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The Memory Box
by
Eva Lesko Natiello (Goodreads Author)
NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLER
What would you do if you Googled yourself and discovered something shocking?
In this gripping psychological thriller, a group of privileged suburban moms amuse themselves by Googling everyone in town, digging up dirt to fuel thorny gossip. Caroline Thompson, devoted mother of two, sticks to the moral high ground and attempts to avoid t ...more
What would you do if you Googled yourself and discovered something shocking?
In this gripping psychological thriller, a group of privileged suburban moms amuse themselves by Googling everyone in town, digging up dirt to fuel thorny gossip. Caroline Thompson, devoted mother of two, sticks to the moral high ground and attempts to avoid t ...more
Paperback, 358 pages
Published
June 25th 2014
by Fine Line Publishing
(first published June 24th 2014)
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Community Reviews
(showing 1-30)
I felt like a schizophrenic on speed, while driving and trying to compute an equation and sew at the same time when I was reading this book. This book was nuts! I couldn't put this book down, I felt like I had to finish immediately to see what really happened. The ending blew me away. Literally threw me for a loop. Half the time I was reading I felt irritated, mad, confused, nervous... And all because of the main character. Her thoughts were all over the place like a ping pong ball. I just...
...more
No.....Not.....Never
I just left a reading experience in which the main character made me feel like I was on a triple dose Red Bull IV with all spickets open full blast. And that ain't good, friends.
Caroline Thompson is a suburban mom with two young daughters. She's caught in the muck and mire of the competitive nature of the helicopter moms that hover over their children constantly. These long-pronged mothers set their sites on spreading gossip. No one is safe and anyone can be the target of the ...more
I just left a reading experience in which the main character made me feel like I was on a triple dose Red Bull IV with all spickets open full blast. And that ain't good, friends.
Caroline Thompson is a suburban mom with two young daughters. She's caught in the muck and mire of the competitive nature of the helicopter moms that hover over their children constantly. These long-pronged mothers set their sites on spreading gossip. No one is safe and anyone can be the target of the ...more
This book is like watching a train wreck. You want to look away, but you can't.
Did I miss something with this read? Why all the high stars? Another reviewer said this was "unputdownable" well I could put it down and did...frequently!
**SPOILERS**
Perfect suburban housewife googles herself, finds an article that reveals her sisters is dead and it happened 6 years ago. Then follows chapter after never-ending chapter of inner housewife dialogue something along the lines of, "did she really die, how could she and I not know" "Am I losing my mind, how could I not remember this? L ...more
**SPOILERS**
Perfect suburban housewife googles herself, finds an article that reveals her sisters is dead and it happened 6 years ago. Then follows chapter after never-ending chapter of inner housewife dialogue something along the lines of, "did she really die, how could she and I not know" "Am I losing my mind, how could I not remember this? L ...more
I belong to an online book group, this was a group read pick. It was free through amazon prime lending and I thought, hey why not? The author will be doing a q/a event with the group in May. I think it is best if I don't participate in that! I didn't like it. Granted this isn't a genre I tend to enjoy. I grudgingly give it 2 stars, because it is compulsively readable... painfully compulsive like needing to turn the light on and off 17 times before you leave the house, so your grandma won't die.
...more
Jan 09, 2016
Journey
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
no one
Shelves:
not-ya
i have a couple questions:
1. how did this get published by an actual publisher?
2. how did this win an AWARD???
3. on a scale of 1-10, how strong of a case does gillian flynn have for slander every time someone mentions this book in the same sentence as gone girl? (answer: 11)
this was a trainwreck and not in a good way. i skipped many paragraphs, trying to just get to the end. the story itself is ridiculous and hard to believe, and then did anyone proofread this before it got published? there are ...more
1. how did this get published by an actual publisher?
2. how did this win an AWARD???
3. on a scale of 1-10, how strong of a case does gillian flynn have for slander every time someone mentions this book in the same sentence as gone girl? (answer: 11)
this was a trainwreck and not in a good way. i skipped many paragraphs, trying to just get to the end. the story itself is ridiculous and hard to believe, and then did anyone proofread this before it got published? there are ...more
“The advantage of a bad memory is that one enjoys several times the same good things for the first time.”
----Friedrich Nietzsche
Eva Lesko Natiello, an award winning American author, has penned a gripping yet poignant psychological thriller in her debut book, The Memory Box that revolves around a mid-aged housewife with two daughters, who one day, decides to google her name, that results in the tragic news of her sister's death and that too 6 years ago but this housewife can recall no memory o ...more
----Friedrich Nietzsche
Eva Lesko Natiello, an award winning American author, has penned a gripping yet poignant psychological thriller in her debut book, The Memory Box that revolves around a mid-aged housewife with two daughters, who one day, decides to google her name, that results in the tragic news of her sister's death and that too 6 years ago but this housewife can recall no memory o ...more
The first word that comes to my mind after reading this book in one day and a half is unputdownable!. Even if I did lots of other things during that day and a half , I devoted all my free time to reading this captivating novel.
I don't really know how to describe Caroline, the main character, without giving the plot away. She made me feel worried, then sorry, later upset and finally terrified. She seemed to be a regular suburbian mother of two lovely girls and an apple pie contest winner ,who hap ...more
I don't really know how to describe Caroline, the main character, without giving the plot away. She made me feel worried, then sorry, later upset and finally terrified. She seemed to be a regular suburbian mother of two lovely girls and an apple pie contest winner ,who hap ...more
Get ready to laugh uproariously at the gaffes and squishy kersplats of the panic-filled, klutzy, more-frequently-than-not incontinent protagonist of this book, Caroline Thompson. The only problem, of course, being that this book isn't a comedy. It's a suspense. A thriller. Well... It's not very thrilling, I'll tell you that.
Another reviewer called the tone of this book frenetic. This is exactly spot on. This book is like someone sitting down at a piano to play a dramatic piece and as they begin ...more
Another reviewer called the tone of this book frenetic. This is exactly spot on. This book is like someone sitting down at a piano to play a dramatic piece and as they begin ...more
Can someone please tell me why this got 4 or 5 stars? i want to know why? The Memory Box reminded me of a multiple car crash where everyone crashed into each other Caroline was neurotic & the way the author wrote the story its like just doing day to day duties.
Unfortunately it reminded me of kids who just cannot get of the net for 5 minutes its just my oppinion but was a very mundane read
Unfortunately it reminded me of kids who just cannot get of the net for 5 minutes its just my oppinion but was a very mundane read
Ugh. I really wanted to like this book. But something about it really frustrated me - I guess I'm not a huge fan of the author's writing style. There were pages and pages full of more descriptive passages than a freshman lit course, but not very much meat. I told my husband that it seemed like the author consistently described every aspect of, say, a window: the chipping paint, the smell, the color of the screws, the room surrounding the window, the glass shape...but took an eternity to show you
...more
Talk about Gone Girl, talk about The Good Girl, talk about The Girl on the Train and then do yourself a favor and read The Memory Box and include it with these other titles when folks ask what to read.
I'm not going to reiterate the plot of this book or the characters but suffice it to say this is one terrific title. This book is a roller coaster ride from beginning to end and you as the reader never know what to expect. Ans the end? Wow - it really left me with the chills. Consider that I began ...more
I'm not going to reiterate the plot of this book or the characters but suffice it to say this is one terrific title. This book is a roller coaster ride from beginning to end and you as the reader never know what to expect. Ans the end? Wow - it really left me with the chills. Consider that I began ...more
Ever Google yourself? Many people do at one time or another, but what if what is found there is disturbing? This is the premise behind The Memory Box, a roller coaster of a psychological thriller.
As Caroline finds her perfect life with Andy, Lilly, and Tessa built on lies and secrets (if the information she finds on her Google search is any indication), she starts to melt down. Or does she?
This debut novel is a mesmerizing story...one that is hard to put down until all the twists and turns, the ...more
As Caroline finds her perfect life with Andy, Lilly, and Tessa built on lies and secrets (if the information she finds on her Google search is any indication), she starts to melt down. Or does she?
This debut novel is a mesmerizing story...one that is hard to put down until all the twists and turns, the ...more
OK. So this book ... will likely haunt me for the rest of my librarian days. I really liked the idea of the story (and what I thought the story was going to be based on the book's synopsis). I also get why people are saying that this is an "unputdownable" read - it's a train wreck that you can't look away from so you feel the compulsion to keep reading it. So I get why people are losing their minds over this book, and I thought it was OK in that aspect. Especially if it is going to get people to
...more
I don't even know what to say about this book. This book was confusing. This book was very slow. You could actually skip paragraphs and not miss anything. There were so many unanswered questions. The ending or the 'twist' was - odd? I really believe she was hoping this would be the next Gone Girl. The difference was that Gone Girl worked, this didn't at all.
Probably the worst book I've ever read. Ever. I'm actually angry that this was ever published, and even angrier with myself for finishing it. I skimmed the last 40% but should've just given it up.
As the summer temperatures skyrocket, I tend to turn to thrillers. I have to say that The Memory Box kept my attention so I could ignore the heat and sweat.
This is a psychological thriller where you are witnessing a woman come unraveled as she explores a past she does not remember. What I really enjoyed is I did not know where the twists were going. I did not figure out the ending. This is a well crafted and entertaining. I highly recommend getting a cold drink, a comfortable seat in the shade o ...more
This is a psychological thriller where you are witnessing a woman come unraveled as she explores a past she does not remember. What I really enjoyed is I did not know where the twists were going. I did not figure out the ending. This is a well crafted and entertaining. I highly recommend getting a cold drink, a comfortable seat in the shade o ...more
Not good at all. I can't believe that the book uses "Googling yourself" as a major plot device. The characters are completely unbelievable and the conversation is ridiculous. No one that I know talks this way about themselves, their friends, or their community.
This book starts off with such promise, excitement and suspense, but then quickly deteriorates into the most ridiculous, improbable story I’ve read in a long time. If you can suspend belief for the duration of this book, then you’ll be ok; if not, then I suggest you don’t start it in the first place!
Caroline is a seemingly average suburban housewife, mother of two, and wannabe writer. Apparently the hobby of the moment amongst her fellow school moms is Googling yourself, which Caroline does, wit ...more
Caroline is a seemingly average suburban housewife, mother of two, and wannabe writer. Apparently the hobby of the moment amongst her fellow school moms is Googling yourself, which Caroline does, wit ...more
Tremendous. Ingenious construction. Well written. An ending I did not see coming.
Eva Lesko Natiello’s THE MEMORY BOX, is like no other book I have ever read. I cannot believe someone has not purchased the film rights. It is “prime” for the big screen. Unique and impressive debut. A crafty dark creepy mind-blowing domestic suspense psychological thriller with an unreliable narrator.
Fans of this genre- Move this book to the TOP of your reading list . . like NOW! Better still, buy the audio to achieve the ultimate thrill ride. OBSESSION. Evil. Who is the real Caroline Spen ...more
Fans of this genre- Move this book to the TOP of your reading list . . like NOW! Better still, buy the audio to achieve the ultimate thrill ride. OBSESSION. Evil. Who is the real Caroline Spen ...more
2.5 stars: This is an interesting thriller in that it’s a page-turner while simultaneously being over-the-top unrealistic. Most thrillers do have a component of unrealistic fiction. That component makes the thriller part more thrilling. “The Memory Box” is a bit like those “Friday the 13th” movies, where you go to be scared; yet at the same time you are laughing because it’s so ridiculous. And yet…you still buy the ticket, invest the time, to be scared.
The premise of “The Memory Box” is that a s ...more
The premise of “The Memory Box” is that a s ...more
I could not put The Memory Box down. Though the first few pages sound like a typical story about a bored housewife who never wanted to end up in the suburbs, a big mystery is soon revealed that leaves the reader constantly questioning what happens next, all the way until the end of the book.
The Memory Box is a great thriller. The pacing is fast, especially with so many twists and unexpected revelations. The way the book is written is also fresh. Part one we get to experience the story from an un ...more
The Memory Box is a great thriller. The pacing is fast, especially with so many twists and unexpected revelations. The way the book is written is also fresh. Part one we get to experience the story from an un ...more
Oh, where to start with a book like this. I honestly had a hard time getting through this because the majority of it was really slow and repetitive. We begin the story with Caroline, your seemingly typical uppity suburban house wife. She is plagued by thoughts her Stepford Wives entourage have left in her brain and decides to do something we all have done. She Google's herself. I Googled myself once and admist all the true things, learned I am a veteran. Ok...
Anyway, Caroline finds some disturb ...more
Anyway, Caroline finds some disturb ...more
I have long hesitated to write this review since I did not wish to detract others from reading the book as it was on the list of a book club I belong to, and a discussion with the author is planned.
I read to the end, but came away much disappointed and wondering what the hype was all about!
I was looking forward to both the reading and the discussion, but will have to take myself off the Group event list as the book just didn't 'do it' for me. It was too much all over the place and often I was h ...more
I read to the end, but came away much disappointed and wondering what the hype was all about!
I was looking forward to both the reading and the discussion, but will have to take myself off the Group event list as the book just didn't 'do it' for me. It was too much all over the place and often I was h ...more
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This book is a NO for me. I wanted to like it but it was too scattered and all over the place. The main character was like a cartoon on cocaine and I found myself silently wondering what the hell was going on numerous times. Life is too short for bad books, is my motto so after making it almost 250 pages in, I just couldn't spend any more time on this one.
Wow. What a roller coaster ride. I definitely didn't see the end coming at all. So I listened to this book on audible and the narrator was absolutely perfect for this story. I loved how she brought it to live with her voice changes and such. A thriller and suspenseful book that will keep wondering what is going on until the end.
I really wanted to like this book. It sounded so good, but the reviews were mixed. I was really hoping I would love it. I didn't. I'm not even sure I liked it. The book started off in the middle of the story really. 75 pages in, I was saying what the heck and still waiting for it to pull me in. So much just didn't make sense; though much did eventually unravel throughout the story. There was a lot of jumping back and forth; which I'm not a fan of. And then there's the character development; so
...more
3.5 stars. The story of Caroline, who googles her maiden name and discovers stories about her past that she can't remember happening, specifically the death of her sister, who she thinks she spoke to only recently. I enjoyed the first half very much, but once it became clear where the story was going, I liked it less.
There were so many occasions on which Caroline slipped and fell or stumbled or banged into things that it began to seem a bit like a Laurel and Hardy film. The reliance on whole ch ...more
There were so many occasions on which Caroline slipped and fell or stumbled or banged into things that it began to seem a bit like a Laurel and Hardy film. The reliance on whole ch ...more
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Eva Lesko Natiello is an award winning author and graduate of The State University of New York at Albany with a degree in psychology. Her professional experience includes cosmetics industry Public Relations and Communications executive.
Ms. Natiello is a native of Yonkers, New York and currently lives and writes in suburban NJ, which provides the setting for the fictional town in her debut psycholo ...more
More about Eva Lesko Natiello...
Ms. Natiello is a native of Yonkers, New York and currently lives and writes in suburban NJ, which provides the setting for the fictional town in her debut psycholo ...more
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“The pains in my heart don't go away these days. The heartaches are chronic; they layer on top of each other from one day to the next, thickening like a callus.”
—
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“The thing about secrets is they’re mostly regrets, aren’t they? I mean, “good news” secrets aren’t really meant to be kept. Just the embarrassing, shameful kind. Everyone’s said or done something they wish they hadn’t. Maybe they were young and immature, or drunk and displayed temporary poor judgment. Do these things need to be broadcast? Should mistakes be tattooed on forearms?”
—
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