Thank you @atriabooks for the gifted copy of The Memory Collectors by Kim Neville.

Wow - what a book! Harriett and Evelyn can both sense emotions left behind in objects - which sounds cool, but can be extremely taxing both with objects that have negative emotions and those that are positive. Harriett and Evelyn don't really realize there are more people like themselves out there until they stumble upon each other in an alley. Harriett is excited that Evelyn might be able to help her, but Evelyn wants nothing to do with her at all. You see, they handle their gift very differently. While Evelyn lives as a bit of a minimalist, with few possessions, and trying to sell certain objects she finds. - and calls the objects "stained", Harriett is a hoarder. She has thousands of "bright" objects that she has collected over the years, to the point that she is being evicted. Harriett decides to turn her collection into a museum, but wants Evelyn's help.

Evelyn is also dealing with trauma from her past, and her sister who disappears and reappears on the regular. There are secrets that will be uncovered and lots of growth from both Evelyn and Harriett throughout the book.

This book had the perfect amount of magical realism, and told their stories in a lovely way, with just a bit of mystery thrown in for good measure.

Happy Pub Day @neville_kim 🥂 #TheMemoryCollectors is out now 🥳

I don't feel like I can say a lot about this book without spoilers so I will say: I Loved This Book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you love fiction with a dash of the magical and strong female characters, I highly recommend this book 💙

This is Kim's debut novel and I'm already looking forward to more from her! 💙

"Perfect for fans of The Scent Keeper and The Keeper of Lost Things, an atmospheric and enchanting debut novel about two women haunted by buried secrets but bound by a shared gift and the power the past holds over our lives." (I don't know where my November #bookmail post for this one went to 🤷🏻‍♀️ so the rest of the synopsis is in the comments below!)

Thank you again to @atriabooks for this gifted e-galley of The Memory Collectors!

Is this one on your #TBRlist?

#womensfiction #atriabooks #bookworm #alwaysreading #booksofinstagram #booklover #bookish #bibliophile #igreads #fiction #bookstafam #bookstagramcommunity #readersofinstagram
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Ev was born with a special ability to feel the emotions someone has left behind in an object. Although she detests this ability, she uses it to her advantage to collect objects that hold strong emotions and sells them to others. She meets Harriet, a middle-aged woman who shares the same ability but who celebrates this by collecting as many objects with strong emotions as she can. Together, they work to help Ev control her powers, but when Ev’s estranged sister comes to town, Ev must face the secrets of her past and why she holds such a strong aversion to her abilities.

I was intrigued by this premise and I’m like a moth to a flame when any book is described as magical realism As someone who holds a lot of sentimental value to objects, the magic in this book spoke to me in a way.

The book goes back and forth between Ev and Harriet’s perspectives and I enjoyed Ev’s chapters more as Harriet was somewhat off-putting to me although she wasn’t an inherently bad or evil character. The mystery aspects of the plot surrounding Ev’s family kept me invested in the story but the big reveal wasn’t as surprising as I wanted. Overall this has a little bit of everything (magic, family drama, murder mystery, a slight romance) but as a reader, you have to be open to magical elements to buy into the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the eArc in exchange for an honest review.

The Memory Collectors by Kim Neville is a thought provoking novel. Imagine if objects could influence our minds. Ev feels the emotions people leave behind in objects and has a difficult life because of this. Harriet hoards treasurers and can't contain the emotions that are housed in her discoveries. Her treasures are making other people sick. Harriet and Ev meet and try to help each other adjust their unique skills so they can function normally. Ev and her sister Naomi were victims of a childhood tragedy and somehow Harriet is connected. Neville's plot becomes more believable as the story unfolds. The Memory Collectors is well written and presents an interesting premise.

The Memory Collectors by Kim Neville is the story of two women. Evelyn “Ev” has a mysterious ability, one she views as more as a curse than a gift. She can feel the emotions, good and bad, left behind on objects. She believes that she must handle them very carefully otherwise she will be affected by the emotions or “stains.” The harmless objects she sells at Vancouver’s Chinatown Night Market to scrape together a living. On the other side of town, Harriet hoards thousands of “treasures” and it is starting to make her neighbors sick as the emotions attached to these objects are overpowering and seeping through the walls. From the moment they meet, Harriet knows that Ev is the only person who can help her make something safe and spectacular for her collection. As they fear the dark effects of these objects have on them, together they help each other develop and control their gift. Soon it becomes apparent that there is another with their dangerous gift, the events surrounding this person will drag them all down a path that destroyed Ev’s family many years ago and threatens to destroy what little family she has left.
I was intrigued by The Memory Collectors as it was advertised as “Perfect for fans of The Scent Keeper” which I loved. It was a story of two women haunted by their past, buried secrets, both figuratively and literally, and bound together by a shared ability and the power to change each other’s lives for better or for worse. However, the Memory Collectors does not stand up with The Scent Keeper. The story wasn’t bad but I wasn’t wowed by it. It had a unique premise that these hoarders and trash collectors are simply hiding a secret ability in which they feel the history in an object. There was too much description with not enough character development or action until the very end and by then it felt rushed. It is an emotionally draining book. I struggled to finish it as the story moved along in a slow and moody pace. I think with the right reader, this book would be magical and inspirational. Unfortunately, for me, it fell short. I liked the idea that objects have a record of their history attached to them and there are people who can feel that history. If you are intrigued by the premise, I recommend giving it a try.

The Memory Collectors is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook.

This book premise is so unique, I haven’t read another book like it. The magical realism was wonderful.
This book is set in Vancouver, BC. I loved reading something so familiar. At the end of the book the author mentions the Chinatown Night Market and how it was shut down in 2018.

If you are an empath, highly sensitive, or very intuitive this book will speak to you like it did to me. The idea that objects are “stained” that they can hold onto energies and memories, good or bad is fascinating to me.

I loved how all of the characters in this book needed something from each other to grow and to heal from their trauma, betrayal, and mistakes.

These characters and their emotion felt very real and relatable to me. They reminded me that the healing process is not always linear and that healing not only takes time, but also vulnerability. I also think this book is a lot of finding yourself and your way. in the world.

This novel was soo, sooo relatable to me on so many levels. I am the kind of person who has kept all kinds of keepsakes since I can remember. Also the kind of person that sometimes maybe all the time gives feelings to objects. Everything I own is special to me in one way or another, and it’s so hard for me to let go of things (let alone let people borrow my things *coughs* books *coughs*). I see myself in both Harriet and Ev, this is such a unique story of emotions, beyond the item itself, and the value we hold within them. 

A wonderful novel, perfect for fans who love a touch of magical realism, and a lot of heart felt feels.

3.5 stars! This was a really interesting magical realism premise. It was a little slow to start, which is not my favorite, but I can see others loving it and not minding the character driven nature of the beginning of the story. A little past the halfway mark it really grabbed me, and I read those 200 or so pages in one sitting. I have mixed feelings about the end, not that it was bad, but it was not what I was expecting at all.

If you love magical realism, characters with dark pasts and secrets, and you don’t mind waiting a bit for the action, this is a great one to pick up!

I was provided a free copy of this book from @netgalley and @atriabooks in exchange for my honest review.
You know when you see that thing across the room that just calls to you? That hat that reminds you of a fun trip... That coffee pot given to you by a best friend, or a beloved family member... That book that reminds you of staying up late into the night to finish it. What if our emotions associated with these object were "imprinted" onto them, and a select few people could "read" those imprints. This is the premise of this story!
Ev spends her whole life trying to not allow the "stains" of others emotions on objects to effect her too much (cause she knows first had that it could spell disaster). While Harriet spends her life obsessively collecting these "bright" objects to protect them. When a chance meeting brings them together they realize they aren't the alone in their abilities. They also realize that maybe they can learn something from each other.
This story drew me in with its interesting concept. However it definitely turned in a different direction than I was anticipating. I only gave it three stars because I had a hard time connecting to the characters. Obviously I don't have their gifts, but both ladies were so guarded and unwilling to let others in that I felt that included me as the reader! Owen was probably my favorite character, but again, I didn't really get to know him! Many characters have these big pasts and secrets, and I don't feel like much of that was resolved. I didn't learn enough about what made them the way they were to allow me to feel connected to them.
Still an interesting concept, and pretty adventurous/suspenseful towards the end (I won't spoil it), but I felt it lacked some in the character development aspect.
It will be published tomorrow, so if you like magical realism, or the synopsis sounds intriguing to you, give it a shot!
#NetGalley

This is such a wonderful book. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I’ve always thought it would be amazing to have special “powers”. I was thinking more along the lines of TV witchcraft, though. Wiggle your nose or nod your head or even just reach out and the thing you wished for appears in your hand. Cool, right? I never wanted to be able to read minds, however. Can you imagine what that would be like? I see Ev’s gift of being able to feel the emotions left behind on objects to be very similar to that. Happy emotions would be okay, but even that would be too much.

Ev feels alone. But, at the same time, she’s fearful when she finds someone who does share her gift. Harriet, a hoarder who has the same ability, wants Ev’s help. Ev is resistant, too afraid to trust anyone with the knowledge of her “sickness”. She won’t even tell Owen, an artist who creates pieces made from the objects he finds, and he’s the closest thing to a friend that she has. I like Owen’s character. While he may not have the gift that the two women share, he can appreciate the importance of an object for what he can create from it.

A well-written story, I love how it unfolds as it reaches a satisfying ending. I would have liked even more emphasis on the magical side of these characters’ gifts, but I think it still fits into the magical realism genre, which is one of my favorites.

I gave this book 4 stars and recommend it to fans of magical realism and the books The Secret Keeper and The Keeper of Lost Things.

What if objects carried the emotions of those who had possessed them before? What if they spread the old emotions as they moved throughout the world? Maybe for some people they do.

Ev holds others at a distance for their own good, at least that’s what she tells herself. She hates feeling the emotions of others through objects they’ve previously had. She purposely keeps her living space as impersonal as possible, so she can try to keep herself quiet and unaffected by other influences. While she spends time with Owen, it’s mostly because he doesn’t make her reveal more about herself than she wants to. Ev thinks the only one who truly knows her is her sister Noemi.

Then Ev and Owen meet Harriet. While Owen has always known that Ev’s relationship to objects is different than most people, he recognizes that Harriet also treats the objects in her care with more reverence than most. So if Ev and Harriet have that in common, should they be friends? Ev hardly trusts herself with her power, she’s really reluctant to trust Harriet, who has hoarded her apartment so full of bright things (as she calls them) that she’s making her neighbors sick with all the emotions spilling out.

Ev and Harriet were so unique. While their understanding of the objects they encounter seemed to be something they had in common, how they reacted was very different. Is it from their background? The strength of their power? Their own will? What does using their powers, or not, cost them?

The story and characters in this book were amazing to me, and I would give the book 5 out of 5 stars. I’d love to read it again and see what other signs I missed of how it all would develop next. I’d recommend this book for those who enjoy unique stories and magical realism.

Harriet and Ev are both collectors of other peoples stuff. They both have an ability to sense emotions people have left on objects. This can be good or overwhelming. When they meet they try to help each other keep this a positive thing and not let it ruin their lives like they have seen it do. This is an unusual but unique story.

Evelyn has an amazing gift. She can touch objects and feel the emotions and memories attached to them. Some are wonderful and warm, happy memories. Those are the objects she keeps. Then there are the pieces filled with rage and darkness, those she stays very far away from.
Harriet has a similar gift. She can see the brightness of objects, feel the emotion but cant see the memories attached. Harriet keeps her treasures close to her, letting them fill her house.
When Evelyn and Harriet meet, worlds collide. Together they sort through their treasures and memories and work to weed out the bad. The goal is to clean out Harriet's mess, but the result is a cleansing of their souls.

The Memory Collectors is the story I didnt know I needed. I have so many memories and feelings associated with little trinkets I scatter around my house. Objects from my childhood, my travels or findings that spoke to me. I feel extreme emotional attachment to some of these objects, and would be devastated if I lost them. This is why I felt close to Evelyn and Harriet. I connected with this book on so many levels.
Evelyn and Harriet have a lot of sadness and tragedy in their pasts. This is common for most hoarders, who feel the need to fill that emotional hole. But in this book, they learned from each other and rebuilt their lives. The made new things with new memories from tainted objects. I loved this
I loved this book. This story is everything.

"I absolutely believe that objects have power. Especially the objects that are the most important to us."

The Memory Collectors is a captivating, utterly magical tale about the deeply-held emotions and memories that we attach to our possessions over the course of a lifetime. In the book, Evelyn and Harriet are total strangers, with seemingly nothing in common, united by the discovery that they both share an incredible gift: the ability to sense those very memories and emotions when they encounter new objects. Evelyn is astounded to have met someone else "like her," and is even more shocked when Harriet offers her a job in helping to curate a museum out of collected, memory-tinged items.

"A museum of memory... a space where her best treasures could be displayed. She would advertise it as an art exhibit or a museum of curiosities, but secretly it would work its magic on visitors as they soaked up the energies within."

Reading this story felt like experiencing Frozen for grown-ups, with a KonMari twist. Two sisters, tragically orphaned at a young age, with little to link them to their childhood or their heritage. Noemi, the younger of the two, is easygoing, charming, and adventurous; while Evelyn, the older sister, is emotionally closed-off, haunted by all that she's lost, and terrified of a magical gift she possesses, unsure of her own power. Together, they work to unlock the secrets of their past, and with them, the true beauty of Ev's gift.

"The best things in life are always the scariest, don't you think?"

Kim Neville has done an outstanding job of creating a believable, immersive atmosphere in a novel that toes the line between magical realism and outright fantasy. Her descriptions of each memory-wrapped item, from the brooches and baubles that line Ev's table at the Chinatown market to the boxes of Christmas lights and jars of buttons that begin to take shape as curated collections in Harriet's museum, I could almost see (and feel!) everything Neville described.

"Maybe you can't force happiness on a person. But you can build a place where a person could find happiness when they're ready for it."

Part of what made this story so unique was Neville's nuanced delivery of emotions. The memories and feelings attached to her objects aren't so simple as "anger" or "love." She carefully measures and articulates the differences between blind rage and righteous indignation, between friendship and loyalty, between maternal protection and the bond of sisterhood. Stacked together, these distinctions lend evidence for the incalculable range of human emotion, the boundless capacity of the heart to feel, and the infinite ways in which our future can be shaped by what we remember about our past.

"People matter most, Evelyn. Not things. Never forget that."

I loved The Memory Collectors. I found myself at once unable to put my book down, and also constantly wanting to stop right where I was and save the rest for another day, so that it wouldn't have to end. My only complaint was that I simply wanted more. I wanted more dimension from the characters, that would have made them as fascinating and likeable as the memory-laced objects strewn throughout the book. I wanted more at the end, to see the museum open and be received by the community - to experience the impact of Harriet, Owen, and Evelyn's tireless work. And so, so much more about how Evelyn's gift (and Noemi's!) develops at the end.

"Life is change. Experiences change you. People change you... The things we surround ourselves with change us too."

Overall, I would call this a 4-and-a-half-star read (rounding up for the sake of the GoodReads review system), and would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys magical realism, grown-up fairytales, or even the KonMari method of sparking joy!

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A huge thank-you to Kim Neville, Atria Books , and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

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The Memory Collectors by Kim Neville is a magical realism story about 2 women who are able to take objects and feel the emotions in them. Ev has been able to feel emotions since being a small child. She has some hidden secrets that may surprise you. Harriet is another collector who can feel emotions but is somewhat older. She attempts to help Ev.
Ev has a sister who is a bit troubled and runs off doing her own things all the time. Ev attempts to help and care for her the best she can as Ev parents are dead.
The story starts off a little slow for me but picks up at about half way through. There is a surprise twist at the end that I did not see coming.
I am giving my honest opinion thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read another great book.
I gave it a 3 on goodreads only because I am not able to bump it up to 3.5.

Oh wow what a suspenseful story. Ev, Evelyn and her sister Noemi have a stained history that creates ripples in their present. They were orphaned as children and spent years in the foster system in Vancouver. Ev feels the emotions of things and has to shield herself from the negative emotions that can be overwhelming. She meets Harriet that is a hoarder and also is stained which causes them to be cautious of one another. Owen, a sensitive soul has been friends with both and eventually brings them together to help bring out the positive in both.
Then Noemi comes back home and sends out the ripples of life that cause mistrust and danger.
Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for this amazing book. It was so hard to put down wondering what was happening. I look forward to reading more books by Kim Neville.
#Netgalley #AtriaBooks #TheMemoryCollectors

I was drawn to read The Memory Collectors as the description stated that it was a book that readers of The Scent Keeper would love. I love the cover. The book description sounded like a perfect fit for me. I did love the beginning about Ev and her Dad. Ev senses the smell of an object. Then there is Harriet who is essentially a hoarder. My problem with the book is that it moved so slowly that I found I had to keep reading a page over. It was a interesting premise but the book just did not work for me. My thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

**thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

What if our emotions left behind something on the things we touch—and what if someone could sense those leftover emotions? Ev has always viewed her gift as more of a curse, something to avoid. But then she meets Harriet, someone who shares her gift, and realizes she’s not alone.

This book is, more than anything, a story of growth. Every character is complicated and complex, with all their negative traits just as clear as their positive ones. Watching Ev grow throughout the story was inspiring and heartwarming and felt very real. I’ve never read a book like this before. The unique premise drew me in from the beginning, and I was not let down. Magical realism isn’t a genre I’m particularly familiar with, and yet many of the themes in this book were right up my alley.

My only complaint is that, for the most part, there’s not any big overarching conflict. In some ways, I loved this, I loved how the characters were at the forefront of the story and when I hit the climax of the story I was holding my breath the whole time. It made this an easy read, but I’ve always preferred something a little more fast-paced—I suppose it all comes down to personal preference.

Overall, The Memory Collectors is a creative piece of magical realism and an excellent choice for an easy read.

I'm always on the lookout for an unusual and creative story as I get sick and tired of reading the same type of novels over and over again. The Memory Collectors falls into the magic realism genre, which is not something I read very often. However, much like The Scent Keeper, which this book is being compared to, I was rewarded for rolling the dice and taking a chance.

Ever since Ev was a little girl she has had the ability to feel emotions people leave behind on objects. Given a person experiences a wide range of emotions, both good and bad, Ev is extra careful with the harmful objects. Ev meets Harriet, a woman who has been hoarding objects for years. Harriet is hoping Ev will help her open a museum of memory where people can experience the healing power of the objects on display. Keep in mind, the past has a way of rearing its ugly head. (The publisher synopsis gives a nice setup to the story and probably makes way more sense than how I summed up the premise.)

What I loved about this book is it really got me thinking as to how we don't know everything there is to know about the universe. Perhaps the idea of these "stained" objects isn't that far fetched. Just a fascinating subject to explore and held my interest for sure.

There's a lot of sadness surrounding these characters. And while I was interested in their lives and where the author was going with the story, I didn't feel much emotional investment in Ev and Harriet. I feel like I missed out on some powerful moments which is odd because the story was set up that way. Just a tiny criticism as this book was still a great read.

I enjoyed this book so much! At its core, it's a book about a hoarder named Harriet Langdon who lives in an overstuffed apartment in Vancouver, Canada. One day she returns home to find 'binners' going through boxes of her stuff that have been put out by the dumpsters. No!!! In her panic and anger, she still recognizes something special about the young Chinese-American woman who zooms off on her bicycle, leaving her friend Owen behind to help Harriet return her boxes to her apartment.

Owen, who creates art with 'found' items, is amazed at what he sees stacked inside the apartment and suggests that Harriet create a museum of memory for all her collections so other people can enjoy them. He'd be willing to help. Harriet is intrigued with the idea, especially since she's about to be evicted, but really wants his friend to be involved--the woman she learns is named Evelyn and sells her found items at the Chinatown Night Market. Job offers are made and rejected but eventually Harriet wins her over. They will be helping each other--Ev, to learn to control her special gift and Harriet, to create this wonderful new space. Can they safely separate the good vibes from the bad as they sort?

Wonderful characters, a touch of magical realism, and a bit of mystery make this delightful new novel very unique. We all know how a special keepsake can invoke a memory...but these women take things much farther. I think I understand the desire to hoard a little better now after reading their stories.

I received both a paper and digital arc of this novel from the publisher via netGalley in exchange for my honest review. Many thanks for the opportunity!