Forgotten - Book Review

Forgotten – Book Review

Cat Patrick

YA Paranormal (?)

Synopsis:

Each night at precisely 4:33 am, while sixteen-year-old London Lane is asleep, her memory of that day is erased. In the morning, all she can "remember" are events from her future. London is used to relying on reminder notes and a trusted friend to get through the day, but things get complicated when a new boy at school enters the picture. Luke Henry is not someone you'd easily forget, yet try as she might, London can't find him in her memories of things to come.

When London starts experiencing disturbing flashbacks, or flash-forwards, as the case may be, she realizes it's time to learn about the past she keeps forgetting—before it destroys her future.

Review:

I wasn’t really sure what to label this book. Mystery? Contemporary? Maybe even romance? However what I do know is that although it was odd, I did enjoy it and am certainly looking forward to reading more books by Cat Patrick.

In many ways London Lane is an ordinary teenage girl. Her only peculiarity is that when she wakes up in the morning she can’t recall a single think about her past. Instead what memories she does have are of the future, of things she will see and do, the people she will know and meet and the events that will cause her pain or joy.

However to help herself along, every night London leaves a note for herself with small reminders such as what she wore that day, homework due and any important conversations she needs to know about (However I really loved that she needs a note to remember that she has a hot boyfriend called Luke who she is very much in love with). J

Yet life for London gets harder still when she starts ‘remembering’ a funeral that has yet to take place and haunted by these terrible visions, London sets out on a mission to change the future only along the way, she ends up unearthing a past that may have been better left forgotten…

The premise of this book was really fascinating and truthfully, I expected it to be a complicated read. Therefore I was surprised by how easily the story unfolded and loved how the reader was literally put in London’s mind frame, especially with each chapter beginning with a note and references of what will be today’s ‘memories’.

The characters were all interesting. London, obviously, was unique and watching her cope with her backwards memory could be humorous at times but more often I was left feeling sad and frustrated for her.  However I liked that her love interest Luke was such a sweet and understanding guy. He stood by her no matter what and he was a character you couldn’t help but like. London’s best friend Jamie on the other hand I found foolish and annoying and was glad that her part in the story was kept to a minimum.

As for the plot, I can only describe it mind blowing. Despite London’s future memories, it is past events that play the biggest role in the story and usually when some major event happened, as reader you just don’t see it coming. It certainly kept me thinking and I believe that’s what makes this book such an intriguing read.

Therefore I have to admit, while I didn’t fall in love with the book there was just something about it that makes me want to recommend it to everyone. I can literally only describe Forgotten as a unique and distinctive read and for reasons unknown, I feel compelled to rate it highly. 4 stars!