Title: Don’t Look Back
Also by the Author: Obsidian, Half-Blood
Thanks to Hodder for the ARC of this book! As always, my reviews are fair and non-bias.
Samantha is popular, rich, and seemed to have it all…until the night she and her best ‘frenemy’ Cassie disappeared and only Sammy resurfaced, with no recollection of who she is or what happened. Sammy’s a stranger in her own life – a life she no longer wants any part of. Losing her memory is a chance to start again. Then Sammy begins receiving mysterious notes warning her about that night, urging her to not look back. But she can’t let it go. As she starts poking around in her past she begins to remember…and something sinister begins to surface.
Jennifer L. Armentrout is one of the best YA writers out there, and I completely adored Obsidian and I’m dying to finish the series. Don’t Look Back is jumping into another genre, and I was keen to see how the story played out from the summary. It looks eerie, mysterious and I love putting books with puzzles together.
Straight away, Sam is introduced. She can’t remember a thing – who she is, where she has been for ages, or why she was even where she was – and the story kicks off with fireworks and startling events from there.
We uncover that Sam and her best friend Cassie had disappeared and now that Sam is back, everyone is wondering where Cassie is. But when the regrettable happens and Cassie’s body resurfaces, everyone is quick to point the finger at Sam – who still can’t remember where she was or even what happened to her best friend. Little by little, Sam starts to piece together facts about her life; she was a really bad person, extremely wealthy and not at all someone she was proud of. Trying to change now was hard, but as Sam starts to twist her life into a different type from her other one, whilst still following the misdirected clues and roller-coaster ride that has become her life, she uncovers the huge twists that had weaved into that time she was gone.
The conclusion really surprised me – like totally knocked me off guard – and I was so impressed with how this was a true psychological mystery. I didn’t guess correctly, and the plot kept me roped in, dying to find out if the clues Sam was finding out were leading the right way or if they were going to take her on a road to horrible events. With a little romance (Carson and Sam were so right for each other – and their relationship/friendship played out without messing with the storyline of mystery), a lot of mystification and suspicion, Don’t Look Back was one of my most anticipated reads by far this year and it definitely lived up to my expectations!
This is one of Jennifer’s very best reads that I recommend so highly! I want this made into a movie!
The ending! I won’t give too much away, but when you figure it out, or get totally surprised like I was, you’ll know the part I’m talking about. But the whole thing was totally addictive, sneaky and chilling.
For fans of Pretty Little Liars – you will eat this up. Anyone, YA readers or Adults who love a good mystery and a dash of romance, Don’t Look Back is going to be next on your to-read list. Trust me.
