Shattered Memories

by Susan Harris

A terrible tragedy forced Alana McCarthy to forget a year of her life. Now she is to be executed for a crime she does not remember committing — the murder of her entire family. Lost and alone, Alana is terrified of unlocking secrets buried so deep inside her mind that she's willing to forget the one person who could set her free.

Daniel Costello hasn't forgotten about Alana, and he will do anything and everything to protect the girl he loves. But first, Alana needs to unlock her memories and find out the truth about what happened the night her family was killed.

The day of her execution is set. Together, will Alana and Daniel be able to uncover the truth behind her family's deaths before it's too late?

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Mystery, Romance, Fiction

268 pages, Paperback

First published June 16, 2015

About the author

Susan Harris is a writer from Cork in Ireland. An avid reader, she quickly grew to love books in the supernatural/fantasy genre. When she is not writing or reading, she loves music, oriental cultures, tattoos, anything Disney and psychology. If she wasn't a writer she would love to be a FBI profiler or a PA for Dave Grohl or Jared Leto.

Reviews

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was unexpected! I loved this book much more than I expected I would do. I thought the blurb was great, but you never know do you.

We start with Alana who is on death row. She is under the age of 18. Only just. The law states that no one under the age of 18 can be killed.

She has a very short time to remember what happened to her.

Alana is accused of killing her entire family. The problem is she doesn't remember any of it. Sometimes she gets doubts, other times, she is 100% certain that it was someone else.

You are in for one HEAP of a ride if you choose to read this book. I found it so different from the ones I have been reading lately, this really takes you on a journey with Alana, especially when you get to her execution day.


Its a MUST read.

[Melanie's · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are some books where you get to the end and you just have to take a deep breath before you can do anything. THIS is one of those books. The writing is captivating and you are dragged into what can only be described as an impossible situation.

This is the first opportunity I have to read this author and I hope it won't be the last. Add this book to your TBR list immediately and strap in and prepare for a rollercoaster ride!

An easy 5 star read!

V""V

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

Alana McCarthy has been sentenced to die for the murder of her whole family; her mother, father and her little sister. Alana is sent to prison to await her execution day. The law states that no child can be executed. Everyone must be eighteen years of age to be put to death. Alana can't figure out why she has been sentenced for the murder of her family when that is the last thing on earth that she would ever dream of doing. She doesn't understand how she could kill her family in cold blood. But she can't prove that she didn't do it because she has lost a whole year of her life.

Not only has she forgotten what happened the night her family died she has also forgotten the man she is in love with. The only friend she has ever had in her whole life. She loves Daniel with all of her heart and he loves her just as much if not more but she can't remember him. It is tearing Daniel up inside to know that the woman he loves doesn't know who he is. Daniel knows that Alana did not kill her family. He knows that she is not that kind of person and is not capable of killing anyone and he is determined to do whatever it is that he has to do to help her get her memory back and prove that she did not kill her family.

Shattered Memories is not what I expected it to be. I never thought that I would love it as much as I did. I knew when I read the summary that I had to read it but there was no way that I thought it would be this good. Connors Alana's guard will crack you up. He will have you rolling in the floor with tears streaming down your face while at the same time almost Alana will have tears streaming down your face because you can feel the pain she has in her heart, the pain of being told that she killed her own family and not knowing if she killed them or not.

I have thought for a long time now that the brain was a powerful thing and now after reading Alana's story it has just reinforced my belief in just how powerful it is. Alana's brain shut itself off because she couldn't or wouldn't be able to deal with the loss of her family and the horror of what happened to them. Her brain had to shut itself down until her heart was able to accept that her family was no more. That they were gone and she would never see them again. It was the only way her heart could deal with so much pain.

I am so glad that I was given the opportunity to read Shattered Memories and get to know all of the characters in the book. There is no way you can't love most of the characters in this book. Susan tells Alana's story so well that you forget that you are not a part of her world. Once she pulls you in you are hooked for a very long time. Alana, Daniel and Connors will live in your heart for a long time after you have read the last word and it will leave you wanting more.

[Ethan Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review and more available at: http://oneguysguidetogoodreads.blogsp...

*****
My Thoughts:

With as many books as I read these days, it isn't often that I finish one and my immediate thought be "I have to re-read this novel'. The way most books are written, I read it once and I've got it, no need for a rehash. Then I met Susan Harris. You know those films you see where the ending is completely twisted and it changes the entire film, only to leave you re-watching the entire movie so that you can revisit the plot from a new angle? That was Shattered Memories, and man, I'm telling ya, it was phenomenal.

The plot of Shattered Memories is really hard to describe without giving away major plot spoilers, but I can liken it to reading inside a crystal prism. Each transparent face may seem clear, but a change in perspective will alter the reality. You can't escape until the very last page. It's incredible. I'm very familiar with stories that involve memory loss (it's a very common literary trope right now), but none have been executed in the fashion that Harris has with Shattered Memories. While sometimes I found the flashbacks a little boring, in the end, each individual episode plays into the final product, leaving me to only wonder what Harris' creation process entailed when crafting this unique story. The plot did not leave me disappointed in any capacity, in fact, I would have been thrilled with another 100 pages!

One of the great parts about this novel was it's small cast. Harris created a huge world, but didn't rely on dozens of characters to tell her story, it was very intimate and each character was carefully crafted to create the biggest punch in the storyline. Our MCs Alana and Daniel were created with the greatest care. Their characters are perfectly flawed and full of everything that I look for in leading roles. The side characters of Conners, Jaysen, Afisa, and others helped to ground the story to make it as realistic as possible. While I guessed the identity of the villain from the moment we met them, I still really enjoyed the heart-stopping conclusion that left me agog. I did not see the ending coming!

I've read many, many dystopian novels (they're a favorite of mine), yet I don't think I've seen any as thought provoking and groundbreaking as the setting created by Harris. Unlike others, this history isn't bogged down with technological advances, it's based in history, politics, and real world events: the true way a dystopian society with develop. The entire, intricate, history that Harris has laid out, creates the perfect setting for a novel so full of suspense and paranoia.

Shattered Memories was unique in so many aspects, but the one that stood out the most to me was the various themes portrayed throughout the novel. It's such a deep read. Nothing is as it seems and if you're taking everything at surface level, you're definitely reading it wrong. In a futuristic society (not completely out of the question), what kind of lives will the average citizens live? Harris crosses genres in a very 1984-meets-The Hunger Games kind of way to bring us a dystopian society that scares the daylights out of me. Throw onto that themes of love, family, death, abandonment, and survival, you've got a story to rival any others on your bookshelf.

As you can clearly see, I loved each and every page of this thriller. It was equal parts thought-provoking and suspenseful and so reflective on the future of our society as a whole. A chilling tale of redemption in a world with little hope. Susan Harris really pulled out all the stops and left me breathless. I am so excited to be granting Shattered Memories a hands-down 5-star review. Without question this is one of the best novels of its' genre that I have read. Massive kudos to Harris and her flawless storytelling ability. I haven't read anything else by this author, but I can tell you she's on my watch list now! Be sure to add this one to your TBR today!

*****

[Anita Lock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alana McCarthy is found guilty of murdering her family. Spending much of her prison time wondering what would possess her to kill off the family that she loved, Alana only wishes that she could remember what really occurred during that horrendous event. At least Daniel Costello, her psychologist, holds out hope that by releasing her suppressed memories, she may be able to prove her innocence. Alana has also forgotten that Daniel happened to be her boyfriend prior to her drastic life change. But with only two and a half months left before she turns 18, Daniel has to find a way to trigger Alana's memories and expose the truth before she is executed.

SHATTERED MEMORIES is a futuristic story with a Romeo-and-Juliet twist. Debut author Susan Harris introduces readers to the 2030s, a world steeped in a mix of Irish history and a dystopian environment. Zeroing in on Alana and Daniel, her principal characters, Harris uses split first-person narratives to open windows into the mindsets of these lovers and to develop her well-rounded cast. Among her list of characters is a small but definitive choice of colorful protagonists and brutally malevolent antagonists. While the supplemental characters carry their distinct qualities in their own right, these qualities are also cleverly used as foils to expand Alana's and Daniel's traits to their full extent.

Another exceptional feature of Harris's plot is the way she has chosen to shape her chapters. While alternating between Alana's and Daniel's accounts and related flashbacks, Harris includes chapter subtitles that reflect lyrical quotes from various Indie, alternative, and folk rock bands and soloists. Examples include Paramore, Muse, YouMeAtSix, Jack Savoretti, Charlie Simpson, Evanescence, Bring Me the Horizon, and a whole slew more that Harris also lists on her website, http://susanharrisauthor.weebly.com/. Truly, if readers really want to get the full effect of Harris's plot, they should either play the correlated chapter tunes as background music, or prior to delving into the chapters.

Replete with un-clichéd everything, including cliffhanger chapter closures and breath-stopping ticking-clock scenarios, SHATTERED MEMORIES is one immensely gripping read that is earmarked to be an award-winner.
Originally posted on Teenreads.com by Anita Lock, Book Reviewer

[Holly Bryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before my review, two notes:
(1) I was given a copy of this ebook by the publisher, Clean Teen Publishing, for purposes of an honest review. The fact that it was given to me free of charge has not affected my review or rating in any way.
(2) If I could give half stars, my true rating would be 3.5. However, since I can't, I am going with my policy of always rounding UP, hence the 4-star rating.

Okay, on to the review! I was definitely eager to read this book from the moment I heard about it through CTP. And for the most part, I was not disappointed! The story itself was fantastic, and reminded me in some ways of the Sinners series (Branded & Hunted) published by Month9Books. The story was completely different, don't get me wrong, but the very basic skeleton - dystopian society, young girl wrongfully imprisoned in a hellhole, scrumptious prison officer in love with her - was similar. And since I LOVED Branded and Hunted, you can imagine I loved this storyline too :) I really liked the characters of Alana and Daniel, but I also liked the supporting characters (Connors, Jason, even the Warden in all her nastiness), and they were more than just one-dimensional figures who served only to move the plot along. I liked how Ms. Harris allowed us to see the dual POV of our main hero and heroine, and appreciated that she clearly labeled the chapters so that we were not in any way confused about whose head we were in. I also found the information at the beginning of the book about the society in which they live - where something like 3 countries control ALL global power and collude with one another to form an overarching global government (kind of like the EU on steroids, plus a LOT less beneficent) - and the conversion of the country of Ireland into a hellacious prison from which no one ever leaves quite interesting. It was good world-building, even though it was presented all in one clump, kind of an info-dump.

However, there were some things I didn't especially like with this book. First, the info-dump mentioned above -- I tend to think the author could have had that information woven throughout the book to better effect. Maybe she could have used newspaper articles interspersed throughout the chapters, letting us slowly realize what kind of society we're dealing with, something like that. It was just a bit disjointed sitting out there in front like that. Second, it seemed like there were significantly more errors than I'm used to seeing in books from CTP, and I kept wanting to get out my red pen and mark things up. There were grammatical/simple editing errors, but also some true writing errors that I wish had been cleaned up. I *think* this is Ms. Harris' first book, and it could just be that her writing will mature, but it did all throw me off as I was reading.

Overall, I think that if you enjoy dystopian YA novels, you'll enjoy this tale of Alana trying to recover her memory and save herself from execution, while prison therapist Daniel tries to encourage her memory return without flat out telling her what he knows. I especially think that if you enjoyed Branded and Hunted, noted above, you will like Shattered Memories. I would definitely recommend this for mature/upper YA readers, as there are some gruesome details in Alana's memory and there is one sexual encounter (though it is NOT in any way graphic).

Thanks to CTP and Ms. Harris for allowing me read and review this book!

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really did not know what to expect before starting this one, but the synopsis and the cover just called out to me and I knew that this was one book that I had to read. I am so glad that I answered that call, because Shattered Memories was an amazing read! From the very first page I was hooked with the unique story line and the captivating characters. Alana is one of those characters and I couldn't help but pull for her as she tried to regain her memories from that awful night her parents and sister were brutally murdered. She always stayed true to her belief that there was no way she could have done such a horrible thing even knowing that if she ever found out the truth, she was destined to die regardless. Daniel is another character that I just fell in love with. Doing everything in his power to prove that the girl he so desperately loved was innocent and in the process risking his life. The other supporting characters really rounded out this amazing story and made it a fun and enjoyable read.

This whole story was simply fantastic and well extremely well-written. I loved that the author gives the reader a brief history lesson on how this dismal world and way of life came to be which really gave me a better understanding of the events in the story. With every page, I literally was holding my breath at times needing Alana to remember the past year of her life - not only to prove her innocence, but remembering the love that her and Daniel had for one another. The ending left me breathless and I really did not expect the outcome - not one bit. Matter of fact, it left me in tears and angry, but also left me full of hope and happiness. I know, confusing, right? But in all seriousness, Ms. Harris really drew me into this story with the unique plot and her effortless writing - I loved every second of it!

Overall, Shattered Memories is an utterly captivating and engrossing read that was unique and exciting. It's a definite must read for fans of dystopian fiction who are craving something uniquely fresh and thrilling.

- See more at: The Avid Book Collector

[Courtney Toohey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A confused girl has been left in a position with no recollection of the last year sentenced to death for a crime she cannot remember committing. Alone and hopeless, she has left to her own devices to try and reinstate her good name. But is she really alone? Is she doomed to pay the price for slaughtering her family in cold blood, or welfare memories returned to her with the help of some unlikely allies.

Shattered Memories is a brand-new dystopian young adult novel by Susan Harris. This book is a stand-alone novel, however at its conclusion you will be wishing that it where the beginning of a series. This book left me wanting more, continuing to haunt me with the ending and underlying subtext days after the final page was turned.

The mind is a powerful thing. Not only does it contain the remnants of who we were, it holds the key to who we will become. While we should not dwell on the past, losing it altogether is a feat akin to death. I believe Harris had this in mind when she withheld a full year of the female main character's past while simultaneously placing her on death row as a result. Not only did Alana face her physical death, she lived her emotional one. Because of this the reader is able to witness what can happen when the will to fight for yourself overtakes the fear of loss.

Harris does an amazing job at presenting characters that are likable and honorable but also human enough that we forget that this is a work of fiction. I found myself incredibly invested in the well-being of the main and secondary characters. Their troubles became my troubles and their victories became my victories. The dynamics explored relationally were filled with highs and lows and I felt each and every one of them.

I gladly give this book 5 out of five stars. This was the first of Harris’s books that I have read, but she has made a lifetime fan out of me. Shattered Memories is a book that I could not put down and I look forward to picking up more of her work in the very near future. This book shattered my heart in the absolute best way possible.

[Brittany | BookRamblings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every now and then you will read a book that truly captivates you and utterly breaks your heart over the course of a whole book. Shattered Memories was one of these books for me.

Susan was able to create a unique dystopian future, where Ireland is used as a prison island, yet still make the situation feel realistic. Susan still includes slight alterations as to how things would happen today in order to uphold the futurism yet the situation the characters find themselves in could be seperated from the history and taken as a beautiful story that could easily happen now.

Alana is accused of murdering her family and over the course of the book her perspective allows us insight to her time in the prison leading up to her death sentence and her sessions with Daniel in order to try and retain her memory of that night.
While there weren't any plot twists that really surprised me, I still felt the impact of each awful thing Susan chose to do to her characters. I can't quite make my mind up as to whether I like the ending. Those that have already read the book will know which key moment I am talking about. It made for an emotive epilogue but I was disappointed because the lead up left me wanting the opposite to happen. I guess that is the art of a good writer though.

Overall I would definitely recommend this. It is beautifully written with a unique concept. Happy reading :)

[Gemma Ironside · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shattered Memories is set in the future, where the justice system is corrupt. Alanna has been accused of killing her parents and her baby sister and is currently on death row awaiting her eighteenth birthday; the day she will be sentenced to death. Alanna has no memories of the night in question or the entire year leading up to it. This book takes us through the process Alanna goes through to try and discover if she killed her family or not and I have to say it had me gripped from the very beginning. I really loved the idea and was completely captivated right up until the end.

I really sympathised with Alanna's character, the pain and grief she went through felt extremely real to me. All the flashback scenes and the scenes where Alanna is struck by grief are just so beautifully written. I loved her relationship with Daniel and how he loved her so much he was willing to risk it all for her. I'd have to say my favourite scene from the book is towards the ending where everything throughout the books all comes together, even though it was sad, all the pieces connected together perfectly.

This book is a dystopian novel, aiming for a young adult audience and that is exactly the type of book reader this is aiming for. I would highly recommend it to anyone who asks me for a recommendation as I thoroughly enjoyed it that I have given it a five-star rating.

[K.M. Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shattered Memories was fantastic. It starts off with a bit of a history lesson, which I admit, didn’t hold my attention very well, but it is very important to read. Once you get through it and the real story starts, be prepared to get really invested in the story. Alana has been accused of murdering her family and is sent to death row. She has lost all memory from her last year, including her relationship with the highly intelligent, Dr. Daniel Costello. Daniel works his way into the prison system as a doctor to help her recall her memories and save her life. He enlists the help of several people, and together, they work to free Alana. I started it one evening and finished it the next morning. And just when you think everything is wonderful and all work out, Susan Harris goes and makes us feel all the emotions. I want to love her and hate her at the same time. It is such a good story and the ending is perfect and absolutely realistic. Everything about Alana and Daniel’s relationship is so beautifully perfect. The character’s reactions are realistic and appropriate to the situations. The villain is…awful, as a villain should be. Even the epilogue was exactly how the characters would have reacted. I wish there was more. It was beautifully done and I highly recommend it.

[Katlynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shattered Memories by Susan Harris is an easy 5 star read for me.

This book didn't start out the way I expected it to. The background information threw me off, but as I got further into the book, it became easier to read and harder to put down once I got past the background info.

Alana is on death row and doesn't remember what happened to her family. She was charged with killing her family, but knows that she isn't the one who killed the family.

She gets doubts that it wasn't her who did it, but without knowing who committed the crime, there is no way of knowing it wasn't her.

With the help of Daniel Costello, Alana's lover who she doesn't remember who is also her therapist while she is in jail, she finally remembers what happened the night her family died, and who the actual murderer was.

You are in for a damn good ride when you read this book. It brings you through Alana's memories and what happens as she is trying to remember what happened to her family. Also shows you what can happen in a jail when you are on death row and how twisted some jails can actually be.

[Aret · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I was given a copy in exchange for an honest review

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The idea is new and exciting, the characters were real and had you creating strong opinions of them...good and bad, and the author did a great job with her scene detail, it wasn't too wordy but also left you with a feeling like you are right there in the story.

Alana has some problems, she is set for execution for the murder of her family...but one problem, she doesn't remember anything or anyone from the past year. What a great idea to a story..it unfolds in a way that keeps you reading to the very end. Although I had guessed a few details, it didn't leave me feeling disappointed...I was a bit sad but satisfied at the end. I won't say more than that so I don't give anything away.

I recommend reading this story.

[Elaine Irwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part Review...

I cannot believe myself how much I loved this book. And though a stand-alone I found myself wishing it would be the first in a series.

This book has everything. An epic love story, desperation, hopelessness, hope, desire, pain, heartache, action. It is un-put-down-able. In fact the only reason I put it down on Saturday night was because my eyes refused point blank to stay open, no matter how much I argued with them.

This book made me smile, it made my stomach tighten in fear. And it made me cry. It’s been a long time since a book made me do any of these things.

For full review see

https://heavenisabookshop.wordpress.c...

[K.M. Lowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book that I have read by this author, but by god it won't be the last. This was my 100th book that I've read this year, and this was something else. Shattered memories was the story of a young girl that gets wrongly accused of killing her parents and younger sister. Allana is sentenced to death on her 18th birthday but because she has no memory of what happened she is running out of time.

I won't say any more about the story because you just need to read it. The story is full of emotion from the beginning and I will admit to filling up with tears at the end.

A very good book.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readers following this haunting journey will laugh, worry, investigate, and most definitely cry with Alana as she unravels the mystery of the murders.

Read full review in the 2015 November issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Ela · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t know how I missed it, but I wasn’t expecting this book to be taking place in the future or being set in Ireland, although it’s not called that anymore.

Alana is in prison, waiting for her 18th birthday when she will be executed for a crime she can’t remember committing. In fact, she’s forgotten everything in the past year.

The plot was predictable and very convenient. From the very beginning it was obvious who killed Alana’s family and the motive wasn’t anything new. I think what I found most annoying was how Alana and Daniel didn’t even consider who killed her family.

At the beginning it talks about how Alana keeps to herself and doesn’t interact with anyone, and yet in the first couple of chapters it shows her constantly standing up to Veronika and defending Afsana. I absolutely hate when the description of a character doesn’t match their actions, and this was a perfect example. Another problem I had was with Alana’s inconsistency with her fighting ability.

Alana has been in the prison for a few months now and throughout those months she’s been seeing a psychologist (Daniel). How is it that they don’t really try to get her memories back before the start of this book and suddenly they try one technique that works, and she starts remembering things?

Another thing that was convenient about this book was how there are strict rules when it comes to prisoners, especially ones like Alana who are on death row, and yet Alana easily gets permission to do things she’s not supposed to be allowed to do, like go outside.

I didn’t like the ending either, because as usual you have the villain’s monologue, whose reasons were boring and unoriginal. Also, it doesn’t have a happy ending.

I didn’t like this book at all, and I don’t think I’ll try other books by this author.

[Shelly Wygant · Rating 4 out of 5]

The blurb for this book pulled me in but the story is so much more. Under 18 and on death row Alana doesn't remember the past year. She is convicted of murdering her family. As things are set in place to remember she will remember the past and so discover so much more. As the good and bad memories come back the truth brings pain and happiness.

Just when I thought there was hope towards the end Ms. Harris pulls the rug out from underneath you with a twist that I did not see coming (and made me want to throw my kindle). This is a story that takes you on ride with many twists and surprises.

[Vicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shattered Memories had been sitting in my TBR list for awhile now. I really wish I hadn’t waited so long to read this.
Susan first starts off with a little history lesson, which didn’t interest me to much but I was definitely glad was there as I continued reading.
I always enjoy when a book has both person’s perspectives, so I loved going back and forth from Alana and Daniel’s as they go through their journeys to find out what happened to Alana and her family.
It is hard to give a review without giving any spoilers but Susan had me hooked from beginning to end.
The ending did have my jaw hanging but as most of us that have read Susan’s books will know she is the queen of cliffhangers. Even though this is a standalone she still left us with an impact at the ending.
I definitely give this book a 5 star rating and if you still have this book sitting in your TBR list like I did then you should really go and grab it and start reading.

[Joy · Rating 1 out of 5]

What the hell kind of ending was that?!?! I HATED it. Here I was thinking the ending was going to be great, and bam. I was going to rate this 4 stars and actually by this book. The story kept me interested from the beginning. I absolutely loved Daniel, how could you do that. He gave up everything to try to save her, you could have at least killed her. These are the books that make me want to quit reading. Horrible ending, I love my HEA, so not it. None of the reviews mentioned the bad ending. I wished they did, I would have saved time and not wasted it reading this book.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book quite a while ago but I I forgot to review it.

I'm trying to think of a spoiler free way to put this book into words. Have you ever watched or read something so intense that it affected the way you felt for the rest of the day? That's what this book does in most incredible way.
Mystery & surprises are only two things that await readers in this remarkable book. I'd say prepare yourself but I'm not sure you can so instead I'll say enjoy the ride.

[Miss Sharon L Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant read with twists and turns along the way

A gripping story that had me hooked from beginning to end. Love and tragedy threaded through the story with an ending that will make you smile and cry all at once

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author immediately engages the reader with the story of a young girl acussed and convicted of killing her family. The reader will have difficulty putting this book down.

[Toni Pill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not the ending I expected but great read. Page turner.

[...... · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is AMAZING. the ending was unexpected 😅