The House We Grew Up In

By: Lisa Jewell

Narrated by: Karina Fernandez

Length: 13 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

Meet the picture-perfect Bird family: pragmatic Meg, dreamy Beth, and towheaded twins Rory and Rhys, one an adventurous troublemaker, the other his slighter, more sensitive counterpart. Their father is a sweet, gangly man, but it’s their beautiful, free-spirited mother Lorelei who spins at the center. In those early years, Lorelei tries to freeze time by filling their simple brick house with precious mementos. Easter egg foils are her favorite. Craft supplies, too. She hangs all of the children’s art, to her husband’s chagrin.

Then one Easter weekend, a tragedy so devastating occurs that, almost imperceptibly, it begins to tear the family apart. Years pass and the children have become adults, while Lorelei has become the county’s worst hoarder. She has alienated her husband and children and has been living as a recluse. But then something happens that beckons the Bird family back to the house they grew up in - to finally understand the events of that long-ago Easter weekend and to unearth the many secrets hidden within the nooks and crannies of home.

©2013 Lisa Jewell (P)2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Fantastic book by Jewell!

I really, really enjoyed this one. I've been listening to a lot of Lisa Jewell's books recently and while I like them all I've found they're a little hit or miss when it comes to being great. I thought this one was great. It captured me quickly and I stayed enthralled the whole time.
One of the things I love about this author are how realistic her characters are. She does what an author should do and truly allows a window into the lives and minds of others. She's incredibly gifted at this. I thought this one made me finally understand what might be going on in the mind of a hoarder, and the progression that takes. It also gave a great window into how grief and mental illness can alter an entire family.
And the narrator, omg she's the BEST! Some stories aren't so great in audio format but I think I actually got a lot more out of the story by listening to it from this narrator. I'm not sure I would have fully understood Loreleigh and her charm if I hadn't heard it as a performance. I think I may have misunderstood without hearing her sing song, "everything is wonderful" way of speaking. So the narrator absolutely added to the story. She even gives Bethen a slight Australian accent after awhile. Those touches make her top notch.

Sad

I love Lisa Jewell's character development, especially in this story. It was more gut-wrenching than shocking. You knew by the end why each character ended up the way they did. It was almost like you were there for each moment in their lives which sent them down a different path. Always love Lisa Jewell, but this one is really special.

great book!

Loved it. The narrator was exceptionally good. This is on e of my favorites by Lisa Jewel

Another captivating story by Lisa Jewell

First I want to say that I'm so glad I listened to this story. I truly believe the excellent acting added to the experience. This was a captivating story about family dynamics and how one event can change everything. It really makes me want to spend more time on the complicated facets of my own family life. Great read!

My favorite Lisa Jewel book so far

A little sad, but a really good story of a family, with all their flaws. Thoroughly enjoyed.

Amazing

Intricate and lovingly crafted, a fascinating and heartwarming story of family, failures, and finding your way back.

Intriguing

Lisa Jewell is such an excellent story teller. I’ve never thought about what it would be like to grow up with a mother who is a hoarder. It was fascinating to see things from that point of view.
The narrator is also absolutely fantastic.

Addictive

Lisa Jewell has a way of hooking you into her stories the minute you start them. Her characters are layered, and flawed, and lovable all at the same time. Karina did an AMAZING job with the narration. She really captured the personalities of the characters down to their accents and speech patterns. A Great read.

Good read. Easy to follow

This was a good read. There was good character development. Even when you despise or don’t agree with a character’s actions you kind of understand. There is a touch of cross cultural understanding. A good glimpse into different sides of human relationships.

not what I expected

I had a hard time getting through this book, almost traded it in. The story went very slowly. I really could not stand the narrator saying all the kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss, it was too much.
This is the 4th book I have read by Lisa Jewel and my least favorite. I like her books tbat have a mystery in it.