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The Memory Thieves #1
Adverse Effects
Some memories are meant to be forgotten--especially when they're not yours.
Determined to help her amnesiac patients recover their lives, Boston psychiatrist Cristina Silva is achieving near-miraculous results by prescribing Recognate, a revolutionary new memory-recovery drug now in trials. She understands her patients' suffering better than most, because she's lost her memories, too. Desperate to become herself again, she pops the same experimental drug she prescribes to her patients. And, like them, she remembers a little more each day.
Until one of her patients, a successful accountant, jumps from an eight-story window to his death. And as Cristina's memories return, with them come violent visions and an incessant voice in her head. Maybe the drug isn't safe after all. But discontinuing it would mean forgetting everything she's recalled and losing herself.
Then an enigmatic, possibly dangerous man appears at Cristina's bus stop. He seems to know more about her life than she does and says she holds a secret that puts her life in danger. Perilously balanced between an unknown past and a terrifying future, if she wants to survive, Cristina must stay on the medication and unlock those memories before it's too late - even if the adverse effects of the drug could destroy her.
Determined to help her amnesiac patients recover their lives, Boston psychiatrist Cristina Silva is achieving near-miraculous results by prescribing Recognate, a revolutionary new memory-recovery drug now in trials. She understands her patients' suffering better than most, because she's lost her memories, too. Desperate to become herself again, she pops the same experimental drug she prescribes to her patients. And, like them, she remembers a little more each day.
Until one of her patients, a successful accountant, jumps from an eight-story window to his death. And as Cristina's memories return, with them come violent visions and an incessant voice in her head. Maybe the drug isn't safe after all. But discontinuing it would mean forgetting everything she's recalled and losing herself.
Then an enigmatic, possibly dangerous man appears at Cristina's bus stop. He seems to know more about her life than she does and says she holds a secret that puts her life in danger. Perilously balanced between an unknown past and a terrifying future, if she wants to survive, Cristina must stay on the medication and unlock those memories before it's too late - even if the adverse effects of the drug could destroy her.
400 pages, Hardcover
Published September 15, 2020
About the author
Joel Shulkin
5 books276 followersJoel Shulkin, MD, is a developmental-behavioral pediatrician and United States Air Force veteran with a master’s in public health. Having been lucky enough to be mentored by the legendary Michael Palmer, his short stories have appeared in various print and online journals, and he has won several national and local writing awards for fiction and poetry. He lives in Florida with his wife and twin daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
September 26, 2020
I was really excited to read Adverse Effects! I love any book where the storyline involves anything medical. This one is about Christina Silva, a psychiatrist involved with a medical trial for a drug called Recognate which is supposed to help her patients with amnesia regain some of their memories. Christina is very confident in this new drug because she has seen positive results so far with in her patience taking it. Christina herself has suffered amnesia and decides to start taking this drug on her own to see if it will work for her. Unfortunately, the trial hasn’t gone on long enough, and the adverse effects are unknown, but as time goes on, people on the drug start acting strangely, even putting their own lives at risk, including Christina.
I loved the idea of a book about a medical trial of a miracle drug and Joel Shulkin, MD gave us a lot of facts about how those trials work. You could tell the author was very knowledgeable in the medical field and I enjoyed learning something new.
I truly loved the premise of the story, but the reason I am only giving it three stars is because I felt that there were too many characters in one book. It made it difficult for me to follow them and I oftentimes couldn’t remember who they were. Unfortunately, It was just annoying throughout. I wished the story would have been broken down into a series. I think it would have been much more enjoyable!
Thank you NetGalley, Edelweiss and Blackstone Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
#NetGalley #Edelweiss #AdverseEffects #BlackstonePublishing #DrJoelShulkin
I loved the idea of a book about a medical trial of a miracle drug and Joel Shulkin, MD gave us a lot of facts about how those trials work. You could tell the author was very knowledgeable in the medical field and I enjoyed learning something new.
I truly loved the premise of the story, but the reason I am only giving it three stars is because I felt that there were too many characters in one book. It made it difficult for me to follow them and I oftentimes couldn’t remember who they were. Unfortunately, It was just annoying throughout. I wished the story would have been broken down into a series. I think it would have been much more enjoyable!
Thank you NetGalley, Edelweiss and Blackstone Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
#NetGalley #Edelweiss #AdverseEffects #BlackstonePublishing #DrJoelShulkin
December 10, 2020
Psychiatrist Cristina Silva is participating in a study for an experimental drug that helps amnesia patients regain their memories. The results have been miraculous, so she not only prescribes the new drug to her patients, but also to herself.
She's adopted this as her specialty because she, herself, lost her memories. And like her patients, she remembers a little bit more each day.
All goes well ... until one of her patients jumps from a high-rise to his death. As Cristina's memories return, she develops violent visions and a voice in her head that just won't quit. She's afraid if she stops the medication, she will forget what she's just recently remembered.
A stranger approaches her and says she holds a secret that puts her life in danger.
From who? From what? Does she continue the medication in order to learn what her secret is ... even if it means she might turn psychotic? Or does she stop the medication, only to be killed by someone who knows her secret and wants her silenced forever?
As this author is a developmental pediatrician and a USAF veteran with a masters in public health, I expected some degree of credibility .... I was not disappointed. Well-written, the plot is intricate. There are many, varied characters that may be bit confusing to follow as some have aliases, some have memories that might not be their own. Plenty of twists and turns will keep the reader riveted to the pages.
She's adopted this as her specialty because she, herself, lost her memories. And like her patients, she remembers a little bit more each day.
All goes well ... until one of her patients jumps from a high-rise to his death. As Cristina's memories return, she develops violent visions and a voice in her head that just won't quit. She's afraid if she stops the medication, she will forget what she's just recently remembered.
A stranger approaches her and says she holds a secret that puts her life in danger.
From who? From what? Does she continue the medication in order to learn what her secret is ... even if it means she might turn psychotic? Or does she stop the medication, only to be killed by someone who knows her secret and wants her silenced forever?
As this author is a developmental pediatrician and a USAF veteran with a masters in public health, I expected some degree of credibility .... I was not disappointed. Well-written, the plot is intricate. There are many, varied characters that may be bit confusing to follow as some have aliases, some have memories that might not be their own. Plenty of twists and turns will keep the reader riveted to the pages.
September 23, 2022
This was a fantastic read I recommend for its action packed story line with great plotting and characterization.
I really enjoyed this one!
I really enjoyed this one!
September 15, 2020
Cristina Silva, a psychiatrist, hopes to help her patients recover their lost memories with a promising new drug she can’t resist taking herself, because she’s desperate to remember her past. Unfortunately, she gets more than she bargained for when the drug not only makes her remember things but also causes violent side effects that put her life at risk. Full of twists and turns, fans of medical thrillers will enjoy this fast-paced story.
October 17, 2020
This is a mystery/suspense story about a Boston psychiatrist who treats people who have memory loss. She helps her patients get into a trial for a new drug and it works so well for them that she begins taking it too, because she also has memory loss from a bad accident. I don’t want to give too much away but there is a Total Recall-kind of vibe where people begin to remember memories that aren’t their own, or maybe they are..
I used to read medical mysteries years ago but stopped because eventually they all sounded the same. This one is different and really good. It kept me guessing right up to the end. One element I thought I figured out from the very beginning had a big twist at the end to something totally different which was a complete surprise. I did figure out one bad guy ahead of time, but frankly as an avid suspense reader I’d be disappointed in myself if I didn’t figure out at least one twist.
This is a complex story, not one you can pick up now and then to read a chapter or two. A great book for when you have some time to really jump into the story.
I used to read medical mysteries years ago but stopped because eventually they all sounded the same. This one is different and really good. It kept me guessing right up to the end. One element I thought I figured out from the very beginning had a big twist at the end to something totally different which was a complete surprise. I did figure out one bad guy ahead of time, but frankly as an avid suspense reader I’d be disappointed in myself if I didn’t figure out at least one twist.
This is a complex story, not one you can pick up now and then to read a chapter or two. A great book for when you have some time to really jump into the story.
September 27, 2020
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing, Dr. Joel Shulkin, and TLC Booktours for a free copy of this debut novel in exchange for an honest review.
This book was action-packed! I wouldn't tout this as a thriller so much as I would a dangerous action adventure.
Dr. Cristina Silva is a successful psychiatrist in Boston who is prescribing a trial memory drug called Recognate to her patients, and having fantastic results. Until the fantasy shatters and her patients begin to exhibit signs of dissociative identity and end up tumbling down a tragic path. When Cristina meets a mysterious man on the bus who seems to know more about her than she even does herself, the doctor begins to realize that not all is as it seems. But she better figure it out quickly...because not only has she been prescribing Recognate to her patients, but she's been prescribing it to herself.
You'd be hard pressed to find one dull moment in this novel, as Shulkin keeps the action coming and the twists don't stop twisting! I will say, many of the twists I found predictable, but that could possibly be due to the fact that I have read about a million thrillers. I'm a sleuth in my own right.
I love a book where you aren't sure who to trust- not even the main character- because it keeps me on my toes and allows for absolutely anything and everything to happen. Shulkin accomplished just that with this story.
The only thing that bugged me a bit was the stilted writing during each fight scene. Sentences were incomplete and short and I found it hard to stay glued to exactly what was happening because it was so stilted and very matter of fact. That was probably a conscious writing choice and may work for others- it just didn't work for me.
Dr. Shulkin has a lot of knowledge in the field of medicine as he is a pediatrician, so I valued the care he took when writing about the drug and its compounds, lab results and bloodwork, and the field of psychiatry.
I can't wait for the next installments to Dr. Silva's saga as this was the first in a series!
This book was action-packed! I wouldn't tout this as a thriller so much as I would a dangerous action adventure.
Dr. Cristina Silva is a successful psychiatrist in Boston who is prescribing a trial memory drug called Recognate to her patients, and having fantastic results. Until the fantasy shatters and her patients begin to exhibit signs of dissociative identity and end up tumbling down a tragic path. When Cristina meets a mysterious man on the bus who seems to know more about her than she even does herself, the doctor begins to realize that not all is as it seems. But she better figure it out quickly...because not only has she been prescribing Recognate to her patients, but she's been prescribing it to herself.
You'd be hard pressed to find one dull moment in this novel, as Shulkin keeps the action coming and the twists don't stop twisting! I will say, many of the twists I found predictable, but that could possibly be due to the fact that I have read about a million thrillers. I'm a sleuth in my own right.
I love a book where you aren't sure who to trust- not even the main character- because it keeps me on my toes and allows for absolutely anything and everything to happen. Shulkin accomplished just that with this story.
The only thing that bugged me a bit was the stilted writing during each fight scene. Sentences were incomplete and short and I found it hard to stay glued to exactly what was happening because it was so stilted and very matter of fact. That was probably a conscious writing choice and may work for others- it just didn't work for me.
Dr. Shulkin has a lot of knowledge in the field of medicine as he is a pediatrician, so I valued the care he took when writing about the drug and its compounds, lab results and bloodwork, and the field of psychiatry.
I can't wait for the next installments to Dr. Silva's saga as this was the first in a series!
October 26, 2020
The plot grabbed my attention from the first chapter. I also work in psychiatry so it was double interesting for me. It is a page turner. Some people wrote that the plot was complicated and that there were too many characters. I found the plot clear, many turns and surprises. The number of characters is ok, not too many, just to keep the action going.
I strongly recommend
I strongly recommend
September 14, 2020
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. What if you had no memories of your marriage, your family, your children, your career, etc, etc? Would you participate in a drug trial to try to get those memories back? Now remember, drug trials occur before FDA approvals. What could possibly go wrong???
This was an interesting, easy to read, "change of pace" book. Well written with an excellent female protagonist. Enjoy! 📚
This was an interesting, easy to read, "change of pace" book. Well written with an excellent female protagonist. Enjoy! 📚
September 28, 2020
What a great and different read for me. I don't usually read medical thrillers, but it intrigued me and I was not disappointed.
It's very much pretty graphic from the start, but don't let that get to you. It's a great read with a lot going on so you're never bored.
Great read, and I highly recommend it!
It's very much pretty graphic from the start, but don't let that get to you. It's a great read with a lot going on so you're never bored.
Great read, and I highly recommend it!
September 27, 2020
First, a warning: the Prologue is a graphic murder scene, and that might put you off the rest of the book. But it shouldn't. While Adverse Effects is a thriller and people die, the Prologue is easily the most graphic scene. And you can channel the modern teenager and skip the Prologue. It won't affect your understanding of the overall plot.
So what is the story about?
Cristina Silva is a psychiatrist with amnesia. But there is a miracle drug, Recognate, currently going through medical trials, and Cristina has managed to get herself and several of her patients on the trial (okay, so she had to create a fake patient to get the drug for herself). She and her patients are all experiencing wonderful results, remembering a little more of their past each week.
Cristina is shocked when one of her Recognate patients commits suicide … and beyond shocked when another shoots several people in front of her. Nothing in her conversations or notes indicated any possible suicidal or murderous tendencies, so what happened?
At the same time, she is accosted by a strange man on the bus. He seems to know more about her than she knows about herself. Between her patients, the strange man, and the police, she seems to be pulled every which way in her search for answers.
It's a great concept. The writing in the first half is a little jerky at times, but gets smoother in the second half (or maybe I was just more engaged in the story and didn't notice any issues).
Cristina is an excellent heroine. She's a competent professional—at least, we think she is. It's hard to tell when she admits to having amnesia and faking records to get herself on a medical trial. But we want her to survive, but that raises the question of who can she trust? It seems everyone around her has an agenda, and some are less honourable than others.
Adverse Effects is a fast-paced thriller with a unique concept, and plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing the identity of the evildoer … or even which characters are good and which are not.
Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
So what is the story about?
Cristina Silva is a psychiatrist with amnesia. But there is a miracle drug, Recognate, currently going through medical trials, and Cristina has managed to get herself and several of her patients on the trial (okay, so she had to create a fake patient to get the drug for herself). She and her patients are all experiencing wonderful results, remembering a little more of their past each week.
Cristina is shocked when one of her Recognate patients commits suicide … and beyond shocked when another shoots several people in front of her. Nothing in her conversations or notes indicated any possible suicidal or murderous tendencies, so what happened?
At the same time, she is accosted by a strange man on the bus. He seems to know more about her than she knows about herself. Between her patients, the strange man, and the police, she seems to be pulled every which way in her search for answers.
It's a great concept. The writing in the first half is a little jerky at times, but gets smoother in the second half (or maybe I was just more engaged in the story and didn't notice any issues).
Cristina is an excellent heroine. She's a competent professional—at least, we think she is. It's hard to tell when she admits to having amnesia and faking records to get herself on a medical trial. But we want her to survive, but that raises the question of who can she trust? It seems everyone around her has an agenda, and some are less honourable than others.
Adverse Effects is a fast-paced thriller with a unique concept, and plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing the identity of the evildoer … or even which characters are good and which are not.
Thanks to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
September 14, 2020
3,5 stars
Cristina silva is a psychiatrist who was approached by a medical company to be part of a trial for "Recognate", a drug that can help patients with amnesia retrieve their lost memories. The treatment seems to have extraordinary results. All the patients enrolled in the study, with Dr. Silva are recollecting their lost memories.
Now Cristina herself is suffering from amnesia. 2 years ago, when she took part in a tragic accident that leads to her parents' death. believing in the efficiency of "Recognate", Cristina decided to start taking the miraculous pills. Except that she all her retrieved memories seemed fabricated and uncoherent with her past.
I love medical thrillers but I think there ware a lot of characters, and a lot of information to be put on one book. well, I'm not sure if permanent amnesia is that common, to be honest, to start trials and all. some parts were a little too technical and complex.
But the premise was truly interesting and original. I loved how the story was paced.
many thanks to netgalley, the author, and the publishers for my advanced copy.
Cristina silva is a psychiatrist who was approached by a medical company to be part of a trial for "Recognate", a drug that can help patients with amnesia retrieve their lost memories. The treatment seems to have extraordinary results. All the patients enrolled in the study, with Dr. Silva are recollecting their lost memories.
Now Cristina herself is suffering from amnesia. 2 years ago, when she took part in a tragic accident that leads to her parents' death. believing in the efficiency of "Recognate", Cristina decided to start taking the miraculous pills. Except that she all her retrieved memories seemed fabricated and uncoherent with her past.
I love medical thrillers but I think there ware a lot of characters, and a lot of information to be put on one book. well, I'm not sure if permanent amnesia is that common, to be honest, to start trials and all. some parts were a little too technical and complex.
But the premise was truly interesting and original. I loved how the story was paced.
many thanks to netgalley, the author, and the publishers for my advanced copy.
August 31, 2020
3.5 stars, actually.
Too many characters (made worse because most have more than one identity), too many plot twists, too much technical information. The result? Way too much of what could have been a good thing. Because of the subject matter - an experimental drug gone wrong - I wanted very much to love this book. But in the end, for the most part, I'm not at all sure I "got" what happened.
That out of the way, I'll try to summarize my thoughts on the plot: Christina Silva, a gorgeous Latina psychiatrist, is participating in a trial of a drug called Recognate on behalf of the manufacturer (a company that appears to be operating off the industry radar). Supposedly, the drug helps regenerate lost memories, or replace bad ones, or both - I think - and so far, it seems to be helping Christina's patients. That is, until it doesn't; suddenly, one patient goes berserk - and then another. Did the drug, which is related to betaendorphins, trigger the aberrant behavior, or did something else happen?
Right about then, Christina is accosted by a nasty looking man who tells her she isn't who she thinks she is. She doesn't believe him, exactly, but part of her own memories - most of which she lost when she was in an auto accident in which her parents were killed - hint that maybe the guy knows what he's talking about. All she's sure of is that she's got a few secrets of her own - most of them lost for the time being, one not that could result in revocation of her license to practice - and she desperately wants to learn the truth about her past.
Along come the cops, notably in the form of local detective Gary Wilson, plus a couple of FBI agents who seem to enjoy playing good cop, bad cop and making life miserable for Wilson. He tends to believe what Christina tells him, though (his opinion bolstered by what could be a fatal attraction to the psychiatrist). Clues point to a clandestine organization called Zero Dark - and from that point on, as Christina tries to find out about her past while dodging bullets (literally), things began to get murkier than they already were.
As I said early on, I really wanted to love this book. And I'm sure if it gets to the right readers, it will be; it's technically well written with a well-researched, timely plot, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the pre-release copy to read and review. My experience, though, was summed up at the end by Christina (or whoever she really is) as she basically says hey, I'm not sure what went down, but I've determined not to worry about it and just get on with my life.
Yeah. Me too (sigh).
Too many characters (made worse because most have more than one identity), too many plot twists, too much technical information. The result? Way too much of what could have been a good thing. Because of the subject matter - an experimental drug gone wrong - I wanted very much to love this book. But in the end, for the most part, I'm not at all sure I "got" what happened.
That out of the way, I'll try to summarize my thoughts on the plot: Christina Silva, a gorgeous Latina psychiatrist, is participating in a trial of a drug called Recognate on behalf of the manufacturer (a company that appears to be operating off the industry radar). Supposedly, the drug helps regenerate lost memories, or replace bad ones, or both - I think - and so far, it seems to be helping Christina's patients. That is, until it doesn't; suddenly, one patient goes berserk - and then another. Did the drug, which is related to betaendorphins, trigger the aberrant behavior, or did something else happen?
Right about then, Christina is accosted by a nasty looking man who tells her she isn't who she thinks she is. She doesn't believe him, exactly, but part of her own memories - most of which she lost when she was in an auto accident in which her parents were killed - hint that maybe the guy knows what he's talking about. All she's sure of is that she's got a few secrets of her own - most of them lost for the time being, one not that could result in revocation of her license to practice - and she desperately wants to learn the truth about her past.
Along come the cops, notably in the form of local detective Gary Wilson, plus a couple of FBI agents who seem to enjoy playing good cop, bad cop and making life miserable for Wilson. He tends to believe what Christina tells him, though (his opinion bolstered by what could be a fatal attraction to the psychiatrist). Clues point to a clandestine organization called Zero Dark - and from that point on, as Christina tries to find out about her past while dodging bullets (literally), things began to get murkier than they already were.
As I said early on, I really wanted to love this book. And I'm sure if it gets to the right readers, it will be; it's technically well written with a well-researched, timely plot, and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the pre-release copy to read and review. My experience, though, was summed up at the end by Christina (or whoever she really is) as she basically says hey, I'm not sure what went down, but I've determined not to worry about it and just get on with my life.
Yeah. Me too (sigh).
June 22, 2020
What would you do to gain parts of your memory or past? This was a fantastic book! It had alot of twists and turns. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review.
October 7, 2022
A Winner!
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were 3 dimensional and totally believable. I was so grabbed by the story I finished the book in 2 days. I definitely did not see the ending coming!
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were 3 dimensional and totally believable. I was so grabbed by the story I finished the book in 2 days. I definitely did not see the ending coming!
September 15, 2020
Cristina Silva is determined to help her patients; they have amnesia or some other form of memory loss and she wants to do all that she can to help them recover their memories. This desire is made all the more paramount to her because she herself has suffered from amnesia after a tragic car accident that took the lives of her parents, along with her memory. Thankfully there is a new drug being tested called Recognate, which is said to help people regain their memories. Things seem to be going quite smoothly for Cristina and her patients, but when one of her patients committs suicide, followed by a strange encounter for Cristina with a strange man, she begins to question the benefits and drawbacks of Recognate. Determined to find the truth about the drug as well as her past, Cristina must go on a journey to uncover the secrets buried within her own amnesia.
Adverse Effects is a fast-paced medical thriller full of twists and turns, taking the reader on a journey of mystery and discovery. I found the plot very intriguing and unique and I really liked the characters, especially the numerous strong female characters. There are quite a lot of characters, which could make things confusing at times, especially for those characters that were known by more than one name; notes helped, but there were still some times that I was unsure about who was being referred to. I really like the main character Cristina; not only is she tough, she is loyal and tends to do things because they are the right thing to do, even when an alternative decision could make her journey to her personal truth easier and more answer-filled. Adverse Effects is actionpacked and the events move swiftly, making this an enjoyable novel. Being the first in The Memory Thieves Series, I am curious as to what else is in store for Cristina, and I can't wait to continue her journey with her.
Many thanks to Joel Shulkin for sending me a signed copy of Adverse Effects, won during The Reader’s Coffeehouse Great Big Book Giveaway, and given in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own.
Adverse Effects is a fast-paced medical thriller full of twists and turns, taking the reader on a journey of mystery and discovery. I found the plot very intriguing and unique and I really liked the characters, especially the numerous strong female characters. There are quite a lot of characters, which could make things confusing at times, especially for those characters that were known by more than one name; notes helped, but there were still some times that I was unsure about who was being referred to. I really like the main character Cristina; not only is she tough, she is loyal and tends to do things because they are the right thing to do, even when an alternative decision could make her journey to her personal truth easier and more answer-filled. Adverse Effects is actionpacked and the events move swiftly, making this an enjoyable novel. Being the first in The Memory Thieves Series, I am curious as to what else is in store for Cristina, and I can't wait to continue her journey with her.
Many thanks to Joel Shulkin for sending me a signed copy of Adverse Effects, won during The Reader’s Coffeehouse Great Big Book Giveaway, and given in exchange for an honest review; all opinions are my own.
August 16, 2020
I was really excited to receive an arc of Adverse Effects. As a nurse, I thought it would be a great medical drama - especially since it's written by a doctor. However, I felt there was very little medicine involved. Even though the story centered around a miracle drug that helps you regain your memories, there wasn't really any patients. Everyone wasn't who they seemed. And there were A LOT of people. When more than a few came into scene, I had a hard time remembering who they all were. They didn't have clear enough voices to differentiate.
The story picked up speed about 50% in - I thought about DNF'ing until that point. While there was more action, the story seemed to get even more convoluted.
Unfortunately, since it was so hard for me to follow the plot and characters, I won't be recommending this one.
Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story picked up speed about 50% in - I thought about DNF'ing until that point. While there was more action, the story seemed to get even more convoluted.
Unfortunately, since it was so hard for me to follow the plot and characters, I won't be recommending this one.
Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 21, 2020
Adverse effects details the experiences a psychiatrist faces with a new drug touted to supposedly restore memory in patients with amnesia. Her confidence in the drug is so profound she begins to pop them herself. However no drug comes with no side effects and soon she ends up way in over her head.
The concept was different which I appreciated but the topsy turvy, way off storyline was a bit much and I found myself skipping through a lot of it. Not my favourite.
The concept was different which I appreciated but the topsy turvy, way off storyline was a bit much and I found myself skipping through a lot of it. Not my favourite.
October 26, 2022
This is full of suspense and lots of unexpected explosions in the plot. I think the premises of the storyline was intriguing and I could see where the author was going with it and it was fantastic. The only thing that I couldn't get my head around was the characters, there is a lot of them and I was confused on who was who. I also would have liked more medical issues to be addressed as it is a medical thriller but that is just a personal preference as I love reading medical fiction. I did love that there was lots of action and I am really looking forward to reading the next book to see where it leads. I didn't love this book but I did like it and I know this won't make sense but I can feel that this author has potential to write amazing thrillers.
Blurb
Some memories are meant to be forgotten--especially when they're not yours.
Determined to help her amnesiac patients recover their lives, Boston psychiatrist Cristina Silva is achieving near-miraculous results by prescribing Recognate, a revolutionary new memory-recovery drug now in trials. She understands her patients' suffering better than most, because she's lost her memories, too. Desperate to become herself again, she pops the same experimental drug she prescribes to her patients. And, like them, she remembers a little more each day.
Until one of her patients, a successful accountant, jumps from an eight-story window to his death. And as Cristina's memories return, with them come violent visions and an incessant voice in her head. Maybe the drug isn't safe after all. But discontinuing it would mean forgetting everything she's recalled and losing herself.
Then an enigmatic, possibly dangerous man appears at Cristina's bus stop. He seems to know more about her life than she does and says she holds a secret that puts her life in danger. Perilously balanced between an unknown past and a terrifying future, if she wants to survive, Cristina must stay on the medication and unlock those memories before it's too late - even if the adverse effects of the drug could destroy her.
Blurb
Some memories are meant to be forgotten--especially when they're not yours.
Determined to help her amnesiac patients recover their lives, Boston psychiatrist Cristina Silva is achieving near-miraculous results by prescribing Recognate, a revolutionary new memory-recovery drug now in trials. She understands her patients' suffering better than most, because she's lost her memories, too. Desperate to become herself again, she pops the same experimental drug she prescribes to her patients. And, like them, she remembers a little more each day.
Until one of her patients, a successful accountant, jumps from an eight-story window to his death. And as Cristina's memories return, with them come violent visions and an incessant voice in her head. Maybe the drug isn't safe after all. But discontinuing it would mean forgetting everything she's recalled and losing herself.
Then an enigmatic, possibly dangerous man appears at Cristina's bus stop. He seems to know more about her life than she does and says she holds a secret that puts her life in danger. Perilously balanced between an unknown past and a terrifying future, if she wants to survive, Cristina must stay on the medication and unlock those memories before it's too late - even if the adverse effects of the drug could destroy her.
November 19, 2020
I really didn't know what to expect going into this novel. Medical thrillers are not really something I have read before and I found myself pleasantly surprised and enjoying it quite a bit. Cristina is a psychiatrist who helps her patients with amnesia or dementia recovery memory by prescribing them an experimental drug that interestingly, she is also self medicating with under the radar of the drug company. She herself was in an accident that gave her amnesia, although she was able to remember everything from her medical profession but nothing else, which did seem a bit far fetched.
I did have trouble keeping track of all of the characters, so especially as it got towards the end and the pace of the novel really started to pick up, I found myself confused with all of the different players. This was somewhat of the turning point for me, and overall the story kind of lost me in the last 100 pages or so. I think if you are into fleeing, CIA, gun chase type stories then I can really see people enjoying this. It just wasn't necessarily for me. Good twists, overall good story. Solid 3 stars.
I received a copy of this novel in a goodreads giveaway.
I did have trouble keeping track of all of the characters, so especially as it got towards the end and the pace of the novel really started to pick up, I found myself confused with all of the different players. This was somewhat of the turning point for me, and overall the story kind of lost me in the last 100 pages or so. I think if you are into fleeing, CIA, gun chase type stories then I can really see people enjoying this. It just wasn't necessarily for me. Good twists, overall good story. Solid 3 stars.
I received a copy of this novel in a goodreads giveaway.
January 11, 2022
Wow, what a concept. It's like who are you are you sure, that it's really you. Brainwashed or not drugs that everyone is lying about. Does it really matter if you know who you are or what really happened.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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May 10, 2022Reads like a movie!
Trust no one is the underlying element of Adverse Effects, but in Christina’s case and some of her patients as well, they learn that they can’t even trust their own memory. What if everything you thought about who you are is a lie?
Although not totally a cliffhanger ending, it does make you want to grab the next book to learn the fate of the characters.
A totally immersive novel with action, suspense and a sense of knowing some of the characters.
Trust no one is the underlying element of Adverse Effects, but in Christina’s case and some of her patients as well, they learn that they can’t even trust their own memory. What if everything you thought about who you are is a lie?
Although not totally a cliffhanger ending, it does make you want to grab the next book to learn the fate of the characters.
A totally immersive novel with action, suspense and a sense of knowing some of the characters.
August 27, 2021
This book was gifted to me from a Facebook book group giveaway. The author is very nice, and I was very happy to receive his book!
This book kept me on my toes throughout the whole book. It messed with my mind, and I was blown away with some of the twists, and how the story itself played out.
Cristina is trying to regain her memory after some trauma, and decides to start taking Recognate, a drug that she prescribes to her patients.
A mysterious man appears and it scares her, when he claims to know more about her than she does herself.
The storyline was great and I definitely loved it!
Thanks again to Joel for gifting me this book! I love it, definitely would recommend!
This book kept me on my toes throughout the whole book. It messed with my mind, and I was blown away with some of the twists, and how the story itself played out.
Cristina is trying to regain her memory after some trauma, and decides to start taking Recognate, a drug that she prescribes to her patients.
A mysterious man appears and it scares her, when he claims to know more about her than she does herself.
The storyline was great and I definitely loved it!
Thanks again to Joel for gifting me this book! I love it, definitely would recommend!
December 15, 2022
Great book that reads fast! It has a strong female lead and reminds me a lot of a Dean Koontz style.
October 20, 2022
I first want to say thank you to the author for gifting me the Kindle edition to his book.
It has been a LONG time since I’ve read a book that I just couldn’t put down. I may have ignored some house work to finish this book. I wish we could give half stars on here because this one is a solid 4.5 for me.
It was like reading an action movie. Filled with secret lives, action, backstabbing, it was just so good! It was a very clean book as well which was a nice change of pace for this type of story. I don’t recall seeing many, if any, cursing.
The only reason I didn’t give this a full 5 starts is because of the ending, but that is more of a personal preference of mine. I’m not a fan of “so many years later” endings.
I can not wait to read the next one!
It has been a LONG time since I’ve read a book that I just couldn’t put down. I may have ignored some house work to finish this book. I wish we could give half stars on here because this one is a solid 4.5 for me.
It was like reading an action movie. Filled with secret lives, action, backstabbing, it was just so good! It was a very clean book as well which was a nice change of pace for this type of story. I don’t recall seeing many, if any, cursing.
The only reason I didn’t give this a full 5 starts is because of the ending, but that is more of a personal preference of mine. I’m not a fan of “so many years later” endings.
I can not wait to read the next one!
March 12, 2021
This was an action filled book but a very confusing one. No one in this book is who they say they are and it gets very difficult to keep track of who's who. Cristina isn't Cristina. Quinn isn't Quinn. Andrea isn't Andrea. It goes on and on and there a LOT of characters to keep track of. I liked the premise of the story but it was too much.
Determined to help her amnesiac patients recover their lives, Boston psychiatrist Cristina Silva is achieving near-miraculous results by prescribing Recognate, a revolutionary new memory-recovery drug now in trials. She understands her patients' suffering better than most, because she's lost her memories, too. Desperate to become herself again, she pops the same experimental drug she prescribes to her patients. And, like them, she remembers a little more each day.
Until one of her patients, a successful accountant, jumps from an eight-story window to his death. And as Cristina's memories return, with them come violent visions and an incessant voice in her head. Maybe the drug isn't safe after all. But discontinuing it would mean forgetting everything she's recalled and losing herself.
Then an enigmatic, possibly dangerous man appears at Cristina's bus stop. He seems to know more about her life than she does and says she holds a secret that puts her life in danger. Perilously balanced between an unknown past and a terrifying future, if she wants to survive, Cristina must stay on the medication and unlock those memories before it's too late - even if the adverse effects of the drug could destroy her
Determined to help her amnesiac patients recover their lives, Boston psychiatrist Cristina Silva is achieving near-miraculous results by prescribing Recognate, a revolutionary new memory-recovery drug now in trials. She understands her patients' suffering better than most, because she's lost her memories, too. Desperate to become herself again, she pops the same experimental drug she prescribes to her patients. And, like them, she remembers a little more each day.
Until one of her patients, a successful accountant, jumps from an eight-story window to his death. And as Cristina's memories return, with them come violent visions and an incessant voice in her head. Maybe the drug isn't safe after all. But discontinuing it would mean forgetting everything she's recalled and losing herself.
Then an enigmatic, possibly dangerous man appears at Cristina's bus stop. He seems to know more about her life than she does and says she holds a secret that puts her life in danger. Perilously balanced between an unknown past and a terrifying future, if she wants to survive, Cristina must stay on the medication and unlock those memories before it's too late - even if the adverse effects of the drug could destroy her
January 31, 2021
“Memory defined our reality, but what we remember isn’t always real..”
My mind is still processing everything that happened in this. 🤯
First thing first: I REALLY REALLY liked this book.
Cristina is a psychiatrist who specializes in patients with memory loss, because she herself has the same issue. Her and her patients are involved in a clinical trial for a drug called Recognate. Recognate helps bring back memories. Some of her patients start having strange “Adverse Effects” - When she’s approached by a stranger on a bus, her entire world and everything she thought she knew is questioned.
This is a very well written and thought out story. I personally enjoyed the complexity of the story and characters. There were times I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I waited to find out what happened.
My mind is still processing everything that happened in this. 🤯
First thing first: I REALLY REALLY liked this book.
Cristina is a psychiatrist who specializes in patients with memory loss, because she herself has the same issue. Her and her patients are involved in a clinical trial for a drug called Recognate. Recognate helps bring back memories. Some of her patients start having strange “Adverse Effects” - When she’s approached by a stranger on a bus, her entire world and everything she thought she knew is questioned.
This is a very well written and thought out story. I personally enjoyed the complexity of the story and characters. There were times I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I waited to find out what happened.
September 4, 2022
I loved it until the end, which wasn't an end. Nothing was resolved. And there were multiple story lines that needed conclusions!
February 3, 2023
Book Review - Adverse Effects - Dr. Joel Shulkin, MD
Dr. Joel Shulkin's medical thriller, “Adverse Effects,” was my first medical thriller and surprisingly not a boring nor too complicated read. Medical thrillers are not my usual sub-category in the thriller genre, but Adverse Effects wasn’t too bad. It was a little confusing at first, but quickly picked up the pace and surprised me with ample and sufficient action. It was evident that lots of medical research and know-how went into this book, and it was neatly tied together with an intriguing plot and captivating storyline around the subject of amnesia - once a staple of television soap opera stories. Dr. Shulkin did a brilliant job with the main character, Cristina Silva - a smart and very capable psychiatrist that provided a new revolutionary experimental memory-recovery drug to her patients. That experimental drug eventually put her life in danger because of its secret ‘adverse effects.’ Her character was the true hero of this narrative. She felt like a real person, not a one-dimensional action thriller hero who readers typically can’t relate to. I was rooting for her throughout this entire somewhat complex and sophisticated story. Although there were too many supporting characters throughout the narrative – many with alias which caused me to get confused – Cristina Silva’s persona made this book. I really liked her and will read the next book in the series, “Toxic Effects” because of her. Fast paced with well-balanced action intertwined with the sensible medical excitements, Adverse Effects is a solid medical suspense thriller with adequate action. Shulkin’s writing style was concise, to the point and not too complicated with the medical jargon. He made the story easy to read, understandable and very straightforward. The thrilling action helped a lot too! Again, I’m not a big fan of medical thrillers but this one a decent read.
Dr. Joel Shulkin's medical thriller, “Adverse Effects,” was my first medical thriller and surprisingly not a boring nor too complicated read. Medical thrillers are not my usual sub-category in the thriller genre, but Adverse Effects wasn’t too bad. It was a little confusing at first, but quickly picked up the pace and surprised me with ample and sufficient action. It was evident that lots of medical research and know-how went into this book, and it was neatly tied together with an intriguing plot and captivating storyline around the subject of amnesia - once a staple of television soap opera stories. Dr. Shulkin did a brilliant job with the main character, Cristina Silva - a smart and very capable psychiatrist that provided a new revolutionary experimental memory-recovery drug to her patients. That experimental drug eventually put her life in danger because of its secret ‘adverse effects.’ Her character was the true hero of this narrative. She felt like a real person, not a one-dimensional action thriller hero who readers typically can’t relate to. I was rooting for her throughout this entire somewhat complex and sophisticated story. Although there were too many supporting characters throughout the narrative – many with alias which caused me to get confused – Cristina Silva’s persona made this book. I really liked her and will read the next book in the series, “Toxic Effects” because of her. Fast paced with well-balanced action intertwined with the sensible medical excitements, Adverse Effects is a solid medical suspense thriller with adequate action. Shulkin’s writing style was concise, to the point and not too complicated with the medical jargon. He made the story easy to read, understandable and very straightforward. The thrilling action helped a lot too! Again, I’m not a big fan of medical thrillers but this one a decent read.
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September 20, 2020 This book is about a psychiatrist participating in a study on an experimental drug to help amnesia patients regain their memories. Herself a survivor of a traumatic injury in a wreck that killed her parents, she begins taking the drug herself. When two of her patients kill themseles she begins to get worried. When a mysterious hobo begins following her she gets scared. Then she starts having violent nightmares. Are these all connected? Is the drug the cause? She must find out if she wants to survive.
I love medical mysteries and I hate Big Pharma so this book sounded perfect for me. I did enjoy it but it had some problems. First, the technical descriptions about how the drug works will bog some readers down. I am a pharmacist so I understood them but the average reader may not. Next, the characters. They were good, but there were a lot of them and they weren't always what they seemed. This led to some confusion but maybe that is the whole point as the drug made the users confused. At times I felt like I was on a bad LSD trip. Lastly, the plots twists, and there were many, were hard to follow if you put the book down and came back to it later. It is best read in one or two sittings. In the end, I got it. I think.
On the whole I enjoyed the book. It is a good look at what greed and an unscrupulous drug company can do. It is obvious the author knows his subject. Though at times I was confused, looking back I realized that made the book more real. It misses the mark of being a truly great medical thriller (like Coma, the book that started my love of the genre) but it was still an enjoyable and worthwhile read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an early copy.
I love medical mysteries and I hate Big Pharma so this book sounded perfect for me. I did enjoy it but it had some problems. First, the technical descriptions about how the drug works will bog some readers down. I am a pharmacist so I understood them but the average reader may not. Next, the characters. They were good, but there were a lot of them and they weren't always what they seemed. This led to some confusion but maybe that is the whole point as the drug made the users confused. At times I felt like I was on a bad LSD trip. Lastly, the plots twists, and there were many, were hard to follow if you put the book down and came back to it later. It is best read in one or two sittings. In the end, I got it. I think.
On the whole I enjoyed the book. It is a good look at what greed and an unscrupulous drug company can do. It is obvious the author knows his subject. Though at times I was confused, looking back I realized that made the book more real. It misses the mark of being a truly great medical thriller (like Coma, the book that started my love of the genre) but it was still an enjoyable and worthwhile read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an early copy.
September 11, 2020
Who is Cristina? That's the question she asks herself after she meets Sebastian on a bus and he tells her she isn't who she thinks she is. What she is, actually, is a psychiatrist who unwisely dosed herself with a miracle memory drug. She's seen several of her patients with amnesia do well with it but then one of them committed suicide. Was it the drug? What the heck is going on? Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. Those who like Pharma-conspiracy novels should pick this up.
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