Blog Tour: Six Months Later by Natalie Richards

Goodreads Blurb

Chloe didn't think about it much when she nodded off in study hall on that sleepy summer day. But when she wakes up, snow is on the ground and she can't remember the last six months of her life. 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 super jock 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? 
And why can't she remember?

The only thing you should know about this book is that I was in a thriller high/mood for a week after reading it. It was just that good.

It's no surprise that I'm in love with amnesia books, and Six Months Later was no exception. It leaves us exactly like our main character--lost, confused, and, if it's written well, right next to the heroine collecting the clues. That's the thing I loved most about Six Months Later. It was so brilliantly written that we had all these clues and pieces, but you just never knew how to piece them together until you could slowly, ever so slowly, figure it out with Chloe. It seemed like everyone had something to hide, and when you have no idea what happened to yourself, it's hard to figure out what's happened to others.

The plot was definitely filled with twists I definitely didn't expect. I could never have guessed anything that happened and all I can say is that the ride was intense. My heart was beating frantically (legit, in my notes, I wrote "Heart. Beating. WHAT." and I was just so desperate to figure out what had happened to Chloe and the rather sinister plot and mastermind behind it all. Six Months Later is a bit on the creepy side, and completely on the thrilling side.

We have a cast of some pretty awesome characters, especially Chloe. What I loved about her is that she came to logical conclusions, conclusions I probably would've made in her situation. There was no overlooking the obvious thing or somehow snatching onto some ridiculous idea. She's a character you just connect with and can't help but love with her sass and feel for with her clear cut desperation in the beginning.
The rest of the characters were unique in their own way with their own little quirks and I loved reading and meeting new characters. And God knows it was fun (if a bit frustrating) trying to figure out whether he or she was in on what happened to Chloe.

And yes. Yes there is romance. Yes there was a bad boy. YES I DID LOVE IT. It was such a sweet, hesitant romance and I just fell for Adam more than once. It wasn't rushed in any way and the way they treated each other was so...tentative. It was adorable and cute and it's just something you have to love!

Six Months Later is a brilliant read and a heart racing thriller. It exceeded all my expectations and, basically, blew my mind. Unexpected and beautifully written, Richards gives you hints one by one, but never the full story until the end.
It's one I have to recommend to you. And your friend. And your sibling. And your mom. Does your pet read?

Pages: 336

Genre: Thriller/Contemporary

Series: Standalone

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release Date: Oct 1, 2013

Rating: 7/5 stars

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Fiction Freak: How did you come up with the plot?

Natalie Richards: Oh man, it's so cliché these days, but it's totally true.  I dozed off at work one day a few years ago (I know--Way to stay classy, Nat!) and I dreamed that I was looking out my office window on a warm summer afternoon.  In the dream, I blinked.  When I opened my eyes it was dark and snowing outside the window.  It was so creepy that it woke me up and I couldn't stop thinking about it.  What if you fell asleep and woke up months and months later?  What if you weren't asleep at all?  So, that's where it all started.

FF: If you were stuck in Chloe's shoes, you would've...

NT: Depends on which part of the book you're asking about.  Because for the Adam scenes...ahem.  Well.  Let's go with the beginning scenes, shall we?  :-)

You know, I want to be a cool zombie-apocalypse-prepared kind of chick and say I'd determine my bearings, assess my phone records, get all Jason Bourne about it, right?  But I totally wouldn't.  I would lose my ever-living mind.  No joke.  Pacing, hyperventilating, possible banshee-worthy wailing.  It would be epic. Panic would not be a big enough word for the kind of humiliating depths I'd sink to if I woke up with dirt under my fingernails and several months of my life gone.

FF: What prompted you to write a thriller? (That knocked my socks off by the way!)

NT: AW!  You're so lovely -- thank you!  I can't tell you how much your comments and kindness have made me grin.

I've always been a fan of a good thriller.  I wanted to see if I could write one that somehow tangled a romance into the creepy and scary stuff. So, the idea of it was always there, and when I started playing with the concept of falling asleep and losing time, the characters started sliding into place.  Chloe, Adam, and Maggie sealed the deal for me.  I was hopelessly lost in this book after they came along.  No way could I have stopped writing it. 

 

FF: What six months would you love to forget?

NT: Wow.  Amazing question.  I thought a lot about this, I admit it.  Initially, I was tempted to mention some of the tougher things I've been through in my life, but the more I thought about it, I realized I wouldn't want to lose those memories.  I think the hard things in life have a lot to do with who we are.  I tend to think we need those memories, even though they hurt. 

That said, I did spend six months of my life waiting tables on third shift at an all-night pancake house.  I wore a maroon polyester skirt and a really tragic hair bonnet.  I'll give you a moment to consider the kind of customers that might be in search of eggs and bacon at three o'clock in the morning.  Yes, it was every bit as bad as it sounds.  So, if I have to chuck some memories, let's take those. 

FF: If there was anyone you suspected was brainwashed, it would be...

NT: Ah, geez.  Now you're really going to get me in trouble!  LOL! 

I did know a girl when I was fifteen who went a little crazy.  She was a year or two older than me, but a good friend.  Pretty, smart, liked to goof around.  She took a three-week trip across the country.  When she returned she informed me--no joke--that she was planning to move there to marry a boy she'd met.  This wasn't something she was thinking about or dreaming, she was seriously researching ways to pack her stuff and head west.  It was...certifiable the weirdest thing I've ever experienced.  She thought she'd fallen in love.  I was pretty sure she'd fallen alright--and she clearly hit her head very hard when she landed.  Fortunately, she came to her senses, but for a couple of weeks that girl was a Stepford Wife.  Way creepy.

FF: In your life, who would be the evil mastermind behind everything?

NT: Well, in reality, I'm definitely the evil genius.  Minus the genius.  And mostly only a little evil, because I have a huge guilt complex that makes me apologize profusely and feel wretched for any actual evil deeds. 

But I'm boring, so can I pick who I'd want as an evil mastermind?  I'm kind of thinking Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory.  Okay, maybe he's not exactly evil, but he could go there.  He's also a super-genius, with extensive comic book and science fiction knowledge, so I'm thinking he would be a great schemer.   Also, he's really fastidious, so he might clean my house.  Bonus!

Nikki, thank you so much for hosting!  You have been amazing -- welcoming me into the blogging community and embracing Six Months Later with so much enthusiasm.  Thanks so much for your support and for having me.  It's been beyond lovely to be here!

But of course! J AND IT’S LOVELY TO HAVE ALL YOUR AWESOMENESS.

Author Bio

Natalie D. Richards won her first writing competition in the second grade with her short story about Barbara Frances Bizzlefishes (who wouldn't dare do the dishes.)  She later misplaced her writing dreams in a maze of cubicles and general office drudgery. Natalie never forgot about Barbara or those dishes, and eventually she found her way back to storytelling, following the genre of her heart, teen fiction.  When she's not writing or shopping her manuscripts, you can probably find her wading through the towers of dog-eared paperbacks that have taken over her bedroom. Natalie lives in Ohio with her amazing husband and their three children, who inspire her every day to stick with her dreams. 

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