Six Months Later
by Natalie D. Richards
Mystery
Suspense
Thriller
* * * Stars (Pretty good)
Chloe’s future was uncertain when she fell asleep in study hall one fateful afternoon in May. Her GPA wasn’t the best, and she hadn’t made any efforts to apply to college. She knew there were uncomfortable conversations with her parents in her future. But, when she wakes up – 6 months later – her life is completely different. She’s a straight-A student, her SAT scores are practically off the charts, she’s suddenly popular, and she’s dating Blake – the well-rounded, alarmingly attractive guy she’s had a crush on for years. How did this happen? Unfortunately, Chloe doesn’t remember any of it, and it’s driving her crazy. Despite her achievements, she’s managed to alienate her best friend, and she feels uneasy whenever Blake comes around. Her perfect life is somehow a sham, but in order to prove it, Chloe has to figure out how it happened. It all seems to have started when she joined an SAT study group, so Chloe starts her investigation there. As her memories begin to return, Chloe finds herself in danger from the people who want to keep her from finding out the truth.
This is especially terrifying because it’s easy to imagine it happening for real. Chloe’s amnesia is scary, but her fear is mitigated by the comfort she finds in her friends Adam and Maggie, whose familiarity helps her remember who she was during the time she’s lost. There are a few moments when she’s with Adam where Chloe seems to forget her predicament entirely, because she’s so caught up in her feelings for him. Despite this, Six Months Later is a suspenseful and gripping read – you will be hooked right from the start.
Reviewed by YA Librarian
