I was granted an ARC from Netgalley so thank you!!
This book hits between a 3 and 4 star review for me again.
Some of the things I liked about it was that it was easy and quick to read (I read the entire thing on a long drive back home) and the main character wasn’t too annoying or anything bad, but I did like the premise of the story being about giving and taking memories. It’s an interesting concept and thoroughly explored in this novel, both the pros and cons of being able to do so. You can give bad memories away, you can learn new talents as if you’ve studied for years, you can see places you’ll never get to go, but your memories can be stolen, horrible memories forced upon you, until nothing of yourself remains. I really enjoyed reading about a world like that. It also ended on a happier note which is something I prefer.
However a lot of things fell into place a little too easily at times, and one of the major conflicts was resolved instantaneously, which I thought was just too easy. I liked the characters but didn’t feel too strongly about any of them.

**Posting to blog on May 29, 2019**

Thank you to Blink and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this eARC.

The premise of this story is really interesting. Memories are used as currency and the world created around this idea is fascinating. Taking memories sounds a bit scary to me, just because I wonder how someone would stay themself with other memories in their head. Also it feels like cheating. If you want to learn a skill, steal a memory and now you are an expert in it. It shows how the Gifted has the upper hand in this world.

Etta Lark is hiding from her past. Her best friends are dead and her mother is in an asylum. Etta made a deal with Madame, the ruler of Craewick, that would help her hide from the Shadows, a group she betrayed to help save her mother. But Madame changes the rules on her and Etta has to go back to the people she hurt to help her mom again.

This was a fast read. I devoured all the information about the Gift, Ungifted, and Minders. The world of the Shadows is really intriguing and probably my favorite part of the book. Some of the story is told through memories, since Etta has taken a few. There is insta-love but I think it works because it is a standalone book. Etta and her love interest do get to know each other on their quest. I’m so used to reading trilogies with love stories drawn out that seeing insta-love in a book that isn’t purely a romance novel is sometimes hard to get used to. It works in this story but I wasn’t that invested in the romance though.

When Etta and Reid get to the end of their journey, Etta’s past is revealed in a twist and it seemed so convenient. Etta accepts this reveal so easily. From there on, the story wraps up and everything works out in the end. Which is great, but my interest was dwindling by then. The time span of this story happens in one week, so the ending felt rushed.

Overall, this was an interesting book, with a potential to be amazing because I really enjoyed the underworld of the Shadows. Everything else though fell flat for me.

#TheMemoryThief has a lot to offer in a short fast read. I really found the plot unique and the idea of the stealing of memories, trading them, using them as currency a wonderful idea. Etta, the main character, is a sincere and easy to like. The cover is what drew me into reading the synopsis. It is lovely. The book has a lot packed into it and at times does make it a little harder to follow you need to be paying attention there is a lot of detail, The author includes a glossary in the book to help the reader.
Thank you to Blink and NetGalley for the E-Arc copy of #TheMemoryThief.

I picked up The Memory Thief because the cover was pretty and the premise was interesting. I think the biggest flaw in the story is that it starts out rather intense and promises several big challenges. Due to plot twists, most of those challenges end up being nothing at all, so the feel of the last half of the book is very different from what was set up in the first half. That being said, I really enjoyed the book. I found Etta's character journey to be believable, the ensemble cast was engaging and appealing, and the story itself was interesting, even when it didn't necessarily keep all the promises I felt like it had made. Overall, this is probably a 3.5 star read for me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Imagine a world where you can trade your memories with others, but once you trade them they are gone! You could learn a new skill just by taking the memory from someone else. The gifted can do this without you even realizing it or you can request it in trade for one of your own memories..
Madame is the ruler of the land and hold an auction quite often in which she sells
off the memories of those who have disobeyed laws or are of no use to her then she kills them. Think about the worst thing you have gone through and having to live through that pain again. That is what Madame puts her prisoners through. She fills them with painful memories that she has received from others, forcing them to relive that anguish until it kills them.
Etta has a unique gift where she can share the memories that she has without losing them and no one can steal her memories. She is caught in a situation where she must decide if she is going to go back to the shadows, who she betrayed or try and find another way to save her mother who is up for Auction. Ry, her best friend makes her decision for her when she, without Etta’s knowledge goes to the shadows for help, not knowing Etta’s past with them. Now Etta must beg forgiveness and pledge her life to those she once betrayed.
The book could have used more description in some areas and less in others. I found that sometimes it jumped ahead and I had to read it again to follow. The concept was great but the delivery could have been better. Thank you netgalley for the ARC

An enjoyable and fast paced read. I liked the main character quite a bit. There was a bit of confusion as to how the memory transfer thing worked, but it wasn’t something that detracted from my enjoyment. The romance developed pretty quickly, I might have liked to see a bit more development. But at least they were talking to each other about important stuff and not just kissing :) I felt like they were really trying to trust each other.

There were a lot of terms used in this book, but the glossary helped most of the time. I do feel like the message was a bit hammered in, but it was a good message so again, it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment.

I received a copy of this via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Do you have a memory you treasure? How about a memory you wish you could forget? What if there was a way for memories to be removed from your mind? Would you allow it, or would you cherish every memory even more?
The tale follows Etta, a teenager that has a gift, that could change anyone's life. In a world full of Minders, people who can steal memories from others, memories become a form of currency. People fear that their memories will be stolen, others give them away in exchange for financial security.
When Etta receives a notice that her mother's memories will be auctioned off by the most powerful gifted in town, Madame, the leader of Craewick, she decides to take matters into her own hands. To save her mom, she will have to side with the Shadows, the same group she swore she would never return to after her an unfortunate accident with her mother. Will Etta have what it takes to save her mother and all of Craewick?
The narrative is packed with information, which makes sense as the world deals with memories. The author clearly wants you to feel like the characters memories are being transferred to you.
The plot wasn't bad, the central idea behind it, Heroine sacrifices something in her past, as time moves forward she realizes the world is wrong and wants to make amends, is fantastic. However, there were things that I had trouble keeping up with.
Character gifts ( though I learned later that there is a glossary at the end, where characters and their gifts are explained)I feel needed to be more thoroughly explained throughout the book, which would have helped the book be easier to follow.
The character relationships seemed to form too quickly, Considering what the main character had to go through in her past, I feel that if they would have taken longer to establish the relationships over time they would have had more of an impact.

That being said, the story was fast-paced, and with a lot of action. The descriptions make you feel like you are in the books itself.
The characters themselves were very entertaining.
The plot was really good, I believe that because the story follows the main character the whole time, that there is a lot we miss a lot of the things in the background, more specifically towards the end of the story, around the final battle. But it definitely leaves a way to create side stories for other characters.
The ending was heartwarming, sacrifices are made, a bond is formed, a family is found, and life begins to look bright again, what more can you want.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC. I was interested in the idea of this book from the moment I read the synopsis. There were some pacing issues I would say with this book, but the concept and world ideas were great! I think if in the future things were spaced out more evenly and not so fast at times and slow at others then it would be an amazing read! Overall though, writing a book isn't easy and I think this was great for what it was. I enjoyed my time with it.

I think this book would have been better off being longer at times and shorter at other times.

To explain: we got a lot of information about this world very quickly and it made it hard to follow. Whose decision was it to separate the countries(?) the way they were, where did the ability to have gifts come from, how often did this auction happen and how long had it been going on? And then in the other countries: this places seems just the same as the other one, why are they different places? Who decided to put Sifters in charge when they were clearly the most dangerous ones? Etc etc. I wanted more information and I wanted it to make sense. The climax of the story itself was incredibly rushed and I felt like I was cheated out of a proper villain-goes-down scene.

The insta-love was bothersome. Sometimes it works! But in this novel it felt like Etta hated him and then very suddenly with absolutely no warning she loved him. I think his reaction to her reveal was childish yet accurate and was disappointed in how quickly he got over it.

I found Etta's personality all over the place; sometime she was likable and other times she was annoying and immature. She was 17 and had been on her own/taking care of an orphan for years, she should have been more mature.

The basic idea of the novel (memories as currency) is definitely intriguing but ultimately the execution of it left a lot to be desired.

**Disclaimer, I recieved and e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

Title The Memory Thief

Author Lauren Mansey

Description from Amazon

In the city of Craewick, memories reign. The power-obsessed ruler of the city, Madame, has cultivated a society in which memories are currency, citizens are divided by ability, and Gifted individuals can take memories from others through touch as they please.

Seventeen-year-old Etta Lark is desperate to live outside of the corrupt culture, but grapples with the guilt of an accident that has left her mother bedridden in the city’s asylum. When Madame threatens to put her mother up for auction, a Craewick practice in which a “criminal’s” memories are sold to the highest bidder before being killed, Etta will do whatever it takes to save her. Even if it means rejoining the Shadows, the rebel group she swore off in the wake of the accident years earlier.
To prove her allegiance to the Shadows and rescue her mother, Etta must steal a memorized map of the Maze, a formidable prison created by the bloodthirsty ruler of a neighboring Realm. So she sets out on a journey in which she faces startling attacks, unexpected romance, and, above all, her own past in order to set things right in her world.
Initial Thoughts

Full disclosure, fictional asylums terrify me. I’ve never read a book where something bad doens’t happen in the asylum. I was extremely hesitant to apply for this book on NetGalley because of that. However, I conquered my fear beacuase of the absolutely captivating description of the world building in this book. That dust jacket sold me.

Favorite Character(s)

Porter and Felix – they had the best banter. I’d read their stories any day. I don’t want to give away any spoilers but, I was spoiled by these two characters.

One Thing I Wasn’t Sure About

The neatness. Everything was very neat and tidy from the writing perspective. Normally, I love when things tie up, but it almost felt too easy. I’d hope that future stories would elaborate on this and maybe untie some of the tied up ends in order to create a little more drama.

Series Value

I’m not sure if this is a stand alone novel or the beginning of a series. I was very satisfied with the ending, but it left enough loose ends and unanswered questions that I could easily see this developing into more. The political atmosphere is somewhat uncertain by the end, so there are many opportunities for the characters we know to travel, or to introduce us to new characters in other areas. Similarly, the concept of buying and selling memories could lead to all kinds of plots in future installments. I think this story has tons of series potential.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I liked this story a lot. I see a lot of future value in a series set in this world and I think the characters were well written. The plot twists were mostly unexpected and I really appreciate that. All in all, I would definitely recommend this book.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Recommendations for Further Reading

Smoke and Key by Kelsey Sutton – both of these stories gave me similar vibes. Smoke and Key is the story of a girl trying to recover her memories, as they are the key to saving her. Like Etta in The Memory Thief, Key needs to harness the power of memories and use gifts that only she possesses.
To Best the Boys by Mary Weber – this is another great story of a strong female main character conquering a maze.
Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte – this is another amazing story of a semi-futuristic/dystopian world where memories are traded/collected. Both have amazing strong female leads.

I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had mixed feelings about this book. I'll start with a few things that could have been done better. First, there was a lot of information dumping all throughout this book, and a lot of it seemed to come out of nowhere and comes way too easily for the characters. For me, I just lost sense of the story when this happened, and it made it a little harder to keep track of the main plot. I understand those details were necessary, but perhaps the information could have been weaved into the main plot a little better. I also felt that there were parts of the story that moved really quickly and left me behind without much development leading up to them. One minute, characters are at place A doing task A, and all of a sudden they're at place C doing task C, and I wasn't sure how it got there. I thought that the plot needed to be deepened at these places a bit more, as to not leave the reader behind. I guess I wanted more of the journey in certain places.

Now for what I did enjoy: I enjoyed reading this book overall! I thought the concept of this book was really cool, unique and original, unlike anything I've ever read. Using memories as currency in a dystopian world is a captivating idea. It is very well written. I loved the complexities in the MC Etta and the way her character develops throughout her character arc. I also loved the juxtaposition between Etta and the book's main antagonist, Madame. I also like how Madame had enough in her character to be sympathetic but still completely evil. Not all villains need a redemption arc or need to be likeable. The stakes are clear and high and kept me reading. The world building is really well done so that you feel like you've been transported into this brutal world. I also loved the plot twists littered all throughout this book. Just when I thought I knew what was going on-BOOM! Something happens that completely changes everything I thought I knew. They kept me really engaged and interested, and I couldn't get enough. So overall, I liked this book, and I think others will like it too!

The premise of this book is very interesting. There are those called the Gifted that can take your memories from you and claim them for their own. There is a lot that can happen there and there was a lot that did happen. I went back and forth as I was reading this between liking the bones of the story to having problems with the actual writing. Somewhere in the middle it felt like it was coming together and I was enjoying the development but it sort of fell apart at the end and felt rushed and was all quickly tied up in a neat package. I can’t say I would necessarily recommend it, but I also didn’t mind reading it.

I really wanted to enjoy this book. The book opened wonderfully, but quickly lost its way and I found myself skimming through much of it. The concept - a world where memories can be stolen, traded, or bought at auction - is interesting, but it is not executed well. The pacing was the biggest disappointment for me. It had a slow build and then was way too fast for any real character or plot development.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review of this title.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blink for the chance to review this title.

I wanted to love this book, but unfortunately, it fell flat.

THE MEMORY THIEF takes us into a world where memories can be bought or stolen. This concept was unique and was what first drew me into requesting the book. Although the idea was entertaining and somewhat reminiscent of Everless, I held onto the hope that it would set itself apart. The opening was intriguing and exciting and showed us the world where Etta lives. When her own ailing mother's memories are put up for auction, she embarks on a journey to save her.

That alone was enough to hook me. But it's not long after that the book begins to fall apart.

The book kept my attention for the first half and then slowly, it began to collapse. Motives and twists and even romances began to emerge and not with as much fun as I would have expected. It all seemed forced and almost thrown together. It may have been because the book was too short for how much material Lauren had to work with. It may have needed a bit more fleshing out before completion. I also could not connect with the character's as I would have liked to. Their voices were not so unique as to give them separate personalities. They all sort of blended together for me.

I truly wanted this book to succeed, but with all the other fantasies like it nowadays, it may be doomed to fall into the cracks. I loved the idea, but the execution was all wrong for me.

The premise to The Memory Thief is incredible and there are many aspects of the world building that use the ideas in fantastic, inventive ways. It's a world truly worth exploring. However, the structure is falling apart at the seams, the characters awkward and the reveals sloppy. I'd turn this one right back to Mansy's editor and demand some help - it's a shame to see a good idea fall to pieces in the second half when it had so much potential.

I enjoyed the beginning of Etta's journey and slowly piecing together what happened to her. However, the middle to end of the book felt disjointed to me and some of the relationships/pacing developed to quickly and did not flow well.

It's rare to feel that a book is going to amazing right from the start. I usually have hopes but my negative mind knows how easily a novel can disappoint just a few chapters. But The Memory Thief was one I just knew was going to be perfect without a doubt right off the bat.

Mansy has weaved a tale of a gritty, dark world filled with desperate people and even more desperate plans. Our mc is probably one of the most flawed leads I've encountered in awhile, but she still won my heart with the love and fire she carried in her heart for her mother. Honestly, that part was probably the most refreshing. So many stories are about the girl who gets the crown and the guy ... parental love was so enjoyable to see.

Of course I won't spoil the ending, but it so quotable and huggable ... and long. Yeah, I am so weary of stories that drag you right up till the last second and end with "oh and they lived *insert mood* the end." Mansy took her time to bring her people and her message full circle.

Look forward to more from this author.

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book was really fascinating to me. In the fantasy setting, memories are currency, citizens are divided by ability, and Gifted individuals can take memories from others through touch as they please.

However, I think that the execution of the concept was lackluster. The pacing went too fast but at the same time, the action was severely underwhelming.

The characters lacked depth and I wished that the book was more character driven rather than plot driven. I don't think we had enough time to get to know our character amidst all the events happening.

To be honest, this wasn't great and I found myself skimming through it a lot, which is unfortunate because I think that the premise was really promising.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the premise of the book and enjoyed the flashback memory scenes. I they were incorporated well. The romance was pushed, though. Less than a few hours together, the main character has fallen in love with her companion. I think the story would benefit from the removal of the romance. There can still be a strong bond between the two and their friendship can grow, but the romance element was unneeded.

Really cool premise in a fantasy world. I love the concept of swappable memories and humans with special abilities pertaining to the mind. The author does an excellent job of interweaving the people involved and brings the story to closure in a satisfying way.