Sarah's Review of Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Don't Look Back is by far the best book I have read in a long time! Jennifer L. Armentrout's writing captivates you right from the first page and keeps you hooked until the very unpredictable, very shocking conclusion.
Don't Look Back is about a teenage girl, Samantha, who wakes up not knowing anything. She is quite literally a stranger in her own life. She has amnesia and absolutely no recollection of who she was, where she's from, who her friends and family are, etc. She quickly learns that she had been missing for quite a few days, along with her best friend Cassie, who has yet to be found. Sam learns that she had it all, she was popular, her family had a lot of money, and her boyfriend was one who all the other girls wanted, every girls dream. On the surface it seemed like the perfect life. Sam wants to remember, not only her life but also what happened to her and Cassie. As she is trying to piece everything together and begins to learn about her so called friends, she quickly realizes that she wants nothing to do with her old life. The old Sam was disrespectful and a mean girl, and her friendship with Cassie wasn't what it appeared. Apparently they were more like frenemies (best friends who were enemies with each other). Even though she wants to remember so she can help the police figure out what happened to Cassie, she feels as though losing her memory was the best thing to happen to her because she now has a second chance to be a better person all around and finds herself drawn to a boy who's not her boyfriend. Carson Ortiz has always been there for Sam, even when she would treat him terribly. She found herself falling for him hard.
What is even scarier than not remembering anything, is that while she is trying hard to remember, she finds that someone else, someone she can't remember, also knows what happened the night the two girls disappeared and that person may stop at nothing to keep Sam from remembering. Sam starts to wonder if not remembering is the only thing that is keeping her alive.
Armentrout explores the role of the subconscious is this book and how tragic events can trigger memory loss along with many other things. I love that the author tapped into the subconscious and such an intriguing aspect such as amnesia. The flashbacks and memories that Sam begins to have help unravel the story perfectly in just the right time frame. This book deals with what it truly means to be good, to have a good heart, what true friendship means, and how sometimes you just have to follow your heart. This book is also a good example of how people can change and why second chances are good and sometimes life changing.
Armentrout delivers it all within this book with shocking discoveries and twists you don't see coming. I am so glad I picked up this book. It has quickly become a favourite.