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angieinbooks's review against another edition
3.5
I'm trying to balance my own feelings about this novel with what a teenaged version of myself might have felt. Because I have a feeling the adult reader in me is reacting appropriately for my age when adult me is not the intended audience. But since I grew up before anyone, but especially not a major publisher, would touch sapphic stories, I will read YA novels that do. The problem with that, of course, is I can't escape that fact I am no longer a teenager with a teenager's brain.
Okay, so for the positives first. I enjoyed reading this book and read it very quickly. I hated when I had to put it down because I wanted to know what would happen and what had happened in the two years Stevie couldn't remember. So kudos to Alyson Derrick for writing a story that I wanted to read and keep reading.
Where the book loses me a bit are things that maybe couldn't be helped given the fact that this is both a YA novel and an amnesia story.
First, Stevie and Nora’s love is super intense--scarily so. I know this is typical of teenagers and first loves. I remember being a teenager in love and how obsessive that love was. But the codependence between these characters really made me uncomfortable. They're 18 years old and are making very adult decisions based on the intensity of their love. This may be surprising from me since my favourite novel that isn't Pride and Prejudice is Her Name in the Sky , which also features an intense love story between 17/18 year-olds, but in Her Name in the Sky, that love is earned again and again throughout the book. Because of the amnesia element, i.e. because Stevie can't remember anything, the reader can't see why their love is so intense. They seem to be more trauma bonded than anything else.
Second, I know not knowing is a central tenet of the amnesia trope, but I get annoyed when I'm strung along for too long. It's one thing for Stevie not to know what's going on; it's another for the reader not to. We get partial glimpses from Nora's journals, of course, but in regards to the drama with Stevie's parents--especially her mother--it went on too long, especially since I'd already guessed what the point of friction was early on.
And then there was the ending... I can't say much because it's a bit of a spoiler, but if Derrick wanted to go there with the ending, it needed to be a bit longer. Or she needed to give us an epilogue.
3.5 stars - Ultimately, I would recommend this book, but it didn't entirely work for me.
Okay, so for the positives first. I enjoyed reading this book and read it very quickly. I hated when I had to put it down because I wanted to know what would happen and what had happened in the two years Stevie couldn't remember. So kudos to Alyson Derrick for writing a story that I wanted to read and keep reading.
Where the book loses me a bit are things that maybe couldn't be helped given the fact that this is both a YA novel and an amnesia story.
First, Stevie and Nora’s love is super intense--scarily so. I know this is typical of teenagers and first loves. I remember being a teenager in love and how obsessive that love was. But the codependence between these characters really made me uncomfortable. They're 18 years old and are making very adult decisions based on the intensity of their love. This may be surprising from me since my favourite novel that isn't Pride and Prejudice is Her Name in the Sky , which also features an intense love story between 17/18 year-olds, but in Her Name in the Sky, that love is earned again and again throughout the book. Because of the amnesia element, i.e. because Stevie can't remember anything, the reader can't see why their love is so intense. They seem to be more trauma bonded than anything else.
Second, I know not knowing is a central tenet of the amnesia trope, but I get annoyed when I'm strung along for too long. It's one thing for Stevie not to know what's going on; it's another for the reader not to. We get partial glimpses from Nora's journals, of course, but in regards to the drama with Stevie's parents--especially her mother--it went on too long, especially since I'd already guessed what the point of friction was early on.
And then there was the ending... I can't say much because it's a bit of a spoiler, but if Derrick wanted to go there with the ending, it needed to be a bit longer. Or she needed to give us an epilogue.
3.5 stars - Ultimately, I would recommend this book, but it didn't entirely work for me.
nicolemalia's review against another edition
4.0
Forget Me Not was an easy read while still keeping me interested in every page. Losing your memory of the person you love, but also your memory of your sexuality is a double whammy. Stevie going back in, clueless and with no memory of pivotal points in her life was enthralling. 4.5/5 stars ⭐️
lo_xoxo's review against another edition
4.0
This book is for every queer person who has lived in a small town & has loved anyone literally ever
sofiaserge's review against another edition
3.0
new fear unlocked: getting amnesia and thinking i'm straight
highjumper18's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
christieps's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
fangirl325's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kanncarlson's review against another edition
3.0
This was fine. I remember feeling similarly to the author's other book, She Gets the Girl. Nice sapphic stories that I wish I could have read as a young person. This story follows Stevie--a girl on the cusp of high school graduation who is secretly in love with another girl in her hometown where that would not be accepted. They have plans for the future that are ruined one day when Stevie has an accident and loses her memory. I found that the most interesting part of the book.... How Stevie is going to tackle getting her memory back when the most significant part of her life has been secret from everyone else important in it for the last several years. This book was fine and would probably have been a home run for high school me and likely will be for many other young folks. I'm glad books like this exist.
1shoe34's review against another edition
3.0
a little underpolished but very sweet book i knew what was going to happen the whole time and it still had me tearing up