I was generously provided an e-ARC of this novel by the author. Things may have changed in the final version.

I was interested in Forget Me Not because it sounded like it had fun bits of science fiction technology set in a fantastical world. Forget Me Not had plenty of awesome technological surprises, but I was overwhelmed by the whiny and naive main character, Anamae.

The beginning was very fun and well-written. It kept me entertained for about the first quarter of the story. Until we got to Jax Belfry.

Anamae grew up in the same neighborhood with her best friend Will. Her mother disappeared a few years ago and Will has been her rock ever since. As the first events unfold I was excited to see where it was going. Will she find her mother? Will she realize her and Will belong together? Halfway through, I realized 'Mae' was going to oggle over Jax for the rest of the book. Her feelings for him developed fairly quick. At first I thought "well it's okay, she is a teenager, maybe she will realize she needs Will at some point." When I realized that wasn't the case, that Mae was just going to ignore Will's obvious hurt feelings, it got under my skin. She complained a lot. There were instances of her stomping up stairs and slamming the door, and yelling at people not to touch her. She would also say that she felt bad for causing others pain or apologize for being a nuisance, but then would just as quickly turn around and feel sorry for herself.

Without spoiling the plot, Mae's adventures were not what I expected. I knew there was going to be tech involved, but there was just SO much. The gadgets were all explained and they were all awesome ideas. However, I felt they were used more for "wow factor" than a plot device. The Collective, the tech, the farm, the romance, the friendship, the parents...none of it connected for me. There was so much happening non-stop, it was hard to remember what had happened earlier. There were a couple of plot holes and repetition of phrases. At times I felt the story was all over the place and I became uninterested in Mae's story.

The ending was lackluster. The big events were sort of expected. Anamae was too whiny and the rest of the characters, I felt, were also too self-absorbed. Everyone was focused on her and her problems. But there was a bigger picture and it was only touched upon. The Collective was a good idea- I think I would have enjoyed more of it instead of the aggravating romance.

I really think this would be a great read for a younger audience than myself. I feel that it was aimed more towards angsty teens who want to swoon over a bad boy that can wield tech weapons. ( )

A young girl gets plunged into a seemingly magical world where she has to fight to save someone she loves from a horrible fate.” A one sentence summary of the most popular teen books recently. If you add vampires and make the victim her mother, you have the Twilight series. If you add runes and magical locations, you’re looking at the Mortal Instruments series. This summary can even apply to Forget Me Not, as long as you can focus on the word “seemingly.”

Nash’s novel is not about paranormal activities or beings. In fact, all of the “magic” in the story is actually rooted in science and is caused by very advanced technology. As a science-minded person, I was drawn in immediately when I discovered this. Being able to explain all of the strange events and abilities that are in her story is an advantage that Nash has above other young adult authors, and one that I believe many will enjoy. Forget Me Not is a sci-fi novel with a dash of modern James Bond that is written to enthrall readers.

I’ll admit that I loved this novel, from its cover to its very last word, but I wasn’t impressed with parts of the main character. While Anamae seemed interesting enough, it seemed that Nash was constantly trying to dumb her down. Although Mae can come up with genius plans and solve problems, she is unable to figure out the reason behind her friend Will’s sudden change in attitude. While she trains hard to become a fighter, she seems to always need saving when things get rough. If you are looking for a book with a strong female role model, this is surely not it.

The one thing I did love is that although the novel is over, readers will agree that the story is far from over. Nash did a great job with leaving us in anticipation of the next chapter of Anamae’s saga by answering some of our questions, introducing new questions, and generally just leaving us wanting more.

I’m giving Forget Me Not fours stars. It had a great plot and was very engaging. It was also very descriptive and helped me visualize exactly the world Nash created. But with such a weak main character, I don’t have the heart to give it any more. I would recommend this book to any fans of the series I mentioned before, as this will be a breath of fresh air and yet still leave you with a book similar to those you already loved. ( )

Forget Me Not (Collective #1) by Stacey Nash

Anamae’s mother disappeared nine years ago. Her loss still haunts Mae to this day.

While at a local thrift store, Anamae discovers a brooch that matches her mother’s favorite pendant. When placed together the pieces activate an unknown technology that cloaks the human form. Now Anamae is being hunted by a secret society that wants to silence her and claim her technology.

Stacey Nash created a unique and interesting story that was clever yet believable. The action was nonstop from beginning to end.

I really enjoyed the characters. Anamae is determined and strong. Will is a loyal best friend who can be counted on. Jax is the mysterious bad boy. Lilly is the thoughtful girlfriend. The team works well together with Anamae as their core.

Forget Me Not is a great book for young adult and up. I could see it making an excellent movie. I look forward to the next book, Remember Me (Collective, #2), due out in August 2014.

Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review. ( )