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Mnevermind #3
Life is Awesome
Daniel Schroeder wants nothing more than to repair his father’s broken memories, but it’s been a long time since he’s thought of himself as a memorysmith. Even though convincing Big Dan of their current reality is the most painful task Daniel faces every morning, somehow life manages to prevent him from finding a cure. He needs to keep their family business running. And he needs to moonlight at a competitor’s shop to keep all his employees paid. Or maybe he’s just trying to keep himself from exacerbating the situation.
A year ago, Daniel would have presumed he was clever enough to memorysmith his way out of their predicament, but nowadays he’s not so cavalier. Playing with people’s memories shouldn’t be taken lightly, and things can always get worse. Even with the help of some of the best minds in the business, Daniel still isn’t sure how to navigate his way out of the persistent false memory that’s crippled his life. Is new programming the answer? Better gear? More money? Or is time the only thing that can heal Big Dan’s memories…if they can even be fixed at all.
What Daniel needs most is some breathing room, and Elijah Crowe is eager to provide it. Since he’s smitten with Daniel, Elijah is determined to prove himself—and he’s more than qualified to clear Daniel’s schedule by taking over some duties at Adventuretech. With the support of his new boyfriend, possibilities begin to open up for Daniel, hints of things he hasn’t even realized he’d stopped hoping for: the contentment of a harmonious family, the fulfillment of his creative expression, and a chance for a relationship with a man he loves.
This book completes the Mnevermind Trilogy.
A year ago, Daniel would have presumed he was clever enough to memorysmith his way out of their predicament, but nowadays he’s not so cavalier. Playing with people’s memories shouldn’t be taken lightly, and things can always get worse. Even with the help of some of the best minds in the business, Daniel still isn’t sure how to navigate his way out of the persistent false memory that’s crippled his life. Is new programming the answer? Better gear? More money? Or is time the only thing that can heal Big Dan’s memories…if they can even be fixed at all.
What Daniel needs most is some breathing room, and Elijah Crowe is eager to provide it. Since he’s smitten with Daniel, Elijah is determined to prove himself—and he’s more than qualified to clear Daniel’s schedule by taking over some duties at Adventuretech. With the support of his new boyfriend, possibilities begin to open up for Daniel, hints of things he hasn’t even realized he’d stopped hoping for: the contentment of a harmonious family, the fulfillment of his creative expression, and a chance for a relationship with a man he loves.
This book completes the Mnevermind Trilogy.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 24, 2015
12 people are currently reading
301 people want to read
About the author
Jordan Castillo Price
138 books2,130 followersAuthor and artist Jordan Castillo Price writes paranormal sci-fi thrillers colored by her time in the Midwest, from inner city Chicago, to various cities across southern Wisconsin. She’s settled in a 1910 Cape Cod near Lake Michigan with tons of character and a plethora of bizarre spiders. Any disembodied noises, she’s decided, will be blamed on the ice maker.
Jordan is best known as the author of the PsyCop series, an unfolding tale of paranormal mystery and suspense starring Victor Bayne, a gay medium who's plagued by ghostly visitations.
Jordan is best known as the author of the PsyCop series, an unfolding tale of paranormal mystery and suspense starring Victor Bayne, a gay medium who's plagued by ghostly visitations.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
March 8, 2016
A nice ending to a beautifully written trilogy by the always consistent, Jordan Castillo Price.
This book felt so real. If you are going into the final chapter of the Mnevermind books expecting everything to magically work itself out with minimal effort, you are barking up the wrong tree. What impressed me most about the first two books in the Mnevermind trilogy is how natural and real everything felt: The characters felt real, the relationship issues felt real, and the frustrations felt real. That continued into this book as well.
While there were some significant advancements in all of the relationships in this story, some problems persisted... and I LIKED that. While part of me wanted Elijah to start bottoming like a porn star, that just isn't realistic. He has texture and sensory hangups, he's nervous, he has trouble expressing himself- things were a bit fumbly and uncertain in the bedroom again in this book, which gave this story a level of realism that I adored. Real sex is complicated, real sex can be awkward, so BRAVO to JCP for not backing down on the authenticity of this story.
Same goes with the issues surrounding Big Dan and the guilt that Daniel lives with everyday, along with the communication issues between Daniel and Elijah. These problems have solutions that are sometimes painful, sometimes imperfect, and sometimes so beautiful that they made me cry. This book is all about life and discovering one's priorities.
True to the rest of the series, there is no unnecessary drama, but the storyline has enough tension to remain interesting. It got a little Inception-ish at certain points, with the Mnems within Mnems and not knowing what was reality and what wasn't, but in general, this story was very enjoyable. I almost wish there was another book in the series, or maybe a coda, so I could see what happens to all the characters a few months or years down the road.
A lovely end to a very thoughtful trilogy. I don't think Mnevermind fans will be disappointed.
**Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**
This book felt so real. If you are going into the final chapter of the Mnevermind books expecting everything to magically work itself out with minimal effort, you are barking up the wrong tree. What impressed me most about the first two books in the Mnevermind trilogy is how natural and real everything felt: The characters felt real, the relationship issues felt real, and the frustrations felt real. That continued into this book as well.
While there were some significant advancements in all of the relationships in this story, some problems persisted... and I LIKED that. While part of me wanted Elijah to start bottoming like a porn star, that just isn't realistic. He has texture and sensory hangups, he's nervous, he has trouble expressing himself- things were a bit fumbly and uncertain in the bedroom again in this book, which gave this story a level of realism that I adored. Real sex is complicated, real sex can be awkward, so BRAVO to JCP for not backing down on the authenticity of this story.
Same goes with the issues surrounding Big Dan and the guilt that Daniel lives with everyday, along with the communication issues between Daniel and Elijah. These problems have solutions that are sometimes painful, sometimes imperfect, and sometimes so beautiful that they made me cry. This book is all about life and discovering one's priorities.
True to the rest of the series, there is no unnecessary drama, but the storyline has enough tension to remain interesting. It got a little Inception-ish at certain points, with the Mnems within Mnems and not knowing what was reality and what wasn't, but in general, this story was very enjoyable. I almost wish there was another book in the series, or maybe a coda, so I could see what happens to all the characters a few months or years down the road.
A lovely end to a very thoughtful trilogy. I don't think Mnevermind fans will be disappointed.
**Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**
January 14, 2016
Review written January 12, 2016
3 1/2 Stars - A sweet last part to a good and interesting series
Book #3
Life is Awesome is the last book with the lovebirds; Daniel Schroeder and Elijah Crow. The first #1-The Persistence of Memory (3.8 stars) was intriguing and interesting and WOW (happydancing good) I loved the fantastic second book, #2-Forget Me Not (4.8 stars) (my first 5 star this new year). I crosses my fingers these two should find a nice way together and also finally solve some odd problems with Big Dan and other stuff around the Mnem technology and their daily life's.
**********************************************
In a chilly cold winter Madison, present time...
Once again: Life isn't easy and there are really some knockouts here. Enjoing and I got a lot of goodie moments with these lovely characters but I missed somthing in the end. I felt it as the author didn't have more ideas and just finished.
Life is Awesome is a good read but not as intriguing and touching as book 1 and 2 were. — Okay ...but not stunning. (Maybe I'm a tiny bit dissapointed about this last part to be honest.)
The series..
I feel I should write something more? There are things to say and discuss here. Our lovely characters are all worth thoughts...We will see if there will be any time for a better review another day. — I stay here. Just a last: RECOMMENDED!! This was a very good M/M three books series by Jordan Castillo Price.
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I LIKE - this lovely gang
******
Again a BUDDYREAD with Sofia — start 9th Jan
3 1/2 Stars - A sweet last part to a good and interesting series
Book #3
Life is Awesome is the last book with the lovebirds; Daniel Schroeder and Elijah Crow. The first #1-The Persistence of Memory (3.8 stars) was intriguing and interesting and WOW (happydancing good) I loved the fantastic second book, #2-Forget Me Not (4.8 stars) (my first 5 star this new year). I crosses my fingers these two should find a nice way together and also finally solve some odd problems with Big Dan and other stuff around the Mnem technology and their daily life's.
**********************************************
In a chilly cold winter Madison, present time...
Once again: Life isn't easy and there are really some knockouts here. Enjoing and I got a lot of goodie moments with these lovely characters but I missed somthing in the end. I felt it as the author didn't have more ideas and just finished.
Life is Awesome is a good read but not as intriguing and touching as book 1 and 2 were. — Okay ...but not stunning. (Maybe I'm a tiny bit dissapointed about this last part to be honest.)
‘... the three of us, together. While my father spent his time convincing Elijah that artichoke hearts were indeed edible, Elijah returned the favor by explaining the mechanics of a recorded subject in detail. I was itching to check my palm. Yeah, I knew I wouldn’t be getting a hit of chicken sautéed in buttery garlic in Setting the Stage. But I could be, in Life is Awesome.’
The series..
I feel I should write something more? There are things to say and discuss here. Our lovely characters are all worth thoughts
**********************************************
I LIKE - this lovely gang
******
Again a BUDDYREAD with Sofia — start 9th Jan
September 12, 2018
Re-read September 2018
Still awesome
------------------------
This 3rd installment is once again from Daniel’s POV. I love Daniel. Almost as much as I love Elijah.
In this book Daniel, Elijah and Big Dan try to figure out how to help Big Dan with his persistent mnem. There is some Daniel and Elijah time (so sweet). And something happens with Daniel’s business Adventuretech.
What I like about JCP writing in this series is that it takes time for things to develop. I really like it when I can just sit back and relax with my book without it feeling like the author needs to rush things.
I like the books with slow burning romances. The ones where there is a lot of inner dialogue and the characters are going through a change and need to work to get there. This was definitely the case with Daniel and Elijah. They needed to work on things and that was okay. I could feel the love they had for each other and I loved it that not everything went smoothly. No crazy fights or misunderstandings, just a need to understand each other more.
My only complaint is that I wanted a little more closure. I know that things in RL don’t get wrapped up in pink little bows either, and I liked the fact that the ending felt real. Don't worry, there is a nice HEA, but I still wanted a bit more.
There were just some things I would have liked to see.
But despite me wanting more, I loved this trilogy and had an amazing time reading (or listening to) these books.
Still awesome
------------------------
This 3rd installment is once again from Daniel’s POV. I love Daniel. Almost as much as I love Elijah.
In this book Daniel, Elijah and Big Dan try to figure out how to help Big Dan with his persistent mnem. There is some Daniel and Elijah time (so sweet). And something happens with Daniel’s business Adventuretech.
What I like about JCP writing in this series is that it takes time for things to develop. I really like it when I can just sit back and relax with my book without it feeling like the author needs to rush things.
I like the books with slow burning romances. The ones where there is a lot of inner dialogue and the characters are going through a change and need to work to get there. This was definitely the case with Daniel and Elijah. They needed to work on things and that was okay. I could feel the love they had for each other and I loved it that not everything went smoothly. No crazy fights or misunderstandings, just a need to understand each other more.
My only complaint is that I wanted a little more closure. I know that things in RL don’t get wrapped up in pink little bows either, and I liked the fact that the ending felt real. Don't worry, there is a nice HEA, but I still wanted a bit more.
There were just some things I would have liked to see.
But despite me wanting more, I loved this trilogy and had an amazing time reading (or listening to) these books.
February 25, 2015
The word for this book, oddly enough for a story that is SciFi/Alternate Universe, is... realism.
If you want every bad guy to be punished, every good guy to win, and every hurt to be healed, this is not the book for you. If you want perfect sex with bodies and minds becoming one in effortless synchrony, this is not the book for you. But if you want real people, fallible, quirky, confused, and doing their best, in an imagined setting that feels detail-by-detail real, then this is a great trilogy.
As the story opens, in book 3 of a trilogy that must be read in order, Daniel is struggling to make his mnemography business a success, Big Dan is still dealing with the persistent meme that makes him believe, every morning, that his five-year-old divorce never happened, and Elijah and Daniel together are learning to read each other's signals and build a real relationship.
A banal writer would have had some meme heal Big Dan completely, teach Elijah to understand emotion, and crash the bad guys to earth with a bang. This author does none of those. And yet the warm conclusion of the story, with some wins and losses, some healing and some accepting and accommodating, is satisfying.
I love Elijah's character - he manages to find a loving relationship with Daniel, without losing the autism-spectrum characteristics that are part of his make-up. I love that Daniel sees his worth without needing to change everything about him. And Big Dan, Larry, and other secondary characters add warmth to the story. There was one moment of stupidity that was telegraphed for miles, and made me want to smack Daniel and thinking about taking off a star, and yet it fit well enough with his character that in the end, it worked. I still think the second book, in Elijah's voice, was my favorite, but this part of the story needed to be Daniel's, and it rounds off the trilogy very well.
If you want every bad guy to be punished, every good guy to win, and every hurt to be healed, this is not the book for you. If you want perfect sex with bodies and minds becoming one in effortless synchrony, this is not the book for you. But if you want real people, fallible, quirky, confused, and doing their best, in an imagined setting that feels detail-by-detail real, then this is a great trilogy.
As the story opens, in book 3 of a trilogy that must be read in order, Daniel is struggling to make his mnemography business a success, Big Dan is still dealing with the persistent meme that makes him believe, every morning, that his five-year-old divorce never happened, and Elijah and Daniel together are learning to read each other's signals and build a real relationship.
A banal writer would have had some meme heal Big Dan completely, teach Elijah to understand emotion, and crash the bad guys to earth with a bang. This author does none of those. And yet the warm conclusion of the story, with some wins and losses, some healing and some accepting and accommodating, is satisfying.
I love Elijah's character - he manages to find a loving relationship with Daniel, without losing the autism-spectrum characteristics that are part of his make-up. I love that Daniel sees his worth without needing to change everything about him. And Big Dan, Larry, and other secondary characters add warmth to the story. There was one moment of stupidity that was telegraphed for miles, and made me want to smack Daniel and thinking about taking off a star, and yet it fit well enough with his character that in the end, it worked. I still think the second book, in Elijah's voice, was my favorite, but this part of the story needed to be Daniel's, and it rounds off the trilogy very well.
March 21, 2017
Not my favorite of the series, maybe I was expecting something different than the ending.
I was totally behind how Elijah and Daniel progressed in their relationship in its awkward pauses and jumps ahead. I enjoyed how Big Dan resolved his issue and how Daniel came to see a different perspective of the whole situation. The shift in Daniel's professional trajectory was a bit of a jolt, but I'm a huge proponent of following your trail and not necessarily the easy to see one right in front of you--so this worked for me.
I guess the disconnect was how techie this one was, and it isn't that I was lost because I know hundreds of people with a Ph. D. in computer science and friends or intimate friends with a couple dozen. But, there was a spiral into the memography process and coding/programming that pulled me away from the characters' stories.
Overall, an enjoyable series with a realistic ending. Totally worth it.
I was totally behind how Elijah and Daniel progressed in their relationship in its awkward pauses and jumps ahead. I enjoyed how Big Dan resolved his issue and how Daniel came to see a different perspective of the whole situation. The shift in Daniel's professional trajectory was a bit of a jolt, but I'm a huge proponent of following your trail and not necessarily the easy to see one right in front of you--so this worked for me.
I guess the disconnect was how techie this one was, and it isn't that I was lost because I know hundreds of people with a Ph. D. in computer science and friends or intimate friends with a couple dozen. But, there was a spiral into the memography process and coding/programming that pulled me away from the characters' stories.
Overall, an enjoyable series with a realistic ending. Totally worth it.
July 11, 2023
Grab your cohorts and get your geek on. This is a great conclusion to this trilogy. Talk about Total Recall without the trip to Mars. On the level if Johnny Nemonic without being chased by information brokers. With a pinch of 60 Seconds without the revenge.
Elijah found out how oh boys fathers brain got fried. Daniel has to battle his side hustle, maybe, maybe not.
In the end, just know " These players will stay with me!" Sych character development. Lovely world building. To know after computer generated graphics. Vitural Reality doesn't need Artifical Intelligence to code. Just pixels and stacking!
Elijah found out how oh boys fathers brain got fried. Daniel has to battle his side hustle, maybe, maybe not.
In the end, just know " These players will stay with me!" Sych character development. Lovely world building. To know after computer generated graphics. Vitural Reality doesn't need Artifical Intelligence to code. Just pixels and stacking!
February 18, 2015
1st things 1st. Thank you so so so much Jordan for a copy of the ARC. I thought I was gonna die waiting till the 25th :). I appreciate that more than you can possibly know.
Here's the thing.
This series is beyond the scope of anything that you will have read, ( I think)
For me anything JCP touches turns to gold.
She brings us into these worlds and makes us say hmm and ahhh and what and ok and OMG and shit that was freaking hot.
JCP brings her stories to life.
She's refreshing, invigorating and her "out of the box" thinking is sorely needed when you seem to read the same thing over and over again and only the names change.
I love that JCP's characters aren't perfect. I love that it isnt sunsets and rainbows. I love that I love that it was so real.
Daniel and Elijah were 2 characters that seems to fit just like a tetris piece. (see what I did here? No? Read the book :)
I loved that even as a reader we had to question whether everything that was happening was in mnem or in reality
I felt every inhale that Daniel took. I understood him. I get shouldering the weight of responsibility and family and bills and everything piling up. And when it gets too muchhe I run for my ciggy's. light it up, inhale and exhale. Its a coping mechanism that helps.
I refuse to go on about what this series is about. I feel you need to just read it to get it.
I cant rave more about this series or any other series, standalone, or FB status that Jordan writes because again anything that she touches seems to turn to gold.
Just read the series k.
Mare~Slitsread
Here's the thing.
This series is beyond the scope of anything that you will have read, ( I think)
For me anything JCP touches turns to gold.
She brings us into these worlds and makes us say hmm and ahhh and what and ok and OMG and shit that was freaking hot.
JCP brings her stories to life.
She's refreshing, invigorating and her "out of the box" thinking is sorely needed when you seem to read the same thing over and over again and only the names change.
I love that JCP's characters aren't perfect. I love that it isnt sunsets and rainbows. I love that I love that it was so real.
Daniel and Elijah were 2 characters that seems to fit just like a tetris piece. (see what I did here? No? Read the book :)
I loved that even as a reader we had to question whether everything that was happening was in mnem or in reality
I felt every inhale that Daniel took. I understood him. I get shouldering the weight of responsibility and family and bills and everything piling up. And when it gets too much
I refuse to go on about what this series is about. I feel you need to just read it to get it.
I cant rave more about this series or any other series, standalone, or FB status that Jordan writes because again anything that she touches seems to turn to gold.
Just read the series k.
Mare~Slitsread
January 13, 2016
JCP chose to write this trilogy from two point of views, that of Daniel and that of Elijah by doing so we get to see both their mind frames and so also the lot that is lost in translation when they try to communicate. This loss is a cause of frustration for both and a hurdle they need to overcome if they are to continue. I think JCP chose the right way to show this frustration and then how it is handled, basically a breath at a time, a day at a time and yeah not everything is neatly tied with a bow at the end (as if that ever happens). I like how this is not an everything ends super well story. It would not have been believable. We know that life is not like that and the thought that still they are together with the green/red sheets and seeing the little things and going round the big things together - it makes me feel good.
Considering this a one whole, I'd say that this trilogy had it's ups and lows, an up being Elijah in the second book and then certain instances in book 1 and book 3. I'd say 3 stars for book 1 and 3 and 5 stars for book 2. So I'm going for an average of 4 across the board.
Read with Ingela - creating memories together :D
March 30, 2015
A great ending to this series. No big, over-the-top HEA, but a very believable conclusion to Daniel and Elijah's story. I loved the last chapter and the message behind Simply Happy. Perfection :)
June 1, 2023
Awesome conclusion to the trilogy!
For once, a series ends without me feeling like I need more from it. Castillo Price did a phenomenal job with the story arc over the three books. Events were unexpected and their resolution was far from perfect, which lent an air of reality to this sci-fi series.
I thought that Daniel's growth as a character did him justice while not erasing all of his flaws. His relationship with Elijah feels unforced throughout the entire book and series. And while they end up together, there's no pretty bow tying up their future in a beautiful package. I truly appreciated this low key, realistic approach to a relationship that's often overlooked in a lot of MM romance (not that I don't love fluff and HEAs for those comfort reads).
A great series!
For once, a series ends without me feeling like I need more from it. Castillo Price did a phenomenal job with the story arc over the three books. Events were unexpected and their resolution was far from perfect, which lent an air of reality to this sci-fi series.
I thought that Daniel's growth as a character did him justice while not erasing all of his flaws. His relationship with Elijah feels unforced throughout the entire book and series. And while they end up together, there's no pretty bow tying up their future in a beautiful package. I truly appreciated this low key, realistic approach to a relationship that's often overlooked in a lot of MM romance (not that I don't love fluff and HEAs for those comfort reads).
A great series!
March 30, 2015
I admit I had mixed feelings when I finished the book. But then I re-read the final chapters the next day, and I felt that was the best way the story could have ended.
Even though I knew that would be unrealistic, part of me wanted everything to work out perfectly for Daniel, Elijah, and Big Dan. Because in the first half of the book Daniel had big dreams for the future, and JCP tricked me to believe that would be possible.
So when this didn’t happen, initially I kind of felt that Daniel gave up. But he didn’t. He made a choice to allow himself to be happy. And just like the difference between the mnems ‘Life is Awesome’ and ‘Simply Happy’ which was in the pixels ‘small acceptable flaw’, it was the imperfect things in his life that made him feel this way because he loved them just the way they were. This made the story feel so real.
I’d spent so long feeling like I couldn’t do anything right, I was in a prime position to appreciate the fact that I found it very easy to make Elijah happy. … Phenomenally satisfying things, but simple, even to the point of being mundane. Those are the experiences that make up the bedrock of a happy life. Not the roller coasters, but the long, easy stretches of road.
I must also mention Larry – whenever things got too intense he would appear in the scene and lighten the mood with his never ending optimism and admiration and true friendship. I really liked him for that.
And finally, I find the whole idea of mneming – to experience something extremely pleasing (and very unlikely to happen in real life) with the full knowledge that you won’t have a memory of it within a couple of hours - quite fascinating. Because, really, how often do we fail to recognize the little things that make us happy while constantly chasing and searching for something … more that we believe will bring us happiness?
March 20, 2017
A nice end to the Mnevermind series.
Usually I like my romances to have fairy-tale endings, but I thought that Jordan Castillo Price's decision to go with a more realistic story worked very well here.
The learning curve for Daniel and Elijah is a steep one. Elijah's autism does present some challenges for the two, but both of them are obviously trying. When your romantic partner has autism, it can be expected that there will be certain emotional and physical hurdles. However, I think readers will be very pleased with how far Daniel and Elijah progress in their relationship. I feel like book 2 dealt more so with the physical passion between the MCs, whereas in book 3 we get a very deep understanding of the emotional connection that Daniel and Elijah have had since they first met.
Big Dan and Larry were absolutely awesome. Everyone should be so lucky as to have a friend like Larry! I'm also happy for Big Dan. The author was able to take a situation with seemingly no solution and provide something that was both doable and satisfactory.
I struggled with the technology aspect, and found myself zoning out a few times while reading the tech-heavy parts. But I think readers with an interest in how technology effects the brain will probably find mnemography entertaining. This book reaffirmed that engineering or computer science are definitely not for me! However, the business-oriented parts were very interesting.
Overall, this was an entertaining series that provided a realistic romance, albeit one set in an alternate universe. I'd say I was able to connect more so with Elijah than I did with Daniel, but in the end I was happy with how their story turned out.
Usually I like my romances to have fairy-tale endings, but I thought that Jordan Castillo Price's decision to go with a more realistic story worked very well here.
The learning curve for Daniel and Elijah is a steep one. Elijah's autism does present some challenges for the two, but both of them are obviously trying. When your romantic partner has autism, it can be expected that there will be certain emotional and physical hurdles. However, I think readers will be very pleased with how far Daniel and Elijah progress in their relationship. I feel like book 2 dealt more so with the physical passion between the MCs, whereas in book 3 we get a very deep understanding of the emotional connection that Daniel and Elijah have had since they first met.
Big Dan and Larry were absolutely awesome. Everyone should be so lucky as to have a friend like Larry! I'm also happy for Big Dan. The author was able to take a situation with seemingly no solution and provide something that was both doable and satisfactory.
I struggled with the technology aspect, and found myself zoning out a few times while reading the tech-heavy parts. But I think readers with an interest in how technology effects the brain will probably find mnemography entertaining. This book reaffirmed that engineering or computer science are definitely not for me! However, the business-oriented parts were very interesting.
Overall, this was an entertaining series that provided a realistic romance, albeit one set in an alternate universe. I'd say I was able to connect more so with Elijah than I did with Daniel, but in the end I was happy with how their story turned out.
January 17, 2016
4.5 stars for the book
5 stars for the series as a whole
"Phenomenally satisfying things, but simple, even to the point of being mundane. Those are the experiences that make up the bedrock of a happy life. Not the roller coasters, but the long, easy stretches of road."
This is the third book is this trilogy and for it we switch back to Daniel's pov. He continues to struggle with business issues and his guilt from his father's accident. Through it all he and Elijah keep building the layers of their relationship. While I loved being in Elijah's head last book I think it was important to do this last part with Daniel.
This trilogy is my favorite work from this author (& I'm a big fan of her other stuff). She takes two everyday men and their everyday lives and paints us a picture of a beautiful love. I like how the MC's are not what you usually see in romance books. One is in his 40's and down on his luck. The other is on the Autism spectrum. Nothing about their romance is flash & bang and in fact some of it is imperfect. They have difficulties in their lives and if you're expecting everything to be magically worked out you'll be wrong. They win some and they lose some in this book. The conclusion is just beautiful though and I was touched with the way it ends. These guy's relationship makes me think of the photographs of pretty flowers growing in the cracks of concrete in run down places. There's a life message in here but it's not done in a preachy way. Just ends by giving you something to think about. Loved this entire trilogy.
**these can't be read as stand alones**
5 stars for the series as a whole
"Phenomenally satisfying things, but simple, even to the point of being mundane. Those are the experiences that make up the bedrock of a happy life. Not the roller coasters, but the long, easy stretches of road."
This is the third book is this trilogy and for it we switch back to Daniel's pov. He continues to struggle with business issues and his guilt from his father's accident. Through it all he and Elijah keep building the layers of their relationship. While I loved being in Elijah's head last book I think it was important to do this last part with Daniel.
This trilogy is my favorite work from this author (& I'm a big fan of her other stuff). She takes two everyday men and their everyday lives and paints us a picture of a beautiful love. I like how the MC's are not what you usually see in romance books. One is in his 40's and down on his luck. The other is on the Autism spectrum. Nothing about their romance is flash & bang and in fact some of it is imperfect. They have difficulties in their lives and if you're expecting everything to be magically worked out you'll be wrong. They win some and they lose some in this book. The conclusion is just beautiful though and I was touched with the way it ends. These guy's relationship makes me think of the photographs of pretty flowers growing in the cracks of concrete in run down places. There's a life message in here but it's not done in a preachy way. Just ends by giving you something to think about. Loved this entire trilogy.
**these can't be read as stand alones**
May 8, 2015
This was disappointing after reading book 2. I thought the first half was a little too similar to book one. By now, we get that Daniel feels guilty over what happened to his father. It took too long to get to the resolution. I enjoyed the second half, but it was still repetitive. Unfortunately, I was bored with this one.
November 21, 2017
This will not be an actual review, I will just put together a few thoughts on the series.
What happens every time I read a JCP book is after I finish it, it's like I've spent time with her characters in real life and they are actual people.
If a book makes you go and read two more books and articles on the topics discussed in it, that undoubtedly proves how great it is.
Mnevermind is perfectly well thought and built. Great characters- I loved Elijah, and at the same time I felt very emotionally involved with Daniel. The way the interaction between them was progressing was beyond unpredictable and I really appreciated how their problems wouldn't just disappear if they closed their eyes
Amazing concept and focus on the detail, I don't even want to think how much research JCP has done before writing the series.
What happens every time I read a JCP book is after I finish it, it's like I've spent time with her characters in real life and they are actual people.
If a book makes you go and read two more books and articles on the topics discussed in it, that undoubtedly proves how great it is.
Mnevermind is perfectly well thought and built. Great characters- I loved Elijah, and at the same time I felt very emotionally involved with Daniel. The way the interaction between them was progressing was beyond unpredictable and I really appreciated how their problems wouldn't just disappear if they closed their eyes
Amazing concept and focus on the detail, I don't even want to think how much research JCP has done before writing the series.
April 1, 2015
I pretty much sat down and read the three Mnevermind books back-to-back, I enjoyed them so much I couldn't stop reading when one book was finished. Because I read them all straight off, I'm reviewing them together - I really think anyone interested in these should get all three from the start!These books sum up pretty much everything I love about reading. They are unique, have great characterisation and a fantastic edge of reality - considering the subject matter is not a real thing (yet!).
The latest craze/fad/leisure activity is Mnemming, that is the ability to enjoy a dream-like world for a few hours where your greatest fantasy can come true. In a mnem the world is your oyster and you can spend a few blissful hours in complete happiness, once your time is up you go back about your everyday business and the memories of the mnem slowly fade over the next few hours, leaving you with nothing but a feeling of bliss. Sure, you might be a bit disorientated for a start - after all the mnem world feels remarkably realistic - but all will soon be back to normal.
Except when it isn't.
In a very few cases there have been reports of a persistent memory happening, that is when the brain retains wht happened in the mnem so much so you believe it actually happened. Not a problem? Well imagine trully believing, and experiencing, a big lottery win and spending as if that were the case...yeah, not so good when the cheques you're writing suddenly start bouncing.
Daniel Schroeder and his father, proud owners of Adventuretech, a memory palace, have been playing about with mnems for years. Then, a year ago, Daniel (a qualified memory smith) authored his own mnem, Life is Awesome, and among others his dad, Big Dan, tried it out. The problem was when Big Dan tried it out, for some reason, it caused a persistent memory and so everyday for the last year Daniel has to remind his father that he was separated from Daniel's mom, and she had moved on to pastures new.
Daniel carries the guilt of authoring the mnem that caused the persistence, dreads having to break the news to his dad each and every day, and is trying to keep his failing business afloat by running two jobs. In book 1 he meets Elijah in one of the mnems, when he (Daniel) was trying to retrieve a client at their allotted finish time. Nobody should be in a mnem apart from the client and those in the client's imagination, and Elijah was not part of the client's fantasy.
From here a wonderful relationship develops between Elijah and Daniel. Both have a love of nmeming in common, but things were never going to be easy for them. The fact that Elijah is on the autistic spectrum is not something that bothers Daniel, but it does mean he has to learn how to deal with this alongside their budding relationship. I loved the fact that book 2 was written from Elijah's perspective. We learn loads more about him and his first foray into a gay relationship. He also has a quite different way of looking at, and dealing with, Daniel's growing problems.
Through all three books we see several things happen. Firstly, the relationship between Daniel and Elijah - watching it grow was wonderful. It was so realistic not all moonlight and roses. The whole storyline about Elijah wanting to bottom but it not happening just felt so real. So true - it made me believe these characters all the more.
The ongoing problem with Big Dan's memory. I love Elijah's suggestions. No he couldn't take away the memory persistence but he did his best to help Daniel, to take some of the burden away from Daniel, to help seek a solution - permanent or otherwise. The same with the business. While Daniel is the kind of character who wants to shoulder all the responsibility for everything over time the cast of characters came into play to help him - Big Dan, Elijah and his work-friend Larry. All the characters in this trilogy were great.
The first book was slightly confusing at times - in a meant-to-be-like-that-way. Think The Matrix, it had that similar quality at times, leaving me never quite sure what was real and what was mnem. But I followed the string to the end of book 3 and it all became clear - and more importantly, I enjoyed every word.
Daniel, Elijah and co have found a place in my heart and this cleverly written series will be read again. I would absolutely encourage everyone else to give it a go. Refreshingly real and unputdownable it's worth a place in any book collection.
Previously reviewed at BMBR
A copy of these books was given in exchange for an honest review.
The latest craze/fad/leisure activity is Mnemming, that is the ability to enjoy a dream-like world for a few hours where your greatest fantasy can come true. In a mnem the world is your oyster and you can spend a few blissful hours in complete happiness, once your time is up you go back about your everyday business and the memories of the mnem slowly fade over the next few hours, leaving you with nothing but a feeling of bliss. Sure, you might be a bit disorientated for a start - after all the mnem world feels remarkably realistic - but all will soon be back to normal.
Except when it isn't.
In a very few cases there have been reports of a persistent memory happening, that is when the brain retains wht happened in the mnem so much so you believe it actually happened. Not a problem? Well imagine trully believing, and experiencing, a big lottery win and spending as if that were the case...yeah, not so good when the cheques you're writing suddenly start bouncing.
Daniel Schroeder and his father, proud owners of Adventuretech, a memory palace, have been playing about with mnems for years. Then, a year ago, Daniel (a qualified memory smith) authored his own mnem, Life is Awesome, and among others his dad, Big Dan, tried it out. The problem was when Big Dan tried it out, for some reason, it caused a persistent memory and so everyday for the last year Daniel has to remind his father that he was separated from Daniel's mom, and she had moved on to pastures new.
Daniel carries the guilt of authoring the mnem that caused the persistence, dreads having to break the news to his dad each and every day, and is trying to keep his failing business afloat by running two jobs. In book 1 he meets Elijah in one of the mnems, when he (Daniel) was trying to retrieve a client at their allotted finish time. Nobody should be in a mnem apart from the client and those in the client's imagination, and Elijah was not part of the client's fantasy.
From here a wonderful relationship develops between Elijah and Daniel. Both have a love of nmeming in common, but things were never going to be easy for them. The fact that Elijah is on the autistic spectrum is not something that bothers Daniel, but it does mean he has to learn how to deal with this alongside their budding relationship. I loved the fact that book 2 was written from Elijah's perspective. We learn loads more about him and his first foray into a gay relationship. He also has a quite different way of looking at, and dealing with, Daniel's growing problems.
Through all three books we see several things happen. Firstly, the relationship between Daniel and Elijah - watching it grow was wonderful. It was so realistic not all moonlight and roses. The whole storyline about Elijah wanting to bottom but it not happening just felt so real. So true - it made me believe these characters all the more.
The ongoing problem with Big Dan's memory. I love Elijah's suggestions. No he couldn't take away the memory persistence but he did his best to help Daniel, to take some of the burden away from Daniel, to help seek a solution - permanent or otherwise. The same with the business. While Daniel is the kind of character who wants to shoulder all the responsibility for everything over time the cast of characters came into play to help him - Big Dan, Elijah and his work-friend Larry. All the characters in this trilogy were great.
The first book was slightly confusing at times - in a meant-to-be-like-that-way. Think The Matrix, it had that similar quality at times, leaving me never quite sure what was real and what was mnem. But I followed the string to the end of book 3 and it all became clear - and more importantly, I enjoyed every word.
Daniel, Elijah and co have found a place in my heart and this cleverly written series will be read again. I would absolutely encourage everyone else to give it a go. Refreshingly real and unputdownable it's worth a place in any book collection.
Previously reviewed at BMBR
A copy of these books was given in exchange for an honest review.
January 7, 2016
I really liked this series--for its fantastic premise, superb writing, and a whole crew of strong, complex characters. Like other reviewers I was disappointed that there was no wrap-up to Elijah's big concerns, especially since
Still, the ending of the book was just lovely: This is definitely one of those multilayered stories where different meanings and implications unfold the more you think about it. To mention just one, I was really struck by the "small acceptable flaw" and how it connects to "Simply Happy" vs. "Life is Awesome"--I very much hope the idea stays with me, makes the jump to persistent memory in the language of the book, since it's really worth pondering.
Moreover, the book's portrayal Elijah was both exceptionally well-done and illuminating in a way that leaves the reader changed--here I know I won't forget him or the concept of the "neurotypical" and how those of us who fall into that category can make life easier or harder for those who don't.
Bottom line; I consider Price one of the strongest, most original writers in the M/M genre. I heartily recommend this and all her books.
Still, the ending of the book was just lovely: This is definitely one of those multilayered stories where different meanings and implications unfold the more you think about it. To mention just one, I was really struck by the "small acceptable flaw" and how it connects to "Simply Happy" vs. "Life is Awesome"--I very much hope the idea stays with me, makes the jump to persistent memory in the language of the book, since it's really worth pondering.
Moreover, the book's portrayal Elijah was both exceptionally well-done and illuminating in a way that leaves the reader changed--here I know I won't forget him or the concept of the "neurotypical" and how those of us who fall into that category can make life easier or harder for those who don't.
Bottom line; I consider Price one of the strongest, most original writers in the M/M genre. I heartily recommend this and all her books.
February 6, 2016
Excellent writing and probably one of the most original series Ive ever read!
January 4, 2020
I very much enjoyed this series. Very unique.
September 2, 2015
3.75 stars
I love JCP, and I love this series, but this one fell a little flat to me compared to the first two. Book 1 was phenomenal and a new and exciting idea, I loved the interesting MC's and how they interacted. Book 2 was beautiful, giving us an insight to Elijah we never would have had if all three books had been from Daniel's POV.
Book 2 also brought up a lot of new issues. Elijah was having difficulties with a co-worker at Memory Forge, developed a trust issue with his long-time psychologist, and had a change in the relationship with his ex-wife and best friend, Beth. I assumed these things would be addressed/resolved in book 3, but they were all pretty much dropped.
Instead, while we switched back to Daniel's POV, we also switched back to only his interests and needs. And this was a little disappointing. I'm fine with coming back to Big Dan, cuz obviously that's how we started and that's important. But there was a new side-plot introduced that I felt was totally unnecessary
I think an alternating POV would have been really helpful here after getting one book from each of them. Daniel was working through a lot of issues in this, but I needed to keep in better touch with Elijah and his feelings. I felt I lost him a little. Elijah was really there for Daniel in this book, but it doesn't entirely feel like a two-way street.
Okay, I'm ranting, because as I said I LOVED the first two books. This is still great, although I guess not exactly what I was hoping for. I was disappointed with the sudden legal drama and didn't feel it was necessary. Although the last chapter was nice and let us know Daniel is doing well, again, Elijah is only addressed in relation to Daniel.
Instead of the extra plot here, I think those pages should have been filled with Daniel meeting Beth, and Ryan being dealt with more permanently, and maybe even a joint session with Elijah, Daniel, and Dr. Bergman where Daniel is supportive but Elijah stands up for himself and lets her know that she betrayed his trust and acted prejudiced.
Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
I love JCP, and I love this series, but this one fell a little flat to me compared to the first two. Book 1 was phenomenal and a new and exciting idea, I loved the interesting MC's and how they interacted. Book 2 was beautiful, giving us an insight to Elijah we never would have had if all three books had been from Daniel's POV.
Book 2 also brought up a lot of new issues. Elijah was having difficulties with a co-worker at Memory Forge, developed a trust issue with his long-time psychologist, and had a change in the relationship with his ex-wife and best friend, Beth. I assumed these things would be addressed/resolved in book 3, but they were all pretty much dropped.
Instead, while we switched back to Daniel's POV, we also switched back to only his interests and needs. And this was a little disappointing. I'm fine with coming back to Big Dan, cuz obviously that's how we started and that's important. But there was a new side-plot introduced that I felt was totally unnecessary
I think an alternating POV would have been really helpful here after getting one book from each of them. Daniel was working through a lot of issues in this, but I needed to keep in better touch with Elijah and his feelings. I felt I lost him a little. Elijah was really there for Daniel in this book, but it doesn't entirely feel like a two-way street.
Okay, I'm ranting, because as I said I LOVED the first two books. This is still great, although I guess not exactly what I was hoping for. I was disappointed with the sudden legal drama and didn't feel it was necessary. Although the last chapter was nice and let us know Daniel is doing well, again, Elijah is only addressed in relation to Daniel.
Instead of the extra plot here, I think those pages should have been filled with Daniel meeting Beth, and Ryan being dealt with more permanently, and maybe even a joint session with Elijah, Daniel, and Dr. Bergman where Daniel is supportive but Elijah stands up for himself and lets her know that she betrayed his trust and acted prejudiced.
Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
October 16, 2020
Audio Review:
Still love this series; it's another of JCP's masterpieces that would translate well to a visual medium. Maybe someday we'll get a fan working at BBC to look into these more scifi-oriented stories? As with a lot of her works, there's more here than just the surface message and once again I wish like hell I'd taken that Comparative Lit class.
Anywho, loved Seth's narration. The subtle differences in cadence and tone he gives when each character is speaking is just perfect to me.
Original Review: 4.5 Stars
A great way to end the series.
Still love this series; it's another of JCP's masterpieces that would translate well to a visual medium. Maybe someday we'll get a fan working at BBC to look into these more scifi-oriented stories? As with a lot of her works, there's more here than just the surface message and once again I wish like hell I'd taken that Comparative Lit class.
Anywho, loved Seth's narration. The subtle differences in cadence and tone he gives when each character is speaking is just perfect to me.
Original Review: 4.5 Stars
A great way to end the series.
March 2, 2015
I love this series. I love this book. I wish Elijah viewpoint was in this book. A chapter or two or an epilogue.
April 22, 2015
BR, April 11th with Susan and Momo.
December 11, 2016
I didn't hate the conclusion of this series, but it was pretty disappointing. Open-ended conflicts from the second book are completely ignored, and the climax is rather uneventful.
September 2, 2018
This book made me so angry! I wanted to punch a certain someone in the face and now I want - no - NEED - a Mnevermind/Leverage crossover to make things right.
Let's go steal us a mnem!
Okay, now that I got that off my chest, I loved this! It's not quite as good as Forget Me Not, but what can really compare to Elijah's POV? I liked the way the story progressed here. Some things were left (understandably) unresolved, because not everything in life does get resolved. I was bummed though that If this means there's a potential for a fourth book somewhere down the line though, I'd be down with that. :D *hint*hint*nudge*nudge*
It was so gutting to see Daniel go from disillusioned to hopeful, to see Elijah and Big Dan come up with ways to take some of the pressure off Daniel for his dad's persistent mnem, and to see Larry again who is always a hoot and a half, and to see Daniel actually be able to relax for once - only to see it all blow up Once again, if something appears too good to be true, it probably is.
But Daniel takes his lumps and keeps on trucking. He may be more pessimistic than his father, but he got his resilience from his dad, and Elijah's teaching him how to hope again. He has to go through the worst to see what's best. Or as a hobbit near and dear to my heart once realized, "the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach." [Excerpt from Return of the King, by J.R.R Tolkien, "The Land of Shadow"] And a life well-lived is the best revenge, and all that.
Though I personally think revenge, in this case, is a dish best served cold. Eliot? What do you think?
Now THAT would be awesome. ;)
My only wish is for more Daniel/Elijah relationship development. There is some, and what we get is great, but it felt shunted to the side what with everything else going on. This could've been a little longer to give us more cuddle time with these two, and then this would've been perfect.
Let's go steal us a mnem!
Okay, now that I got that off my chest, I loved this! It's not quite as good as Forget Me Not, but what can really compare to Elijah's POV? I liked the way the story progressed here. Some things were left (understandably) unresolved, because not everything in life does get resolved. I was bummed though that If this means there's a potential for a fourth book somewhere down the line though, I'd be down with that. :D *hint*hint*nudge*nudge*
It was so gutting to see Daniel go from disillusioned to hopeful, to see Elijah and Big Dan come up with ways to take some of the pressure off Daniel for his dad's persistent mnem, and to see Larry again who is always a hoot and a half, and to see Daniel actually be able to relax for once - only to see it all blow up Once again, if something appears too good to be true, it probably is.
But Daniel takes his lumps and keeps on trucking. He may be more pessimistic than his father, but he got his resilience from his dad, and Elijah's teaching him how to hope again. He has to go through the worst to see what's best. Or as a hobbit near and dear to my heart once realized, "the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach." [Excerpt from Return of the King, by J.R.R Tolkien, "The Land of Shadow"] And a life well-lived is the best revenge, and all that.
Though I personally think revenge, in this case, is a dish best served cold. Eliot? What do you think?
Now THAT would be awesome. ;)
My only wish is for more Daniel/Elijah relationship development. There is some, and what we get is great, but it felt shunted to the side what with everything else going on. This could've been a little longer to give us more cuddle time with these two, and then this would've been perfect.
April 25, 2016
I practically inhaled this series reading the 3 books back to back nonstop. I can't help but give them each a five star rating because it's not easy to hold my interest for 3 books in a row with a continuing story like this one. But it was really unique. It doesn't fit easily into a specific genre.
There is the mm romance aspect but it's only part of a larger sci-fi element which is subservient to the true analysis of several characters who we get to know intimately. This is a gifted author and I don't have the right words to review this series. I am just thrilled that I can peek at GR friends' bookshelf favorites and run across gems such as these which I would have never looked at on my own.
There is the mm romance aspect but it's only part of a larger sci-fi element which is subservient to the true analysis of several characters who we get to know intimately. This is a gifted author and I don't have the right words to review this series. I am just thrilled that I can peek at GR friends' bookshelf favorites and run across gems such as these which I would have never looked at on my own.
August 11, 2016
I don't have much words to say aside the fact that i loved this series. This last installment is a very satisfiying end of the story and i loved how JCP managed to give us a very realistic ending. I guess this story in other hands would have ended way differently, solving all the problems with a cliché. But we know JCP doesn't do clichés and I'm glad because it made the story have a depth worthy of the interesting concept of Mnem in this alternative universe.
July 19, 2024
Ms. Price is a master at smithing a realistic mnem. I was in this world with Daniel, Elijah, Big Dan and the rest. Totally immersed. It felt real and so comfortable, and I don't want to come out of it. This is the kind of finale that's totally satisfying and right, but leaves you wanting more because you don't want to be done with these people.
September 21, 2015
“.......memorysmithing is a pretty direct parallel for authorship. If that’s so, I sincerely hope you’ve all enjoyed my Mnevermind mnem."
I certainly did and wished I could check my palm for an X. A great trilogy and so well thought out and written. Sorry it had to end.
I certainly did and wished I could check my palm for an X. A great trilogy and so well thought out and written. Sorry it had to end.
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