Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin

Book Summer (Via Goodreads): If Naomi had picked tails, she would have won the coin toss. She wouldn't have had to go back for the yearbook camera, and she wouldn't have hit her head on the steps. She wouldn't have woken up in an ambulance with amnesia. She certainly would have remembered her boyfriend, Ace. She might even have remembered why she fell in love with him in the first place. She would understand why her best friend, Will, keeps calling her "Chief." She'd know about her mom's new family. She'd know about her dad's fiancée. She never would have met James, the boy with the questionable past and the even fuzzier future, who tells her he once wanted to kiss her. She wouldn't have wanted to kiss him back. But Naomi picked heads.

Book Review:
I recently read Zevin's latest novel, All These Things I've Done (my review), and just adored it! Ever since, Ganrielle Zevin has been on my list of to-read authors! At the bookstore I saw a paperback copy of Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Zevin, and immediately snatched it. I started reading it at the store, and before long, I was completely hooked! The characters are so individualistic and engaging, it hard not to fall in love with them. What I enjoyed most was making discoveries alongside of Naomi. I loved making mistakes and amends along side of her. Zevin excels at enveloping the reader into the story. It's a talent that I tend to find in books that I really enjoy. Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac is a wonderful example of this. I only had a few minor complaints. While I enjoyed the ending, I thought Zevin could have elaborated a little bit more and left the reader feeling more satisfied. The total page count was under 300, so I feel this could have been accomplished. Also, the world building, while good, wasn't as good as All These Things I've Done. So for these few reasons, I marked Memoirs a half point less than All These Things. Overall though, such a great story! I can't wait to read more from Gabrielle Zevin!

Favorite Quote:

“Above all, mine is a love story. Unlike most love stories, this one involves chance, gravity, a dash of head trauma. It began with a coin toss. The coin came up tails. I was heads. Had it gone my way, there might not be a story at all. Just a chapter, or a sentence in a book whose greater theme had yet to be determined. Maybe this chapter would've had the faintest whisper of love about it. But maybe not. Sometimes, a girl needs to lose.”

Cover Art Commentary:
I LOVE the cover of this book! The simplicity of the typewriter keys is classic, yet inviting. Typewriters hold a lot of meaning in this story. Such a great choice for the cover!

Rating: