As I think about this story, not a lot actually happens. It stays very surface level and didn’t get to the level of information needed to make it great.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of <i>Lies My Memory Told Me</i> in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

<h4 style="margin-top: 84px;">The Gist</h4>

<i>Lies My Memory Told Me</i> by Sacha Wunsch is a compelling young adult novel that delves into the complexities of memory, identity, and truth. The book raises intriguing questions about the nature of reality and personal experience. Despite its promising concept and thought-provoking themes, the execution leaves something to be desired.

<h4>The Details</h4>

The story follows Nova Reynolds, who lives in a society obsessed with experiencing and sharing memories through Enhanced Memory. As the daughter of the technology's creators, Nova is expected to embrace this world fully. However, her life takes a dramatic turn when she meets Kade, a mysterious boy with a tragic past, and starts to uncover unsettling truths about Enhanced Memory and her own memories.

The novel's premise is fascinating and timely, considering the current debates about technology and privacy. Wunsch does an admirable job of setting up a world where memories can be bought, sold, and manipulated, creating a dystopian backdrop that feels both futuristic and eerily plausible. The ethical implications of such technology are well-explored, and the book poses significant questions about the authenticity of memories and the potential consequences of tampering with them.

Nova is a relatable protagonist, and her journey to uncover the truth about her past and her family's involvement with Enhanced Memory is engaging. Her internal struggles and growing doubts about the technology that defines her world are convincingly portrayed. Kade, with his enigmatic background and connection to the darker side of Enhanced Memory, adds depth to the narrative and provides a catalyst for Nova's awakening.

However, the novel is not without its flaws. One of the main issues is the pacing. The story starts strong but tends to lose momentum in the middle sections. There are moments where the narrative drags, and the tension that is so effectively built up in the beginning dissipates. The climax, while exciting, feels rushed and leaves some plot threads unresolved.

The world-building, although imaginative, sometimes lacks depth. More detailed descriptions and explanations of the technology and its societal implications would have enriched the story. Additionally, some secondary characters feel underdeveloped, making it hard to fully invest in their arcs.

The writing style is accessible and straightforward, which works well for a young adult audience, but there are instances where the prose could benefit from more nuance and subtlety. Certain plot twists are predictable, which lessens their impact, and the dialogue occasionally falls into cliché.

<h4>The Verdict</h4>

Overall, <i>Lies My Memory Told Me</i> by Sacha Wunsch is an ambitious and thought-provoking novel that tackles important themes relevant to our increasingly digital world. While the execution is uneven and the story sometimes loses its way, it remains a compelling read with a unique premise and a strong central character. Fans of speculative fiction and dystopian tales will find much to ponder in its pages, even if it doesn't fully realize its potential.

This is a compelling novel that weaves a web of emotions and adventures, leaving readers enthralled and satisfied. The story, written by a talented author, takes you on a rollercoaster ride through a story that is both captivating and thought-provoking.

This is a fantastic title and an even more fascinating premise but unfortunately for me the execution never quite lived up to the potential.

I wanted to like this book, but it wasn't for me. I did finish it, but I didn't enjoy it. I think the idea of the Enhanced Memories was a little too much for me. Thanks for the early copy.

I really wanted to love this book but I think this one just wasn't written for me, unfortunately. I was hoping for more.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book. These are my honest thoughts.

This book lost me at “gender spectrum.”

God only created two genders: male and female.

Genesis 1:27 “… male and female He created them.”

Genesis 5:2 “He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created.”

Matthew 19:4 “And [Jesus] answered and said to them, ‘Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning “made them male and female,”’”

Mark 10:6 “But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’”

Content: profanity, expletives, sexual perversion

Lies My Memory Told Me is a phenomenal thriller from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out Lies My Memory Told Me today.

The surprise twist in this novel wasn't especially surprising. All of the clues are there if you're paying much attention. In spite of that, I do like the way the plot developed. It's more than questions about the protagonist's memories or the predatory nature of the technology. It's the exploration of addiction, of the double edged sword of virtual experiences. I might have liked it better if these elements had been given more space to develop within the plot.

DNFed. Stopped reading at about 25% and was just was not into this book at all. Specifically had issues with the main character and their voice through the book. It just didn't capture me like I hoped it would and eventually I lost interest in the story.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book had an amazing plot, but I felt the characters were a bit hard to connect to.

Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

Lies My Memory Told Me is a story built on an intriguing idea but ultimately it failed in execution. Our protagonist, Nova’s, parents are the inventors of Enhanced Memory which is a really cool take on virtual reality except for you are reliving someone’s memories. Think skydiving, mountain climbing, and you get the picture. Nova is proud of her parents until she meets a boy, Kade, who leaves her questioning whether Enhanced Memory is the good thing everyone thinks it is.

There is a lot to love about this story. I found it very intriguing how Enhanced Memory has changed the way people view life. No one does anything even remotely dangerous because there is no point since you can “safely” experience it virtually. Nova works at a senior citizen home and it was really interesting to see how Enhanced Memory works with people suffering from Alzheimer or Dementia. I also loved the suspense element of Nova and her deteriorating relationship with her parents. The action at the end kept me at the edge of my seat and I thought the twist was well executed.

Despite all the many bright spots I really struggled with the timeline of the story. Enhanced Memory is relatively young to the world and it just seemed completely unbelievable that it has taken over so much of the world. Basically, the world this book is set in can’t function without Enhanced Memory and I think that it would take so much longer for that to happen. To be honest, I read this last year and I can’t quite remember how long Enhanced Memory has been around but Nova remembers life without it so it is definitely not long enough for it to become what it is. Society has evolved so much in this story that even riding your bike is considered dangerous and something you are judged for since you could just use Enhanced Memory. Which makes no sense since it is still a mode of transportation. Also, because of Enhanced Memory bars no longer serve alcohol since people would rather ingest (for lack of a better word) memories. And it is little things like that that just completely took me out of the story.

I do think this book is a worthwhile read for the concept. This is Wunsch’s debut novel so I can understand that she got lost in the idea and tried to cut corners to make the story work the way she wanted it too. I do want to point out that I read this book 8 or 9 months ago and I can still vividly remember what happens. And considering how many books I have read between now and then I think that is a major testament to Wunsch.

I really wanted to love this story, as the premise sounded fantastic. Unfortunately, I was not able to connect with the writing or the characters. It read young and I'm sure there will be people who love it, but I just don't think I was the intended audience. I was not able to finish this one, sadly.

DNF - Did not finish. I did not connect with the writing style or plot and will not be finishing this title. Thank you, NetGalley and Publisher for the early copy!

3.75 stars

Social media expands into the mind of memories, but when no one is making new ones, stealing becomes a serious option. A strong concept/idea, straightforward writing style to read and a good story.

I enjoyed how Nova was fully onboard with EM until she was shown the darker sides; the abuse of the elder, the dangers of only depending on media, the moral choices and how living through memories is losing the moments you have to live.
The ending felt a little rushed and also anti-climatic, sadly. But I can understand that it is hard to wrap up a massive memory media world in one book.

The story concept intrigued me and compelled me to finish this book in one sitting; if this science/moral/media society like the story is your thing, you'll love this.

I liked the concept for this book a lot but I feel like the execution was only ok. The ending was rushed and had a very HEA feel to it even though the last chapter had so much going on and we did not get to really even see any of the resolution, just the HEA epilogue. I feel like with the level of detail and work that went into this world building, it would have been better for this to be a series or at least a duology instead of the standalone that it was. It was ok overall as a fast YA science fiction read, there was just a lot that didn't make complete sense to my brain that I would have liked expounded on but that might just be me and an actual teen reader looking for a quick sci-fi read might find this spot on.

Didn't capture my attention and engagement. Interested in trying it again though and hopefully it will take.

Memories can be tainted by personal bias and context but what if the memories you remember are not your own? In Lies My Memory Told Me, Nova is surrounded by sharing memories and gaining experience through others. At first, she is intrigued but could the odd feeling she has had something to do with her memories not being her own. The premise made me want to read this book because it can be translated to social media but the execution was lacking. I didn't really get a sense of the characters overall. Nova was ok and I could feel her discomfort but for some reason, there was no attachment to her. Kade was the same, he felt flat. I wanted more suspense and tingly feelings of weirdness and I did not get that.

The premises of this book sounded really intriguing....I love YA dystopian and this definitely falls into that category while also being quite reminiscent of today. Enhanced Memory has taken over most people's lives as they opt to just experience life through full immersion virtual reality, rather than risk getting hurt. Despite a number of books being written with nearly the same plot, I was still a sucker for the summary of it. Unfortunately, the story fell short for me. The writing was not great. I do not expect most YA to be the greatest literary work I have came across, but it this just fell into the "plain bad" category sometimes. It definitely wasn't bad enough that I didn't plan to finish, but it was enough to bug me throughout. The character development was lacking. I really liked Kade, but his character did still feel too vague for my liking. Through most of the book, I was really teetering between a 2 and a 3 star rating. It got more entertaining throughout, so despite its flaws, it was an easy read. Then, there was the ending....which was terrible. I was convinced when I had around 10% of the book left that it had to be a series, so I would be waiting for a resolution. No, the author just haphazardly throws together a super unfulfilling ending that sucked. I wish there was a nicer way to say it, but honestly, it was terrible and not a good conclusion at all. I had much higher hopes, so I'm really disappointed this one did not pan out.