Reviews
`“Remember Me”, Johnny’s last words to Selma, is a novel that should be widely read and remembered. Unforgettable! –Readers Favorite
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This book was awarded the AudioBookReviewer’s Choice Award as it was deemed to deserve a higher rating than the standard 5-star review allowed. —Reviewer’s Choice at Reviewer.com
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Haunting, Emotional, and Courageous
Although Selma has faced her demons in the first book, she is forced to deal with those that still haunt her. Although she has become successful, married the love of her life, has a wonderful son, and earned the respect of her colleagues she is still hated by some for revealing the truth of the Bosnian war. She is safe, loved, and enjoying her life until someone reaches out to her asking her to tell his story. Now she must relive it all to confront all her demons finally.
The author, Sanela Ramic Jurich, is a gifted writer. She takes her pain and puts it in words that are eloquent, sensitive, and picturesque so that the listener has no choice but to feel and experience her journey. The dialogue is authentic sounding and moves the story along at a good pace. Jurich tells the story using a first-person point of view which further captivates and draws the listener in. It is more than just the pain that Jurich communicates – it clearly addresses the inequity, evilness, and passion that occurred then and continues today.
The narrator, Lindsay Carrillo has a powerful voice that further enhances the message of Jurich’s story as she clearly communicates the raw emotions experienced by the main character, Selma. Her delivery and pauses are deliberate and effectively used to communicate emotions and feelings accurately. Her intentional pauses and cadence, and her energy and passion further enhance the story and haunt the listener well after the end of this story.
This is a book that will elicit an emotional response from the listener. It is not one that you will likely forget for a very long time. You will continue to think about it as well as the stories being told about this event and others – how much truth is there actually being told by the media and governments in power? Where does one begin to trust? A riveting book!
Powerful, Moving, Haunting!
Reviewed by Charla for Reviewer.com
At the age of 15 Selma is a young girl entering adulthood with the innocence experienced only by the young. Newly in love, deciding her future of college and her career, Selma is set for life until the war arrives in Bosnia in 1992 unleashing the vile evilness only humankind can create and foster. Trust is not something she can afford to have in her neighbors, friends, or anyone after a trusted family friend brutally violates her repeatedly. She has no one she can trust, all she has loved is gone, and she has no hope of surviving unless God answers her prayers.
The author, Sanela Ramic Jurich paints a devastating picture of what Selma’s life becomes and the effects of war. She does not spare the listener with soft descriptions but rather gives them the bare truth of war and the horrible devastating actions of evil men subjecting women and children to extremes in suffering. Each character is skillfully built and developed into vivid people that are forced to suffer the most painful, devastating emotional and physical pain a human can endure. She eases her listeners into the story by showing us familiar acts and emotions – shopping, falling in love, family and friendships. The suddenness of the war reaching her hometown is unexpected and jarring and where she highlights the despair, pain, raw emotions, fear, and more. The love story between two people is amazing and provides hope and renewal. She brings the story full circle and demonstrates that healing is possible. The story flows steadily. Not only are her words powerful but her imagery is as well.
The narrator, Lindsay Carrillo provides a moving performance projecting the excitement, love, and passion for life that Selma has until the unthinkable happens. She then projects the horror, pain, despair, anger, and more with each passing word. It is as if she has become Selma with each passing word. Carrillo takes the listeners through the renewal of Selma as she confronts her attacker and reclaims some of what she has lost. I have not had the pleasure of hearing Carrillo prior to this book, but her performance is amazing.
Overall, this is a book that must be read or heard in order to appreciate the strength and sufferings of those who endure such atrocities. It is powerful with raw emotions. I am thankful for the opportunity to hear and review this book.
There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.
This book was awarded the AudioBookReviewer’s Choice Award as it was deemed to deserve a higher rating than the standard 5-star review allowed.
“Absolutely Amazing!”
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 December 2024
“Listening to Remember Me by Sanela Jurich was an emotional rollercoaster that left me feeling shaken, heartbroken, and deeply moved. From the very start, I was drawn into Selma’s world, a young girl whose first love is abruptly overshadowed by the horrors of the Bosnian War. As her life crumbles, I was overwhelmed by the raw pain and despair she endured. The narrator is absolutely amazing and she made every moment feel personal, amplifying the anguish and helplessness that seemed to seep through the story, and I found myself holding my breath, hoping for a glimmer of relief. At some point I wasn’t even sure whether this was a real story or a novel.
Yet, amid the brutal violence and heartbreak, I also felt moments of hope and strenght that kept me going. Selma’s journey through trauma, loss and unimaginable suffering is gut-wrenching, but her resilience left me with a sense of awe. By the end, I was left emotionally drained but inspired, contemplating the healing power of love and faith. This audiobook was not just a story–it was an experience that stays with me long after the final words, forcing me to reflect on the strnght it takes to survive and rebuild after such devastation.”
“Remember Me: Captivating Engaging So Relevant in Today’s World”
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2022
Sanela Ramic Jurich’s novel, Remember Me, pulls the reader into the world of Selma, a young teenager, who dreams of a future with Johnny and has her world turned upside down by the horrors of the Bosnian War. This is a very personal story of how the “ethnic cleansing” of the Serbian Army tore apart the world of a young teenager. At the same time, Selma’s story leaves the reader at the end with hope for a world of peace and healing.
Sanela Ramic Jurich has a gift for sharing the very real feelings of her characters with the reader. I felt I really knew what Selma and the other characters created by Sanela were feeling. My emotions rose and fell with the feelings of her characters. Her story helped me to understand what the people of Ukraine are going through now. My hope for the citizens of Ukraine is that their journey will evolve as Selma’s does.
Sanela Ramic Jurich’s novel, Remember Me, should give the reader a reason for not letting the horrors of the Bosnian War to continue ever again in the world.
The narrator, Lindsay Carrillo, does an excellent job of guiding the listener through Selma’s story. Her calm, yet reflective style leaves room for the listener to travel along with Selma through her very emotional journey.
An unbelievable book
Reviewed in Germany on April 19, 2021
Verified Purchase
Story well written
Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2021
Verified Purchase
Odlicno!
Reviewed in Germany on February 13, 2021
Verified Purchase
Heartbreaking
Reviewed in the Netherlands on January 29, 2021
Verified Purchase
Super!
Reviewed in Germany on January 6, 2021
Verified Purchase
Odusevljena sam!
Reviewed in Germany on March 13, 2020
Verified Purchase
sad
Reviewed in Germany on January 30, 2018
Verified Purchase
Don’t read at night or if dealing with PTSD
Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2020
Verified Purchase
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November 18, 2017
Format: Paperback; Bosnian Edition~
Five Stars!
Volim Selmu, Dzanija, plakala sam čitajući…. Predivna knjiga.
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~By Ajsa M.
July 19, 2017
Format: Paperback; Bosnian Edition (Germany)
Draga Sanela, čitala sam i prvu i drugu vašu knjigu i svaka vam cast. Vaše knjige su me navele na razmišljanja razna i mnogo su poučne. Slučajno sam našla na Amazonu i opis me je natjerao odmah da naručim i jedva sam čekala da pročitam. Zar je moguće da neko ovo sve proživi i na kraju se izbori sa svim poteškoćama i iskušenjima? 
Hvala vam što sam imala priliku ovo pročitati. Želim vam sve najbolje…
By Bahrija B.
March 12, 2017
Format: Paperback; Bosnian Edition
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Zovem se Bahrija,da budem iskren slucajno sam pronasao vase dvije knjige na internetu i odlucio da ih kupim,danas sam poceo citati vasu prvu knjigu misleci procitati nekoliko stranica, ali zaustavio sam se na 102 stranici obliven suzama nisam mogao vise izdrzati,I sad dok ovo pisem sam pod jakim emocijama i neznam kako cu zaspati. Zelim samo da vam se zahvalim I podrzim sa nadom da ce biti jos izdanja…Inace bio sam u ratu I dosao sam u USA 1997g.
Amazing
December 22, 2016
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Sanela took me back to Bosnia with her book, my husband is Bosnian and wanted a book to help me understand some of what they been through.
amazing and painful to read.
amazing and painful to read.
Five Stars
By Annamaria Combs
July 31, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
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Great summer reading. Couldn’t put it down.
Easy to read and hard to swallow.
By Mirzad
April 23, 2016
Format: Paperback
If you don’t experience every emotion possible while reading this book, you are not human.
Extremely sad and yet, happy story of Sanela during the Bosnian war. Easy to read and hard to swallow.
Extremely sad and yet, happy story of Sanela during the Bosnian war. Easy to read and hard to swallow. By Sailor
April 16, 2016
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Jao kakva knjiga, procitao sam je u jednom dahu. Hvala Vam sto ste podjelili vasu pricu. Sve najbolje.
Great book
August 1, 2015
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Thank you Selma for letting people know what happens in Bosnia, I was reading in tears. Im from Banja Luka. Osman A.
December 27, 2014
Format: Paperback
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Amazing, touching and heart felt book. The moment you start reading Sjeti Me Se it captivates your attention from start to end. I would highly recommend this book to all readers. Can’t wait to start the sequal Hunting From The Past.
by Bookangel at As I turn the pages
Sunday, May 19, 2013
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Growing up in Bosnia, Selma was a typical teenager. She got good grades. For the most part, she was a dutiful daughter. She had a close-knit group of friends. Selma even had a boyfriend named Johnny, whom she tried to hide from her parents. But Selma’s adolescence took a horrific turn in 1992 — the start of the Bosnian War.
Remember Me by Sanela Ramic Jurich paints a horrific portrait of the war. People were raped, murdered, and tortured for no reason other than their religious beliefs or that they dared to talk back. I was 10 years old at the start of this war, old enough to remember this time period but honestly I don’t. There were some passages in this book that I stared at in shock and with wide eyes. Why? I just couldn’t believe how cruel some people could be. This is a fictional story, but I’m sure plenty of people who survived the war can see themselves in Selma.
Selma should have been worried about teenage things, but slowly her way of life gets stripped away. The child of a Muslim-Catholic couple, Selma begins to worry that she and her family could lose their lives because of their beliefs. Friends you see on Monday could be gone on Tuesday. People have to leave their homes. People don’t know who they can trust. Your friend can quickly become the enemy. If you’re living in fear, are you really living at all? Selma can’t be normal anymore. One by one members of her extended family are murdered, her father is arrested, and Selma herself is forced into a concentration camp. This is where the book became hard to read. Each day spent at the camp strips away at Selma’s soul. She is raped and tortured. She begins to see herself as damaged goods. If she survives, will Johnny still love her? Will her parents and family still love her? Will people know what happened just by looking at her? How can life ever go back to normal?
I’m not going to give too much away, but Selma’s time in the concentration camp changed her life in many, many ways. If you want to know what I’m talking about, read the book!! Selma does survive. She reunites with her mother, and begins a new life in America.
Remember Me by Sanela Ramic Jurich paints a horrific portrait of the war. People were raped, murdered, and tortured for no reason other than their religious beliefs or that they dared to talk back. I was 10 years old at the start of this war, old enough to remember this time period but honestly I don’t. There were some passages in this book that I stared at in shock and with wide eyes. Why? I just couldn’t believe how cruel some people could be. This is a fictional story, but I’m sure plenty of people who survived the war can see themselves in Selma.
Selma should have been worried about teenage things, but slowly her way of life gets stripped away. The child of a Muslim-Catholic couple, Selma begins to worry that she and her family could lose their lives because of their beliefs. Friends you see on Monday could be gone on Tuesday. People have to leave their homes. People don’t know who they can trust. Your friend can quickly become the enemy. If you’re living in fear, are you really living at all? Selma can’t be normal anymore. One by one members of her extended family are murdered, her father is arrested, and Selma herself is forced into a concentration camp. This is where the book became hard to read. Each day spent at the camp strips away at Selma’s soul. She is raped and tortured. She begins to see herself as damaged goods. If she survives, will Johnny still love her? Will her parents and family still love her? Will people know what happened just by looking at her? How can life ever go back to normal?
I’m not going to give too much away, but Selma’s time in the concentration camp changed her life in many, many ways. If you want to know what I’m talking about, read the book!! Selma does survive. She reunites with her mother, and begins a new life in America.
Overall it was very good and worth reading.
By Bes
February 18, 2013
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There really is no proper place to begin reviewing this book, much less discuss the horrors of the “Ethnic Cleansing” of Bosnia.
For starters, if you have never teared or cried while reading, I suggest you have a tissue box ready. I’m not sure what brought tears to my eyes more: The immaculate beauty of Love demonstrated throughout the novel, or the mortifying truths of the genocide that were presented. Everything about this book is worth reading. Every page, every word, every letter has its own individual story behind it. Safe to say, this book is one of the most emotional I’ve journeyed through. There is a wave of emotions that is presented while reading the book. An overwhelming feeling of happiness and joy is felt while reading the parts of the true and genuine love and affection felt towards one of the characters “Johnny.” A moment later, it is as if your heart was shredded and grated to read about the horrors of the Serbian Army. It took me a few days to finish the book because I had to constantly put it down to wipe away my tears and regain my regular heartbeat. Every time I would put it down, wipe away my tears and drown myself in apologetic thoughts and emotions, I felt a compulsion to pick it back up and continue where I left off, only to be interrupted by another wave of tears.
At the beginning, I was interested to see what Sanela had to offer of the hidden aspect of the war in Yugoslavia. I was curious as to see and learn about the war through the aspect of a survivor- someone who had endured all the horrors and by fate would survive only to make sure the story was to be told. By the end, I was heartbroken and all I wanted to do was hug her for having the strength to relive her memories over and over- a memory that has taken the life of many survivors because of it’s undeniably severe impact. So to that, I would like to offer my sincerest apology to the author for all the hidden pain and emotions that she had to endure early in her lifetime (All revealed throughout the book. Trust me, this is a book that you will read start to finish. You will find yourself questioning “why?” like I am currently wondering. “Why haven’t I seen this book earlier?” “Why did all of this happen?” “Why can’t I do anything about this?”)
Trust me. Buy the book. Read it from start to finish (however long it will take.)
If you are concerned about getting “your money’s worth” then I can promise that you will. But if by the end of the book, you are still hung upon the thought of how much money you spent (which, by the way is a VERY fair price) instead of the thoughts of the events that took place in the timeframe of the novel, then your maturity and reading level aren’t even close to the level they need to be.
Very well done, Sanela. I am sorry for everything that has happened, truly and deeply apologetic. (Even if I had no part in the war or the events that occurred.) If you get to reading this review, then I just want to let you know that you are an amazing author and an inspiring person. The strength, intellect, and passion that you possess compare to none other. You truly are an inspiration to us all. Not only future authors, but also any person that is struggling with/ has struggled with adversity. Thank you for all you have done and written. Thank you for teaching me of the unspoken. Thank you for showing me emotion that cannot be found elsewhere. Thank you for living on and telling your story.
God bless you.
For starters, if you have never teared or cried while reading, I suggest you have a tissue box ready. I’m not sure what brought tears to my eyes more: The immaculate beauty of Love demonstrated throughout the novel, or the mortifying truths of the genocide that were presented. Everything about this book is worth reading. Every page, every word, every letter has its own individual story behind it. Safe to say, this book is one of the most emotional I’ve journeyed through. There is a wave of emotions that is presented while reading the book. An overwhelming feeling of happiness and joy is felt while reading the parts of the true and genuine love and affection felt towards one of the characters “Johnny.” A moment later, it is as if your heart was shredded and grated to read about the horrors of the Serbian Army. It took me a few days to finish the book because I had to constantly put it down to wipe away my tears and regain my regular heartbeat. Every time I would put it down, wipe away my tears and drown myself in apologetic thoughts and emotions, I felt a compulsion to pick it back up and continue where I left off, only to be interrupted by another wave of tears.
At the beginning, I was interested to see what Sanela had to offer of the hidden aspect of the war in Yugoslavia. I was curious as to see and learn about the war through the aspect of a survivor- someone who had endured all the horrors and by fate would survive only to make sure the story was to be told. By the end, I was heartbroken and all I wanted to do was hug her for having the strength to relive her memories over and over- a memory that has taken the life of many survivors because of it’s undeniably severe impact. So to that, I would like to offer my sincerest apology to the author for all the hidden pain and emotions that she had to endure early in her lifetime (All revealed throughout the book. Trust me, this is a book that you will read start to finish. You will find yourself questioning “why?” like I am currently wondering. “Why haven’t I seen this book earlier?” “Why did all of this happen?” “Why can’t I do anything about this?”)
Trust me. Buy the book. Read it from start to finish (however long it will take.)
If you are concerned about getting “your money’s worth” then I can promise that you will. But if by the end of the book, you are still hung upon the thought of how much money you spent (which, by the way is a VERY fair price) instead of the thoughts of the events that took place in the timeframe of the novel, then your maturity and reading level aren’t even close to the level they need to be.
Very well done, Sanela. I am sorry for everything that has happened, truly and deeply apologetic. (Even if I had no part in the war or the events that occurred.) If you get to reading this review, then I just want to let you know that you are an amazing author and an inspiring person. The strength, intellect, and passion that you possess compare to none other. You truly are an inspiration to us all. Not only future authors, but also any person that is struggling with/ has struggled with adversity. Thank you for all you have done and written. Thank you for teaching me of the unspoken. Thank you for showing me emotion that cannot be found elsewhere. Thank you for living on and telling your story.
God bless you.
Five Stars for Jurich’s Credible, Compassionate, and Courageous coming of age novel
February 8, 2013
Be ready to cry when reading this exquisitely written story. War is a tragic scourge on humanity, damaging all that is good. The conflicts that occurred in the former Yugoslav Republic beginning with Slovenia, then Croatia, and into Bosnia Herzegovina ruined the lives of so many innocent people.
Jurich’s appropriately titled novel “Remember Me,” written in the first person is told from the point of view of protagonist Selma Jovanovic, who details what happened in the Balkans in the early 1990s. In particular, Selma’s story reads as a first hand account of an ordinary teenaged girl growing up in a Bosnian village. Her life and the lives of families around her were forever impacted by what happens when human beings intentionally mean harm.
In the story’s beginning, Selma shares her hopes and dreams. Hers were no different than any teenaged girl’s would be while coming of age, but in May of 1992 in Bosnia Herzegovina and the village of Prijedor, where Selma grew up, everything changed. People changed. The neighbors whom she trusted and went to school with took sides. People were abused and murdered for reasons that even they couldn’t understand.
When the conflict was over, the damage left in its path remained. “Remember Me” is an important story that fortunately at the end, left me with a warm feeling of hope. In the story, Selma makes decisions in her life that caused me to think differently about innocence and justice. This story needed to be told so that people throughout the world would know why it is so important to remember who gets hurt when government fails and nations fight. Readers will discover that Jurich writes with the credibility and authenticity of a person who witnessed and experienced what took place in the Balkan countries during the 1990s.
Great Book
August 16, 2012
By Sanya Dugandzic Mazic
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“I truly enjoyed this book. The author did a wonderful job portraying the feelings of young love, terror and the horrors of war. As you read, you are drawn into Bosnian life in the early 90’s and feel as if you are living the events in the book. I could not put this book down – it made me laugh, cry and think. I would highly recommend it!”
Awesome…
August 15, 2012
By Unique81
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Such a good book. So touching. Book that goes deep, deep into your heart and soul. Book that can’t be put down until finished. Unbelivable story about two young people. Their innoscent love story that turns up side down when war in Bosnia starts. That is the time when everything you once belived was true, everything you thought was right, and all the people you once trused – show some other sides…Highly recommended. A must read and must buy.
 Reviewed by Alice D. for Readers FavoriteSelma is in the eighth grade when war breaks out in Bosnia in 1992. Her mother is a Bosnian Muslim while her father is Bosnian Catholic and Selma has enjoyed a delightful young life until the Yugoslavian army attacks the Muslims and Catholics of Bosnia who oppose war and have no way of getting weapons. Selma’s life begins to take a terrible turn downward when she is attacked and fondled by one of five Yugoslavian soldiers sitting behind her at a concert. Slightly older Johnny Mazur steps in to save Selma, and they are attracted to each other despite the encroachment of Milosevic, the proposed attempts to divide Bosnia between Croatia and Serbia, and the mass murders of hundreds of Bosnian Muslims. Selma’s parents lose their jobs, the army confiscates their car, and instead of being sent to safety, Selma ends up in the Omarska Camp where she and other women are raped repeatedly while men prisoners are tortured and killed. Selma finds herself pregnant but cannot give up son Kennan even though his father was one of her rapists. Is there a future for a girl like Selma who has been through so very much? “Remember Me” is a thought-provoking novel about a dark time in recent history when “ethnic cleansing” of Bosnian Muslims was carried out by psychotic mass murderer Milosevic. The characters of Selma, her parents, grandparents, neighbors and friends who lost a lovely way of life are well-created and believable. The reader will agonize over the way innocent people were killed, their homes destroyed, their surviving families get grief-stricken but somehow carry on. That Selma survives and goes on to regain her life is a tribute in novel form to a people who survived against all odds. “Sjeti Me Se”, Johnny’s last words to Selma, is a novel that should be widely read and remembered. Unforgettable! |
amazing
June 6, 2012
By azra
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Right when you start reading the first page…you cant stop reading….and when you do stop reading all you do is think about what is going to happen next and thats when you know the book is amazing. i am not a big fan of reading BUT this book 5 stars no doubt.
Svaka pohvala
May 22, 2012
Sanela, evo nikako da ti javim, knjigom sam ZAISTA oduševljena. Stvarno, svaka ti čast! Svaka pohvala na radu! Iskreno se nadam da nećeš prestajati pisati, jer u tebi je mnogo talenta i potencijala za uspjeh. Stvarno sam presretna što sam se domogla tvoje knjige. Da znas da ću tvoju knjigu, iako sam je već pročitala, kupiti, jednostavno da je mogu čuvati za moju djevojčicu, da je mogu posuditi svojim prijateljima i nekoga obradovati kao što je moja prijateljica mene, kada mi ju je posudila. Hvala ti mnogo za ovih nekoliko sati zadovoljstva koje si mi kroz ovo svoje djelo priuštila. Džani i Selma su mi stvarno prirasli za srce, i moram ti priznati da mi fale… Puno sreće u radu, u pisanju i stvaranju. Ja se istinski nadam i željno isčekujem svaku tvoju novu knjigu, a nadam se, i želim ti – da ih bude puno. Puno pozdrava i sreće u radu i životu od sada, pa zauvijek, tvoja vjerna čitateljica.
Puno sreće u radu, u pisanju i stvaranju. Ja se istinski nadam i željno isčekujem svaku tvoju novu knjigu, a nadam se, i želim ti – da ih bude puno. Puno pozdrava i sreće u radu i životu od sada, pa zauvijek, tvoja vjerna čitateljica.S postovanjem
May 9, 2012
By Aida
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Draga Sanela, ne znamo se osobno, ali sam se igrom slucaja domogla tvoje knjige. Sinoc sam je pocela citati poslije ponoci i evo sam na 15 poglavlju. U nadi da cu je jos danas zavrsiti. Hvala ti na radu, trudu, na zelji da nemila dogadjanja koja su zadesila nas narod, u tim preteskim vremenima ne padnu u zaborav. Da ne dopustimo da se zrtve i krvoloci svrstavaju u isti kos – bez obzira na religijska opredjeljenja, jer smo ipak svi samo ljudi…Hvala ti mnogo! S postovanjem, Aida!
The impact of War on ordinary people
April 7, 2012
By Mary Bergin
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It is so hard for most people to imagine what happens to ordinary people when governments and religions escalate into War. The tension through the eyes of a fifteen year old girl and her friends, neighbors, family is so thoroughly portrayed in this book by Sanela Ramic Jurich. Tradgedy is just a word until you read and live along with Selma’s experience how her life was turned upside down; people she and her family trusted now become the nightmares of her past.
The insight this book portrays is both uplifting with her first love, and painful as you try and understand how much pain a teenager can endure. After reading this book, I have found myself loaning this book to many others so they can learn about the impact of the Bosnian War. You will find yourself remembering and holding on to this story for a long time. Sanela Ramic Jurich has a gift for writing and I am anxious to read her next book!
The insight this book portrays is both uplifting with her first love, and painful as you try and understand how much pain a teenager can endure. After reading this book, I have found myself loaning this book to many others so they can learn about the impact of the Bosnian War. You will find yourself remembering and holding on to this story for a long time. Sanela Ramic Jurich has a gift for writing and I am anxious to read her next book!
A very readable story based upon such sad events.
March 19, 2012
By Paul Mundt
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Sometimes you read a book and when done set it down. Other times even upon completion, it is hard to set down. You just want to keep holding it. You want to give it to your friends and relatives and have them read too. This is one of those books. Ms. Jurich speaks with grace & somehow she even finds forgiveness. This is a book that you will remember.
touching
March 19, 2012
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Fifteen year old Selma is a normal teenager until her world is torn upside down when the Bosnian war begins. After her father is arrested her Mum sends Selma away to stay with her aunt in the hope she will be safe but the city is attacked and Selma watches helplessly as her family are murdered before her eyes. Dragged away to a concentration camp Selma suffers physical and sexual abuse at the hands of her captors and starts to believe death would be the easier option.Sanela Ramic Jurich paints us a vivid picture of the horrors that took place during the Bosnian war allowing the reader to put themselves in the place of the characters, feeling their pain and terror. The book felt more like a biography than a novel so the depiction of the soldiers raping Selma and the other young girls was just one of many very disturbing scenes to read. A lot of the book has a darkness to it that I found very depressing, this is not the type of escapism I enjoy but it does help to occasionally read this type of book to remind ourselves how lucky we are to live in a peaceful time and place.Selma realised that even in her darkest hour there was room for hope and eventually after she moved to America with her mother and son her dreams were realised. This turns out to be a sweet love story with a happy ending which helps to put to the back of our minds the horrible stuff that came at the start. I found this to be a very touching and heartfelt story. Kudos to the author for having the strength to draw on her own experiences to write this fictional book and remind us that every war has its share of innocent victims. Many of us choose to ignore or forget this fact in our need for `power’ or what we believe is `right’.
February 22, 2012
Natalie G.
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Wow is all I can say to the ending of your book! I don’t want to give anything away for those who haven’t read but I couldn’t put it down! I am down in Florida enjoying free time and got to finally enjoy some reading! Now I am waiting for your next book!!
Gripping!
February 3, 2012
AuthorLisa Tortorello
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Remember Me by Sanela Jurich is a gripping story of love, pain, and endurance. Selma, once a typical teenager, tells her story of tragedy and triumph. Her world, as she knew it, changed when the Bosnian war broke out in the 1990s. Instead of going to school, Selma was taken to a concentration camp. The evil done to her there was unthinkable. She saw family members murdered, and was even betrayed by people she knew all her life.
How Selma survived this period in her life was amazing. Best of all, she came out a winner showing everyone that her spirit might have been marred (temporarily), but in the end it would not be broken!
I was hooked on Jurich’s story from the beginning, especially when I realized, that though her story is fiction, much of what took place really happened to her or to people she knew. I highly recommend this book!
Amazing Book – A Must Read
By: Author Elaine Littau
19 Jan 2012 08:40 AM PST
19 Jan 2012 08:40 AM PST
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Amazing Book – A Must Read
Before I read “Remember Me”, I did an interview for this blog with the author, Sanela Ramic Jurich. The responses to my questions put to this author stunned me. After reading the book, I was even more amazed.
You see, Sanela is a very positive person who has lived through probably the most horrible things that could happen in life. I urge you to read this book to awaken compassion for areas of the world that are going through horrific events.
“Remember Me” is a tender love story set in a background of unrest and destruction. Strong family connections are vital to survival in the circumstances of the characters. It is a thought provoking book that will result in meaningful conversations with loved ones and friends.
I read my copy on my Kindle. It is also available in paperback version on amazon.com and other places on the web. Check out her interview with me on http://nansjourney.blogspot.com
Heartfelt Story; The astounding story
January 14, 2012
By: Edina Music
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The astounding story is that of Selma who witnesses and lives through gruesome experiences. The author does not ease you into traumatic scenes but rather thrusts you into raw events. You are left with a feeling of being kicked in the gut. Selma survives atrocities completely unaware of her physical and emotional resilience, heroism, and bravery. When the will to live is lost and life becomes unbearable, Selma’s spirit perseveres in the face of impossible odds. She marches through life as if led by Winston Churchill’s quote “If you are going through hell, keep going”.
Another subject of the story to consider is the mayhem of the mind in both the malefactor’s and the victim’s. Did the criminal have immoral tendencies dormant and the war provided a perfect backdrop for unleashing those activities?
In the case of victims, why do some live through horrendous acts of violence yet others lose their mind or take their own life? I can only conclude that both the first-time criminals and the victims who could no longer endure pain have emotionally built up and reached their “tipping point”.
In the case of victims, why do some live through horrendous acts of violence yet others lose their mind or take their own life? I can only conclude that both the first-time criminals and the victims who could no longer endure pain have emotionally built up and reached their “tipping point”.
Powerful Story of Bosnian Girl’s Survival and Hope
November 21, 2011
Ms. Holly Marihugh (Winnetka, IL USA)
Ms. Holly Marihugh (Winnetka, IL USA)
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Through the voice of 15-year-old Selma Jovanovic, Remember Me details one girl’s vivid
personal experience during the horrors of the Bosnian War in 1992. Even though she suffers through unimaginable and unutterable events, Selma survives. And although her nightmares continue, her life eventually blossoms.
personal experience during the horrors of the Bosnian War in 1992. Even though she suffers through unimaginable and unutterable events, Selma survives. And although her nightmares continue, her life eventually blossoms.
Writer Sanela Jurich tackles a topic full of emotional landmines, and the result is a
powerful story for a first-time novel. Jurich catalogs the descent into chaos of the former Yugoslav republics in the style of a day-to-day, sometimes minute-by-minute, memoir. Because news stories can never duplicate first-person experience, Jurich’s novel soars in her scenes of central character Selma seeing loved ones shot in front of her, neighbors betraying neighbors, and children she knows witness unspeakable acts of hatred.
powerful story for a first-time novel. Jurich catalogs the descent into chaos of the former Yugoslav republics in the style of a day-to-day, sometimes minute-by-minute, memoir. Because news stories can never duplicate first-person experience, Jurich’s novel soars in her scenes of central character Selma seeing loved ones shot in front of her, neighbors betraying neighbors, and children she knows witness unspeakable acts of hatred.
Selma was a regular European teenager: staying out past curfew, falling in love with a local guy, Johnny, and planning to study for her dream job as an architect. But the rug is pulled out
from under her when war breaks out, life-long friends are called into combat against each other, ethnic rage boils over, and no one knows who to trust. When finally forced to flee her home, Selma is ripped from the arms of her mother by soldiers and manhandled in a nightmarish concentration camp. In this section, the story is most painful, yet also most gripping.
from under her when war breaks out, life-long friends are called into combat against each other, ethnic rage boils over, and no one knows who to trust. When finally forced to flee her home, Selma is ripped from the arms of her mother by soldiers and manhandled in a nightmarish concentration camp. In this section, the story is most painful, yet also most gripping.
Although the book has universal appeal, some cultural differences can be jarring. For example, viewing women who are molested in war as damaged goods is unsettling to say the least.
In addition, there is the extremely difficult issue of a character debating whether to have an abortion after being raped. No matter what a reader believes, the decision-making process is
In addition, there is the extremely difficult issue of a character debating whether to have an abortion after being raped. No matter what a reader believes, the decision-making process is
wrenching to wade through. Jurich takes these issues head-on, in a very blunt, literal style.
Love conquers all!
October 22, 2011
Jacquelyn Delaney
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I absolutely love this book, I absolutely love this book. I have never cried so much. This is
a wonderful love story. I know all that happened, but love over came it all. Beautifully written. My student Bozena recommended this book to me, and I will have my GED students at Wright College read it. I will also have them complete a review for extra credit or some kind of incentive for being active in reading of this book. Great to know that we both have something in common. Wright College.
a wonderful love story. I know all that happened, but love over came it all. Beautifully written. My student Bozena recommended this book to me, and I will have my GED students at Wright College read it. I will also have them complete a review for extra credit or some kind of incentive for being active in reading of this book. Great to know that we both have something in common. Wright College.
Wonderful Story, Very Well Written
Katie van Eijl
Tuesday, July 26, 2011 11:10 AM
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I truly enjoyed this book. The author did a wonderful job portraying the feelings of young love, terror and the horrors of war. As you read, you are drawn into Bosnian life in the early 90’s and feel as if you are living the events in the book. I could not put this book down – it made me laugh, cry and think. I would highly recommend it!
Great Book, a Must Read!
Fatima Said
Tuesday, July 26, 2011 10:18 AM
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Reading “Remember Me” took me back to the hardest part of my life. Living in fear for your life and your loved ones is the worst and hardest feeling any human being can experience. The author did absolutely an amazing job telling the story of terror and the sorrow of Bosnian people during the war time. Very highly recommended, absolutely magnificent human story.
By E.R.
Friday, June 17, 2011 1:14 PM
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If you enjoy reading you must get this book.This book is amazing.Once you start you can’t stop.I absolutely loved it and I am so looking forward to part 2.Thank you for writing a wonderful book.
By Lynette Brown
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 4:37 PM
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This novel is an emotional rollercoaster. I was emotionally drained when i finished. This should become a movie. Waiting for part 2
By Allen Brown
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 4:35 PM
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I’m not a avid novel reader but this novel draws you in making you feel like you are there experiencing what Selma feels. I couldn’t put it down
By Monika R
Wednesday, June 8, 2011 8:32 PM
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This is a very well written book. The book has great details and lets you picture the story in your head. Overall it’s just an amazing story. Everyone would enjoy reading a fantastic book like this one. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.
Rawhi Said – Winona State University
Wednesday, June 8, 2011 11:00 AM
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The story of Selma is truly inspiring while I draw so many similarities to my own life because of being a refugee myself, I know that it is only one story amongst millions of others like it, while we all have a story we must harness the ability to share the pain, the triumph, and all which come. I must add that while forgiveness is a long process and sometimes might never arrive “forgetness” shall never be bestowed – Rawhi Said Winona State University
Hida
Saturday, May 28, 2011 5:19 PM
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The book was amazing and I can’t wait for part 2. I just felt as though I was there and tears have ran down my face. I am so glad that I have read Remember Me and I would suggest it to everyone. Thank You my dear Sanela for writing this amazing book, excellent book. Loved it!
Aldin E.
Friday, May 27, 2011 7:04 PM
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This novel kept me relentlessly reading to the point where I lost track of time, and was surprised to see hours have passed. It is a great read, and brings out nearly every emotion from the reader. The book can appeal to most readers due to the fact that one will be hard pressed to find a character they could not relate to in some way. Two thumbs up from me, I look forward to the next one!
Esad
Friday, May 27, 2011 3:20 PM
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One of the books that is actually very good. I was pleased with how it turned out. Can’t wait for part 2.
Edin
Friday, May 27, 2011 12:58 PM
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This has been one of my favorite novels ever. It shows the true horrors of the war. It also shows that there can be a happy ending. I would have liked to know more about Selma’s family and past, though. Aside from that, excellent book!
David Jurich
Thursday, May 26, 2011 8:51 PM
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Amazing book!!! If you enjoy reading you MUST get this book.
Jasmina Ejupovic
Thursday, May 26, 2011 7:14 PM
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An unforgettable historic event-one that may haunt some for the rest of their lives-the war in Bosnia-was such an unfortunate thing. I have not been in Bosnia during the war, nor was I born, but I have been told so many stories from family members and friends. I accepted and listened to their experiences, but reading Remember Me by Sanela Ramic Jurich has put me into ones place during the war. As I started reading Remember me, I felt as though I was the character Selma. Being able to relate so much to her, as I assume many would, had me reading non-stop, being so anxious to know what happens next. I remember recalling some things that had happened in my own life and just laughed once I had read it in Remember Me from one of the characters. The novel has such different emotions, and every different emotion lets the reader feel the same emotion. I just felt as though I was there, as though I could see the brutal images,and experienced them myself. Throughout the book, I had laughed, smiled, frowned, and tears have ran down my face. It’s just an extraordinary book, and I know it would be appealing to everyone. Remember Me does not have a typical, predicting ending, but rather one where it would leave one self into awe. Personally, I love to read romantic stories, but ones with meaning and action, and Remember Me just fits into my kind of book. I am so glad that I have read Remember Me and I would suggest it to everyone. It is not just a love story, but one that follows Selma through all of her obstacles life has given her and takes us-readers-into her footsteps through the war in Bosnia. Thank you so much for giving me the oppurtunity to read such an astonishing book!
Rita Jurich-Coffman
Thursday, May 26, 2011 1:20 PM
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I want to tell you the book was amazing and looking forward to part 2. One minute I was laughing, the next I was in tears. I too got angry at times. Like I stated before, I felt I was there watching everything with every word. The times I got horrified, I had to take a breather to collect my thoughts as I was remembering watching & reading the news about the war. Thank you my Dear Niece for writing the book.
Natalie Poole
Thursday, May 26, 2011 12:48 PM
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This book is amazing, once you start you can’t stop. It will have you crying, smiling and eager to see what will happen next! I finished the book in 2 days and still weeks later I could not stop thinking about it!!! I am so looking forward to part 2
Becky
Thursday, May 26, 2011 1:09 AM
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It was a great book! Loved it!
Christina Starr DeWeese
Sunday, May 15, 2011 9:45 PM
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Wow! That’s all I can say…. I started to read your book this afternoon and couldn’t stop, needless to say I finished it. What an amazing story… I laughed, I cried, I got angry….so many emotions in one book. I absolutely loved it and am hoping for a part two. Thank you for writing such a wonderful book.
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