The Memory Book by Lara Avery

Synopsis (from Goodreads) 

Pages: 368

Publisher: Quercus Children's Books 

Released: 26th of January 2017 

Samantha McCoy has it all mapped out. First she's going to win the national debating championship, then she's going to move to New York and become a human rights lawyer.

But when Sam discovers that a rare disease is going to take away her memory, the future she'd planned so perfectly is derailed before its started.

Realising that her life won't wait to be lived, Sam sets out on a summer of firsts.

The first party. 

The first rebellion. 

The first friendship. 

The last love.

What I Have to Say 

This book broke my heart. It set up Sammy as this determined girl with a clear idea of where she wants to go in the future. She is so ready to go to University, to change her life completely. But right from the start, it tells us exactly why she can't have that future. And we, the reader, despite everything, want her to succeed. 

At first, it was impossible to see Sammy succeeding in her goals. The stark realities of her illness were spelled out in front of us on the page and all that Sammy is doing is forcing her way through it with denial and ambition. But as the story progressed and more of Sammy's personality is revealed, I felt myself caught up in her determination and her very practical way of dealing with it. It made it seem entirely plausible. Of course she was going to get to NYU. Of course she'd manage to defeat this. 

And then the illness starts to progress. 

It's a story that's heartbreaking, tragic and so beautiful, It may be about a terminal illness and Sammy fighting to keep a hold of herself, but really, behind all that, it's about a girl who is learning how to live. 

My thanks go to Quercus and Netgalley for providing me with this copy for review.