Before I Forget by Tory Henwood Hoen is one of those quiet, emotional stories that sneaks up on you.
It follows Cricket, a young woman who leaves the city and moves back home to care for her father, who has Alzheimer’s, giving her sister Nina the chance to chase the life she wants. And right away, you feel how out of place Cricket is—back in her childhood home, surrounded by memories she’s clearly been avoiding.
What surprised me is how the story balances grief with humor. Her dad starts predicting things that somehow keep coming true, turning him into a small-town oracle. It’s funny, a little strange, and oddly tender as it brings closure or comfort for those that speak to him. The town loves it. Nina… absolutely does not.
At its core, this book is about healing damaged relationships—between parent and child, one’s self, and healing emotional scars. Cricket grows and finally faces her past, but that growth comes at a cost, as her father’s health continues to decline.
It’s emotional without being heavy-handed, funny in unexpected moments, and deeply human. If you like stories about family, loss, and the messy process of becoming who you are, Before I Forget is worth your time. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I give this book an A.