This book was ambitious. At no point did i know where we were going. I think if you're looking for something YA but very unique, this is the book for you. But at the same time I found myself pretty bored by the characters themselves. I wanted to care about them more, not just be interested in what was happening.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

Vera loves her family and her three siblings. All of a sudden she only has two siblings and her whole family feels like something is missing. This keeps happening with the people she knows and then doesn’t remember. The mystery is the best part of this book. People are being erased from memories and the only proof is a sad underlying feeling. Vera goes through many theories before the truth is found out. Then, all she has to do is put a stop to it and reverse everything. No problem! ;). Interesting and unique story about how important the people we care about are in our lives, 4 stars!

The Forgotten Memories of Vera Glass is an intriguing magical realism story. The world is almost as ordinary as ours, except everyone is gifted with a touch of magic. When Vera can't shake the feeling she is forgetting something, she realizes she isn't the only one. She and her best friend Riven work together to figure out what is causing the forgetting, someones magic? or something bigger? How do you find something you can't even remember?

I loved this concept! I haven't read much magical realism before this so it was very fun! The story wasn't weekend by a lot of info-dumping to explain the way the magic system works, as the author took a more casual approach. The way there forgetting was portrayed was slightly confusing at first but it made it a whirlwind to read and wonder what would be lost next! I really liked the characters, since there was a small cast it limited the scope of my predictions for the ending though. The ending had me tearing up and I really appreciated how the magic and mystery became a conversation about grief and remembrance.

I always love Anna's books and this one was no exception! It had a different vibe than her previous two, and I was so excited to see how her writing would translate to this type of story. I had a blast with it! Can we also talk about the stunning colour palette of that cover? Stunning!

2.5 stars

Set in Canada, magic/science storyline and inspired by Doctor Who thought I would love it but no.
I am a Whovian, and I have been for many years, but even I know when things need to stop. There was far too many Doctor Who references in this book, and I was not too fond of the religious undertone and sometimes the full-on tone of this book. On the other hand, the writing and pacing were simple, and it was easy to skim the story and understand it (Which I see as both good and bad.)

On a positive note, the story idea was fascinating, and the world was full of minor magic/abilities. It really could have been something compelling, but the simple way was also w=very interesting to read.

Interesting and complex, a great mix of science fiction and magical realism that left me intrigued and confused (in a good way!) through most of the book.

Vera knows that she has forgotten something extremely important. She finds herself crying over things that make no sense, and she feels a deep sense of loss that she can't explain. Vera sets out to find what she has lost, with a group of her closest friends, only to find that it is really hard to find something when you don't know what's missing.

The Forgotten Memories of Vera Glass is a heart wrenching book that explores loss in a way that I would have never expected. The plot is not something that I have read before. The author did an amazing job construing the deep emotions that the characters were feeling, and the sense of loss that they could not explain. It was such an interesting story, and when the pieces started coming together I was really surprised to find out what was really going on. I also appreciated how the memory loss was so well written. I'd be reading about a character and a few sentences later they'd be gone so unexpectedly that I would have to go back and check to see when they were mentioned last.

One thing that seemed a little odd to me was the stereotypical "witches" that were written into the story. I am not sure if it was an author bias, a main character bias, or if there was supposed to be a deeper meaning behind it, but I never felt like I really understood what all of that was about. There were some other pieces of the story that I did not feel were fully fleshed out that I thought should have either been explored further or left out of the story. There were times when things slowed down a little too much, but I was invested enough in the story to keep reading anyway.

Overall, this was a nice, quick read with a different plot than I have ever read before. It did not feel like I was rereading a book I'd already read, and I definitely will not have trouble distinguishing the plot or the characters with other books that I have read.

Hi, friends & Happy Wednesday! Coming at you today with another book review as I wait for my 🐱 to come home from her spay. It’s a rather exciting book today, because it’s from @annapriemaza who’s from Edmonton (the closest city to me)! #TheForgottenMemoriesOfVeraGlass follows 10th grader Vera as she notices more & more empty voids in her life that become heavier & sadder, but she can’t quite put her finger on what or who is missing from her life. This book has elements of contemporary, thriller, and Sci Fi novels. Thank you to @abramskids for an egalley copy to review! I ended up giving this 4/5⭐️ as I flew through it in one sitting and is not like many other books I’ve written. I think the storytelling was the strongest element of Vera Glass, especially the author’s ability to keep building the intrigue and confusion that kept me guessing until the final chapters. The way she tells the story from Vera’s perspective while intertwining the magic at the heart of the story while confusing, was perfect for immersing me in the mystery and story alongside Vera. There are a lot of Dr. Who references throughout the story which I believe help build the atmosphere, but also may give away some elements of the mystery according to some reviewers who are Dr. Who fans. For reference, I no extremely little about the show but I was able to still enjoy the story and was so invested in the atmosphere and mystery. Because this novel is a mystery/thriller I don’t want to give away too much, but one last thing I wanted to touch on is the emotional writing and themes. Due to the nature of the mystery, themes of loss/grief are woven throughout the story. I could literally feel the heavy emotions of these characters as they’re trying to figure out who they’ve lost and desperately trying to fix it. As the reader we have a bigger perspective which makes these losses even more poignant. Please pick up this wonderful book & support this fantastic 🇨🇦 author!

The Forgotten Memories Of Vera Glass is an interesting mash up of sci-fi and magical realism, set in a high school in a world that parallels our own. The world feels exactly the same as the one I know, except everyone in this world has magic, called aptitudes, which can vary from being able to change colours to turning on lights.

The tension of not knowing if the start of a chapter would mean the sudden disappearance of a favourite character was a new, uncomfortable feeling which caused me to paused for a moment to prepare myself very often! I really grew attached to Vera, Al, Simon, Pete, Bolu and Riven. Watching each of them suddenly disappear from the world, not remembered by anyone but myself was jarring.

A couple of gripes I did have with the story, I felt that the Doctor Who references might have been too much. The idea of the plot is based on a Doctor Who episode, which I know as a huge fan of the show but there was a lot of discussion about the show and specific plot details which I loved, but I wondered if someone who had never seen the show would be confused.

Another problem I had was that I guessed exactly what was going on and the culprit within a few chapters, due to being a massive Buffy fan as well as Doctor Who. I am a massive nerd, just go with it. There's a specific character in the early season of Buffy which gave me the clue I needed to solved this mystery, strangely enough.

I came for the mystery, but I stayed for the wonderful friendship between Vera and her friends. I loved how diverse the friend group was, and how memorable every single character was - I was even able to remember their names, a feat I rarely achieve.

This is my idea of what’s just about a perfect, well-rounded young-adult fantasy novel. Not only is the subject matter pitched perfectly for the YA market, but the tone and character voices are spot-on as well. I found the whole book as heartbreaking as I did philosophical in its ethical and logical musings.

You can definitely see the influences of fantasy writers like C.S. Lewis and Phillip Pullman simultaneously in this work, which is an interesting juxtaposition. Vera, the female protagonist, strongly believes in God in a world where everyone has a magical aptitude, while she has many friends who are either ambivalent or even outright non-believers. There are also (as there is always) outliers in Vera’s high school who practice decentralized religions like witchcraft.

You can’t help but feel a little bit gutted yourself as Vera and her friends lose more and more memories (if one can call what is happening something as succinct as “memories”) as the book moves on. You feel the harsh sting and emptiness they feel at not knowing what’s gone, but knowing that something is gone just the same. The world just doesn’t feel the same anymore.

Ultimately, when you reach toward the end of the book, Vera’s normally endearing hobby of solving logic puzzles for fun turns into a moral and ethical quandary as she tries to figure out how to undo whatever has been done.

What I love about the end of this book is that it doesn’t tie everything up in a bow. Author Anna Priemaza could’ve gone that way: she could’ve chosen to go the happily-ever-after route and chosen to have us readers not taught a lesson. But I’m so glad she took on the challenge to actually put her foot down and lay out the implications for everyone regarding their morals, ethics, and the results of the demands and choices they made just before the end of the book. The book doesn’t end unhappily, but it doesn’t end on a sweet note, either. It’s like dark chocolate: deep, some sweetness, some happiness, but those bitter notes lingering on the back of your tongue.

i feel like one of the biggest issues in this book was that the magic system made zero sense at most parts. like, they would try to explain it, but i think in the end it would make this book be more confusing then it needed to be, for what it was about and all of that. and i think that so much of this book and the magic system was never explored, which i think is a really terrible thing to do when you are already inventing one, so you should at least use it.

another thing was that this book just was so slow. like, i feel like they were just not explained well and that it was so slow throughout this whole book. like, i think that a lot of this book took so much time to get so much happen and it was just kind of a mess. and i think that there was so much happening yet nothing at all. like, i think it could have been really cool if it had a plot that wasn't rushed, yet so slow.

but, i do think that it was cool that we could kind of see that the friendship vibe between the two of them. like, i think it was a cool way to kind of see that we got to see all of the different friendships from them and that they got to be in together. like, i think it was really cool that we got to see these different friendships and i think it was just really fun, since i think friendships are always something that i always love in books, especially YA.

Cover Story: Lost in the Woods

I get what this is going for — like there are bits of Vera that are missing — but it honestly looks more like she’s exposing her neck to vampires. The nondescript background could be an actual picture taken in Edmonton, but there’s no specificity and the cemetery’s only a minor setting. However, I do think this general idea could work, although I’d have Vera shown like she’s fading away from Thanos’ snap to more obviously represent the forgotten memories.

The Deal:

Something is very wrong, and Vera Glass doesn’t know why. But she feels it, though — like something is missing. Or maybe even someone. When she discovers that she’s not the only one who’s experiencing this phenomenon, Vera’s determined to figure out what’s happening. But how is she supposed to do that when she can’t even remember what she’s looking for?

BFF Charm: Yay

Yay BFF Charm
There’s a lot to love about Vera: she’s caring, kind, and super environmentally conscious. (Plus, she’s a Doctor Who nerd, which might be a bonus if that’s your fandom.) But she’s also not a flashy protagonist. For a girl who exists in a slightly magical world, she’s actually very grounded. Vera isn’t a Katniss; she’s the girl who reads about Katnisses, which means she’s probably more like the typical reader than any fantastical heroine. Still, Vera’s extraordinary in her own right, for her unwavering dedication to the people she loves, as well as her determination to solve a seemingly impossible problem. (It’d also be super convenient for us to hang out since we live in the same city!)

Swoonworthy Scale: 1

There’s only a tiny sliver of romance, which comes about in an unexpected way. But this is very much not a kissing book.

Talky Talk: Unsettling

This book quickly establishes the central problem and teaches its reader to pay attention to anything that might be amiss. There was even a moment that caught me off-guard and made me audibly gasp like a scandalized Victorian lady. (STAKES, there are plenty!) It’s the kind of book you’ll want to reread to catch all the details you missed or didn’t even realize were clues, which is also why I’m trying to reveal as little as possible so you can experience it yourself.

Bonus Factor: Aptitudes

Open book with moving pages in front of a glowing blue sphere and twinkle lights
Everyone in Vera’s world has a special ability known as an aptitude. It’s colloquially regarded as magic, even though it can be explained by science. Aptitudes can manifest as early as infancy, but there are only 72 different ones and they can vary widely, from perfect memory recall to sweetening magic. (It’s possible to get a dud, is what I’m saying.)

Bonus Factor: Knights and Knaves

Two knights in full armor spar with swords
Vera loves logic puzzles, as do I — in theory. In reality, they just tend to make my brain hurt.

Bonus Factor: Faith

Hands pressed together in prayer
Contrary to obnoxious and attention-seeking examples, it’s completely possible for science and faith to co-exist. The Glass family are Christians, with both parents working at the Aptitude Research Institute and the kids all named after notable scientists. Christianity isn’t synonymous with being close-minded, and Vera’s also well aware of the hypocrisy that exists when people aren’t exactly practicing what they preach.

Relationship Status: I Will Remember You

I went into this book with high hopes, and thankfully it delivered. It was riveting, exhilarating, and even a little heartbreaking. Safe to say, I won’t be forgetting it anytime soon.

This story was so utterly unique and entertaining! I am not quite sure what route I expected the book to take, but it wasn't what I ended up getting- but in the best possible way. Let's talk about what I loved, and what left me wanting a bit more.

What I Loved:

►I mean, the whole entire premise? What if someone you knew, someone you loved, maybe someone you shared DNA with, suddenly vanished from existence? You wouldn't remember them, so you wouldn't technically know, but maybe you'd feel like something was... amiss. There is a bit of a hole where your loved one was, only you can't quite define it, because again, they don't exist. It's so thought provoking and mysterious, I could not stop reading, frankly!

►I enjoyed Vera and her friend group. They just seemed like so much fun to be around, and like genuinely good people who would be so fun to hang out with. I understood why they loved each other, and it was easy to see why someone would feel pain at their absences.

►The twists were amazing and kept me guessing throughout. Honestly this is why the book was so compulsively readable; I had to know what was going on! Would these people be gone forever? Would Vera even know she's lost people?

►Obviously, incredibly high stakes. This too made it so readable- the stakes were enormous! I mean, full humans could be wiped off the face of the Earth, but even worse than that, no one would remember them ever existing. Kind of terrifying, no?

What I Didn't:

►The ending felt quite rushed. I mean, look, questions were answered. I just found it to be a bit of a letdown that after such an exciting book overall, the ending seemed a little easy and underwhelming for me. Not a dealbreaker at all obviously, considering I liked the book, but maybe be aware for your own expectations.

Bottom Line: So unique and entertaining, I was completely invested in the outcome of this one!

"Witches in a graveyard. Holes in my happiness. Questions that need answering."

An achingly beautiful story of loss and the lengths we'll go to for the ones we love.

In Vera's world, everyone has a little bit of magic, such as the ability to unlock doors or turn on lights or sense what others need to hear. But when someone taps into deeper magic, things start to go very, very wrong. Vera's lost someone, but she doesn't know who it is. Instead, she feels a person-shaped hole in her heart. She and her best friend Riven try to solve the mystery, but meanwhile, people keep disappearing. The reader realizes it, but the characters don't realize their loss, until the moment they do.

The first few chapters introduce a LOT of characters, but you're going to want to stick with this one. Once people started disappearing, I was hooked as Vera and her friends fight to find out what's happening. I loved how unexpected the final answer was.

This book felt contemporary, but the magic provided an interesting twist to Vera's high school experiences. It was woven into the story well, with Vera's parents working at an institute researching the magical aptitudes.

The ending was perfect. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was great!

The plot surprised me. The characters were well written, with good quirks.

The memories being forgotten got a little confusing as you get farther in the story since as the reader you remember what and who is missing from Vera’s life.

I’m glad it gets figured out and Vera is happy again, but it was a little fast in how it happened.

This is such an interesting premise for a book and the mystery of what is causing people to disappear kept me interested through the whole story. That said, the book otherwise felt very flat to me; the pacing was slow, I wanted a little more information about the book's magic system, and the characters weren't the most interesting. Particularly Vera herself, I just didn't really find her likeable even though there wasn't anything I particularly disliked about her either. Though I did find the way she and her friends talked about how they weren't like other teens because they went to youth group instead of partying a bit off putting. There are plenty of teens that don't experiment with drugs or alcohol, probably many who would otherwise relate more to Vera because of this, and the characters keep stating its so odd. I also was a little disappointed in the ending, after the rest of the book being so slow it felt very rushed. Overall this book was definitely not my cup of tea.

When I first began reading this book, I immediately became confused at the progression of the plot. The story started slow with a lot of explaining about the world Vera is from. In this world, each person develops an aptitude which is a special ability almost like magic, except in this universe they believe it is a branch of science. Learning about these different aptitudes will have you wishing you had one too! Between light magic, color magic, shadow magic and unlocking magic, it’s hard to decide which one you would hope to have! There’s even intuition magic where some people are able to anticipate just what others need. With the disappearance of her brother, the book takes a mysterious turn and it honestly took me awhile to realize exactly what was happening. But once you figure it out, the puzzle pieces will start to connect. As time goes on, Vera continues to feel an emptiness pulling like a weight in her heart, the problem is, she just doesn’t remember what she is missing. This book will be one you will want to read again once you have figured out the mysterious forgotten memories of Vera Glass.

The Forgotten Memories of Vera Glass by Anna Priemaza, 304 pages. Amulet Books (ABRAMS), 2021. $19. LGBTQIA
Language: PG (3 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Vera feels an unexplainable sadness. Everyday things like spaghetti and the number four make her cry, but there isn’t any reason for her pain. All Vera knows is that she isn’t the only one feeling it, which means it can be fixed, and nothing is going to stop her from figuring out how.
Magic is prevalent in Vera’s world, but the experiences of the characters with mental health are applicable for us in our magicless existence. Priemaza has expertly crafted a world that feels real to readers because of emotional connections despite the differing circumstances. After the emotional ride I went on with Vera, I could only sit and stare at the last page for a while. My heart broke and hoped with hers, not knowing how anything would turn out but praying for a happy ending -- for both her world and our own. The mature content rating is for innuendo and mentions of sex.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

What would happen if people you knew suddenly didn’t exist and you could not remember them ever having been in your life, but you became depressed because you knew something significant was missing? Then multiply that with each new person disappeared from your life.
Such a cool concept, isn’t it? Anna Priemaza’s story has that happen to teen Vera Glass, whose small and super tight circle of friends begins disappearing, and she knows something is missing, can’t figure out what’s missing, but wants to cry because of “the whole in her heart”, which is a great way to describe grief.

Did I like this book? Sort of. I liked Vera’s friendship with Riven, and I loved how much her circle of friends cared for each other. I liked that the setting was Edmonton; I’m always happy when a Canadian town or city is featured in a sci-fi or fantasy story.
I was less enamoured of the writing which, though competent, did not engage me, and I found myself skimming pages at a time to get to the next plot point. Despite the things I liked in this book, overall I was underwhelmed.

Thank you Netgalley and ABRAMS Kids for this ARC in exchange for my review.