You Know Me Well by David Levithan, Nina LaCour

You Know Me Well

by David Levithan and Nina LaCour

Who knows you well? Your best friend? Your boyfriend or girlfriend? A stranger you meet on a crazy night? No one, really?

Mark and Kate have sat next to each other for an entire year, but have never spoken. For whatever reason, their paths outside of class have never crossed.

That is until Kate spots Mark miles away from home, out in the city for a wild, unexpected night. Kate is lost, having just run away from a chance to finally meet the girl she has been in love with from afar. Mark, meanwhile, is in love with his best friend Ryan, who may or may not feel the same way.

When Kate and Mark meet up, little do they know how important they will become to each other – and how, in a very short time, they will know each other better than any of the people who are supposed to know them more.

Told in alternating points of view by Nina LaCour and David Levithan, the bestselling author of Every Day and co-author of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (with Rachel Cohn) and Will Grayson, Will Grayson (with John Green), You Know Me Well is a deeply honest story about navigating the joys and heartaches of first love, one truth at a time.

Reviewed by Angie on

3 of 5 stars

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I received an ARC through NetGalley.

You Know Me Well was a cute reading about coming out, falling in love, falling out of love, and new friendships. Mark and Kate haven't spoken before, but one night they run into each other and it's basically instafriends. Mark is in love with his best friend who isn't out yet, but keeps leading him on. Kate is in love with her best friend's cousin, but is terrified to make things happen. The two pour their hearts out to each other and help the other do what they need to do in life and love.

I liked You Know Me Well, but it never fully hooked me. It's quite short, so everything happens very fast and without going too deep into any of it. I really would have liked more of Mark and Kate becoming friends and just hanging out outside of their romance woes. Their friendship almost seemed convenient in places, since they happened to have each other while everything else is falling part. It also would have been nice if their voices didn't sound identical. The POV alternates between the two of them, but if I put the book down and didn't look if I was on an even or odd chapter, I'd have a hard time knowing who was narrating.

You Know Me Well was a good read. I particularly liked Mark's journey in realizing that first love doesn't have to be the last love, and it's not always reciprocated. Yes, that's kind of depressing, but it felt real. I also liked Kate's little side-plot toward the end regarding college. She brings up some very good points and I wish more books showed this as a valid option for after high school.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 22 May, 2016: Finished reading
  • 22 May, 2016: Reviewed