Every night at 4:33am, 16-year-old London Lane’s memory gets reset.
Cat Patrick is one of my favourite author finds this year. Memento meets 50 First Dates in Forgotten, where London Lane copes with her memory loss by establishing a system of notes-to-self that help her get through the day like any other regular teenager. Her life is further complicated by mysterious “flashbacks” of the future. When London meets Luke Henry, she can’t help but be drawn to him; however, the fact that he doesn’t seem to exist in her glimpses of the future brings up both fear and questions.
As the novel unfolds, readers are drawn into London’s world as she figures out the puzzle pieces of her life. I found myself unable to put this book down, spellbound by the unusual plot details and mystery behind London’s life.
Cat Patrick’s other works include Revived and The Originals. Her novels are geared toward teens (although that didn’t stop this reader from devouring all her books!) and tend to involve a twist of a sci-fi in a way that makes for fresh and compelling storytelling.
In Revived, Daisy is part of a top-secret government program that can and has brought her back to life multiple times. As a result, she has undergone many moves and identities to keep the public from the truth. Her transient life keeps her from establishing any ties. When she starts to form emotional bonds with some new friends, she begins to question her mandated way of life.
The Originals finds 17-year-olds Lizzie, Ella, and Betsy all living the same life. Top-secret clones, they were raised as triplets until it got too dangerous and they began living as one Elizabeth Best. To everyone around them, they are one person. What happens when they each start to develop unique identities and long for a life of their own?