Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

-- BOOK REVIEW --
The Unforgetting by Rose Black

The premise of this one sounded fantastic, sadly the execution didn't quite live up to my expectations. I was thoroughly engaged for the first half of the plot - the setup was fascinating, the setting and characters compelling, but somewhere around halfway this one lost its momentum.

I wouldn't say this was a bad book, or even that the ending let it down in any particular way, but the second half did bring my rating down and left the whole book feeling somewhat average. I wanted more of the Victorian era, I wanted to be transported there; I wanted more exploration of spiritualism, to watch the show for myself; I wanted higher tensions, to fear for our MC, but in all respects, I never felt quite sucked in enough to truly believe.

A slow-paced, quick read, but not one that I think will stick with me at all.

3 stars.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Unforgetting starts slowly but once in draws you in you are fascinated by the strange and ominous world that Lily is pulled into. Lily is a dreamer, a lovely sweet character, a bit naive but still strong , she isn’t scared to voice her opinions. This is a story about obsession , a mesmerising gothic thriller with a creepy villain with far more disturbing plans Than you originally think. It’s so wonderfully written, I absolutely loved this and I believe it’s the authors debut, even more wonderful. I will definitely be looking out for more.

Highly recommended for fans of gothic victoriana or just anyone who loves a great mystery, thrilling read.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion