Phenomenal Story. Absolutely HORRID Storytelling. In the hands of someone with the skills of a Roth (DIVERGENT) or a Collins (HUNGER GAMES) or a Rowling (HARRY POTTER) or a Dashner (MAZE RUNNER) or a Robinson (THE LAST HUNTER) or a Phillips (RHO AGENDA) or a Harrison (INFINITY) or or or or or… this could have been an absolutely PHENOMENAL story that would keep you on the edge of your seat for at least a trilogy of trilogies, if not a near-mid-double-digits long series of all 300+ or even 600+ page books. There is *that much* material covered here, and it truly sounds PHENOMENAL.
Unfortunately, Eaden isn’t one of those authors, or even anywhere near that – at least right now. In this form as presented in this book, the story reads far more like Eaden had a decently detailed outline… and for some weird reason thought she had a cohesive book. No ma’am. You have a pretty solid outline to do at minimum that trilogy of trilogies I mentioned above or even that far longer series I mentioned above. I’m dead serious that such an expansion, along with better editing and admittedly more advanced and refined writing and storytelling skills could truly be one for the ages. This simply isn’t that, and it is a true shame, because the potential is absolutely there.
Also, I can’t leave this particular review without a note about how this book came to my attention and why I chose to buy it – and even redeem a Kindle Reward certificate to do so – and read it. On Threads yesterday, Ms. Eaden was getting absolutely slammed for the AI art on the cover and her defense thereof. She wasn’t holding her own very well, and I’m one that when I see an author or book getting just absolutely destroyed by a mob like that, I can’t help but at least step in and try to call the mob off, if not actively defend the person they are attacking so vociferously (if I happen to agree with the person). Thus, I *needed* to read the book. Maybe the AI cover was just some dirt on a filet mignon – a travesty, but otherwise a great piece of meat. Yeah, this wasn’t that. At best, it was more akin to dirt on beef tongue. Still a travesty if you’re truly dirt poor and this is the best you have, but something to just be tossed into the trash can if you have even enough money to replace it with instant ramen or some such. Yes, this story in this form truly was that bad.
Not recommended. Not in this form.
This review of The Memory Thief by Kaya Eaden was originally written on January 6, 2026.