The Memory Ward is like a twisted version of The Good Place where everyone seems to know the main characters, but something isn't quite right. The narrators seem to have extremely good memories, but can those memories be trusted even when they include snow in a Nevada town?

The story is told in layers with multiple characters describing similar experiences where something is somewhat off such as townsfolk remembering the character's birthday even though the character themselves forgot. I kept guessing what would happen next.

This book gave off strong Black Mirror vibes, and I found the storyline fast-paced and easy to follow. The plot twist took me by surprise, and I wasn’t expecting the direction it ended up taking. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed it. The narrator did a fabulous job bringing the story to life and kept me fully immersed from start to finish. I think this story would translate well into a movie or limited series.

I received this audiobook from NetGalley and overall it was a quick enjoyable read. Right off the bat it reminded me of The Truman Show. It felt like you were spiralling into madness with the lead character while trying to figure out what’s real and what’s not. It’s hard to say too much because I don’t want to spoil anything. I found the end to be quite predictable, but it was still a gripping story. I also thought the voice actor did a great job. It was nice to listen to.

I genuinely liked the premise of this book cause it was so confusing and I kept going to try and guess what was going on. It’s not hard to guess, but you still want confirmation ;) anyway, it was quite interesting, but fell somewhat short in the last few chapters.

This book was twisty and crazy. I loved it! Hank lives in a picturesque town where live seems nearly perfect. Then he starts finding clues that life may not all be what it seems. He goes on a search for answers. I am not sure we as readers/listeners ever get the answers but that makes this book all the more intriguing. A fantastic book!

This thriller kept me intrigued from the beginning. Ive read many thrillers and this one is unique. I’ve never read anything quite like it. I never saw the twists coming up until the very end.

Thank you so much @blackstonepublishing for this copy! This is my first book by @jonbassoff I’m definitely won’t be my last!

✨In Bethlam, Nevada everyone is friendly. Nosy, but friendly. With no crime, why wouldn’t you wanna live there? Everything seems perfect… but for postal worker Hank Davies, he suspects something is off. He accidentally discovers that all the letters he’s carrying are blank, so now he’s sure of it. Hank isn’t the only one starting to notice all the odd things happening. Someone shows up in the middle of the night banging on his window and tells him to check his bedroom wall… Hank goes and pulls back all of the wallpaper to discover a manuscript. A full story that’s either complete madness or unbelievable truth. As he begins to look beyond the veneer of his smiling neighbors and their white picket fences, Hank is drawn further and further into his new disturbing reality.

✨Jeeeez, this was eerie!!! I was pretty sure of the plot early on but you never can be sure which way it’ll go when you’re reading a thriller. I liked the little twist with how some of the residents came to be in Bethlam. The characters are weird in the best way. The way their stories come together was very entertaining.
I enjoyed the atmospheric writing. It really helped to build the tension with the sinister vibes.
This was a little slower than I’d like my thrillers to be but that’s my personal preference because of my attention span but it’s still a very enjoyable pace.
Overall I would definitely recommend but reader beware, there’s some very sensitive topics discussed toward the end. A little too disturbing for my taste but pertinent to the story.

What’s real? Who’s real? And who are you? This mind-bending story takes you on Hank’s journey as he begins to unravel mysteries about his life. The beginning of the book gave me The Truman Show vibes, mixed with maybe some Stepford Wives, Black Mirror, and Twilight Zone. This is certainly not a light hearted book; it takes you on a dark, sinister twisting ride largely revolving around memory.

As I got further into the book, there were times that I thought I was losing my mind. The more information that was revealed, the more confused and intrigued I became.. but also it gave more clarity.

Thank you Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

First off, huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, you’ve officially ruined my ability to trust small towns forever. As always, no fluff, just my completely honest thoughts!

Okay, so picture this: Bethlam, the perfect little town. Like, suspiciously perfect. No crime, no drama, just sunshine, picket fences, and smiles so bright they could blind you. Our main character Hank, a humble postal worker, is just living his best (if slightly boring) life, delivering mail and minding his business… until he realizes the letters he’s been delivering? They’re all blank. Empty pages. Nada. Cue existential crisis.

And that’s when things get really weird.

This book was such a wild ride, I devoured it so quickly because I had to know if my suspicions were correct. Bassoff does an amazing job slowly peeling back the layers of Bethlam’s creepy perfection, and watching Hank unravel piece by piece was equal parts fascinating and terrifying. The whole vibe gave me major Black Mirror energy. You know, that mix of psychological horror and "oh god, this could totally happen" dread? Perfect!

Now, I wish I could say the twists blew me away… but I saw it coming pretty early on. That said, if you’re not a thriller junkie like me, the ending will absolutely knock your socks off. And even though I predicted it, the execution was still so satisfying—tense, eerie, and packed with that "wait, what?" factor that makes psychological thrillers so addictive.

A sharp, unsettling, and seriously entertaining read. If you love mind-bending stories that mess with your head (and make you double check all the people you see), The Memory Ward is 100% worth the ride.

I was confused the whole time. I’m sure there is audience for this book but I’m not it. I don’t think it’s the worse book I’ve read and I think the author is super talented but this book didn’t land for me.

Loved the beginning. The ending not so much. It left me with too many questions. I am one who needs a conclusion, and this book left me wondering what the hell happened. I also thought the characters were very well done & the pacing was spot on.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley.

First thing first, the narrators all knocked it out of the park. Their tone and inflection really added to the intensity and eeriness of the story. As for the story itself, I am a mess. I NEED MORE. GIVE ME MORE.

Okay that was dramatic, but I really enjoyed this. It was a total mindf*ck from start to finish. It slowly builds tension page by page until everything explodes. Even I don’t know what to believe. This was so creative and so well done. I feel like there have been a handful of stories/movies/shows that have flirted with similar ideas but this one has worked the best for me. It was unsettling until the very last word.

ALC 🎧📖 Review: The Memory Ward by Jon Bassoff
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date: March 4th

Okay, I did not expect this book to be as crazy as it was! I loved the insanely unique premise. I think it would make a really cool movie, too. Highly recommend checking this one out.

Thank you, @netgalley and @blackstonepublishing, for this ALC in exchange for an honest review!

✉️📬🛋️

They say it’s always beautiful in Bethlam, Nevada. No place you’d rather live. The people are friendly, if a little nosy, and there’s no crime to speak of. Life is pretty perfect.

But postal worker Hank Davies has started to suspect something is off in this idyllic little town. And he’s certain of that when he realizes the letters he’s been delivering are just blank pages.

#netgalley #blackstonepublishing #audiobooklove #advancedlisteningcopy #books #bookworm #read #audiobookreview #bookish #reading #bookstagram

What an absolutely wild ride this book was! I enjoyed every minute of it! The chaos kept me completely captivated. I could listen to this story go on even longer than it did. Definitely one of my fave reads of the year so far!

This was a dnf for me- I tried really hard to push through it because it sounded good but I was not motivated to continue reading.

I loved the premise, the writing style and the weird vibe this book has but I didn't love the ending. It left me, (and plenty of others, going by the reviews) a little confused and unsatisfied. (It is deliberately ambiguous. The author, in an interview, emphasizes the idea that the truth is a constructed narrative, not an absolute reality. He suggests that the reader's interpretation is influenced by their own experiences, potentially shaping their understanding of the story's meaning.)

The 50's 'Stepford Wives' type of town, the constantly watching neighbours, the repetitive nature of his life, it all made for a slightly creepy feel (which was awesome). Throw in the little breadcrumbs of mystery, wrongdoings, suspicion, conspiracy and you are on the edge of your seat trying to work what is actually going on. There are some brutal scenes in this book too, which adds to the sinister goings-on.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and thought all of the narrators did a fabulous job. Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ALC, these are my honest opinions.

You’ve been in an accident, Hank. A very serious accident. Your brain needs to heal. What’s real? What’s make believe? The perfect, idyllic small town of Bethlam, NV? The government postal job? Dr Hoover? The pills? The memories? What lies behind the peeling wallpaper?

The Memory Ward masterfully blends truth with madness, a tranquil existence taken right from a 1950s sitcom mixed with a government conspiracy. As he leads us through Hank’s discoveries, we question is everything as it seems or is there something more sinister behind the scenes? Are Hank’s discoveries revealing the truth or delusion?

Bassoff is an excellent writer who I feel never received the accolades he deserves. The Memory Ward continues that streak of excellence. Hopefully the recognition follows. If you haven’t read any of his work, The Memory Ward is a great place to start.

4.5 Implanted Microchips out of 5

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC to review

The Memory Ward by Jon Bassoff is a trippy, suspenseful, take on what happens when our memories are no longer our own. Listening to this book felt like watching a scintillating mix of Mr. Nobody and The Truman Show.

The audio starts off a little slow, but as you continue listening you realize the plot is layered extremely well.

I did want more from the ending, but overall loved this book and can't wait to explore more of Bassoff's works.

I have a love-hate relationship with audiobooks—they're often hit or miss for me. I'm not the type to DNF, so even if a story doesn’t fully grip me (whether it’s the narration or the writing), I’ll push through. The real question is just how long it’ll take me to finish.

That said—this one? I listened to it almost non-stop from the moment I started. It was that good. I finished it in just 36 hours! If I’d had a physical copy, I probably would’ve tossed all my responsibilities aside and read straight through the day.

I was confused for most of the book—but in the best possible way. That disoriented feeling made the characters even more relatable, even with an unreliable narrator in the mix.

It gave off strong Don’t Worry Darling and The Truman Show vibes—and I highly recommend it!

I had a difficult time listening to this audio book and wasn't able to finish. The narrator did not interest me and was bland to listen to. It really took away from being able to enjoy the storyline.