Megan Tayte

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Actual rating: 3.5/5

Note to self: When starting a book on a train journey, make sure there is enough time to finish the book, or agonising hours of endless wondering will follow until you are actually able to sit down again and FINISH THE BOOK. In case you're wondering (which of course you are), this is exactly what happened to me when reading Death Wish. I was so taken by the story and the characters, that I was actually in pain at having to leave it to get off at my stop, because I NEEDED ALL THE ANSWERS.

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Unfortunately, I didn't get all the answers I wanted at the end, and will have to read the next book in the series ASAP to know everything. Cliffhangers are EVIL!

Anyway, moving on from my pain... I was immediately drawn into the story, and I found it very easy to connect with Scarlett. She is definitely the centre of the book, and I found her a very intriguing character. I loved seeing how she struggled with coping with her sister's death while at the same time trying to become her own person. I felt like there was a lot going on with her, and I liked seeing her grow and change throughout the book, and I have very high hopes for her as a character in the rest of the series. I also really liked the way her relationships with all the other characters were explored in depth, from her distant parents to her exploding friendship with the awesome Cara, without missing the inevitable romance. Actually, this time, I was quite sold on the romance. I thought Scarlett and Luke made a really cute couple, and the way their relationship developed was incredibly sweet. I'm especially glad that the author avoided putting a love triangle in! And we did get to see very little of the mysterious Jude, but I have a feeling he will be much more present in the sequels so I won't really complain too much about this...

The only negative, for me, is that there actually is very little paranormal stuff going on. Of course, this is only the first book in the series, so I'm pretty confident things will change in the sequels and the whole paranormal aspect will be developed further, but I was still fairly disappointed to get so little supernatural activity in this episode. This was definitely an interesting read, though it felt way more like a contemporary. The author did a great job of exploring grief and Scarlett's difficulties in rebuilding a life for herself in the aftermath of this family tragedy. I feel like this set the scene nicely for the following books, and it got me interested in finding out more about the Ceruleans. I will definitely be checking out the rest of the series!… (meer)

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

This was an enjoyable read, and definitely a great continuation to the Ceruleans series. After the conclusion of Death Wish, Scarlett is slowly coming to terms with her being a Cerulean... and her imminent death. Getting into her head and being a part of her process of acceptance was incredibly interesting, and it definitely helped in upping her sympathy factor. By the end of the book, I felt a lot more connected to Scarlett, which is always a great feeling (for me, at least).

I also liked getting a little more in-depth look at the other characters, particularly Luke and Jude, the two boys in Scarlett's life. I feel like throughout the book, Scarlett managed to redefine her relationship with both of them, even breaking free when she felt it was necessary to. I liked how the romance between her and Luke developed, and I keep thinking they make one of the cutest couples ever! Another thing I really liked was getting a closer look at Scarlett's relationship with her mother. It managed to show that people can and sometimes do change, and it seriously made me think about second chances and the possibilities of rebuilding relationships that seem doomed.

Unfortunately, there was one big flaw in this book. As most second-in-the-series books that I have read, there is a serious stagnation in plot. I mean, the character development was great, don't get me wrong, but not much really happens in this book. As I said, it's a trap I think most series fall into, so it's not really a big deal, but several times I just found myself wondering when something new would happen to move the story forward. And every time I thought there was going to be some big twist or reveal... there just wasn't.

Anyway, I'm fairly sure this will be resolved in the next books, where it seems like the plot will advance more (at least from reading the blurb), so I'm not too bothered by this, even though it did make the book slightly more frustrating for me.

Still, Forget Me Not was a quick read that made me appreciate and get to know the main characters a lot more. And while it may not have been the most exciting, it was definitely an essential chapter in the Ceruleans series. I absolutely look forward to continuing this series very, very soon!… (meer)

Seventeen-year-old Scarlett Blake had always felt that she had lived in the shadow of her older sister, Sienna. Sienna was eighteen: lovely, vivacious, dramatic, the life of the party. Which is why Scarlett is so haunted by her sister's sudden death. True, the sisters had never been especially close - even with a ten month age difference between them - but Scarlett had always felt a sisterly bond of some sort.

Her estranged sister, it seemed, had made the ultimate dramatic exit. Running away from her boarding school, joining a surfing fraternity on a lark, partying hard: that all sounded like typical Sienna-style antics to Scarlett. But walking fully clothed into the sea during a violent thunder storm after leaving a party - that didn't make any sense at all. Yes, Sienna was a wild child, she lived life right on the edge - but she wasn't suicidal. Scarlett knew how much Sienna loved life; loved living too much to throw it all away.

Determined to find out what really happened, Scarlett follows in her sister's footsteps. She arrives at the secluded English cove where Sienna had lived for the last few months of her life. She has come alone, determined to uncover the truth for herself. Yet she never reckoned on meeting two boys who are determined to help her.

There is Luke: the handsome blue-eyed surfer with the easy smile who'll see the real Scarlett, who'll challenge her, who'll save her. And Jude: the elusive, enigmatic drifter with a strange knack for turning up whenever Scarlett's in need.

As Scarlett's quest for the truth unravels, so too does her grip on reality as she knows it. Because there is something decidedly strange going on in this little cove. A gravely injured magpie suddenly circles the sky; a dying fawn watches her from the undergrowth. Hands glow with an inexplicable light; imbued with undeniable warmth and an indescribable feeling of power.

What transpires for Scarlett is a summer full of discoveries: discoveries about Sienna; and discoveries about herself. Learning what it means to conquer fear. Falling in love. Choosing life. Choosing death. A summer to believe the impossible.

I must say that I really enjoyed reading this book. In my opinion, it was poignant and well-written, and I found myself really feeling for the characters. I'm totally caught up in the story and want to know what happens next. This is actually the first book that I've read by this author, but I'm eagerly awaiting the next book in the series. I give Death Wish by Megan Tayte an A! and will definitely be putting Megan Tayte's name on my Wish List.… (meer)