Forgotten (Forgotten Series, 1)

A novel that will push readers to question "what if". London Lane is a very interesting girl that has to relearn her life every single day. After a traumatic experience as a child; London remembers the future, but can not retain anything from the past. This is a very intriguing concept, and readers will find their selves questioning the possibility of such an experience. Would it truly be possible for someone to survive living with no past memories? For London memories are erased every single day at 4:33 am. The only way that this young girl can force herself to remain even remotely normal is when her dedication to notes that she will have to reread every single day. As the story progresses some latent memories resurface giving readers hope for the future of this character. The story is very entertaining and will grab readers from the start. The conclusion developments anticipate a sequel the story, and what the future for London Lane will offer.

Taken from my blog, Never Gonna Grow Up! Reviews:

I've been having a hard time writing this review. I enjoyed "Forgotten" by Cat Patrick while reading it, but as it came to an end, I found myself disengaging from the plot line. Ms. Patrick is a very talented writer and I hate to put a negative vibe out there because as I said, I did enjoy "Forgotten", but the plot line was very ambitious and I just feel like it was missing...something. I'm not quite sure what that something is though. I enjoyed the ride and would definitely recommend it despite this weird hang up of mine.

Everyday is a new day, but we always come into it knowing what happened the day before. For London Lane though, all she has is a note. For some reason, London remembers things from her future, but not from her past. It sure doesn't make high school life or friendships/relationships easy. Talk about awkward! To top it all off, London is plagued with nightmares and she can't determine who they are about or the "when" these nightmares come from. She decides it's time to dig into her past beyond the notes and journals she keeps for herself. To quote goodreads.com, "Part psychological drama, part romance, and part mystery, this thought-provoking novel will inspire readers to consider the what-if's in their own lives and recognize the power they have to control their destinies."

"Forgotten" is such an interesting read and as I mentioned before, an ambitious concept. I really enjoyed watching London unravel her past without being able to access the memories locked in her mind. Ms. Patrick's writing is splendid. She took on a lot with this novel and I think she handled it quite well. I fell in love with the characters and the romance between our heroine and Lucas. It's just SO sweet. I absolutely love friendship based romance and this one is delightful. The book started to lose me towards the end, partially because I wanted to stay focused on Cat and her life rather than on the conflict presented. It wasn't like Ms. Patrick's writing wasn't engaging (I cannot emphasize enough that this book is so well written!). I don't know why... I'm just a weirdo.

Seriously, this book is really interesting and a great read for anyone who enjoys a good psychological drama and/or romance. It is unlike any other book on the market right now so read it for a complete change of pace. I'm sure you'll love it!

I received a copy of "Forgotten" from publisher. It is published by Little, Brown for Young Readers and was released on June 7th of this year.

The beginning of this book was one of the most confusing I have ever read.

Apparently, this girl, London, can "remember" the future. After she lives each day, she forgets the events of that day at 4:33 am. She is able to function by writing herself notes to remind herself of important past events that she has to read about every morning when she wakes up.

The part that bugged me the most was that her problem was referred to as "remembering" or having memories of the future, instead of something like future telling or seeing the future. So London would always say something like "I know, because I remembered it" referring to something that doesn't happen. It just sounds weird and is very confusing at the beginning because the author just kind of dives into her life with no explanations or set-ups.

I did enjoy the 50 First Dates scenario that took place between London and Luke. She wouldn't remember him except from her notes everyday, yet when she sees him she instantly falls in love again. It is kind of cute, but mostly ridiculous. The second-half took a fairly dark turn when she has "memories" of someone dying and she can't seem to figure it out who and how and she attempts tracking down her father and her grandmother that she saw in her memory, but doesn't have any recollection of from her past.

You, later, do find out a potential reason for London's condition but it is sort of just thrown in there and then forgotten about. I had high hopes for the premise but I don't feel like it was executed well, but that's how I feel about most YA novels these days.

I really, really wanted to like this book and after reading so many glowing reviews, I wonder if I'm just missing something.

***minor spoilers ahead***

I just kept getting bogged down by the premise that London only "remembers" the future. I understand why she might forget the past, but no where was there an explanation for how she is able to see the future. Plus, there was never a good explanation for why she didn't "remember" Luke.

The twisty ending was okay, but it came rather abruptly and without as much resolution as I would have liked.

I also got annoyed with the paradox of only knowing things that haven't happened. I just don't see how London could function as a normal person at school, even with her notes. Even if I accept that she knows things from her future, I still can't grasp that she could learn normally and actually get through high school.

I also don't understand other character motivations - especially Jamie and Luke. I've been a teenage girl, and friendships are based on closeness and being able to tell someone *everything*. I can't imagine how Jamie could stick with London when London only remembers what she chooses to write down.

I also have a hard time with the general YA philosophy of the "perfect" boy who falls in love instantly and would do anything. Luke may be great, but he is still a 17 year old boy, and again, it doesn't ring true that he would be so enamored with London's condition over the long term.

I give this book 2 stars (I really go by the descriptions - it takes a lot for me to give a book more than 3 stars) because I thought the premise was unique and interesting, in my opinion, however, the execution and follow through was flawed.

Also appears on The Screaming Nitpicker.

I gave it my best shot. Just under halfway through the novel, I'm calling it quits on Forgotten because this book is stupid. For a moment, I tried to find a kinder way to put it, but why sugarcoat it and Be Nice? Forgotten is dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb.

The way London handles her disorder confuses me. Writing down what it to come the next day so she can prepare herself? That's a smart one. I'll give her that much. However, her past is just as important as her future and yet she neglects her past by barely recording it or not recording it at all. How is she going to grow and change if she doesn't bother to start recording her past more thoroughly until she gets a boyfriend? Does she not remember the saying, "Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it"?

Oh, wait. That wasn't nice to say, was it?

Concerning the aforementioned boyfriend, their relationship was one-hundred percent insta-love. That should say everything that needs to be said about why Luke and London's budding love made me want to go to sleep. I'm constantly tired in the first place partially thanks to anemia, but it got worse every time I tried to dig into Forgotten. I wish that was exaggeration, but it's not.

Forty-two percent of the way in, there was still no sign of a plot. Jamie started her relationship with the teacher, London met and forgot Luke multiple times, London tries to find out more about her dad, she and Luke go on a few dates... As if I were London, I've forgotten most of what happened in the novel because it's so forgettable. The novel is readable, but it's not interesting. I think this is a case of the author biting off much more than she could chew. This sort of idea required a meticulous author who could execute it perfectly and it does not appear Patrick is that author.

After a friend mentioned how the book comes together in the second half, I forced myself to skim through the second half just to give it another shot. I gave Forgotten far more fair shots than it deserved, let me tell you. Something about a dead grandma and brother, "I love yous" between Luke and London--yep, nothing interesting there. Quitting at the forty-two percent mark is only looking smarter the more I think about it.

So there you go. Another DNF. Forgotten was riddled with holes and as dull as dull can be and I can't really recommend it. A few of my friends loved it, but it definitely wasn't to my taste. Give it to a better author who can give London and co. better characterization, give London better ways to manage her life, develop a plot interesting enough to make me finish reading the novel, and not turn a great concept into a sleep aid. Then we'll talk about me giving this book a second try. Like I said at the beginning, this review is not concerned with Being Nice.

First Impressions: I really wanted to read Forgotten, despite hearing mixed reviews about it. When I was talking to other people about their reading experience, it became obvious to me that Forgotten was either a love it or hate it type of book. So, curiosity got the best of me and I decided I needed to see what all of the hype was about.

First 50 Pages: Although it offered a fresh, contemporary storyline, there is little to no explanation of London Lane's "condition" in the first 50 pages Forgotten. Let me rephrase that, during the entirety of the book, there is little to no explanation of her condition. If I hadn't of read the book blurb and knew what the premise of the story was, it would have been even more difficult to understand what exactly was going on. There is no background story until halfway through the book. This really bothered me. Needless to say, I was disappointed in how the story started. Having no background information on the characters makes it hard for the reader to connect with the characters.

The Characters: I had a difficult time connecting with any of the characters, even the main character, London. My disconnection was obvious from the beginning of the story because of the lack of background information on each of the characters.

London Lane, is the main character who can see into her future, but her past is blank. Each day, her mind resets at 4:33 AM. We don't find out too much about this character, besides the fact she has a best friend, Jamie, and a super hot boyfriend, Luke. The whole story seems centered around London's memories, or lack thereof.

I have an issue with the way some authors are describing love interests in their books. Let me explain. There always seems to be a relatively normal girl, about average in looks and other descriptive qualities. Said girl, then meets a boy who is described repeatedly as gorgeous, beautiful, hot, and handsome. You get the idea. The normal girl cannot figure out why this perfect, flawless boy is interested in her. See where I am going with this? I started to notice this pattern in books when I first read Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, and it seems like every other Young Adult book since has started to do this. The same goes for Luke, London's boyfriend. This character doesn't have much substance, besides his good looks and fetish for ears. Very strange.

Jamie is London's best friend who is destined to fall unless London can change her future. There isn't anything special about this character and I think she is just there for a dramatic side-story. As a reader, we already know what is going to happen to her, since London tells us over and over again. We even know that Jamie and London will always be best friends, since London can see into the future. So, again, what is the point?

The Plot & Writing Style: I really loved the idea of the plot before I started reading this book. It reminded me of the movie, Memento, but with the added twist that London can see into the future and try to change events that haven't occurred yet. I quickly understood though, that it just doesn't work. The reason I say the plot doesn't work is because I kept asking myself the same questions throughout the book. Why doesn't she see herself changing the future? Or see glimpses of a variety of possible futures, which depend on the choices she makes? We don't really know how she sees it, or what her limitations are, and the future memories are lacking in description; we are told what will happen rather than getting a peek at them along with London.

The whole thing is just made to be unbelievable and it lacks direction. There are just too many holes in the story that are never filled in. Unfortunately, this is the authors fault. Not that I think she did it on purpose, but because she is inexperienced. An experienced author would have made sure to cover these areas of neglect. A more experienced author could have done so much more with this book, possibly spent more time reviewing and filling in the missing pieces. The author's writing jumps around so much that it is hard to tell what is going on. Weeks go missing and dilemmas are suddenly resolved, which to me seems a bit lazy.

Book Ending and My Final Thoughts: I actually had to look online to see if there was going to be a continuation to Forgotten. When I found out there are no plans for a second book, I was upset, not because I loved Forgotten, but because I expected so much more. The ending seemed rushed and unplanned. I hate to say it, but it almost seemed as if the author didn't know where to go with the writing of the ending and just quickly made up an epilogue.

It left me unfulfilled. The book had so much potential, but it failed to meet my expectations. Like I had said at the beginning of my review, Forgotten has had so many mixed reviews. Just because I didn't care for it as much as I thought I would, doesn't mean someone else won't love it. I think most teens would love this book, and frankly, any book that can get a teen to read is a good book, in my opinion.

When I got this book in the mail (after squealing and showing it to everyone) I sat down and read it immediately. I read until I couldn't stay up any longer and fell asleep. Then when I woke up I picked it back up and read it until I finished it. I have been wanting this book so badly since I first heard about it. It's a little bit of everything I love, drama, psychological, and mystery...It's the sort of book that is confusing and mind-blowing all in one swoop. Think Memento meets 50 First Dates with a splash of the future.

Before I get further into the pages of the book, I have to comment on the appearance. It's absolutely gorgeous. The cover, while amazing doesn't do justice to the back of the book and the inside pages. On the back is a lovely artistic image of butterflies. Throughout the first few pages of the book are tree limbs and the occasional butterfly. I was in love just from flipping through it.

When I first started reading Forgotten I was very confused. I knew that London only knew the future, but it was kind of hard to wrap my head around. Once I finally got the hang of that it became a lot easier to read and a totally enjoyable experience.

London is such a great strong character. Here she is powering through every day with little to no clue as to who certain people are in the present day. All she knows is the future, so the cheerleader that seems to hate her? She just can't place her finger on why, because it was in the past and she forgot to document it in her notes. Then there's Luke, the adorable love interest with a tiny bit of a secret of his own, he's seemingly not in London's future thoughts at all and no one knows why.

The whole "memory-erasing" isn't an uncommon thing in books and movies, it's been done before. This look into it is totally fresh though, I can't think of any other that essentially sees the future. The visions London experiences are chilling. Then the major secrets and twists that unfold are even more so. This is a book I can see appealing to readers of many different genres.

Many thanks to Little Brown for providing a review copy of Forgotten for me.

I was so excited to read this book when I first saw it. I've read lots of good reviews pertaining to this book and I can't wait to see what it has for me. So here's what I thought:

A girl who forgot her past once she fall asleep is quite an interesting idea for a story. I'd say it's unique though some other compare this to the movie, 50 First Dates (which I loved). This, however have different twist since she sees and remembers her future--from what she's going to wear to school, whom she's going to talk to, and even what will happen to the people around her. I can't say I love London, though I admit she's extraordinary despite her condition. There are times I found her a bit annoying, and sometimes insensitive. Also, her relationship with Luke seemed too fast for me and not well-developed. On the other hand, I admire Luke a lot. He's handsome and hot, and he's a really nice guy. But I didn't feel the connection or the attraction between them, it felt like something is missing or lacking, which I still can't figure out yet.

The story is a fast read and I enjoyed it, though halfway across the book I wonder what the real mystery is about. I also felt that the heroine was more focused on her bestfriend's situation rather than her own. There are times that I thought it was all about her bestfriend Jamie. There are mysteries that suddenly unfolded and I was surprised with some of the revelations. But it seems that I had missed the climax of the story and I'm still wondering right now about some unsolved issues. Don't get me wrong, I like this book and I'm sure lots of the readers especially those who are fans of psychological drama and mysteries will enjoy it. I'm not just fully satisfied with the ending, nevertheless, I still recommend it, and I hope that if you read this book, you'll enjoy it more than I did.

While London Lane sleeps, her day is erased and while she's awake she experiences flash forwards. She remembers what she's seen that will happen and forgets what already happened... unless she writes it down.

When I started reading this book, I had to read certain sentences and even paragraphs over again so I could be clear. By the time I got to page 30 I got the gist of what was going on with London. This teenage girl had a lot to deal with, especially when what she called a `dark memory' came. I wasn't sure, though, why the author used phrases like `forward memories' or `remembering the future'. Why not call it premonitions or psychic or even prophesy? I guess that doesn't really matter, but since memories are about `past' happenings I was just wondering. But then again, if London could only remember the `flash forwards' without having to write them down, they were the only memories she had.

What I thought about most as I read this story is how much I liked Luke. I'm sure there are teenage guys who wouldn't be as understanding about London's `memory issue' as Luke was. He was a mature young man with a good heart. London was an interesting character and I felt for her, because it took a lot of work for her to live her life. She had to keep notes; lots and lots of notes. When it came to `the present', reading was remembering. I was not happy with her, though, when she lied to Page. What she told one classmate could have started lots of trouble for another.

I don't believe London's friend, Jaime, was really angry with London, but feeling guilty about the choice she made. Why would she think her `friend' would go along with what she was doing?

London's mother, Bridgette: What she kept from her daughter, she should have told her. Not the entire story right when it happened, but later when London was old enough to handle the truth.

This book about a girl with `memory issues' turned out to be a `mystery & suspense teenage love story' that had me concerned for certain characters and kept me guessing. I didn't expect all the twists and turns!! The ending left unanswered questions and I would like to know what happened next. A sequel would be nice, but if there won't be one I'm fine with drawing my own conclusions.

Cat Patrick's story is a well-written, page-turner!! Forgotten would make a good television movie. I'd set my DVR so I could breeze right past the commercials and enjoy the show. Very nice debut!!!

Forgotten has a very unique and interesting premise: a teenage girl who "remembers" events in the future but can't recall past events from even a day before. Every night she leaves herself notes in a journal - what she'll wear the next day, who she talked to, if she has a test coming up. For someone with such a difficult "condition", she seems like a pretty well-balanced kid. She's got a best friend and seems social enough in school. London has a great sense of humor and is a genuinely likeable heroine.

When she meets Luke, a cute new boy in school, it's instant attraction. I liked the way she'd write about him in her journal so she knew about him and expected to see him, but every day was like seeing him for the first time. I really liked Luke's character, he was considerate and seemed to be a sweet kid, not some obnoxious kid looking for sex or an ego stroke. He's keeping a secret that is kind of surprising, and I loved him all the more for it, even if London didn't.

London's friendship with her BFF Jamie takes a bit of a rough turn when Jamie gets involved in an adult situation, and I didn't like the way the author let London maneuver things so that someone else handled the problem for her. I felt that for a young adult book there could have been a better course of action that London should have taken.

As if the normal teenage drama with friends and boyfriends isn't enough, London is having weird repeating dreams about a funeral and trying to hunt down clues about it's significance. I had a couple of nagging questions while reading the book, and once London was able to figure out the dream, many of the questions I'd had while reading were answered when the mystery was solved.

Forgotten is a sweet, sometimes sad but always hopeful journey through a short period in one girl's unusual life. As I read along, I found myself wondering what I would write every night if it was me who would lose my memory - What were the important happenings of the day I'd feel were important to remember and what would be okay to let go forever? The ending is happy but a bit open ended; I think there could easily be enough of London's story left for a sequel. I'd certainly like to know what the future has in store for her.