Posts Tagged 'memory loss'

Silent Sister by Megan Davidhizar

Published July 21, 2026 Uncategorized Leave a Comment
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Grace and Maddy are two sisters who happen to be in the same grade in school. Grace is popular, outgoing, and a friend to everyone while Maddy is very shy and often feels alone. They both attend the same school retreat and go missing at the same time. When Grace is found she has no memory and blood on her clothes. She knows that everyone will think she knows something about her sister’s disappearance, but she really can’t remember a thing. She decides she has to find her sister and learn what happened to them on that retreat. After finding Maddy’s journal she realizes that both of them were keeping secrets and she would give anything to go back and do everything different if she could. Can she trust those around her to tell the truth about what they saw that night? Will she be able to get to the truth before it’s too late? Will she ever have the chance to form a closer relationship with her sister?

The setting of this story feels so authentic to a high school with the style of the retreat, the rumors about the teachers, and the friction between students that it makes the whole story seem absolutely plausible. Grace’s struggle with the aftermath of her memory loss is completely understandable and believable. The other teenagers definitely impede Grace’s struggle to find answers as they all try to protect themselves from their own actions, but eventually the truth starts to come out. The final outcome is both shocking and believable at the same time. Students will absolutely be able to identify with one of the characters who is struggling to find their way during a difficult time in adolescence even though they are all experiencing different things. Ironically, the message of the retreat is carried through the book itself as Grace finally realizes the truth about what happened that night.

The Leaving by Tara Altebrando

Published November 2, 2017 Mystery , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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Genre: Mystery

# of Pages:  421

On their very first day of school, six kindergartners are mysteriously abducted from school and do not surface for eleven years when they are all mysteriously dropped off with no memories and only their parents’ addresses clutched in their hands.  One of the original six, Max, does not return with the others and the realization that he hasn’t returned breaks his family even more.  His sister, Avery, decides to start investigating on her own to see if she can find out where Max is.  The others, meanwhile are struggling as well.  Scarlet comes home to a mother who has become obsessed with the idea that aliens stole her daughter and Caleb comes home in time to witness a tragedy.  They have been told repeatedly that it’s probably a good thing they can’t remember the last eleven years and the horrors they witnessed, but most of them still want to know where they have been especially since they are exhibiting knowledge in certain areas and they don’t know why.  They have missed most of their childhood and they each need to figure out how they fit into their own lives again.  Will they ever learn the truth behind their disappearance?  Where is Max?

Mystery readers will love this book because it is engaging, but also believable with many unusual facts they need to put together in order to get a general idea for what happened to them.  They know they may never know everything, but even learning the person responsible would be helpful when trying to move on.  The characters are all developed so that the reader can understand their feelings and motivations, while also understanding how hard it would be to go through something like this.  The ending is also very satisfying while not being too tidy or predictable.  Recommended.

Forgotten by Cat Patrick

Published January 30, 2012 Mystery , RAC , Realistic Fiction , Romance 1 Comment
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Genre:  Romance/Realistic Fiction/Mystery

# of Pages:  288

RAC Book:  Yes

London suffered a traumatic incident when she was a child and as a result lost her long term memory.  She must keep notes of everything because when she goes to sleep her memory is erased and she forgets everything when she wakes up.  She does have “flashforwards” that allow her to retrieve memories from the future.  She meets a new boy at school and immediately feels a connection, but she has no memory of him in her future.  London begins having one recurring vision that terrifies her, especially when she realizes it is actually a memory from her past and not her future.  In order to understand her future she must face the past that was so painful her parents decided not to remind her once she had lost her memory.  Meanwhile, she must decide if she can trust this new boy or if he is just going to hurt her when he learns the truth about her memory issues.

Stories with characters blocking out painful memories is not new, but this story definitely puts a new twist on it.  The reader gets to put the pieces together right along with London to find out what happened to her that caused her memory to rewire itself and also as the clues slowly come out regarding London’s mysterious vision.  The story has many twists and turns and more overall character development than it first appears.  Recommended for mystery or reluctant readers.

The Returning by Jean Sorrell

Published March 21, 2011 Historical Fiction , RAC , Realistic Fiction Leave a Comment
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Genre:  Realistic/Historical Fiction

# of Pages:  245

RAC Book:  Yes

This heartwarming story follows a young girl named Sara, who never gives up hope that her father will return from WWII despite the six years since his disappearance.  She meets a young girl named Nathalie, who is a Jewish refugee, and the two of them become close friends.  Nathalie’s father is still missing as well.  When a new preacher comes to town named Emmett, the two of them begin to wonder if he is either Sara’s missing father or if his spirit was transferred into his body.  The man looks remarkably like him, but does suffer from some facial scars, which make it hard to prove.  Also, he has no memory of anything before Iwo Jima.  Sara and Nathalie find a book about soul transference and start to wonder if this is in fact her father.  Unfortunately, no one else wants to see the similarities between Emmett and Sara’s father and they begin to pressure her to let the situation drop and accept that her father is dead.  Can Sara give up on her father?  Will Emmett ever get his memory back?

This story is both historical and modern at the same time, which many readers will find refreshing.  A lot of people like to read about WWII era stories, but Sorrell has managed to put a new and unexpected twist on this time period with her introduction of soul transference.  She also does a nice job of developing all of the characters so that the reader can understand how each person feels in this difficult situation.  The friendship between the two girls is pure and complex, which makes their actions believable and understandable.  The story will draw in readers from the beginning and hold them until the end.

 

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