Remember Me Trilogy by Christopher Pike

Remember Me Volume One by Christopher Pike
Release Date: March 1st 1989 (rereleased September 2nd 2010)
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Add it: Goodreads
Overall:  ♥♥♥♥ 1/2

After reading the Last Vampire series, Christopher Pike has easily become a favourite of mine. Although I’m aware these books have not recently been written (Remember Me was published in 1989), Pike still manages to sound up to date with teenagers and how they behave. Apparently alot of Pike’s work revolves around teenage girls, however he definitely gets away with it.
Remember Me is the story of 18 year old Shari Cooper. Shari Cooper has died and is now a ghost. Her death has been labelled as suicide, however, Shari knows different, she knows she was murdered and wants to find out who pushed her over a four-storey high balcony. The ending was a little predictable for me, however, toward the end of the book, there is a huge twist which resulted me in thinking WTF.
This is a short review, but all in all, this book was addictive, captivating and relatable. I haven’t yet finished reading the Return part 1 which is included in the above edition. This review will be updated once I finish The Return part 1.


Remember Me Volume Two by Christopher Pike
Release Date: October 7th 2010
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books
Add it: Goodreads


[UPDATE] 16/08/2011
So I just finished reading part one and part two of The Return. Many people in reviews I’ve read have said they don’t like the new age ideas that are in the book, however, I really enjoyed the new age theme with things such as meditation and the afterlife present throughout the book.

The Return is based around the story of Shari Cooper, however, Shari has a chance to return to a body on Earth as a ‘wanderer’, the only catch is that she will not remember anything of her life prior to her death or the afterlife. Shari returns to the body of an 18 year old Hispanic girl named Jean Rodrigious. Part one, in book one confused me a little as I felt each chapter was a bit jumpy, in between Shari’s experience in the afterlife where time doesn’t matter and Jean’s “current” life, it felt as if there was no flow between the chapters. However, once you get used to it and you get used to it by part two), I think it’s an excellent story. The last few chapters of The Return shocked me incredibly and loved the twists and turns this book had.
I have began reading The Last Story and will update you when I’ve finished that :)
Overall: ♥♥♥ 1/2


[UPDATE] 19/08/11

I am at a loss for words but I’ll try to write something…

One thing I have noticed in the Christopher Pike books I’ve read so far is that he has a thing for making his characters authors and he has a thing for new age ideas. Whilst the whole “character being the author” thing would ordinarily sound like a lame idea, Mr Pike pulls it off! Shari Cooper is back as Jean Rodrigious 3 years after the events of Shari’s death. Shari has come back as a “wanderer” who writes novels to be a positive role model for the Hispanic community and is in the production stage of making one of her best sellers into a movie. However, there are some who hate wanderers and are able to distinguish what they are and want them dead (again).

This book had a miniature story within it and whilst I thought it would turn out to be crap, I got as involved in Shari’s short story as much as her bigger story. I love this because Garrett is back as a private detective and honestly, he is one of my favourite characters and also Peter is back with Shari :) . I personally thought the enemy was a bit obvious but this didn’t detract from the story at all. Honestly, I love reading about new age ideas, meditation, reincarnation and all that, although I don’t believe in a prime creator, these topics fascinate me and I don’t seem to get sick of them.

The ending of this book made me cry. Yes, it made me cry, and that’s saying something as I can’t remember the last time a book made me cry apart from when I read Harry Potter. I’m craving more of Shari’s story, just like I crave more of Sita’s story (The Last Vampire). But I know this is probably the final end of Shari’s story and I was completely 110% satisfied with the final book in this trilogy.

Here’s one particular quote I loved (from the spiritual guide throughout the book):

“Relationships are mysterious We doubt the positive qualities in others, seldom the negative. You will say to your partner: do you really love me? Are you sure you love me? You will ask this a dozen times and drive the person nuts. But you never ask: are you really mad at me? Are you sure you’re angry? When someone is angry, you don’t doubt it for a moment. Yet the reverse should be true. We should doubt the negative in life, and have faith in the positive.” – page 232

Overall: ♥♥♥♥♥