Title: Forgotten
Author: Cat Patrick
Published: June, 2011 by Hardie Grant Books
Pages: 267
Rating:  
Purchase: The Book Depository

I remember forwards. I remember forwards, and forget backwards. My memories, bad, boring, or good, haven’t happened yet. So I will remember standing in the fresh-cut grass with the black-clad figures surrounded by stone until I do it for real. I will remember the funeral until it happens – until someone dies. And after that, it will be forgotten.

Here’s the thing about me: I can see my future, but my past is blank. I see the future in flashes, like memories. I remember what I’ll wear tomorrow, and a car crash that won’t happen till this afternoon. But yesterday has evaporated from my mind – just like the boy I love. I can’t see him in my future. I can’t remember him from my past. But today, I love him. And I never want to forget how much.

Final Thoughts:
Reading very much like a contemporary romance than a paranormal, Forgotten had come and gone before I knew it. While it wasn’t what I’d call amazing, I definitely enjoyed my time with it. The ideas behind this girl’s condition hold enough intrigue and make you wonder how she manages to keep it together so well. It does have its faults, places where I thought things didn’t exactly play out believably, but it’s a fun escape. Beware though, there is a fair share of high school angst. But if you’re up for that, dig in, there’s a very sweet romance to lose yourself in here.

Taking this one to work with me after weeks spent trying to trudge through another book; I’ve had quite a few people ask what I’ve got this time. The general consensus among them seems to be, “Oh, like 50 First Dates.” Not exactly, sure it’s got the romance and the daily forgetfulness, but I wouldn’t say the two had another real likeness about them. Personally, based on the synopsis, I’d expected this to play out something like a teenaged version of the TV show, Medium or a bit like Lisa McMann’s Wake. A girl seeing carnage in the future, so she does everything possible to stop it. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case either. She does have a variety of visions, but most of them relate to her day to day life, her friends and family. That leaves a lot of untapped potential here that could have upped the tension just a bit.

The way London deals with her condition—writing notes to herself before bed to read each morning—seems quite cumbersome. She must spend hours before school trying to cram it all back in. I had to wonder how she ever got by as a kid growing up; back before she gained the maturity to deal with it. Overlooking the logistics behind the notes system, I thought London held herself together well. Having knowledge of the future, but then forgetting it when you actually need to use it would be stressful beyond belief.

If you can look beyond the fact that London reads a few notes and some pictures every day and decides she’s in love with a boy based on them, you’ll really enjoy the romance in this. Their personalities aren’t particularly strong so there’s no real clash. London thinks he’s gorgeous, and Luke, he likes to paint ears. Okay, so there’s a bit more to it than that. I did think that Luke happened to be quite adept in saying the right things, getting London to swoon. Plus, he sure knows how to plan a date.

I wasn’t too happy with the angsty fight going on between London and her best friend for the majority of the book (which spanned months). It felt like she’d been shipped off to make way for Luke. My gripes aside, discovering the answers behind London’s condition, I have to say it nice, believable little twist. And for a standalone, it managed to wrap things up in a way that left you satisfied, but without having to spell out every little detail.

Recommended to:
Those after a quick romantic read with a very faint paranormal edge to it.