Reviews

Just Do This One Thing for Me by Laura Zimmermann

libertyreads789's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

This is going to be one of those reviews where "it's not you, it's me." I feel like this novel has a real audience out there. I'm just not it. I picked this one up thinking it was one thing when it was another. I was expecting a Murder Mystery and instead got a Contemporary novel...with one person who dies. It did not help at all that I'm a 34 year old woman reading about a 17 year old, 15 year old, and an 8 year old as they make some of the worst decisions. All I kept doing during the novel was begging for an adult to step in and help fix the situation. I know a lot of YA and Middle Grade novels require adults to not be in the picture or to be an antagonist, but Goddamn does this book need a real adult somewhere. And the whole time my anxiety was ratcheting up and up. When I took a break from reading yesterday, I told my husband that I just want the book to be over so I will hopefully stop going down the anxiety spiral. I guess that can be a good or a bad thing depending on whether you put weight in the idea of an author eliciting any type of emotion from the reader. Overall, this just isn't the book for me. I know there are going to be Contemporary readers out there who love this. I'm just not one.

librarydosebykristy's review against another edition

4.0

I totally unique premise with A plus characters.

makeshiftstar's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

bettyjett's review against another edition

3.0

3.5 stars

asiyahrana's review against another edition

funny sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

megdeg's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

I liked the idea of this book more than the execution. I think one main issue was that I didn’t really believe in the narrator being a teenage girl. She’s not supposed to be typically teenage, but she almost never had a real teenager moment. I did like how it ended though, and there are some good moments throughout.

nic_m_hud's review against another edition

3.0

Oh Lord am I a mom like the mom in this book? That was my real fear throughout. I liked this one, it was fast and fun.

nssutton's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Never have I ever been so stressed out for the fate of three fictional characters. Have no idea how this fell into my “is this middle school?” queue and, while it’s definitely not, I am so glad I read it even as every page turn churned my anxiety for, let me repeat, three made up people. 

smalltownbookmom's review against another edition

5.0

This was a hilarious and tender YA story about a neglectful mother and Drew, her eldest daughter who is left trying to hold the family together when their scammer mother turns up dead.

The IRS is knocking on their door constantly trying to hold her mother accountable for all the tax evasion and fraud she's committed, meanwhile Drew is trying to get her college applications done, make her needy boyfriend happy, keep her younger siblings fed and out of trouble AND on top of everything she keeps getting visits from her dead mother's ghost.

Highly original, fast-paced and full of heart, this was a surprise delight and one heck of an entertaining read! VERY much recommended and great on audio too read by Jennifer Jill Araya. Many thanks to @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!!

clamon's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0