You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
A bit of a bumpy ride, but it gets there in the end
A bit of a bumpy ride. The story starts off interesting enough, an 18 year old woman, the sole survivor of a plane crash, wakes up in Ireland to a kind nurse but no memory and her father on his way from the US. She runs off, and as she is gone and “finding herself,” the story hits some bumps and starts to feel unrealistic and repetitive while she says she can’t keep lying but does. And it starts to feel off that while she knows her father is waiting and must be so worried, she doesn’t seem to feel all that bad about it and is content to continue staying gone. The guy she’s staying with and the people around him seem more interesting and likable sometimes.
And then some things change and details come to light, just when I’d thought I knew where things were going and was hating going there. I still don’t know that how things unfolded was more realistic, but it was definitely more interesting, and I really enjoyed the final chapters where the story redeemed itself enough in the end that I give it 3.75 stars rounded up to 4.
Enjoyed the narration and Irish accent.
A bit of a bumpy ride. The story starts off interesting enough, an 18 year old woman, the sole survivor of a plane crash, wakes up in Ireland to a kind nurse but no memory and her father on his way from the US. She runs off, and as she is gone and “finding herself,” the story hits some bumps and starts to feel unrealistic and repetitive while she says she can’t keep lying but does. And it starts to feel off that while she knows her father is waiting and must be so worried, she doesn’t seem to feel all that bad about it and is content to continue staying gone. The guy she’s staying with and the people around him seem more interesting and likable sometimes.
And then some things change and details come to light, just when I’d thought I knew where things were going and was hating going there. I still don’t know that how things unfolded was more realistic, but it was definitely more interesting, and I really enjoyed the final chapters where the story redeemed itself enough in the end that I give it 3.75 stars rounded up to 4.
Enjoyed the narration and Irish accent.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Grief, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content, Car accident, Death of parent, Sexual harassment
If your past were erased, who would you become? What choices would you make?
While being the sole survivor of a plane crash and suffering amnesia might sound like a plot pulled from a soap opera, Crane makes the scenario an intensely personal one, pulling you into her heroine's lost sense of self and frantic desire to be whole again.
I think this is my favorite Rebekah Crane book so far. I liked that not every character had super unusual name and that while there are lyrical moments, they don't feel so forced (Infinite Pieces of Us irked me on both counts; Grover Cleveland mostly on the former). The intrigue of a very, very unreliable narrator trying so hard not to be, and discovering her story with her, kept me turning pages. I also liked that well-placed details actually provide clues rather than merely being too-convenient author machinations.
If you're merely looking for a feel-good travel story of touristy vistas, this isn't it. The travel aspect is almost metaphorical--a reflection of the heroine's extreme sense of being lost and out of her element. At its core, the story examines the part memory plays in forming our identities. The slow build romance worked really well, as did Clementine/Jane's friendships, some of which come easily, and others that are hard-won. The mystery behind Clementine's identity makes sense of so much of what comes before that when the truth comes out, you don't feel tricked so much as impressed at the subtlety and wanting to reread, like with the film The Sixth Sense.
While being the sole survivor of a plane crash and suffering amnesia might sound like a plot pulled from a soap opera, Crane makes the scenario an intensely personal one, pulling you into her heroine's lost sense of self and frantic desire to be whole again.
I think this is my favorite Rebekah Crane book so far. I liked that not every character had super unusual name and that while there are lyrical moments, they don't feel so forced (Infinite Pieces of Us irked me on both counts; Grover Cleveland mostly on the former). The intrigue of a very, very unreliable narrator trying so hard not to be, and discovering her story with her, kept me turning pages. I also liked that well-placed details actually provide clues rather than merely being too-convenient author machinations.
If you're merely looking for a feel-good travel story of touristy vistas, this isn't it. The travel aspect is almost metaphorical--a reflection of the heroine's extreme sense of being lost and out of her element. At its core, the story examines the part memory plays in forming our identities. The slow build romance worked really well, as did Clementine/Jane's friendships, some of which come easily, and others that are hard-won. The mystery behind Clementine's identity makes sense of so much of what comes before that when the truth comes out, you don't feel tricked so much as impressed at the subtlety and wanting to reread, like with the film The Sixth Sense.
Just the type of book I was trying to quit this year - sweet confectionary fluff. But it was fun and sweet, however implausible, and I enjoyed it.
Cute romance reminding us we can always start over
A coming of age story for a young woman who’s lost all her memories. She literally has to find herself before she can go home.
Reasonable read/listen while doing the household chores with a surprising amount of wisdom.
A coming of age story for a young woman who’s lost all her memories. She literally has to find herself before she can go home.
Reasonable read/listen while doing the household chores with a surprising amount of wisdom.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I recieved this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I went into this book pretty blind. I picked it for the cover and didn't read the info on it. That said, it blew me away. The author took a tragic event and turned it into a beautiful story about new beginnings. Great story line, relatable characters, and a nice dollop of surprise to make it really stand out from the predictable stories I often find myself reading.
The sole survivor of a plane that crashed in Ireland from America wakes up with amnesia. Her lovely nurse is gentle and kind with her, and lets her have a quick moment to prepare herself for meeting her father once he arrives at the hospital to collect her.
She believes he's her dad--and seems nice enough from what she can tell while peeking around the corner at him--but she can't look this stranger in the eye and cause him more hurt with her lack of emotional ties with him. So she takes off, talking a hospital volunteer into letting her stay with him until her memory comes back and she can be herself when she reunites with her dad for good.
In the process of waiting to find out who she was, she discovers who she wants to be.
Rebekah Crane has a way of writing what seems like easy reading, but weaves quirkiness and serious issues in with a deft hand that makes them have just the right weight when they hit. A fun read with romance, family, and finding yourself.
She believes he's her dad--and seems nice enough from what she can tell while peeking around the corner at him--but she can't look this stranger in the eye and cause him more hurt with her lack of emotional ties with him. So she takes off, talking a hospital volunteer into letting her stay with him until her memory comes back and she can be herself when she reunites with her dad for good.
In the process of waiting to find out who she was, she discovers who she wants to be.
Rebekah Crane has a way of writing what seems like easy reading, but weaves quirkiness and serious issues in with a deft hand that makes them have just the right weight when they hit. A fun read with romance, family, and finding yourself.