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Remember
A riveting debut psychological thriller about the power memory has over us. Portia Willows was a senior in high school in Los Angeles when her world fell apart. While dealing with the aftermath of the accident that took the lives of her mother and sister, she finds herself forced to face her own memory―which may not be quite what it seems. But Portia suffers from severe social anxiety disorder that prevented her from having any sort of life, while her little sister, Piper, was her best, and only, friend. Now, five years later, Portia is forced to recall the events of the past while being questioned about a horrific crime she doesn’t remember. During those years, Portia had created a toxic, agoraphobic, life with her father, cigarettes and alcohol her only companions, unable to cope with her loss. That is, until Ethan Torke moved in across the street and changed Portia’s perspective in ways she could not possibly comprehend. But the truth always catches up with you, and fantasies never last. An unforgettable tale of memory, love, and strength through the darkest of times, Remember announces a brave new voice in psychological suspense.
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 8, 2019
24 people are currently reading
361 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
October 6, 2019
This was just a middle-of-the-road read for me.
🚗
Not a particularly busy road.
🚗 🚗
One of those flat roads where you can see the next car coming from miles and miles away.
🚗 🚗 🚗
You can even tell the color of the driver's hair well before they overtake you.
🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗
And so the car reaches you and quietly passes on the left. Feels like maybe the driver was trying to sneak up on you but failed miserably with their fluorescent red car.
🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗
Then not even a second later you already spot the next car breaking the horizon.
🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗
The basic premise around this plot and subsequent twist has been done before. For those that have no idea what is going on, I've little doubt this book will blow them away.
Even with the big predictable twist there were some unique spins that set this tale apart from others causing me to round up on my rating.
I think most will rate this book very high. I'm an over-seasoned jaded old woman, pay me no mind.
IN SUMMARY:
I liked the characters.
I liked the writing.
I liked the story.
I liked it.
Meh.
3.5 Stars rounded up ⭐⭐⭐⭐
P.S. the cover is fabulously creepy. However, I have no idea how it relates to the story. 🤷♀️
** I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. **
🚗
Not a particularly busy road.
🚗 🚗
One of those flat roads where you can see the next car coming from miles and miles away.
🚗 🚗 🚗
You can even tell the color of the driver's hair well before they overtake you.
🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗
And so the car reaches you and quietly passes on the left. Feels like maybe the driver was trying to sneak up on you but failed miserably with their fluorescent red car.
🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗
Then not even a second later you already spot the next car breaking the horizon.
🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗 🚗
The basic premise around this plot and subsequent twist has been done before. For those that have no idea what is going on, I've little doubt this book will blow them away.
Even with the big predictable twist there were some unique spins that set this tale apart from others causing me to round up on my rating.
I think most will rate this book very high. I'm an over-seasoned jaded old woman, pay me no mind.
IN SUMMARY:
I liked the characters.
I liked the writing.
I liked the story.
I liked it.
Meh.
3.5 Stars rounded up ⭐⭐⭐⭐
P.S. the cover is fabulously creepy. However, I have no idea how it relates to the story. 🤷♀️
** I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. **
October 17, 2019
Remember by Patricia Smith is being touted as a psychological thriller. I consider it more to be fiction....with a touch of scariness if you consider real life.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Polis Books, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Portia Willows was a rather strange child. She suffered from severe social anxiety, but no one aside from her sister, really understood what she went through. She left the house only when she absolutely had to, and then panic attacks were the norm. School was a nightmare. Her world revolved around her family. Her mother was a Type A business woman, her younger sister Piper was an extrovert who was "Miss Popularity" in school, and her father was a stay-at-home dad. When Portia was 17, on the night of her sister's high school play, her family was involved in a tragic car accident. Portia, of course, had not attended the play.
Now, five years after that accident, Portia is in custody. She barely remembers the last five years of her life, and what she does remember may be faulty. She remembers her mother and sister dying in the accident, and she lived with her dad. She remembers meeting the boy across the street and falling in love. That's about it. Forensic psychiatrist Elizabeth Smith is trying to walk her through the past five years, so that Portia will remember...so that she will remember why she has blood on her hands.
My Opinions:
Well, for a debut novel, that was really good. As someone who has suffered from panic attacks myself, I believe the author may have as well. She described Portia's attacks and anxiety from the angle of someone who has been there.
This novel is about memories, about social anxiety, about PTSD, about mental illness left untreated, and about love. Portia's story is told as she goes back and forth between the present and different years in her past, until she is able to really grasp the last five years of her life. This worked well. Although I had anticipated the bit about her father very early in the story, Ethan's involvement came as a shock.
This was a fast, entertaining, and very emotional read.
Although she covered some rough topics, the author didn't sugar coat anything. Mental illness, if left untreated, can cause harm....
For a more complete review of this book and others (including author information and quotations), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
October 20, 2019
Remember is the debut physiological suspense novel by Patricia Shanae Smith. Ms. Smith has acquitted herself very well in her first attempt.
Portia Willows is a high school senior when her mother and younger sister, Piper, are killed in a car accident. Portia finds it hard to cope because she suffers from extreme social anxiety disorder, and Piper had been the buffer between her and the world. Portia and her father both become agoraphobic and subsist mainly on beer and cigarettes. Portia’s life becomes marginally better when Ethan Torke moves in across the street and the two become friends. Things come to a head, when five years after the accident, Portia finds herself being questioned about a violent incident that she can’t remember. The human brain is a strange and mysterious thing.
The story is revealed partially through flashbacks from Portia’s point of view. Flashback scenes can be confusing but here they were handled well, so the voice and timeframe are clear. The characters are well-developed. There are interesting and surprising plot twists. Remember is an excellent read. I rate it 5 out of 5 stars. I was contemplating a 4 star rating but went with 5 stars because of the true testimonials at the end of the book. Ms. Smith has used her platform to allow others to share their pain and triumphs. I recommend this book to anyone who has dealt with or knows someone who has dealt with mental health issues, and to anyone who enjoys a good psychological suspense/thriller.
My thanks to Polis Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.
Portia Willows is a high school senior when her mother and younger sister, Piper, are killed in a car accident. Portia finds it hard to cope because she suffers from extreme social anxiety disorder, and Piper had been the buffer between her and the world. Portia and her father both become agoraphobic and subsist mainly on beer and cigarettes. Portia’s life becomes marginally better when Ethan Torke moves in across the street and the two become friends. Things come to a head, when five years after the accident, Portia finds herself being questioned about a violent incident that she can’t remember. The human brain is a strange and mysterious thing.
The story is revealed partially through flashbacks from Portia’s point of view. Flashback scenes can be confusing but here they were handled well, so the voice and timeframe are clear. The characters are well-developed. There are interesting and surprising plot twists. Remember is an excellent read. I rate it 5 out of 5 stars. I was contemplating a 4 star rating but went with 5 stars because of the true testimonials at the end of the book. Ms. Smith has used her platform to allow others to share their pain and triumphs. I recommend this book to anyone who has dealt with or knows someone who has dealt with mental health issues, and to anyone who enjoys a good psychological suspense/thriller.
My thanks to Polis Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.
April 22, 2025
#ad mad love for the advance copy @daturabooks #partner
🆁🅴🅼🅴🅼🅱🅴🆁
ʀᴇʟᴇᴀꜱᴇꜱ ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ
Remember by Patricia Shanae Smith is a psychological thriller that is a quick and fun read. Once I started reading it I couldn’t put it down until the mystery revealed itself.
Portia struggles with social anxiety, so when she finds herself under arrest for murder, she doesn’t know how she will be able to cope with it. She doesn’t remember what happened. But Portia’s life had already been torn apart when her mother and sister were killed in a car accident a few years earlier. She didn’t think life could get any harder but she had been wrong.
The story is fast-paced and makes you want to find out what happened the night Portia was arrested. It’s a solid mystery with lots happening in between - the plot alternates from the present, where Portia is on trial, and the past.
I enjoyed all the twists and turns and found myself relating to Portia in so many ways. She avoids people, covers her windows, and doesn’t leave her house much unless she knows she won’t run into other people.
The growth Portia makes lends the story as a more inspirational one. I also loved the family dysfunction between her and her father. The story ends 10 years later and is the perfect ending.
I also enjoyed the courtroom scenes - they are what made this book.
#Remember
🆁🅴🅼🅴🅼🅱🅴🆁
ʀᴇʟᴇᴀꜱᴇꜱ ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ
Remember by Patricia Shanae Smith is a psychological thriller that is a quick and fun read. Once I started reading it I couldn’t put it down until the mystery revealed itself.
Portia struggles with social anxiety, so when she finds herself under arrest for murder, she doesn’t know how she will be able to cope with it. She doesn’t remember what happened. But Portia’s life had already been torn apart when her mother and sister were killed in a car accident a few years earlier. She didn’t think life could get any harder but she had been wrong.
The story is fast-paced and makes you want to find out what happened the night Portia was arrested. It’s a solid mystery with lots happening in between - the plot alternates from the present, where Portia is on trial, and the past.
I enjoyed all the twists and turns and found myself relating to Portia in so many ways. She avoids people, covers her windows, and doesn’t leave her house much unless she knows she won’t run into other people.
The growth Portia makes lends the story as a more inspirational one. I also loved the family dysfunction between her and her father. The story ends 10 years later and is the perfect ending.
I also enjoyed the courtroom scenes - they are what made this book.
#Remember
October 2, 2019
I don't get all the very enthusiastic review. For me this is a case of marketing reviews (might be wrong but it felt like it). The story is closer to contemporary then thriller. The characters couldn't be in anyway more stereotype and the ARC version I got was very poorly edited. Yes it' an ARC so it could contains some minor flaws and it's part of the game. But 95% of the text is highlight, the page/chapter cut don't always happen in a good place and it felt very amateur going through it. Some seem to like it if we check the actual rating/review but I wouldn't recommend reading it!
October 22, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed this psychological thriller! The focus on the dark and desperate parts of mental illness was incredibly well done. The storyline is captivating, the characters interesting and the alternating timelines will keep you flipping pages. I would definitely read more by Patricia Smith.
Huge thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy!
Huge thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy!
April 24, 2025
Remember is a fast-paced and gripping psychological thriller. The storyline is punctuated with unpredictable twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
The story follows Portia Willows who has lost her sister and mother in an accident. She also has severe social anxiety disorder that makes it impossible for her to interact let alone be in crowded places. Taking her classes online, she lives with her dad, watching The Big Bang Theory and making trips to a nearby store for their beer runs.
Until one day, she meets Ethan. He is their neighbour and her psychology teacher's son. Gradually, she begins to take leaps of faith however it was it always felt like it will go downhill. A sudden turn of events leads to her being accused and arrested for a crime. But there are so many blanks and Portia's memory is fragmented. Truth is a thread that not only ties the present but also has a undeniable knot of the past that weighs the reality.
This was an absolute rollercoaster ride of a book. It was fast-paced and gripping, the captivating storyline and adrenaline rushed twists and turns made it a page-tuner for sure. Following the different timelines, the unreliablity of the protagonist, shrouded mysteries, cloaked truths and concave conjunction of manipulation and deceits, this thrilling suspense book will surely keep you hooked. To be honest, I didn't see that jaw- dropping twist at the end of the book. The author's incredible writing style and plot execution are remarkable and exquisite.
I would highly recommend this immaculately suspenseful page-tuner to all the thrillers enthusiasts.
The story follows Portia Willows who has lost her sister and mother in an accident. She also has severe social anxiety disorder that makes it impossible for her to interact let alone be in crowded places. Taking her classes online, she lives with her dad, watching The Big Bang Theory and making trips to a nearby store for their beer runs.
Until one day, she meets Ethan. He is their neighbour and her psychology teacher's son. Gradually, she begins to take leaps of faith however it was it always felt like it will go downhill. A sudden turn of events leads to her being accused and arrested for a crime. But there are so many blanks and Portia's memory is fragmented. Truth is a thread that not only ties the present but also has a undeniable knot of the past that weighs the reality.
This was an absolute rollercoaster ride of a book. It was fast-paced and gripping, the captivating storyline and adrenaline rushed twists and turns made it a page-tuner for sure. Following the different timelines, the unreliablity of the protagonist, shrouded mysteries, cloaked truths and concave conjunction of manipulation and deceits, this thrilling suspense book will surely keep you hooked. To be honest, I didn't see that jaw- dropping twist at the end of the book. The author's incredible writing style and plot execution are remarkable and exquisite.
I would highly recommend this immaculately suspenseful page-tuner to all the thrillers enthusiasts.
May 1, 2025
➡️ɢʀᴀʙ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ:
° Want to cry, doubt reality, then cry again
° Love an underdog protagonist who claws her way out
° Appreciate honest portrayals of mental illness (especially agoraphobia + anxiety)
° Believe grief doesn’t just pass through—it 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶
⠀
➡️ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ:
Portia, a girl unraveling after a tragic accident and an even bigger tragedy she can’t remember. Is she a victim? A witness? Something 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚? Grief, guilt, and truth claw their way to the surface as she’s forced to remember what she’s spent five years trying to 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩.
⠀
➡️ᴛʜʀɪʟʟ-ᴏ-ᴍᴇᴛᴇʀ: 🩵🩵🩵 🩵
This one didn’t just get under my skin—it 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚
Not fast. Not loud. But honest in a way that cracked me open. It's a bit slower, but the tension builds like a pressure cooker, and when the truth hits, it 𝙬𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙠𝙨.
This is a story about how grief rots when we pretend it isn’t there. About the kind of trauma that doesn’t scream—it whispers, isolates, numbs. Portia’s spiral felt real. Messy. Human. The kind of mental illness depiction that doesn’t ask for pity—just understanding. Also—That twist? Didn’t see it coming. And it 𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙩.
⠀
This book is for the girls who had to grow up in the dark. Who got used to silence. Who don’t always feel safe in their own minds, but 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘸𝘢𝘺.
⠀
💬 Would you rather forget the truth—or live with it once it finds you?
⠀
° Want to cry, doubt reality, then cry again
° Love an underdog protagonist who claws her way out
° Appreciate honest portrayals of mental illness (especially agoraphobia + anxiety)
° Believe grief doesn’t just pass through—it 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶
⠀
➡️ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ:
Portia, a girl unraveling after a tragic accident and an even bigger tragedy she can’t remember. Is she a victim? A witness? Something 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚? Grief, guilt, and truth claw their way to the surface as she’s forced to remember what she’s spent five years trying to 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩.
⠀
➡️ᴛʜʀɪʟʟ-ᴏ-ᴍᴇᴛᴇʀ: 🩵🩵🩵 🩵
This one didn’t just get under my skin—it 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚
Not fast. Not loud. But honest in a way that cracked me open. It's a bit slower, but the tension builds like a pressure cooker, and when the truth hits, it 𝙬𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙠𝙨.
This is a story about how grief rots when we pretend it isn’t there. About the kind of trauma that doesn’t scream—it whispers, isolates, numbs. Portia’s spiral felt real. Messy. Human. The kind of mental illness depiction that doesn’t ask for pity—just understanding. Also—That twist? Didn’t see it coming. And it 𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙩.
⠀
This book is for the girls who had to grow up in the dark. Who got used to silence. Who don’t always feel safe in their own minds, but 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘸𝘢𝘺.
⠀
💬 Would you rather forget the truth—or live with it once it finds you?
⠀
September 20, 2019
One of this year's best !!! Ethan meets Portia and they have a slow romance that ends in love. Portia's mother and sister, Piper, were killed in an auto accident 5 years ago. Yet, Portia spends most of the day watching TV with her dad, drinking and doing online studies at UCLA. She depends on her dad's company because she has a social anxiety disorder.
Wait until you see what happens!!! Anything more would be a spoiler.
A superb read! I cannot say more!!!
Many Thanks to Agora Books and NetGalley for a brilliant read!!!
Wait until you see what happens!!! Anything more would be a spoiler.
A superb read! I cannot say more!!!
Many Thanks to Agora Books and NetGalley for a brilliant read!!!
February 23, 2024
This is one of the worst books I've ever read. Not only is the writing and characterization bad, but Patricia introduces two different twists that put everything in a definitely unintentional, morally heinous perspective. Furthermore, the twists absolutely do not work as it forces these characters to behave as no actual human being would ever behave.
April 26, 2025
Remember is marketed as a psychological thriller, but I would classify it more a psychological fiction. I think when I switched my mindset it truly made me appreciate the intricacy of the book more. The deep dive into the dark and twisted parts of the brain when mental health remains untreated. There is no sugar coating in this book, the author covers the rough topics and paints a realistic portrait of the situation.
The scenes felt vividly real, making me think that the author has had some experience with mental health in her life. She depicted the emotions, the feelings and the actions very accurately, representing exactly how one suffering would react, I highly appreciated that. The storyline was very interesting following Portia before, now and during the incident. The jumps were well done and easy to follow. There were a few twists and turns laid out, which honestly I did not see coming!
Overall, I enjoyed this book, the realness and rawness of the subject matter. The added thrill made for a more exciting and fast paced read making it very hard to put down.
✨️Thank you to @daturabooks & @patriciashanaesmith for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
The scenes felt vividly real, making me think that the author has had some experience with mental health in her life. She depicted the emotions, the feelings and the actions very accurately, representing exactly how one suffering would react, I highly appreciated that. The storyline was very interesting following Portia before, now and during the incident. The jumps were well done and easy to follow. There were a few twists and turns laid out, which honestly I did not see coming!
Overall, I enjoyed this book, the realness and rawness of the subject matter. The added thrill made for a more exciting and fast paced read making it very hard to put down.
✨️Thank you to @daturabooks & @patriciashanaesmith for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 28, 2025
Thank you to Datura books for sending me a copy of this novel. Here are my thoughts!
Portia has severe social anxiety, and when she was in high school, a car accident took the lives of her mother and sister. A few years later, Portia lives with her father, and they spend the day drinking and smoking and avoiding the world. Until Ethan moves in across the street and he begins dating Portia. But overcoming the fears and trauma she has experienced may put her, and her boyfriend’s life in danger.
This is a stunning debut. I read it super fast because I was very invested in what the answers to the various mysteries were. The plot flowed and the reveals were spaced out well. There are like a billion twists in this book, I predicted some but missed some, but it was very fun trying to solve this suspenseful read.
I was frustrated with Portia but also sympathetic towards her. I couldn’t always understand her justification on decisions, and she didn’t always stand up for her beliefs, but it fit really well with her history and background. I had strong opinions on almost all of the characters, which is a sign of good writing for me. And the author treated the mental health and trauma pieces of this novel with care, which is important to me.
Clear your shelves everyone, I think we have a fab new thriller writer in our midst!
Portia has severe social anxiety, and when she was in high school, a car accident took the lives of her mother and sister. A few years later, Portia lives with her father, and they spend the day drinking and smoking and avoiding the world. Until Ethan moves in across the street and he begins dating Portia. But overcoming the fears and trauma she has experienced may put her, and her boyfriend’s life in danger.
This is a stunning debut. I read it super fast because I was very invested in what the answers to the various mysteries were. The plot flowed and the reveals were spaced out well. There are like a billion twists in this book, I predicted some but missed some, but it was very fun trying to solve this suspenseful read.
I was frustrated with Portia but also sympathetic towards her. I couldn’t always understand her justification on decisions, and she didn’t always stand up for her beliefs, but it fit really well with her history and background. I had strong opinions on almost all of the characters, which is a sign of good writing for me. And the author treated the mental health and trauma pieces of this novel with care, which is important to me.
Clear your shelves everyone, I think we have a fab new thriller writer in our midst!
April 30, 2025
This book was great! It's a must read.
As a mother of a child with ASD that suffers with social anxiety, this book drew me in due to it being based off someone living with severe social anxiety disorder.
The book tells the story of Portia, a young adult living with social anxiety. It tells of different timelines as we learn about Portia and what she's been through having to deal with the condition and how it worsened after the deaths of her mother and sister.
After something happens, Portia is arrested but she has no idea what she's done and why she's been arrested. Forensic psychologist Elizabeth works with Portia to get her to remember things that happened in the past, that will lead to remember what has happened and to understand why she got arrested.
The book is a fantastic debut from Patricia Shanae Smith. It's quite emotional, you really feel for Portia as you learn what her life has been like and what has happened to her. Then there is a crazy twist at the end I didn't see coming!
As a mother of a child with ASD that suffers with social anxiety, this book drew me in due to it being based off someone living with severe social anxiety disorder.
The book tells the story of Portia, a young adult living with social anxiety. It tells of different timelines as we learn about Portia and what she's been through having to deal with the condition and how it worsened after the deaths of her mother and sister.
After something happens, Portia is arrested but she has no idea what she's done and why she's been arrested. Forensic psychologist Elizabeth works with Portia to get her to remember things that happened in the past, that will lead to remember what has happened and to understand why she got arrested.
The book is a fantastic debut from Patricia Shanae Smith. It's quite emotional, you really feel for Portia as you learn what her life has been like and what has happened to her. Then there is a crazy twist at the end I didn't see coming!
November 11, 2020
A wonderful examination of trauma, love, addiction, mental illness, with just the right infusion of hope. A terrific debut from a new author, with expectations of great things to come.
October 3, 2021
Patricia Smith writes with courage and honest in this psychologically-gripping crime fiction thriller. Highly recommend!
August 28, 2025
Omg the PLOT TWIST
October 13, 2019
Character Driven Psychological Mystery (TW alcoholism/ social anxiety, panic attacks, agoraphobia, PTSD, on page/ past suicide mentioned)
This starts with a mystery where something horrible has clearly happened but the character, Portia Willows, doesn’t know what it is. We’re then taken back to her as a teenager with social anxiety and agoraphobia and get to know her family. The family she partially loses in an accident. Now she lives with her father, both drinking the day away and barely able to care for themselves and each other. Until a young man moves in across the street, forcing Portia to step outside of her comfort zone in hopes of her first romantic relationship. But we keep getting “now” chapters of Portia trying to figure out where she is, what happened, and where her father is… In a genre that too often grossly uses mental illness as the boogie monster this was a welcome change, and new voice.
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: https://link.bookriot.com/view/56a820...
This starts with a mystery where something horrible has clearly happened but the character, Portia Willows, doesn’t know what it is. We’re then taken back to her as a teenager with social anxiety and agoraphobia and get to know her family. The family she partially loses in an accident. Now she lives with her father, both drinking the day away and barely able to care for themselves and each other. Until a young man moves in across the street, forcing Portia to step outside of her comfort zone in hopes of her first romantic relationship. But we keep getting “now” chapters of Portia trying to figure out where she is, what happened, and where her father is… In a genre that too often grossly uses mental illness as the boogie monster this was a welcome change, and new voice.
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: https://link.bookriot.com/view/56a820...
July 23, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and Datura Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Patricia Shanae Smith’s debut novel “Remember” is an emotionally raw, psychologically gripping journey into the fractured mind of a young woman battling memory loss, trauma, and the shadows of untreated mental illness. Though marketed as a psychological thriller, this book leans heavily into psychological fiction, delivering an intimate portrait of a damaged mind struggling to piece itself back together and a chilling reminder of how the mind can twist reality in the name of self-preservation.
At the center of the story is Portia Willows, a young woman whose life was shattered at seventeen when her mother and younger sister died in a tragic car accident. Struggling with debilitating social anxiety long before the crash, Portia becomes even more reclusive afterward, retreating into a life of isolation with her emotionally absent father. Her world is small as it’s reduced to online classes, late-night sitcoms, and beer-fueled apathy until Ethan Torke, the boy across the street, offers her a glimmer of connection and hope.
But five years later, that glimmer is gone. Portia is now in custody, suspected of a violent crime she can’t fully remember. Her memories are shattered, and her present-day conversations with a forensic psychiatrist serve as a chilling frame for a story told mostly through flashbacks where some are real, some distorted, all crucial. The story carefully unspools Portia’s unraveling psyche, revealing secrets buried so deeply even she can’t face them. The central mystery revolves not just around the crime itself, but around the way Portia’s mind has constructed a new version of reality to protect her from unbearable truths.
Smith handles the unreliable narrator device with precision. Portia’s perspective is foggy, biased, and emotionally charged but never confusing. Flashbacks are deftly woven through timelines, showing a girl desperate for love, healing, and understanding. You will likely unravel the truth about her father early on, but this predictability feels intentional. It isn’t about the “what” so much as the “why”—why Portia can’t remember, why she refused to see, and how trauma can disfigure even the most obvious of realities.
Ethan’s role in the story is more surprising. Initially framed as a love interest and lifeline, his true involvement in Portia’s past hits like a sucker punch, grounding the book’s emotional climax in betrayal, fear, and heartbreak. The final reveal is both tragic and satisfying, bringing full circle the themes of memory, denial, and the long-overdue reckoning with past trauma.
The book’s greatest strength lies in its unflinching depiction of mental illness. Smith doesn't shy away from showing the dark underbelly of untreated conditions with how they warp behavior, isolate the sufferer, and are too often ignored or misunderstood by those closest to them. Portia’s spiral feels painfully real, and the book’s ending, while a bit neat in its resolution, doesn't offer a miracle cure. Instead, it promises accountability, healing, and the difficult truth that some scars never fully fade.
Overall, “Remember” is a compelling, character-driven psychological tale that explores trauma, denial, and the fragile construction of memory. With sharp writing, emotionally resonant themes, and a protagonist who is as heartbreaking as she is unreliable, Patricia Shanae Smith has crafted a debut that’s both suspenseful and deeply human.
Patricia Shanae Smith’s debut novel “Remember” is an emotionally raw, psychologically gripping journey into the fractured mind of a young woman battling memory loss, trauma, and the shadows of untreated mental illness. Though marketed as a psychological thriller, this book leans heavily into psychological fiction, delivering an intimate portrait of a damaged mind struggling to piece itself back together and a chilling reminder of how the mind can twist reality in the name of self-preservation.
At the center of the story is Portia Willows, a young woman whose life was shattered at seventeen when her mother and younger sister died in a tragic car accident. Struggling with debilitating social anxiety long before the crash, Portia becomes even more reclusive afterward, retreating into a life of isolation with her emotionally absent father. Her world is small as it’s reduced to online classes, late-night sitcoms, and beer-fueled apathy until Ethan Torke, the boy across the street, offers her a glimmer of connection and hope.
But five years later, that glimmer is gone. Portia is now in custody, suspected of a violent crime she can’t fully remember. Her memories are shattered, and her present-day conversations with a forensic psychiatrist serve as a chilling frame for a story told mostly through flashbacks where some are real, some distorted, all crucial. The story carefully unspools Portia’s unraveling psyche, revealing secrets buried so deeply even she can’t face them. The central mystery revolves not just around the crime itself, but around the way Portia’s mind has constructed a new version of reality to protect her from unbearable truths.
Smith handles the unreliable narrator device with precision. Portia’s perspective is foggy, biased, and emotionally charged but never confusing. Flashbacks are deftly woven through timelines, showing a girl desperate for love, healing, and understanding. You will likely unravel the truth about her father early on, but this predictability feels intentional. It isn’t about the “what” so much as the “why”—why Portia can’t remember, why she refused to see, and how trauma can disfigure even the most obvious of realities.
Ethan’s role in the story is more surprising. Initially framed as a love interest and lifeline, his true involvement in Portia’s past hits like a sucker punch, grounding the book’s emotional climax in betrayal, fear, and heartbreak. The final reveal is both tragic and satisfying, bringing full circle the themes of memory, denial, and the long-overdue reckoning with past trauma.
The book’s greatest strength lies in its unflinching depiction of mental illness. Smith doesn't shy away from showing the dark underbelly of untreated conditions with how they warp behavior, isolate the sufferer, and are too often ignored or misunderstood by those closest to them. Portia’s spiral feels painfully real, and the book’s ending, while a bit neat in its resolution, doesn't offer a miracle cure. Instead, it promises accountability, healing, and the difficult truth that some scars never fully fade.
Overall, “Remember” is a compelling, character-driven psychological tale that explores trauma, denial, and the fragile construction of memory. With sharp writing, emotionally resonant themes, and a protagonist who is as heartbreaking as she is unreliable, Patricia Shanae Smith has crafted a debut that’s both suspenseful and deeply human.
April 21, 2025
“It doesn’t fix anything… But it makes it easier to get through the next minute. And sometimes, that’s all you need.”
Remember follows Portia, whose world falls apart when a fatal accident takes the lives of her mother and sister. The grief makes Portia’s severe social anxiety disorder unmanageable, and she locks herself away with her father; until a mysterious stranger moves in across the street who changes her whole perspective. But when Portia is arrested for a crime she doesn’t remember committing, she finds herself forced to face her past in order to obtain the truth of her own fractured memory.
I was SO excited to read this book when I first saw Datura post about it, and it has exceeded all of my expectations. This is undoubtedly one of the best debuts I’ve read, and I will be recommending this to absolutely everybody for the foreseeable!
First of all, Portia is an incredible character and is depicted in such a beautifully raw and emotional way, that you can’t help but love her. Remember is told from her perspective throughout, following her throughout both her arrest and her past as she scrambles to piece together her fractured memory.
The whole concept of being guilty of a crime you don’t remember committing is fascinating and thrilling to me, but Remember took that idea and ran circles with it - creating an unforgettable plot. You know those twists where you read a page, and you say WHAT out loud and have to put the book down for a minute to process? This is it.
Remember in a nutshell is a masterclass in psychological tension, vulnerability, and compelling writing. The balance between guilt and strength, and heartbreak and healing, makes this a powerful read that will stay with me a while.
If you couldn’t tell, I am in awe of this book and I am incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to read it prior to its release, so thank you so much to the talented Patricia Shanae Smith and the amazing Datura team for sending me this advanced copy to read and review. My opinions are my own.
Remember is out 22nd April and is a book everybody needs to be pre-ordering and reading!👀
Remember follows Portia, whose world falls apart when a fatal accident takes the lives of her mother and sister. The grief makes Portia’s severe social anxiety disorder unmanageable, and she locks herself away with her father; until a mysterious stranger moves in across the street who changes her whole perspective. But when Portia is arrested for a crime she doesn’t remember committing, she finds herself forced to face her past in order to obtain the truth of her own fractured memory.
I was SO excited to read this book when I first saw Datura post about it, and it has exceeded all of my expectations. This is undoubtedly one of the best debuts I’ve read, and I will be recommending this to absolutely everybody for the foreseeable!
First of all, Portia is an incredible character and is depicted in such a beautifully raw and emotional way, that you can’t help but love her. Remember is told from her perspective throughout, following her throughout both her arrest and her past as she scrambles to piece together her fractured memory.
The whole concept of being guilty of a crime you don’t remember committing is fascinating and thrilling to me, but Remember took that idea and ran circles with it - creating an unforgettable plot. You know those twists where you read a page, and you say WHAT out loud and have to put the book down for a minute to process? This is it.
Remember in a nutshell is a masterclass in psychological tension, vulnerability, and compelling writing. The balance between guilt and strength, and heartbreak and healing, makes this a powerful read that will stay with me a while.
If you couldn’t tell, I am in awe of this book and I am incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to read it prior to its release, so thank you so much to the talented Patricia Shanae Smith and the amazing Datura team for sending me this advanced copy to read and review. My opinions are my own.
Remember is out 22nd April and is a book everybody needs to be pre-ordering and reading!👀
April 16, 2025
Five years ago, Portia Willows life fell apart. Her family was killed in a car crash on their way to her sister's school play. The only reason Portia wasn't in the car with them is her social anxiety. Portia typically barely makes it through the school day. Now, it is just Portia and her dad at home dealing with their grief in unhealthy ways. Portia rarely goes out, they both drink and smoke far too much and have The Big Bang Theory on TV all day. Portia begins to pull out of her grief when her neighbor's son moves in from Florida, Ethan Torke. Ethan gets to know Portia and accepts her quirks, working with her to go out into the community. Portia and Ethan fall in love quickly and deeply, resulting in a pregnancy. However, five years later when Portia is being detained for a crime, she can't seem to remember much past her family's car accident and must piece together the past to learn why she is currently under investigation.
Remember is a psychological thriller that delves into mental health and its impacts. Portia's character isn't exactly personable, but is well developed and can easily be empathized with in her tragedy and mental state. With everything that has happened to her, Portia has used the limited resources available to her in order to survive. Ethan's character is pivotal in Portia's life, he never seems completely trustworthy, but does find ways to support Portia as best he can. I was constantly amazed by how the people in Portia's life, both before and after the car accident, consistently let Portia down and never took care of Portia's mental health, setting her up perfectly for a break from reality. The writing foreshadows Portia's truth through bouncing back and forth between Portia in the present and Portia five years prior. This foreshadowing leads you through the twists and turns so that the big reveals near the end don't seem quite as impactful or surprising.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Remember is a psychological thriller that delves into mental health and its impacts. Portia's character isn't exactly personable, but is well developed and can easily be empathized with in her tragedy and mental state. With everything that has happened to her, Portia has used the limited resources available to her in order to survive. Ethan's character is pivotal in Portia's life, he never seems completely trustworthy, but does find ways to support Portia as best he can. I was constantly amazed by how the people in Portia's life, both before and after the car accident, consistently let Portia down and never took care of Portia's mental health, setting her up perfectly for a break from reality. The writing foreshadows Portia's truth through bouncing back and forth between Portia in the present and Portia five years prior. This foreshadowing leads you through the twists and turns so that the big reveals near the end don't seem quite as impactful or surprising.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Read
September 2, 2019A spellbinding psychological thriller where the protagonist Portia has to deal with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following the tragic death of her mother and sister in an accident. Portia has always had social anxiety issues and showed symptoms of Demo phobia and Agoraphobia. Her mother was the CEO in a large company and was essentially the bread winner of the family while her father was a stay at home Dad. Portia was aware that her father dealt with insecurities daily owing to his wife’s success and dominance. She herself has lived in the shadows of her lively extrovert sister and wished at every moment that she could be more like her. Her entire life is thrown off the rails after this accident. Taking to drinking and smoking spiralled on by her father, she lives the life of a recluse hardly stepping out of the house except to go to the local store for some beer and cigarettes. She clings to her father for comfort and he proves to be her anchor in the deep sea of doubt and despair.
Ethan enters her life like a breath of fresh air and she realises how much she is missing out in the outside world. She is pulled in two directions as she is sometimes forced to choose between her father and Ethan. The readers are then subjected to an astonishing twist which they surely did not see coming and out of the blue the story starts gaining on pace and excitement. Patricia has captured the character of Portia perfectly especially in the moments when she blocks out her unpleasant memories and her psychologist pokes and pries in attempt to release everything that is locked in her mind.
A near death experience of a loved one throws Portia out of her comfort zone and she tries to limp back to normalcy. A well crafted plot which made for quick reading – finished it in three hours.
My score 4 * / 5
Ethan enters her life like a breath of fresh air and she realises how much she is missing out in the outside world. She is pulled in two directions as she is sometimes forced to choose between her father and Ethan. The readers are then subjected to an astonishing twist which they surely did not see coming and out of the blue the story starts gaining on pace and excitement. Patricia has captured the character of Portia perfectly especially in the moments when she blocks out her unpleasant memories and her psychologist pokes and pries in attempt to release everything that is locked in her mind.
A near death experience of a loved one throws Portia out of her comfort zone and she tries to limp back to normalcy. A well crafted plot which made for quick reading – finished it in three hours.
My score 4 * / 5
September 24, 2019
🚨🚨 Book Review 🚨🚨
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Ok #bookish 📖 people: I try to keep it REAL here, let you know when I’m into the hype, let you know when I’m not into the hype, but also try to be kind —even if I don’t love 💗 it
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This is LEGIT. The first #thriller review that I am absolutely pumped about❗️❗️ As in —go freaking get YOU this book October 8, 2019. I think it’s gonna be a HUGE hit, total money 💰 👊🏼 worth the read❗️❗️
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Patricia Smith @patriciashanae hit a homerun on her debut novel REMEMBER with @polisbooks @agorabooks about a young woman Portia Willows who we meet first thing going through some sort of unknown trauma both to the reader and Portia herself🤷🏽♀️
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I have so much to say about this...total #psychologicalthriller 💭🤷🏽♀️ Asking myself several times what the EFF was going on, yet trying to remain patient with the central characters, feeling like they were real people who were just stringing me along and telling a disjointed story📖
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This is what Smith’s back and forth narratives from between different years in the past versus present day do for YOU as the reader in this mindtwist💡
.
It’s not creepy, it’s twisty. And the conclusion kept turning, ↗️↖️⬅️➡️twisting, and revealing things that I cursed myself for having not realized because I ALWAYS do… But I think Smith’s 💡imagination was just that good and her characters and bewildering storyline were just that good✍🏾👊🏼📖🤷🏽♀️🤦🏻♀️
.
DO NOT TAKE my word for it though. Get the book OCTOBER 8 and decide for yourself🤙🏽
.
I don’t get anything from this except for the sheer pleasure of having gotten to read a book and then tell you about it, so definitely UNBIASED❗️❗️
.
Thanks @netgalley for the #ARC and thanks Smith for your ✍🏾
.
#bookstagram #bookreview #bookblog #thrillerbooks #psychologicalthriller #debutnovel #blackauthors #bookshelf #ereaders
.
Ok #bookish 📖 people: I try to keep it REAL here, let you know when I’m into the hype, let you know when I’m not into the hype, but also try to be kind —even if I don’t love 💗 it
.
This is LEGIT. The first #thriller review that I am absolutely pumped about❗️❗️ As in —go freaking get YOU this book October 8, 2019. I think it’s gonna be a HUGE hit, total money 💰 👊🏼 worth the read❗️❗️
.
Patricia Smith @patriciashanae hit a homerun on her debut novel REMEMBER with @polisbooks @agorabooks about a young woman Portia Willows who we meet first thing going through some sort of unknown trauma both to the reader and Portia herself🤷🏽♀️
.
I have so much to say about this...total #psychologicalthriller 💭🤷🏽♀️ Asking myself several times what the EFF was going on, yet trying to remain patient with the central characters, feeling like they were real people who were just stringing me along and telling a disjointed story📖
.
This is what Smith’s back and forth narratives from between different years in the past versus present day do for YOU as the reader in this mindtwist💡
.
It’s not creepy, it’s twisty. And the conclusion kept turning, ↗️↖️⬅️➡️twisting, and revealing things that I cursed myself for having not realized because I ALWAYS do… But I think Smith’s 💡imagination was just that good and her characters and bewildering storyline were just that good✍🏾👊🏼📖🤷🏽♀️🤦🏻♀️
.
DO NOT TAKE my word for it though. Get the book OCTOBER 8 and decide for yourself🤙🏽
.
I don’t get anything from this except for the sheer pleasure of having gotten to read a book and then tell you about it, so definitely UNBIASED❗️❗️
.
Thanks @netgalley for the #ARC and thanks Smith for your ✍🏾
.
#bookstagram #bookreview #bookblog #thrillerbooks #psychologicalthriller #debutnovel #blackauthors #bookshelf #ereaders
January 3, 2020
Patricia Smith's debut novel, Remember, is a psychological thriller/twister centered in the four walls of Portia Willow's home. When we meet Portia, something bad has happened. Something really bad. But traumatized Portia cannot remember what it is.
Portia already suffered from life-long, severe social anxiety when a tragic accident took the lives of her mother and sister. Portia desperately misses her little sister, Piper. Piper was her only friend and her social opposite. Piper was Portia's window to the outside world, a window slammed shut with Piper's tragic death. The loss is devastating to Portia. Battles with the mother who never understood her play on repeat in Portia's mind, inflicting their damage over and over again. Portia and her father soak their grief in beer and cigarettes, eeking out a secluded, co-dependent, pitiful existence. They crawl through the next few years with only television for company, occasionally supplemented by "help" from her grandmother and from Susan, best friend and business partner of Portia's mother.
Along comes change in the form of Ethan Torke, the boy across the street. Ethan encourages Portia to start moving forward, to let go of her grief, to have a life. Portia becomes something she never thought she'd be: in love. Seesawing between past and present, Portia desperately tries to reconcile her fragile past with the blood now covering her hands.
In deceivingly simple prose, Smith weaves a tale that, in the end, reveals a truth as shocking as it is heartbreaking. Remember illustrates the immense pain and damage humans can inflict on one another simply by failing to act.
Remember is the first book I've read in one sitting in a long while. Pick it up, but be prepared not to put it down til the end.
Portia already suffered from life-long, severe social anxiety when a tragic accident took the lives of her mother and sister. Portia desperately misses her little sister, Piper. Piper was her only friend and her social opposite. Piper was Portia's window to the outside world, a window slammed shut with Piper's tragic death. The loss is devastating to Portia. Battles with the mother who never understood her play on repeat in Portia's mind, inflicting their damage over and over again. Portia and her father soak their grief in beer and cigarettes, eeking out a secluded, co-dependent, pitiful existence. They crawl through the next few years with only television for company, occasionally supplemented by "help" from her grandmother and from Susan, best friend and business partner of Portia's mother.
Along comes change in the form of Ethan Torke, the boy across the street. Ethan encourages Portia to start moving forward, to let go of her grief, to have a life. Portia becomes something she never thought she'd be: in love. Seesawing between past and present, Portia desperately tries to reconcile her fragile past with the blood now covering her hands.
In deceivingly simple prose, Smith weaves a tale that, in the end, reveals a truth as shocking as it is heartbreaking. Remember illustrates the immense pain and damage humans can inflict on one another simply by failing to act.
Remember is the first book I've read in one sitting in a long while. Pick it up, but be prepared not to put it down til the end.
April 22, 2025
"I was broken but the kind of brokenness that didn't come with screaming or shattering glass. It was quiet, insidious. The kind that seeps in slowly, until you're drowning in it."
Remember by Patricia Shanae Smith is a psychological thriller debut that is equal parts compelling and vulnerable. An emotional rollercoaster, this book delves deep into the themes of trauma, memories, and mental health.
Portia's world crumbles when in highschool a tragic car accident caused the deaths of her mother and her sister. Portia has always struggled with social anxiety disorder but she was able to manage it with help from her sister Piper. Now after their death, Portia spends almost all day everyday watching The Big Bang Theory with her father, smoking cigarettes and drinking beer. When one day she meets her next door neighbor Ethan Torke, she starts to feel ready to let someone else in to her life. But now, five years later, Portia has been arrested for a crime she does not remember and is forced to confront a past full of broken memories in order to find out the truth.
This was such a gripping and emotional read! As someone who suffers from anxiety attacks, the representation is everything! The way the narrative is written is so incredibly detailed and immersive. Remember is told in Portia's perspective and has flashbacks that are perfectly placed in order for the reader to stay engaged and invested. This is definitely a book that I would recommend to anyone and I can't wait to see what else Patricia Shanae Smith comes out with!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Patricia Shanae Smith, and Datura Books for this ARC!! Publication date is April 22nd 2025.
Remember by Patricia Shanae Smith is a psychological thriller debut that is equal parts compelling and vulnerable. An emotional rollercoaster, this book delves deep into the themes of trauma, memories, and mental health.
Portia's world crumbles when in highschool a tragic car accident caused the deaths of her mother and her sister. Portia has always struggled with social anxiety disorder but she was able to manage it with help from her sister Piper. Now after their death, Portia spends almost all day everyday watching The Big Bang Theory with her father, smoking cigarettes and drinking beer. When one day she meets her next door neighbor Ethan Torke, she starts to feel ready to let someone else in to her life. But now, five years later, Portia has been arrested for a crime she does not remember and is forced to confront a past full of broken memories in order to find out the truth.
This was such a gripping and emotional read! As someone who suffers from anxiety attacks, the representation is everything! The way the narrative is written is so incredibly detailed and immersive. Remember is told in Portia's perspective and has flashbacks that are perfectly placed in order for the reader to stay engaged and invested. This is definitely a book that I would recommend to anyone and I can't wait to see what else Patricia Shanae Smith comes out with!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Patricia Shanae Smith, and Datura Books for this ARC!! Publication date is April 22nd 2025.
September 5, 2019
I was very intrigued with this book. I couldn’t believe what people can go through with mental health issues. The twists kept coming.
The book switches from the present to the past to try to explain what Portia is going through.Past: Portia has always had social anxiety disorder but now she has also been suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after losing her mom and sister in a car accident. Since then, she has been attempting to cope, while living with her father and smoking and drinking heavily. She has no desire to leave the house except to go the store for cigarettes and beer. That all changes when she meets Ethan, who lives across the street. Ethan is determined to help Portia with her disorders and have her socialize with the outside world. With Ethan’s help, she is able to come out of her shell and start to interact with the outside world.
Present: Portia is in handcuffs in a strange room in the police station and has no idea why or how she got there. There has been a horrific crime committed and the police tell her that she is responsible but she can’t remember anything. Elizabeth, a forensic psychologist takes Portia to a mental hospital and tells her that she does not belong in jail and that what happened isn't her fault. Elizabeth coaxes her to remember what happened, going back to five years ago so she can understand what led to the present events. I was shocked at all the revelations in the book and could not have guessed them.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
The book switches from the present to the past to try to explain what Portia is going through.Past: Portia has always had social anxiety disorder but now she has also been suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after losing her mom and sister in a car accident. Since then, she has been attempting to cope, while living with her father and smoking and drinking heavily. She has no desire to leave the house except to go the store for cigarettes and beer. That all changes when she meets Ethan, who lives across the street. Ethan is determined to help Portia with her disorders and have her socialize with the outside world. With Ethan’s help, she is able to come out of her shell and start to interact with the outside world.
Present: Portia is in handcuffs in a strange room in the police station and has no idea why or how she got there. There has been a horrific crime committed and the police tell her that she is responsible but she can’t remember anything. Elizabeth, a forensic psychologist takes Portia to a mental hospital and tells her that she does not belong in jail and that what happened isn't her fault. Elizabeth coaxes her to remember what happened, going back to five years ago so she can understand what led to the present events. I was shocked at all the revelations in the book and could not have guessed them.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
September 2, 2019
Remember is a book like no other I remember reading. After being completely captivated by the cover art, I decided to see what lay inside the pages of this story. What I discovered was a complex, psychological thriller about memory loss, depression, substance abuse, and post traumatic stress. While these are heavy topics to deliver on their own, somehow the writer is able to weave these difficult topics into a beautiful story of love and loss. Told from Portia’s point of view, the story jumps from past, to present over the course of about 20 years. This sounds like it would be challenging to follow, but each memory holds up like it’s own story and I understood where the story was at all times. This book also has a twisty-turn that I didn’t see coming. This story had good times and bad. I seriously felt for Portia, whose mother and sister died in a car accident while she was in high school. Suffering from social anxiety, Portia turns to alcohol to help ease the burden of her loss. Destined for a life alone with her father, she meets new neighbor Ethan, who helps Portia discover life in a whole new way. I loved this book and would definitely recommend it to all thriller, suspense, and ya readers. This was an impressive debut and I can’t wait to read more from this author. This book will be published October 8th by Polis Books.
October 16, 2019
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The story of this book is based on PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), a disorder characterised by failure to recover after witnessing or experiencing a terrifying event. She has also always had social anxiety which causes her to have panic attacks and attends college online. The main character, Portia, has this disorder which resulted in a lot of hallucinations and failure to come to terms with a loss and also has social anxiety disorder. It is a very slow paced book, it wasn’t as gripping as I would have liked it to be and I don’t think it should be considered a thriller novel (it wasn’t thrilling enough for me though), more of a mystery novel. Through the development of the characters, Portia was quite infuriating, Ethan was too pushy at some point and her Dad, Richard, was tiring. It shows Portia’s social anxiety problems and living in her sister’s shadow, shows her Mother’s dominance in the family, Piper’s (her sister) extroverted and outgoing self and the father’s struggle/insecurities owing to his wife’s dominance. Portia and her dad are alike and both are withdrawn with Richard which causes them to close to each other this sharing drinks and cigarettes.
For the rest of my review check the blog:
https://lifeofamaka.wordpress.com/201...
The story of this book is based on PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), a disorder characterised by failure to recover after witnessing or experiencing a terrifying event. She has also always had social anxiety which causes her to have panic attacks and attends college online. The main character, Portia, has this disorder which resulted in a lot of hallucinations and failure to come to terms with a loss and also has social anxiety disorder. It is a very slow paced book, it wasn’t as gripping as I would have liked it to be and I don’t think it should be considered a thriller novel (it wasn’t thrilling enough for me though), more of a mystery novel. Through the development of the characters, Portia was quite infuriating, Ethan was too pushy at some point and her Dad, Richard, was tiring. It shows Portia’s social anxiety problems and living in her sister’s shadow, shows her Mother’s dominance in the family, Piper’s (her sister) extroverted and outgoing self and the father’s struggle/insecurities owing to his wife’s dominance. Portia and her dad are alike and both are withdrawn with Richard which causes them to close to each other this sharing drinks and cigarettes.
For the rest of my review check the blog:
https://lifeofamaka.wordpress.com/201...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2025
Portia Williams was seventeen when her mom and sister died in a car accident, and now is forced to live with her crippling social anxiety along with her grief. Now, she’s forced to relive her past as she’s questioned about a recent horrific crime scene she was found at. Unable to remember the past 24 hours, she’s guided through her memories in hopes of making it back to the present. What she does remember is having a very solitary life filled with alcohol and smoking with her father after the car accident, right up until she met Ethan. He was her first boyfriend, her first friend even, and he allowed her to see life in a way she never knew was possible. But even fairytales have to end at some point, and she’s about to discover when her life really changed for the worse.
This could have easily been a 1-session read if I didn’t get too tired last night. The book switched between different time frames in Portia’s past in addition to the present that made the delivery of this story perfect. While I did figure out the plot twist, I still think the author did an awesome job at building the story up and then having some flash backs to fill in the blanks. Highly recommend this as a kickstart back into reading if you’re in a slump, or if you’re in the mood for a quick mystery/thriller.
This could have easily been a 1-session read if I didn’t get too tired last night. The book switched between different time frames in Portia’s past in addition to the present that made the delivery of this story perfect. While I did figure out the plot twist, I still think the author did an awesome job at building the story up and then having some flash backs to fill in the blanks. Highly recommend this as a kickstart back into reading if you’re in a slump, or if you’re in the mood for a quick mystery/thriller.
April 24, 2025
A psychological thriller that had me literally reading uninterruptedly because I needed to know the ending, with several little twists along the way and a massive jaw dropping one! Literally my mouth just hung loose when I read that twist!
This novel was amazing, from the characters and the storytelling, to the clever plotting, it was a delight to read. The author teases the reader by going back and forth between past and present, never revealing too much, leaving the reader wondering what the hell is going on the entire time.
I loved how the story was led entirely by the characters, with the main protagonist Portia going through her severe social anxiety disorder and grieving her mum and sister at the same time, with her father as her only company. Their lives are only about surviving, through alcohol and cigarettes, until Ethan moves in the house opposite Portia. He will change her life forever in ways she never thought were possible!
This is a riveting psychological thriller with a focus on mental health and the importance of healthy supportive relationships. It is gripping and emotional, with a twist you’ll never guess!
Thanks to the author and Datura Books for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
This novel was amazing, from the characters and the storytelling, to the clever plotting, it was a delight to read. The author teases the reader by going back and forth between past and present, never revealing too much, leaving the reader wondering what the hell is going on the entire time.
I loved how the story was led entirely by the characters, with the main protagonist Portia going through her severe social anxiety disorder and grieving her mum and sister at the same time, with her father as her only company. Their lives are only about surviving, through alcohol and cigarettes, until Ethan moves in the house opposite Portia. He will change her life forever in ways she never thought were possible!
This is a riveting psychological thriller with a focus on mental health and the importance of healthy supportive relationships. It is gripping and emotional, with a twist you’ll never guess!
Thanks to the author and Datura Books for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
May 24, 2025
"This review is for an ARC received through Netgalley!"
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I want to commend the author for the effort put into crafting this book—it's clear that a lot of hard work has gone into it, and for that, I truly appreciate it. However, I must admit that this particular book just isn't for me. I struggled to keep up at times, as some parts left me feeling confused. The shifts in the timeline were especially confusing (or maybe disordered), making the reading experience feel more like a chore at moments rather than an enjoyable escape into a story.
While I respect the complexity of the narrative, the shifts threw me off somewhat. Although the pieces eventually fell into place by the end, the journey to that conclusion felt a bit frustrating and disorienting. It's one of those situations where, despite the cleverness of the plot, it was difficult for me to stay engaged and focused because I had to make sense and grasp the flow.
In the end, my overall impression is a bit of a mixed bag. I can't say I loved it, but I also don't harbour any strong dislike for it either. For me, though, it was a struggle to stay connected with the story.
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I want to commend the author for the effort put into crafting this book—it's clear that a lot of hard work has gone into it, and for that, I truly appreciate it. However, I must admit that this particular book just isn't for me. I struggled to keep up at times, as some parts left me feeling confused. The shifts in the timeline were especially confusing (or maybe disordered), making the reading experience feel more like a chore at moments rather than an enjoyable escape into a story.
While I respect the complexity of the narrative, the shifts threw me off somewhat. Although the pieces eventually fell into place by the end, the journey to that conclusion felt a bit frustrating and disorienting. It's one of those situations where, despite the cleverness of the plot, it was difficult for me to stay engaged and focused because I had to make sense and grasp the flow.
In the end, my overall impression is a bit of a mixed bag. I can't say I loved it, but I also don't harbour any strong dislike for it either. For me, though, it was a struggle to stay connected with the story.
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