Unremembered by Jessica Brody AND Throwback Thursday!!

Macmillan, 2013
She woke up in a sea of dead people, clinging to a piece of debris.  The only survivor of Flight 121, she was rescued and taken to California.  People wondered how she survived with barely a scratch on the surface.  But under the surface, there is damage.  She can't remember her name, where she lives....nothing.  Her memories have all disappeared.  There is one thing that survived with her.  A pendant with nothing in it, but a piece of paper with strange markings, numbers she can't decipher, and the word "trust."

They dubbed this beautiful girl Violet because of her eyes.  Amidst the paparazzi, she tries to cling to reality and hope, but without any memories to aid her, Violet is hopelessly lost in re-learning things that should come naturally.  When Violet is finally released from the hospital, Social Services puts her in the care of a foster family, remote from all cameras and hubbub.  Violet enjoys her family, especially Cody, her 13 year old "brother."  She is struggling to remember her past, and with the help of Cody, she begins down a journey of discovery.  First the airport and the reason why her name wasn't on the manifesto.  Then the internet and conspiracy theory sites.  But nothing seems to jog her memory...until she meets Lyzender.

He calls her Sera and tells her to trust no one except him.  Although she doesn't want to, Sera can't help but feel a connection, both physically and emotionally, with him.  How does he know about her locket?  What else does he know?

Soon her life is turned upside down.  At first she notices subtle things, such as her ability to speak many languages and solve extremely difficult mathematical equations.  But when strangers begin chasing her, her only instinct is to run...  Will she ever be able to understand her past, her future, and her present?

Jessica Brody writes an incomparable science fiction book blended with a sense of mystery.  The beginning of the book will grab the reader simply because they will want to know who Violet is, and why she survived.  The more you read, the deeper the intrigue becomes, and that is what compels the reader forward.  Brody handles the nuances of science fiction well without being over the top.  Like the main characters, the reader will not know who to trust and not trust, which builds a memorable relationship between author and reader.  This is great science fiction writing teens will gravitate to. This first in a series and recommended



And what better way to re-introduce the past than by pairing it with another excellent science fiction book by Mary E. Pearson.  Written in 2008, this book has a lot of the same characteristics as Brody's but with a completely different spin.  Pearson has since rekindled this book by writing a sequel, The Fox Inheritance (2011, Henry Holt) as part of the Jenna Fox Chronicles.  Below is a book trailer I created back in 2008 for Pearson's book....this is definitely a throwback to my early days of book trailer creations!