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The Secret History of Us by Jessi Kirby

Publication Date: August 1st 2017
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
My Goodreads Rating: 4/5
Source: Publisher (Through Edelweiss)

Olivia wakes up confused in a hospital bed. After a week-long coma, she can't remember the accident that brought her to the hospital. What she soon figures out however, is that she's lost four precious years of her life.

She can't remember starting- or graduating- from my high school. She doesn't remember her boyfriend Matt. She doesn't remember why one of her best friends is no longer in touch with her.

She realizes that she's quite different as an 18-year-old and struggles to figure out who she really is. With a constant army of people supplying her with memories she doesn't know she had, Olivia needs to hear from her savior to figure out the truth.


Olivia feels different with tight-lipped Walker, the man who rescued her. As she determines whether or not she still loves Matt, she finds herself getting closer to Walker. This love-triangle further complicates Olivia's complex situation- but who will she choose?



Olivia debates questions that we all find ourselves debating at this age. Am I really the person everyone claims I am? Do I need to go back to an older version of myself? Can I change? Unfortunately, Olivia does not have a bank of memories and experiences to rely on as she makes her decisions.

Olivia managed her frustration very well, in fact I was surprised by how quickly she began putting things together. However, her character was likable and I was rooting for her all along. Kirby did an excellent job of portraying all of Olivia's emotions, which really shone through everything else.

I read the book over a very brief time-period, because I just couldn't put it down! The writing was simplistic and resembled a teenager's tone- creating a great and quick read. The slight hints of romance left me wanting more- and so did almost everything else about the book!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I received no other compensation for this post.

Comments

  1. I can't imagine waking up not knowing exactly who you are. I find it really interesting that the novel explores who a person is based on how other people see us. It makes you wonder how well the people in your own life know you and what they would say to you to let you know what kind of person you are. Wow, that was a lot of words and I'm not sure if it made sense.

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    Replies
    1. It made quite a lot of sense Alicia! That's in fact one of the things that encouraged me to pick up the book- a character trying to draft themselves out as much as the author was!

      Thanks so much for stopping by!

      Delete
  2. I read this one quick, and liked it as well. I had a suspicion about the truth but she still managed to surprise me a little bit! A fun read.

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    Replies
    1. I finished this one quite fast as well!

      Have a great week Greg!

      Delete

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