Review: Forget You by Jennifer Echols

Title: Forget You
Author: Jennifer Echols
Release Date: 7/20/2010
Publisher: MTV Books
Number of pages: 293
Reading Level: Young Adult

5 out of 5 Stars










Description from Goodreads:

WHY CAN’T YOU CHOOSE WHAT YOU FORGET . . .  AND WHAT YOU REMEMBER?  


There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four- year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon.  But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all—the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug—of all people— suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life—a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.


My thoughts:


Zoey can’t catch a break. While coping with her dysfunctional parents, the only thing that seems to keep her grounded is her love of swimming. Then her mother attempts suicide. Forced to move in with her self-centered dad, and his pregnant (and very young) fiance, she makes a rash decision to lose her virginity to Brandon. A week later Zoey is in a car accident that robs her of an entire evening of memories. The story follows Zoey, while she attempts to recreate the night of the accident. She is afraid to admit to anyone that she can’t remember, and is baffled by both Doug and Brandon’s behavior. Doug has always been quick to throw a snide comment in Zoey’s direction, but now he’s acting almost nice. She knows something big must have went down, and is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery all while dealing with the aftershocks of her parent’s choices.


Jennifer Echols is an author I’ve heard so much buzz about. After reading Forget You, I can see why. She brought something new and fresh to the YA genre. I loved the writing, the plot, the evolution of the characters, and the smart, but sexy writing. Teens need more books like this. This book was full of emotion, and is one that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.


Forget You made me want to run out and buy everything this author has to offer. Truly an amazing novel, and one I highly recommend.

Jennifer Echols on the web:

Website  | Twitter

*Received from the publisher in exchange for my participation in the Forget You Blog Tour.