Member Reviews
I did not see these twists coming. Every time I thought knew where the story was headed, I was spun in circles.
Incredibly well written and leaves you hanging onto every word to find out what happens next.
I look forward to the sequel!
The Unforgettable Alexandra Shaw was promised to be many things, but most plot elements fell flat and were unexplored.
I will admit, Alexandra was a compelling character to read about, but her narration style and the narrative voice of this book just filled me with a sense of ire. The book was full of random idiosyncrasies, random plot threads that never go anywhere, a flat mostly uninteresting cast of characters, random facades, and despite all of the intrigue this book could have provided, was deeply deeply boring.
The cover, title, and summary really worked together to draw me in and make me want to read this book. Unfortunately, I think that the way in which is was written worked against it because it took what could have been a been concept and just make it kind of irritating. Other than the narration style, though, this was a book that was right up my alley. I mean, it's got mystery, fantasy, and a bit of romance as well. What more could you want in a young adult book. Bottom line for me was that it was solidly YA. I overall enjoyed reading it, I just think that I might not be the right audience for young adult books anymore.
Okay, I wanted to read this because of the cover but, I enjoyed it. There were some things I would love to have more answers to but, it has a pretty good level on this type of books. I would recommend this to some of my friends.
This book when an unexpected place, I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to the sequel.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this review copy
Thank you A. Lloyd Spanton, BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for my ARC.
This is a conflicting one for me. The plot personally ended up not being my cup of tea. That being said it was well written and the plot was intriguing… I’m sure those interested in this sort of storyline would enjoy.
3/5.
Thank you to Books go social for this Arc copy on Netgalley.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. I loved the characters and storyline and plot. I felt like the author did a good job of gripping us into the story and taking us along on a discovery with Alexandra.
I think it covered some hard topics with sensitivity and not in a harmful way.
I thought the plot twists were very well done and I was not expecting them to go down the route they did at all.
I loved the ending and it left me wanting to read the next book in the series and see how things progress
I gave this book 4 ⭐️.
A compelling read focusing on a protagonist who has to "start again" after a horrific accident. It is rare to see a YA character battling such demons and because of this, I found this to be a thoroughly engaging story.
Unique book about a teenage girl who struggles with herself and where she fits in her world after a tragic accident changes her life. After the loss of her father, Alex has to navigate a new school, new life, her own identity and a strained relationship with her mother. As her new life starts to unfold (new school and new friends), she starts to realize there may be more to her accident and her past than she realizes, and things take a dark turn.
This is an interesting read, unique amongst YA books yet featuring a coming of age teen battling demons both in life and within herself. However, I think the details of her past and how it is affecting her current life get a bit convoluted at times.
'The Unforgettable Alexandra Shaw' has a beautiful cover and promising premise but lacks substantial follow through. I was intrigued by the synopsis and the first few chapters did a decent job of stoking my curiosity. However, my interest dimmed pretty quickly and I found it harder and harder to motivate myself to pick up the book and finish it. There were a few reasons that this book just didn't click for me. The prose was a little...awkward in some sections? I'd have to re-read certain passages to figure out what the author was trying to communicate through Alexandra's voice. There was also a lot of repetition and rumination on thoughts, which is often a put off for me in books. This lead to the biggest issue that made me struggle. Our main character takes barely any action until about 50% of the way through the book. She doesn't DO anything for half the book beyond go along with events that are happening around her. It doesn't make for a very engaging read. I think with a good edit that puts Alexandra in a more active role earlier on in the story, this novel could be much better.
Not my cup of tea and I did not finish the whole book but Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for early access to this book!
The Unforgettable Alexandra Shaw by A. Lloyd Spanton presents an intriguing premise centered around a seventeen-year-old girl named Alexandra who accidentally kills her father. While she tries to navigate her new school and mend her strained relationship with her mother, a stranger named Logan enters her life, claiming to know her. As Alexandra and Logan delve into the truth behind her past, they uncover disturbing secrets about her school, leading to dangerous consequences for Alexandra and her friends.
One positive aspect of the book is its eye-catching cover, which initially draws readers in. The premise of the story holds promise and creates a sense of anticipation. The focus on trauma as a central plot point is notable, as it adds depth and complexity to the narrative.
However, there are several aspects of the book that detract from its overall impact. Firstly, the absence of trigger warnings for attempted suicide and self-harm can be problematic, as it may be distressing for readers who are sensitive to such themes. Additionally, Alexandra's abilities and actions often seem implausible and conveniently easy for her, such as picking locks effortlessly or overpowering security guards without much struggle. This undermines the sense of realism and suspension of disbelief.
Moreover, the story's progression feels disjointed and lacks cohesive development. It seems to be building up for a second book, leaving readers without a satisfying resolution. Alexandra's character development is inconsistent, as she makes decisions that don't align with her established personality, making it difficult for readers to connect with her on a deeper level. The lack of exploration and depth in the supporting characters also contributes to a sense of underdevelopment.
In conclusion, The Unforgettable Alexandra Shaw presents an intriguing premise and touches upon themes of trauma, but it falls short in execution. While the cover and the central concept may initially captivate readers, the book suffers from implausible events, weak character and story development, and an overall lack of cohesion.
2.1/5 rounded down to 2/5.
Wow, this was not what I was expected, and I can't wait for the sequel! This book kept me gripped from the start and was full of things that weren't what they seemed. It was fast paced and a well developed story that was intriguing and full of likeable and interesting characters. This is the type of book that sticks with you after you read it.
Let me start off the cover is amazing and the premise of the book sounded exactly like what I love. The over all book was good but I did not fall in love with the characters. Quick read and I think the YA group will really like this book.
I really enjoyed this book! It kept me curious to find out the complete plot for the entire book, which is good and doesn't happen to me very often. It had lots of plot twists and turns in the book, which made me want to keep reading. I'm really curious to find out what will happen in the next book (I think I remember reading there will be a next part).
This cover was amazing. And the premise sounded really good. However, this one just seemed too far fetched for things just happening to go the right way for the MC. Like to the point that you just expected it. Man this girl had some serious good luck that I would really love to know how to get that. The characters and story lacked depth, but the writing did feel higher ya which was great. I think overall this is just one of those books that you are either going to love it or hate it.
I was really intrigued by the premise of this book but the execution was not great. The story just dragged and nothing was ever happening. It was very boring.
I don't even know where to begin here. Teens do not talk like that. The plot doesn't make sense. The manuscript needs an editor. The summary needs trigger warnings, especially since this is a YA book. It's just....not good.
I sadly did not click well with this book, and I'm very disappointed in the fact that there was not a trigger warning for suicide attempt/self harm (unless I somehow missed it! If I did, I apologize! But I do not remember seeing one).
This is YA, yes, but I could not get over the speech used by our MC. The "effing" and "highly sus" and "you're obvs lying." Made for a clunky reading experience. I also felt there wasn't enough tension for what the primise of this story suggested. Everything seemed to go relatively smoothly for Alexandra in terms of plot hindrances and made it very low stake for me.
This was a rough read. The kernel of the story was good but it needed a very strong editor. So much of the plot doesn’t make logical sense, and it’s obvious that certain actions were forced into the story to move the narrative along even though they don’t work. Even the basic idea of the school and the related hospital- none of it makes sense in the age of Instagram. The school “changes” the IGs for people when they need to erase memories of instances that happened but like, how? There’s a party with about 50 or so people there and not all of them go to the wacko school, so how did they miraculously delete everything and make everyone forget everything that happened? One of the main characters is an adult and just goes missing/is abducted and no one in his school/town/family notices or cares and it’s not even addressed. It would be one thing if all the students/patients were cut off from technology and their family, but they’re not, and the idea that NO one seems to notice any of the bonkers stuff happening is ridiculous. Especially because the school/hospital seems to be run by like 5 boomers with really bad villain caricatures for personalities. One of the villains wears Manolo Blahniks and whistles at her security guard henchmen. And I’m supposed to believe she is tapped in to the social life and digital footprint of high-schoolers? Just glaring, gaping plot holes throughout. I’m also not sure if the author and/or the story is British or American, because there are conflicting elements. The cover art was gorgeous, and again, the idea of the story was interesting, but this read like a first first draft.