Unfortunately I DNFed this book. I really wanted to like it and I thought the premise was interesting. I really struggled to get into this book. I felt like the story just started in the middle of something important and I didn’t know what was going on. I think that was maybe the purpose but I personally found it to be confusing. As for the aspects of the memories, I feel as if it was not explained as clearly as it could’ve been. The first few chapters really felt like I was reading a lot but not really learning or grasping anything about the world building. I do think this author has potential and will keep an eye out for future releases.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read an early release of this copy.

An interesting and a bit disturbing with the blood chalice mushrooms and how partaking of them (for the special few) allows them to dive back in time (through memories trapped in the mushrooms) and relive scenes to gather info about what was lost after the great storms. Key is one of those able to do so, and has a strong ability so as to be able to go further back than most people. As a diver, Key and her guardian Vale, complement and balance each other out. When working alone, I did not like them all that much. Vale is way too quick with violence (I blame Burdock) and Key is your typical rich kid, not thinking about consequences and using her importance to try to get away from rules. It was a pretty interesting world, though I wish there had been more world building, cause I was fascinated about the storms and the intriguing little bit about Key's mother that we only get a peek at in this book. The memory diving was weird and since this takes place in the future, despite it being a dystopia, there are quite advanced things so it made me wonder how the mushrooms are the only way to see past events.

So, be prepared to have a lot of questions after finishing this book. Key and Vale do uncover many mysteries and most of this first book is about chasing after the truth while everyone else tries to squash it and maintain the status quo. Though I do like how Key ends up being changed. It made her more interesting by the end. While I go looking for the next book, probably. I hope it will answer more of the mysteries.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an advance copy of this book.

THE MEMORY HUNTERS is a rich and chewy delight. Memory-consuming mycelia! The politics of museums! Post-climate apocalypse cultures! A fabulous and complex tapestry of a world, a killer plot, and a romance that wouldn't let me put the damn book down.

On paper, this should be the perfect book for me. I spent 7 years working in archaeological labs or Musuems, and the setting is based on the Appalachian region which is where I'm from, unfortunately, the story falls flat. The title of the book is memory hunters, the main character is a memory hunter, they memory hunt 3 times in the entire book, in chapters 1, 15, and 20. This book is mostly childish interpersonal relationships and Musuem bureaucracy (which is warranted, because the main character is not able to cope with the consequences of her own actions).

Because I got this as an advanced reader copy I don't know if it has trigger warnings listed but there is cheating and mentions of cannibalism. The quote "...be one with her until they could wear each other like clothing." (Chapter 21) could be cute if this book didn't have mentions of actual cannibalism

Additionally, I have a personal gripe with how people from Appalachia are showcased, the same as they are in many forms of media: that they're poor, uneducated, backwards way of life make it so the only way to do something worthwhile is to leave.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC.

This book just wasn’t for me, despite its strengths. I genuinely appreciated the author’s writing style, it’s well-crafted, with excellent literary quality and rich detail. The worldbuilding felt thorough and the conceptual depth was impressive. The premise, blending dark academia and speculative fantasy, was intriguing and felt fresh in its approach.

But my enjoyment ended there. I couldn’t resonate with Key or Vale as protagonists. Key came across as spoiled and self-centered, with little regard for who she hurt, especially Vale. Meanwhile, Vale’s character felt frustratingly passive, carrying a torch for someone who treated her poorly while simultaneously being entangled with another woman. I couldn’t understand why she stayed connected to Key after two years of selfishness and disregard. The story also lacked action, leaning too much on dialogue, which I found tedious and at times boring.

The cover description also felt misleading to me. While it hints at dystopian elements, I didn’t find this to be dystopian at all, and the publisher’s materials don’t mention dystopia either, so I’m not sure why that label was used.

💬 Final Take:
Beautiful writing, solid concept, but characters I simply could not root for. If you’re looking for a sapphic, literary speculative read with immersive prose and don’t mind flawed protagonists, it may still be worth your time.

Memory Hunters was surprisingly upbeat for a dystopian setting. Focusing on the importance of our connections to our ancestors as a guide to who we are in the present. Don't shy away from this novel because of the backdrop of devastating climate change. Loved this book and can't wait to share it with bookclubs!

I could not get into this book. The storyline was really confusing for me. Also, I could not connect with the characters. I am a little disappointed because it sounded like a promising story in a dystopian world. It was just not explained well enough.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the digital copy.

This book had a promising premise with several aspects that I enjoy reading (sapphics, dark-academia, weird mushroom stuff, a unique magic system) but unfortunately the execution of it disappointed me quite a bit.

To start with the positives, I enjoyed the themes and problems this book sought out to discuss, following the museum and their right to own certain things and the ways in which they execute their business. I found Vale to be a really interesting character to follow and would have liked more development on Key for her to reach that level as well I also enjoyed the base of the magic (being able to dive into memories) that was set up, it was very intriguing and initially what got me into this book.

But thats also where some of the pitfalls come in. The world building and the memory diving part of the magic system were a bit too all over the place for me. I can tell that there was suspense placed on the latter for plot reasons but for the most part, it just left me confused. The world building felt a bit like a disconnected puzzle, like it had all these interesting pieces like the temple, the museum, even the smaller less known towns (given that it was a big part of some of the characters' stories) but they were all a bit surface level and missing the pieces that connected them.
The pacing was also a bit of an issue for me, the first half didn't have much happening and then everything happened in the last 70-100 pages. I was tempted to DNF this book at the midpoint but really wanted to give it a fair shot.

I really enjoyed this book!
The Blood Over Bright Haven vibes are really quite strong but I didn't find it off-putting in the least, it was definitely an "oh boy, two cakes!" kinda situation for me. As a matter of fact I think I prefer these characters to those in BOBH, but the main characters are definitely much more likeable than Sciona was.
My favourite thing in here was probably the way this book explores the question of identity. We have more than one expat/immigrant characters struggling with fitting in and the titular memory hunting brings a whole slew of questions about one's own identity as well as a whole community's cultural identity.
The ending is a lovely cliffhanger, not too cruel but definitely the sort that leaves no doubt about there being a lot more to this story than it seems for most of this first instalment.
The worldbuilding and magic system took some getting used to, for me they felt a bit too hazy and vague for a bit but then I managed to get the hang of it all and everything cleared up pretty well.
Many thanks to Kensington Publishing, Erewhon Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

interesting fungal romantic fantasy with some awesome vibes, and I absolutely love fungal fiction. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC e-copy of The Memory Hunters by Mia Tsai.

Taking (loose) inspiration from Inception, The Memory Hunters delivers readers into an alternate universe where Guardians protect Hunters, who can dive into the memories of others. Between the lines, you can expect lots of commentary on climate change and whether museums have the right to hoard artifacts from the public.

This book has a very interesting concept and it’s well-written, but for me, it moved rather slowly. I think perhaps the world-building was too ambitious and the plot development less so. It was hard to care about where the story was leading, even 1/3 of the way in, and to care about any characters other than poor Vale, who was the most fleshed out but still not quite enough.

I couldn’t buy into the world nor the main romance, no matter how talented the author is with their words. For so much of the book, nothing happened, and when something finally did, it was just too much all at once. Then there was the ending, which to me, made little sense and involved a cliffhanger that made me wonder what I had read the entire thing for, because I probably will not be reading a sequel. Overall, while I liked some parts of this book, it wasn’t for me.

☆ ☆ - OKAY

Before I start I just want to say thanks to Net Halley for sending me an arc. I tried multiple times to read this book. I thought maybe the time wasn’t right, maybe I was tired but this book was a struggle for me to read. The world building felt flat and confusing…and I think that’s where I struggled I didn’t understand the hunter and guardian dynamic, the religious aspect on the memories was confusing and the character relationship didn’t really hit home for me. I just don’t think the why was developed enough for me.

The Memory Hunters is deeply ambitious in the themes it seeks to explore, including a dystopian world; the role of museums; trauma; and faith. At the same time, it seeks to tell a romantic story between the two leads, and move forward with a plot that involves tension between the museum and the church. Unfortunately, I really felt like this was being pulled in too many directions, and so it never really got to explore any of the themes, world, or characters fully. The worldbuilding was scant, really more of a sketch that never allowed me to feel immersed into the story. That's fine, maybe the world isn't the focus, the characters are - except the characters never felt fully built out either. The motivations of the two main characters seemed abrupt and clunky, and the romance was never believable for me. Okay, so the world and the characters are just a vehicle to explore the themes - except there are too many themes, so none of them go into detail, and many of the themes really need the characters or the world to drive home the point, and they just don't do that.

I think this has the framework of something good, and I didn't hate reading it or anything. But it just didn't feel ready. The ideas are good, the concepts are good, I just really wanted more than I got.

This is a sapphic, slow burn, romantic fantasy with politics, academic intrigue, and a post-apocalyptic world with special mushrooms and secrets
Vale was such a standout character, I loved her intensity, and the yearning in the sapphic romance was so well done. The romance isn’t central, but the tension is there, simmering beneath every interaction.

The worldbuilding is lacking but unique, I’ll be honest some of the memory diving and magic system was confusing at times. Still, the dark vibe and the unraveling mystery kept me hooked.

Not a light or easy read, but if you love layered worldbuilding, morally complex characters, and a romance that makes you ache, this one is worth picking up.

The description of Inception meets Indiana Jones had my attention. And the queer Last Of Us style sci-fantasy kept my interest. Add in a storyline similar to Dumbledore's pensieve and you've a unique story. While I don't agree with this story being similar to The Fifth Season, it is impactful, complex and unique in the storytelling, themes, and characters.

This is a 2.5 generously rounded up to a 3 stars. I did almost DNF several times.

I was very drawn in by the dark academia vibes, the unique world with trippy mushrooms and the badass bodyguard promises. The world is quite unique, set in a kind of future dystopia ravaged by climate change and many generations that have passed since things went south. Some people can, through mushrooms and blood, access these types of memories of ancestors of a place or a person, depending on what the source is. Such an interesting concept!

However, I found the world building to be lacking. I didn’t understand why certain things were a no no, why the rules were set as they were. It’s teased in the book, and I guess will be explored further in future books in the series. The main characters were quite unlikeable, and the side characters relatively flat. The most interesting characters who had something to hide were painted to be one dimensional baddies and there is little exploring why someone might choose the path they choose. This made the plot veer between romance between characters I couldn’t connect with, some overarching story that needed to be unpacked further and a society that keeps rules that were hard to understand. All could easily have been picked out to carry the story but instead I’m not sure what it’s trying to be. Is it a romance, a dystopia or an action book? Not clear.

I’m not exactly sure who to recommend this to, maybe those who are interested in sapphic romance primarily.

Many thanks to Erewhon/Kensington books and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC.

Fantasy novel set in what I suspect is a future Earth after it has been ravaged by climate change. Some reviewers - are saying they get Appalachian vibes, I can’t confirm, and may not actually have guessed North America as the setting but it does reinforce my guess that it is a future Earth. This book has a really interesting premise; some people train to take hallucinogens that allow them to travel into dead people’s memories, and Key is a standout because of the number of generations she can travel back.

Each chapter starts with an excerpt from a book or academic article that contributes significantly to the worldbuilding and verisimilitude. I love stories that dole out information about the world piecemeal; drop me in a story and let me figure it out and I’ll sing its praises. That said, after a rollicking start there wasn’t much plot between the bits and pieces of history. There’s some pining though, which I’m here for - Valerian pines for Key, and Valerian’s boyfriend pines for Key’s boyfriend, for whom he performs the same role Valerian does for Key.

All that said, this was ultimately a DNF for me. The story came to a screeching halt a few chapters in, and I pushed through to 60% but couldn’t finish. That’s not to say I don’t recommend the book, there’s definitely an audience for it, it’s just not me.

As a fan of fungi and weirdscififantasy and lesbians I was really looking forward to this one! I enjoyed it a lot!!!

Some fascinating worldbuilding with the weird mushroom science and religion and the climate devastated world that’s slowly revealed over the course of the book. I liked the emphasis on culture, and depictions of class differences. Some really great complicated characters and parent/mentor relationships. It has a wild beginning but is actually quite slow paced with a lot of flashbacks and such for most of the middle of the book. I would have liked a bit more on the science side of things, as well as more about the broader world. Hopefully in the sequel?

Also love the comprehensive reference guide to books AND music at the end! more books should have those!

THE MEMORY HUNTERS imagines a dystopian future in which certain people are gifted with the ability of “diving”, that is, to access the memories of those before them if they drink from the mushrooms that grow at an excavation site, at the risk of those memories taking over their own lives. The past always threatens to overwhelm the present, and the Museum works to shape the stories of the past into neat narratives that fit into the mythos of the present day—a justification for inequalities, of only certain people or institutions being privileged to hold the truths of the lower classes and put them up on display.

Being the first book in a series, it sets up a promising premise for what is to come—the character relationships are compelling, there’s a very minor subplot of sapphic yearning and romance along the lines of the princess and her knight trope, there is the timeless debate about museums as sites of preservation and authorities on what gets to be shared with the population and what gets gatekept, there’s the glimpse of the people outside institutions keeping their histories and cultures alive through folksongs only they know, just to name a few. I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to finding out what comes next, and my main critique would be that because it’s the first book, it left me with a lot of questions that don’t go answered at all—what illness is eating away at Kiana’s mother, what are the implications of the truth behind the temple’s founding and origins, and what could all of that mean for society at large? Who will oppose the Museum? And what exactly is the tension between the Museum and the temple if their people perform similar functions with the blood chalices, even if for different ends? It was in leaving me with all these questions that the ending fell a little flat, but I’ll forgive it because the story isn’t over yet.

This sadly ended up being a DNF for me. It is a very cool idea, but the world was lacking in detail so much I was unable to care of about the plot. It does have a certain vibe of distopia that is interesting but it fell flat on really taking advantage of it.

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.