I would like to thank the author and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a copy of the audiobook. I sincerely enjoyed this story and am a big fan of the author.

As I said, I am a big fan of the author so I might be a little bit biased, but this story was absolutely amazing! One thing that I honestly wasn’t expecting in this story was the amazing use of 2nd person POV. I’ve only read a few books in my life that used 2nd person POV not only correctly but also well. This book did both of those things and in such a fascinating way. I feel like this book worked because it wasn’t the typical use of 2nd person POV and it made the story so much more interesting.

This story was also shorter than I thought it was going to be but so intense. The story was so full of emotion not only from the character but also from the reader. I feel like this is in part because of the amazing use of varied POV’s under a single narrator. The narrator for this audiobook was also amazing. They did an amazing job of creating not only the narrator’s voice but also the voices of the other characters. It left me feeling like there was a full cast for the audiobook. They also were amazing at conveying the anger and pain in both of the main characters. The spicy level was also a level 1.

Overall, I would rate this story a 5 out of 5 stars. If you are looking for a lyrical masterpiece on queer identity, feminine rage, and defining yourself in a society that expects you to conform – this is it.

Volatile Memory is an ambitious sci-fi novella that worked! Told in second person, the "you" is Wylla, a trans woman scavenger who comes into possession of a mask with a woman's consciousness inside of it, the one talking to "you." This is a great exploration of queerness, gender, capitalism, feminine rage, and more while also delivering an interesting and fast-paced plot. It is emotional and brutal while still being beautifully and lyrically written. This is exactly what I am looking for in sci-fi.

I highly recommend the audiobook. If you loved "This is How You Lose the Time War," then you need to give this a try. I've never read from this author before, but I will be going back into their backlist in hopes the rest of their work is just as fantastic as this was. I do hope that we get more to this story in the future.

Volatile Memory takes places in a futuristic world where people use animal themed masks to enhance their abilities. Wylla, a scavenger, finds a unique hawk mask on a woman’s corpse. But the HAWK is not just a mask - it contains the consciousness of its previous owner, something that shouldn’t be possible.

This is a story about identity and revenge. The author was able to make me feel a lot in just a short novella. This is a very character focused story and I think it was done really well, I was invested in the characters from start to finish. The story is told in a mix of first and second person which I enjoyed, but it may not be for everyone. Overall I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it!

I listened to the audiobook and I think the narrator did a fantastic job! I really enjoyed listening and recommend the audiobook format.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me a copy of the audiobook in exchange for my unbiased review.

This was so good for a sci-fi novella. There is a lot going on with the world and technology but the author makes it all work so well. This was a really solid read.

Willa, a scavenger, answers a beacon to an artifact that ends up being a helmet, containing the mind of narrator Sable. Willa and Sable work together to unlock what Sable has become and what happened in her past.

Told primarily in 2nd person and using disembodied characters to represent queer identity, this science fiction novella blends reflective prose and intriguing worldbuilding. While it isn't an "all vibes low plot" story, it leans more on the vibes and reflection on the shape of society in the future for anyone who doesn't fit the norm as defined by society.

I find that audio is a perfect approach this style of novella for me, especially with the 2nd person POV, and Emily Gibbons Bouchard easily held my interest even as tenses switched.

Volatile Memory by Seth Haddon is set in a world where people are powered up by AI masks that allow them to take on the characteristics of the animal the mask is modeled after. Wylla, with her rabbit mask, is quick and relies heavily on the prey instincts her mask gives her. When given the opportunity to scavenge a top of the line hawk mask, Wylla takes it and ends up in a run for her life from the agency that created it in the first place.

Coming in just under 200 pages, this is a small book with a lot of story packed in. The book is mostly told from the second person perspective, putting you in the driver's seat for all the action. I thought at first this was going to be challenging, that I wouldn't like it, but I quickly fell into the rhythm of the story being told. It was engaging and fast paced, as if the author knew this story was going to be a short one and he wanted to fit everything in.

It was strange and beautiful and angry and soft - all the things I want in a story in just the right amounts. At face value it's a revenge story but at it's heart this is a story about what it means to love someone for who they are at their very core, regardless of their physical body (or in Sable's case her lack thereof). For a slim volume, this book packs in a lot of emotion and queerness - including characters exploring their gender identity and sexuality. This is a story about two characters who really see one another, flaws and all, and show that to be loved is to be known.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Seth Haddon for sending this over to me on NetGalley.

The audiobook was really wonderful. The narrator killed it.

This sci-fi novella was such a good time. I listened to the audio and the narrator did a fantastic job I was immediately immersed into the story. This book follows Wylla a transgender scavenger and HAWK rather sentient helmet she comes into possession of. I’ve seen this story compared to Gideon the Ninth and I would definitely agree, they have very similar vibes. This book was action packed and I really loved how bloodthirsty HAWK was at times. I’m very excited for the second half of this story!

Science fiction novella with queer protagonists told in second person. What more do I need to say?

I love a good sci-fi/fantasy novella and this one is no different. I think the second person narrative fits the story that is being told. I listened to the audiobook for this one. The narrator does a fantastic job bringing the story to life. The audiobook format lends perfectly to the story. I am definitely interested in reading more from the author!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio!

This is half of a potentially really good book. I enjoyed the setup, the characters, the world, and then it just... ended. There's a sequel coming but I can't imagine why the two books weren't just combined into one. As it is, this doesn't feel at all like a complete experience.

Volatile Memory was an amazing female revenge story that also focused on identity and gender experience. This story held my interest and I found it unique and riveting. I listened to it all in one sitting because I had to know what happened. The narrator really added to the experience, her voice acting was smooth and switched between characters gracefully. This is a unique sci-fi experience that had just enough worldbuilding to be interesting without being overwhelming.

Volatile Memory is a compelling sci-fi novella with a fresh and unique concept. This novella follows Wylla, a scavenger who discovers an artefact that is more than it initially appears to be. This item plays a prominent role throughout the story and the interaction with Wylla is interesting and thought provoking.

Because this is told in second person, I connected with the story right away. The beginning is action packed and the tension stays pretty high throughout. This was a surprisingly fun read and the revenge plot was great.

Emily Gibbons Bouchard's narration is done wonderfully.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good revenge story with a female and/or queer protagonist., so I was confident I would be interested in Volatile Memory. The uniqueness of the second-person narration did sometimes pull me out of the story, but as I acclimated, it felt urgent and intimate. It was a great and unusual story, and reminded me of Murderbot and Victorian Psycho by turns.

Unfortunately I think I'm a bigger fan of Seth Haddon's fantasy novels than his sci-fi. But then, I'm more of a fantasy fan in general. While there are some exciting moments at the beginning and the use of second person is intriguing, it took me way too long to read, especially given how short it is. The audiobook is definitely the way to go since that's the only way I finished this book.

Wylla thinks she's made the discovery of a lifetime when she uncovers a valuable HAWK mask. But there is far more to this mask than meets the eye...

solid narration and interesting themes (especially rn with the rise of ai) but i never felt fully connected or immersed in this world. it’s told entirely in second person which didn’t deter me and YET something still didn’t make me “care” for lack of a better word. but this could also be due to the fact that it’s a novella? and if the world had been explored more i wouldn’t be confused potentially. i did however read this for the sapphics in space- this had gideon the ninth and this is how you lose the time war comps!!

Volatile Memory by Seth Haddon is a powerful and poignant sci-fi novella that completely drew me in. Set in a gritty, tech-saturated world where people use masks to enhance their abilities, this story was both refreshingly unique and deeply thought-provoking.

At its core, this is a story about identity—about learning to know and accept yourself in a society built on rigid class systems, conformity, and corruption. It explores themes of transphobia and queerness with such care and depth, and the queer romance at the heart of it all was beautifully done.

I’m always here for stories with feminine rage and vengeance, and Volatile Memory delivers that in spades. It’s the kind of book that lingers in your mind long after the final page. I’ll be thinking about this one for a while.

I recently Received the ALC from Macmillan audio. I absolutely loved the narration of this book! The narrator really brought the characters alive! I enjoyed listening to this book. It’s a quick listen because it’s a short book and I did it in one day! So good. I highly recommend doing immersion reading in this one.

Highly recommend picking this one up when it releases in July! Huge thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the gifted ARC.

Thank you to NetGally and MacMillian audio for an early copy of this audiobook title in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I need more of weird sci fi and this definitely scratches that itch in the best way. I have seen comparisons to This is How You Lose the Time War and I get it in that the tone is very similar (albeit not the content). This is very lyrically written but it’s a beautiful story about society and the masks we were for it and sometimes ourselves. I think this book is better served going into it with as little info as possible. It’s a quick read and well done for a novella.

This is in second person POV (which means you are the main character). It’s not used too much in mainstream titles and it took a little getting used to. But honestly it really does work for this story, it made it more intimate and a unique experience.

The audiobook narrator does a fantastic job with all the characters and is really expressive. Really recommend this title on audiobook if you can.

4 stars

This genre is out of my typical TBR, but I was curious after reading the synopsis. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this.

To me, this felt very fresh, weirdly timely, and nicely developed considering that it's a novella.

I'll be looking forward to the complementary text in this duology.