"Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac" by Gabrielle Zevin

271 pages

Sixteen-year-old Naomi's life changed forever with the toss of a coin. If she hadn't lost the coin toss, she wouldn't have been the one to go back into her high school to retrieve the camera from the yearbook office. She wouldn't have slipped on a piece of trash on the stairs and hit her head. She wouldn't have lost her memory of the past four years. Now Naomi can't remember anything that happened to her after age twelve. Her family's been reshaped; she's involved with activities that she never cared about before; and she has a best friend and a boyfriend who are strangers to her. As Naomi gets more clues about the person she had been right before her accident, it seems like she had become someone totally different from who she was as a kid--and who she is after the accident.

Of the young adult books I've read this year, this is one of my favorites. The idea of losing one's memory and having to reevaluate everything is fascinating and made me think about how I'd react in the same situation. It also made me consider what my 12-year-old self would think of who I am today. There's some stereotypical teen drama and romance in here, but it seems more sincere and not quite as predictable as some other young adult stories are. The story made me laugh and is also touching without being too cheesy. I fell in love with the characters right away, especially Will and Naomi's dad. Great stuff all around!