This book was so eerie and atmospheric! It's the perfect fall/scary season read!! I didn't realize this was a thriller/mystery along with some magical elements, but it works so well! Definitely interested in reading more from this author.

I love the town slowly desloves into something of a force for good into something for selfish desires. I also loved the way the way alana and charlie got together again!

I had a great time with this book. It was a wonderful twist on an unreliable narrator. I spent the whole time trying to figure out what was going to happen. Mahoney did a great job of blending genres and creating a unique narrative.

This book started out really strong. A magical creature that eats memories and a whole town that benefits from this strange tourist attraction? Sign me up! Even the dedication at the beginning of the book got me.

"...to our own Whistler Beach. The cliffs we scaled, the lobster breakfasts we never ate. And to the memories we made; those remembered, and those forgotten."

Alana Harlow is part of the family business--the family business of keeping a monster they call the Memory Eater sealed up in her beachside cave. For a fee, the Memory Eater will eat the memories you don't want to keep. Alana apprenticed her grandmother for years as she kept the monster locked up in the cave and assisted the clients who wanted to forget. But now Alana is the last remaining Harlow in Whistler Beach and after just a few months on the job she has a workplace injury--she is found outside the cave with a broken ankle and weeks of her memory missing.

"The second worst parts of the worst days of your life, are the mornings after. There's a quick, hopeful second where you don't completely remember why you fell asleep so miserable."

The concept here is so cool, I think this was just a little too long. I also think this would have worked really well as a series of short stories told from the perspectives of the Memory Eater's clients.

This book was honestly very solid.

The book was relatively easy to follow and the concept of how our memories affect us was very well done.

The Memory Eater touches on toxic relationships, grief and many other tough yet important topics in a way that is impactful and insightful. While it did start rather slow it dramatically picked up the pace towards the middle of the book.

I ended up trying to finish this one as an audiobook because the ebook wasn't capturing my attention but that wasn't any better. I ended up not finishing this book because the characters weren't keeping my attention and I was not invested in any of the characters. I wasn't invested in the story and half the time I had to keep reading back to figure out what was going on.

The first half I was fairly certain I would be rating the book 3 stars but the second half really made up for the slow beginning.

However, I was feeling incredibly upset for Alana. This entire town is putting so much stress on her- even during her grief- they were just awful to her.

But, she had some great friends and eventually a good support system. Overall, I did enjoy this story; the idea of the memory eater was very interesting and the story behind the monster was sad and one I can really empathize with.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

i had high hopes for this one but was kinda disappointed, but it may just be me because it seems to have a lot of great reviews!!

i found it a bit hard to follow but i did enjoy the characters and the funny/sassy comments they would make. i found a lot of the ending passages to be profound in how they discuss emotions and the need for a good support system.

I really loved the concept of this book, and actually found it scary at some moments, thinking about the possibility of suddenly losing a part of your own memories, a part of your mind disappearing suddenly, And it scares the residents of the town where the Memory Eater resides, too, which I thought the author did a great job of portraying. She really aptly portrayed the terror of the town residents at the concept of encountering the Memory Eater and losing their own memories, with one scene that stood out to me being the one where the cop flees the scene knowing the monster needs contained because he can't stand to risk it.

I also really loved the kind of found family aspect of the book, with the best friend's family taking in the main character and treating her as if she is one of their own. Those types of stories always warm my heart and it made for some sad moments throughout the book.

I also though the author did a great job of portraying how the Memory Eater props up the economy of he town, both directly and indirectly.

Unfortunately, I felt like it was difficult to get invested in the story, and it didn't consistently hold my attention or bring me back wanting to know more. It was a bit of a slow read to get through, so I think I just didn't connect with it super well, but I am still able to recognize all its strong suits and the great writing elements. I think if I approached this at a different time I'd probably connect with it much more, because it is really well done and a creative and cool idea to see brought to life on the page.

I loved it so much, was such a good and interesting read. Sometimes it did feel a bit too slow or a bit too fast for me but was super good.

Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐
✨
The Memory Eater honestly surpassed my expectations! It was beautifully written and the plot's concept was just as good. The characters are fleshed out nicely and the MC Alana and her two friends, Rue and Charlie, are the kind of girls I'd want to be friends with. Sarcastic, witty, loving and charismatic but each with their own distinct, individual personalities.
✨
There are many lessons and themes within this book that all play an important role such as dealing with grief, memories (good and bad), support from loved ones, etc. and they were all handled/talked about in a realistic yet tasteful way. The atmosphere is generally dark but oddly comforting at the same time which I feel truly encapsulates this book as a whole.
✨
I love that the author never really gave anything away until the perfect moment(s) so that we were able to think for ourselves and try to put the pieces together on our own. It kept things interesting and mysterious which made the experience that much more enjoyable. The "big reveal" was done so well, and fit the timing/pace of the story.
✨
I'd love to read the author's other book because I really enjoyed my time with this one. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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***Trigger warnings include, but may not be limited to, loss of loved one(s), child abandonment, toxic/manipulative relationships, toxic parent(s).***

The Memory Eater is a fantasy that touches on many important topics, such as grief, memory loss and toxic relationships. The sapphic romance was wonderful. Well done, and didn’t make us wait the whole book for the romance to happen. Alana’s fears made her feel real and never a stereotypical teenager. I relished reading this books and had a hard time putting it down.

Check out the video I made for the book:

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTR7fmb9b/

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4/5 STARS

This is a YA urban fantasy/thriller/horror falling into a few sub genres.

Synopsis:
Alana is a 17 year old girl in Whistler,ME who is the keeper of the memory eater, a monster locked in a cave that feeds on the memories of the townspeople. When the monster steals Alana’s memories, it escapes and she must try and lock it back up.

This book surprised me. It pulled me in from the beginning with what this monster was doing locked in a cave and kept me reading because I needed to find out what was going to happen to it. It has a teen sapphic relationship and touches on the topics like grief and moving on. I would say it is more like an urban fantasy than it is horror. I will go back and read this author’s debut novel as well.

Thank you Penguin Teen for the ARC & PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook! 🖤

Thank you to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC copy.

I must say I was pleasantly surprised with this story. While the story premise was simple. I found it both meaningful and deep.

Falling in love with the characters was easy to do and the pacing seemed to be about medium-fast speed.

The only thing I could think to add would have been cutting out a bit of the begging so we hopped right into chaos.

If your looking for a Sapphic story with heart and monsters this may just be the book for you.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Memory Eater follows a girl named Alana who inherits her family’s business after her grandma passes away. The family business in question is bringing clients to a monster called the memory eater who lives in the caves on the beach of a small town. We follow as Alana learns the truth about her family, the monster and herself.

The plot was fun but also emotional at the same time. It focuses so much on emotions, trauma, grief, etc that it really pulled you in emotionally. I felt for all these characters and everything they were going through. We also get multiple queer characters and relationships which I wasn’t expecting going in and found them all very nice to read.

The conflicts were somewhat predictable but I didn’t mind at all. I still found it very enjoyable and I still wanted to see how things would progress, especially near the end. I liked that each characters reactions to the conflict + resolution felt true to their character. I was never super shocked by how someone reacted. I also thought it was a fitting resolution that showed a lot of humanity and empathy in the characters which I really liked.

There were a lot of moments where I thought the writing was really well done, especially when talking about emotions. I liked the atmosphere and vibe the writing gave. It always felt like it really suited the story and setting. I thought it was paced well. There were some slower moments, some faster but overall it flowed well and never felt like it was getting boringly slow

Now, my favourite part of any books - the characters! Here are my thoughts on some of the main ones:

Alana: I liked that she felt like a complex character. She had flaws but those flaws were believable and added to the story. The way she processed the events in the book and her reactions felt realistic to me.

Rue: We love a super supportive bestie!! I wish we got to see more of her personality outside of how she interacted with Alana but I loved their friendship.
Charlie: She was one of the most interesting characters to me. I couldn’t always figure out her motives but I liked her and liked that she consistently showed up for Alana even when I felt suspicious of it

Lena: oh my GOD she was annoying.. Every scene she was in I couldn’t stand her. She was power hungry and clearly didn’t care about anyone else. Extremely manipulative too.

Mae: She was an interesting character as well. I didn’t know whether to trust her. I would’ve loved to see more of her but as a side character I think she did her job.

Clara: I love her. She felt relatable even though she was technically a “monster”. Her reactions made sense and her back story made me like her more. I liked her relationship with Alana and how everything progressed

Overall, I really strongly enjoyed this book! I would highly recommend it.

This book is designed to make you feel so many emotions while discussing the exploration of grief, trauma, and memory.

This was such an enjoyable read with great queer representation, which if you know me then you know I absolutely love reading books with queer characters. This was such an incredible idea for a book it gripped me and the story never dragged, I loved it and it was delightful. Watching Alana figure herself out (even though it was hard) and learn that she doesn't have to keep everyone afloat as a seventeen-year-old. I loved Alana's bonds with everyone and it was a wholesome read surprisingly, overall if you love urban fantasy and are looking for a unique read this is the book for you!

Thank you penguin teen for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review

The Harlow family has been responsible for the keeping of the Memory Eater for centuries. At only 17, Alana Harlow carries the burden of that responsibility alone. Keeping the monster imprisoned, keeping her fed (only on memories freely given, per the centuries old agreement), and keeping the family business, and the town of Whistler, Maine afloat. Alana knows what it means if she fails, so when she slips up and the Memory Eater escapes, Alana has to delve into the past of her family and their arrangement with the monster to find out how to make things right.

The heart of this story really revolves around pain, and I loved the way the story explored that. The way that holding onto pain can alter who we are, but the way pushing it away and refusing to feel has consequences too. The story was melancholy but also exciting and tense, and I love the way the plot unfolded. Definitely an emotional book, and an enjoyable read!