Just Remember
by Donna Blaber
Em Rogers’ life changed forever when she got her first after-school detention. If she’d known Dad would die in a traumatic accident on the way to pick her up and Mum would suffer a nervous breakdown, she would never have talked in class that day. Was it her fault? After losing friends, confidence and hope, Em moves north to Matapouri to live with Nan and finds a future with the help of new friends, a mermaid and a magic rock.
This is a lovely read. A New Zealand fairy story with strong characters and well written dialogue. I would have loved this as a young reader and have to say, I enjoyed it as an adult.
I noticed an edit miss on p 25 – a lapse into first person but that was all. Apart from that the chapters flowed nicely and their short length made it a very easy read.
There was good depth to the storylines, too with a great bit of detective work as Em chases down a criminal. If I have a complaint, it’s that Jessie and Mia’s own stories are brushed away in one paragraph. I’d have liked to have their stories told about these magical happenings too. At 106 pages, ‘Just Remember’ isn’t a challenging read lengthwise and I felt these stories would have added more about these two who become so important in Em’s new life.
I received this as lockdown hit again and it was a lovely escape.
A heart-warming and life-affirming read. Much thanks, Donna.
by Donna Blaber
Em Rogers’ life changed forever when she got her first after-school detention. If she’d known Dad would die in a traumatic accident on the way to pick her up and Mum would suffer a nervous breakdown, she would never have talked in class that day. Was it her fault? After losing friends, confidence and hope, Em moves north to Matapouri to live with Nan and finds a future with the help of new friends, a mermaid and a magic rock.
This is a lovely read. A New Zealand fairy story with strong characters and well written dialogue. I would have loved this as a young reader and have to say, I enjoyed it as an adult.
I noticed an edit miss on p 25 – a lapse into first person but that was all. Apart from that the chapters flowed nicely and their short length made it a very easy read.
There was good depth to the storylines, too with a great bit of detective work as Em chases down a criminal. If I have a complaint, it’s that Jessie and Mia’s own stories are brushed away in one paragraph. I’d have liked to have their stories told about these magical happenings too. At 106 pages, ‘Just Remember’ isn’t a challenging read lengthwise and I felt these stories would have added more about these two who become so important in Em’s new life.
I received this as lockdown hit again and it was a lovely escape.
A heart-warming and life-affirming read. Much thanks, Donna.
Review by TJ Ramsay
Title: Just Remember
Author: Donna Blaber
Publisher: Lighthouse Media Group
ISBN: 978-1-927229-72-9
RRP: $22
Available: print from https://aotearoabooks.co.nz/just-remember
Author: Donna Blaber
Publisher: Lighthouse Media Group
ISBN: 978-1-927229-72-9
RRP: $22
Available: print from https://aotearoabooks.co.nz/just-remember
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