Katy Foraker has written an assured compelling debut, perfect for the Halloween season, about Zoey Prescott, a demonologist at the Research Institute of Demonic Entities and Rarities who never ages. Her goal is to find out why she is stuck at age 22, and most importantly, to catch a serial killer who may or may not be her brother.

Readers will be gripped by Katy's brilliant imagined world and race through the pages as the story darkly unspools. Highly recommended! Out now.

🩸BOOK REVIEW🩸

Memories, Lies, and Other Binds by Katy Foraker
Release Date: October 4, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Zoey Prescott doesn’t age. She hasn’t changed in decades. No one can figure out why, but that doesn’t stop the Research Institute for Demonic Entities and Rarities (RIDER) from trying to figure that out. RIDER tracks and researches all things supernatural; witches, werewolves, vampires, demons, etc. Recently there has been a string of murders involving very powerful witches. In an all hands on deck meeting, the face of the murderer is revealed as the 7th deadliest and most wanted vampire, who also happens to be Zoey’s brother. Though she is banned from leaving the RIDER campus, Zoey insists on being part of the team that hunts down and exterminates her brother, once and for all. Follow Zoey on her adventure away from RIDER’s campus and get brought in to the twists and turns that happen on this time away.

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This book was so fun! If you want a witchy, vampire-y, read that is not incredibly heavy but that has pretty solid twists and turns, you will like this one. I say this particularly for the Twilight fans. I got big twilight vibes from this bad boy. It is really smart and really witty, and there is a whole lot of heart, as well as a whole lot of suspicion and a twist that I didn’t really see coming (y’all, I seriously think I have lost my touch). But seriously, check this one out. This is a really great debut from Katy Foraker and I look forward to seeing what she has coming for us in the future!

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✨Thank you @netgalley for the opportunity to read this before it is published!!!

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DNF at 20%

Although I was not disliking the reading experience as I was making my way through this book, I found that, at the 20% mark, I just didn’t really care about the characters or what was happening in the story…hence the DNF.

I was expecting something a lot more menacing and darker in the 20% that I did read, but apart from one saucy scene, it was reading very much as young YA to me, which isn’t my thing.

I believe this story would be greatly enjoyed by others, just not me at this point in time. I will give this a 3 star, because, even though I did not finish it, it was far from a bad book :)

This one had a very cool concept. Zoe works for RIDER (Research Institute of Demonic Entities and Rarities) she also has been stuck at the age of 22 for YEARS. She has nothing but time on her hands to figure out why she stopped aging along with investigating a serial killer setting it’s sights on powerful witches.
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There were some things I really liked about this one but at times I felt a bit bored, however I am definitely interested to see what she writes next.
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Thank you Katy Foraker and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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For some reason my review did not save when I did this last month!

I really enjoyed this book-I can see it being big on bookstagram. Perfect for this time of year-the author was great and the character development flowed. I would highly recommend this book. I look forward to more of this series. I only wish there was a audio version

A fun story with a decent mystery plot, supernatural creatures, and a little bit of humor. It’s got a main character learning to take charge of her life and fate, face her past and fears head-on, and question what she once believed. (Better a couple centuries late than never.) In short, she’s learning to live.

It's also a rare romance-free urban fantasy/paranormal book. The urban fantasy world has plenty of vampires, werewolves, witches, and supernatural creatures. Most of them are more likeable than the story’s human characters.

This story was also a fairly well-done, believable, interesting exploration of heavy topics like trauma, repression, the infallibility of memory, and redemption.

THE PREMISE:

Zoey is a more-than-200-year-old immortal working for RIDER (The secret Research Institute of Demonic Entities and Rarities that researches, regulates, and polices the supernatural population). Her and RIDER are still trying to figure out how she accidentally became immortal. Something to do with a dark ritual gone wrong, her memory is rather fuzzy on the details. She’s been RIDER’s prisoner - I mean employee, I’m sure they’d TOTALLY let her quit anytime she wants - for more than two centuries.

She’s spent centuries working towards revenge against her brother, Theo, a vampire that left an impressive trail of bloodshed in his wake for over a century. Now someone’s killing witches and Theo’s the prime suspect. She gets rare permission to leave RIDER headquarters to assist in catching Theo. But when her brother insists he’s not killing witches, RIDER is dangerous, and she’s in grave danger, Zoey doesn’t know what to think. Soon she starts to wonder who is lying and if some her own memories might be lies themselves.

THE WRITING:

The main character seems a bit weak and naive at first, but she does grow a lot. Although, it was a little implausible that Zoey hadn’t managed to grow up already considering she’d been alive for centuries. She idealized her ex, but he didn’t seem all that great to me. I found him kind of annoying, inconsiderate, and self-absorbed. While I did find the main character annoying at times, I did find myself rooting for her even though she wasn’t my favorite character in the book. She’s been through a lot and has some issues she’s only just now being forced to confront. She ends up having to examine the mess that is her memories. After all, when you live centuries, your memories can get a little muddled (even without the traumatic baggage from Zoey’s past).

The plot had some surprises, but some of it was a bit predictable. It was entertaining enough to keep me reading. The ending wrapped things up pretty neatly, but some of it seemed a bit unrealistically perfect to me. This story explored some heavy topics like trauma, repressed memories, denial, redemption, etc. with a surprising level of care.

THE VERDICT:

Good, not great. I enjoyed it, but I did find some things about it annoying. Might read the sequel.

WARNINGS: child abuse (described, but not shown), death, violence, blood & gore (1 scene only), non-consensual mind/memory reading

It was an entertaining story and a good debut. It's a character driven story full of twists, the characters are fleshed out and the world building interesting.
The pace was a bit uneven and slowed down in the second part.
I enjoyed it.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Wow this definitely had some twists and turns I wasn't expecting. I thought it was going to be a darker subject matter than it was, but that was a-okay with me. Loved the references to various supernatural beings/characters in pop culture. Zoey/Bess is a very likable protagonist. I could tell that she had lived through a lot and she still managed to keep the voice of a young adult.

4⭐️ 0🌶

What a great debut novel!

Zoey is a researcher for RIDER, the Research Institute for Demonic Entities and Rarities who specializes in Demonic Infectious Diseases (DID) and more specifically Vampires. Zoey is uniquely qualified to this research since she is no longer mortal. About 200 years ago while working with RIDER on a case something went wrong leaving her permanently young. Vampirism is personal to Zoey because 200 years ago her brother was turned and murdered her entire family. Now she wants his found and made to pay for his crimes. But when powerful witches are being murdered and the evidence points her her brother, things aren’t always as they appear.

I really loved the concept of this book it was a unique take on some familiar themes allowing Katy to focus on the uniqueness of each character. Despite being over 200 heads old Zoey is pretty sheltered and watching her experience new things and challenge preconceived ideas was really enjoyable.

There were some pretty great twists to this book. I thought I saw some of them coming but I think that was just Katy lulling readers into a false sense of security before hitting us with the twists.

I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more from her.

What an exciting debut! Memories, Lies, and Other Binds is a unique paranormal, mystery, urban fantasy, with exquisite world-building. The fantasy elements are compelling enough to feel real and the witty tone of the writing is engaging.

Zoey works for the Research Institute of Demonic Entities and Rarities (RIDER), a secret quasi-government agency that serves to keep the human world safe and ignorant. RIDER is highly-structured and detailed to believability. This story has all the creatures of folklore, myth, and legend.

Although Zoey is immortal, due to something terrible that happened to her when she was twenty-two years old, and has been working at RIDER for around two centuries, she is not allowed to hold a position of power. Only those considered fully human have that opportunity.

Zoey is not considered quite human enough, and has lived a very secluded and solitary lifestyle, never afforded the ability to leave the institute. She is resigned to her station because it's better than living on the dregs of society so that no one gets suspicious of the girl who never ages. She is the snarky, independent heroine that readers will love and identify with.

Zoey has lost much of her recollection from the ill-fated day she became immortal. And she’s now trying to learn more about what happened through hypnotherapy sessions with Dr. Kelley, who is Gifted and can Memory Walk. But these sessions are not going well and the side effects are debilitating. Her background is fascinating and the flashbacks she has to prior time periods are an engaging way to learn of her experiences.

RIDER discovers that a serial killer is on the loose, targeting high-ranking witches, and the only evidence at the scene is footage of the vampire Theo, Zoey’s estranged older brother. Although RIDER doesn’t want the bookish, research-focused Zoey on the case, she insists on being involved so she can deal with her brother herself, whom she hasn’t seen or had contact with in the two centuries since their lives changed so dramatically.

She must team up with her ex, who also works at RIDER, and a novice witch to learn the truth about the killings. And if Theo can be believed, there’s a much grander scheme at play that has dangerous potential for both the human and paranormal worlds.

Zoey, at times, feels a little immature for her extensive age, which gives the story a mixture of feeling both adult and young adult. Although the pacing waxes and wanes, it is action-packed enough to keep driving the plot. The description and comparisons aren’t quite accurate, which could lead to attracting the wrong audience, who end up with expectations disconnecting with the reality of the story. The story is wonderful, but not necessarily dark academia, nor Vampire Diaries in its nature. This is solidly a paranormal, urban fantasy with a mystery plot.

Memories, Lies, and Other Binds had a great concept and was decently funny, but just wasn’t for me. I didn’t really connect with Zoey, but did find the vampires and other supernatural stuff pretty interesting.

This book definitely keeps you at the edge of your seat while reading. It has a lot that a lot of supernatural books don’t. I love that it is one without a lot of the normal tropes and not a romance and has a lot of humor with it.

Also I secretly want a Salsa and Mango but that’s just me.

Sadly I didnt enjoy Memories, Lies and Other Binds.
This book sounded really good but I ended up not liking it.
I was not a fan of the writing style and I didn't really like any of the characters.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review .

3.5⭐

Memories, Lies, and Other Binds was a great Fall read - just on the edge of spooky season. It has vampires, witches, werewolves, and a gray organization. The book follows Zoey as she comes to terms with herself, her family, and the organization she has worked for for centuries.

I struggled a bit with Memories, Lies, and Other Binds – not sure if the writing style just wasn’t for me, or if it needed more editing, or what. It felt very choppy and the pacing was inconsistent. Characters seemed a bit like prototypes and not fully formed. Same for the plot points, some seemed unnecessary and others were not quite predictable, but somewhat formulaic.

I enjoyed the overall storyline of Zoey coming into her own after being sheltered by RIDER. Her behavior was very teenagerish, which I assume was due to not being able to live her life or make her own decisions for so long, but it wasn’t really addressed. She had to overcome some programming and biases to see who she really is outside of the organization. The relationship with her brother was a bit flat, but I liked how it played out. I would’ve loved more Theo.

The epilogue was fun and set up the next book nicely. I look forward to seeing the characters developed further.

Overall, a solid debut with a beautiful cover. It will be a fun read as we gear up for spooky season.

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC.

This one just wasn't for me, unfortunately. I think the premise sounds like a lot of fun, but the writing style didn't work for me, and I'm picky about style. It reads a bit awkward and unpolished to me, however I think the action and imagination might really appeal to a different reader.

I didn't finish this one, so I won't post public reviews outside of NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc. This review is wholly my own.

Interesting plot with Zoe who doesn't age and starts researching to find out why she stopped aging. Then enters the supernatural world of vampires & witches, which I rarely turn down!

For a debut, it was great!

The writing style and language were fabulous and witty.

Add Katy Foraker to your watchlist because I see her as an author that will be on the rise. She definitely has a great start to build on.

I wanted to like this based on the description but this was a heck of a mess.
Thank you to the a publisher and NetGalley for a chance to preview this one.

I received an ARC copy of Memories, Lies, and Other Binds by Katy Foraker. I requested this book through Netgalley purely based on the cover and skimming the synopsis.

I use the CAWPILE rating scale to rate books. Characters, Atmosphere, Writing, Plot, Intrigue, Logic, Enjoyment.

5 out of 5!!!

Memories, Lies, and Other Binds followers Zoey Prescott, a demonologist who does not age. Zoey works for a prestigious institute specializing in all things demon and rare. A serial killer vampire targeting powerful witches is on the loose and happens to be her brother. Zoey sets out to end him once and for all. But what happens instead changes everything. Does Zoey trust her murderous brother or the people who have been keeping her “safe” for centuries?

Why I rated it 5 stars using CAWPILE:
Katy did an amazing job developing the characters, I felt like I personally knew them, their motivations were sound and logical for the story. If the atmosphere is not right in a book I can not finish it, but this book really grabbed me. I could feel the intended vibes. Rating writing style is a personal preference, I get along with how Katy writes and it reads very well. THE PLOT! Boy, I loved the creativity Katy had writing this book. I loved the plot! I obviously can't say more without spoiling, but A+! Intrigue goes hand in hand with atmosphere personally. Katy hooked me right away with the opening scene of the book and from then on I stayed glued to the page. Logic is for world building, the book is considered low fantasy, it takes place in current modern America, how Katy built on that with her world of supernatural beings was very logical and believable! I definitely enjoyed reading Memories, Lies, and Other Binds. I look forward to the next book!!

I loved reading this book! I feel like if I knew Zoey personally we would get along so well. I loved the world that Katy made and it makes me wish it was real. This book is unlike any other supernatural/vampire book I have ever read. Zoey being immortal and changing identities made me think of “The Age of Adaline”, granted I never finished that movie but it pulled my mind that way at first. The antagonist(s) of the story really threw me for a loop. I truly do not think my review can do it justice. This is Katy's debut novel and she nailed it.

I was fortunate to receive a copy of this book as an ARC from Net Galley in exchange, for my honest review. I really enjoyed this book And give it four out of five stars for its creativity and fast pace. the premise of the story is really interesting and I really enjoyed the first half the most. There were a few components I could’ve lived without though, including the romantic references to Augustine, which were never resolved or dealt with much throughout the story. I also felt like Zoey’s change into a vampire was really sudden and could have been better foreshadowed. Her transition was abrupt and didn’t exactly feel like a plot twist like I think it was meant to be. I will look forward to reading more from this author as she continues to publish books in the series. I was really intrigued by the love interest he was introduced in the last chapter, Max, and look forward to seeing how he and Zoey interact in future books.

While I really wanted to love this, I am not a fan of urban fantasy as it turns out. It felt like it was taking me forever to get through and I sadly kept getting bored/easily distracted while reading.