3.5🌟
Reconsolidation ~ Allowing the mind to restructure memories.

Can you imagine being able to erase traumatic memories? Assaults, PTSD? The chance to literally leave your past behind and move forward.

Or how about retrieving lost memories? Dementia patients being able to remember their happiest moments from their lives?

The potential greatness is endless. But with that, there are always those who would take advantage for nefarious reasons.

Hope Nakano has woken in what is supposed to be a spa. An institute, where through new technologies, she will be able to retrieve lost memories.
But with every treatment she realizes this spa is not what it seems. Patients aren’t just checking out…

Loved the premise, and the rave reviews had me immediately wanting to read this book. Unfortunately for me it just didn’t click. I never felt totally engaged and lacked any connection with Hope and the other characters (of which, there were MANY.)

At times it felt that this reconsolidation was just gas-lighting taken to another level. Nope. Not for me.🙈

Again, I’m very much on outlier island here!🏝️
Make sure to read all the five-star reviews.

This is a debut, lite sci fi thriller, and I did enjoy the premise enough that I would definitely read an additional book by this new author.

Thank you to NetGalley and CamCat Books

How reliable are our memories? Or just how malleable are they?

A prologue opens with Hope and Luke as they discuss their future together, including escaping it all and running away together.

When the story starts in the present day, Hope wakes in 'Wilder', a Stark-Copland memory clinic, with no memory of the past year.

What follows is a twisting tale of intrigue as Hope works to find out what actually happened and how she came to be here.

As she spends more time getting to know the other patients, they find that everything is not how it seems.

What is the true purpose of their 'treatments'? Does Stark-Copland really have their best interests at heart?

This is a good read that will keep you on your toes as you work to make sense of what is real and what is not. As each memory and piece of information is unlocked, and more questions arise, Hope keeps battling onward to learn the truth and to see Luke again.

*I received an advance reader copy via NetGalley, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review.*

I'm always big on having characters I care a lot for and this book definitely had me on the edge of my seat for the characters, especially the main character, Hope, who's journey was so fascinating to see pan out. I didn't expect to be so attached to the side characters as well, particularly Quinn and Spooky, whom I always loved seeing on-page.

The story itself was quite intense, which had me nervous trying to figure out what was yet to come. Honestly, that was just how I liked it- not knowing all the information in the beginning, therefore trying to puzzle out the mystery with the characters. It definitely made me feel more attached to the characters and story itself.

Definitely for fans of mystery, thriller stories, but also, just anybody because I don't even read that many mysteries and thrillers and I had a blast with this one.

Thank you Netgalley for this opportunity.
An easy going thriller, adult drama with lots of conflicts and secrets that must be brought up to the light. Although I did not like the main character, it was somehow surprisingly easy to finish the book and enjoy our time together.

From the get-go the prose & characters were not my cup of tea and continued to be subpar throughout the novel, nonetheless Audrey Lee's interesting concept kept me reading through the end. Hope wasn't as dynamic a protagonist as she could have been, and lacked a layer of moral complexity that could have been interesting given the direction the story takes. Also, this is significantly more of a romance novel than I was expecting - not bad, but felt like science fiction by way of Emily Henry moreso than other recent reads such as The Ministry of Time.

Starting the book was a little confusing sometimes, but not as much as to lose track of what was happening. As it continues, I realised the initial confusion was meant to emulate Hope's lack of memory and how she was slowly making sense of everything while being drown in lies.

I did enjoy it very much to the point I didn't want to put it down, and I was left wanting to read more of the story.

The pace is good, the trama is well planned, and the details provided help you imagine almost everything in detail. It was a very good book!

Thanks to Netgalley, CamCat Books & Audrey Lee for this copy of the book!

It was strange how Wilder advertised themselves to people who were already here, as if anyone watching this screen had a choice.

First off, let’s talk about the general setup of the book. From the font to the simple yet decorative section dividers, it was exquisite. It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a beautifully tailored book, and it definitely enhanced the reading experience.

As someone who's been dabbling in programming for the last three years, this book was a treat with its sprinkles of code. While I couldn’t quite wrap my head around all of it, I still enjoyed the nerdy flair it added.

The first 25% of the book felt a bit slow with all the setup (plus my reading slump wasn’t helping either). But then, it picked up a delightful pace with twists and turns on every page. It turned into a very enjoyable ride, making it well worth the wait.

Experimental science gone wrong.

This book had a lot going on. The main characters are Hope and Luke. Luke is part of a group of scientists called Copeland Stark that specialize in all things pertaining to memory. One day Hope wakes up in a fancy wellness center and realizes she can’t remember the last year or much of her relationship with Luke. Here, she undergoes a series of treatments to recover her memory but only bits and pieces resurface.

The longer Hope is in the facility, the more she realizes that there is something off about the place and the doctors. The book takes us on a crazy ride where Hope sets out to find answers and hopefully recover some of her memories. But the more she searches the more inconsistencies she finds and realizes that Copeland Stark has secrets.

The book is a mix of sci-fi and psych thriller with a little romance thrown in. The ending was a little sad but nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed it and would love to see this on the big screen.

Thank you net galley for the digital arc.

I wanted to love this story, the ideas the author had about changing memories I found fascinating. Imagine being able to forget about a trauma you went through. It would be life changing.
For me, though there were just too many chatacters to keep up with, all the rooms and procedures became confusing as to what was happening. I found myself forgetting who was who and who was on who's side, so I did lose interest in the middle, and my attention wavered. Maybe I need help with my memory!
What I did love was the idea about being able to get treatment for memories, the type of technology we could have in the future, and the good that could come of it.
I loved Hope. She is a strong female lead who was resilient. She didn't stop seeking out the truth.
The twist, I didn't see it coming, I like a story that leads me down the wrong path, then boom with a twist I did not work out.
For the most part, this book had a good pace.

This story had an interesting plot, a good, strong FMC, and a good ending. I can see this being a popular choice for reading this year.

Thank you for my advanced copy of this eARC, in exchange for an honest opinion

Thank you to the publishers for this book, Mechanics of Memory, for my honest review.
I wanted to like this book. The reason for Hope being in The Wilders was intriguing to me — and why she had lost her memory of Charlotte’s death (caused by her) and why Luke wasn’t allowed to contact her while she’s in the facility. That drove me on: the need to have my questions answered. However, the story itself confused me — the codes, the “other realm worlds” the patients had to go into. I found myself tuned out during those times. I felt like the author could’ve done a better job explaining those incidents for her readers. Unfortunately, I wasn’t the right reader for this book.

I'll admit I'm not the biggest sci-fi fan reader, but from time to time I venture myself into the genre.
The synopsis of this book seemed interesting enough to me so I picked it up.
For the first chapters I was curious about the protagonist's struggles to recover her memories, and also how the techonology of that facility worked.
But, in my opinion, there were too many characters to follow and none of them was interesting enough other than the protagonist, and the whole futuristic sci-fi aspects of the story started to bore me after a while.
So, I prefer to say that this book ended up not being for me. If you are a hardcore sci-fi reader, I'd recommend giving this book a go.

3.5 ⭐

“The impermanence of memory can be a troubling fact for some. As a species we want to believe that our memories are infallible because they make us, us. However, consider the liberation in embracing this fluidity and instead allowing your mind to retain only what is most cherished.”

Hope Nakano is receiving care at a state-of-the-art, very high-end Copeland-Stark treatment facility. She has lost her memories from the previous year due to a traumatic event, and she is at the facility in order to regain memories from that lost year. But after staying for months at The Wilder Sanctuary, Hope still hasn’t made progress. Instead of helping her remember, the treatments reveal inconsistencies between what she does recall and what they say happened to her. Things are Wilder are not all what they seem to be, and Hope begins to search for the truth. And what she finds is bigger than what she expects.

✨

I enjoyed reading this book. Memory has always been an interesting topic for me, especially because for so many of us, our identity is closely intertwined with our memories. We all know how unreliable our memories can be, and how they can be influenced. This book really plays into that.

What I liked:
- Audrey Lee’s compelling writing. The hints, the early planting of the seeds of doubt made me want to keep reading because I wanted to know what happens next. Lee has done a wonderful job of creating this atmosphere of suspense and mystery. All the revelations had me gasping and rethinking about the build-up that got me to those moments.

- The interesting premise, and the blend of themes that Lee chose: memory, neuroscience, psychology, technology, ethics, research, big pharma, and corporate greed.

- The characters and their relationships. I love how Hope had so much love for her partner Luke and his daughter Charlotte. Hope’s friendship with other Wilder residents was also a highlight for me. I love Quinn, and Spooky, and Carter, and Jonah.

- Hope and Luke ❤️ Yes this is a sci-fi book, but underneath it all is this undeniable love between these two people, and the lengths they would go to to protect each other and the people they care about.

What didn’t work for me:
- The moments in the Butterfly Box and in The Shade were a little confusing. It took me a while to understand what was happening and how it all worked, especially when there were other characters involved.

- Pacing felt a little off to me?? Major revelations happened in the middle of the book that took quite a while to resolve.

✨

Overall, I did have a good time reading this book. If you want a compelling read, with characters that you care about, then The Memory Mechanic is for you. I would also recommend this book to people who want to dip their toes into sci-fi. I think readers who are interested in the combination of memory, technology, and ethics would also enjoy this book.

I received an e-ARC from NetGalley and CamCat Books in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn't put this book down, definitely a must-read! Part psychological thriller, part near-future mystery, part love story, the author takes you on a series of twists and turns that always keep you guessing. The intricately scripted plot follows Hope, who finds herself in a high-end clinic with uncertain memories of the events that led her here. As we learn more about the "Wilder Sanctuary" and Hope's past, we are taken on a ride that is sometimes scary, sometimes thrilling, but always intriguing. I look forward to Audrey Lee's next book!

I would rate this a true 3.8 stars with the solid potential for 4. I found the concept of this book incredibly interesting and the idea of implanting false memories and the implications of that is what got me to dive into this story. I did have a hard time getting into it at first and felt like some of the characters and plot points could have been fleshed out a bit better to get it up to that true 4 star rating. However, once it started to pick up I really enjoyed it. I did also appreciate the deeper meanings in the book and some of the societal implications that were covered. Overall, this book had some really great concepts and plot lines and I did enjoy it, I just felt that it could have gone deeper into some of the character development and subplots, though I would still recommend it to a friend as a fun psychological read.

The Mechanics of Memory definitely hit all of the twisty turny parts of a good psychological thriller. I enjoyed the setting and premise of the story and got attached to some of the quirky characters. I definitely want to know what happened to a few and hope the author will revisit them in any sequels. I appreciated that her villains were true villains with not a lot to love about them. Although, I feel like one of the back stories didn’t fit and hope that, too, will eventually be revealed. A great read for all, but extra bonuses for the 40-50 aged crowd to get some of the cultural references.

🌟🌟🌟 3.5
🧠Recibí un ARC de este libro a cambio de una reseña honesta
🧠 Un día estás con la persona a quien más le tienes confianza, y al siguiente apareces internada en una clínica con terapias extremas, has perdido la mayoría de tus memorias, no tienes idea de como llegaste ahí ni que hiciste para ser internada. Los doctores te dicen que tuviste un episodio violento, y que no eres de fiar. Nadie te visita y tu mente es una bruma.
🧠Audrey Lee en esta su novela debut nos presenta un thriller de ciencia ficción con una narradora a quien no podemos creerle del todo, una clínica y doctores con prácticas poco éticas, experimentos en la mente, y una protagonista que ahora se debate en encontrar una salida de ese laberinto.
🧠 La valentía de la protagonista sale a flote al luchar contra este monstruo de clinica que esconde mucho mas de lo que se imaginaba, con la ayuda claro de otros compañeros en el confinamiento. La verdad y lo que descubren resulta ser aun más dolorosa de lo que podrían o quisieran recordar. ¿Hasta donde podríamos ser capaces de perdonar a quienes amamos?

#TheMechanicsOfMemory #NetGalley #AudreyLee #igreads

What a twisty, turning dark and emotional ride!!

Hope has woken up at Wilder, a center for "wellness".
She needs help with her nightmares and recovering part of her memory that she is missing.

Are the doctors at Wilder trying to help the patients recover their memories or are they using them as lab rats for their psychological experiments? This is the major question at the center of this psychological thriller.

If you are looking for a light, easy to read, feel good book to help you unwind on vacation, then this is not that book. If you are looking for something dark and thought provoking, that gives your mind a good workout, then pick up this book!

There are some trigger warnings that I would like to mention for this book. There are mentions of suicide, mental illness, and substance abuse.

This book would be a great pick for a book club because of all the issues that come up in the book that would lead to some great conversations.

The fact that this is Audrey's debut book is amazing! It is so good and I can't wait to see what else she comes up with!

What a twisted, tangled web we weave! This book was a hell of a wild ride. Everything you think you know you as you’re reading it, you really don’t. Also, what a terrifying concept that real-life scientists have probably gotten closer to than any of us would suspect.

Thoroughly entertaining and actually made me gasp out loud once. I loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

An e-ARC was provided by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions remain my own.

-5 stars

A very fun and intriguing read. Hope wakes up at Copeland-Stark’s new sanctuary for folks needing treatment for mental health, memory loss and addiction. This book has so many twists and turns. It keeps you guessing about who you can trust? What’s real and what’s not? This book is multiple POV, which I felt added the extra depth and mystery to the storyline. The synopsis is short for a reason, I think it’s best to go into this book knowing as little as possible.

Format: Kindle
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Liked it, absolutely recommend it!

This book…is…whoa.

You will embark on a thrilling journey through The Wilder Sanctuary, where Hope Nakano's life takes a tumultuous turn as she awakens in a medical facility with a year of her memories gone…just erased. The story dives deep into the unsettling concept of implanted memories, blurring the boundaries between truth and manipulation.

Grounded in reality, the story prompts the reader to question the reliability of their own memories while they root for Hope and the other characters as they navigate a world filled with uncertainty.

As Hope delves further into the mysteries of The Wilder Sanctuary, the plot morphs from a gripping medical thriller into a chilling psychological drama. With meticulous plotting that keeps you eagerly turning pages…be ready for the ride.