Book Review – Remember Me Gone

Remember Me Gone by Stacy Stokes, Viking 2022

Imagine you are a sixteen-year-old girl living in a Texas border town and discover that part of your memory has been erased.

Maybe more than once.

This is the inciting incident in Stacy Stokes’ YA book, Remember Me Gone.

I was at the library checking out new YA releases and the cover of this book grabbed my attention.

I read the blurb and brought the book home.

I was immediately drawn into this plot. Amnesia stories have always fascinated me.

Probably because I’ve often wished that I could erase painful memories from my mind.

Like most people, there are many things I’d like to forget.

But would I really want to forget?

As this book points out – when you erase the painful memories – the emotions (good and bad) surrounding these memories vanish. In other words, you lose the joy with the pain.

The book blurb reads:

People come from everywhere to forget.

At the Memory House in Tumble Tree, Texas Lucy’s father can erase folks’ heartache and tragic memories.

Lucy hopes to follow in her dad’s footsteps but when she practices on him she’s shocked that his memory harbors guilt over her mother’s death.

One night she follows her dad and the mayor to the town mines where she witnesses something shocking. The next morning, she wakes up with a sore knee, a pocketful of sand, and no memory of what happened.

Lucy and her friend Marco realize that they both have gaps in their memories, so they start investigating the mine, the mayor, and Lucy’s father.

This story is well-written and kept my attention. As a writer, I admire Ms. Stoke’s use of description. Description is not one of my strong points and Ms. Stoke’s descriptions are beautiful and strong.

The plot moves at a good pace, and I was always ready to see what happens next.

I highly recommend this book to anyone of any age who enjoys a well-written, mind-boggling story.

Lucy is a complex character suffering from grief over her mother’s death. Marco is great boyfriend material.

Another teenage girl joins the investigation, and she is flirty and fun.

A string of minor curse words is the only objectionable content in the book. I prefer a book without swear words but for mainstream YA this is pretty good.

The book does not have any sensual scenes. Lucy and Marco are attracted to one another, but kissing is mild.

So, I suggest you add Remember Me Gone to your TBR list.