This book was great.

As a mother of a child with ASD that suffers with social anxiety, this book drew me in due to it being based off someone living with severe social anxiety disorder.

The book tells the story of Portia, a young adult living with social anxiety. It tells of different timelines as we learn about Portia and what she's been through. After something happens Portia is arrested but she has no idea what she's done and why, Forensic psychologist Elizabeth works with Portia to get her to remember things that happened in the past, that lead to the future events.

The books is a fantastic debut from Patricia Shanae Smith. It's quite emotional, you really feel for Portia as you learn what her life has been like and what has happened to her. Then there is a crazy twist at the end I didn't see coming!

"I was broken but the kind of brokenness that didn't come with screaming or shattering glass. It was quiet, insidious. The kind that seeps in slowly, until you're drowning in it."

Remember by Patricia Shanae Smith is a psychological thriller debut that is equal parts compelling and vulnerable. An emotional rollercoaster, this book delves deep into the themes of trauma, memories, and mental health.

Portia's world crumbles when in highschool a tragic car accident caused the deaths of her mother and her sister. Portia has always struggled with social anxiety disorder but she was able to manage it with help from her sister Piper. Now after their death, Portia spends almost all day everyday watching The Big Bang Theory with her father, smoking cigarettes and drinking beer. When one day she meets her next door neighbor Ethan Torke, she starts to feel ready to let someone else in to her life. But now, five years later, Portia has been arrested for a crime she does not remember and is forced to confront a past full of broken memories in order to find out the truth.

This was such a gripping and emotional read! As someone who suffers from anxiety attacks, the representation is everything! The way the narrative is written is so incredibly detailed and immersive. Remember is told in Portia's perspective and has flashbacks that are perfectly placed in order for the reader to stay engaged and invested. This is definitely a book that I would recommend to anyone and I can't wait to see what else Patricia Shanae Smith comes out with!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Patricia Shanae Smith, and Datura Books for this ARC!! Publication date is April 22nd 2025.

As someone who suffers greatly from social anxiety, I really appreciated the representation within this book and very much felt seen.

This book was simultaneously a bit predictable and full of twists and turns that I did not see coming.

Through jumping around the timeline, Smith builds a picture of events, drip-feeding the story of both the deaths of Portia's family and what led her to be on the trial that you see at the very beginning of the story. There is a sense of not really being able to trust anything that you are being told and the pieces not really adding up until they suddenly were. I particularly found the ending to be strong and eerie.

Thank you for the ARC of Remember for my honest review.

This one was very intriguing to me just being a psychological thriller in general that is my favorite type of book. As someone who has memory issues due do a TBI I did enjoy this book. I did enjoy the mental illness part of this story because I feel like that is an important thing to put into books and shed some light on. I know what the mind does to protect us from my own trauma but having it on pages is really great for readers to see. This one is definitely a MUST read. The main character Portia is a GREAT character. LOVED this read!

I just finished Remember by Patricia Shanae Smith, and I’m still processing everything—it was such an emotional rollercoaster. The story follows Portia, a young woman grappling with the devastating loss of her mother and sister, compounded by her struggle with severe social anxiety. Her life becomes a blur of isolation and coping mechanisms until Ethan, a new neighbor, enters her world and challenges her perceptions. As Portia confronts a traumatic past she can’t fully remember, the narrative unfolds with unexpected twists that kept me guessing until the very end.

This book delves deep into themes of memory, trauma, and the complexities of mental health. It’s not just a psychological thriller; it’s a poignant exploration of healing and self-discovery.

Great read, Portia is an interesting character to get to know. Suspense and more. Loved it! This was a fast read for me and I recommend it.

i really enjoyed this story. it was really really well told. the subject matter was handled with such brilliant detail and it felt "known". it felt professional and personal at the same time with the way it handled the very real issues of mental illness. and if anyone or someone they know suffers from mental illness and panic disorders especially then this will feel really well handled which sadly is definitely not always the case. in fact more often that not its not handled well.
this book tells so much into what the mind does to protect us. and what the mind does when its poorly. when the two go together it must be so very difficult. and who do you trust. or who should you trust. add to that our character then loses two people she loves, it can all come crashing down. but then what happens when years pass which you dont properly remember. and you have to piece it all together because somehow you are in custody with blood on your hands.
this book was a brilliant psychological thriller. it has twists,turns and surprises along the way which i didnt see coming. this book was both a great depiction of the heartbreak of those who suffer with mental illness and a great story.

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

This is an incredible book I couldn't put it down. The story line is full of tension and suspense, the characters are well developed I was so intrigued by Portia, she is a fantastic character. I read it in one very intense sitting

What a read.

This is an intense and complex thriller and Portia is an amazing character.

Portias mother and sister were killed in a car accident... but why is Portia filled with angst and guilt.

Her demons come back to haunt her and as she unravels the story gets more intriguing.

It is superbly written and is a story well told.

Loved this book so much! Top book I've read this year hands down. Thank you for letting me read this in advance!