Six Months Later by Natalie D. Richards Published by Sourcebooks Fire on October 1, 2013
Genres: Suspense, Thriller, Young Adult
Format: Paperback
Source: Amazon, Purchased
Buy on Amazon/Barnes & Noble/Bookshop.org
When Chloe fell asleep in study hall, it was the middle of May. But when she wakes up, snow is on the ground, and she can't remember the last six months.
Before, she'd been a mediocre student.
Now, she's on track for valedictorian and being recruited by Ivy League schools.
Before, she never had a chance with sports star Blake.
Now he's her boyfriend.
Before, she and Maggie were inseparable.
Now her best friend won't speak to her.
What happened to her? Remembering the truth could be more dangerous than she'd ever imagined.
My Thoughts
Six Months Later is a captivating young adult thriller by Natalie D. Richards. The story follows Chloe, a high school student who wakes up one day to find that she has lost six months of her memory. She discovers shocking secrets and a dangerous conspiracy as she tries to piece together what happened during that time.
Richards does an excellent job of building suspense throughout the novel. The fast-paced pacing keeps readers on the edge of their seats and eager to uncover the truth alongside Chloe. The writing is engaging, and the plot twists are well-executed, adding intrigue to the story.
The character development in Six Months Later is also commendable. Chloe is a relatable and likable protagonist; readers will root for her as she navigates through her challenges. The supporting characters are well-developed and add depth to the narrative.
One of the strengths of this book is how it explores themes of identity, trust, and betrayal. The author delves into the complexities of memory and how it shapes our perception of ourselves and others. The moral dilemmas the characters face add depth to the story and make it more thought-provoking.
Overall, Six Months Later is a thrilling and suspenseful read that will keep readers hooked from beginning to end. Natalie D. Richards has crafted a gripping story with well-rounded characters and an intriguing plot. Fans of mystery and suspense will not be disappointed.
About Natalie D. Richards
Natalie D. Richards is the author of two New York Times Bestsellers, Five Total Strangers (2020) and Seven Dirty Secrets (2021), as well as six additional novels.
Natalie writes “page-turning thrillers” (School Library Journal) for a Young Adult audience. Her first middle-grade book, through Penguin Random House imprint Delacorte, is called 15 Secrets to Survival and is due out in 2023. Four Found Dead (2023) will be Natalie’s ninth YA thriller from Sourcebooks Fire and is expected to be a bone chilling addition to her psychologically twisted work.
Natalie won her very first writing contest when she was in the second grade with a short story about Barbara Frances Bizzlefishes (who would not dare do the dishes). These days she writes about some awesome girls, broody boys, and all things that are creepy and dark. She spent many years applying her writing abilities to amazingly boring business documents. Fortunately, she realized that she is much better at making things up, and has written for teens ever since.
When she isn’t shopping a manuscript or writing, she can most likely be found wading through the huge stacks of dog-eared paperback books that have taken over her bedroom.
As a writer, she tends to write by the seat of her pants without much of a clue as to where she is going with each scene, often with the entire book as a whole. Natalie finds this helps her maintain an authentic edge of suspense in all her work because she honestly has no idea just how or even if her characters will get out of whichever mess she has wrote them into.
Natalie currently lives in Ohio with her three children and (very) large dog, Wookie.
