An intriguing speculative fiction novel—a bit like The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. I liked how it played with memory and relationships.

This book was very, very interesting. It was different than the usual books that I have read. It was definitely a page turner for sure. I think it was brilliantly written, and I would highly recommend it.

Tommy wakes up every January 5th and all traces of him are erased including him from others’ memory. On his first birthday, he is placed into foster care as his parents don’t remember who he is or how he got there. This proceeds for the rest of his life, having to reform relationships with others every year. Eventually, Tommy figures out some loopholes that allow him a more lasting presence in others’ lives. In a similar vein as Addie LaRue, I enjoyed the exploration of love, family, and friendship and thoroughly enjoyed that the book was actually a lot more happy than the premise seemed.

Wow— I can’t believe I haven’t seen this book all over the place. This was amazing! I wonder if it’s because the premise is slightly reminiscent of some other popular books, but I loved this! This book digs deep into resiliency and grit in addition to love, friendship, and ambition. It reminded me of a combination of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and Demon Copperhead. The writing was very good, the pace is slow but speeds up at perfect times, and there are some real gut-punching moments. I loved it!

Tommy Llewellyn's parents wake in a home without remembering that he exists. Because, Tommy is a boy that's never destined to be remembered. On the same day every year, everyone forgets he exists. His life is on Reset until he falls in love and decides to carve out a life for himself and the girl of his dreams.

How to Be Remembered by Michael Thompson is an extraordinary book that follows Tommy Llewellyn's life from his first birthday on. Tommy is born to two loving parents. The morning of his first birthday, he awakens to two people that no long know him. He is a stranger in his own home. His parents have forgotten they had a son. He is taken into foster care and grows up with Miss Michelle at the foster home. Every single birthday, Tommy is forgotten by the people around him and his life begins again. As he gets older, he refers to this as his "reset". He learns how to manipulate the reset and resume his life. But every year, Tommy struggles to make connections with people he knows will be gone when his birthday comes around again. Can Tommy beat the reset? Can he somehow make something last?
How to Be Remembered was a heartbreaking, interesting book that I could not put down and I could not stop thinking about. Tommy's impact was so profound. I will be recommending this book to others and would love to read other work by Michael Thompson. Special thanks to NetGalley, Michael Thompson, Sourcebooks Landmark Publishing for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 5 huge stars for me!

I don't typically make a big deal out of books that I DNF, but this book has a really cool premise! And I made it to 53%. This is not a hard DNF for me; I may pick it up again in the near future if the mood strikes.

This is the debut novel from Australian author Michael Thompson, and I want to hype it up. Even though it was a miss for me, I could see a TON of people liking this book.

I've seen some people compare this book to Matthew Haig, and I did not like The Midnight Library so perhaps these sort of books are not for me. I've also seen some comparison to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, which I have not yet read but have heard a lot of good things on bookstagram.

I think I just wanted more fantasy from this one. Speculative fiction is my absolute favorite genre, and How to Be Remembered leans a lot more into contemporary. It's very fantasy-light, with minimal magical realism.

Sourcebooks Landmark brings you a debut release by Michael Thompson - Australian FEAR AND GREED business podcaster by day, writer by night! He has made quite the splash with his debut novel, with word coming that HOW TO BE REMEMBERED is set to be adapted into a feature film. The novel was first released in February in Australia, then hit the US bookshelves this summer. For fans of the book turned adapted film ‘The Time Traveller’s Wife’, this could be the next read to slide to the top of your TBR book stack.

Thompson brings an intriguing original story idea to readers wherein the main character has to start every year on his birthday anew with no one remembering him and none of his possessions remaining. This “reset” that has occurred every birthday since he was one leaves him without friends and family each year and forces him to reestablish relationships again with those closest to him. He starts to learn a few key tricks later in life to trick the universe so at least he can maintain some of his money, IDs, etc through to the next year, but the stakes are at an all time high when he stands to lose the love of his life and his best friend/new business partner. Due to the conditions of Tommy’s childhood caused by the effects of the Reset, Thompson is also able to weave in awareness of orphanage-group type homes, while at the same time emphasizing and illuminating the importance and impact just one person can have in many young childrens’ lives and their futures, especially those who don’t have parental influences or families. Through Tommy’s life path and struggles, the storyline also brings forth larger themes of mankind’s desires and human individuals’ wants to leave their mark on the world and traces of something left behind - their legacy and evidence that they were there, existed, and made a ripple in this world and were not forgotten.

For those who read HOW TO REMEMBERED and can’t wait to read Michael’s next work, word has it he is in edits of his second novel within the same genre. So stay tuned to Michael’s Insta for continued updates on the upcoming film project and Thompson’s second book release!

This is a very unique and intriguing story. It is the type of story that I know will stick with me. I am fascinated about the mechanics of the universe in this one and while it was a bit frustrating I am ok that it is also not explained the how or event eh try why (where do Tommy’s belongings go??). I liked the super brief glimpse into Richie’s psyche as a toddler and since he was clearly so entwined with Tommy I would have liked more of that. Tommy is a boy who is destined to not be remembered - literally. On his birthday every year the universe erases every bit of his existence except for the clothes he is wearing and his bed. On his first birthday his parents wake up terrified to a home with no toys or diapers to find a baby they don’t recognize and call the police to report not a stolen baby but a found baby whose parents must have broken into their home and left him. It was a fascinating story as Tommy tries to not only survive to find connections and even love.

I really enjoyed this story about the importance of human connection. The idea of being completely forgotten by everyone you know each year was so interesting and the characters were well written.

A moving story. I truly enjoyed going on this journey with Tommy.
Many thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Landmark and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

What would you do if everyone you know and love forgets you exist every year on your birthday? Tommy Llewellyn calls this his reset. Every January 5 Tommy is wiped from everyone's memory and their memories shift to replace the moments he was in.

This book was an emotional ride as we follow Tommy as he learns to navigate the reset. From the early years, where he lucked into a safe place to reset, to the later years where it becomes harder to be a human of no record. It was a book that pulled at your heart strings and kept you pulling for Tommy to find his way.

Michael Thompson's book, How to be Remembered, is an insightful read for anyone who wants to understand the power of creating lasting memories and find their own path to immortality. It offers a comprehensive look at the various processes of remembering, building upon the foundation of Marshall McLuhan's 'death of the author' and Max Weber's 'memorialisation of death'.

The book starts by looking at the importance of memory and how it shapes our worldview. The author explains how our memories are affected by different kinds of memories, such as personal, collective and cultural. He then looks at the different strategies people use to remember things longer and provides techniques for those who want to remember more effectively.

The book also examines the concept of immortality, both in the physical world and in the form of memory. The author argues that people can achieve immortality through leaving a lasting legacy that will be remembered for generations. He uses various examples to explain how individuals have forever left their mark on the world, from historical figures to modern celebrities.

In addition to providing an in-depth exploration of memory and immortality, the author also highlights the darker side of memory and how it can be used to manipulate or control people. Through examples such as the thought police and the Washington Post’s “Memory Hole”, he demonstrates the ways in which memories can be distorted or concealed to create a false sense of reality.

Overall, How to be Remembered is an excellent read which offers valuable insights into understanding the power of memory, immortality and legacy. It provides practical tips and strategies for those who wish to remember things more effectively and looks at the darker aspects of memory manipulation. Highly recommended.

I really enjoyed this book! The author does a wonderful job placing the reader in the role of this character. The writing is fluid and easy. I liked the character development and character driven side to this narrative as well as the plot. It kept me turning pages.

Really enjoyed this one. I felt the writing style was really well done, and it had me turning pages non stop. This is a really beautiful story that I think everyone should read!

Good premise, story was well thought out, I liked the ending, but the actually writing was rough it felt like a students writing project at first and though it did pick up a bit and was readable it just want the best writing. However the compelling story helped make up for it.

I loved it. It was really enjoyable. There are some adult themes so I would recommend it for 16-year-olds and older.

I really liked the writing style. It reminded me a bit of Bridge of Clay, my favorite book of 2022; it doesn’t hurt that both authors are Australian. The writing style was easy and full of foreshadowing and stark truths.

I liked Tommy, the main character, which doesn’t happen often for me with male main characters.

All in all, I totally recommend it. I was so surprised by how easily mind-blowing and deeply affecting it was. I finished it in two days, in case you need more convincing.

The book reminded me a bit, near the end, of The Time Traveler’s Wife but like a thousand times better. Definitely read this one instead.

I don't know how this happened, but Tommy and How To Be Remembered completely captured my heart, and I wish it never would have come to an end. This is Michael Thompson's debut novel which I am still having issues accepting because it is just THAT good. I knew it was going to be a tear-jerker when I was crying in the middle of the thing, and there is something so ironic about reading from the viewpoint of a character who keeps getting forgotten every year, in the day and age where social media and the internet makes it hard to forget about anything, let alone people. I thought this was going to be a bundle of sadness the whole way through, so I was incredibly happy by the way the author wove in humor and a general mysteriousness as well.

This is filled with different elements and the way Thompson tied everything together was beautifully done. I swear another reason I fell in love with our MC Tommy was due to Lewis Fitz-Gerald being such an incredible narrator for the audiobook. He was everything and more that I would have expected, and I think he really did the book and the character of Tommy justice. Can this be a movie? If it were I would definitely watch it, and I'm sure I would cry through the entire thing. If you want something with a touch of magical realism (the Reset) but something that still has a lot of substance and (mostly) characters you can love, How To Be Remembered is a must-read. I know I will be thinking about this for a long time to come, and I spent the entire book anxious about how things would end for Tommy. While the conclusion felt like it was missing a tiny something, it was still satisfying, and I was happy. I really can't wait to see what is next from this talented debut author!

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.