ARC Review: Six Months Later - Natalie D. Richards

Title: Six Months Later
Author: Natalie D. Richards
Pub Date: October 8th, 2013
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Page Count: 336

Chloe didn't think about it much when she nodded off in study hall on that sleepy summer day. But when she wakes up, snow is on the ground and she can't remember the last six months of her life. Before, she'd been a mediocre student. Now, she's on track for valedictorian and being recruited by Ivy League schools. Before, she never had a chance with super jock Blake. Now he's her boyfriend. Before, she and Maggie were inseparable. Now her best friend won't speak to her.

What happened to her?

And why can't she remember?

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Whether you're looking for mystery, thriller, contemporary or even something new, this book will sure to please! Natalie creates a perfect mystery with a solid plot that will keep you guessing until the very end. 

- Nova @ Musings of a Blogder

Mystery as a genre is one of my favorites -if it's done right. This novel was well written to that point where I wouldn't complain about reading it again! Mystery, to me, is something that should keep the reader guessing. If I'm able to guess "whodunnit", it would actually bring down the rating as well as spoil the book. In the "whodunnit" department, Six Months Later was perfect! The red herrings were intelligently placed where I was wrong at every turn and I loved it. As well, the foreshadowing was also there; just in places I didn't even notice. 

The plot deals with a girl named Chloe who takes a nap (in class) and when she wakes up, has some form of amnesia, making her forget the last six months of her life. Can you imagine the inner turmoil that this character felt? And she couldn't even tell anyone about her issue. Chloe was a well built character who's emotions matched the story and even improved it. She was consistent in her personality but didn't really change from start to finish. I can't tell whether that's lack of character development or balance. 

And as much as I wanted to like this character, I felt completely detached. Something about how panicked she was didn't fit with me. She kind of fell flat in some situations because of her personality being en pointe.

But at the same time, I had a love for Adam, the male love interest. He was all personality and lacked consistency. The kind of guy who keeps you guessing, Adam was essential to the plot. He was also well built, but in a way where I could connect to him far better than Chloe.

Because we're on the topic of characters, all the supporting characters were...okay. My issue was that they were introduced, played their part and somewhat disappeared after the one scene they had a cameo appearance in. It felt unnecessary and a waste of description. 

What really makes this novel shine, however is the originality. The amount of amnesia stories I've read will make some roll their eyes. However, they all follow the same idea; character loses memory and then has to try to refit into their life. What makes it the same is the fact that what happened to character is always explained. Authors didn't see it as a point in which to write a mystery. Richards' idea and prose takes the cake, making this a favorite for me. I recommend this novel to those with a penchant for mystery as well as anyone wanting to try something new.

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Author of YA Psychological Thriller, Six Months Later to be released October 2013 with Sourcebooks Fire -- Represented by Cori Deyoe.