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Don't Look Back
ŷ Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Young Adult Fiction (2014)Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.
Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash.
But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?
Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash.
But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 10, 2014
448 people are currently reading
51.1k people want to read
About the author
Jennifer L. Armentrout
177books151kfollowersHey Guys! Please note: I don't send out ARCs for review. If you're interested in reviewing a book of mine before release date, please contact the appropriate publisher. I also do NOT check my ŷ email.
To email me, please use the below addy.
[email protected]
# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Charles Town, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications. Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories�.which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was a Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.
She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more.
To email me, please use the below addy.
[email protected]
# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Charles Town, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications. Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories�.which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was a Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.
She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more.
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Want to read
January 23, 2012After spending 24 of the last 48 hours in the nursing lab, I thought...
Then I discovered there was going to be a new Jennifer L. Armentrout Book...
This is absolutely...
HALLELUJAH!!!!!!
And the world makes sense again :-)
Then I discovered there was going to be a new Jennifer L. Armentrout Book...
This is absolutely...
HALLELUJAH!!!!!!
And the world makes sense again :-)
April 18, 2014
Actual rating: 3.5
I've read a lot of Armentrout books, and I have to say that this was my favorite in her repertoire. It was not amazing, but like all Armentrout works, it is immensely readable, and unlike most Armentrout works, it didn't give me a pounding headache. I have always loved the amnesia trope, and this book did the trick.
More details later, but in short, here's the good and the sort-of-bad. Honestly, there wasn't anything truly atrocious about this book.
There were a few moments that made me cringe. Specifically, they were the moments when Sam felt like she had to get physical with her boyfriend in order to be a good girlfriend. I didn't like the intonation that it was the girl's fault if she could not get into the attraction, that is was her duty to be sexually fulfilling in order to have a functional relationship. Thankfully, that only happened twice in the book.
The good:
1. A non-bitchy heroine for a change
2. A bad-boy love interest who turns out to be likeable, even by Khanh standards
3. No Mary Sue syndrome
4. There's an actual FAMILY, they have family interactions! The MC is not an orphan!
The (sorta) bad:
1. The MC is Too-Stupid-To-Live at times, and too meek in others; she trusts too easily
2. The plot was extremely predictable: I guessed the whodunnit within the first 20% of the book
3. The "amnesia" excuse was believed by everyone, which is a far stretch to me
4. There was no subtlety: there are extremely obvious and caricaturized Mean Girls. The bad guys all but wore "VILLAIN" signs around their necks. The hints and clues were so loud a 5-year old could have guessed
5. Extremely shallow female friends
The bad:
1. The forced physicality between Sam and her boyfriend
The Summary:
It turns out that she is Samantha Jo Franco, and her life appears to be pretty fucking sweet on the surface. She's got loving parents, a twin brother, not to mention the fact that her family is immensely wealthy.
There's a whole lot of adjustment to be made. Sam's got to come to terms with who she was, and who she is now. She has to determine who's her friends, and who's her enemy. She has to sort out her feelings between her childhood friend Carson, the son of "the help," and her handsome, blue-blooded boyfriend Del. There are relationships to be rebuilt between her family and her twin brother Scott, and she's going to have to rebuild some broken friendships.
And try not to get herself killed in the process of remembering what happened the night Cassie disappeared. Who killed Cassie? There are no shortage of suspects.
But she can be, as she said, "incredibly naive." Sam didn't realize that she was a suspect in Cassie's disappearance. That's just really unbelievable.
And to top it off, she sometimes acts foolishly. Sam returns to the possible scene of the crime alone. She runs off to be by herself, leaving her family to worry. But she is never outrageously stupid, and I liked her as a main character. I feel like she grew up along the way, I feel that she became self-aware. She eventually becomes strong, but never a bitch.
The Credibility: My main fault with this book is the credibility. I don't mean the amnesia premise, I mean that everyone buys into it so quickly. Before-Sam was a bitch. Why did everyone all of a sudden believe that she has amnesia? Because before-Sam was a manipulative bitch, wouldn't it be so much easier for everyone to think that she had been lying all along? Everyone seems to buy the amnesia premise without much convincing, and I found that hard to believe.
No Subtlety: The mystery was extremely obvious to anyone reading this book. The bad guys says things too quickly, too brightly, they smile too falsely, too easily. Sam has a knee-jerk reaction to them. I liked this book, but I like more depth to my investigative mysteries, and I found this book to be rather shallow.
The Mean Girls: Sam's friends are horrible people. Almost all the females in this book are bitches. They're beautiful and manipulative. They're petty. They're shallow. They're absurdly snobby. They're outrageously racist.
The Romance: There is a love triangle in the book, and it is so half-hearted that I can't even be bothered to complain about it. What surprised me was my "like" (not love, like) for the bad-boy-motorcycle-riding love interest. It started off badly enough, as the newly-amnesiac Sam falls into insta-love for an asshole who hates her.
But as it turned out, he's...kind of a nice guy. For one, he doesn't want to be a cheater.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m not proud of it. Even though you didn’t have that damn necklace on, as far as I knew, you were still with Del. And I’m not big on making out with another guy’s girlfriend."The apocalypse has arrived, and the signs started with Khanh liking a bad-boy love interest within an Armentrout novel.
I've read a lot of Armentrout books, and I have to say that this was my favorite in her repertoire. It was not amazing, but like all Armentrout works, it is immensely readable, and unlike most Armentrout works, it didn't give me a pounding headache. I have always loved the amnesia trope, and this book did the trick.
More details later, but in short, here's the good and the sort-of-bad. Honestly, there wasn't anything truly atrocious about this book.
There were a few moments that made me cringe. Specifically, they were the moments when Sam felt like she had to get physical with her boyfriend in order to be a good girlfriend. I didn't like the intonation that it was the girl's fault if she could not get into the attraction, that is was her duty to be sexually fulfilling in order to have a functional relationship. Thankfully, that only happened twice in the book.
The good:
1. A non-bitchy heroine for a change
2. A bad-boy love interest who turns out to be likeable, even by Khanh standards
3. No Mary Sue syndrome
4. There's an actual FAMILY, they have family interactions! The MC is not an orphan!
The (sorta) bad:
1. The MC is Too-Stupid-To-Live at times, and too meek in others; she trusts too easily
2. The plot was extremely predictable: I guessed the whodunnit within the first 20% of the book
3. The "amnesia" excuse was believed by everyone, which is a far stretch to me
4. There was no subtlety: there are extremely obvious and caricaturized Mean Girls. The bad guys all but wore "VILLAIN" signs around their necks. The hints and clues were so loud a 5-year old could have guessed
5. Extremely shallow female friends
The bad:
1. The forced physicality between Sam and her boyfriend
The Summary:
“She thinks I did it?� My voice was small, hoarse. “She thinks I did something to Cassie?�A girl wanders the streets, battered and bruised. She doesn't know where she is, she doesn't know who she is.
It turns out that she is Samantha Jo Franco, and her life appears to be pretty fucking sweet on the surface. She's got loving parents, a twin brother, not to mention the fact that her family is immensely wealthy.
We drove past them...in our Bentley.She lives in a house that makes a mansion look like an apartment. Samantha is good-looking. She's got a loving steady boyfriend. She's headed to Yale next year. So what could be wrong?
Quickly, I learned that they were rich. Sickeningly rich. It was funny how I didn’t remember squat, but I knew what money looked like.
“Cassie Winchester is your best friend. She disappeared with you.�Oh, there's that little matter. Not only has Samantha's memories disappeared, but so has her best friend, Cassie. And the trouble doesn't end there...you see, Samantha---the old Samantha...was a huge bitch.
“You were a terror to everyone who knew you."It turns out that there is a Mean Girl clique at her school, and Samantha was the queen bee. She ran a campaign of terror, lording it all over her classmates. Everyone in school hated her, with good reason.
“Just a couple weeks ago, you called her”—she lowered her voice—“a fat bitch whose thighs were capable of setting the world on fire."To make it worse, someone's leaving her strange notes.
Drawing in a shallow breath, I unfolded the slip of paper.And she's having hallucinations of Cassie...if that's what it is.
There was blood on the rocks. Her blood. Your blood.
There's a whole lot of adjustment to be made. Sam's got to come to terms with who she was, and who she is now. She has to determine who's her friends, and who's her enemy. She has to sort out her feelings between her childhood friend Carson, the son of "the help," and her handsome, blue-blooded boyfriend Del. There are relationships to be rebuilt between her family and her twin brother Scott, and she's going to have to rebuild some broken friendships.
And try not to get herself killed in the process of remembering what happened the night Cassie disappeared. Who killed Cassie? There are no shortage of suspects.
“There’s a huge list of people who were angry with her, but to kill her? I don’t think so.�And one of them may be Cassie herself.
He cursed under his breath as he faced me. “There are at least a hundred kids at school who probably fantasized about pushing her in front of a bus a time or two.�
"Right now, if it turns out that she was murdered, you’re their number one suspect.�Samantha:
“You’re not an idiot, Sam.�I actually liked Sam a lot. I found her switch from bitchy before-Sam to completely passive after-Sam to be a bit of a stretch, but she is the first Armentrout main character who didn't make me want to strangle her. Sam is really nice, but also incredibly meek at times. Due to her amnesia, she is incredibly innocent, and she asks a lot of questions, which is reasonable, but also frustrating at times.
Pressing my lips together, I shook my head. Maybe I wasn’t stupid, but I’d been incredibly naive.
“Jeez, this is like talking to a toddler.�She is pretty smart, she has some common sense. When Sam receives mysterious notes, she knows she needs to keep them as evidence, despite her brother's protestations to the contrary.
But she can be, as she said, "incredibly naive." Sam didn't realize that she was a suspect in Cassie's disappearance. That's just really unbelievable.
“The big deal is that you were most likely the last person who saw Cassie—you were probably with her when...when whatever happened to her occurred.�She trusts people too easily. Sam doesn't have her memories, she doesn't know who she can and can't trust, and yet she seems to intuitively feel who she can trust---and she turns out to be right, without much credibility on the reader's part.
“I know! And that’s why I need to talk to the police.�
“No. That’s why you can’t talk to the police!�
And to top it off, she sometimes acts foolishly. Sam returns to the possible scene of the crime alone. She runs off to be by herself, leaving her family to worry. But she is never outrageously stupid, and I liked her as a main character. I feel like she grew up along the way, I feel that she became self-aware. She eventually becomes strong, but never a bitch.
The Credibility: My main fault with this book is the credibility. I don't mean the amnesia premise, I mean that everyone buys into it so quickly. Before-Sam was a bitch. Why did everyone all of a sudden believe that she has amnesia? Because before-Sam was a manipulative bitch, wouldn't it be so much easier for everyone to think that she had been lying all along? Everyone seems to buy the amnesia premise without much convincing, and I found that hard to believe.
No Subtlety: The mystery was extremely obvious to anyone reading this book. The bad guys says things too quickly, too brightly, they smile too falsely, too easily. Sam has a knee-jerk reaction to them. I liked this book, but I like more depth to my investigative mysteries, and I found this book to be rather shallow.
The Mean Girls: Sam's friends are horrible people. Almost all the females in this book are bitches. They're beautiful and manipulative. They're petty. They're shallow. They're absurdly snobby. They're outrageously racist.
“Look, Pham or Long Duck, whatever your name is, turn around."The Mean Girls clique is one element of Armentrout's book I could do without.
The Romance: There is a love triangle in the book, and it is so half-hearted that I can't even be bothered to complain about it. What surprised me was my "like" (not love, like) for the bad-boy-motorcycle-riding love interest. It started off badly enough, as the newly-amnesiac Sam falls into insta-love for an asshole who hates her.
“Is that my boyfriend?� I whispered, hopeful and scared all at once.And he also rides a motorcycle. Spaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaare me, please.
He was happy to see me, but � but then his eyes hardened into chips of ice.
“Boyfriend? Yeah,� he said slowly, voice deep and smooth. “Not even if you paid my tuition to Penn State next year.�
But as it turned out, he's...kind of a nice guy. For one, he doesn't want to be a cheater.
“I don’t like Del,� he admitted, staring straight into my eyes. “He’s a dick, and you’ve always deserved better than him, but I’m not that kind of guy. At least, I’m trying to not be with you.�Sam has a boyfriend, Del. She's not attracted to Del, she's attracted to Carson. Technically, she's cheating on Del mentally. But the thing is, Sam realizes that cheating is not right.
I needed to figure out how I felt about Del if there was any hope for us because stringing him along wasn’t fair. If I was no longer the girl who’d fallen in love with him, it wasn’t right to keep up this...this charade.I liked Carson. I liked Sam. Their romance didn't hurt, and neither did this book.
December 11, 2018
This book was quite the roller coaster. It was basically a suspense thriller disguised as a contemporary. I got sucked in so bad and couldn't wait to figure out the mystery!
It's no secret that I love an unreliable narrator, and since this was a teen girl with amnesia..who starts to hallucinate and appears to be losing her damn mind..it was right up my alley.
She was an actual non-annoying heroine, her love interest was well done, the situations paced perfectly, overall a pretty good read.
I can't pinpoint anything I didn't like specifically, but I had a few small issues with the ending (just feeling not...conclusive enough? especially when it came to side characters) and the predictability of it all. I can't really fault a book for ME seeing things coming, but some of the plot points were just..overdone? Things I've seen before, and could see coming from a mile away. Some stuff just felt too...easy.
Overall I enjoyed it, probably won't ever re-read it, but would definitely recommend.
It's no secret that I love an unreliable narrator, and since this was a teen girl with amnesia..who starts to hallucinate and appears to be losing her damn mind..it was right up my alley.
She was an actual non-annoying heroine, her love interest was well done, the situations paced perfectly, overall a pretty good read.
I can't pinpoint anything I didn't like specifically, but I had a few small issues with the ending (just feeling not...conclusive enough? especially when it came to side characters) and the predictability of it all. I can't really fault a book for ME seeing things coming, but some of the plot points were just..overdone? Things I've seen before, and could see coming from a mile away. Some stuff just felt too...easy.
Overall I enjoyed it, probably won't ever re-read it, but would definitely recommend.
September 8, 2020
Interestingly highly rated book was written by my one of the favorite authors and I didn’t enjoy it a little bit.
Maybe I read too many spectacular books lately clouded my judgement but come on, this is so foreseeable whodunnit thriller. You may sense who committed the crime from the first pages.
And romance parts are really absent! And our heroine turned into a mean girl when she was only 11 years old by making a new friend. But as soon as she loses her memory she turns into a good girl she used to be before. Nope, I didn’t buy this nonsense.
Well, when I’m reading a thriller I want to see mind games, smartly chosen twists.But I haven’t found any of those things. So I’ll give this one with D minus!
Maybe I read too many spectacular books lately clouded my judgement but come on, this is so foreseeable whodunnit thriller. You may sense who committed the crime from the first pages.
And romance parts are really absent! And our heroine turned into a mean girl when she was only 11 years old by making a new friend. But as soon as she loses her memory she turns into a good girl she used to be before. Nope, I didn’t buy this nonsense.
Well, when I’m reading a thriller I want to see mind games, smartly chosen twists.But I haven’t found any of those things. So I’ll give this one with D minus!
November 2, 2016
Wowzers! I loved this story! This is my first book by this author, but definitely won't be my last. From the very first page, this book had me enthralled. I listened to the Audible version and I didn't want to turn it off. The story was captivating and the narration was superb. This book had my rapt attention right up until the end...and what an ending it was!
When Samantha is found, bruised and battered after being missing for four days, she has no recollection of who she is. Her best friend, Cassie, is still missing. Sam was probably the last person to see her, but she can't access any of her memories to help investigators.
As Sam begins to reintegrate into her old life, she gradually starts to regain brief memories of her former life. Unfortunately, as her memories begin to resurface Sam discovers that she doesn't like the person she was before. She was a bully, a snob and an all-around despicable bitch.
With friends that she can barely tolerate, and a boyfriend that makes her skin crawl, Sam can't even pretend that she wants her old life back. Yet, when the school's top mean girl tries to change her ways, it doesn't come easy. Her so-called friends turn their negative attentions toward Sam and she finds herself an object of ridicule and speculation.
Along the way, she is able to rekindle some friendships that she had trampled on in her rise to popularity. These more meaningful friendships become a lifesaver for Sam, anchoring her to her new life. Carson even helps Sam try to figure out the mysteries surrounding the night she went missing. The two grow closer together the more time they spend together.
When the truth is revealed, I was shocked! I honestly, didn't see it coming. I had a few ideas about who I thought did it as I was reading, but man, was I ever wrong! This book kept me guessing to the very end.
When Samantha is found, bruised and battered after being missing for four days, she has no recollection of who she is. Her best friend, Cassie, is still missing. Sam was probably the last person to see her, but she can't access any of her memories to help investigators.
As Sam begins to reintegrate into her old life, she gradually starts to regain brief memories of her former life. Unfortunately, as her memories begin to resurface Sam discovers that she doesn't like the person she was before. She was a bully, a snob and an all-around despicable bitch.
With friends that she can barely tolerate, and a boyfriend that makes her skin crawl, Sam can't even pretend that she wants her old life back. Yet, when the school's top mean girl tries to change her ways, it doesn't come easy. Her so-called friends turn their negative attentions toward Sam and she finds herself an object of ridicule and speculation.
Along the way, she is able to rekindle some friendships that she had trampled on in her rise to popularity. These more meaningful friendships become a lifesaver for Sam, anchoring her to her new life. Carson even helps Sam try to figure out the mysteries surrounding the night she went missing. The two grow closer together the more time they spend together.
When the truth is revealed, I was shocked! I honestly, didn't see it coming. I had a few ideas about who I thought did it as I was reading, but man, was I ever wrong! This book kept me guessing to the very end.
September 24, 2021
JLA can do no wrong. this is book #38 of hers that i have read and she is still giving me everything i want - tension, romance, thrills, mystery, and secrets.
while i think her adult books are slightly better, this still has a mature enough vibe that you feel the suspense. and gosh, the connection between sam and carson is just too good. once i knew they had been childhood friends, i shipped them so hard and fast.
it must be said that this story is unrealistic to the nth degree, but with excellent pacing, entertaining characters, and a gripping plot, this book did not disappoint.
� 4 stars
while i think her adult books are slightly better, this still has a mature enough vibe that you feel the suspense. and gosh, the connection between sam and carson is just too good. once i knew they had been childhood friends, i shipped them so hard and fast.
it must be said that this story is unrealistic to the nth degree, but with excellent pacing, entertaining characters, and a gripping plot, this book did not disappoint.
� 4 stars
April 2, 2013
**I was given an early version of this book**
Oh holy straight jacket and a padded room!
I'm...wow. This book will be a huge treat for Jennifer Armentrout fans. I've always loved everything she wrote, and this book was no exception. But I quite literally couldn't put this book down!
So be prepared for that...don't start it when you've just gotten in bed. You won't sleep until it's over.
I wasn't just gripped by the story, I felt like I fell headfirst into Sam's life and was right there through everything! I've read plenty of books where I've been captivated by characters, but nothing like this. I swear I thought I was going crazy right along with her! I had a million theories about what happened that night, and every time something happened, I was quick to 1. question my sanity and 2. dissect every word the other characters said...almost like a trust no one, including yourself type of situation. Hell of a trip.
I don't even know what I can say without giving away things in the book...but honest to God. It was simply amazing. Jenn keeps you second guessing yourself the entire time and the pace of the book is perfect. There isn't too much going on and never once is there a lull in the story.
You will love the characters in this book. Sammy's so real and I cheered her on as she kept from being a victim to her amnesia, and especially when turned her back on her old life. Scott and Julie are amazing supporting characters, and to be honest, I wish I had a twin brother like Scott. Their relationship is special and he is fiercely protective of his sister. And not just in a way most brothers are (ahhhh I WISH I COULD SAY THINGS WITHOUT GIVING IT ALL AWAY. but you'll understand) And then there's Carson...mmm lordy. <-- uh...I'm pretty sure that explains it all. ;) Kidding. Kidding. He's gorgeous, has a protective streak to rival Scott's, and is so sweet and patient with Sam that I swooned almost every time he was on a page.
This book is said to be Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars...fits it perfectly. Actually there will be times it has a The Lying Game feel to it. (but I can assure you it is VERY much its own story) The mix of these makes for an epic novel that will have you on the edge of your seat, chills running down your spine and you'll feel like you aren't able to read fast enough.
For once. I wish I could give a book more than five stars.
Oh holy straight jacket and a padded room!
I'm...wow. This book will be a huge treat for Jennifer Armentrout fans. I've always loved everything she wrote, and this book was no exception. But I quite literally couldn't put this book down!
So be prepared for that...don't start it when you've just gotten in bed. You won't sleep until it's over.
I wasn't just gripped by the story, I felt like I fell headfirst into Sam's life and was right there through everything! I've read plenty of books where I've been captivated by characters, but nothing like this. I swear I thought I was going crazy right along with her! I had a million theories about what happened that night, and every time something happened, I was quick to 1. question my sanity and 2. dissect every word the other characters said...almost like a trust no one, including yourself type of situation. Hell of a trip.
I don't even know what I can say without giving away things in the book...but honest to God. It was simply amazing. Jenn keeps you second guessing yourself the entire time and the pace of the book is perfect. There isn't too much going on and never once is there a lull in the story.
You will love the characters in this book. Sammy's so real and I cheered her on as she kept from being a victim to her amnesia, and especially when turned her back on her old life. Scott and Julie are amazing supporting characters, and to be honest, I wish I had a twin brother like Scott. Their relationship is special and he is fiercely protective of his sister. And not just in a way most brothers are (ahhhh I WISH I COULD SAY THINGS WITHOUT GIVING IT ALL AWAY. but you'll understand) And then there's Carson...mmm lordy. <-- uh...I'm pretty sure that explains it all. ;) Kidding. Kidding. He's gorgeous, has a protective streak to rival Scott's, and is so sweet and patient with Sam that I swooned almost every time he was on a page.
This book is said to be Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars...fits it perfectly. Actually there will be times it has a The Lying Game feel to it. (but I can assure you it is VERY much its own story) The mix of these makes for an epic novel that will have you on the edge of your seat, chills running down your spine and you'll feel like you aren't able to read fast enough.
For once. I wish I could give a book more than five stars.
January 31, 2023
2.75 Stars
October 22, 2014
*4.75*
I could not stop reading this book! I love the romance and the plot twists, the whole thing is captivating. The main character is put in a really interesting situation where she is questioning her sanity and it was intriguing as a reader to experience that with her. However, I think some of the plot points are predictable, and although I like the main character, she could be really naive.
Overall, a super fun and entertaining book and sucked me in!
I could not stop reading this book! I love the romance and the plot twists, the whole thing is captivating. The main character is put in a really interesting situation where she is questioning her sanity and it was intriguing as a reader to experience that with her. However, I think some of the plot points are predictable, and although I like the main character, she could be really naive.
Overall, a super fun and entertaining book and sucked me in!
October 28, 2017
Honestly, I feel really cheated here bc practically everyone ADORES this book and when I scroll through the reviews im like…why cant I FEEL THIS WAY ABOUT THE BOOK
I think, I think it may be time for maymay to let go of JLA.
So so so so so, let’s break this down.
Pros
- The writing was better than I expected, it held my interest for a time
- The thriller part, what little we got of it, was great. There were moments where it was like 11pm and I kept scanning my room and looking around for scary shadow shapes (spoiler: didn’t find any)
- If we could eliminate 80% of the romance from the story, it would have been fantastic
Cons
- The characters are really one dimensional. Like the bad girls are ONLY bad and the good girls are ONLY good and the love interest is HOT and that’s as far as his personality extends.
- Oh, there’s this part that PISSED ME THE HELL OFF where Sam is freaking out bc she thought she saw someone and her family is like ‘oh honey you’re just imagining it!!!� and im like ‘people DON’T. ACT. LIKE. THIS. When there is MISSING TEENAGER IN THEIR TOWN�
- You don’t just tell tHEM IT DIDN’T HAPPEN YOU GO BLOODY CHECK AND GET POLICE TO INVESTIGATE AND IODAIUFOEHAWFUIOASDHF
- Oh my god, that just really pissed me off.
- There was lots of girl hate and while the mean girls are undoubtedly b*tchy, it was just…a lot.
- What’s Scott’s purpose as a human? can someone shed some light?
- The mystery could have been don’t really well if it wasn’t so cloudy
- Idk it just felt like it wasn’t the main focus of the book, which is fine, but like it all got solved in the last 10 pages and I was like ????uh??? whats the point of having a 380 paged book if only the last 10 deal with the actual mystery
- THE. ROMANCE. SUFFOCATED. THE. BOOK.
- I couldn’t take a deep breath without someone mentioning how hooooooot Carson McPlain was
- You know it’s an issue when you’re willing to punch yourself in the face than read dialogue between the mc and her boy
- So much cheeeeeeeessssseeeee
- Love triangle ew. Gross.
"Don't look back. You won't like what you find."
2 stars!!
I think, I think it may be time for maymay to let go of JLA.
So so so so so, let’s break this down.
Pros
- The writing was better than I expected, it held my interest for a time
- The thriller part, what little we got of it, was great. There were moments where it was like 11pm and I kept scanning my room and looking around for scary shadow shapes (spoiler: didn’t find any)
- If we could eliminate 80% of the romance from the story, it would have been fantastic
Cons
- The characters are really one dimensional. Like the bad girls are ONLY bad and the good girls are ONLY good and the love interest is HOT and that’s as far as his personality extends.
- Oh, there’s this part that PISSED ME THE HELL OFF where Sam is freaking out bc she thought she saw someone and her family is like ‘oh honey you’re just imagining it!!!� and im like ‘people DON’T. ACT. LIKE. THIS. When there is MISSING TEENAGER IN THEIR TOWN�
- You don’t just tell tHEM IT DIDN’T HAPPEN YOU GO BLOODY CHECK AND GET POLICE TO INVESTIGATE AND IODAIUFOEHAWFUIOASDHF
- Oh my god, that just really pissed me off.
- There was lots of girl hate and while the mean girls are undoubtedly b*tchy, it was just…a lot.
- What’s Scott’s purpose as a human? can someone shed some light?
- The mystery could have been don’t really well if it wasn’t so cloudy
- Idk it just felt like it wasn’t the main focus of the book, which is fine, but like it all got solved in the last 10 pages and I was like ????uh??? whats the point of having a 380 paged book if only the last 10 deal with the actual mystery
- THE. ROMANCE. SUFFOCATED. THE. BOOK.
- I couldn’t take a deep breath without someone mentioning how hooooooot Carson McPlain was
- You know it’s an issue when you’re willing to punch yourself in the face than read dialogue between the mc and her boy
- So much cheeeeeeeessssseeeee
- Love triangle ew. Gross.
"Don't look back. You won't like what you find."
2 stars!!
October 11, 2017
More like 3.5 stars but rounded up because I'm feeling generous these days ;)
I knew it! Ha! I’ve suspected him like super early on in the story. Yes I have my other suspects but there was a scene that led me to the final conclusion that it was him and I was right! Sorry FBI, I know you could use my talent in your team but I’m too busy reading books. Lol.
Or perhaps, it was just really easy to predict and that’s probably one of the flaws of the novel - the lack of subtlety. Nevertheless, I really had fun not that it’s a fun story but because I got to don my FBI costume and work on the investigation behind the missing girl, Cassie. I really think I did a much better job than Detective Ramirez but that’s only because managed to hook me to the story from first page till the end.
The reading experience kind of reminded me of that when I was reading series. It’s intriguing especially with Samantha’s POV being the last person who saw Cassie but who has completely lost her memories. It was intense, highly addictive and funny too! I read it in a day.
I know the author is popular because of her paranormal Lux series which I’m too lazy to read because there are just too many books in the series and her New Adult series which I’m also too lazy to read for the same reason. I’m glad she finally thought of writing a standalone on a genre she doesn’t usually write. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more standalones from her. ;)
To Mac!
Happy belated birthday! I hope the cuteness of the gif makes up for the late review. Lol. Hope you had an amazing day. <3
I knew it! Ha! I’ve suspected him like super early on in the story. Yes I have my other suspects but there was a scene that led me to the final conclusion that it was him and I was right! Sorry FBI, I know you could use my talent in your team but I’m too busy reading books. Lol.
Or perhaps, it was just really easy to predict and that’s probably one of the flaws of the novel - the lack of subtlety. Nevertheless, I really had fun not that it’s a fun story but because I got to don my FBI costume and work on the investigation behind the missing girl, Cassie. I really think I did a much better job than Detective Ramirez but that’s only because managed to hook me to the story from first page till the end.
The reading experience kind of reminded me of that when I was reading series. It’s intriguing especially with Samantha’s POV being the last person who saw Cassie but who has completely lost her memories. It was intense, highly addictive and funny too! I read it in a day.
I know the author is popular because of her paranormal Lux series which I’m too lazy to read because there are just too many books in the series and her New Adult series which I’m also too lazy to read for the same reason. I’m glad she finally thought of writing a standalone on a genre she doesn’t usually write. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more standalones from her. ;)
To Mac!
Happy belated birthday! I hope the cuteness of the gif makes up for the late review. Lol. Hope you had an amazing day. <3
April 22, 2014
Samantha and her best friend Cassie have been missing for days. When Sam is found, she doesn’t know her own name. Doesn’t recognize her parents, her brother, her friends, even her boyfriend. She can’t tell anyone what happened or where Cassie is. She has no idea. All personal details of her life are missing. But is it a bad thing?
Lets be honest- Samantha was a bitch. She was a mean girl. All of her friends are mean girls too. Cassie was quite possibly the meanest of them all. This new Sam doesn’t like that sort of behavior. This new Sam is getting a second chance to be a better person. And this new Sam is finding herself attracted to someone other than her boyfriend... his name is Carson Ortiz. Carson used to be good friends with Sam, until she became so mean. Carson is willing to give this new Sam a chance, even going as far as helping her find out what happened to Cassie.
As small parts of her memories start to resurface, Sam is finding herself confused and suspicious of everyone. She feels like she’s losing her mind and she doesn’t know what to do or who to trust. The closer she gets to finding out what happened to Cassie, the more danger she is in...
Don’t Look Back was a suspenseful read. It felt like every time I thought I had something figured out, something new turned up and I was second guessing myself. Sam was an awesome character. I loved how she dealt with her missing memories and tried to be a better person given the chance. Then there was Carson... sigh. I love that boy. And also Scott, Sam’s brother. He is just incredible. I really loved most of the characters in this one! A unique, interesting and mysterious read that I enjoyed a lot!
August 10, 2016
4.25 Stars
October 14, 2016
JLA YOU QUEEN
This. Was. So. GOOD.
Like holy mother of goodness. Can I just binge read every other existing JLA book right now??? Because I honestly don't want to read anything else at the moment and I DEFINITELY am not ready to sleep after finishing this!!
I devoured this wonderful book. It was everything I could have wanted and so much more. I loved that this didn't feel like a typical contemporary read, or even a typical mystery. I was impressed by how well this book did as a standalone. It had so many contrasting elements occurring within the story that I simply could not put the book down! Between the spine-tingling suspense, laugh-out-loud jokes, sizzlingly steamy romance and underlying creepiness, this was a read that will surely make its way to my favorites list :)
This book was like a psychological-thriller meets Mean Girls in the most epic way. Throw in a cast of complex, layered characters and a cleverly crafted plot, and you've got yourself one heck of an entertaining mystery to solve!
Three words:
I LOVED IT.
This. Was. So. GOOD.
Like holy mother of goodness. Can I just binge read every other existing JLA book right now??? Because I honestly don't want to read anything else at the moment and I DEFINITELY am not ready to sleep after finishing this!!
I devoured this wonderful book. It was everything I could have wanted and so much more. I loved that this didn't feel like a typical contemporary read, or even a typical mystery. I was impressed by how well this book did as a standalone. It had so many contrasting elements occurring within the story that I simply could not put the book down! Between the spine-tingling suspense, laugh-out-loud jokes, sizzlingly steamy romance and underlying creepiness, this was a read that will surely make its way to my favorites list :)
This book was like a psychological-thriller meets Mean Girls in the most epic way. Throw in a cast of complex, layered characters and a cleverly crafted plot, and you've got yourself one heck of an entertaining mystery to solve!
Three words:
I LOVED IT.
March 31, 2014
With a strong blurb and a cover that's both creepy and pretty, I went into this one with a lot of expectations. It is my favorite genre and an author I've previously enjoyed, after all. I can't say I'm disappointed, exactly, but I'm sad that didn't end up loving this one as much as I was hoping.
Amnesia is a commonly used trope in mystery novels, but I still find myself drawn to them every time. Even though it's been done before, I found the memory loss aspect very well executed. When Samantha reappears into a life where she had it all, she's not sure how to deal with the way people describe her. She was a selfish bitch, to put it bluntly. I found this contrast between her pre-amnesia and present self very intriguing. She's the same girl, yet with a now conflicting personality from before. It makes you wonder what could have turned this great person at heart into such a mean girl. Unfortunately I never exactly connected with Samantha. She was not unlikeable as a protagonist, but she did grate on my nerves every now and then, especially when it involved Del. I found it incredibly obvious that he was lying about their relationship - and more - (I mean, what teenage relationship is that perfect?), but she still believed his every word. He kind of creeped me out if I'm being honest. I wanted him to just go away.
Furthermore, I did find there were a lot of clichés throughout this story. Romantically, we've got the tumbling-and-falling-on-top-of-each-other scene, then the crush-wiping-ice-cream-off-her-chin scene. Thriller-wise, we've got the face-in-a-rear-view-mirror shocker along with mysteriously appearing notes. I can't say I didn't roll my eyes a time or two. More on these notes, they were so vague and unhelpful that I didn't see the point to them. They do serve a purpose eventually, but an angle like this had a lot more potential to build an effective twist than it delivered.
With that out of the way, I may not have fallen in love with this one, but I did enjoy myself while reading it. I was kept in the dark with a mystery that unravels slowly and steadily until all the pieces fit. I was left feeling butterflies towards a once unlikely romance that blooms between two characters (not Del - blerg!). And I was satisfied with the psychological aspect and unique character arc driven by memory loss. JL Armentrout definitely has potential in the mystery genre!
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at
Amnesia is a commonly used trope in mystery novels, but I still find myself drawn to them every time. Even though it's been done before, I found the memory loss aspect very well executed. When Samantha reappears into a life where she had it all, she's not sure how to deal with the way people describe her. She was a selfish bitch, to put it bluntly. I found this contrast between her pre-amnesia and present self very intriguing. She's the same girl, yet with a now conflicting personality from before. It makes you wonder what could have turned this great person at heart into such a mean girl. Unfortunately I never exactly connected with Samantha. She was not unlikeable as a protagonist, but she did grate on my nerves every now and then, especially when it involved Del. I found it incredibly obvious that he was lying about their relationship - and more - (I mean, what teenage relationship is that perfect?), but she still believed his every word. He kind of creeped me out if I'm being honest. I wanted him to just go away.
Furthermore, I did find there were a lot of clichés throughout this story. Romantically, we've got the tumbling-and-falling-on-top-of-each-other scene, then the crush-wiping-ice-cream-off-her-chin scene. Thriller-wise, we've got the face-in-a-rear-view-mirror shocker along with mysteriously appearing notes. I can't say I didn't roll my eyes a time or two. More on these notes, they were so vague and unhelpful that I didn't see the point to them. They do serve a purpose eventually, but an angle like this had a lot more potential to build an effective twist than it delivered.
With that out of the way, I may not have fallen in love with this one, but I did enjoy myself while reading it. I was kept in the dark with a mystery that unravels slowly and steadily until all the pieces fit. I was left feeling butterflies towards a once unlikely romance that blooms between two characters (not Del - blerg!). And I was satisfied with the psychological aspect and unique character arc driven by memory loss. JL Armentrout definitely has potential in the mystery genre!
--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.
For more of my reviews, visit my blog at
May 9, 2014
4,5 STARS
"Don't look back.
You won't like
what you find."
Wow it was amazing!!I really enjoyed it!It hooked me from the first page until the end!!I loved the mystery and suspense!!I couldn't guess who was the killer and honestly when I learn, it was a shock for me!!It's really a great change of pace for the author and I hope that she will write more books like this!!And the fact that the romance was secondary didn't bother me at all!!This is a YA thriller...so be prepared... :))
Two teenage girls went missing for four days...until Samantha was found wandering in the streets..Everyone wants to know what happen but Samantha has no recollection of what's happened.And now she is in a life that she doesn't remember and she tries to pick up the pieces and find what really happened...
"...I stared at a stranger in the bathroom mirror.
I'd never seen her face before.
But it was mine."
I don't want to say anymore about the story for fear of spoiling it..because it was amazing and I think everybody must read it!!
I loved the characters, especially Samantha who was a really interesting character!!She tried to change her life..because the way she was before it wasn't good...While she was friend with Cassie the other girl who missing she was rude and many people at school didn't like her.And this is what I liked about her..that she wanted to be a better person!
I also loved her brother and Carson!Carson is so cute and sweet!He cares for Samantha and he was there for her..I honestly can't understand why she hasn't fell in love with him before!!I didn't like her boyfriend and her friends from the beginning!Also Cassie reminds me a lot Alison from the tv series "Pretty little liars".
I loved that it kept me guessing until the end!!!I really enjoyed the final outcome!!If you are looking for a mysterious,psychological thriller with captivating characters, this is what you need!!
"Don't look back.
You won't like
what you find."
Wow it was amazing!!I really enjoyed it!It hooked me from the first page until the end!!I loved the mystery and suspense!!I couldn't guess who was the killer and honestly when I learn, it was a shock for me!!It's really a great change of pace for the author and I hope that she will write more books like this!!And the fact that the romance was secondary didn't bother me at all!!This is a YA thriller...so be prepared... :))
Two teenage girls went missing for four days...until Samantha was found wandering in the streets..Everyone wants to know what happen but Samantha has no recollection of what's happened.And now she is in a life that she doesn't remember and she tries to pick up the pieces and find what really happened...
"...I stared at a stranger in the bathroom mirror.
I'd never seen her face before.
But it was mine."
I don't want to say anymore about the story for fear of spoiling it..because it was amazing and I think everybody must read it!!
I loved the characters, especially Samantha who was a really interesting character!!She tried to change her life..because the way she was before it wasn't good...While she was friend with Cassie the other girl who missing she was rude and many people at school didn't like her.And this is what I liked about her..that she wanted to be a better person!
I also loved her brother and Carson!Carson is so cute and sweet!He cares for Samantha and he was there for her..I honestly can't understand why she hasn't fell in love with him before!!I didn't like her boyfriend and her friends from the beginning!Also Cassie reminds me a lot Alison from the tv series "Pretty little liars".
I loved that it kept me guessing until the end!!!I really enjoyed the final outcome!!If you are looking for a mysterious,psychological thriller with captivating characters, this is what you need!!
November 5, 2016
4.75 stars
This is such a different type of book than Jennifer L. Armentrout usually writes that I wasn't sure what to expect. I am so glad that I decided to read it, because I enjoyed it so much. I never wanted to put it down. The only negative I have is that I guessed the twist at the end of the story in the beginning of the book. However, I still wondered if I was right throughout the story so it didn't ruin the experience for me. I hope the author decides to write more books like this in the future. If she does, I will definitely be picking it up.
This is such a different type of book than Jennifer L. Armentrout usually writes that I wasn't sure what to expect. I am so glad that I decided to read it, because I enjoyed it so much. I never wanted to put it down. The only negative I have is that I guessed the twist at the end of the story in the beginning of the book. However, I still wondered if I was right throughout the story so it didn't ruin the experience for me. I hope the author decides to write more books like this in the future. If she does, I will definitely be picking it up.
September 23, 2017
wow. I am honestly speechless. This book was so much better than I expected and I’m just so shook. It was so easy to fly through and I really had no idea who did it up until it was revealed. I am S H O O K
February 8, 2017
5 "Who am I?" stars
So, the million dollar question is, did Jennifer ever disappoint me?
And the answer is no. All the books I've read by Jennifer were amazing, and I adored each one of them. This book was no exception. It was amazing. I couldn't even put it down. From the start, till the very last pages, the book kept me entertained. I have to clap for J.L because I was in a reading slump, but honestly I flew through this book.
The story follows Sam, a girl who woke up alone in the forest. She doesn't remember anything about herself, or the people she was supposed to know.
After she finally feels better, she starts communicating with the people who used to be her friends. She notices that she wasn't a nice girl at all. The people who were close to her were from the popular crowd, and also meanies. She also discovers that she wasn't the only one who disappeared, her best friend did too.
The main plot is cliche to be honest. The amnesia story has been used a lot in other books, but it was a little different here. It had the suspense factor in it, the mysterious one. I was very busy, but I went on a road trip because I had to go to my cousin's wedding, and I opened this, and for fours hours straight, I kept on reading. I was hooked from the first page. Of course, I couldn't finish it in four hours, so I completed it when I came back.
When Sam finally gets to know everyone around her, she notices that her brother's best friend hates her. She doesn't know why though, but she finds him attractive. He doesn't care about her at first, but then after bumping into each other more than once, Carson decides to forgive her.
Sam is a very strong character that I liked to read about. She was strong, and never gave up. She didn't feel like everyone should feel sorry for her, or started crying every few pages, which was a relief. I enjoyed reading her point of view because she was optimistic regardless of her situation. She didn't back down, and she faced her demons head on without fear. I have to admit that I loved Sam a lot!
Then, on the other side, we have Sam's boyfriend before the accident. She doesn't like him. Doesn't find him interesting. While she feels guilty about her non-existing feelings for him, she falls slowly for Carson.
I have to admit. I loved Carson. I like Sam and Carson's relationship a lot. I felt like they were good for each other, and he stood up for her a lot. He was supportive, and caring. My favorite part was when he
Scott, Sam's brother, was also one of my most favorite characters in this book. I have read many YA books in the past, and I barely read about a caring brother like Scott. He was protective, and supportive. That was one of my most favorite parts of the book.
About the plot twist in the end, I honestly saw it coming. I would say I predicted half of it, like who was the 'third' person, but not why it happened. I don't want to discuss anything because it's better if you go into this without knowing much. However, I can tell you that not many have predicted the ending.
This novel is honestly a psychological, suspenseful, thriller, and mysterious that will make you very read it until you flip the last page. J.L.A is an amazing writer that wowed me by this novel that I enjoyed reading, and loved all the characters.
So, the million dollar question is, did Jennifer ever disappoint me?
And the answer is no. All the books I've read by Jennifer were amazing, and I adored each one of them. This book was no exception. It was amazing. I couldn't even put it down. From the start, till the very last pages, the book kept me entertained. I have to clap for J.L because I was in a reading slump, but honestly I flew through this book.
The story follows Sam, a girl who woke up alone in the forest. She doesn't remember anything about herself, or the people she was supposed to know.
After she finally feels better, she starts communicating with the people who used to be her friends. She notices that she wasn't a nice girl at all. The people who were close to her were from the popular crowd, and also meanies. She also discovers that she wasn't the only one who disappeared, her best friend did too.
The main plot is cliche to be honest. The amnesia story has been used a lot in other books, but it was a little different here. It had the suspense factor in it, the mysterious one. I was very busy, but I went on a road trip because I had to go to my cousin's wedding, and I opened this, and for fours hours straight, I kept on reading. I was hooked from the first page. Of course, I couldn't finish it in four hours, so I completed it when I came back.
When Sam finally gets to know everyone around her, she notices that her brother's best friend hates her. She doesn't know why though, but she finds him attractive. He doesn't care about her at first, but then after bumping into each other more than once, Carson decides to forgive her.
Sam is a very strong character that I liked to read about. She was strong, and never gave up. She didn't feel like everyone should feel sorry for her, or started crying every few pages, which was a relief. I enjoyed reading her point of view because she was optimistic regardless of her situation. She didn't back down, and she faced her demons head on without fear. I have to admit that I loved Sam a lot!
Then, on the other side, we have Sam's boyfriend before the accident. She doesn't like him. Doesn't find him interesting. While she feels guilty about her non-existing feelings for him, she falls slowly for Carson.
I have to admit. I loved Carson. I like Sam and Carson's relationship a lot. I felt like they were good for each other, and he stood up for her a lot. He was supportive, and caring. My favorite part was when he
Scott, Sam's brother, was also one of my most favorite characters in this book. I have read many YA books in the past, and I barely read about a caring brother like Scott. He was protective, and supportive. That was one of my most favorite parts of the book.
About the plot twist in the end, I honestly saw it coming. I would say I predicted half of it, like who was the 'third' person, but not why it happened. I don't want to discuss anything because it's better if you go into this without knowing much. However, I can tell you that not many have predicted the ending.
This novel is honestly a psychological, suspenseful, thriller, and mysterious that will make you very read it until you flip the last page. J.L.A is an amazing writer that wowed me by this novel that I enjoyed reading, and loved all the characters.
November 25, 2015
Why did it take me this long to read this book? It's Jennifer Armentrout.... How can it not be amazing! Couldn't put it down... It was an intense read, chills, thrills and a few sweet love scenes ;)
November 16, 2016
4.5 stars
I unexpectedly enjoyed reading this book. It was very interesting, with a quite various spectre of characters and their personal psychology. The writing style was fresh and it's impossible not to be pulled into the scary but yet beautiful vortex that is Sam's life. I loved unraveling the mystery surrounding Sam and getting to know the real Sam better. This is my first Armentrout book and I would like to read more of her contemporary books in the future.
I unexpectedly enjoyed reading this book. It was very interesting, with a quite various spectre of characters and their personal psychology. The writing style was fresh and it's impossible not to be pulled into the scary but yet beautiful vortex that is Sam's life. I loved unraveling the mystery surrounding Sam and getting to know the real Sam better. This is my first Armentrout book and I would like to read more of her contemporary books in the future.
July 15, 2017
4.25 Stars
"Don’t look back. You won’t like what you find."
Samantha was missing for four days and when they found her she couldn’t remember anything, where she was, what’s her name, her parents� She wasn’t the only one missing. her best friend, Cassie, was disappeared with her but they couldn’t find her yet. Apparently, they both were b!tches to every one.
"I was stuck in this life I didn’t remember, squeezed into the shell of this girl-this Samantha Jo Franco-and the more I learned about her, the more I was starting to hate her."
A few days later, Cassie was found but� and then those weird notes that Samantha received! And then she found she and Cassie had some problems with each other! So Who did send the notes? Is Samantha crazy? if she isn't, who is behind everything?
Well, it was an enjoyable read and I really liked it. After reading some chapters I thought I knew everything and when I finished I saw how I was wrong! Actually, my guess was partly correct but the end was a surprise and unexpected for me!
The story was really well-written and so compelling and keep you on the edge of your seat. It was well-paced. I liked all the characters even the b!tches! Haha! The story is told from Samantha’s POV, 1st person. it’s a standalone. I loved it and hope you like it just like me!
"Don’t look back. You won’t like what you find."
Samantha was missing for four days and when they found her she couldn’t remember anything, where she was, what’s her name, her parents� She wasn’t the only one missing. her best friend, Cassie, was disappeared with her but they couldn’t find her yet. Apparently, they both were b!tches to every one.
"I was stuck in this life I didn’t remember, squeezed into the shell of this girl-this Samantha Jo Franco-and the more I learned about her, the more I was starting to hate her."
A few days later, Cassie was found but� and then those weird notes that Samantha received! And then she found she and Cassie had some problems with each other! So Who did send the notes? Is Samantha crazy? if she isn't, who is behind everything?
Well, it was an enjoyable read and I really liked it. After reading some chapters I thought I knew everything and when I finished I saw how I was wrong! Actually, my guess was partly correct but the end was a surprise and unexpected for me!
The story was really well-written and so compelling and keep you on the edge of your seat. It was well-paced. I liked all the characters even the b!tches! Haha! The story is told from Samantha’s POV, 1st person. it’s a standalone. I loved it and hope you like it just like me!
August 29, 2022
4.5 stars⭐️🌟🌟🌟
Another great story by JLA. Lots of twists and turns, I wanted the mystery unfold from page one, and was drawn in page after page, trying to guess whodunnit; it was unpredictable till the mystery was unveiled. It was almost like a magic trick, the magician 🎩 (JLA), distracting you with beautiful shiny things, and only showed you her hand when she was ready. This story was very well crafted.
Samantha and her best friend, Cassie, were involved in a terrible incident that later claimed Cassie’s life. Samantha could not help with the murder investigation because she’d lost her memory. She had some memory flashes here and there but nothing concrete enough to help. Prior to the incident, Cassie and Samantha were “mean girls� at school, so Samantha was not off the hook as a murder suspect even though she’d turned a new leaf after the incident. In the end, the most unlikely person was guilty.
What a fabulous read! I had a great time with this one.
Another great story by JLA. Lots of twists and turns, I wanted the mystery unfold from page one, and was drawn in page after page, trying to guess whodunnit; it was unpredictable till the mystery was unveiled. It was almost like a magic trick, the magician 🎩 (JLA), distracting you with beautiful shiny things, and only showed you her hand when she was ready. This story was very well crafted.
Samantha and her best friend, Cassie, were involved in a terrible incident that later claimed Cassie’s life. Samantha could not help with the murder investigation because she’d lost her memory. She had some memory flashes here and there but nothing concrete enough to help. Prior to the incident, Cassie and Samantha were “mean girls� at school, so Samantha was not off the hook as a murder suspect even though she’d turned a new leaf after the incident. In the end, the most unlikely person was guilty.
What a fabulous read! I had a great time with this one.
February 12, 2016
Actually more like a 3.5, but a high 3.5. Would have been just a 3 if not for that ending. I did NOT see that coming. MY LANTA.
May 30, 2015
We were joined by the secret of that night, a memory I couldn't reach.
When a book has a major twist and you need to put it down to gather yourself because your mind is absolutely blown. Ugh. What an incredible book! Fast-paced, brilliantly well-written, and with an ending that surprises. This book kind of reminded me of Mara Dyer trilogy and CoHo's Never Never but sure thing, they are very different stories but all at the same time, equally astounding.
What I love about this book is that it's totally unpredictable. While reading it I found myself guessing who the culprit behind the crime is but then in the end it turned out that my guesses were wrong. This is such an impressive mystery thriller and I very much admire Jennnifer Armentrout for delivering a masterpiece. Whoa!
If you are a fan of thriller and mystery books with a touch of romance, this book is for you. Highly recommended!
Rating: 5 freaking stars!
When a book has a major twist and you need to put it down to gather yourself because your mind is absolutely blown. Ugh. What an incredible book! Fast-paced, brilliantly well-written, and with an ending that surprises. This book kind of reminded me of Mara Dyer trilogy and CoHo's Never Never but sure thing, they are very different stories but all at the same time, equally astounding.
What I love about this book is that it's totally unpredictable. While reading it I found myself guessing who the culprit behind the crime is but then in the end it turned out that my guesses were wrong. This is such an impressive mystery thriller and I very much admire Jennnifer Armentrout for delivering a masterpiece. Whoa!
If you are a fan of thriller and mystery books with a touch of romance, this book is for you. Highly recommended!
Rating: 5 freaking stars!
August 24, 2017
*4.75 SUSPENSEFUL STARS*
“I was stuck in a life I didn't remember, squeezed into the shell of this girl and the more I learned about her, the more I was starting to hate her.�
I truly enjoyed the hell out of this book!
The suspense was killing me and I was unable to put this down for longer than half an hour. I read in some other reviews that they already suspected who did it from the very start, but I didn't see the identity of the killer coming at all!
Review coming soon!
“I was stuck in a life I didn't remember, squeezed into the shell of this girl and the more I learned about her, the more I was starting to hate her.�
I truly enjoyed the hell out of this book!
The suspense was killing me and I was unable to put this down for longer than half an hour. I read in some other reviews that they already suspected who did it from the very start, but I didn't see the identity of the killer coming at all!
Review coming soon!
April 12, 2014
5 Stunning Stars!!!!!!
This book became one of my absolutely favourites before I ever finished it! I love Jennifer L. Armentrout because her writing is just perfect! The characters she creates and the stories she writes are always so unique and interesting that once you start reading...you can’t stop.
“Don’t look back� is one of the best stories Jennifer has ever written. It’s really different than her other books but as amazing as all of them. I didn’t know what to expect but she managed to surprise me and believe me when I tell you...you will love every second of this book.
The story:
Samantha doesn’t know where she is and what is happening. When the police car stops and the man asks her about her name...she doesn’t know it! She is lost and alone. She doesn’t remember the people who come to her hospital room and claim they are her parents. She doesn’t remember her perfect boyfriend she apparently has, her friends (which are a copy of the movie “Mean Girls�), high class status or her expensive clothes. But the worse is that she can’t remember the person she was before the “accident� and soon she will learn is used to a TOTAL bitch!
Samantha has been missing for days before the police found her on the road covered with mud and blood. Apparently her (supposed to be) best friend is still missing.
“Don’t look back. You won’t like what you find.�
When the memories start coming back and Sammy has all kinds of weird flashbacks...she knows there are too many unanswered questions...too many lies and secrets. If she wants to figure out what exactly happened to her and her best friend, she needs to remember....she needs to find out why were they together that night and was someone with them. But when different pieces from the puzzle start coming together, Sammy might find out that knowing the truth may be more dangerous than she thought.
OMG...I loved it!!! This seriously is one of the most interesting and captivating stories I have ever read! From chapter 1 I was hooked and couldn’t stop reading. There are twists, mysteries, creepy moments, drama, love and passion (it’s YA but still...)! One moment I was absolutely terrified, then smiling like an idiot at the next...so yeah...my emotions were all over the place. I just needed to know!!! And believe me...the end will REALLY surprise you. When I learned the whole story...OH GOD...!!! 0_O I don’t want to reveal much about the story because the plot is really complicated and I don’t want to ruin it for you.
I DEFINITELY recommend this book! It’s AMAZING!
This book became one of my absolutely favourites before I ever finished it! I love Jennifer L. Armentrout because her writing is just perfect! The characters she creates and the stories she writes are always so unique and interesting that once you start reading...you can’t stop.
“Don’t look back� is one of the best stories Jennifer has ever written. It’s really different than her other books but as amazing as all of them. I didn’t know what to expect but she managed to surprise me and believe me when I tell you...you will love every second of this book.
The story:
Samantha doesn’t know where she is and what is happening. When the police car stops and the man asks her about her name...she doesn’t know it! She is lost and alone. She doesn’t remember the people who come to her hospital room and claim they are her parents. She doesn’t remember her perfect boyfriend she apparently has, her friends (which are a copy of the movie “Mean Girls�), high class status or her expensive clothes. But the worse is that she can’t remember the person she was before the “accident� and soon she will learn is used to a TOTAL bitch!
Samantha has been missing for days before the police found her on the road covered with mud and blood. Apparently her (supposed to be) best friend is still missing.
“Don’t look back. You won’t like what you find.�
When the memories start coming back and Sammy has all kinds of weird flashbacks...she knows there are too many unanswered questions...too many lies and secrets. If she wants to figure out what exactly happened to her and her best friend, she needs to remember....she needs to find out why were they together that night and was someone with them. But when different pieces from the puzzle start coming together, Sammy might find out that knowing the truth may be more dangerous than she thought.
OMG...I loved it!!! This seriously is one of the most interesting and captivating stories I have ever read! From chapter 1 I was hooked and couldn’t stop reading. There are twists, mysteries, creepy moments, drama, love and passion (it’s YA but still...)! One moment I was absolutely terrified, then smiling like an idiot at the next...so yeah...my emotions were all over the place. I just needed to know!!! And believe me...the end will REALLY surprise you. When I learned the whole story...OH GOD...!!! 0_O I don’t want to reveal much about the story because the plot is really complicated and I don’t want to ruin it for you.
I DEFINITELY recommend this book! It’s AMAZING!
May 24, 2016
Dejé el libro marcado como leído y me olvidé de leer una reseña...bueno a ver el libro me gustó y en las primeras 100 páginas o así fue interesante y no tenía ni idea de lo que podría pasar y tenía ese toque de "misterio" pero me pasó que a partir de cierto punto se volvió muy cliché. Tenemos a la típica película americana de los populares y los ricos y no sé, me alegro mucho que la protagonista cambió pero realmente el final me dejó un poco meh. No sé si lo habéis leído pero no pueden pasar tantas cosas malas y que al final después de un mes de que pase cierta cosa estés como "no estoy bien pero lo paso genial" así que no sé que decir. Me ha gustado, obvio, los libros de Jennifer son así, te engancha muy rápido y no puedes dejar de leer, la narración es sencilla y los personajes te caen bien, no para odiarlos ni para ponerlos por encima de todo (excepto la saga Lux) pero están genial. Y la trama también, así que si queréis leer algo rápido y que enganche este es el libro perfecto.
February 10, 2017
Don't Look Back is a book that has me SHOOK. I am so overwhelmed still, a few hours after finishing this book. I can't even put in words what I have thought and how I felt while reading this book. So, because I am so completely shocked that I could not guess a thing in this book have a series of gifs that represent me throughout my reading experience:
I just honestly can't believe how good this book was for me. To be as basic as possible - I can't even. The gifs are in no particular order either, the whole book I was on edge. I didn't want to put it down at any time because I had to know what happened. There is no way to even represent how much I enjoyed this book.
I just honestly can't believe how good this book was for me. To be as basic as possible - I can't even. The gifs are in no particular order either, the whole book I was on edge. I didn't want to put it down at any time because I had to know what happened. There is no way to even represent how much I enjoyed this book.
June 19, 2022
From first to last page well-written YA novel I highly recommend for reading!
Srpsko izdanje ima odličan prevod, pogrešne korice i pogrešan naslov... Naime, primećujem da domaći izdavači u poslednje vreme bez ikakvog opravdanog razloga i bez obzira na žanr romana stavljaju neodgovarajuće sladunjave naslove (koji najčešće nemaju nikakve veze s originalnim) i sladunjave korice (koje opet najčešće nemaju veze s temom knjige) u želji da privuku što masovniju čitalačku publiku a time zapravo odbijaju čitaoce kojima su te knjige namenjene tj. one koji su ciljna grupa autora... Zato, ne sudite o knjizi po koricama... :)
Srpsko izdanje ima odličan prevod, pogrešne korice i pogrešan naslov... Naime, primećujem da domaći izdavači u poslednje vreme bez ikakvog opravdanog razloga i bez obzira na žanr romana stavljaju neodgovarajuće sladunjave naslove (koji najčešće nemaju nikakve veze s originalnim) i sladunjave korice (koje opet najčešće nemaju veze s temom knjige) u želji da privuku što masovniju čitalačku publiku a time zapravo odbijaju čitaoce kojima su te knjige namenjene tj. one koji su ciljna grupa autora... Zato, ne sudite o knjizi po koricama... :)
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