Author: Melanie Batchelor
Year of publication: 2014
Summary: Jamie Richards has lost a lot. Her father died four years ago and her mother is consumed by her career. Jamie finds an escape through her artistic passion and her first love—the one person who hasn’t abandoned her, Erica Sinclair.
Overwhelmed by their own harsh realities, Jamie and Erica create a world of their own in an abandoned park—a place they call “Wonderland.” Jamie idolizes Erica until the two grow closer, and she realizes that her ideal image of Erica is nothing shy of fiction. When cracks beneath the exterior become more prevalent, Jamie begins to question the love she thought she had for Erica, and if that love was ever reciprocated.
And then it happens. A shocking event occurs that changes Jamie and Erica’s relationship forever. Jamie knows that there’s no escaping this reality—she’ll have to find a way to move forward without hiding behind her sketchbook.
Review: **Copy kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
Remember Me is a book written entirely in verse, which I did not know going into the story. Usually I don't read books like this, finding a better story weaved in regular fiction - however Remember Me is an exception.
Remember Me was the sort of book that was better because it wasn't perfect. Sometimes the words seemed clunky, or there wasn't enough explanation, or it just plain would have read better as a short story. Overall though, the raw honesty and emotion of Batchelor's work sent me into tears more than once. The parts about Jamie's dad were absolutely gripping. I don't know if the author has experienced such a loss in her life or not, but she was absolutely spot on there. Jamie's grief felt tangible and was absolutely flooring.
Batchelor's debut is a job absolutely well done, especially at such a young age. The story read very well, with a few exceptions - I would have liked more information on Asher, Chris, and the days between Erica's suicide and the end of the book. But perhaps in this book, less is more as it makes the story a bit more memorable.
Overall, I'd give the book 3.5/5 stars as a whole, rounding up to 4 and would definitely read more of Batchelor's work in the future
Rating: 4/5 stars
★★★★✰
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