Hello, reader!

I’ve got another The Write Reads blog tour stop for you today! Today’s post is featuring a YA fantasy that features magic, vampires, and lycanthropes: Forget Me Not by Anca Antoci. This self-published novel was a fun, fantastical romp that had me hooked!

But before I get to the post, I want to thank Dave @ The Write Reads and the author for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for my participation on this tour and an honest review. It is very much appreciated! Now, let’s get into this tour post, shall we?

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“Deceiving the vampire that saved her could get her killed, but it’s a risk she’s willing to take.

When tragedy strikes, Rae makes a terrible choice and struggles with the aftermath. In the wilderness of the Tongass rainforest, she finds herself hunted by creatures of hell, monsters she never dreamed could be real.

A hidden world, an ancient race, and a secret she discovers by accident give a new meaning to her life but only if she can escape and return to civilization. If she is to survive, Rae must comply with Ari, her reluctant hero, and allow him to wipe away any memory of this realm. Knowledge is power, but is it worth dying for?

When push comes to shove, that’s when real strength emerges.

What would it take to discover what you’re made of?”

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Author Links

Website::Twitter::Instagram::Facebook::Facebook Group::TikTok::Goodreads

Anca’s overactive imagination pours into her stories bringing otherworldly creatures to life. She writes about mystical creatures, mystery, and adventure with a hint of Romance.

Her debut novel, Forget Me Not, is the first part of a trilogy published in 2020.

Before starting her writing journey, Anca was active in the blogging community as a fantasy book reviewer. The fanfiction stories she wrote long before she dreamed of being a writer are still popular and available on her blog. Although not as often, she still posts book reviews and book recommendations on her blog www.summonfantasy.com.

Living in Romania, Anca speaks English as a second language and is quite self-conscious about her accent, which is why she never speaks in her videos on TikTok. She loves taking long walks through the parks to recharge her batteries before a writing sprint. She loves cooking and can often be found in the kitchen trying out a new recipe while an audiobook keeps her entertained.

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This was such a fun, quick read! I do love a fantasy that captures my imagination and this book definitely manages to pull that off.

We’re following the story of a young woman named Rae. Rae is in a dark place: her parents died when she was young and now her estranged sister, her only immediate family left, has died of an illness Rae didn’t even know she had. She leaves her funeral feeling lost and alone and decides to head to the Alaskan wilderness to try and find her aunt and some peace. When she arrives, however, she finds out her aunt has been missing for years and she is well and truly on her own. Then, a late night stroll in the dangerous woods behind her aunt’s cabin changes her life forever.

This story pulled me in from the very beginning! I fell into Rae’s story and was absolutely gripped by it. The plot was intriguing and the action was well-paced, so it felt like the pages flew by. There were a couple of moments when I thought the pacing dragged a bit. Overall, though, I was captivated by the story that Anca Antoci weaved. The world-building was great, giving us a look into a mystical society that definitely piqued my interest! The writing could get a bit repetitive in some parts, but I put that down to this being the author’s first book. Overall, I had so much fun while I was reading.

I also really enjoyed watching Rae’s character development over the course of this short book. Rae starts out as a young woman who thinks there’s nothing worth living for in her life. Strong trigger warnings for suicidal ideation here! It’s intriguing to watch her face obstacle after obstacle and how she reacts to the strange happenings in her life. I wish we had been able to delve a little more deeply into her connection with this mystical world, but this is only book one in a series. As it is, I thought Rae’s character had a lot of depth and nuance. I’m excited to see how she grows as the series continues.

Final thoughts: If you’re looking for a quick, engaging, and magical fantasy read, I think this book could definitely fit the bill! It does have moments where the pacing lags and the writing can get a little repetitive, but this is still a solid YA fantasy debut. It introduces to a fantastic world filled with vampires and shapeshifters, but presents their society in an intriguing light. The action is great and, overall, I found it hard to put this one down!

Star rating: