REVIEW - Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Title: Don't Look Back 
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Hodder Paperbacks
Release date: April 10th 2013
Genres: YA Psychological Thriller
Links: Goodreads / Amazon / Book Depository

Source: ARC from publisher

Summary: 
What if you had the chance to start again...but only if you promised never to look back? Samantha is popular, rich, and seemed to have it all...until the night she and her best 'frenemy' Cassie disappeared and only Sammy resurfaced, with no recollection of who she is or what happened. Sammy's a stranger in her own life - a life she no longer wants any part of. Losing her memory is a chance to start again. Then Sammy begins receiving mysterious notes warning her about that night, urging her to not look back. But she can't let it go. As she starts poking around in her past she begins to remember...and something sinister begins to surface.

5/5

Holy crap on a cracker Batman. This book! Just when I thought Ms Armentrout couldn't get any better she comes out with this gem. My heart is still racing just thinking about it!

I'm sure everyone knows by now that I am a mahoosive fan of this woman's books. I will read anything she writes and I have been dying to read this one. When I got an ARC in the post from the publisher I was so excited! I couldn't wait to get stuck in. And boy did I get stuck in. I finished the entire book in a day! I just could not put it down. It was so addictive and I just had to keep reading because I just had to know what the flipping heck was going on! The main reason I adored this book is that I did not see that ending coming. Normally I can figure out the big twist early on, which always annoys me cause it takes the whole suspense out of the book. But not this time. One minute I'm sure it's this person, the next I'm like " No it was them". Only to have all my theories completely blown out of the water. Ms Armentrout throws so many different possibilties into the mix that you're left almost pulling your hair out trying to figure it all out. I felt just as frustrated as Sam, not knowing a thing. We are just as clueless as her. So bravo to Jen for keeping the mystery going until the very end. I really did not see that coming. 

As with all of Ms Armentrout's books, there is a healthy dose of romance thrown into the mix. This time in the form of Carson Ortiz. Ah Carson. He is such a sweetheart. I really did love him. The author just has a nack for writing swoon-worthy guys. There is plenty of other great secondary characters too. Including Sam's twin brother Scott. He is like the best brother ever, he was so protective of Sam. It was amazing to see that even after Sam was a bitch to everyone before she lost her memory, there were still people there who loved her and stood by her. Sam really was a "Mean Girl" before the incident. And the people she hung around with were just as bad, if not worse. Veronica and Candy, ugh, I wanted to strangle them. And Del the Dick, Sam's boyfriend. The name was so appropriate because the guy really was a dick. I really hated him. 

I don't want to say anything about the story-line because I'm terrified of giving away spoilers. But I cannot praise this book enough. Full of nail-bitting suspense, hair-raising twists and turns, and an intense romance, this is one book not to be missed. I really hope Ms Armentrout writes more books in this genre, she is a natural when it comes to creating a great mystery. 

*Thank you so much to Hodder for sending me an ARC copy.*