The file formatting made the book illegible. As that is no fault of the book's content, I'll rate a neutral 3 stars.

I really enjoyed this read. It was an easy and quick read for me. When I first looked into this book I thought it was going to be an intense action heist book. This was not the case. If that’s what you were expecting as well, you will be very disappointed. That being said, I was not however disappointed in this book. It is an amazing book about finding what truly makes up who someone is. It is about learning to forgive yourself and trust in others. This is a book about family, friendship, sacrifice and regret. All of this is set in world in which memories can be forcibly removed and then given to the highest bidder. The author does a really good job of humanizing her characters. Her characters are flawed in a relatable way.

If you are looking for a book with high action I would recommend looking elsewhere. But if you are looking for a book with great characters and a great story, then this is the book for you!

Thank you to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Memory Thief was an okay read. I was way more excited to dive into it before I actually did. Then, I definitely forgot about the book and ya know - diving into it. Luckily for me, I finally realized I was way behind on reading my ARCs. It happens but I'm slowly catching up on those bad boys.

Back to this book, in it you will meet Etta. I actually really liked her which was surprising. Instantly I was sucked into the whole memory auction. Sounded painful and it look pretty painful as well. Then there was the playful, and very enjoyable, banter between Reid and Etta. Their friendship gave me hope because they were each other's ride or dies basically.

Enter the romance, it was cute. I liked them together but didn't know how things were going to pan out once some secrets It wasn't even like their own secrets because Etta was pretty forthcoming about hers at one point in this book. No, it was EVERYONE's secret - this book had so many. Everyone was hiding the truth at one point which just kept giving me whiplash.

Whiplash that I enjoyed.

Overall, the ending was kind of meh and was expecting something a bit better. Still enjoyed it though

The book had fun banter and some fun adventure, but it felt rushed and felt like there was room for less of a straightforward story.

I adore the idea of a society where currency is based on something other than actual money, so hearing about one where the entire place runs on traded memories was very interesting to me. Just imagine being able to learn any skill if you could only buy the memory of having known it? You could potentially have limitless talents and skills, and it would be an incredible fulfilling life... right? Maybe not. I loved how this one kept me on my toes throughout, and although I liked the way it ended, up I wish there were even more!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this review copy of The Memory Thief by Lauren Mansy.
First off let me say the cover is beautiful. It gives this fantasy novel a timeless feel and they did a beautiful job.
I also thought the memory part was a very unique magic building concept and there was a lot of effort put in there. I wish there was more world building and scenery explanation. This area felt weak and made the plot feel like it was lacking texture. I also felt during most of the book like I “missed something” and wondered if I was reading a sequel. It made it difficult to connect to the characters and invest in Etta’s journey. There was also a lack of chemistry and connection between all of the characters.
I give this one three stars just based on cover, magic building and the dialogue/sentence structure;

The concept of this book is super interesting with the currency of the world being memories and I wanted to see where the author would take that. With the character Etta and her gift to steal memories being treated as both a way for thievery or as a way to help those around her ease their suffering I really enjoyed that outlooks. The other characters didn't feel as well thought out as Etta which is why I'm not giving this book a five star rating!

I’ve had this e-ARC for forever and every time I tried to start it I just couldn’t get past the first few paragraphs because I was never in the right mood. BUT FINALLY, I managed to pick it up and it was actually really intriguing! It didn’t blow me away, but I loved the idea and the world Lauren Mansy created!

I really loved the idea of memory as currency and the whole black market behind it. It was really interesting to see the dark sides to having this kind of power, and it added an interesting layer to the characters. There was a whole new kind of moral to delve into (if that makes sense) and I think the idea of “are you really you if your memories aren’t all yours” was done really well.

Etta was a really interesting character, especially because she is the one character whose memories cannot be stolen and yet she is still somewhat unreliable. I really liked that I didn’t know exactly whether to trust her mind, so that made this really cool to read.

However, I didn’t really connect to the characters all too much. The romance didn’t feel as developed as I feel it could have been. I definitely would have enjoyed it more if there had been a bit more tension and maybe more depth to the characters. However, this book was more “plot based”–at least it felt like it– and so what was less in the character department was made up for in the events happening. I had no idea where the plot was actually going to go, and was surprised at some of the turns it took… but the pacing for the story was a bit strange.

I felt like I was being thrown into different twists but had no idea how I got there. I don’t know if that was because I was reading right before bed and maybe I was really tired or because the writing felt sort of rushed at times. Things were happening and I didn’t really know how the things began. However, I still enjoyed reading it? It was strangely addicting and I needed to know what happened and why things were happening.

Overall, it was good but not mind blowing or amazing.

I would recommend this to anyone who likes to dive into others memories, interesting dystopian worlds, a not completely reliable narrator, blackmail and deceit, rebels and power hungry villains, and a story where not everything is as it seems.

“My heartbeat rushes to my ears as I rip it open. This is no lottery ticket. It’s my mother’s Notice of Auction.”
Etta lives in the city of Craewick, where under the rule of tyrannical leader Madame, memories are stolen through touch and traded on the auction block. Etta lives with the guilt of an accident that left her mother in a coma and her friend dead, but when Madame threatens to put her mother on the auction block, Etta is forced to rejoin the Shadows. The Shadows are a group of Robin Hood esque thieves who steal memories from the rich for the poor, but since Etta gave up the location of their leader she hasn’t been in touch with them. Will Etta save her mother and rejoin the shadows? What other secrets lurk just below the surface?

I like Etta’s character, she is very flawed but she does her best to work through her setbacks. She is one of the “Gifted” and her biggest struggle is her gift. She tells the reader,

“Whenever I touched someone, I’d accidentally steal what most were trying hard to forget.”
This was the most interesting piece of the story. Those who were “Gifted” were not only able to steal happy memories to sell, but they could accidentally steal sad or terrifying memories. This is something that weighs heavy on Etta’s mind. I liked how the gift could be used for gain, but could also be a burden.

The overall tone of this story is very hopeful. Etta never loses hope, and although she can’t see herself as a hero, everyone else sees her as one. This book keeps that tone even in the darkest of plot points, it has a purpose and a message and it sticks to it. My favorite quote from the book is this,

“Remember, child, being brave doesn’t mean you aren’t afraid of anything. Just that the fear doesn’t stop you from fighting for something you believe in.”
That is such a great quote, and I think I will keep it written down with all my other favorite quotes.

The villain created in this story reminds me of The Evil Queen from the show Once Upon a Time, she is power-hungry and nothing will stand in her way. She has an aura that bleeds black and exudes strength. I liked her as a villain although she didn’t feel entirely unique.

I do feel like this books pacing is way too fast. The love story unravels at an unrealistic speed and they bounce from location to location so quickly it’s like we’re in fast forward. This story could have easily been 100 pages longer with more in-depth character development and plot thickening. Unfortunately, some of the characters come off like cookie-cutter characters. They are only there to advance the plot and have no real contributions to the story. We don’t know anything about them and they just stand in the background.

My second complaint is that this story has a turning point where it seems like everything is going to flip on its head and have an extremely good plot twist, but then it just doesn’t. The author set up this magnificent, nothing is as it seems moment, but then cops out to keep the plot on the same straight-forward course. In my opinion, flipping the story on its head right there would have made a better book. Instead, we get a semi-predictable storyline and I’m left wondering what could have been.

This novel is relatively short, only took about three hours to read, and with the content it contains, it only earns a 3/5 stars. This novel could have been much more but in the end settled for the easy road.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me access to this book, along with Blink publishing.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read and review this title. I will review this title at a different date.

I’m taking the advice of some friends who have read the book, and marking this as unread and a “simply lost interest.” I am usually hit or miss with fantasy and if I had read this when the mood had struck, I might have loved it (maybe... so many friends have read it and made it seem like I dodged a bullet).

I really enjoyed this read! AMAZING. Thank you so much for the opportunity. This book came for my emotions every second. I really thought I knew what was going to happen but I got hit with surprise after surprise! I loved the characters and the world build, and story arc! I cannot wait for more to come from this author!

I wanted to like this book more than I actually did. It has an interesting concept but needed more even writing to build it.

DNF at around chapter 4.

The concept behind this book - memory as currency and an entire world of magic users based around memory - is an interesting one, and the author sets out to do a very difficult and ambitious thing.

Unfortunately it's not quite clicking for me, as there's both too much and too little exposition. There's also just a lot to keep track of generally, and I'm just not buying aspects of the worldbuilding.

I have tried to read this a few times since I requested it but unfortunately I have discovered that this book just isn't for me. The protagonist seems to change personalities as needed to make a scene work whether it makes sense or not and the plot feels very slap-dash, jumping from one scene to the next with little care. Unfortunately marking this one as a DNF at around 25%.

The concept was interesting, a world where memories are a currency that can be transferred or stolen from a person. It makes some good plot twists. I loved the character banter between Reid and Etta. Though I did enjoy The Memory Thief it was a bit slow for me.

The concept and bones of this world and story are amazing; sadly they haven’t been given the space to transpire, breathe and sink in for the reader. I feel like there is a trilogy or at least 1000 page epic story here; and it’s been ruined by being chopped down or rushed into ~300 pages, one POV, and for a broad audience; instead of the darker feel I hoped for from the blurb.

Convenience
Unfortunately Lauren Mansy has made a critical error. One of my number one pet peeves in writing is convenience or too much luck. Our leading gal sure seems to know everyone in the realm and they are always super nice to her and helpful. Is there not one person (besides our clear bad guys) that lives in this land that isn't all for her?
What's worse is that I would expect in a world where memories are sold to the highest bidder (and lost to the original person forever) that you'd forget lots of people over the years because you sold all their memories or the memory of what their name is, where they are from, etc.

Timeline
If anyone has a timeline of the events during The Memory Thief I'd love to see it. To me as the reader I thought only a couple days passed by. Yet there are multiple comments made by our first person leading lady about how she felt someone had "changed so much" since she last saw them or something had evolved or grown which really confused me. I'd love to really know how much time actually passes from the beginning through each event to the end.

Rushed
There is so much that could have been explored here inside this unique construct of a world. But within ~300 pages and so much plot it's just not possible to do the story or characters justice. I wish this was a trilogy, with a broader arc, more opportunity to explore the memory situations created, and a lot more time for our characters to live, learn, and grow.

Overall
I just wanted a lot more from a book with such a great idea/concept (and beautiful cover). I know The Memory Thief is Mansy's debut novel and so I would consider reading another of her future books. I really hope that she takes the time (and her publisher allows her) to really explore her ideas and characters further. Mansy is young and so I have great hopes for her abilities to grow and become a solid addition to the YA fantasy (or adult fantasy) genre.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

3.5 Stars.

In Craewick memories are currency. Those who are gifted can take the memories of other through nothing but a touch, those without gifts will use their memories to get further in life. Madame who rules the city has created created a city divided making it hard for anyone to get further ahead, particularly those who are ungifted. Etta wants nothing more to live unnoticed, but when she gets a notice that her mom is going to be put up for auction, a practice where 'criminals' memories are auctioned off the highest bidder before they are killed. She decides she will do anything to save her mom. Even if that means going back to the Shadows, something she swore she would never do. Now she must memorize the map of the 'maze' a prison that is suppose to be impenetrable created by the cruel leader from the neighbouring city. She will do anything to prove her loyalty to the Shadows and save her mom.

Lauren Mansy's world was large. I will admit to being a little confused at times. While Etta was very well developed and those closely linked to her were also fairly close to her were well developed I felt that the story could have benefitted from a few less characters or a little more development for those that they were mentioning. I was often confused by the names they were saying because I wasn't quite sure who they were. This got better as the story went on as things became a little clearer. The world was well developed though and I loved how it all came together. I think these problems could have been solved by a little bit of a longer book. The idea as memories as currency is one I have seen before but not done this way and I liked it quite a bit. I enjoyed the different ways the gifts could work. It was interesting to see the physical attributes coming out in some, and how others had variants. I would even be interested in reading a sequel where you learned more about different gifts. Etta was my favourite character by far and this was likely because she was so well developed, if other characters had that much development they likely could have been up there as well.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys young adult fantasy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the eArc all opinions and reviews are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Memory Thief is an amazing book, truly. The summary caught my attention right away. The coverart is beautiful & eye-catching. The characters are well-developed, easy to like... and so very interesting. The author has a fantastic writing style and a gift with words. I felt like I was living IN that world with them!

You won't regret reading this book, I promise.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. A full review will be posted on Amazon and Goodreads