I loved this book. Loved every chapter, loved every page. I immediately fell in love with poor Tommy who nobody can remember after his birthday each year. He works so hard to overcome this major adversity and I was holding my breath until the last page.

Full review here! https://youtu.be/X_DghEYJRyk

On the eve of Tommy Llewellyn's first birthday, his loving parents prepare a small celebration. But when they awake the next morning, they don’t recognize their son, or recall having a son at all. Even though an investigation is opened, Tommy’s pedigree is never confirmed, leaving authorities no choice but to put him in foster care.

Although his story has the makings of a tragedy, Tommy has a relatively stable upbringing, mostly due to a loving caretaker. But even she, and anyone he meets, sees him as a stranger every year when the clock resets. Never understanding the why, he still learns to live a life with purpose, even if it’s lonely. But as he makes meaningful, albeit one sided connections, he decides to get creative in his quest to be remembered.

I read How to Be Remembered in one day, taken with the story’s unique concept. You feel for Tommy’s unusual circumstances, but are also inspired with how he handles them. While I did expect more of a why to ultimately be revealed, the story didn’t pan out like this, instead serving as a reminder that not all of life’s questions get answered.

A great debut, How to Be Remembered is a memorable story I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

What if you woke up erased from history and nobody knew who you were? This happens to Tommy every year on his birthday. On his first birthday, his own parents didn't remember him. He comes to call it "the reset".

Growing in the disorganized and overworked foster system helps Tommy to blend in and always have a place to stay even with no paperwork. But then he falls in love and finds a friend and business partner that he wants to keep as he is moving into adulthood. He has to figure out a way to stay in their lives and make a mark on the world. He works to find loopholes in the system but when he gets held up and can't carry through with his plans, will they forgot him forever?

This was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me! I adored Tommy and his resilience. I couldn't help but root for him. In the first two chapter, it took me a minute to figure out what was going on but once it fell into a rhythm, I was all in! This was a sweet and thought provoking read! It has been compared to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue but I liked this one better.

Thank you to @netgalley and @sourcebooks for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

What a beautiful book about self discovery. My heart broke for poor Tommy. To read him relive losing everything, every year, was heartbreaking and so sad.

I felt like I really had to suspend my beliefs for this one to work. If you really think about it the plot has so many holes. But if you just read it without overthinking it it would be really great.

I am one of those people that NEED a why and and how and this book did not provide this for me. It wasn't my favorite, but the writing was fantastic and the imagery was sharp.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this Advanced Readers Copy of How to Be Remembered by Michael Thompson!

How To Be Remembered by Michael Thompson is a beautiful book. The flow of the words, the magical element to it all made this a read that was impossible to put down. I finished this in one night and haven’t stopped thinking about it.

I was really intrigued by the book, How to Be Remembered, as it contained elements that I really love in books-- a mixture of science fiction, mystery, love, family, discovering one's self. The main premise of the book is that every year, on Tommy's birthday, everyone around him forgets him and the universe erases most traces of his existence. As he grows older, he learns to cope with this unique disability, but yearns for more permanence and seeks to find a cure or solution to his dilemma. The book was slow at times and quiet, yet I wanted to keep reading as I was so curious as to what was the reason and what was going to be the conclusion. Tommy loves Carey and this love is what further spurs him beyond hopelessness to find a way to have a future in this world. Tommy finally decides he doesn't have to know WHY (but honestly, this reader really felt that the WHY was important to the story and HOW and did anyone else experience this? These questions lingered for me throughout, and had they been addressed, this likely would have brought this book to a 4-5 star for me). The hint towards the end doesn't make much sense as it didn't apply to his parents when he was a toddler, so again, this whole premise was hard to wrap my head around. But the core story about friendship, love and perseverance was lovely.

<i>I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

There's something so compelling about this book!

It's magical realism at its finest. I fell right in and didn't even have to work that hard at suspending my disbelief. It's not about <b>why</b> it happens but about what Tommy does with it. And it's beautiful.

I had one jarring moment early on before I understood how the points of view would work in this narrative but that was it. After I learned, it flowed and made it all the better. It's this delicious blend of <i>Every Day</i>, <i>The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue</i>, and Matt Haig -- while at the same time remaining its own unique thing.

There are so many themes here but it mostly makes me think of an ATLA quote: "Some friendships are so strong, they can even transcend lifetimes."

Highly, highly recommend!

Tommy Llewelyn is forgotten by everyone each year on his birthday on what he calls The Reset. Thompson created an interesting novel that, while the overall theme is entirely impossible, still feels authentic and genuine.

For fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, this character-driven novel is a perfect mix of literary fiction and magical realism.

While Tommy’s condition is not an ailment any of us deal with, I felt sympathetic for Tommy and the struggles brought forth by being forgotten each year. Michael Thompson writes in such a way that you almost forget Tommy’s condition isn’t an actual illness. His writing is detailed, and I was fascinated by the clever ways Tommy finds “loopholes” in the reset.

The middle of the book was just a touch slow for me, but it picks back up and is worth the build-up in the end.

I listened to the audio of this book, which Lewis Fitz-Gerald narrates. I was immediately drawn in and enjoyed this narration.

Tommy Llewellyn is forgotten every year on his birthday. Literally. Every trace of his existence: belongings, photographs, and all memories from everyone who knew him, gone. On his first birthday, his parents wake up and are horrified that someone has "left" a strange baby in their home. The police can find no records for him, so he is taken to a children's home. This same scenario repeats every year on his birthday, and when he is old enough, Tommy learns how to navigate this strange existence and carves out a wonderful life for himself.

I thought this was going to be sad, but it's overall so uplifting and meaningful. It touches on themes of identity, friendship, love, loyalty, and connection. You have to be a fan of magical realism and be able to suspend your disbelief that this could actually happen. There are shades of Addie LaRue here, so if you liked the premise of that one you may enjoy this one too.

It was a quick read for me and it really touched my heart. I was in the mood for a light, emotional summer read and this one fit perfectly.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark & NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book

On January 5th, Tommy turns 1 years old. Unfortunately, he wakes up in a home where his loving parents no longer know that he ever existed and is taken by child services to a home for children. Here is taken in by Miss Michelle who cannot understand why no records for this little boy exist and gives him a last name and showers him with love and attention. But on Tommy's 2nd birthday, his existence is erased and again he is found by Miss Michelle who brings him into her Children's Home and the process repeats every year on his birthday and his existence is erased and filled in by other people and events. As he gets older, Tommy is prepared for this yearly event, until the year he falls for a girl who will never remember him. So he sets out to cheat the system in an attempt to find his girl and figure out how to be remembered by her and by others he encounters in his life.

I loved this unique and original novel. It's not quite time travel but it messes with time and I enjoyed this quirky twist. It frustrated me how the characters kept forgetting Tommy's existence but I also liked how he was able to find his way back to those characters each year. It seems like this would be a sad story but Tommy's character is so wonderfully written and overall the story is hopeful and uplifting.

Thank you to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for a digital copy of this novel. It was released on 6/27/2023.

Thank you Michael Thompson, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC e-book. How To Be Remembered was such a heartfelt book it tugged at all my heartstrings and made me root for the main character the whole time. It's the type of book that makes you pause, take a step back and reassess your life. It was really a book that is going to stick with me for quite some time.

On his birthday every year, Tommy Llewellyn is forgotten by everyone around him and all traces of him are erased. When Tommy falls in love, he's determined to figure out how he can have the life he wants for himself.

"Person has something unique about them that defies laws of physics" is becoming a trope that pops up in so many books and I'm loving that there is always something heartwarming about these stories. This one was no exception. Tommy was a really resilient and resourceful character, and the constraints of his problem and his solutions were intriguing. I definitely grew attached to the characters and enjoyed reading this one!

This book is so out of what I would normally read and besides that, it is a good book! I’m not sure exactly what genre it is listed in but it’s kind of a cross between scifi, fantasy and drama. Tommy is the main character. The story starts when Tommy was born and follows him throughout his life. It doesn’t get caught up in every single day but moves right along. Relationships are important to Tommy- all kinds of relationships I’m glad I read this book and will be looking for others from this author to read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

I just finished How to Be Remembered A Novel by Michael Thompson and here are my thoughts.

Just as Baby Tommy turns 1 something obscure happens…. His whole life is wiped from the memories of everyone who knows him, along with all photos and items that belong to him. His parents wake to find a child they don’t know in their home.

The authorities come and take him away. He spends his childhood watching people forget him every single year on his birthday. Like he is destined to never be remembered but Tommy has a plan. A plan to trick the universe so he can keep a little piece of his life at the reset and the girl that he loves… He wants her to remember him when she wakes up…

This book was wonderfully bizarre and a real page turner! The author has the most incredible imagination to come up with something so incredibly fantastical!
The book is told mostly from Tommy’s perspective and you can really feel how disheartened he was having to make friends with his friends over and over again. His time at the orphanage was steep in heartache but he was well cared for there. He obviously understands why he ended up there when the reset keeps happening but to know your parents have no idea you are even out there is super sad. Tommy has a plan though and he works hard at achieving it.
The character development was excellent and I loved Tommy and Carey. The way she found herself and grew… sigh!!! The resilience of Tommy, of not giving up… Of not turning to drinking to numb the pain…. Inspiring.
The timeline starts from when Tommy is a baby up into adulthood so it covers a vast time frame but it is handled very well. I am partial to magical realism so I have high standards. I would definitely recommend this book if you enjoy watching a character grow through their whole life and like a dash of magic in your books.
5 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you @netgalley and @sourcebooks for my gifted copy!
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How to be Remembered by Michael Thompson

Every year on Tommy’s birthday, he goes through a Reset where everything he owns disappears and everyone he’s ever known forgets him. Starting with his first birthday when his parents call the police about a baby that appeared in their home. This story is unique and intriguing and was well developed to keep it interesting throughout the story.

I enjoyed this one, although by the end I did end up feeling like it was missing something, or needed more of something. Something just didn’t quite bump it up to a great book. I did enjoy Timmy and it was heartbreaking to see how he dealt with the Reset year after year. I loved some of the supporting characters and enjoyed where his life went over the years.

Thank you to @bookmarked for my copy! This book is out now.

I do appreciate a unique story! So give me your recommendations for a storyline that is unlike anything else you’ve ever read.

#books #ebooks #kindle #netgalley #reading #readmore #bookish #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #reading #sourcebooks #sourcebookslandmark #bookreview #bookthoughts

Hey, lovers of the found family trope! I’ve got a book for you.
Hey, suckers for a coming-of-age story! Here’s one for you.
Hey, readers who adore a tender-hearted protagonist! This one is certainly for you, too.

HOW TO BE REMEMBERED follows Tommy Llewellyn who is forgotten by the universe each year on his birthday. We meet Tommy as an infant and follow him into adulthood as he navigates a world where everyone he meets is bound to forget his very existence despite his own memories remaining intact (Swipe for full synopsis).

I simply adored Tommy as he fought to carve out a place for himself in the world. The story had such a rich cast of characters and I loved the themes of identity and legacy. Tommy has surely made an impression on me and won’t soon be forgotten.

Rating: 4.38 leaves out of 5
-Characters: 4/5
-Cover: 4/5
-Story: 4/5
-Writing: 5/5
Genre: Contemporary, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Romance
-Contemporary: 5/5
-Fantasy: 4/5
-Magical Realism: 4.5/5
-Romance: 4.5/5
Type: Ebook
Worth?: Yes

Want to thank Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read this book.

I adored this book so much. From the very beginning it had me so emotional that I had to set the book down. My heart just wasn't ready. I felt so bad for Tommy that whole journey. I couldn't imagine have to be forgotten over and over again. I also don't think I could have had the determination like him. If you liked The Invisible Life of Addie Larue mixed in with Matt Haig you will love this book as much as I have.

Good in theory but terrible in execution. The plot was a unique idea but it wasn’t handled well, especially in the end. I found the ending unsatisfying after the very long book. Nothing was really handled well.

Every year on his birthday Tommy is "reset" and nobody remembers him. Anything that he has, if it is not physically on him, disappears. It is called a reset because every year he has to give a reason for waking up in the foster care home and he has to reintroduce himself to everyone. None of his things, none of his paperwork survives the reset. As he gets older he realizes that as long as he is touching or holding on to something, he can keep it into the next year. He also realizes that anything he does preceding his birthday will be wiped clean. He has woken up in jail and they release him because there is no memory of why he is there. He wakes up in the hospital and his chart is gone. and nobody knows why he is in the hospital. The story continues in this vein as he tries to find ways to avoid the reset. The book became a little tiring in this sense and I was ready for the ending when it came. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the digital ARC. This review is my own opinion.