A review by the_ya_book_talk
Last Memoria by Rachel Emma Shaw
5.0
Sarilla and her family are forced by the king to steal people's memories. She hates her ability, so she and her family plot their escape. However, she gets separated from her brother and runs into Falon, a man in search of the months worth of memories stolen from him. When he comes across Sarilla, he decides that she will aid him in his quest regardless of her opinion on the subject. All Falon wants is to take back what he lost, desperate to understand why his partner is acting so strange. The pair, along with Falon's partner and their friend, start their dangerous venture.
Keep in mind that everyone has their own opinion. This review is only my opinion, and you may have your own, different one. I would take into consideration what I say, but do not make a decision about the book solely based off of this review. Additionally, the author sent me this e-book as a free review copy; however, this did not influence my review. This is 100% my honest opinion. Let's begin:
Rachel Emma Shaw may be a relatively small author right now, but I have no doubts that she will become extremely popular, possibly with this duology. Considering this was my first reviewer copy, I was extremely excited. Then, after reading the description, I was even more enthusiastic. I was not let down with it. There was some room for improvement, as there is with everything, but I really enjoyed reading the book.
The book is split into two parts. The first part is from Sarilla's point of view, while the second is from Falon's. I think this was a very good idea because I was certainly curious to see into Falon's head in the first half, so the second part fulfilled my wish. It gives you a much greater understanding of Falon as a character, and I found I was able to empathize with him a lot more than I would have been able to if the story was only told by Sarilla. There are also small italicized sections in the book in which the perspective is not specifically stated, though you are able to figure it out easily. These sections were especially cool because they made me question my feelings about Sarilla. This gave the book something extra because I was never sure about anything, even if Sarilla was good or not.
There were a few character deaths (I will not give specifics so as to avoid spoilers) that I had a hard time feeling upset about when the names were revealed. There were two redeeming things about this, though. First, I do not think they were necessarily supposed to upset readers a ton. I believe they were more vital in moving the plot along and forcing one of the main characters to grow. Second, the main character these deaths affected the most did make me feel sad about the deaths. The struggle the character was going through afterwards was depicted so well that it is nearly impossible not to sympathize or just feel something in general.
Both Falon's and Sarilla's internall struggles were done extremely well. I was able to connect to them in ways that I normally do not with characters because they were very real. Yes, nobody in real life has the ability to steal people's memories. Yes, this is a fictional book, so many things in it are not real. However, there are many real struggles the characters face that many readers will be able to empathize with. This adds a lot to the book and makes it stand out.
The plot as a whole was really cool and unique. I, personally, have never read anything like this. That definitely helped me enjoy it more. It may not be for everyone because it is a very dark book. This is not hidden in any way, even in its advertising. I found that I loved the darkness. Similar to the realness in the characters, the darkness was very real. Dark concepts, emotions, and situations depicted throughout the book are things people experience in everyday life. The author did not try to shy away from these harsh realities out of fear for how they would be received. I give her high props for this, especially as a newer author. This was also done very well. It was done sensitively in a way, but also did not try to dim down the truth of the darkness.
There was very good character development in all of the characters, major and minor. This was especially true for Cedral. I felt many emotions towards Falon's partner during the book, but it was because he kept growing. It was a love-hate relationship in the best of ways with this character, and I absolutely loved it.
There was a fantastic twist to the story towards the last quarter of the book, another thing I loved. I also appreciated how the outcome was hinted at from the very start. It was fun to look back after reading and piece together the little clues leading to the twist. It was done in a subtle way so that readers cannot figure it out when initially reading, but could understand how the ending turned out the way it did afterwards.
If you are like me, you may be confused a bit while reading. This was slightly vexing, but after I thought about it, I understand it better. You are missing a lot of background for much of the book, almost as if you were tossed into the middle of something without explanation of how you I got there. However, I believe this actually immerses you better into the book and helps you understand what the characters are going through better. Falon has lost six months of memories, so he does not know any of the background himself, and Sarilla is constantly falling in and out of memories and the present, sometimes confused as to which she is in. Therefore, it is only fitting that you be as confused as the characters, especially since the story is done from their perspectives and not from a third person point of view. It turned out to be a very nice immersion addition.
I wish there was slightly more description of the characters. I found I had a slightly difficult time visualizing them, except for Sarilla. I guess this would be a preference, though, because some readers like to create the characters' appearance themselves. Everything else had good description.
I would not recommend anyone younger than the YA genre intended age range read this. This is only because of some sexual references and settings in the book. There are also a couple of scenes that are graphic in the violence and gore area. This, of course, depends on what parents are comfortable exposing their children to at different ages, but I recommend no one younger than maybe 12 or 13 reading. It is a great read though for when children reach the appropriate age. Also, keep in mind that it is a YA book, a genre that is intended for people ages 12-18, so it was not written for people younger than that. It is fine for its target audience. I only wanted to include this warning as a precaution because I know that I read YA books before I was in that age range.
The next couple of things are not criticisms nor do they take away from the book. They are merely a couple of recommendations that would be cool for the second book in my opinion. I would love to see a family tree for Sarilla. She has such a fascinating family storyline that it would be fun to be able to see her family tree laid out. I would also absolutely love to see more of Havric. He was such a great character, and I adored the scenes that he was in. I would definitely want even more of Havric, especially because I have a couple of theories about him and his future that I want to see maybe happen. While this is not a recommendation for the second book, it is still something I think would be very enjoyable for readers. I would really enjoy a prequel. We do learn more background towards the end of the book, and it is enough to understand everything that happened; however, I am still interested in learning more and think it would make for another great book.
Overall, this was a really great read. I am very very excited for the second book to be released. I also subscribed to Rachel Emma Shaw's newsletter because I want to get all of the inside information and updates. I highly recommend getting this book.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Author: Rachel Emma Shaw
# of Pages: 320
Genre: YA, Dark Fantasy, Thriller
Series: Memoria Duology
Keep in mind that everyone has their own opinion. This review is only my opinion, and you may have your own, different one. I would take into consideration what I say, but do not make a decision about the book solely based off of this review. Additionally, the author sent me this e-book as a free review copy; however, this did not influence my review. This is 100% my honest opinion. Let's begin:
Rachel Emma Shaw may be a relatively small author right now, but I have no doubts that she will become extremely popular, possibly with this duology. Considering this was my first reviewer copy, I was extremely excited. Then, after reading the description, I was even more enthusiastic. I was not let down with it. There was some room for improvement, as there is with everything, but I really enjoyed reading the book.
The book is split into two parts. The first part is from Sarilla's point of view, while the second is from Falon's. I think this was a very good idea because I was certainly curious to see into Falon's head in the first half, so the second part fulfilled my wish. It gives you a much greater understanding of Falon as a character, and I found I was able to empathize with him a lot more than I would have been able to if the story was only told by Sarilla. There are also small italicized sections in the book in which the perspective is not specifically stated, though you are able to figure it out easily. These sections were especially cool because they made me question my feelings about Sarilla. This gave the book something extra because I was never sure about anything, even if Sarilla was good or not.
There were a few character deaths (I will not give specifics so as to avoid spoilers) that I had a hard time feeling upset about when the names were revealed. There were two redeeming things about this, though. First, I do not think they were necessarily supposed to upset readers a ton. I believe they were more vital in moving the plot along and forcing one of the main characters to grow. Second, the main character these deaths affected the most did make me feel sad about the deaths. The struggle the character was going through afterwards was depicted so well that it is nearly impossible not to sympathize or just feel something in general.
Both Falon's and Sarilla's internall struggles were done extremely well. I was able to connect to them in ways that I normally do not with characters because they were very real. Yes, nobody in real life has the ability to steal people's memories. Yes, this is a fictional book, so many things in it are not real. However, there are many real struggles the characters face that many readers will be able to empathize with. This adds a lot to the book and makes it stand out.
The plot as a whole was really cool and unique. I, personally, have never read anything like this. That definitely helped me enjoy it more. It may not be for everyone because it is a very dark book. This is not hidden in any way, even in its advertising. I found that I loved the darkness. Similar to the realness in the characters, the darkness was very real. Dark concepts, emotions, and situations depicted throughout the book are things people experience in everyday life. The author did not try to shy away from these harsh realities out of fear for how they would be received. I give her high props for this, especially as a newer author. This was also done very well. It was done sensitively in a way, but also did not try to dim down the truth of the darkness.
There was very good character development in all of the characters, major and minor. This was especially true for Cedral. I felt many emotions towards Falon's partner during the book, but it was because he kept growing. It was a love-hate relationship in the best of ways with this character, and I absolutely loved it.
There was a fantastic twist to the story towards the last quarter of the book, another thing I loved. I also appreciated how the outcome was hinted at from the very start. It was fun to look back after reading and piece together the little clues leading to the twist. It was done in a subtle way so that readers cannot figure it out when initially reading, but could understand how the ending turned out the way it did afterwards.
If you are like me, you may be confused a bit while reading. This was slightly vexing, but after I thought about it, I understand it better. You are missing a lot of background for much of the book, almost as if you were tossed into the middle of something without explanation of how you I got there. However, I believe this actually immerses you better into the book and helps you understand what the characters are going through better. Falon has lost six months of memories, so he does not know any of the background himself, and Sarilla is constantly falling in and out of memories and the present, sometimes confused as to which she is in. Therefore, it is only fitting that you be as confused as the characters, especially since the story is done from their perspectives and not from a third person point of view. It turned out to be a very nice immersion addition.
I wish there was slightly more description of the characters. I found I had a slightly difficult time visualizing them, except for Sarilla. I guess this would be a preference, though, because some readers like to create the characters' appearance themselves. Everything else had good description.
I would not recommend anyone younger than the YA genre intended age range read this. This is only because of some sexual references and settings in the book. There are also a couple of scenes that are graphic in the violence and gore area. This, of course, depends on what parents are comfortable exposing their children to at different ages, but I recommend no one younger than maybe 12 or 13 reading. It is a great read though for when children reach the appropriate age. Also, keep in mind that it is a YA book, a genre that is intended for people ages 12-18, so it was not written for people younger than that. It is fine for its target audience. I only wanted to include this warning as a precaution because I know that I read YA books before I was in that age range.
The next couple of things are not criticisms nor do they take away from the book. They are merely a couple of recommendations that would be cool for the second book in my opinion. I would love to see a family tree for Sarilla. She has such a fascinating family storyline that it would be fun to be able to see her family tree laid out. I would also absolutely love to see more of Havric. He was such a great character, and I adored the scenes that he was in. I would definitely want even more of Havric, especially because I have a couple of theories about him and his future that I want to see maybe happen. While this is not a recommendation for the second book, it is still something I think would be very enjoyable for readers. I would really enjoy a prequel. We do learn more background towards the end of the book, and it is enough to understand everything that happened; however, I am still interested in learning more and think it would make for another great book.
Overall, this was a really great read. I am very very excited for the second book to be released. I also subscribed to Rachel Emma Shaw's newsletter because I want to get all of the inside information and updates. I highly recommend getting this book.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Author: Rachel Emma Shaw
# of Pages: 320
Genre: YA, Dark Fantasy, Thriller
Series: Memoria Duology