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Forget This Ever Happened
Sometimes there's a town called Indianola.
And sometimes there isn't.
Summer, 1993. Claire has been dumped in rural Indianola, Texas, to spend her whole vacation taking care of mean, sickly Grammy. There's nothing too remarkable about Indianola: it's run-down, shabby, and stifling hot, a pin-dot on the Gulf Coast.
Well, there is one remarkable thing, she discovers. Something otherworldly.
But if you leave Indianola, you forget about it... and if you stay, you have to live with it every day.
Because there's a confluence of energies at Indianola, a fissure in time and space, a gap in reality. Nothing is as it seems. And unless Claire can figure out this town--the talkative lizards under the pecan trees; the honey-sweet but terrifying girl next door; the cute daughter of a powerful family, who would answer Claire's questions if she had any answers; the pervasive sense of history coming unspooled, like a video tape--she might never leave.
And sometimes there isn't.
Summer, 1993. Claire has been dumped in rural Indianola, Texas, to spend her whole vacation taking care of mean, sickly Grammy. There's nothing too remarkable about Indianola: it's run-down, shabby, and stifling hot, a pin-dot on the Gulf Coast.
Well, there is one remarkable thing, she discovers. Something otherworldly.
But if you leave Indianola, you forget about it... and if you stay, you have to live with it every day.
Because there's a confluence of energies at Indianola, a fissure in time and space, a gap in reality. Nothing is as it seems. And unless Claire can figure out this town--the talkative lizards under the pecan trees; the honey-sweet but terrifying girl next door; the cute daughter of a powerful family, who would answer Claire's questions if she had any answers; the pervasive sense of history coming unspooled, like a video tape--she might never leave.
327 pages, Hardcover
First published October 6, 2020
28 people are currently reading
4069 people want to read
About the author
Cassandra Rose Clarke
63 books1,440 followersCassandra Rose Clarke is a speculative fiction writer living amongst the beige stucco and overgrown pecan trees of Houston, Texas. She graduated in 2006 from The University of St. Thomas with a bachelor’s degree in English, and in 2008 she completed her master’s degree in creative writing at The University of Texas at Austin. Both of these degrees have served her surprisingly well.
During the summer of 2010, she attended the Clarion West Writers Workshop in Seattle, where she enjoyed sixty-degree summer days. Having been born and raised in Texas, this was something of a big deal. She was also a recipient of the 2010 Susan C. Petrey Clarion Scholarship Fund.
During the summer of 2010, she attended the Clarion West Writers Workshop in Seattle, where she enjoyed sixty-degree summer days. Having been born and raised in Texas, this was something of a big deal. She was also a recipient of the 2010 Susan C. Petrey Clarion Scholarship Fund.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews
September 27, 2020
ARC copy provided in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changes my rating or review.
4 fascinating stars!
Cassandra Rose Clarke has been one of my favourite authors ever since writing The Assassin's Curse back in 2012, and she did not disappoint here. Forget This Ever Happened was intriguing, mysterious, confusing and really sweet, and I enjoyed every second of my read.
Forget This Ever Happened begins with one of our MC's, Claire, travelling to her grandma's house in Indianola, Texas. She's supposed to look after her sick grandmother all summer - and in America summer holidays goes for like 3 months - and suffice to say, she's dreading it. Her grandmother is prickly, fussy and refuses to have AC in her house, which isn't exactly ideal in a Texas summer. However, things start to look up when Claire meets Julie, a quirky (and I say that without sarcasm), funny and sweet girl who's Claire's age.
However, her first time meeting Julie is a bit stranger than a regular meet cute....
""The farther you go from town, the more you forget."
"Forget?" Claire stares at her.
"The monsters, yeah.""
(This quote may not be in the published version of this novel, it was copied from the advanced reader's copy.)
Yeah, so there are monsters in Indianola. Monsters that mess with people's minds and their memories, monsters that can speak and look like anything from a furry alligator to an almost human-like figure. And that's just the start of weirdness in this town. From a disturbingly perfect family down the road to a mysterious past between Julie and Claire's ancestors, this story entwined many unique factors to create a fascinating and intriguing novel that I couldn't put down.
The characters in Forget This Ever Happened are well described and relatable, and I really felt like Clarke captured the emotions of a teenager perfectly, right down to the stupid decisions that teenagers make and the struggles of trying to work out your sexuality. The characters may have been slightly dumb at times, but what teenager isn't? I also LOVED the 1990's setting. Mentions of the hottest movies of those times (and debatably, still one of the hottest films today) such as Aliens, and the casual way that Clarke slipped Walkmans and cassette tapes into this novel really worked in it's favour, as it made the story all the more interesting and entertaining. Mix in the sweet romance between Claire and Julie, the interesting fantasy elements and the slight horror/suspense factors (this is as close as I get to reading horror), and this was a really captivating and unique standalone story, with Cassandra Rose Clarke's usual brilliant writing style (and in the present tense too - a struggle for the best of us!).
"She used to want to kiss Josh, now she wants to kiss Julie. She can like both."
(This quote may not be in the published version of this novel, it was copied from the advanced reader's copy.)
All up, heaps of fun (in a suspensful and interesting way)! Thank you so much to the author and publisher for the ARC copy, and to YA Bound Book Tours for organising the tour :)).
4 fascinating stars!
Cassandra Rose Clarke has been one of my favourite authors ever since writing The Assassin's Curse back in 2012, and she did not disappoint here. Forget This Ever Happened was intriguing, mysterious, confusing and really sweet, and I enjoyed every second of my read.
Forget This Ever Happened begins with one of our MC's, Claire, travelling to her grandma's house in Indianola, Texas. She's supposed to look after her sick grandmother all summer - and in America summer holidays goes for like 3 months - and suffice to say, she's dreading it. Her grandmother is prickly, fussy and refuses to have AC in her house, which isn't exactly ideal in a Texas summer. However, things start to look up when Claire meets Julie, a quirky (and I say that without sarcasm), funny and sweet girl who's Claire's age.
However, her first time meeting Julie is a bit stranger than a regular meet cute....
""The farther you go from town, the more you forget."
"Forget?" Claire stares at her.
"The monsters, yeah.""
(This quote may not be in the published version of this novel, it was copied from the advanced reader's copy.)
Yeah, so there are monsters in Indianola. Monsters that mess with people's minds and their memories, monsters that can speak and look like anything from a furry alligator to an almost human-like figure. And that's just the start of weirdness in this town. From a disturbingly perfect family down the road to a mysterious past between Julie and Claire's ancestors, this story entwined many unique factors to create a fascinating and intriguing novel that I couldn't put down.
The characters in Forget This Ever Happened are well described and relatable, and I really felt like Clarke captured the emotions of a teenager perfectly, right down to the stupid decisions that teenagers make and the struggles of trying to work out your sexuality. The characters may have been slightly dumb at times, but what teenager isn't? I also LOVED the 1990's setting. Mentions of the hottest movies of those times (and debatably, still one of the hottest films today) such as Aliens, and the casual way that Clarke slipped Walkmans and cassette tapes into this novel really worked in it's favour, as it made the story all the more interesting and entertaining. Mix in the sweet romance between Claire and Julie, the interesting fantasy elements and the slight horror/suspense factors (this is as close as I get to reading horror), and this was a really captivating and unique standalone story, with Cassandra Rose Clarke's usual brilliant writing style (and in the present tense too - a struggle for the best of us!).
"She used to want to kiss Josh, now she wants to kiss Julie. She can like both."
(This quote may not be in the published version of this novel, it was copied from the advanced reader's copy.)
All up, heaps of fun (in a suspensful and interesting way)! Thank you so much to the author and publisher for the ARC copy, and to YA Bound Book Tours for organising the tour :)).
dnf
March 4, 2023DNF at 40%
Its too weird for me right now. I'll give it a go another time.
Its too weird for me right now. I'll give it a go another time.
October 9, 2020
All the things in the world create music, and as we move through the universe, that music runs into other music and overlaps. Everyone in the town overlaps with everyone else, and together they create the music of Indianola.
4.5 stars
This was way creepier than I'd expected! In a good way, of course - I was anticipating a sort of mystery-paranormal-urban-fantasy, and this felt like a seamless, atmospheric blend of sci-fi-thriller-horror with a shimmering thread of a super soft sapphic love story. They were adorable and I thought the extra significance (no spoilers!) to their meeting and mutual attraction was nicely done.
I loved reading both POVs and the differences between their personalities and history. They're both at different points of the 'queer journey' - Claire just figuring out that that she can like a girl too, and Julie falling (again) for who she thinks is a straight girl. The close family bond between Julie and her older cousin Lawrence was nice to see too. There are few supporting characters but the ones we do meet (just Lawrence, really) are nice and I cared about them, if not as much as the two leads.
The 'forgetting' and memory warping was a great premise - so creepy. The antagonist was so nauseatingly off, wrong and weird and I got big Other-Mother ('Coraline' by Neil Gaiman) vibes.
God. So creepy. Don't think I'm ever watching that movie again.
The antagonist's motives were believable and I definitely shared Claire's reaction to them!
There is a lot of the 'adults being useless' trope here, which isn't my favourite. However, I wonder if it's to do with the magic vs adulthood concept (like in 'The Polar Express'), more than being a YA genre convention?
[Julie] thinks about all the adults who have dismissed her concerns. Maybe accepting the monsters is a part of growing up. She's not sure what that means about growing up, though.
Recommended for 'Riverdale' and Teen Wolf' fans - while I did give up on 'Riverdale' a few seasons in, I still really enjoyed this!
Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours and Edelweiss for the eARC for an honest review.
October 9, 2020
Thank you to TBR & Beyond Tours, the author and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
It's summer of 1993 and Claire is ready to spend her time relaxing by the pool and with her new crush, Josh. But when her Grammy needs in person help in the rural town of Indianola, Claire's mother packs her up for the summer. There's not a lot that's remarkable about Indianola, but there are several very strange things happening around town, especially the lizard like monsters that appear.
"All the things in the world create music, and as we move through the universe, that music runs into other music and overlaps.... The music it creates is music she has always known, and it shudders deep down inside of her like an echo."
Claire's Grammy is constantly pushing her to befriend Audrey, the perky but terrifying cheerleader. Claire would much rather hang out with Julie Alvarez, daughter of a powerful family in town and long time rival to Grammy's family. Julie and Claire begin investigating the town's history and stumble upon a secret between Abigail Sudek and Javier Alvarez that would've been the talk of town had it gotten out.
"Marriage is an act of aggression. It's war for a more civilized time.
The atmosphere of this story was so well crafted. I got the nostalgia from the 90s, the eerie and creepy vibes from the thriller/mystery of Indianola and a bit of sci-fi with the monsters thrown in. Each of these pieces grabbed my attention and would not let go. I would plan to read bits everyday and end up reading much more than I thought. My curiosity was part of the reason and the other reason was the characters.
"Claire feels like she's watching some sort of mating ritual that she doesn't understand."
This above quote is literally me to straight romance now lmaoooo. Sorry I had to. Julie and Claire had such an awesome friendship. As they bond more, feelings begin to develop on both sides and it was just so cute. Julie is Latina and a lesbian, but Claire has only ever thought she was straight. Granted none of these words are used in the text, but we see Claire question her sexuality and feelings for Josh and now Julie. It was really well done and while Claire does suffer from some internalized homophobia, she manages to overcome this.
Overall, this was such a strange story but I absolutely loved it and wholeheartedly recommend it!
It's summer of 1993 and Claire is ready to spend her time relaxing by the pool and with her new crush, Josh. But when her Grammy needs in person help in the rural town of Indianola, Claire's mother packs her up for the summer. There's not a lot that's remarkable about Indianola, but there are several very strange things happening around town, especially the lizard like monsters that appear.
"All the things in the world create music, and as we move through the universe, that music runs into other music and overlaps.... The music it creates is music she has always known, and it shudders deep down inside of her like an echo."
Claire's Grammy is constantly pushing her to befriend Audrey, the perky but terrifying cheerleader. Claire would much rather hang out with Julie Alvarez, daughter of a powerful family in town and long time rival to Grammy's family. Julie and Claire begin investigating the town's history and stumble upon a secret between Abigail Sudek and Javier Alvarez that would've been the talk of town had it gotten out.
"Marriage is an act of aggression. It's war for a more civilized time.
The atmosphere of this story was so well crafted. I got the nostalgia from the 90s, the eerie and creepy vibes from the thriller/mystery of Indianola and a bit of sci-fi with the monsters thrown in. Each of these pieces grabbed my attention and would not let go. I would plan to read bits everyday and end up reading much more than I thought. My curiosity was part of the reason and the other reason was the characters.
"Claire feels like she's watching some sort of mating ritual that she doesn't understand."
This above quote is literally me to straight romance now lmaoooo. Sorry I had to. Julie and Claire had such an awesome friendship. As they bond more, feelings begin to develop on both sides and it was just so cute. Julie is Latina and a lesbian, but Claire has only ever thought she was straight. Granted none of these words are used in the text, but we see Claire question her sexuality and feelings for Josh and now Julie. It was really well done and while Claire does suffer from some internalized homophobia, she manages to overcome this.
Overall, this was such a strange story but I absolutely loved it and wholeheartedly recommend it!
October 5, 2020
This book started out a little slow but morphed into an absolutely wild ride! Loved the absolute nostalgia, and I enjoyed escaping 2020 by way of the 90s for awhile. Only downside was that the book eventually ended, and I had to come back to the present. Also featured a sweet sapphic friends to lovers slow burn romance. Will add more to this review later, when I recover from the mindfuckery and can better collect my thoughts!
**ARC Note:** Thank you to Holiday House and TBR and Beyond Tours for the ARC. All opinions my own.
Love sapphic books, too? Let's be friends! Bookstagram | Booktube | Book Blog | Twitter
**ARC Note:** Thank you to Holiday House and TBR and Beyond Tours for the ARC. All opinions my own.
Love sapphic books, too? Let's be friends! Bookstagram | Booktube | Book Blog | Twitter
December 18, 2020
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📗 I loved Cassandra's previous book, The Assassin's Curse, so when this was released it was very high on my wishlist! Set in 1993, I think this book could have been absolutely terrible and I still would have loved it, because Claire and Julie were such an incredible couple that I rooted for the whole way through.
📕 There's a lot going on in this book. A girl travelling to a small town for the summer, set in 1993, a sapphic romance, mysterious monsters that you forget when you leave town, an astronaut, and a 100 years old family mystery.
📘 While I loved the story overall, and I can't deny the idea of the monsters and the forgetfulness is interesting, I couldn't help but feel that this story may have been better as a sapphic summer romance set in 1993, as all the elements together was perhaps a little too many.
📙 At the end there was enough of a glimpse to know that my characters were going to be okay, which made me happy to close the final pages. I do wish we could have had a bit more, looking back, as there were a few threads that weren't tied up, like Claire's potential previous boyfriend.
📗 I loved Cassandra's previous book, The Assassin's Curse, so when this was released it was very high on my wishlist! Set in 1993, I think this book could have been absolutely terrible and I still would have loved it, because Claire and Julie were such an incredible couple that I rooted for the whole way through.
📕 There's a lot going on in this book. A girl travelling to a small town for the summer, set in 1993, a sapphic romance, mysterious monsters that you forget when you leave town, an astronaut, and a 100 years old family mystery.
📘 While I loved the story overall, and I can't deny the idea of the monsters and the forgetfulness is interesting, I couldn't help but feel that this story may have been better as a sapphic summer romance set in 1993, as all the elements together was perhaps a little too many.
📙 At the end there was enough of a glimpse to know that my characters were going to be okay, which made me happy to close the final pages. I do wish we could have had a bit more, looking back, as there were a few threads that weren't tied up, like Claire's potential previous boyfriend.
December 22, 2020
This is a "what the hell am I reading" kind of book and "please can I get more?". :D
I went into it practically skipping the summary and just wanting to be surprised for as long as I could, and I sure got my wish, lol
Very well written, with atmospheric crisp lines full of "showing" (you know what I mean?),that got me out of a prolonged reading slump.
The characters are interesting with well developed stories. The budding romance is cute and tender.
"The stepford wives" part was as expected scary and disturbing... although nothing prepares you for the reality of the thing! Ah!
The end will give you a swift quick to the head while rearranging all that you thought you knew.
Recommended.
I went into it practically skipping the summary and just wanting to be surprised for as long as I could, and I sure got my wish, lol
Very well written, with atmospheric crisp lines full of "showing" (you know what I mean?),that got me out of a prolonged reading slump.
The characters are interesting with well developed stories. The budding romance is cute and tender.
"The stepford wives" part was as expected scary and disturbing... although nothing prepares you for the reality of the thing! Ah!
The end will give you a swift quick to the head while rearranging all that you thought you knew.
Recommended.
February 17, 2022
This was so fucking bizarre.
When I try to think of what genre this book is, I draw blanks. It takes place in 1993 which at this stage is historical, has sci-fi elements, but feels entirely contemporay.
Every step of the way I was confused about what was happening but also really just on the journey and on this ride to see what happened. This book is by no means the best book i've ever read, but it was super fun and would have made a really fun cheesy 90s sci-fi movie.
I enjoyed the characters, felt the atmosphere, and could picture everything (sort of?).
Keep your mind wide open and I think there's potential for this to really entertain most people!
When I try to think of what genre this book is, I draw blanks. It takes place in 1993 which at this stage is historical, has sci-fi elements, but feels entirely contemporay.
Every step of the way I was confused about what was happening but also really just on the journey and on this ride to see what happened. This book is by no means the best book i've ever read, but it was super fun and would have made a really fun cheesy 90s sci-fi movie.
I enjoyed the characters, felt the atmosphere, and could picture everything (sort of?).
Keep your mind wide open and I think there's potential for this to really entertain most people!
June 8, 2023
This was SO MUCH FUN!
The top review on here calls it “too weird” and I full understand that but it was also why I loved it.
I mean talking reptiles, a town that keeps forgetting there are monsters, time lines, aliens, and memory loss. And on top of that a coming of age story about a bisexual girl falling in love with the towns goth girl and finding herself??
✨What is not to Love?✨
Yes the mystery was a bit easy to guess and it the themes of race that it explores were not fully developed but the 90’s vibes really made the story worth it.
I HIGHLY recommend this 💕
TW: violence, gaslighting, racism.
The top review on here calls it “too weird” and I full understand that but it was also why I loved it.
I mean talking reptiles, a town that keeps forgetting there are monsters, time lines, aliens, and memory loss. And on top of that a coming of age story about a bisexual girl falling in love with the towns goth girl and finding herself??
✨What is not to Love?✨
Yes the mystery was a bit easy to guess and it the themes of race that it explores were not fully developed but the 90’s vibes really made the story worth it.
I HIGHLY recommend this 💕
TW: violence, gaslighting, racism.
March 22, 2024
Rep: bi mc, latina lesbian mc
CW: homophobia, internalised homophobia, natural disasters, memory manipulation/gaslighting, gun usage, cops shown sympathetically
It’s 1993, and Claire has been sent to the Texan coastal town of Indianola to look after her ailing grandmother, who doesn’t like her very much, for the summer. She quickly discovers that ‘monsters’ showing up is a regular occurrence for the people living there, but nobody ever remembers that the monsters exist once they leave the town. She strikes up a friendship with Julie, whose family runs most of the businesses in the town, and they do their best to make the best of a strange situation. She also meets Audrey, a picture-perfect overly friendly cheerleader who Claire’s grandmother is intent on her becoming friends with, who gives Claire a bad feeling.
The relationship between Julie and Claire was really sweet! There were plenty of scenes throughout the book where they got to just spend time with each other and hang out, and I could believe their growing friendship and romantic feelings were genuine. Sometimes they were geeking out about movies and niche anime, and sometimes they were investigating the love lives of their ancestors, but no matter what they were doing it was very obvious that they made a good team and a good couple.
I especially liked Julie, and found her POV chapters to be slightly more engaging for me than Claire’s. When we meet Julie, she’s secure in her sexuality, which means that the process of her falling for Claire wasn’t full of her questioning what she was feeling, which I appreciated. She’s also brave, strong willed, and getting more and more fed up each day with the adults in her life’s refusal to act when things start to go wrong. In her very first chapter she goes to yell at the leader of the ‘monsters’, which I would never have been brave enough to do if I were in her position.
Something that I enjoyed was how the extraordinary - the presence of the ‘monsters’ and the effect they have on everyone’s memory - was treated as being mundane by the majority of the cast. Obviously, Claire was unused to it, but Julie viewed being made to work in the exterminators office, and so occasionally having to herd the ‘monsters’ back where they were supposed to be, was treated as if it were a boring chore. She’d much rather work in the video store! The contrast between her and Claire’s attitude was interesting, and I’m always a sucker for things that are out of the ordinary being seen as completely ordinary.
There’s a lot of dramatic irony in this book. Certain things that happened were forgotten by the character in question almost immediately after they happened. This was done intentionally, so it’s not a calling card of bad writing like it can sometimes be, but it does mean that the reader ends up knowing more about what’s actually happening than either of the two narrators do until the end. Personally, this got a little grating after a while. When a story employs dramatic irony, I prefer it to be either for a very short amount of time (like in Sorcery of Thorns) or very clear to the reader about the reality of the situation (like in Death Note). The dramatic irony here lasted for nearly the whole book, and wasn’t as clear as it could’ve been, and this hindered my enjoyment somewhat.
When I finished the book, certain aspects of the situation were still unclear to me. How everything works and why the villain’s plan stood a chance at succeeding wasn’t very well explained. I usually like stories that involve timelines or time travel, but my standards are high. Unfortunately, I don’t think that that aspect of this book met those standards. It’s not the worst I’ve seen by a long way, but it was just pretty solidly ‘eh’.
The words ‘gay’, ‘lesbian’, and ‘bisexual’, are not used in the text. I’m sure I’m not alone in preferring the words to be used in the text.
Out of curiosity, this morning I checked to see if Indianola, Texas, was a real place, and I found out that it used to be! The town was ultimately abandoned in 1886 after its second hurricane in a decade. As of this writing, this second hurricane was the sixth strongest known to have hit the United States in the country’s history. I found this pretty interesting, and I think that maybe the published version of this book could benefit from including a note about it.
Ultimately, this was an enjoyable read! It’s not a new favourite, but I’d encourage anyone who’s curious about it to check it out.
I received an e-arc through Edelweiss in return for an honest review
CW: homophobia, internalised homophobia, natural disasters, memory manipulation/gaslighting, gun usage, cops shown sympathetically
It’s 1993, and Claire has been sent to the Texan coastal town of Indianola to look after her ailing grandmother, who doesn’t like her very much, for the summer. She quickly discovers that ‘monsters’ showing up is a regular occurrence for the people living there, but nobody ever remembers that the monsters exist once they leave the town. She strikes up a friendship with Julie, whose family runs most of the businesses in the town, and they do their best to make the best of a strange situation. She also meets Audrey, a picture-perfect overly friendly cheerleader who Claire’s grandmother is intent on her becoming friends with, who gives Claire a bad feeling.
The relationship between Julie and Claire was really sweet! There were plenty of scenes throughout the book where they got to just spend time with each other and hang out, and I could believe their growing friendship and romantic feelings were genuine. Sometimes they were geeking out about movies and niche anime, and sometimes they were investigating the love lives of their ancestors, but no matter what they were doing it was very obvious that they made a good team and a good couple.
I especially liked Julie, and found her POV chapters to be slightly more engaging for me than Claire’s. When we meet Julie, she’s secure in her sexuality, which means that the process of her falling for Claire wasn’t full of her questioning what she was feeling, which I appreciated. She’s also brave, strong willed, and getting more and more fed up each day with the adults in her life’s refusal to act when things start to go wrong. In her very first chapter she goes to yell at the leader of the ‘monsters’, which I would never have been brave enough to do if I were in her position.
Something that I enjoyed was how the extraordinary - the presence of the ‘monsters’ and the effect they have on everyone’s memory - was treated as being mundane by the majority of the cast. Obviously, Claire was unused to it, but Julie viewed being made to work in the exterminators office, and so occasionally having to herd the ‘monsters’ back where they were supposed to be, was treated as if it were a boring chore. She’d much rather work in the video store! The contrast between her and Claire’s attitude was interesting, and I’m always a sucker for things that are out of the ordinary being seen as completely ordinary.
There’s a lot of dramatic irony in this book. Certain things that happened were forgotten by the character in question almost immediately after they happened. This was done intentionally, so it’s not a calling card of bad writing like it can sometimes be, but it does mean that the reader ends up knowing more about what’s actually happening than either of the two narrators do until the end. Personally, this got a little grating after a while. When a story employs dramatic irony, I prefer it to be either for a very short amount of time (like in Sorcery of Thorns) or very clear to the reader about the reality of the situation (like in Death Note). The dramatic irony here lasted for nearly the whole book, and wasn’t as clear as it could’ve been, and this hindered my enjoyment somewhat.
When I finished the book, certain aspects of the situation were still unclear to me. How everything works and why the villain’s plan stood a chance at succeeding wasn’t very well explained. I usually like stories that involve timelines or time travel, but my standards are high. Unfortunately, I don’t think that that aspect of this book met those standards. It’s not the worst I’ve seen by a long way, but it was just pretty solidly ‘eh’.
The words ‘gay’, ‘lesbian’, and ‘bisexual’, are not used in the text. I’m sure I’m not alone in preferring the words to be used in the text.
Out of curiosity, this morning I checked to see if Indianola, Texas, was a real place, and I found out that it used to be! The town was ultimately abandoned in 1886 after its second hurricane in a decade. As of this writing, this second hurricane was the sixth strongest known to have hit the United States in the country’s history. I found this pretty interesting, and I think that maybe the published version of this book could benefit from including a note about it.
Ultimately, this was an enjoyable read! It’s not a new favourite, but I’d encourage anyone who’s curious about it to check it out.
I received an e-arc through Edelweiss in return for an honest review
October 29, 2020
I liked the book, however, I think it could have been better if it focused a little more on the monsters instead of the almost day to day life of Claire and Julie. I was expecting something more with the monsters, I was actually hoping Claire and Julie would team up with one of them and embark on a great adventure.
Also, it probably would have been more believable if they were younger, I couldn't imagine at 17 years old hanging out with someone because my grandmother told me to, I have a teenage daughter and one of the first things that I teach her is to follow her instincts and if she gets a creepy feeling about someone to stay away from them. It would have been more believable if they were around 13 or 14, but Claire had a creepy feeling about Audrey from the beginning and still hung out with her because her grandmother told her too, it seemed a little far-fetched.
The monster aspect was really good and it would have been great if they took a more active part in the book.
All in all, a cute story.
Also, it probably would have been more believable if they were younger, I couldn't imagine at 17 years old hanging out with someone because my grandmother told me to, I have a teenage daughter and one of the first things that I teach her is to follow her instincts and if she gets a creepy feeling about someone to stay away from them. It would have been more believable if they were around 13 or 14, but Claire had a creepy feeling about Audrey from the beginning and still hung out with her because her grandmother told her too, it seemed a little far-fetched.
The monster aspect was really good and it would have been great if they took a more active part in the book.
All in all, a cute story.
August 25, 2020
Thank you to Holiday House for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book follows 2 main characters, Julie who lives in Indianola, and Claire who is visiting for the summer to care for her Grandma. Claire soon finds out the town's secret: monsters live in Indianola, but as soon as you leave the town you forget this secret. Julie and Claire team up to investigate the town's history and potentially save it.
What I Didn't Like:
Plot. The plot was both ridiculous and boring. Claire is suspicious of everything from the start, despite there being no clear reason for this. The plot is jumbled and chapters seem to jump from subject to subject with no cohesion. I did not find the the mystery elements intriguing at all and the reveals were simply dull.
Characters. Julie and Claire were 2 of the blandest characters I have ever read about. Both of their inner monologues were repetitive and uninteresting. Claire is simultaneously suspicious of everything but completely unaware of obvious shady goings on. Julie literally has the same 3 thoughts for the entire book which are repeated over and over. I didn't' care for their romance at all, which is rare for me, because they were both such annoying characters and there was no chemistry.
Writing. No characters were given any traits and were one dimensional. The story line was all over the place and boring and repetitive. The writing created no kind of atmosphere and the language used was simplistic and not at all engaging.
Overall, this was a book with an interesting premise, but was executed poorly. There was no element that I enjoyed and I couldn't wait to finish it.
This book follows 2 main characters, Julie who lives in Indianola, and Claire who is visiting for the summer to care for her Grandma. Claire soon finds out the town's secret: monsters live in Indianola, but as soon as you leave the town you forget this secret. Julie and Claire team up to investigate the town's history and potentially save it.
What I Didn't Like:
Plot. The plot was both ridiculous and boring. Claire is suspicious of everything from the start, despite there being no clear reason for this. The plot is jumbled and chapters seem to jump from subject to subject with no cohesion. I did not find the the mystery elements intriguing at all and the reveals were simply dull.
Characters. Julie and Claire were 2 of the blandest characters I have ever read about. Both of their inner monologues were repetitive and uninteresting. Claire is simultaneously suspicious of everything but completely unaware of obvious shady goings on. Julie literally has the same 3 thoughts for the entire book which are repeated over and over. I didn't' care for their romance at all, which is rare for me, because they were both such annoying characters and there was no chemistry.
Writing. No characters were given any traits and were one dimensional. The story line was all over the place and boring and repetitive. The writing created no kind of atmosphere and the language used was simplistic and not at all engaging.
Overall, this was a book with an interesting premise, but was executed poorly. There was no element that I enjoyed and I couldn't wait to finish it.
May 6, 2021
I would rate this book 3.75/5 stars.
Claire and Julie were adorable, hot sapphic messes that I couldn't help relate to (their ANGST... unparalleled). However, it wasn't until about 2/3 of the way through this book that i really got truly invested. The book dragged for me a bit, but I think if you are a usual spec fic fan, you might enjoy it better (I rarely read spec fic, but I HAD to bc sapphics in Texas in the 90s?? Amazing).
I will say, while there's no homophobia on the page, there is a bit that is mentioned in passing, if that is triggering for you. Overall, i think the author does a great job of toeing the line of providing a story where girls can be gay and that's it, while also addressing that the 90s in the south weren't exactly welcoming to queer people.
On that note: at first, I was a bit confused why this story was set in the 90's; I felt that such a story could've existed in any timeline (heh... iykyk). But then, the more I thought about, the more I LOVED the author made this choice. LGBT+ people have existed all throughout history, and I think young queer girls who pick up this book will love to see that represented. Queerness didn't just spring up randomly; we've always been here.
(slight spoiler:) Also, because again, I'm not a spec fic fan usually, I loved that the author/characters spelled out exactly why things had happened towards the end, if you hadn't caught on by then. She could've easily left us guessing, but that would've driven me bat-sh*t bonkers, so bless this author. (end of slight spoiler). But one thing that did... well, it didn't *annoy* me per se, but somehting I was confused about was (spoiler alert): at the very end about the tid bit about them making a movie together. Julie, it was obvious, wanted to go into film. But I felt that was thrown in randomly and there had been zero build up for Claire to make one with her. This is probably so not a big deal, but it took me out of the story for a bit, I was that confused (and considering the whole book was a confusion fest, that was saying something lol). (end of spoilers).
All in all, I recommend this book to anyone who wants to escape to a pre-covid world, where two queer girls team up to figure out what is happening in their small town.
Read this book if you want...
-twisty, turny, confusion of the best kind
-bisexual main character and lesbian main character
-sapphic love story
-90's nostalgia
-small-town vibes
-things that go bump in the night
-a story where zero gays get buried
*thank you to the publisher and TBR and Beyond Tours for my arc. This did not impact my review.*
Claire and Julie were adorable, hot sapphic messes that I couldn't help relate to (their ANGST... unparalleled). However, it wasn't until about 2/3 of the way through this book that i really got truly invested. The book dragged for me a bit, but I think if you are a usual spec fic fan, you might enjoy it better (I rarely read spec fic, but I HAD to bc sapphics in Texas in the 90s?? Amazing).
I will say, while there's no homophobia on the page, there is a bit that is mentioned in passing, if that is triggering for you. Overall, i think the author does a great job of toeing the line of providing a story where girls can be gay and that's it, while also addressing that the 90s in the south weren't exactly welcoming to queer people.
On that note: at first, I was a bit confused why this story was set in the 90's; I felt that such a story could've existed in any timeline (heh... iykyk). But then, the more I thought about, the more I LOVED the author made this choice. LGBT+ people have existed all throughout history, and I think young queer girls who pick up this book will love to see that represented. Queerness didn't just spring up randomly; we've always been here.
(slight spoiler:) Also, because again, I'm not a spec fic fan usually, I loved that the author/characters spelled out exactly why things had happened towards the end, if you hadn't caught on by then. She could've easily left us guessing, but that would've driven me bat-sh*t bonkers, so bless this author. (end of slight spoiler). But one thing that did... well, it didn't *annoy* me per se, but somehting I was confused about was (spoiler alert): at the very end about the tid bit about them making a movie together. Julie, it was obvious, wanted to go into film. But I felt that was thrown in randomly and there had been zero build up for Claire to make one with her. This is probably so not a big deal, but it took me out of the story for a bit, I was that confused (and considering the whole book was a confusion fest, that was saying something lol). (end of spoilers).
All in all, I recommend this book to anyone who wants to escape to a pre-covid world, where two queer girls team up to figure out what is happening in their small town.
Read this book if you want...
-twisty, turny, confusion of the best kind
-bisexual main character and lesbian main character
-sapphic love story
-90's nostalgia
-small-town vibes
-things that go bump in the night
-a story where zero gays get buried
*thank you to the publisher and TBR and Beyond Tours for my arc. This did not impact my review.*
February 15, 2023
This was just alright.
It already had the disadvantage of being YA (and as I always say, I'm extremely picky when it comes YA), but I wanted to check it out because the premise sounded interesting and I LOVED one of her other books (not YA).
It has its fun/entertaining moments, and there's good LGBTQ representation.
For me though, the tone was too YA for my taste, and I feel like if it wasn't YA I probably would have enjoyed it more.
Overall, I know this book won't stick with me.
With that being said though, you'd probably enjoy it if you like YA and monster stories! It just wasn't entirely for me.
It already had the disadvantage of being YA (and as I always say, I'm extremely picky when it comes YA), but I wanted to check it out because the premise sounded interesting and I LOVED one of her other books (not YA).
It has its fun/entertaining moments, and there's good LGBTQ representation.
For me though, the tone was too YA for my taste, and I feel like if it wasn't YA I probably would have enjoyed it more.
Overall, I know this book won't stick with me.
With that being said though, you'd probably enjoy it if you like YA and monster stories! It just wasn't entirely for me.
October 24, 2020
⭐⭐⭐.5
Thank you to Holiday House and TBR and Beyond Tours for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Forget This Ever Happened has such an interesting an unique premise for those who enjoy YA mysteries with a bit of a sci-fi twist. We start off in a small Texas town in 1993, and for starters, I loved experiencing a YA book in a different era. With the exception of historical YA fiction, I feel like it’s rare to see YA books in decades other than the present. This added several details and interesting elements to this book to make it more fun.
It doesn’t take long before this book begins to enter the mysteries behind the town. And not only do you have the core mystery of what’s happening in Indianola, but you also have the exploration of the families within town and what their histories really are. For this reason, it was hard for me to put the book down – I only really did so when I was too tired to keep reading! This is the kind of book where you get more questions with every answer, and with the supernatural twist you can only keep reading because you don’t know what to expect next.
I also really liked the relationship and the exploration of identity in this book. While this book is overall a light read and doesn’t go too deep into this part of the story, I liked the way the characters began to think about themselves and each other differently over the course of the summer.
I do wish that we got to learn a little more about the monsters though! I loved the oddities surrounding them and I was hoping to learn a little more of their history. I definitely enjoyed the scenes with them as they provided such an eerie vibe to this whole book and would have loved to get a little more time with them or have them be more developed in general – whether that was more dialogue with them or something like Claire and Julie searching previous records at the station.
Overall, Forget This Ever Happened was a pretty unique read! It’s delightfully weird and eerie and works well for YA readers that are looking for a light mystery with some spooky elements.
You can find more of my reviews here: www.julieannasbooks.com 🖤
Thank you to Holiday House and TBR and Beyond Tours for an ARC. All opinions are my own.
Forget This Ever Happened has such an interesting an unique premise for those who enjoy YA mysteries with a bit of a sci-fi twist. We start off in a small Texas town in 1993, and for starters, I loved experiencing a YA book in a different era. With the exception of historical YA fiction, I feel like it’s rare to see YA books in decades other than the present. This added several details and interesting elements to this book to make it more fun.
It doesn’t take long before this book begins to enter the mysteries behind the town. And not only do you have the core mystery of what’s happening in Indianola, but you also have the exploration of the families within town and what their histories really are. For this reason, it was hard for me to put the book down – I only really did so when I was too tired to keep reading! This is the kind of book where you get more questions with every answer, and with the supernatural twist you can only keep reading because you don’t know what to expect next.
I also really liked the relationship and the exploration of identity in this book. While this book is overall a light read and doesn’t go too deep into this part of the story, I liked the way the characters began to think about themselves and each other differently over the course of the summer.
I do wish that we got to learn a little more about the monsters though! I loved the oddities surrounding them and I was hoping to learn a little more of their history. I definitely enjoyed the scenes with them as they provided such an eerie vibe to this whole book and would have loved to get a little more time with them or have them be more developed in general – whether that was more dialogue with them or something like Claire and Julie searching previous records at the station.
Overall, Forget This Ever Happened was a pretty unique read! It’s delightfully weird and eerie and works well for YA readers that are looking for a light mystery with some spooky elements.
You can find more of my reviews here: www.julieannasbooks.com 🖤
Read
March 19, 2022FORGET THIS EVER HAPPENED
Cassandra Rose Clarke
Well, for sure Ms. Clarke has an amazing imagination! I love a coming-of-age and sexuality story set in the 1990s that includes mystery, intrigue, one that can confuse me and keep me guessing topped off with a sweetness that only youth can bring!
Claire has to stay with her sick Grandmother (good girl!) in Indianola, Texas. Wow, but grandma lives like it was 1940 and doesn't have AC, or at least doesn't use it. So Claire is hot and in TEXAS!
But Claire pushes forward and finally meets a friend, Julie. Julie is an unconventional child, to say the least! But she is funny and sweet and likes Claire.
Surprisingly there are monsters in Indianola and this guides the story. These monsters befoul the minds and memory of anybody they come in contact with. They are imaginative and described well and were a great deal of fun to the story. Not only fun, but they actually lent a bit of creepiness to the plot that was just right.
Clarke seemed to hit on all of the elements of a good story. I was immediately drawn to the characters and their predicaments were properly expressed in emotion that was age-appropriate to the character. The story was actually captivating and engaged me completely.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
Cassandra Rose Clarke
Well, for sure Ms. Clarke has an amazing imagination! I love a coming-of-age and sexuality story set in the 1990s that includes mystery, intrigue, one that can confuse me and keep me guessing topped off with a sweetness that only youth can bring!
Claire has to stay with her sick Grandmother (good girl!) in Indianola, Texas. Wow, but grandma lives like it was 1940 and doesn't have AC, or at least doesn't use it. So Claire is hot and in TEXAS!
But Claire pushes forward and finally meets a friend, Julie. Julie is an unconventional child, to say the least! But she is funny and sweet and likes Claire.
Surprisingly there are monsters in Indianola and this guides the story. These monsters befoul the minds and memory of anybody they come in contact with. They are imaginative and described well and were a great deal of fun to the story. Not only fun, but they actually lent a bit of creepiness to the plot that was just right.
Clarke seemed to hit on all of the elements of a good story. I was immediately drawn to the characters and their predicaments were properly expressed in emotion that was age-appropriate to the character. The story was actually captivating and engaged me completely.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
July 27, 2023
This was a four star read up until the last quarter when it became apparent that the plot could have wrapped up much sooner if a certain character had just told the MCs what he knew earlier in the book. And then during the climax the villain just wandered off for no reason. It was all so contrived. Such a shame because the writing was good and I liked the characters, and the mysteries were very intriguing until the reveals made the plot holes so obvious. I'd still say it's worth it for the journey but the ending was a real disappointment.
December 16, 2020
Rep: bi mc, Mexican American lesbian mc
CWs: internalised homophobia
CWs: internalised homophobia
January 12, 2022
Back at it with supernatural occurrences in a small town :') The writing style was interesting and I enjoyed the story a lot! The book had big Stepford Wives vibes at times which I love, but it was definitely very neon 90s, although I confess I paired this book with my 80s playlist (it still hit). I actually read this in one day on the train from Milan to Paris.
October 5, 2020
Disclaimer: I received this arc and e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: Forget This Ever Happened
Author: Cassandra Rose Clarke
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Bisexual main character, latina lesbian main character
Recommended For...: thrillers, romance, sci-fi
Publication Date: October 6, 2020
Genre: YA Thriller
Recommended Age: 16+ (homophobia, gaslighting, guns, violence, cops shown sympathetically)
Publisher: Holiday House
Pages: 336
Synopsis: Sometimes there's a town called Indianola.
And sometimes there isn't.
Summer, 1993. Claire has been dumped in rural Indianola, Texas, to spend her whole vacation taking care of mean, sickly Grammy. There's nothing too remarkable about Indianola: it's run-down, shabby, and stifling hot, a pin-dot on the Gulf Coast.
Well, there is one remarkable thing, she discovers. Something otherworldly.
But if you leave Indianola, you forget about it... and if you stay, you have to live with it every day.
Because there's a confluence of energies at Indianola, a fissure in time and space, a gap in reality. Nothing is as it seems. And unless Claire can figure out this town--the talkative lizards under the pecan trees; the honey-sweet but terrifying girl next door; the cute daughter of a powerful family, who would answer Claire's questions if she had any answers; the pervasive sense of history coming unspooled, like a video tape--she might never leave.
Featuring a mindbending plot, heartfelt queer romance, brilliant writing, and intricate worldbuilding, Forget This Ever Happened is a lush and thrilling genre-bender perfect for the Black Mirror generation.
Review: Overall this was a good book. I like books that can mess with me a little psychologically and this one did a good job of that. The book did well to develop the characters and the plot.
However, I did have issues that some of the preferred terms (gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc) weren't used in the book and I thought that the book didn't do well the action scenes. It was all kinda muddy for me in a lot of the portions were most of the action occurs.
Verdict: It was pretty spooky!
Book: Forget This Ever Happened
Author: Cassandra Rose Clarke
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 4/5
Diversity: Bisexual main character, latina lesbian main character
Recommended For...: thrillers, romance, sci-fi
Publication Date: October 6, 2020
Genre: YA Thriller
Recommended Age: 16+ (homophobia, gaslighting, guns, violence, cops shown sympathetically)
Publisher: Holiday House
Pages: 336
Synopsis: Sometimes there's a town called Indianola.
And sometimes there isn't.
Summer, 1993. Claire has been dumped in rural Indianola, Texas, to spend her whole vacation taking care of mean, sickly Grammy. There's nothing too remarkable about Indianola: it's run-down, shabby, and stifling hot, a pin-dot on the Gulf Coast.
Well, there is one remarkable thing, she discovers. Something otherworldly.
But if you leave Indianola, you forget about it... and if you stay, you have to live with it every day.
Because there's a confluence of energies at Indianola, a fissure in time and space, a gap in reality. Nothing is as it seems. And unless Claire can figure out this town--the talkative lizards under the pecan trees; the honey-sweet but terrifying girl next door; the cute daughter of a powerful family, who would answer Claire's questions if she had any answers; the pervasive sense of history coming unspooled, like a video tape--she might never leave.
Featuring a mindbending plot, heartfelt queer romance, brilliant writing, and intricate worldbuilding, Forget This Ever Happened is a lush and thrilling genre-bender perfect for the Black Mirror generation.
Review: Overall this was a good book. I like books that can mess with me a little psychologically and this one did a good job of that. The book did well to develop the characters and the plot.
However, I did have issues that some of the preferred terms (gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc) weren't used in the book and I thought that the book didn't do well the action scenes. It was all kinda muddy for me in a lot of the portions were most of the action occurs.
Verdict: It was pretty spooky!
January 1, 2022
actual rating: 3.5
Overall a pretty fun read and definitely a cool and original concept. I thought it dragged a bit in the middle but that's probably just because I'm not super into romance [although the couple in this book were pretty sweet as far as things go] but it definitely picked up again at the end and I liked how everything turned out.
Overall a pretty fun read and definitely a cool and original concept. I thought it dragged a bit in the middle but that's probably just because I'm not super into romance [although the couple in this book were pretty sweet as far as things go] but it definitely picked up again at the end and I liked how everything turned out.
October 15, 2020
The story takes place in 1990 and Claire goes to a small town to take care of her grandmother and out of nowhere strange monsters appear trying to talk to her. Apparently these monsters are common in the city and they are harmless, and then Julie appears to do pest control to take care of the monsters and the two start a friendship. And they begin to discover that their ancestors have a common past, that they are connected to monsters and that the city's existence is in danger due to acracks in the timeline.
For me, these stories of monsters and cracks in the timeline made no sense to me. They didn't convince me.
The best part of the book was the lgbt ya romance between Claire and Julie, I believe that several people can feel represented. Julie is a young woman who knows she likes girls and lives in a small town and it is difficult to date and be accepted. Claire is a girl who likes boys and finds herself liking her friend and wants to be more like a friend and is in conflict with herself and what she is feeling.
I only recommend this book if you want to read an LGBT novel, because fantasy / sci-fi is poorly worked and too bad.
For me, these stories of monsters and cracks in the timeline made no sense to me. They didn't convince me.
The best part of the book was the lgbt ya romance between Claire and Julie, I believe that several people can feel represented. Julie is a young woman who knows she likes girls and lives in a small town and it is difficult to date and be accepted. Claire is a girl who likes boys and finds herself liking her friend and wants to be more like a friend and is in conflict with herself and what she is feeling.
I only recommend this book if you want to read an LGBT novel, because fantasy / sci-fi is poorly worked and too bad.
October 8, 2020
Thank you very much to TBR and Beyond Tours and Holiday House for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I do not normally read science fiction or mystery books. It’s not that I don’t like them, it’s just that I am always drawn to another book in the fantasy genre and then I sometimes low-key forget there are other genres out there (I need to do better haha). But, boy was this a great re-introduction to the science fiction genre for me! This story was so rich and really unlike anything I had ever read before. I enjoyed Claire and Julie’s romp through the town in order to uncover the mysteries about the monsters that co-exist with them. I was having fun myself trying to figure things out before the plot revealed them. The friendship and romance between the two girls was also very sweet and refreshing. It was effortless to picture the two girls together having fun, sharing secrets, and dealing with their feelings for one another. The monsters in this book were also very original. The author does a wonderful job of describing her monsters and how different they are too humans, it was eerie in a good way. The way that the world and events were described also helped with the pacing of the book. There was not a dull moment for me while I was reading. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to friends who want to get into the science fiction with this wonderful story full of friendship, mystery, and first loves.
I do not normally read science fiction or mystery books. It’s not that I don’t like them, it’s just that I am always drawn to another book in the fantasy genre and then I sometimes low-key forget there are other genres out there (I need to do better haha). But, boy was this a great re-introduction to the science fiction genre for me! This story was so rich and really unlike anything I had ever read before. I enjoyed Claire and Julie’s romp through the town in order to uncover the mysteries about the monsters that co-exist with them. I was having fun myself trying to figure things out before the plot revealed them. The friendship and romance between the two girls was also very sweet and refreshing. It was effortless to picture the two girls together having fun, sharing secrets, and dealing with their feelings for one another. The monsters in this book were also very original. The author does a wonderful job of describing her monsters and how different they are too humans, it was eerie in a good way. The way that the world and events were described also helped with the pacing of the book. There was not a dull moment for me while I was reading. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to friends who want to get into the science fiction with this wonderful story full of friendship, mystery, and first loves.
October 15, 2020
Great book, really enjoyed the setting, the plot with the town, and the romance! Really great read!
September 24, 2020
I wanted to read this book based on the queer romance, which was amazing, but I was surprised how much I enjoyed the horror aspects too!
I'm not a big fan of horror, but this book wasn't jump-scares and torture scenes, but a creepy and unsettling darkness. Which is the type of horror I like! It reminded me of the Welcome to Nightvale podcast or the Pan's Labyrinth movie. You are introduced to a small town that you've likely driven through before, familiar in a way that pulls you in. But something isn't right....
I was thoroughly freaked out, as the stakes and the wrongness slowly amped up, until a grand finale that was well worth the journey. All of this was nicely grounded by a beautiful queer romance, Claire and Julie coming together in a slow and realistic manner. Their romance was handled well, and I the chapters from their alternating viewpoints let us see into both their heads while still flowing well.
So I was surprisingly taken with this story! If you like creepy stories with mysteries, memory loss, mind control, and cute girls falling in love, this is the book for you!
Thank you TBRTours and Holiday House for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not a big fan of horror, but this book wasn't jump-scares and torture scenes, but a creepy and unsettling darkness. Which is the type of horror I like! It reminded me of the Welcome to Nightvale podcast or the Pan's Labyrinth movie. You are introduced to a small town that you've likely driven through before, familiar in a way that pulls you in. But something isn't right....
I was thoroughly freaked out, as the stakes and the wrongness slowly amped up, until a grand finale that was well worth the journey. All of this was nicely grounded by a beautiful queer romance, Claire and Julie coming together in a slow and realistic manner. Their romance was handled well, and I the chapters from their alternating viewpoints let us see into both their heads while still flowing well.
So I was surprisingly taken with this story! If you like creepy stories with mysteries, memory loss, mind control, and cute girls falling in love, this is the book for you!
Thank you TBRTours and Holiday House for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
May 28, 2020
Thanks to Holiday House Publishing for providing a digital ARC of Forget This Ever Happened in exchange for an honest review.
Forget This Ever Happened has interesting, unique characters and a fresh plot, but its ultimately hindered by Clarke's attempt to set the building blocks for her plot twists.
This book features the whole "good character is secretly bad" think but the problem is, Clarke doesn't allow her characters to fall for the good bit even before anything is amiss so we're left with watching one of our protagonists be awful to the first new character she's introduced to for no apparent reason. It not only makes the twist too obvious way ahead of time (because why would you make your characters be this awful to an actual good guy?) but it makes the characters more unlikable than they could have been.
Forget This Ever Happened has interesting, unique characters and a fresh plot, but its ultimately hindered by Clarke's attempt to set the building blocks for her plot twists.
This book features the whole "good character is secretly bad" think but the problem is, Clarke doesn't allow her characters to fall for the good bit even before anything is amiss so we're left with watching one of our protagonists be awful to the first new character she's introduced to for no apparent reason. It not only makes the twist too obvious way ahead of time (because why would you make your characters be this awful to an actual good guy?) but it makes the characters more unlikable than they could have been.
October 2, 2020
For fans of Rory Power. Unfortunately, the best part of this book was the awesome pink neon cover and 90's nostalgia. The plot of monsters/aliens with an obvious twist read like a 90s lite horror thriller but it should've been 160-250 pages long (if it had been written back then) and not 300+. Nothing is revealed until about 93% in. The main character has mysterious memory loss and says "I don't know" a lot. There is a lot of clock and dagger and dragging out the reveal then the author hits you over the head explaining it, which it didn't make a whole lot of sense. The board/video? games she plays with the other girl are never really explained.
I received a free e-arc from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free e-arc from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
February 9, 2021
This was a very strange little book but also really entertaining. The romance was a little rushed but still super cute. I also loved the Villain in the end and premise was so unique.
My full review will be live on my Instagram tomorrow as it’s my stop on the blog tour.
Thank you again to Pride book tours and the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
My full review will be live on my Instagram tomorrow as it’s my stop on the blog tour.
Thank you again to Pride book tours and the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 6, 2021
Really good book!!! Easy read. Bought the book for the LGBTQ-ness but stayed cause of the actual plot with the monsters! What a unique idea. Had some twists and turns. Even scared me a little. Loved it!!! Recommend to anyone looking to read an LGBTQ+ - sci-fi thriller book!!!!
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