I actually recently read a YA novel, "Poison" by Bridget Zinn (I think?).

It stood out because I was thinking of this particular activity the day I picked it up and started reading and thinking that linear was really the only reasonable way to do a story as simple as mine.

But then I read an equally simple story that started midpoint and used regular flashbacks to fill in the gaps. The story is about a poison-artist who attempts to assassinate the princess, her friend. At the beginning of the novel, she's already on the run for her first attempt and she is trying to dodge the people hunting her while still trying to finish the assassination. This allowed the reader to be immediately drawn into the action, rather than wading through several chapters of backstory.

There are approximately a dozen flashbacks that include how she first met the princess, why she decided to assassinate the princess, her relationship with key characters. I thought it was very well done. Each flashback added to the story and still drove it forward. If anyone wants a decent example that only takes a few solid hours of reading, I recommend it. I'm not saying it's a superb example, but it was an enjoyable one. I have a few qualms with some of the choices the author made, but I'm extremely picky.