Welcome to Shelf Control — an original feature created and hosted by Bookshelf Fantasies.
Shelf Control is a weekly celebration of the unread books on our shelves. Pick a book you own but haven’t read, write a post about it (suggestions: include what it’s about, why you want to read it, and when you got it), and link up! For more info on what Shelf Control is all about, check out my introductory post, here.
Want to join in? Shelf Control posts go up every Wednesday. See the guidelines at the bottom of the post, and jump on board!
A little note for 2019: For the next short while, I think I’ll focus specifically on books I’ve picked up at our library’s fabulous annual sales. With all books $3 or less, it’s so hard to resist! And yet, they pile up, year after year, so it’s a good idea to remind myself that these books are living on my shelves.
Title: The Reminders
Author: Val Emmich
Published: 2017
Length: 320 pages
What it’s about (synopsis via Goodreads):
Grief-stricken over his partner’s death, Gavin sets fire to every physical reminder in the couple’s home. A neighbor captures the ordeal on video, turning this unsung TV actor into a household name. Now, Gavin is fleeing the hysteria of Los Angeles for New Jersey, hoping to find peace with the family of an old friend. Instead, he finds Joan.
Joan, the family’s ten-year-old daughter, was born with the rare ability to recall every day of her life in cinematic detail. In seconds, she can tell you how many times her mother has uttered the phrase “it never fails” in the last six months (27) or what she was wearing when her grandfather took her fishing on a particular Sunday in June years ago (fox socks). Joan has never met Gavin until now, but she did know his partner, Sydney, and waiting inside her uncanny mind are half a dozen startlingly vivid memories to prove it.
Gavin strikes a deal with Joan: in return for sharing all her memories of Sydney, Gavin will help Joan win a local songwriting contest she’s convinced could make her unforgettable. The unlikely duo sets off on their quest until Joan reveals unexpected details about Sydney’s final months, forcing Gavin to question not only the purity of his past with Sydney but the course of his own immediate future.
Told in the alternating voices of these two irresistible characters, The Reminders is a hilarious and tender exploration of loss, memory, friendship and renewal.
How and when I got it:
LIBRARY SALE!
Why I want to read it:
I really didn’t know anything about this book before picking it up, but the bright cover caught my eye and I remembered hearing about it from a blogger friend. Turns out, the synopsis makes The Reminders sound like a great read for me — it sounds funny, quirky, but also with emotional impact. I like the description of the two main characters and the unusual plot set-up, so now that I’ve reminded myself that I own a copy, I’m eager to read it.
What do you think? Would you read this book?
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Want to participate in Shelf Control? Here’s how:
- Write a blog post about a book that you own that you haven’t read yet.
- Add your link in the comments!
- If you’d be so kind, I’d appreciate a link back from your own post.
- Check out other posts, and…
Have fun!
Bookshelf Fantasies 
What a charming and intriguing premise . . . yes, I would totally read this book. I need to learn speed-reading!
Me too! Or how to get by on less sleep so I can stay up all night reading.
Could be good, especially the New Jersey part (I’ll always be a Jersey Girl :)). I also like the cover, very fun!
It really does sound like a good time! Could be a good book to tuck in my suitcase next time I travel.