug dealing was the last thing he wanted to be doing. I think the person I felt most sorry for was Scarlet though, who really didn’t deserve to end up in hospital. Luke on the other hand, came across as a bit of a psycho at times.
“I can’t stand the thought of what you’ve done,” she spat. “You’ve been lying to me, Luke.”
The storyline in this was about the drugs dealing, and also about who was going around setting places on fire. I did find the story a bit jumpy in places, when it was difficult to know which point of view we were seeing things from, but I got the gist. I did find some people’s actions to be a little silly at times, and I felt really sorry for Cooper too, who seemed to be fairly innocent in all of this.
The storyline with regards to the effect that the drugs had was a little odd too, although as the book said, I’m sure there would be some useful instances in which to use such a drug.
“It was too late; the drug was in her system and she was going to have to ride it out.”
There wasn’t really much romance in this story, but there was some jealously with regards to romance at several points.
“Hey, why did you break up with me again?”
“I thought you broke up with me?”
The ending to this was a bit surprising. I didn’t expect the culprit to be who it turned out to be. The whole book was a little odd overall though.
6.5 out of 10
“You, out of nowhere, find yourself in a drug dealer’s car, with a bag full of drugs? And you’re completely innocent in all of it?”
This was a bit of an odd story, about some kids who got messed up with dealing a drug that stimulated past memories.
There were a few different characters in this, Jess who discovered her best friend and boyfriend cheating, and Cooper who somehow got messed up with a drug dealer, when drug dealing was the last thing he wanted to be doing. I think the person I felt most sorry for was Scarlet though, who really didn’t deserve to end up in hospital. Luke on the other hand, came across as a bit of a psycho at times.
“I can’t stand the thought of what you’ve done,” she spat. “You’ve been lying to me, Luke.”
The storyline in this was about the drugs dealing, and also about who was going around setting places on fire. I did find the story a bit jumpy in places, when it was difficult to know which point of view we were seeing things from, but I got the gist. I did find some people’s actions to be a little silly at times, and I felt really sorry for Cooper too, who seemed to be fairly innocent in all of this.
The storyline with regards to the effect that the drugs had was a little odd too, although as the book said, I’m sure there would be some useful instances in which to use such a drug.
“It was too late; the drug was in her system and she was going to have to ride it out.”
There wasn’t really much romance in this story, but there was some jealously with regards to romance at several points.
“Hey, why did you break up with me again?”
“I thought you broke up with me?”
The ending to this was a bit surprising. I didn’t expect the culprit to be who it turned out to be. The whole book was a little odd overall though.
6.5 out of 10
April 30, 2015
I received this book as an earc from Netgalley and Hodder Children's Books
This was off to a very confusing start, but it got better as I kept reading.
There weren't that many characters, but I found it hard to tell them apart since they sounded so alike. It's told from different POVs, but I honestly wouldn't have been able to tell them apart if it wasn't for the big fat headline.
I didn't really connect that much with the characters except for Amy, Cooper's sister. She was a fine character. I also didn't really like the lack of parents in this book, it felt really weird that they didn't care one bit about their sons and daughters. Made the book feel less realistic to me.
As far as the plot goes, it was fine. It kept my interest, but at the same time it just wasn't that special. It was trying to be something it wasn't - I have no issue that it's dealing with drugs, but the perspective were just far off! The ending felt a bit rushed, it all had to be squeezed into the last 5-6%, and if I'm being completely honest, there's still things that I don't completely understand, such as
This was off to a very confusing start, but it got better as I kept reading.
There weren't that many characters, but I found it hard to tell them apart since they sounded so alike. It's told from different POVs, but I honestly wouldn't have been able to tell them apart if it wasn't for the big fat headline.
I didn't really connect that much with the characters except for Amy, Cooper's sister. She was a fine character. I also didn't really like the lack of parents in this book, it felt really weird that they didn't care one bit about their sons and daughters. Made the book feel less realistic to me.
As far as the plot goes, it was fine. It kept my interest, but at the same time it just wasn't that special. It was trying to be something it wasn't - I have no issue that it's dealing with drugs, but the perspective were just far off! The ending felt a bit rushed, it all had to be squeezed into the last 5-6%, and if I'm being completely honest, there's still things that I don't completely understand, such as
August 12, 2015
*Received from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review*
Fast-pace, addictive and thrilling; Carla Spradberry is certainly one of my new favourite authors! I am not a huge fan of the cover, it is rather boring and does not catch my attention.
When Cooper is knocked unconscious and then woken in the boot of a car, he knows something has gone wrong. Likewise, when Jess is at a home that is set alight whilst her two best friends are trapped in a room together, she knows this was no accident. The one common factor between them both, Whiteface. As Cooper and Jess race against the clock to understand the incidents that have occurred around the drug Nostalgex, they are putting their life in more danger than they really understand.
You read The Memory Hit from two perspective, Jess and Cooper. Jess I found I really struggled to connect with. She came across as rather selfish, but I felt as though this was something all the characters shared causing them to do what they do. Many were selfish in their greed for power and control. However, the team between Jess and Cooper was brilliant, they worked excellently and I was intrigued by the mystery of why they never saw each other again until this night.
I have never read a novel before that was centred around illegal drugs, and so one of my only criticisms is that it felt as though they were saying that sometimes, it was okay to use them, which I completely disagreed with.
The plot though of this novel, wow. It will certainly have you on the edge of your seat. Spradberry's writing holds nothing back, it is thrilling and dangerous but incredibly addictive. Alongside that, the plot was very intriguing and like nothing I had read before. This pulled me out of my reading slump, scenes were shocking and raw, with many you can, however unimaginable for someone to do, do occur in real life. And the ending, at one point I was positive I knew who Whiteface was, but Spradberry completely shocked me and I would not have guessed. And that was one of the main reasons I loved this, she did not make it easy and for that I applaud her.
Overall this was a thrilling and exciting novel, that has certainly confirmed that Spradberry is one of my favourite authors, especially after her debut of The 100 Society.
Fast-pace, addictive and thrilling; Carla Spradberry is certainly one of my new favourite authors! I am not a huge fan of the cover, it is rather boring and does not catch my attention.
When Cooper is knocked unconscious and then woken in the boot of a car, he knows something has gone wrong. Likewise, when Jess is at a home that is set alight whilst her two best friends are trapped in a room together, she knows this was no accident. The one common factor between them both, Whiteface. As Cooper and Jess race against the clock to understand the incidents that have occurred around the drug Nostalgex, they are putting their life in more danger than they really understand.
You read The Memory Hit from two perspective, Jess and Cooper. Jess I found I really struggled to connect with. She came across as rather selfish, but I felt as though this was something all the characters shared causing them to do what they do. Many were selfish in their greed for power and control. However, the team between Jess and Cooper was brilliant, they worked excellently and I was intrigued by the mystery of why they never saw each other again until this night.
I have never read a novel before that was centred around illegal drugs, and so one of my only criticisms is that it felt as though they were saying that sometimes, it was okay to use them, which I completely disagreed with.
The plot though of this novel, wow. It will certainly have you on the edge of your seat. Spradberry's writing holds nothing back, it is thrilling and dangerous but incredibly addictive. Alongside that, the plot was very intriguing and like nothing I had read before. This pulled me out of my reading slump, scenes were shocking and raw, with many you can, however unimaginable for someone to do, do occur in real life. And the ending, at one point I was positive I knew who Whiteface was, but Spradberry completely shocked me and I would not have guessed. And that was one of the main reasons I loved this, she did not make it easy and for that I applaud her.
Overall this was a thrilling and exciting novel, that has certainly confirmed that Spradberry is one of my favourite authors, especially after her debut of The 100 Society.
Read
May 26, 2015DNF'ING 30 pages in. Might go back to it later on, though probably not.
April 23, 2015
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Hachette Children’s Books and Netgalley. A copy of this review is also on my blog: www.bookblogbird.weebly.com
Bit of an odd book this one. It's more like 3.5 stars, really. I quite enjoyed it and it only took the best part of a day to read, but...yeah. Bit odd, really.
The premise revolves around a new hallucinogenic drug that’s out on the streets called Nostalgex. Take one or two pills and your memory is enhanced so that you can pass any test. Take more and you can relive the best memories of your life like you’re really there.
On New Year ’s Eve, Jess discovers that her best friend, Scarlett, and her boyfriend, Luke, are cheating and that Luke is also dealing Nostalgex, but before she can confront them a house fire breaks out. Meanwhile, a few streets away, Sam Cooper, Jess’s ex, has wandered into the path of a local Nostalgex dealer and finds himself entangled far further than he ever imagined possible. Jess and Cooper’s worlds collide again as they work together to sort the whole mess out.
The plot took a little while to get into and seemed to move quite slowly at first, but once it got going it rattled along nicely and there was a superb twisty-type ending that I didn’t see coming but made total sense. There were a few leaps of logic but nothing too serious, so yeah, the plot was pretty good and all added up to a decent YA thriller.
The writing was nice and gritty, which suited the subject matter and added to the who’s-gonna-die-next suspense. Fans of purple prose should probably look away now, because this book won’t be your kind of thing!
My main issue with the book was the characters.
I liked Cooper. He was my favourite. He was kind of goofy and charming and he did some dumb things (crashing a party to steal booze is rarely a good idea), but he had a good heart and was loyal, so yeah, I liked Cooper. Jag, too, was a lot of fun and he and Cooper seemed to have this slightly comedy double-act thing going on which was really nice to read.
Jess annoyed me a bit, though. She was a clever girl, and dedicated to her studies, but apparently this intelligence didn’t extend to her choice of boyfriend. Luke was an absolute cockwomble! Seriously, now, does anyone actually think that gaslighting is ever acceptable in a relationship? Or grabbing your girlfriend’s arm so hard it leaves bruises? Or smashing your fist through a car window to get her attention?
It was weird, but when the book started, I got the impression that Luke was a really nice guy, but then Jess started dropping these little hints about how rotten he was to her, leaving me thinking, ‘Well, what were you DOING with him, then?’ Because it’s not like Jess doesn’t have options. Like I said, she’s bright, she comes from a relatively happy, non-abusive home, she’s got loads going for her. I didn’t get why it took her so long to realise that Luke’s behaviour was abusive and the fact that she didn’t just kick Luke to the curb once she did realise it, confused me a lot.
Still, the plot and writing held the book together and although I’m still going to be tutting over Jess’s poor taste in men for a couple of days, this was still a pretty good read.
Bit of an odd book this one. It's more like 3.5 stars, really. I quite enjoyed it and it only took the best part of a day to read, but...yeah. Bit odd, really.
The premise revolves around a new hallucinogenic drug that’s out on the streets called Nostalgex. Take one or two pills and your memory is enhanced so that you can pass any test. Take more and you can relive the best memories of your life like you’re really there.
On New Year ’s Eve, Jess discovers that her best friend, Scarlett, and her boyfriend, Luke, are cheating and that Luke is also dealing Nostalgex, but before she can confront them a house fire breaks out. Meanwhile, a few streets away, Sam Cooper, Jess’s ex, has wandered into the path of a local Nostalgex dealer and finds himself entangled far further than he ever imagined possible. Jess and Cooper’s worlds collide again as they work together to sort the whole mess out.
The plot took a little while to get into and seemed to move quite slowly at first, but once it got going it rattled along nicely and there was a superb twisty-type ending that I didn’t see coming but made total sense. There were a few leaps of logic but nothing too serious, so yeah, the plot was pretty good and all added up to a decent YA thriller.
The writing was nice and gritty, which suited the subject matter and added to the who’s-gonna-die-next suspense. Fans of purple prose should probably look away now, because this book won’t be your kind of thing!
My main issue with the book was the characters.
I liked Cooper. He was my favourite. He was kind of goofy and charming and he did some dumb things (crashing a party to steal booze is rarely a good idea), but he had a good heart and was loyal, so yeah, I liked Cooper. Jag, too, was a lot of fun and he and Cooper seemed to have this slightly comedy double-act thing going on which was really nice to read.
Jess annoyed me a bit, though. She was a clever girl, and dedicated to her studies, but apparently this intelligence didn’t extend to her choice of boyfriend. Luke was an absolute cockwomble! Seriously, now, does anyone actually think that gaslighting is ever acceptable in a relationship? Or grabbing your girlfriend’s arm so hard it leaves bruises? Or smashing your fist through a car window to get her attention?
It was weird, but when the book started, I got the impression that Luke was a really nice guy, but then Jess started dropping these little hints about how rotten he was to her, leaving me thinking, ‘Well, what were you DOING with him, then?’ Because it’s not like Jess doesn’t have options. Like I said, she’s bright, she comes from a relatively happy, non-abusive home, she’s got loads going for her. I didn’t get why it took her so long to realise that Luke’s behaviour was abusive and the fact that she didn’t just kick Luke to the curb once she did realise it, confused me a lot.
Still, the plot and writing held the book together and although I’m still going to be tutting over Jess’s poor taste in men for a couple of days, this was still a pretty good read.
June 23, 2015
*Disclaimer: I received this e-galley from Netgalley and Hodder Children's Books in exchange for an honest review.
Final Rating: 3.5 stars
If there's something I love is being taken by surprise when I'm reading a book. Not because it's scary or because there's one detail that I didn't see coming, but because the story does not go where I think it will. This is what happened to me with The Memory Hit. Halfway through the book I was so sure I had it all figured out and then BAM! That ending!
The book is told from multiple POVs and the way they are put together is so interesting. At first it was a bit confusing, because I didn't quite understand how exactly some of these characters were related to each other. As you move forward however, obviously it all makes sense. But the change of perspective really shows that the one you thought was the villain might not be "the big bad". Also, if you're hoping for romance, you won't find it here. Which, honestly, was refreshing. I feel like there's always romance in YA, so for this book to not have any was actually a good change.
I have to be honest and say that I liked Cooper much more than I liked Jess. Jess wasn't unlikable, she just had certain moments where I did not understand why she was doing something or why was she acting a certain way. At times she'd seem a bit self-involved. But then I'd get to a scene where a bit of her back-story is explained and I start to understand her a little bit more, maybe even accept her. Cooper however, because of his family, was completely understandable. His actions made sense to me. He was just a lost guy, trying to keep his head above water. And he was trying to be the best brother he could.
There were some really scary scenes, with someone setting things on fire. That person seemed like a total sociopath. I had ideas of who it might be, but boy was I wrong! I did not see that one coming.
The book deals with drug addiction and how sometimes these drugs might give the idea of providing comfort. There were a few scenes that talked about that perceived comfort. There's a question here that I feel I should ask myself: would I want to relieve memories? To remember every detail of my past? Not really, no. But there's a good scene, in which Luke explains how he used the drugs and why.
I did think the ending was a bit too rushed. I didn't mind the ending, in the sense that I loved being that surprised, but it just seemed a bit too easy for the solution to be found in the way it was. Overall it was an interesting book, with a very unique ending.
Ruby's Books
Final Rating: 3.5 stars
If there's something I love is being taken by surprise when I'm reading a book. Not because it's scary or because there's one detail that I didn't see coming, but because the story does not go where I think it will. This is what happened to me with The Memory Hit. Halfway through the book I was so sure I had it all figured out and then BAM! That ending!
The book is told from multiple POVs and the way they are put together is so interesting. At first it was a bit confusing, because I didn't quite understand how exactly some of these characters were related to each other. As you move forward however, obviously it all makes sense. But the change of perspective really shows that the one you thought was the villain might not be "the big bad". Also, if you're hoping for romance, you won't find it here. Which, honestly, was refreshing. I feel like there's always romance in YA, so for this book to not have any was actually a good change.
I have to be honest and say that I liked Cooper much more than I liked Jess. Jess wasn't unlikable, she just had certain moments where I did not understand why she was doing something or why was she acting a certain way. At times she'd seem a bit self-involved. But then I'd get to a scene where a bit of her back-story is explained and I start to understand her a little bit more, maybe even accept her. Cooper however, because of his family, was completely understandable. His actions made sense to me. He was just a lost guy, trying to keep his head above water. And he was trying to be the best brother he could.
There were some really scary scenes, with someone setting things on fire. That person seemed like a total sociopath. I had ideas of who it might be, but boy was I wrong! I did not see that one coming.
The book deals with drug addiction and how sometimes these drugs might give the idea of providing comfort. There were a few scenes that talked about that perceived comfort. There's a question here that I feel I should ask myself: would I want to relieve memories? To remember every detail of my past? Not really, no. But there's a good scene, in which Luke explains how he used the drugs and why.
I did think the ending was a bit too rushed. I didn't mind the ending, in the sense that I loved being that surprised, but it just seemed a bit too easy for the solution to be found in the way it was. Overall it was an interesting book, with a very unique ending.
Ruby's Books
March 28, 2015
NetGalley! Thanks for the copy.
For those of you who are curious, Nostalgex is a fictional drug. (I searched it up on Google just to make sure, because it sounds like a really interesting drug. Even though it isn't real.) The Memory Hit is a standalone (as far as I can tell). One can label it as YA Suspense/Mystery or Thriller. I should warn everyone that The Memory Hit is dark. It isn't as dark as Barry Lyga's "I Hunt Killers" trilogy, but it is still dark. There might be triggers here for the more sensitive audience.
I have almost little emotional investment with the book. While I was reading it, I wasn't hanging onto every word, every sentence. I was simply reading along, understanding the plot, the characters, and the story. But it was like I was reading through a fog. I'm simply not into The Memory Hit. But it is a really fascinating read.
The book centers around two teens, Cooper and Jess. Cooper is a troubled teen, trying to get out of trouble. Unfortunately, trouble always, always, always finds him. His luck just runs out, doesn't it? Jess is a girl who is caught up in the trouble because of her boyfriend (trying so hard not to add adjectives here). Both of them are great characters. In my opinion, I think Jess is a better character than Cooper. She is much more interesting than Cooper, and she is very, very easy to empathize with.
The plot starts off slowly and starts picking up towards the halfway point of the book. Thankfully, it gets extremely interesting once Jess and Cooper meet up. There is a ton of drama, and things get really dark quickly as expected when drugs turn up in the equation.
The ending is the most dramatic part. Prepare to... Actually, I can't say anything. Because that would be spoilers.
The villain of the book is most curious. I can't help but try to figure out his/her angle over and over again. How? How? There is something extremely off about the villain. I don't feel like the villain fits into the plot easily. It is an odd addition/reveal.
Overall, The Memory Hit is an excellent book. The conflict is extremely well-written. We, as the readers, know that Jess and Cooper are digging themselves a hole that gets bigger as the plot goes by. It is a haunting tale of consequences of collateral damage. The psychological angle (of a victim's mind) itself is particularly fascinating to read. Even though I have zilch emotional attachment to the book, I have to say that it leaves quite an impact. Somehow, I end up caring after all.
Rating: Four out of Five
-ofpaperandwords.blogspot.com
For those of you who are curious, Nostalgex is a fictional drug. (I searched it up on Google just to make sure, because it sounds like a really interesting drug. Even though it isn't real.) The Memory Hit is a standalone (as far as I can tell). One can label it as YA Suspense/Mystery or Thriller. I should warn everyone that The Memory Hit is dark. It isn't as dark as Barry Lyga's "I Hunt Killers" trilogy, but it is still dark. There might be triggers here for the more sensitive audience.
I have almost little emotional investment with the book. While I was reading it, I wasn't hanging onto every word, every sentence. I was simply reading along, understanding the plot, the characters, and the story. But it was like I was reading through a fog. I'm simply not into The Memory Hit. But it is a really fascinating read.
The book centers around two teens, Cooper and Jess. Cooper is a troubled teen, trying to get out of trouble. Unfortunately, trouble always, always, always finds him. His luck just runs out, doesn't it? Jess is a girl who is caught up in the trouble because of her boyfriend (trying so hard not to add adjectives here). Both of them are great characters. In my opinion, I think Jess is a better character than Cooper. She is much more interesting than Cooper, and she is very, very easy to empathize with.
The plot starts off slowly and starts picking up towards the halfway point of the book. Thankfully, it gets extremely interesting once Jess and Cooper meet up. There is a ton of drama, and things get really dark quickly as expected when drugs turn up in the equation.
The ending is the most dramatic part. Prepare to... Actually, I can't say anything. Because that would be spoilers.
The villain of the book is most curious. I can't help but try to figure out his/her angle over and over again. How? How? There is something extremely off about the villain. I don't feel like the villain fits into the plot easily. It is an odd addition/reveal.
Overall, The Memory Hit is an excellent book. The conflict is extremely well-written. We, as the readers, know that Jess and Cooper are digging themselves a hole that gets bigger as the plot goes by. It is a haunting tale of consequences of collateral damage. The psychological angle (of a victim's mind) itself is particularly fascinating to read. Even though I have zilch emotional attachment to the book, I have to say that it leaves quite an impact. Somehow, I end up caring after all.
Rating: Four out of Five
-ofpaperandwords.blogspot.com
September 26, 2015
Dark and gritty urban thriller with a generous portion of the unexpected.
Originally posted on my blog Ashleigh Online
Wowzers. This is one hell of a book. It’s gritty, overflowing with suspense and absolutely brutal. I loved it.
Nothing is as it seems in The Memory Hit and Carla Spradbery managed to skilfully keep those twists and turns hidden and unexpected. I loved knowing that no one was safe – it had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through.
One of my favourite things about The Memory Hit is the unusual narrative. It’s third person, but it switches from character to character each chapter. There’s no pattern to it, which is what makes it so great – Carla takes you wherever the story requires and it’s really quite special. If we needed to stay with a character for a second consecutive chapter we will, and if we need to go to a character as a one off, that’s fine too.
This is an urban thriller ideal for anyone looking for something with loads of action, suspense and surprises. It’s not for the faint hearted and isn’t going to leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, but you’ll certainly find it tricky to stop thinking about it long after you’ve read its final pages.
If anything, I’d say that I expected the effects of Nostalgex to play a bit of a bigger part in the story, but that’s really just an observation based on its blurb than a criticism because it’s brilliant nonetheless.
Originally posted on my blog Ashleigh Online
Wowzers. This is one hell of a book. It’s gritty, overflowing with suspense and absolutely brutal. I loved it.
Nothing is as it seems in The Memory Hit and Carla Spradbery managed to skilfully keep those twists and turns hidden and unexpected. I loved knowing that no one was safe – it had me on the edge of my seat the whole way through.
One of my favourite things about The Memory Hit is the unusual narrative. It’s third person, but it switches from character to character each chapter. There’s no pattern to it, which is what makes it so great – Carla takes you wherever the story requires and it’s really quite special. If we needed to stay with a character for a second consecutive chapter we will, and if we need to go to a character as a one off, that’s fine too.
This is an urban thriller ideal for anyone looking for something with loads of action, suspense and surprises. It’s not for the faint hearted and isn’t going to leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, but you’ll certainly find it tricky to stop thinking about it long after you’ve read its final pages.
If anything, I’d say that I expected the effects of Nostalgex to play a bit of a bigger part in the story, but that’s really just an observation based on its blurb than a criticism because it’s brilliant nonetheless.
March 30, 2015
“The Memory Hit” is an old-fashioned thriller for the young adult crowd. Think “Scream” type thrills with a drug-dealing setting.
If you’re looking for romance, “The Memory Hit” is not for you. There are some brief moments of it, mostly through memories, but that is all. One of my favorite things about the book is the fact that there is an abusive boyfriend who is not portrayed as some misunderstood hero and a girlfriend whose thoughts are shown both before and after she realizes he is abusive. Those portrayals are rare, and I like to point out any time a book treats abuse realistically and doesn’t in any way condone it.
The characters are well-developed in the way that you expect from a standalone thriller. There are strengths and weaknesses in all of them, with realistic reactions to some really terrifying things going on around them. There are several moments that had me jumping out of my seat and an overall atmosphere of general creepiness. Add in the mystery of “whodunnit” and it makes for a fun and fast read. Readers will feel thankful that nostalgex is not a real drug by the end of the story.
I recommend it to upper middle grade readers and up who enjoy a good scare and are looking for a quick read.
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
If you’re looking for romance, “The Memory Hit” is not for you. There are some brief moments of it, mostly through memories, but that is all. One of my favorite things about the book is the fact that there is an abusive boyfriend who is not portrayed as some misunderstood hero and a girlfriend whose thoughts are shown both before and after she realizes he is abusive. Those portrayals are rare, and I like to point out any time a book treats abuse realistically and doesn’t in any way condone it.
The characters are well-developed in the way that you expect from a standalone thriller. There are strengths and weaknesses in all of them, with realistic reactions to some really terrifying things going on around them. There are several moments that had me jumping out of my seat and an overall atmosphere of general creepiness. Add in the mystery of “whodunnit” and it makes for a fun and fast read. Readers will feel thankful that nostalgex is not a real drug by the end of the story.
I recommend it to upper middle grade readers and up who enjoy a good scare and are looking for a quick read.
This review is based upon a complimentary copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 27, 2015
ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review
I finished this in one day.... It's the type of book where you get immersed in action from nearly the beginning and it doesn't stop until the end. May I mention, you don't see the ending.... At all. Did I mention...face melting?!
The author uses mainly two characters, (Sam) Cooper and Jess, to tell the story from a third person view on how they experience things. Right from the start, you meet a group of people and I had a bit of trouble keeping track of who was who for the girls. After a few rotations, it was extremely clear why the author introduced everyone this way, it's crucial to the story, and does a great job keeping it clear after the beginning.
The central characters are all connected in some way, whether it be in the past or present. Instead of focusing on the connections, the story line is clearly defined. Why did the party end in a fire.... What does this better than X drug have to do with most of these seemingly good kids, how did it get to them in the first place? Who is the mysterious masked man?
I did have a few questions about the law enforcement... How does Cooper manage to not get cornered like crazy?!
Read it, it's a fast paced, well thought out read. I would definitely recommend it!
I finished this in one day.... It's the type of book where you get immersed in action from nearly the beginning and it doesn't stop until the end. May I mention, you don't see the ending.... At all. Did I mention...face melting?!
The author uses mainly two characters, (Sam) Cooper and Jess, to tell the story from a third person view on how they experience things. Right from the start, you meet a group of people and I had a bit of trouble keeping track of who was who for the girls. After a few rotations, it was extremely clear why the author introduced everyone this way, it's crucial to the story, and does a great job keeping it clear after the beginning.
The central characters are all connected in some way, whether it be in the past or present. Instead of focusing on the connections, the story line is clearly defined. Why did the party end in a fire.... What does this better than X drug have to do with most of these seemingly good kids, how did it get to them in the first place? Who is the mysterious masked man?
I did have a few questions about the law enforcement... How does Cooper manage to not get cornered like crazy?!
Read it, it's a fast paced, well thought out read. I would definitely recommend it!
March 29, 2015
Grade: F
DNF
I received a free copy of THE MEMORY HIT from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I tried to get into the memory hit three times. I wasn't pulled in, and I didn't care about the characters. I tried skipping forward and that didn't help, I'm always hesitant to comment negatively on writing from a country other than the USA, because I might not be aware of literary style abroad. I hate that I couldn't get into the book especially an ARC and I hate being unable to force myself to finish. But, reading is supposed to be enjoyable and I wasn't having fun. You'd be better off getting a fuller review from someone who finished.
DNF
I received a free copy of THE MEMORY HIT from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I tried to get into the memory hit three times. I wasn't pulled in, and I didn't care about the characters. I tried skipping forward and that didn't help, I'm always hesitant to comment negatively on writing from a country other than the USA, because I might not be aware of literary style abroad. I hate that I couldn't get into the book especially an ARC and I hate being unable to force myself to finish. But, reading is supposed to be enjoyable and I wasn't having fun. You'd be better off getting a fuller review from someone who finished.
February 17, 2016
****ARC from NetGalley for an honest review****
Typical YA story: a group of teenagers with too much time on their hands and no parents in sight, getting themselves into ridiculous situations with ridiculous and dramatic outcomes. This book just tried to hard to be 'shocking' to take it seriously. Was a fast easy read which I was thankful for.
Typical YA story: a group of teenagers with too much time on their hands and no parents in sight, getting themselves into ridiculous situations with ridiculous and dramatic outcomes. This book just tried to hard to be 'shocking' to take it seriously. Was a fast easy read which I was thankful for.
didn-t-finish
May 28, 2015Ok, I'm officially calling this a DNF.
I didn't even make it to page 100.
I just couldn't stand the characters. And while I am curious about what happens, I don't care that much.
I didn't even make it to page 100.
I just couldn't stand the characters. And while I am curious about what happens, I don't care that much.
July 21, 2015
For a more detailed review, please check out my review below:
Debra's Book Cafe
Debs :-)
Debra's Book Cafe
Debs :-)
May 29, 2022
Best book I’ve ever read hands down. Quick read and so worth it , not a boring moment and you won’t be able to do it it down
April 3, 2018
After reading other reviews of this book I was abit dubious about the story.
The story revolves around a group of teenagers, who get mixed up in a mystery that involves arson and drugs - Nostalgex can replay your memories with picture perfect clarity. Should the group use this to help them solve the arson mystery?
I found I really enjoyed it, it was a fast paced story told from multiple POV, but for the most part, namely 2. Will definitely be looking for more from this author.
The story revolves around a group of teenagers, who get mixed up in a mystery that involves arson and drugs - Nostalgex can replay your memories with picture perfect clarity. Should the group use this to help them solve the arson mystery?
I found I really enjoyed it, it was a fast paced story told from multiple POV, but for the most part, namely 2. Will definitely be looking for more from this author.
June 29, 2015
I received this book for free in exchange for a review.
Summary:
Jess had everything. She had the perfect boyfriend, the most amazing dad, and the grades to get into the best medical school that could be found. But on the one night she decides to do something reckless, her world collapses. Suddenly Jess is thrown into a confusing whirlwind of arson, ex-boyfriends and a new drug, Nostalgex. Sam Cooper, Jess's ex-boyfriend, winds up in the middle of a Nostalgex deal, throwing his life into more chaos than it was before. When Jess and Sam run into each other at the hospital, their lives become intertwined once more and they have to survive the new circumstances thrown their way. As Sam and Jess race against time to save their loved ones, they come to realize that maybe nostalgia is the worst killer of all.
Main Characters:
Sam- When I first met Sam, I figured he was just the ex-boyfriend who was crazily in love with his ex and had gotten dumped because he did something stupid. As the book continued, I found myself more and more curious about him and his actions. He didn’t strike me as the same cliche character I expected. I fell in love with Sam’s personality, although he wasn’t the most “pure” character.
Jess- Of course, as the main female character I expected her to be different from the “popular” crowd, something that made her stand out. And at first I was right, she was popular, but didn’t like to drink and party. As time wound on, I found myself relating to her more and more. She felt everything so vividly that it was like I was there myself. Her actions, her decisions, her view, it was all very familiar, and I feel like it would be for most people, even if they don’t want to admit it.
Luke- Right off the bat, I knew there was something about Luke I didn’t like. I didn’t have a reason not to like him, I just didn’t. As the story developed, I discovered parts of Luke that had me cheering him on, and other parts that made me so pissed off I wanted to punch him. Luke turned out to be a character who had more complexity than I originally realized.
Amy- At the start, I figured Amy was more of a minor character that wouldn’t play much of a role in the bigger drama of things. She appeared to be the quiet, always-friendly girl that anyone could get along with. As the book went on, I realized that there was something different lurking behind the surface.
Jag- I automatically liked Jag. His humor, his lightheardness, his carefree attitude, all of it had me hooked. He turned out to not only be more deep than I thought, but I saw more of myself in Jag that I wanted to. When his front was lowered, I noticed that Jag went far beyond the surface.
Review:
For some reason, I couldn’t make myself get into this book at the start. It was no fault of the author, it just wasn’t my usual “style” of book. I began to read it slowly, a few pages at a time, taking in information and promising myself I’d come back to it later. Finally, I hit a spot where I started reading and didn’t stop. I stayed up late just so I could finish the book. I loved this book way more than I thought I would. The spelling and grammar are perfect. The language is wonderfully vivid. The characters were deep, yet not so complex that you couldn’t understand what they were thinking. I enjoyed how it switched between the perspectives of different characters, although I’m not usually a huge fan of it. The insight into each of the characters minds actually made things come alive more, although I would be incredibly interested in learning more about Amy and Jag’s perspectives as well. The storyline was easy enough to follow, and had complexities woven in that caught you off guard and made you need to keep reading because you wanted to understand. Overall, wonderful, wonderful read. It might not be my favorite book of all time, but it is definitely on my top 10 favorites.
Summary:
Jess had everything. She had the perfect boyfriend, the most amazing dad, and the grades to get into the best medical school that could be found. But on the one night she decides to do something reckless, her world collapses. Suddenly Jess is thrown into a confusing whirlwind of arson, ex-boyfriends and a new drug, Nostalgex. Sam Cooper, Jess's ex-boyfriend, winds up in the middle of a Nostalgex deal, throwing his life into more chaos than it was before. When Jess and Sam run into each other at the hospital, their lives become intertwined once more and they have to survive the new circumstances thrown their way. As Sam and Jess race against time to save their loved ones, they come to realize that maybe nostalgia is the worst killer of all.
Main Characters:
Sam- When I first met Sam, I figured he was just the ex-boyfriend who was crazily in love with his ex and had gotten dumped because he did something stupid. As the book continued, I found myself more and more curious about him and his actions. He didn’t strike me as the same cliche character I expected. I fell in love with Sam’s personality, although he wasn’t the most “pure” character.
Jess- Of course, as the main female character I expected her to be different from the “popular” crowd, something that made her stand out. And at first I was right, she was popular, but didn’t like to drink and party. As time wound on, I found myself relating to her more and more. She felt everything so vividly that it was like I was there myself. Her actions, her decisions, her view, it was all very familiar, and I feel like it would be for most people, even if they don’t want to admit it.
Luke- Right off the bat, I knew there was something about Luke I didn’t like. I didn’t have a reason not to like him, I just didn’t. As the story developed, I discovered parts of Luke that had me cheering him on, and other parts that made me so pissed off I wanted to punch him. Luke turned out to be a character who had more complexity than I originally realized.
Amy- At the start, I figured Amy was more of a minor character that wouldn’t play much of a role in the bigger drama of things. She appeared to be the quiet, always-friendly girl that anyone could get along with. As the book went on, I realized that there was something different lurking behind the surface.
Jag- I automatically liked Jag. His humor, his lightheardness, his carefree attitude, all of it had me hooked. He turned out to not only be more deep than I thought, but I saw more of myself in Jag that I wanted to. When his front was lowered, I noticed that Jag went far beyond the surface.
Review:
For some reason, I couldn’t make myself get into this book at the start. It was no fault of the author, it just wasn’t my usual “style” of book. I began to read it slowly, a few pages at a time, taking in information and promising myself I’d come back to it later. Finally, I hit a spot where I started reading and didn’t stop. I stayed up late just so I could finish the book. I loved this book way more than I thought I would. The spelling and grammar are perfect. The language is wonderfully vivid. The characters were deep, yet not so complex that you couldn’t understand what they were thinking. I enjoyed how it switched between the perspectives of different characters, although I’m not usually a huge fan of it. The insight into each of the characters minds actually made things come alive more, although I would be incredibly interested in learning more about Amy and Jag’s perspectives as well. The storyline was easy enough to follow, and had complexities woven in that caught you off guard and made you need to keep reading because you wanted to understand. Overall, wonderful, wonderful read. It might not be my favorite book of all time, but it is definitely on my top 10 favorites.
June 15, 2015
What I wanted: a book about a crazy drug that increased mental capacity and allowed people to live out their memories, What I go: a book about the most boring teenagers on the face of the earth making terrible decisions that put their lives in danger. Needless to say, this book was just not for me. The effects of the drug, which I wanted to be the main feature of the plot, seemed more of a gimmick to have the characters remember important details in a suspenseful manner. I was really disappointed in this because I could see huge potential for the idea of a drug that allowed people to relive their best (or worst) memories. How many people who had lost loved ones would fall into a drug induced haze so that they could hold them one last time? How many people with traumatic experiences would be further devastated by reliving those memories on a bad trip? How might people use the drug in order to cheat on entrance exams or stay ahead of the curve - imagine if it had to be tested for the same way steroids are tested for in the sporting world! Unfortunately, The Memory Hit didn't explore any of those avenues. We had one instance of cheating on tests and two where a character took the drug to try and find the big bad guy. In both of the latter, they devolved into the dullest relationship montage ever.
The novel is filled with YA cliches. The oh-so-special main character whom every boy wants. The love interests who fight over her. The absentee parents - lets pause a moment there - what the heck was wrong with her father? First of all, she escapes a fire, goes to the hospital, runs around the town, goes back to the hospital and her father is nowhere to be found? If my kid was in that situation and I hadn't heard from her I would be blowing up her phone and scouring the streets! To make matter worse, when her (ex?) boyfriend pushes her away, leaving her bleeding against a brick wall, her father (who apparently was watching the whole time) waits for her ex-ex boyfriend to decide whether or not he was going to fight the guy and then calmly sends the kids home. What the Hell?! My father would murder the guy for even THINKING about laying a hand on me.
The characters are B-O-R-I-N-G. They have zero personality and make THE WORST DECISIONS EVER! I feel like this whole problem could have been solved if any of the teenagers had gone to the police or at least one of the adults (like Jag's awesome dad). They also do things that seem completely out of character with little or no coercion or explanation. There is a twist of the most ludicrous invention. The identity of the Big Baddie makes NO sense and I do not buy that this person was able to run a successful drug ring and risked it all in order to blackmail one kid into dealing. Not to mention the fact that arson is the easiest murder weapon to go awry and at least one of the places they torched should have had tons of video cameras or the fact that no police seem to be bothering to try and find whoever keeps setting places on fire!
Bottom Line: Despite a killer idea for the drug causing all of these issues, The Memory Hit squanders it and is just a mess. Do No Hit It.
Teaching/Parental Notes:
Age: 16 and up
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Death by Fire, Death by Gunshot, Fist Fighting, Child Abuse
Inappropriate Language: Shit
Substance Use/Abuse: Use of fictional drug, underage drinking, smoking
The novel is filled with YA cliches. The oh-so-special main character whom every boy wants. The love interests who fight over her. The absentee parents - lets pause a moment there - what the heck was wrong with her father? First of all, she escapes a fire, goes to the hospital, runs around the town, goes back to the hospital and her father is nowhere to be found? If my kid was in that situation and I hadn't heard from her I would be blowing up her phone and scouring the streets! To make matter worse, when her (ex?) boyfriend pushes her away, leaving her bleeding against a brick wall, her father (who apparently was watching the whole time) waits for her ex-ex boyfriend to decide whether or not he was going to fight the guy and then calmly sends the kids home. What the Hell?! My father would murder the guy for even THINKING about laying a hand on me.
The characters are B-O-R-I-N-G. They have zero personality and make THE WORST DECISIONS EVER! I feel like this whole problem could have been solved if any of the teenagers had gone to the police or at least one of the adults (like Jag's awesome dad). They also do things that seem completely out of character with little or no coercion or explanation. There is a twist of the most ludicrous invention. The identity of the Big Baddie makes NO sense and I do not buy that this person was able to run a successful drug ring and risked it all in order to blackmail one kid into dealing. Not to mention the fact that arson is the easiest murder weapon to go awry and at least one of the places they torched should have had tons of video cameras or the fact that no police seem to be bothering to try and find whoever keeps setting places on fire!
Bottom Line: Despite a killer idea for the drug causing all of these issues, The Memory Hit squanders it and is just a mess. Do No Hit It.
Teaching/Parental Notes:
Age: 16 and up
Sex: Kissing
Violence: Death by Fire, Death by Gunshot, Fist Fighting, Child Abuse
Inappropriate Language: Shit
Substance Use/Abuse: Use of fictional drug, underage drinking, smoking
July 17, 2015
Really enjoyed this one! Loved the two main characters and thought the plot was really tense and surprising! Plus it went pretty dark with the gruesome deaths.
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I really enjoyed The Memory Hit by Carla Spradbery. It was a tense, pacey read and I loved how the characters interacted and how all of the different story lines merged together. Admittedly, story lines involving drugs and memory aren't my favourite and I was hesitant to read this book, I am still really glad that I did. I loved the way this book managed to surprise me. Both in terms of twisty plot line but also how dark it went.
The Memory Hit by Carla Spradbery is the story of two main characters, Jess and Cooper after both have pretty intense experiences on New Year's Eve. Jess ends up in a house fire after discovering her best friend and boyfriend have been cheating and that her boyfriend has been dealing drugs. And without having any time to adjust to that new scenario, her best friend is in hospital badly injured. Meanwhile, Cooper is attacked and ends up on the bad side of local drug dealer and is forced into coming up with way more money than would be possible with their family's limited income.
I really liked Jess and Cooper as narrators. Occasionally the narration drifts off into other perspectives and I found these fairly short chapters from another point of view jarred me out of the story but at least they were infrequent and I felt like Jess and Cooper did well to invest me emotionally throughout. The fact that these two are exes made everything between them super intense and I loved that between them. But I also just really liked them as individuals.
Jess is one of those strait-laced girls whose main focus is very much on good grades and this whole thing with her boyfriend and her best friend really sends her for a loop. She becomes very intent on finding out answers for all the questions raised by the texts she's seen on her boyfriend's phone and the things that Cooper has experienced. The whole idea of Nostalgex was intriguing. A drug that simulates past memories and helps clarify things and contort the memories into different ways. And Cooper was just lovely. Obviously a boy who has made plenty of mistakes but you can tell he's still a good guy. Especially by the way he treats his sister and how he shoulders the burden of keeping them both afloat after they fall on hard times.
I feel like there is so much to talk about with The Memory Hit. I loved the family relationships and the complicated mess of being exes and ex-friends after a break-up and the twisted family histories that crop up, both with Cooper and Leon, the drug dealer. I loved Jag and Cooper's friendship in particular. I thought it was interesting to see one of the characters succumb to the temptation of Nostalgex. The person behind it all was an absolute surprise to me and there were a couple of really gruesome deaths that felt a bit shocking. I loved that darkness. I just really found this book to be really entertaining throughout!
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I really enjoyed The Memory Hit by Carla Spradbery. It was a tense, pacey read and I loved how the characters interacted and how all of the different story lines merged together. Admittedly, story lines involving drugs and memory aren't my favourite and I was hesitant to read this book, I am still really glad that I did. I loved the way this book managed to surprise me. Both in terms of twisty plot line but also how dark it went.
The Memory Hit by Carla Spradbery is the story of two main characters, Jess and Cooper after both have pretty intense experiences on New Year's Eve. Jess ends up in a house fire after discovering her best friend and boyfriend have been cheating and that her boyfriend has been dealing drugs. And without having any time to adjust to that new scenario, her best friend is in hospital badly injured. Meanwhile, Cooper is attacked and ends up on the bad side of local drug dealer and is forced into coming up with way more money than would be possible with their family's limited income.
I really liked Jess and Cooper as narrators. Occasionally the narration drifts off into other perspectives and I found these fairly short chapters from another point of view jarred me out of the story but at least they were infrequent and I felt like Jess and Cooper did well to invest me emotionally throughout. The fact that these two are exes made everything between them super intense and I loved that between them. But I also just really liked them as individuals.
Jess is one of those strait-laced girls whose main focus is very much on good grades and this whole thing with her boyfriend and her best friend really sends her for a loop. She becomes very intent on finding out answers for all the questions raised by the texts she's seen on her boyfriend's phone and the things that Cooper has experienced. The whole idea of Nostalgex was intriguing. A drug that simulates past memories and helps clarify things and contort the memories into different ways. And Cooper was just lovely. Obviously a boy who has made plenty of mistakes but you can tell he's still a good guy. Especially by the way he treats his sister and how he shoulders the burden of keeping them both afloat after they fall on hard times.
I feel like there is so much to talk about with The Memory Hit. I loved the family relationships and the complicated mess of being exes and ex-friends after a break-up and the twisted family histories that crop up, both with Cooper and Leon, the drug dealer. I loved Jag and Cooper's friendship in particular. I thought it was interesting to see one of the characters succumb to the temptation of Nostalgex. The person behind it all was an absolute surprise to me and there were a couple of really gruesome deaths that felt a bit shocking. I loved that darkness. I just really found this book to be really entertaining throughout!
June 7, 2015
Review also at Pinker Than Fiction Reviews.
The Memory Hit is an in your face, wham bam, over before you know it, read.
That's an accurate description. From page one, The Memory Hit is go, go, go. It's a quick read, and with so much action going on, this one is kind of the epitome of fast paced. Spradbery throws you right in and it's a scramble to catch up. In a way, this works. You're in much the same boat as the characters, trying to put things together. But it can also be confusing and frustrating, and as such, hard to truly get into the flow of the story. For the most part, I found The Memory Hit an entertaining read. Spradbery hits on some compelling elements, like abuse, drug addiction and arson. Her writing is chilling. She really knows how to evoke fear, anger and desperation. I especially found her scenes describing arson and Whiteface terrifying. What didn't work is the whole idea surrounding the drug Nostalgex. This drug allows one to relive memories, but here's the thing - many times throughout the novel Spradbery's characters are hit with memories that are as clear to them as if they occurred only yesterday without the use of Nostalgex. So I just kept asking myself, why was this drug even necessary? So much of The Memory Hit is reliant on past memories, but I don't think it has quite the intended effect.
While The Memory Hit is a wild and entertaining ride, the biggest downside is a lack of connection. I enjoyed Spradbery's story, it kept me hooked and at times had my heart speeding up. But I never felt invested in her characters. Being thrown into the deep end and focusing on a lot of action means never really getting to know these characters or feeling the bonds between them that are meant to fuel the emotion of the story. The twist when it comes is pretty huge, but ultimately its somewhat lackluster because I didn't feel for the characters. I can see the effect Spradbery intended - one that is shocking, disturbing and tragic - and it could have been awesome. It's just not though. If I'd loved Jess and Cooper, if I'd believed in their relationship, it might have been different. There's just not enough relatability or emotion evoked for these characters, so an ending that should have ideally been one to haunt you after finishing The Memory Hit, simply falls flat.
The Memory Hit is a good read. There's enough going on to keep you entertained to the end, but it's missing that little something that leaves you feeling hit in the solar plexus and likely to never forget it.
I received this book through NetGalley from Hachette Children's Book for review.
The Memory Hit is an in your face, wham bam, over before you know it, read.
That's an accurate description. From page one, The Memory Hit is go, go, go. It's a quick read, and with so much action going on, this one is kind of the epitome of fast paced. Spradbery throws you right in and it's a scramble to catch up. In a way, this works. You're in much the same boat as the characters, trying to put things together. But it can also be confusing and frustrating, and as such, hard to truly get into the flow of the story. For the most part, I found The Memory Hit an entertaining read. Spradbery hits on some compelling elements, like abuse, drug addiction and arson. Her writing is chilling. She really knows how to evoke fear, anger and desperation. I especially found her scenes describing arson and Whiteface terrifying. What didn't work is the whole idea surrounding the drug Nostalgex. This drug allows one to relive memories, but here's the thing - many times throughout the novel Spradbery's characters are hit with memories that are as clear to them as if they occurred only yesterday without the use of Nostalgex. So I just kept asking myself, why was this drug even necessary? So much of The Memory Hit is reliant on past memories, but I don't think it has quite the intended effect.
While The Memory Hit is a wild and entertaining ride, the biggest downside is a lack of connection. I enjoyed Spradbery's story, it kept me hooked and at times had my heart speeding up. But I never felt invested in her characters. Being thrown into the deep end and focusing on a lot of action means never really getting to know these characters or feeling the bonds between them that are meant to fuel the emotion of the story. The twist when it comes is pretty huge, but ultimately its somewhat lackluster because I didn't feel for the characters. I can see the effect Spradbery intended - one that is shocking, disturbing and tragic - and it could have been awesome. It's just not though. If I'd loved Jess and Cooper, if I'd believed in their relationship, it might have been different. There's just not enough relatability or emotion evoked for these characters, so an ending that should have ideally been one to haunt you after finishing The Memory Hit, simply falls flat.
The Memory Hit is a good read. There's enough going on to keep you entertained to the end, but it's missing that little something that leaves you feeling hit in the solar plexus and likely to never forget it.
I received this book through NetGalley from Hachette Children's Book for review.
July 8, 2015
“But the last thing he saw was the expressionless white face somewhere behind the flames. The face of the person who had come to watch him die.”
The Memory Hit is a fast paced story that only spans over a few days, over a boy who was at the wrong place at the wrong time and the girl who knew the wrong people. This is how they find themselves connected in a situation involving selling drugs and escaping from a masked murderer.
What I Liked;
· The Plot – The book started off well with the two different settings and how the two main characters got involved with Nostalgex. It then developed further with the murders, drug deals and the entire mystery about who the person behind the mask was.
· The Multiple Perspectives – thankfully the story didn’t repeat with the changing of perspectives as the characters weren’t always with each other and solved different parts of the story.
· The Span of the book – The story only last a couple of days which really fit the book as it was supposed to be a whirlwind fast paced book
· The Writing Style
· The Murderer – I really liked how the killer actually creeped me out
What I Didn’t Like;
· The Characters – Not that they were bad but I just didn’t know enough about them. The characters had already met so it was written as if the reader had also met the characters before. Same applies to the minor characters.
· Some events in the book and how the characters reacted/their actions were so stupid and unbelievable
· How the mysteries were solved – It really felt like the characters had dodged doing any ‘detective’ work by just taking drugs to solve the mysteries – cop out
· Who the Murderer Was – Seriously – I get why the author gave little/no clue to who the murderer was because it was supposed to shock you but I just couldn’t believe it was, who it was. Also I think that the story could have been much better if was left a mystery to who the masked killer was.
· The death – Someone is killed at the end and it happened way to fast – shock factor done wrong
· The ending – In the book Jess references the stages of grieve and after certain events she moves to the stage of acceptance/moving on very fast – too fast.
The Memory Hit is a fast paced story that only spans over a few days, over a boy who was at the wrong place at the wrong time and the girl who knew the wrong people. This is how they find themselves connected in a situation involving selling drugs and escaping from a masked murderer.
What I Liked;
· The Plot – The book started off well with the two different settings and how the two main characters got involved with Nostalgex. It then developed further with the murders, drug deals and the entire mystery about who the person behind the mask was.
· The Multiple Perspectives – thankfully the story didn’t repeat with the changing of perspectives as the characters weren’t always with each other and solved different parts of the story.
· The Span of the book – The story only last a couple of days which really fit the book as it was supposed to be a whirlwind fast paced book
· The Writing Style
· The Murderer – I really liked how the killer actually creeped me out
What I Didn’t Like;
· The Characters – Not that they were bad but I just didn’t know enough about them. The characters had already met so it was written as if the reader had also met the characters before. Same applies to the minor characters.
· Some events in the book and how the characters reacted/their actions were so stupid and unbelievable
· How the mysteries were solved – It really felt like the characters had dodged doing any ‘detective’ work by just taking drugs to solve the mysteries – cop out
· Who the Murderer Was – Seriously – I get why the author gave little/no clue to who the murderer was because it was supposed to shock you but I just couldn’t believe it was, who it was. Also I think that the story could have been much better if was left a mystery to who the masked killer was.
· The death – Someone is killed at the end and it happened way to fast – shock factor done wrong
· The ending – In the book Jess references the stages of grieve and after certain events she moves to the stage of acceptance/moving on very fast – too fast.
August 22, 2015
I received a free copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
DNF @ 55% - 2 stars
This book did not work for me. It might be one of the "It's not you, it's me" cases because I guess mostly, I expected something very different from what I got. What The Memory Hit promised was a thrilling mystery mixed in with the dangerous world of drug abuse. The Memory Hit delivered all of this, the problem was that for me, it wasn't thrilling at all.
The pacing was very slow. Something that I always enjoy in mysteries is the fast pace, the characters getting closer to solving the mystery with every page and to actually get some kind of relevation and action once in a while to keep me interested. The first and only half I read mostly consisted of a lot of teenage drama revolving around the relationships of the characters. This wouldn't necessarily be a problem if it would bring us closer to figuring out who is the mysterious person behind Nostalgex and what happened on the night of New Year's Eve. Instead the main story line gets pushed into the background and it feels like instead of moving forward we have to solve the character's previous mistakes first.
This leads to another thing: the characters. The Memory Hit is mostly told from two POV, Sam and Jess, but we get to read from other characters once in a while, too. Unfortunately, I never really felt connected to Jess or Sam. They seemed more like strangers to me, I never had the feeling I knew them and can understand their actions. And because the book is relatively short and we get to read from even more characters throughout, there isn't really much time to get attached to them either. I think for a mystery thriller, the cast of characters was almost to big for a book this length and I would have preffered it if the author would have sticked to only Jess' and Sam's POV.
Overall, I think The Memory Hit just wasn't for me. I felt no attachment to the characters and the mystery wasn't compelling enough for me to get invested in the story either and I felt myself getting bored which is the exact opposite of what a thriller should do. However, I did really enjoy the writing and the effects that the drug had on the user. Sadly, that wasn't enough for me to keep reading.
DNF @ 55% - 2 stars
This book did not work for me. It might be one of the "It's not you, it's me" cases because I guess mostly, I expected something very different from what I got. What The Memory Hit promised was a thrilling mystery mixed in with the dangerous world of drug abuse. The Memory Hit delivered all of this, the problem was that for me, it wasn't thrilling at all.
The pacing was very slow. Something that I always enjoy in mysteries is the fast pace, the characters getting closer to solving the mystery with every page and to actually get some kind of relevation and action once in a while to keep me interested. The first and only half I read mostly consisted of a lot of teenage drama revolving around the relationships of the characters. This wouldn't necessarily be a problem if it would bring us closer to figuring out who is the mysterious person behind Nostalgex and what happened on the night of New Year's Eve. Instead the main story line gets pushed into the background and it feels like instead of moving forward we have to solve the character's previous mistakes first.
This leads to another thing: the characters. The Memory Hit is mostly told from two POV, Sam and Jess, but we get to read from other characters once in a while, too. Unfortunately, I never really felt connected to Jess or Sam. They seemed more like strangers to me, I never had the feeling I knew them and can understand their actions. And because the book is relatively short and we get to read from even more characters throughout, there isn't really much time to get attached to them either. I think for a mystery thriller, the cast of characters was almost to big for a book this length and I would have preffered it if the author would have sticked to only Jess' and Sam's POV.
Overall, I think The Memory Hit just wasn't for me. I felt no attachment to the characters and the mystery wasn't compelling enough for me to get invested in the story either and I felt myself getting bored which is the exact opposite of what a thriller should do. However, I did really enjoy the writing and the effects that the drug had on the user. Sadly, that wasn't enough for me to keep reading.
September 2, 2015
The Memory Hit focuses on the lives of a few teenagers and the ways in which they get caught up with a drug called Nostalgex: a pill that allows users to access memories from their past as well as remember recent things like chapters from a textbook. The book is from the perspective of Jess and Cooper, in alternating chapters, although at times it could be hard to tell who was who, as they sounded so similar and even with the headings, it took me a moment to get into each character's side.
When I saw a quote from James Dawson on the cover, I knew I needed to read this book. With thriller themes and fast-paced action, it's certainly a book you can speed through at an enjoyable pace. However, I had a few issues with this book that I just couldn't ignore. Firstly, Jess has a complete disregard towards people dying - it's just kind of brushed off and whilst it would have been more realistic to show her emotions as more than just a quick shock, I understand that the author was trying to get as much action in as she could. Secondly, I feel as though there were so many things happening that it didn't feel realistic. The action and pacing was good, but the events in the book didn't seem to make much sense in the real world. For this reason, I had to separate myself from reading a contemporary thriller and pretend I was almost in a fantasy book, in order for it to feel more real. I didn't really connect with any of the characters and I can't say I particularly liked any of them either.
One aspect of the book that I approved of was the portrayal of an abusive relationship. From the beginning of the book, we learn that Jess' boyfriend is an abusive one and whilst some YA books glorify this kind of behaviour, this one didn't. We clearly saw Jess' thoughts before and after she realised this wasn't okay and it was clear she wasn't putting up with it anymore.
Overall, the book was okay. I would recommend it if you like fast-paced action thrillers but if you want something hard hitting or realistic, this probably isn't for you. For the most part, I felt as though the book was trying so hard to be a twisty thriller, it forgot to make sense.
*I received a copy of this book for an honest review from NetGalley
When I saw a quote from James Dawson on the cover, I knew I needed to read this book. With thriller themes and fast-paced action, it's certainly a book you can speed through at an enjoyable pace. However, I had a few issues with this book that I just couldn't ignore. Firstly, Jess has a complete disregard towards people dying - it's just kind of brushed off and whilst it would have been more realistic to show her emotions as more than just a quick shock, I understand that the author was trying to get as much action in as she could. Secondly, I feel as though there were so many things happening that it didn't feel realistic. The action and pacing was good, but the events in the book didn't seem to make much sense in the real world. For this reason, I had to separate myself from reading a contemporary thriller and pretend I was almost in a fantasy book, in order for it to feel more real. I didn't really connect with any of the characters and I can't say I particularly liked any of them either.
One aspect of the book that I approved of was the portrayal of an abusive relationship. From the beginning of the book, we learn that Jess' boyfriend is an abusive one and whilst some YA books glorify this kind of behaviour, this one didn't. We clearly saw Jess' thoughts before and after she realised this wasn't okay and it was clear she wasn't putting up with it anymore.
Overall, the book was okay. I would recommend it if you like fast-paced action thrillers but if you want something hard hitting or realistic, this probably isn't for you. For the most part, I felt as though the book was trying so hard to be a twisty thriller, it forgot to make sense.
*I received a copy of this book for an honest review from NetGalley
May 29, 2015
What if you find a book to be engrossing, well-written and gripping...but something was missing?
The Memory Hit is exactly this. There's much to captivate and draw you in, from the boy/girl twins, children of a notorious underworld figure, and his wife, now both in jail; a tense relationship between a former boyfriend and girlfriend; a mysterious, masked, hooded figure; a house fire that starts during a party; and Nostalgex, the illegal drug that allows the user to relive any of their memories in full, living color.
That's the set-up for a riveting story-line, yet it was the drugs (which is one of, if not the, main narratives) that kept me from being all in. Apparently, Nostalgex is highly sought-after because people want to relive their pasts. The drug allows them to be able to recall with clarity anything they want to remember. They can't change anything, because it has already happened, but they will be able to see, feel, smell and experience everything just as it was, but with a clearer sense. That where I thought "so?" This felt like a clunky device to propel the plot forward, like it was the idea around which the book was hanging. I know, I know...that's what a plot is, but other than those people who are miserable and can only find happiness in their pasts, why would this be a desirable thing? (Other than a mention or two of using the drug to cheat on tests, that's not the main thrust of the story.) And, if the experience isn't addictive, then what's the harm in looking back on occasion? It just didn't add up.
Other than that, I found the characters to be well fleshed-out, the twists fabulous, and the characters diverse. If you can swallow the Nostalgex piece, then you're good to go.
The Memory Hit by Carla Spradbery will be published tomorrow, June 4, 2015 by Hodder Children's Books. A free copy of this book was given to Ink and Page in return for an honest review. Big thanks to the Publisher, the Author and NetGalley.
Rating: 4
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction Mystery Diversity
Ages: 13 and up
The Memory Hit is exactly this. There's much to captivate and draw you in, from the boy/girl twins, children of a notorious underworld figure, and his wife, now both in jail; a tense relationship between a former boyfriend and girlfriend; a mysterious, masked, hooded figure; a house fire that starts during a party; and Nostalgex, the illegal drug that allows the user to relive any of their memories in full, living color.
That's the set-up for a riveting story-line, yet it was the drugs (which is one of, if not the, main narratives) that kept me from being all in. Apparently, Nostalgex is highly sought-after because people want to relive their pasts. The drug allows them to be able to recall with clarity anything they want to remember. They can't change anything, because it has already happened, but they will be able to see, feel, smell and experience everything just as it was, but with a clearer sense. That where I thought "so?" This felt like a clunky device to propel the plot forward, like it was the idea around which the book was hanging. I know, I know...that's what a plot is, but other than those people who are miserable and can only find happiness in their pasts, why would this be a desirable thing? (Other than a mention or two of using the drug to cheat on tests, that's not the main thrust of the story.) And, if the experience isn't addictive, then what's the harm in looking back on occasion? It just didn't add up.
Other than that, I found the characters to be well fleshed-out, the twists fabulous, and the characters diverse. If you can swallow the Nostalgex piece, then you're good to go.
The Memory Hit by Carla Spradbery will be published tomorrow, June 4, 2015 by Hodder Children's Books. A free copy of this book was given to Ink and Page in return for an honest review. Big thanks to the Publisher, the Author and NetGalley.
Rating: 4
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction Mystery Diversity
Ages: 13 and up
April 23, 2015
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
I'm not going to review the plot because that's not what I do.
Make note, the book is UK English not American English. I didn't realize that going into it, so the first several appearances of forwardS and towardS tripped me up.
The book was okay. I really liked the premise of drugs that allow you to relive actual memories as if you're watching a video game. That is a brilliant concept. But I think the book was too short. My kindle estimated it as a 5-hour read, and it took me less time than that to finish. And because it was so short, I feel like the author missed out on some opportunities to really explore the drugs and how far people are willing to go to get memories back/relive them.
I liked Sam Cooper the best out of all the characters, and it's an ensemble cast of five (I could be counting wrong on that.) He felt the most real, and the most alive to me.
Who the villain is surprised me which doesn't usually happen very often. So I applaud the author there. And once it's revealed all the little plants made along the way come swimming forward. So double kudos for that.
It's also edited very well for an advanced copy. No typos, grammar mistakes, double/missing words, etc.
Where it fell short, for me, is all the characters feel and sound the same. They all had very similar backgrounds. They all spoke the same. There is no range in speech patterns that makes their dialogue sound different from the exposition or from each other. Another spot that fell short, is the change in POV from one character to the next. The chapters are set up to alternate character POV, but then there are odd little spots in each chapter where the other character's POV slips in. And it isn't consistent. And the narrative is not 3rd person omniscient which would allow for the slips. It's limited, yet the limited isn't very tightly adhered to.
overall, 3-3.5 stars.
I'm not going to review the plot because that's not what I do.
Make note, the book is UK English not American English. I didn't realize that going into it, so the first several appearances of forwardS and towardS tripped me up.
The book was okay. I really liked the premise of drugs that allow you to relive actual memories as if you're watching a video game. That is a brilliant concept. But I think the book was too short. My kindle estimated it as a 5-hour read, and it took me less time than that to finish. And because it was so short, I feel like the author missed out on some opportunities to really explore the drugs and how far people are willing to go to get memories back/relive them.
I liked Sam Cooper the best out of all the characters, and it's an ensemble cast of five (I could be counting wrong on that.) He felt the most real, and the most alive to me.
Who the villain is surprised me which doesn't usually happen very often. So I applaud the author there. And once it's revealed all the little plants made along the way come swimming forward. So double kudos for that.
It's also edited very well for an advanced copy. No typos, grammar mistakes, double/missing words, etc.
Where it fell short, for me, is all the characters feel and sound the same. They all had very similar backgrounds. They all spoke the same. There is no range in speech patterns that makes their dialogue sound different from the exposition or from each other. Another spot that fell short, is the change in POV from one character to the next. The chapters are set up to alternate character POV, but then there are odd little spots in each chapter where the other character's POV slips in. And it isn't consistent. And the narrative is not 3rd person omniscient which would allow for the slips. It's limited, yet the limited isn't very tightly adhered to.
overall, 3-3.5 stars.
September 7, 2015
The story is centred on two teenagers, Jess and (Sam) Cooper as their lives get caught up in events that they are barely able to control. The action becomes a rollercoaster ride of emotions as they seek to find out what is going on around them and try protect the people they are close to.
Cooper is Jess' ex and is someone that trouble seems to follow around. He is the son of 2 convicted drug dealers and has to work hard to simply survive. At the beginning of the story Jess is going out with Luke, who is more predictable than Cooper and has plans for the future that are more similar to her own. She is a good student and plans to go the university and study medicine. When the story begins it is New Year's Eve and everyone has somewhere to go. Jess and Luke head to a party as a couple and from there the night goes terribly wrong. Jess discovers that there is something between Luke and her best friend, Scarlett, she finds a large quantity of the illegal drug, Nostalgex, in Luke's jacket pocket and a fire breaks out trapping Luke and Scarlett inside the building. Meanwhile Cooper has accidently wandered into the path of a ruthless local Nostalgex dealer. Cooper has always steered clear of drugs but finds himself the victim of blackmail and is intimidated into selling drugs.
Jess and Cooper's paths cross when they both end up in the local hospital in the aftermath of these events and it becomes clear that they must work together if they are going to somehow sort out the messes that they are caught up in.
There is a lot that happens in this book and in the final pages some serious decisions have to be made by the characters with some dire outcomes. It offers some insights into what can happen when young people get mixed up in drugs and crime but does not preach and moralise to the reader.
Cooper is Jess' ex and is someone that trouble seems to follow around. He is the son of 2 convicted drug dealers and has to work hard to simply survive. At the beginning of the story Jess is going out with Luke, who is more predictable than Cooper and has plans for the future that are more similar to her own. She is a good student and plans to go the university and study medicine. When the story begins it is New Year's Eve and everyone has somewhere to go. Jess and Luke head to a party as a couple and from there the night goes terribly wrong. Jess discovers that there is something between Luke and her best friend, Scarlett, she finds a large quantity of the illegal drug, Nostalgex, in Luke's jacket pocket and a fire breaks out trapping Luke and Scarlett inside the building. Meanwhile Cooper has accidently wandered into the path of a ruthless local Nostalgex dealer. Cooper has always steered clear of drugs but finds himself the victim of blackmail and is intimidated into selling drugs.
Jess and Cooper's paths cross when they both end up in the local hospital in the aftermath of these events and it becomes clear that they must work together if they are going to somehow sort out the messes that they are caught up in.
There is a lot that happens in this book and in the final pages some serious decisions have to be made by the characters with some dire outcomes. It offers some insights into what can happen when young people get mixed up in drugs and crime but does not preach and moralise to the reader.
August 2, 2015
In The Memory Hit we see the dark side of being a teenager in England. Typical teenage issues are mixed in with more sinister topics, including murder and drug abuse. I did really like the mystery element and how Carla Spradbery kept us guessing as to who was orchestrating events.
The concept was good and fairly simple. Nostalgex is a popular drug which allows you to relive your memories, good or bad, in their full technicolored glory. Imagine the potential for good and bad with this! It's a memory so you cannot change events, but it does have the bonus of being able to provide answers to certain questions, or to help you remember loved ones.
I did find the pacing a little slow and a lot of the book was taken up with Jess worrying about her clearly abusive and undeserving ex-boyfriend Luke. With friends like Luke and Scarlet who needs enemies? Sam/Cooper was my favourite character and I kept trying to work out why Jess would ever have prefered Luke. A lot of the plot deals with back story , with the characters thinking about past events (hence the Nostalgex). Whilst I'm all for learning more about characters I did find it a little distracting having the other POVs apart from Jess and Sam.
In terms of genre, The Memory Hit is a YA mystery/suspense story. It is probably worth noting that it's quite dark and the characters are faced with traumatic events. If you're a fan of lighthearted and sweet HEAs this probably isn't the story for you. I actually liked the grit and depth. I don't mind darker issues in YA books, if they serve a point. I wanted to love this book and from the blurb I really thought I would. Don't get me wrong I didn't dislike the book, but I just didn't love it.
3 Stars in my Sky!
More at Zili in the Sky
I received a copy from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review!
May 18, 2015
I feel like The Memory Hit tried to be Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and failed miserably. That's not to say there was nothing good about this book. It just wasn't captivating enough. It jumped around so much, it was hard to keep up with what was happening and what character we were supposed to be following, and the characters felt a little like stereotypes. The ending was a shocker, though, and I did read it all the way through because I wanted to see what happened, so at least I was able to get invested in it, even if the story's potential wasn't fully realized.
Jess and Cooper were okay characters. I didn't feel much for them either way. They weren't as defined as they could have been. The rest of the cast (Leon, Luke, Scarlett, etc.) all just felt like stereotypes to me. Leon the drug dealer whose dad was in jail was the biggest cliche. I just couldn't take any of the characters seriously because of their pasts. I did feel some sympathy for Scarlett, even though she had cheated with her best friend's boyfriend. That doesn't mean she deserved to be in the hospital severely injured like she was.
The plot was disjointed and jumped around too much. There was no flow to it at all, and that made the story seem longer than it was. I lost interest a few times and had to put the book down and come back to it later because of the ADD-style writing. The ending shocked me, but it made sense, at least. I didn't feel much emotion other than shock at the big reveal due to the fact that I couldn't get invested in the characters.
Overall, I didn't really enjoy this book. That doesn't mean that other people won't, though. The jumpy plot just really ruined it for me. If you try it, I hope you like it more than I did.
Jess and Cooper were okay characters. I didn't feel much for them either way. They weren't as defined as they could have been. The rest of the cast (Leon, Luke, Scarlett, etc.) all just felt like stereotypes to me. Leon the drug dealer whose dad was in jail was the biggest cliche. I just couldn't take any of the characters seriously because of their pasts. I did feel some sympathy for Scarlett, even though she had cheated with her best friend's boyfriend. That doesn't mean she deserved to be in the hospital severely injured like she was.
The plot was disjointed and jumped around too much. There was no flow to it at all, and that made the story seem longer than it was. I lost interest a few times and had to put the book down and come back to it later because of the ADD-style writing. The ending shocked me, but it made sense, at least. I didn't feel much emotion other than shock at the big reveal due to the fact that I couldn't get invested in the characters.
Overall, I didn't really enjoy this book. That doesn't mean that other people won't, though. The jumpy plot just really ruined it for me. If you try it, I hope you like it more than I did.
November 29, 2015
The Memory Hit was a refreshing, thrilling read for me. This novel is a YA mystery thriller with a very interesting plot, revolving around this new drug on the market, Notalgex. No, Nostalgex was just the key to the story. Nostalex is a drug that lets you relive memory with sharper detail. It's a rather odd book which was surprisingly fun to read. Each chapter awakens me more than the previous one. There are plot twists to keep you continually on the edge of your seat, always keeping you wondering what’s going to happen next until the great reveal at the end. The author was very smart with this plot. It was extremely exciting to read this novel.
Carla Spradberry tells this story mostly through two perspectives with a few special ones in between. The two main perspectives are Jess and Cooper. Jess was a pretty sweet character, I couldn't really relate with her, but I understood her all right. Jess was a try-hard, but determined character. She cared for others that she would put herself into danger, which is admirable, but she would stay on the sidelines, just to be there and know what's going on. Less admirable. Cooper was more relatable, especially once put under a pressurized situation. He kept himself going, told the ones he trusted to not tell more, and accepted help from those trusted ones. Cooper kept strong throughout the book and had great teamwork.
The Memory Hit was a well-balanced YA. It has lots of mystery, enough drama, a hint of romance, a bit more scandal and a lot of youth. The characters have the most fascinating of back stories, and a story that makes this novel worth reading. This is a title I’d definitely recommend for those who enjoy this genre.
Thank you netgalley for the free review copy in exchange for n honest review.
Carla Spradberry tells this story mostly through two perspectives with a few special ones in between. The two main perspectives are Jess and Cooper. Jess was a pretty sweet character, I couldn't really relate with her, but I understood her all right. Jess was a try-hard, but determined character. She cared for others that she would put herself into danger, which is admirable, but she would stay on the sidelines, just to be there and know what's going on. Less admirable. Cooper was more relatable, especially once put under a pressurized situation. He kept himself going, told the ones he trusted to not tell more, and accepted help from those trusted ones. Cooper kept strong throughout the book and had great teamwork.
The Memory Hit was a well-balanced YA. It has lots of mystery, enough drama, a hint of romance, a bit more scandal and a lot of youth. The characters have the most fascinating of back stories, and a story that makes this novel worth reading. This is a title I’d definitely recommend for those who enjoy this genre.
Thank you netgalley for the free review copy in exchange for n honest review.
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