I knew from practically the first moment that I disliked the writing, and I continued to dislike it to the end of the book. There's no subtlety here. The book doesn't trust you to get anything on your own. When the author wants you to get a message, the characters straight up say it. They practically turn to the reader and go, "Wow, it's so sad that this person died. However, I will put away my guilt and try to live a happy life anyway, because the only way I can move forward is by devoting myself to a higher purpose, which I learned from this other person just now, which you know because you were there. So, yeah. I'm gonna go do that now."

The plot happened too fast. I often feel that books like this try to rely on the fact you've read other books like it to make its arcs work -- like, you've read generic YA fantasy, so you know that when a girl and a boy go on a dangerous journey into the forest together, they're going to fall in love eventually. So maybe, the author thinks sneakily, this book can just skip the part where we pretend we don't know that, and maybe it doesn't have to put so much work into convincing you that these characters are in love. Except that then its character dynamics becomes flat and boring because there's so little to them. Nothing much original. And no excellent writing to add an animating spark to lifeless, stilted conversations.

I did eventually get into the plot, but it took until about 65% in and I still ended up skimming stilted dialogue because I didn't see the point in boring myself any more.

The magic system has some interest to it, which I would certainly hope given that the memory economy was what drew me to this book. But outside of that, the worldbuilding falls flat. The four realms are basic cookie cutter Fantasy Lands™ that are also weirdly small? Like is Craewick larger than one single city? I can't tell. How large is the maze? It might be the size of a house or the size of a city. Are the forests in between the realms larger than the realms themselves? I think they must be, but who knows! There is so much traveling in this book yet no sense of space! I implore this writer to read The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner to learn how to do a grounded Fantasy Road Trip where you understand and are rooted in the characters' landscape.

So like... it's fine. It's okay. There's nothing horrible in it besides mediocre writing. I wouldn't warn people away from this book, I'm just not recommending it.

I cannot get over how cool and unique the concept for this book was. The power to see, take and transport someone else’s memories, an ability which only some people have, was fascinating. What was even more fascinating was the use of those memories after they were taken from their owners, like the rich taking happy memories to feel those good emotions, absorbing the skills someone spent years perfecting or using painful memories as a means of torture. The whole idea really brings to mind how important our memories are to who we become as people. The system of magic was handled so well and played a huge part in the world-building. I loved Etta, and the more we learned about her backstory the more I loved her. We meet her at such an interesting point in her life, and it was interesting to watch her try to pick up the pieces of her mistakes and deal with her grief. The plot in the first half of the book was entirely gripping and I couldn’t put it down. The pacing of all the little reveals about the past and its ripples were incredibly well done. There was a great and unexpected twist in the middle of the book but after that the action kind of lost its luster. It felt rushed through and they had very little obstacles until the ending. Her relationship with her love interest was sweet and a bit of a slow burn, but I wish they would have had more heat and tension between them so we could really feel the build-up. The ending was was smart, but I wish it would have been a tad bit clearer so I could have fully embraced the effects of its cleverness. I’m torn with what to rate this book because I am still completely awed by the concept and the exciting plot of the first half, but in the end, I was left a bit underwhelmed. Because of that, I have to give it a high 3 stars.

This has a very interesting premise. Memories are used as currency, as well as things that can be stolen and sold on the streets. At times I really enjoyed this book and the ride that it took me on. Other times I felt lost and confused about what was going on and even some inconsistencies in the powers that different people had in relation to memories. There were some fun twists and turns, which I enjoyed. The ending felt thrown together- it took me a page or two to realize I hadn't just skipped an important part of the story, as it was all the sudden resolved. Again, overall I enjoyed it, but it wasn't awesome.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC for my honest review.

I had so much fun reading this! It was a short read (for me) and it read like a light meal. Something that isn’t heavy but you keep coming back to because it’s just good. This might be weird, but I’m going to go ahead and say it’s like Angel Food Cake. Am I crazy?

Characters: Etta was FLAWED y’all. No Mary Sue here! We begin her adventure watching her deal with a huge mistake that cost multiple lives. As she struggles with the choices she has made, we see her grow into someone who accepts those choices and does her best to rectify them. Beautiful character growth. I LOVE adventures with forgiveness in them. It’s not written about often!

Plot: This was pretty unique! Memories are this world’s currency. You buy, sell, or steal memories in order to get skills you didn’t have before, or watch a precious memory that belonged to someone else, or have a memory that is torture. It is really interesting to watch play out. For Etta to have a memory power, it comes at a great cost. They can use these powers for great things or terrible things. Plus, add in a crazed ruler that needs to be over thrown, and you’ve got yourself a mind battle. Then you have a little romance, adventure, and some twists. Pretty cool if you ask me.

Writing: This is Mansy’s first book and I thought it was well done! She doesn’t write deeply or to the point where your heart is moved, BUT she keeps you interested and never lost.

Final Thoughts. It was good! I would really recommend this to maybe younger teenagers. This would have been my bread and butter at thirteen! (Side note, I must be hungry while writing this?)

The Memory Thief by Lauren Mansy sounded like it had a cool premise, but unfortunately it never quite worked out for me. I stuck with it through to the end, but in the end it just wasn't for me. The characters and the world were too underdeveloped for my tastes. Plus, it wasn't all that memorable either.

I decided to DNF this book, I really struggled to get through each chapter or any interest. It just didn't capture my attention, which is quite sad since the description sounded really good.. I made it in about 40% of the way through before giving in. Just wasn't the book for me.

Thanks goes out to Blink for giving me the chance to acquire the E-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

I’m constantly on the hunt for a good standalone fantasy story and I was really hoping that this was going to be it. And although it was fun and fast paced, it was also not quite fully developed which, unfortunately, made it a pretty forgettable read.

I loved the concept of this one, where memories can be taken by those with powers, and can also be used as currency in a really corrupt society. It started out really dark and bleak and you get a decent look at what the world is like, and the desperation that Etta feels. Especially when it comes to saving her mother and making sure her memories aren’t lost forever. There’s different ways that people with powers can access and manipulate memories, which adds another element and danger to the story.

I also liked the aspect of the secret rebel society that’s fighting to stop the gross power imbalance in the society, especially the auctions where people who are sentenced to death have their memories painfully sold off before they are killed.

The characters themselves were fine, they all had believable motivations and decent backstories, but they also didn’t feel totally fleshed out. Which is kind of my main problem with the entire story. It was good, I don’t want anyone to think that I didn’t enjoy the story overall, it’s just that I feel like it would have benefited from either a second book, or just a couple hundred more pages so we could get a better idea of the world and all the characters and just dive a bit deeper into the story.

If you’re looking for an easy to read and unique stand alone fantasy then I would still suggest this one. The writing is good and I will definitely read more from this author in the future, I just wanted a little bit more.

Slow and silently burning, The Memory Thief deals in guilt and what it means to try and patch yourself back together and live. This YA novel by Lauren Mansy has all the makings of a darkly unique world where memories are the most traded, most prized commodity. But things weren’t always so cut and dried.

The story follows Julietta, otherwise known as Etta to her friends. She is a young woman with a very special gift, though she isn’t the only one with said gifts. In the city of Craewick, a lovely name for a sinister place, Madame rules the roost. She herself has the gift to take memories and sort them, selling to the highest bidder. But all this exchange and tampering of thoughts comes with a price. For those who refuse to live their own lives, make their own memories, their brains eventually can collapse, and they end up in comas, requisitioned to the asylum. Etta’s mother is in the asylum, given room and board at a price that Etta paid. A payment not of money, or memories, this decision has haunted young Etta, and a good deal of the book slogs through her regrets at nearly every turn.

Though not is all as it seems, and how could it be when real life could have been erased from the mind, when a person’s past could have been exchanged for another with the barest touch. The adventure the reader takes could be called one of redemption, a struggle for Etta to not only save her mother, but the whole of Craewick, from this vilest of the Gifted. However, in many aspects this falls limp, this notion of redeeming oneself. Even in the face of accepting something so simple as help, Etta continues to defy and it paints her as either, or both, obnoxiously defiant or single mindedly attempting to save her mother. Which is strange, because it’s clear she has/had many deep affections and connections to others. Three of her friends, killed by Madame, remain a constant reminder of her failings because she wears their bracelets around her wrist.

It’s almost as if Etta is a glutton for punishment. That same willfulness could get her current friend(s) in a heap of trouble, could see them dead too, and yet she persists in pushing people away to the detriment of her end goal. But then again, her end goal is a bit foggy at times. It’s Etta who really traps this novel from expanding into a most unique world, filled with intrigue and heaps of rich, nefarious adventures. But the novel itself has moments where it wraps you up in a dark hood and drags you off to the despair of living in a world ruled by a mad woman. The atmosphere is gloomy, save for a few scant parts. The city is relatively richly painted, a well-manicured outline that leaves it to the reader to fill in with detail. One can see the grunge, the sweat and tears if one looks for it in the subtleties of Mansy’s writing.

The premise of this book sounded promising, however, its execution and the plot left much desired. I was interested during the first 50 pages but then my attention began to dwindle so that by the end, I didn't care so much on what was going on.

The Memory Thief takes place in a fantastical world in a society in which memories are the currency that can be given (or stolen) by the Gifted (people who can transfer memories) in order to keep the Ungifted (people with no abilities) in order. The worldbuilding and concept of memory stealing could've been very well developed but it gets overshadowed by insta-love and slow pacing that its potential gets wasted. The plot starts out fast but then drastically slows down after the 100-page mark so when the climax rolls around, it isn't very exciting.

Most of the characters fell flat here and weren't very compelling to read about. Etta was not a very relatable or interesting character. I couldn't connect with her and she felt juvenile and ridiculously naive for the Chosen One trope. The villain wasn't much better and so two-dimensional. Their motives are never fully discussed or embellished upon- they did bad things because they were bad.

Overall, not a terrible YA book (it carries a lot of worldbuilding potential) but was an OK read.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Blink publishers for providing a free ARC

I rather love the creative story of The Memory Thief by Lauren Mansey. While I wouldn’t want to steal memories from others, it would be amazing to see a duplication of a memory. For instance, how does my child remember our recent trip to Disneyland? I remember being hot and sweaty, desperately needing a nap. If I looked through his memory of the trip, what would I see from his perspective?

memory gif

Dementia is a very real fear of mine. Imagine living in a world where your neighbor could force that upon you.
Our experiences and memories are what shape the people we are. In The Memory Thief, a “gifted” person could steal your most recent memory at the forefront of your mind, or all of them if they’re extremely talented. Every memory you have of your own mother could be swiped away until you don’t know if you ever had one. Yet, in the reverse, you might never have jumped off a cliff into the ocean, but you could buy that memory from someone who did. Following the purchase, the cliff jumper has no recollection of the jump.

Do you wish to have a mastery of art skills? Buy the skills at auction from the mind of an artist.
I found it impressive that there were several unpredictable moments. A reader is lucky if they’re blown away by at least one plot twist in a book. Lauren Mansey manages to surprise you several times with hidden agendas among the main characters, secret guilt, and overall surprises. This slightly suspenseful, and very captivating story shares the pain of loss, the strength of new found love, and the courage to keep trying despite insurmountable odds.

4.5!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blink for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

In the city of Craewick, memories are currency and they are all under the rule of Madame.

What I Didn’t Like:
-The pacing was off. It felt like it all passed a little fast to me. I wanted a little more time to savor the characters.
-The characters felt a little flat to me. I wanted to connect with them, I wanted more emotion.
-Some of the twists didn’t work. Surprising us with who a character really isn’t doesn’t really work when we don’t know much about the character and we cannot connect with the reason given.

What I Did Like:
-The premise is awesome. Imagine a world where memories can be traded, bought, or sold just by touch! What a great idea.
-The maze was pretty cool (although anticlimactic if I’m honest).
-The cover is gorgeous.

Who Should Read This One:
-If you’re a YA reader who likes actions and doesn’t particularly love all the backstories and drama that can sometimes surround YA, this is your book!

My Rating: 2 stars. I wanted to move slower and get more of each character.

The Memory Thief was like walking down memory lane. It had aspects of many fantasy books while also tying in a unique magic system. It is divergent meets throne of glass but with badass rebels. It exceeded my expectations and had me chasing the words on each page. I was left feeling like I could have kept reading 1000 pages and it still would have not been enough. This is an amazing debut release and it is just what I needed to hope on Lauren Mansy’s train for all of her books. I cannot wait to see this world expand or just see whatever else comes from her. 4.5/5 stars! Would definitely recommend to everyone and their mommas, brothers, cousins, and cats.

The Memory Thief made me uncomfortable, but in the best possible way that it made me think and consider how grateful I am.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

**Thank you to Blink, Lauren Mansy, and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review**

Etta lives in Craewick, one of four territories where memories are the currency used, and the method of keeping people in line. Some individuals are Gifted, meaning they have the ability to take and share memories with others just by touching them. Ungifted folks are not able to do this. Within the Gifted population, there are variations and differing strengths of the gift, which is used as a status symbol. Sifters are the most powerful of the Gifted, they are able to take memories without needing to touch the person. Powerful Sifters rule each territory, but none are worse than the ruler of Craewick. Madame using her gift for torture, so a secret group called the Shadows work to oppose her. Etta was a Shadow, before she sold out the leader in order to save her mother from certain death. When Madame decides to break their bargain and begin the process of killing Etta's mother, Etta must decide how far she is willing to go to save her mother, and the people of Craewick.

I loved this new take on powers. I think these days it's hard to write about a "superpower" that hasn't been used already, but memories is a new one for me and I LOVE The Memory Thief for that. Lauren Mansy did an excellent job building a world that is fueled by people's memories, the good and the bad. The main character has a difficult go of life and is thrown into many tough spots. She has struggled so much. I loved the plot twists and I did not see them coming, which is always super fun.

The love story was not a true enemies to lovers, and frankly the love interest did not end up being the person I expected it to be. The writing style was great because it felt like you were getting enough information from the story, that you didn't even realize certain aspects and facts were being withheld to be revealed later in the book.

I only wish that the story could have been longer, or at least a duology. I feel like this would have been well suited to being a two book series. Also, the ending sequences were a touch confusing and unclear with what was happening, so I feel like the writing could have been better at the end. Overall, I truly enjoyed this new story and would suggest it for fans of the Everless duology.

First let me start by saying, Wow. Really and truly. I went into reading this mostly blind and I was blown away by the world building, character arcs and magic system.

Lauren Mansy does an incredible job bringing together a little forbidden romance, a lot of rebellion and a broken but finding herself female lead you can't help but root for the whole way home.

In a place where memories are the greatest form of currency Etta must find a way to make a better future by confronting her past. Racked with guilt from decisions made years ago, Julietta (Etta), must find help to save her mother in the last place she thought she would ever be back. This story follows her as she finds her way through fighting the villain, forgiving her mistakes, falling in love, finding her family and so much more.

The romance is very minimal and seems to happen more quickly than you would expect from someone who has trust issues the way Etta does. However, Reid seems to get passed her defenses rather quickly and becomes someone she depends on immediately. The twist in their friendship was not something I saw coming and rather enjoyed that little reveal. I wish it worked out differently, but am overall pleased with the series of events.

Between plot twists and character development I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has interest in quick, easy reads with unique takes on magic.

1.5 Stars
I was so excited to read this book, based on the premise. A society where memories can be traded (and stolen). What would people do? Could this be used for good or evil? There was so much potential for an awesome book. Unfortunately, all that potential was wasted. The world of this novel needed too much explanation, slowing down the action. The characters were cartoonish, and the plot was full of tasks that were completely unnecessary to the story's resolution.

It gives me no pleasure to give a negative review. I think the author worked very hard on this story. I will give this book one and a half stars, based on the creative premise. But the execution of the novel was so flawed, I couldn't bring myself to rate it higher.

What I Liked:
Premise:

I did really like the book's premise. A society where memories can be transferred between people sounds awesome. The author was smart to pick up on the probability that this gift could be used to terrorize and control a society.

What I didn't like:
Characters:

There were many archetypes such as the evil leader, in this case known as Madame, the Hero, Reid, and the Chosen one, Etta.

Madame was a two-dimensional character. We never find out her motivation or background that might explain her behavior. I found Reid particularly annoying. How many times can a character exclaim, "I will protect you" to the allegedly kick-ass female main character?

The main character, Etta, was very grating. The entire time she walked around acting guilty entirely out of proportion to the things she did. She was also far too trusting of characters who were presented as villains but then emerged as amazingly nice people (again with no explanation). For the Chosen One, she wasn't at all empowered.

Plot:

While I don't want to tell the entire story, there were several major plot points that went nowhere. For instance, a huge part of the story was building up to the climactic moment when they would enter The Maze, where Etta and Reid would rescue an important character. Will they be clever enough to survive all the traps and puzzles? Will the person they are saving be sane enough to help rescue Etta's mother?

Pro Tip: Authors, you need to deliver on your promises. If you build up an event in your book, there needs to by a payoff. If not, the reader will feel cheated. The whole Maze scene lasted about three pages! The characters were never in any real danger. They did not need to be clever, or strong. It was such a let down, I cannot begin to describe how lame this was.

*3.5 Stars*
I truly enjoyed this book! It kept me entertained and I enjoyed the concept very much. The idea that memories are basically currency and some people have the ability to steal memories, give memories, etc., was really cool to me. The characters were very likable (except Madame of course, I want to throat punch her.) and I think the author did a great job of character backstories and developement. Man, the plot twists in this book were crazy. I did not see any of the twists coming and I thought they were fantastic. It actually is super hard for books to keep me entertained and I get bored in about 85% of the books I read. This one kept me entertained the entire time. I'm not sure if it's because the book is shorter than most and the author had to make things go quicker, but all I know is that I don't remember being bored one time.

Etta is a fiesty little thing and I'm just drawn to that lol. She has a dark past which... I'm also drawn to for some reason. At first, I didn't really want to like her but she grew on me over time. She has personality and emotion and I think she matured wonderfully as a character. She used the pain of her past to actually help her love again and cherish her family, and that's really beautiful to me.
Reid. Man, I tried to not like him too lol. Of course, he fell in love with Etta over a whopping expanse of four days. If you know me, you know I don't like "insta love", but I didn't mind this romance as much. It was actually very sweet. Reid himself is super mature and loving. He also has a really cool power and was an awesome warrior. In the end, there really wasn't anything to dislike about him.

This story was really cool and to me, really unique. To me, it seemed like the author left a possibility for a book 2? I definitely wouldn't mind reading more from this universe!

I had some mixed feelings on The Memory Thief. I thought the story was interesting and unique. I think at times some things in the plot needed to be simplified. I also felt like screaming when she was too trusting. If I lived in this world I would definitely have asked more questions and wanted tangible proof when someone presented something unknown to me. I think a major issue was the writing was more telling than showing. I felt like too much of the story was explaining or telling me how to feel. This created a disconnect and made relationships feel forced. The concept however was fantastic and I enjoyed the story.

The premise of this book is really cool - a concept that has so many possibilities. But I felt like the book fell a little short. It had such potential to amazing but it just didn't deliver an impact on me. I finished it, but was not dying to get back to the book. Was an okay read.

I enjoyed this book very much.
The only thing I have to take a star away for is that so many side characters are mentioned in memories, but because they’re dead, don’t make an appearance.
A prologue or a few chapters would help. It seemed like this was the second book when it came to the Jules/Etta’s pre-life.

The end of the battle came quick and was only explained a bit after the fact in the “all is well in our world” scenes. Other then that, it was a great read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.