Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Repost AND a Giveaway: Forgotten

Some of you may recall me reviewing Forgotten by Catherine McKenzie way back in April. I'm reposting my review because this book has just been released in the US. Now all you readers who live south of the border can read this amazing book! Make sure you check out the bottom of the review for the most exciting part...


Catherine McKenzie is one of my favourite authors - she gets bonus points for being Canadian - so I was very excited when I learned she would be publishing a new book this spring. Forgotten (published May 1) is McKenzie's third novel (I've reviewed her first two on this blog, Spin is here and Arranged is here and both made it on my top books I read in 2011) and I was lucky enough to snag a review copy from NetGalley.

Here's the synopsis for her new release:
When everyone thinks you’re dead, how do you start your life over again?
Emma Tupper, a young lawyer with a bright future, sets out on a journey after her mother’s death: to Africa, a place her mother always wanted to visit. But her mother’s dying gift has unexpected consequences. Emma falls ill during the trip and is just recovering when a massive earthquake hits, turning her one-month vacation into a six-month ordeal.
When Emma returns home, she’s shocked to find that her friends and colleagues believed she was dead, that her apartment has been rented to a stranger and that her life has gone on without her. Can Emma pick up where she left off? Should she? As Emma struggles to recreate her old life, everyone around her thinks she should change – her job, her relationships, and even herself. But does she really want to sacrifice everything she’s working so hard to gain?
It's quite the interesting premise, isn't it? I can't know exactly what Emma was feeling during this insane/tumultuous/stressful time but because of the way McKenzie writes I was better able to imagine it. I did think that Emma was crazy because she assumed she could just plop herself back into her old life without any issues whatsoever but I didn't think she needed to change something about her life, as many others believed she should. If you like your life, why should you bother changing things just because you've gone through a traumatic event? Makes sense to me. It was tough to read when Emma realized that things were not going to be as easy as she hoped. It's a brutal situation but she handles it well and I was so happy with the way things turned out for her.

Even though this book deals with some pretty serious issues there are still some light and humorous moments. For example, there is a scene that involves Emma wishing she could use the Marauder's Map incantation from Harry PotterThis would be most hilarious to Harry Potter lovers but even those who don't know which spell I mean can appreciate the humour in an adult female lawyer wishing she was able to use the same magic as teenage boy wizard.

I don't want to give anything away (and, ok, I didn't make specific notes) but I just want to say - I love love love the New Year's Eve scene. It's sweet, fun, and a little heartbreaking all at once.

I adored Emma's best friend Stephanie. The two were childhood best friends who continued to grow closer as they got older. Stephanie has been with Emma through it all and is able to provide a family-type link when Emma is left alone after her mother's death. She knows just when to push Emma and when to leave her on her own, and is always there for her. In short, she's an amazing best friend - and a well written character. In fact, I would love to learn more about Stephanie and find out what she's up to now. At the end of Forgotten she's launching a new business that I think would be quite entertaining. What do you think, Catherine - care to write a sequel that focuses on Stephanie? :)

I could probably continue gushing about this novel but I won't. Instead I will say: I cannot recommend Catherine McKenzie's books enough. If you want to check them out and wonder what order you should read them in, I would personally suggest starting with Spin, moving on to Forgotten, and finishing up with Arranged. By then, I would hope that you'll be just like me - already eagerly awaiting her next novel.

Happy reading :)


***
Now, the most exciting part of this repost and book release - Catherine has offered a copy of Forgotten to one of you! To win the book you need to live in Canada or the US and you need to leave a comment (with an email address so I can contact you) telling me your dream travel destination - Emma's mother's dream was to go to Africa, so I want to know what yours is! Bonus points if  you start following (or already follow) Books Etc. here and/or on Facebook. Giveaway will be open until midnight on Wednesday October 24th. Good luck!

18 comments:

  1. I have always, always wanted to go to Italy! Rome! Venice! Florence! Naples!

    I loved Spin, it was one of my favorites that I've read this year.

    I follow your blog and just liked you on FB.

    AllieDOTMcsmithATgmailDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi hi!
    I've always wanted to see Venice before it sinks. haha And I love Italian food, so I can't go wrong there. And then after watching the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants movies, Santorini, Greece has really appealed to me. I like Greek food a lot too. Can you tell I think my the stomach? :)
    -Kelsey kelseyc_12AThotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. My dream destination is New Zealand. I did tons of research on the country for my novel, Hollywood Ending, and absolutely fell in love with it. I thoroughly enjoyed Spin, and would be thrilled to win a copy of Forgotten. I follow on FB, Twitter, and here!

    Thanks!
    Lucie

    Lalucie AT sbcglobal DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  4. I would very much like to go to the United Kingdom. Any or all of it. It just seems so pretty and magical.
    There's actually tons of places I'd wanna go. Hawaii, BC/Alberta, Austrailia, to name a few.
    And I follow you on facebook :)
    soccer_princess233AThotmailDOTcom
    I shouldn't need to sign my name but it's Megan haha

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks for the review, and giveaway. I'm always glad to learn of a new book review blog! I'm now a FB follower.

    My dream trip is Italy - there is so much art, architecture, food, history - I could stay busy there for a very very long time!

    jcsites2002 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I would love to go to Venice. I have always been enamored of traveling the city in a gondola. Thanks for the great review and the giveaway! I am a new GFC follower, email follower and FB fan - think I got you covered!

    suzebomb(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. My dream vacation is a tour of tea plantations in India, China and Japan. Thanks for a wonderful review, looking forward to reading FORGOTTEN.

    I'm a GFC & twitter follower: bookdivasreads(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  8. I would love to go to Australia with long layovers in Hawaii on the way to and from Australia.

    sendsusanmail AT gmail DOTcom

    I am

    ReplyDelete
  9. My dream travel destination is New York City. It is a truly unique and amazing place.

    I am following on Facebook. (Bonnie Yee)

    Email address can be found clicking on Blogger icon.

    Will follow on Twitter. @greenurlifenow


    Bonnie

    ReplyDelete
  10. My dream destination would be Egypt. I would lve to see the pryamids. I love Catherine's books. Keeping my fingers crossed!

    -blog follower
    -facebook follower

    Margaret
    singitm(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  11. My dream destination would be Paris! I have always wanted to go there.
    sparkle40175 at hotmail dot com
    facebook follower of BOOKS ETC

    ReplyDelete
  12. My dream is going to Paris!
    I follow through facebook.
    I tried following through GFC but it wouldn't let me. =[ It said page not found!

    Thanks!
    -Jessica M
    walkingcorpse11@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. There are sooo many places I want to go but top of the list would be Holland to see where my family came from.

    I follow on Facebook too!

    heidi_lynn29AThotmailDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
  14. Southern France is at the top of my list! I am a Facebook follower and I have my fingers crossed that I win! Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I would love to go to Italy and Greece. I'm an ancient history lover, and would be in heaven! I'm an email follower.

    bjoneill@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. My dream travel would be New Zealand. *sigh* Just saying it makes me woozy with excitement.

    sharn3960 AT comcast DOT net

    Thanks for the chance to win a copy!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. We love Mexico, so would want to go back again. Thanks for the giveaway. Looks like a good read.
    -Facebook fan
    -GFC follower
    mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by Books Etc.!