The Memory Thief (1) (Thirteen Witches)

The Memory Thief is the first of a new series by Jodi Lynn Anderson. Rosie Oaks is twelve-years-old, trying to survive in a life where her mother doesn't remember having her and her father died years ago. Thankfully she has a best friend, Germ, who sticks with her through trials and troubles. As they start middle school, Germ is pulling away and hanging out more with the popular girls. Rosie has always been shy, trying not to draw attention to herself and her negligent mother. She escapes in books and writes her own fantastic stories. After a disagreement with Germ, Rosie destroys her stories. Somehow that opens Rosie's mind and she can see ghosts and hear them talking, a lot! Germ is a true best friend and they forget their differences to discover what this means. With the help of Ebb, a boy ghost about their age, they discover that the world is much more than they thought. Not only are there ghosts, but there are thirteen evil, powerful witches - the worst two are the Memory Thief and the Timekeeper. Using a book called "the Witch Hunter's Guide" Rosie learns what it takes to stop the witches from taking over the world. This is a book of friendship and family, magic and hope and how it allows even the smallest of people to do big, incredible things. My middle school students will love this book, as they did Anderson's other novels, especially "My Diary from the Edge of the World." It was a fun read, suspenseful and compelling. Rosie's struggle with her mother's lack of memory is heartbreaking and may be a trigger for some people, but it is handled very honestly and hopefully. This would be an excellent book for discussion for book clubs, parents and children and is just an all around great read. Anderson sets us up for Rosie's adventure with another of the thirteen witches. I am eager to read the next installment!! Many thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read an ARC.

I received a copy for an honest, unbiased review. The Memory Thief is an ode to the power of stories. It’s a love letter to childhood friendships and the ways they change. It’s also a hauntingly beautiful story about ghosts and magic and family, and I can’t wait for the sequel! I knew almost as soon as I started this book that I was going to love it, so no surprise that I did. Anderson has an absolutely gorgeous writing style, and I will be for sure checking out some of her other work. The Memory Thief hooked me from the start and refused to let go, and it was one heck of a ride! My Thoughts - I absolutely loved the entire narrative around Rosie and her stories. It’s something I think a lot of readers will relate to. Rosie is a writer, but that comes into question when her best friend, Germ, implies they’re too old for happily ever afters. The thing is that Rosie still wants to believe that good can conquer evil and impossible odds are possible, and that made me love her character all the more. - This book is filled with ghosts, all with different personalities, and they really stole the show, in a way. I’ve always been a fan of ghosts in general, but the ghosts in The Memory Thief just have such vivid personalities! In this world, pretty much everything has a spirit, and ghost animals are a thing, too, which cracks me up. It was interesting reading about their shenanigans after they’ve died. - The mythology and magic in this story is just absolutely *chef’s kiss*. There are witches (obviously … 13 of them, if you hadn’t guessed … well, sort of), but it’s so much more than that! There’s also a Moon Goddess and ghosts and witch hunters and all sorts of things. The world in the book is basically ours with magic layered on top, but I loved how it was done! There was a very fairy tale, ethereal feel about it that worked really well and pulled me right into the world. - There are some really hard-hitting themes in The Memory Thief, from parental neglect to what happens when childhood friends grow up and things change. Rosie has had to grow up all too quickly and be the parent of the household, while simultaneously being afraid to reach out to anyone lest she be taken away. Rosie isn’t alone in her plight, though, because she has her best friend, Germ … or, at least, she’s always had her in the past. Things are starting to change, though. There’s a growing rift in their relationship as the girls get older and Germ starts to change. The relationship becomes even more strained as Germ starts hanging out with new people and being involved in new and different things and Rosie finds herself sucked into her own struggles. This growing apart and growing up of friends is touched on in such a wonderful way that accepts with grace the idea that people grow and change but that’s okay. It portrays a realistic frie...

I loved this middle grade fantasy and can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy! Rosie is 12 and has always had to take care of herself and her mother. Rosie doesn't understand why her mom isn't loving like other mothers and sometimes it's as if she doesn't even know that Rosie is there. After burning her stories (because she's too old for them), Rosie receives "sight" into a fantasy world of ghosts, witches and other fantastical mysteries. She learns that her mother was a witch hunter, but that a witch, called "The Memory Thief", has stolen all of her memories. With the help of her best friend, Germ, and a ghost named Ebb, she bravely sets off to defeat the Memory Thief in the hopes that her mother's memories can be saved. Things I loved: - Rosie's bravery and love for her mom - Rosie and Germ's friendship; their love and loyalty to each other - Ebb the ghost and his ghost spider - The mixture of reality and fantasy - The ending provides closure, but also makes you excited for the next book!

Only dislike for me is the sudden battles are over too quickly. Positive of the courage to help and overcome things in life.