The Reminders is a sweet story about friendship. Grieving the loss of his partner, Gavin moves into a friends home temporarily to escape the spotlight of his fame.

Gavin and his friend's 10 year daughter spark a friendship and together they set out to help each other - Joan to achieve her dream of becoming unforgettable and Gavin to heal from his loss. You can't help but cheer for this unlikely pair as their friendship grows and they learn about each other, themselves and what family means.

I really enjoyed this book - despite it taking me a while to read it. I've been having a rough go - in part due to a death of a family member. So, this book was a hard thing to read a little bit.

But I loved that Joan was so unique and that the story shifted between Joan and Gavin - who has recently lost someone and is trying to figure out exactly what needs to happen to discover the person without losing the person.

It was a wonderful story about doing the best that you can and moving on without losing the person that is most important to you.

You know I hate the term ‘quirky’, right? Anyway, The Reminders by Val Emmich is an off-beat story – not as mad as something like The Portable Veblen but certainly a little odd.

Ten-year-old Joan Lennon Sully has an amazing gift – HSAM (highly superior autobiographical memory). She remembers everything that has happened to her in detail. However, Joan knows that most people don’t have a memory like hers and after watching her grandma suffer from Alzheimer’s, she understands what it means to forget –

Grandma Joan had to throw me out of her brainbox so she could have enough room for the lyrics to all her favourite songs. She remembered those until the day she died (Saturday, October 8, 2011).

Joan wants to be unforgettable and believes that the answer is in music and in particular, in writing the wining song for the local ‘Next Great Songwriter Contest’.

To win the contest I’ll need a song that can make people want to dance or cry. Those are the two strongest feelings music can give you. When people dance they forget and when they cry they remember.

But Joan needs a partner, which is where family friend, Gavin Winters, comes in. Gavin, an actor, is grief-stricken over his partner Syd’s death and having fled Hollywood, he takes refuge with the Sully’s in New Jersey. However, Gavin doesn’t factor in the bitter-sweetness of Joan’s memories of Syd –

“Why did you want to burn Sydney’s things?”
“Because it’s too painful to remember.”
“…Then why are you here now? Why are you talking to me?”
“Because it’s even more painful to forget.”

The pair strike a deal – in return for sharing her memories, Gavin will help Joan with the song writing contest.

The story is told in the alternating voices of Joan and Gavin (including sweet little line drawings from Joan’s journal) and Emmich creates distinct and endearing characters in each. Although the tone occasionally wavered into the saccharine stuff you find in YA, Emmich’s charming Joan keeps you reading.

The gentle exploration of grief in its numerous forms (through Gavin, through Joan and through Joan’s father who is giving up his own career dreams) is quite lovely. Of course, it’s also a book about memory and, particularly through Joan’s thoughts about her grandma and the meaning of music, the themes become intertwined.

Music features heavily in the book so I was pleased to discover that Emmich has a Reminders playlist. And he also recorded Joan and Gavin’s song – isn’t that spectacular?

3/5 Does that ‘happy sad’ thing very well.

I received my copy of The Reminders from the publisher, Little, Brown & Company, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

First, I loved that Gavin is grieving the death of his male partner and that this fact is treated with the same respect as a grieving heterosexual partner would be. A sign of how far literature has progressed in the past decades. Having said that, the fact that these two somewhat broken characters meet, join forces, and inadvertently help heal each other's wounds is at times heartwarming at other times heartbreaking, but always engaging.

There's really only one word to describe this book. Lovely. I absolutely loved all of the characters. They were relatable and realistic. The story didn't have the typical cookie cutter happy ending but it still end on a high note.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/art-matters-when-books-can-save-your-life_us_59a95ba2e4b0d0c16bb52451

✪ Actor and musician Val Emmich, known to select audiences as “gay for Jesse” comic catnip on 30 Rock, performs a bit of creative magic channeling a reclusive former rock star (and gay widower) and an irrepressible 10-year-old girl with memory issues, in his warm and winning debut, The Reminders.

Gavin and Joan meet through unconventional situations crossing paths. Gavin has given up his current life for a new model, and Joan has HSAM (can remember every event in great detail). The characters build an uncanny friendship and use each other to benefit their own.situation. Clever writing and good characterization make this an easy read.

One can't remember, one can't forget. The premise of the novel is superb, but the promise is spectacular! I was so impressed by Val Emmich's ability to switch between the voice of adult and child so adroitly. Each time the dialogue/phrasing suited the situation and the character perfectly.
I think that this lovely book would make an excellent book discussion selection. I have found myself marking poignant passages and recommending it to friends so that I will have someone with whom to talk over things!
The book is beautifully written, I found myself accessing Mr. Emmich's website and I am fascinated. I am looking forward to reading what comes next and discovering more from this stellar individual.

What would it be like if you remembered absolutely everything that happened in a day, as well as what day of the week and time it occurred? Cool or not? Think about it...there's a reason why our brain rids itself of minutia and keeps the good stuff. However, eight year old Joan remembers what was said, done, worn, etc. for pretty much every day since toddler-hood. Not trivia or math factoids, just what happened. Therefore, she is desperate to be memorable herself. Enter Gavin, her parent's grief-stricken friend who moves in with them after losing his partner a few months ago. Gavin, a network television star, set the social media world 'ablaze' when his neighbor videoed him burning pretty much everything in his house in an attempt to rid himself of memories. See where this is going? The Reminders tells of a beautiful friendship between Gavin and Joan, as well as showcasing the place of art in our lives, what is important in families, and how to make a little girl 'remember' her special talent. It is a heartwarming book that will leave you utterly satisfied.

I just finished reading THE REMINDERS by Val Emmich. This new novel involves another* precocious young girl; she prefers to be called Joan Lennon, loves the music of The Beatles, and has an unusual ability to remember past events in depth. Joan finds a song-writing partner in Gavin Winters, longtime friend of her parents who is grieving over the death of his partner, Sydney. Joan's detailed memories of Sydney help Gavin begin to heal as does their work on a "sad song" that she wants to create in order to win a contest and be remembered.

Emmich's debut is told in the alternating voices of Joan and Gavin which serves as a powerful "reminder" of how the same events and relationships are experienced from different perspectives. There is a bit of suspense: Will they write a song in time to submit it? Will Gavin succumb to grief or jealousy over Sydney's surprising visits to New York? Will Joan's Dad, a struggling musician, give up his studio space? I found myself picking up THE REMINDERS during spare moments in order to see how the characters were reacting to challenges and to each other.

Joan says: "I'm learning that when Gavin says something nice, there's always something else that comes after it, so I think from now on, I need to listen to only the first thing he says and then quickly run out of the room." Gavin, on the other hand, thinks "I shut my eyes and picture her cowering through the city all alone. My chest can't take it. ... How [parents] let these tiny pieces of themselves out of their sight for even a second." Ultimately about family and faith in each other, THE REMINDERS received a starred review from Library Journal, calling it "a quirky, touching, and addictive read."

* for other recent books with young and very memorable characters see Ginny Moon, The One Memory of Flora Banks, and, of course, Flavia de Luce stories.
Links to reviews on those other titles:
http://treviansbookit.blogspot.com/2017/05/ginny-moon-by-benjamin-ludwig.html
http://treviansbookit.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-pearl-thief-and-more-new-ya-titles.html
http://treviansbookit.blogspot.com/2016/09/english-mysteries.html

3.5 Sweet, a little too sweet but oh so charming and readable. Quite fell for young Joan, ten years old with a memory very few in the world have, and she the youngest by far. She literally remembers every detail of every moment since the age of three. She realizes others, including her mom and dad, don't have anything close to her memory, and she is afraid of being forgotten. Enter Gavin, whose partner Oliver has died at a fairly young age, mid fifties, of a heart attack. Gavin is a star of a television series, well known and when in a moment of extreme grief he burns all of Oliver's belongings, he is caught on someone's film. He escapes to the home of he and Oliver's old friends, whom happen to be Joan's parents.

Music is the connection, a connection Joan shares with her Dad , and the connection between her and Gavin. In the past Gavin and her dad were in a band and made music together. They all love the Beatles, Paul and John in particular. The heading of each chapter is the title of a Beatles song. This story has surprising layers and flows particularly​ well. A look at the way adults and one prococious child handle the changes in their lives as well as the many ways people show grief. Many, many good things about this book written in a light manner, a mostly feel good kind of story? Alas, a little too sweet for this reader who loves salt more than sugar. A good summer read though, or when one needs to find something lighter.

ARC from Netgalley.

Increasingly our patrons are looking for books that will remind them of the goodness in human nature since the current climate in the world is full of scary news. This is definitely a book I will recommend to readers who come to me asking for a good read about human beings trying to do their best in tough times.

DNF

I tried very hard, but I could not get into this one. I read other reviews and see that I am in the majority. I will try picking this up again in the future because it seems so interesting and I want to like this book!

3.5 Stars.

THE REMINDERS is a delightful story and Joan Lennon Sully is an amazing, amusing, and serious minded little ten year old protagonist....with HSAM. (Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory) She is one of very few people in the world who can remember exactly what she did on any particular date in "her" life....who she was with, what they were doing, their exact clothing and most important to this narrative....their conversations....word for word.

With music always on her mind...The Beatles...in particular, the talented guitar strumming Joan Lennon decides to enter a song writing contest with the assistance of her musically gifted father and new actor friend. A bereaved Gavin, however, is in no mood for Joan's antics, but soon finds himself traipsing all over town searching for clues in a recently uncovered and somewhat disturbing bit of mystery.

Entertaining debut filled with cherished memories, special friendships, and the pain of starting over.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ten-year-old Joan "Lennon" Sully has a rare ability to remember every minute detail of her life and what day and time it happened. But though she can remember everything, she is afraid that no one will remember her so she is determined to win a songwriting contest by writing an unforgettable song. Her story alternates and meshes with actor Gavin Winters, a past bandmate of her dad's, who comes to stay with them while he mourns the loss of his partner. Very sweet, and moving story.

Just started this one last night. What appealed to me was the description of the book being a combination of Tell The Wolves I’m Home and The Rosie Project, I absolutely loved both of those books so I was eager to start The Reminders by Val Emmich.

Grief-stricken over his partner’s death, Gavin Winters 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 (twenty-seven) 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 a half 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 set 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.

So far, so good. A cute story that mentions The Beatles and John Lennon quite a lot.

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company for providing me with an advance copy of Val Emmich's novel, The Reminders, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT - Joan is ten-years old and has a very rare brain condition that allows her to recall every moment of her life in sharp detail. Doctors and the media are eager to talk with her, but Joan has more pressing issues. Her grandmother has recently passed away from Alzheimers and although Joan can remember everything, she worries that other people will forget her. Joan realizes that people do not forget their favorite songs and with the help of her father, a musician who owns a recording studio in their home, she plans to enter a song writing contest. 

Gavin, a friend of Joan's parents, has just lost his husband, Sydney. Gavin is a popular actor living in Los Angeles and in the throws of grief, he sets fire to Sydney's belongings, putting himself front and center for the paparazzi. Realizing he needs to escape his former life for awhile, he travels to New Jersey to stay with Joan's family, sleeping in the recording studio. Joan and Gavin develop a fast friendship and strike a bargain. Gavin will help Joan with her song and she will provide the memories that she has of Sydney, from when he visited Joan's home prior to his death. It is quickly apparent that Sydney had not been forthright with the reasons for his visits to the East Coast prior to his death. Can Joan provide enough clues to resolve the mystery of Sydney's unusual behavior? Will the mystery lead to closure for Gavin?

LIKE- The Reminders is filled with strong, likable characters. Joan is a big personality: plucky and sweet. She also has vulnerabilities and worries that make sense for her age and condition. When she talks about her grandmother's Alzheimers and her fears of being forgotten by others, it's heartbreaking. The structure of the novel ping-pongs between Joan and Gavin, each giving us a first person narration in alternating chapters. Gavin and Joan's developing friendship and the way that they help one another, is the heart of the story. It's affecting and beautiful. The plot is strong, but character development is where Emmich really shines. Very early on in the story, I cared about Joan and Gavin, which kept me turning the pages.

Prior to The Reminders, I was unfamiliar with Emmich, but learned through his bio, that he is a successful musician. Music is an important part of The Reminders, it's woven throughout the entire novel. I also read that Emmich has created a playlist to accompany The Reminders, which I'd highly recommend checking out.

DISLIKE- This is minor, because on a whole, I enjoyed The Reminders, but I did find that it took several chapters to hook me. I was confused when the story switched to Gavin's perspective. It was jarring. I'd like to say that I would have stuck with the novel if it hadn't been an ARC, but I'm not sure that I would have. That said, if you find yourself in the same situation, stick with it. By 20% in, I was hooked. It's worth the wait.

RECOMMEND- Yes. The Reminders is funny and emotional. It might make you feel nostalgic with your own memories.

Joan Lennon remembers everything. It began, she thinks, when she hit her head on the cement floor at Home Depot when she was 5 years old. But as she remembers all the details of all the moments in her life, this phenomenon makes it more obvious that those around her are not paying sufficient attention to her. Joan wonders, who remembers her? Gavin has lost his partner and in response tried to burn everything that reminds him of their life together. Then he flees to New Jersey and the home of his close friend, Joan’s mother. Instead of finding an escape, he finds Joan, who remembers every detail about the few times Sydney visited. What comes out of this is a mystery revolving around Sydney. While Gavin tries to unravel these secrets, he also helps Joan write a song for a competition that she hopes will make everyone remember her. The relationship between the two of them is heartwarming and bittersweet all at the same time.

A beautiful book. Amazing characters. totally unique

<b>Release Date: 05.30.17</b>

Val Emmich's debut novel, <i>The Reminders</i>, is a Beatles lover's fantasy. This one is filled to the brim with song references and nods to John Lennon's New York City life (where, incidentally, a large chunk of this story takes place), I was almost too distracted by the shout outs to focus on the characters and their goings-on.

Told in alternating first-person POVs, <i>The Reminders</i> is the story of two people: Joan, a young girl with the rare ability of being able to recall in vivid detail every memory of her life; and Gavin, a family friend currently mourning the loss of his husband, Sydney. Gavin, having grown up with Joan's parents, moves in with the family and soon he and Joan become close. She helps him by sharing with him every memory she has of Sydney (who is another friend of the family); he helps her by co-writing a song with Joan for an upcoming contest. Joan is a lover of music and aspires to be famous.

Honestly, I wanted to like this novel . . . but just couldn't. The emotions are contrived; there is no "there" there. Toward the beginning of the novel, Joan decides she wants to write a crying song for the contest, because crying songs get remembered most. I feel Emmich tried writing a crying novel but forgot to give these characters enough life for the reader to care about them. A major part of the novel is Gavin's grieving over his late husband, but Sydney is nothing more than a name and a few memories. Their relationship is never shown in the light; Emmich tells the reader he or she should care, but doesn't show much of <i>why</i> that is.

Really, that's this novel's largest fault: the novelist falls prey to one of the oldest predators in fiction-writing — telling, not showing. I never got a grasp on these characters; they feel like ciphers and nothing more. Joan's extraordinary memory gift is almost never utilized, except to rattle off dates at random or tell Gavin about Sydney's visits through the years. The rest of the time, Joan is too preoccupied with writing her song and Gavin spends his days wallowing in grief and Joan's parents are basically big nothings.

I wanted to love this novel, and for a moment I thought I did . . . but I realized I was in love with the Beatles references and not much else. This could have been a big literary experience; instead, it is a flimsy paint-by-the-numbers bore set against the smog and rush of the Big Apple.

<b>Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC, which was given in exchange for an honest review.</b>