The Forgetting (#1) by Sharon Cameron-- I Found A YA Dystopian to Read!!

The Forgetting (#1)

Every 12 years in the city of Canaan, the people forget.  The way they adapt, is to write everything down and tether it to their bodies, otherwise they will be "lost".  But even with all the precautions, chaos ensues just before every forgetting-- some people want to start their lives over, some know they won't remember, so they do unthinkable things, etc.

Nadia knows all of this because she doesn't forget-- a fact she keeps to herself.  She knows the man who is her real father changed her family's books and started his life over during the last Forgetting.  She also isn't afraid to leave the walls of the city, and does so even though it's forbidden.  The things Nadia knows and begins to find out becomes dangerous.  The secrets of her city go much further than she could ever imagine, and with the Forgetting upon them, she doesn't have much time to unravel them all.

For whatever reason, I have SO been in the mood for some Dystopian Hunger Games-like stuff, and of course I'm like 4 years too late.  The Dystopian fad is clearly over--- which YAY, because all those forced HG knock-offs were getting SO old-- but that doesn't mean I want them to go extinct!!  There's still room for the good ones isn't there??

Enter The Forgetting.  I was recommended this book, and since I had it lying around, I decided to give it a try.  I was instantly hooked.  I loved the idea that everyone forgot, but Nadia didn't.  It was a secret that was dangerous and begging to come out.  I loved that she knew stuff about people that THEY didn't know about themselves-- including her own family.  Reading about how she had to keep all that inside made me feel so sorry for her-- and it made me want to keep reading to see how it would all come out.

The other part that made this book exciting were Nadia's trips over the wall.  The city that Nadia lives in is surrounded by a wall that no one is allowed over for fear of the dangers on the other side.  They can't remember what those dangers are, but no one is allowed to find out.  So, when Nadia went over, it DEFINITELY was giving me Hunger Games vibes and I was really thinking this book was going to be a knock-off.  AND when the Glassblower's son starts hanging around, I was thinking "oh is this like the Baker's son??", but I promise that's where the Hunger Games-vibes ended.  After they go outside of the walls together, they start discovering CRAZY things about their society, and I got super invested in this exciting story.

I also really liked the Nadia/Gray relationship.  It was obvious that it was going to happen, but it felt organic and not forced or icky.  Gray was a little annoying with his constant need to "smirk", but I forgave him that because he was more than the flirty jerk that he initially appeared to be.

My fave part: Nadia was the hero.  Gray helps, but it's clear that Nadia is the one making the decisions, keeping the secrets, and figuring out a way to save the city from itself.

I will definitely be reading the next book in this series, The Knowing-- which comes out October 10th!!  I am a little bummed that it's not still following Nadia and Gray, but I'm going to give the new characters and time period a shot.  If it's half as good as The Forgetting, I'll still really like it.

OVERALL: I am SO glad I was persuaded to pick this up.  I was in the mood for a good Dystopian, and I got EXACTLY what I was hoping for.  It's adventure and thrills and a cute romance all in one.  I loved unraveling the mystery of this society, and was super surprised and excited by the reveal.  I SO recommend and be on the lookout for the sequel coming out October 10, 2017!!

Date Published: 9/13/2016
How I got this book: Thanks to Scholastic and BEA 2016 for providing me with a copy to read and honestly review.
Publisher: Scholastic Press

Add it to your To-Read List!!!

My Rating: 5/5

Character: Nadia
Book: The Secrets We Keep by Trisha Leaver

• Because Ella is keeping something inside that seems as unbearable as what Nadia has to keep in.