The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz

Thank you Blink for sending me a copy of THE MEMORY THIEF in the mail in exchange for an honest review!

Hi. Hello. I am a sucker for pretty covers. The cover The Memory Thief isn't just pretty, it's stunning. Now imagine my excitement when I learned that it was a stand-alone fantasy and saw that it finally had a summary. Needless to say that I was pretty excited when I received The Memory Thief to review.

Etta lives in a corrupt society where memories and talents can be bought or sold. The Memory Thief opens in the auction where "criminal's" memories are sold by Madame before they are killed. After a tragic accident to landed Etta's mother in the asylum and left Etta struggling with guilt, Madame threatens to send her mother to auction and Etta knows she will do anything to save her. Etta re-joins the Shadows, a rebel group that cost Etta everything four years earlier, but it's the only way to save her mother from her impending doom. To swear her loyalty to the Shadows Etta must memorize a map of the maze created by the cruel neighboring realm's leader. Only Etta isn't a lone, she is joined by Reid who is a desperate search for his brother who is trapped in the very maze that Etta has to break into.

The Memory Thief is fast paced and didn't stop for one second. From page one you are transported to a gritty and corrupt society and through the realms on Etta's journey. I ended up finishing The Memory Thief in only a few hours (I was suppose to go to bed but I kept saying, "One more chapter" and then I was suddenly done with the book. #noregrets) The plot was unique and intriguing and kept me with the nagging feeling of wanting to know what was going to happen next. By last one hundred pages I was flying through the pages because I was desperate to know how Etta's story was going to end and if evil was going to be put to rest.

I really enjoyed the both Etta's and Reid's characters. Especially together. Their banter and arguments made me laugh and go back to reread the things they said. Though I did find their relationship to develop rather quickly I did enjoy the romance aspect. I enjoyed it because it showed how both characters are flawed and that they both have things they need to heal from and that they are going to help each other through it. Love isn't always rainbows and unicorns and both Etta and Reid have things that they are going to spend time needing to recover from.

The Memory Thief was inspired by Lauren Mansy's own journey when her mother was diagnosed with a heart condition and it was uncertain that she would survive surgery or would have many of her memories when she woke up. My own mother was diagnosed with a heart condition the summer I graduated high school and has been through countless tests and surgeries. Each time I had the same worries, was she going to survive? Was she going to forget the life she had? Having read this about Laruen Mansy and where her inspiration came from gave me an even bigger appreciation for a story I had already loved.

Overall I really enjoyed The Memory Thief and I can't wait to see what Lauren Mansy has in store for her readers next. This book is perfect for people who are looking for a quick unique fantasy novel that is also a stand alone!