The Memory Book
Series: None
Author: Lara Avery
Published January 26th 2017 by Hachette

Goodreads Summary
“They tell me that my memory will never be the same, that I'll start forgetting things. At first just a little, and then a lot. So I'm writing to remember.” 

Samantha McCoy has it all mapped out. First she's going to win the national debating championship, then she's going to move to New York and become a human rights lawyer. But when Sammie discovers that a rare disease is going to take away her memory, the future she'd planned so perfectly is derailed before it’s started. What she needs is a new plan.

So the Memory Book is born: Sammie’s notes to her future self, a document of moments great and small. Realising that her life won't wait to be lived, she sets out on a summer of firsts: The first party; The first rebellion; The first friendship; The last love.

Through a mix of heartfelt journal entries, mementos, and guest posts from friends and family, readers will fall in love with Sammie, a brave and remarkable girl who learns to live and love life fully, even though it's not the life she planned.

Review
I honestly did not know what to expect when I went into this book. I was sent a copy by the publisher, unsolicited, and a quick check online made me give it a chance, and let me tell you, I'm so glad that I did! The Memory Book follows Samantha, who had her life all planned out, until she discovers that she has a rare medical condition that will limit her life. Her condition, Niemann-Pick Type C, is a disease that affects memory and gradually shuts down the body. So, she needs a new plan. Knowing that life will never be the same again, she creates the Memory Book, where she jots down anything that she wants to remember in the future - no matter how big or small it is. As the days, months, years, progress, Sammie slowly starts to deteriorate, but so much happens, and she learns so much about herself, that she is still able to tell us about it all, in her own words.

I loved Sammie - she was so relatable, and funny, and even with this dark shadow hanging over her, she still lives her life to the fullest. From the get go, she is a planner - initially planning to be valedictorian and go off to college - and when her first plan doesn't pan out, she just amends it to fit her new plan. Because of the way that the story is written, as if it's Sammie's journal, we see even more of her than we would normally do. She pours out her heart and soul, and all of her worries, into her diary entries, and it honestly felt like we were in her shoes for most of the book. Nothing about what she was going through was sugar coated, and it was emotional raw reading at times. However, that doesn't mean everything about book was sad or upsetting.

One thing I really appreciated in this book was how present Sammie's family was in the story. In most of the YA books recently, parents are barely there, if at all, but that really wasn't the case here. Obviously with how debilitating Sammie's condition would become, the family wanted to spend time with her doing things as memories - and not just for her Memory Book, but for them all to appreciate. The family had always been an important part to Sammie's life, but now, when it's really important for her especially to try and do things as she normally would, they worked with her every step of the way. Romance isn't really a huge part to the book, but there is some in there. It was cute when I was reading them, but I cared more about Sammie herself, or her familial relationships, that I didn't really get invested in anything romantic.

Overall, this was such a good book, and I'm really glad I gave it a go. It stuck with me so long after finishing, and if I was in Sammie's situation, I honestly don't know what I would've done. Definitely a book I'd recommend to everyone!