Traveling Through Pages

Publication: April 15, 2014 by Disney-Hyperion

Goodreads

Goodreads Summary: "Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend. 

Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash. 

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?"

Jennifer L. Armentrout knows how to capture my attention and hold it until the end of the book. This book sucked me in and I loved experiencing this crazy story.

Although I predicted some of the plot developments, I was totally shocked by the big twist. I love how JLA made every character a suspect, and I literally did not trust anyone, not even Sam.

What I really loved is the balance of the story. There's a lot of mystery and suspense involved in trying to find out what happened, but there's also the normal high school drama. The author does a great job of weaving these elements together. 

Even though Sam has just been through something traumatic and has lost all her memories, she has to get back into her old life, it is her only choice. I like how JLA spends time developing that part of the story and it's not all about the mystery. It gives the book a more realistic feel. 

I also think the romance fits in nicely. I could not bring myself to trust anyone, not even Carson, so I didn't really let myself fall in love with him. I could understand Sam's feelings, though. The situation adds a little lightness to a serious story.

The change in Sam's personality is also an interesting kink. I had fun reading about her changing her ways and figuring out who the old Sam was. The family dynamic is also strange but intriguing as well because there is a lot of drama between her parents.

At points, Sam is very naive which got a bit frustrating, but she is overall a likable main character.

I found this story extremely compelling and intriguing. I could not put it down and I kept thinking about it even when I wasn't reading. This is a great book for those who want to get into YA mystery!