Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Review: Don't You Forget About Me by Kate Karyus Quinn

Title: Don't You Forget About Me
Author: Kate Karyus Quinn
Series: Stand Alone
Published By: Harper Teen (June 10, 2014)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)
Genre: YA Fantasy
My Rating: 3 Stars

Book Description:
Welcome to Gardnerville.

A place where no one gets sick. And no one ever dies.

Except...
There’s a price to pay for paradise. Every fourth year, the strange power that fuels the town exacts its payment by infecting teens with deadly urges. In a normal year in Gardnerville, teens might stop talking to their best friends. In a fourth year, they’d kill them.

Four years ago, Skylar’s sister, Piper, was locked away after leading sixteen of her classmates to a watery grave. Since then, Skylar has lived in a numb haze, struggling to forget her past and dull the pain of losing her sister. But the secrets and memories Piper left behind keep taunting Skylar—whispering that the only way to get her sister back is to stop Gardnerville’s murderous cycle once and for all.







I wanted something different, something out there and so I picked this one up. With a premises like this one, how could I not be in for one wild crazy ride?

This book delivered that is for sure. I don't even know where to begin to describe the sheer unusual-ness of this read. The characters and their bizarre fourth year behavior. The messed up town, The Reformatory, the pills...I could go on and on but I won't Instead, I will say this, if you are tired of all the sameness out there in this genre, this is a read you don't want to miss.

It will give you the strange, the unusual and the bizarre, it will make your mind whirl with all the possibilities and with exactly WTF is going on feeling.

You know those stories that are so different, so unique that you just don't even know what to think about them? That long after you have put the book down your mind is still reeling and it is hard to forget it? And writing a review is almost impossible because where do you begin, what do you say without ruining anything or giving too much away?

This is one of the stories. 

I have to warn you, I don't think this book, this read, will be for everyone. It is just so....different and complicated and filled with so much that is not normal that some are going to down right hate it while others won't care for it at all. And then, others will probably love it and think it one of a kind. 

So, which category do I fall under? Even after putting the book down for over 24 hours before trying to write this review, I am still not sure.

I applaud the uniqueness and the whole crazy messed up concept because I asked for a ride and a ride I did get, but, did I love it? I still don't know. 

And the sad thing is, I can't even tell you why or why not because it would ruin the whole story. I don't think there is a lot I can tell about it without giving something away. 

Gardnervill is a town like no other. Where no one gets sick but lots of people die...at the hands of others. You see, every four years (the fourth year) the towns people (usually the youth) go crazy. Something afflicts them and people are lead to their death. Some go crazy, some have strange new abilities that set those around them on fire, some, like Piper, Skylar's sister, have the strange ability to coerce others to do exactly what they want, even if that means their death.

People come to Gardnerville to survive, to be healed from their afflictions, but is the strange town with it's dangerous fourth year worth it? 

This really truly has all the makings for a really great horror flick even though the book itself wasn't frightening or scary in the least. 

Even though I still can't settle on my feelings for this one, I will say that it gave me exactly what I wanted at the time. Something unlike anything else I have ever read. Something that kept me guessing and scratching my head until the very end. 






*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

42 comments:

  1. Well now I'm scratching my head wondering what to do. I have a feeling I'll be taking a look. :-)

    Anna from Shout with Emaginette

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    1. It is a unique read so if you are looking for that then give this one a go.

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  2. This is on my TBR list and I'm really curious to read it. Sounds like quite a ride :)

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    1. I hope when you are able to get to it that you end up liking it.

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  3. This one sounds really strange. I'm not sure if it would be the book for me. The premise is so out there! I might like it more if it was scary, but who knows until you try it. Great review.

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  4. I've read books like this. They don't usually end up being my favorite, even when I finally decide how I feel about the book, so I totally know how you feel. Thanks for your honest review. Sometimes reviews can be harder to write than people think!

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    1. They really can be even if you love the book!

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  5. I've been wanting to see a review for this. I LOVE the cover but I have no clue what I'll think of the book. I think I'd consider reading it though and the book would certainly be pretty on my shelf!

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  6. I absolutely adored this one! I definitely agree that it's not a book for everyone because it can be so confusing!!!

    Great review!! :)

    Rashika @ The Social Potato

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    1. Very confusing at times but still a very good and unique read.

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  7. Very interesting, and I love that even after it has you unsettled and unsure. I will say this ..you have me so curious!!!

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  8. It does sound really strange and I do like different. 3 stars on a book unfortunately doesn't make me want to read it :) I think I will pass on this but thank you for a great review!

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    1. Ah sorry to hear that, it really wasn't a bad read at all just very unusual.

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  9. I have this waiting to be read so your review has definitely intrigued me. It sounds very unique but like a read that is going to divide people. I really hope I end up loving it but it sounds like it's a hard one to review because you can't give much away without ruining something, Thanks for the review, excited to see what I make of this one now :)

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    1. I really hope you do like it. I think if you are prepared for the weirdness it will really help.

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  10. Definitely sounds like something I wanna try :D

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  11. I simply loved this book but it took me a while to get there. Like you, I was in the middle but THAT letter and THAT epilogue to her brother though. Piper and Skylar's dynamic & Skylar and her brother's settled this for me. And all that weirdness- it was so confusing, just like you said. I am so glad it gave you exactly what you needed!

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  12. Oh man, I LOVED this book. Kate freaking rocks. Wish you felt more positive about it. I have my review scheduled for ... next week, I think.

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    1. I can see you loving her Christy! She was a good character, a little screwed up but still really strong in the end.

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  13. Okay Ali, this sounds awesome. I love it when a book does that to me. Confuses my feelings so much I don't know what to do :). What a great review! Thanks for sharing :)

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  14. You're right it's sometimes really interesting to have something different, to have something unique but well maybe not too much. Because it seems like it's maybe a lot here and at the same time it's intriguing! thanks for the review.

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  15. I am really curious about this one! Strange can sometimes work. haha

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  16. Hmm now I'm so curious to see what I'll think of this! The fact that you think this would make a good horror flick has me even more excited to check it out! Great review!

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  17. Wow, this kind of reminds me of a read I had (White Space) which kind of blew my mind with how starnged and layered the mystery was. I'm glad yours had a better ending for you though! :)

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  18. This was a really good review, love! I understand where you are coming from with your 3 star rating... it's quite unusual, isn't it? Her debut ANOTHER LITTLE PIECE was quite unusual as well but I ended up giving it 3 stars. Hopefully this one will make me care enough to rate it higher!

    Faye at The Social Potato Reviews

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    1. It really was but still a good read, just different. I hope you like it!

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  19. See, there's a good chance that this book WON'T be for me, but it doesn't even matter, b/c now I have to read it to find out. LOL. *bangs head against wall*

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  20. I have the author's first book and have not read it but I love the premise as well as this one! I skimmed your review because I'm planning to read this too but I'm glad that it made you think, that it confused you and you question everything until the very end. It can be frustrating but when done really well, the experience is awesome I think :)

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    1. I agree, it can be. I hope you end up liking this one. I loved her first book.

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  21. I felt like this author's debut was a similar hit or miss situation because of how strange it was, but I'm hoping to enjoy this as I quite liked her first book. Still, I'm going to be going into this with lowered expectations for sure. Lovely review!

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    1. I did love her first book more but I agree, they aren't for everyone.

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  22. erm hum a good scratching your head or a bad one?

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    1. Good. ;) This would have been a good buddy read so we could have discussed all the weirdness!

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