It took me a second to get into Just Do This One Thing for Me. Once I really got acquainted with the plot and characters though, I enjoyed it a lot. This isn’t your typical suspense novel, though there are suspenseful scenes. It’s also not your run-of-the-mill fiction either. This is some sort of YA hybrid that I’m eager to read more of!

If one thing is clear from the beginning of this book, it is that Drew is the one holding her family together. Her mom, Heidi, has always been flighty and unpredictable. The family basically lives off of the freebies she gets in exchange for reviews and other scams she regularly pulls off. Drew’s younger brother and sister depend on their older sister to keep schedules straight and get them off to bed and to school on time. In one word, Drew can be described as responsible. She’s someone who can be counted on, no matter what. Unfortunately, she’s also an enabler to some extent. This makes lots of things turn into situations where Drew acts as more of an adult and mother to herself and her siblings than Heidi does. 

So when New Year’s rolls around and Heidi reveals that she is putting together the most out there plan yet (go see her favorite singer, Justin Timberlake, perform in Mexico), Drew doesn’t bat an eye. Never mind that the family hasn’t even celebrated Christmas yet, or that Heidi has responsibilities at home to see to; this is a once in a lifetime opportunity! To most people, this would probably sound like a daydream and not reality, but Drew’s mom has been scheming and pulling off epic cons her whole life, with some help from unsuspecting acquaintances and loved ones. Drew is used to it at this point and knows that the easiest route to the peace and joy this time of year is supposed to bring is to help her mom get to Justin, no matter the cost. So, she goes along with her mom’s newest idea and offers to drive her to the airport to help make her dreams come true. But while the kids think their mom was picked up early by a friend and is on her way to Mexico, is she really? Days after she has left and despite numerous texts, they still haven’t heard from Heidi. The free stuff she gets in exchange for reviews is piling up faster than Drew can keep up with and people keep trying to get in touch with her mom. Where could Heidi be? Then things start to get really weird. Somehow, Drew is keeping them all above water, but soon the lies are going to get so big that she’s going to have to figure out a different plan. 

Just Do This One Thing for Me is a unique book that I don’t think I can really compare to any other books I’ve read. It’s serious in some parts and the rest is sort of dark comedy. I really hope that Laura Zimmerman has a few new books she’s working on because I can’t wait to read more!

Review of a Digital Advance Readers Copy from Dutton Books for Young Readers

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language: 27 religious exclamations; 24 mild obscenities; 3 religious profanities; 27 derogatory names; 31 scatological words; 24 anatomical terms; 50 F-Word derivatives.

Violence/Gore: Young characters find deceased relative in a brief scene; characters cover their body with a tarp until they can figure out what to do; a brief scene occurs where protestors are mentioned to be outside an abortion clinic with signs; a brief scene occurs where a young character uncovers relative’s body to remove some jewelry; a brief scene occurs where young characters transport body to a crematorium to have it illegally cremated.

Sex/Nudity: A minor girl tells her young brother that he can’t answer the front door in his underwear as they don’t know if the person on the other side might be a predator/”creeper”; a minor boy and girl who are dating share a quick kiss; a group of minors are hanging out and joking and one mentions that a boy seems sexually aroused; a doctor and her patient who is a minor getting a sexual health checkup joke about sexual organs; a conversation is had between two female characters about sexual health; a mention is made of what male sexual organs look like versus female; abortion is briefly mentioned; a minor girl realizes her teacher thinks she might be pregnant

Mature Subject Matter:

Death, illegal activity, abortion, parental neglect/irresponsibility.

Alcohol/Drug Use:

Medical marijuana use is referred to; drinking and driving is mentioned to sometimes occur; adults mentioned to drink brandy; teens drink in a brief scene; an adult is mentioned to purchase weed pastries.