When it comes to ya books, I usually go for contemporary or fantasy, but rarely do I chose mystery/thriller.
I Know You Remember was sent to me as pre-approved Netgalley widget, and as soon as I read it’s premise, I knew I had to give it a try.
I am so thankful it appeared in my email because otherwise I wouldn’t give it too much attention. If I’m being honest, when I first saw it, I thought it was a part of the series, when in reality, it is a standalone.

Since I Know You Remember is a mystery/thriller, I think it would be the best to know as little about it as possible, so I will try to keep my review short, because I don’t want to ruin your reading experience.

The story takes place in Alaska, and I really enjoyed that aspect. I could really imagine myself there along with Ruthie, but I have to stress out that I know little about that country and can’t say if the representation of the place/people in it were accurate.

This book also talks about race and how POC are treated differently, but without that in-your-face approach.
I really liked that because it covers serious topic, gives you a message but is not aggressive.

Ruthie was an interesting character, I enjoyed being in her head, and that is everything I’ll tell you about her.

The story is written in first person, mostly from Ruth’s perspective.

The writing style is easy going and I flew through this novel. I finished in a day, which is very rare for me.

As for the mystery, I’ll just say that I have guessed one, minor mart of it, but all the other revelations surprised the life out of me!

As I already stated, I don’t usually read ya thrillers, but this book showed me what I’m missing out.
Maybe avid ya thriller readers will not share the same opinion, but to me this book was top.

I highly recommend it! It’s a perfect pick for the fall.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the advance copy.

My students are big fans of thrillers, so before I even started this novel I already had some pre-excitement going on.

I Know You Remember takes you right into Alaska where Ruthie’s best friend Zahra has gone missing. Ruthie knows that something is not right but finds herself finding out things she would never have expected. We find ourselves wondering, who is Zahra really? Ruthie can’t believe how different her friend is from what she remembered.

The more Ruthie put the pieces together, the more I was at the edge of my seat. Personally, I don’t usually go for this genre of novel, but now I can see why my students like them. There were some plot twists I totally predicted, but then there were some twists that came right out of the blue and blew me away.

Well written, intricate plot, interesting character… What am I missing? Very well done to the author.

I’m only giving it a 4 out 5 because a full 5 is reserved for perfect, mind blowing, mess me up for weeks type novels- and this one was only great, exciting, and messed me up for only an hour or two.

5 Stars
Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for providing a free advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Seventeen year old Ruthie Hayes life is struck by tragedy. One that sends her back to her hometown of Anchorage, Alaska. And back to her father, a recovering alcoholic, and his new family. All Ruthie wants when she gets back to town is to reconnect with her best friend, Zahra. Yet Zahra is missing. Ruthie is determined to find out what has happened to her best friend. What she begins to uncover isn’t exactly what she expected. The clues and information that she finds out about Zahra leaves her confused about who her best friend has become and if she does find her will they even still be friends.

I was so excited when NetGalley approved my request to read this digital ARC. I was hooked after I read the synopsis. Not to mention, after it was compared to “One of Us Is Lying” (McManus) and “Sadie” (Summers) two of my most favorite books. So, if you are looking for a twisty, turny, gripping, mystery look no further. Once Zahra goes missing the storyline keeps a constant air of suspense to the very last page. I was just as invested in finding Zahara as Ruthie.
The story is chock full of interesting, rich characters that bring this story to life. For me this wasn’t the type of mystery that was constantly dropping hints and clues. Like the comparison to “Sadie” it is a ride from beginning to end. One that you can only wonder how does this end; Will Zahra ever be found? Will she be found alive? Who took her?
When those answers came, I literally had a physical reaction. My face was frozen in a semi-permanent “OMG!!” state.
To say I loved this book is putting it mildly. I will read it again I enjoyed it that much.
I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy of I Know You Remember. All opinions are my own!

I REALLY LOVED THIS BOOK! I was shocked by how it instantly drew me in. The ending is nothing I saw coming and my jaw basically hit the floor as I read it. This is a fantastically written Young Adult thriller and I recommend it for people who aren't usually a fan of the genre.

Wow! My biggest "complaint" about this book was the strange obsession that Ruthie has with Zahra. Yes, Ruthie has been traumatized. Yes, Zahra is a stable touchstone for her. But when Ruthie seems more concerned with her friend's disappearance than the police or Zahra's family, I thought things got a little weird. *Spoiler*
Where Ruthie finds Zahra didn't entirely surprise me; Donaldson laid the groundwork for that nicely. BUT, I did not totally see the twist coming! I had suspected a part of it, but the details were beyond what I had anticipated! The final few pages pushed this book from a 3-star to a 4-star review for me! I think teens who enjoy a good suspense novel will really like this one!

This is the first book I tread from Jennifer Donaldson and I have to say I loved. It is a book that you are not going to put down once you start. It has twist and turns just when you think you have it you really don’t

Hypnotizing. Mind blowing, a book you won't want to stop reading.

After a tragic accident, Ruthie goes back to Alaska to live with her father and his new family. When she arrives she finds out her best friend, Zahra is missing, and Ruthie knows she is the only that can find her.

This book started out a little slow, with Ruthie getting to know Zahra's friends and how her life has been since she moved three years ago. But the pace quickly changes into a hunt to find her best friend before time runs out. I loved this book, a thriller that I won't soon be forgetting with a twist at the end that I didn't see coming. The story was well-plotted, written admirably and it pleasantly surprised me with where the story went.

I would recommend this book to library users, friends, family and book clubs.

This was a twisty story with several surprises, some done a little better than others.

The story revolves around childhood best friends Zahra and Ruthie, after Ruthie returns to Alaska following the death of her mother. With a new stepmother and stepsister, Ruthie finds a lot different in the town, including the fact her best friend and writing partner is missing.

In fact, there's been a lot Zahra has left out of texts to her best friend, including a boyfriend who may or may not be a prime suspect.

The book was a quick read, and definitely enjoyable, and fans of YA mystery and thrillers will be satisfied!

Thanks to the author, publisher and www.NetGalley.com for my ARC.