I really really enjoyed this one! I read it in just a day! It was such a compelling story and I instantly loved Tommy’s character. You can’t help but root for him.

Why 4 stars:
-Benjamin Button and Addie LaRue vibes
-I’m a firm believer in what’s meant to be will be, and this book embodies that perfectly
-Less magical than Addie LaRue, but still just as intriguing!
-The side characters (heart) Miss Michelle, Josh, Sean, Carey, the Henderson’s

“Nobody knew it was him, but what he’d done had lived on”

If you love The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, magical realism, and main characters you can root for, you need to read How to Be Remembered! It was published earlier this week, so go pick it up today!

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC!

A hauntingly beautiful exploration of existence, memory, and the human need to be remembered. Michael Thompson's "How To Be Remembered" is a mesmerizing and thought-provoking journey into the life of Tommy Llewellyn, a boy who is forgotten by the world every year on his birthday. Thompson's novel is not just an inventive tale of speculative fiction but a profound meditation on the human condition, love, and the complex intricacies of memory.

Tommy's plight is heart-wrenching, and Thompson's skillful character development ensures readers will quickly empathize with him. Tommy's determination to fight against the tide of forgetfulness is incredibly inspiring despite his condition. The intricate relationships he develops and loses each year, particularly his friendship with Josh and his love for Carey, are powerfully emotive and leave a lasting impact.

The narrative style of the book is poignant and immersive. While the story has a melancholic undertone, it is not a depressing read. Instead, it is an uplifting testament to human resilience and the power of love and friendship. Thompson's delicate balance between the sadness of Tommy's predicament and the hopeful undertone of his spirit is masterfully executed.

In my opinion, the pacing was slightly slow at times, and the suspense built around Tommy's attempts to outsmart his annual reset was underutilized. However, these minor quibbles do not detract from the overall brilliance of the story.

Overall, "How To Be Remembered" is an emotionally resonant and intellectually stimulating debut. I highly recommend it to fans of literary fiction with a speculative twist and anyone who appreciates a well-told story that leaves you thinking long after you've turned the last page.
I thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Four stars.

From the first few pages, there was such a sad premise that this was difficult to put down, and when I did, it was hard to stop thinking about. The title itself come off almost like a how to guide, implying that it has an answer for making an impression when the universe seems to constantly look you over.

Upon finishing, I feel an odd sense of melancholy and a sad joy at the victories Tommy was able to make for himself. Every year, when the Reset hits, Tommy has to struggle his way back to making the same friends, and re-acquiring everything that matters to him. There's a certain amount of (unbelievable) luck that plays a part in Tommy getting to where he does - the reliability that everyone will react to him the same way every year despite age and time passing, the bottomless well of hope that Tommy has in his reserves, and his willpower to be remembered by someone, anyone really. On that note, I found it a bit hard to grasp.

Ultimately, this was such a hopeful story about never-ending second chances for nobody but yourself, the eternity-long fight against oblivion that will almost always end in a loss, and maybe some reasons it might be worth trying anyway. As a quick read, I enjoyed it for what it was worth, and while I thought the characters and some plot points were rushed or added as a reminder that other people existed in Tommy's life, I deeply enjoyed the feeling I was left with when it was all over.

How to be Remembered
Author: Michael Thompson
Genre: Magical Realism
Rating: 3.5⭐️

Synopsis: Every year on Tommy’s birthday, he wakes up and no one can remember him. His own parents forget about him and give him to foster care. Tommy learns to live with the birthday Reset, but always wants more out of his life. This comes when Tommy falls in love. Tommy is determined to figure out how to be remembered before is he forgotten forever.

Thoughts: As someone who loathed Addie LaRue, I enjoyed the take on magical realism this story told. This is a great debut from the author. I felt like I was racing to finish the book to see how it ends. For me, the ending wasn’t great but not bad either. I look forward to reading more from the author.

Read if:
* You did not like Addie LaRue BUT enjoyed the concept of the story
* You books by Matt Haig
* You often wonder if you are forgettable

Thank you to the author and publisher for an ARC!

Charming, thought-provoking, and optimistic!

How to Be Remembered is a charged, moving tale that takes you into the life of Tommy Llewellyn, a young boy whose life is irrevocably changed every year on January 5th when after he falls asleep, anything that’s not touching or physically on him is lost forever when the universe resets and anyone who ever knew, cared or loved him forgets he ever existed.

The prose is smooth and sweet. The characters are complex, troubled, and resilient. And the plot is a compelling tale of life, loss, love, family, friendship, secrets, survival, loneliness, and the importance of having someone to love.

Overall, How to Be Remembered made me think, made me teary, and resonated with me long after the final page. It’s a poignant, immersive, beautiful tale by Thompson that combines exceptional character development with the magic of the supernatural to weave a heart-tugging, bittersweet tale steeped in an abundance of heartbreak, tenderness, and hope!

Pub Day Review! 🌄
How to be Remembered
By: Michael Thompson
Published: June 27, 2023
Publisher: Source Books
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A huge thank you to @sourcebooks and @michaelthompson for my beautiful copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

#qotd : What do you want your legacy to be when you are gone from this world?

Synopsis: "On an ordinary night in an ordinary year, Tommy Llewellyn's doting parents wake in a home without toys and diapers, without photos of their baby scattered about, and without any idea that the small child asleep in his crib is theirs.
That's because Tommy is a boy destined to never be remembered.
On the same day every year, everyone around him forgets he exists, and he grows up enduring his own universal Reset. That is until something extraordinary happens: Tommy Llewellyn falls in love.
Determined to finally carve out a life for himself and land the girl of his dreams, Tommy sets out on a mission to finally trick the Reset and be remembered. But legacies aren't so easily won, and Tommy must figure out what's more important—the things we leave behind or the people we bring along with us."

My thoughts: Wow! You know those books where they just hit so hard but you can't exactly pinpoint why, those books that are 5 stars but you can't exactly say what made it so amazing? It sounds bad maybe, but this was How to be Remembered for me! I absolutely flew through this book. The concept was unique, the characters were amazing and the story was so well done. My heart broke for Tommy every time he hit the Reset and no one knew who he was, no one remembered. But he never gave up. He found ways to beat it, to stay positive, and to never give up. He left his mark. It Definitely made me think about my own life and how I will be remembered by those I love and those who don't even know me very well.
To top it off, this is Thompson's debut novel?! Sign me up for the next one! I'm here for it.

#review #sourcebooks #michaelthompson #howtoberemembered #legacy #debutnovel #fivestarread #readthisbook #amazing #gifted #arc #pubday

Every year on his birthday, January 5, everyone around Tommy forgets him. His parents wake up after his first birthday and don’t know their son, so Tommy gets sent to foster care. As he grows up, Tommy tries to find ways to stop this Reset.

This was a solid debut novel. I am a fan of time travel/time loop tropes and enjoyed this one. It has to be so frustrating to wake up on your birthday every year and have to start over.

I was rooting for Tommy the whole way through, he really is trying to make his mark on the world where no one knows him.

Lately, I've been getting into books with magical realism a lot, so when I saw this story pop up on Netgalley, I was excited to give it a try. The plot is quite different from anything I have heard before as well, which is always an encouraging factor when choosing something to read. Tommy Llewellyn is an odd anomaly in a familiar world. He's faced with the herculean task of starting his life over from scratch every single year on the same day-his birthday. Even his own birth parents forget his existence on his first birthday, leaving him to figure out a way to survive and thrive all by himself. It really makes you think about the ramifications of a situation like this. What would it be like to be completely alone in the world, to have the ability to make friends and memories with other people, only to have your existence wiped clean every year? Not only is your existence deleted, but everything you earn, create, possess-every physical, tangible thing you own of sentimental or financial value is taken from you. You are "rebooted" with only the clothes on your back and your wits. It's obviously a very lonely existence because you can never truly share your true self with others when they can only remember a sliver of time with you, and even that is temporary.

One obvious hurdle comes to mind when presented with Tommy's plight: how is he able to find a permanent home to grow up in year after year, as a helpless child? The answer? He becomes part of the government system where everyone knows that incompetency reigns. This was one of the few explanations received about him, and a believable one I thought. At one year old, he arrives at Milkwood House, a home for kids run by a very caring woman named Michelle. No matter how many times she forgets Tommy, she is always there for him year after year. She is the kind of selfless person that puts the children first and works tirelessly in order to help them pave their way in the world. When Tommy's life is "reset" as he calls it, no one understands how he got to be in the house, but assumes that his paperwork has been lost due to human error. This is perhaps the only time bureaucracy could ever actually benefit anyone, but poor Tommy needs all the breaks he can get.

The reader is told about many one year increments of Tommy's life, some of them detailed, and others are merely mentioned or skimmed over. Once he learns how to bluff his way through the beginning of the reset, his focus is building his friendships/relationships with those around him as quickly as he can in the limited time that he has. The faster he can bond with the people he cares about, the more time he will have to enjoy these relationships before they are erased again. For many, it's hard enough to form attachments with others in normal circumstances. I can't even comprehend how hard it must be to constantly have to rebuild the same connections with others-to always be the new person on the scene that nobody knows. It would obviously be extremely challenging, lonely, and discouraging.

Despite the odds always being stacked against Tommy, he manages to stay optimistic even when the worst-case scenario plays out. He finds small victories to celebrate and occasionally tries to find new loopholes that give him an advantage. One year, when he's hit by a car and ends up in the hospital, it ends up being his first gift in disguise. The reset happens while he's in the hospital bed, and he is shown a way to retain physical items into the next year. This is a huge advantage because it means that he can save any money that he makes throughout the year as well as personal identification and paperwork he needs. This is also where he meets one of the few people in his life that he works hard to maintain a connection with. Josh becomes his best friend and business partner. Although Tommy doesn't make friends easily, when he does, he does everything in his power to keep them in the repetitive rhythm of his world.

Tommy's life is told in stages: his first year with his birth parents, his time in Milkwood House, the years at the hostel, and the period when he moves into his girlfriend's apartment. Each stage has a lot of repetition and not a whole lot of expansion of his predicament. The problem is that Tommy is wary of "rocking the boat" so to speak. Once he finds himself in a comfortable spot where he can cruise through resets without much hassle, he's content to do just that. He has goals for the future, but with very little knowledge of how to overcome his erasure, he just cannot make much progress. Frankly, there are chunks of the book that become a bit monotonous. I guess I was hoping that he would explore his magical boundaries more, try theories, and be more proactive in discovering the answers to his odd reality. Instead, what he discovers is very little, and most of it merely by chance. This leaves the reader in a somewhat stagnant plot that becomes mired in predictability. It never felt so slow that I had to force myself to keep reading, or take small, frequent breaks. However, I think it was merely the main character's likability and determination that kept me reading steadily. You really do root for him to find a way to create a permanent life for himself and maybe even someday create a family.

There is a romance in the story, though I would say that it remains in the background for at least half of the book. We meet Tommy's girl Carey in his Milkwood House days, but she doesn't reappear again until much later. He falls hard for her as a young teen, but unfortunately for him, she never notices him in a romantic way. This is why his long-lasting "love" for her does not quite feel realistic to me. It's more of a one-sided crush that he never really gets over. In the back of his mind, he's always wondering if she's okay somewhere out there in the world, and if she's happy. Once he finally does cross paths with her, their relationship escalates quickly. The problem is, we are told of this escalation rather than shown, and I don't think that allows their feelings to develop naturally. This is probably a result of the time constraints that he has, but I do think it could have been explored at a deeper level.

I'm used to reading full fantasy novels as opposed to magical realism, so the lack of explanations takes some getting used to. Apparently, this is a common feature of the genre-not being told why these magical things happen in an otherwise average world. I have so many questions about why things are happening, and just being forced to believe for no reason at all is a hard one for me. For example, what is Richie's significance to Tommy? He is clearly a sociopath based on what he did to him when they were children, however, we never know why he is at the center of these horrible scenarios that upset his hard-won routines. Why does it simply take being in his vicinity to risk not just an erasure, but a total replacement? I thought surely some backstory with Richie would be given at some point, something substantial to make me understand why he seemed to alter Tommy's reality in such a different way. Why is it that when mistakes happen, it's only someone that he despises that replaces him? If it were a friend instead of a sociopath or abuser that takes his place, there wouldn't be the same kind of despair as a result. It begins to feel like a plot device rather than a natural element in the story.

I appreciated Tommy's exploration of his small, lasting impacts in a world that is unable to remember him. We all want to leave our own footprints in the world, making a difference to others in a way that will never be forgotten. For Tommy, he must be satisfied with anonymous impacts like a cactus he plants that gives comfort to a kind nurse, and a window that he fixes that stays fixed long after he's gone. These things are not monumental, though they do give him comfort that his actions can have permanence in a positive way. I really feel like this could have been delved into more. Perhaps he could have tried to make a large impact in the year he's given, to show that even without money or power we can change other people's lives significantly. I just feel like we barely scratched the surface in what he could have experimented with and the ways he could have learned to game the system.

The end rushes up quickly, and I was worried with the small amount of time left that it would end in tragedy. Again, he discovers a huge advantage by chance, and this sets him up to be able to hold onto something very precious to him: a true home. There was one major flaw in the way that this was explained, however, I was glad that he finally got his happy ending.

This was an okay read, I feel that it could have been much more exciting had it lived up to all of its potential. There were so many thought-provoking possibilities that were never touched on, and the characters could have used a lot more detail and definition to flesh out the relationships better. However, I did appreciate the unique idea of the story so I would recommend it to anyone looking for something a little different with an endearing main character.

This book is for lovers of Addie Larue, it definitely had similar vibes.

This is not the typical genre that I read, but it didn't take me long to get into it.

I was pleasantly surprised with this novel. Every year, on Tommy's birthday, he is forgotten by everyone, and any trace of him is erased. Each year, Tommy gets by as it continues over and over again. We watch Tommy grow and adapt. When Tommy falls in love one year, he needs to find a way to break the cycle.

I loved the touch of magical realism mixed with the raw emotion of Tommy's life, as he grows and finds a way to cope with his lot in life. Although the context is sad, overall I found it heartwarming.

This was an okay read. Nothing particularly memorable about it. I wish that the characters had been more developed. Overall, I enjoyed the premise, but not the execution of this one.

Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and the author for an e-ARC of this novel.

How to be Remembered is a bittersweet book about a boy whose existence is destined to be forgotten on every birthday. Though he remembers, everyone around him forgets that he exists, resetting his life once a year. I loved the premise and writing. The content seems similar to TJ Klune and Matt Haig. Though the story is magical, it's also really heartbreaking when you think about all that is lost when you're forgotten by people who love you, especially your parents.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Wow! What a unique book that definitely pulled at my heartstrings! I absolutely loved Tommy’s character and how he persevered throughout the most difficult situations. I loved his personality and felt like it just shined through the storyline. I was immersed throughout the entire book (though I will warn you the chapters are a bit longer than my ADHD usually prefers) but I feel like the story definitely makes up for that. Overall, this is such a heartwarming story of redemption of perseverence an one that I would definitely recommend!

This review will be posted to my Instagram blog (read_betweenthecovers) in the near future!

Title: How to be Remembered
Author: Michael Thompson
Method: E-book- Thanks @netgallery
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Happy Book Birthday to this beauty of a story that everyone should read.

Tommy Llewellyn is not your ordinary boy. Every year on January 5, his life resets itself and everyone he knew does not remember him. With the determination to be remembered, Tommy sets out on a journey to figure out why his life resets and how he can keep his identity rememebered.

This book was beautifully written. Michael Thompson goes into a lot of discussion on identity and legacy not just through Tommy's character, but all the other characters too. This story is sad on many levels, but it makes you think. Also this story is facepaced which I really enjoyed too.

I can not wait to see what Michael Thompson comes out next as he forever imprinted on my heart with this book.

I really like the premise of this book. I think what prevented me from giving it a higher rating is the huge sense of worry I felt for the main character for the majority of the book. The writing was good. I liked the characters. I like the overall direction of the story.

A unique and intriguing tale in the spirit of "Addie LaRue" and Matthew Haig's works, "Tommy's Awakening" explores a similar concept. Every year on his birthday, Tommy drifts into slumber, only to awaken in a world where he is forgotten by everyone, except for his own memories.

The way the Universe erases his existence, leaving only what he physically holds, adds a gripping and clever layer to the story. However, at times, the narrative can become a bit tedious and melancholic. Despite this, amidst his life in a children's home, one shining light emerges—Carey. After years of searching for her in vain, Tommy finally reunites with her, sparking hope that something genuinely positive can transcend the annual reset in his life.

A unique take and a lovely novel, Tommy is destined to be forgotten by everyone every year when his life resets on his 5 January birthday. Yes, he keeps growing and maturing but no one knows him as it happens, only for the 364 days between birthdays. Unless, as it turns out, he's touching something when the reset happens. He's lucky at the foster care facility where he meets Carey who becomes the love of his life. But then he loses her. Not forever though, because he sets out to find her. Know that much of this takes place throughout Tommy's childhood and that the reader must suspend belief to engage. That said, oh Tommy- what a great character, Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This has great heart and is a very good read.

How to Be Remembered is the debut novel of author Michael Thompson. The story revolves around Tommy who every year on his birthday is completely forgotten. He is forgotten, not just by people, but every trace that he existed is erased. As the continuous cycle occurs every year and Tommy grows up, he learns how to adapt to his circumstances. However, when Tommy falls in love, he realizes he needs to find a way to trick the universe. This is a heart warming story and I loved Tommy's personality and story. It was beautiful to see him find people who could care for and love him in spite of the yearly reset, because of their good heart. The plot is clever and the premise includes magical realism which I enjoy. I felt like the story made sense as Tommy grew up and became a man.
I am looking forward to reading more from Michael Thompson.

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

Every year on his birthday, the world forgets Tommy Llewellyn. Any memory of him, all of his records and belongings, any trace that he ever existed, is erased. His birth parents were baffled to find that someone had left a baby in their home on the morning of his first birthday, and the group home he ended up in was baffled to find they’d received an unexpected new inhabitant overnight. But on his sixteenth birthday, Tommy discovers a loophole in the reset – and soon thereafter, finds another. Now, he’s determined to find a way to get the life he's long dreamed of but never thought he could have.

I really enjoyed this one! Some parts are heartbreaking, especially Tommy’s early life, but overall it’s just lovely. In spite of Tommy’s unusual circumstances and a whole lot of bumps along the way, he’s super resilient, and I don’t think it’s too much of a spoiler to say he gets the happy ending he deserves.

What an absolutely lovely, moving, and creative read this was. I for one will definitely remember Tommy.

Thank you Michael Thompson, SOURCEBOOKS Landmark, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

“How to Be Remembered” by Michael Thompson, follows Tommy Llewellyn, a young man who is wiped from all memory each year on his birthday. As a child, he quickly adapts to this yearly “Reset,” but upon becoming an adult, Tommy realizes he wants more from this life and attempts to trick the system. Can Tommy keep the life he has crafted for himself? Or will he wake up once more forgetten?

What an interesting plot. A boy who year after year is forgotten by everyone and everything. Only the clothes on his back remain, but everything else becomes as though he was never there. In the beginning this book felt more heartbreaking than anything (baby with parents that don’t remember him? Here come all the tears!). But somewhere in the midst off all those pages, Tommy’s resilience and optimism caught up with me.

Tommy was an easy character to read about and even easier to root for. He’s almost too nice in some sense, because the only tension comes from the ticking clock, rather than from drama between characters. I could have done with a little more on Richie or maybe some other side characters that seem like they would cause issues for Tommy.

In the end, this was an interesting and amusing book. It had a relaxed pace, but a unique ending. Overall, I gave it 3 stars!

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review! This book will be available June 27th!