Giving this somewhere between 3.5-4 stars, rounded up because I had a good time reading this, especially in the second half.

This is a dystopian fantasy, though I'd argue it's borderline science fiction - particularly since the "magic" here is just a new way to use special mushrooms. The main story revolves around Key, whose job it is to uncover lost memories, but who may have found more than she bargained for; and Vale, her guardian, who needs this job to help her family, but her loyalty to Key may put that in jeopardy.

One of the aspects that most intrigues me is the larger conflict between the Museum, which hoards the memories/history of the people, and the smaller towns and villages that want to keep their memories for themselves. The supposed love and respect for history, mixed with the blatant suppression of it, makes for a really interesting setup.

I'm a sucker for anything sapphic, and the romance is satisfying, though nothing spectacular. If you like bodyguard romances, you'll probably like this. I really like Vale, and the conflicting loyalties she has to wrestle with throughout the book. I struggled more to connect with Key, who's privileged and religious and believes she's always right. But there is significant character growth for both, and they seem to balance each other out nicely.

Overall, while it was slow going at first, I found myself invested by the end, and I'm looking forward to the sequel.

I pushed and pushed with this one, all the way to 48%, but I was so bored.

The concept of memory-hunting is incredibly cool, but I wanted to see so much more of how it impacted the society that had developed after some kind of apocalypse scenario (there are a lot of references to the Decade of Storms, put it seemed to me that even before that the world wasn’t one we’d recognise. Possibly this is entirely a secondary-world setting and not meant to be a future version of our world? I wasn’t completely certain). Despite seeing inside the museum the main characters worked for, I don’t understand how this effects most people; there’s a religion that memory-diving is extremely important to, but by the halfway mark I still didn’t know much about it, even though one of our main characters is under pressure to become the next high priestess.

Plot-wise…gods, this dragged on! We start with Key and Vale out on an expedition looking for memories away from the city, and that was great, but the moment they returned home the pacing slowed down immensely to very little purpose. Key and Vale’s relationship, which seemed great when they were by themselves, either broke down or revealed itself to be much less great when they were back home. Key is from a wealthy family with a lot of privilege, whereas Vale comes from extreme poverty – and Key has been leaning on their friendship, on Vale’s desire to make Key happy, to avoid a lot of the duties Vale is responsible for enforcing. They get in an enormous amount of trouble for this – Vale loses her next paycheck, which is potentially devastating for the family back home who depend on it – and a) I thought the punishment was extreme and sudden when there was no mention of previous official warnings or anything, and b) …this was all Key’s fault and I never got the sense that she really understood why this was her fault. Yes, she blamed herself and did her best to make it up to Vale, but my impression was that she thought the rules were wrong, not that she’s been completely unfair to Vale.

None of the characters or their relationships ended up interesting me. Vale herself is the most intriguing character, but I quickly got tired of her constantly thinking she wasn’t up to the standards of everyone around her because of her background/poverty; she thinks she’s ugly, she takes everything said to her in the worst possible light even when that makes no sense, and she doesn’t seem to take pride in her skills as an elite Guardian. (She was top of her class in the academy! She can still wipe the floor with almost any other Guardian! I don’t get why she doesn’t appreciate that she’s really great at what she’s devoted her life to!) She’s physically attracted to Key but thinks this is terrible; her boyfriend, Jing, is…narcissistic is too strong a term, but he doesn’t care about her very much and makes that clear (I never understood why Vale keeps hoping he’ll eventually want to say ‘I love you’ and ‘be serious’ when he’s said multiple times that he doesn’t want to, and I disliked how pathetic she was about someone who clearly wasn’t worth her). Key thinks Jing doesn’t treat Vale well enough but doesn’t talk about it, because of course not.

(Jing is clearly in love with his Guardian, Cal, who is in love with him right back, but why would they talk about it like adults???)

Key’s mother is suffocating and controlling and doesn’t hesitate to throw her weight around; the head of the museum is clearly terrible and Key somehow doesn’t notice despite being the woman’s protege. Like. I don’t mind all these characters being unlikable, but who am I supposed to be interested in? Key? Key is passionate about memory-diving but I didn’t actually understand WHY; she’s very excited about a memory she finds at the start of the book, but we don’t know enough about the world to get why it’s important (or at least, I didn’t). I kept waiting for Key to explain to the reader what this memory could mean, to hear her babble (out loud or in internal monologue) like someone talking about their special interest, and it never happened. And yes, Key is attracted to Vale physically, but doesn’t treat her very well (even after they get punished, she still tries to emotionally blackmail Vale into letting her, Key, out of necessary memory-hunter medical treatment!) so I’m not interested in the sapphic pining, thanks.

By the halfway mark, yes, it’s clear that the museum at least is built on some kind of conspiracy to hide truths about the past, and quite possibly the whole tradition of memory-hunting (including the religion I mentioned earlier, of which Key’s mother is the current high priestess). But since I had no hint as to what the hidden truths might be, or why they mattered, I really don’t care. Is this setting even a dystopia? I haven’t seen enough of it to be sure. The dodgiest things I’m aware of are a) memory-hunters needing occasional short-term memory wipes to be able to function, and b) memory-hunters being hunted for their blood, hence why they need Guardians. Okay? Neither of those things make it clear to me that this society is fucked-up and I should want all its secrets exposed.

Prose-wise, I kept twitching at awkward sentences and clunky images, neither of which I remember from Tsai’s debut Bitter Medicine.

>telling herself things like validation or personal desire were as distant as the roll of thunder from ten miles away.<

…so validation or personal desire are ten miles away? Okay.

>She herself was possessed of as many curves as a fence and was leaner than a weasel.<

This just sounds really odd to me. ‘Flat as a board’, I get; ‘flat as a fence’…I mean, fences can curve? I think you mean that what the fence is made of – boards, iron bars, whatever – are not curvy. It’s just awkward.

>only person Jing puts above himself is Cal.” She was wrong, but Vale figured she didn’t want to know that Jing preferred lying on his back in bed.<

I’m still not sure what it means. Is it a sex joke? Vale is usually on top when she and Jing have sex?

>“Because you treat me like a friend, not an asset.”

[…]

“As a friend. Not like a friend.”<

Am I just being dumb? I don’t get it. I think what is meant here is ‘I treat you like a friend because you are my friend’, but the distinction between ‘as a friend’ and ‘like a friend’…don’t they mean the same thing? What???

48% and I’m bored, don’t care where the story is going, and have no interest in any of the characters, never mind Key and Vale someday getting together. I give up!

The Memory Hunters is a very good book. I had previously read and enjoyed Mia Tsai's debut novel, Bitter Medicine, so it's no surprise that I found this book to be just as imaginative and engaging. Mia Tsai's world building is sophisticated to the point of effortlessness and her characters feel like real people. Tsai expertly uses a fantastical world to comment on real world societal issues. As a former Museum Studies and current Library and Information Science student, I found her handling of themes in this book to be particularly resonant. Tsai crafted a world in which memory hunters and their guardians "dive" for memories that are used to recreate the history of our world and our cultures. There is a deep schism between the official hunters and museums of human memory and the very real people and cultures they mine for information. I was invested in the interplay between these two ideas but also in the personal stakes for each of our main characters. I can't say enough good things about how well done this book is!

I DNF'd this book at 25%.

The worldbuilding was very good and the interactions with the characters were written very well. However, I did not expect the book to be so heavy on religion, given the premise doesn't mention it at all. It was giving me Handmaid's Tale vibes with the "You are seen, you are heard, you are remembered" blessings.
I really liked the magic system and how you're just tossed into the world, to pick up context clues as you go. I think people who have had religion in their lives or don't mind the heavy religious content mixed with the science elements will really enjoy this. It just wasn't for me, unfortunately.

Memories and dreams are the topics of many books and movies - not our own, but how to harvest the memories and dreams of others. In this book the author takes us on a different kind of journey and adventure. We are taken on an exploration of what memories are important to a society and how might they be monetized or presented to further a less than worthy cause. This book opens up an interesting wold of thought and action as lines are drawn for the purists and the power-hungry, and those who are willing to exploit both.

DNF at 57%

Let me start by thanking the author, publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this in advance in return for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book, however I felt confused from the very first page. It felt as though I entered a scene that was already 5 chapters underway. The feeling is kind of like swimming without floaties in the deep end, lol.

However, as the chapters progressed, I felt a little more settled, but still confused at times. It might be just me, because I saw a lot of people enjoy this book. I felt as though I couldn't get a grip on the storyline, sudden details important to the story felt as though they just fell from the sky instead of having been hinted to.
I can definitely see the vision the author had while creating her work, but it felt too elusive for me.

I'm sure this book will find its audience.
Sadly, I'm not a part of it.

The only way I can describe this book is as confused and messy. I think that the author had some unique ideas for a setting and magic concept but didn't fully map out the world or think of the broader implications. For example we have this really interesting ideas of hunters who document and capture memories to be stored in museums and a religious sect that is devoted to the idea of ancestors and their memory. However, these two groups are separate entities and there seems to be animosity between them. When you think of their shared goals that just doesn't make much sense. The concept of the school for Hunters and Guardians also made very little sense. Do these people only get jobs working for the museums? How many museums are there? How large are the graduating classes? A specialized school for magical museum curators/archeologists can't really be that sustainable in a post apocalyptic climate change ravaged world.

Also what the hell was going on with the fungus? They're using it for dives/religious services but also it's infecting Key's mom. The concept wasn't really foreshadowed so it just came out of nowhere and I'm still unsure if it's supposed to be the same type of fungus.

Finally the romance was baffling to me. Jing was introduced as Vale's boyfriend only for him to basically do nothing for the majority of the book. He could have not existed and it would have had no impact on the tension within the romance between Key and Vale. The description of this book made it feel like we'd get a forbidden bodyguard romance and instead I got a lack of communication and nonsensical worldbuilding.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is what happens when slow-burn queer romance crash-lands into a memory museum built on academic corruption and fungal apocalypse. I am OBSESSED.

Kiana “Key” Strade is the kind of heroine who makes you want to write a thesis about her. Gifted, prickly, brilliant—and spiraling. She’s supposed to be a golden child of the temple, but instead she’s over here collecting blood-soaked ancestral memories like cursed Pokémon cards. Her bodyguard, Vale, is technically there to protect her—but emotionally? Spiritually? Romantically?? She’s already all in.

Expect:
🧠 Deep lore, lost knowledge, and ethically questionable memory-diving
💘 Sapphic slow burn that acheeees with mutual pining and so many unsaid things
🍄 Mushrooms (sentient? unconfirmed) and ecological horror vibes
📚 Dark academia, but if it were about dismantling institutions and also kissing
🌀 Mind unraveling, time slipping, and reality not being quite what it seems

This book is smart—like, “I should be annotating this” smart—but it’s also deeply emotional and wildly romantic. The stakes aren’t just political or societal—they’re personal, intimate, terrifying. Key and Vale’s connection burns low and steady, and when it ignites? Buckle up. It's academic trauma meets soul-deep devotion with a side of environmental collapse.

If you like your queer romance tangled up in power, memory, betrayal, and fungi... this one will ruin you in the best possible way.

Unfortunately I DNFed this book. I really wanted to like it and I thought the premise was interesting. I really struggled to get into this book. I felt like the story just started in the middle of something important and I didn’t know what was going on. I think that was maybe the purpose but I personally found it to be confusing. As for the aspects of the memories, I feel as if it was not explained as clearly as it could’ve been. The first few chapters really felt like I was reading a lot but not really learning or grasping anything about the world building. I do think this author has potential and will keep an eye out for future releases.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the opportunity to read an early release of this copy.

An interesting and a bit disturbing with the blood chalice mushrooms and how partaking of them (for the special few) allows them to dive back in time (through memories trapped in the mushrooms) and relive scenes to gather info about what was lost after the great storms. Key is one of those able to do so, and has a strong ability so as to be able to go further back than most people. As a diver, Key and her guardian Vale, complement and balance each other out. When working alone, I did not like them all that much. Vale is way too quick with violence (I blame Burdock) and Key is your typical rich kid, not thinking about consequences and using her importance to try to get away from rules. It was a pretty interesting world, though I wish there had been more world building, cause I was fascinated about the storms and the intriguing little bit about Key's mother that we only get a peek at in this book. The memory diving was weird and since this takes place in the future, despite it being a dystopia, there are quite advanced things so it made me wonder how the mushrooms are the only way to see past events.

So, be prepared to have a lot of questions after finishing this book. Key and Vale do uncover many mysteries and most of this first book is about chasing after the truth while everyone else tries to squash it and maintain the status quo. Though I do like how Key ends up being changed. It made her more interesting by the end. While I go looking for the next book, probably. I hope it will answer more of the mysteries.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an advance copy of this book.

THE MEMORY HUNTERS is a rich and chewy delight. Memory-consuming mycelia! The politics of museums! Post-climate apocalypse cultures! A fabulous and complex tapestry of a world, a killer plot, and a romance that wouldn't let me put the damn book down.

On paper, this should be the perfect book for me. I spent 7 years working in archaeological labs or Musuems, and the setting is based on the Appalachian region which is where I'm from, unfortunately, the story falls flat. The title of the book is memory hunters, the main character is a memory hunter, they memory hunt 3 times in the entire book, in chapters 1, 15, and 20. This book is mostly childish interpersonal relationships and Musuem bureaucracy (which is warranted, because the main character is not able to cope with the consequences of her own actions).

Because I got this as an advanced reader copy I don't know if it has trigger warnings listed but there is cheating and mentions of cannibalism. The quote "...be one with her until they could wear each other like clothing." (Chapter 21) could be cute if this book didn't have mentions of actual cannibalism

Additionally, I have a personal gripe with how people from Appalachia are showcased, the same as they are in many forms of media: that they're poor, uneducated, backwards way of life make it so the only way to do something worthwhile is to leave.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC.

This book just wasn’t for me, despite its strengths. I genuinely appreciated the author’s writing style, it’s well-crafted, with excellent literary quality and rich detail. The worldbuilding felt thorough and the conceptual depth was impressive. The premise, blending dark academia and speculative fantasy, was intriguing and felt fresh in its approach.

But my enjoyment ended there. I couldn’t resonate with Key or Vale as protagonists. Key came across as spoiled and self-centered, with little regard for who she hurt, especially Vale. Meanwhile, Vale’s character felt frustratingly passive, carrying a torch for someone who treated her poorly while simultaneously being entangled with another woman. I couldn’t understand why she stayed connected to Key after two years of selfishness and disregard. The story also lacked action, leaning too much on dialogue, which I found tedious and at times boring.

The cover description also felt misleading to me. While it hints at dystopian elements, I didn’t find this to be dystopian at all, and the publisher’s materials don’t mention dystopia either, so I’m not sure why that label was used.

💬 Final Take:
Beautiful writing, solid concept, but characters I simply could not root for. If you’re looking for a sapphic, literary speculative read with immersive prose and don’t mind flawed protagonists, it may still be worth your time.

Memory Hunters was surprisingly upbeat for a dystopian setting. Focusing on the importance of our connections to our ancestors as a guide to who we are in the present. Don't shy away from this novel because of the backdrop of devastating climate change. Loved this book and can't wait to share it with bookclubs!

I could not get into this book. The storyline was really confusing for me. Also, I could not connect with the characters. I am a little disappointed because it sounded like a promising story in a dystopian world. It was just not explained well enough.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the digital copy.

This book had a promising premise with several aspects that I enjoy reading (sapphics, dark-academia, weird mushroom stuff, a unique magic system) but unfortunately the execution of it disappointed me quite a bit.

To start with the positives, I enjoyed the themes and problems this book sought out to discuss, following the museum and their right to own certain things and the ways in which they execute their business. I found Vale to be a really interesting character to follow and would have liked more development on Key for her to reach that level as well I also enjoyed the base of the magic (being able to dive into memories) that was set up, it was very intriguing and initially what got me into this book.

But thats also where some of the pitfalls come in. The world building and the memory diving part of the magic system were a bit too all over the place for me. I can tell that there was suspense placed on the latter for plot reasons but for the most part, it just left me confused. The world building felt a bit like a disconnected puzzle, like it had all these interesting pieces like the temple, the museum, even the smaller less known towns (given that it was a big part of some of the characters' stories) but they were all a bit surface level and missing the pieces that connected them.
The pacing was also a bit of an issue for me, the first half didn't have much happening and then everything happened in the last 70-100 pages. I was tempted to DNF this book at the midpoint but really wanted to give it a fair shot.

I really enjoyed this book!
The Blood Over Bright Haven vibes are really quite strong but I didn't find it off-putting in the least, it was definitely an "oh boy, two cakes!" kinda situation for me. As a matter of fact I think I prefer these characters to those in BOBH, but the main characters are definitely much more likeable than Sciona was.
My favourite thing in here was probably the way this book explores the question of identity. We have more than one expat/immigrant characters struggling with fitting in and the titular memory hunting brings a whole slew of questions about one's own identity as well as a whole community's cultural identity.
The ending is a lovely cliffhanger, not too cruel but definitely the sort that leaves no doubt about there being a lot more to this story than it seems for most of this first instalment.
The worldbuilding and magic system took some getting used to, for me they felt a bit too hazy and vague for a bit but then I managed to get the hang of it all and everything cleared up pretty well.
Many thanks to Kensington Publishing, Erewhon Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

interesting fungal romantic fantasy with some awesome vibes, and I absolutely love fungal fiction. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC e-copy of The Memory Hunters by Mia Tsai.

Taking (loose) inspiration from Inception, The Memory Hunters delivers readers into an alternate universe where Guardians protect Hunters, who can dive into the memories of others. Between the lines, you can expect lots of commentary on climate change and whether museums have the right to hoard artifacts from the public.

This book has a very interesting concept and it’s well-written, but for me, it moved rather slowly. I think perhaps the world-building was too ambitious and the plot development less so. It was hard to care about where the story was leading, even 1/3 of the way in, and to care about any characters other than poor Vale, who was the most fleshed out but still not quite enough.

I couldn’t buy into the world nor the main romance, no matter how talented the author is with their words. For so much of the book, nothing happened, and when something finally did, it was just too much all at once. Then there was the ending, which to me, made little sense and involved a cliffhanger that made me wonder what I had read the entire thing for, because I probably will not be reading a sequel. Overall, while I liked some parts of this book, it wasn’t for me.

☆ ☆ - OKAY

Before I start I just want to say thanks to Net Halley for sending me an arc. I tried multiple times to read this book. I thought maybe the time wasn’t right, maybe I was tired but this book was a struggle for me to read. The world building felt flat and confusing…and I think that’s where I struggled I didn’t understand the hunter and guardian dynamic, the religious aspect on the memories was confusing and the character relationship didn’t really hit home for me. I just don’t think the why was developed enough for me.