KEEP ME IN MIND by Jamie Reed \\ Why You Gotta be so Mean?

Review by Reagan 

KEEP ME IN MIND
by Jaime Reed
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Point (April 26, 2016)
Language: English

A girl who doesn't remember. A boy who can't forget her. A wise, witty, and heartbreaking love story for today's YA generation.

Ellia Dawson doesn't recognize the handsome boy who sits in tears by her hospital bed. But he's telling her that he's Liam McPherson, her boyfriend. Boyfriend? Ellia thinks in shock. She has no clue who Liam is, let alone whether or not she once loved him. She remembers her family, her friends, and the fact that she wants to be a fashion designer. But Liam is a big blank in her life.

Meanwhile, Liam is devastated that Ellia, the love of his life, who suffered an accident while they were running together on the beach, has lost her memory. He is desperate to win her back, rebuild what they once had, but Ellia keeps him at an arm's length. She's much more comfortable with a new boy she meets at the hospital, who understands more what she's going through. So Liam begins writing the story of the two of them, piecing together the past in the hopes of having a future with the girl he loves.

Told from alternating perspectives, this is a lyrical, clever, and surprising novel from Jaime Reed. 

I've been in what one might call a reading slump and this book started a spurt of reading. Keep Me in Mind is the story of Ellia and Liam, who are soul mates. The only problem is Ellia doesn't know that, because their happy relationship has been wiped from her memory, along with anything since October of her Freshmen year (she's a junior). Ellia is struggling with keeping up with her friends, who she doesn't want to know she can't remember them, and her family, who are not as put together as she once thought. Meanwhile, Liam can't breathe without her. He knows what really happened that day she had her accident but can't, or won't, tell anyone.

Liam, oh my dear tortured Liam. You are the sole creator of single tear nation, and believe me I shed one for you.

 

Liam is a writer, and the only way he thinks he can get Ellia back is to write her the story of them. AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!

Look. Before Ellia was awesome, great, and whatever. But I was NOT a fan of After Ellia. She was a B-R-A-T. It's like, look girlfriend, I get that you have amnesia and can't remember him, BUT AT LEAST GIVE HIM THE TIME OF DAY!! Which she didn't until she needed him to help her with homework, or unlock her phone. Get over yourself, you're not that cool. Liam should move on and be without you because you're not good enough for him. He called you, texted you, and tried to help you anyway he could. IS THAT NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU?! Geez, every girl in school is jealous of how Liam is with you!! Appreciate that poor boy!!! 

The story line was on point, but I thought there was a lot of stuff she could've gone more into, or followed and seen where that went. Personally I thought there was a lot of build up for Cody (OH GODS CODY! What is with Jamie and her AH-MAY-ZING male characters?! They're getting my hopes up for unrealistically amazing boys.) and it just spluttered out.

 

I think this is a very good in-between book, or a good book-spree starter. But if you're looking for Happily Ever After, you might be disappointed. Thanks for reading  :)