There were so many elements going on in this book that quickly turned into a great story with a dark history and twists and turns that kept me guessing and up all night to finish the story. The touches on mental health, social media, close to a bunker child, crime, friends and family sounds like a lot listing afterwards but made a thoughtful, beautifully composed story. The near off future probably will have similar aspects, and I’m now even more scared to see those come to life. Highly recommend!

disclaimer – i received a copy of this book via random house publishing group - ballantine in exchange for an honest review.

in forget me not, by alexandra oliva, linda was born with one purpose - replace her dead sister. she grows up isolated from the world and all it contains and when the unthinkable happens, she escapes into a world more confusing than the one she fled. fast forward to now and linda's got an apartment, a semi-routine, and an infamous presence on social media that she never asked for and doesn't want. when her childhood home catches fire, linda returns for the first time since escaping, and suddenly everything she thought she knew is upended.

forget me not starts out disjointed and confusing. the first three or four chapters make you feel lost, wondering what's going on and how you ended up in the middle of it. once you get into the story, though, you'll be all-in because ultimately, it's not the story that's disjointed and confusing, it's linda. she is a devastatingly unreliable narrator who can't help but filter every sentence, every action, every facial expression through the lens of her childhood. you're following a linda who's trying to survive in a world she was not prepared for, doesn't understand, and never wanted.

the majority of oliva's other characters are complex and the world she has created for them makes sense and no sense at the same time. arthur, linda's father, seems to start out stiff and overly practical but as the story progresses, you begin to see him outside of linda's perception and end up feeling a great deal of sympathy for him. anvi, linda's new neighbor, is a mystery because we're viewing her solely through linda's lens. because linda is suspicious, you can't help but be suspicious. the only character that doesn't feel real is lorelei, linda's mother. she feels increasingly over-the-top and doesn't really develop so much as become a parody of herself and/or the illness that she may or may not have.

overall, this story hinges on linda and the lens she views every person, action, and interaction through. she is a fully formed, engaging, empathetic character who you follow to the end because you have to see how she handles everything. you just want to make sure that she's going to be okay.

four out of five stars

4 stars--I really liked it. Alexandra Oliva is now officially on my always-read list!

What I most enjoyed about this book wasn't the plot (though it was fast paced and kept my attention), nor the setting (though I really loved the near-future Seattle and rural WA state locations), but the characters. I cared about them and their relationships with each other, which kept me reading late at night to see if they'd be OK!

I would scrap a very minor sideplot involving two game makers, but other than that, I found this book tightly crafted and heartfelt.

I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!

The essence of this book is that a young women has a major identity crisis because she was the result of a cloning experiment. She thinks she is one of identical twins, but we can't tell for sure because the plot is somewhat convoluted. Along her journey she befriends a neighbor, another woman who is about to start at a high-tech social media company. The story takes place in the near future, but it isn't far enough into the future where the sci-fi gizmos aren't all that amazing.

I would say there are some sufficient weaknesses here in plot, character, and situations that I came away feeling somewhat unsatisfied with the book. Normally I write more enthusiastic reviews but this time am lukewarm.

I wanted to like this book, because I enjoyed the author's first book very much. With such a great starting sentence:" A woman whose name shouldn't be Linda stands inside the locked front of her apartment, listening." I thought I was in for another treat. Unfortunately no. The mystery is revealed early on in a very slow moving story line, that for me just didn't work. The characters are so boring, I couldn't get a feel for any of them, much less care. The ending was predictable, and at that point I was glad it was over.

The author's strange way of introducing the characters by their ethnicity, was another annoying point. A character is never beautiful, attractive, handsome, etc. They are always: white, Asian, brown skinned or mixed race. The scene at the drugstore
was cringe worthy. It has been used so many times that it has lost any meaning , if it ever had one. As did the scene in the woods with Alvi in the woods, worrying that she will be shot because she is brown skinned. With all the tension at the moment over racial justice, maybe don't add wood to the fire?

The author would describe me as a mixed race, woman, as such I don't feel a need to apologize for my white part and I don't need an advocate, for the brown part.

This will probably have broad appeal. It's engaging and contains aspects of a thriller, along with interesting characters and an enjoyable plot. This is unique in some ways, which helped make it more fun. Recommended for most sci-fi fans.

Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!

This was such a unique story, although I'm not sure how to best define it. It didn't feel quite fast-paced enough to be a thriller and the science didn't get deep enough that I'd call it sci-fi. I guess it's a literary mix of the two? Lol! Aside from that, the story was super interesting and different from other things I've read. I really enjoyed the characters and that I didn't figure everything out until the story unfolded. Oliva will be one whose books I always want to read right away.

Side note: This is the first book I've read that referenced the pandemic as a thing of the past. I knew it would be coming as artists roll out new work in this time, but it was still a bit surreal. And left me hopeful that indeed we really will get to a time where we're looking back at this insane year.

A unique story with a compelling character. It took me a bit, but then I was hooked. I wanted to learn about Linda's life and how it became what it did. Overall, a great plot with twists and turns, but always a clear intent.

Oo yes y’all I knew as soon as I started reading this novel it was going to be amazing!! The characters were so great and the storyline was non stop suspense! I loved the ending because I didn’t see it coming!

Perhaps we all believe our childhood was normal until we find out otherwise. As a child, Linda Russell must have thought it was normal to fend for herself on a twenty-acre walled off wooded property in rain-soaked Washington state.
And we believe our memories of our childhood are real until we find out they may be fantasies.
When Linda sees something horrific that sends her over the wall and into society, she inherits immense wealth. She becomes a negative media sensation due to rumors surrounding the method of her birth. She grew up wild in a fenced preserve, now she can have anything unbelievable wealth can buy, including state of the art reality games. The story is set in the near future, so get set for games you walk into for hours and “sleeves” instead of cellphones.
She can have anything except true safety.
Everyone around Linda has secrets, the clues are planted carefully, there are twists aplenty, murder, and gruesome deaths. A wonderful dog is waiting for you. Bury your fingers in his coat as the bullets are flying around you, and him.
The book consumed me; I was immersed in the near future reality and found the story deepened by the evil fairytale haunting the background.
Recommended!
Pre-order now and get your copy March, 2021!
Thanks to #RandomHousePublishingGroup #Ballantine, #NetGalley, and the author of #ForgetMeNot for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback, this is it! #SuspenseThrillers #LiteraryFiction #ScienceFiction #Mystery&Thrillers

Overall 4⭐

Plot: 4⭐

Pacing: 4⭐

Diverse Cast: 4⭐

Worldbuilding: 4⭐

Ending: 4⭐

A quick easy sci-fi read. It was actually a really easy read. Labeled as a sci-fi thriller, it works as one.

A light thriller but still.

Linda Russel grew up neglected by a mother with severe mental illness. In her mid twenties she's still not adapted to society.

She's got anxiety and it's a very well done depcition of anxiety and the things people do to avoid anxious situations. Reading through Linda's anxiety felt very realistic.

The plot was simple and easy to follow. The sci-fi elements were interesting, AR augments, an item called a Sheath which is sort of like a wearable smart phone. VR games that are done better than they are now.

None of the sci-fi was heavy, it all felt possible within the next ten years which was a nice touch.

Over all a solid 4⭐

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

Loved this book! I wouldn't say I'm best friends with the sci fi world, I guess just aquantances, but I would like to be friends, heck maybe more than friends ;) I picture this book as a mixture of black mirror and minecraft vibes! "Birthing a child to replace the one they had lost." But who remembers things correctly? Totally awesome concept of a book and the author did a great job with this writing style, the letters added a whole nother level of awesomeness! 5 stars from me, and putting this book on mental and physical bookshelf. Thanks netgalley and the author for my gifted copy.

I am a HUGE fan of Alexandra Oliva’s debut novel “The Last One”, and I was thrilled that I was chosen to read her follow up novel. ⁣This is an author who hasn’t succumbed to the “sophomore slump”.
Just like her debut novel, Alexandra Oliva gives us a unique story with deeply developed characters and illustrative prose. You can feel Linda’s pain and anxiety, and easily imagine the lush yet desolate woods she called home.
I also enjoyed the themes and questions this book raised about identity, legacy, science, morality, mental health, and forgiveness

With this stunning cover and title, I was thrilled to be granted this title as a wish. As an upstate New Yorker, I always look forward to reading books from my fellow 518ers, so this was doubly exciting for me.

Linda wants nothing more than to escape her infamous childhood as Clone Girl, but when a suspicious fire rips through her childhood home, she returns and is forced to challenge her own memories. Unsure of what is true, she enlists the help of her new neighbor, Anvi, and tries to find a normal while battling her own doubts.

I really enjoyed this one.

First, I will say that at times, it felt like I was reading two different books. On the one hand, we have this interesting discourse on virtual reality, AI, and glitching universes, and it's impossible to ignore the parallels between the games and Linda's turmoil. In this sense, you get this larger discussion about identity and how we come to understand the world around us. I appreciated the philosophical reflection of Anvi and Linda, how their questioning led to revelations and despair, but I also kept expecting this to veer into harder sci-fi.

I wasn't disappointed, but this introduces the other hand, a journey through journal entries, grief, and a straight thriller subplot. Linda's arc takes some dramatic turns, and in processing her emotions, we end up in this territory where there are some classic tropes: survival, a character connecting the dots to solve the mystery, and an action-packed climax that gave me Room vibes. I think this is, in large part, Oliva's analysis of grief and loss and how it shapes us. Linda's past is inextricably locked with her present and keeping her from any future, and in order to grow, we see her challenging what she is told or has been told in order to experience things for herself. This movement from passive to active is thrilling and heartbreaking, and I can see readers not only relating to her pain but rooting for her to overcome the obstacle set in front of her.

At its core, Forget Me Not is a story about fortitude, identity, and the essence of time. It's a story about love and loss and regret and the complexities of what it means to be human.

Overall, Forget Me Not is going to be one to watch in 2021. Out in March, add this to your TBRs and thank me later.

Huge thanks to Ballantine and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

I really struggled with this book. I usually like books set in the future but this one didn’t hold my attention for some reason. The writing was good and the book was unique, it just wasn’t for me.

I honestly didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. Forget Me Not is about a young woman named Lisa who is hiding from the world due to her unwanted celebrity status as "Clone Girl". Her mother was a troubled and mentally ill woman who was willing to do whatever she needed to do to try to bring her dead daughter back to life, but unfortunately things didn't work out the way she wanted them to. Meanwhile, Linda's biological father looks out for her and makes sure she has everything needs, while remaining emotionally distant.

As Linda is learning more about the world around her, she ends up in a very scary and uncertain situation. Her new friend Anvi knows more about her than she is letting on. In the end, will that help Linda's situation or just cause more damage.

Forget Me Not is a fast-paced sci-fi mystery book with funny and emotional moments that help the reader connect with the characters. I really enjoyed it and I know many others will too!

I loved Oliva’s debut The Last One. Thought it was terrific. One of the best reads of that year, quite possibly. So when her second book arrived on Netgalley I requested it immediately. No plot summary needed. Read it almost as soon as I was approved and…ok, ok, it was good, it was objectively good. But can’t say I loved it. The same dynamic compelling narrative, same excellent character writing, same willingness to push the envelope and do something outside of the formulaic female thrillers out there. Check. None of those tirelessly alternating storylines with cheating spouses. This is a properly original thriller about a very unconventionally brought up young girl who grows up to be desperately trying for something like convention until her dark past threatens the equanimity she has so meticulously arranged for herself. And this is how it unfolds…decades ago a vivacious young girl, her parent’s only beloved child dies tragically, her death demolishes their marriage and permanently unhinges her mother, who then goes on to recreate her baby girl at all costs. To this extent, she decides to have another child, who’s genetic material and deliberate social conditioning would in a way bring her daughter back to her. Obviously, the plan goes awry the way crazy plans tend to and the experiment results in a young girl left more or less to her own devices, locked away from the world for 12 years. Eventually she gets found and reintegrated into society (more or less) by her famous wealthy biological father and all his tech development money. And so that’s our protagonist, content to live the quietest of lives possible until her lively new neighbor befriends her, her childhood abode burns down and a conglomeration of just so timed events that lead her to try to finally take control and make try to actually live instead of just passing time. This new course will be fraught with dangers, but it might just turn out to be worth it, if it doesn’t kill her first. So there you have it, a suspense thriller, not a murder mystery, that’ll surprise you time and again with the nicely timed plot twists. Exciting, well paced, difficult to put down…yes to all. And yet, somehow, I wanted more. Maybe because it offers more and you tend to get greedy, Maybe because of all the new tech (the book is set in the near future of 2028) with new portable devices and a really good quality VR, the latter of which provides our protagonist such joy. Maybe because of the interspersed subplot of VR developers discussing quantum physics and parallel universes. Most likely it is that second factor. It leads one to expect some kind of a killer Matrix style final twist that never comes. The entire thing just fizzles out like TNT ignition feed in the heavy rain. But at any rate, I’m perfectly willing to admit this to be the case of mismanaged expectations. Because the book is plenty good as is, no matter how much my imagination wanted to take it to different places. And by no means is this a sophomore slump, it just…slouches slightly, something especially noticeable because its predecessor sported such a terrific posture. This is good, original, far from forgettable…good thing for a book with a title like that. Much can be said for Oliva’s ability to create good, interesting, compelling, complex, non cliched female characters. And not even a stupid romantic sublot to prop it up like so many of these books tend to do…major kudos. So check this out, thriller fans. It’s a fun ride. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

Thank You NetGalley, Publisher and Author for this gifted eBook.

Summary
What if your past wasn't what you thought?

As a child, Linda Russell was left to raise herself in a 20-acre walled-off property in rural Washington. The woods were her home, and for twelve years she lived oblivious to a stark and terrible truth: Her mother had birthed her only to replace another daughter who died in a tragic accident years before.

Review
This was a wonderful book. It was so hard for me to put down to even cook my family dinner, just saying.
I loved the plot, the writing, the charterers, the ending, I mean I cant say one bad thing about this one.
Full of suspense you don't even see coming.

Author: Alexandra Oliva
Pub Date- March 2, 2021
Genres: Science Fiction, Suspense
Rating- 4/5
Overall- Great Book

I love this book it’s hard to describe it without giving anything away but it’s about a girl who grows up on a plot of land with no idea with the outside world entails. This book will be really kept me going to the last page I would highly recommend it

It took me a minute to catch on that this is set in the future. I either didn't read the description well or missed that point. It didn't detract from the story, thankfully, though there was a lot of time dedicated to virtual reality video game playing (and I get why and it was interesting, but I'm just not that into video games).

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.