What do you think?
Rate this book
If I Should Remember
Memories make us human. Are we still alive if we can’t remember?
Seventeen-year-old Zoe Laleigh has accepted that sometimes the only way to survive today is to wipe away the past. That’s what her loving parents and dedicated psychiatrist are helping her do—forget. What, she’s not entirely sure. All she knows is when an entire year of recollections goes missing, there’s definitely something wrong.
Sometimes the past isn’t so easily forgotten…
Through a flood of dreams, Zoe realizes something happened. Something terrible and tragic. Her lost year is a monster hiding in the shadow of her nightmares, taunting her, but unwilling to reveal itself. When her family relocates, she hopes a new town and new school will help her regain a sense of normalcy. If only it were that easy.
Strangely enough, only her dog, Rin, seems to understand her…
He is somehow connected to her lost year—connected to why she keeps doing things her mother calls reckless, foolish, and dangerous. And when she starts to hear voices and sees things no one else can, she is forced to question her own sanity.
The monster of her nightmares has returned, bringing with it the single question that plagues her at night…
What is there to remember?
Seventeen-year-old Zoe Laleigh has accepted that sometimes the only way to survive today is to wipe away the past. That’s what her loving parents and dedicated psychiatrist are helping her do—forget. What, she’s not entirely sure. All she knows is when an entire year of recollections goes missing, there’s definitely something wrong.
Sometimes the past isn’t so easily forgotten…
Through a flood of dreams, Zoe realizes something happened. Something terrible and tragic. Her lost year is a monster hiding in the shadow of her nightmares, taunting her, but unwilling to reveal itself. When her family relocates, she hopes a new town and new school will help her regain a sense of normalcy. If only it were that easy.
Strangely enough, only her dog, Rin, seems to understand her…
He is somehow connected to her lost year—connected to why she keeps doing things her mother calls reckless, foolish, and dangerous. And when she starts to hear voices and sees things no one else can, she is forced to question her own sanity.
The monster of her nightmares has returned, bringing with it the single question that plagues her at night…
What is there to remember?
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 2, 2016
6 people are currently reading
510 people want to read
About the author
K.D. Van Brunt
12 books92 followersI am a lawyer and have been writing professionally my entire career. I moved around a lot growing up (mostly in Southern California) before settling down on a ranch outside the town of Nespelem, Washington on the Colville reservation. I came east to go to law school a long time ago and never went home again. Today, I live in the great state of Maryland with my standard poodle, Aloy, who is my patient muse. In additional to numerous (and boring) legal writings, I’ve published seven young adult books with independent publishers, probably the best known of which is the Win the Rings trilogy. My stories all have a strong romantic element and tend to be very character driven. In addition to novels, I have also published an eclectic mix of short stories, ranging from romance to science fiction. My stories have won awards and my writing has gained favorable recognition (but I could always use more). In my spare time, when not writing, I enjoy a good road trip, watching hockey, and pretty much anything to do with poodles.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
February 1, 2016
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Limitless Publishing and NetGalley.)
This was an interesting YA contemporary story about a girl with dissociative amnesia.
Zoe was a character who seemed to like to go with the flow, and had a weird thing about talking to her dog all the time. She did come across as quite a lively sort of girl, and the whole missing memories thing didn’t seem to really bother her all that much at all.
The storyline in this seemed to mainly be about Zoe making new friends after moving house/schools, and her not being able to choose between 2 hot guys, and the ‘missing memories’ thing didn’t seem to really come into the story until we were around 35% of the way in! For me though the mystery over the memories was overshadowed a bit by all the other storylines in the book, and didn’t come across as the main focus at all.
There was some romance in this, but we did get a bit of a love triangle forming when Zoe seemed to be flirting with two different guys.
The ending to this was good, and I didn’t guess what Zoe’s missing memories were, although I did guess some of the other little twists.
Overall; interesting mystery story, but needed more focus on the mystery than the other storylines.
6.5 out of 10
“I’ve lost something, something I need to find.”
This was an interesting YA contemporary story about a girl with dissociative amnesia.
Zoe was a character who seemed to like to go with the flow, and had a weird thing about talking to her dog all the time. She did come across as quite a lively sort of girl, and the whole missing memories thing didn’t seem to really bother her all that much at all.
The storyline in this seemed to mainly be about Zoe making new friends after moving house/schools, and her not being able to choose between 2 hot guys, and the ‘missing memories’ thing didn’t seem to really come into the story until we were around 35% of the way in! For me though the mystery over the memories was overshadowed a bit by all the other storylines in the book, and didn’t come across as the main focus at all.
There was some romance in this, but we did get a bit of a love triangle forming when Zoe seemed to be flirting with two different guys.
The ending to this was good, and I didn’t guess what Zoe’s missing memories were, although I did guess some of the other little twists.
Overall; interesting mystery story, but needed more focus on the mystery than the other storylines.
6.5 out of 10
February 2, 2016
(I received a copy from Netgalley, In exchange for an honest review.)
Actual rating - 2.5
Zoe was an okay character, but I didn't love her.
This wasn't an awful read, but it couldn't hold my interest well. For a book that's quite short, it dragged rather badly, and I felt bored because of it unfortunately.
Overall, Not a fantastic read for me, but wasn't awful.
Actual rating - 2.5
Zoe was an okay character, but I didn't love her.
This wasn't an awful read, but it couldn't hold my interest well. For a book that's quite short, it dragged rather badly, and I felt bored because of it unfortunately.
Overall, Not a fantastic read for me, but wasn't awful.
March 1, 2016
3.5 stars
Most teenagers would find it difficult to move in their senior year, and especially so when they're leaving Boston for a tiny town in Maryland. Zoe is no different, but she has other problems to deal with: She has a scar, and a dog (that no-one else can hear), and recurring nightmares... because she can't remember the last year.
Why can't she remember? Why are there whispers and strange looks? Why did the family have to move? And, almost more importantly to her, who can she trust as friends or boyfriend?
In some ways, this reminded me of some Lois Duncan books. Zoe has to deal with high school traumas (friendship cliques, jealous retaliations, rumors) while trying to find her feet as a young adult who can't quite remember something very important.
I liked that the author didn't feel the need to explain every detail, leaving some to my imagination, and the high school drama brought me to eye-rolling.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Most teenagers would find it difficult to move in their senior year, and especially so when they're leaving Boston for a tiny town in Maryland. Zoe is no different, but she has other problems to deal with: She has a scar, and a dog (that no-one else can hear), and recurring nightmares... because she can't remember the last year.
Why can't she remember? Why are there whispers and strange looks? Why did the family have to move? And, almost more importantly to her, who can she trust as friends or boyfriend?
In some ways, this reminded me of some Lois Duncan books. Zoe has to deal with high school traumas (friendship cliques, jealous retaliations, rumors) while trying to find her feet as a young adult who can't quite remember something very important.
I liked that the author didn't feel the need to explain every detail, leaving some to my imagination, and the high school drama brought me to eye-rolling.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 1, 2016
Limitless Publishing and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of If I Should Remember, in exchange for an honest review.
17 year old Zoe Laleigh is missing a year of her life due to dissociative amnesia. In an attempt to recapture what she lost by relocating to new surroundings, her parents move Zoe and her brother Sam to Middletown, Maryland. Between her haunting nightmares and the unnatural communication with her dog Rin, Zoe knows there is so much that she is forgetting. As she fights to regain a sense of normalcy, will her tenuous link to the past destroy everything that she has tried to gain?
I wish the author had explored the idea that the huge bump on Zoe's head created the link to Rin. There was obviously a connection that was not there before and Joey's ability to see Rin proves his existence. The book was well paced, but had some moments in the plot that were unnecessary. The fact that Eric hated her enough to cross the line just did not seem realistic, given the circumstances. Also, knowing that her mother was a police officer would have been a deterrent to those who were mistreating Zoe. Overall, I thought that the touch of mystery, with regards to the missing year, added a bit of interest. The passages that detailed the nightmares, however, took away from the flow of the book. If I Should Remember was a good read and one that I would recommend to readers who like a little mystery mixed with a little romance.
17 year old Zoe Laleigh is missing a year of her life due to dissociative amnesia. In an attempt to recapture what she lost by relocating to new surroundings, her parents move Zoe and her brother Sam to Middletown, Maryland. Between her haunting nightmares and the unnatural communication with her dog Rin, Zoe knows there is so much that she is forgetting. As she fights to regain a sense of normalcy, will her tenuous link to the past destroy everything that she has tried to gain?
I wish the author had explored the idea that the huge bump on Zoe's head created the link to Rin. There was obviously a connection that was not there before and Joey's ability to see Rin proves his existence. The book was well paced, but had some moments in the plot that were unnecessary. The fact that Eric hated her enough to cross the line just did not seem realistic, given the circumstances. Also, knowing that her mother was a police officer would have been a deterrent to those who were mistreating Zoe. Overall, I thought that the touch of mystery, with regards to the missing year, added a bit of interest. The passages that detailed the nightmares, however, took away from the flow of the book. If I Should Remember was a good read and one that I would recommend to readers who like a little mystery mixed with a little romance.
March 10, 2016
This was... kind of a mess. I couldn't figure out what it was trying to be for a long time. A high school story? A supernatural story with ghost dogs? Would there be a conspiracy behind the missing memories? It tried to genre blend, but didn't do any of them convincingly enough to pull it off.
While some parts were engaging enough -- without any idea of what to expect, I was intrigued by the memory loss -- on the whole, I just couldn't get into this. The high school segments seemed fairly clichéd, especially the romance, and I couldn't quite believe the setup for the missing memories. It felt like it was going to be a supernatural story, but wasn't, and while the ending made a lot more sense than anything else would have done, it threw me off. Actually, the whole book did. I thought the memory loss would be a more prominent feature, and instead it seemed like a subplot.
On the whole, it didn't seem to live up to the potential of its premise.
Theoretically a review should go up tomorrow / later today on my blog because I got this from NetGalley, but I probably won't get it done by my usual 9am posting time as I only just finished the book at 1am. So it'll either go up late, or on Friday.
While some parts were engaging enough -- without any idea of what to expect, I was intrigued by the memory loss -- on the whole, I just couldn't get into this. The high school segments seemed fairly clichéd, especially the romance, and I couldn't quite believe the setup for the missing memories. It felt like it was going to be a supernatural story, but wasn't, and while the ending made a lot more sense than anything else would have done, it threw me off. Actually, the whole book did. I thought the memory loss would be a more prominent feature, and instead it seemed like a subplot.
On the whole, it didn't seem to live up to the potential of its premise.
Theoretically a review should go up tomorrow / later today on my blog because I got this from NetGalley, but I probably won't get it done by my usual 9am posting time as I only just finished the book at 1am. So it'll either go up late, or on Friday.
September 10, 2019
I received this free eARC novel from NetGalley. This is my honest review.
Zoe is dreading starting over at a new school. Being the new girl isn't going to be fun, but since she can't remember the last year of her life, she's not really missing old friends or her old home. Now people won't know her interesting background and hopefully she can make new friends. And that seems possible since she met two teen guys on the day she moved into her new house!
But the town has a mysterious person going around and stealing dogs. With her dog, Rin, Zoe is very cautious about this and wants the person responsible caught and put away. On top of that, Zoe is having very weird dreams that are causing her to have strange reactions afterward. Her family is keeping something from her, her therapist wants her to try to remember the past year, and her two closest friends, Adam and Derek, have a dark past and don't get along with one another. With all of this mystery in Zoe's life, it seems she may be able to remember her past, but to what cost of her sanity?
This was an interesting novel. I enjoyed it for the most part. I read some reviews where the readers got annoyed about the dog, but I figured that out right away. The big mystery of Zoe's missing year was something that I did NOT figure out though, and seriously got goosebumps when it was revealed. Like, seriously? That is some legit scary stuff!!
I was always Team Derek, so when Zoe was with Adam, I wasn't too pleased. But Adam showed his true colors in the end, so I felt justified in my early pickings :)
Sam was a true older brother to Zoe, and I completely understand his behavior throughout the novel. But in the end, he does love Zoe as any brother would.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and it will definitely leave me thinking for awhile now. I'm very glad I got a chance to read this eARC!
Zoe is dreading starting over at a new school. Being the new girl isn't going to be fun, but since she can't remember the last year of her life, she's not really missing old friends or her old home. Now people won't know her interesting background and hopefully she can make new friends. And that seems possible since she met two teen guys on the day she moved into her new house!
But the town has a mysterious person going around and stealing dogs. With her dog, Rin, Zoe is very cautious about this and wants the person responsible caught and put away. On top of that, Zoe is having very weird dreams that are causing her to have strange reactions afterward. Her family is keeping something from her, her therapist wants her to try to remember the past year, and her two closest friends, Adam and Derek, have a dark past and don't get along with one another. With all of this mystery in Zoe's life, it seems she may be able to remember her past, but to what cost of her sanity?
This was an interesting novel. I enjoyed it for the most part. I read some reviews where the readers got annoyed about the dog, but I figured that out right away. The big mystery of Zoe's missing year was something that I did NOT figure out though, and seriously got goosebumps when it was revealed. Like, seriously? That is some legit scary stuff!!
I was always Team Derek, so when Zoe was with Adam, I wasn't too pleased. But Adam showed his true colors in the end, so I felt justified in my early pickings :)
Sam was a true older brother to Zoe, and I completely understand his behavior throughout the novel. But in the end, he does love Zoe as any brother would.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and it will definitely leave me thinking for awhile now. I'm very glad I got a chance to read this eARC!
March 14, 2016
My star rating for IF I SHOULD REMEMBER is: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars! :)
My ‘Blogging Reader’s Review’ after reading an
ARC Copy of ‘IF I SHOULD REMEMBER'
(via:BooksMoviesFandoms.wordpress.com):
This is the first novel I’ve read from Author K.D. Van Brunt, titled If I Should Remember. This novel is of the young adult genre with a blend of romance and mystery intertwined. “If I Should Remember” is written from the main female character’s P.O.V.(point of view), Zoe Laleigh.
The story begins in a suspenseful direction, only to find out it was something else completely. Is it a dream, a good imagination or a memory? Zoe Laleigh comes across as your typical teen-aged-girl when she first moves to the small town of Middletown, Maryland with her brother Sam and their parents from Boston. All is normal, except for the fact that Zoe can hear and understand words from her dog, a German Shepherd named Rin.
As if things could be any more strange, Zoe can’t seem to remember anything from the year before. It’s become a black hole in her life that she struggles to remember but can’t seem to for some reason. She has a small scar from stitches that she doesn’t even remember how it got there. She has so many questions but her family acts like nothing is wrong. All together, it makes things harder for Zoe to understand when it comes to living her life while having a past that has a missing piece.
As soon as Zoe moves to the small town of Middletown, she quickly meets two local boys. Derek and Alex. They both befriend her and even flirt with her, making her feel welcomed to this new town. Unfortunately, they both have history with each other and Zoe finds herself in the middle of both boys and their issues while growing a friendship with both. While Zoe has to maneuver her high school experience in the new town while dealing with the new relationships, there is also a string of missing pets in the area that she wants to help put an end to. And through it all, Zoe is stuck dealing with the need to find out what her nightmare is about and finally filling in that missing piece of her life.
Will Zoe ever find out what happened during that missing year of her life? How is it possible that Zoe can actually communicate with her dog Rin? The storyline is interesting in many ways but toward the end, it almost seemed to jump into a different story when Zoe begins to remember missing memories. It almost seemed like a huge part of the story happened to fill in the waiting time to get to the main question of the story: What will happen when Zoe remembers her missing year? Don’t get me wrong, the story was good but it flowed in a steady pace. The part that seems able to pull at a reader’s emotions would have to be when Zoe remembers again. This was an averagely-decent read. If you want to check out a book that centers around lost memories and a little high-school drama, this is your kind of story. Check it out. :)
Visit my Blog and see Memorable quotes and character photos of how I imagined them while reading IF I SHOULD REMEMBER.
Click Here to Visit the Blog: Books,Movies,Fandoms
Check us out on Twitter & Follow Here
#MG
#BMF
February 17, 2016
In many ways I enjoyed this book a great deal. It was surprising, walking as it did on the side of quirky, and original. While I place a great deal of importance on these things what also matters a great deal to me is execution. I wasn't completely enamoured by the style of narration here. Frequently telling fell down with what I can only describe as cringe-worthy awkwardness. In many ways things about the story just felt inauthentic. I did feel that there was a problem with characterisation in this story. Zoe, was on the one hand, a damage character. Yet, she had this energy which rather than being "childlike" was closer to being childish. I struggled to believe that she was a teenager (ironic because I actually had no issues believing that she was talking to an imaginary dog). Some of the minor characters also needed greater rounding out. More time was needed to build a stronger presence for Eric, and I missed the allusion to Alex's aggression until it was probably too late. The cast of female characters, and there are many, all seemed to morph into one. I gave up in the end. Aside from the protagonist (and Rin) the cast actually felt quite one-dimensional. That said, I did enjoy the actual story, I just hoped that it would be told with greater sensitivity. Of course the other, major issue I have with this book, is the one of Zoe learning to drive. This is a sub-plot worth mentioning since the book comes full circle at the end with Zoe getting her driving license. While I have no issue with this rite of passage being explored in the story I feel that it makes no sense in light of Zoe's medical history. We understand through a discussion with Sam and his mother that Zoe has a extensive (and very recent history) of having epileptic-type episodes. Seriously? There is no way that anyone would permit someone with this medical history to drive. It is ridiculous. Furthermore, Van Brunt was treading shaky ground when he had Zoe, a high school student, undertaking the role of Vet Nurse (assisting in operations and being left alone to care for sick pets) without any training. This is just unbelievable. These issues aside, assuming that one can suspend their disbelief in such matters, "If I Should Remember" is still a worthwhile and entertaining read.
March 18, 2016
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest review.
My reviews seldom recap the story - that is what the blurb is for. I tend to jump into my impressions of the story and what I liked/didnt like so here goes.
This was an enjoyable story but was also a bit of a mish-mash of genres. From the blurb I was expecting predominantly a mystery - what happened to Zoe in the year missing from her memories, why has she forgotten? I thought the main part of the story would be Zoe following clues trying to find out. Instead we get loads of YA romance cliches with Zoe very occasionally wondering about her lost memories. She makes no effort to find out what happened. I did like the touch of paranormal we get via Rin. I must say that Rin was my favourite part of the story. It is obvious from very early on that no-one else can see Rin but given the evidence (the fox, the dog napper, Joey) it is also clear that he is not a figment of Zoe's imagination. I found a lot of the YA cliche's unnecessary to the story - the stupid love triangle, the bitchy ex girlfriend etc and all the drama with Eric seemed over the top. That she pushed him away when he groped her while she was on a date with his team-mate seemed a pretty weak reason for such vitriolic hatred and harassment. The whole dating Alex and Claire backstory was totally unnecessary and didn't add anything to the story. That could have been cut back and we could have had some focus on the actually mystery of Zoe's missing memories. I really liked Derek and Zoe's friends Sarah & Allison. Another minor thing that really bugged me was how after hiring a high-school student to work part-time the vet suddenly uses Zoe to fulfill the role of a trained vet nurse having her assist with surgery on day 2 and calling her at 4.30 in the morning to go and turn a calf in a cow's uterus -with no training. Seriously!! We do find out what happened and why Zoe blocked her memories in the end but I would say don't read this for the mystery as it is really a fairly minor part of the story. It was enjoyable but I may have enjoyed it more if I didn't have such different expectations so I would recommend it for those that like standard high-school drama and romance with a tiny touch of mystery.
My reviews seldom recap the story - that is what the blurb is for. I tend to jump into my impressions of the story and what I liked/didnt like so here goes.
This was an enjoyable story but was also a bit of a mish-mash of genres. From the blurb I was expecting predominantly a mystery - what happened to Zoe in the year missing from her memories, why has she forgotten? I thought the main part of the story would be Zoe following clues trying to find out. Instead we get loads of YA romance cliches with Zoe very occasionally wondering about her lost memories. She makes no effort to find out what happened. I did like the touch of paranormal we get via Rin. I must say that Rin was my favourite part of the story. It is obvious from very early on that no-one else can see Rin but given the evidence (the fox, the dog napper, Joey) it is also clear that he is not a figment of Zoe's imagination. I found a lot of the YA cliche's unnecessary to the story - the stupid love triangle, the bitchy ex girlfriend etc and all the drama with Eric seemed over the top. That she pushed him away when he groped her while she was on a date with his team-mate seemed a pretty weak reason for such vitriolic hatred and harassment. The whole dating Alex and Claire backstory was totally unnecessary and didn't add anything to the story. That could have been cut back and we could have had some focus on the actually mystery of Zoe's missing memories. I really liked Derek and Zoe's friends Sarah & Allison. Another minor thing that really bugged me was how after hiring a high-school student to work part-time the vet suddenly uses Zoe to fulfill the role of a trained vet nurse having her assist with surgery on day 2 and calling her at 4.30 in the morning to go and turn a calf in a cow's uterus -with no training. Seriously!! We do find out what happened and why Zoe blocked her memories in the end but I would say don't read this for the mystery as it is really a fairly minor part of the story. It was enjoyable but I may have enjoyed it more if I didn't have such different expectations so I would recommend it for those that like standard high-school drama and romance with a tiny touch of mystery.
February 8, 2016
If I Should Remember by K. D. Van Brunt follows Zoe Laleigh as she tries to navigate a new town, new high school and new relationships all while struggling with dissociative amnesia. She can’t remember the last year of her life, basically her whole year of being sixteen and suddenly she can hear Rin’s thoughts. Rin just so happens to be her dog and he surprisingly helps her get through a lot of predicaments. Between her odd conversations with her dog and odd dreams, she lives a fairly normal life-that is until others at school start picking on her. And she finds herself the object of affection of the wrong boy. Or he could be the right one. She’s not sure since there is another boy whose eye she has caught but has been warned to stay away from. Suffice it to say, Zoe has a lot to figure out relationally and it would be really helpful if she could just remember and fill the gap in her memory.
This was a really interesting novel. Thoughtful and insightful about the inner workings of the mind, coping mechanisms and the depths of teen angst that is often much deeper than we like to initially consider as legitimate. Life is messy, love is disappointing and relationships are hard. Van Brunt paints a beautiful portrait of those things as well as how some people cope better with it than others but he also paints a portrait of hope. I found Zoe to be a beautiful and complex character but she wasn’t the only one. The supporting cast was also beautifully crafted which made for an intriguing psychological mystery that stands out from other YA novels.
This was a really interesting novel. Thoughtful and insightful about the inner workings of the mind, coping mechanisms and the depths of teen angst that is often much deeper than we like to initially consider as legitimate. Life is messy, love is disappointing and relationships are hard. Van Brunt paints a beautiful portrait of those things as well as how some people cope better with it than others but he also paints a portrait of hope. I found Zoe to be a beautiful and complex character but she wasn’t the only one. The supporting cast was also beautifully crafted which made for an intriguing psychological mystery that stands out from other YA novels.
February 16, 2016
(actual rating: 1.5)
Always start with the good stuff, right? Okay... so, the idea was really interesting. A girl can't remember a year of her life and then strange things start happening... only, not really.
This book has all your typical YA clichés. Nearly all of them, I think? Love triangle, special powers, animals and humans trust the MC even though they never do with strangers, unlike other girls, perfect at everything... you get the picture.
The writing style was okay, but not enjoyable to me because it wasn't really flowing. But the worst was the logic. Or lack off.
For example: Zoe doesn't eat red meat like bacon and later on she does. She doesn't wonder why no one reacts to her dog and no person really asks why she is talking about a dog at her side. She speaks to her dog while people are there, but it is so quietly, no one hears it (sure). So much laughing without any reason to in my eyes. Why could Zoe sense certain things? And if only one year is missing, why doesn't she know an important part of herself that you learn very early on? By the way, I can't remember her questioning her sanity like the description tells the reader.
The mystery part was easy solvable to me, so no surprises there. It kinda felt like there was too much stuffed into one story and therefore the main idea didn't get the focus it would have deserved.
I really liked how the bad girl wasn't all bad, though.
Disclaimer: I was provided with a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
Always start with the good stuff, right? Okay... so, the idea was really interesting. A girl can't remember a year of her life and then strange things start happening... only, not really.
This book has all your typical YA clichés. Nearly all of them, I think? Love triangle, special powers, animals and humans trust the MC even though they never do with strangers, unlike other girls, perfect at everything... you get the picture.
The writing style was okay, but not enjoyable to me because it wasn't really flowing. But the worst was the logic. Or lack off.
For example: Zoe doesn't eat red meat like bacon and later on she does. She doesn't wonder why no one reacts to her dog and no person really asks why she is talking about a dog at her side. She speaks to her dog while people are there, but it is so quietly, no one hears it (sure). So much laughing without any reason to in my eyes. Why could Zoe sense certain things? And if only one year is missing, why doesn't she know an important part of herself that you learn very early on? By the way, I can't remember her questioning her sanity like the description tells the reader.
The mystery part was easy solvable to me, so no surprises there. It kinda felt like there was too much stuffed into one story and therefore the main idea didn't get the focus it would have deserved.
I really liked how the bad girl wasn't all bad, though.
Disclaimer: I was provided with a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
March 6, 2016
Having moved from her hometown in a small town in the American province, Zoe finds herself at the center of her new companions' attention, a bit because she is courted by the two more yearned guys of the school, a bit because of her dog service, with which she talks constantly.
Soon a classic bullying situation outlines, which, however, Zoe responds with unexpected ability to stand up to any situation, until the final clarification.
Cute and well written, however, seems too optimistic about the relations between adolescents.
Thank Limitless Publishing and Netgalley for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Dopo aver traslocato dalla sua città natale in una piccola cittadina della provincia americana, Zoe si ritrova al centro dell'attenzione dei suoi nuovi compagni, un po' perché viene corteggiata dai due più ambiti ragazzi della scuola, un po' per via del suo cane di servizio, con il quale parla di continuo.
Ben presto di delinea una classica situazione di bullismo, alla quale però Zoe risponde con insospettabili capacità di tenere testa a qualsiasi situazione, fino al chiarimento finale.
Carino e ben scritto, appare tuttavia troppo ottimistico riguardo ai rapporti tra adolescenti.
Ringrazio Limitless Publishing e Netgalley per avermi fornito una copia gratuita in cambio di una recensione onesta.
Soon a classic bullying situation outlines, which, however, Zoe responds with unexpected ability to stand up to any situation, until the final clarification.
Cute and well written, however, seems too optimistic about the relations between adolescents.
Thank Limitless Publishing and Netgalley for giving me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Dopo aver traslocato dalla sua città natale in una piccola cittadina della provincia americana, Zoe si ritrova al centro dell'attenzione dei suoi nuovi compagni, un po' perché viene corteggiata dai due più ambiti ragazzi della scuola, un po' per via del suo cane di servizio, con il quale parla di continuo.
Ben presto di delinea una classica situazione di bullismo, alla quale però Zoe risponde con insospettabili capacità di tenere testa a qualsiasi situazione, fino al chiarimento finale.
Carino e ben scritto, appare tuttavia troppo ottimistico riguardo ai rapporti tra adolescenti.
Ringrazio Limitless Publishing e Netgalley per avermi fornito una copia gratuita in cambio di una recensione onesta.
July 23, 2016
I felt like this whole book was rushed. Whilst it had potential - the love story/triangle/mess began on the second page. .....I wasn't buying it.
I didn't buy it further on in the story either because things just got rather messy. but let's just say the endgame was predictable from the start..
and even then, the execution of the final few chapters could have been better and perhaps drawn out a bit more. I feel as though so much happened and yet I got very little information on it at all.
The only reason I'm giving this 2 stars is because of the plot twist. Whilst I knew Zoe wasn't completely okay. ... I didn't realise how bad her situation was until the only interesting bit of the novel happened - aka the one and only big reveal.
There were attempts at more of these, with some past experiences of the boys being revealed. but it simply did not shock me . I fully expected something along those lines to happen.
another perk of this book was the fact that it didn't take long to read at all. I started and finished it in one day. which was a commendable effort on my part. but also only happened because this was quite a light read despite aiming for a darker effect.
my rating: 2/5 Stars.
FULL REVIEW TO COME
I didn't buy it further on in the story either because things just got rather messy. but let's just say the endgame was predictable from the start..
and even then, the execution of the final few chapters could have been better and perhaps drawn out a bit more. I feel as though so much happened and yet I got very little information on it at all.
The only reason I'm giving this 2 stars is because of the plot twist. Whilst I knew Zoe wasn't completely okay. ... I didn't realise how bad her situation was until the only interesting bit of the novel happened - aka the one and only big reveal.
There were attempts at more of these, with some past experiences of the boys being revealed. but it simply did not shock me . I fully expected something along those lines to happen.
another perk of this book was the fact that it didn't take long to read at all. I started and finished it in one day. which was a commendable effort on my part. but also only happened because this was quite a light read despite aiming for a darker effect.
my rating: 2/5 Stars.
FULL REVIEW TO COME
February 9, 2016
I received a copy of this story from Net Galley. Yay books!
Spoilers ahead...
You've been warned...
Ok, so it only took my to about page 5 or 6 to figure out that Rin wasn't really. That really was a little soon for me...and I hated it. I figured that the rest of the book would be like that too...
Like the black figure she kept seeing in her dream. I figured it had to do with a storm type setting.
Thank God for that ending. I'm pretty sure that it was what saved the dullness if the book.
There is just one thing I don't understand... If Rin wasn't real...how did Zoe know about how many dog were in the truck, or where exactly the lost little boy was? Rin lead her to those places. And it's not something she could have know on instinct. That was some higher power knowledge. So what, did the hurricane give her some psych powers or something?
I wish they had been some type of explanation on this.
Over all it was a decent book, can't say it was great. Truthfully, it was rather slow until the end.
Spoilers ahead...
You've been warned...
Ok, so it only took my to about page 5 or 6 to figure out that Rin wasn't really. That really was a little soon for me...and I hated it. I figured that the rest of the book would be like that too...
Like the black figure she kept seeing in her dream. I figured it had to do with a storm type setting.
Thank God for that ending. I'm pretty sure that it was what saved the dullness if the book.
There is just one thing I don't understand... If Rin wasn't real...how did Zoe know about how many dog were in the truck, or where exactly the lost little boy was? Rin lead her to those places. And it's not something she could have know on instinct. That was some higher power knowledge. So what, did the hurricane give her some psych powers or something?
I wish they had been some type of explanation on this.
Over all it was a decent book, can't say it was great. Truthfully, it was rather slow until the end.
April 10, 2016
This story starts out really slow. It was kind of hard for me to get into. But once you get past the first part it goes by pretty quickly and you easily get sucked into the world.
I didnt like that it was hard for me to get into. The beginning just dragged on and on. I was waiting for it to explain alot more about the amnesia. But I just kept waiting and waiting but they only explain it at the end.
I loved the characters. I really liked Alex the best at the beginning Alex and Zoe together. But by the end of the story I didnt care for him too much. But Derek I didnt care for at the beginning but he like completely changed how I felt for him at the end.
I loved the story line. I am a sucker for amnesia type stories. This one was really intriguing, I didnt really understand the dog Rin much in the story. But I enjoyed his character.
My favorite part was the ending, that was the best part of the whole book. The ending was just so fast paced and I didnt want to take my eyes off the story. It was that intriguing.
Very enjoyable story. 4 star read.
I didnt like that it was hard for me to get into. The beginning just dragged on and on. I was waiting for it to explain alot more about the amnesia. But I just kept waiting and waiting but they only explain it at the end.
I loved the characters. I really liked Alex the best at the beginning Alex and Zoe together. But by the end of the story I didnt care for him too much. But Derek I didnt care for at the beginning but he like completely changed how I felt for him at the end.
I loved the story line. I am a sucker for amnesia type stories. This one was really intriguing, I didnt really understand the dog Rin much in the story. But I enjoyed his character.
My favorite part was the ending, that was the best part of the whole book. The ending was just so fast paced and I didnt want to take my eyes off the story. It was that intriguing.
Very enjoyable story. 4 star read.
February 7, 2016
I started out really liking Zoe as a main character. She was pretty, funny, outgoing, confident, and witty. But the more we get to know her, the stranger her story gets. And she talks to a dog… that part I liked.
She ties up the hearts of two guys, and there is a little bit of a love triangle going on. She goes back and forth between the guys, which to me gets a little boring. A little more of her story starts to come out, but I had a hard time understanding how this story is centered around Zoe’s memory loss.
The beginning and middle of this story are a little long winded and then when the memory loss starts coming into play, the story speeds up. The main point of the story is that a young girl has dissociative amnesia, but there were so many other story lines going on that this was pushed to then end of the story and then moved through too quickly. All in all, the book held my attention but it wasn’t something I would recommend to a friend.
*Rating 3/5
She ties up the hearts of two guys, and there is a little bit of a love triangle going on. She goes back and forth between the guys, which to me gets a little boring. A little more of her story starts to come out, but I had a hard time understanding how this story is centered around Zoe’s memory loss.
The beginning and middle of this story are a little long winded and then when the memory loss starts coming into play, the story speeds up. The main point of the story is that a young girl has dissociative amnesia, but there were so many other story lines going on that this was pushed to then end of the story and then moved through too quickly. All in all, the book held my attention but it wasn’t something I would recommend to a friend.
*Rating 3/5
February 15, 2016
3.5 Stars
I received If I Should Remember from Netgalley for an honest review, thank you.
When I started reading If I Should Remember, I wasn't sure if it was going to be for me but I strangely found myself transfixed to the pages trying to work out what was going on.
If I Should Remember is full of mystery and suspense. While you find yourself clueless with what happened to Zoe, the story grips you to finding out the mystery.
The characters are well established and likeable.
The only disappointment for me, is I'm left with unanswered questions. I think we needed more explanation on Rin, I understand he was her way of coping but there was stuff he knew, which wouldn't have been possible. So while I found myself gripped to the mystery, I felt stuff was left unanswered.
I received If I Should Remember from Netgalley for an honest review, thank you.
When I started reading If I Should Remember, I wasn't sure if it was going to be for me but I strangely found myself transfixed to the pages trying to work out what was going on.
If I Should Remember is full of mystery and suspense. While you find yourself clueless with what happened to Zoe, the story grips you to finding out the mystery.
The characters are well established and likeable.
The only disappointment for me, is I'm left with unanswered questions. I think we needed more explanation on Rin, I understand he was her way of coping but there was stuff he knew, which wouldn't have been possible. So while I found myself gripped to the mystery, I felt stuff was left unanswered.
September 6, 2016
Review shared on both netgalley and goodread. I received a copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.
The idea of the book was fine and the beginning was interesting enough. I had a hard time with the dialogue. To me it was very unrealistic and annoying. I enjoyed that there were different things going on at once like the mystery or the 2 love interests feud, the dog napper, and trying to figure out what was going on with the MC's memory loss. Her acceptance of losing a whole year of memories was baffling to me and in general the character bugged me. It wasn't a terrible book but I feel that there is a lot of room for improvement.
The idea of the book was fine and the beginning was interesting enough. I had a hard time with the dialogue. To me it was very unrealistic and annoying. I enjoyed that there were different things going on at once like the mystery or the 2 love interests feud, the dog napper, and trying to figure out what was going on with the MC's memory loss. Her acceptance of losing a whole year of memories was baffling to me and in general the character bugged me. It wasn't a terrible book but I feel that there is a lot of room for improvement.
May 15, 2016
Okay, just three stars because I really do not like the plot and Zoe, the main character. The first few chapters are fast paced and will make you keep reading. But many chapters bored me. There are also many side stories which I think are not necessary or does not add beauty to the story.
It's a cliche. The plot is kind of expected and does not build curiosity of the readers. The memory of what happened is not really convincing and enough.
It's a cliche. The plot is kind of expected and does not build curiosity of the readers. The memory of what happened is not really convincing and enough.
June 23, 2016
This book was ok. I liked the mystery of what happened to the main character throughout the book and I liked how it was revealed. I did not like some of the characters though. I found the main character a bit annoying and too perfect at times. The plot of this book was an ok idea. There wasn't much to it except the constant wondering of what had happened to the main character. I give this book a three out of five stars.
February 25, 2016
3.25 star rating out of 5.
It was an okay story. Felt very much like a
YA "high-school drama" for most of the story but
had a few sci-fi genre aspects to it.
Zoe can't remember an entire year of her life.
She has nightmares that haunt her but leave her
wondering if she'll ever find out what she's missing.
Also, she has a pet dog that she communicates with.
It was a decent read but at times it had some rocky points.
3.25 star rating.
It was an okay story. Felt very much like a
YA "high-school drama" for most of the story but
had a few sci-fi genre aspects to it.
Zoe can't remember an entire year of her life.
She has nightmares that haunt her but leave her
wondering if she'll ever find out what she's missing.
Also, she has a pet dog that she communicates with.
It was a decent read but at times it had some rocky points.
3.25 star rating.
June 3, 2017
I received this book via Netgally for an honest review
This book is quite bad! it's blurbed as a mystery yet the mystery seemed to take the backseat to a love story! The writing in this is pretty bad & feels like an older author trying to "be down with the kids". I think most of the story was predictable & Zoe wasn't entirely likeable. This book wasn't bad enough for me to DNF it but I wouldn't recommend it at all.
This book is quite bad! it's blurbed as a mystery yet the mystery seemed to take the backseat to a love story! The writing in this is pretty bad & feels like an older author trying to "be down with the kids". I think most of the story was predictable & Zoe wasn't entirely likeable. This book wasn't bad enough for me to DNF it but I wouldn't recommend it at all.
February 14, 2016
YAYYYYY! Another editing project is now a published book!
March 7, 2016
My rating is 3.5 for "If I Should Remember."
February 25, 2016
Interesting story with a nice touch of the supernatural.
March 29, 2017
Zoe Laleigh's family has just relocated. Zoe is dealing with a new school and trying to make friends while working through the fact that she can't remember the last year of her life. Zoe is desperate to learn what happened to her. Can Zoe uncover her family's secrets without endangering herself?
I had high hopes for this book because I love amnesia stories but this one just didn't work for me. Zoe's issues were a little Sunday Night Movie of the Week for my taste. Plus, I thought the love triangle felt more than a little unnecessary.
I had high hopes for this book because I love amnesia stories but this one just didn't work for me. Zoe's issues were a little Sunday Night Movie of the Week for my taste. Plus, I thought the love triangle felt more than a little unnecessary.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews