The Selective Collective: Loud Awake and Lost by Adele Griffin

The SC’s November pick:

Loud Awake and Lost by Adele Griffin

LOUD. There was an accident. Ember knows at least that much. She was driving. The car was totaled. She suffered back injuries and brain trauma. But she is alive. That’s the only thing left she can cling to.

AWAKE. Eight months later, Ember feels broken. The pieces of her former self no longer fit together. She can’t even remember the six weeks of her life leading up to the accident. Where was she going? Who was she with? And what happened during those six weeks that her friends and family won’t talk about?

LOST. One by one, Ember discovers the answers to these questions, like a twisted game of dominos. And little by little, the person she used to be slips further and further away.

Story Breakdown:

Not only is Ember dealing with the aftermath of recovery from a horrific accident but she is also dealing with memory loss. She can’t remember the six weeks before her accident, the accident itself, or why everyone is acting like things are ok when she knows something is off. As she struggles to come to terms with herself as she is now she slowly tries to put back together the pieces of her memories finding secrets she kept from not only her family but her closest friends.

Character Highlights:

Ember – She felt completely genuine to me. I wanted to know what was going on just as much as she did. I liked when she held her own defending herself when things were a bit too much to deal with.

Kai – How do you talk about the elusive Kai? I think the situation, be that as it may, was a bit easy to figure out and I wish he could have been included more.

Overall Thoughts:

I felt this book grab my attention after one chapter. I loved the fact that we pick up after the accident, after all of the hospital time so that we are just as “lost” as Ember in the story and just as invested to get her memory back. I think approaching the story this way helped me connect with Ember quickly even though I haven’t experienced the same situation as she did. My only complaint (a very small one) was that I wish I could have had just a couple more chapters of her memories.

Anyone looking for a contemporary read with a twist is sure to enjoy this one! This was my first book by Ms. Griffin but it certainly won’t be my last. Pick this one up ASAP!!!