The Memory Hunters

The Consecrated #1

by Mia Tsai

Inception meets Indiana Jones in this propulsive fungal science fantasy following a headstrong academic and her equally stubborn bodyguard as they unearth an ancient secret that rocks the foundations of their society—and challenges their unspoken love for one another.

Kiana Strade can dive deeper into blood memories than anyone alive. But instead of devoting her talents to the temple she’s meant to lead, Key wants to do research for the Museum of Human Memory. . . and to avoid the public eye.

Valerian IV's twin swords protect Key from murderous rivals and her own enthusiasm alike. Vale cares about Key as a friend—and maybe more—but most of all, she needs to keep her job so she can support her parents and siblings in the storm-torn south.

But when Key collects a memory that diverges from official history, only Vale sees the fallout. Key’s mentor suspiciously dismisses the finding; her powerful mother demands she stop research altogether. And Key, unusually affected by the memory, begins to lose moments, then minutes, then days.

As Vale becomes increasingly entangled in Key’s obsessive drive for answers, the women uncover a shattering discovery—and a devastating betrayal. Key and Vale can remain complicit, or they can jeopardize everything for the truth.

Either way, Key is becoming consumed by the past in more ways than one, and time is running out.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Queer, Adult, LGBT, Fiction, Dystopia

464 pages, Hardcover

First published July 29, 2025

About the author

Mia Tsai is a Taiwanese American author of speculative fiction. Her debut novel, a xianxia-inspired contemporary fantasy titled BITTER MEDICINE, was published by Tachyon Publications on March 14, 2023. Her next book, THE MEMORY HUNTERS, is forthcoming from Erewhon Books on July 29. 2025.

She lives in Atlanta with her family, and, when not writing, is a hype woman for her orchids and devoted cat gopher. Her favorite things include music of all kinds (really, truly) and taking long trips with nothing but the open road and a saucy rhythm section.

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Reviews

[Maria reads SFF · Rating 3 out of 5]

My thanks to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for a free DRC of "The Memory Hunters" by Mia Tsai.
This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2025 because of the comparison to "The Fifth Season". I will be transparent and say there is one similarity : natural disasters, but not on the same scale.
"The Memory Hunters" is a Fantasy with some SF elements that had a impactful start and it promised a lot of mysteries and complex relationships.
My biggest difficulty was relating to the main character, Key. She was the embodiment of an extremely selfish, self centered rich person. But because I could relate to the second main character, Valerian, I continued my reading journey.
From the initial strong start I did feel that the narrative went in circles for a while and we learned a bit more about this world, magic and much more about the politics, but I did not felt that the story progressed in a significant way until we got closer to the end.
In conclusion I got invested in this Appalachian-influenced setting, in the intriguing world and magic, thought that some of the relationships were interesting and it was worth getting to the end.
While I an not as satisfied as I anticipated, I would still recommend this Adult Fantasy to advanced readers of the genre that want to experience an original world with some political background and some sapphic yearning.

You can now support my passion for books with a small donation here https://ko-fi.com/mariareadssff

[Leanna Streeter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sapphic, slow burn, romantic fantasy with politics, academic intrigue, and a post-apocalyptic world with special mushrooms and secrets
Vale was such a standout character, I loved her intensity, and the yearning in the sapphic romance was so well done. The romance isn’t central, but the tension is there, simmering beneath every interaction.

The worldbuilding is lacking but unique, I’ll be honest some of the memory diving and magic system was confusing at times. Still, the dark vibe and the unraveling mystery kept me hooked.

Not a light or easy read, but if you love layered worldbuilding, morally complex characters, and a romance that makes you ache, this one is worth picking up. Big Thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for the gifted ARC.

[Denise Ruttan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this fantasy adventure featuring an archaeologist-adjacent scholar who does fieldwork excavating for memories for a museum. Indiana Jones was an apt comparison; I also caught vibes of Selah/Tair of Sargassa in the main pairing of Key and Vale. Spoiled, selfish rich girl with a heart of gold and earnest innocence paired with a poor, scrappy servant with an impossible power dynamic and slow-burn lingering glances.

The Memory Hunters centers around a society in which memories can be extracted through a complicated process involving mushroom fillaments that humans have evolved to do and made part of their spiritual practice. Key is a rich kid memory hunter who works at a museum but is destined to become a spiritual leader at her family's temple; Vale is her guardian. Key is reckless, brash and always right, and Vale, despite having a milquetoast boyfriend, is hopelessly in love with her and along for the ride.

I was confused about how the memory extraction process worked and while this was billed as a science fantasy, I didn't see much science in it and these researchers acted more like Indiana Jones than actual scientists. (But this is a gripe about book marketing and not the book itself.) I would have appreciated a more thorough and immersive description of how memory hunting worked, seemed like they just took a tablet infused with mushroom juice and I was confused from there. Even the spoiler of the true source of the ability didn't offer much elucidation. The worldbuilding was a little light on this, but I found it fascinating and wanted to know more, for such a long book.

But I absolutely loved Key and Vale and their slow-burn romance. I appreciated the pressures that Key was under that made her seem like a self-absorbed brat; she changed and became a better person through her bond with Vale. I need more princess-bodyguard sapphic romances like this.

I appreciated how Vale was a scrappy, tough kid who was always underestimated, but what was unique about her was her fierce devotion to her big, loving family back home and how she tried to recreate those links with her boyfriend and friends but was betrayed by her new support system at the end. I wish there had been more closure with her boyfriend, for him being such a large part of the story; I appreciate the bi rep but I wanted the focus to be on the main sapphic couple. Vale was so cavalier about the kiss and emotional affair; I wanted more of a conversation or a realization from her instead of her just seeing her man turn on her. I am tired of sapphic romances with bi women cheating on their boyfriends.

The slow burn between Vale and Key was epic, though, and they definitely took center stage as the main love interests. The boyfriend bit bugged me because I couldn't understand Vale's motivation for staying with him other than a thinly veiled excuse for tension. Anyway, by the end I was rooting for Vale to finally dump him but she never really did. Another side pet peeve.

Overall this was a fun, refreshing adventure and while some parts were predictable (I dislike guessing what will happen ahead of the characters) I was drawn in by this world and the fascinating ethical dilemmas of museum collections vs taking artifacts that belong to the cultures that originated them. I will be paying attention to this author's future work and hope there will be a sequel; it was certainly set up for one.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Siavahda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Received an arc, didn't affect my opinion, thank you to Erewhon!

I pushed and pushed with this one, all the way to 48%, but I was so bored.

The concept of memory-hunting is incredibly cool, but I wanted to see so much more of how it impacted the society that had developed after some kind of apocalypse scenario (there are a lot of references to the Decade of Storms, but it seemed to me that even before that the world wasn’t one we’d recognise. Possibly this is entirely a secondary-world setting and not meant to be a future version of our world? I wasn’t completely certain). Despite seeing inside the museum the main characters worked for, I don’t understand how this effects most people; there’s a religion that memory-diving is extremely important to, but by the halfway mark I still didn’t know much about it, even though one of our main characters is under pressure to become the next high priestess.

Plot-wise…gods, this dragged on! We start with Key and Vale out on an expedition looking for memories away from the city, and that was great, but the moment they returned home the pacing slowed down immensely to very little purpose. Key and Vale’s relationship, which seemed great when they were by themselves, either broke down or revealed itself to be much less great when they were back home. Key is from a wealthy family with a lot of privilege, whereas Vale comes from extreme poverty – and Key has been leaning on their friendship, on Vale’s desire to make Key happy, to avoid a lot of the duties Vale is responsible for enforcing. They get in an enormous amount of trouble for this – Vale loses her next paycheck, which is potentially devastating for the family back home who depend on it – and a) I thought the punishment was extreme and sudden when there was no mention of previous official warnings or anything, and b) …this was all Key’s fault and I never got the sense that she really understood why this was her fault. Yes, she blamed herself and did her best to make it up to Vale, but my impression was that she thought the rules were wrong, not that she’s been completely unfair to Vale.

None of the characters or their relationships ended up interesting me. Vale herself is the most intriguing character, but I quickly got tired of her constantly thinking she wasn’t up to the standards of everyone around her because of her background/poverty; she thinks she’s ugly, she takes everything said to her in the worst possible light even when that makes no sense, and she doesn’t seem to take pride in her skills as an elite Guardian. (She was top of her class in the academy! She can still wipe the floor with almost any other Guardian! I don’t get why she doesn’t appreciate that she’s really great at what she’s devoted her life to!) She’s physically attracted to Key but thinks this is terrible; her boyfriend, Jing, is…narcissistic is too strong a term, but he doesn’t care about her very much and makes that clear (I never understood why Vale keeps hoping he’ll eventually want to say ‘I love you’ and ‘be serious’ when he’s said multiple times that he doesn’t want to, and I disliked how pathetic she was about someone who clearly wasn’t worth her). Key thinks Jing doesn’t treat Vale well enough but doesn’t talk about it, because of course not.

(Jing is clearly in love with his Guardian, Cal, who is in love with him right back, but why would they talk about it like adults???)

Key’s mother is suffocating and controlling and doesn’t hesitate to throw her weight around; the head of the museum is clearly terrible and Key somehow doesn’t notice despite being the woman’s protege. Like. I don’t mind all these characters being unlikable, but who am I supposed to be interested in? Key? Key is passionate about memory-diving but I didn’t actually understand WHY; she’s very excited about a memory she finds at the start of the book, but we don’t know enough about the world to get why it’s important (or at least, I didn’t). I kept waiting for Key to explain to the reader what this memory could mean, to hear her babble (out loud or in internal monologue) like someone talking about their special interest, and it never happened. And yes, Key is attracted to Vale physically, but doesn’t treat her very well (even after they get punished, she still tries to emotionally blackmail Vale into letting her, Key, out of necessary memory-hunter medical treatment!) so I’m not interested in the sapphic pining, thanks.

By the halfway mark, yes, it’s clear that the museum at least is built on some kind of conspiracy to hide truths about the past, and quite possibly the whole tradition of memory-hunting (including the religion I mentioned earlier, of which Key’s mother is the current high priestess). But since I had no hint as to what the hidden truths might be, or why they mattered, I really don’t care. Is this setting even a dystopia? I haven’t seen enough of it to be sure. The dodgiest things I’m aware of are a) memory-hunters needing occasional short-term memory wipes to be able to function, and b) memory-hunters being hunted for their blood, hence why they need Guardians. Okay? Neither of those things make it clear to me that this society is fucked-up and I should want all its secrets exposed.

Prose-wise, I kept twitching at awkward sentences and clunky images, neither of which I remember from Tsai’s debut Bitter Medicine.

telling herself things like validation or personal desire were as distant as the roll of thunder from ten miles away.

…so validation or personal desire are ten miles away? Okay.

She herself was possessed of as many curves as a fence and was leaner than a weasel.

This just sounds really odd to me. ‘Flat as a board’, I get; ‘flat as a fence’…I mean, fences can curve? I think you mean that what the fence is made of – boards, iron bars, whatever – are not curvy. It’s just awkward.

only person Jing puts above himself is Cal.” She was wrong, but Vale figured she didn’t want to know that Jing preferred lying on his back in bed.

I’m still not sure what it means. Is it a sex joke? Vale is usually on top when she and Jing have sex?

“Because you treat me like a friend, not an asset.”

[…]

“As a friend. Not like a friend.”

Am I just being dumb? I don’t get it. I think what is meant here is ‘I treat you like a friend because you are my friend’, but the distinction between ‘as a friend’ and ‘like a friend’…don’t they mean the same thing? What???

48% and I’m bored, don’t care where the story is going, and have no interest in any of the characters, never mind Key and Vale someday getting together. I give up!

[Laura (crofteereader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was awesome! Such a richly imagined world with a little bit of post-apocalyptic dystopia, a little bit of fantasy, and a grounding in world-specific science gives THE MEMORY HUNTERS a really vivid backdrop to build our characters with. And what characters they are: we have Kiana the golden child from a powerful family with uniquely strong “magical” talent and Valerian her tiny-ball-of-rage sworn sword who came from nothing and is too proud to accept help. Of course they’re both harboring buried (?) feelings for each other.

What also really stuck out for me was the conflict between the museum, the temple, the black market, and folk traditions. When you consider that this book’s “tangible memories” are a metaphor for cultural artifacts and history, the whole thing reeks of how historians stole and trampled on indigenous cultures in order to craft their own narrative; how organized religion does pretty much the same thing but in a different light; how simply enacting revenge on those institutions can’t bring back what was lost unless you do the work of dismantling them and providing reparations and rebuilding; and how indigenous cultures have preserved their histories and stories without (and often in direct opposition to) colonizer intervention.

I read this book while traveling and it kept me thoroughly engaged (despite a delayed flight and being on a plane way past my usual bedtime) up until the last act. I think the final section suffers a bit from Vale needing to sort of do the same thing over and over, particularly since she does most of the POV lifting in that section.

I did really like how things ended, though, with a lot of interesting threads to pick up in book two!

{Thank you Erewhon Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}

[Morgan Sandner · Rating 2 out of 5]

On paper, this should be the perfect book for me. I spent 7 years working in archaeological labs or Musuems, and the setting is based on the Appalachian region which is where I'm from, unfortunately, the story falls flat. The title of the book is memory hunters, the main character is a memory hunter, they memory hunt 3 times in the entire book, in chapters 1, 15, and 20. This book is mostly childish interpersonal relationships and Musuem bureaucracy (which is warranted, because the main character is not able to cope with the consequences of her own actions).

Because I got this as an advanced reader copy I don't know if it has trigger warnings listed but there is cheating and mentions of cannibalism. The quote "...be one with her until they could wear each other like clothing." (Chapter 21) could be cute if this book didn't have mentions of actual cannibalism

Additionally, I have a personal gripe with how people from Appalachia are showcased, the same as they are in many forms of media: that they're poor, uneducated, backwards way of life make it so the only way to do something worthwhile is to leave.

[The Bookish Elf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mia Tsai's debut into the science fantasy genre, The Memory Hunters, presents a world where memories can be extracted from fungal blood chalices and experienced by specialized divers called "memory hunters." Following Kiana "Key" Strade, a gifted memory diver, and her bodyguard Valerian "Vale" IV as they uncover a conspiracy that threatens the foundations of their society, this novel attempts to blend botanical science fiction with LGBTQ+ romance and academic thriller elements.

The premise immediately captivates: in a post-apocalyptic world recovering from the "Decade of Storms," civilization has rebuilt itself around the cultivation and harvesting of blood chalice mushrooms that store human memories. Key, blessed with exceptional diving abilities, works for the prestigious Museum of Human Memory while struggling with her calling to serve at the temple her powerful mother leads. When she discovers a memory that contradicts official history, the ensuing investigation leads her down a dangerous path that will force her to question everything she believes about her world.

World-Building: Rich Concepts, Inconsistent Execution

Tsai demonstrates impressive imagination in crafting her fungal-based memory system. The concept of blood chalices growing from the earth, storing human experiences that can be accessed through specialized consumption, creates fascinating possibilities for exploring themes of inherited trauma, cultural preservation, and the malleability of truth. The author clearly draws inspiration from real mycological science, creating a believable foundation for her fantastical premise.

The post-storm world feels lived-in, with coastal communities devastated by climate change and inland cities like Asheburg serving as centers of power and learning. The temple system, the Museum of Human Memory, and the various academic institutions create a complex web of competing interests that drives much of the political intrigue.

However, the world-building suffers from inconsistencies and under-explanation of crucial elements. The relationship between the various institutions—temple, museum, institute, and academy—remains murky throughout much of the narrative. The mechanics of memory diving, while atmospherically described, lack the scientific grounding that would make the system feel truly integrated into the world rather than simply magical.

Character Development: Compelling Leads, Underdeveloped Supporting Cast

Kiana Strade emerges as a complex protagonist whose journey from privileged academic to truth-seeking rebel forms the novel's emotional core. Tsai effectively portrays Key's internal struggle between duty to family expectations and her calling to uncover difficult truths. Her growing obsession with a mysterious memory and the physical toll it takes create genuine tension and sympathy.

Valerian IV (Vale/Maris) serves as more than just a bodyguard, bringing her own compelling backstory as someone from the storm-ravaged south working to support her family. Her relationship with Key develops naturally, though the romantic elements sometimes feel rushed given the broader stakes of their situation.

The supporting characters, unfortunately, remain largely one-dimensional. Dr. Genevieve Wilcroft, positioned as Key's mentor and eventual antagonist, never transcends the "corrupt authority figure" archetype. Her motivations for maintaining historical falsehoods feel thin and unconvincing. Similarly, Lanelle Strade, Key's mother, exists primarily to deliver exposition about temple mysteries rather than functioning as a fully realized character.

Jing and Cal, Key's colleagues, show promise but their betrayal lacks proper setup, making their actions feel plot-driven rather than character-driven. Burdock, Vale's former mentor, presents an interesting moral complexity but appears too late in the narrative to have proper impact.

Plot Structure: Ambitious Scope, Pacing Problems

The novel attempts to juggle multiple plot threads: Key's investigation into the mysterious memory, her deteriorating mental state, the romantic subplot with Vale, family dynamics with her mother, and the larger conspiracy involving the museum and temple. While this ambition is admirable, the execution suffers from uneven pacing and unclear priorities.

The first half of the book excels at building mystery and establishing the central relationships, but the second half becomes increasingly rushed. Major revelations about the temple's practices and Genevieve's true agenda feel underdeveloped, as if Tsai ran out of space to properly explore the implications of her own plot devices.

The climactic sequence, while emotionally satisfying in terms of Key and Vale's relationship, fails to provide adequate resolution to the larger institutional conflicts that drive much of the story. The ending feels more like a pause than a conclusion, suggesting this may have been planned as the first book in a series, The Consecrated, despite being marketed as a standalone.

Themes: Memory, Truth, and Power

Tsai tackles weighty themes about the malleability of historical truth and the ways institutions shape collective memory. The novel's exploration of how those in power can literally rewrite history by controlling access to memories provides sharp commentary on real-world issues of information control and cultural preservation.

The theme of inherited trauma, particularly as Key struggles with memories that may not be her own, adds psychological depth to the fantastical premise. The physical manifestation of memory contamination—with characters literally growing fungal infections from overexposure to blood chalices—creates a visceral metaphor for how the past can consume the present.

However, these themes sometimes feel underdeveloped, sacrificed for action sequences or romantic moments that, while well-written, don't advance the larger thematic concerns.

Romance: Authentic Emotions, Rushed Development

The LGBTQ+ relationship between Key and Vale provides genuine emotional weight to the story. Tsai writes their attraction and growing intimacy with authenticity, particularly in scenes where they support each other through professional and personal crises.

Vale's identity as both protector and romantic interest creates interesting dynamics, though the power imbalance in their professional relationship receives insufficient examination. Their physical intimacy scenes feel organic rather than gratuitous, contributing to character development rather than existing purely for reader appeal.

The romance subplot, however, sometimes overshadows the larger stakes of the story. Key moments of political revelation get interrupted by romantic tension in ways that undermine the narrative's momentum.

Writing Style: Atmospheric Prose, Structural Issues

Tsai demonstrates considerable skill in atmospheric writing, particularly in her descriptions of memory diving sequences. The sensory details of Key's experiences within extracted memories create vivid, dreamlike passages that effectively convey the disorienting nature of living through another person's experiences.

The author's background in speculative fiction shows in her careful attention to the physical and emotional toll of the magical system on her characters. Unlike many fantasy novels where magic comes without cost, memory diving in Tsai's world carries real risks that create genuine stakes.

However, the novel suffers from structural problems that impede reader engagement. The frequent time jumps and shifting perspectives, while clearly intended to mirror the fragmented nature of memory, often confuse rather than enlighten. Chapter transitions sometimes feel abrupt, leaving readers disoriented in ways that don't serve the story.

Strengths and Weaknesses
What Works:
Innovative magical system grounded in real scientific concepts
Complex protagonist whose journey feels authentic and earned
Atmospheric world-building that creates a lived-in post-apocalyptic setting
Thoughtful exploration of institutional power and historical truth
Authentic LGBTQ+ representation that serves character development
What Doesn't:
Underdeveloped antagonists who lack compelling motivations
Rushed plotting in the second half that shortchanges major revelations
Inconsistent world-building that leaves crucial systems unexplained
Structural issues with pacing and perspective shifts
Unsatisfying resolution that feels more like setup for future books
Final Verdict: Promising Debut with Room for Growth

The Memory Hunters showcases Mia Tsai's considerable imagination and skill with atmospheric prose, but suffers from the common debut novel problem of ambitious scope exceeding execution capabilities. The novel's central premise is compelling enough to carry readers through its structural flaws, and the relationship between Key and Vale provides genuine emotional investment.

[Jamedi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review originally on JamReads

The Memory Hunters is the first book in the science fantasy series The Consecrated, written by Mia Tsai, published by Erewhon Books. A proposal that dives into several subgenres, built around an archaeologist-scholar, that works retrieving memories for a museum (the comparison with Indiana Jones is quite suitable) and her guardian, in a story that touches politics, academic intrigues, status quo and a really imaginative post-apocalyptic world with a dash of sapphic romance.

Key is a memory hunter for the museum, but due to her lineage, she's destined to become a spiritual leader at her family's temple; Vale, her guardian, who comes from a more humble origin, is tasked with protecting her during the fieldwork, making them a great duo. When Key collects a memory that differs from the official storyline, she's quickly dismissed by her mentor; but Key doesn't stop, getting obsessed with it, needing answers about it, being unusually affected by it, losing moments, hours and days.
As Vale is the only one she can trust, they get together entangled in Key's obsessive search for answers, leading to a discovery that threatens to change the status quo; but they will only take it to a good port if they remain to stay together.

Tsai gifts the reader with a powerful main character duo, with an emphasis on the difference of their origins: Key comes from a rich family, allowing her to be more reckless in her decisions, ignoring the consequences; Vale is mostly who suffers the consequences of them, as she needs the pay for her family. Said that, they complement each other pretty well, despite that difference; and the slowburn yearning and tension that grows between them is simply delicious.
The secondary cast is also well defined, especially making reference to how their role/status in this society defines their actions, trying to protect that even if that means a cost.

The worldbuilding is quite original, starting from the post-apocalyptic situation, to how mushrooms are used as conduits to access memories (only certain people), but also the piece memories have taken in the whole society; the loss of history and how it needs to be rewritten, pointing also at how certain interests can shape it, and even the class difference that is reflected in Key and Vale's backgrounds, how their worlds are different.
The pacing is well balanced, faster at the start, and slowing in the more complex parts; but always emphasizing the danger and the adventure our characters are living, even if sometimes is not as clear.

The Memory Hunters is an excellent science fantasy proposal, a novel that I totally recommend if your jam is intrigue and adventure mixed with a worldbuilding that is the perfect excuse for social commentary. Can't wait to see how Tsai shapes the second book in The Consecrated series.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 In this dystopian world wrecked by climate change, whole communities are often in danger of being wiped out, and their memories with them. Some people have abilities as memory hunters who are able to divine memories of a place or person with the help of hallucinogenic mushrooms. But trying to go too far back or too deep in the memory poses risks to the hunters who may be left with intrusive memories, so they must be watched by trained guardians. The memories are both a spiritual practice and an anthropological one, as museums vie for memory collections.

Our main pair (and slow burn love interests) are Key, a legacy memory hunter, and her scrappy guardian Vale. One memory dive results in intrusive memories for Key alongside questions about her world's traditions, and her mentor and family's motives.

I really liked how this novel questions the role of memory and stories in our lives and delving into the ethics of museum collecting and anthropology and black markets. What makes memories significant, to selves or others? Who has the right to a story and its telling? How are these memories shaped by what is collected and preserved and who is doing so? And the intrusive memory aspect brings in elements of PTSD as well. In addition to these aspects, I also liked how it explored both Key and Vale's relationship with their mentors.

The worldbuilding was a little confusing and the pacing on the slower side, but I'm interested in learning more of this world and the love story if I get to future volumes.

[angelictaleslibrary · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn’t get into this book at all. I loved the idea of the memory diving it was different to Wht I’ve read before I just struggled to connect with the characters it needed more world building

[Kristen is Fully Book'd · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Initial advice:
- don't pick this up simply because you loved Bitter Medicine, this is something completely different
- if you need exposition or to be grounded in the world, this is not the book for you
- if you like the idea of thematic works exploring the role of museums in preserving but also controlling access to history then this book is for you
- if you read the synopsis and got excited by the thought, "queer bodyguard romance!?" you may need to readjust your expectations

Full review to follow shortly. You will also find my unfiltered thoughts in my May Wrap Up on my YouTube channel Kristen is Fully Book'd.

[Ellie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm, I don't know how I feel about this book.
I loved Bitter Medicine, and was excited to read more romantic fantasy by this author.
This book unfortunately did not quite work for me. The pace was even, things either happened in a rush or they dragged aimlessly around.
Set in a dystopian world, the whole magic/mystic element was confusing - tripping on mushrooms (for gifted ones only) in order to uncover old memories and preserve them in a museum was just weird. And then there was the religious aspect of people treating these memories as some special blessings ...
I could have overlooked that if the personal relationship were better developed, or just felt more authentic.
The friendship was not quite friendship, the guradian-guarded was not quite clear, the love relationship only came through in the end.
I don't know, I kept wanting more and the book never fully delivered it.
It reads like the first in a series, but I don't know for sure and right now I don't know if I want to invest more time and energy in this world.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this eARC.

I am giving this a very nearly 4 star rating, a 3.75 for several reasons.

This book has a unique premise and is very different to others I’ve read before. I loved how the author blended science and magic through the fungal memory recall system, basically tripping on past memories with the help of specific mushrooms. The city setting of this book gave me Arcane vibes which I enjoyed. The discursive writing style the author uses helped with the reader’s immersion into the memory dive scenes and really brought it to life with detailed sensual language.

This book raises important ethical questions regarding museums and curation practices, particularly from an anthropological perspective. The message from this book is clear right to the end: who has the right to tell a story that isn’t their own, and who has the right to dictate how ancestors from the past are depicted to the present.

I also really enjoyed that the romance was not the sole driving force of the plot but still played a significant role, and was so so much deeper and more intimate than simple chemistry and attraction, a beautiful sapphic relationship.

The only reason I’m notching down the rating is that I was a little confused at some parts throughout this book and I would have loved some more world building, particularly some more explanation on the whole fungal memory system and how that played into the religious aspect of the book. It almost felt like this could have been complete as two books but ended up as one with lots of plot and character building crammed in, but a bit of world building might have got cut.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, the characters, the plot, and the magic/science system. Just wish I got a bit more of it.

[Brandee Taeubel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Check out this review and more on The Quill to Live!

Mia Tsai is back with her sophomore novel, The Memory Hunters, leaving the realm of fun, romantic fantasy and bringing us a new series set in a world rich in memories. It tackles a lot, balancing the importance of history, the nuance of preservation, and the gift of having a community where you belong.

The concept of memory diving, where both the societal structure and faith have formed around the ability to view and preserve history through the eyes of divers, was interesting. The framework of this memory magic system is there, but it felt very thin and fuzzy. I cannot say with confidence that I understand memory diving at all. It involves fungi somehow, but I truly lack clarity on everything, including how memory diving is done, what the diving protocols are, the use of the reintegration healing process, or how any of the memories are stored and reactivated. The worldbuilding didn’t feel vague on purpose so that more could be uncovered in the series later either; it felt like it was struggling to be conveyed and taught to the reader. My lack of understanding really muddled the major events, and it consistently felt like I was falling behind Key and Vale as they powered through the plot. I didn’t have a good grasp on the “hows” of the magic system to understand why Key and Vale made the choices they did.

Despite some of the issues with the exploration and execution of the world, what Tsai does really well is create an interesting dynamic between Key and Vale. The book hints that the relationship between Memory Hunter and Guardian is anything but simple, and following Key and Vale is where we get to see things get messy. There was some great tension in the first half of the book because neither of them knows how to act and make decisions when it concerns the other. Do they follow the strict protocols established as Hunter or Guardian, or do they act from the concern, closeness, and love developed as a friend? Their situation is complicated because both Key and Vale have a difficult time parsing the right choice for the safety and benefit of the other. When Key is in trouble, her first instinct is to run to Vale, but she also fears she will be met with her Guardian and not her friend. While Vale struggles to determine what actions are in Key’s best interest, is that by following Guardian rules, or is it by listening to the shared understanding she’s developed for her friend?

Tsai added another interesting layer of complication for Key by making her societal standing interfere with the conflict. She is a spoiled, prodigy Memory Hunter who hails from a rich family of revered hunters and a temple leader. Key is talented, and she has the skills and work ethic to back it up, but life has also been gilded and softened to remove any true difficulties for her. So when Key is experiencing something unprecedented and wants to act outside of museum protocol, no one believes her or will cater to her “whims”. Key’s arrogance has always set her apart because she’s better than everyone else. She is already outside the lines of a “normal” Memory Hunter, so when the abnormal begins to plague her, she finds herself isolated because the museum and memory diving protocols are strict and upheld by everyone in the system. When Key tries to state her case, everyone just hears a rich woman throwing a tantrum that the system won’t bend to what she wants, but in reality, Key’s experiences are valid, and she’s uncovered a truth that challenges the system.

Thematically, this book uses the Memory Hunters to explore the ethics of seeking out history and cultural information to lock it away behind museum displays. It simultaneously highlights how climate change is devastating regions near water, and this is why the cultures are being decimated and forgotten in the first place, only to be stolen for the city folk to view in exhibitions. Key as a character serves to represent the collection of these memories for the selfishness of the museum, and she also shows how memories can be shared in the temple to grant people comfort and peace when they seek their family history. Vale comes from the storm-riddled coast region, where the people are poor, hungry, and exerting all spare energy to survive and rebuild after natural disasters. Tsai doesn’t dive into this deeply in book one, but she did plant the seeds for these themes to blossom and potentially influence Key and Vale’s arc for later in the series.

The Memory Hunters has an interesting concept and sparks some great reflection on cultural preservation; however, my mileage with the story suffered from the muddled worldbuilding, some awkward dialogue, and big reveals that I ended up guessing. I enjoyed the first half of the story more when the tension was building, and less so when Key and Vale are trying to problem solve in the latter half. If you’re looking for something a little different this summer, then dive into the funky fungi and explore the memories of this complicated world.

Rating: The Memory Hunters - 6.5/10

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. The thoughts on this story are my own.

[Rebecca Mattox · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a world where Blood Chalice mushrooms give certain people the ability to dive into memories up to 240 years into the past, Kiana Strade is one of the most skilled divers alive. Working as a researcher for the Museum of Human Memory, Kiana and her guardian, Vale, stumble upon a memory that could change the history and religious teachings that are the backbone of Asheburg. While Kiana’s mentor dismisses the memory as unimportant, Kiana knows in her gut that she has found something that could change how they remember their ancestors. As Kiana’s reckless obsession grows and she begins to get lost in the memory, Vale must find a way to save Kiana from herself and determine her role in preserving a culture that is not her own. If the truth comes out, what will it cost?

The Memory Hunters by Atlanta native, Mia Tsai, is a mix of fantasy, science fiction, and dystopia with a setting influenced by Appalachia. The world Tsai built was complex and came at me so quickly that the first couple pages of the book initially left me bewildered. However, after the initial overwhelm, I eventually settled in and found the world Tsai created fascinating. The mycology, the horrors of climate change, the importance of memory and ancestors, and the role of museums all came together to keep me interested throughout. While I wasn’t overly fond of Kiana (Key) and her stereotypical selfish rich girl personality, Tsai didn’t make her so much of a stereotype that I hated her entirely. She had plenty of moments of kindness, but she was reckless, somewhat arrogant, and so wrapped up in what she wanted that she often failed everyone around her or put them in terrible positions. Vale though, was wonderful. I could feel her pain, her conflict, her rage. I enjoyed reading her interactions and relationships with other characters. She was a badass with strong emotions and I loved that. Her relationship with Jing broke my heart because I’ve been exactly where she was. Naturally, I didn’t like Jing very much because I knew a Jing in real life. That also made him a very real and interesting character though. The budding relationship between Key and Vale made it all worth it and I’m definitely invested in seeing where their new romance will go in future books. I can already see that Key is really developing as a character as well and will hopefully continue to do so in the future. I will say that the twist just didn’t land to me as that big a deal for a society that so often utilizes blood to obtain memories. It just kind of fell flat and the stakes didn’t feel nearly high enough to warrant all the action that takes place. That said, I was still hooked because I was so invested in Vale as a character and there was plenty of peril throughout. If you want a fun science fantasy adventure, I definitely recommend picking up The Memory Hunters when it hits shelves on July 29th. Special thanks to Goodreads and Kensington Books for sending me an ARC of this book. I am excited to see what becomes of Key and Vale in book 2! 3.5/5 stars

[Chelsea]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

The Memory Hunters by Mia Tsai is a third person dual-POV Sapphic fantasy. Key is a memory diver who can reach further back within blood memories than anyone else. Her guardian, Vale, is sworn to protect Key and to also provide for her family back in the south. When Key finds a memory that indicates the Museum of Human Memory might be manipulating what people know about humanity, it puts both of them in danger.

This has very strong knight x the lady they protect vibes. Guardians protect their divers from other people but also from the memories themselves as divers can get lost if they dive too deep. The guardian and diver will agree on a safe word that the diver must be able to recall once they come back or else there could be consequences, such as reintegration. Vale takes her job as a guardian very seriously and Key herself brings up the knight comparison, which helps highlight this twist on the trope.

One of the themes that is touched on is how not everything belongs in a museum for other people to consume. Mia Tsai mentioned the Appalachians in her acknowledgements and I can absolutely see it in how folk-songs are discussed by Key and Vale. Key suggests Vale taking the songs to the Museum of Human Memory for an exhibit and Vale not only holds onto her promise to get mentor Burdock to not do so, but she pushes back strongly on the idea that the songs should be available for the Museum to record. This is obviously an on-going conversation because preservation of culture is so incredibly important, but so is allowing culture to evolve and exist within the context it was born. It is a question of whether or not a museum would ever truly be able to tell a complete story of why a piece of art exists and if we truly can separate that art from where it originated.

I am half-way between calling this a romantic fantasy and a Sapphic fantasy without the ‘romantic/romance’ designation. The honest truth is that I'm not sure the story actually changes if Vale and Key do not figure out that they are in love with each other and get together or if their feelings remain platonic. There is a constant thread of attraction there and Vale’s conflicting desires to keep her distance from Key so she won't get hurt and the jealousy that pops up every time Key’s ex comes around. I think if the romance voice was a bit stronger I would feel comfortable calling this a romantic fantasy, but, for now, I'm going back and forth on which subgenre this sits in or if it should just be called ‘fantasy’ because it does play with so many subgenres (such as climate fiction).

I would recommend this to readers who love the knight x lady they serve trope and want a Sapphic twist and fans of fantasy that play with multiple subgenres

[Aila Krisse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this much more than I had anticipated. The description did sound very interesting, but I would be lying if I said that the sapphic-ness of it all wasn’t the main reason I requested this. I was intrigued by the academia element, but tried not to get my hopes up because most fantasy academia books I’ve read so far have been rather disappointing. Luckily, this was the very rare exception to the rule. It is about colonialism and the question of whether a community’s artefacts should be the property of said community, or be stored at far away museums so that foreigners can occasionally gawk at them.

The story does not take place at a school or university (though one does appear in flashbacks), but is mainly set against the backdrop of a museum, specifically the Museum of Human Memory. The magic in this world revolves around the retrieval of memories, which is mainly carried out by the titular Memory Hunters. Our protagonists are Key (short for Kiana) and Vale (short for Valerian), the former being a Hunter for the museum, the latter being her bodyguard. I really enjoyed both characters, not only were they complex in their own right, but they also had a wonderfully nuanced dynamic between each other.

The world around them is no less intriguing and genuinely came to life in my mind and felt ‘lived-in’. The societal dynamics were also perfectly established to explore the theme of ownership and theft of cultural items/memories. The narration certainly also helped with making the world feel so vibrant, though sometimes some of the different voices the narrator used were hard to distinguish. As indicated in the description of the book, the romance is more on the slow side, and I would have hoped for a bit more yearning than there ended up being, but it still felt very organic and not at all rushed.

The main thing I didn’t love about this book was that it conveyed its world-buidling rather slowly and only in small bits and pieces. Because of this, I found the book a bit difficult to get into to begin with, since I was just quite confused for a while. The world-building itself is great, but the pace at which the reader is presented with the information to understand said worldbuilding is somewhat off. I did also keep forgetting that this is supposed to be a climate dystopia, but that is more of a nitpick, since I don’t think it affected my reading experience.

Overall, I’m just really glad I picked this up and genuinely can’t wait to read the sequel.
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Thank you to Recorded Books for the ALC!

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Kensington Publishing and Net Galley for a free DRC of 'The Memory Hunters' by Mia Tsai!

"Not everything belongs in a museum and not everything needs a museum"

I absolutely inhaled this book and have been thinking about it long after finishing it. The memory hunters has such an interesting premise that hooked me in from the beginning. The world building is amazing and the story is beautifully written.

"It's hard not to curse the ancestors whose deeds, it's said, led to so much destruction, hard not to think of the earth as vengeful when many of it's gifts are poisoned"

I loved the dynamic between Key, the memory hunter or diver, and Vale, her guardian and protector - especially the balance between their will they/won't they friendship and complicated professional relationship (and particularly Vale's character who feels she doesn't belong in the city and in the academy for guardians). I also loved the exploration of the history of the temple and Keys role within this as a 'resifix' - a role that is kind of royal and has been passed down her generations.

"Shed soaked the pillow with tears, then vowed from then on not to show weakness in front of these strange city folk, these people who wore their climate privilege like their own skins, who stood upon an invisible support of money, power and knowledge, who shamed her because she had none of these things yet stole into their hallowed spaces and had the temerity to stay"

Other reviewers have explained this much more eloquently than I could - but the overarching story and message about museums and their power was so thought provoking, especially around ownership over information that is not their own. I also loved the exploration of the contrast and similarities between museums as an institution and black market memory hunters and how memory diving is implicitly morally ambiguous.

"The people who would take a magnifying glass to their speech to inspect it's construction, who would rip apart every stitch and seam until the language could no longer hold its own soul, then pin it up like a bug under glass and style themselves as experts."

There were many questions unanswered that I am excited to hopefully play out in the sequel as there is so much more that this series could flesh out in a really exciting way!

My only criticisms are that the pacing is a little slow at the start of the book compared to the rest of it (although this felt somewhat required for me with the amount of world building and magic system explanation that there is) and that, as above, there were parts of the story that I wish had been fleshed out more in this initial book.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy from Erewhon Books via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Publish date July 29th.

I enjoyed Tsai's previous novel, Bitter Medicine, and I was excited for her SFF anthropology themed latest book. In The Memory Hunters, Key searches for memories of the past using hallucinatory mushrooms in a climate change-striken future where most technology has been lost. But when Key and her bodyguard Vale stumble upon a memory that contradicts established historical narratives, it sets them on a collision course with both the museum and the church...

The Memory Hunters is a subtly executed and contemplatively paced book. While the premise of using mushrooms to retrieve memories from hundreds of years ago initially appears to be fantasy, Tsai slowly reveals that Key’s world is actually a future version of our own, wracked by devastating hurricanes, heat waves, and an ocean that's slowly engulfing the land. Unlike many authors, Tsai doesn't make the apocalyptic setting obvious--it's primarily Key’s everyday world, and the hints that it's a version of the Appalachian South are subtle. In this world, history is revered, both as a practical means to extract lost technology and as the central focus of a church that worships memory and ancestors.

Key, or Kiana, is a bit of a difficult character. She's been raised like a princess of her city, as the heir presumptive to her mother's church position--not to mention her politically powerful father. She's rich, trained to be in the limelight, and bullheadedly self-centered. It's obvious that she expects special treatment, both in avoiding punishment and in gaining special privileges. I'm not sure I entirely liked her, but I do have to admit that her complex romance with prickly and cold Vale was well done. Key’s carelessness with Vale complicates the close bond they share as hunter and guardian, and the attraction both women have been suppressing. Understated and lovely.

A slow and thoughtful piece of climate SF about memory, belonging, and who has a right to history. Based on that ending, it's clear Tsai is planning a sequel, and I'm excited to read it. Recommended.

[Khin (storyatelier_) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.75🌟

THE MEMORY HUNTERS imagines a dystopian future in which certain people are gifted with the ability of “diving”, that is, to access the memories of those before them if they drink from the mushrooms that grow at an excavation site, at the risk of those memories taking over their own lives. The past always threatens to overwhelm the present, and the Museum works to shape the stories of the past into neat narratives that fit into the mythos of the present day—a justification for inequalities, of only certain people or institutions being privileged to hold the truths of the lower classes and put them up on display.

Being the first book in a series, it sets up a promising premise for what is to come—the character relationships are compelling, there’s a very minor subplot of sapphic yearning and romance along the lines of the princess and her knight trope, there is the timeless debate about museums as sites of preservation and authorities on what gets to be shared with the population and what gets gatekept, there’s the glimpse of the people outside institutions keeping their histories and cultures alive through folksongs only they know, just to name a few. I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to finding out what comes next, and my main critique would be that because it’s the first book, it left me with a lot of questions that don’t go answered at all—what illness is eating away at Kiana’s mother, what are the implications of the truth behind the temple’s founding and origins, and what could all of that mean for society at large? Who will oppose the Museum? And what exactly is the tension between the Museum and the temple if their people perform similar functions with the blood chalices, even if for different ends? It was in leaving me with all these questions that the ending fell a little flat, but I’ll forgive it because the story isn’t over yet.

[Emmaline Savidge · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only way I can describe this book is as confused and messy. I think that the author had some unique ideas for a setting and magic concept but didn't fully map out the world or think of the broader implications. For example we have this really interesting ideas of hunters who document and capture memories to be stored in museums and a religious sect that is devoted to the idea of ancestors and their memory. However, these two groups are separate entities and there seems to be animosity between them. When you think of their shared goals that just doesn't make much sense. The concept of the school for Hunters and Guardians also made very little sense. Do these people only get jobs working for the museums? How many museums are there? How large are the graduating classes? A specialized school for magical museum curators/archeologists can't really be that sustainable in a post apocalyptic climate change ravaged world.

Also what the hell was going on with the fungus? They're using it for dives/religious services but also it's infecting Key's mom. The concept wasn't really foreshadowed so it just came out of nowhere and I'm still unsure if it's supposed to be the same type of fungus.

Finally the romance was baffling to me. Jing was introduced as Vale's boyfriend only for him to basically do nothing for the majority of the book. He could have not existed and it would have had no impact on the tension within the romance between Key and Vale. The description of this book made it feel like we'd get a forbidden bodyguard romance and instead I got a lack of communication and nonsensical worldbuilding.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[MizzyRed · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and a bit disturbing with the blood chalice mushrooms and how partaking of them (for the special few) allows them to dive back in time (through memories trapped in the mushrooms) and relive scenes to gather info about what was lost after the great storms. Key is one of those able to do so, and has a strong ability so as to be able to go further back than most people. As a diver, Key and her guardian Vale, complement and balance each other out. When working alone, I did not like them all that much. Vale is way too quick with violence (I blame Burdock) and Key is your typical rich kid, not thinking about consequences and using her importance to try to get away from rules. It was a pretty interesting world, though I wish there had been more world building, cause I was fascinated about the storms and the intriguing little bit about Key's mother that we only get a peek at in this book. The memory diving was weird and since this takes place in the future, despite it being a dystopia, there are quite advanced things so it made me wonder how the mushrooms are the only way to see past events.

So, be prepared to have a lot of questions after finishing this book. Key and Vale do uncover many mysteries and most of this first book is about chasing after the truth while everyone else tries to squash it and maintain the status quo. Though I do like how Key ends up being changed. It made her more interesting by the end. While I go looking for the next book, probably. I hope it will answer more of the mysteries.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an advance copy of this book.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Mia Tsai, and Kensington Publishing for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

I wanted to love this book but it didn’t live up to expectations. Firstly, I liked Key and Vale as the main characters. I understand why people say Key is an unlikable character but it makes sense to me. Considering, that she is an intense privileged academic of blood memories. Then her bodyguard Vale, who comes from a smaller town wants to prove herself. I enjoyed their dynamic. I didn’t feel like they were well-rounded characters. They fell a little flat.

The magic system was unique and interesting. I wanted to know more about it. Key mentions she is an anthropologist with the ability to dive into blood memories. I thought that was fascinating. I was curious about the “science” aspects. I felt like the reader is dropped into the story while that works for some stories. I felt like a better understanding of the world would have kept my attention. The pacing was a bit slow at times.

I can see the potential of this story. I hope the next book in the series is a bit more flushed out. I do agree that this book can be compared to Blood Over Bright Haven in aspects. They both deal with a trusting academic FMC and blinding believing people in authority. It is a dystopian that focuses on climate change and who has the right to choose which stories are worth remembering and which are not.

[Birdy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC e-copy of The Memory Hunters by Mia Tsai.

Taking (loose) inspiration from Inception, The Memory Hunters delivers readers into an alternate universe where Guardians protect Hunters, who can dive into the memories of others. Between the lines, you can expect lots of commentary on climate change and whether museums have the right to hoard artifacts from the public.

This book has a very interesting concept and it’s well-written, but for me, it moved rather slowly. I think perhaps the world-building was too ambitious and the plot development less so. It was hard to care about where the story was leading, even 1/3 of the way in, and to care about any characters other than poor Vale, who was the most fleshed out but still not quite enough.

I couldn’t buy into the world nor the main romance, no matter how talented the author is with their words. For so much of the book, nothing happened, and when something finally did, it was just too much all at once. Then there was the ending, which to me, made little sense and involved a cliffhanger that made me wonder what I had read the entire thing for, because I probably will not be reading a sequel. Overall, while I liked some parts of this book, it wasn’t for me.

☆ ☆ - OKAY

[Royal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Visceral, thoughtful, exciting, and sci-fi dystopian novel about a world where memories are both a commodity and artifact to be extracted and remembered in the Museum of Human Memory. In the world of The Memory Hunters, history and the arts are revered, and certain gifted individuals or memory divers do field collections of important memories through absorbing them from found objects or specimen. They can also have their memories erased when they get overloaded. The question is what makes a memory significant and worth remembering and who gets to tell the story? The book also dives into how forgotten memories can lead to misinformation or benefit institutions. This book has strong Brave New World and The Giver feels - two of my favorite books.

The protagonist, Key - “the blessed one” is a memory diver, who is strong-willed, independent, but empathetic. Vale, as her guardian, was also fierce and interesting character foil. This was a mysterious and fascinating read at the same time, and the world building around the museum, temple, and outside world is phenomenal. Beautifully written.

Special thanks to Kensington Publishing, Erewhon Books, and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest, independent review.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Memory Hunters is a very good book. I had previously read and enjoyed Mia Tsai's debut novel, Bitter Medicine, so it's no surprise that I found this book to be just as imaginative and engaging. Mia Tsai's world building is sophisticated to the point of effortlessness and her characters feel like real people. Tsai expertly uses a fantastical world to comment on real world societal issues. As a former Museum Studies and current Library and Information Science student, I found her handling of themes in this book to be particularly resonant. Tsai crafted a world in which memory hunters and their guardians "dive" for memories that are used to recreate the history of our world and our cultures. There is a deep schism between the official hunters and museums of human memory and the very real people and cultures they mine for information. I was invested in the interplay between these two ideas but also in the personal stakes for each of our main characters. I can't say enough good things about how well done this book is!

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book has such a unique premise (and a cool plot twist about halfway in), but ultimately it just fell flat for me. i'll say that i really loved the idea of mushrooms being a gateway to memory, i loved the idea of memory museums, and i thought the hunter/guardian relationship was a fun concept, especially with jing and cal.

however, i think key was too unlikable (classist, out of touch, took advantage of vale the whole time), jing's character was unnecessary (what did he exist to do?), and burdock's behaviour towards vale just wasn't consistent enough for me to understand why he did the various things he did. towards the end of the book especially, it felt like many characters' emotional states (especially vale) flip-flopped in unexplained and unrealistic ways to further the plot. the ending also felt very unsatisfying to me.

[i received a free copy from netgalley and kensington publishing in exchange for a review. thank you.]

[Inês Feiteiro · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC from NetGalley.

Sci-fi fantasy with a unique premise about Memory Hunters, people who can access the past through blood. Kiana is expected to lead the temple, but she’s too focused on the research for the Museum of Human Memory. She and her stubborn bodyguard, Valerian, stumble upon dangerous discoveries that threaten to upend their entire society.

While the world-building and character dynamics are fascinating, the story itself failed to grab me. I really enjoyed the messy relationships between the characters and the interesting plot, but I just couldn't connect with any of it on an emotional level. I feel like the pacing could have been different, focusing more on the relationships and the impact of the big revelation on society. It's a shame, because I'm sure that if I had read this at a different time in my life, I would have loved it.

[Elana · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 55%

While the premise of this story seemed intriguing, the story itself just did not deliver. At 55% in, I still had no idea what was going on. The chapters were incredibly long and it seemed like nothing happened. I am a big fan of world building, character development, and dystopias, so that's not what is lacking. The world and characters are all just confusing. I felt like the description of this was misleading, and I also didn't realize this would be a sapphic story. The writing was great at some points and very juvenile at others. The reason I made it to 55% is the VA, Channie Waters. She did a really good job voicing the different characters, and I wanted to love them, but sadly I just couldn't get in to this story.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to listen to this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

[sydney · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could not get into this book. The storyline was really confusing for me. Also, I could not connect with the characters. I am a little disappointed because it sounded like a promising story in a dystopian world. It was just not explained well enough.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the digital copy.